40 Years of Employment -- Gratitude Series Part 5

 

Well here is how I got my first job… Was it the one I dreamt off ? Not Really but it was good because I lasted in that Company for nearly 8 years. 

 

Having cleared Chartered Accountancy in my first attempt and even before my tenure of articleship was completed , you could say I was over the moon (horns all over my head). People around me said you will be picked up in no time. Results came in July 1987 but till August end nothing happened. I was looking at the Institute’s job opportunities Board , the Saturday Hindu publication of opportunities and so on. No one wanted a Chartered Accountant. It was a stark reality that simply opportunities were not available or I was not looking at the right places. 

 

 My existing employer did have a conversation about taking me in but they offered me a Plant Accountant role in a God forsaken place ( Now God’s own Country 😊 – how times change ? ). I politely declined it. I completed my internship and from August 1 I was on job hunts.. 

 

Finally from Oct 15th to keep myself engaged and for some pocket money, a colleague at the Audit firm that we did our articles in and I found Book Keeping work. At least something better than nothing. I had to go to Chrompet,a pretty good 45 Kms away daily. We did a good job on one set of Accounts and we got handsome money to share and then got ourselves a second one. This looked good for the moment but meanwhile I kept applying in hope. Finally I was called for an interview at Chennai  by the Mumbai based Mirc Electronics (Onida brand) on Dec 1. It did not say anytime but I was told be in by 9:30 . I landed first as their office opened. Till around 11 AM, nothing happened but around 15 had assembled and several of them were CAs with experience as well. Luckily as the FIFO rule applied, I was called in first. I thought I did extremely well. But the interviewers did not say anything. They said they will let me know. Not very happy, I went back to my work place.

 

Next day - Dec 2, I went to Chrompet as usual in the morning. Around 10 AM, there was a call from Onida to the PP Number (yes yes, PP number) that belonged to my friend Natchu’s residence. They wanted me to meet the CFO and Director - Sales by 4 PM. Natchu who received the call tried to change the date to the next day but was told that the interviewers were not available and I had to come the same day. Natchu went quickly to my residence, got hold of the address that I was at in Chrompet and sent a Telegram asking me to go to Onida office by 4. It was quite smart of him to do that. 

 

 However the thing that was defining was what his younger brother Paddu (KC Padmanabhan) did. Paddu and I shared the same vibes – he was in the science stream and my age and were more close pals. He understood my need to get this job and wanted to take no chances. He drove all the way and when he landed by around 3 ish at the place where I was, I was shocked. I feared something wrong at home. But he told me to just stop what I was doing and come with him. He said that I have to be at Nungambakkam where Onida’s office was at 4PM and this was my final interview and my best chance. I was not even dressed appropriately for an interview. He said you can explain all that. Let us just get there. 

 

He dropped me just in time at 4 and left. Had he not done what he had, I would have probably lost the opportunity. Needless to say, I landed the job the same day. I was asked to join the next day - Dec 3 which I did. I spent the evening with the CFO who explained me about the job role. He told me that the offer will come in later from Mumbai but I would have to join tomorrow. It was pretty late that day but I went straight to Paddu’s residence to thank him. In those days where communication was a challenge, thinking quick on your feet was important and Paddu’s gesture of doing that 45 KMS ride was just awesome… Nanbanda Career started with the Devil (Neighbour’s envy Owners Pride) as a Sales Accountant and it was a rewarding one.  

 

Gratitude to Paddu for his help that day which I cherish till date.. Paddu resides in Chicago with his family. Get to meet him and Natchu when they come to India every few years. 

 

 Now for that Telegram – It did reach the place where I was after a week 😊