Dear Readers,
I would like to share a candid experience regarding BPO interviews. I worked as a BPO executive in the initial years of my career. It was a fun ride with its twists and turns, and I'm sharing a twist of the ride. Hope readers enjoy it!
So here comes my story:
As I was graduating with a B.Com (3 years of Picnic Party and Pastime), there was a fashion wave of joining a BPO company and becoming a responsible member of the family and citizen of the country instead of the "nikamma, nikhattu, rich-dad's-brat-son" tagline. With all the telemarketing calls selling BPO jobs ringing throughout the day, offering you the dream job of working in a world-class infrastructure, fancy tall buildings of some "firangi" company or in short, "MNC"!!
Being a fresher, I could choose the company I wanted to work in (well, initially, any college-going dudes or babes knowing "putter putter" English think that). So, with confidence in my communication skills, I thought of going for an interview. I blessed one hapless tele-BPO-recruiter with a promise that I would turn up on time for a particular BPO interview at the company. I was excited and nervous to face the first interview of my life (I had no formal training, practice, nor advice on how to go about it). So, I put on my best denims, T-shirt, casual shoes, strong perfume (usually college-going dudes don't have formals in their wardrobe), and a one-page CV (well, a 20-year-old guy won't have much to boast about). On the other hand, the hapless tele-BPO-recruiter kept calling continuously to make sure I was on my way to the interview. She was so caring and concerned about me getting a job (I thought she was in love with me).
As I reached the BPO office, as dreamt, it was a fancy building covered in grey and blue alubond brackets, landscaped garden, clean and well-laid footpaths, air-conditioned waiting rooms—whoa!! I felt I was in Amreeeka! So, I introduced myself as a visitor for the interview, passed through Airport-Security-Type procedures, and was seated in the lobby area to await my turn to glory.
My name was called, and I walked towards my "ultimate-test." As I entered the interview room, there sat a pretty girl at the better side of the table. My soft skills came alive, and I said a formal "HI" as I entered the room. She commanded me to sit on the hot seat. I presented my CV to her smiling face. And after 16 seconds of screening, came the first question!
Pretty HR: Tell me something about yourself?
Confident Me: Well, hmm... What to say about myself! I'm 20 years young (Duhh! What was I thinking!!) pursuing FyBcom (happily), dad is working, mom is a homemaker, and hmm, that's it (I was at a loss of information about myself).
Pretty HR: OK! Why do you want to join this company?
Confused Me: Well... hmm!!... hmm!!... hmmm!!... This company is good! I like the building, garden, and ambiance (c'mon, I was honest). I want to start my career in an international company where I will get good experience (I thought that was some good answer, yeah!).
Pretty HR: What kind of experience?
Really Confused Me: Some good experience in working, you know! I'm a fast learner.
Pretty HR: OK! What are your future plans?
Confident Me: I wanna be a rich and famous businessman. Start my company and have a fancy office like this one (that was too ambitious of me to say it!).
Then followed a volley of cross-questions, dissecting my thought flow.
Pretty HR: OK! Are you fine with working in night shifts?
Sure Me: Yeah! I'm fine, I can work night shifts, will manage my studies (said that with a humble face).
Pretty HR: OK! I will put you through some communication tests in English. If you clear them, we can consider you for the Ops round.
Phew! I cleared the HR Round, whoa! That was some mean meeting. So, as she asked me to wait for 15 minutes = 1 Hour 45 minutes, I waited patiently in the lobby area, staring into blank space, wondering what the communication tests would be like. As I was asked to wait to anticipate the next level of assessments, I sat eagerly (I was expecting something to move in 15 minutes, remember!). Minutes turned into more minutes and eventually hours. I thought to myself, this may be some kind of test (patience test, I guess), maybe some camera is watching me, so I put on my best behavior, felt like wow, I'm in some cool big shot MNC.
Finally, the Indian restlessness got the better of me, and I inquired with the coordinator to give me a response about what was happening and when I was going to be put through another test! My concern was answered in another 45 minutes (every time I was told to wait just 10 more minutes).
