Chapter 4 –The Interview
Never before had I experienced an interview candidate giving jitters to the interviewer. What could I do now? Knowing Abhishek’s competence, it would have been impossible to take him in my team. Even if I let him in, the blame would fall on me. Or worse! It could affect my own appraisal.
What if I didn’t take him in? Then wouldn’t he kill my love-story even before it got a life?
No, he won’t. I had a plan to bell the cat without being bitten. My mission was to prove the job to be too skillful for Abhishek. I would ask him some specialized technical questions and get him rejected. That way, he would still consider me as a great SE working in great a firm. I would still be an absolute worthy candidate for his sister.
As soon as the idea struck me, I sat down to prepare for it. The interview preparation for Abhishek kept me awake till two that night. I had never studied so much for my own interviews. Still unsatisfied with my preparation, I took the printout of entire BreakTheInterview.com for my reference.
Excitement and anxiety had brought me to the office early the next day. I quickly ran through my emails till my partner arrived. We two were the interview panelist of the day. My partner was a female, Miss Priya from my boss’s likable list.
Priya was an extremely ambitious woman. As far I could analyze the lady, her ambitions were to become a housewife as soon as her boyfriend declares a long term on-site abroad. For this she was very dedicated and hardworking over her cell phone throughout the office hours. Carrying her pink mobile, she had made herself acquainted with every corner of our office.
Priya was also very passionate about her work. Presentation of the code and repositories were her main concern. Many a times, she would write six lines of comment for a single line code change so that everyone can appreciate it.
My manager, Mahesh was extremely fond of the lady as she was always going ‘extra mile’ and taking ‘special effort’. So important was this in his eyes that her lack of normal efforts was occasionally overlooked.
“The candidates have arrived. Shall we start?” asked Priya
“Yes Priya, let’s go. Is that your new suit? It looks so wonderful on you.”
“Thanks Rohit, I am glad that you noticed. I thought that the candidates should find me in good shape.” she laughed giving her typical blush.
Confident of clearing interviews taken by interview candidates when we interview them, we went to meet our first candidate of the day. The guy was a tall and thin fellow. He possessed a French beard and had an overly smart attitude.
“Hmm! In your two and a half years of experience, you didn’t stay longer than six months in any firm. May I know the reason for such frequent switches?”
“It passion! I am very passionate about the work I do. When I don’t get good work I switch my job. I want to join this company as I expect to get the right kind work here.”
“And what is the right kind of work for you? I mean, why do you feel that your current responsibilities are not so good for you?”
“Let me explain you Rohit. You see! I have an ambition of going into the ‘field of management’. My ambition is to become a project manager one day. Already, I am working at various levels of management within my team.”
Another of those management victims, I thought. In our country everyone is a manger or wants to be one. It doesn’t matter whether there is anything or anyone to manage or not. With just two and half years of experience the guy wanted to become a manager. Every year thousands of management institute blossom around our country and millions of SEs dive in to become some Manager.
“Well! I understand your ambitions Aniket. But we are looking for a candidate with good technical expertise and not a guy with great management skills.”
“But that is exactly what I am here for. Actually, I have developed good management skills for managing my technical expertise”
As the day progressed, unfortunately, we could select only those candidates who could understand our questions and reply to them correctly. Rest all had to be rejected due to their lack of knowledge or having the one that we didn’t require.
My heart pounded with the entry of each candidate. I was waiting for Abhishek. I wanted to get over with him as quickly as possible. My wishes came true only after the fourth candidate as I found Abhishek standing at our door.
“Good Morning! Hi Rohit! How are you?”
“Do you people know each other?” asked the lady
“Yes, we just happened to meet once.”
Just at that moment, Priya’s mobile rang again.
“Hi Dear!! You know what? I am taking interviews today. Yes, and I, just hold on.Z”
(Whispering in my ears) ‘Continue with this candidate till I am back’
And so, Priya went out with her cell phone leaving Abhishek at my mercy or was the other way round?
“You know, my sister keeps talking about you. She says that you are a very nice and a charming person”
“That’s great Abhishek. Shall we get on with some questions now?”
“Sure Rohit! Just one more thing. My job is very important for her marriage preparations.”