TATA steel Interview Experience for Internship

My whims about interviews: ’Two beasts sitting in a chair opposite to mine, ready to devour and me— trembling with fear.’

However, the real interview was completely different and equally amazing. This is about an interview for an internship at TATA steel – my best interview experience ever. As I entered the room, two interviewers were sitting there.

Interviewer1: Girls are very weak. They have not contributed much in the technological field. Now tell me about yourself, your unique selling point (They made me a product and asked me to sell myself)

Me (getting comfortable in my chair): Sir, your opinion about girls will change after hearing my answer. I am a 3rd-year undergraduate student in the Metallurgy branch. Talking about my journey in IITR in the past 2 years, In the 1st semester, I just got adjusted to this new environment. In the 2nd semester, I worked for an NGO in Dehradun and I started learning Taekwondo. In the 3rd semester, I participated in the Open state Taekwondo championship and I won a Gold and a Silver medal. I also joined the Fine Arts section (Campus group). In the 4th semester, I focused on my grades and I scored 8.954 SG (on a scale of 10) with a class rank of 3. I also participated in our sports fest, Sangram (Taekwondo) and I got 2 Gold and 1 Silver medal. In its fighting match, I won against a girl from IIT BHU as well as IET Lucknow. In 1st and 2nd year summers, I did an internship in the Data Science field (explained about it).

I1: (with a big smile on his face) That’s good.

(to a third interviewer who had just come) She defeated a girl from IIT BHU and IET Lucknow and now she is looking for someone in TATA to beat.

(Then some questions about metallurgy)

Interviewer2: Tell about me our 3 weaknesses.

Me: I easily get convinced by people if they wholeheartedly convince me, but before implementing the decision I think over it.

I2: 2nd and 3rd weakness?

Me: I don’t think I have any other major weakness.

I2: So you think you are a perfect human being?

Me: I didn’t say so. Every human is an average of 5 people with whom they spend most of the time. I even asked those 5 people about my weakness, no one pointed out any other weakness.

I2: Don’t you think you should introspect yourself? Why are you asking others?

Me(smiling): Human mind is very partial with oneself; it didn’t point out any other weakness.

I2: (starts laughing)

(A placement office member (M) comes in and tells them “Sir, we have arranged dinner for you”)

I1: (To M) Can she have dinner with us?

M: Sorry sir, I arranged only for 2 people. I didn’t know this before…

I2: (to I1) We will take her interview 2 more minutes and we will send it so that even she can have food.

I1: (to I2) No, I have some more questions to ask

(to me) You can go to your hostel and eat.

Me: My hostel is far from here and I am not hungry. So I will wait here till you all come back.

I1: You don’t have to walk. Take my car, go to your hostel, eat and come back.

Me: (with a smile) It’s fine sir. Because of interview excitement, I am not hungry.

I will wait till you all have dinner.

(After dinner)

(Some informal discussion about IIT Roorkee mess food, hostels, politics, reservation system with I1)

The interview starts again and some metallurgy-related questions.

I1: (Asks some questions about my summer internship in the data science field)

1st-year Data Science

2nd-year Data Science

3rd year…

Me: (interrupting) TATA

I2(hahaha): You are a girl. Girls have contributed very little in such fields. We have many boys as our option. Why should we hire you?

Me: Sir you might be saying so because of your experience about with in such a field.

I1(interrupted): Leave that. Why should we hire you? “a girl”.

Me: You hire me, and you’ll come to know what “a girl” can do.

I2: TATA has small and dirty metallurgy work. Why don’t you try any startup Many new start-ups are emerging and you get to learn a lot from them?

Me: I have worked in a start-up this summer. I also learned many things there. Now I want to try a big firm.

I2: Why not Data science this time?

Me: From 4 semesters I am learning about the metallurgy theoretical part and many new concepts. I want to see if what we are learning is useful in practical life or not. I am very eager to look at all those concepts and TATA is the best place for it.

You tell a child about an apple without showing it, even he gets eager as to what it looks like. The same is the case with us.

I1: How many years will you continue if we hire you?

Me: It’s our human tendency that if we do the same work for a long time, we get bored and think of changing it. As long as I am learning new things in TATA and I can contribute to the technological society, I won’t leave.

I1: What new things can we teach you every day?

Me: New doesn’t mean a completely new topic. New for me is any small additional information about any topic which I didn’t know. And I should be able to implement the same in my work to try new things.

I2: Which department would you like to join – R&D, Technological, Foreign department…?

Me: Being in a technological Institute, these things fascinate me. So I would like to work in the technological department. Although I find my interest in any work given to me and I do it happily J

I1: You are one of the smartest girls I have ever met. Keep up the confidence. India needs girls like you. We import technological things, machines from other countries. Girls like you should contribute to this field. I have a son of your age, I want him to talk to you. You are a source of motivation.

Me: (with a big smile) Sure sir. Thank you.

5 minutes later… Result: GOT SELECTED