December 1, 2006 My day ended at 12:30 am. I was first to face
Deutsche professionals for interview at 8 am, the next morning. Time in the evening was moving more than its normal pace as if it was participating in some race of Olympics. And I am sure if all the tests are performed for it, that particular time will be charged with doping offenses. We, all friends, studied finance that evening from our lovely and fees-free teacher,
Vaibhav Gupta, from
Bhawani Mandi, Rajasthan. (
He loves his motherland so much that he wants to be called by the name Bhawani) Although he had taught all of us at nearly a score of occasions or more but this class of his was a bit different; here, stakes on hold were of a different kind altogether. He has taken two three financial courses, has worked in a financial firm for few months, has few
NSE (
National Stock Exchange) certificates to his name; and with all these things, he has enough background to teach these superb students. We got all the basics of finance and after I got to know them, finance seemed to me no more than simple mathematics moulded by some jargons like same old apple is sold by putting a sticker of
imported on it. The class started after dinner at around 9 pm and it lasted for one long hour… I have been trying to understand the Time since my early childhood and haven’t been successful till now. There are no patterns in its behavior, sometimes it don’t even move, sometimes it walks at its normal pace and in between, it runs very fast, No one knows why it keeps on changing its behavior?
I was more concerned for
Goldman Sachs' interview and it was more or less like a dream since it is known of picking one or two and the list included all academic heavyweights. I was in a boxing ring against 9
Mohammad Alis for
World Heavyweight Championship (
WHC). Suddenly, I remembered that I was still to prepare interview questions, and resume of course, and the time remaining was very less. The only good thing that was consoling me was my confidence that I could handle anything about resume but going there without seeing the resume even once would rather have come under the area of over-confidence. The next hour and a half went in resume and interview preparations with many minds working simultaneously, specially of
Mahim, Partho, Gawai and mine of course. We spanned all possible questions and thought of the basic lines on which they should be answered. Finally a 2 page document was ready, whose printout remained in the file for next three days and came handy in revising the answers till they merged themselves in me. In the next one hour following the resume preparations, I revised all the important concepts covering my strong areas (
Probability, Permutations, and Linear Algebra) and my weak sections (
Transforms, Differential Equations and many more); left latter part because it was the bigger one. While one part of mind was revising all these things at twice its maximum speed, other was constantly criticizing the first’s work and telling it, “
This is of no use, Go and sleep. We’ll see tomorrow.” But first didn’t listen and I mugged up till 12:30 am. Then, my body slept for next 5 odd hours, while brain was busy dreaming about the next day.
December 2, 2006 Woke up at 6 am. Though I had set up alarm too, but my mother used to say in my school-times, “
If you are vigil enough, you don’t need some mechanical instrument to wake you up.” I could appreciate her statement only today. I won’t tell you that I dreamt of few questions that were going to be asked the next day. How true were all the scientists who proposed the theory that our brain only shows what we want to see. This is very true in our social life as well. We see the same world but all differently according to the differences in ourselves. After checking mails (
which is the second most important thing in IIT after attending your girlfriend if you have one), dressed up; took more than 20 minutes, breaking all my earlier records (
highest earlier was maximum of 5 minutes). Then, arrived the biggest problem, had to wake
Prashant Gawai up which is the biggest trouble one can give here to anyone. Generally, I don’t like troubling people but I was helpless here. Gawai’s bike was needed and troubling friends is always better so that they can remember you well (
They know whom to trouble next time if some need arises), and in this way, the notion of friendship develops. We both left hostel 6 at 7:30 am after meeting few close friends,
Mahim Agrawal, Vaibhav Gupta, Partho Sarkar (
of course, Prashant was with me only)… I feel pity on myself having so less number of close friends, but can’t help it. I am friendly with all but friends are few. Having lots of wishes in forms of handshakes, hugs, I was feeling very heavily armored for even any kind of military operation, how could any interviewer face me?? Past was moving on the screens like when I used to go for any test after having blessings from parents, grandparents, mausiji and it’s tough to recall if there was any test which I didn’t clear. Here’s a suggestion from my side (
absolutely free), “
All the blessings of universe are in the feet of your parents. Touch them daily and nothing is unachievable in this world.”
