What not to do at Interviews

People say you should learn from your own mistakes. I say, learn from others as well. Now that I am done with yet another placement season, let me share with you all some bitter-sweet instances of a few interviews I faced. Yes, I did have to face a few interviews to finally get an offer. Never been one to get success in the first attempts. But that is another story to be mumbled some other day.

In this age of internet memes and trolls, I think I did execute a few trolls in my interviewers, consciously or unconsciously. Here are a few snippets of my experiences and though I do not have the credibility to advise anyone, just like all other people in this planet, I do love to, and  as WWE stars would say to you, I would like to reiterate "Don't try this"

Interview 1:

The interviewer in his early 50's giving me some marketing funda.

"You see marketing is not so easy as people like you think. Forget Kotler, the real world is entirely different"

"Agreed Sir it is. But it isn't rocket science either. Nor can it be taught. The existence of thousand of firms that are flourishing is the proof that marketing is not so complex after all. You need to understand the simplicity to get the complexity. If they can do it, I think we can do it too, and maybe better"

Babbled away some random thoughts that came to mind. He didn't seem amused. End of interview. Verdict - Rejected.

Interview 2:

The interviewer is a lady in her late 50's, looked like one who is loved by her grandchildren. Always smiling.

"Describe yourself in two words only"

"Ma'am. It would be Sense and Simplicity"

"Oh! Then why didn't you join Philips"

"Ma'am, My life is good. That doesn't mean I will work for LG"

The smile faded instantly. I could predict the verdict there and then.

I wish I could have had a few more of such experiences to share but alas, another company loved my bullshit and decided to take me on board. Hence, the series of interviews came to a halt. So, until the next season, lets keep rocking.

The Days of the Blues, Linkin Park, Shakira...

As one among the few privileged to own a cassette player with two hulk sized magnetic sound boxes, I can't forget the day my uncle got home a western songs' cassette comprising of hit western tracks of that time. And what do we Indians do with something that others don't have? We tell the whole world we have that thing they don't. And the long hours of loud clanging of wood with metal and strumming of strings began to fill the air. Can one forget the deep growls of Chester Bennington that every classmate of mine tried to imitate miserably. The matching of the voice to the tune of One Love, throbbing of the heart to the drum beats of Green Day's songs, awestruck by the energy in Shakira's voice Whenever Wherever. Mobile phones were still not a part of our imagination and the only way to listen to those songs were the old and sweet cassette player. There was no internet to search for lyrics for the songs and we mumbled them with our own interpretations and accents. Still it was fun and the craze for western songs featured in our endless classroom discussions on which one's the best among them. A gifted few with good throats performed them on stage to the applaud of hundreds with "Summer of 69", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" topping the list of preference. 

(to be continued...)