I Live My Dream, When I Believe I Can!

One day prior to Placements day:

Being one of the elite members in masters, received rejection from my college Placements Officer (PO) that “I am not eligible for the first company C”, because I don’t have first class in my high school, it was eight years back. I started discussing (fighting) with my PO for why am I not eligible. Why my fate is identified and defined based on my marks that too with eight years back. Eight years a long time, why can’t I learn and improve in this period of time. Why can’t they judge me now with my skills, knowledge and marks and not with eight years back numbers. I can be good now, even if I am not good eight years back. Consider me based on what I am now, not what I was eight years back.

My PO told, he previously tried couple of times, he received rejection from some of the companies and moreover none were selected. So, he stopped promoting. It is one of the top company in service industry. He doesn't want to do anything right now for me because he thought it may affect relationships with that company. PO is not ready to do anything. I felt, I am done here, but I want to ask one more time once for all. Even before I speak, an ANGEL (my classmate) joined the discussion and requested PO have a word with company HR team. If HR team agrees, allow me. She also reminded PO that, I did well in campus meet and was one of the finalist of mock selection process. Campus meet is a program. It helps students by giving an idea about placement process. Each year one company will come to my college and conduct mock selection process. Everyone can participate, there are no criteria because it is mock and not real. I did well in that process and one of the finalist for the event. After her explanation, PO agreed to discuss with HR team about my case. Next day, Placements day, I did not sleep well that night. Clock is ticking.

Placements Day:

During my college days, entire selection process will take place on the same day and results will be announced on the same day. I am ready and started to college like everyone. Written exam will start at 09:00 AM. Everyone is preparing for placements and interview process while I am waiting outside my PO room.

Time 08:30 AM, I heard the voices, PO and four other members coming from the room. PO introduces me to all as special case to consider. I remember one of the those, he is a senior HR and I met him during the event. He also recognizes me and smiled at me. As soon as I smiled back, he went straight to the point and asked me, “why should we have to give you a chance?”. Without a second late I responded  “If not, company “C” is losing a great employee” and I continued, “Give me the chance, I will come back with an offer letter”. Everyone around him (including my PO) got stunned with my response. He alone smiled again and told me to go ahead and write the exam. He informed his team members to allow for the exam. I started running towards examination hall.

This process evaluates knowledge in three parts: communication, problem-solving and technical. A booklet is handover to all students to fill out basic information, general questions and three sections left empty for three sections questions. Question paper for each part will be given at 30 minutes interval. Examination started, first part questionnaire was handed over to all and I filled my basic information, and I am working on first part. After 30 minutes, second part questionnaire is given to everyone. I am done in the first 15 minutes, and I am sitting idle, waiting for last part questionnaire.

Another ANGEL (exam Invigilator) came and asked have you done? I told yes, then she looked at my booklet and showed the generic questions are still blank. She told “you have time and why don’t you write something”.

Initially, I didn’t pay too much attention to these questions because they are generic. I thought there are no marks or value associated with them. After she told, I looked at the question once again; question is “How to improve...?”, I started thinking, first thought I got is a wall poster from my friend’s room, it is one of the quote from Swami Vivekananda. I just draw the image and I continued writing for other questions.

Time 06:00 PM:

There are 200+ students selected for final round. I am one of them, and I am excited for final round. All these students divided into batches. Some students are already started analyzing, advising how to be in HR round. Couple of them starting advertising me too. I can get through only if I get the HR, who is looking for more technical, because I am good at technical. Or my interview duration is small. They started identifying all possible permutations and combinations patterns and informing others.

My time has come, they called me for final interview and informed the room number. As soon as I heard the number, I remember that, this is the room everyone told as hardest one. I entered the room and I got nervous. I didn’t even wish fully and I feel tense, I choked. Interviewer easily understood my situation and offered me some water, and I accepted. While I was drinking water, he opened my answer booklet page where I wrote the image (refer above) and asked me to explain. I took long breath and forgot everything that happened just before that. I introduced myself again, then I started explaining all the details about it from where I learned it. And also I informed about my journey until that movement. We continued the discussion...

