Bingo!!!!!! Got 4 Placements

First of all I would like to thank Mohit Verma because of whom this thing of getting 3+1 offers while only 2+1 allowed. As usual, I woke up at 11:30 am after having a sleepless night for completing the code of my last submission of the degree. I took a bath and wore my lucky T-Shirt given by Directi. After having my lunch, I got a call from Mohit that Paxel Technologies is looking for "Code Warriors" which they are unable to find from the students who applied in this company and would I be interested in having an off-campus placement through on-campus recruitment (This thing would have never happened in history of Thapar). I agreed to give the interview and came in in-formals along with my CV. Soon after company officials had their lunch, they called me and Rachit for the interview. They got to know the level I have and after having discussion with me on Technical and HR for 45 min. I was selected and they made a offer of 7.6 lpa. 

My friend Chunky, who was just waiting for the intern opportunity for so long also talked to Mohit and he was allowed for off-campus intern and he was also offered internship in Paxel. So, the last day of college made the day of both of us and for me it was like a dream of having more than allowed placements through on-campus recruitment.

And finally the day finishes and B.E. evaluations are over and now its the turn of "Last BE Exams".

Last week left at college

The day which every engineer waits for is that when will he leave from the college (so called JAIL). I also thought of that day which seems too close and it feels like everything is ending day by day. My last week before the End Term is left at the college after which every one will get separated. All my friends working in different areas in different companies. It feels nostalgic but that's the part and parcel of life and we can't change anything. Earlier I used to feel when my degree would get over and I would start working but now it feels that everything should get freezed the way it was, the way I used to enjoy among my friends and my passion for working on various things with my friends and teachers some of whom guided me on the right direction.

I think I need to mention about the Alumni Office (my work place). Still remember when I used to have the key and how much I enjoyed with 2 of my seniors and one of my batch mate. Will not be able to forget the lust for cyberoam password for unlimited download, 24 hrs login (access to fb in college :P) and the way my cluster mates used to ask me to get them such a password. I worked a lot on alumni site and enjoyed at the alumni meets meeting really nice people everyone with different view point. I think it was the most memorable part of my college life.

Will surely miss working with my juniors and asking them to write code for the projects I was involved in. Also, way my team (4 people only :P) used to work for Aranya Tech Fest whole day and night and we did our best, though didn't get the recognition which I had expected. Other side of the world was the life with lot of parties. Party for B'day, placement, internship, cheque form Alumni Office and for any event which I was involved in.

This post can't be complete unless I mention about the C104 Room of Hostel-B (Some people who know me will surely recognize what I am talking about). B-Hostel was the worst phase which I had in my college life. First torture was the food served in the mess of this hostel and second one was my room. I was unofficially the 5th room mate of 4 of my friends. Still remember the feeling of my actual room mates at that time, some one (rather all 3 of them) worshiping every morning and evening, dancing on various bhajans on name of God, putting the syllabus in front of gate so that no one disturbs them during exams. They did all such crazy things which no one could expect and soon C104 received title of Haunted Room. These 6 months in Hostel B were only responsible for our group of 11 people taking Hostel J.

Let me mention some crazy things which my cluster people did. Played Kabaddi in cluster inviting Mr. Sandhu (Care Taker of all hostels) for his marvelous lecture. Then the SOFA incident. The usual complaints we had like TV not working, RO not working, SOFA missing, Laptop of one person in cluster lost (that too on April Fool Day :P) and more things which we did (don't want to mention here). Then coming late, arguing with guard for not keeping our I-Card. But yes it was all fun :D.

After a long wait of 3.5 years I would be leaving now for my dream job location i.e. Bangalore. It would be a great experience to shift to a new place among new people, all with new ideas, full of energy and working with talented people from all over the world. Not only this since I will be away from some of my best friends while on the other hand, will be meeting maximum of my seniors who helped me all the way during my degree and studies. Helped me in getting a Job at good companies based on their experience.

