The Scholars’

Avenue

Placement Placement ‘‘07 07 Special IssueSpecial Issue

Team Scholars’

AvenueExecutive Editors: Riti

Mohapatra, Saahil

Bhanot, Umang

JainEditors: Aditya

Marathe, Anuj

Dayal, Arish

Inam

Khan, Robin Anil, Sheekha

Verma, Sreeja

Nag, Suvrat

BafnaAssistant Editors: Anup

Bishnoi, Deepak Cherian, J.S. Deepthi, Mithun

Madhusudhan, Pranesh

Chaudhary, Srinath

Sinha, Vinayak

PathakReporters: AVN Murthy, Bharat

Bhat, Dheeraj

Golla, Mayank

Kedia, Pallavi

Jayannavar, Sankhya

Mohanty, Siddharth

Singh, Siddharth

Prabhu

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It's placement time again! And like every year, tensions are running high –

lots of questions and lots of doubts leading to lots of confusion. With a packed schedule of visiting companies, we know that it is a tad difficult to keep track of the specific details related to each of these companies. We wanted to bring to the final years the above information about recruiting organizations in our placement special issue. The motivation to bring out such an issue is simple. Amidst all the rumors huge amounts of misinformation might prevail. This issue is to get you the low-down from the horse's mouth.

What we aim to achieve is to help you know what it takes to make it to a particular company and what the companies are actually looking for in candidates.

Secondly, to inform you about certain tips and/or last-

minute preparation guidelines that could make or break the offer. Finally, this issue should help you evaluate what profile actually suits your interest, see for yourself through people working in a particular company what honestly the work is about and whether it is all that it is made to be in campus or something even better.

The information published in this issue has been collected from recent graduates in several companies. Many could not reply due to constraints of the companies HR policies, other because of a paucity of time. The answers

displayed are in response to a set of questions that was sent out to them or asked during a telephonic conversation. We would like to thank all those who found time to respond to our queries and to furnish information on a short notice. This issue would not have been possible without their help and co-operation. We would also like to put in a word of thanks for the PlaceComm

who are doing a commendable job. Student involvement is a

relatively new phenomena and it has definitely smoothened the entire procedure of placement.

This is our first attempt to provide you with inputs from our alumni regarding the placement procedure in one place. We are sure the final years would have done their share of research and this might add to the same. Also, this issue will prove most helpful in order to view the different profiles being offered vis-à-vis one another. This is of course not an extensive list of companies but, would

provide valuable pointers in way of what needs to be done or how you should be prepared for each type of company.

While we hope you find this effort helpful and useful, the best way to help us in later issues would be if one year down the line you could provide us with such feedback. For suggestions/complaints please write in to us at editor@scholarsavenue.org.

Wishing the final years the very best for this placement season!

Wishing you all the Best! ☺

Interview of VP, TSG……….02Alumni views•Fair Isaac……………………...03•Google…………………….......04•Barclays’

Capital…………........04•Transocean………………….....05•Deutsche Bank ………………..06•British Telecom………………...06•Schlumberger……………….....07•Bain & Company……………...08•GE –

JF Welch Tech Centre…..09•I-Runway……………………...10Work culture @ Fair Isaac.. 11

>>> INSIDE THE ISSUE

The Scholars’

Avenue

Disclaimer: The views expressed here-in were provided in an individual capacity and are not necessarily endorsed by the employer.

1

•Quite a few of the final years feel that the website has not been adequately tested and hence there are very visible flaws. Apart from this the resume editing is not very convenient.I knew I was only going to be here for a year. The plan for having a website had been in the pipeline for more than 5 years. I knew once it was running it would be permanent and the flaws would be smoothened out in time. We had made an alternative system for companies visiting the campus in the first few days. We had asked students to submit their resumes so that we could create a back-up. We also now have a system for students to upload resumes in the format they want for each of the companies. Most of the students have registered (barring 17). At present I can safely say there are no working flaws. If there is a problem, anyone can contact us

(Placement Committee Members).

