Destiny has its own plans!

The third year placement sessions were going on. Our college had a placement rule that if anyone gets placed in a company he cannot give interviews of upcoming companies. So we can be placed in a maximum of one company only.

HCL was the first one to approach our college, NIEC. It was raining like cats and dogs that day!, The process of selection extended till late in night, Luckily I got through the first round but could not clear the interview. I was depressed as it was my first attempt and I always wanted to achieve success at the earliest of opportunities. Meanwhile my Best Pal at the college Anup also did not get through the selection so we in a way consoled each other.

The next company to strike the placement bell was Satyam(in Ramaswaroop college), got through the written round but could not pass the GD this time. Anup passed the written as well as GD but the rest of the process took very long to complete and results were declared after Infy's result(read on...). I was dejected this time as Anup and I wanted to work in the same company because of our fast friendship. Next I gave placement of Iflex in UCER, Allahabad but this time could not clear the written. Did not gave the Syntel placement exam though which held earlier than Iflex placements.

The dejection took some time to get off me. Now Infosys approached in Ramaswaroop college. I was in a way not aware that that was the day for Infosys Placements. I seem to have forgotten that fact. But still as I confirmed the fact I headed to Ramaswaroop. Infosys selection panel showed us the Infosys Presentations and the training center of Mysore where the trainees would be undergoing training. The moment I saw the presentation it was like "I just want to be in this company", the word "Infoscion" had a great impact on me(Info=Infosys, Scion=Descendant).

My friend Anup could not give the written as his board Exam's percentage was below the required criteria. When written exam started I was very much focused on the paper. I noticed some other people gossiping their way through the exam. I passed the written exam. The only thing I required to clear next was the Interview session as the placement process did not incorporated any GD round.

The tension was building up. But yes the confidence in me was roaring that time. But as I did not know about the placement schedule that held that day I was not having proper formal dress. I thought to go to Anup's house to bring a suitable dress but then I decided to borrow the shirt from my friend Rajiv who was in the CS-42 section of NIEC.

My name was called, went and sat on the benches near to the interviewer's room. The seniors managing the event gave us instructions about what to do and what not to do during the interview. Tied up the loosened show laces, arranged and re-arranged all the resumes(My resume had my photo that made it different from others and I felt proud on seeing my resume) and certificates. Geared up and as soon as my time arrived got up took God's name and went towards the room. Pulled the door and entered the room, smiled and greeted the Interviewer.

He asked me as to why I want to be in their company and I replied that I have a zeal to learn and work. Then he gave me a puzzle to find out the numbers of squares in a chess board. I said answered 64 but he replied to think again. Then I thought what exactly he meant was to find out total squares including combinational ones also. I took a guess and gave a random answer 154 or something which was obviously wrong. He gave me my resume to help me do the calculations on its blank side. I drew 8 by 8 blocks and analyzed it. As it was taking much time I asked for some time to think and he graciously allotted it to me. He asked me the answer but I had not computed the answer by that time rather I gave the calculation formula 1*1+2*2+....8*8 . Although I found out later that it was the correct answer he did not gave an expression whether the answer was right or wrong, rather he then moved to his next query.

The query was an analysis of a situation in which I found my baggage(including my tickets) to be lost during a rail journey and he asked the steps taken by me in that situation. I visualised the scene and told I would get down at the next station and inform the station master about it, also would lodge an FIR about the incident. Then if I had any friend in that city would go to his/her house otherwise would continue with the journey. But then the interviewer stopped me by saying that how would I continue with my journey as my tickets were presumably lost. I smartly said I would have made sure to keep my ID proofs to get verified by the ticket checker! After some more questions he asked whether I would like to ask any question, I replied "no" and he said good luck to me.

Then late in night we were waiting for the results. Two of my friends Saurabh Shukla and Shraddha Tiwari(talked to her for first the time that day) had no mode of conveyance so I agreed to drop both of them. The results were declared, as far as I remember from NIEC joinees my name was the first to be declared. Felt happy but not any acute emotions. On seeing the intense emotions of fellow joinees I too got some adrenaline rushing.

Meanwhile remembered about Saurabh and Shraddha but presumably they were dejected somewhat and had left the place. I went out and found them outside the college gate. I told that I would drop them to their residence so asked them to just wait for a moment to bring my bike from the parking. On the way back they congratulated me but Saurabh sounded very depressed. I too did not feel too good because I knew what pain they might be undergoing that time.

So it was a nice time after that day, Anup's Satyam results were still awaited. Results came and he got selected in it.

Now the time has somewhat changed, recession is going on in the IT industry and very few or none of the companies are coming to colleges for placements. Some companies sent sorry letters to the joinees some offered BPO jobs, very few gave joinings to their candidates. Satyam and Wipro were involved in separate financial troubles which made it difficult for their candidates to join the company. Infosys was the first one that offered joinings as per commitment and at such large scale, all joinees got their joinings by march, 2009.

Thus summing up I believe it does not matter much whether we start early or late, but the "zeal" definitely matters and yeah "luck" plays a great role as well.