My first interview..

Time machine .. Yes logged on to my old mail box and it was a treasure..this one was written six years back in 2005.

 

I am attaching my interview experience with HCL TECH..Do give your feed back about the interview…I hope it will be useful for job hunters…

Two rounds of interviews were scheduled.Just afte finishing the aptitude tests I was confident that I will be shortlisted for those interviews.

When we had the shortlisted list they gave us an application to fill.
It had some columnspersonal details and achievements and academic profile.I forgot to bring my photo.One of my friend Nithin fetched the photo for me.If he was not there at that moment a tensed situation would have been..

I expressed my desire for embedded system in the application.
I was called for the Technical interview…

I went and waited outside the glass room of the interviewer as he had engaged himself in some work.After sometime he called me inside.
I formally greeted him.

The first question he asked me was “You seem to be not interested in software”(Since I have mentioned my desire to work with ASIC/Embedded systems)
I told him that my interest was in embedded systems and I would like to work with processors and embedded software.

He inquired what an embedded systems is..
He asked me the books I have used for embedded system..
I listed the books I have studied…
He asked me which of the above books were good..
I said Embedded primer by David.A.Simon was good because only in this book they have clearly explained about software architecture and they have advised to choose the architecture depending on the application.In other books they have praised RTOS..but having RTOS for a small application is a power and time killing process..
Then he enquired about the awards and prizes I have listed in the application..
“Top Techclitian”..what is it?
I told about Techlit and its functions..and i was selected as the best member for that year..he inquired why did they choose me..
I told the various rounds conducted for the title..

Similarly he had enquiries about each and every prize listed in the application…

Then on looking at my resume he asked what fuzzy logic is..
I explained him about fuzzy logic by comparing the uncertainity with the brightness of the tubelight in the room(Rather than a technical definition I told him like a story)..

Then he asked me the number of registers in 8085..
I forgot the number and started counting A,B..with fingers and he draged me to make a mistake here..I couldnt recall the number of register in 8085!
I got tensed and I was very much on the negative side as soon as I forget because of the simplicity of the question..
He enquired about the experiments done in the microprocessor lab..
He asked me about traffic light controller..and asked whether we have done it in the lab..(2 questions simultaneously..)

I chose the second question to answer first ..we have not done it in lab…
He said thats okay and went on the next question assuming that I doknow traffic light controller..
But I could write the logic for that problem..but even then I was not able to demonstrate my skill here…

He asked few questions in Data Structures which I managed very easily…

With this my Technical interview came to an halt….

I said thankyou and walked out of the room briskly…

We were made to wait for the HR round..

People got crowded and asked about the interview..all I could remember at that instant was about the microprocessor registers…

So i thought myself that I made some serious mistake and it will be really difficult for me to make it to the final list.

Then I was called for HR interview…

I was determined to make a strong impression in HR round since I considered myself better in handling HR questions rather than Technical questions..

I went inside the room and greeted him..
He asked me to take the seat.
after looking at me he asked “You are the person who put questions to the board in the morning know..”
“Have you got answers for those..?
(My question during their PPT session was..they described that HCL provided complete solution ranging from software production,OS ,Hardware…So I asked them intead of providing service to customers alone why dont HCL try to develop product of their own..Then they claimed to be pionners in software..I asked what technolgy they are pioonering now…)

He said that he is those plans were there for the future and as of now no products are developed..but i said that when I went through the website I have learnt that they have developed some security systems…

After that he didnt speak for about 30 seconds…
He looked at the application and said you are from AKT academy school..

He again went in to silence..(Purposefully)
This time I broke the ice and said about my school that it ist the second largets school in Tamilnadu…

mmm..mmm SO what” Thats his reaction to it!

It was so small at first having streeght of 500 but now it has grown to a school of 10000….I continued to roll of my school history..

His response “Thats okay..So what?”

He asked me ” I f I throw a egg from a top of a three storey building what will happen”

After blinking for a reasonable time i said ” It will break in to pieces”

(He could have expected a imaginative answer…since he left what was in ground to our imagination..may be water or bed..)

I could sense that my answer was not good at that instant itself which made my confidence till worse…already it was low because of the microprocessor debacle,,

Next he asked me why Am I interested in embedded systems and he told me that He his going to employ me in testing…
And asked whether I will be willing to work in testing?

