Hi, Let me tell you about my interview experience with IBM, Chennai. I got a call from a agency that IBM is recruiting people and my interview was scheduled. I went to the interview location (DLF IT park) by 11am and getting certain documents from me, I was asked to wait.
I want to mention here that of those documents that I submitted there, there was one document called "Employment Application Form" (EAF) which gets all my personal details and I was also asked to mention my current and expected CTC in that.
There was quite a large number of people who had come for the interview (different skills) and finally after waiting for some 6 hours, I came to know that the documents I had submitted (and also one another person waiting for the interview) went missing (resume, EAF, salary slips, prev offer letters etc.) And I was asked to give my resume again!!! When I was about to hand-over the resume again, this person who was waiting just like me, found our documents-set lying in another table - just by luck. Ufff!!!
Now, we were interviewed over phone - it was a telephonic interview from the IBM facility in Chennai. It seems that the interviewer was from another location in India itself. I performed really well and the interviewer was visibly happy over it that she offered me a senior role in her project in that city. I rejected this as my family constraints didn't permit me to move out of Chennai. She said its fine and informed the HR who was there near me that I am selected - this was also conveyed to me by the same HR. I was told that I will be getting a call by Tuesday for the PDM round.
Over the next week, I did not get any call for the PDM round except for just one call from another HR asking me about the same thing which the interviewer asked - joining in another location. I asked her if there are openings in Chennai, I would prefer to join here because of certain family situations. She said there are openings in Chennai, but then this opening in the other location is kind-of immediate.
On Friday, I got a call and mail from the agency saying that my PDM round is scheduled for 3pm on a weekday in the next week. As there were no other slots available, I took a day off and went to the the same IBM facility . On reaching there, I was asked by the receptionist if I got a call from any IBM HR for which I said no. She told that for PDM round, only IBM HR would give you a call and schedule it and then she checked with the HR and asked me to wait.
To cut the already long running story short, I had the PDM round that day with one Senior Project Manager (1:1). It was more of a general discussion. He asked me about my project details and my role in the project and then asked my current and expected CTC. When I told my expected CTC, he said its quite high for IBM standards and asked me to what level can I come down. I reduced my expected CTC and quoted an amount for which I got the reply as "we will try to match the best that we can do" and I was also told that it would take 2-3 weeks for them to roll out the offer letter. I was fine with it and then shook hands with him and came back home.
Now, almost a week later, I got a call from the same agency saying that my candidature is rejected by IBM and they are not sure of the reason. I was also told that the reason COULD be my CTC that I expected. I know that this agency is of no fault, but I shouted at them asking for a proper answer.
My point of contention is that - if IBM cannot offer me what I have asked, then why to conduct the interview at the first place? I gave it in writing what my current CTC is and what is the amount that I expect for this possible jump the minute I entered the IBM campus (remember the EAF form and my salary slips). Now, why do you want to waste my time, conduct interviews and then say I am rejected because you cannot match my expected CTC. I wasted 6 hours on the first day and took off the second day for the PDM round and this is the result I have got.
