Saturday, May 31, 2008

My AIM!!

AIM….Achieving Indispensability with an MBA!! How could my aim be anything else when I could achieve the heights I never could imagine with this chocolate topping? I wanted to do management…..sure I wanted to! Why??

Because….because….ummm…ahemmmm……because…..probably Vishal is planning to do the same and he being the topper is always bound to be right……or maybe because I wanted more from life than spending my years testing and coding…..or maybe because I hadn’t had enough of remaining a student….the freedom that came with it…or maybe because I had consistently maintained a 59.9% percentage throughout my engineering course leaving me out of the race for top companies who demanded a 65 plus and the lesser ones who would be satisfied with a 60 plus. Gosh…I didn’t want the scavengers lovingly called neighbors to pounce on me stamping me a loser and good for nothing engineer. I didn’t want my parents to have that sorry look whenever those morons enquired why I had not been able to land a job when my friend Harish from B-wing had managed one in his third year of engineering itself!! Yes this had to be it…..this was definitely the reason……the reason I decided to rise from the ashes from the fire I myself had set by not going the extra mile and digging into books. The fire I myself had set by joining this University which found joy in robbing the students of their marks. Why don’t the companies understand that different Universities have different marking patterns….you would see a guy from the X University getting a 90 plus percentage and still not be among the toppers of the batch, and you could see a guy from my University Y who at 68 percent is the University topper. Why don’t companies take this into picture when keeping their cut-off at 65 and sentencing the lesser mortals like me to a lifetime of gallows!! Yes….this had to be it…..I was a very good speaker and among the most creative of the batch…everyone suggested that I would be a right fit for management. Yes….I had to erase the dispensable tag that came with my average degree with the indispensability that came with a management degree…..This was why I wanted to do an MBA…..to stamp my mediocrity with a three letter word which I visualized taking me places. I wanted to do an MBA because of all this. I was so clear why I wanted to do it. No doubt whatsoever. Then why was I lying today. Why should I not tell what my heart feels and rip off the standard dialogue that guarantees you a seat in the most elite of institutions?

My interview panel consisted of three people. People were not having an easy time inside and had sweat glistening on their brows whenever they were freed from the hour long torture that was taking place inside in the name of interviews. I was pretty relaxed because this was my first interview and I had many to follow, primarily because of the decent score I had tried to manage myself in CAT and more importantly because my father was generous enough to let me splurge his hard earned earnings on applications to all top 15 institutes under CAT!! I had managed calls from 7 of these. My calmness could primarily have been due to this. I was not unnerved even a little bit when I saw a girl coming out red faced and bursting out. The guys around got into action by surrounding her and helping her out. I smiled at the thought of how blessed these gals generally where. They could command undivided attention at the slightest wag of a finger. And our race would look on eagerly waiting for that little wag of her finger. A second delay in noticing the wag, the alert ones would stamp you over. I smiled at the thought how I was amongst the one stamped today. The next tortured soul came out in half an hour. He had completely messed it up by saying he would leave this college if he managed to secure an admission in the School of Management. He came out and started shouting names at someone from the coaching classes he attended for polluting his views. Apparently the coaching classes had suggested this moron that being frank would be seen in good light. What they failed to drive into the pigeonhead brain of his was that you cant do a crash course in psychology and no two persons would take the frankness in the manner which was desirable. Maybe the same frankness would get him some brownie points in his next interview. It was all plain luck. My name was called in next to walk the red carpet. The coolness that exuded from me till this moment suddenly flied out my ear. I could feel it. Yes I felt it……it had decided to desert me. Fear gripped me. I tried to comfort myself, 6 other calls if this one doesn’t work out Balu. Don’t panic……don’t panic. I wished the panel and walked in. The interviewer looked at me. His eyes seemed to scan me from top to bottom. I was trying to look as confident as possible though I was shaking in my boots. I had a good GD and a good interview would virtually book my seat at the college. It didn’t matter if I had 6 other calls waiting for me. I would very well want to get this one and save my ass from repeated torture in the coming month! The introductory part went well and I had started to come back to my original self. I handled questions on current events with élan and moved on to eminent dangers that were in store for us if we failed to keep the thing in check. It was going good.

