Through a friend’s reference, I went to meet a director of some MBA college here in Mumbai. The purpose was to deliver a 3 hour lecture on career planning to their students. The director insisted that he will interview me before he can let me take this opportunity. I said fine and I went to meet him today. This is what happened.
After reading through my resume back and forth for some time, he asked me just three questions.
1) (in Hindi) Son, tell me about yourself… but in English.
Me: Sir, my name is Mayur Pathak. I have close to 6 years of industry experience, mostly in managerial roles. I have led teams as well as been in teams to know what exactly a management aspirant should look for from a corporate world. I have conducted such trainings in the past. So I feel I have the right experience to guide your students.
(Pause) (I guess he was expecting some thing else) Is it done?
Me: Yes. Can you tell me what else are you looking for apart from what is written in my resume and what I just said?
2) Err… Ah no. Thank you! What is your objective?
Me: Sorry? Are you asking my life’s objective?
D: Yes. Life career… I’m asking in general.
Me: (I didn’t understand what he meant by ‘in general’. But since he asked, I had to answer.) I can define two objectives for myself. The first one is more philosophical and rather egoistical. But I have grown up believing that it is only the larger than life aim that keeps you going when the time is not so good. The second option is more realistic.
(1) “I’d like to die as a person whose death will be mourned by the whole world, at least by the fraternity I will belong to. I want to contribute some good in a manner that my death be a loss to the community.”
(2) “I want to start and run one of the most successful management consulting companies in the world.”
The second objective has again come from a belief that India hasn’t been able to achieve the world dominion in industries and trade not because of lack of technical or financial know how but because of bad decision making. I want to help all the small companies to shape up their business so that at least few of them go on to become big.
(The answer baffled him. He was expecting a ‘I want to be Ratan Tata‘ kind of objective. He was obviously disappointed.)
(Second Pause)
3) Okay tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.
Me: A SWOT analysis? (He nodded). Well, doing a generic SWOT analysis of a person, in my opinion, will return a very subjective result. The reason is our inability to qualify and quantify our strengths and weaknesses. How can I be sure of what is good and how good is good for me? For example, I may be able to type fast, but that does not necessarily become my strength. At the same time I can not run like Usain Bolt and that again is not my weakness.
To be a world class consultant, I need to be a good teacher, preacher and an exceptional orator. So in that context, I can say that my communication skill, both written and oral is my strength. However I also understand that to be a teacher, guide and visionary, my communication skills will have to be backed by strong knowledge and expertise in my fields. Gathering knowledge is an ongoing process. So lack of in depth knowledge will always remain my weakness.
He pondered over my answer as if I had sent him a legal notice and was looking for a response. Then he peeped back into my resume before extending his hand towards me. Then he thanked me for sparing time to meet him but said sorry that he will not be able to allow my lecture. He said the questions he asked me were important from a career perspective. And I answered them with too much attitude. He said he didn’t want any of his students to follow me or my advice. Otherwise they will be spoilt with attitude.
Huh? Attitude? What the…
Mayur's blog 
The old man didn’t know what hit him… He is used to listening to same old practised routine answers not this unconventional conversation.
Now you know why students only know text book gyan and use no mind of their own because their teachers are also like that!
I guess he was feeling threatened by you. I would have accepted those answers if I was in place of the manager and allowed your lecture.
Thanks for appreciating guys. Now I know that when I die, I will at least have two people who will mourn my death not because how I’m related to them but because who I was in my life.
🙂
I wanted to say him, “Badi mushkil se aaya hai ye attitude, ye aise nahi jayega sir.”
Why did I write the above dialogue? You will get the answer on December 25 2010
I didnt find anything wrong in your answers!
Very nice objectives 🙂
Just one advice Mayur….from next time you should carry a spy cam and take picture. Would certainly like to see such faces. Guess….all fainted….;)
Spy cam 😛
I’ll better shoot some thing good with that.
Mayur, I really find nothing wrong with the answers you gave however, going by the nature of questions the director posed, I am not surprised that he didn’t like your answers 🙂
In fact, you should have asked him what was his objective in asking such stupid questions, pretty obviously, inconsequential to the success of the assignment.
And if I was running the institute, I would have selected you for the ATTITUDE with which you gave the answers, because that’s what can make a difference to a mgmt grad, I feel.
To be frank, I think I DID show some attitude. They are a small institute in Thane and I obviously did not give much importance to them. Yeah, his questions did irk me a bit. But the answers I gave were honest ones.
Had he said I have attitude ‘in general’, I’d have accepted. But he said that after hearing my answers. That was a bit too much I thought!
By the way, are you making a movie and releasing it on December 25th with the dialogue???
Ah… no! I’m afraid I’ll stick to writing some thing. By the way making a movie using a handycam is not a bad idea. 🙂
How about shooting short movies on the love stories I have written and putting them up on Youtube?
It is a fantastic idea!!!
Nice Idea. How about Hero and Heroin? 🙂
You are a good author and a director too!!
Oh you all can become actors. In fact, I’ll be happy if some one shoots a movie on one of my stories and sends me the clipping as a surprise 🙂
Good Idea Mayur!
But what about your stories? you are not writing any these days ?? me waiting!
Ah yes, I’ll start writing them soon.
You remember we were writing a book once. You, Ash and I. We only completed 2 chapters and the plot. It was an adventure/thriller. We could have made a movie out of that 😛
Yeah… we can still do that!