•A ‘Tech team’

has been put up for the placement season. What is the role of this team and how is it functioning?The Tech team is purely website related, responsible for the making and running of the website. The website being a first time thing, a dedicated team was necessary. The Tech team has supported us in maintaining the website, as in making corrections and updating it as per people’s requirements. One member of the tech team will be

present throughout the month of December to manage the website. The ‘Placement Committee’

company has been formed to keep frequent backups of the website. The Tech team will focus on making the system more convenient once the initial rush is over.

•The Placement Committee was rated 3.5 on 5 in a pre-

placement survey we conducted recently. Your view on this.Considering that it is a newly introduced system, 3.5 is a decent score although I would personally rate it at 4.5. It has increased the number of participating companies by nearly 50%. 170 companies have already confirmed participation and the final number may be anywhere

from 220 to 250 by the end of the placement season. This is a commendable increase from the total figure of 150 companies last year. The number is rising to 8-9 everyday compared to the 5 last time.

•What are the arrangements in place for the placement

season?

With respect to accommodation, rooms in AMCEDP and Tech Guest House have been booked for the company representatives. The process has been shifted to the Vikramashila

and Takshashila

complexes to bring in

more interview rooms. 24 rooms here will be used for conducting interviews. There will be food and drinking water stalls and rest room facilities for students to help ease some tension during the hectic schedule. A shoe polishing machine or person might also be there. The

slotting of the interviews has been carefully done and no student will have to sit for more than 5 interviews on a single day.

•How would the placement committee be organized during the placement season?There are at present 8 people in the committee. We have plans to recruit 10 more 4th

year dual-degree students and some 30 odd 2nd

year volunteers. All Hall Presidents have been asked to recommend names. The responsibility will be divided among them and they will get free food and some monetary compensation.

•There is a complaint that the placement committee has mostly ignored the M.Tech

students. How true is this

allegation?We have worked for the M.Tech

students as well. We had asked for a complete list of students from all departments but this endeavor was not very fruitful. But the number of companies hiring M.Tech

students only has also increased this time. This is especially true for students of CORAL, RGSIOPL and Aquaculture. There are also companies like KnightFrank

which don’t offer a very attractive financial package but are recruiting for high end positions such as Research Head and so on.

•Accessibility also seems to be one of the problems plaguing the placement committee.A query section is up and running on the website. Starting a forum is not very practical due to possible misuse. One of the reasons why people get information late is the formal procedure associated with it. We cannot put up any notice till the company gives a written confirmation which usually comes very late. So this is something which cannot be helped.

•Regarding the authentication of CVs, are there any new measures in place this time?The problem is with extra-academic achievements for

which no database exists. To check this, the Gymkhana will keep records of all extra-academic activities. Apart from this, the HCM, core team members and Governors of societies can be asked to verify the records of people applying for top-notch companies. Any company can ask for any certificate at any time.

Getting the Placement right!VP-TSG in conversation with Team Scholars’

Avenue

2

KBR Kashyap2005 BatchB.Tech. CSERK Hall

•What was the Selection Procedure of Fair Isaac like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about? First, there was a screening test with some really interesting math problems and puzzles. Then, there were three rounds of interviews, two technical and one HR. In the technical interviews, my problem solving skills were put to test with more puzzles and math problems. In the HR interview, I was asked about my background, interests and hobbies.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates? I think they were looking for people with strong analytical skills. They also wanted to see how good a person was in his area of interest.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview? The test did not require advanced knowledge in any discipline and the interviews were mostly about my areas of interest. So, I did not have to prepare at all.

•How has your experience been so far at the company? I have been working here from the time I passed out from IIT Kharagpur

and have enjoyed my time here. I met some great people here and learnt a lot from them. I have been involved in activities like conducting programming and puzzle contests and I really enjoyed them. Most importantly, my work has been appreciated, which is the bottom-line.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory? The compensation is above par in the market and comparable to other big brands.