One of the HR team member come and knock the door to check, then only we realized that it's been more than one hour. He wrapped up with me. Before I leave I told, thanks for the water and I am really happy talking to you. As soon as I am out, I felt hungry, I didn’t eat throughout the day. I came out of the campus and I ate and then I went back to campus for results. Whereas everyone is waiting for the results in the campus.

I am Last and Happy:

It is a very long day. It took more time than usual to complete all interviews. All HR team members gathered in a big room and finalizing the list. I see every student eagerly waiting for the results. HR Team done with selected list of students. PO called everyone to auditorium for announcing the results.

HR team announced 106 members got selected out of all. They started reading all selected student names from batch by batch. Our batch is last to read. One hundred names announced from all other batches, only Six more left from our batch. Time passed midnight, its next day. They started reading names from our last batch. Everyone in the auditorium started counting 101, 102, 103, and so on. Echo is so high. I started thinking when they are reading first five names, and then they read last name. Everyone started clapping very loud I can't hear name fully. I felt it, it is me, but I am not 100% sure because of sound and one of my friends confirmed yes, it is my name.  I felt so happy after being last.

HR who talked to me in the morning, called me and to give the “offer letter”. PO is also so happy finally a student got it in the first attempt. I felt FULFILLMENT feeling “Yes, I believed, and I am living my dream today”. At that moment, I see everyone in the auditorium is so happy and living their dreams.

I am so happy and enjoyed every moment during this process. This is how “I ACCIDENTALLY SUCCEED IN MY FIRST ATTEMPT”.

What matters the most? Little Moments:

• Be Honest.
• Be yourself.
• Discover what is right for you and define it. Don't believe on what others are feeling right for you or defined for you.
• Avoid negativity, negative situations, but not people.
• Find out your WHY? How big is your WHY, your SUCCESS will be same size.
• Believe in yourself and go for it with a plan.
• Know why you have to fight and what are you fighting for: is it Situation, People and Cause. Situation is time bound, duration & results are small. People are superior to situations, duration and results are bigger than situation results. Cause is bigger than everyone and everything. It is not time bound and its results are bigger than your imagination.  If you need to fight, fight for a CAUSE. When you fight, FIGHT HARD. DON’T GIVE UP.
• When you put all your effort in the same direction, you can succeed in your first attempt itself. If not, take it as an opportunity: you got time to learn again. When you continue this, without your realization positive environment will be created. Success will come to you, no matter how hard it is.
• When your attempt is sincere, ANGELS (Luck factor) will come help you pass through it.
• Trust your instincts. Never doubt yourself and the PEOPLE who trusted you in your difficult times.
• Winning little moments is key to SUCCESS.
• Live Your Dream Every Day.

Leaders Believe in People Not in Numbers:

• Leaders understand everyone will have a setback time.
• Leaders focus on how they changed themselves from there. Leaders look for progress and improvements over a period of time.
• Leaders play long game by believing in Present, Future and learning from Past.
• Leaders have courage to stand up for what is right, for everyone.
• Leaders don’t go protocols, they believe in what is good, for everyone.
• Leaders ensures environment is a better place for all.
• Leaders believe number is just a metric. Numbers alone does not define anyone knowledge. People can improve over the time, but numbers won’t. In fact, number loses its value over a period of time.
• Leaders serves the people.
• Leaders give second chance.
• Change is Key.
• Leaders enjoys and celebrates other people success.

People who believed in me and what I fought for, opened the gate for special case students. I really need to thank my PO team, they keep continuing to work with special cases. It is LIFE CHANGING event for many people.

Authors Note: Whatever I did on that day, whatever effort I have put in to get there, there are five elements played  key role: “STAND, SUPPORT, CHANCE, GUIDE, HELP”. All these five people played their role in my life to live my dream. If you remember any of your memories during this reading, kindly share with me on [email protected].