!!! Experience is Best Teacher !!!: February 2016

In our whole life we come across two types of coaches. The first one is Coach A, who always listens our reasons for not doing something & we rely on that coach. Second one is Coach B, who always focuses on activities & its results. We feel Coach B is the brutal person whom we have never met in our life but in actual that’s the only person who want to see us successful.

Here I am going to narrate my struggle before entering into the corporate sector. I seriously believe in phrase

"कहते है !!!! पूरी शिद्दत से किसी चीज़ को चाहो, तो पूरी कायनात उसे तुमसे मिलाने में लग जाती है !!!! "

My mother always wanted to visit Nanded district, when I was doing engineering from MGM’s COE Nanded but due to some reason & time issues we couldn’t make it. Finally the day came in my life when I took my mom to the place from where I completed my engineering & that day was the day when my final year results were announced. As I was the University Topper from college, I thought of going to the stage & getting so many appreciations in front of my mom so that she would be proud of me. But it didn’t happen that way instead reverse of it happened.

First day before leaving to Nanded, I got to know from my friends that we would get the results standing in the Queue , I thought it was fine & decided to take my mom along with me, having the thought of at least i will show her famous places over there like Sachkhand Gurudwara, Kaleshwar Temple, Kaleshwar Dam, etc.

In mid of August 2011 when results were out, we reached Nanded in the morning. My cousin lives in Nanded with his family at Police Colony near Shrinagar, we stayed at his place. After getting fresh we started to my college & got my result, college staff asked my photograph to stick it on the Notice Board as 2011 CSE topper. I gave them a photo & left the college with my friends. My friends were praising and congratulating me. I then showed the results to my mom with expectation of some gifts & appreciations from her, but after seen my mark sheet politely she said that though you pass with highest rank it is of no use being an engineer until & unless you get a good job. That moment I felt ashamed in front of my cousin, his wife and all my friends & all present there even though I was topper from college, I didn’t have job in my hand.

That night we went to Sachkhand Gurudwara, I was totally angry on my mom and thinking all the way why she disappointed me, though I scored top in the college and still she isn’t happy with me. I was feeling irritated while I was having conversation with my mom and was not answering her questions instead I was shouting on her any small reasons. Second day we went to Kaleshwar Temple, there also I behaved with this all foolishness, but she was gentle all the way. While we were coming back from Jalna through train, that was the first time my mom travelled in reservation boogie in her whole life. So she was asking me questions like a kid & I was in my own state of annoyed feeling & yelled on her. But still she behaved well with me, during that whole journey I made one decision after reaching home at Jalna is that I will immediately leave to Pune for Job Search & will not talk to my mom as long as I won’t get job & will become an engineer in her definition. While leaving home I expressed my disheartens and emotions to my mom in anger, that I will not call you or will show you my face to you until I get a job of my profession. She agreed to it.

On 24^th June 2011 I already shifted my whole engineering stuff to my cousin brother’s room in Pune at Dhankawdi, Ambegaon Pathar. I came back to his room & told all things happened last few days back at home. He was doing his education at that time & last one month was remaining of it. Then he said search for jobs definitely you will get some. That time I have two three thousands with me which I took from my father & said him also, I will not ask for money here onwards. As my brother Deepak knows how to cook, he prepares his food himself during his study. I have very strong bonding with him like closest friend or more than real brother; I used to help him in cooking & learned few things in cooking.

First month in Pune went faster that I imagined & as time was passing I was getting frustrated & irritated with me. In those days we didn’t have our own vehicle in Pune we used to travel by PMT & Dhankawdi bus stop is almost 4km away from room. Whole day I was travelling through PMT buses in industrial area for any openings, every day I was meeting with my friends calling them & asking about any opening news and all.

