Networking…Getting to know you

April 14, 2007: I entered ISB for the first time to pursue my MBA. I reached the main hall where registration was taking place. As soon as I entered the hall and looked around, I was shocked. I got nervous and whispered to myself, “My God, so many girls.” My pulse rate increased and so did the movement of my eyes from left to right to left. I noticed many of the guys were talking to each other as if they had known each other for years. I preferred staying quiet, and listening to other people’s conversations. Though all the guys seemed Asian, they spoke with a strong American accent. I felt like a “Gaanv ka chhoraa” who had come from Bihar to a place like US. “Gosh, these guys have all come from abroad it seems. How will I talk to them in an American accent? If I talk to them in my normal Bihari accent, they won’t even talk to me. It is better I keep quiet or ISB will disown me acknowledging its mistake in letting a Non-American in.”


When I was at one of the counters for my registration, a hot and a very cute girl standing behind me asked, “Which year did you pass out in?” My heart told my mind, “Sahi hai bete, line de rahi hai. Attitude dikha.” So, without even looking at her, I replied, “2005,” and moved on.


When I tried to match her picture to the girls in the profile book (this book has the picture and profile of each admitted student), I realized she was an HR consultant. Thinking I had a chance to know another hot girl, I waited for her to catch up with me which she finally did before we got into the next line. While we introduced ourselves, I realized she was no different from the others. “Another American at ISB,” I said to myself. Just to build some conversation, I asked her in my Bihari style, “Kya kar raha hai ye log? Aisa lagta hai bahut saal se jaanta hai ek dusre ko. Humse bhi bina matlab ke aakar ‘hi’ bol raha hai koi bhi jisko jaante tak nahi hain.” She replied, “They are NETWORKING…Getting to know you.”


It could be because of my average intelligence or because of my low work experience that I never realized why I needed to network. Four months down the road, I have realized how important networking is (I am being sarcastic ;) ).


I had my reasons for not networking during the first few weeks. I did try to network the first few days at ISB but met all the wrong people who screwed up my time and grades. At the first batch party, I was drinking and listening to other people talking. “Hey dude, I am Mr. X. We haven’t met yet,” one of the guys said to the other. The other guy replied, “What are you saying? We met at the dinner table yesterday.” This is exactly my point. For the first two weeks, everyone used to introduce himself/herself to scores of others in the name of Networking and the very next day used to forget everything. What is the point in wasting time knowing people who will not remember you or who you would not remember the next day, leave aside after ISB. I said to myself, “Let them network now. Networking karne se job thode he lag jaegi meri? I will network in the ‘second week’, once things settle down and we are divided into separate sections.” Call it my reluctance to talk to people or laziness or my bad experiences with some people who I tried to network with during the first few weeks at ISB, that ‘second week’ never came. Believe it or not, one of the guys (who had been attending classes in the same section as I was, for more than a month) was talking to me once. He asked me, “Which section are you in?” “Damn it…am I so unpopular?” I questioned myself and my popularity. “Cool it dude. I must be popular amongst the girls here,” I consoled myself.


Networking did try to screw me up when I had to apply for an ELP (projects that we do for companies). I did not have a team until the night before the deadlines for ELP applications. I could not apply to the first ELP offered on campus from a reputed firm because I did not know how good that firm was and I had missed the deadline for application too. Had I networked, I would have got to know it from my networks. Even for the team formation for ELP, I have been shooting emails to the entire student community to get in touch with other guys like me. I have been lucky enough to get offers from other teams; no, not because people know me but because people know my alma mater, IIT Roorkee. I have said it so many times to myself, “2001 mein jo accident (I got through IIT) hua tha, uski kamai abhi tak kha rahe hain. IIT brand name na hota to kya hota?”


Still wondering whether networking is important or not? The answer is, “It depends.” In your personal life, you never know who you might need and at what point of time. If you are good at developing and maintaining personal relationships, you should network. Do not waste your time if you cannot maintain relationships. In your professional lives, you can network with people who are in the same line that you want to get into. You need not network if you have faith in your capabilities and do not need favors to get to the top. In some cases, networking is a MUST, like, if you want to be an entrepreneur, you better start ‘NETworking’ or your business will be “NOTworking”.


To me, (if you look at the reasons people give for Networking), Networking is all for selfish reasons. You never network because you want to help people but because you want other people to help you when you are in deep shit.


If you thought networking could get you a job, think again. Will you offer any of your acquaintances a job just because you know him/her? Probably not. Imagine a second situation that happens in future: You and I were batchmates at ISB. You had heard I was a stud (just assume) in the field of manufacturing but we had never met or talked to each other. There was one other batchmate of ours at ISB who you still know very well but he is just average in the field of manufacturing. If you needed a stud, who would you go for, your acquaintance or me? If you would go for your acquaintance, you should network but if you would go for me, you should not worry too much if you are not networking. Having a decent number of acquaintances who slog out networking would suffice. That is the strategy I follow ;).


