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.