the Scavenger of Accenture

I was like this vulture during mid-last year in that sprawling inner space of Accenture, Mumbai. One bad year had passed since I graduated from IHM then.
A calm saturday afternoon of June. Never knew I would meet Vivek, Rohit, Shetty (Sushil), Neha and Chinchu (Leena), & Clifton some day. A few of those regular interview rounds that happen just for the heck of it before they absorb a guy to this tribe - the BPO workforce.
Just before leaving for this interview Hogan had suggested to carry two different resumes - one stating the 7 months of useless slogging-4-peanuts experience I gained in a 5 Star hotel, the other stating I'm a fresher. In any case, if these HR guys were to ask for the experience certificate, and all those crappy paper works , I wouldnt be having any as I was an "absconded" case in my previous organization. So just to get that job, would show another copy - that "fresher" thing. I made it because and only because of this. Thus Accenture embraced me. Thanks Hogan!! (I'd introduce him later).
ok! for those who don't know what the training sessions usually are for people who get on the floor for voice processes (the so called "call centre jobs"), here it is. First it all starts with grooming the person with the tid-bits of the culture, the people, their food, thought flow and finally the most gruesome thing - their native accents in English; then followed by the technical aspect of the process on which one would be working on. A few tests here and there, one final voice and knowledge test. That's it! - and off you hit the floor like Columbia hit Texas after an engine failure. So after selection, I had to start with this batch of guys - all new faces - for Voice and Accent. It's here I happened to meet Vivek, an Iyer truly dedicated to rock music as a Brahmin is to his daily chants; Rohit - this car crazy guy. Both of 'em from the same college.....I.T grads. Truly at the wrong place, isn't it? And Neha (Paatu as we address her pyaar se) , this Biotech grad; Leena, our chinchu who's this another Science product - both from Indore but got their placements in Mumbai. Then comes Cliffy! - the Clifton, hails from goa, a lot into backhands whether that's carrom or table tennes (tt) and Sushil this Shetty fella - a hunk of a hotelier father.
I don't want to detail about these guys' stay, their lifestyle and all that. But yes, it cannot be denied that we really gelled. Had those usual caf chats, carrom teams, cake cutting ceremonies, difference of opinions. Learnt some TT skills from Vivek. Two and a half months of pure fun. Accenture dayz!!!
It's been more than a year that we've left that place. I'd go on about this in a chronological order in the next post. However let me tell you - twas my second absconding case ha ha!
Leena's settled. Yeah! another way to say "happily married". Stays in Pune, but have had never a glimpse of her since she tied herself with this sacrament last November. Sushil's busy with things to leave the country for his post graduate studies. Vivek's happy- go -lucky, still thinking about his furthering after clearing his final year's KT. Rohit's done with his C-dac and now I dont know what he has running. Cliffy has returned to goa. Neha had a breakup with this dep. manager guy with whom ran a brief affair - as strong as that eggplant that withstood a tornado.
We met this June before Clif was about to leave for Goa. Last saturday, after this one unexpected call from Vivek, we (just Neha, Vivek n me met, others due to reasons couldnt). Had long conversations, enjoyed the uselessly expensive food at KFC. Vivek and I consoled her, offered some wisdom on how to stay smart with those "momma's boy" s n "Dadda's beta" s. We promised that we'd meet at Prudentials where Neha presently works, for interviews this monday. We gave her "taang, we ditched, niether went. She cursed. We'd meet again though, soon ... Just reminiscing the days when i behaved like a Scavenger in the Accenture caf: running behind these guys' sandwiches *laughs wholeheartedly*