My XLRI Interview!

There were 3 ppl in the panel,
one in the centre, P1.
one to my right, P2.
one to my left, P3.
I would use M for myself.

I ask permission and enter the room.

P2 and P3 were amused abt somthing in the meanwhile and start laughing by saying something eachother.

M : Good evening Sirs.
All : Good evening. Take your seat.

P2 : Let me have a look at your certificates.
I hand over my file to him and sits in the chair.

P1 : So you like cricket?
M : I'm not that much interested in it now, I used to play it in my school days.

P2 : So you are the last man for the day?
M : I think so. There's none left in the waiting hall.

P1: Have you heard of night watch man?
M : yes,sir.

P1 : You know nightwatchman! what is it?
M : A nightwatchman is a nonregular batsman send in to bat at the end of the day so that the regular or specialist batsmen are not exposed.

P2 : Shows me a register and asks me to sign in front of my name.

I take my pen and get ready to sign.

P3 : So do you mean to say that he keeps an overnight vigil there or what?

I do not sign on the sheet, looks up at P3 and replies,
M : Yes, Sir. In the sense that he protects the regular batsmen overnight.

P2 : Please sign the register.

I sign the register.

P1 : Looking at your qualifications, you have done your Graduation in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, then you have work-ex in power generation, you have also done your M-Tech in Power Systems, You have a very bright future ahead of you in the Power Sector. So why do you want to do this course now? Is it just because the market is all going like that ? What is your reason to change your stream now?

M : Yes, I am a good power Engineer and I have a very good future in the power sector. I have never been a stereotype kind of guy who did things just because everyone else was doing it. People do not think in the same way throughout their lives. As they get more experiences and knowledge they take more mature decisions.

Then he went into many stuff abt power systems and basic technical and GK stuff on powersystems. I answered all of them(God knows whether they were right or wrong, I had the conviction and he kept nodding.) and he was done with in 7-8 mins.

Then P2 took over.
P2 : When a person is becoming an Engineer the society is investing a lot on him. So now that you have done an M-Tech, and then you want to shift to a manager you are actually bringing a huge loss to the society, The society is losing a lot so how do you justify your decision?
M : Sir, I believe that, any organisation, any society or any nation can only be lead by people who have a very good understanding of both the technicalities and the human side involved in it. I am someone who has always had a holistic approach to life. My idea was to become conceptually strong in one of the technical areas and then get into the human management side. If I were living ten years ago I would not have done this course, it is only recently, especially in India that we have the corporate structures and organisations coming up in such large scales. My idea now is to learn about the systems that help people to perform better in organisations. Also from my life until now I have seen two ways to learn, the easy way and the hard way. The easy way is to learn from people who have a good conceptual understanding of the things that I want to learn and the hard way is to learn it by oneself.

Then he went on to many questions about the social implications of Power, and how I foresee the future of Indian Power Sector. I was very diplomatic and remained non-committal on all my answers by making all of them conditional(Don't know how he took it).

It went on for 9-10 mins.

Then P3 took over.
I don't remember much of his questions now, but most were Current Affairs topics like N-Deal, Iran Issue, then he asked about Kerala and the only portion that I remember clearly is how it ended.

P3 : So how have you been preparing for this interview?
M : I have been in Chennai for the last 3 weeks. I have been interacting with a lot of HR people. And actually I have got a contract to standardise the selection process of a printing BPO firm.

P3: Oh you have been here for the last 3 weeks, So what did the HR people tell you?
M : They asked me not to say the truth.

P3(was all of a sudden very excited): What! So you have been bluffing us all the way along?
M : No, But I did not hear them. I believe that interviews are things which happen in the spur of the moment. You answer the question instinctively, so I don't believe in having pre-planned answers. I am someone who has always been true to myself and I believe that that's all what I need to keep doing to take me through.

P3 : So were your preperations a waste of time?
M : No, It is is only because of my efforts that I have been able to get this contract that I mentioned earlier. Whenever I take a decision in my life I like to hedge myself, so even if I did not get into XLRI I needed to have a solid plan to fall back upon to make myself confident that I can make it big in HR.

P3 : Thank you
M : Thanks.

Gets up and thanks everyone, takes my file and leaves.

The entire interview lasted for around 25-30 minutes. My objective of remaining unconventional has been achieved, I don't know whether any of the things that happened there would be considered negative and hence me judged as a controversial guy. Anyway I am very happy with the interview because I could remain true to myself inspite of all temptations to look conventional. To be frank, I don't mind getting rejected after such an interview. Because I have showcased myself in the best way possible, and if I do not fit into the scheme of things it's better for me to keep out as well.