•What exactly is the package you started on? Rs. 4,70,000 per annum, excluding relocation bonus.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company? People development is given a lot importance here and there is a good framework built around it. There are various career paths that people can take and there are processes to facilitate this. For instance, there are different targets for people who want pursue people management and those who are interested in technical fields. There are frequent trainings, both technical and non-technical, for people to develop and acquire new skills.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere? People are very friendly and approachable. There is

quite a bit of flexibility in the timings. But since most

people work in teams with 5-15 members, they have to be synchronized with others. There are several awards to encourage good performers; each has its own importance and monetary benefits. We also have several events other than work. For example, we have a Table Tennis tournament going on right now and the annual Winter Party coming up next month. So, mostly the atmosphere is quite relaxed.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it? Fair Isaac is a leader in Analytics and is also doing very well in software. Therefore, it has a very good brand image. Moreover, the Indian office is expanding, which means that there is a lot of new work and opportunities to learn.

•Anything you'd like to add? A word of warning or

appreciation for the company? In spite of having to grow very fast in India, the company has not compromised on the quality of people in

recruiting. I really appreciate this effort and hope it continues.

3

Nilesh

Agarwal2007 BatchDual Degree, CSEPatel Hall

Aditya

Kuvalekar2007 BatchB.Tech. Energy Engg.RP Hall

•What was the Selection Procedure of Barclays Capital like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about? Selection procedure of Barclays Capital is fairly simple, barely technical. I had one telephonic interview and two face to face HR interviews. The company wants to see how good a human being you are and not how knowledgeable you are.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates? Barclays looks for how well have you done in your internships, teams etc. We expect a decent knowledge about C++ Programming. The way you carry yourself, your conduct is also very important.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview? Nothing at all.

•How has your experience been so far at the company? Quite good! The training in London was fun.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?It is simply great!

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere? The work atmosphere is very very

friendly, relaxed and informal with lots of parties to keep you going and first name culture that makes you more comfortable.

•Anything you'd like to add?For those people to whom money matters the most, this is the best job. For those to whom work matters the most and who prefers a front office job with lots of intellectual stuff and challenges then I don't think this is the right job for you. For those who are indifferent and don't mind making a trade off, I would suggest evaluate your options,

abilities, strengths, chances and decide what do you want to do about this offer.

•. What was the Selection Procedure of Google like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about? Candidates were first shortlisted

on the basis of their

resume/CGPA. Thereafter we had a written test that

comprised of objective questions on probability,

algorithms, graph theory etc. Some questions on coding and algorithms were also present. This was followed by four rounds on interview of 45 minutes to one hour each. All interviews were technical with questions based largely on algorithms and also on the projects undertaken.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates? Google looks for strong technical knowledge, analytical skills, aptitude towards problem solving, and

programming skills in its candidates.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview? Since the interview is solely technical and tests your

computer science skills I revised all the basic courses of Computer Science and Engineering with more emphasis on Algorithms and Data Structures, Graph Theory and Operating Systems. The course on Advances in Algorithms (ARB) really helped.

• How has your experience been so far at the company? I am loving every bit of it! The culture here is very open and work challenging. You have the freedom to work on things of your interest and all this is matched with

amazing perks and benefits.

• Is the monetary compensation satisfactory? Yes, the monetary compensation is satisfactory

• How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it? Work experience is very valuable in terms of learning. There are some things which can't be taught in

school/college like solving practical problems, scaling them, worrying about performance etc. All this and much

more contributes a lot to this never ending process of learning. Google work experience counts even outside the job market. It definitely helps while applying for higher studies.

