Hey there, fellow dreamers! Today, I want to share with you a ride full of turbulences that led me to where I am now – a place of growth, learning, and personal triumph. It all started back in 2014 when I took my first step into the professional world as an intern in an engineering firm.
As a fresh-faced graduate in India, I embarked on my professional journey at an early age (17), something quite common for the lower class in India. Financial constraints pushed me to work while studying, and I found myself stuck in an unpleasant work culture at my uncle’s engineering firm. My boss, being a relative, made things even more challenging, with strict rules and the constant feeling of being under surveillance.
I couldn’t use my phone even during breaks, or else I’d be buried under a mountain of superfluous work! Not to mention, my phone would mysteriously disappear if my boss caught me peeking at notifications. Yes, he would confiscate it.
In 2016, fed up with the situation, I decided to try my luck with interviews in other engineering companies. My primary goal wasn’t just landing a job; it was about improving my interview skills and understanding the workings of the professional world. After all, it was my first interview, and I knew how much it could teach me, so the job wasn’t my priority even though I would have taken it if I had been offered more money. Cherry on the top : I could break free from the suffocating environment I was in.
Of course, I couldn’t share this plan with my boss as it would bruise his ego. However, my father, who understood my aspirations, supported me wholeheartedly, urging me to go ahead with the interviews. So, with a mix of excitement and trepidation, I took the plunge.
I didn’t know that this one step would trigger a magical course of events that would change my life for the better. But first things first, well, you know how the saying goes – “Don’t cross bridges before you come to them.” I wasn’t aware that the structural engineering companies in Delhi had their connections like a spider web. The moment I stepped out of that interview, my phone buzzed – it was my boss! In that one minute call, he did most of the talking, and I found myself unexpectedly “let go.”
It was a harsh moment, but I had chosen to prioritize my dignity over staying in a toxic work environment. I decided to embrace my newfound freedom.
In the typical fashion of that company, a couple of days later, the other partner called me up, asking me to come back. Classic! But you know what? I had made up my mind, and I wasn’t about to give in. Little did I know that saying “no” to that old job would open up a whole new world of opportunities!
You see, I had started learning French on weekends in early 2016, and by the time I got the boot in August, I had completed two intensive French levels. So, while I was hustling to find new job prospects, I stumbled upon a gig teaching French to two kids in Faridabad. And guess what? More clients started pouring in, and suddenly, I was making more money than my previous job, but with just a quarter of the time investment! Talk about levelling up in life!
Now, while one interview experience got me fired, and it was for my own good. Two other interviews helped me shape my future further. One such moment was when I applied for a student visa through Campus France in 2019. The assistant manager at Campus France was reading my profile, and after the interview was over, she casually mentioned the assistant de langue program and how it would suit me perfectly. Although I didn’t think much of it initially, the idea lingered on. Later on, I ended up being an assistant English teacher in France for three whole years! Life works in mysterious ways, huh? It was a chance to explore a new culture, expand my horizons, and further develop my teaching and many other skills.
Oh, and here’s a fun story about CVs. So, back in India in 2016, someone suggested that a simple white paper with some words thrown on it would make for a better CV. I mean, why not, right? So, I took the advice and kept it clean and classy. But hold up, when I went for an interview in France, the interviewer knew me and gave me a hot tip – “colourful” CVs are all the rage nowadays! What? Why didn’t I think of changing that simple CV a few years ago. Did I stop installing updates in me after I became a teacher in France who needed help with every small tech problem? I once hacked my boss’ computer and already had a flashy CV , so why did I take that advice in the first place? well, we all have our setbacks.
So, I spiced things up a bit, finding the perfect balance between not too flashy and just enough pizzazz. Although I didn’t get that particular job I interviewed for, I did end up with a better-looking CV and a new video CV that showcased all my efforts. And let me tell you, it worked like a charm when I landed a sweet job later on!
So my life has been nothing short of personal and professional adventures, and I am truly grateful for leading a life that challenges me from times to time, or else I find it boring.
Through these ups and downs, I learned an invaluable lesson–life’s journey is filled with twists and turns, and it’s not about avoiding failures but learning from them. I’m a firm believer in the saying, “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again – Nelson Mandela.” Each failure taught me resilience and the importance of never giving up on my dreams.
Today, as I reflect on those moments, I can’t help but marvel at how being fired became one of the best things that happened to me. Did I lose 2 years of my life working as a structural detailer? I may not use Tekla Structures (software I learned for 2 years) anymore, but at that engineering firm, a minor error could set off the decibel meter of my boss, leaving us all on edge. As much as those moments were uncomfortable, they inadvertently taught me a valuable lesson – attention to detail.
In an environment where precision was paramount, I quickly learned the importance of dotting every “i” and crossing every “t.” I became meticulous, leaving no room for oversight. My dedication to flawlessness became my shield against the storm of reprimands, and that trait stayed with me throughout my subsequent endeavors.
Today, whether I’m tackling complex projects or navigating the intricacies of life, that attention to detail remains my guiding compass. So, in a peculiar way, I am NOT grateful for the boss whose yells may have been were unpleasant, but they gifted me an invaluable skill for a lifetime.
There could have been so many ways to learn attention to detail, but I learned it the hard way.
So, my fellow adventurers, I encourage you to embrace interviews, seize opportunities, and learn from every experience but especially from failures. Remember, life has its way of leading us to magical paths when we least expect it. With every adventure, we grow, we learn, and we find our way to success.
As I continue my journey, I invite you to join me on my blog (subscribe below), where we’ll share laughter, inspiration, and, of course, a sprinkle of magic. Stay ambitious, my friends, and let the winds of opportunity carry you to places beyond your wildest dreams.
Until next time, keep shining and thriving!
The Indian Supertramp 