An Outlet: Part 6

13 March, 2019.

I got ready in full formals and left for home by 9:45AM. The office more or less came on the route to my dad's office so he dropped me on his way.

The locality is okayish, not the best but manageable. I reached their office by 10:15AM and waited in their reception area. The company has their main office on one side and multiple meeting cubicles on the other. So after sometime I was asked to sit in one of the meeting cubicles. I waited there for quite sometime, looking outside, composing myself and getting mentally prepared for the interview. I wasn't really that nervous but I wanted the interview to go well.

My interviewer came in and introduced herself as a member (head?) of the talent acquisition team. She first asked me to lead her through my entire resume which I gladly obliged. She then asked me about my family and if I had any pressure from parents.

The lady wasn't from my city and according to what she had seen, parents often push their kids into doing science post 10th grade and then look for what they want to do. I know that Indian parents are seen in this light but I had literally never experienced this. My parents infact ask me to decide what I want to do and tell them. It's always been this way with both my brother and I.

She then went on to ask me about my experience in college, both good and bad and asked follow up questions wherever necessary. The entire interview went very well except when we came to the actual job. I mentioned (multiple time I guess) that I would like to make a career in Finance but the job that she was offering was an HR one with legit no Finance involved.

To be honest, I knew the post that she was offering wasn't a Finance one. I had come here for 3 reasons... maybe 4.
1. I just wanted to have a practice of giving interviews be it till the last stage. It might piss off some prospective employers but that's a risk I'm ready to take.

2. If the job includes a bit of Finance then that's an option I can consider. If I really don't get a hardcore Finance job, this could become my back up.

3. I know it first hand that there are times when a person you call for may not be fit for you but there might be a slight chance that another team is interested. If I would've been transferred to their Finance department than that would've been awesome. It didn't happen here tho.

4. The chances of this happening is probably next to zero but what if I get really interested in the job/post/vertical they're offering me that I decide to venture into that instead?

Anyways, I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be selected. She didn't discuss much about the job once she realised my goals are different. And yep, I got rejected.

I caught a rick, reached the nearest station and came back home. After reaching home, I got to know that I have been shortlisted by another company. And this time, it's that only Finance (internship) offering company so I'm glad and a little more hopeful.

I have a feeling that they're looking at me as a content person more than a finance person but I'll try to convince them otherwise if I get a chance.....

On second thoughts, this company/start up seems to be more on spreading financial literacy and if I'll get to learn Finance through content as well, that's probably a good thing right?

Anyways, I first have to finish their assignment before thinking of these imaginary negotiations otherwise I will get rejected even before I go to their office. But I don't have time for it at the moment. I know I'll eventually complete it tho.

While having lunch, I asked my mom if she has seen any change in me these last three years and these are her thoughts:

-> Confidence fosho!

-> I have become more independent, mostly travel wise. I am able to go anywhere required, whether near or far away without worrying about traveling alone. That's because I have become very comfortable with trains now. (I used to travel by train in my junior college as well but I never really went out to other places much at that time).

-> I have started talking to people. Earlier I would shy away from people but now I make an effort to approach people even if I am hesitant in the beginning. (Totally true.)

-> I have started thinking positive about myself. According to her, I used to be too negative and would think that I have no exemptional qualities like others. But now I can figure that out and have become a positive person.

I already knew and agreed with the first three points but the last one surprised me. I didn't even realise/ remember that I was this negative in life. Ofcourse I had terrible patches throughout the three years as well and even though I do remember being a bit of a negative person, I didn't know that I was negative to such an extent that even my mom observed it. This is something I had never expected.

Woah, I think I have surely come a long way.

I studied statistics for the entire day. I haven't been informed that I have the test tomorrow but I just want to be safe in case they ask me to give one then and there.

I also figured out a little about our research presentation. We have 10 mins in total to present our paper and according to our mentor, only 2 out of 4 people should talk. I have volunteered to be one of them. It's a fucking scary thought but I want to push myself a little. Will probably do my confidence some good, won't it?