As I sat in front of the computer laced with all applications to test my communication skills, listening skills being the most important of all, there was also a psychometric set of questionnaires. I felt I was being tested for some real big stuff, this is it! I'm gonna make a career choice. I wanna be in this company, forever till I breathe. Everything is so cool, pretty girls, smart dudes, fancy computers, furniture, etc. Tests after tests (Reading, listening, speech, and grammar) I cleared anxiously, curiously, happily!
By this time, half the day had passed. I was surviving on the junk breakfast I had early morning. I was tired (mentally and physically), so I was given a coupon to go to the company cafeteria and have some complimentary snacks. I was like wow! (free free!!) That's it! I wanna be in this company, till I breathe! I was already visualizing myself as part of the company as I admired other employees who were relishing their time-bound robotic break.
Fed and watered, I came back to the lobby area to join anxious and happy faces, also bid goodbye and wished luck to those who didn't clear the rounds. I felt I was in an audition, met some good souls from different parts of the country and life. Suddenly, my perspective on life began to change. Rejection scared me!
It was almost evening, and I could see the sun setting and activities increasing at the office. Waves and waves of smiling faces rushed into the office one after another through the turnstiles to go to their decorated desks and begin the day (actually night!).
I had achieved the most patient and calm moments of my otherwise fast and restless life. After probing further, I was told that the elusive Ops Manager, for whom we were waiting so eagerly, had finally arrived and had descended on his throne where he could decide our future! So, I walked through the fancy corridor to the interview room where sat a plum (I will call him fat) big round face, formally dressed, middle-aged man, wearing glasses of wisdom, experience, and skills looking at me. I knew I was being assessed non-verbally!!
I wish I had dressed in formals. Aaaw!! So, I squeaked a formal hello and followed to the hotter seat at the nervous side of the table. He screened my CV (I guess) and browsed through the scores I had achieved in the tests! He looked up at me and did a "Hmmm"!!
A typical start to the interview, like "tell me something about yourself?" I had mastered the art of replying to a few sets of predefined questions, which I was daydreaming (Art of Visualization) while I was waiting in the lobby area. OM seemed like a pretty chilled-out person contrary to what I had perceived. He inquired about my technical skills in computers (I'm an average techie), so I kinda convinced him of that. He also shared his concern about working in night shifts and managing the health part of it, to which I assumingly said I will manage. However, that was not convincing enough for him, as he didn't understand my formulas for managing studies, lectures, assignments, exams, work-shifts, transportation at odd hours, and odd seasons (monsoon and winter specifically). I also lost my ground on catching up with the American accent. I was putting up a fake untrained "Ahmehricaan akhsent" (duhh! it was bad) which did not impress him at all, and as the interview progressed, he was not convinced with me. However, I had goofed up.
We bid goodbye at the end of a healthy but disappointing discussion. With a heavy heart, I walked to the lobby area and sat as if I had lost the battle of the BPO interview. The feeling of rejection and worthlessness was clouding over me, but there was a thin ray of hope that kept my spirits up, as feedback was yet to come! Anxious and long wait of another 2 hours made me realize the values of a lot of aspects (Humility, Honesty, Patience, and much more indescribable) in life.
Finally, came the dreaded list of selects. All through the day, as I kept clearing the rounds, I was one of the important names on the list. Suddenly, I was not at all required. Names after names were called out of those who got the big ticket to this fancy factory. Smiles, cheers, and happiness all around me, except within myself. As I sat there looking at winners who made it to the finish line, a promising career and fat salary! I walked away to exit after accepting a sympathetic rejection. It was the longest and heaviest walk I remember, My First Rejection!
Opportunity lost, but lessons learnt!! I was not the same person as I walked out of that office. I looked up into the sky and thanked God for this experience. As I walked towards my bike...
I got a telemarketing call selling BPO jobs, offering you the dream job of working in a world-class infrastructure, fancy tall buildings of some "firangi" company or in short, "MNC"!! :-D :-D
Thanks for Reading!
Regards, Hussain
From Kuwait, Salmiya
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30I would like to share a candid experience regarding BPO interviews. I worked as a BPO executive in the initial years of my career. It was a fun ride with its twists and turns, and I'm sharing a twist of the ride. Hope readers enjoy it!
