Last Sunday, I returned from my native to attend an interview in Coimbatore. It was walk-in interview. The interview timing was from 10.00am to 5.00pm. I landed on Coimbatore around 6.00am. It took another 40 minutes to reach my home.
The 10 hours journey from my native to Coimbatore made me to feel tired. I decided to sleep and rushed into bedroom. I kept my mobile in silent mode. Though there was power cut from 6.00am to 9.00am I slept well. The moment the fan started to do its duty I woke up. Yes, it was exactly 9.00am.
Nobody was there in my home. I left both my wife and son in native. I suggested them to come on Monday morning. As I said above the interview timing was from 10 to 5. In our area, the next power cut will start from 12.00noon for another three hours. I preferred to use the power cut timing for an interview.
That day, my stomach was not in good condition. Therefore, I decided to quit breakfast and had one glass lemon juice. Next, I opened the door and found newspaper. It took another 20 minutes to read it.
Still 2 hours for next power cut. I decided to browse the web. First, I opened Gmail. Last couple of days I was out of city. Therefore, few unread mails in inbox. I read all the mail and decided to reply evening.
Next, I opened Facebook. There are few notifications and couple of friend requests. Interestingly, both the requests are female so that immediately I confirmed them. Next, I opened Twitter to know what's happening in this world.
At last, I opened my blog and read all new comments. I turned my eyes in bottom right corner of the screen. It was 10.50am. I felt still some tiredness on eyes. I shut down the system and went to bath room.
After taking bath I searched ironed dress on cupboard. Luckily, there were two ironed sets. The first set was grey combination and the second set was brown combination. I preferred grey color.
At last, I searched my bag, which I am using nowadays for an interview and kept 2 copies of resume. I also kept the certificate file. Suddenly, the fan stopped to spin. It means time is 12.00noon. I took another 5 minutes to get ready for an interview.
Due to some professional reason I am not going to say the interviewer name. Please mind it! Around 1.00pm I entered into interview hall. One gentleman welcomed and asked me to fill form. I took few minutes to fill and returned to him. He asked to wait for few minutes.
I was observing what is happening in interview hall. I was able to hear the interviewer question and candidates answer. Especially, the interviewer voice was loud enough to hear.
The interviewers were visible to me. There were two person. The first person was wearing pant and shirt. Surprisingly, the second person was on white color dhoti. The second person seem to be older than the first person.
Actually, the man, who was in pant and shirt asking majority of the questions. At the end, the second person was making the final decision. Frankly speaking, I was not able to accept the second person as an interviewer. His body language does not match with highly educated people.
Suddenly they called me for an interview. I sat down in front of the table. Luckily, the second person was not there. Just now he left to attend phone. The interviewer took time to go through my resume and started to ask the question. The first question was...
"Kannan, you have experience. Fine, what are the subjects you already taught?" "Sir, I mentioned in the next page of resume. Please turn the page", I replied to him. "Well, what was your result for these subjects?", he asked me. "Sir, what do you mean, because I have different meaning for result", I explained to him.
After my question, the interviewer changed his face reaction. "I meant the pass percentage", he answered. In fact, I got tensed to answer this question. Even he suggested to have separate column for the pass percentage in resume. I tried to calm down myself. The fact was I can't remember the pass percentage of the subjects what I taught.
I was able to remember just two subjects pass percentage. These two pass percentages were my best and worst pass percentages. The best one was 100%, which I got on my first year college teaching on Software Testing. The second pass percentage was also in the same year and same semester. The subject name was Computer Networks. The pass percentage was below 80.
From second semesters onward the pass percentage was above 80 or 90. Therefore, I told to interviewer that the average pass percentage is 85.
To be honest, I never discussed about how to score marks in exam with my students. Even I am not interested to list out the important question and etc. My ultimate aim is to help my students to get interest on my subject. The result is by-product of my teaching.
(Hello Students,
Actually, what you are expecting from the faculty? Whether we need to make you just pass or something other than this? Be frank. What you expect from faculty?)
The next question is all about the responsibilities what I handled in college. I had mentioned as Internal Exam Coordinator in resume so that he asked about this. "Kannan, what you did as exam oordinator." he asked me. I explained everything to him. At the end he asked me one more question. I was really got tensed after that question.
The question was, "What are the steps you have taken to improve the result?" I tried to cool myself. But I failed and asked one question to him, "why you are always thinking result alone?" "Off course, all the self-finance colleges are very particular about result and university ranking", he explained to me.
I lost control over my thoughts. "Sir, my role was to conduct exam peacefully. As an exam coordinator, I never thought anything to improve result. It's belongs to higher official. They do all the planning and at the end they ask me to conduct exam."
I also said to him, "Sir, my thinking is different from you. I don't worry much about result or pass percentage. I am passionate about teaching. My goal is to help students to get interest on my subject." After listening to my answer, he came to final two question.
