Your Opinion

Elders are always considered right in our Indian culture. Can an elder of the family ill-treat their children? By ill-treat I do not mean physical abuse here. We always here stories where about children ill-treating their parents and elders, but does the reverse happen as well?

Are You Right For The Job?

It's been a long time since I blogged. I guess I am going through a writer's block...but the problem is I am not a writer...do I still qualify? To top this, I have been busy interviewing people for a new company I am starting. So I thought just to break the ice, let me tell you about a couple of things that bothered me.

I am totally in for a casual friendly atmosphere at work and I conduct interviews in a similar manner - over a cup of coffee.Having said that, is it right for the candidates to be over friendly?

Like there was this one guy who came

1.5 hours late (after me checking with him 3 times), wearing casual clothes (shirt out). He kept laughing and showing a very casual attitude. Thankfully his work was good and so was the CV. But then again, was it a good idea to come late for an interview? (Note: the guy needs a job immediately as he is getting married in 2 weeks time and currently does not have a job). And was it a good idea to not inform me of the same?

Then there was this other guy who reconfirmed his attendance for the interview but never turned up! H says that's how people are over here - too casual and not bothered. But well this bothers me.

Once my fil told me that when he conducted interviews he would make sure he asked the guy to write something (to check he was carrying a pen) and to tell him the time (to ensure he was wearing a watch). According to him anyone who is serious about their work, would always carry a pen and wear a watch. I cannot agree with him more.

Other small things that matter in an interview or for that matter any meeting, are the courtesy to call an hour before the meeting to reconfirm, call and inform if you are running late (even if it is by 10 mins) and ask relevant questions. Relevant questions reminds me, there was another guy who got so friendly that when I told him we are hiring a team, he started telling me about his friends back home whom I should consider as well! I mean I appreciate the help and wouldn't mind checking them out, but hello isn't this a wrong time to promote your friend when you yourself haven't secured a job?

Sometimes I feel I should get more strict and ask the usual questions like "where do you see yourself in 5 years time", "what is your strength/weakness" - but then I believe these are predictable questions which we are taught to answer right from college! I remember in MBA we we wrote our CVs, went for mock interviews and got plenty of phrases which you can use to your advantage. Like "My weakness is that I am detail oriented" or "My weakness is that I cannot leave something unfinished. No matter how late it gets, I like to finish my work. So my colleagues get angry with me since they also have to stay back" (this was one answer I got from a candidate).

Another candidate had already ordered a drink for herself even before I reached the venue. Even though she had already paid for it, she was still meeting me for an interview. Is there any difference between a meeting and an interview? Is an interview more formal than a business meeting? Am I confusing the candidates by calling them to a cafe instead of my office for an interview? What is your opinion?

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Taggit!

Yes! I have been tagged by Reflections and Mampi! This one is about telling everyone about 5 things that I am addicted to.

When I first recived the tag, I thought this would be quite easy for me - at least the first three addictions came very easily...then I had to think more. I am now ready with all 5 so here I go:

1. I am addicted to Tea (yes tea and tea alone and not coffee...I hate coffee!). Green tea, Oolong tea, Jasmine Tea, English breakfast, Assam tea, Darjeeling tea, Lemon tea, black tea, tea without sugar - you name any tea and I will be happy to give you company to drink it. But all said and done nothing beats an Indian masala chai - esp with ginger.


2. I am an internet freak. Even though I was brought up in the 80s and 90s I now wonder how I survived without the net in those days! From my work to entertainment to research, I depend on the net for everything! Blogging is fast becoming an addiction too :)


3. Another thing I am addicted to is clicking pictures with my camera. I do not use my phone camera ever! But use my SLR at the drop of a hat! Most of our holidays snaps have H in it while I am busy clickng the pictures. Sometimes I tell him people will think you went there alone, coz he hates to click and so I am almost never in the picture :(!


4. Nintendo DS Light - yes I am addicted to my Ninetendo mainly because of Mario Bros. I grew up playing that game and now playing the new version has kept me hooked on to it once again. I love playing the mini games, and sudoku and mind games on my DS Light. I hate sharing it with any kid lest they spoil it!


5. Singing! I cannot sit quiet while listening to a song. If I know it then I HAVE to sing it along. And well most of the times I know the lyrics. H says I waste my time and brain space to store useless stuff! But well it comes naturally to me. I remember the lyrics of most songs and as I said I have to sing along if I know it. Whether it's a good or bad thing, is for the listener to decide :)

The rest of the instructions of this tag - The persons who have been tagged have to link the blogger who tagged them and also extend the tag to five or more bloggers and link them too.

So now I tag - MySpace, Renu and Nisha. I will also leave it open for anyone else who would like to take up this tag. Kindly send me a message so I can link you here as well.