4

Google Barclays Capital

•What was the Selection Procedure of Transocean

like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about? Selection procedure consisted of 4 rounds last year: a) Mental ability test b) Business simulation -

This round had 7 candidates in each simulation, who were given a business to run for 5 days of 5 min each. It was a hat making business for us last year. It is one of the most interesting rounds I ever had through all my interview experience. We were given 30 minutes to plan and practice art of making paper hats. The heavy machinery in our factory consisted of a pair of scissors, cello tape, paper as raw material and feathers. These equipments had scheduled maintenance and sudden breakdown. On late delivery of products order price was cut and a book of revenue earned was maintained by the HRM. We were given an initial list of orders according to which we planned our inventory and allocated manpower to various aspects of hat production. c) HR informal interview -

This round was very informal, and was like any other intellectual conversation. In our case the HRM was very knowledgeable and almost knew about every thing that we discussed. They asked about my family, my hobbies and interests, we discussed characters from PG Wodehouse

books and tennis players and their game styles. Overall it was a very elaborate discussion which brought out the true person without leaving any scope for plasticity of any kind. d) Final interview with Transocean

country manager - As a Transocean

policy final recruitment say is given by

Country manager for REP recruitment. As REPs

(RIG

ENGINEERING PROGRAM TRAINEES -

which is my current position in company) are the future leaders of company and lot of importance is given to their recruitment. This interview was a mix of technical and HR. Our country manager is also an IIT graduate and from a course similar to REP. Basically he evaluated the qualities that company expects in its future leaders from his experience.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates? a) Honesty and Integrity b) People Skills c) Resourcefulness

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview? I didn't revise anything. I believe it takes continuous effort to prepare a person for any interview. Every question asked in an interview has a purpose. If you can recognize that purpose you are through. The most important thing is your confidence. It's all a mind game, nothing else!

•How has your experience been so far at the company? My experience has been really good. I have got more

than what I expected. The profile is exactly what I had wanted for years. A challenging job that takes the best out of you, it does require a lot of will and perseverance to survive. Sky being the limit in this industry and this company, I am looking forward to a very rewarding and interesting career ahead

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?Monetary compensation is more than satisfactory. The enviable perks and the overall lifestyle offered are

unmatched by any other company. Transocean

takes care of every thing.

•What exactly is the package you started on? My compensation is exactly what was announced in our institute. To quote the exact figures however would be impolite.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?When I said REPs

are recruited to be future leaders of the company I meant every word of it. Career is fast growing and talent duly recognized. With the latest Transocean-

Global Santafe

merger opportunities are plentiful. It all depends on your hard work and dedication.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere?Work atmosphere is very friendly and encouraging and teaches you to be resourceful and self dependent.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained?Rig managers are like CEO'S of their own and they look after all the aspects of rig from budgeting to planning to performance and assets management. It being a work of great responsibility thus carries a lot of value. Also most of REP seniors in the company have moved on to become RIG managers in just 3 years of time.

•Anything else you would like to add?Don't sit for a company blinded by its pay package only. Evaluate the profile that is being offered and determine what is expected from you. It's not an easy job at Transocean

and if you don't fit you don't fit. In the end of it all, you should enjoy the experience. All the best!

Ankur

Piparsania2007 Batch, B.Tech. MEAzad

Hall

5

Transocean

•What was the Selection Procedure of Deutsche Bank like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about? One written test with 3 sections -

mathematics, general finance awareness and core finance. The level of each section, according to me is: mathematics –

easy; finance –

hard; finance awareness –

easy. This was followed by personal interviews. The first was a screening interview, in which you can expect any question depending on your panel, but you should know your resume well. Puzzles and HR questions were also included.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates?General common sense, ability to think and willingness to solve, confidence to speak in a group, motivation and initiative.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview?I will reiterate a point I made earlier with respect to your resume. Be thorough with the facts written in your resume, don't lie. To prepare for finance related questions,

investopedia.com

can be a good help.

