My First Job Interview

It was a bad Saturday for me! Papa started to scold me from morn, He had asked me to attend Progeon Ltd Interview – the then Infosys BPO and I was in no mood too!

The Year was 2005, and we were almost ready to welcome 2006.

I was in my Final year of Graduation. Every weekend I was busy attending coaching to prepare for CAT (Common Aptitude test). The schedule on each Sunday used to reach Mangalore for coaching and back by evening. The too & fro journey was arduous and I hated it!

When Papa told me about the Progeon interview, I was least bothered. My goal was clear – Aim for a good MBA college. Definitely, not a job! So, I told him, I don’t want to miss the classes – though I had started hating the coaching & the travel involved.

But he was adamant, he knew the Interview procedure at Progeon and what I would face if I had to get into a B-School would be almost similar i.e., Written round/aptitude, GD, face to face interviews, etc.

I was reluctant and started consoling myself- at least for a day, I could avoid traveling for 3 hours (Moodbidri to Mangalore and back) By the time I come back from coaching – almost in the evening, I would be exhausted.

Instead, I could go to Udupi, for the Progeon Interview. Go early in the morning, and I will be out in an hour, and by 12  PM maximum, I would reach back home, then have food and take rest.

I went to a nearby computer center, collected a resume template and added my details. Took the copies of all my certificates, and kept all the prerequisites, for the interview ready. 

I made few of my class buddies to join me, it was now feeling like a picnic for all of us.

But, what happened at the interview was totally unexpected!

The first round included 2 major segments – essay writing and a proper aptitude test –I cleared it! It was so easy for me!!

Maybe my coaching for CAT helped me. Now I was not in a mood to go back home. Whatever time it is – I’m cracking it!! Confidence had boosted with the first win there!

This was followed by a GD – we (candidates) were only asked to select a topic for GD - sadly 2 candidates who chose the topic did not succeed – some in the group did. In that ‘some’ I was also there!

Now I was Happy – but more than that I was nervous. Still, only one thing, I need to get this job – whether I join or not, that for me was secondary. I want to crack it – that’s it!

The interview started, in between, I was trapped through one of my responses. However, may be the urge to get the offer or the instant response what I could give the Interviewer, he was convinced!

I came back home around 10 pm – with the offer! You should have seen the happiness in my family – Pappa, Amma, my brother and my uncle – probably, they were happier!

Thus started my corporate career and my first learning experience as a working professional in the Silicon city of India in one of the most prestigious and iconic Indian companies. I learned a lot, but if it weren't for my first Interview experience perhaps I would still been looking for the easy way out.