June 12th, 2006 - It all started on July 24th, 2006, but let me take you a few days back. June 12th was the day my juniors and all my teaching faculty were bidding me farewell, for the last of the exams finished on June 11th. Before the felicitation began, I was happy and a part of me sad as well at the same time, but most importantly, I was tensed because the result of my job interview with Infosys HR was not yet out. About an hour before the felicitations/celebrations, I got a call from an unknown number, and the lady claimed to be an INFOSYS HR; She asked if I was VISHAL JHA to which I said yes, and then I waited for her to utter the next words, which, for me, were taking longer than eternity making my heart beat faster than the fastest F1 car. And then she said " Congratulations Vishal, I am pleased to tell you that You have been selected for a role in Infosys; other details will be communicated to you via email."
I was on cloud 9; I called my parents, my wife (my GF at that time :)), and everyone I knew to share the GOOD news, rather, the best news of my life. All the tension had been replaced by excitement and happiness, and I went to the farewell ceremony, finding it hard to stop the smile on my face. I was the poster boy of my department for I held the record of being a topper of my class for the entire 4 years of engg life (I dont care if you think I am bragging, this achievement deserves bragging) and My HOD, along with other professors, was all praises for me during the felicitation. This was an icing to the cake.
After the college, I only had about a month before I was to REPORT for my FIRST JOB, as per the email I received from Infy HR. So I went to visit my GF in Delhi and then went home.
July 23rd, 2006 - I reached the hottest (literally, not practically) and the dirtiest place in India, Chennai - I was to report in Chennai!!! After researching I found a route to the hotel Infy had arranged my stay for the first 14 days. I entered the hotel reception and the receptionist, after registering my details, gave the keys and told me that I will be sharing the room with another guy - My room mate for next 2 years, Pratyush Ravi.
July 24th, 2006 - The day it all started. First day on the JOB. Well, to be honest, it was boring, and seemed like one of the lectures from college, only that it was too lengthy. The only good thing I thought that happened was my SALARIED ACCOUT was opened :) .
The next three months were not quite different from college, all study and exams. Some people, unfortunately, had to resign for not successfully completing the training. I, fortunately had it in me like many others, who completed the training and were now ready to work on real projects. At this time, there were two things in most people minds, the first one was to get out of Chennai and second alternative to at least get into a project. I didn't have any for about 6 months, and this was the time when I shifted from a happy, excited, nervous period to a period of FRUSTRATION. Finally, a project came our way; me and Vyas were selected by my first PM, RK. The project lasted 1 month at max. Vyas was moved to a different division; and I finally got the first REAL PROJECT, in the RBS Account. It was a period of learning for I got to know the way people are supposed to work, behave, etc.
After around an year, the projet got over and I was back on BENCH, and by this time my GF had come to Bangalore. This was a period of desperation for me. I was on BENCH at a place I hated.
Finally, I got to know about a walk-in interview at Accenture, which I attended, although without preparation, but I was selected (2 on 2 :)); back to happy times and this interview filled me with a sense of confidence. I hadn't felt this confident before, confidence to find a solution to any problem.
3rd September, 2008 - I disembarked on a new journey with Accenture, which has been a fairy tale for me so far, except for a few odd instances, I dont think about much.
And now, back to July 24th, 2011 - In the US on an H1B, alone, sometimes sad, sometimes lonely, but this did give me time to look back the past 5 years and I do feel a sense of ACHIEVEMENT. Life is all about experiences and it feels good to tell that I have 5 years of them, not just the professional, but the other types the professional experience brings with it.
-VJ
