Life was seeming to be at its worst!! Nothing was going as per expectations and in addition to that the placement season started!!! I had failed to crack aptitude round of 2 of dream companies.Nothing was too bad as such, but life was in search of something best.. something I am worth of.. something I deserve!.
Then I heard Credit Suisse is going to come to campus for placement, and it was the next “dream slot” company.And I felt like here comes a ray of hope. I was not in a state to say confidently that I will be through. But yes, I had started working hard on my drawbacks, like doing silly mistakes, not reading question correctly, solving quantitative in hurry and in turn not clearing aptitude round.My Family and Friends indeed boosted my confidence through out this period.And day by day I was getting ready for the company. I avoided appearing for all other companies[non-dream slot] which visited campus in between. As I had a target fixed, and in addition to that our college had started one job policy!
Finally that day came, 3rd of September, when company people entered the auditorium for presentation, somehow I had instinct that “yes, they are here for me”. But still before dreaming, the main aim was to clear aptitude round. Interview was not something I was bothered about.Company Presentation was indeed good. Work profile was descent, location – Pune, descent package everything was seeming to be great. And my target was just to focus. Aptitude round started, I Saw the paper and by the grace of the God, apti was not MCQ type 😀 We were supposed to write codes, algorithms and that too optimised ones[something which I like :)]. Complexity limit was given for more than half questions. And all these with few puzzles. 🙂
Started with coding and algorithm section the things that I am better at.I solved almost all the questions. Then I turned to puzzles. That was something i was always been worried about, but the puzzles were too logical and not much maths related. So I could solve 80% of those correctly. Basically after giving paper I understood that for that 1 hr time I had forgotten the world, the reasons for which I was giving aptitude,what were going to be consequences of that test on my future etc. All thoughts were aside and it was just me and the questions 🙂 Aptitude answer sheets were collected with Resume, one more thing for me to be happy about, someone was going to consider the Resume, which was indeed my strong point. Then we left auditorium. We were told that result will be declared till that night. And I was feeling very much lighter. Somehow the feeling was like I gave my best, and now its their luck if they evaluate me properly. All my friends were waiting outside the room and then I had nice lunch with them with discussion about all questions and answers.
As that night was approaching my curiosity of result was reaching to its peak and suddenly my best friend Anagha pinged me and told that List had been declared and I had got selected. “Hurray :D” moment for me.Even my family members were too happy.In fact, everyone of them always had confidence that I wont have any problem with interview but the concern was aptitude round as me being absent minded everyone was worried about that.First time I had cracked apti round of a company for which i really wanted to apply. Previous failures in aptis at the time of Deshaw and Nvidia were still there as a wound.
Now I had to start preparation for interviews that were going to happen the next day. Someone told me that company will ask only puzzles,and this was something which I was worried about.But still made up the mind for whatever it was going to be I had decided to give my best and crack it 🙂 My other best friend Sanket, who had already got placed in De’shaw and always had supported and boosted my confidence, called me gave me many examples what type of puzzles can be asked, various approaches to look at various type of puzzles, his technical interview experiences etc. It was very much important for me!. My mom has always been a very much positive attitude person, She had more confidence than me about my selection.My Dad and Brother as well shared very important tips and their experiences with me which were indeed helpful for me. Everyone was giving me guidelines for my first campus interview as they were wanting it to be the last campus interview indeed 🙂 All my best friends Devwrat, Akshay, Lohit, Anagha, Namita, Avdhoot, Lokesh, Apoorva and Sanket boosted my confidence,guided me and wished me for the next day.
And finally the day of interview arrived. It was my first experience of the interview.The Technical interview started and went on for 30 minutes. It was ultra-awesome experience. I felt really happy after coming outside the room and in those 30 minutes I gave my best. [All questions asked at interview are mentioned in the next post]. There were going to be 4 interviews. And I was 100% sure that I was selected for the next round. Soon after half an hour I had got called for the next round. That round was supposed to be Technical+HR and it went descent except my extreme silly mistake of solving pre order of tree wrongly. I was really depressed because of that one mistake and tried to explain the interviewer that it was just because of hurry and I CAN find preorder[finding preorder can be the simplest thing that someone can ask in interview and I made mistake in that showing my absent mindedness]. But the mistake and the excuse was depressing.All other question-answers went nicely.I Came out of the room and was really unhappy with that one mistake irrespective of the fact that other things went smoothly.I was trying to boost my moral and then I remembered the words of my best friend Devwrat and his confidence about my selection, he had confidently told one of my other friend that till 4th of September[the day when Credit Suisse had interviewed me] pooja will be placed..! His confidence about me raised my moral.Still I called up mom and told her that I was not sure about selection in the next round. She gave me moral support and as I hanged up phone entered the venue again, I was called for third round !!! 🙂 According to the list I was expecting 7 people before me for the next round but still I was called immediately so it was surprising indeed. Somehow I managed to “not to look shocked” and went for the next interview round.
The next round was totally HR interview round. Somehow I was very comfortable with HR and whole interview which went on for 45 mins I guess, was a casual talk [questions of which as well mentioned in the next post]. I was talking freely and the same way I talk with my friends. And after such a friendly interview I came out with big smile on my face. Again, I was sure that I was going to be selected for the next round. Immediately I was called for next round which was just a formality and I was asked about my preferences about location like Mumbai or Pune some regular questions and explained me salary details. All formalities were completed and we were told that we would be informed if we get selected after words.
Till 1 oclk, all my interviews were completed and then onwards I was spending time with my friends. Namita was waiting with me from the morning and supported me through all journey of 4 interviews.She was the one who had got dream in the morning in which she saw me getting placed in credit suisse. 🙂 She was there from first to support me. After spending some time all my other friends came and we went for breakfast.Till we came back it was almost 4.30.Still interviews of many students’ were remaining. We got to know that final result will be declared after the interview of all short-listed students and so it was seeming that it will take lot of time.Slowly all my friends went for their corresponding work. Anagha was waiting with me till end,We all girls were passing the time till 8 oclk. Still there was no sign of result and still some people were there waiting for their 3rd round of interview.As Anagha live far from college I insisted her to go home.I was a bit sad in mind that if she goes none of my best friends[from our group of 9] will be there to wish me at time of the result. But as it was too late I could understand, and told her to go. But as soon as she went Avdhoot entered the hall. And I had reason to smile 🙂
He was waiting till end and finally around 9 olck we all were asked to enter in a room where they declared list of people selected for the company. And I got to know that I was in 🙂 Felt really very happy.Cherry on the top was Neha had got placed with me. After letting us know all their expectations from us, we were given goodies and we came out of the room. While coming out my technical interviewer came to me and personally greeted me saying “you did great job in the interview”!!. One more reason for me to be happy :D. I came out of the room. Avdhoot was so sure about my selection that he had come with all preparation. He gave me cad-bury and biscuits and we did small celebration. And I felt really awesome!!. His presence there meant a lot for me. As indeed he was representing all members from our group. 🙂 As he had already text-ed everyone I had started getting calls. Immediately after getting wished from Avdhoot I called up my Dad,mom and brother Vaibhav informing them I am placed:) All of them were feeling too happy and proud and I was too much satisfied to know the reason of their happiness was me. After that I came home.Got calls from all family members including grandma grandpa and I felt so nice to see that for them it meant much more than what it meant for me.!!! Phones for 2 hours after coming home,updating status on FB,celebration with family went on…and tired me went to sleep.!!!
And finally the day was concluded.!
I was placed in Credit Suisse. 🙂 I had got one of the happiest days of my life. 🙂
And I had also got a topic to start a blog with 😀
–> PujK
PujK 