Written on 31/01/2014
December 20, 2013, Friday.
After cracking the preliminary test of TCS placement process strongly, I was upbeat
and wanted to be able to give my best for the interviews. My friends encouraged
me and I began watching videos of interviews- several examples of good and bad
interviews. This helped me learn quite a few “dos and don’ts” about interviews.
I was among the six students from Production Engineering (NIT Calicut) to clear
the preliminary test.
12:00 am: I have
been watching interview videos, reading tips and excerpts from interviews for a
few hours already- and it continued till around 2.45 am before I finally was
satisfied and decided to sleep.
2:45 am: While at
bed I kept thinking about so many things in life, the importance of love and I
was imagining myself in happy moments I wanted to be in. I could not sleep
properly, but it didn’t bother me much because I felt I could still be focused
for the day when it mattered.
7:30 am: I don’t
think I had an ounce of proper sleep throughout the night and I really mean it!
But I wanted to check more information about TCS in the internet as well as do
a final inspection/arrangement of the documents for the interview apart from
other things, so I got up from bed at this time even though the process was
scheduled to start only at 9.30 am sharp.
8:30 am: I left
for the mess (in the same hostel), to have breakfast. There were a few fellow
students who were also selected to be interviewed having the breakfast along
with me. In 10 minutes I finished my breakfast and went back to my room fast,
then went to bathroom.
9:15 am: I was
ready with the formal clothes and shoes on, and left my room for the computer
centre, which was the venue for the interview. I reached there 5 minutes before
9:30, along with a few mates. We waited, time running past 9:30 and 9:45 and it
was nearly 10:00 am when the process finally started. I was waiting for my
turn, and in the meantime I spilled water on my shirt while drinking which
worried me a bit because it wasn’t drying up as fast as I wanted. Then, after
sometime I browsed internet in my mobile to look up a few things about Indian
fighter aircraft (aerodynamics was the main highlighted interest in my resume).
11.30 am: I was
called for my first interview. Technical and non-technical questions were
asked. It was going okay till the interviewer asked me some electrical-based
stuff which was part of my main project. My knowledge about
electricals/electronics is pretty bad and despite this being from my major
project, I could barely answer anything in this department although I answered
the mechanical part okay. Then I had to tell to him about my lack of technical
interest in the IT department which prompted questions from the interviewer
since IT is a big part of TCS. I told him that my interest was in the
“Engineering and Industrial Sector” of the TCS but he didn’t seem too positive.
I was asked what I knew about TCS and I answered it moderately well. The
interview was unsatisfactory overall, and lasted some 10 minutes- that was the
typical duration of an interview.
11:50 am: I
didn’t expect to be called so fast for a second interview. The questions
started off about some of the modern cars in the market, as the interviewer
read my resume. I couldn’t answer the first 2 questions at all, so the feeling
of being knocked out of the process crept into me for a moment. However the
interviewer was cool about it, and then started asking me about the
aerodynamics part. The first question on this was about the spoilers used in
cars, and I answered it perfectly. So, he started asking some advanced
questions on the same topic. I was able to clearly explain all. This gave me
some confidence. After the technical questions were over, he gave me a puzzle
to solve, since “solving puzzles” was listed as one of my interests. The best
part about the puzzle was that I first heard about it today, a few minutes
before my first interview began. However, I had only heard the answer in half,
and after telling the first half, I requested some time to think about the
puzzle, which he readily allowed. Thankfully, I managed to work it out in a
minute and then completed the answer. Then, he asked me about my hobbies, and
then asked a rather trivial question about the shortly-over 2013 chess world
championship final. I answered it clearly and confidently, and when the process
was over I think the interviewer was somewhat impressed. What a comeback, after
an average first interview, and a slow start to this one!
1:15 pm: I was
waiting all this time to see if I would be called for another interview, witnessing
many of my fellow students (including those who weren’t called for any
interviews before my second interview finished) get called upto their third
interviews. At this time, we were asked to go and have lunch and come back at 2
pm. I went back slowly to my hostel room and relaxed a bit, but didn’t have
lunch because I just didn’t feel like having food. There was no hunger, nor any
feeling of sleepiness.