•How has your experience been so far at the company? Its been a great learning experience. It’s nice to sit in an environment similar to a Trading floor, a welcome change from a cubicle kind of a lifestyle.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?You can compare it with the other Day 1 companies and see for yourself.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?Great. Most importantly, you add to your knowledge about finance. The kind of on-the-job learning I have had here is phenomenal, gives a different meaning to hands-

on learning.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere?Learning is great and is perhaps the best part. Also you constantly need to challenge yourself and improve and

there is enough motivation to do so from/because of your peers.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it? Like I said, the best part about this is the amount of knowledge you gain. It obviously adds tremendous value to you, over and above your IIT degree.

•Anything you'd like to add? It's obviously going to be a tough slog, but that's what finance is about. The first few months can be tough if you don't stretch yourself. But after that its pretty much smooth sailing. All the Best for the Placements to everyone.

Abhishek

Agarwal2006 BatchB.Tech. Industrial Engg.RP Hall

•What was the Selection Procedure of British Telecom like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about?A Programming and Analytical test, followed by two rounds of personal interviews and a team activity.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates?Good analytical skills, good convincing abilities and good leadership and team skills.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview?Some puzzles and basic programming, that we had learnt in our first year.

•How has your experience been so far at the company?It is a high pressure Job. Job is not like the final sem

at kgp. Welcome to the real world!!

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?Yes

•What exactly is the package you started on? 8 lpa

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?It might be a good pit stop to gain good insights into the business aspects of the telecom domain and the way business and technology intertwine.

Anjai

Lal2006 BatchB.Tech., EERK Hall

16

British TelecomDeutsche Bank

•What was the Selection Procedure of Schlumberger like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about?•For me, it consisted of a shortlist based on the resume, one group activity, one interview and one 'tea party'. The last bit is actually a part of the evaluation and allows the entire recruitment team to interact with the final applicants on an informal level. The group activity is almost always there and judges your ability to lead and communicate in a team. Sometimes there are two interviews, instead of just one and depending on who is interviewing you, can be very technical/ purely non-technical. Applicants from Geology and Geophysics should expect technical questions.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates?For the shortlist, good extra-acads

and previous experience working abroad (FT etc.) are valuable. The company looks to hire enthusiastic and confident people, who have had experience working in teams, present good communication skills and are willing to commit at least 4-5 years to the company.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview?No such technical preparation is necessary. It will help to talk to seniors in the industry and read up on the company website as much as possible.

•How has your experience been so far at the company?Schlumberger spends a good deal of time and money training its engineers. As a trainee, I have had a satisfying four months with the company. Also, I enjoy the travel and the opportunity to study and work with colleagues from so many different countries and backgrounds.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?The compensation is very attractive.

•What exactly is the package you started on?Your location and department decide the package.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?You spend 4-5 years in the field, during which you can progress through three promotions. The growth is in terms of the responsibility you handle at every level. After you reach the required seniority, you are given the option of continuing in the field or moving into Personnel Management/ Operations Management/ Teaching/ Design/ Sales etc. Most of the senior management in the company start out in the field.

•Anything you'd like to add? If the opportunity to travel and earn well and experience a not-so-ordinary life is what you are looking for, then this is the right place for you. All the best!

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere?I would not call it very friendly, but it does help you to discover your real self. You discover how you react under max pressure conditions, when you have to single handedly deal with highly experienced professionals.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it?Pretty much I would say. Tests your limit. Gives you a good overview of business and technology combined.

•Anything you'd like to add? A word of warning or

appreciation for the company?Appreciation: A very qualified bunch of people comprise this small high power group. You would get to learn a lot from them.Warning: Way out of any comfort zone.

7

SchlumbergerBritish Telecom

•How has your experience been so far at the company?The experience has been awesome both in terms of work and the fun I am having here. I am doing exactly what I wanted to do. I have worked on 10 cases so far, including a pro-bono case for a social cause. These cases have given me an idea of various industries, market/company dynamics and solving some of the cases were quite challenging. At the same time I have had a lot of fun at Bain. We are always there to party!

