First Interview of My Life(in Sapient Coorporation)

The Common Room--A big hall, stairs sprawling from one side of the floor heading high upto other side, red colour sofas on them, a handsome number of young boys and girls sitting together, with their brains concentrated on just one thing in front of them. Few of them whispering something to their friends sitting besides them, but there was no loud noise by any of them. All of this may drive you nostalgic about the last weekend you enjoyed with your friends in a movie theatre. But here, there was no projector, no speakers and the lights were still not off.The show had yet to begun.But there was no eagerness for a newly released movie, the nervousness playing the protagonist on every face.This was a sight of a room where few budding engineers gathered for an interview to decide their fate.Having a job in your pocket, perhaps this is the most desired feat in four years of enginering.The most awaited, but the most crucial and shivering moment of life was yet to come.

The guys (the volunteers) in front of us, with a list in hand, were going to make the first call to begin the process. In this kind of situation, one can see different kind of emotions on different faces. Few try to smile looking at each other.Few, with both hands closed together praying to their Gods. There are few moments,when we finally have the time for that Almighty, in our busy lives. Among all these, few seem relaxed.They are the ones with "don't care" or "just chill" type of attitude. The candidates who enter in the room after finishing their interviews are crowded by friends, facing another bunch of questions after finishing one inside interview room. "Hey, how was your interview?", "How many people are there taking interview?", "What did they ask?", "What did you answer?", these are some common queries asked by others, to mitigate their fears,perhaps. Afterall, one of their colleagues have lived those moments, which they are going to live in next few instants. Amid all this, I was waiting for my call, and the moment finally arrived.

The Interview Room-- "May I come in, Sir?" I uttered my first few words of the most important conversation of my life that was about to begin. An interview is not less than a battle, perhaps it is the tougher one of the two. Here you are alone in the field, with your opponents (the interviewers), generally 2 , 3 or more(your tough luck). Here you can not attack, just defend yourself, while your opponents are full of armoury( the list of questions), ready to launch at you. What you can do is just smile(or atleast try to smile, I know it is an onerous task at that time) and regurgitate "what you have in you what they would like you to have". Now I was going to be a part of all this.

"Yes , Come in", about 30 years old, a fair coloured guy, said. Finally I took my first stride inside the room. He was standing just on the door, with a bottle of water in his hand. I was not expecting that. I took my seat.

A girl, seeming like a student, came to me. She asked about my branch and college. I answered her as anyone would answer to a friend or colleague. She remained standing there and then the guy came. He first introduced himself as a DBA in Sapient and then that girl. OOPSss!! That girl was an employee of company and was a part of interview panel, and till then I thought her as one of the volunteers of that college where the interview was being conducted in Delhi.Thank God! I came to know this at right time.

The interview begun with the typical question "Tell me something about yourself". Many times in past, I learned the answer of this question, but everything was there out of sequence.I answered him in a way I would not want. But I could not help it.Then began the technical questions(Well, I can describe here those questions also,but most of you would feel like kicking me on this).All questions came from the guy, the girl just being a scrupulous observer. Only last question came from her. Then I was offered to ask something, which signaled that the battle is about to finish. I grabbed the opportunity and threw a question to their side. The answer came instantly, but I could not grasp much. Perhaps, I knew that the mission was accomplished, and was not willing to pay much attention now. Then we completed the handshake, the last formality, and I left the room.

My task was finished.The result was awaited.Rest was a hope,and engraved in me were the endless feelings of eagerness, an incessant awe, and a long wait....