Interview Results

As expected, I was very eager and anxious to know whether I had made the part!

I rushed to work, and headed over to Pak’s cube - after the morning coffee and checking my mail and sending a few hundred forwards i.e. - only to find him staring at his screen AGAIN!

(I was beginning to think, Is this what they pay him for – to keep staring at the bloody monitor like a frigging moron ALL the time!)

Me: “Hey Pak … good Morning!”

Pak: “Hey Hi … Morning!”

Me: “Any inputs from the client yet?”

Pak: (smiling his fiendish smile) “Yup … Guess what – you got the part … Congrats man!”

Me: (smiling away to glory) “Yipeeeeeeee … Thanks for the good news Pak … Music to my ears.”

Pak: “Nice to hear that …”

Me: “What’re are the next steps?”

Pak: “There is a person called Savita who working on this project now. I will be asking her to formulate a project plan for you Knowledge Transition. Once that is finalized, I will let you know. Ok?”

Me: “Sounds like a plan … Once again – Thanks for the good news!”

Celebration time (aka coffee break)!!! I round up the guys (Meen and Aadi. Ram had somehow moved out of our group. Maybe it was because he was too busy, or maybe because the rest of us were not in his intellectual bracket. Heck, whatever it was – we respected his decision, and didn’t “disturb” him when we went out for coffee!)

The Client Interview

The following week - if I remember correctly, it was a Wednesday - I was scheduled to have my interview with the clients. I was to call a guy named Richard Martin.

Sounded like a breeze to me… I had never failed to perform in any interview so far. No reason why this should be any different.

So, at the stipulated time of 6.30 pm, I dial up Rich’s work phone.

Rich: “Hello Martin …”

Me: “Oh Sorry … I think I got the number wrong… Sorry for the trouble!”

If you didn’t realize what the blooper was, let me explain. The Americans refer to each other by their last name, while we Indians refer to each other by our first names!

I was expecting to hear a “Hello Richard here …” and ended up cutting the call when I heard something else.

What the heck. I’ll try again …

Rich: “Hello Martin …”

Me: (A little cautious this time) “Am I speaking to Richard Martin?”

Rich: “Yes … Who’s this?”

Me: “Hi … This is Sharath here from India … I’m calling about the interview.”

Rich: “Oh yes … How are ya?”

Me: “Great … How are you doing?”

Rich: “Fine Thank You … Wait a sec, let get my colleague Henry in here as well … “

Me: “Sure thing …”

A couple of secs later, Henry arrived, and the interview began. Obviously, it was a simple one. It was a bloody non-techie project, and if I could clear a techie interview in college, clearly this one was a cheese-cake!

30 minutes later, the interview ends. We exchange pleasantries, and part our ways.

I had a good feeling about the whole thing. I knew I must’ve cleared it – especially given that I had answered all their questions and queries correctly.

But still, it was an interview. And it was possible that I would not be selected for the opening.

Albeit nervous, I head over to Pak’s cube to inform him of the same, only to find that he is even more nervous and anxious than me to find out how the interview went.

Me: “It was fine Pak … They sounded pretty happy … Hopefully, I got the part!”

Pak: “Well … Great … I’ll follow up with them. I’ll let you know the results tomorrow.”

With that, I head over to the office canteen for a quick snack before heading home.