MY VERY FIRST JOB INTERVIEW!!!!! :D :D
The aptitude test for the company went quite well and I was sure I would make it to the interview. Results were as expected. I, along with a handful of others (two oldies :P) had made it to the interview. We were told to wait in the great hall. Interviews were to begin any time.
As per my habit of watching people, I started analyzing the nervousness level of my fellow aspirants. Though I probably knew the faces, I got to see a newer side of them. Seriously, not many know the stress and nerves management and fewer can control the adrenalin rush. I should have been worrying and getting nervous for my turn, but the hall was too full of these samples to ignore. I want to do this post in two phases hence it might get long. I will write about some people’s behavior before an interview and my own experience of yesterday’s interview, the questions and answers.
Me: Hi, good afternoon.
HR: Hi, please sit down. (Did I offend anyone by casual greeting and a smile? The smile on his face didn’t tell me that if so.)
HR: So, let’s start with a round of introduction?
Me: Yes, sure. I’m S****, a first year student from ***. I basically belong from KSA. I come from a family where education is of utmost importance, father is A business tycoon(smiles), mother is a teacher to the whole family (smart look) and almost everyone in family is either going to become a doctor or an engineer, so now when I’m in line to make my career, I feel the need to prove myself and have the zeal to excel. (Because he didn’t stop me, I went onto my strengths and weaknesses. I don’t leave out my family background in intro. Family is an important part of my existence and its background does leave an impression about upbringing and environment and educational exposure.)
HR: Okay, you have written you’re short tempered in the weaknesses column. What exactly do you mean by short tempered?
Me (laughed at the tone of his question, he sounded like I was a small child about to get angry): Yes I am short tempered. Gussa thoda sa jaldi ata hai, but then I see the sense soon and apologize if I’m at mistake.
HR: (He laughed and mimicked me) Achcha? Gussa thoda sa jaldi ata hai? So what would you do if I started shouting at you?
Me: I would let you shout. If I’m at mistake I never argue and accept it.
HR: No, suppose I’m the manager, and you’re not at mistake and yet I’m shouting at you, what would you do?
Me: Even then I would let you shout. Short tempered doesn’t mean I will get a blind rage and shout at my manager and get fired sir. I would let you vent out your anger and then peacefully try to sort it out and try to correct what has gone wrong.
HR: Okay, what do you do to get over this weak point? Any measures?
Me: Yes, I offer my namaz very punctually :).
HR: You sing and play synth, so you must have a keen interest in music?
Me: Goes without asking sir, of course I have.
HR: What songs do you listen to?
Me: Plenty…Rhythm and Blues, oldies, Linkin Park, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, and many more m i suppose to list the Indian one too :D.
HR: Well and you’re a voracious reader, so what books have you read?
Me: Plenty of books sir, I don’t keep a record!! But I can tell you my favorite books and authors. I love Happy Potter and Twilight series, Sidney Sheldon, Paulo Coelho, Robin Cook, I am even reading the vampire academy series and I am a big fan of old English classics. I have read Shakespeare and acted in Shakespearean dramas in school.
HR: Any favorite dialog?
Me: Et tu Brute sir! You too Brutus!
HR, after laughing at the quickness and exact tone of the dialog: Any other hobby?
Me: Blogging, Dance, poetry, photography a little and cooking.
HR: What was your last dish?
Me: Chicken NO Pyaza.
HR: I think it is chicken DO pyaza.
Me: It is, but when I cooked it was Chicken NO pyaza sir, pyaz ke daam badh gaye the.
Well, I had the HR howling and shaking with laughter.
HR: Watch news?
Me: Yes, I do.
HR: Which journalist inspires you the most?
Me: Sir, Barkha Dutt. She inspires me NOT to be a good journalist.
HR: (smiling) and why?
Me: So many scandals sir! Latest she was involved in Nira Radia case. Popularity comes with side effects.
HR: Okay, so you keep in touch with current affairs. Tell me one strong point you possess.
Me: I am a quick learner, which is pretty much needed by a company such as **** as every day we have to deal with a new technology.
HR: Well I don’t have a proof how should I believe you’re a quick learner?
I told him some incidences where I had to perform some senior level managment in a completly new language he then asked my rep cards and saw I had got double the grade points in Mathematics. Told him I didn’t have mathematics and had to learn the basics, hence the difference.
HR: Well that’s like a long jump in a short period.
Me: Sir, proof! Quick learner.
And I had him struck. Didn’t have any cross questions on it, the HR. Another big grin.
HR: So should I not ask you the technical questions now?
Me: When did I say I was a technical buddhu sir? Of course you should, please go ahead.
And then he asked me several technical stuffs, linked list, arrays, Visual Basic, Dot Net, etc etc, also, why should they appoint me, my software skills, etc.
Lastly, he asked me if I had any questions for them. Of course I had! I had plenty. And one should have questions for the interviewer. Wouldn’t you like to know what qualities they are looking for in you? What kind of team will you work in? Is the team centralized or decentralized? What work they do, what kind of projects you would be required to take up, in what field will you be placed, will the field remain same, if yes, then for how long, your training, your working hours, if it is 5 days a week or 6. He answered me patiently and it was done with.
I didn't get nervous. I don’t know if I should have felt any sort of nervous breakdown. I laughed, and HR laughed. I was relaxed, he was relaxed. I enjoyed the interview, and I don’t remember when he ever stopped smiling so I am sure he enjoyed the interview as well.
Result: I got through and am selected.
Of course everyone has different way of dealing with it depending upon post and job and maturity/seniority level. But as a graduating student sitting for placement I don’t think I needed to have anything other than a calm attitude, resolved mind, basic skills of my field and confidence for the interview? But hey muggers, if there is a book that can be mugged up and that gives you a personality, tell me please!!