So here comes my story:
As I was graduating with a B.Com (3 years of Picnic Party and Pastime), there was a fashion wave of joining a BPO company and becoming a responsible member of the family and citizen of the country instead of the "nikamma, nikhattu, rich-dad's-brat-son" tagline. With all the telemarketing calls selling BPO jobs ringing throughout the day, offering you the dream job of working in a world-class infrastructure, fancy tall buildings of some "firangi" company or in short, "MNC"!!
Being a fresher, I could choose the company I wanted to work in (well, initially, any college-going dudes or babes knowing "putter putter" English think that). So, with confidence in my communication skills, I thought of going for an interview. I blessed one hapless tele-BPO-recruiter with a promise that I would turn up on time for a particular BPO interview at the company. I was excited and nervous to face the first interview of my life (I had no formal training, practice, nor advice on how to go about it). So, I put on my best denims, T-shirt, casual shoes, strong perfume (usually college-going dudes don't have formals in their wardrobe), and a one-page CV (well, a 20-year-old guy won't have much to boast about). On the other hand, the hapless tele-BPO-recruiter kept calling continuously to make sure I was on my way to the interview. She was so caring and concerned about me getting a job (I thought she was in love with me).
As I reached the BPO office, as dreamt, it was a fancy building covered in grey and blue alubond brackets, landscaped garden, clean and well-laid footpaths, air-conditioned waiting rooms—whoa!! I felt I was in Amreeeka! So, I introduced myself as a visitor for the interview, passed through Airport-Security-Type procedures, and was seated in the lobby area to await my turn to glory.
My name was called, and I walked towards my "ultimate-test." As I entered the interview room, there sat a pretty girl at the better side of the table. My soft skills came alive, and I said a formal "HI" as I entered the room. She commanded me to sit on the hot seat. I presented my CV to her smiling face. And after 16 seconds of screening, came the first question!
Pretty HR: Tell me something about yourself?
Confident Me: Well, hmm... What to say about myself! I'm 20 years young (Duhh! What was I thinking!!) pursuing FyBcom (happily), dad is working, mom is a homemaker, and hmm, that's it (I was at a loss of information about myself).
Pretty HR: OK! Why do you want to join this company?
Confused Me: Well... hmm!!... hmm!!... hmmm!!... This company is good! I like the building, garden, and ambiance (c'mon, I was honest). I want to start my career in an international company where I will get good experience (I thought that was some good answer, yeah!).
Pretty HR: What kind of experience?
Really Confused Me: Some good experience in working, you know! I'm a fast learner.
Pretty HR: OK! What are your future plans?
Confident Me: I wanna be a rich and famous businessman. Start my company and have a fancy office like this one (that was too ambitious of me to say it!).
Then followed a volley of cross-questions, dissecting my thought flow.
Pretty HR: OK! Are you fine with working in night shifts?
Sure Me: Yeah! I'm fine, I can work night shifts, will manage my studies (said that with a humble face).
Pretty HR: OK! I will put you through some communication tests in English. If you clear them, we can consider you for the Ops round.
Phew! I cleared the HR Round, whoa! That was some mean meeting. So, as she asked me to wait for 15 minutes = 1 Hour 45 minutes, I waited patiently in the lobby area, staring into blank space, wondering what the communication tests would be like. As I was asked to wait to anticipate the next level of assessments, I sat eagerly (I was expecting something to move in 15 minutes, remember!). Minutes turned into more minutes and eventually hours. I thought to myself, this may be some kind of test (patience test, I guess), maybe some camera is watching me, so I put on my best behavior, felt like wow, I'm in some cool big shot MNC.
Finally, the Indian restlessness got the better of me, and I inquired with the coordinator to give me a response about what was happening and when I was going to be put through another test! My concern was answered in another 45 minutes (every time I was told to wait just 10 more minutes).
As I sat in front of the computer laced with all applications to test my communication skills, listening skills being the most important of all, there was also a psychometric set of questionnaires. I felt I was being tested for some real big stuff, this is it! I'm gonna make a career choice. I wanna be in this company, forever till I breathe. Everything is so cool, pretty girls, smart dudes, fancy computers, furniture, etc. Tests after tests (Reading, listening, speech, and grammar) I cleared anxiously, curiously, happily!
