Pre-corporate experience & observations

If getting a job brings down the curtains on the journey of MBA, I am glad I have been able to do so successfully. All the mad rush, tension to make it through, the last piece of puzzle to be put in order etc etc etc. All the while I kept asking myself – Is this the end of all?

I know holding a job in hand and spreading knowledge(*Gyaan*) about the other side of the coin is an easy task. And look at the irony of this – till the time you do not grab a job and you talk this stuff you are considered to be a brave soldier or a wise man. The moment you cross the road you lose all the rights to explain to people that “this isn’t really the end of all”.

The war for the job.....

 Each one of us has our own corporate experiences. This was my second campus recruitment experience. I had decided this time to enjoy every bit of it. I knew these will be the memories I shall look back upon. Taking my profession of future HR seriously and above all I like being the silent observer. With the process closing to an end, here is a list of my observations. Some funny, some to learn from, some weird…..

Disclaimer – “I am not writing this against any individual in specific. Any identical behaviour to the ones being described is purely coincidental”

Starting with the preparation part. Few of them like to skip meals and avoid going for breaks during the time of serious preparation. While there are other who flock around in the small store to buy packets of chips, biscuits, breads. They stock it in their room and lure themselves for eating so much after having studied this part. Few prefer to keep the doors locked and study in isolation and peace. Few prefer it in groups. Few love it with music. While others like it in Library where they can see other souls doing the same and take inspiration. While one side is content not knowing what others are doing, other side cannot survive without knowing the level of preparation the person next door has gone upto.

Now coming to the D-day. Few prefer to keep the routine of waking up early morning, having breakfast, reading the headlines before going for the process. Others like to make it to the last minute sweating, skipping breakfast and arriving in the room all tensed up.

Next when people are waiting in room either for their Group Discussion or for their interview turn. One of them is glued to laptop to read everything possible that he/she has not been able to read so far in the short time left. One of them would like to calmly recollect the notes made while preparation and gather their thoughts. Another set would not want to do anything but get nervous seeing people around flipping pages. Few keep getting nervousness jitters and nibble around with things. Few prefer not to do anything and just walk along in the corridor trying to make small chats with people around.

Each individual’s personality defines their thought process. And moreover the manner in which they take failure. Few take the whole blame of situation on themselves and become their own best critique.  “I didn’t give the best for this job…I think I screwed up the interview ….. I didn’t deserve it because I hadn’t worked much hard for it….” Few others put it on factors around which are beyond their control. “ My luck never favoured me anytime in past too…..The interview was not at same level of difficulty for all…..The panel had demographic criteria in mind before itself(sex, experience, age) and I didn’t fit it inspite of being good in the interview”. And then there is another set who puts an argument on the system itself. “ This is a pathetic way of recruiting people…How can a person be judged in an interview…They took the person who was most silent in the GD…This time they have taken aggressive people…They selected xyz on basis of ‘this’,’this’ and ‘this’. I am amazed…..”. No right or wrong way of taking this but just an observation.

Yayaya...

Now reaching the last and the most beautiful part when you make through. Few are overwhelmed, joyous with tears in eyes. Others remain calm and composed taking stalk of the situation and trying to sink the news in. Few go around immediately calling up distant loved ones. Few walk back preferring to be the shoulder of those for whom it was not meant to be. And finally there are others who shout out and express their happiness, hugging people around and sharing the love and joy.

Nothing judgemental about anybody. Nothing right or wrong. I enjoyed being a part of this process and have my own set of learning’s which shall keep nurturing me in years to come. I wanted to share this experience with you all and mark it in my diary of memories and this is the way it goes.

And still I would say to all facing hard-luck in whatsoever manner – “This isn’t the end of all. Everything has to pass. And this too shall pass”. Stay there and face it with courage. For God knows which child can take it all. And he has chosen to you because he considers you to be brave.

Signing off for now.

Cheers

Love Cleaning?

Hello blogdosts!!! It is been long since I wrote or read everyone’s updates. I promise I shall do that soon.

What has kept me away from this space has got nothing to do with hunting of my job as I draw closer to the end of dream journey! Instead I have been completely out of focus towards that aspect. I have visited home twice in a span of 20days. Yeyeye. First occasion was Dussera (birthday to be noted) and second was Diwali. What both the celebrations were like would require another post. In one word it was “lovable”.

