Abhishek Shah - The Interview

 

So, I graduated at a very good time, which was in 2008, [audience laughter] the peak of recession. I was on the student visa, and I had one year to find a job or I would get outsourced, [audience laughter] or deported back to my country. So, I had no option but to find a job. I tried all the options. I went tried any place I can get an interview. And after a lot of hard work, I finally got a call for an interview. 

 

Now, it was really tough, because I had to all get dressed up and wear formals instead of T-shirt and pants instead of jeans. Like, I didn't even know how to iron my clothes. So, I decided to buy a new suit for my interview. But it came with a 14-day written policy, so I had planned that I return it the next day after my interview. 

 

So, I wanted to make sure that the interview goes perfectly, because I didn't want it to screw up my interview. So, I made sure that everything is perfect. Like, my interview was here in Boston, so I learned everything about the football team, or the hockey team, and the women ice-skating team, like everyone. [audience laughter] I made sure. I even googled like how to shake hands like a man. [audience laughter] Because I didn't want to leave anything up to anyone. I just want to make sure that everything is perfect, and I get the job. 

 

So, I went for the interview. There were like four interviews. First three interviews was by the colleagues, and the fourth interview was the most important interview, which was by my future manager. So, I gave all the first three interviews. I talked about weather, and football team, and everything, and I made sure that I impress everyone. And then, I went to the fourth interview. And by this time, I was very confident that I'll get the job. He asked me all the questions, I answered it. He looked very impressed, and I was very confident that I have this job. And then, he said, “Let's go for a lunch.” So I was like, “Okay, yeah, let's go for a lunch,” because I know how to use fork and knife. [audience laughter] I know how to put handkerchief while sitting. I made sure that I knew everything. 

 

But as soon as we went there, it was a sushi restaurant. I did not learn how to use chopsticks. I was like, “How do we use--” I have never used chopsticks in my life. And he was like a pro. He was eating rice with chopsticks. [audience laughter] So, I was like, “What do I do? I have no time.” So, I just decided [audience laughter] that I'll just observe him. He had also brought the HR people and there were other colleagues as well. So, we were all there for the lunch. I was just observing everyone on how they were using chopsticks. Anytime I get really tensed up, I would always say one Mississippi, two Mississippi, and three Mississippi for some reason, [audience laughter] because that always helps me to calm down. 

 

I remember we all got our lunch, I had tofu. I was only concentrating, like from the bowl to my mouth. I just want to make sure that nothing falls off the chopsticks. I was so concentrated on that at one point, my manager was talking that we had lost $3 million last quarter. I was like, “Mm-hmm, nice.” [audience laughter] I ate the first tofu. It went directly in my mouth, perfectly. Then second one, one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi. And one after another, I ate and I started gaining confidence. And just when I was at the last tofu, it came here and the chopsticks flipped, and the tofu went up in the air, [audience chuckles] and the wasabi sauce got detached, like the satellite detaches from the rocket. [audience laughter] And then, the tofu did four somersaults in the air. It was going to land on the chicken soup where my manager was eating. [audience chuckles] 

 

So, I thought, [audience laughter] let me take it before it falls there. But by mistake, I hit this chicken soup, and the whole soup fell on his clothes. There was a complete silence. [audience laughter] And then, I was like, “Sorry.” [audience laughter] I know I had messed up everything, because the next interview is like, “Oh, these chopsticks.” And I realized that I have now messed up the whole interview. I knew that I had messed up because the rest of the conversation while we were going back to the interview room, anything I said, he was like, “Mm-hmm.” That's all he said every time. 

 

So, I knew I had messed up my interview. But I wanted to make sure that I don't lose this opportunity, because I got it after a lot of hard work. So, I wanted to make sure that I don't miss the opportunity. So, while I was waiting in my interview room for the last interview, he came in the interview room. Before he could say anything, I was like, “Give me one more opportunity. I'll confirm two things. One, I'll never have sushi with you again. And second thing, I can bring lot to the table and I can offer a lot of things.” And he was like, “Okay, what can you offer? 

 

I was like, “Well, I can bring diversity in your group. All your clients are from India, so I can talk to them in my local language, and we can really work this out.” So, he said, “We will think about it. But you have to give me $3.50 cents.” I was like, “Why?” He was like, “Well, I have to laundry my shirt and my pants and also dry clean it.” I was like, “Well, I don't have $3.50 cents.” He was like, “Well, don't worry. Bring it when you come here on your first day of your job.” Thank you.