Bangalore - RSM Interview

Reached Bangalore yesterday by Brindavan Express. By 2:00 PM I checked in and went around the Majestic area. It has been 3 years since I had last come to Bangalore and I felt that nothing has really changed except for a new overbridge to cross the K.G. Road. After browsing for several hours I came back to my hotel room and read my essays once again. My career goals essay could have been better(It definitely would have if my career goals were better..quip) but I really liked my essay on travel(I'm a dumbo..When I love travel my essay on travel would obviously be good !!). Woke up today fresh and after a little bit of trouble with no hot water I finally got ready. Reached the the Le Meridien hotel and met jat_pagla from www.pagalguy.com. He wearing a suit and was very smart. He already had admits from HEC Paris and GISMA, Germany(100% scholarship here). Like me he seemed to be really enthu about RSM. Mr. Rick Rudolph called him first and conducted his interview. Mine was at 10:40 AM and he called me sharp. It was quite unlike ISB. No interview rooms or interview panels. Just me and Rick sat on a sofa and started chatting.

Before we even started he wanted to know how I managed to get get my salary increases staying in one company(Boss doesn't he know about Indian IT industry). The first question was to introduce myself to the RSM Class of 2009 in 30 seconds. I compressed my intro and probably did one in 25 secs. Then he wanted to know how I got into engg. He seemed to be very much disturbed about the fact that anybody he meets in India is an Engineer. I told him how I had always wanted to be associated with technology and how I came to the IT industry. He then wanted to know about my experience and what I want to do post RSM etc. I thought I gave ok type answers but he did not seem to be convinced at all. He kept grilling me and repeated that I don't need an MBA to get into technology consulting. Finally he decided that I'm quite incorrigible and asked me a set of very interesting questions

What is the best advice you got in life?
My answer was "Itz not the size of the dog in the fight, itz the size of the fight in the dog"

What is the one thing you will carry with you to space?
Inspired by Sunita Williams I said "Bhagavad Gita". He asked why. I said that I derive a lot of personal strength from the Gita. Oh God. It has been atleast 15 years since I did the Chinmaya Mission's Gita classes.

What will you do if you are in a room for a whole day and have just 1 sheet of paper?
Very strange question and I gave an equally weird answer. I said I'll make a paper rocket and keep playing with it till I come out !!!!

Tell all different things that you can think of related to number 7?
Seven wonders of the world, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Seven seas, Seven nations of SAARC(what a weird answer. later realized there are eight countries in SAARC)

If you relate your personality to an animal which would it be?
It will probably be a bird. I'm like the eagle.

What makes you unique?
My life experiences, my professional experiences, overseas experience with a major american railroad..blah,blah, blah !!!!

Finally it was my turn to ask questions. One, explain the PLD program at RSM and two, why only 4% of students are Dutch? Got decent answers and then I thanked Rick for the opportunity to interview with RSM.

All in all stress free like the ISB interview but as usual no stellar moments. Will have to keep my fingers crossed till first week of Feb ! This evening I met Bhagya, a friend from www.scoretop.com and a Wharton aspirant. I thought I have faced quite a few challenges in my personal life but this girl thrashed mine in all respects. I'm sure she is the next "Indra Nooyi" in the making.

ISB Interview

It was a very plain/non-stress interview. I had to write an essay on mobile phones pre-interview. There were two panelists from the ad com.

Int 1: So Deepak you have a rich exp. working overseas. What is the difference between an American vs. Indian employee.
Me: Well, the average Indian employee works to meet his ends. He needs to work for his food, clothing and shelter to happen. Else he will end up in the street. So the job comes first before his personal interests. The average american is at a slightly higher level. Even if he doesn't work his govt. will take care of him to a certain extent. So his interests come above the job per se. This is quite a generalization and may not be true for all cases.

Int 1: Ok. That was a positive. Did you see any negatives?
Me: Well yes. I'll have to generalize again. Although americans seem to get on to their field of interest a lot of them begin to wane. They do not seem to higher their bar once they reach a certain point. The average Indian though always tries to improve his status quo. Also Indians work better as a team.

Int 1: Ok Deepak. Say I have an american employee and an Indian employee. Fit them in two of the three roles namely Superior/Peer/Sub-ordinate.
Me: Ok. Once again I'll generalize. I'll place the American as a superior and the Indian as a peer.

