HR. The moment we think about it, some typical images flash through our eyes, right? ‘Soft’ skills, lots of ‘communication’, some ‘hiring’ and ‘firing’ training, with some dispute management thrown in. And of course, sophisticated get up and cosy offices.
To say the truth, all the above are true in a sense, but it is just the tip of the iceberg called Human Resource Management. A student of HRM in undisputedly the most reputed institute for HR education in the country, I can say this with absolute conviction that this is not at all what I had expected when I had filled up application for XAT. And what do I mean by ‘this’? Here goes.
“This” is a very typical day which starts, with much difficulty, as much before a 9 a.m. class as the minimum time taken to wake up and pull yourself to the classroom. And trust me, records get broken every day. Then starts the daily grind of lectures – in a typical day we end up having sessions on anything starting with basics of Human Resource Planning and ending the day with Fundamentals of Labour Law, with some basic accounting and spreadsheet modelling thrown in. The unique thing about being in HR is that you have to learn, and know the basics of every function, be it Operations, Sales and Marketing or Finance and have to understand the inter-dynamics between them, because at the end of the day, it is all about the people.
On days which are blessed enough to have come with one or two sessions free, that time is used to work on the multiple projects. These projects are mostly field projects and require hands-on interaction with the industry. From understanding the intricacies of contractual labour as a part of industrial relations to the issues faced by female workers on a shopfloor, the best education happens outside the classrooms.
Now, once the evening has set in, starts the most active part of the day. The campus vibrates with energy, and long to-do lists are executed in the space of these few golden hours. Various group assignments, preparations for future classes, innumerable quizzes apart, this is also the time when the sports enthusiasts take to the court and friendly rivalries are cheered on with much ado. The mess becomes the hotspot for socialising, or a cricket stadium, depending on the occasion and the food is unanimously chastised for its very nature of existence. The campus eateries, on the other hand never disappoint, and maintain a steady supply of Maggi, coffee and other delicacies till the wee hours. Last minute submissions, organising work for committees, preparing the next in a long line of presentations- all these activities continue, in most cases, till dawn breaks and reminds us that a day has passed, and mortals need some shut-eye before the next round.
But all through the exhilarating roller-coaster that each day is, one thing that remains constant is the promise, of something better and brighter coming up with the next ride and the next dawn.
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