When the days to join my new organisation drew closer, there was the usual "post-purchase dissonance". Had I done the right thing by signing into an unknown organisation? Does MR provide a challenging and glamorous career?
Not wanting to be shocked on my 1st day, I landed up in Bangalore a couple of days earlier and decided to visit the MBA office. The address which was 5/1 Bore Bank Road - turned out to be on the other side of a railway track near Coles Park. There was no overbridge - one should cross the railway tracks by foot. That was the first shock for me.
Then I tried locating 5/1 Bore Bank Road. The building turned out to be a small 2 storeyed house. I hesitantly walked into the ground floor of that house, through the open door and into the reception. What I saw inside disappointed me terribly. What I was expecting was all the trappings of a modern, successful organisation; what I saw resembled a small house with some hired government-type furniture arranged like a class-room. There was none of the buzz or feel of an organisation that I was led to believe was at the fore-front of the Market Research industry in India.
I approached one of the accounts guys and if I remember right the dialogue went something like this:
I : um, err, I am joining this company, and wanted to know what you feel about this company.
He (with an amused expression) : so you are one of those new trainees joining us next week? Don't worry, this company will not sink. It is a good company.
I : umm, err, ok, thanks
He : And by the way, you can remove the tie - this is not that kind of place that requires a tie.
I went home with very mixed feeling that day.
Not wanting to be shocked on my 1st day, I landed up in Bangalore a couple of days earlier and decided to visit the MBA office. The address which was 5/1 Bore Bank Road - turned out to be on the other side of a railway track near Coles Park. There was no overbridge - one should cross the railway tracks by foot. That was the first shock for me.
Then I tried locating 5/1 Bore Bank Road. The building turned out to be a small 2 storeyed house. I hesitantly walked into the ground floor of that house, through the open door and into the reception. What I saw inside disappointed me terribly. What I was expecting was all the trappings of a modern, successful organisation; what I saw resembled a small house with some hired government-type furniture arranged like a class-room. There was none of the buzz or feel of an organisation that I was led to believe was at the fore-front of the Market Research industry in India.
I approached one of the accounts guys and if I remember right the dialogue went something like this:
I : um, err, I am joining this company, and wanted to know what you feel about this company.
He (with an amused expression) : so you are one of those new trainees joining us next week? Don't worry, this company will not sink. It is a good company.
I : umm, err, ok, thanks
He : And by the way, you can remove the tie - this is not that kind of place that requires a tie.
I went home with very mixed feeling that day.
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