How I missed an Opportunity Because of Gmail

Nagesh Lakinepally
Jul 22, 2017 · 2 min read

Gmail is a great tool. It has great features like fast mail search, lookup certain things directly from Inbox, like Github one click viewing pull requests, issues etc without opening the mail. The best part is categorization of mail into five categories (primary, promotions, social, updates and forums). No need to view each and every mail under each tab every day (shortly you will realise that this is a mistake I made)

Last month I have applied for admission into a training program with Consensys. A great training program on Blockchain technology based on Ethereum platform. The selection process to get admission into this coursework is to complete a coding task, then an interview. If through all these steps, we gain a place in this course. It was a great program, because it is free and also by great leaders in that technology. If we are fortunate and also intelligent enough, the graduation ceremony will be in Dubai, all tickets and visa paid by Consensys. Now will you agree, that it is a great course! :-)

When I received an email with coding task, Gmail has categorized it other than Primary and ended up in a pile of mails underpromotion tab. I have received an automated alert as well from them, no — I have not seen that mail either! I have expected that mail will show up in my primar tab

Now the lesson learnt from this. Do not blindly trust the artificial intelligence based Gmail categorization. I would check all emails under each tab at least once in a day.

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