Int 1: And why would you do so?
Me: The average American is very objective and will not let emotions sway his decisions. So it is good to work under him. At the same time the american is very individualistic and his free will rules the reign. So he will not be a good peer/sub-ordinate. The Indian mentality is more of a collective mind. So the Indian makes an excellent team mate. I have relished teamwork with my Indian colleagues and so I would fit the Indian as a peer.


Int 1: Ok Deepak. Please do a SWOT analysis of Infosys. (This went on for 20 mins or so)
I asked for a paper and pencil and my main points were around
Strengths : Existing talent pool, Derisked business model
Weakness : Low domain knowledge, new talent entering the company
Opportunity : Large accounts present opportunity to move up value chain
Threats: Being in ADM space makes Infy easily replacable

Int 1: Comment about the standard of new employees in the company.
Me: The standard is going down a little bit not 'coz of the inherent ability of the candidates. They come loaded with so much info that they take everything for granted. They expect things to happen for them without any effort from their side.

Int 2: You mean too much info is bad.
Me: Absolutely. Only people with a certain level of maturity can handle that much of info.

Int 2: can you compare offshore vs. onsite roles ?
Me: Offshore roles are good to gain technical knowledge and process knowledge. Onsite roles help you learn business better as you work closely with the end users.

Int 2: So which is better?
Me: Each provides its own challenges and opportunities. Offshore more to deal with technical and process knowledge. Onsite deals with business and challenges managing client perception.

Int 1; What is your further career progression path in Infosys?
me: I have returned offshore after 2.5 years. I'm being mentored to become a Project Manager and will see a career growth in the delivery side.

Int 1: So why did you stick with Infosys.
Me: I never got bored and always got newer challenges.

Int 1: Will you go back to Infy post-ISB?
Me: Well. I would not like to go back to delivery. may be to the consulting division

Int 1: But why is it that so many TCS guys want to go back to TCS post-MBA?
Me: I do not have any comments on that.

Int 1: List two non-professional goals you have.
Me : Further my learning of Salsa dance and Spend more time with my family.
Int 1: The second one is tough to happen. Are you married?
Me: No

Int 2: When did you last do Salsa dancing?
Me: Few months ago when I was in US.

Int 2: What is difference between Salsa and Indian dance forms?
Me: Indian dances, like kathakali for e.g. have more depth and more scope for expressing emotions and have narrative ability. Salsa is more of a rhythmic dance and does not have so much depth.


Then they asked if I had any questions. I asked about exchange programs in ISB(WGCP in particular) and they explained the bidding process at ISB. I then asked why Google is not in the list of recruiters. They said Google didn't come last year but came for both years before that. I was then asked if it was my dream company and I was asked to reason it. I had some prepared stuff to talk about here.

Then I thanked ISB for the opportunity given to interview with them. Overall I had no stellar moments in the interview and my answers were very bland . Post-interview I got a feeling that they were probably not interested in me. Anyhow I'll have to keep my fingers crossed till mid February.

Wikipedia and Wikihow

Wikipedia has been around for a while now. But I have started appreciating it very recently. Although I have witnessed the internet do astonishing things that impact our day to day life I have always felt that there is so much more of untapped potential. One thing that I always wanted the internet to help me with was to satiate my appetite for information. While there are billions of websites I donno where to go for information. I want to know everything in the world that I ever need to know at one place and it should be easy to assimilate. Whether it be current affairs or historical information, sports or science, psychology or pharmacology, everything under the sun should be available.

Wikipedia does this job brilliantly. The free encyclopedia as it calls itself is an astonishingly simple website. It has an excellent screen layout and very friendly navigation. The articles come from authors around the world and it can be anybody including you and me. Making the gazzillion internet users as authors, wiki stands the best chance of becoming the ultimate repository of information in the electronic world. The clear categorization and the international multi-lingual outlook shows the futurstic direction of this website. I'm gaga about this website and it ranks at the top of my list. The fact that this website runs on donations is another surprising thing for me. It may not be too late before some corporate giant devours this company. But I only hope that its essence remains the same.