As per my habit of watching people, I started analyzing the nervousness level of my fellow aspirants. Though I probably knew the faces, I got to see a newer side of them. Seriously, not many know the stress and nerves management and fewer can control the adrenalin rush. I should have been worrying and getting nervous for my turn, but the hall was too full of these samples to ignore. I want to do this post in two phases hence it might get long. I will write about some people’s behavior before an interview and my own experience of yesterday’s interview, the questions and answers.
Me: Hi, good afternoon.
HR: Hi, please sit down. (Did I offend anyone by casual greeting and a smile? The smile on his face didn’t tell me that if so.)
HR: So, let’s start with a round of introduction?
Me: Yes, sure. I’m S****, a first year student from ***. I basically belong from KSA. I come from a family where education is of utmost importance, father is A business tycoon(smiles), mother is a teacher to the whole family (smart look) and almost everyone in family is either going to become a doctor or an engineer, so now when I’m in line to make my career, I feel the need to prove myself and have the zeal to excel. (Because he didn’t stop me, I went onto my strengths and weaknesses. I don’t leave out my family background in intro. Family is an important part of my existence and its background does leave an impression about upbringing and environment and educational exposure.)
HR: Okay, you have written you’re short tempered in the weaknesses column. What exactly do you mean by short tempered?
Me (laughed at the tone of his question, he sounded like I was a small child about to get angry): Yes I am short tempered. Gussa thoda sa jaldi ata hai, but then I see the sense soon and apologize if I’m at mistake.
HR: (He laughed and mimicked me) Achcha? Gussa thoda sa jaldi ata hai? So what would you do if I started shouting at you?
Me: I would let you shout. If I’m at mistake I never argue and accept it.
HR: No, suppose I’m the manager, and you’re not at mistake and yet I’m shouting at you, what would you do?
Me: Even then I would let you shout. Short tempered doesn’t mean I will get a blind rage and shout at my manager and get fired sir. I would let you vent out your anger and then peacefully try to sort it out and try to correct what has gone wrong.
HR: Okay, what do you do to get over this weak point? Any measures?
Me: Yes, I offer my namaz very punctually :).
HR: You sing and play synth, so you must have a keen interest in music?
Me: Goes without asking sir, of course I have.
HR: What songs do you listen to?
Me: Plenty…Rhythm and Blues, oldies, Linkin Park, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd, and many more m i suppose to list the Indian one too :D.
HR: Well and you’re a voracious reader, so what books have you read?
Me: Plenty of books sir, I don’t keep a record!! But I can tell you my favorite books and authors. I love Happy Potter and Twilight series, Sidney Sheldon, Paulo Coelho, Robin Cook, I am even reading the vampire academy series and I am a big fan of old English classics. I have read Shakespeare and acted in Shakespearean dramas in school.
HR: Any favorite dialog?
Me: Et tu Brute sir! You too Brutus!
HR, after laughing at the quickness and exact tone of the dialog: Any other hobby?
Me: Blogging, Dance, poetry, photography a little and cooking.
HR: What was your last dish?
Me: Chicken NO Pyaza.
HR: I think it is chicken DO pyaza.
Me: It is, but when I cooked it was Chicken NO pyaza sir, pyaz ke daam badh gaye the.
Well, I had the HR howling and shaking with laughter.
HR: Watch news?
Me: Yes, I do.
HR: Which journalist inspires you the most?
Me: Sir, Barkha Dutt. She inspires me NOT to be a good journalist.
HR: (smiling) and why?
Me: So many scandals sir! Latest she was involved in Nira Radia case. Popularity comes with side effects.
HR: Okay, so you keep in touch with current affairs. Tell me one strong point you possess.
Me: I am a quick learner, which is pretty much needed by a company such as **** as every day we have to deal with a new technology.
HR: Well I don’t have a proof how should I believe you’re a quick learner?
I told him some incidences where I had to perform some senior level managment in a completly new language he then asked my rep cards and saw I had got double the grade points in Mathematics. Told him I didn’t have mathematics and had to learn the basics, hence the difference.
HR: Well that’s like a long jump in a short period.
Me: Sir, proof! Quick learner.
And I had him struck. Didn’t have any cross questions on it, the HR. Another big grin.
HR: So should I not ask you the technical questions now?
Me: When did I say I was a technical buddhu sir? Of course you should, please go ahead.
And then he asked me several technical stuffs, linked list, arrays, Visual Basic, Dot Net, etc etc, also, why should they appoint me, my software skills, etc.
Lastly, he asked me if I had any questions for them. Of course I had! I had plenty. And one should have questions for the interviewer. Wouldn’t you like to know what qualities they are looking for in you? What kind of team will you work in? Is the team centralized or decentralized? What work they do, what kind of projects you would be required to take up, in what field will you be placed, will the field remain same, if yes, then for how long, your training, your working hours, if it is 5 days a week or 6. He answered me patiently and it was done with.
I didn't get nervous. I don’t know if I should have felt any sort of nervous breakdown. I laughed, and HR laughed. I was relaxed, he was relaxed. I enjoyed the interview, and I don’t remember when he ever stopped smiling so I am sure he enjoyed the interview as well.
Result: I got through and am selected.
Of course everyone has different way of dealing with it depending upon post and job and maturity/seniority level. But as a graduating student sitting for placement I don’t think I needed to have anything other than a calm attitude, resolved mind, basic skills of my field and confidence for the interview? But hey muggers, if there is a book that can be mugged up and that gives you a personality, tell me please!!
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