When Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, writes “an honest open letter to placement cells and campuses,” the entire ecosystem of students, faculty, and recruiters should pay close attention. In her viral note, she calls out an uncomfortable reality: thousands of CVs chase a handful of “glamour” finance roles, while far more strategic, future‑ready careers remain underexplored and undervalued.
Her observation that an overwhelming majority of applicants want the same roles—equity research, investment banking, private equity—reveals a deeper issue: we are optimising careers for Day 0 headlines, not for decade‑long relevance. In a world of complex risks, that mindset is itself a risk.
This is precisely where Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) emerges as one of the most powerful, yet underrated, career assets you can build today.
From “best Day 0 job” to best 10‑year strategy
Radhika’s open letter challenges the myth of the “best Day 0 job.” The idea that your worth is defined by a single role offered during campus placements is not just narrow; it is dangerous in an era of disruption. Markets are being reshaped by AI, cyber threats, climate risk, regulatory shifts, social media backlash, and geopolitical tension.
In such an environment, the winners are not those who chase a single fashionable designation, but those who understand how risk shapes strategy, performance, and resilience. That is the core of Enterprise Risk Management.
ERM moves you from a one‑dimensional CV (“analyst in X”) to a multi‑dimensional professional who can:
- Understand how risks interconnect across functions and geographies
- Help leadership make risk‑informed decisions instead of reactive moves
- Protect and grow enterprise value in the face of uncertainty
Radhika is effectively telling students: stop viewing careers as a straight line from campus to a single dream role. Start viewing them as a portfolio of skills that help organisations survive and thrive. ERM is that portfolio’s cornerstone.
Why a career in ERM is a strategic moat
1. You become the language of the boardroom
Boards and CEOs are no longer asking, “Do we have someone who can build a model or a pitch deck?” They are asking, “Do we truly understand our risks, and are we prepared for what’s coming next?”
Enterprise Risk Management gives you precisely this boardroom language. You learn to look at:
- Strategic risks (market shifts, competition, M&A, innovation)
- Financial risks (credit, liquidity, capital, market volatility)
- Operational risks (process breakdowns, people, systems, supply chain)
- Technology and cyber risks (data breaches, AI misuse, system failures)
- ESG, climate, and reputational risks (regulators, investors, media, public trust)
Instead of being locked into a single niche, you become a cross‑functional, risk‑intelligent professional who can speak with finance, operations, technology, compliance, and marketing with equal confidence. That is a massive strategic moat in any organisation.
2. You future‑proof your profile against disruption
The job market is shifting faster than campus playbooks can keep up. Roles that were aspirational five years ago are being automated, offshored, or fundamentally redefined by technology.
Risk, however, does not go away. In fact, as complexity increases, the demand for enterprise risk professionals rises. Organisations need people who can:
- Anticipate emerging risks, especially in AI, cyber, and digital transformation
- Design frameworks and controls to manage those risks
- Embed risk thinking into strategy, budgeting, and everyday decision‑making
That means ERM is not a passing trend; it is a career in the engine room of resilience, cutting across sectors—banking, insurance, consulting, technology, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and even startups.
3. You build a global, portable career
Risk is a universal language. A solid foundation in Enterprise Risk Management is internationally relevant, enabling mobility across countries, industries, and roles. As global standards evolve—whether around governance, ESG, data privacy, or financial regulation—professionals with structured ERM qualifications are better placed to tap opportunities worldwide.
For students and professionals in India, this global mobility is especially valuable. You are not just prepared for the Indian market; you are developing a globally understood, globally respected skill set.
Riding on Radhika’s message: don’t chase hype, build capability
Radhika Gupta’s gentle but firm critique of how campuses have glamorised a handful of roles is a wake‑up call. Instead of funnelling 85% of talent into a tiny set of visible profiles, she urges students to expand their lens and focus on capabilities that make them truly indispensable.
Enterprise Risk Management reflects this philosophy perfectly:
- It is not about being in the limelight on Day 0
- It is about being invaluable in the room when the organisation is making its toughest decisions
- It is about being trusted when volatility spikes, headlines turn negative, or black swan events hit
In other words, if you internalise Radhika’s advice and ask, “Which skills will still matter 10 years from now?”, ERM should feature right at the top of your list.
Why IRM’s Global ERM Exams are the natural next step
If ERM is your biggest asset, you need a globally benchmarked way to build and signal that competence. This is where the Institute of Risk Management’s (IRM) Global ERM Exams become crucial.
Here is what makes them stand out:
- Comprehensive coverage across 300+ areas of risk
The IRM Global ERM Qualifications are designed to cover the full spectrum of enterprise risks—strategic, financial, operational, cyber, technology, ESG, climate, reputational, geopolitical, supply chain, and more. You are not learning risk in fragments; you are mastering it as an integrated discipline. - Structured pathway from student to global expert
The pathway takes you from foundational knowledge to advanced, board‑level expertise through multiple levels, culminating in Fellowship. That means you can start while still in college or early in your career and progressively build towards senior leadership. - The only professional body to grant a charter in ERM with Fellowship
IRM is uniquely recognised as the only professional body globally that grants a charter in Enterprise Risk Management with Fellowship. That distinction matters in boardrooms, on your CV, and in conversations with recruiters who understand the value of professional charters. - Alignment with what employers and boards actually need
Because the curriculum is built around real‑world risk practice, governance expectations, and emerging risk trends, you are not just exam‑ready—you are industry‑ready. For organisations trying to build a risk‑aware culture and robust ERM frameworks, candidates with IRM qualifications are a natural fit.
Turning Radhika’s industry insight into your career advantage
If you take Radhika Gupta’s open letter seriously, you arrive at a simple conclusion:
- Don’t let placement hype decide your destiny
- Don’t crowd into the same narrow corridor as everyone else
- Don’t define success purely by the brand or title you secure at 21
Instead, ask yourself:
- “Am I building a skill set that boards, CEOs, and regulators will value in the next decade?”
- “Am I ready to understand and manage the risks that shape the organisations of tomorrow?”
Choosing a career in Enterprise Risk Management, and backing it with IRM’s Global ERM Exams and eventual Fellowship, is one of the most strategic ways to answer “yes” to those questions. In a world where volatility is the new normal, ERM is not just a job; it is your career insurance, growth engine, and global passport—all rolled into one. And as Radhika Gupta rightly reminds us, the courage to look beyond the obvious is often what separates those who merely get placed from those who truly build a career.
