Being a Recruiter: Blog # 49

Being a Recruiter

I would be lying if I say I had never given a thought as to how that moment will feel like. It did transgress my mind space quite often. But what I didn't know was that it would feel so great to stand in front of a 1000 strong audience in my Alma mater’s auditorium; being a recruiter.

The Sunday evening’s calm welcomed me and my friend Raghu at Planet E(that's what we fondly call the invitingly lush village of Ettimadai). As we drove in to the all too familiar road carpeted with the yellow flowers and bordering the university building, we knew we were home. We met some of the super seniors, thanks to the ongoing Alumni boot camp. It was heartening to know that there were some souls in each of the batches that preceded ours who longed to rush back to the foothills of planet E as much as we do, if not more.

We knew the juniors would have something up their sleeves. This time, it was a cultural event which had ‘Best of Utsav’ performances and boy, there was some serious talent on stage. Determined to meet up our professors, Kulkarni sir and DG sir,(whom we missed out during the convocation) Raghu and I marched past the store and the ashram to reach the faculty quarters. As is always, had a soulful chat with both the marketing gurus.

The next day morning, I came down to the guesthouse reception to be welcomed by a peacock in all its glory right at the door step. I realized planet E is a different world altogether, yet again.

         To quell a hint of apprehension that crept in early in the morning,I went to the faculty quarters to meet DG sir (as always). All it took was a hug to get my reassurance back in place that the Murphy's law won't wreak havoc.

Being in that auditorium where I sat through my convocation a week ago, now representing an organization, seemed surreal. There were quite a few familiar faces. I have each moment I spend there, tucked away in some corner of the happy place in my mind.

Each second seemed momentous. Be it interacting with the CIR personnel with whom I was discussing my job prospects hardly a year ago or going around in the golf cart on which I hopped on for a fleeting moment asking Vivek to take a quick pic, everything felt so wonderfully weird. Add to that, administering the test process for people with whom I have shared a PG hostel and had many a tea with.

Having got a break from the process, I walked through the stone laid pathway behind CIR block which lead to ASB, my B-School. Kulkarni sir walked in when I and our junior Geethu were having a tete-a-tete with Priya mam. As expected, sir made some veiled (and not so veiled) digs at HR, all in jest J.

The office staff were as welcoming as ever from where, I went for a quick tea at the canteen, just for the fun of it. After a small chat with some of the ASBians there, and post the process, we retired to the guest house.

Having had dinner, the whole team came out for a walk. With a hint of pride in my stride, I took all of them past the university building to the football ground and back to the guest house via the ashram. It was then that my Lead, Dinesh wondered how beautiful these mountains would look in the morning.

Before hitting the bed, I spend some time in the balcony which over looked the long road that came in to guest house. Sitting there listening to the creatures of planet E and the cool ettimadai breeze brushing past, I secretly wished if Dinesh would forget about the morning walk ;) .

I woke up to the morning train’s siren. We walked till the IT block recounting various incidents which made our campus life worthwhile, all the time admiring the elephant mountain basking in the twilight sun. The clouds moved at their own will revealing and hiding the twin mountains that marked the campus boundary.

The second day was even more unbelievable. Signing offer letters from the very same room where I awaited many a companies’ results and sitting through an interview in the room where I was interviewed!

Having finished the process by around 6, I came out for a walk and then for a Dosai and tea from the ASE canteenJ. I sat down at the ASB entrance making a couple of phone calls and sending out some smses when a girl and a boy walked up to me. Very sweetly, they said they just wanted to thank me for coming there and recruiting them. That moment, I knew I am doing a job that is real close to my heart.

Walking around aimlessly, I learned every corner, every road, every building in that campus reminded me of two years in my life which will rank right at the top, if I were to look back at the best years of my life.

The next morning too, we went for a walk. This time, I decided to take Dinesh to the Ettimadai village and walk back through the railway station. As we approached the gate, the security bhaiyyas let out a “hmmm??” with a hint of irreverence which gave way to a smile when I pointed at the welcome board kept at the entrance. There were quite a few light hearted moments like these which made the stay all the more pleasant.

When we stopped at the railway gate waiting for the train to pass by, I looked back at the elephant mountain promising myself I wouldn’t be gone for longJ.

                       

                                                                                                                        Arun Babu

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