IIML Interview

Date: 8th Mar'08

Venue: IIML Campus, Noida

Pre-Interview Details: For me interviews were virtually over after IIMB interview on 6th March , Friday. I enjoyed all day on Saturday. Was lazing around at BD's place. Then my mom announced that she is coming to visit my place in Gurgaon. She was visiting Jaipur and other places in Rajasthan. She said she will drop at my place on return. In the last 2.5 years that i have stayed in Gurgaon, i have managed to keep her off my place somehow. But now she said she is coming, argument being that she might not get a chance to see my place (my getting selected :) ).
So a good day of lazing around was suddenly turned into a cleaning frenzy. Called up my Flat-mate Mohan to clean up the mess. Showed mom around. Took her to my office.

Now the fun part.... My interview originally was scheduled on 6th March 2 P.M. Since it was clashing woth IIMB interview so i got it shifted. They gave me a date on 8th. I for some reason presumed that it is at 2 P.M only. So i had planned that i will leave my place at Gurgaon at around 11 A.M on 8th, get a printout of interview shift mail from office and then go for interview. But since i had come to office with Mom, i decided to take the printout then only and then i read..."10 A.M. IIML Noida Campus on 8th March"... mom got a feeling of her real son..irresponsible and careless.. anyways mini-tragedy avoided.

Left Gurgaon in hurry for Noida Saturday might only. Reached a friend Setia's place at around 11. He also had interview next day. Told me that printouts of first and last salary slips were needed. Thought of getting them next morning. Couldnt get them. All shops were closed. So reached venue without required documents.

Group Discussion: Topic given was "Start of journey should not be mistaken for success". First 20 minutes for writing a 300 word essay and next 20 minutes for discussion. I was bored writing the essay. Didnt write much. Wrote example of IPL and US Presidential elections. That success should not be decided at start, it's always in long term that success should be decided. It was the first discussion that started as a fish market. After 2-3 minuted they stopped us and asked to not shout. There on it was a little peaceful. I made some good points.

Interview: I was called in 5th. Two intervieweres. One old lady(P1) and a middle-aged male prof (P2).

P2 starts looking at my certs and P1 starts

P1: Anurag tell me what you do
ME: Dunnhumby..retail analytics.. Work for BBY

P1; What is BBY
ME: Best Buy. We work on their emerging-market entry strategy. I am solutions lead for Non-US markets. Work for Turkey, Uk and Mexico

P1: You are clubbing UK with Turkey as an emerging market
ME: Mam i meant new market entry strategy

P1: But you said emerging.
ME: Mam i meant new. Sorry for that.

P1: Describe the nature of your responsibilities.
ME: Blah Blah

P2: Anurag i am seeing a very strange thing on your 10th certificate. There are two rows for Punjabi..one for Punjabi subject and one for Punjabi culture and History.. You have a 134/150 and 1/150 in them.
ME: Looked at my mark-sheet. There were two rows. Scratched my head..yeh kya ho raha hai..Told him ki sir ek hi subject tha. Total of 150 marks. koi sub-section hoga..Probably 5 marks of hand writing honge. Vahan i must have got a 1/5.

P2: Smiling..No explain it.
ME: Dont know sir. But i am sure it's not that i have 135/300 . Used my topper card. Sir i had a total of 610/650 in 10th class. Was first in AMritsar and 8th in Punjab.

P1: Irritated... But you should be able to explain it
ME: Mam never noticed it....

P1 looking at P2: He has this certificate with him for last 8 years. I am sure even his parents must have noticed this.
ME: Thinking..parents kahan se aa gaye yaar..jo baat karni hai mujhse karo....mere parents ko beech mein mat lao..Sorry mam. Just dont know

P1: There are two more rows that have you getting one mark out of 50. Thay dont even mention the subjects that you got tehse marks in
ME: What? I looked at my certificate and there were infact two more columns which had 1 out of 50 each. What the f** is going on. Told them ki sir its some gardes i guess. SUPW ya Physical education ka hoga. Cant remember....yeh mein kya bol raha hun...man i am on fire today

"Explanation for above events. This is decoded after i reached home. Actually that was not 1. It was just a vertical line. Whosoever prepared the mark-sheet used vertical instead of horizontal lines for showcasing not applicable ( - ). That is where there were no subjects mentioned, there was a vertical bar..meaning not applicable. Similarly in front of Punjabi History and Culture there was a vertical bar..because i had not taken that subject"...How dumb can i be. SUPW aur Physical education kahan se aa gaye the yaar.. :)

P2: Ok Anurag leave it. Tell me what you do.
ME: Expalined it. Told him statistical analysis

Next few minutes were spent on cluster analysis and factor analysis
Then next few minutes on logistic regression. Then he asked me about probit model. Told him what it does and that i have never used it.
They asked me how i knew about stats, being an engineer. Told him that we are given a training. Then an internal project.

P1: Tell me what tools do you use.
ME: SAS, Knowledge Studio, CART, Excel for data manipulation

P1: Manipulation..you do data manipulation
ME: Smiling..mam i meant analysis

P1: No you said maipulation
ME: Thinking..bachhe ki jaan loge kya..analysis mam
P1: Anurag what are EVMs
ME: Electronic voting machines.

P1: Tell me about their use
ME: They are being used for elections in India.

P1:Irritated..Anurag i meant you being an electronics engineer, do you know how they work
ME: remembering i was an elec engg at some point...mam har ek party ke saath associated ek counter hoga. Every time you press one, it is incremented.

P1: How are they tempered.
ME: Mam they must have reset it. Not at the end of the day..but in between. Kyunki nahin to din ke end mein zero hoga to fight ho jayegi. Mechancial counter hota to they can take it to any value. Kyunki electronic hai, you cant get into teh code. Voh to chip mein embedded hai..you can only reset it to 0. Isiliye will not be done at day end..will be done some point in between.

P1: Sure or are you just guessing
ME: Not sure mam..but should be this way only

P2 looking at P1: I think we are done
ME: Getting up. Sir the students are waiting outside since you have not asked for any certificates copies to be deposited and it was mentioned in the form that they are to be submitted.

P1: irritated..No they can go. We did not ask them to stay
ME: I jsut asked mam

P1: More irritated...they can ask themselves..
ME: Ok..Good afternoon mam. And left the room..

Worst interview ever....Worst interview ever

I would be shocked if i get elected here. That old lady was hell bent on screwing me. Anyways, i guess i was too informal for this interview. Should have taken it more seriously.

Good thing though, interviews are over..yippie...it's party time now.

Results on 10 April....Fingers crossed.. and as one friend commented...legs crossed too :) ....

P.S: I got through. Wonder how!!!! :)