Continuing with the title – “ Love Cleaning?”. Well it might be Yes, No, May be haven’t tried or anything else. For me I have grown to love cleaning from the extreme of hating it. I did not realise till I became independent (*away from home*) how engraved my mumma’s teachings of cleanliness and organization have become. My roomie (Lakshmi) would agree to that completely. She has seen me freak out for scattered things, not so clean clothes of washing machine or a miss of “eco-clean’s regular cleaning of room”. I did not realise my finicky attitude towards this unless I was made conscious of. But I am proud of it and I love it.

And cleaning for Diwali always has always been exciting. It has been a bonding activity for our family. It was never shouldered or considered something only ladies should be doing in the house. Images of dad splashing water on the floor, me clicking images of brother on the roof, mom’s teacher like instructions and me being “chotu assistant” to all flash as I recollect old Diwali. Mom yelling to clean properly while the rest three of us giggling anticipating the “yelling dialogue” of mom being the best memory.

I have been missing this fun since two years. But I ensured to give it a different direction by enjoying cleaning my room with laku (my roomie) last year. This year, being in a single room, I had been postponing proper cleaning for the occasion of Diwali. An unplanned visit back home deprived me of the pleasure to clean my living place. No regrets at all for missing or rather delay of the opportunity, but ever since I came back I was feeling uneasy. Growing layer of dust had been increasing my anxiety till today when I decided come what may I am taking it up NOW!!!  People around my room (who rarely peep inside) knocked on to check if I was packing bags for permanent return (yeah! It is a self – praise to the method of cleaning. Hehe).

CIP - Cleaning in Progress - Snap 1

CIP - Cleaning in Progress - Snap 2

As I write this a smile spreads across my face seeing the nick clean tube light, fan, bed, shoe stand ,study table etc. It is not because I feel sense of achievement after doing it. Rather I feel good because I feel I have returned the respect back to the things I make use of on daily basis or the things I have received as gifts because I am special for them.

Post Cleaning :)

That's my study and decorative table :)

P.S: In the cleaning spree I do not remember how I cleaned my tube light but it has stopped working: P 

Evening Walk…..

Putting on my tracks, wearing my shoes,

I plug in my ear phones to break the routine of daily chores.

Making way from the unknown crowd,

I cross the gate and feel sense of relief.

The treasured path...

Walking down the road listening to loud music,

I slow down the volume at the entrance of the village.

Birds chirping all over the sky,

Sun bids good bye with a promise to return by.

Fences of trees surrounding houses,

I admire their evening lifestyle.

Tired after day’s real hard work, a man return to his home,

Outside the house on a small stove is a lady cooking coughing due to smoke.

My memory lane runs down the past,

I remember how the food cooked on “chullah”(stove is a modern version) tastes.

I smile at the real unknown people yet get true smile back,

I feel the serene feeling in my heart as I turn back.

Putting again the loud music on the phone,

I sway back to my place of unknowns. 

Baadal zameen par!!!

In the state of Joy…….

“So I got the new one-liners to be added in the list which people use when they are high” ! Exclaimed my brother last night. No, I wasn’t alcoholically drunk still I was high. I was high with emotion of happiness. I do not remember last time when I had this feeling.

When hands join.....

I still wonder would I be longing so much for the small visits to the city if it was not for my family and friends. Each of my visits become special with small and big moments of happiness. Be it early morning walks, rush of finishing household duties, crazy photo shoot in girls night out, trying riding bike, late night dandiya ,  or a serene time to write a blog sitting by a rainy window with a mug of “maa k haath ki chai”. Everything falls in place with so much ease. I adore each thread of this life and feel blessed.

People have their own way of forming opinion about various cities. I have opinion about each city based on people and relationships I develop there. Although I haven’t travelled much, I have two cities that I am in love with. Hyderabad is a perfect city for me – Perfect not because of its lifestyle, culture or beauty. It is perfect for me because of the warmth of the people whom I can call as mine. It is not perfect because I have stayed here from childhood; it is not perfect because I can identify most number of people of this city. It is perfect because I have found many pair of eyes in which I see genuine care and love for me. It is flawless because I have found pair of hands and shoulders that can raise my spirits from the abyssal of darkness. And this shall continue to be the best city for me till the best people I know are here.

P.S: And so I am back in my city to celebrate b'day and get high without the alcohol of Goa!

Looking forward.....

Not much to write blogdosts but still just wanted to mark this day as a memory of beautiful blend of tears and smiles :) Full of positive energy with a sense of relief on having taken the advice of the most sensible person in my life. Hoping to clear out things and get back life on track. 

!!!

All looks well,

Trouble bubbles began to disappear in hell,

A true helping hand was all I needed in this phase of disdain.

