Interview-13: Stress Interview

In Stress interviews people assess how you manage pressure! Mainly your psychological strength!

We were bored with the interviewing. There was a 5 minutes break. Philips, the HR man, told us “Why should not we change the type of interview?”

We seriously looked at him with our eyes full of weariness. He came up with an idea.

“Sir, why shouldn't you take up the interview in your own style? We’ll keep mum. Just prefer to watch you.” It was an invitation to the grand old man there. He was a retired General Manager. Once we  nicknamed him “Terror”.

He was a man of perfection; so nobody could get an appreciation from him; instead what we could receive were brickbats even for our best performance. I could foresee what would happen to the next candidate. I could not avoid the smile. We were ready to observe the drama.

“So, you would like me to play the bad boy and villain. Then enjoy.” He accepted the role given to him.

“Sir, it is not for enjoyment. Let us test them on stress. All of us are your students. We learnt not only the stress and also the methods to cope up with them” HR replied.

“But I doubt your intentions. You want some comedy. Isn't it? Okay! Ask the next man Vimal kumar to come in.”

 Vimal entered the room after the usual “May I come in, Sir?”

We deliberately avoided looking at him.

 Terror ordered him “Be seated, Mr.Nirmal”. He looked tough and no smiles.

The young man was looking for some support and moved uncomfortably.

“Tell me about you?” was the first question hurled at him.

“I’m Nirmal kumar…”

“That we know  Mr.Nirmal. Haven’t you noticed I used your name when I asked you to sit down? So you are memorizing your answers for ‘tell me about you.”

“Sorry. I didn't…” he was subdued.

“No. What is the use of sorry? what are we going to do with you people in our company?” He turned to us and shouted “Tell me, What is the use hiring this fellow, who starts his answer like a parrot?” He was completely in full form.

The candidate’s face paled.

I could see his hands trembling.

“Tell me at least how do you think that you are fit for this job?”

“..Sir…I am B.Com, MBA…..”

So… What? Then do you think we are uneducated fools without MBA sitting here and wasting our time with you?” Our ex-GM barked.

The harassed young man tried to start “No. no… sir. I didn't at all …mean it. Very

 very sorry…” He fumbled for words.

Our Lion roared again “How many 'sorrys' are we to hear? Do you know when MBA was started and  whose concept was this one?”

“I …I…I don’t know”

“Either 'sorry' or 'don't know'! But you are an MBA. Are you not ashamed? You do not know who founded this concept of Management course? What did you study in your colleges? Just go there and sleep or send SMS to girls or forward some foolish jokes???”

“…………..”

“Do you know that there was a crisis in US? Now people are studying whether it was because of entry of MBAs like you. Do you know what the crisis was? Do you know what ‘Occupy Wall Street’ is?”

The boy almost kept looking for words or tried a weak smile! A failing smile!

The interview went on like this for 20 minutes. We had shared our secret grins in between and enjoyed the onslaught.

 ‘Okay .the interview is over. You can go.”

“Thank you, sir” he moved fast without turning back...

“Almost he  literally ran away. So,  Guys, you had your entertainment? What do you say?”

“Sir, actually he could not reply you. He doesn't have the knack of managing answers. He could not stand up against your downpour!”

We gave him average marks based on the C.V. and for Interview part: fewer marks only.

Terror further told “The boy might have called me a sadist, egoist and egotist after going outside”.
He did not know that we also referred to him with the same words or sometimes in real worse words ( cannot be published) when he was our boss.
I asked him "Sir,  Who is the management guru who founded 'management course'?"
"Who knows? I don't remember."  ' Terror' casually responded!

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 Peter Trekker: is the managment guru who introduced "Management" as separate subject.

Vocabulary corner: 

Sadist: A person feeling happy about others’ troubles, failures etc.

Egotist: A person always talking proudly about himself; always projecting him as the best person.

Egoist: One who always looks after, takes care of or promotes, works, plans only for his advancement in life.( Never thinks about others ); selfish; self centered.

We can’t call our ‘Terror’ as egoist or egotist.