It was the time when I had just turned nineteen and I was in Delhi. I was turning responsible. A feeling of being financially independent had arisen in my mind. Just for fun I had prepared a resume and I went to a job agent next day, wasted some money, went to some bullshit companies and finally sat in an interview that really made me feel it was something worthwhile, where I was heading in life. Kathmandu, Dashain, Inglorious bastards, etc helped me to excel my interview. I was called for training. I was excited. I had zero experience of corporate world, had just seen in movies and always wanted to work in an office; dressing formal, talking corporate, working on an office software. And I was going to get that all. It was really exciting.
It was the first day, I had totally no idea how to reach the place where I was supposed to be trained. I traveled about 20 km in Delhi summer morning, sweating all over my cleanly washed formal suit in packed old buses of Noida for a 3 km road. There was a shortcut I didn't know and no one I knew, knew. Finally I reached totally exhausted and in time. Surprised? I started early, I am a smart-ass and it has happened many times before. It was the branch of the company where I was supposed to be working in near future. It was awesome, more awesome than I expected. Computers with two monitors, cabins, files, phones exactly what I wanted. I registered my name as the trainee showing the intent letter. And then went to a hall. There were other guys, quite older than my age and qualifications. I was feeling proud. A beautiful lady in formal dress, whom I never saw again escorted us to another hall. There were more trainees, in total about twenty five. Except me and Danny, a negro guy, all other were Indians. Danny was from Congo. It was funny later on in the canteen when he was eating Indian food; food that he totally had no idea about. The trainers were good. We had our induction session the first day, where we had to introduce ourselves. It was an interesting game of introducing ourselves and also telling the names of all others who came before. Luckily I was first, answering a stupid question so I didn't have to memorize all the names. I gave a shaky introduction. Worst than me were others. I still remember the last guy, he was all red and nervous, he had to tell his and 24 other names he just heard of. He asked to repeat a lot. Poor guy. Then they introduced the company, company's history, its founders, etc, etc. The training session lasted for 15 days and it was filled with the exciting and unforgettable moments of my life till today. I remember a funny moment, I was asked to talk in front in any topic I like and I was describing the novel by Nicholas Sparks, "A walk to remember", the trainer cut me in half because it was too long and I was like speaking and speaking, never to finish. Later after the session was over the guys were asking me to complete the story. I was really interested what was being told to us those days, I revised, made a note and knew everything. At the end of training we were supposed to attend an exit test. Clearing that test would only make our job secured. It was a written and oral test. I was so well prepared that the interviewer praised me so much. He even confessed that he get to see very few interviewee so well prepared though he has taken the interview of good lot of people. I was praised by everyone, including the senior level officials and my job was secured. Me and four other people out of 25 got the job.
After that we got in job training of about seven days, where we learned about the software we were supposed to use, work place etiquette and so on. Till date I was in everyone's attention. My dressing up, formals with a tie, my knowledge on the work matters and praises I got from top level guys dragged all my senior co-workers attention. They even tried to discourage me. They suggested me not to wear formals, one guy even warned. The coordinator of the floor suggested to drop the tie, but those things didn't change anything. It was me Mr. Perfect, the corporate guy as all said.
Then came the day of my first paycheck, the most exciting of all. You know how it feels. But first they made us to sign a 15 pages contract which I read, the most I swear. There were some serious points that needed to be discussed but who cared, they gave the paycheck only after we signed it. I had so much of plans to do with the money. Doing some noteworthy work so that will always remember my first paycheck. I thought of lots of things to do but ended enjoying KFC's best of KFC and PVR's big screen. I spent all that huge sum of money in just two or three days. Yes it was a huge sum of money for me that time. I never expected I would get that much money in my first job, first month when I didn't even really work. And seeing my qualifications of that time, it was really a huge sum. Then I realized that all my co-workers were MBA after B.E. The irony was that, me a +2 guy was regarded best in work than all those high degree MBAs. Actually qualifications didn't matter much in that job. It was that time I realized employment problem of India. There were so many instances when I did my co-workers work when they didn't complete in time. I helped them a lot in different work related matters. Because of that I was able to make many friends. Everyone treated me as the younger brother, as I was the youngest; they supported and protected me. I also acted as a link between many people. They even acted as my wing men to hook me with a girl working there but my bad, I was the youngest and ended to be everyone's little brother in formal suit and tie.
Then came the time when I realized I had hurried in my life. The American movies where every 18+ youngsters must search for job had corrupted my mind. The reality was you don't have to if you don't need to. It was different for us, south Asians. When I heard from my co-workers, they were at least 21 when they applied for the first job and may be 24 or 25 when they got a good one. They were all well qualified with good degrees when they applied. Then everything started to fall apart. I didn't feel excited in nothing but sad. I felt I did a mistake. My efficiency fell to zero. So, before anyone around realized that I quit the job, got away. I know they won't be remembering me but if some day the company laid down the rule of wearing formals as compulsory, they will certainly talk about a guy long before who just worked few months but made a difference.