After thinking for a while I said that testing is very important for embedded systems and quoted few of the crashes due to lack of proper testing..
Hence I will be happy if i am given embedded sotware testing.

He said in a harsh tone “I no need all this stories..will you accept the job or not ?”

“Yes I will”

I no need you..we doesnt employ people who are digusted having interested in onething and working in some other”

Then he asked about my leisure time reading…

I quoted few book names..
He asked what was my last book..
I said tipping point and what the book was about..

He asked the authors name and I could not recall the authors name..

He said ” How can I beleive you man…you are saying long stories but you dont remember the authors name..”

After a struggle I told him the authors name…

He asked how did i perfom my aptitude and how did i prepare…

I said from GRE guide…

He asked me whether I am planning to do higher studies…and it took me some time to make him understand that I used GRE only for improving my aptitude skills..

He asked why I didnt attend CTS..I said they dont work on embedded..
He argued that they worked on embedded..

I rejected him quoting the domains they work from their website and even I have confirmed the question with CTS people…

He asked me how a class mate of mine will describe me..
“A confident person with profound interest in embedded system..

I was also made to tell what is attitude..

He said that my communication skill is poor and my contact was also poor..

I accepted and said that I have better communication skill than what I show now.. Now I am bit low with my communication because I am tensed..

He asked y  am  I tensed,,,

I said that I got a very basic question in microprocessor wrong in my technical interview,…hence i am tensed…

He said ” Do you think that we will throw you out because of that?”

I said ” I am not concerned about the job but what pricks me is that i was not able to answer a basic question in my field of interest”

He said that ” I am afraid to have a employee like this who will lack concentration from his work if hgave ears a complaint from a customer..”

I said that those things depend on which is important to a person..

To me embedded systems is of more interest than this job..

He gave me a hopeless look and said ” Deepak Good luck” Which sounded ” Better Luck next” time to me”

After that I thought it was all over and left to hostel….

But I was called for yet another interview…

First they apologised for making me to sit for an extra interview…

I told I am not tried because I am practised to work hard these days..I told that today was a wonderful day because I have learnt a lot…
She asked me what are all the things you have learnt and how long did u learn….
I said learning is a continuos process and it has started from todays morning to the time till now…..

Then they asked to say me about yourself….

Few questions were on my paper on neural networks..

And they asked about my career aim…

I said that my aim was coincident with that of the HCL’s and I am  determined to explore the power of processor which is the same aim as that of your company…

Then they asked me a basic question regarding pointers in C.I was not able to give the correct answer..

I gave the wrong answer and they asked me whether I was sure in my answer…
I gave the wrong answer with unnecessary confidence…

They gave me two puzzles  which I solved in lightning speed…

After which they sent off me finally!

I could rememeber only the mistakes  I made immediately after the interview…and I was doubfful of my clearnce….

The most important lesson from my lesson ” forget your mistakes in the interview…remembering it will affect your performance in the subsequent rounds….

Even if you make a mistake..say to yourself its normal to make mistakes and concentrate on the next questions instead of pricking your mind thinking of the bad patch..

Thats it…

—————————————————————————————–

What better time to read it. Having seen this industry for a while now, I have answers for the missed technical questions. My writings have become better. But the neural networks and fuzzy logic and the quest is about to get lost. Time I save them.!

Bye Bye 2011

Its that time of the year to look back.. Looking back.

It started in Las Vegas , a new year eve with full of hate  for the ‘artificialness’ in that place. The streets were filled with people who were filled with booze till their brink. The entire crew felt so and hence we steered our wheels towards mother nature on the new year day and enjoyed the red rock canyons. Little did I know that I will find more such discoveries like this in me – A liking for nature & hate for artificialness. But I should admit that the castles and casinos which resembled nature – the Venice mall was marvelous. The most inspirational moments of those days were those when I walked the bridge connects two hills near hoover dam.  – 2011 – A good start!

Professionally my career and skills started deprecating, not a day passed without some act reminding me of it in the first half of the year. I had to face no work at work and due to the ’emotional frame’ I was in couldnt take up any work on my own during those ‘bench’ days.Then toward the end I made that call to the Man who moves things for me and got in to some work which I can call it as work.  Still I cant count on a thing in 2011..May be it takes some time to realize the learning since I am blinded my ignorance as of now. I would say that my inkling for Linear Algebra is the best thing that happened to me academically and professionally. Thanks to my work with colour science and image processors.