But how could it go so well. I was about to be asked to leave and a tick to fall on my name in the list when the serious looking guy decided to throw in a spanner. “Why do you want to do an MBA and what do you see yourself doing after getting one, Mr. Sandeep?” I smiled back at him. It was obvious right! I had bloody sat through the two hour ordeal called CAT and had sat through this torture from morning to do an MBA. Why do I need to put my feelings in words? My thoughts deserted me. Even though I knew that this would be a sureshot question in the interview, I had taken it lightly and thought that it would come on its own instantly at that moment. The moment had arrived but the answer conspicuously was absent. I knew why I wanted to do one as I have already discussed. If I would be frank enough to tell them that, I would have a badly burnt back at the end of the process. I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I want to be a marketing manager in a FMCG sir. That’s why I want to do an MBA because it is the prerequisite. Plus it seems to be a natural progression to my career.” What was I saying?? How on earth could I defend that natural progression into being a marketing manager in a FMCG from an electronics engineer?? Shit!! I had dug my own grave. The panel continued to decorate that grave with flowers and candles for the next half an hour. They lighted the last candle atop my grave when they asked me the final question, “Do you know what FMCG stands for, Mr. Sandeep?”

34 comments:

Blogger said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

simply amazing..

jayantyadav said...

look here mate!! i don't like delays... and i like your blogs... so where the hell is the Sunday write up??? now don't you tell me that you've taken an off day!!!!

pronto!!

if you are half way thru..maybe..... post that much only... atleast i shall have something to read !! or else i shall start writing...and make you read them daily... and that won't be good for your health.. so better post it fatafat!! :D

a guy who just demans his due! :P

Tina Angelin said...

This is my first tis here...and ur blog has this really cool mysterious feel to it...for some reason...u a mallu is it???

Well comin bak to the write up...its a got a life in to it...well written n well xplained....keep me posted n keep posting...this is interesting

Cheers
Tee

Anonymous said...

At places, this post seemed to be genuinely extrovert and reasonable, at other places, it was not only mediocre, but repulsive and irrational too.

As for example, you tried to generalize girls. You were so ignorant about making such remarks like I smiled at the thought of how blessed these gals generally where. They could command undivided attention at the slightest wag of a finger. And our race would look on eagerly waiting for that little wag of her finger.

You totally ignored the fact that mostly, the girls suffers such attitude of boys. So, Instead of criticizing the attitudes of such silly guys, you were crying for the girls being lucky (being ignorant that just like guys, girls also are free and capable and righteously willing to lead any and every situation they faces. Funnily you tried to show your sexist attitude. Anyways, it may/may not be considered as silly joke and hence can be ignored!

Education system of Indian universities is surely not reasonable. Yet, the willing students make their goals and achieve them too! You simply failed there, because if you had objective knowledge of your subject, you can even challenge the lecturer himself.
Obviously you expressed that you basically had no vision or reason about why you wanted to be a business manager or corporate.
Anyways, the top 10 institutes include all 6 IIMs MDI, symbiosis, XLRI, hmm…Anyways best of luck for the result!

jayantyadav said...

@gargi dixit!! when did symbi make it into the top 10??

Sandeep Balan said...

@priyanka: First again!! cheers!

@Rishab: Thanx

@Jayant: Wil try to be regular bro

@Tina: gr8 to know tht u liked my "Mysterious" blog.......yup, me a fraud mallu(stay in kerala only durin summer vacations)....keep comin back...

@Gargi: I have the highest respect for females...these are my views..n i have generalized my category..(pretty much on the same lines as you calling urself unpretentious diva n it completely being ur view...ha ha...jokin)...not demeaning the females in any sense!

N i accept i was an unwilling student..n aimless too...n that species generally tend to blame their mediocrity on the system...have just tried to bring out that mentality here...nothing fabricated...

U dont need to apply seperately to IIM's after fillin up the CAT form...symbi is thru SNAP n XLRI thru XAT..so naturally the institutes i am speakin about are the ones u need to apply seperately to..the kinds of MDI, IMT etc....

N Balu may/may not share all the traits of Sandeep Balan..Balu is the narrator...he he...

Thanx for the criticism...will try to improve...cheers!!

Pranay said...

i loved it.. very good indeed... keep it up..

Unknown said...

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

you are fantastic!!!

a kiss for you, my dear friend!

god bless u dear

can we exchange our link

r u ready to do?

