My First Job Interview: Part 3 of 5

Hey Friends – As promised I am back with the third part of the interview. Keep Reading… and Thanks

Me: Mam, I did my schooling from ASN Sr. Sec. School, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi. My Dad is posted in Yerraguntla which is around 8 hours by train from Hyderabad. He is posted in a cement firm there. I have a younger sister who is doing graduation from Hyderabad. (Retrospectively, now I think what a bad introduction it was…)

The Smart: So Utsav, what’s your dream company?

Me: (somewhat indirectly) Sir, I did not get opportunity to appear for HCL.

The Lady: Why?

Me: Mam, I was out there at my LG’s place and no one contacted me. Somehow, I missed the opportunity. In case of Infosys, I was not able to crack one puzzle in the written exam and that spoiled my chance. Since then, I have not got any chance.

The Lady was smiling at my answer and I thought half the battle is won. The interview continued…

There were a few questions on arrays, pointers and data structures. When I said to them that data structure is a collection of different user defined datatypes, they tried to confuse me but I stood by my definition.
They discussed among themselves that may be he is not able to express himself and the Smart person gave a definition of his own on structures to which I blindly agreed.

The Smart: Why do you want to be in the software field?

Me: Sir, software field throws upon a challenging job that suits my temper. On the other hand, in case of Chemical Engineering, people are reading the same stuff over and over again and I feel that there is a bit of stagnation. But frankly speaking, what made me change my mind to the software field is a book which I read during my third year. Its ‘The Road Ahead’ by Bill Gates. I was just so impressed by that book that I thought then and there itself that this field is going to be mine.

The Smart: Don’t you think, you are bit unstable? You chose for a chemical field and suddenly you are opting for software.

Me: Of course not. Its changing with time. I had an urge to become an engineer but at this stage of my career what I feel is that software field offers the right job for the person like me.

There was a glass on the table with some water. There was also a coin in it at the bottom of it to which I later became aware.

The Smart: So Utsav, what would you call it?

Me: (Almost instantly) Sir, its half –filled with water.

The Bald: (in a relaxing posture) According to me, its half empty.

Me: Sir, I have been an eternal optimist all through. Though it may be a matter of perception but according to me this glass is half-full.

The Smart: How would you take that coin out without spilling a single drop on the floor?

Me: (again almost instantly) Sir, we will drink up the water and then take out the coin.

The Smart: Suppose, I don’t want to drink water or waste a single drop.

I thought for around half-a-minute and then apologized for my inability

Perhaps the Smart never expected such an instant answer and cooked-up the last bit.

Lets put to rest this part of the series. Do let me know if you find a way to take out the coin with all those constraints.

Don’t forget to catch-up the last two parts of the series next week. Till then…have a wonderful week.