Emotionally – what a year it has been. I have attained peaks and seen troughs all in the same year.Since I was living abroad, I had this fortune/misfortune of sharing space with frequently changing faces and each face left behind some impressions and stinks in me. What was stink then turned out to be impressions now. Personally I was ‘peerless’ and ‘peer’ less. I was the good friend you can ever get and the bad man you could ever feel all in same form. Towards the end of the year, I had made some discoveries about myself – thanks to all those who led to those exploration. Its quite a journey testing many paths at once and the expedition continues….

Toastmasters – I havent been physically active, but virtually the spirit of toastmasters is even more present in me. Thanks to all those who accept me in that form inspite of not being able to make it to the meetings regularly.I would say there is no better time and place to be a toastmaster.Its chennai and its right now. If you are reading this and wondering what it is , do ping me.

Socially – Yesterday a friend of mine was pointing out that a school wouldnt take me because I was past 26. That makes my parents too feel the urge to pair me with some one. But No – I am don’t buy that idea yet.May be as they claim I dont see the need for it yet and what to come in life, but if its so let it be it. The day I feel the need physically & emotionally (AND as in digital logic) then I will find the way to seek it. Friends – I make many and drop many. They are the reflections in which we see ourself and I have seen good pictures as well as bad pictures in that friendship mirror. Thanks for everything.  Connecting back with my alma-mater felt like connecting with a noble spirit and that gave me a bundle of energy.

Movies- Not many. Thanks to LA’s libraries , I now know some real good ones and cant bear with the averages any more both in terms of content and the way it is contained(resolution I say.)

Books – I fall for it. If at all I trace my spendings, I dont have control over this and I spend more for it than my food at times. Still running around Computer Arch and Data structures technically, JK& Balakumaran in terms of philosophy, Bharathiyar for Kavithaigal, and science is slowly stepping in. Whoa Ponniyin Selvan!

I am back in KNBL ensconced  with certain comforts which is difficult to leave, and to would stop this bye bye with 5 best things which strike my mind about 2011.

1. USC book festival

2. The meet with a old friend which changed the path I took

3.Reconnecting with almamater

4.Travel ..yes I visited all Varanam ayiram locations! Dreams were cooked under the fire which travel sets in

5.Tamil books.

 

Now here I am sitting in the favourite school of mine where I learnt most of my lessons -KNBL. I couldnt ask for a better place to be in the new year.

Bye bye 2011. You are all set to go, I let all the stinks go with you and will store your impressions. I would look back at you at some other time in life and be more thankful then. But certainly to a little lesser extent now.

Mourning brain..

We all have been through this vicious cycles of happiness and sadness, when we realize an event to be good, it triggers happiness and the same act enhances the probability of finding an infavour fervor in the same environment which can make you sad.

Everyone goes through it, being of the sensitive and imaginative breed my brain is, I undergo them with  a little more intensity. Though they say and I know that only a saint can get rid of it and make it stable, I dont want to be a saint for the fear of losing the wordly pleasures:)!. Hence my aim was to lessen the intensity inspite of without turning off the senses. That translates technically in to , without turning off your input sensors, the central processing unit should interpret the interrupts received but spend less time in processing those interrupts.Only when you spend more time for the those interrupting thoughts,the processor loses it’s main context, chaos sets in.  Artificial intelligence could be easy for its who we make it, but the natural intelligence is made on its own and hence controlling it is not in the realm of consciousness.

We all do conscious deeds as instructed by the code in the subconscious mind. And again these conscious deeds self-program the subconscious mind. But the kind of instructions changed or added depends on the core and it happens based on the CODE. A secret code which you posses which we may call by the name DNA! Everything happens with an intention to realize that secret CODE. It should be possible to break those conscious security walls, breach the subconscious gates and unlock that CODE. Yes it should be possible and many of us would have got near that subconsciously. When you become conscious about those subconscious acts, there you make more cracks in that wall.Its a process akin to breaking a nations security secret. Every one of us have that immense potential which has to be guarded and unlocked. So expect some adventures and misadventures in it.