Despite the above stated negatives about networking, I love networking. Just read on and you will know why…


I have not yet mentioned, the most important point regarding how important networking is. For bachelors, networking can help you diversify the risk of suffering if you break-up with your girlfriend. It gives you a chance to own a diversified portfolio of female friends that will enable you to live happily ever after…


Oops!!! Happily only until marriage... :)

Ye hai meri kahani…khamosh zindagani... :(

[Part 1]

“How is life buddy? You must be chilling out with the hot babes there at ISB. Kitni patai? I wish I were at your place. You are so lucky, itni jaldi MBA bhi ho jaegi teri. Give me some tips about the application,” scribbled one of my friends in my orkut scrapbook. I was wondering how beautiful ISB appears to the outside world. I was one amongst these friends of mine 8 months ago jealous of people who were already at ISB. My pre-ISB life flashed in front of my eyes for the next 5 minutes making me nostalgic. There were several ‘Unanswered’ questions knocking at the door of my mind for at least an hour now. Was I better without an MBA? I started comparing the value of happiness in my life before landing up at ISB to the expected value of happiness in my life post ISB. Am I really gaining anything here or am I here just to add another brand name to my resume? It was 0300 hours and I was sitting in my room staring blankly at the case (case-study) I was to prepare for class the next day. The case was 40 pages long and I was through with just 3 pages. I had a class next day at 0800 hours. “I am sick of it yaar. Ever since I have joined ISB, I have not had a good night sleep. People think I am having a blast with the babes here but little do they realize, meri he blast ho rahi hai. I had thought I would make girlfriendS here and enjoy the last few years ‘of my life’ (read as ‘of my life before marriage’). I had dreamt of reading out my girlfriendS’ future from their palms. Saare sapne toot gaye :( . Instead of making girlfriends, I am making reports and instead of reading their future out of their palms, I am reading endless number of cases.”

Totally frustrated, I looked into the sky out of the window and asked God, “Despite being in a ‘Swarg’ full of fairies, why can’t I enjoy life here with them? What wrong did I do in life?” I got no answer. Perhaps, God has better questions to answer or he too has got into a B-School like ISB and has the same ‘Unanswered’ questions…

[Make sure you read Part 2 of this blog later this week :)]

The Grinding Begins...

I wish I had the time to narrate my first-day experience at ISB. I am time-starved at the moment but promise to come back with an interesting account of my experience on April 14, 2007, the day I began my one-year “Vanvaas” at ISB.

For the time-being, you readers [ if at all ;) ] will have to be content with this blog of mine.

We are into the 3rd week at ISB and it seems as if we have already spent 3 months here. At the end of the 1st week of term-1, I am still trying to figure out what all hit me this week. I have started realizing the value of each minute and the way things are moving, I do not think it will be long before I start realizing the value of each second. I had never thought life would be so interestingly miserable. Gosh! You have to read 3-4 30-40-page chapters and come prepared for each class and then you have assignments.

There are so many things here that can actually drain everything out of you (your mental balance too). For our stay at ISB until now, my life has been tougher than that of most of the people here mainly because the average age here is 27 and the average work experience 5 years and I am 23 with a work experience of 1.5 yrs, one of the youngest guys here. But then, life has never been easy for me, may be because I always choose the toughest path.

For all those non-studious guys like me out there, I told you all the bad things that are happening here. Let us talk about the good ones now. Every weekend we have parties in which we have booze flowing everywhere and then there’s the dance floor which is set ablaze by the stunning ladies who can drink more vodkas, whiskies and beer than you can. If you really want a partner for life, I bet you will get one here ;). We already have a few budding love stories here.

Two sides of the same coin, right? Despite this coin having so many negatives, I still wish to keep it in my pocket because I know this coin (ISB) is very precious.

Saawan ka Andhaa...

I had no clue of how depressing the day would be that day. It was December 15, 2006 and the final results for ISB MBA were to be declared.

At 0800 hours, I was busy dressing up to leave for Alibaug where I had to meet a supplier regarding one of my projects. There were 2 other guys going with me, one was a 45 year old IITD graduate and the other was a retired L&T employee (from an unknown college). We were going in an INNOVA. Both of them sat in the front row while I was sitting alone in the second row. To my pleasant surprise, the car stopped after an hour in front of a beautiful lady who must be around 27 years of age. God does listen to honest prayers. This was proved when that lady sat beside me. When my 2 old friends started talking amongst themselves, I thought I would entertain my young lady. Not long before we started talking, she told me that she was the wife of the German fellow we were to meet in Alibaug. I took my evil eyes off her (the success of my project was more important than a short-lived relationship with her). I felt a little odd because my 2 old friends were calling her “Ma’am” while I was calling her by her name, ‘Shama’ (Gosh, could any name be sexier?).

