Classes are restarting from Tomorrow. It really seems difficult to get up after the long hibernation. :)

Today I was thinking about my ISB life. Apart from the salary increase, role change, better future and the prestigious MBA degree that ISB has offered me, there had been a lot of learning for me that tailored me as a better Manager. I have understood not only what is happening in the world around me but also my inner side – my strengths and weaknesses. I was elated some days and depressed some days. Some days were real confidence boosters and some days my ego was beaten down to earth. It was like an iron rod beaten vigorously to from the desired shape.

Well, MBA doesn’t seem like an achievement to me, but as something essential to every human being. Those who have read my initial blogs could see how much my mindset has changed throughout this one year.

Campus is lazy ... So lazy that I haven't seen the campus as lazy as this before ... Interviews are going on ... Not many are left and this time there are a lot of non-IT companies too from a diverse set of industries ...

My next class is only on Monday and I didn't have any classes from Tuesday. I am enjoying this holiday by relaxing ... I get up at 12:00 PM and have lunch ... read some fiction and watch TV till the dinner and then watch some movie till 2:00 AM. This has been my routine for the past three days. I didn't even bother to dust off the course materials.

We visited Deloitte last Friday and were taken to Dinner by the Senior Management. I am pretty impressed with the down-to-earth Senior Management.

Ok, I have accepted Deloitte offer and am formally out of the placement process. I enquired about Deloitte and got a positive response from people working there. So, decided to accept the offer. So, now I am out of this placement tension and can blog regularly. I will visit Deloitte on Friday to see the infrastructure and get a feel of the type of work I will be doing. My joining date is fixed as May 9th.

Today I met Jaideep from Xansa, whom I met during preplacement talks. He told that he was expecting me in the interview. I explained to him that once we accept an offer, we cannot sit for further interviews. We had a small chat and I said to him that I might think about Xansa once Chennai center grows big. Really I don't want to settle in Hyderabad though it is better than Chennai in terms of water problems, temperature etc.

I got my first offer from Deloitte Yesterday Morning 4:00 AM. Big disappoinment was Amazon. Actually I cleared all the three rounds of interviews but finally was not given offer due to my low product experience. I attended Deloitte interview immediately after Amazon disaster and thought I wouldn't be doing it well. Somehow the interview panel was warm and extended me an offer as Senior Analyst. I wanted Asst. Manager role but it looks like they are not going to give it.

I bailed out of NIIT interview and will bail out of other interviews also where I expect the pay to be lesser than what Deloitte has offered. I will attend interviews selectively as I have to opt out of the placement process after the second offer.

Thanks for all the encouragement you guys gave me.

ISB placements started yesterday ... I really don't know whether I can give the numbers before ISB releases it officially ... As of now all I could say is that there were great consulting offers yesterday ...

Coming to my story ... I am still Jobless ... I was not blogging last week since I was preparing for Microsoft interview. It was a great disappointment that MS didn't even shortlist (resume - based) me. I was not shortlisted for CTS, Yahoo & Fidelity also and I think there is a major problem with my EOI/resume. Another reason could be my relatively low experience. Mostly students with 5+ exp are getting shortlisted.

I was shortlisted for IBM yesterday and cleared the GD part. The interview was very short (10 to 15 min) and I was asked fin questions. I had to explain them that I am a techie ( but have taken fin as second concenteration) and not that good in Fin. Somehow I screwed up the interview and was not given an offer. They have given double digit offers but I think acceptance will be very less as salary levels are very low.

Today I had Amazon interview. For everyone except me, it was very technical. But for me, there were not much (or should I say "no") tech questions. The interviewer was really good and said that it doesn't make sense to ask Java/ C++ questions to a Mainframe guy. The first shortlist would be out by Tonight. Then the shortlisted students have to fly to bangalore and there will be four or five more interviews. I am waiting for the results !!

I have also been shortlisted for Kanbay, whose interview is scheduled on Tuesday.