The first times..Part 3(what not to do@ interview!)

I slowly pushed the door open and it creaked loudly.Poking my head through the gap i stared around the not too brightly lit room..And there he was... A balding old fellow bent over some file , which i gathered to be my ill fated resume. I was midway stammering out a GOOD AFTERNOON SIR..when he waved me in without raising his head.






MISTAKE #1: I hastily made way to the chair opposite his table and sat on it as i felt my legs would give away any moment. Now when he slowly looked up anticipating me to be hanging around the chair, he was startled to see me sitting there staring at his face. He went back to scanning my resume with a sardonic smile.I breathed a sigh of relief..well at least he was not in a pugnacious mood for my own good.

He looked up and again and with a look over the specs perched midway up the nose, he threw it straight on my expectant and eager face..

" Tell me about yourself Anirudh"..

MISTAKE #2:I took a deep breath and in the matter of a few seconds i had ranted out the whole resume which i had memorized.(i realized later it was done in record time and way too faster than i had did it while practicing.. alas,it was not the time for medals or recognition).

Even the interviewer seemed perplexed and was giving me one of his frosty nosed stare! I managed to put out a meek smile and he seemed not to be satisfied.

He put the resume on the desk and pointing at it with disdain, shot the next question:

"this says you are an ACTIVE member of CSI(computer society of india)"

to which i nodded in acknowledgment.








MISTAKE #3: Its was then i realised how dangerous and lethal an adverb can become! A totally insignificant word..."active" was to jeopardize my whole life.Truth be told it was a line i had lifted from my friends resume in a bid to beef up my Extra Curricular activities.Now it has come back to haunt me and has caught me totally unawares. Expecting the worst i looked up at him with raised eyebrows and it was then he dropped the bomb!

"Who is the current state president of CSI then?"

My mouth dropped open and i gulped! I opened my mouth in a futile attempt to answer but it was in vain. I stared wide eyed at him with an incredulous expression which he quite easily recognized as my submission move. Forget the current president..i never had attended a single meeting of the association in my life and didnt have the slightest clue as to what those nutcases did there.
He shrugged and prepared to move on to the next question when...







MISTAKE #4:I,in a final attempt at salvaging my sinking glory blurted out that i was infact an active member who happened to be on the wrong side of Mnemosyne and had forgotten the office bearers of the association.Its then i did the horrific mistake of claiming that i was a regular reader of the CSI journals and did infact take part in a whole lot of activities managed by them.

The interviewer was way too smart than i had thought and he called my bluff..

"ok..then tell me what the title article of the last journal was?"

I was stubbed! i sat there mouth shut and the interviewer gave one of his Vulturous stares and smiled pitily at me. He frowned at me and remarked..

"If this is the case i guess you have bluffed the whole resume"

I tried to reason with him and even pulled out my long forgotten CSI card from my purse and handed it over to him only to realise it was my Driving License with a crazy old photo of mine. The fello had a hearty laugh and handed it over to me while i sat there like the eternal fool!

The interviewer though was in no mood for giving up as he went on scanning the resume. He again looked up and asked what was to be the final question..

"tell me about your project."

Now finally something i had hoped vehemently for. I took no time in detailing him about our project and explaining its intricacies and challenges and concluded by convincing it was indeed a project which would substantiate my technical skills and support my claim. He seemed convince as i finally heaved a sigh of relief..

With that he concluded my interview and stood up to bid me goodbye. It was then he extended his hand for a cordial handshake. I was taken aback since i never expected that from this fellow.Still i put my hands out and shook his hands.







MISTAKE #5: Its then i realised how sweaty my hands were. The mounting pressure and tension had cast its effect on my hands and the sly devil was trying to check it. I realised it a tad too late and my hands were being slowly squished by the devil himself!

I stepped out of the room with and immediately dried my hands and my face since i had started sweating profusely! The shirt seemed too uncomfortable and i wanted to tear it away and run. I slowly made my way back to the main hall were the otheres were. I recited my disappointing story amidst a pile of eyes looking pitifully at me. A heap of consoling words were dumped all too casually over me as i was left to myself again..

I dont know how long i sat there contemplating when a fellow came in and asked me to follow him.He took me to another room where sat a young lady witha calm smile.. She welcomed me in and i walked in baffled! It was a class room and we sat on the same bench(romatic it may sound..but my heart was in my mouth). She enquired about my Social Activities and routine questions which were dismissed as required! She asked me to go back and wait with the rest which i did promptly.

Countless hours of mounting worry ensued as everyone grew impatient and hungry even more so. Finally by 11 pm the same young lady who had interviewed me came up witha list and callled out the name of those qualified. LO BEHOLD! my name too was called out towards the end of the list and i was again jumping with joy!That all my classmates too had qulaified gave way for even more celebration !

The ride back home will be one for my biography and one ill cherish for a long time to come!
With that the story of my first interview draws to a close and as some old wise fool said..
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!