Reached the venue,
KReSIT (
Kanwal Rekhi School of Information and Technology) at 7:40 am, and I was the first person to reach there. 20 more minutes passed by bringing few more faces. Company people also came but placement nominee responsible was nowhere to be seen. People don’t realize the importance of punctuality; I have always seen the same, don’t know whether this is the problem of Indians only or is it the problem with everyone? Then, the security guard refused to open the rooms for the company people. This was a real problem but I stand with the guard’s decision. It was a grave mistake on part of the placement team. Since the building wasn’t booked earlier, Security person did his duty efficiently when he didn’t allow people to enter. Venue had to change, and it got shifted to
Placement Office, IIT Bombay. First interview of life and that too in placement office at 9 am… Are you feeling the feelings??
And then in few minutes, a
HR (
Human Resource) manager (
girl!!) called my name. I always doubt why this job is filled mostly by girls, around 99%. Anyways, I didn’t have time to ask her and I entered the room. The room was cool but drops of sweat were ready just below my skin-pores to come out. Two people were sitting there, and one I knew as senior of my own hostel,
Shreyas Gupta. “
Hello Ashok, How are you?” and the ideal reply to it should be, “
I am fine, Thank you Sir/Madam, How are you?” This was taught to us by our English teacher in class XII. Many asked at that time, what’s the need of this kind of crap in English classes. Now I know crap is also needed sometimes like roughage is an essential ingredient of a healthy diet. Next few words came in my ears, “
Have a seat” and I again gave an ideal response, “
Thanks” taking the seat. He opened my resume and started bowling questions like Australian pace attack. These are the questions which I can recall now (
all came at 150 km/hr):
1. Why you chose finance as a career?
2. Many of my friends from IIT have told that high CGPA people are dumb at other activities. Is it true?
3. Don’t you think that by leaving technical field, you are wasting all the money that IIT, and in turn government of India, has spent on your education?
4. Have you taken CAT? (
If yes, what is the expected score?)
5. If you have a decent score, you’ll have to compare the job with
MBA (
Master of Business Administration) prospects.
6. You have participated in a lot of extra-curricular activities, elaborate a bit?
7. You won this
Hasya-Kavi Sammelan? What all you wrote, Can we listen the same poetry?
8. Which other companies have short listed you?
9. Final question (
everywhere it remains the same): Do you want to know something more about us?
I am not writing what all my answers were. If anyone is interested, contact me. I was nervous for first 2 seconds and thereafter, I was dominating the interviewers and I feel proud to say that. I played like
the Tendulkar of 25, the days he is known for. My theory is that employer and candidates are complementary. So, the nervousness shouldn’t be there only in candidates and the thoughts necessarily got reflections somewhere in the personality. This boosted my confidence. After telling them that I was short listed in
Goldman Sachs (
GS), everything changed. They compared everything in their business to GS; convinced (
rather tried to convince) why a person should choose them as the first option. As the first interview ended, I was very sure I was going to get an offer from these people if I considered them seriously. This all lasted around 15 minutes.
Second interview was with
CEO, Deutsche Indian operations, for only those who qualified in first round. My interview with GS was scheduled at 9 am, and I was already late there. I had got two calls from there. While I was convincing our placement nominee to postpone my second round at Deutsche if I qualify for it, the same girl HR manager called me for II interview. I entered the cabin and again faced two people; CEO, an
IIM Calcutta alumnus and Senior HR manager (again lady)… with same formal statements, it all started with a sarcastic comment from the CEO, “
So, Mr. Ashok, you are getting late for Goldman’s interview”, and I also rudely told him, “
Yes sir! There time was scheduled at 9 and I am already late. I respect punctuality much.” Obviously, it would have hurt his ego, and next answer of mine killed the same. He asked, “
Suppose we offer you the job package now and you also get one from GS, which one will you select?” This was the basic question and he wrapped it with many other statements, comparing Deutsche with GS many a times. Now, it was a real bouncer. Probably I handled it like
Sourav Ganguly used to handle a year ago, and answered, “
Sir, According to your PPT (Pre-Placement Talk), in terms of growth rate, GS is at rank one while Deutsche is at 2. Plus they are offering me double the amount what you are paying me. So, obviously GS would be my first choice, but practically, GS is a very tough nut to crack since they take only one or two, So, I’ll take up your offer.” Now, everyone will analyze this answer according to one’s own but I loved the way I answered. I already had decided in the gap of 5 minutes between the two interviews, when I filled my preference form where GS took the upper seat. Anyways, few more questions succeeded this and ultimately his ego surrendered and he told me, “
Thank you Ashok, Good luck for Goldman Sachs.” And I very kindly said, “
Thank you.” The whole drama lasted for 15 minutes. Moving out of the hall, I was happy that I controlled whole of the interview and still, I was sure of getting an offer from them, had I liked it to be the case.
