What was your first job?
My first job was working as an IT Officer in the Agriculture Department, Govt. of India.
What was your best job?
My best job was sketching for my 8 year old niece. She paid me with a huge smile and a bear hug!
Who was the biggest influence in your career?
Life’s experiences. I really believe nothing can be a greater influence. I learnt by trial and error to stick to what works in terms of my career choices, and learnt from what didn’t work out well for me.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Definitely dark chocolate with nuts.
Do you have any other skills or talents others don’t really know about?
I am an amateur charcoal artist and at one point in time, I considered taking all of my savings and fleeing to Paris to be an artist!
Name a few of your daily habits?
I love to wake up and listen to a guided meditation first thing. That, alongside a big brekkie and a home brewed Chai every morning gives me energy to set me up for the day. I’m a fan of making lists each day. I also make sure to learn a new thing every single day - be it a new tech/tool/platform related to marketing, or maybe even a TED talk.
Can you tell me a little bit about the challenges you’ve faced trying to find employment?
Breaking into the Australian job market was not an easy journey for me. As an Indian immigrant I found there was a lot of weight attached to local experience, even for entry level jobs. There is a huge disconnect when it comes to the applicant’s experience/skill sets/background and the expectations of the prospective employers, even for entry level jobs. The irony is, people apply for those jobs for that reason in the first place!
Do you feel the hiring landscape really allows you showcase your skills?
I feel that seeing candidate potential and understanding more diverse backgrounds are areas that could be improved. Rejecting candidates simply on the basis of not having local experience, does seem unfair!
How did Weploy help your situation?
Weploy was a life saver. I was employed by Weploy when I was seeking work and really looking to break into the job scene in Australia. After countless futile applications, one would naturally get a bit demoralised! When an organisation understands the pain points of the candidate they are looking to hire and removes bias like ethnicity and age, that kind of raises the bar for its peers when it comes to the hiring process. Weploy is one such organisation! It has reinforced my belief in a seamless, unbiased and empowered model of recruitment.
The variety of roles I was exposed to and the ethos that Weploy represents really added to my credibility! Also, the fact that it gave me the flexibility to continue to upskill and explore other jobs at the same time, went a long way, for me!
Do you feel that opportunities through Weploy changed your perspective?
Absolutely! The assignments had me working with varied clients and roles. I was exposed to different work ecosystems and culture, which in turn broadened my skill sets and strengthened my portfolio.
What was the process like for you?
I had to pass an online test that had the routine math, aptitude and reasoning questions. Then I was asked to make a short video answering a few questions and the next stage involved a video interview with one of their hiring managers. It was a very casual chat that had me talking about my experience/education and basically myself. The process was thorough, but my interviewer made sure that I was at ease and didn’t feel anxious or intimidated.
What was the biggest surprise using Weploy?
First of all, the feature that the Weploy app offers, in terms of flexibility, is unparalleled. I had the liberty to set myself available as part time or full time. This kind of gave me the ability to juggle my other casual jobs. I only accepted assignments when I was very sure that I could do justice to the timelines.
Has Weploy helped your work-life balance?
Very much. I’m able to balance work, play and travel now with ease. I can arrange trips overseas by simply tweaking my availability through the app and when I’m on an assignment I give myself ample time to focus on my other jobs and even manage some “me time” every now and then!
