The Dangling Conversation

In the dangling conversation

And the superficial sighs,

The borders of our lives.

If life was an interview, Paul Simon couldn't have been more accurate.

I've had my fair share of interviews now, either for a job or for higher studies. When I walk into the room, my general objective is to transform the ensuing dialogue from 'interview mode' to 'conversation mode'. If I can make that happen, I know I've made an impression. This isn't an easy job, mind you, and it's tough to pull it off consistently. After all, it depends a lot on how receptive the panelists are to the entire idea. All it takes is one grumpy interviewer determined to ruin your happiness to make it feel like a third degree interrogation. But in the absence of such characters and especially if the panelists are a pleasant and interested lot, it's upto you to set the mood of the interview, make it feel like an animated conversation.

That's why Iam disappointed with my XLRI experience the other day. Yes, I answered about everything. Yes, I got them to see how two years at their institute were in alignment with my 'long term plans', but the flow was missing, I wasn't completely 'there', the panelists' foreheads were creased most of the time, the conversation was 'dangling'.

The following passage in the interview exemplified this.

Panelist1 : So what do you know about the relationship between China and Taiwan?

Me : Sir, China and Taiwan share an enstranged relationship....Their problem dates back some time to when Chiang Kei Sheik broke away from Mao's Communists....He fled the mainland and landed in Taiwan...umm...this was with the Nationalist Party...the natives of the island, umm...the people who originally lived there, didnt like their growing influence and....rose in resention against this regime. Since then, it has always been in a state of confusion.....umm...To this day, China refuses to see Taiwan as a seperate political..umm..entity.

P1 (amused) : You began by describing the relationship as ...something (looks at P2)

P2 (helpfully) : Enstranged...

P1 : Yes, isn't something wrong there?...

Me : (Gad!) It should have been estranged, sir.

P1 (nodding) : Yes, yes...and you said the natives rose in......?

Me : (Sheesh!) : Resentment, sir.

P1 (smiling) : That's right, but what did you say then?

Me (cornered) : Resention, sir.

A satisfied P1 looks at his colleagues and they share a contented smile after a job well done.
I can only smile back.

Maybe it's because I have a lot riding on this interview. Maybe it's because the topics of discussion never entered my comfort zone. Maybe it's because I was forced to come up with globe so many times. Whatever, I didn't feel too comfortable during the interview, especially in the beginning. The words came out faster than my thoughts did and I wasnt as coherent as I know I can be.

Anyways, the bottomline being,

Do I think I could have done better?
Most definitely!

Do I think I've done well enough to get an admit?
The jury's still out on that one.

For anyone who's interested, you can find the verbatim account here.

Like a poem poorly written

We are verses out of rhythm,

Couplets out of rhyme,

In syncopated time

Lost in the dangling conversation

And the superficial sighs,

Are the borders of our lives.