Stepping Beyond Comfort: Shuchi's Leap from Tech to Management
Read Shuchi's remarkable journey as she breaks free from 5 years in tech support to embrace the challenge of management with the help of her mentor.
Seeking a career shift but clueless about where to start, I discovered Preplaced and Saumya's mentorship. From not even getting shortlisted, I started getting 5-6 interview calls per day and secured 2 offers within just two months. - Shuchi
Shuchi, just like many of us, was caught up in a job that didn't quite align with her aspirations.
Five years in the tech support department felt like a lifetime.
Shuchi wanted a change, and not just any change – a leap into management. The catch? She had no clue where to start. 😣
Enter Saumya Dey, the mentor who wasn't just about advice, but about making dreams tangible.
Shuchi, a total rookie at project management, was not getting shortlisted for the role.
Fast forward a month she’s in the spotlight and starts receiving 5-6 interview calls every single day!
Yep, you read that right – from zero to countless opportunities in just two months!
With Preplaced and Saumya by her side, she turned her "no idea where to start" into "sky's the limit." 🚀
Stick around to see how Shuchi's story unfolds.
What was your background? In which domain were you in and which domain were you targeting before seeking mentorship?
I completed my bachelor's degree in Information Technology.
For the past 5 years, I've been a part of the production support team at Tech Mahindra. I was looking to transition into a management role.
Why did you decide to make the job switch?
After spending five years on the text support team, I realised that I wasn't finding happiness in that role.
It became clear that I hadn't reached the point I had envisioned for myself after this half-decade period.
Honestly, I didn't see myself getting any happier if I just switched to a different tech role.
Somehow, I got to know that I am better at managerial roles.
This realisation led me to consider pursuing project management.
I dropped out of the project that I was working on with the dev team and focused on project management roles within my current company.
However, I wasn’t getting any projects due to my background in technology and the absence of prior experience as a team lead.
The Resource Management Group (RMG) suggested that I focus on alternative opportunities, given the unfavourable job market conditions.
They advised me to wait for the job market to improve before actively pursuing new positions.
Now, I have been in my comfort zone for five years so I didn't want to lose this newfound motivation and slip back into the old grind.
I just didn't want that spark to fizzle out; you know what I mean?
I wanted to keep that fire alive and not let things go back to how they were before.
So, I decided it was time to make a move, explore project management, and see where that road takes me.
Where were you getting stuck in the interviews?
As I said, I was aiming for a career switch, but I was totally clueless about where to begin.
When it came to project management, I had absolutely no knowledge.
On top of that, I was not getting any interview calls.
My resume and profiles weren't hitting the right notes either.
How did you discover Preplaced and why did you decide to go ahead with it?
I was browsing jobs on LinkedIn when I stumbled upon a success story post of a Preplaced mentee.
That's when I got introduced to Preplaced.
So, I thought, why not check out their website and see what's up with the mentor-led preparation?
After browsing through various profiles, I found Saumya Dey's profile particularly appealing.
His ratings and reviews were impressive, and his mentorship fees aligned well with my budget.
I also took a look at his LinkedIn profile, checking out his achievements, and I was convinced that he was the right mentor for me.
So, I went ahead and booked a free trial session with him.
During the session, he encouraged me to open up about my challenges and assured me of his full support.
What was the mentorship experience like with Saumya?
Saumya helped me understand the ins and outs of project management.
From the very first session, he checked what I knew about project management and made a plan tailored to my needs.
This plan included tasks like completing relevant courses and certifications.
One thing Saumya pointed out was that my resume and LinkedIn profile were missing some words that recruiters look for.
In my case, those words were "project management."
He told me how to make my Naukri profile better so that recruiters would notice it at the right time.
Talking to Saumya was like talking to a friend or family member.
It didn't feel like a formal mentorship, which made it easier to ask questions and share concerns.
Saumya was always ready to help.
He'd make our sessions longer if I had questions, and he even helped me devise answers before interviews.
What was the experience like in the interviews after taking the mentorship?
Once my mentor helped me with my resume, I started receiving 5 to 6 calls every day.
In just 3 weeks, I had two interviews scheduled per week.
About a month later, I also updated my LinkedIn and Naukri profiles.
I began feeling more confident that I could really pull this off.
At this point, my grasp of theoretical knowledge was quite solid.
Moving into the second month of mentorship with Saumya, during the second week, I suddenly found myself receiving around 10 calls daily and having 3 to 4 interviews lined up each week.
I clearly remember my first call was about a Scrum Master role, which wasn't exactly what I was aiming for.
The second call was for a PMO Coordinator position.
Saumya once again guided me; he advised me to focus only on roles that explicitly mentioned "project manager."
I followed his advice, selecting and shortlisting companies accordingly.
He also mentioned that if I didn't receive any promising offers, he could recommend me to his own company.
He did refer my profile to some companies, but unfortunately, they didn't have any open positions.
I had already resigned but believed I could crack the interviews, even if the job market weren't at its best.
I wrapped up my work on July 10th, and by July 20th, I had two offer letters in my hand.
Before this, I had initially thought that I would need a minimum of 3 to 4 months of mentorship before seeing any real progress.
But I'm incredibly thankful that within just a month and a half, I was able to secure two fantastic job offers.
What was the duration of the mentorship program at Preplaced?
2 months.
How did you feel when you received the job offers?
The first person I informed was, of course, Saumya.
He was genuinely thrilled and congratulated me.
What advice would you like to give to aspiring candidates who may be facing similar challenges?
Consider reaching out to a seasoned professional, like a mentor from Preplaced, for guidance.
While I initially sought advice from relatives and colleagues in the same field, their guidance didn't match up to the value provided by a dedicated mentor.
When you weigh the benefits against the investment required for mentorship, the cost seems minimal.
Wrapping it Up
Like Shuchi, we've all been at a crossroads, questioning if the grass is truly greener on the other side.
Life doesn't always come with a roadmap, and sometimes, that's the best part. 🌻
Shuchi's path was paved with a mentor's guidance, but it was her determination that made the real difference.
If she can navigate the labyrinth of career change and emerge stronger than ever, so can you. 💪
Your story is waiting, and who knows? Maybe someday, it'll be your inspiring journey that someone reads about.
Until then, take that first step, connect with a mentor, and let your path unfold. 🌟
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