It wasn't a bad experience. I got to learn a lot. My whole thinking perspective changed. I felt like being adult. My personality was changing. The most important lesson I learnt from all these was that, "if you want to make a difference, be different".
It was the first day, I had totally no idea how to reach the place where I was supposed to be trained. I traveled about 20 km in Delhi summer morning, sweating all over my cleanly washed formal suit in packed old buses of Noida for a 3 km road. There was a shortcut I didn't know and no one I knew, knew. Finally I reached totally exhausted and in time. Surprised? I started early, I am a smart-ass and it has happened many times before. It was the branch of the company where I was supposed to be working in near future. It was awesome, more awesome than I expected. Computers with two monitors, cabins, files, phones exactly what I wanted. I registered my name as the trainee showing the intent letter. And then went to a hall. There were other guys, quite older than my age and qualifications. I was feeling proud. A beautiful lady in formal dress, whom I never saw again escorted us to another hall. There were more trainees, in total about twenty five. Except me and Danny, a negro guy, all other were Indians. Danny was from Congo. It was funny later on in the canteen when he was eating Indian food; food that he totally had no idea about. The trainers were good. We had our induction session the first day, where we had to introduce ourselves. It was an interesting game of introducing ourselves and also telling the names of all others who came before. Luckily I was first, answering a stupid question so I didn't have to memorize all the names. I gave a shaky introduction. Worst than me were others. I still remember the last guy, he was all red and nervous, he had to tell his and 24 other names he just heard of. He asked to repeat a lot. Poor guy. Then they introduced the company, company's history, its founders, etc, etc. The training session lasted for 15 days and it was filled with the exciting and unforgettable moments of my life till today. I remember a funny moment, I was asked to talk in front in any topic I like and I was describing the novel by Nicholas Sparks, "A walk to remember", the trainer cut me in half because it was too long and I was like speaking and speaking, never to finish. Later after the session was over the guys were asking me to complete the story. I was really interested what was being told to us those days, I revised, made a note and knew everything. At the end of training we were supposed to attend an exit test. Clearing that test would only make our job secured. It was a written and oral test. I was so well prepared that the interviewer praised me so much. He even confessed that he get to see very few interviewee so well prepared though he has taken the interview of good lot of people. I was praised by everyone, including the senior level officials and my job was secured. Me and four other people out of 25 got the job.
After that we got in job training of about seven days, where we learned about the software we were supposed to use, work place etiquette and so on. Till date I was in everyone's attention. My dressing up, formals with a tie, my knowledge on the work matters and praises I got from top level guys dragged all my senior co-workers attention. They even tried to discourage me. They suggested me not to wear formals, one guy even warned. The coordinator of the floor suggested to drop the tie, but those things didn't change anything. It was me Mr. Perfect, the corporate guy as all said.
Then came the day of my first paycheck, the most exciting of all. You know how it feels. But first they made us to sign a 15 pages contract which I read, the most I swear. There were some serious points that needed to be discussed but who cared, they gave the paycheck only after we signed it. I had so much of plans to do with the money. Doing some noteworthy work so that will always remember my first paycheck. I thought of lots of things to do but ended enjoying KFC's best of KFC and PVR's big screen. I spent all that huge sum of money in just two or three days. Yes it was a huge sum of money for me that time. I never expected I would get that much money in my first job, first month when I didn't even really work. And seeing my qualifications of that time, it was really a huge sum. Then I realized that all my co-workers were MBA after B.E. The irony was that, me a +2 guy was regarded best in work than all those high degree MBAs. Actually qualifications didn't matter much in that job. It was that time I realized employment problem of India. There were so many instances when I did my co-workers work when they didn't complete in time. I helped them a lot in different work related matters. Because of that I was able to make many friends. Everyone treated me as the younger brother, as I was the youngest; they supported and protected me. I also acted as a link between many people. They even acted as my wing men to hook me with a girl working there but my bad, I was the youngest and ended to be everyone's little brother in formal suit and tie.
Then came the time when I realized I had hurried in my life. The American movies where every 18+ youngsters must search for job had corrupted my mind. The reality was you don't have to if you don't need to. It was different for us, south Asians. When I heard from my co-workers, they were at least 21 when they applied for the first job and may be 24 or 25 when they got a good one. They were all well qualified with good degrees when they applied. Then everything started to fall apart. I didn't feel excited in nothing but sad. I felt I did a mistake. My efficiency fell to zero. So, before anyone around realized that I quit the job, got away. I know they won't be remembering me but if some day the company laid down the rule of wearing formals as compulsory, they will certainly talk about a guy long before who just worked few months but made a difference.
It wasn't a bad experience. I got to learn a lot. My whole thinking perspective changed. I felt like being adult. My personality was changing. The most important lesson I learnt from all these was that, "if you want to make a difference, be different".
Dedicated to my dear friend Kate's first job.
I wish all the best for her.
I wish all the best for her.
its awesome yaar...
ReplyDeleteGreat job...keep it up buddy...
ReplyDelete