While he was asking the final two question the second interviewer (White color dhoti) joined with him. The questions were...
The question was, "Okay, you are moving from Bharathidasan University to Anna University. So what." I replied to him by saying the standard of Anna University is different from Bharathidasan University so that I raised expected salary.
(Hello Employee,
Are you thinking to change your employer? Well, be prepared to answer the following two questions.
1.Why you are leaving form your present employer?
2. What's your current salary and expected salary?
Don't be causal on your words! Remember, the interviewer is keenly listening your words. It's better to be prepared to face it.)
After listening to my reason behind the expected salary, both the interviewer discussed something and they are asked me to wait outside. While waiting I was thinking about their question and my answer. Suddenly I realized that they did not ask anything about subjects. Even they did not ask me to explain any concept. I felt very bad about myself for attending interview like this.
I searched water bottle in my bag. I was very thirsty and drunk almost half of the bottle. I tried to relax my self. I stopped thinking what happened to me and tried to observe what's happening for other candidates. The same interviewer conducted interview for CSE, ECE, Mech, EEE and MBA.
I was not able to digest this one. How the same interviewer can test different branches of engineering faculty? It's impossible. It's ridiculous and it should not happen.
Finally they called me again. They said we will call you latter. I expected this answer from them and asked them one question. The question was, "Sir, may I know your designation?" Both the person were surprised and one person who was in pant and shirt answered first with high tone.
"I am the principal", he said. I turned my face to the second person. "I am...I am", he hesitated to say. "Sir, I am surprised to see you in interview panel. This is the first time I am facing the person in dhoti as as interviewer", I told him. "I am friend of Chairman. I am taking care of Tea, Coffee and Snacks", he said with smile.
I left them with bad smile on my face. I felt very shame for attending that interview.
(Hello Candidates,
Don't just answer to an interviewer. Wait for your time to ask question. If you don't know what to ask, here is the suggestions...
1. Ask interviewer name
2. Ask interviewer designation
If you find the interviewer is comfortable to answer your questions then ask about their experience.)
On the way to home, I felt that I wasted time, petrol and energy. Even I requested god by saying, "God, Please save me from these kind of people in future."
Remember, morning I did not eat anything. Therefore, I felt hungry and thirsty. Meantime, my mind was thinking about the interviewers. I decided that it's better first I'll go to home and relax my brain and think about lunch.
I reached home around 3.15. I changed my dress from formal to casual. I washed my face and looked in a mirror. I said to myself, "All Is Well."
(Later, I went to restaurant and ordered Vegetable Biryani. Unfortunately, that day, Biryani was not tasty!)
Nobody was there in my home. I left both my wife and son in native. I suggested them to come on Monday morning. As I said above the interview timing was from 10 to 5. In our area, the next power cut will start from 12.00noon for another three hours. I preferred to use the power cut timing for an interview.
That day, my stomach was not in good condition. Therefore, I decided to quit breakfast and had one glass lemon juice. Next, I opened the door and found newspaper. It took another 20 minutes to read it.
Still 2 hours for next power cut. I decided to browse the web. First, I opened Gmail. Last couple of days I was out of city. Therefore, few unread mails in inbox. I read all the mail and decided to reply evening.
Next, I opened Facebook. There are few notifications and couple of friend requests. Interestingly, both the requests are female so that immediately I confirmed them. Next, I opened Twitter to know what's happening in this world.
At last, I opened my blog and read all new comments. I turned my eyes in bottom right corner of the screen. It was 10.50am. I felt still some tiredness on eyes. I shut down the system and went to bath room.
After taking bath I searched ironed dress on cupboard. Luckily, there were two ironed sets. The first set was grey combination and the second set was brown combination. I preferred grey color.
At last, I searched my bag, which I am using nowadays for an interview and kept 2 copies of resume. I also kept the certificate file. Suddenly, the fan stopped to spin. It means time is 12.00noon. I took another 5 minutes to get ready for an interview.
Due to some professional reason I am not going to say the interviewer name. Please mind it! Around 1.00pm I entered into interview hall. One gentleman welcomed and asked me to fill form. I took few minutes to fill and returned to him. He asked to wait for few minutes.
I was observing what is happening in interview hall. I was able to hear the interviewer question and candidates answer. Especially, the interviewer voice was loud enough to hear.
The interviewers were visible to me. There were two person. The first person was wearing pant and shirt. Surprisingly, the second person was on white color dhoti. The second person seem to be older than the first person.
Actually, the man, who was in pant and shirt asking majority of the questions. At the end, the second person was making the final decision. Frankly speaking, I was not able to accept the second person as an interviewer. His body language does not match with highly educated people.
Suddenly they called me for an interview. I sat down in front of the table. Luckily, the second person was not there. Just now he left to attend phone. The interviewer took time to go through my resume and started to ask the question. The first question was...
