Today was another episode on how sometimes in life, things happen and you can never really explain them. You really can’t. they’re inexplicable as to why they happen.
A very good friend of mine a job interview today. Prior to that he had interned in that company, the biggest software company in the world. He had done an amazing job, put in his best, blended really well with his team members there, lead them, helped them. He had become sort of an ideal intern. All his other team members (already employed) were sure that he will qualify and join the team. He had become a part and parcel of the team. He had done a wonderful job on his project, worked innovatively and efficiently. He had 2 rounds of interviews: a technical and the other HR. He is technically very sound, so the first was no problem. The second round of interview was by a senior official in his business division. It was HR. He is good in that too, interacting with people. But somehow, he couldn’t connect with the interviewer. The interviewer didn’t like his answers (maybe because they weren’t biased towards the company; they were frank and honest). And that pulled the plug on him. All his immense hard work for over 2 months gets reduced to some difference of opinion between 2 people and the reason for his not being selected.
I am really sad about this, more than him. He keeps telling me it’s no big deal, and that everything happens for a reason and all the philosophical shit. But I wonder that where then is the sense of justice? I mean the guy worked his ass off. As an intern he did everything a manager could expect of a full-time employee and much more. He participated in team events, sports meets, everything. Yet, he didn’t make it. I seriously question the logic of the world behind this.
This has hit me so hard, I don’t feel like going on for my own project. He had definitely worked so very hard, yet didn’t make it. Then I don’t stand a chance either. And even if I do, that will be unfair in some sense. So I don’t want not to be selected, but I also don’t want to be selected because of some luck factor. Why can’t plain and simple hard-work pay off? Why should there always be some or the other complexity attached with it? And why is it that whenever something bad happens we tend to console by saying ‘everything has a reason behind it’.
At this point, I recall Steve Jobs’ speech to Stanford Grads on their convocation ceremony. He had said something like not to connect dots of the future, they’ll make no sense; connect those of the past to realize why something had happened. So once again it just has to be the waiting period hoping that something good will happen in return. But the sense of justice is gone.
I really don’t feel like working anymore. I have worked insane amounts over the past few weeks. I fear all this would turn out to be futile. I am not even that mentally stable and sound as my friend, who has the strength to accept and move on. I’ll just crash, and get hit real bad.
But then again, as Silvestre “Rocky Balboa” Stallone had said in the last movie, “No one can hit you as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward”