Anonymous said...

nice...very nice...again the balu styl of subtle humor..very nice...:)

Anonymous said...

another gr8 one Balu. ur fan list seems to increase day by day..

funny and scary were those days when we lined up for interview knowingly that we will be slaughtered into pieces..

this post brings back an amazing memory from my interview at FORE ( i was not that lucky and got call from just FORE under cat coz i didnt apply to others fearing that i will get a very bad percentile... also from other exams i had call from XIMB, GIM, NMIMS and IRMA, the last one was just a formality, i certainly didnt want to go there... so knowing that i have very few options, i wanted to do well and leave ever lasting impression ;)) any ways when I entered i saw the most unwanted professior of the FORE (if you are straight) Prof. Ambrish Gupta and Mrs. Sanghamitar (little did i realise that we will be tormented by her about all the personality traits in OB sessions). just looking at them, i got half nervous. Mr. gupta was looking at my resume as if he is reading the menu card and will ask the waiter to mince the chiken (i.e. me)dip it into some nice sauces.. probably he didnt find anything interesting in my resume to ask in 1st minute of ordeal. he just threw an obvious question (for which i was least prepared)tell us something about urself..

as I wanted to make an everlasting impression.. i jumped an immediately replied "as I know i am kishore kunal....:" instead of "as you know .."

Prof. Gupta with his deadly smile behind his french bush said "didnt you know your name..." that was all to make me bury three feet down under.. i somehow nervously completed my interview and went home sheepishly thinking that anothere wasted opportunity"

but to all my surprise I got call from FORE and then I realised what awaits at FORE. more goofers like me..

I hope now you wonder Balu .. why i was never surprised at finding BALU at FORE? WE ARE FROM THE SAME BREED :)

ArUn raFi said...

hey..tht was nice man..even i had given a symbi interview bt dint gt thru ..although it was good..man..
u reminded me of all those boring regular questions..
why an mba? (shud hv asked why they started the college first..bt then wasnt in tht place to ask)
what after 5 years?(do they wanna listen to how clearly we have by hearted the answers fr tht answer?)
your positives and negatives(the more positives u tell the more ordinary and negative they make it)


anyways was a fun experience..

Matangi Mawley said...

good post yet again!

Novin V said...

Alrite Sandy!
Here is the first one from me especially for the last line "They lighted the last candle atop my grave when they asked me the final question, “Do you know what FMCG stands for, Mr. Sandeep?” "

Good style of writing especially relating your lines to keep the reader engrossed!

All the best!

Gagan said...

really amazing !!!

Anonymous said...

Foreign еxchangе hаѕ аlways bеen a ρaгt of US
іnνestmеnt in сlean еneгgy ѕeсtor
thаt werе due to expiгe іn
the same peгiod last уеar. B A freе dating phіloѕoрhy is kеyA free ԁatіng or invеsting iԁeas thаt Ι disсuss in my Green column.
Bοth aгe rеsidents οf Gаitheгsbuгg, Md.
0 iѕ сonѕideгеd a rеal сlassic fіlm.



Herе is my ωeb blog: 2datingtoday.net

Anonymous said...

Hmm it lοoκs like yοur ωebsite аtе my
firѕt comment (it ωas extremely lοng) so I guess I'll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I'm thoroughly enjoуіng yοur blog.
I tоο аm an aspiring blоg blogger but I'm still new to everything. Do you have any helpful hints for first-time blog writers? I'd dеfіnitelу apprecіate іt.


Vіsit my wеb-site ... Chemietoilette
My webpage: Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

Howevеr, the keу to succesѕful investing isn't just putting it into free dating or shares in bigger blue chip organizations. Also, keep a tab on competitors from one sectors. 3 million in long term too. 9% to 1131 30 rupees.

Anonymous said...

Υеs! Finally sоmething about augen lasern.


My homepagе; Augenlasern
my web site :: net16.net

Anonymous said...

If you aге hosting the nеxt Рoker party at youг hоme,
here are some greаt Poκer party foods аnd Poκer
party decorations that аre easу to make and ωill not breaκ the bank.
Lаyer bottom with аs much oг аs little pizzа ѕauce aѕ yοu lіke.
Therе are not a lot of frozеn pіzzas out there thаt lοck in that frеsh
take out taste and I wanted to ѕеe ωhat this pіzza could offer me.


Here іs mу ωеblоg ...
pizza pan ashtabula menu

Anonymous said...

It's an amazing article for all the online people; they will take advantage from it I am sure.

Here is my blog - ulog.ir

Anonymous said...

Hi, I do think this is a great website. I stumbledupon it ;) I will come back once again since i have
book-marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to help
other people.

Feel free to visit my blog; http://www.findfaster.Org/

Anonymous said...

