Communications Is The Wave Of The Future HCL Executive Advises IMT-G Students

Online, December 7, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Ajay Davessar believes communications is a rising wave that can be ridden right into the boardroom and students should seriously consider it for a career choice.

It's a hectic job, following the sun from when Asia rises until the U.S.A. sleeps, but having said that, Davessar said "it takes a lot of ability to think on your feet because the dimensions of the media are such that you have to be on your toes as to what is developing in the market. You are required to respond pretty fast as an organization to the developments in the market."

Davessar, Head of External Communications for HCL Technologies, advised Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad (IMT-G) students that as Indian companies look to expand globally: "Communications is going to play an important role because it's all about transgressing the boundaries of behaviours and patterns. I think this profession is going to be very, very highly paid and rewarded."

But he stressed you have to have a thorough understanding of business operations before taking on a head-of-communications role.

He developed his understanding of business operations rising through the ranks in various companies, from sales executive to regional manager, to business head to his present post.

He said in an interview you need the ability "to network internally" - to be on top what is happening in the company and outside it, and you also need "a very good understanding of all the functions of the company" from human resources to sales to operations and finance.

As the person who is communicating to the rest of the world on behalf of the company it's imperative to be grounded in the organization yourself, he said, noting he has found some, who entered the communications field who have never done operations, "a bit challenged."

Unless you have content and an understanding of what you are telling to the media and other stakeholders, whether they be clients, employees or investors, he said "unless you are talking sense to them they will not be able to really connect with you."

Communications is becoming a boardroom-level subject, said Davessar and you must understand holistically how the business is run.

With the job rising to the board level, he said after lecturing at various institutions he has found more and more students are choosing it as a career goal.

"Lots of students, even professionals within the companies, are aspiring now to be in communications," he said.

And he has found his experiences with IMT-G students to be "awesome".

"I would say awesome because I have interacted with them and they have been great," he said. "I think the students are very sharp" noting the faculty has been training them well.

But if there is one area he feels IMT-G could work on it's getting more industry participation and lectures by industry experts.

Both the school and the corporations would benefit, he said, with industry learning from the thoughts of professors and from the research which is very prominent at the school.