Life is full of ups and downs. And only when we go down, we look up for some miracle/hope to inspire us and to fill us with positivity. Same happens in everyone’s life.  This is one such incident which describes how I looked up for hope and what inspired me and filled me with optimism during an adversity.

It was February 2010 , I was in my final year of college. It was time for campus interviews. The company schedule was announced and around 10 companies were visiting our college in the span of 1 month. To get a reputed name from these MNCs our college started giving coaching classes on how to clear the interview rounds such as aptitude test, group discussion, technical and HR rounds. As everyone was preparing vigorously to get placed during college days itself, I too started studying and preparing myself for these interviews.

Days passed and it was time for the first interview. The very first company was HCL and we were all asked to assemble in the lab. There were three rounds to clear. First one was aptitude and folks clearing it was asked to sit in 5 member group for a group discussion. I cleared both of these with ease. Next came the technical round. A Panel of 3 members were sitting inside staff room in our lab. There were five such panels during the interview. One by one students were called upon according to their roll numbers. One of my friend came out with a very bright smile after his interview in just 2 or 3 minutes. When we asked what questions were asked he replied like ‘whats your name? tell about yourself, why did you chose this college?‘. Clock was ticking and I was eagerly waiting for my chance to come. Most of the out coming students were coming with a smile because of the simple questions they faced in interview.

After a long wait my time finally came, I went in and shook hands with the 3 panelists. They asked to introduce myself. As I was introducing myself, one of the panel member got a call and he left. The other guy was sipping his coffee with biscuits. The remaining panelist took my resume and started to go through it. He stumbled upon my final year project. As it was done using JAVA APPLETS, he started asking questions regarding it. After my answer, he provided a paper and a pen and asked to write a sample program using applet . I took some time and finished my sample program. He reviewed it and asked me to write the same program using C++. I was trying to gather my old learning’s and code it, but couldn’t complete it. So he asked can you write it in C# or C? As I was aware of C# I wrote the program in C# and immediately presented the paper for review. Then he asked some technical questions and I answered all of it. Then he shook my hands & said you did great !

As I got a positive comment, I was hoping to get placed. Even staffs and friends congratulated me after I told them about it. I couldn’t sleep the whole night, as they mentioned results would be announced tomorrow. Next day to my shock , my name was absent in the placed candidate list. I was so depressed and sad and staffs were consoling me by saying ‘That panel might have been a rejection panel. They would have already selected the numbers they came for.’

Due to that depression, I skipped meals and dint come out of the house even during weekends. Next week another MNC was scheduled to visit our campus for interview. I was thinking to skip it blaming my luck. That Saturday afternoon, the door bell rang. My mom went to open the door. It was my moms friends from next street. They both work in a private school near by for the past 10+ years. She came with sweets as she got a government job in her late forties.  Her kids already got married and well settled, but still she tried for the government job as it was her dream from childhood and finally it came true after 40+ years of wait.  That incident stuck like a jolt to me . I got up and started preparing more rigorously for the next interview.  And I got placed in that Company which became my first Company 🙂

For more such inspiration visit: https://housing.com/lookup.