Another wonderful offshoot from the wiki stable is the wikihow website. How many times have you wondered how to do fishing or how to bake a cake. If you have any "How to" questions you just need to go wikihow and I'm almost certain you will have your answer. I had a tough time removing the shell of an egg and thought lemme see what wikihow has to say. And lo behold it came back with a dozen articles and guess what, now I'm an expert at peeling hard boiled eggs. So what are you waiting for. Log on to wikipedia and wikihow and know the world around you.

Thanksgiving

As I sit back at the fag end of the Thanksgiving weekend, I see that I have had quite a week. I submitted my INSEAD application on Wednesday. Soon I heard results of some of the R1 applicants. Some really good profiles have not received calls. Some believe it is due to perceived lack of diversity and some blame their own essays. Why on earth do I have to read these right after I submitted my app :( ... I have started getting some self-doubts about my application. Even though nothing can be done after submitting your applications I started thinking about the $250 application fees !!! I could have done a hell lot of things with that much money !

Aside of this I had a good trip to Grand lake, Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a serene lake about an hour east of Tulsa, OK. We were a party of eight and we had good fun grilling, cooking, schmoozing and not to mention boozing. My favorite white wines(Chardonnay/Zinfedal are my favs) were not available for the first two days and so I had to remain sober, but on the last day got some and went into my orbit ;-) ! Came back on saturday night. Today I did some shopping for my return back home. Got a Girgio Armani code perfume for myself a nice watch for mom.

Three more weeks before I head back home. I have lots of things to do by then. Must complete the company mandated certification, must get my Singapore visa for the stoppage enroute home, must do some more shopping and ensure that my transition of responsibilities is as smooth as possible. When to the world it looks like I'm all done I'm just boiling inside :-). I plan to blog soon on my total experience in the US. It also occurs to me that I can prepare a lot of travel blogs too.

Anyhow Happy Thanksgiving to y'all !

MBA blues

Again I took a break from blogging. Been busy with so many things. I have been so much occupied with my MBA thoughts the last 4 months. With a lot of self doubts about my aptitude level 5 years after college I prepared for my GMAT. I did quite well and surprised myself with my ability to compete gamely. My apping process is on full swing and a week ago I posted my ISB app. In hindsight I have a feeling that I have not submitted my strongest of apps. But I have to let bygones be bygones.

My INSEAD app is coming along well now. I hit some fairly good ideas for the culture shock essay and my describe myself essay has also come along well. I'm really liking the B-school admission process. After this I plan to app to RSM and MBS. If things don't work I'll look at US B-schools next year. Irrespective of what the outcome is, I think the whole process has made me think deeply about myself and what i want to do in life.

Looping in Winamp

It has been almost a week now. This one song is looping on and on in my Winamp !!! It is a song called "You're beautiful" by James Blunt. The video is also excellent. The guitar is excellent and the pitching of the song is great. And the lyrics relate well to guys like me ;).

I was never a great fan of vilayathi music except for the fact I knew the really big hits of the likes of Michael Jackson, Backstreet boys, Enrique etc. courtesy channel hopping and occasional college culturals. Recently I have started listening to a lot of english music. I have started enjoying the likes of Blunt, Kelly Klarkson and Toby Keith. Looks like I have started becoming more eclectic. I'm not too sure but I think this is way to go !!!

Now itz just 32 days more for my trip home !!!!

Blogging after a long time

It is a really really long time since I blogged last. I do not know what I want to blog about now but just felt like I should start out again. Thousands of things are happening around us. What do I write about???
Well this week was hectic with lot of things happening at work. Did some partying last night at a nearby country club called "Electric Cowboy". As usual I did not drink (I'm the sober guy u see). Did couple of line dances I learnt last year from the Topeka Youth association(Supported by the Kansas state Govt.). I did meet a lot of americans outside of work because of this. I came to know a lot about the culture of people in Kansas. These people are quite religious. I started paying more attention when I drove on Topeka roads and I did see a lot of churches here.
I have now got 33 days more before start to home sweet home. Yeah I'm starting from here on 15th June, 2006 and I'll be in Chennai on 16th night. I'll have 3 weeks of fun. I've set up a countdown clock in my google home page and I love to see it ticking. It'll be peak summer when I reach Chennai. But whatever I love Chennai !!!
Now gotta go and make some sambar for tonight's pot-luck party !!! The return to blogging feels nice. Hope I blog more !!!

