Photobucket had recently changed their policy and now all the images from my 650+ blog posts are disabled. I am slowly editing them by moving my images to my own server at AWS, but it will take time. In case there is a particular old post you want to see the images of, kindly drop me a mail at mizohican@gmail.com and I'll keep that at a high priority. Thank you.

Friday, July 01, 2011

Chp 356. Just Completed Three Years!!!

This post may not be a big deal to many of you, but to me, it is indeed a big deal. For today, I have just completed my three years of work experience! I can’t believe it’s been just three years though… lolz.

I know many of you have been working for around 10 years now. I remember all the sermons and preaching my close friends used to give me about being “so old” and yet not working or doing anything worthwhile.

Maybe I was lazy, maybe I was unqualified, maybe I was spoilt, maybe I was just too scared to work on a job I might detest later… whatever be the reason, I ended up wasting my life for almost 6 years after I graduated from college, just partying, blogging and drinking my life away.

And then, when I finally decided it was high time I started working and doing something meaningful with my life, my friends warned me about rejections… That somebody like me who’s “old” and yet without any work experience was not exactly the most suitable candidate, and that I would have to go through many interview processes…

I understood.

Since advertising had always been my passion and I knew the digital space quite well, along with JV and my sister, we decided that I should aim big and go for the best digital advertising agency in India. That way I would surely get rejected and move on to smaller agencies, yet without feeling the pangs of rejection.

I called up my friend Pawan, who told me that the number 1 digital agency in India then was Webchutney.

So I took a printout of my resume, hailed an auto, and went to Webchutney Mumbai office. It took me an hour because I was looking at a Webchutney Delhi office address! Hahaa. Finally, I reached the office and met the shocked receptionist Rihanna (who became a very close friend later) because I didn’t have any appointment with the HR.

The equally shocked HR Manisha luckily happened to be in a good mood, and interviewed me. Walk-in interviews are actually not allowed, and to fix an interview appointment, one needs to send his/her resume and an appointment will be arranged if that resume is what the agency wants. I was extremely lucky that day, hehehe. I don’t know what happened, but somehow the interview went well too, and I was called back the next day!

The next day, I met the ACD, who is now our CD (Creative Director) today. He interviewed me for an hour. Later he gave me a copy test.

I wrote my (first ever) copy test, and went home.

The next day, AGAIN, I was called to the office. This time, it was the Branch Head who wanted to meet me!

I met Poornima, who was our Mumbai Branch Head then, and finally after a long interview, I got the job! Lolz, if you think I was shocked, then you should have seen my sister’s face when I told her about the news. My FIRST job interview, NO work experience, didn’t even KNOW what being a copywriter meant, accepted in India’s LEADING digital ad agency!

Yeah, it felt like a dream.

I still remember my first project after joining Webchutney. Our ACD and Art Director were preparing for a pitch on an “Ocean Racing” campaign. I was told to get involved and help with the concept & strategy, and after listening to the brief, I came up with this –

   

   


HAHAHA… Seriously, that’s what I thought copywriters do, you know… write the copy in a stylish manner. Lolzzzz….

I have come a LONGGGGG way from there.

Much later, I asked my bosses what they saw in me when they first hired me. And it turned out - It was because of my blog! And no, it was not about any particular post. They saw the potential in me after seeing the creativity in my writing. Creative writing and thinking creatively for an ad campaign may be different, but at the end of the day, creativity is creativity.

And that’s what Webchutney did – harnessed my talent, taught me how to channel my creativity, and made me into what I am today. I will forever be indebted to Nishi and Meghana for this.

Today I am handling many leading national and International brands on my own, with my own dedicated team. And none of this would have been possible without what I have learnt during the past three years.



MY FIRST DAY @ WORK

July 1, 2008 - Exactly three years ago from today. That was when I was told to join this company.

On July 1, 2008, God probably decided to play a prank on me because maybe even HE couldn’t believe I finally started working. So on that fateful day, He sent along a mini flood.