I write this because , I got a bullet shot while trying to breach the wall. More often you need to realise that you are living amidst people who dont know about the CODE, and those people are guarded by their CODE which out of insecurity will try to influence you and prevent you to access your CODE. When it does so you get brain-hurt, sometimes brain dead for a while. During which the brain mourns, and when the brain mourns you need to be ready with first aid and subsequent treatments, which I perceive is ‘creativity’ creating entertainment for your ownself.

If you can find that ‘way’ to relish your’self’, when its hurt, Yay..we may be closer to the CODE!

Happy hacking!

A quick journal ..14th Dec 2012

Woke up to a dream, the biological clock disagreed with the 5:50 AM in the mechanical clock and wanted more sleep.Anxiety was more and I could feel the body heat – not good signs, if you dont have the WILL you tend to get to sleep till you are comfortable and run on a rarely ending loop swirling down. But out of GOOD WILL i was able to wake up and brush up before my MOM’s wake up/check!

Strolled along for a walk, with a hope that I will return as a better man. Shock/Surprise the turn around is possible only when something unexpected happens.But also the heart badly wanted the normal routine to be in place and it finds security in predictability and being ROUTINE. So did, my dose of tea pushed my brain and I strolled along the park. I should be running but I was walking because I am yet to regularize time.[Lazy bloke!- but wait its you dont curse yourself!]. I observed the crows in group discussion, seriously they are never alone in the morning. They were down on the ground gazing at each other in groups. Something must be going on..

I observed the moon. It was beautiful as FULL MOON couple of days ago and now only a part of it was visible to as and that didnt trigger the same feeling it did couple of days ago. WHY? Perspectives in life, we are in no position to feel empathy/sympathy/envy the moon for we arent the moon.

By this time the body heat had come down,so did the anxiety. I have been missing my routine studies for about 5 days now and its creating huge pressure. But today I am happy to miss it and did something else. Crashed upon my landlord and it wasnt just a “Good Morning” wish. He knows me well very well and I know him a bit[I mean internally! we externally know each other for 5 years!] The conversation went on how he approaches his construction work and how human beings should be constructed. He is a man of balance between whats possible and whats probable. When I poured in my ideas I could see him placing a check when I went beyond whats possible and he called it as a dream. And he said dreams doesnt help, only the possiible acts does. His motto is to do your best in your today, and your tomorrow will be shaped on its own.

Well its not a question of agreeing or disagreeing then. But the conversation for sure helped myself [he did that with purpose I guess!] and I walked in back to the room with new thoughts[new??:(]. Those new learning about yourself, that not wanting an acknowledgment from the world is healthier and this classification of healthy/dishealthy is not healthier:)

20 minutes to leave the room. FOCUS is going to be target for the day when I have more meetings lined up!

Why this kolaveri….?

This man roams around as if he is the next cousin of Harichander. He says that he cant tolerate lies,dishonesty and he also prefers to stay away from them and the people who uses it. He musn’t be strong at heart for he thinks that he might also use the methods of deception if he stays around with people who deceive people. Hence he groans, complains , cries and makes the ones around suffer. Given the fact that he prefers to be alone, its he complaining to himself mostly about himself hence the sufferings are also his. But why this kolaveri? Why cant he accept deceptions, its so omnipresent in the world and you cant avoid it. The fact that you cant avoid it, should force him to accept it. He has no other choice except to suffer disrespecting the culture the majority follows. Its will be even difficult for him to identify a similar species for they are very rare and closed and dont open up until they know that they arent taken for a deceiving ride.

How can I tell him that honesty is overrated , is he trying to collect it as a virtue to show off in his hall of fame? He only suffers a lot, when he says what he thinks without sugar coating it.He has an immense joy out of it, he never intends to hurt anyone but also never considers how to make people happy.Rather  he wants people to be aware  , he doesnt call it the truth, he wants the people to be aware of what he is aware and he desires to know the same from other people. But lips do lie, eyes do lie , heart doesnt. He reads minds but since he trusts people more than his mind reading skills, he prefer to go by their lips. And when later the lips fail to synchronize with the minds, he curses himself for believing in the lips and thinks/guided to follow other people by their hearts and not by their words.