"Kannan, you have experience. Fine, what are the subjects you already taught?" "Sir, I mentioned in the next page of resume. Please turn the page", I replied to him. "Well, what was your result for these subjects?", he asked me. "Sir, what do you mean, because I have different meaning for result", I explained to him.
After my question, the interviewer changed his face reaction. "I meant the pass percentage", he answered. In fact, I got tensed to answer this question. Even he suggested to have separate column for the pass percentage in resume. I tried to calm down myself. The fact was I can't remember the pass percentage of the subjects what I taught.
I was able to remember just two subjects pass percentage. These two pass percentages were my best and worst pass percentages. The best one was 100%, which I got on my first year college teaching on Software Testing. The second pass percentage was also in the same year and same semester. The subject name was Computer Networks. The pass percentage was below 80.
From second semesters onward the pass percentage was above 80 or 90. Therefore, I told to interviewer that the average pass percentage is 85.
To be honest, I never discussed about how to score marks in exam with my students. Even I am not interested to list out the important question and etc. My ultimate aim is to help my students to get interest on my subject. The result is by-product of my teaching.
(Hello Students,
Actually, what you are expecting from the faculty? Whether we need to make you just pass or something other than this? Be frank. What you expect from faculty?)
The next question is all about the responsibilities what I handled in college. I had mentioned as Internal Exam Coordinator in resume so that he asked about this. "Kannan, what you did as exam oordinator." he asked me. I explained everything to him. At the end he asked me one more question. I was really got tensed after that question.
The question was, "What are the steps you have taken to improve the result?" I tried to cool myself. But I failed and asked one question to him, "why you are always thinking result alone?" "Off course, all the self-finance colleges are very particular about result and university ranking", he explained to me.
I lost control over my thoughts. "Sir, my role was to conduct exam peacefully. As an exam coordinator, I never thought anything to improve result. It's belongs to higher official. They do all the planning and at the end they ask me to conduct exam."
I also said to him, "Sir, my thinking is different from you. I don't worry much about result or pass percentage. I am passionate about teaching. My goal is to help students to get interest on my subject." After listening to my answer, he came to final two question.
While he was asking the final two question the second interviewer (White color dhoti) joined with him. The questions were...
- Why you left your previous institution?
- What is your last salary and expected salary?
The question was, "Okay, you are moving from Bharathidasan University to Anna University. So what." I replied to him by saying the standard of Anna University is different from Bharathidasan University so that I raised expected salary.
(Hello Employee,
Are you thinking to change your employer? Well, be prepared to answer the following two questions.
1.Why you are leaving form your present employer?
2. What's your current salary and expected salary?
Don't be causal on your words! Remember, the interviewer is keenly listening your words. It's better to be prepared to face it.)
After listening to my reason behind the expected salary, both the interviewer discussed something and they are asked me to wait outside. While waiting I was thinking about their question and my answer. Suddenly I realized that they did not ask anything about subjects. Even they did not ask me to explain any concept. I felt very bad about myself for attending interview like this.
I searched water bottle in my bag. I was very thirsty and drunk almost half of the bottle. I tried to relax my self. I stopped thinking what happened to me and tried to observe what's happening for other candidates. The same interviewer conducted interview for CSE, ECE, Mech, EEE and MBA.
I was not able to digest this one. How the same interviewer can test different branches of engineering faculty? It's impossible. It's ridiculous and it should not happen.
Finally they called me again. They said we will call you latter. I expected this answer from them and asked them one question. The question was, "Sir, may I know your designation?" Both the person were surprised and one person who was in pant and shirt answered first with high tone.
"I am the principal", he said. I turned my face to the second person. "I am...I am", he hesitated to say. "Sir, I am surprised to see you in interview panel. This is the first time I am facing the person in dhoti as as interviewer", I told him. "I am friend of Chairman. I am taking care of Tea, Coffee and Snacks", he said with smile.
I left them with bad smile on my face. I felt very shame for attending that interview.
(Hello Candidates,
Don't just answer to an interviewer. Wait for your time to ask question. If you don't know what to ask, here is the suggestions...
1. Ask interviewer name
2. Ask interviewer designation
If you find the interviewer is comfortable to answer your questions then ask about their experience.)
On the way to home, I felt that I wasted time, petrol and energy. Even I requested god by saying, "God, Please save me from these kind of people in future."
Remember, morning I did not eat anything. Therefore, I felt hungry and thirsty. Meantime, my mind was thinking about the interviewers. I decided that it's better first I'll go to home and relax my brain and think about lunch.
I reached home around 3.15. I changed my dress from formal to casual. I washed my face and looked in a mirror. I said to myself, "All Is Well."
(Later, I went to restaurant and ordered Vegetable Biryani. Unfortunately, that day, Biryani was not tasty!)