By this time, half the day had passed. I was surviving on the junk breakfast I had early morning. I was tired (mentally and physically), so I was given a coupon to go to the company cafeteria and have some complimentary snacks. I was like wow! (free free!!) That's it! I wanna be in this company, till I breathe! I was already visualizing myself as part of the company as I admired other employees who were relishing their time-bound robotic break.
Fed and watered, I came back to the lobby area to join anxious and happy faces, also bid goodbye and wished luck to those who didn't clear the rounds. I felt I was in an audition, met some good souls from different parts of the country and life. Suddenly, my perspective on life began to change. Rejection scared me!
It was almost evening, and I could see the sun setting and activities increasing at the office. Waves and waves of smiling faces rushed into the office one after another through the turnstiles to go to their decorated desks and begin the day (actually night!).
I had achieved the most patient and calm moments of my otherwise fast and restless life. After probing further, I was told that the elusive Ops Manager, for whom we were waiting so eagerly, had finally arrived and had descended on his throne where he could decide our future! So, I walked through the fancy corridor to the interview room where sat a plum (I will call him fat) big round face, formally dressed, middle-aged man, wearing glasses of wisdom, experience, and skills looking at me. I knew I was being assessed non-verbally!!
I wish I had dressed in formals. Aaaw!! So, I squeaked a formal hello and followed to the hotter seat at the nervous side of the table. He screened my CV (I guess) and browsed through the scores I had achieved in the tests! He looked up at me and did a "Hmmm"!!
A typical start to the interview, like "tell me something about yourself?" I had mastered the art of replying to a few sets of predefined questions, which I was daydreaming (Art of Visualization) while I was waiting in the lobby area. OM seemed like a pretty chilled-out person contrary to what I had perceived. He inquired about my technical skills in computers (I'm an average techie), so I kinda convinced him of that. He also shared his concern about working in night shifts and managing the health part of it, to which I assumingly said I will manage. However, that was not convincing enough for him, as he didn't understand my formulas for managing studies, lectures, assignments, exams, work-shifts, transportation at odd hours, and odd seasons (monsoon and winter specifically). I also lost my ground on catching up with the American accent. I was putting up a fake untrained "Ahmehricaan akhsent" (duhh! it was bad) which did not impress him at all, and as the interview progressed, he was not convinced with me. However, I had goofed up.
We bid goodbye at the end of a healthy but disappointing discussion. With a heavy heart, I walked to the lobby area and sat as if I had lost the battle of the BPO interview. The feeling of rejection and worthlessness was clouding over me, but there was a thin ray of hope that kept my spirits up, as feedback was yet to come! Anxious and long wait of another 2 hours made me realize the values of a lot of aspects (Humility, Honesty, Patience, and much more indescribable) in life.
Finally, came the dreaded list of selects. All through the day, as I kept clearing the rounds, I was one of the important names on the list. Suddenly, I was not at all required. Names after names were called out of those who got the big ticket to this fancy factory. Smiles, cheers, and happiness all around me, except within myself. As I sat there looking at winners who made it to the finish line, a promising career and fat salary! I walked away to exit after accepting a sympathetic rejection. It was the longest and heaviest walk I remember, My First Rejection!
Opportunity lost, but lessons learnt!! I was not the same person as I walked out of that office. I looked up into the sky and thanked God for this experience. As I walked towards my bike...
I got a telemarketing call selling BPO jobs, offering you the dream job of working in a world-class infrastructure, fancy tall buildings of some "firangi" company or in short, "MNC"!! :-D :-D
Thanks for Reading!
Regards, Hussain
From Kuwait, Salmiya
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Thank you for such a lovely and candid post! It will be very beneficial to young, aspiring candidates who don't know what to expect in their first job interviews. We will share your story on our Facebook page at First Personality. I hope you have found your calling in a long and successful career.
Regards,
Prashant
From India, Khopoli
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Regards,
Prashant
From India, Khopoli
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