eMpTy Mind

"MT mind"... that's how I was refered by "MindTree Ltd"... the first company to offer me a job. I have lot of love and respect towards it, though I didn't join. I thought of sharing my experience with recruitment process of MindTree.

MindTree was alloted 2 days for recruitment process. It was Saturday and Sunday (a weekend and I don't remember the dates!). It was the second DREAM company attending our college. The ppt was at around 9am. I went a little late to the ppt. Hence, missed a little 'blah blah blah's. At the end of ppt what I understood was, MindTree was a good company.

"MindTree, Dream, 3.2lpa"... Most of my friends/classmates didn't show up for this company. The people who were placed into mass companies (like TCS, Infosys, Wipro) were not eligible for attending first five dream companies. The other category of people who were waiting for DREAM didn't show up because of lower pay. So... competition was less!

First Round

MindTree was not like other companies in terms of their recruitment process. For my surprise, first round was not aptitude test. Aptitude is the only thing I was a little good at (though not the best). The first round was a programming cum verbal ability test (where we have to write a program and an essay). I thought of leaving the test hall. "Its not going to happen" I thought "and more over its a DREAM company." But somehow I sat through the test without true interest and without the company of my friends.

The written test was for an hour. First half of the hour was for programming and next half for writing an essay. I have forgotten what was the task given for programming (I think its for shuffling a deck of playing cards.) Before I started writing anything on the paper, they told us that people from non-CS branch can write the algorithm instead of program. "Thank God" I thought. I wrote some algorithm well within the time limit.

Next came another horrible thing for me... writing an essay of about a page. At the end of first half of the hour, the topic was given. "The values I stand for and how they have helped me." Now thats some topic! I am a lazy guy, who doesn't even stand for himself. But I've to stand for 'values'. After thinking for about ten minutes, I decided to stand for Honesty and Punctuality! I somehow managed to write an essay of more than a page with big letters, large word/line spacing!

The results were out by noon (1pm or so.) The list of shortlisted was put up on notice board. And for my surprise, my name was there. I had to report back for second round at 2pm.

Second Round

The recruitment event was for two days. So, I was expecting the next rounds on day 2. I was shabbily clothed, wearing jeans, t-shirt, sandals, unshaved beard, uncut nails etc. I decided to attend next round on that outfit itself, since my home was far enough for a makeover! But my friend suggested to wear his clothes, whose room/home was nearby.

I reported punctually at right time! We were told that the recruitment process would be wind up on the same day...! The second round was a Group Discussion. 'GD'... another area where I am week at! talking! And this was my first official GD in my life. 4 or 5 groups was made dividing among the short-listed. I was in the first group, containing 9 people. I had seen all those people in the campus, but knew none of them well. Only one guy was an acquaintance. "Pocket money. Is it enough these days?" or something similar was our first topic. I somehow made an entry into discussion. I hardly spoke 5 sentences, and ran out of words. GD continues for 15-20 more minutes without me uttering a word.

For the second topic they wanted everyone to speak. So, they asked us to speak one by one in an order. The topic was "Group Discussion. Is it necessary in an job interview?". I was the third man to speak. First two made comments saying 'its necessary'. I took a chance and spoke against it. "I don't think its necessary..." I spoke and made few points. In this discussion I made a second entry saying "GD is necessary IF...", some more points.

I was happy that I had opened my mouth...! The result was announced half an hour later. I was through to the next round. Actually, except for two guys all were through in my group.

Third Round

Third round was personal interview. After GD there was almost a hour gap. After roaming inside the waiting hall (which was dull and silent with serious faces) for a little while, call for interview came. The interview was held in an ordinary classroom, with two desks kept back-to-back. A coordinator standing in the door of classroom asked me "why have you not made your chin?". "Found no time!", I replied. He gave a pitiful smile and I entered the room.

Inside the room was the good man who wasn't worried of my beard. The interview went almost for 40 min. First 20-30 mins was questions on written test, programming, logic design etc. All questions were easy, and I answered them with confidence. The remaining time was consumed by some HR type questions. The interview went good (though not impressive I guess,) and I answered all questions honestly.

I came out of the place at around 6pm. Now it was time to jump into my jeans and sandals. I went straight to my friends' room/home.

