"People Enthusiast"
In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0, businesses across the globe are enabling their human capital to collaborate effectively with emerging technologies & fast-paced dynamic shifts in the overall operations of the business.
Being a "People Enthusiast", I'm driven by innovative methods adopted by organizations for building workforce capabilities that derive long term organizational success. I firmly believe that an individual's job is not only to provide means for its livelihood but is a commitment to an organization that thrives on an ecosystem of values driven by a sense of purpose to achieve sustainable growth for future generations.
Pursuing my Bachelors in Commerce from the University of Mumbai, equipped me with the fundamentals of business operations such as Financial & Cost Accounting, Taxation, Micro & Macro Economics, etc. At the same time, early exposure to subjects such as Human Resource Management, Law & Organizational Behavior coupled with my interest in business & leadership studies pushed me in pursuing a 2 year Post Graduate Diploma in Management with specialization in Human Resources from Indian Education Society's Management College & Research Centre, Mumbai which in India is equivalent to an MBA degree.
An immersive course as it was, we were taught practical implications of management decisions through case studies, assignments, group discussions along theoretical sessions. It provided a platform to take part in various competitions, conduct research & also organizing events. I was an active student member in the forums such as the National Human Resources Development Network & the National Institute of Personnel Management where we attended sessions by business leaders.
My professional journey in the field of Human Resources began while studying this course when I've undergone 3 internships & several co-curricular projects. I did my first internship virtually with nearbuy, where I virtually worked for a month for hiring marketing interns for a campaign held in December 2014. This short internship taught me the importance of building a strong professional network & the brand value that an organization creates through its people. Later in the summer of 2017, I did an internship with the Offshore business vertical of Hydrocarbon Engineering Company, where I had to streamline the department level induction across all the 13 departments at a pan India level. During the 2 months, I successfully launched a Standard Operating Process (SOP) for the on-boarding process of new joiners at the department level which was well appreciated by the Heads. Working in a large organization with a matrix reporting structure I learned to collaborate effectively with multiple teams & deliver the project in specified timelines.
As part of an exchange program offered by the college, I opted to be a part of a short course on "Internationalization Strategies" at FHNW University, Switzerland in August 2015. It included field visits where we were given glimpses of the working strategies with the companies like ABB, General Electric, SWISS Airport & Swiss Air. I was selected to drive the coordination for the program with the FHNW University where we also launched a social media page "Fusiontribe" for tracking the events of this exchange program. The conversation with students at the university & working professionals at the site visits significantly broadened my horizons on cultural diversity & provided first-hand exposure to the global business outlook.
Upon returning from the exchange program I took part in the National Competition for Young India (NCYI - 2015) conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA). In this competition along with another batch mate I had to research & present the theme of "Our Idea & Action Plan for a Developed India''. This allowed me to draw creativity in problem-solving backed by strong research. We shared views on areas that need focus & presented key drivers to bring implementable solutions in making India a developed nation, which made us win at the regional level.
In December 2015 I got an opportunity to do an internship with M Financial for 5 months where I was involved in Talent Acquisition for a newly launched real estate venture division where I was later absorbed for a full-time opportunity upon successful completion of my course. My key responsibility while working in this business was to recruit candidates in niche technology roles involving visual design, artificial intelligence & software development areas. Being a technology enthusiast, I quickly absorbed & effectively delivered on the business requirements.
By early 2017 I had an opportunity to work as an HR Business Partner in the Wealth Management business which is one of the core businesses of the firm. As a one-point contact, I handle processes such as recruitment, onboarding, induction & exits processes while maintaining employee relations. During the year I also assist in the performance appraisal processes along with identifying training needs & implementing relevant pieces of training for the employees. Being a process-driven individual, I've worked on HR Audits periodically to keep in check with the compliance requirements as well.
In the context of a Talent Acquisition, my role here has enhanced drastically as I worked on industry mapping to benchmark compensation & analyzing market trends with an extensive focus on recruiting seasoned Private Bankers along with hiring for other aligned roles for this business. I learned the importance of relationship-building & persistent follow-ups to maintain a competitive employer brand. My passion for growing a meaningful professional network through LinkedIn has helped me reach out to the right people at the right time.
Now reflecting on these experiences reminds me about how the then-learned leadership, interpersonal & time-management skills toughened me up & became my life assets. From being a novice HR intern to growing into a confident HR Business partner has been a long yet short journey. To give an insight on a personal front, I'm a warm-hearted & happy person which makes me a very approachable person. I love interacting with new people, exploring new restaurants in town & visiting new places. Taking a step further in my professional journey, I'm looking forward to studying for a Master's Degree in Human Resources from your University to bring specialized research induced approach to my career path. Furthermore, the course focuses on technical aspects of Human Resource Management which will challenge me to my full potential. In the long term, I aspire to work as an HR Consultant in a Business Consulting Firm to provide customized solutions to business problems.
On an end note, I would like to share a quote from a quote by Indra Nooyi, Former Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo who has been among a few inspirational leaders I've always looked up to -
"I look at my job as a passion..as a calling..not as a job"