Just let it stay

It was 6:30 AM and was a usual day for everybody in Chennai,India. A normal working day. But for me it was not the same. My last day as a student at my beloved CEG. I was not planning for a masters and it was kind of sentimental for me to leave college. I had not partcularly enjoyed college except for the excellent friends I made there. The excessive thrust on academics created a belief in me that acads were the in thing and made things worse for me. I was living in a world of my own all through my college life!!

But this day lingers due to an aspect entirely unrelated to my college. Well I was a person who lives life languidly and likes the comforts it can offer and this was to such an extent that I used to commute to college in a slightly circuitous route to evade from the big crowd.I used to do this even when it was getting late for the monthly quizzes !!

Another reason for this was the girl I used to see in the bus stop. She was a very simple and refined girl whom normally guys would not notice easily. She looks conservative but had a grace in the way she carried herself. Initially I had not really bothered about this girl but she was a regular in the same bus stop.

Inspite of the bus stop being a major junction with around 15 different ruotes that can take me to college I used to wait for a particular bus that started from here so that I can travel in a bus with 10 people in it. I could not miss her because she used to take the same bus. May be the reinforcement of her face or because of the lack of good looking girls in my class this face stayed in my mind. So everyday I got used to looking at this girls face. I used to glance at her and she also would give me a plain look. I didnt know why I was doing that but it was becoming habitual.

All of a sudden one day I could not see her. That was when I realized we both were sitting in the same place everyday such that we can see each other. I searched for her in the sparsely crowded bus but couldn't see her. It was a slight disappointment. The next day was the same. She was no where to be present. I did not what I was doing and why I was searching for her. Once I entered college I never used to think about her but now I was imagining why she wasn't coming. Has she moved out the place?? Is she sick?? What the hell is happening.

This torture continued for a month. I didnt know !! I wasn't the same. A feeling of emptiness was there in me. I was drudging my way to college everyday. And life was more frustrating because the bus service I used to take got suspended and I had to take more crowded buses where I had to stand the full journey. I hated crowds and I was hating to go to college everyday.

On one such day I was in a crowded bus as usual with a blank mind when I heard a feeble voice saying "Excuse me". I just turned back and was dumb struck. It was SHE. Was she going to talk to me? Was she going to explain her absence? A thousand thoughts and bells rang on my head and I started to sweat(It is very easy to sweat in humid Chennai). She saw me clearly in my eyes and said "Can you get me a ticket to Thiruvanmiyur?". I said yes with a serious look. I was not even prepared to give a nice smile.

I took a five rupee note from her. The bus was very crowded but I managed to replace that with a five rupee from my purse. I got the ticket and gave it to her. With a very pleasant smile she said 'Thanks' . Those were the only words I heard from her. To this day I cherish that moment a lot. I could have talked to her and even tried to work out something with her. But something always stopped me from going forward. Somehow my heart always felt "Just let it stay".

Marriage - What is it?

Every society is an ensemble of families. Families come together and define a society. This is the definition I have learnt and seen myself in India and now in the US. This entity called family is formed due to a concept called Marriage. This has been a real confusing concept for me.

I'm no person to question the meaning of the institution called marriage. But what befuddles me is what binds a man and a woman together for life. Right from our birth we use resources of mother earth. We use and refuse. We buy new clothes and use them till they either wear out or we feel that they are not worth being used. We buy cars, computers and a whole lot of items manufactured by businesses. Sooner or later we junk everything we buy.

But when a person marries he/she thinks that the partner is one with whom the rest of our life should be spent. But why does the normal human mind thinks so? (There are many exceptions to this but atleast 70% of marriages in the world last for a lifetime). What is the binding factor??

The physical aspect in marriage should play a very big role atleast in the initial days. The physical needs of a man and a woman need to be satisfied and marriage should be providing a means for that. Is sex the binding factor?

Sex begets the act of procreation. So sooner or later most couples get kids. Is that the prize for being together? Or is it the factor to bind the couple for the future?? A normal father and mother would want to bring up the child and set an example for the society and in the process stay together.
Is the child the binding factor??

Many a time man and woman without children stay together for a whole life? I'm confused. It befuddles me. May be sometime when I marry I'll understand what it is !!!!