recession created testers, which were not to be..

I passed out of college in a year which most people would dread to get out in, it was a year of recession for IT industry, not seen before. It was 2002 and my college placement cell could do nothing to find us a job. The other detriment was being part of the first batch passing out of this college no one had heard the name of this college which made the task of getting a job wee more difficult. Also telling anyone my college name had to be followed up with more info on the college as 10 out of 10 people would ask "where is it?" accompanied with a does-it-even-exist look on the face which got really annoying at times (of some things college goers hate “someone not knowing their college” tops the list).
For me it was a rough patch, I had always thought of myself as being capable and for a freshman who is ready to embark upon a new journey post college, it did not seem a good start at all...
I did not discuss the situation with my parents much, lest I showed signs of a realization of having chosen the wrong field. Though they were convinced already thanks to my bold move of shifting from home science into computer engineering which saw very few takers in my family 3 years back, except myself no one was with me when I made a 180 degree shift by choosing to do my masters in computer applications post a bachelors in home science (must have been out of my mind really)
Not knowing what to do initially I went into my shell, literally also as I was seen outside my room lesser number of times than the usual. Talking to friends depressed me, so I avoided them too. On the whole I was kind of living in another world coz I did not know whom to get angry with no one around seemed responsible to take out my anger on, it was just a situation and something out of my control. (it is only sometimes, I take to such rational thinking, normally I would shout a few times, upset a handful of people and then do the thinking) But I was keeping faith and had the belief that “I CAN DO IT” and even if no one from my batch was not to get a job, I would, I have always been a go getter.
Then I realized I had to help myself, none else could, none in my family belonged to IT background, I had to pull it myself and that is what made me more determined to reach my goal. Different people tackle problems in different ways, I took a less treaded path(at least in my eyes-none from my class of 40 did it the same way i did). Every morning I would get up early (only then getting up early was easy-probably i was not getting any sleep) in morning, take a bath and eat breakfast to avoid all distractions until lunch time. Then as soon as dad left for office I would sit on the desktop myself to search for IT companies on google. I would then call them to speak to the HR personnel there. The first half of their office hours seemed a better choice to me, in the hope of finding them in a good mood. Sometimes on hearing that a freshman is on other side of phone, my greetings would be responded with the hung up tune from other end, it definitely was disheartening.


Dad was with me at that time, sticking to me like any dad would at a testing time for his children. Seeing the determination in my eyes every morning turning into disappointment at end of day he suggested I pay some money and do internship somewhere. But thankfully after repeated calls and pleads and couple of written tests later I got internship with a firm to much relief of my parents but they only had positions in testing much to my chagrin. I anyhow settled for what I was getting, and yes 75% of people from my batch were not placed. Probably that period of recession was responsible for my first tryst with testing, which has since stuck to me and I can say “I AM AN ENGINEER– forced into testing” L and proudly add “I am loving it” J