My journey - Part 3 - From the first disaster to the next

After a successful completion of a mobile chat application program, which our team lovingly called as ‘Me2U’, and with a first class in the final year, I thought It would be easy to get a good job. But fate willed otherwise!

I was enrolled for the aptitude test for Patni, one of the reputed software firms. When I arrived at the mentioned venue on the said date, I saw about hundreds and thousands of jobless people. Thankyou! That was very encouraging! Bah.

Mustering up some confidence from what was left I entered the building. Soon there was a pre-placement talk; and all candidates were sent to different rooms as per their enrollment numbers.

A bell rang and the test papers were distributed. Although I do not recall the actual question, the first one that caught my attention was on similar lines to this:

Directions(Q. 6-10): Below is given a passage followed by several possible inference which can be drawn from the facts stated in the passage. You have to examine each inference separately in the context of the passage and decide upon its degree of truth or falsity.

Mark answer 1): if the inference is “definitely true”, i.e. it properly follows from the statement of facts given.

Mark answer 2): if the inference is “probably true” though not “definitely true.” in the light of the facts given.

Mark answer 3): if the data are inadequate, i.e. from the facts given you cannot say whether the inference is likely to be true or false.

Mark answer 4): if the inference is “probably false” though not “definitely false” in the light of the facts given.

Mark answer 5): if the inference is “definitely false”, i.e. it cannot possibly be drawn from the facts given or it contradicts the given facts.


Passage: Efficiency of capital has long been an area of neglect and remains so. This aspect is underscored in the eleventh plan draft, ironically in its demand for the rate of investment being raised to 35.1% of GDP from 29.1% in 2004-2005. The irony lies in the fact that the planning commission has consistently relied on the Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) as tool of expediency rather than one designed to promote efficiency. Yet, the ratio conceptually seeks to get the most out of the capital stock that is existing and is being added. The ratio now is 3.7, i.e. the capital needed for an output of 3.7 times. If the effective ratio is brought down during 2007-2012, then it would be possible to achieve a GDP growth value of 8.9% over the period with a lesser level of investment than 35.1%. Nobody doubts that capital formation is critical to a higher rate of growth in GDP, but efficiency lies not so much on the capital stock as its utilization.

6. The present rate of investment is around 30% of GDP.

7. Higher the capital output ratio, higher is growth of GDP.

8. When the rate of investment increases the capital output ratio also increases.

9. Efficiency of capital largely depends upon capital stock.

10. The issue of efficiency of capital is now assuming adequate importance from the Government of India.

WTF! How does THAT test my programming efficiency??? (Maybe when my heartbeat rate was lower, this would’ve made sense… but it didn’t then! ok..so i get lost here even now!)

However, when I turned the sheets, I was a little relieved. There was a verbal section, analytical section and quanta section.The verbal section was alright. The analytical section was fun but time consuming and by the time I hit maths, it was time up!

Hey! I had no clue how to multiply 1553283 with 343434 any faster than the traditional method since I was not allowed a calculator! And why not!! What’s with the no calculator allowed crap!! Come on, use the technology to advance!!!

I really don’t understand why the MBA kinda entrance tests are made mandatory for software programmers. Maybe I’m the only one seeing it as a problem. I was least prepared for this. Might as well have gone for some MBA entrance test coaching classes!

Putting on a face of rejection, I walked away from there. Ya, duh! Obviously I wasn’t selected!

I had some kind of personal hatred towards these kind of aptitude tests which also meant all the mighty software companies were ruled out for me!

Soon I got a job interview with a mobile company which I would not like to name here. I had a terrible experience there. The interviewer was a sexist! 

He just wouldn’t believe that I had actually coded in my final year project. He went on to say that we might have bought the project and stuck our names to it! With a calm attitude, I argued with him, made him understand my part of the code, the architecture, how we preferred using canvas over forms to give a better feel etc, but no!

He then said that the other two guys in my team would’ve done the coding and I pretty much did nothing. My frustration meter was begin to move to the higher side. Somehow maintaining my temper, I asked him, “Then how did I clear your technical round? I had to write code samples and answer the other questions too. So passing by fluke is out of question. Don’t you think?” For which he said that I might have cheated by trying to lure the supervisor! GRRRRR! 

Then he said he will ask me a technical question. I asked him to go ahead.

Can you believe what he asked me? He pointed to a random location on the screen of a mobile device and asked me to tell its coordinates!

My answer: I snatched my resume from his hand, took my file, gave him an evil glance and walked out of the room.

I might’ve totally done it differently today; probably even smashed his face! xD

After these disasters, life took a different turn…

to be contd…

------------------

You can find the whole series here: My journey