![Anurag, 34, is a Chartered Accountant and an IIM Ahmedabad graduate (2014-15). [Pic: Anurag Singal]](http://media.assettype.com/edexlive%2Fimport%2F2019%2F1%2F23%2Foriginal%2FIMG-20190113-WA0024.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
In today's 'rat race' the pressure to perform is high and expectations are even higher when it comes to youngsters who want to make it big. They are inundated with a host of choices and options, which end up confusing them and take away the focus from their aim all the more. More than thousands of students choose to study Commerce or aspire to be successful CAs, CFAs or CPAs every year. To make these students' lives a tad bit easier, here's a YouTube channel that will help them make an unbiased and informed decision while choosing their career path. In addition to that Kolkata-based Anurag Singal's YouTube channel dispells a lot of myths regarding courses like CA, MBA, CFA and CPA through substantive evidence.
Started in 2008, Anurag's YouTube channel, that is named after him, is a one-stop and all-round solution for youngsters who want to resolve their queries about career guidance, which courses to opt for (CA/MBA/ACCA/CPA/CIMA/Actuaries/UPSC), alternative job opportunities, interviews, group discussions, public speaking and more. "The fact that I have 'been there, done that' in the corporate world makes me better positioned to explain the intricacies involved in a career," says Anurag.
Anurag, 34, is a Chartered Accountant and an IIM Ahmedabad graduate (2014-15). He has authored books on finance, is a TEDx speaker and is involved in mentoring young Chartered Accountants at ICAI. Anurag, along with his wife Sonia, had also set up cajobportal.com, which is India’s first recruitment website exclusively meant for CAs.
Explaining how his channel helps youngsters to make a well-informed decision, Anurag says, "The experience of interacting with corporates when I set up cajobportal.com also helps a lot currently in running my channel successfully. When I was young I could have optimised a lot of decisions if there was someone who could give clear and unbiased information. I decided that I, in turn, would help youngsters with my experience. Today, the channel stands as a one-stop repository of authentic information on careers."
His YouTube channel also features a playlist on random reflections about life where he tries to share his experiences on simple aspects like corporate politics, how to be happier, why comparison leads to the death of joy etc.
When asked why he thought social media, specifically a YouTube channel would be the best medium to convey his insights to youngsters, he says, "When I was pursuing my MBA, there was this mock interview conducted with two panelists from the RPG Group. I had got a copy of the recording and uploaded the same on YouTube without giving it a thought. A year later, there was a sudden surge in traffic and 500,000 viewers watched the video. It featured in YouTube India’s trending videos on that one particular day. That's when I realised how viral content can get on social media. I subsequently met a lot of students, who used that interview as a reference point for preparation for their MBA entrance/CA campus placement/lateral job interviews. This was when I decided to create more content for my audience."
However, if you think Anurag is all about career advice, then you are wrong. He knows how to engage his audiences with a dash of humour as well. His humorous observations on daily life find expressions through his status updates on social media with the hashtag #MrPractical. He has also tried his luck in stand-up comedy at an open mic organised by Kalkutta Komedians, a comedy group in Kolkata.
Anurag says it is quite a special feeling when youngsters recognise him on buses and metros and tell him that they are his subscribers and that the channel is really helpful. "My audience loves me for the sheer honesty which comes across very clearly in each video. I speak in an unbiased manner and dissect facts, busting a lot of myths. I make it a point that I reply to all the comments and thus students get tailor-made responses to their specific queries on careers. I have been blessed with over 30,000 subscribers currently and the channel has clocked more than one crore minutes of watch time. I would love to continue this," concludes Anurag.
