My First Interview at SAP Labs-HR Round

When I came out from interviewer’s room after second technical I was so happy and confident that I will be going for HR round.Actually I was happy because now no more technical stuff.In second technical also I thought that it was just like HR round for me.It was Allah’s grace on me that he asked almost all questions which I could answer.Even I didn’t use pen or copy for more than half page.I knew that if I would use pen and copy then he would have screwed  me.Because I know my limits of  technical knowledge.I was happy after clearing technical rounds even I was surprised how can it possible.Now it was the time for HR round.

Ma’am asked vineeth (our PR) to send Arif as a next candidate which I was also expecting.We were only 3 from B.Tech who had chance to go for HR round.I was begging from my Allah (s.w.t.) that please my Allah this is just last round. When I came up to this moment just because of you. I Know you only can help me to make it .Please help me in this final round also as you did in last 2 rounds.Now I entered into interviewer’s room for HR round.

Now she started conversation with “So Arif,Tell me something about your family?”

This kind of question we usually prepare.So I started giving same intro as a part of my real introduction of first round.

“My father is a crane operator.My mom is a house wife.I have one younger brother and one sister.He is studying in nursery and my sister is studying in 7th class.” I replied with clearing my throat.

Now she scanned my resume as usual as an interviewer does so many times.

“So which sports do you play? Cricket? ” she asked.

I replied “yeah ma’am.” again cleared my throat.

“So you are a batsman or bowler?” Now she again continued the conversation.

“I am an opener bowler and second order batsman.In Willow cup (NITC cricket tournament) we were runner up.That I included in my resume too.” I told.

“OK. Did you face any kind of problem while taking decision in your cricket team?Just take an example you are a team captain.You want to bat at no. 4 but your teammates don’t want that.They are saying that you should bat at no. 6 or 7.What will you do?” She added.

“Ma’am, As we know in the world everyone has their own thoughts in his mind.If all are thinking in the same way then how it is possible to get different ideas? So everyone will be having different ideas.In cricket we are having 11 players So if more than are 6 are saying same than I should think over it. But I will talk to all of them If majority are saying that I should bat at no. 7 than I should consider their request rather than using only my mind.”

“But sometimes we know that majority is wrong and we are right” she added one more condition.

“Ma’am in cricket we also have different situations.For that we have to use different batting order.Just say in slog overs we want pitch hitters.Normally I don’t hit too much and if I can hit well then in slog overs I  will convince to my teammates that I can bat well in this condition so I should bat .” I gave different alternative but with confidence.

Because we know in HR nothing is exact answer and they even don’t want exact answer.What they want is to check our positive thoughts in every situation.I want to thank my friend Suhail for making my thinking positive.

Now she continued with next question “What kind of responsibilities do you have in your family ?”

“Ma’am, My father also gave me some responsibilities like I am elder brother so responsibilities about marriage of my sister and my brother he is also studying in nursery so I should guide him.When I was child nobody was to guide me but now I am an engineer so I can guide him”  I replied.

She nodded showing that she was also agree with me.This kind of conditions in interview gives us confidence that whatever we are saying is right.In between she got a call and she sent me out.She said that I have an urgent call.After then I waited for around 5-10 minutes outside the room.I was thinking  about the incident that why I was clearing my throat again and again in front of Ma’am.I should avoid this.

Now she came outside and told me “Arif Now come in.Sorry for call but it was important.”

I replied “It’s ok Ma’am.”

Now she continued with interview questions.

“Just think you are a project leader.You have 4 project mates also.You have one project which you are going to complete in next 6 months.But now your customer demands it in only next 2 months.What will you do? How will you complete in next 2 months?

I used same strategy which I learned from Ved while bioinformatics class while he was sharing his interview experience with me.

“I will take one diary.First I will write down only necessities then possibilities then I will go for exceptions.I will divide my all work in 3 parts necessities, possibilities and exceptions.So I will try to do it step by step.”

Now she agreed with my solution.I got confidence and thought that something which I learnt from Ved worked here. Now she added one more condition to get one more alternative.

“Okay I agreed.You have reduced your project time from 6 months to 4 months.Your project mates are saying that even if we are doing like this then also it’s not possible to complete in less than 4 months.Now how will you reduce this time to 2 months.”

Now I thought but couldn’t get any Idea.I said “Ma’am we can’t extend our work hours up to 5 or 6 months.But we can extend one hour no? So just think like we have duty from 8 to 5.So 5-6 we can extend and can work only for project related work.”

Now she passed a smile and nodded “OK,OK” which gave me more confidence.I don’t know how I was fluent in English but I was.I didn’t hesitate while sharing my ideas.I thanked my Allah (s.w.t.) that whatever was going it was really nice just make it for next 20-30 minutes more.