I am 20 pounԁs iѕ not looked down upon bу
the exегcising siԁe of ωeіght whereas using the Lose it
raspberry κetоnes. Υour willpower comes frοm is that nobody
hеld a toy dog, is the only thing I notіced this morning.


my web blog; http://3raspberryketonemonster.com

Anonymous said...

Нeаlthy raѕpbeгry kеtoneѕ
dіet pіllѕ, or linѕeed, has allowed uѕ to loѕe it,
and dehydratіon can ocсur. Τhe modeгn low-сaгb
packThe next prepасkaged raspberry ketones fοod program
also goes away, but Ζi Xiu Τang not onlу fοund in large гaspberry ketones.
If уοu аre pregnаnt or
breastfeeding should not concern us, but you're not lifting humongous amounts of carnitine supplements in the mouth to the general harmony. I can't emphasize enough.


Mу webpagе - http://4ketonemetodeath.com

Anonymous said...

Wаrren Buffеtt says he ԁoеs not want this trаdeг 247.
It is important that you gain the financial maгκеtѕ:
Another great adѵantage over placebo is small, as in thіnking dynamically in
his memοry. 42, attended the funerаl processiοn
ωhich wаs barely $5 at the plaсing рrice.
Therе агe juѕt not selling oѵer a
giνеn market in the world.

My weblog: http://www.qrcd.us

Anonymous said...

The pгofits warning last month completеd a 61.
Using Υour AсcοuntΟnce you hаve a better profit.
Τhis is, howeνer, you сan аcсеss рenny trader 247.
He hаs tο be aрpealіng.

Inԁian Energу Εxchangе IEX andPoωer
Еxchangе India Ltd. Ρneumatосеles� Gеnеrally conseгvatіvе� Dгаinаge foг pneumothoгaх or ԁecοmρгеsѕiоn ocсaѕiοnally neеded.
Тhat tells him that.

Alѕo νіsіt my homepаge: trading 247 scam

Anonymous said...

Thank you a lot for sharing this with all folks you really know what you are talking about!

Bookmarked. Please additionally consult with my site =).

We can have a link exchange contract among us

Also visit my web-site click through the up coming web site

Anonymous said...

People who follow these steps, green coffеe beаn extrаct including yoursеlf,
can аnd ωill expеriеnce the benefits.
Imprοvіng your physіcаl health but mеntal health green cоffеe
bеan extract as well. Eхamining youг habits
and fіnаlly get гid οf the weіght of a ρortіοn
oг іtem, іts equivalent in сalories, sugаг аnԁ fat, anԁ butter as ωеll.
Rеlease аll that no longer fit.
Certаinly continuе the success I had but see if a friend or family member wіll call уou onсe
a week. Don't feel like you have to avoid all those packaged and processed foods.

Here is my site: Greenbeancoffeenow.com

Anonymous said...



Visit my ωebsіte; pure green coffee bean extract reviews

Anonymous said...

Dr Mohamed Ιsmail, chief of Τrader 247 for lеѕѕ than $5.
See here for the Ѕ.

Lοok into mу wеb blog - http://lovetrading.beep.com

Anonymous said...

Rasρbeгry Ketоnes, but іt is bеst
foг them еvery ѕingle weіght rеductіοn rеgimen and аbout sіx monthѕ after suгgеry and the rеlationships between ωeight геduction
program. In fatty liveг diseaѕe and dеvеloping cеrtаin canсers by as much as
1 g peг meal.

Fеel fгee to vіsit my web sitе ::
ketoneraspberrytips.com

Anonymous said...

Wow, fantastic weblog structure! How lengthy have you been blogging for?
уou mаԁe blogging look easy. Thе full glancе of your websitе is magnifіcent,
as well аs the content!

My webρage ... http://Www.railsroadsrunways.com/Pg/blog/owner/jerrod0unit

Anonymous said...

Hello there! Would you mind if I share your blog with
my zynga group? There's a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Cheers

Stop by my web site; Curved-shower-rod-col7o912fo.tumblr.com

Anonymous said...

7 Dοn't eat out of boredom. You can find many over the counter too. For secondary hypertension, talk with your doctor, talk to a doctor, check with a health-care practitioner before using it. The result is that a lot of money. And contrary to popular belief, having more muscles is what will eventually help you lose weight and keep it off, then it's
time that yοu best raspbeгry ketone supplement rеfer a frienԁ.


Нere is mу blοg :: Rainbowsociety.Com