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?Yes it is satisfactory.

•What exactly is the package you started on?5.5 lakh

CTC and 1 lakh

joining bonus.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?The growth opportunities in this company are excellent. Promotions in the company are solely based on your performance which is good. The growth path that lies ahead for me is becoming a Senior Analyst, then an Associate Consultant (AC), Senior AC, Consultant and so on. From the Senior Analyst level onwards transfer

opportunities are provided to a few where one will be spending around 4-6 moths in another Bain office other than India. After gaining enough experience as an AC and depending on your performance Bain also sponsors a selected few for an MBA program in leading B-schools abroad. The learning curve is steep and so is the growth.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere?People are extremely helpful and informal which I have rarely seen in any environment. I have a lot of fun

working over here. Apart from that I personally I feel that I am still in the same atmosphere as IIT. I haven't stopped doing what I was doing before -

Music, Dancing and Football. After joining Bain we formed a music band which practices and plays regularly in various Bain events. We did start a dance group too, which was fun but not as good as TDS :). We have a formed a football club this year too which plays once a week at 6 in the morning! So my point is work comes first but if you want to do something you can do it here.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it?Although I am new to the company I feel that the value of the work-experience gained in Bain in the job market outside is tremendous. We are perceived as people who are analytically strong, easy to work with and people who can deliver results which can create a huge impact which is true. I think it is a great kickstart

to a career if this is the kind of job you want to do. 8

•What was the Selection Procedure of Bain & Co. like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about?I had applied off-campus to Bain & Co (Bain Capability Center) in December. I got a call for interview in March, had my interviews in April 1st week and got my result in 1st week of May. I had three rounds of interviews spread over 2 days in Gurgaon. Two interviews were held on the first day and based on my performance in those two, I was called for the final interview next day. The following describes the 3 rounds in order:a) Interpretation of charts -

basic financial charts used in consulting)b) Market sizing -

e.g. Calculate the no. of cars in Delhic) Case Interview -

e.g. What are the things that a CEO of an international company need to take care of for

opening up a new office in India? In each interview initial 10 minitues

was spent on going through my cv

and questioning me on that and another another

20-30 minutes was spent on the cases. The interviews were very informal and to the point.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates?They look for candidates with good analytical and logical skills and who can use common sense to solve problems. They also look for candidates who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the past.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview?There is a website of Kellogg Consulting Club which has a number of sample cases and basic fundamentals of

management consulting. Though it is too much in volume, reading even one of the files will give you a good idea of what the cases will be like and how you can tackle them systematically. Apart from that I solved some interactive cases given on company websites (e.g. Bain, Mckinsey, BCG, Mercer Management Consulting and Booze Allen). There is a paid website called casequestions.com

which has some good material but the above is more than sufficient for a good preparation in my opinion.

Pramod

Rao2007 Batch

B.Tech. EELLR Hall

Bain & Company

Manish Kumar2002 Batch

B.Tech. OE&NALLR Hall

•What was the Selection Procedure of GE like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about?Performance in written test and CGPA were primarily the criteria for the short listing for the technical interview. Successful candidates were invited for the HR interview after that. I guess, selection procedure remains the same even now.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates?Good understanding of engineering fundamentals, zeal to learn and passion to perform.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview?Be good to your core courses like "Mechanics of Solids", "Fluid Mechanics", "Thermodynamics", "Dynamics" & "CFD". A good understanding of engineering fundamentals is all that you need to be hired by GE. Also be prepared to answer questions related to your project wok.