Then I moved to
SJMSOM (
Sailesh J. Mehta School Of Management, called as SOM also), venue decided for GS, with a very little hope but lot of confidence. In the meanwhile, made a few calls to some of the friends and home. After going there, came to know that GS was going to have five rounds of interviews, and when you have a little or no hope from something, so much efforts literally seem a pain in the neck. But some things you can’t help. First interviewer was of
US origin and after few basic questions about my interest in finance, my knowledge about GS, it ended up in the area of my
DDP (
Dual Degree Project) and there were very specific questions related to
WT (
Wavelet Transform),
FT (
Fourier Transform). I knew many a things there, and I answered almost all of the questions and honestly told what I didn’t know. Then he told me that he did his
PhD in the same area from
University of Berkeley, and earth slipped from the down of my feet. Why the hell he didn’t tell that earlier? All the previous questions revolved again in my mind. Thank God, I didn’t commit blunders. Then he said, “
It’s good to know your basics are sound.” I was literally happy to hear that. In fact, every normal human is happy about being praised, so was I. The question-set shifted to computer science, where I answered few but felt myself to be computer-illiterate when he probed deep into. In these cases, my
rule no. 34 says, “
Honesty is the best policy.” I applied the same. He should have appreciated it but his face didn’t tell me so. May be his school books didn’t teach him this rule. It was of around 30-40 minutes. I’ll say, overall, it was good. Second interview was not an interview, to be very true. The interviewer was an
IIT-B alumnus, and it was a discussion about work, growth options of GS, choice of finance etc. So, it was in a way, detailed
PPT, where I was also made to say something. It also ate up not less than 20 minutes of my life.
Third interview of GS (
and my fifth one) was my first HR interview by HR manager, GS (
again lady). The girl’s smile was cute but it didn’t help me in answering, rather made the job difficult. Following were the questions asked by her:
1. Tell me something about yourself. (
which almost everyone prepares)
2. Tell me about your family. (
This one ideally should have been included in the answer of first question. I didn’t do so and thus, she asked.)
3. Why do you want to settle in south, if you are from north? (
She made a quite valid assumption that north Indians have problems in settling in south India.)
4. How important do you think education is in one’s life?
I answered, “
Education is the most important thing in one’s life and without it, there’s no difference between a human and an animal.” I deliberately stopped and as per expectations, she asked, “
Explain your statement.” I said, “
Take the current situation. People in Maharashtra are burning buses, trains, killing innocent people just because someone has demolished the statue of Mr. B.R. Ambedkar in Kanpur, UP. This all is due to their ignorance that politicians are using these illiterate animals like early men used to harness animal energy for their own work.” I became sentimental on the question and answered in much more depth than what was required. She had to literally stop me by her next question.
5. If you think so much about social issues, why don’t you enter politics?
6. What has been the biggest decision in your life till now? What all factors you considered before coming to the final decision?
7. There are various abroad opportunities in Goldman Sachs. If you are offered an abroad position, will you be willing to take that? (
I said, I’ll like to go for small assignments but don’t wish to settle abroad.) The next obvious question:
8. When everyone wants to settle abroad, why don’t you?
9. Why finance as a career? (
The most favorite of every interviewer but I didn’t expect this one from HR.)