But he says “Who am I to assume whats going on within anyone else, when I dont understand myself. That would be  a great mistake if I do it that way. I want everyone to be aware of themselves and solve the mighty puzzle of existence themselves and help me with just the solution. When I am busy solving my own existential puzzle, its great pain to do it for others. I can be wrong…I expect people to solve it and help me with their answers. We are all solving a huge puzzle together ..arent we?”. I cant help him for he seems to be confused always. He still hangs around expecting honesty and gets hurt when he is repeatedly denied it.

All I ask him now is “Why this kolaveri..what are you going to do with this HONESTY?….”. He says in truth there is a comfort even if its a sad truth. In truth we acknowledge our problems and achievements. In truth there is never a moment of  comparison when the universal truth is understood by all of us. Due to the deception life style , the universal truth is lost now and we are all deceived and lost by dishonest men.

 

Well man you are young now, let me see what do you become when you are old – I threw a challenge at him. He said ,”I will become a old man!” and gave a big laugh. If that was meant to be a joke, I pitied for him for he laughs at such poor jokes. But as I walked along I also smiled thinking that he is going to become a old man and thats the truth! Its when we expect to be a rich man,virtuous man, educated man …. only those things have raised up the deceptions in the world.As that made little sense to me , I warned myself not to think in insane ways like him and returned back to my world.

 

Where is this originating?

These thoughts, those words, the compassion, the love for everything I see – where does this come from in the last two hours. At 7:30 it was a tiring day with the intended work still far from completion at work and I was super grumpy. Had a bath and all set to sleep got under the blankets with a book. 

People say me I shouldnt be single/stay alone. I object .. I dont mingle easily not that I am a poor friend who doesnt make a good friend, but I havent found my kinda mid 20 girl/boy  free enough to stay together. When my mom called for the shutdown check she reiterated how grumpy I am to her and when I said that I dont like to be pampered, she challenged that I will be doing the same in few years. Again a paradox!

But the book kept going. It delivered loads of lines which had relevance to the day-2-day life. The happiness hormones found their way again in to my body.If I had thought of sitting and typing 2 hrs ago,it would have not only caused huge stress, but also the words wouldnt have flowed. But now it feels like that these words are on their own and I am just typing them. Is there a thinking in it,yes for sure it should be, but 2hrs ago there would have been too much of thinking which would have restricted the flow of words. If its thinking which causes the words to flow, its the same thinking which halts them. I observe a lot of paradox in me . I am not going to think about solving this maze of paradox.

I love being with people, not all, I detest some at the first sight since I judge and get a prejudice about their disrespect for time. I waste time a lot, so I dont just bother about wasting time not yet, but there are those who make passing times seems tough for no reason. Its this kind of breed, who act with an intent to ease their existence makes it tough for all of us. 

 

Its getting diverted… So I am stopping here. Thats me a paradox in myself! Probably a 2-in -1?

 

Tall Tale – Skype- Communicate across time

Tall tale – its one where we need to come up with an incredible story and deliver it in a credible manner to the toastmaster audience.Heres my story which I wired up for the Chennai Toastmaster clubs 325 th meet. Special thanks to TM Karthik Srinivasan and TM Sridhar Ranganathan – Wordsmiths toastmasters for giving timely tips which shaped the content well. 

SKYpe – Communicate across time.

 

Good evening Fellas. Beep…Beep. I must be getting a good evening message ..Let me check the sms.

Oh it says “Landed safely in heaven.” Who is that?.. Oh its Deepak..Thats me. I am crazy but not foolish enough to message myself.When did I send such a message.? 2087. .2087?? Its a message from the future. People its a message from the future. No I dont trust it, It could be a spam,network error or a software bug.

 

Software…Huh ..Yes here is some notification about software update.Its SKYpe ..The update description says “Now skype not only lets you communicate beyond geographical boundaries but also across time. You can make calls to anyone ,anywhere at any instant of their existence.. Introductory offer, you got three free calls.

 

People..People..Its time machine. Yay The time machine. I can now get messages from past and the future. Its the time machine in my hands. I can change my times with it.

OK this must be some mystical force or advanced science at work. I have read about them and I trust it but what I dont trust is the fact that I made it to heaven. That sounds incredible after all the non-sense I have done in my little life. But it will be nice if I can do a custom check on heaven and hell and find out which is best of the two. May be I can change my future as they show in movies.