I think howsoever my college was but it was an awesome learning experience for me which I will always accredit.

Can't forget 14th Oct 2011

Aranya, Technical Fest of Thapar University was going on and this was the first time I was participating in all Computer Tech. events after a long wait because I was in organizing. Knight Coders a famous overnite coding contest begun at 12:30 A.M. The event lasted for 5 hours and after winning the contest, my team went back to hostel. I was about to sleep when I thought checking my mail. I saw mail from HR of Indus Valley Partners stating that they are offering me a job. At that point I couldn't believe myself that was that really true? I posted my happiness on facebook and soon I started receiving calls from my home and my brother.  I was awake for last 2 days and this day also passed without sleep because of joy that job gave to me. I was about to sleep at 9:00 A.M. in the morning when another mail came that my interview with Tally Solution is scheduled on 17th Oct, 2011 and within few minutes I received another mail that I was not allowed to give that interviews because of two placements. The thing which I wanted seemed to be very close and I went to placement cell to check the result of TCS Research and Development and got to know that I have been selected by this company also. In hardly 5 hours I got to know about the two job offers (first one to get in CSE Branch) and already having internship at Juniper Networks. This was one of the luckiest day for me which changed my career into a new direction and soon I would be Researcher Ravi Maggon @ TCS R&D Labs :)

Most Confusing Moment Ever Faced

The most confusing event began when notice of Microsoft was put up for placement. At the same time I had applied to Indus Valley Partners (IVP). Yesterday I gave the paper of IVP and didn't even knew a single question but still I was shortlisted for interviews. Their was a dilemma between MS and IVP (16 lacs and 5.76 lacs). They said that interviews are going to take place on the same day. They asked the students to come to Hotel Flyover at 10:00 p.m. I went over their. Though had the first name on the list but never knew that I would be last person to be called up for interview. 

Below is the story of what happened in my interview at 0030 hours in the morning.

Interviewer: How are you?

Me: Sir, I am fine but feeling very sleepy :D

Interviewer: Me too and he started laughing. He asked me that you are having excellent GPA then why did you fill Tech Consulting.

Me: I love to travel and wish to go to USA

Interviewer: It means that you don't want to interact with clients.

Me: Not at all sir.

Interviewer: (Bit confused). hmm...Do you know javascript.

Me: Yes, but I don't remember it right now.

Interviewer: Ok, No Problem. Can you write a code for moving a button by dragging using HTML and JS

Me: I can't.

Interviewer: Do you watch cricket?

Me: No.

Interviewer: Do you play any other sport?

Me: No sir, I am a technical kind of a person.

Interviewer: hmm....but still tell me anything that you play.

Me: I started playing lawn tennis this semester.

Interviewer:Ahh....New Mahesh Bhupathi.

Me: :D

Interviewer: Can you tell me how to multiply a no. by 7 without using + * / operators.

Me (Quick Reply): n<<3-n

Interviewer: Bingo. Correct Answer!!! Hey did anyone tell you that I am going to ask this question.

Me: Sir this is the question taken from "Cracking the coding interview" book from Bit manipulation chapter.

Interviewer (Surprised): :O So you have read that book also......Nice preparation for interview :P

Me: Actually this question was asked to me in Amazon off campus test. So I knew it.

Interviewer: So Amazon, Google, MS, etc are you dream companies. Right??

Me: Yes Sir, MS is also coming for recruitment and I am trying for it.

Interviewer: Tell me about your intern.

Me: I did my intern for 2 months in TCS on a CISCO project.

Interviewer: Are they offering you the job also?

Me: May be!!!

Interviewer: That's nice. Are you the branch topper.

Me: No, I am at 6th position.

Interviewer: That means you have applied to other companies as well.

Me: Yes, I applied to 6 companies out of which 5 rejected me and I got offer from Juniper Networks.

Interviewer: That's great.

