From frying pan to fire...Part 2

Foreplay:

Now that we got placed, the next step for companies is to train us, to make us competent enough to handles their complicated projects, to make us well behaved with their clients..Etc, etc. My big company counterparts started their first day at work with a huge gathering addressed by their CEO or founder or one of the big shots with all those motivational speeches where as I was greeted by our sysadmin on the steps and he showed me my work area. You know what the best part, he recognized me just by looking at me that I am the new guy and he already knew my name. I was well surprised. I made myself comfortable at my desk and there were 4 workstations in that cubicle. Rest of the people in my cubicle came little late and greeted me and asked few details and engrossed in their work. Later i asked one of my colleagues if I can install Yahoo messenger and they said there are no such restrictions. I was totally impressed and installed whichever I needed to entertain myself at my work. I remember that first mail I sent was to my sysadmin asking for headphonesJ. Later in the evening there was a small intro session organised in our office penthouse where there were 40 people gathered and started small ragging session. I was asked to sing a song, tell my hobbies etc etc.. It was fun. The day was over and I was yet to know what I was supposed to do and who my boss was, who was our CEO.

My training started the next day. It was an 11day java crash course training with one mentor assigned to me. His job was to take a class room session for one hour daily and then in 11 days I supposed to master java and start working on our product. Simple and clear, though the target is tough at least the objective was clear. My counterparts in large companies stared their trainings with communication skills both written and vocal. I was thinking they are good at communication skills and that’s why they cracked those GDs and interviews. I never knew that was not sufficient for these big companies. Then they had business etiquette sessions, leadership sessions, personality development etc etc. Then coming to technical, one of the batches had, C, C++, RDBMS, OS, UML so on. They train you in all these things because you never know on which project you are going to work on until you are actually assigned on a project (yeah of course you will get another training for the project related technologies and stuff later). This is all one and half month course before they actually put them in pool (in other terms bench!). Bench period can be compared to honeymoon. This is the period just after you join the company and finished training (the marriage) and before you actually work for the company (spending life with your partner). In this period, people had sent me lot of forward mails. The same mail forwarded by most of my friends. I call them the Bench mail stock. Even after 3 years I am still getting the same old stock from fresh joiners. We should not blame them either, it’s their first job and they are much excited to share their ......@someBigCompany.com mail id with the world :)

From frying pan to fire....Part 1

Once I finished my graduation, i joined a Start-up (actually it was no more a start-up as it completed its 7 years in business, however it still had all the qualities that define a start-up) in Hyderabad, whereas most of my college friends got selected and joined in so called corporates. Here are some basic differences right from interview to induction, from training sessions to work culture, from infrastructure to administration finally from chicks (young female colleagues) to artistic HR staff.

Prelude:

Most the established companies typically attack famous campuses and hire yet to graduate junta in bulk as if otherwise they will start their own companies and pose competition. They come to well known colleges and conduct recruitment drives, lure the students with their packages, facilities aesthetic work areas. If I don’t mention the HR models that come to conduct the recruitment process, the major motivating factor (You know what I mean ;)) would left untouched. Finally they select the best chunk,(the criteria might vary from company to company, recruiter to recruiter, and interviewer to interviewer, again you know what I mean! ) after N number of rounds. Now that I dint get into any such big companies I don’t have any personal experiences on what happens next. Typically they will give the offer letter, and then you will have to check your mail boxes for the next coming 6 months for the joining date to be sent. If you are lucky enough you will get it in that time, else you can take rest and pursue your hobbies for the next one year. Most of us know this process very well. Now you know how my interview went at this Start-up i joined? I went there by 9AM. The interviewer (later I came to know he is a project manager and my would be boss if at all I crack this) came to office sharp on time and met me in a small meeting room, It can just accommodate three people max at a time, and there is a small table with two chairs placed face to face. He started to ask 5 puzzles, I cracked first 4 and he announced that I was selected and asked me to join them as soon as I finish my semester end exams. I was going back home in a bus and then their HR called me to confirm when i can join and I gave him the details and I was placed.