•How has your experience been so far at the company? GOOD! I have been working here since my campus hiring from KGP in 2002. I have worked on variety of projects ranging from Aircraft Engine Design to Steam Turbine. Currently, I am working on a combustor design problem. As a "Six Sigma Training Coordinator" of JFWTC (John F. Welch Technology Centre), I also have an added responsibility to coordinate all Quality Trainings at this centre. Loads of importance is given to creativity, new ideas, creating IP's (Intellectual Property, Patents etc). My project on Aircraft engine design was found so novel, that I ended up filing a Patent last month. On my recent combustor design work, I am writing two more invention disclosers which will be filed next year.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory? Its not sky high, as a financial consultancy might pay you, but its handsome and by far the best for a core technical job available in India. The satisfaction of working on atechnically

challenging work, flexible working hours, arranged conveyance to and from office at any hour, recreation facilities at the Employee Recreation Centre, a modern gymnasium, lunch, tea and snacks at subsidized rates at the beautiful cafeteria, social, cultural and sports events and excellent learning opportunities. The entire

package looks good!

•What exactly is the package you started on? It was year 2002, jobs were not coming to India as it is coming now. Still we had a modest start at 2.6 lacs

PA + benefits. Current salary offered for 2008 graduates will

be 4.75 lacs

PA + benefits, or similar -

Your T&P will have the data !

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company? Growth opportunities are pretty good now. With the

company growing at a faster pace in India, I am seeing lot more opportunities in terms of Technical and Managerial Leadership over past few years. Just to give you a data, Engineering Team in India will be the largest engineering team for GE anywhere in the world by the end of 2008. For a fresh engineer, who wishes to grow in core engineering, GE is the best platform.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere? As friendly as you can imagine, frankly speaking, for me, it is an extension to my IIT Campus. Seniors to guide you, juniors and peers to encourage you. If you have a fire to do something on technology on one hand and to sustain your hobbies like photography, sports, arts, music, etc, there is no better place in India other than JFWTC!

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it? At JFWTC, you are working on newer technology each and every day, so the work experience is by far the richest among any other research establishment in India, and comparable to the best in the world. GE also encourages employee involvement in cross functional areas, which gives more room to grow. Being a GE employee, you will always be in demand outside,

however, you will always feel GE has more to offer you.

•Anything you'd like to add? A word of warning or

appreciation for the company?Company is in great shape, resources are abundant, all you need is to learn, do, and excel! Employees form the heart of GE's success saga. Half of GE's employee pool comes from outside America's shores, from over 100 countries. If you wish to experience future technology, this is the place for you!9

Sankar

Tejaswi2007 BatchB.Tech. CSLLR Hall

•What was the Selection Procedure of I-Runway like? How many rounds of interviews and what was each round about?I had 2 rounds of interviews and a written test prior to them. Both the interviews had a mix of technical and HR. However, the selection procedure has changed since my joining. Currently, the two rounds of interviews are distinct -

Technical and HR. There could be more interviews to make sure no good candidate is lost. The written test is to assess the presence of mind, technology aptitude (other than curriculum) and out-of-the-box thinking of the candidate.

•What do you think the company was looking for in each of its candidates? The company tests the candidate in terms of his/her

technical knowledge -

enables us to achieve competency in core areas; ability to learn -

enables us to work across verticals; leadership -

we want you to take command whenever necessary and contribute to the organizations progress; teamwork -

this is the most important quality for the survival of any organizational structure; and

organizational fit -

this is extremely important for fast-

growing companies to keep up the tempo and the performance levels.

•What courses did you have to revise, what books/ online material did you consult while preparing for the interview? I was prepared with the most important courses in CS and my BTP. I also did some basic groundwork on the company to see if it offered what I was looking for.

•How has your experience been so far at the company? The company experience so far has been nothing short of fantastic. I got to work in a range of areas from

Computer science -

bio-tech/pharma

-

Tech. consulting for lawyers. Apart from the regular client work, I also worked on setting up IT infrastructure in the company.

•Is the monetary compensation satisfactory?More than sufficient.

•How do you feel are the growth opportunities within the company?The growth opportunities are excellent and in abundance both in the company and in the industry. In India, this industry has just started. It is upto

us to take it to where

we want to be and grow alongside. Sky is the limit.

