Day Zee

So, after all the endless preparation and PPTs right till the end (with a certain 'big' i-bank guy paining the hell out of junta and 'interacting' with them till 1 am the previous night), it was day zero. Two more PPTs scheduled in the morning and then it was on to MDC lawns.

The sight was unbelievable. When they say that IIMs are professional, I had always treated that with 'healthy' contempt. But believe me, the whole atmosphere was psyching to say the least. There was a 'Control Room' and around 10 'trackers' with walkie-talkies (all 2nd years), looking all important and smug. (I was soon to realize how important a role these guys play).....As for the PRs (Placement Represetatives), they were trying to juggle 2 coomunication frequencies at once......in fact, a company guy even called them 'Agent Smiths'......Plus, a whole lot of people calling themselves the 'Hospi' were around with food, fruits, water, drinks and even medicines [i myself had to use a couple of aspirins later in the day...:-)]. And all these volunteers were drawn from the 2nd year. (frankly, i never expected them to put so much fight in something that gives them no 'tangible' returns, at least not in the short-term)

Anyway,there we were, around 140 of us (yep, so many of us did have interviews on the day), people ranging from 12 shortlists to guys with a single one, all dressed in smart business suits. All of us were gathered in the hospi area, trying to look cheerful and confident but apprehensive all the same. The 'time of reckoning' had arrived. One by one, guys started getting called for their rendeavouz with the companies. The placement wheel slowly but surely started turning and the process started.

[Well, skipping the operational details now, I will try and describe the events/activities going on.]

Gradually, the shocking (at least for me) events of the day started unfolding. Probably, for the first time ever on the campus, there was a demand-supply mis-match, i.e., more demand for 'star performers' than supply. It was amusing to see some of the biggest names in industry pitching desperately to 'prospective' employees, trying to convince them why their company is much better than the other company also in line. And the earlier you reach the interview room, the better are your chances of getting brain-washed.

So, we had the BCG guys literally fighting with the tracker over a certain girl they wanted for their interviews. They actually had 2-3 of their (junior) guys scouting for the candidates themselves (effectvely acting as trackers) and snatching them away before the trackers could reach them. Finally, the situation got deteriorated to such an extent that they started to almost assault the BCG tracker and he was given an 'order' to hide (by the control room). Finally, a PR had to placate them by getting a lot of girls to interview with them. By the way, this was heard on the trackers' walkies as 'Tell the BCG people to hold on. Mayur (the PR) is coming with the gals.'

And this was not the only incident. From GS to Lehman to DB (these guys had the audacity to keep one guy enclosed in their room for close to 5 hours at a strech, supposedly, they were trying to convince him. The poor guy had to be rescued later after he sent a SMS to one of the PRs), the story repeated itself. In fact, the companies were so desperate that they started paining the trackers and so things like 'ladki do ya bhawal do' were often heard on the walkies. (Bhawal is a guy who was supposedly 'hot' as all companies wanted him).

Other gems included....(A conversation between two company trackers):
Tracker 1 (GS): 'GS is hot on Indu. They want her now.'

Tracker 2 (some other i-bank): The equally (unintentional, in all probability) funny reply......'I know she's hot. And so, am not sending her. I want her too.'

[Continued....]