Yup, that’s what happened on my first day. On July 1, 2008, as my sister wished me luck (like a child going to school for the first time), I braved the rain thinking it was going to be just another of those normal Monsoon rain spells.

[Google: “July 1 2011 Mumbai” and you’ll know what I’m talking about.]

Just after I left my apartment, my sister switched on the TV to see news channels everywhere warning people to stay indoors! Most of the roads in Mumbai were completely flooded, and there were landslides here and there! She called me immediately, but my phone was tightly wrapped in a polythene bag deep inside my bag.

I on the other hand, was preoccupied, battling the rain and thinking about my first day at work. All autos refused to ply and most vehicles were off the road, so I walked. I kept walking towards my new office, not noticing that the water level kept rising higher and higher… first I was avoiding the puddle… next my feet were completely submerged…. soon the water came up to my ankles…. then my knees… by the time I reached SV Road, the water was up to my waist!!!





Yet, I was determined because it was my first day at work and I didn’t want to screw it up.

I held my umbrella up along with my bag, which reminded me of those Vietnam war movies where the GIs would patrol through waist-high water in the jungle while holding their guns above the water.

And the thing about Mumbai floods is, you MUST follow the person right in front of you. Coz you’ll never know if there is a pothole or a manhole ahead when the muddy water is up to your waist. So this is one incident where herd mentality is a really positive thing. Lolz.

FINALLY, after nearly 3 hours of struggling through the water, I reached my new office. Very few people turned up that day, and the HR told me I didn’t have to come!

Hehehe… well, in the end, my first day at work was indeed a very memorable day, and I will never forget what I went through that day.

Cheers.


[I may update this post later with a video]

32 comments:

Hriatpuia Pa said...

A va ngaihnawm em! Thildang tihsan miah lovin vawikhatah ka chhiar chhuak dap. Ka lawmpui a che.

Mizohican said...

Thank you hotupa :)

samuelapa said...

A ngaihnawm kher mai. Film-ah siam la, a hmuhnawm viau ang...

Mizohican said...

lolzzz... mahse keima role a chang tur kei anga hmeltha mipa an awm dawn a mi? :D :D :D

Jona said...

Looks like you are one good example of the adage "Fortune favours the brave." Really inspiring...so also the guys at your work who've moulded you (NOI),the likes of which are not many, I think.

mnowluck said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mnowluck said...

Congrats bro… You have also completed your 3 years experience of promising me that we will meet again at Inorbit or the Bar in Goregaon.. which never happened again :D

Banno said...

Really funny post, Mizohican. I enjoyed it very much, reading about your job interview and your first day at work. I think your idea of trying for the biggest agency first makes a lot of sense, in a lot of other contexts. :)

Samuel Putarte said...

A ngaihnawm hle mai. I huaisen ka ti hrim hrim bawk.

Pixie said...

Awesomeness! Congratulations on completing 3 yrs! :)
May you have many more years of well earned success! :)

dr-feelgood said...

# years and many more creative years to come. Keep it up.

jay-me said...

Happy Third Anniversary??? Congratulations on landing that job three years ago, kinda late huh? Having gone through a similar process of nerve-racking interviews for my job, I applaud your sincerity and dtermination. Now I wish i can physically pat you on the back for the impressive achievements you have made for yourself and your fellow men, here's a virtual one sent with deepest compliments *WHACK*! Hope it stings :) Wish you health and happiness!

Krista Roluahpuia said...

Awesome!!!

Happy Anniversary!

I thluak a tha thin khawp bik mai. Vocabulary pawh tha bawk...

reverie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
reverie said...

Congratulations, dear bro. It's a very interesting read and inspiring too. May you find more challenges in your job and many blessings upon you.

Mizohican said...

@ reverie: Thank you, and also thanx for the wish :)

@ Krista: Thank you :)

@ dr.feelgood: Thanx :D

@ sangpuiipa: Thank you :)

Mizohican said...