•How friendly and encouraging is the work atmosphere? It is very pleasant out here. No hierarchy -

open culture. Everyone including the founding four is very friendly and easily approachable. Currently, we devote the last session of work on Fridays to cricket. So now, how unfriendly is that? So party hard, work harder.

•How valuable, in your opinion, is the value of work-

experience gained in the company in the job market outside it?In this company, we get to work both on-site and off-site. Regular interaction with clients, working in an unstructured environment where the motto is to better yourself every time are bound to bring out the best in any person. If you are looking for a brand name and completely structured environment to make you work -

sorry. This place is for those people who want to create a brand by themselves.

•Anything you'd like to add? A word of warning or

appreciation for the company?We as iRunway, are looking forward to work with the best brains of the country and hence believe in hiring people better and smarter than us. Outwit us and you are in. All the best!!

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I-Runway

Somewhere between “To be or not to be”

and “Do you want fries with that?”

lie countless billions of decisions that businesses make every day. Fifty years ago, two men set out to find a better way to make those decisions, what resulted was Fair Isaac.

“It might be the most important number you don’t

understand…

The FICO score is the standard calculation used by mortgage lenders.”

— Wall Street JournalYears ago, before we introduced credit scoring, a lot of good people were denied credit simply because there were no ways to look beneath the surface. Now there are. Fair Isaac systematically replaced hunches with calculations, and took prejudice literally out of equation.

Fair Isaac started the 1990s as the credit scoring company. We entered the 21st

century as much moreFair Isaac moved analytics and a systematic decision-

making approach into the business mainstream. We

brought this approach to companies around the world, and have aided its migration from financial services into other industries. And we are still at it, as we change the business world’s perception of “decisions”

from an

abstract concept to a corporate asset.

“Fair Isaac is where the mathematical approach to problem-solving that is inherent in today’s scores and analytics all began.”

— William Blair & CompanyIn a nutshell, we use complex mathematics and algorithms to help organizations make decisions that are smarter, faster, and more consistent. All this driven by the simplicity of intelligence.

In fact, the story behind our 50+ years of success is really all about our exceptional people. Unique people have made Fair Isaac what we are today -

a leader in decision management solutions powered by advanced analytics.

At Fair Isaac we work on challenging real life problems with people who are intelligent, innovative and motivated. Passion, Challenge, Innovation -

that’s what sets us apart -

competitively, and culturally. At Fair Isaac, we’re always on the lookout for fresh grads who bring in this kind of commitment to excellence. And more importantly, once on board we encourage you to practice what makes you uniquely valuable.

The first companies to explore scoring and automated decisions in many markets worldwide were Fair Isaac clients.And the first people in India to provide these smart

solutions? The Fair Isaac Bangalore team of course!

Teeming with cool ideas and a disarming knack for

problem solving, the Bangalore office started dazzling about 4 years ago. And what a fun-filled journey it has been since then…

We work in an atmosphere that is friendly, to say the least. Located just 2 kms

away from the airport and right opposite the Leela

Palace Hotel we enjoy a location that is any organization’s envy. At Fair Isaac India we mix our work with just the right amount of fun. In between all the geeky stuff we do, we have our parties, festival celebrations, quizzes, sports championships, birthday

treats and team outings.

Since our people are our success, we strive to consistently provide compensation and benefits that are competitive with today’s global marketplace. And since individuals’

needs differ, our benefits programs provide choice and flexibility. You’ll find that our benefits are designed to support your personal needs today, and give you the right options as life changes.

A 2006 study showed that people want a romantic partner with good credit health. In other words,

“What’s your sign?”

may be replaced by “What’s your FICO score?”The fact that we are in the business of making decision smarter makes us aware of the importance of the decision you are about to take in terms of your future. We wish there was some organization that made these personal decisions smarter for you but then, who knows, someday with your help we might get there!

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Know Fair Isaac better