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| Risks |
| Wednesday, July 17, 2013 |
Not sure if anyone is still reading my posts, with Reader out of the picture, I dont get to read all my favorite blogs so much, except when I take the initiative to go and actually visit the blog. Anyway I think blogs are dwindling. :--(
Anyhoo. Need to write this now in my blog. Will take it down soon probably since it has some sensitive information.
My blog is aware of the transformation I have had in the past 5 or so years. This<http://ramblingsonly.blogspot.com/2008/02/people-skills.html> is who I was then. And folks here gave me some excellent advice. I followed up on it. And today I am extremely proud to say I got a job which was purely based on talking to people, networking, being confident and basically influencing someone of their opinion of me by my attitude and talking and persistence. Phew!
When I got back from India and I was still settling down at work, it suddenly hit me as to what I was doing with my life. One week after there was a big org change where my boss and boss's boss were ousted from their roles giving way to other folks. Who had different ideologies and methodologies. I was a little sad because the relationship I had built with my boss was all down the drain and now I had to start again from scratch. And this has been happening in another matrix org I am reporting into for the past two years. I was doing a stealth project with a few other folks which was extremely interesting, making me put in more hours than I would normally. If it took off it would have been a major boost for me and excellent learning opportunity. I was doing this on the side along with my regular work. Purely out of interest. New management comes and it scratches this whole thing away like it was dust on the wall. Along with me, a few others were extremely demotivated. I agree it does not fall in line with the schedule but this is what distinguished this group from the others I have worked with, they try new things, take risks.
My motivation dropped down drastically. My regular work seemed more boring than ever before.
Not sure if anyone remembers but I had plans for MBA at some point, took my GMAT etc. But it fizzled out with baby, mortgage etc. I still think I might do it at some point but let us see. At this time I was looking for something new and exciting. The big boss asked me what I wanted to do and gave me a lot of options within what was feasible but to be frank nothing interested me.
Me and my carpool buddy, since we spend lot of time in the car commuting, talk about all things under the sun and this topic popped up. I told her how I wanted to move into another Org, which gets me closer to the business side of things. Basically try to get into business management roles without an MBA and I have heard many say it is not impossible, just takes time. She immediately referred me to someone we knew who had just moved into such a role. Networking paid off big time. I spoke to her and she referred me to a director in the org. He totally discouraged me because he said I came out as shy and was not prepared enough and what not. :--( One of the depressing days where I resigned myself to stick to the desk job staring the monitor all my life. But I did take all his points to mind. I spoke to a few other folks, got lot of insight and inputs, and this field seemed extremely interesting. Only because it was new.
An opening came up just like that, and I gave my resume. I interviewed with close to 10 people, in between my regular job, impromptu like with less than 6hours notice. I put on my Toastmasters hat, my confidence, my lessons from the meeting with the director, and mostly spoke my mind out. Frankly moving to a less technical role from core technical role is easy, IF you have good people and communication skills. Which I was seriously lacking a few years ago. This time I just nailed it. I awed every single interviewer. Also experience plays a big role too. This past couple of years have been enlightening in non technical ways than otherwise. How to deal with difficult people, bad managers, leadership, how to work in a chaotic environment, taking initiatives, going the extra mile, convincing upper management, reasoning, aruging, conflicts, and what not.
This helped me be extremely frank and have answers on the tip of my tongue without having to think too much or you know make up answers.
I spoke to another director who was managing the group I was interviewing with. I was very frank. This is what I want to do, here is where I want to take my career, if I dont get the job now, tell me what I can do to get it a few months down the lane. It was an enlightening meeting to say the least. I got comfortable talking to folks high up the ladder. Once your goal is clear in your mind, you dont have to make up things, or think about stuff to talk about. I am extremely happy to have reached here, may be late, later than many, because you know I have my own inhibitions, I mean look at how I was five years ago!
I was almost checked out of my current job, which probably explains why I missed deadlines and I felt super bad. But they trusted me enough to think I was really working my butt off not slacking. But this group didnt give me the job right away. Because the little technical experience that was needed I didnt have. I was so desperate at that time I kept pushing the boss to make a decision, telling her this chutku techincal stuff is something I can pick up quickly. I did not have any customer experience that was a big drawback too. Again I convinced her and somehow finally one Monday afternoon she pinged me and gave me the job! Woo hoo! Best day of my life! I did not get a job because I was good in programming or architecture or anything but because I had good people skills and talked my way into convincing them I will be a good fit. Some feedback I got was, I am enthusiastic, and energetic, with excellent communcation skills and people skills! Phew! A younger me would have thought it was bad to suck up to people to get a job, you should get a job for your skills, but the newer me knows it is a skill to convince someone to give you a job you are not fully qualified for too! Have I been fully Americanized now?
I dont know why I always go after things that I am not good at. I am at a good point in my career, well respected and trusted. The big boss was ready to let me do anything of my choice within the org to keep me in. But what started out as a search in desperation, took me back to my original goals from a few years ago. Sometimes we just get lost in the rut of things right, lose focus on what is of utmost importance to you. And now I am throwing away all this and going after something that is totally new to me, lot of learning. It is good, but why leave a comfortable spot? Now I still have doubts, leaving a place I am very comfortable in and know how things work to a group that is new where I have to build the trust and play on a totally different set of skills. I may just fail and come back to what I know I am good at. But what is life without pushing your boundaries? One life to live go after what you think you want, if you fail just start from scratch. Really, for me now I dont define success as reaching some rung on the ladder. Success for me is to love what you do, and keep learning as you step on every rung of the jungle gym sometimes it may just be a side step instead of up.
Let us see!
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posted by SK @ 11:56 AM  |
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| 6 Comments: |
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Use feedly in place of reader. You can import your blog list from reader to feedly.
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Congrats SK! Happy for you. I have been in your shoes hoping and aspiring for something but never really taking the steps to make it come true. So, in that sense, your post was very inspirational. All the very best for your new role!
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happy for you SK ! you inspire me!
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i think ur blog ate my comment or i forgot to click on publish.
Anyway congrats... i know of many ppl who tried for a year to get through that transition so its good.
On reader, yes feedly is good, except i transitioned after google reader stopped working so couldnt import the list. i had to stick using theolderreader.com
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thanks yaadayaada just did! :--) although lost my entire feed, so starting a new feed
laksh, thanks, go for it! :--) you alreayd have an MBA don tyou!
Daisy, cmon it is the other way around :--)
Sachita, in a way I also took like 3 years from the firs time I thought about moving ;--)Theoldreader.com hmm interesting :--)
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Awesome SK!!! Big congrats!! relates so much to me, so truly inspiring! :D
-porkodi
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Use feedly in place of reader. You can import your blog list from reader to feedly.