[Resolved]  Cognizant Technology Solutions — Most disorganised interview ever

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Bangalore, Karnataka

Hello, I am here to share my 2nd most disastrous experience ever with Cognizant, Bangalore. I got a call from a consultancy service regarding a visual design opening in Cognizant. I asked her whether it is a walk-in because the walk-ins are pathetic, long waits. When I came to know it wasn't I decided to give it a shot. I got shortlisted and was asked to come for the Face to Face round at Golf view, Murugeshpalya office. When I reached there at 9.30, which was the time they asked me to be there, it was like market. Very very poor management, they asked us to submit the resumes and wait for our name to be called. The interviews were happening for different domains, inspite of it being such a big building they didn't categorise properly. After sitting idle for almost 2.5 hours finally, VD candidates were called. Then they took us to their recreational wing, where they said that they have changed their minds and will be taking the design test instead of the F2F interview. Everyone was ok with it, and again they made us wait for 2 long hours, without food or water. The systems were not equipped with the design softwares and after we sitting in the room full of computers, they started installing photoshop one by one on each system. BY now, everybody's patience had run out. The mood for interview was completely gone, irritated and frustrated. When we asked whether we can go have lunch as it was past the lunch time we were told it will be ready in 5 minutes. Which obviously didn't happen. We started the design test only around 2.15-2.30 and it got over at around 4pm. By now, everybody's head was spinning in pain. The person who came to give us the so-called question paper, who could barely speak in english, rather only he could understand what non-sense he was talking. The sketch (ques paper) didn't make any sense, when the small private offices where I have worked have a printed question mark. This shabby looking ques paper was not even printed, some nut-head had drawn a sketch and scribbled something with his hands and taken xerox for all o[censored]s. It was so unclear what had to be done, and obviously the englishman was wonderful with his english. So we ourselves had to figure out what to do. Once the test was over, they asked us to wait again for 5-10 mins, telling us that they will let us know the results immediately. but all of a sudden one more guy came, who could merely speak proper english (shame) asked us to leave for the day. They will let us know the results the following week's monday or tuesday. When I asked why, they said due to this goo[censored]p of taking the design test instead of f2f they have lost lot of time and hence there's no time to take the f2f now. Full of rage, I left the premises !!! My questions here - If they had the knowledge that they were going to visual design interviews why couldn't they decide the sequence of the interview? If they knew that the design test was necessary to select/shortlist the candidate why not make the systems ready with all the design softwares? If they had decided to take the F2F round on that particular day, why take the design test? When the software was gettting installed, they called some 3-4 people for F2F round. What about the rest? They told us that they were taking the design test because they wanted to finalise the candidates on that very day, then why did they ask us to leave post the design test? There was not even a single senior authorised person to keep a check on whether these volunteers were going according to the company procedure. I have been to other big companies for interview before, they have the basic odacity to ask the people for food and water at lunch time or otherwise. Here, they didn't even bother to arrange water for us. Cognizant never ever replies back to the candidates, whether they are in or rejected. I don't mind they telling me that I am rejected, but if they let me know the result which they never do I can improvise on my skills for the next time. This same experience I got way back in July 2011, in the baghmane teck park's Cognizant. They called us for the interview, I passed the design test, I passed the telephonic round, they asked me to send my portfolio, they were impressed by my work. This so-called graphic designer along with 2 other women, interviewed me again on phone from Pune. They said that everything was fine and I will get a call from the HR for the salary and joining details. But I have not got that call till date. I am so frustated, irritated and angry with my own self as to why I went there to waste my time, energy and weekend. If they don't want to hire people why do they waste everybody's time. If they already have candidates, then why call people and let them go through all the trauma. Never ever will I go for the Cognizant interview again, its not only me, my husband went through this trauma 3 times. DC