DAY 1
8AM
30th August, 2012 was just another day. I woke up at around 8, took bath and began to dress hurriedly. I picked out a random salwar kameez,
swept through my hair and that's about it. I made sure I had my file ,
ID card, some certificates and good wishes from Amma before leaving
9.10AM
I
usually reach college on time(sometimes I reach late...OK most of the
time I'm late!!) . That day was no different.Oh did I tell you?Today was
the day a reputed company was coming for campus recruitment.(nothing to
get excited about, I was from Biotech and no placement aptitude test
passes without C or C++ questions. Yawn!). Anyway, it was 9.15 and me
and my friends ran towards our auditorium (AKA cow shed ). This cow shed
should be given a little more credit alright.They improved upon it as
much as they could. It looked decent now.
So there we
were, waiting for this 'company fellows' to give their presentation and
get it over with! 600 of us had gathered there for a comapny that would
take 40-50 odd students.Humph!
Suddenly 4 people walked
inside alongside our placement officer(PO). The latter ,our PO is seen
as the biggest asset of our college.
(Make it quick with the presentation and test, we are sleepy).
Our
PO formally introduced them ..(glorifying everybody). This was followed
by the 'company fellows' talking to us and praising us so much that
they used words like 'champions, heroes' etc. I couldn't care less.
After
the presentation, they briefed us on the rounds that we had to battle
as we went along. All in all there were 5 rounds; aptitude, group
discussion, technical interview, paragraph writing and HR interview.
11.30AM
90 questions, 90 minutes (Okay, doable..but what about C, C++ questions???).
There
were 4 sets of question papers and I got set D. I looked at the paper
and a small ray of hope flickered .No C or C++ questions. Phew. Math,
Logical reasoning and verbal. Now I had a chance (of clearing this first
hurdle). Yes, it was not impossible now..
It was not
very tough (at least for me). My 90 minutes were up..I submitted the
paper and went to eat. My friends and I started discussing the paper..
we wanted to clear this. I mean if we couldn't clear this..what could we
do? (after all, this had no computer questions as that was our excuse
for previous exams!).
3.30PM
As I walked back to
the classroom where my prospective career would be decided...I was
nervous.I looked at my friends, they were shaky too. One guy walked in
with a bunch of OMR sheets and started to read out names. Many names
passed...no sign of mine. My vision was directed grimly at his lips,
trying to conceive every syllable even before it came out as sound..
There it was..I could see it coming.. "Niimiiishaa", he said. I breathed heavily!!!
5PM
Now
the first part was done. 7 of us from our department cleared the test
(awesome!) and 150 odd students in total. Next round was group
discussion (GD). Frankly, I was not fazed by this round because I knew I
could rattle up something/anything and move on.
They divided us
into many (many) groups. I was in group number 12. I waited patiently
till my turn..trying to think of good points for any current affairs
topic. At last they called us in..we were 10 of us. "Social networking
sites, good/bad for youth'. Aah this I ll definitely clear I thought.
And I did.
6.30 PM (I think)
Since
I cleared my GD I was next in line for technical interview. Technical,
my foot. I knew nothing technical in anything except maybe in my field.
Some lady called my name and I ran into a room that read 'Panel 4' (I
think). There I was sitting in an interview room for the first time in
my life!!I could not process my thoughts but I tried to remain as cool
as possible.(I kept reminding myself that this was not the end of the
world..but somewhere inside me I wanted to be 'victorious').
Let
me tell you, apart from a very few basic 'C' questions she did not
trouble me. She asked me about my projects and technicalities involved. I
explained everything with utmost elaboration and diagrams.(Yes I
overacted to impress her). I smiled and nodded at her so much that I
felt a little dizzy afterwards.
But it was all worth it. It went well and I was happy.
7.30 PM
It
was time for the results ..and 3 of us from my class cleared the
interview along with 70 others. They wound up for the day and asked us
to sleep over the fact that we had another round tomorrow. (paragraph
writing was not elimination round)
Great !How Am I going to sleep?!
DAY 2
8 AM
I
was ready by 8 AM today (Yes, I wore a suit that my friends had gifted
me on my birthday..loved it). I reached college at around 9 and directly
went to placement and training room.
10AM
Well, the 'company fellows' showed up by around 10
O'CLOCK.They did not waste much time in giving the topic for paragraph
writing. 15 minutes and they collected the paper. I was pleased with
what I wrote. It was decent, I thought.
11AM
One
of the coordinators announced 10 names and asked us to go for HR
interview, immediately. Like NOWW. (Yes I was the second to go in!!).
The
interview was not technical, but it was the 'make or break' types.It
was chilled out . The panelist made me read out my passage. He said a
'good' in the end (I'm sure he wasn't listening). He asked me if I was
ready to relocate and I promptly said 'YES'. (it was like a
reflex..anything he asked and I said 'Yes, of course, Why not Sir?').He
asked me why I wanted this company only when I had other companies
coming. I gave such a tactical answer for this..(I gave an imaginary pat
on my back for my instant answer!) .If I reveal the answer, I ll have
to reveal the company..Ping me on FB for this.
11.30 AM
I
was done with all the rounds..what to do now? I called Dad, Mom and
everyone and told them what happened. I was bored.12PM , 1PM, 2PM..no
change in status. Yawn.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Fast forward
7.PM (yes you read it right!)
After
the 7 hour wait..finally the scenario started to change. Students were
done with all rounds and results were in sight.HRs, leaving out the
formal stuff started announcing THE names. 10-15 names passed..no sign of my name..(Damn they chucked out all Biotech people! Why did we join this branch?).
Suddenly..there it was..NIMISHA EP (I was so proud of my name that day).
What?? I got the job?Before this could sink in...he called out my friend's name. Yay two of us from Biotech. (\m/)
They took 55 of us that day, 55 'champions'.
This
is how 30th and 31st August went from being really ordinary days to extra
ordinary days in my life!!!(and for 54 other people).
PS
: I would like to tell you that I rejected this offer recently, but I
will hold this experience dearly as it was and will be my first real job
experience!
