Campus Interviews

Had an opportunity yesterday to accompany our engg. students to a campus selection process. Needless to say, it was a nice experience esp. to see the expressions and thoughts of students about the whole process. Another incident which demonstrated students' mindset!

This Indian-based IT company (name is immaterial here though) is a mid-sized, quite established one (about 350 people) and has a pretty good name in the area. They are doing a good techie projects in certain niche technology area. A very nice company for anybody to start with who likes to take challenging and interesting technical work. The company trains the students in the relevant technology before putting the freshers on board. Of course, it has to safe guard itself for the training cost by asking people to keep Rs, 150,000 safe deposit and sign a 3-year bond. If anybody breaks the bond within 3 years, the employee has to fore go this amount; they will pay this amount after 3 years with interest to the employees if they stick on, which perfectly makes sense.

Well, nothing new here. What's interesting is that the kind of reactions the students showed towards this bond (as if the company is asking for something really unusual and unexpected!)

• Somebody says, this amount is very high (even though the company facilitates to get a loan for this amount)
• Some said, 3 years is too much a period - what do I do if I get another company by then?
• Another says, my parents are not willing to pay this amount / they're not happy / you can try for another company
• One more - my friends said, the experience in this company is not considered that well outside; so I'll get stuck into this for 3 years
• One didn't even have the hard copy of his resume (even though it was informed to them earlier)

The scenario looked as if they are being asked to sign the bond then and there itself before even writing the written-test! :-) Many of them had a kind of over confidence that they will easily sail through the written-test, interview, etc. as if the company is welcoming them with the red carpet!

Most of them couldn't clear the written-test leave alone the interview. Those who go through the written-test, couldn't get through the interview. Only one got selected finally!

Well, my intention here is not to criticize the students who went through this process. All I'm saying is to have an "open and accepting mind" in such situations. Before taking any such decisions, weigh the pros and cons more objectively than looking through an emotional filter. Let me explain it through a simple scenario:

Fine, if one joins the company it's quite unlikely that s/he would quit within an year. If s/he serves for 1 year, the total annual salary already pays off the bond amount. (Salary was Rs. 75,000 higher than the bond amount in this case). To top it, if at all s/he decides to quit, it would be usually for a higher salary in another company (mind here that the chances of getting into another company with higher perks is better here as it adds to his/her experience which is the other side of it); in that case also, there won't be any loss if if s/he has to pay the bond amount. The kind of experience that one can get by working in such companies, no book or preaching can give it.

On the other hand, they can lose this golden opportunity by not joining it. Yes, there is a possibility of another better company coming for selection after this interview (As the colleges have a rule of 'one person one job'). Even in that case also, how sure are you to sail through its selection process. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Moreover, one can always join that other better company after a few years of experience in this. They don't close their gates. It's your skill and the learnability that companies look for in the new candidates not on what specific technology that s/he has worked on.

If you are a student, please consider this rationalized approach, analyze the situation more objectively and take the decisions accordingly. And for god's sake, don't just go by the words of people. Think, think and think a lot! :-) All the best!