Friday, November 16, 2012

Of smart phones and stupid people

Some days just compel you to sit back and wonder if we are indeed, evolving backwards. For me, meeting up with young minds has always been an enlightening experience. Today was no exception. A little history first:

We (the organization I work for) hire from B schools, from professional colleges and from any educational institute that may have students that fit the roles. We have also been in the past, a platform for many enterprising young minds to showcase their skill through internship programmes, some of who subsequently make their first career move into this company.

This involves meeting up with and interviewing hundreds of students of varying levels of commitment, intelligence and skills, from various institutes. Some are impressive, some are not. Some are difficult, some are hilarious. But as a rule, my colleagues and I make sure that the student goes back with at least an experience worthy of the time spent with us on an interview - call it the work ethic of the HR team here.

Anyway, the reason I am frustratedly punching keys right now on my laptop, is the result of a few such interviews today. While in the interview, I was fighting to keep a straight face to avoid seeming rude to the young ladies and gentlemen who came to meet us. But once out of the interview room, I couldn't help feeling a little sad and disillusioned with the quality of education that these young minds were exposed to.

The candidates were well turned out, in branded shirts and ties, and accessories that are in tune with the latest fashion in corporate dressing. They had resumes which had words like 'metaphoric embed' and many other such impressive words. All of them were on their Internet phones, updating statuses and other relevant details important for the socially active young crowd out there, before they stepped into the interview room.

But what I will remember about them, will be they way they fumbled when they spoke about their passion. I will remember that apart from the questions that they imagined the interviewer would ask, they had not imbibed knowledge about their career choice, their hobbies, or their own family!!

They had perhaps, imagined an interview to be a place where their 'smartness' quotient would be addressed. Perhaps they felt that technical knowledge was limited to only 'experienced' people and not really for campus recruits. Or is it a general trend of callousness that prevails over the whole age group?

They had superficial know-how of questions taught to them in their 'mock interviews' conducted by the college. But quiz them on their own endeavours, and it seems as though we are conversing in a Latin American tongue!!

Some answers :

"I am a very good basketball player,"
 ........ later....... "Position? Errr...... I play everything....... there are no positions in basketball!!"

"My passion is people. I love talking to people, getting to know them."
.......later...... "Actually Ma'am, my brother is something with the Police in Canada. I don't exactly know his designation"

The resume says "Detailed reading on the life of Shakuntala"
...... later....... "Errr...... she was the daughter of a pujari.... donno the name of the pujari, but her ring was swallowed by a fish."

"Yeah I guess that's what it means......"

"I wanna be you know, like an executive or something ......."

Many more such instances, where one didn't know whether it was the parents to be blamed, for not creating an environment of excellence, or at least imparting a passion for anything in life, or the faculty of these swanky money minting buildings who probably just want them to clear interviews, or the education system in general.

Any thoughts? Or am I over reacting?

36 comments:

  1. well written...Why don't you write a book?

    Did you get a chance to check the website www.ezedcal.com/ta to manage editorial calendar easily for your blog and show your editorial calendar in your blog easily (optional)
    Thanks & Regards
    Malar

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  2. "You know, like, like you know".. these 3 words alone are now more common in the vocabulary than the rest of the sentence for some of the people i met..and the sad part is, the words just mask a basic fact - that they "dont know" anything about anything!!

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    1. How true!!! I am sometimes so shaken by the way people talk - even in a formal setting!!

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  3. I do think its the training centres or the people who tell them what to do .. I had a lovely evening a few weeks back where I was part of a board for interviews.. and I came out LAUGHING it was more of a comedy show ..

    good or bad i dont know but I seleceted No body that evening..

    Bikram's

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    1. But Bikram, why is this happening? Were we as hollow as this when we were younger? Or were we stupid to have been serious about the stuff that we held close to our heart?

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    2. personally I feel I was stupid, I could have wiggled my way into better positions by making it all up, but then I also find it that we get FOUND out .. we can say all the good thing but at work within a few days one gets found out.

      We have a person who is every Microsoft certification certified , I mean on paper he is the one who we talk about as gurus , But when it comes to actually writing a piece of code etc, it never ever works ..

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    3. Bikram, I don;t think anyone who is able to come up with the kind of honest logic you do, can be termed stupid!! And as far as getting into better positions - life isn't only about positions.... I bet you are much happier that the so-called gurus who seem to be such hot shots!! You are genuine, and thats what matters!

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  4. Well written as always! My opinion - it is a systemic challenge where people sell themselves in areas, which they think will earn them money. In this rush, most of us dont know what our passion is, leave alone read about it and understand it.

    I don't blame these kids. Since childhood we are taught how to look intelligent & classy, not really how to become intelligent or classy. I was in the same boat when I was their age - Clueless and directionless. It was actual encounters with life that showed me what i want and what i was capable of.

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    1. Thanks Shilpa.... I do understand the bit about being clueless and lost - we've all been there. But what about the disinterest and the casual attitude to anything and everything? Including things like using slang in a formal conversation, using sms language in formal letters etc .... can we justify the same as well?

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  5. Nope, you aren't overreacting. Students are more concerned about "Looking smart" so they have the entire paraphernalia from branded dress to smartphone to chat lingo in place. I don't mind that at all. But what is disturbing is that working hard and studying is being actually looked down upon!If you tell a student to study, they are going to holler "stress!!!" God! if they find studying stressful, I wondered, what are they going to do when they have to join the "rat race"!??
    you have provided me with the answer today

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    1. Thank you Amrita - I was getting concerned that maybe I am getting 'old fashioned' as my kids like to call me now :-) .... And yes, the moment you try to study hard, you are not 'cool' any longer!