Me: Ya....Most probably I would be joining them :)

Interviewer (Fully confused): I am done with the interview and you are shortlisted for Video call with Director on Mon and we don't require to take your HR round. Just check out the final list for Video call on Monday for your name which I think would be their. :P

Me: :O......Thanks you sir and I left the room.

Moral of the Story: If you give your full effort you will not be selected but If you do such kind of things, you will be selected definitely.

So, Let see what happens on Monday. Till then wait for my next post.

My success in Juniper Networks

Being demotivated from the experiences I had with various companies and their interviews, Juniper Networks came for intern recruitment. I thought it would be also the same case, get shortlisted in written, give interviews and finally get rejected in last round. But who knew what is going to happen in this one.
Juniper came in between our mid term exams because no other slot was available with the college. So our 2 MST's were shifted and kept on single day. I was in the dilemma whether to study for my exams or for the company's written test and interviews. Major problem was that Juniper is networking company and out of all subjects I had in my degree, Computer Networks was the one in which I didn't had any interest because nothing we did practically. I also missed the opportunity for attending CCNA preparation classes conducted by one of famous teachers of my college (Dr. Maninder Singh) because first time, I thought it was just waste of time because I was in 2nd year and didn't had much information about such course. Second time I joined GRE coaching (no use except it wasted my time and money). I thought let's leave whats going to happen in the test and I wasted another day neither studying for MST nor for Juniper's test.

They came on 22nd Sep, 2011 and started with pre placement talk. The most boring thing which I find during the recruitment process but can't do anything about it. They started by telling about their company, kind of work they do, etc. Then the test started. I was shocked to see that we had to attempt 65 questions (15 Aptitude + 50 Technical) in just 60 min. My trend was to attempt aptitude questions at the last because I am too slow in solving these questions and waste my time over them. So I started attempting technical questions first. I found first 20 question were too simple for a techie like me, few other questions were from DS and Algo's but they were also easy. Then came the real tough thing "NETWORKING". I didn't knew answer of even a single question, so left all of them. Then switched over to Aptitude part and solved almost 50% in the time left. Since they didn't had negative marking, I didn't even got the time for random marking answers which I didn't knew. Result came after an hour and I was doubtful that will I get shortlisted or not since I only attempted 50% paper. And I saw my name in the shortlisting but as usual I am among the last candidates to qualify for the test :)

My interview was scheduled on the same day at 7:30 p.m. I rushed to printer shop to get my resume printed and reached CILP. My interview started near around 8:00 p.m. I had my interview scheduled with the Manager of my friend Jitesh Kumar Hasiza (one of my senior who also got intern at Juniper but didn't get PPO :P). First question asked to me was the only simple one which I knew i.e. Tell me about yourself. I started with My hometown, my educational qualification, schooling, college life, and many more. I told her about my achievements and projects I undertook. Here seeding tool place and she started asking me about one of my project AlgorithmGuru (http://algorithmguru.com). I explained her about the work I did on this web app along with my team members and our plan of making this website. She connected this with one of my project listed in my resume and while explaining her I did one more mistake, I told her I used threads in my project knowing that the best part of questions asked by Juniper people were from OS and networking. She took forward the topic of threads and went into full detail because of which I had to answer more technical jargon's like semaphores, monitors, etc and explain the difference between them. I was able to satisfy her with my answers and my interview was almost done. She asked me that do you have any questions?. I replied that I searched about the JUNOS (one of the OS made by Juniper) but didn't get the difference between normal OS like Win, Linux and JUNOS. She didn't answered my question but started with my interview again asking more about all operating system whose answers I didn't knew (Imp. Lesson: ask only that question in interview which you could handle :D). My interview was over and went well but last thing told to me was that "Do you know company's name is "Juniper Networks" and "you don't know even basics of networking". My reply was its all about logics and would be an easy job for me to learn :P :P

I was selected for another round of interview which was scheduled on 23rd sep, 2011 (next day). They took two interviews (1 Tech + 1 HR). In tech interviewer asked me about troubleshooting web-server and similar questions. In HR part I impressed interviewer by the answers I gave to him. I also told me that you were fantastic.
After all interviews were over, result came and I was selected by Juniper Networks. My first success which waited for me after getting rejected by more than 5 companies. This was one of the most wonderful feeling which I had after seeing the result. They gave us Juniper T-Shirts and told us to study well in time left for a pleasant stay over 6 months in their company.

