The Children of Recession

Its 6 AM, and I am packing. I am packing for my final journey from IIML, into the real world, into the professional arena, where there will be no one to look after us, and it will be baptism by fire. I am overcome by such emotions, when I suddenly spot something sitting on the top shelf of my cupboard. It is an unopened bottle of fine "Moēt-Chandon" Champagne. I requested Chitta to bring it when he was on a trip to NY. I had imagined we all would celebrate with this once all of our gang got jobs.

Well, it is almost 45 days since it has been sitting o the shelf, with 5 of my best friends yet to be placed. I read in the newspapers everyday as to how the recession is affecting people across the globe, and it reminds me of the time when the dot com bubble had burst, how thankful I had felt not be in the eye of the storm. Well, the second time is not so lucky. Here I am, with all my classmates here at L and other B-Schools of the world, standing in the midst of what is being termed the worst economic downturn ever.

However, it is not a feeling of resentment, or of helplessness, that has overcome me, it is of anger. Anger at the way we are being treated, anger at the liberties firms are taking at our expense. Even if I have a job, and arguably one of the best on offer, I still am bursting with anger at the way my buddies are being treated. The cream of the country is being treated like dirt, and like some cheap, poor hooker, they suit up every morning, go to see n number of processes, only to return dejected and distraught in the end. The next day is the same ordeal all over again.

Let me justify my anger by illustrating one incident which happened not so long ago, right here at L. A particular company, which normally is not welcome at even B-Grade schools, let alone the IIMs, was on campus to hire, and had proudly proclaimed that it is looking at a large number of candidates, and that it will offer meaty roles, but had declined to disclose the salary structure. It shortlisted everyone who had applied, and mapped out a lengthy recruitment process, much to the chagrin of the PCom, who are bunking their classes to help us get placed. After running the process for more than 15 hours, the firm told the PCom representative that they, "sadly" could not find anyone who was a "fit" for them, and so did not make any offers. One of my colleagues heard the guys from the company laughing and commenting, "Serves them right, they never let us in, now it is us who kicked them out."

Well, sir, I have only one thing to say, the IIMs are a giant, they may falter and occasionally even fall down, but they will always dust themselves up and walk like the giant they always were. And if you decide to take a swing at us when we are down, Sir, you are in for a surprise as to how resilient we, the Children of Recession, can be.

All this, reminds me of a poem I had written a few years back, which is apt for the IIM Student, Class of 2009, the Child of Recession

Fighting crying eyes

Look deeper than I might

Break away the sad mind

Feel the force behind

The fighting crying eyes

Sadness no more

Fight back and galore

Time for annihilation

Some kind of war

Fighting the crying eyes

Mine is the face of rebel

Crushing the devil

Rising above the hell

Fighting the crying eyes

No more, No more

Tears no further

Rock in my blood

Rock in my heart

Rocking the messed up

Fighting the depression

Always I am the rock

Always I am the rock

Fighting

Fighting

Fighting the crying eyes