Thank you lord for holding the torch on my way and making me sane.

A letter to my roomie

As I am starting to write now I do not know what I want to write. Just two days back as you left campus for short visit to home I realized how much you mean to me. To all my readers, a short introduction about my roomie – Lakshmi. Going by her name, she truly lives upto it. Rich in expenditure terms and super rich at heart.  A  thorough foodie, ever smiling chap and the most lazy of all.

Dear Lakshmi(Laku),

If I shall ever recall any of God’s miracles (which are many in my case) our meet would be one among the top on the list. In a big q of room overflowing with girls, my instinct of choosing you as my roomie is none less than God planting thought in my mind. Ever since then we have rolled together.

Together we sail...

Our friendship is one of the most precious memories I shall be carrying out from GIM. We have smiled, laughed, cried, hated and loved each other. You have made many of my days away from home worthwhile with care, warmth and innocence of yours. No one is perfect. And so are we both. We both gave each other moments of disappointments, sorrow and anger. We vented out and ended up hugging each other with tears.

That's Lakuuu and Myself

Our crazy laughter riots watching Sarabhai and giggling discussions about the colours of face packs being used by girls always put a smile on my face.  I have never told you this but I need to admit it here. I always believed God never leaves me alone. He has ensured throughout to keep me in the company of his messengers/angels throughout who guides my thoughts and actions. And in this journey of 2 years away from all my loved ones you have been his angel sent to me to protect me, take care of me and guide me.

Through this letter I always want you to remember few things. As we move ahead in life low phases may come when you would need me but time or distance may not permit us. In those moments of despair please refer to this letter and remember my words. Like I say always remember “Everything happens for a reason”.  We may not be able to decipher the reason for the events then but you need to trust the universal power. Never compare your life with someone who you think has got a better life than you. Instead look at the other side and you shall be grateful for what you have got. And lastly never lose faith and confidence in yourself. Every individual is blessed with remarkable talents. It is only the ability to see, recognize and nurture it that makes the difference.

Always Smiling!!!

Sniff sniff!!! Enough of this emotional drama moma…Haina??? (in our typical sarabhai style). Always there for you! And Thank You!

Hugs and love

Your roomie.

What you should know about me?

Reading an article in Times life dated Sept, 9^th 2012 I thought this should be shared with you all. I request all my readers to give this article a thought and do share in form of comments what you all feel.

We all live in the fear of world laughing at us. In German, the word is “schadenfreude” meaning “the pleasure one derives from misfortune of others”. We mistake it to be our good soul’s empathy which is in reality the pleasure. When one slips in a mall it is not the physical fall that hurts us. It is rather the amusing stares people give to you that make us lose our self-control.

There are many feelings and emotions we want others to feel about us but amusement at our expense is certainly not on the list. The opposite of “schadenfreude” is the Buddhist concept of “mudita” meaning “Happiness in the fortune of others”.

If we look back even as kids we tried to manipulate the way world looked at us. As simple as crying aloud with no tears in eyes meant our wishes to be fulfilled: P Well such is the significance attached to it.

Now coming to the centre stage. Each one of us desire and want others to feel and know certain things about us. Talking about me I would want people to know and consider that I am a Frank person. Do not expect me to be one of those wonderful actors who can pretend to be happy when they are not or find the conversation amusing when it is not really. My expression says it on the face that “Dude! Your company is boring” or “you do not know your subject. Don’t try to fool around!” Although these days I am trying to avoid being so explicit because soon it’s going to be the management world I’ll be stepping into.

Secondly, I am the weirdest creature who is lost between practicality and emotions J Clearly I do not like interference in my personal life from people who are “nothing more than strangers”. Let’s talk business and end it there. At the same time I want my close ones to understand that I am not devoid of emotions. Honestly I am much more emotional than people around me expect from me.

Next I hate gossips. I do not want people to talk at my back of something which is not true. So I do not like doing the same with others. I have enough in my life to keep me engaged. So please do not expect me to smile back at you and update you with 10other stories.

Lastly I cannot stay long without spending time alone. Some people prefer retrospecting while talking to others.  Some want to do it alone. I fall in the latter category.  This brings to the surface the fact that I keep certain things only to myself. I cannot share it with the closest person also. So far people close to me have respected and accepted that and I owe a “thank you” to them. Well who they are, they know it!

So dear blog friends, what is on your list that people around should know, take care of and accept??? In every individual’s book there are a few things that cannot be stated to people around every time but you want them to consider.