I got to know about some management trainee opening at one of the company didn’t remember the name of the company and when I went there for an interview, i cleared all the rounds & they selected me. On the same day evening with big smile on my face I went back to my home and called few of my seniors to tell them the whole day selection process. They removed my fancy glasses & told me the reality of the company and even after hearing that I was not satisfied with their suggestion. The next day I went to that company like all new selected members present over there & few senior folks gave an induction and directly took us to the field. We almost 30 odd people left the company & at shivaji nagar we scattered in 4 person groups. I went with one senior at Pimpri Chichwad area there in one society, he thought me how to do door to door selling, how to talk with people. I acted as though I am learning new things & I did same at few doors. I was talking to myself that my college senior was correct about all this & I was waiting for the day ending. The time that company guy said me you can leave now. I started running in my own thoughts & reached the PMT bus stop. As I was new to Pimpri Chinchwad area, i got confused which bus will take me back to Dhankawdi. There I asked few localities for bus to reach Dhankawdi, suddenly one guy asked me to board the bus that was coming & I got into that bus after few minutes of starting conductor said me you are in wrong bus, so in fear of heading to any other place I jumped from the running bus and I fell down on road got injured on my knees but in front of my inner injury it seemed nothing to me. I reached Dhankawdi with wounds at around 9:00 PM.

As the time passed I started getting tensed about job. Same time Deepak’s college completed & my pocket was dried up. Now we both are jobless & useless person sitting at home.

During those days my elder sister Aasha was also working in Pune, all three of us decided to live together at Aple Ghar Society, near chandan nagar by-pass. This shifting released little bit pressure of mine & Deepak’s.

Those days my own words which I spoke to my mom, started hammering me every single second. As we were living together our staying & food bill gets shared. We completely stopped outside food due to the shortage of money, few days we also scarified our one time food. One day I told Deepak & Aasha, I will look for a part time job somewhere & in day time I will search for an IT job. So with the help of Yuraj Jadhav, I got part time job in V Customer BPO. There I used to work from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM every day & I would get paid 4000/-Rs salary a month.

My daily schedule those two months of 2011 was in the morning I woke up at 8:00 AM after getting fresh and some breakfast & seen the Paper for any opening Ads. Those days I was fan of Ascent supplement. After noting down address of job consultancy, IT firm. I used to leave the flat at 9:30 AM, in full formals with resume printouts & academic records file. In those days I visited all consultancies in Kothrud, Swargate, Deccan, Satara Road, Hadapsar, Viman Nagar, Yerwada, Hinjewadi etc. I visited small scale IT companies as well to submit my resume. In the evening where ever I was I need to reach at Wadgaon sheri for my part time job. After doing work in night I reach home at around 12:15 AM, then I eat the food which my sister cooked for us all & after that by connecting mobile internet on computer I surf online, check emails if there was any calls for interview. As seniors told me keep updating your resume every day so that it will be up on job sites like naukri.com, monster.com, shine.com, etc. After doing all this things I used to sleep at 1:30 AM every day.

Next day same routine, one fine day got the news 3DPLM have walk-in drive for fresher. I still remember that day I woke up in the morning at 6:00 AM & reached the Hinjewadi venue at 8:00 AM, there I saw already more than 2 to 3 thousands fresher’s already present there, till afternoon I was standing in the queue only in heavy sun light. At around 4:00 PM HR came & took our Aptitude Test, after collecting answer sheets he told us that they will get back to us soon after evaluating. Same thing happened at another company near Rakshak Chowk, that day the queue went almost 2Km long outside company campus.

We got to know through Amcat that Syntel Company is recruiting freshers & aptitude test will be held at Dhole Patil Engineering College. I attended that test but didn’t clear. That day I took my friends to the flat & it was Sunday, I told my sister prepare some snacks for my friends, I am coming home. She cooked POHE & BHAJE for my friends. We had our snacks & my friends left my flat.

One day I got to know about vacancy at one small scale company in Wagholi near mapple group campus, I had given interview there but didn’t get selected there as well. On that interview day I got call from unknown number, they invited for IBM interview and asking me to pay 2500 Rs at corporation bank. After thinking so much I tried to call back on that number but it did not connect. After few days I got call from same number & asked be ready with money payment receipt tomorrow we will have interview. I asked him how much package I will get after selection, he said 22000 per month. As I was going through those conditions & suddenly someone was giving me that offer of working in IT Company. I gave a thought about it after getting suggestion from Deepak. I decided to go for it, that day morning I deposited 2.5K on that account & went to Hinjewadi Phase 2 IBM location at Embassy Tech Zone. In those days I was not aware about any company location in Hinjewadi, I went till Phase 1 by PMT bus from there by asking local people & I walked almost 5KM and reached the IBM location with full of sweat, there at reception I told them that i came for an interview they asked me about POC, when I told the name they searched for the name & told me that no person with this name is in IBM. I got shock & requested them to search again, they replied me same answer again. I calmed down and without talking to anyone left the placed & walking on the Hinjewadi streets, when I reached the Hinjewadi Chowk, I saw the Ganesh Temple near the signal I went there and asked god why such things happen with me always. I sat there in the temple for almost an hour & telling myself not to worry for such things and things will change at times. It’s good to have such experience in life, god is teaching you how to deal with such situations in life.