The day I was rejected

As usual the placement season started from July in Thapar University and our placement orientation took place. I was too much happy when the list for companies visiting our campus were shown. All big names like Google, MS, Yahoo, DE Shaw, Juniper, Adobe, etc were listed over their.

My dream was not too away when Training & Placement Officer (TPO) told us that DE Shaw would be visiting on 16th Aug. But who knows what is going to happen with their life in near future. I also thought that I am having such a strong profile and Shaw would be cake walk for me but it was not the case. I prepared well for the test but my weak point was the aptitude. I gave written test of the company but couldn't qualify the test because of sectional cut off. Test was tough for me from aptitude point of view and easy from technical point of view. I was not able to believe that for the company which I aimed at for past 2-3 years rejected me in the written test. I didn't loose hope and thought of preparing well and on my weak points for other tests.

Next company in which I applied was Make My Trip (Famous Ticket Reservation Site). I was told by my seniors that "this company is not worth for the person like you" but I wished that by grabbing the job in MMT would bring me on safe side and relieve me from the tension of placements. Also since it was non dream so it was not a problem for me to later on apply for more companies under dream status. Here my ability and my qualification & academic records turned against me. I gave its written which was too easy for me. I solved almost every question correctly and was too hopeful that this paper definitely went well and I should get shortlisted for interviews. But the reverse of this happened. The persons whom I helped in written were sitting for the interviews but I couldn't qualify. I thought to talk to officials of company and went to CILP (Center for Industrial Liaison & Placements). I told them about my case and they requested me to wait for 1 hour till they recheck my paper. Later on one person came out and told me that you didn't qualify the technical part of the paper. After this talk with HR of MMT I thought my seniors were right that this company will not look for your talent. But this incidence disheartened me and I started doubting my abilities that I can't even clear a simple written test.

But the days changed and I qualified till the interview of Winshuttle. Everything was going well and I was able to answer all answers asked to me by the panel of 6 people but when the HR came and asked me "Where do you see yourself 2 yrs from now". Here I did one of my big mistake, I told him that I see myself at the post he was currently having. His reply was that "I took 15 yrs to reach at this position, how come you can do this in 2 yrs?". I replied "It all depends upon the capability of the person to person" (The second big mistake). He got annoyed and replied "What do you mean I am not capable" and I concluded that this company won't take me now. The same happened they took 3/4 people who were left in last interview. But they boosted my morale which was affected by the DE Shaw and MMT.

Then American Express came and here also I got rejected in last round. Tough I felt little bad about it but my teachers told me that this company won't impart you with technical stuff duing internship and this somewhat made me happy.

Next company for which I qualified was Informatica. Too hopeful for this one as it was my second dream company after DE Shaw. But their procedure made me helpless to qualify in this one. I was on 8th position among the 8 people shortlisted for interviews. It had been past 3 hrs and the top 3 persons who went in for interview didn't came out. It made me little tensed that what was going to happen. After waiting for 4 long hours with restriction to use phone, talking to person whose interview has been taken, my mind was not in a state to show my capability in the interview. I was told to relax 4-5 times in the interview. I was answering the questions being asked to me correctly but not with that confidence which I had in Winshuttle and AmEx. After 1.5 hr of interview I was told that I can leave. Little disappointed after that.

But the ray of hope came (Juniper Networks). Wait to see this story in my next post.