 

Heaven check.. If I have to pick a guy in my contact list who would make it to heaven without doubts it would be this guy who has contributed a lot to TM with ever smiling face especially in the last 5 months.Its our Div Gov Saro Vel Rajan

Ringing Saro..year..It asks me for the time..I swype in 3045

Hello Saro . This is Deepak. How are you and where are you.

Hey Deepak , Nice catching up with you. Its been 1025 years since we spoke last. I am in heaven. Now I am the division gov for Div Heaven which comes under the district Gods Kingdom.

Oh interesting my guess was right, Tell me how it looks like

I am enjoying it Deepak. I dont have to do a day job and can work on toastmasters for ever. Time can be bent according to our will and there are club meetings which go on for a million years. I am using my time here to set up corporate and community clubs in Div Heaven and neighboring division Hell. Various corporates like HinduISM, MusliISM, BuddhiSIM, JainISM are very interested in getting the movement to their messengers. I also have a set of high profile mentees who are doing their High performance leadership. List includes Buddha,Krishna,Rama ,Mahaaveera…. Last night it was Lord Ramas DTM speech and he gave a speech to four trillion audience spread over the galaxy. From my viewpoint I could observe him maintaing eye contact with people from Mercury to Pluto. I got goosebumps when he attributed his mastery of speaking and leadership skills to toastmasters. As a token of apprecaiation he granted more Heaven permits for Toastmasters.

Thats nice Saro. You are truly creating a revolution . I could see the change down here. Will catch up with you live soon after my death.

Now I got curious on hell too.For sure I know my angry boss will land up there.Ring Boss 2024..Yes people with hyper tension have short lives.

Hey Deepak, Good that you called me now. Can you update me on your efforts on bug 12421. The client Mr.YamaDharma needs it now.His database is down and thats affecting destruction jobs all over the globe. Consider this crucial , if you dont do it I will have to update your name in his database.

Sure sir. But where are you now.

Oh I ended up in Hell, and its no different. Its exactly our office the way I created it.So I find it comfortable!:)

Now knowing hell and heaven, another thought also popped up in my mind. Life after death is uncertain but life in earth is made heaven or hell depending on the person whom you share your time and space. I got curious to know the name of the person whom I will be sharing it and made a call to Deepak 2025

 

Hey Deepak. Can I talk to your wife,

Sure. I will pass it on.

I was curious thinking of a dozen crushes and who could it be.

A cute voice greeted me on the other end and I asked

May I know whom I am talking too..

It said….It said…It said…. Mrs.Deepak.

Hey Dude Dont carry the world on your shoulders!

I never noticed the pace in which time changes and changes us, because we travel along with it. But it will be more apparent to you, if you have kids around you. They grow fast and startle you with their physical and intellectual developments. I live in the same locality for five years and I was surprised when i found a stout and sturdy boy taking the school van, when I was expecting a cute little boy. Its been five years. Std 2 must have become std 7, but why does he have to carry the world in his shoulders. I am mentioning about the baggage on his back.

I dont like the children awaiting a school bus at 7 in the morning. I want the precious morning to be spent creatively, they should be reading stories, scribbling on papers,torturing dad by asking questions and must get tortured by mom for getting ready. My heart goes out when I see a half-slept kid with him mom at 6 AM waiting for a school vehicle. In this digital age, why cant we go digital and reduce the baggage. Rather the schools are making it more complicated. Recently one of my colleagues asked me “Where can I get feathers of different birds? Do they sell that in shops”. When I enquired why he told me that its part of the assignment for his UKG kid. Gosh, whats the purpose, if you want to teach them about birds take them out. Show them videos. Do you expect a UKG kid to collect bird feathers in a city like Chennai which the birds have deserted long back[They knew that city is not worth living..but we humans are not gonna realize it].

Coming back to time and kids, the kids have evolved for sure and education is trying to suppress their evolution instead of promoting it. A 10th std kid talks about iPhone/Siri and says his friend have high end mobiles which even me and my friends dont have.Not that its a good thing , but we are failing to grow with them. The system needs a overhaul, the system is nothing but a collection of individuals. In few years I might be joining the system too.. I dont wish to join it in its current state!

Recently Samsung has released a table with a marketing tag “Notebook”. Dont you see a connect there. While in US seeing the kids using iPad was an experience on its own. Dear Freebies government why cant you strengthen your education system which is also free, I dont mind paying my government a bit to educate my child.

Whatever I dont want my kid to break his back!