My Great Lakes interview

Great lakes.. I was wondering if I should apply for this college. I was apprehensive to apply coz its a college exclusively for work-ex ppl. That too above 2 yrs exp. Then my thoughts got the better of me and I applied to it. Thanks to my IMS center manager. He was an alumnus of that college and he promised me to help me with the essays required for this college.

Believe me the essays were huge. 5 topics.
1. What are you short term and long term goals. How will great lakes help you in it.
2. Is there a fine dividing line between personal ethics and professional ethics? If there isn’t, then does the latter seamlessly evolve from the former?
3. Evaluate yourself as a person, discussing in order of importance, the personal characteristics you feel are your weaknesses
4. You are 50 years old and writing your autobiography of 400 pages. How will the 360th page read?
5. If only the MBA Admissions Board had asked me ‘That’? What is that?

I was huffing and puffing by the end of it. Anyways it was a good introspective experience.

I was allotted a slot on 19 Feb 2011 for my group discussion and personal interview @ New Woodlands hotel.

I was on the dot and the topic for my team of 6 was 'Is social networking boon or bane'. I spoke well but my team stressed on only one line of thought. 'How does social networking affect the company's performance’? I was wondering 'what the heck'. It is shaping revolutions and cleaning govts. Why see only from the perspective of a company?!!!

Then came the interview. I was called in at 11.32 inside.

Two panelists (1 and 2) and me (m).

After the pleasantries they started the grilling.

1: So tell me Sadasivam. How does the BPO work affect a person's personality?
M: Sir, I would say people don’t see BPO in good light. It is a respectable job and promises good growth. In my company, I have seen many people join after their stint in BPO sector. I can easily say they have better skills sets.

2: In what sense?
M: They are good conversationalists. They can convince their clients easily and are more flexible. They have a good idea about the software and are up-to-date with it. I would say I too had the wrong opinion about BPO and have changed it since I joined TCS.

1: Good. Tell me, is western school of thought opposed to Indian school of thought? And why?
M: Yes sir. Western school of thought is at loggerheads. They are materialistic. They are result oriented.

1: See as a manager I want only result oriented people. Not people who are detached from their work and don’t care if they achieve the target or not.
M: (Smiles) Detachment is a big term sir. I would say ppl should be detached. What if I had a bad day at office and I show the same at home. That’s not good.

Chat moved on about Bhagawad gita and other philosophies and I later found that I had spoken wrongly. They were gracious enough to correct me and I had a change of perspective.

M: Gita says don’t expect results. Do it to your heart's content but don’t expect result. If you are a kshatriya, it’s your duty to fight and make sure dharma prevails.
1: Let me explain you. When Krishna is in battlefield with Arjuna, he doesn’t say just fight. He says 'fight to win this righteous war so that dharma shall prevail'. He says fight to win. Now that is your goal. Your goal may bring you some rewards. Don’t expect that.
M: I got it sir. Thanks for correcting me.

2: I see that you are a Tamil poet.
M: Sir, poet is a very broad term. I like to write poetry.

2: Tell us some of yours.
I did. And they were impressed.

2: So what do your girl friends say about this?
M: I don’t have one yet.
(smiles)

1: Girl friends means friends who are girls.
M: In that sense, I have lot of them. They all make fun of it sir. They say it’s immature. It’s my way of expression sir. I like to write so do I.
2: Good. That’s how it should be.

1: So you like advertisements. hmmm. Don’t you think it’s full of lies? And the people who act in it are unethical. A girl comes in Lux soap. I don’t know if she uses it herself. Why should I use it?
M: Sir it’s not lies. I would say twisted truth. If I say bluntly, ppl won’t accept it.

1 & 2: Thanks for telling the truth.
M: About actor being ethical. It’s their own take. Whenever I see Sachin on TV he is wearing Adidas T-shirt. So I want to buy it too. Now he can wear Nike or Puma at home. I don’t know that. So I can’t comment on his being ethical. Similar way for others too.

1: Fine. Why dint you take over your dad's business?
M: My dad and I wanted to diversify. Business will stay with us. I wanted to explore new avenues.

2: What is this ambient marketing? You have written about it.
M: gyaan.....

1: Sada, you seem to be a creative person, then why MBA?
M: Sir, I don’t want to be in the technical side of designing. I want to manage it. I want to play mentorship role and manage. This field promises a lot of scope in future, then why should I be in technical side and limit myself.

2: Ok we are done. Do want to ask us anything?
M: Yes sir. I saw the course curriculum and I saw that Marketing management and operations management alone have 4.5 credits, while others have 3 credits. All the fields are equally important right? Then why this inclination?
1: (answered)

M: Sir before I leave, can I show you some of my designing works?
1 and 2: sure

They were awed by it and asked if I did them all by myself.
A humble yes and I left the room.

So will I be a Spartan?

(Each batch has a name for them. Previous names were Patriots and Gladiators. For this batch it’s Spartans)

Verdict: Result awaited tomorrow