I don’t dream of working in a multi-billion dollar company. I dream of working at a company that enables me to push my potential with highly challenging roles and a serious amount of team responsibility.
With just over 2 years of experience under my belt, I am a graduate of KCC Institute of Technology and Management currently employed at MakeMyTrip as a software engineer. I might seem like one of those poster boys to success right now but believe me, I didn’t always know what I wanted. It took several years of hard work and a commitment to follow the passion that has led me to where I am in my journey today.
As a child, I was always in awe of computers. It was particularly in the 8th standard when I knew that somewhere in my computer science classes lay the key to unlocking my future. When other children would mug up the answers to the theoretical questions asked in my exams, I would attempt to solve the questions on my own. I started imagining my future in computer science when I easily passed all my practicals without putting in a lot of effort. I also remember looking up to my uncle, who was a software engineer as my first real mentor.
Things were good; I managed to score well throughout high school and even get admitted to a reputable college. However, in the later years of my college life, I started struggling to take my skills to the next level, this is when I came across Scaler. I had been looking for platforms to practice my coding when a friend told me about the platform. Although I joined Scaler Academy in 2019, I couldn’t find the time from my hectic travel schedule to invest in developing some new skills. In April 2020, Covid came as a blessing in disguise, as strange as that sounds . Of course the pandemic brought tough times for the world, but it also gave me one thing that I had been sorely lacking previously: time.
I actually started enjoying my time with Scaler. The community available on this platform is the most cordial I’ve ever witnessed. It’s so easy to approach the instructors and fellow students regarding the coursework. I even learned how to manage my limited time better, a skill that is a must especially if you’re a working professional. Come to think of it, a couple of hours daily, a single problem everyday, is all that you need. The question is, are you persistent enough to handle that?
I’d especially appreciated the ways of Tarun Malhotra, whom I enjoyed listening to so much that it didn’t even feel like I was taking some class. His way of teaching was so fun-loving and natural that I really started enjoying the process of learning again.
Then came a time in my life when I appeared for several rounds of interviews, but I wasn’t getting through to any company. One particular interview I remember was with Delhivery:
I had cleared all the rounds, and even had a final call with the HR Department but didn’t hear back from them. I thought: was it because of the hundred percent hike I demanded with an experience of less than a year? I started questioning myself - am I asking for too much? Was I too ambitious? Abhimanyu Sir corrected me and said that: Instead of questioning why a company didn’t choose me, I should focus on what I could do better to improve my abilities.
I decided to work on boosting my speed, which was quite slow earlier. And well, the result is in front of all of us.
My hard work paid off and today I am working with MakeMyTrip, with an impressive package and a highly functional team. Nevertheless,I don’t consider myself to have reached my final destination yet. Through exploring enough on Scaler I’ve learned that what I used to be interested in as a fresh graduate; Machine Learning and LLP, is no longer my cup of tea. I have realized that I’m more interested in product development and scaling with the technical language of Python. I have also challenged myself to solve one question every day on the Scaler academy related to Data Science and ML, which I never thought would turn out to intrigue me so much. I plan on keeping this habit.
Scaler has helped me keep track of my achievements and practically identify where I am on the career map and where I envision going. Through the momentous exposure of the academy, my profile is now visible to large organizations such as MakeMyTrip, which in itself is a privilege! In the end, your capabilities and your effort will lead you towards your aspirations; Scaler is just a pathway to start. Once you demonstrate your full potential to the academy, you will be able to watch it advance your career in no time.
Only you can overcome the roadblocks and reach your destination; Scaler is just a pathway that can help you achieve it.
Connect with Vikas Tiwari on LinkedIn
