Only positive attitude pays

An interesting news item... Highlights are appended below:

• The company selected only those who attempted at the most difficult question saying they are not looking for knowledge, but the right attitude in students. The Human Resource manager of the company reasoned that they were not interested in students who did not even want to take up challenges.
• Companies were looking for intelligent candidates and in this direction even minute details mattered....
• "Not many of the students walking in for an interview are keen to know much about the company. Every company's name was selected carefully by its founders, for eg., hotmail where all four letters - h, t, m and l - were present. "This was the reason why Sabeer Bhatia chose it,...

- Dilip.

Source: The Hindu, 16-03-2006

'Only positive attitude pays'

Staff Reporter

PERUNDURAI: "In the process of recruiting students, one of the top, well-known multinational software companies presented in the final round a set of three problems of increasing levels of difficulty. The company asked the students, best in academics, to attend only one of the three. Only a handful of them attempted at the most difficult problem, though all did not arrive at an answer. The company selected only those who attempted at the most difficult question saying they are not looking for knowledge, but the right attitude in students. The Human Resource manager of the company reasoned that they were not interested in students who did not even want to take up challenges."

This was what today's software companies were looking in students and, sadly, many of our young minds lacked, pointed out Jayaprakash A. Gandhi, a career consultant and education analyst. He was at the Kongu Engineering College on Tuesday to talk to the Computer Technology students.

Besides attitude, students were also either unaware or were not paying attention to details in interviews, losing good opportunities despite enjoying excellent academic records in the process.

"This is because students don't think. In the class only knowledge can be imparted. How do you expect your faculty to impart intelligence?"

Intelligent candidates

Companies were looking for intelligent candidates and in this direction even minute details mattered, he said.

"Not many of the students walking in for an interview are keen to know much about the company. Do have a little profile of the company for which you are applying," he told the students. Every company's name was selected carefully by its founders, he said pointing to hotmail where all four letters - h, t, m and l - were present. "This was the reason why Sabeer Bhatia chose it," he said and also talked of Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft and a host of other companies. Mr. Gandhi advised students not to have an e-mail ID with either fancy names or underscore (_). "When you have an underscore, it does not get highlighted in a html link form," he pointed out. He also urged students not to copy resumes and be truthful in their presentations. He also provided tips on dressing and body language. More than 250 students participated.