The Hindu Business Line : Armed forces’ skills shine in corporate armour

High-profile companies including Vodafone, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Vedanta and Ashok Leyland were among those scouting for talent from these defence officers.

P.T. Jyothi Datta

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Mumbai, July 6 Counter-terrorism operations in places like Jammu and Kashmir, laying communication cables in rough terrain or commanding men under difficult situations are abilities that shine not just on a resume in the defence arena.

In fact, such skills gained by armed forces personnel during service seem to stand them in good stead even when they chart a new course in the corporate world — as was discovered by a batch of 59 defence officers taking a short management course at the Indian Institute of Management - Lucknow.

High-profile companies including Vodafone, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, Vedanta and Ashok Leyland were among those scouting for talent from these defence officers.

With experience ranging from four to 30 years, across disciplines that include administration, research, technology and so on, the defence officers bring to the table more than just expertise, says 28-year-old Mr Sushil Patra, who has an army background and is part of the placement committee.

Apart from discipline and integrity, defence officers have the ability to handle jobs independently and deliver on time, he says. They have worked in different locations, take instructions without questioning, make strategic decisions and give “paramount importance” to time. Such qualities help corporate organisations too, he points out.

The recruiters

In the past, too, armed forces personnel have pursued corporate careers, observes Prof Sushil Kumar, who heads the General Management Programme (GMP) for armed officers at IIM (L). Other business schools like the IIMs at Ahmedabad and Indore, and XLRI also offer management courses for armed forces personnel desirous of changing track, he adds.

Over the past three years that IIM (L) has conducted the course, more high-profile companies have shown interest in the GMP candidates. The course is for Short Service Commission officers, or defence officers on the verge of retirement or those who have retired, he explains.

Of this year’s GMP batch, five candidates were short-listed by Vodafone, 20 by Vedanta and two each by Tech Mahindra, Wipro, L&T and Ashok Leyland, says Prof Kumar. More placements are due in the next round of recruiting, he adds. The salary varies, with one company offering Rs 8-14 lakh a year, a house and vehicle.

Compensating for the intangible perks in the armed forces, and getting a corporate designation equivalent to a Colonel or Brigadier are some of the mind-benders in this career transition.

Companies try to compensate for the intangibles through salaries for the young defence personnel, who are placed in middle management categories. But for those with 15-plus years’ experience, companies take them in the top management, says Mr Patra.

Despite the armed services experience, the corporate world brings different dynamics; your superior may be younger than you simply because he has been in that profession longer, or the salaries may be less than the regular MBAs, he observes. “Change is inevitable,” he says, and since the defence officers chose this change, the transition could not have been better, he adds.

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