27/12/2013
One of the most interesting stories of Placements at IIT. [A Must Read]
Time: Dec 2007 - The batch which graduated right before 2008-2009 recession.
Situation: 3 days have been passed since placement started.
Location: IIT Kanpur.
I was working on my start-up at Incubation centre, was not interested in getting a job. Our daily schedule was like start working at about 4 PM and work till 5 AM before having some samosas and tea at MT to end the day. The morning used to be at lunch time when half of the day's placements were over.
Placement Day 3 - About 5 PM
Senior - I heard placements have started. Aren't you sitting in placements ?
Me- Nah, I don't want to take a job. Will continue with start-up.
Senior- That's ok but I suggest you take a back-up job. Market is going down and may collapse in coming months.
Me - OK, but I haven't attended most of the Pre Placement Talks and therefore I am not eligible to sit in placements.
Senior- Well ... figure out something.
Me- Yes.
I spent rest of the evening to find a loophole in hacking into Placement Office site and marked myself attended in all !!
(In hostel wing - at one of the wingmate's room- about 9 PM after dinner)
Me- I am sitting in placement. What you guys are doing for preparation ?
Wingmate- Prepare from aptitude test first, this is a book you can read.
It was a bulky book, I guess for CAT or some other exam preparation. I tried to study it but it was so boring that I caught asleep.
Placement Day 4 - About 8 AM
(In mess - Me with other wingmate)
Me- Which company is coming today.
Wingmate2- Deloitte is coming, there is a test at 8.30
Me - cool
(Deloitte test In hall 7- a lecture hall with capacity of 500+ students. There were 2 options of departments given to candidates and of course I didn't have an idea)
Me (to neighbour)- Hay, what does option 1 and option 2 means ?
Neighbour - Option 1 means (something technical) and option 2 no idea.
I opted for option 2 and got selected for interview. Next was Cisco test at 1 PM and I was also selected by a Automobile company for interview.
(At L4 for Cisco test with some CSE guys, chatting )
Me - I have got interview call from Deloitte for option 1 and I don't know what it means.
Cse Guy - It means (Something related to information security)
The bulb switched on !!! I did my BTP in encryption related stuff, which was first of it's kind in my college. I skipped the exam and headed to CC - nearest place to access my BTP report to brush-up all the concepts.
(About 5 PM, sitting in interview room. I was the last guy to interviewed)
Interviewer1 - Hi, how are you ?
Me - I am good, thanks. It was a long day.
Interviewer1 - It's only 5 and we have a shift till 8 in office, how will you work with us ?
Me- (poker faced) Actually I woke up very early in the morning today.
Interviewer2 - (ignoring what I said) Your B.Tech project looks interesting. Why don't you tell us more about it ?
(I explained my BTP and they looked happy. They asked some other questions related to my low CPI, my start-up etc the interview went pretty smooth and then came the final question.)
Interviewer1 - That's all fine, now tell me what is the wackiest thing you have ever done ?
Me- Sir, I hacked the placement office site to become eligible in your written exam.
(Both interviewer looked at each other and laughed.)
Interviewer1 - Cool, how did you do it.
(I explained the procedure. Basically I did an XSS attack to the site to gain the db access)
The interview ended. I was chatting with some friends. The student placement Office (SPO) team person came to me and asked me-
SPO guy- What have you told these guys ?
Me- What happened ?
SPO guy- He was saying kya banda hai yaar (What a guy !)
I was very confident about my selection, but did not receive any mail till 8 PM. I was in my wing chatting to my wing-mates, a bit disappointed, looked at my phone and saw a missed call at 6 PM. I called to that number. The call was from interviewer1, I was selected and these guys were calling for a snap. I reached to SPO right before there guys were about to leave.
Life went back to usual stuff after this. In next few months market crashed and my start-up failed. I ended-up joining at Deloitte.
I will always be thankful to my senior, to give me advice that night.
(Source: Quora)
