The Big Breakthrough?

My sole goal after graduation has been to land a job with a multinational firm. It has been my belief from day one that if you work your hard enough for them, they’re going to notice you at some point or the other. Working for the local ones which are owned by either semi-literate or utterly illiterate ‘Seths’, is like banging your head against the wall. And this belief of mine has been further augmented by what I get to hear from acquaintances who are working in such places. It gives me great pleasure that I’ve been right all along, only for a split second, that is. The euphoria is almost instantaneously replaced by the growing concerned that I’m still unemployed. In the backdrop of this scenario, I was quite excited when the multinational giant Wartsila called me for an interview, and the excitement transformed into ecstasy when they short listed me for a second interview. I thought I was finally going to get that breakthrough which I had been yearning for all this time.

They called in the last week of June to inform me that I had been shortlisted for the second round and that I would be getting a call in the 2nd week of July, since the guy who was going to conduct the interview had gone for an Umrah. In the meantime I should polish my grey areas and wait for the call. I thanked the girl who had called me from the core of my heart for this courtesy call. How many companies are out there who inform the prospective interviewees well in advance about an interview? Not many, I’m sure. Needless to say, this simple act earned them my deepest respect and admiration. I was sure more than ever this was the company I would toil away for as long as it took.

I got to work immediately, reminiscing about the blunders I had committed in the first interview and trying to come up with better response. I also started revising more vigorously whatever I’ve learned in the last four years of my life. The second week came and went; then the third and fourth. I’ve got to say that I wasn’t worried that much throughout this period. Problems can arise, delays can occur, and a multinational just doesn’t back itself out of a commitment. But my friend Fahad who was also shortlisted was getting restless; every other day he would call me and exhort me to call the company and ask them about the delay. The first time he pleaded, I called the company and they replied; when the time came they would call me myself; I need not worry. But Fahad was getting desperate and wanted me to call them up again and again. I told him to calm down and just be patient. What else could I say or do. I certainly didn’t want to piss them off by calling again. Once was enough, which by the way had also confirmed that I had indeed been short listed and wasn’t dreaming.
It was finally on 3rd August that they called to inform me that I had an interview the other day. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I had just recovered from illness and was prepared for whatever lay ahead.

My interview was to start at 10:20 and although I got lost a bit getting there, in the end I made it right on time. But when I reached there, three people were already there waiting; two of which were scheduled before me; 10:00 and 10:10. This baffled me a bit, considering that the first one had lasted well more than half an hour. Anyway, the interviews didn’t start well after 11, and they were quite brief. But before the interviews we (the interviewees) had an in-depth chat about the job. It so happened that a few of the second-round interviews had already been conducted before this day, and Fahad was one of them. He didn’t call me to tell about it, but Noman who was there now, had talked to him. The revelation by Fahad was really mind-boggling. According to him, they had told him that the salary was going to be a measly Rs.3000 which was going to remain that way for 2 years! This could mean quite a few things, either Fahad is lying about it, people at Wartsila are out of touch with reality, or they were just pulling his leg to see how he responds.

Now when our turn came, each one got an entirely different dose. To one person they said that this job was quite messy, to other that the work required was more strenuous than that of a car mechanic, that he would be required to fly to different locations throughout the country for this work, and that for 2 years this will remain as it is. After two years, they may think about inducting the workers in the company on a permanent basis. To me, the two people who were conducting the interview revealed that this sort of work doesn’t have scope anywhere in the world, let alone Pakistan. Diesel engines provide the function of an auxiliary power source in the industry and as such they are not deemed as important. Then they asked me what I have to say to that, to which I replied that you have to take calculated risks throughout your life. Even the aviation industry is going down the drain and yet people are still venturing into that hellhole. You have to carve out your own niche. And that was it. This reply was enough for them to come to some conclusion which I’m not aware of as yet.

Just now as I’m writing this down, Fahad calls and gives me his version. Noman was right. They had stated that amount to him which they say is a stipend for two years training. Apparently, they had cross-examined him the most; asking whether he had done any worthwhile work with his hands in his life, why did he want to leave his current job, why was he interested in diesel engines, and so on.

My enthusiasm for working for Wartsila has dampened to some extent after this experience, mostly because I’m unable to make out their intentions. Are they bluntly stating the nature of the job so that we don’t have any qualms about it when we get in the middle of the action, or are they just testing us? It’s hard to figure out from the different versions I’ve heard or the bland expressions of the two interviewers. They didn’t discuss the stipend part with most of us, so I can’t vouch for that. However if it is true, then I don’t think anyone in the right frame of mind is going to opt for this ridiculous package. It’s preposterous for them to think they can keep their employers motivated to deliver the goods on such debilitating pay for two long years. They did complain to one of the interviewees that people leave us in just 2-3 weeks, and then they have to start the recruitment process all over again. They should expect that without any reservations. Wartsila without doubt is one of the biggest suppliers of ship power in the entire world. It owns a Nordic steel company, manufactures, supplies and then services power plants all over the world. In short they have poked their nose in every business and that also very successfully. This Finnish company has been around since 1884 so there’s no question about it’s reputation. Obviously, anyone who applies for a post here expects at least a package at par with the local industry, if not better. So when people are going to be offered what I’ve heard they’re offering, then the reaction is going to be either of disbelief, anger or disappointment.

If you ask me, I think they may have been putting on an act. It was something which the older guy, the field engineer who had gone for Umrah and caused the delay, said. He said diesel power
plants do not represent much of a scope anywhere in the world. But just the other day I was surfing the net and came across an article which claimed that Wartsila-Sulzer had produced one of the biggest and most powerful diesel engines in the world. The RTA96-C turbo-charged two stroke diesel engine, which is actually manufactured for Wartsila by Aioi Works of Japan’s United Diesel Ltd.; is one of a kind. It is available in 6-14 cylinders configurations, all in-line. The engine produces an enormous 7780 horsepower and weighs a whopping 2300 tons( the crankshaft alone 300 tons)! An engine of such gigantic proportions is required by large container ships since ship owners prefer a single powerful engine over a number of small ones. Here a few snaps of it’s monstrous parts.