10. What are your long term aims?
11. What keeps you motivated towards the goal?
12. Anything else, you would like to tell?
Don’t ever compliment however beautiful the lady in front of you is. You may wish to do so after the interview is over. I gave compliments to her for their selection process, for their website because this was the only organization which I found, was looking for
Common Sense in their employees. And yes, I told her my updated CPI; thought that last semester 10 would help me. Another few simple questions and she smiled a little; her lips made a
U-turn and I heard, “
Thank You.” I too repeated the same and came out of the hall. This lasted for around 25-30 minutes.
Fourth interviewer was my batch mate,
Kumar Gaurav. no.. no.. I didn’t fail for one year. I am in a
Dual Degree (
DD) program which is five years program; combined graduation and post-graduation. He joined GS last year since he was a B.Tech student. This interview also went good. My guesswork received praise from him as whenever he asked some question, I guessed the answer and yep, it was the right one. When the same happened for three times in a row, he was more surprised than me. It all was more than good, I would say. It went on and on for around 40 minutes.
Starting four were almost in a row with a small gap but now, the gap was larger. If you are closely following my feelings, you must have felt hunger by now. Since the morning, I was constantly having single food, and that’s sips of cold Bisleri water. There is a limit to which you can stretch a rubber band, and then it breaks… Though I was far from breaking but I could feel the strains inside. I was waiting for my fifth last interview, and the person called me… Yooo! I went inside, thinking of facing the last interview of the day. After the similar formalities as everywhere (
I am still thinking why they are required?), he asked me, “
How were the other four earlier interviews?” The biggest blunder I did was to answer like this, “
All were good,….. great.” And with a devilish smile, he grinned and said sarcastically, “
Ahemmm!! All were good.” I knew I was going to be butchered in this one.. meaning door was going to be open now. But I wasn’t much nervous because if there was some company from which I didn’t expect anything, it was GS. Whole interview revolved around mathematical basics. I was shocked when he told all my answers to probability questions wrong. Then totally frustrated, at last I asked him, “
Can you tell me the right answer?” Though now I wouldn’t suggest anyone to ask this question. This shows that you are asking because you are going to discuss the questions with other participants outside in the process. I suddenly realized the mistake and said, “
I’ll ask after all the interviews are over.” (
Do you think I was interested in the answer? No.. I was just showing him the confidence.) Anyways, then he asked a linear algebra question which I solved and answer was “
Not Possible.” He said with immense stress on the last question mark, “
Not possible??” like I had committed a blunder. I said, “
Let me check it once again.” And after checking it again, I came at same answer and then, I firmly stood on the same answer after his opposition twice or thrice. At last, he told me, “
You are right.” (
I came to know later that this is also a part of test, called Stress Test.) A few more questions and it was over; he also had a belly, Thank God. Last question was modified version of the first one like most of the great movies, stories, serials and it was, “
Now, if I ask, how were your five interviews?” I replied smiling (
actually I loved the person’s sense of humor), “
All are almost good.” It was also around 35-40 minutes long. Came out with a lot of relaxation on face; Ah! It was all over for the day. Suddenly someone told that
Morgan Stanley was also on the same day. I don’t know if I cursed him for I was very tired and wasn’t in a position to face any more interview.
I came down the SOM building, called home and few friends, met
Bhawani on the road. He was very happy after his
Lehman Brothers interview. He was told by the team’s head that he was selected but the person doesn’t have any faith in the words and didn’t tell the news to anyone except two close friends (
luckily, I was one of them) before seeing the name on the final list. Soon,
Partho and
Prashant and one more person
Anshul Jain joined us and since the gang was more than complete, we moved to lunch. Taste is directly proportional to hunger. No doubt, the food was very delicious. Came back to see the final list, sat there for some time and then, came the bad news, although I was also expecting the same.
Deutsche, I had kicked, and GS had kicked me. I was again at the same level as I was in the morning. In fact, there were some changes. I was much tired and much experienced. But aren’t these two qualities complimentary? Experience always comes with age and with age comes tiredness. Now in next one hour, I was about to face third company of the day and eighth interview. I was ready………. Was I? (
I still don’t know.)