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  6. its like, the thing is, actually!! Lol at the jargons the kids use, and then I look at the urban dictionary and I am not surprised. Great post!!! I cannot imagine , when my daughter passes out school almost a decade from now...!

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    1. The sad part is, these kids don't realize where to draw the line with being 'cool'. I actually had a kid in an interview who said she was a fun loving 'gal' !! I said 'pardon me?' and she repeated it verbatim for my benefit!

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  7. The problem lies in the education system that is focused on marks and not on knowledge a student gains. A 4th grader for whom I was taking tuitions, knew the questions and their answers by heart and scored full marks in the exam, but he did not know why that was the answer to the question. And he did not care to listen when I was explaining it to him. He just said "Aunty, they don't ask that in the exams, why should I waste time learning that."

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    1. Why should they learn indeed!!! I can imagine your frustration as a sincere educator! But really, thats why we are so lacking in life coping skills, right?

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  8. Did read a newspaper report recently about blondes fading into the sunset and almost nearing extinction - somehow this gives me hope :P.

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    1. AS .... hahaha!!! This certainly brings things into a new perspective!! But I would prefer not to have all the 'pseudo blondes' restricted to my country!!

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  9. You accurately capture the lack of depth, the lack of drive, of passion in today's youth. It suffocates me too, although I am no recruiter and don't exactly interview folks. But I note in the guys and gals I meet--who want to get my advice and stuff. And I shudder. All they need is to awaken to the world around them and breathe deep.

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    1. Bhavna, I know young women whose biggest concern is that their wardrobe is getting out of date! And young men who get into depressed bouts as their girlfriend decided she liked being with someone with a catchier bike! I shudder to think what my kids are learning from their environment.

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  10. Well pointed out! And come to think of it, most of these kids also take pride in the fact that things like these is what make them 'cool'!

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    1. Absolutely Arti! And thats what makes things worse!

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  11. Nirvana,
    I think the doctor and engineer generation have grown up and that is the aftermath we are witnessing. A lot of youngsters pick up career which are not to their liking. Some of them develop passion along the way but some remain vague throughout. What you encountered are probably the vague ones.
    Cool is not intelligent and passionate but a lot of youngsters do not understand this.

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    1. Amit, it is truly frustrating when you are looking out for young talent - in any field! Today when I hire at the fresher level, I look for nothing other than the will to do something in life. I believe we can train / teach everything else in life. But the desire has to be there from within!

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  12. Forgive me,I'm on the other side of the table now :P

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    1. hahaha!!! We were all on the other side of the table once - and I do hope you do well in yours!

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  13. Reminds me of the job interviews I conducted back at my office. 20-30 candidates appear for most openings. Every one wants to know, about their paycheck at the end of the month. Benefits? Transport? Accommodation? I had to conduct 5 to 6 interviews before I came across a person who was first concerned about his job profile and what was expected of him, before asking questions about his remuneration. I couldn't relate to the mindset of these people. Over confident, crass and 90% of the time, with little knowledge to support the so called certificates or degrees they had. Don't know whether to blame the institutions or the society as a whole for churning out people like these.

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    1. Overconfident and crass sums up the whole episode - thank you for putting it so accurately!! I am aware that the current generation is much more worldly wise than we were - but then do they realize that the real world looks at what you can give, before what you can get? :-)

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  14. You must be having real fun at your work? Ain't you? ;)I can totally get what you are saying and can see that. I think smart phones are addictive. I avoided one all these years, but after I got one, even I am glued to it and trust me, I hate myself for doing it. :( The kids' perspective needs to be changed. And from where the change comes, I really don't know.

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    1. Yes FiF, I do have momentary fun during these interactions, but when we are stuck with the wrong person for a critical position, I ain't laughing :-(

      The change I think, comes from our own homes - when we attribute too much of importance to brands, one-upmanship, show-thy-neighbour etc.... then the kids learn the art of being hollow...

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    2. Right on target there. It has to start from home. Wailing kids are immediately pacified by handing them a mobile phone or by putting them in front of the idiot box. Kids use their free time watching Youtube or playing online games with virtual friends. Kids as young as 4 have an fb account? And there are parents out there who gloat about the whole rubbish. No one goes out to play, no one reads books and the good old board games are almost extinct.

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    3. Absolutely, Shadia! And bingo! on your observations of parent s who gloat on stuff like a facebook account at four!! Sad!

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  15. I would take it to imparting passion for anything in life. everybody has got a hook , be it books , sports , music or simple thing like collecting stamps,matchboxes. These hobby was never encouraged, thus half hearted effort and superficial knowledge.Parents play a big role in encouraging hobbies which turn into passion and for some into careers.Good article.

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    1. thank you Inner Musings ..... yes, passions, in a way are created when one feels strongly for something or someone. And to develop passions, one needs encouragement - bang on!

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  16. I think the problem arises if you're spoonfed all your life! The problem lies in every generation of kids who are pampered...they don't know much outside the narrow realm of space that their parents designate for them...everything else is taken care of so they need not bother their heads about it!
    More the reason to let my kids be self-reliant as much as possible!

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    1. Yes Roshni, to an extent you are right. But more than being papmered, I think it is the value systems the kids are exposed to that causes problems.... and much of it happens within the home only by example of parents, no?

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