Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. (The Times of India) Interview Questions
& Process

It was a campus placement interview for a sales associate intern position, a 2-month internship. The interviewer was present, and upon successful completion, an internship certificate and a monthly stipend of 5000 would be provided.

The interview process spanned 2 to 3 months, involving two interview rounds with senior team members. Although the interviews themselves were fine, the overall process and outcome felt unprofessional. After the second round, I was informed the outcome was positive and that the organization needed time for approvals. However, I later discovered there was a job freeze. It was unprofessional for a large company to keep candidates waiting without being upfront about the situation.

I interviewed with the group a few times. The first time, I was selected for Mirror Now and even got an offer letter, but then HR said hiring was closed. A few months later, I was selected for TOI entertainment, but the offer came too late, after two months, and I had already accepted another job. The initial offer letters always stated it wasn't final and to not leave my current job. I got another offer from TOI digital and the same thing happened: I got a selection letter but was told not to quit my job yet. I got another offer and took it because TOI HR stopped responding. Later, HR called, and when she found out I'd joined elsewhere, she blamed me for delaying the process and blacklisted me. Now, HR says they won't consider me, even though I apply. This is a big organization with many platforms, and since media is dynamic, young people always look for better opportunities. The HR used me to cover her personal mistakes and ruined my future prospects. I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else, and the organization takes note.

I went through 2 rounds for this job. First, there was an HR round where I had to go to their Delhi office to meet the HR, who ended up being really unprofessional. After that, I had a technical round with the Hiring Manager, who was a very polished and professional leader. It took them 2 months to make an offer, and then I was supposed to join within a month. This delay was entirely due to the HR's unprofessional conduct. The hiring manager seemed unaware of what was happening, and the HR didn't seem to care. The initial salary offered was 30% less than my current package. The final offer matched my then-current package, but with a reduced variable component. I rejected the offer solely because of their unprofessional attitude.