Work stories: My first job — A Black Swan Event

I got my first job in a walk-in interview. I remember scantily but the staff room assigned for the candidates was crowded and lacked enough chairs to seat all. My naive probability calculations hinted at me getting the job as a Black Swan event.

My turn comes around 4 p.m, almost fag the end of the hectic day, appearing before a weary interview panel. I am surprised to find one of the interview panel members as my acquaintance — a professor at another college whose kid is tutored by me.

I was asked a few subjective and a few open-ended questions. This is back in August 2001.l and may be my memory is failing me.

Factors that lead to my selection:

a. Coincidence that the panel has an acquaintance, a very formal and restricted relationship, but that involved the guy’s kid.

b. Dr. Bhati felt like finding someone from his region far away in Hindi land, Indore- Punjabi bros longing for bonding.

c. The panel hardly had any Finance guy who actually wanted to test the knowledge of the subject.

d. I was destined to start my work life as an academician. God has his plans as he prepared me for more random career experiments in the future.

(We all attempt connecting dots in retrospect as logically as possible. I will attempt it differently, maybe beyond any control of mine.)