@ Jay me: Yup, it stings, and thanx for that pat :)

@ Pixie: Thank you dear Pix :)

@ Banno: I was lucky, extremely lucky :D

@ Jona: Thanx to my bosses. Yup :)

@ mnowluck: Get your ass over to Mumbai and we'll definitely keep that appointment :)

Aduhi Chawngthu said...

Time really flies, doesn't it? And you have come a long long way from your "stylish copywriting" days! I laughed out loud seeing the pictures hihihi no offence but it kinda looks like a bored schoolboy's scribbles :P Anyway congratulations, may you go far far ahead in the game.

thinchhia said...

sir,mi blog ka chhiar ngai tohloh tehreng nen ka chhiar tui lutuk a.a tawp phut sia..chhunzawm vat chi a ni

Jerusha said...

Yo brother in adbertising! Congratulations! 3 years is a lot, and it says a lot about a person's endurance. Because I know how harsh it can be out here. And you my dear are one of the stronger ones :) May you have a long and happy work life.

Btw, you made me feel super old with this post you ahole! I'm close to my 8th year of work ex. Think I'll go drown my sorrows in some new ad proposal.

benjamin rualthanzauva said...

Wow! Second big thing after my descent from the mountains.

zoho said...

so inspiring, soo... very inspiring, after wasting 6 helluva years...the guts, the attitude,the knees to stand up... you deserve it, high 10...

Anonymous said...

English thuziak hi ka chhiar tui khât tehlul nen (thiam loh vangin), ka chhiar tui teh tlat chu a! Mahse, paragraph 3-na tawpah khian ziah hmaih (luih) i nei a nih khi..:-)

Ka hnathawhpui châk zawng tak i ni. Mi taima tak i ni a, i tuina taka i thawk thei hi ka lawmpui em em che a ni. Tui len lai khian i mangan ve dawn khi a! Mangang hmel chu hmuh tlak loh ang chu awwww!

VaiVa said...

Congrats and cheers! Coming down to Mumbai this weekend... so be prepared. :P

kc said...

I waited 2 days to comment cause this anniversary post prompted me to go back to your past; I was going through your previous posts from back in 2004 and 2005. I don't feel very comfortable confessing on the comments page, but ummm...its like I'm reading my own life, complete with all the confusions and struggles and uncertainties of remaining in the biz world. I have a favour to ask, do you mind?

Mizohican said...

@ aduhi: lolzzzzz... yeah yeah, I know :D You should have seen the looks on my ACD and AD's faces when I showed them that! lolz, priceless! :D

@ thinchhia: Thank you so much, sir. i ti lawmawm takzet a ni! :)

@ Jerusha: lolz, yeah I know :D But you're my inspiration, you know, so don't blame yourself for feeling old in this industry *wink*

@ benjamin: haha. Thanks! :)

Mizohican said...

@ zoho: Thank you :)

@ TSa: hahaha... ni thei tho mai :D chuan lolz, ka mangang hman manglo, ka rilru ah chuan ka hna thar zawm tur ringawt kha a awma. haha! :D

@ VaiVa: ve a che... nang lah hi duh duh lai hian Mumbai ka rawn thleng dawn i ti ve ziah a, Mumbai i rawn thlen lai chuan hmuh tur i awm leh reng reng silova...

@ Kim: Sure, am always free. Ask away. Added you on G+ too, in case you have one.

kc said...

left a message on facebook

irene said...

I do know know how hard to reach our dream. You reap your hard work. so all the best in the days to come!

Maisek said...

Whoa! after a long time... I happen to drop by. Fact is I got rather busy with my work! Well, congrats for being able to work in your cherished career for three whole years! I could imagine your determined attitude to overcome the impediment on your first day at work! Go on... try and reach the top! I know you CAN...

Tharax said...

clap clap clap!! lawmpui tak meuh2 che..
hlawhtlinna tam tak ka duhsak a che..

Mimihrahsel said...

congrats bro.. happy for you! :-)