Those few months I didn’t talk to my mom but on 2011 Dussera, I was missing my mom badly & called home after talking with dad I said him give phone to mom & the time she took the phone asked the same question again Did you get job? I disconnected the call in the same moment & thanked mom within myself for recalling my words. That time I felt guilty of myself & decided not to forget my own words from now onwards. In the same year, I didn’t visit my hometown on Diwali too and also I did not make a single call to my house too. I still remember the day when I was having a discussion with one of my closest friend Sachin Shinde and was asking him though being an University Topper I am unable to get the right Job. I even told him in frustration that I am ready to work for 2 grants too but it ought to be an engineering Job. Also On one fine day after visiting Sai Baba Temple at Chandan Nagar with my brother, we were heading to our flat by walk. That day I cried in front of him telling what wrong did I do because of which I’m unable to get a job. That day he supported me like an elder brother, showed me my strengths & told me this is happening with everyone and not to worry about it. He also insisted me to just pursue with my hard work and one day i will definitely get good result.

On 17^th November I got a mail from Cognizant Technology Solutions that on 27^th they are conducting Aptitude test at PCCOE Pune. I then decided that this time somehow I need to get selected & with the same enthusiasm i started my preparation like I did in my final year engineering. I had to quit my part time job from that day itself & I studied almost 18 hours a day for that 10 days, Deepak questioned me why was I studying this much and I told him about the mail, he motivated me to go for it and I will get selected this time. For Aptitude test still remember I went PCCOE with Suresh Reve my engineering friend & there we saw almost 10 thousands candidates attended that test. I removed all the fear from mind and gave the test.

On 30^th November evening me & my friend Suresh got the mail for next round of interview which was scheduled on 3^rd December, so I started preparing for that in those few days before the interview, I also went through all my engineering books. I also had discussion with few of my seniors like Kiran Kadam who was working in Cognizant at that time & took the help from him on what to prepare for interview. Then finally on 3^rd December we both reached the Phase 1 cognizant venue. Suddenly I was called for Technical Interview at 12:30 PM. The interview started with few formal question answers & then follows by BE project explanation to the interviewer. He also asked me to tell him one thing which was unique in me and I quickly replied that I am honest, hardworking, prompt, and responsible he then said everyone who comes for the interview tells the same thing. He again asked me to tell one quality in me so that he can hire me. I was quite for few seconds & suddenly I told him that I am final year University Topper. He agreed to my answer and asked me to prepare for the Next Round of interview. I thanked god for giving me the presence of mind so that I answered logically.

Then after an hour my name was announced for HR interview, after answering all the questions, she told me to sing a song and that time Why This Kolavari Di song was famous, I sang it for her. After that she asked me one last question, if I get selected whom will I inform this news first. I said my mom. She asked for any special reason, I told her that there is personal reason and I cannot share it with her & as she said that the previous question was the last question and so I was not bound to answer this one. She agreed and asked me to hurry up so that I can inform my mom. The HR’s name was Darshana, I thanked her & left the table. I called my mom & said I became an engineer; automatically few tears came from my eyes. My mom congratulated me & she said “Thank you”.

Things I learned from this Incident.

1. Mothers loves for their child is unconditional & sometimes she pin points child to speed up on life journey.

2. Family members always supports you in all conditions.

3. Never give up & never feel the stress, things will happen definitely.

4. Even if we didn’t have college campus placements will definitely get job somewhere & that increases our sustain in extremely tough conditions and also increases the patience within us.

5. We will grow tougher within our self & that helps us in reaching our milestones towards our success.