It was 1000 hours now. I said to myself, “Screw everyone yaar. I still did not get any SMS from ISB about my selection or rejection. I do not want any girl. Give me my ISB result God.” God was probably listening to someone else’s request that time. My request was turned down. No SMS, no calls from anyone. Depression was creeping in but I tried to keep my happiness afloat using the young, graceful lady, who sat by my side, as my life-jacket. She definitely qualified all my cut-offs, the reason why I kept talking to her. Had she proposed me, I would not have thought twice before saying ‘Yes’, such was the sorrow of my probable rejection by ISB that was slowly making its way into my heart. I had now started consoling myself, “Had I got selected, I would have received an SMS by 0900 hours. This implies I did not get through despite my seemingly strong profile and a good interview. Never mind, I will apply to other B-schools before January and get through. ISB is not the last school on earth.” :(

We finally reached Alibaug at about 1200 hours and the ‘Pleasure’ of my ‘Tensed Pleasure’ during the entire trip ended leaving me ‘Tensed’ (Shama took the ‘Pleasure’ part when we parted at the German guy’s place). We met the German guy who was very enthusiastic and energetic. We talked a LITTLE about our project too. We finally set off for his beach house where we had some beer with fried fish. The beach was beautiful and clean with some sports cars, which he had made for some rich Mumbai customers (you know, the Ambanis and the Tatas keep buying such crazy stuffs), parked. I rode his four-wheeler bike and drove all his cars along the beach at great speeds skidding the cars while making a turn and trying to my mark at least on the sand. I tried to drive out the frustration that was now getting intimate with my heart. I ordered myself to enjoy the present to the hilt. “Maybe, I am destined to have a few girlfriends in Mumbai too. So, let’s enjoy life and the next 1.5 years in Mumbai,” I said to myself. :)

“Tring-tring”, finally a call from someone. I picked up the phone only to find one of my colleagues, who had applied to ISB, on the line. “Where are you? What about the result Abhishek? You must have got through,” he said. “I have not received any SMS from ISB until now which implies I have not got through. Did you receive any SMS regarding your result?” I replied. My cracked dreams shattered when he told me he had received an SMS informing him of his selection. I congratulated him on his achievement and pretended to be normal despite getting the confirmation of my rejection. I had always maintained that this guy’s and my selection were mutually exclusive events because we were both in the same SBU in L&T, and there was no reason why ISB should take both of us (unless ISB valued my entrepreneurial ventures and extracurriculars).

My parents wanted me to get admission for my MBA soon but in a good school. I wanted them to feel proud of me and here I was screwing their dreams. I had however never told them that I had already had my interview and the results would be out on December 15.

On my way back, the lady again sat beside me but I was least interested in her now. All along my way back, I kept thinking how I would spend the next 1.5 years at L&T. I reached Mumbai and finally the flat I stay in. I planned a party right then with one of my friends to get rid of the frustration that was flirting with my heart and celebrated the GOOD NEWS of my staying in Mumbai for another 1.5 years.

I returned home late at night. I could not sleep despite a couple of vodka shots I had had before my dinner. How could I? I had just discovered my heart was pregnant with my frustration’s child. I kept chewing the issue. “I will not lose heart. I will start all over again,” I told myself. I started thinking about the schools where I would apply in the 2nd round. It was 0400 hours and sleep still eluded me. I kept discussing with myself, “What could be the reason for my rejection? Was it because I just had a little over 1 year of work experience, or was it because I showed a little attitude during the interview?” I did not check my email because I did not want to read that “Sorry, we are unable to offer you a place at ISB…” email. I remember lying awake until 0430. What happened for the next hour and a half, I do not know.

I suddenly woke up at 0600 hours and for no good reason, I picked up my cell. There was an SMS. “Happy staying in Mumbai dude. Must be some new chic who must have got your number from orkut,” I said to myself and opened the message. I noticed my eyes turn bigger, my mouth open and my pulse rate increase :-o. The unborn child of frustration had been aborted at 0500 hours. The message read, “Congratulations. You have been accepted into the ISB’s One-year PGPM which commences on April 14, 2007. Please check your email for the details.” No, I was not half asleep and I was not dreaming. There was a feeling of excitement down below in my body at a location I cannot disclose. I called up my home to give this great news of my selection. “Hello, Ma?” I said. “What happened? Is everything alright? Why have you called up so early in the morning? Tabyat to theek hai na beta?” Ma fired so many questions all at once. After assuring her that I was alright, I finally gave her the good news. I could sense the happiness and satisfaction in her voice.

After giving her the news, I hung up. The world came crashing down on me when a possibility, the probability of occurrence of which was pretty high, struck me. I always take my friends’ cells, delete my number from their cell phones and then send them messages like, “Congratulations. You have won free tickets to Singapore…” from my cell and ask them to call back for details. Was someone having his revenge? I had told my parents that I had got through. If they now find that the news was not true, how would they feel? Before making further calls to my loved ones, I logged onto the net. Oh, there it was, lying in my inbox, an email from ISB. Still surprised at the selection, I logged into my ISB account just to confirm that the email and SMS were not sent to me by mistake.

Everything seemed great. The morning had never been so pleasant. A big burden was off my head now. I reached my office on time after a long time on December 16, 2006 with my head held high. But as soon as I reached my office, I noticed that every building in L&T was painted green. I turned around and noticed all the vehicles were painted green, even my bike. “Today isn’t Holi?” I said to myself confused. Just then, I heard my soul whisper, “Saawan ke andhey ko sab hara hara dikhta hai.” ;)