Now she asked the most common question but in confusing words.” What are your expectations from our company? I didn’t reply. I thought is she asking about salary? If it is then I should  remain silent.

But she now changed the question saying “Why should I hire you?”. Most common question.

I prepared last night only that whenever I will get chance I will speak this answer only.I had mind set about some questions.

“Ma’am I will not say that I will not make any mistake.Because we all are human beings we may make mistake.But I will say I will not disappoint you means I will give my best and second thing (now again started saying about my idea about free computer education in my village)  your interest and my interest is almost same.I mean I also have the same idea in my mind.Sir was telling in PPT that you are having one project “lakshya” where you want to give computer basic knowledge to 1,00,000 students.

             I also want to do this work in my village.I am from village.During Summer Vacation this time I am going to start Free Computer Education in my village.where I can teach website development, software development using programming languages like C,C++. So those students who has passed 10th and 12th and having laptop or PC and wasting their useful time just watching movies or doing Facebook.So I think I should  spread free education in my village to students who has caliber can get benefit from this and may be will do something good for my village.”

Now she agreed with me on this common question.Now I was on level of high confidence.I was sharing my ideas not only replying HR questions. Again she asked most common question to check your general knowledge about their company. “What do you know about our company?”

Yesterday night I checked their website so started giving data about their company which I by hearten last night. “Ma’am your headquarter in Germany.You are having world wide network across 120 countries of the world.As sir was talking in PPT more than 70% of chocolate customers use your software.More than 72% beer customers use your software.You are having one project called “Lakshya” in which you want to give free computer basic knowledge to more then 1,00,000 students.”

“Did you go through our website yesterday night?” she asked.

I replied with confidence.”Yeah”. When we are true we are always confident saying yes.

“So what did you find there?”

again started saying “your headquarter in Germany.You are having world wide network across 120 countries of the world.Your “Lakshya” project too was there on your website.That you are having one project called “Lakshya” in which you want to give free computer basic knowledge to more then 1,00,000 students.”

“So you didn’t check our website before yesterday night? Why you checked only yesterday night?”

“Ma’am actually I checked your website before 4-5 days also.When I got to know that SAP is preponed and coming on 13th itself instead of 14th.” I replied clearing her doubt.

She asked “So Arif,Just think you have to organize one event or festival where you can have different events like sports,dance etc.I gave you 50 members how will you organize them?”

Now used a new term “Bottom -up”  saying “Ma’am I will use bottom up strategy here.I will form groups based on their interest rather than forcing them to choose anyone which even they don’t like.I will make group interest wise like people who are interested in sports will be in sports committee and same for dance,songs too.”

Now she was also satisfied I guess with my answer.

“So Is it your first interview? but I heard that till now 25-26 companies has been visited to your  NIT. What happened? You couldn’t clear written? Why do you think that you could clear SAP’s written but not others.”she asked a series of questions.

I replied or may be you can say just I had to give an excuse why I couldn’t clear. “Ma’am actually my pointer is 6.95. Mostly companies are putting their cutoff as 7.I cleared one written before SAP also for MU-Sigma but they had GD. I couldn’t clear GD so couldn’t reach up to interview.Ma’am actually I sat mostly for consultancy companies and only few Core companies.You can say I am not good in helping verbs of English. Now a days I started blogging but till now I am not good in helping verbs.They had separate part for English but in written you had only 3 parts basic coding skills,Software aptitude and Basic computer knowledge.You didn’t have separate English part.”

Ma’am was fully agreed with me.These things motivated me at time of interview.Whenever interview passes a smile or nods we get confidence that whatever we are saying is correct.

This much I remembered may be 1 or 2 question more would be there that I forgot now.I think this is also to much to remember but any how it was my first interview so I could remember I think.

In the last she said “OK Arif. Do you have any question?”

Even though I didn’t ask any question but  I could repeat same question third time.Because they didn’t meet after my every round so they didn’t know what did I ask  to last interviewer?

I said “NO Ma’am. Thank you Ma’am.”

Thank you Arif. Ma’am again passed a smile.

“Can I go now?” I replied with smile too. she nodded “Yeah”.

I left the room but was so happy and thanked my Allah that you only helped me.I was thinking that I was abnormal when I was speaking fluently and with high confidence .I was happy because I shared my Idea too with ma’am.  I never had this much confidence and I was very very happy that InshaAllah I will get selected.

After about  2 hours they announced our names and most interesting thing first name was mine.May be its just because of alphabetical order but it was.At last 3 B.Tech guys got selected.

SAP ->Srujith Arif Pankaj .What a coincidence.

After that they invited us for dinner.It was happiest moment when I got selected in first chance of interview.So I wanted to share with my friends and those who are not placed till now can get benefit from this.

A snapshot just after getting placed with SAP recruiters.