1:55 pm: I
reached back and waited, now being more relaxed, without tension.
4:15 pm: Hours of
waiting yielded no result. I was somewhat impatient and wondering what was
wrong. Some others were also left waiting, but not as long as I had to. I
enquired to the placement representative from production engineering about the
matter. He tried to check it in his own way. After a couple of minutes he
informed us that he wasn’t sure what was going on, but said that we weren’t
declared out yet, and asked to wait.
5:00 pm: The
placement representative told us that there was no sign of any further
interviews for me and a couple others waiting. He said to us that we three were
most likely out, while the remaining three from our branch are almost confirmed
as placed. I was feeling a little concerned and let down, but pinned my hopes
on being called again.
5:30 pm: I was
called and my third interview was on! The interviewer read over my resume and
the few questions he asked were almost entirely based on that. However, he
didn’t ask any non-basic technical questions. Most of the time was spent on a
puzzle question which he asked me to take my own time and solve, giving me a
paper with ample space on both sides, and a pen. Seeing that I wasn’t getting a
breakthrough, he gave me a hint to solve a simpler version first and then
proceed to the actual complexity of the puzzle. In addition he simplified the
puzzle question a bit. I didn’t particularly like the question, but I sat down
and in 2-3 minutes gave him an imperfect but decent solution. He noted that my
method was correct and approved the answer. While observing that it could be
made better, he acknowledged my ability and effort. Then I was asked if I
wanted to know anything about the company, and I asked a couple of questions
and the interview was over.
5:45 pm: Shortly,
it was announced by the placement representatives that all those who had
atleast three interviews could go back. We went back, and I bought a 1 litre
bottle of a cool drink, got back to the room, started removing my formals and
relaxed.
6:30 pm: Here
came the twist, the production representative phoned me, informing that I had
another interview to attend! Putting my formals back on, I rushed back to the
computer centre not wanting to take the risk of being late. In a few minutes I
arrived there, excited. I was asked to go in for the fourth interview. The interviewer
apologized for calling me late, and asked me how my previous interviews were. I
was quite frank about it. The first question was about my main interest,
aerodynamics. It was a fundamental and simple question but in my excitement, I
couldn’t remember or answer it properly. He then asked me another fundamental
question, to answer by writing- the four forces of equilibrium acting on an
aircraft. I answered it quickly, and he slowly came back to the original
question that I hadn’t answered properly in first go. This time, I was asked to
write down the equation based on the answer, and I answered it in paper
correctly, followed by an explanation on the written answer on being prompted.
This was satisfactory, and he approved it. Then I was asked about my
preferences of location of work, and asked about my willingness to travel
abroad which I answered positively. Then like last interviewer, he asked me
what I wanted to know about TCS, and I asked him a few questions. In then end,
I smiled and shook hands with him, then walked out confidently. This time the
representative assured me that I can go back to hostel, and that he will inform
the results.
7:30 pm: I was
back in hostel, and in another room talking with some fellow production
students about each others’ interview experiences and so on, when the results
came out: All six Production Engineering students who attended the interviews
have been placed!! For a few moments after the initial joy on hearing the
results, I couldn’t bring myself to terms with what’s happening around. I
didn’t know what feelings I had and wasn’t sure why I wasn’t overjoyed. After
going to the representative’s room to confirm the news, I phoned my parents and
slowly started getting a grip of the reality that I have been selected for a
job. Then I phoned a few friends who didn’t get the news yet, to inform them
and got back to my room. I got a few calls from friends and relatives on
hearing the news, to congratulate me- as I sat on the chair, in my hostel room
drinking the rest of the cool drink, and sharing the news on facebook. This
placement had in the end, come faster than I expected. Infact, after one
semester went by without success, I wasn’t sure if I would ever get placed, especially
as the final semester was only beginning. And even more so, for someone who
only five days ago had almost completely lost his voice, being on antibiotics
for throat infection, the last one of which I took this night. The fact that
with almost no sleep the previous day and no lunch, I could endure the whole
day without feeling sleepy till I went to bed at late night was a testament to
the commitment I showed that day.
1:00 am: I went
to bed, and after more than an hour of mind occupied with thoughts, fell asleep
wondering if everything will be the same when I wake up again.
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