Guest Lecture on From Student to Professional – Making the Mindset Shift for a Corporate Career

Event Name: Guest Lecture on From Student to Professional –
Making the Mindset Shift for a Corporate Career 		Event Date: 2nd August 2025
Faculty Coordinators: Dr. Supriya Dang Event Timings: 11:00 am onwards
Venue: UG Management Department Mode: Offline

Objectives:

  • To guide students in making the transition from an academic to a corporate mindset.
  • To introduce the essential skills, attitudes, and approaches needed for professional success.
  • To motivate students to align their goals with industry expectations early in their academic journey.
  • To promote the importance of personal branding, self-discipline, and effective communication.
  • To provide real-world insights into the corporate environment from the perspective of an experienced coach.

Detailed Report:

The Lloyd Group of Institutions hosted a Guest Lecture From Student to Professional – Making the Mindset Shift for a Corporate Career on Saturday, 2nd August 2025 at 11:00 am. The session commenced with a cordial welcome extended by the organizing faculty to the newly admitted BBA students and the esteemed guest speaker. The introduction highlighted the purpose of the “Start Smart” initiative—aimed at preparing students for a smooth transition into the world of management education and beyond into the professional domain.

Prof. Natasha Gambhir Bajaj began her lecture by addressing a crucial aspect often overlooked by students—the stark difference between the academic environment and the professional or corporate world. She explained that while the academic setup is largely structured, guided, and evaluation-based, the corporate world operates with expectations of independent thinking, initiative, and performance outcomes.

She emphasized that students must begin to view themselves not just as learners, but as future professionals. To make this transition effectively, Prof. Bajaj introduced three key pillars of early professional development:

  • Be a Pen Paper Person
  • Show up
  • Being on Time

She stressed the importance of building a strong personal brand, nurturing soft skills, and cultivating a growth-oriented mindset.

Key discussion points included:

  • Shifting Mindsets: Understanding how students can gradually move from dependence on instruction to taking initiative and ownership of their own learning and performance.
  • Skill Building: The importance of developing both hard and soft skills—communication, teamwork, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and leadership.
  • Grooming and Professionalism: Creating an impression through dressing, etiquette, and professional behavior.
  • Time Management & Goal Setting: Learning to prioritize, plan, and execute tasks in a professional manner.
  • Corporate Readiness: A reality check on what employers look for in fresh graduates and how students can start preparing from day one.
  • Interactive Engagement: The session featured real-life examples, case-based discussion, and interactive questions, making the session highly relatable and engaging.

Students enthusiastically participated in the session, actively engaging in the discussion and Q&A segment. Many students raised thoughtful questions about preparing for internships, improving self-confidence, and selecting career paths aligned with their interests.

Initial feedback collected post-session reflected that students found the lecture inspiring, eye-opening, and useful for setting the tone for their upcoming academic journey.

Conclusion:

The guest lecture by Prof. Natasha Gambhir Bajaj proved to be a powerful start to the Pre-Orientation Program. It encouraged students to reflect on their goals, habits, and aspirations as they begin their journey at the Lloyd Group of Institutions. Through this initiative, the institution reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing not just academically strong students, but future-ready professionals equipped to thrive in a competitive corporate world.