Results

I did not like the idea of checking the outcome on the same day. But my friend insisted on going back to college for results. So, we went back to college at 8pm. The interview process was over, but the results were not yet announced. HRs were finalizing the list of selected. we stood waiting for almost half an hour. Finally the 'final list' was ready. The names of selected was called out.

"Ugh... Thank god! for getting the job. That too DREAM! and after attending 13 companies...", I thought. More than happy, I was calmed and relieved of the tensions about 'which was the next company!'

At this moment, I would like to thank three of my friends... Abhilash, Chethan and Manjunath. Abhilash for his cotton shirt and trousers. Chethan for his shoe. Manjunath for his belt. And socks... I don't remember!

The Shock-lock Redemption. (Based on) a true story.

This is the story of a hero... our hero. Our hero was new to the metro city. He came to live with his brother. The location of the home is a small not-metro not -village kind of a place. The home is actually just a room with no attached bathroom. Bathroom is outside the room. The room/home is in the 3^rd flour. The building is surrounded by very few houses and more of empty sites. Our hero made no friends or acquaints in the area.

One fine day, our brother hero left to work at 6:15am. Our hero is still sleeping. When he woke up, time is 7:30am. Our lazy hero, very lately found out that the door was locked (or probably just latched) from outside. He tried pulling the door hard, but how will it open?. It's a strong door. He started thinking what to do??? He is terribly stuck in a shock. Early in the morning he is locked inside a room which don't even have a attached bathroom. A small window gave him outside view.

The brother hero will return only by 4pm. The very thought of the plight till 4pm (8 long hours) gave shivering in his veins. Then somehow he came out of those thoughts and started thinking of coming out of the home/room.

Firstly, he searched for the things in room that could help. He found his brother's phone. “ah, lets see the contacts. Hope I can find the contact of owner or someone who lived nearby...” he thought. He went through the whole phone book but found nothing interesting. Now he found a dairy. But of no use, it was empty.

Secondly, He thought of contacting friends who could help or just give some ideas. He called friend_1 who is 18km away. The friend_1 started giggling. Then he gave our hero an idea. 'If you know any shop owner near by' or 'if you have any bills with phone number of shop'... Call them for help. Unfortunately our hero did not know of any shop-owners nor did he get any bills.

Later, our hero called-up his boss. The boss also was not of much help, but granted permission to come late to office.

Our hero now remembered of a friend_2, who stays at a distance of 10km. Friend_2 didn't receive the call (Probably was busy). Next is friend_3, who stays at a distance of 5-6km. Friend_3 was not in his dwelling place. Hence could not help.

Thirdly, a ray of hope came from the small window. Through the window he could see nothing much. There were apartments far away. No houses could be seen in the surrounding. Most of the view space is cover by the balcony itself. The window was cover by wire-mesh (to prevent mosquitoes). Our hero somehow pierced his hand through the wire-mesh. But, the door is not reachable for his short hands. Hands... half outside, half inside the wire-mesh. He suddenly remembered about an umbrella... short... pocket sized. He pierced the umbrella through the wire-mesh. With the umbrella, the length of the hand increased... virtually. Still, nothing fruitful happened. Umbrella malfunction. It didn't open-up at all. The superb plan of opening the latch with umbrella was a superb plop.

Fourthly, “lets shout... for HELP” he thought. So, He decided to shout. With full energy. In Kannada... In English...

Nothing happened even after continuous shouting for 4-5 min. Again the thoughts of the house-arrest till 4pm shivered his veins. After taking a short break...

Shouting started again. Fortunately (probably), some one heard his voice. It was a man who lived in 1^st floor of the building next to our hero's building. The man came out of his house into the balcony. He started looking around to check from where the voice is coming... It was like a AKASHVANI for him. He could not see the source but only hear the voice. Now, our hero stater to shout much louder. With all the energy stored in the body (in the form of lipids! I guess). Still the man could not get any idea of the voice source.

Our hero now gave the full description of the building and direction of the voice source. At last, after a lot of explanation, the man found the voice source. The man is a good man. He decided to help. He walked all the way form 1^st floor of his building to 3^rd floor of our hero's building.

Ah, the door was just latched from outside. Finally after 3 hours of house-arrest, our hero was released. Our so called Hero... By the man... good man!