How Do I Effectively Approach Corporates for Student Placements? Seeking Advice!

Query on Approaching Corporates for Student Placements

I recently joined an IT training corporation as a Training cum Placement Manager, and I have about four years of experience as a soft skills trainer. However, I have only one and a half years of experience in placing students in corporations.

My humble query is, do I have to walk into each and every organization and do a presentation, or can I just call, send mailers, and CVs of fresher candidates to corporates? How do I segregate between which company will ask candidates to upload a CV or will agree to a campus drive because mostly these companies do not have a mail ID or a phone number to which we can call.

Appreciate an early reply.

Regards,
Ss

Dear Divekar, can you please throw some light, Sir? I recently joined an IT training corporation as a Training cum Placement Manager, and I have about four years of experience as a soft skills trainer. However, I only have one and a half years of experience in placing students in corporations.

Query on Placement Strategies

My humble query is, do I have to walk into each and every organization and do a presentation, or can I just call, send mailers, and CVs of fresher candidates to corporations? How do I segregate between which company will ask candidates to upload CVs or will agree to a campus drive, because mostly these companies do not have an email or phone number to which we can call.

Appreciate an early reply.

Regards,
Ss

Attribution: https://www.citehr.com/456518-senior...#ixzz2Q8WdHWiV

Training and Placement Strategies for Managers

As a Training cum Placement Manager with five years of experience, you possess a strong understanding of your work and techniques, enabling you to identify suitable candidates for organizations. Your experience in finding good candidates for corporate sectors indicates that you are well-equipped to perform your job effectively.

By merely making phone calls and sending CVs directly to companies without personally interviewing the candidates, you may not be fully utilizing your skills and experience. This approach might not meet the demands of your assigned role.

I suggest adopting a recruiter mindset and employing task management to streamline your work.

Steps to Enhance Placement Efficiency

Step 1: Develop a compelling presentation that clearly outlines your purpose, how you can assist candidates in securing placements with your organization, and why they should choose to work with you.

Step 2: Visit companies directly and present your purpose to attract candidates and identify suitable fits for corporate roles.

Step 3: Utilize other placement consultancies or job portals to access quality profiles and candidate contacts. By interviewing candidates using appropriate methods tailored to job descriptions, you can identify strong profiles and subsequently forward them to companies.

Further, I would like to understand whether your goal is to find good employees for your employer as a Placement Manager and Trainer, or if there is another objective.

Could you please clarify this? ➔

Thanks a million, Sir, and I am working on training corporate employees and placing our students with corporates. So far, hardware and networking placements have been easy because only freshers are needed. However, now I am facing challenges in placing software tech freshers, and that's my query. How? Is it just by walking in and giving a business card like a salesman, or do I have to fix appointments to walk in? Either way, I am comfortable, but which is the correct procedure to save time.

Thank you,

Regards,
Ss

Before going further, I would like to say that you must share complete details while making queries because incomplete information can mislead others and get you the wrong response.

Well, as you have shared your motive, I would say that steps 1 & 2 would remain the same for you but with some changes. Now you have to present your motive with a presentation on how your students are the best and why they could be the best fits for companies/employers.

You can visit the companies and get their email and other contacts, or you can get their contacts from websites because today, things are very much possible with the blessings of technology. You can get in touch with them by their email and contacts, send your presentation and details, and seek appointments. However, visiting the company directly and presenting your motive is most important in your job because you ultimately have to attract them to get you a business or hire your students, which is not so easy. Until companies find interest in you and your company-trained candidates, and that your students can be a good resource for them, they will not hire anyone.

Moreover, if you feel like you want to save time or want to adopt a procedure that can save your time and get your purpose solved or give you comfort, it is not so possible. "No Pain, No Gain."

The best solution is to contact other placements who can connect you with companies directly, and you can place your students.

From your post, it appears that you have a background in soft skills, and now you need to "sell" products, with the products being the careers of the students and your target customers being companies. Given your previous role as a soft skills trainer, it is assumed that you have mastered communication and presentation skills, both of which are crucial for promoting your products.

Mastering Sales and Marketing Skills

What you now need to master are "sales and marketing skills." I recommend that you delve into various books on selling skills and marketing strategies. Reading Philip Kotler's book on marketing management would be highly beneficial.

Approach Towards Prospective Clients

In terms of your approach towards prospective clients, I suggest doing both - sending mailers initially, followed by a phone call, and eventually meeting them in person. This comprehensive approach is essential for successful selling.

As you will be dealing with HR professionals among your target customers, try creating customer profiles to understand their needs better. Compile a list of common questions they may ask.

Focus on Branding

Moreover, apart from selling, you should focus on branding. Consider organizing events at your institute and inviting corporate seniors to deliver lectures. Building a strong brand presence is vital for long-term success, akin to how Colgate toothpaste has maintained its market presence through extensive advertising for decades.

While comparing an FMCG product like toothpaste to an IT Training Institute might seem unfair, the key aspect here is branding and ensuring your product remains top-of-mind for potential customers. Request support from management for a marketing budget allocation.

Remember, marketing prepares the ground for sales, while selling involves nurturing leads. Both functions are interdependent, and no product sells itself. A background in marketing is indispensable for success in sales.

Thank you for your dedicated post. I appreciate your insights.

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar