Make the best of a bad situation

She is a lady of few words, but the wisdom that pours out of the conversation she holds is simply remarkable. Regardless of the experience, she focuses on the positives rather than cribbing over the failure. Meet Abhilasha Chadha, who understands finance fairly well, courtesy of her affection towards the math subject. Currently working with Infosys as their Assistant Consultant, Abhilasha dreams big and is working relentlessly to earn a well-deserved promotion in the company. She spills the beans on her journey so far, how to prepare for the campus placement and much more

A teen Abhilasha fell in love with math, when her elder brother was teaching her the basics. Little did she know that when she grows up she will be working for a sector where numbers matter the most. “It’s not that I was always good at Math. My brother took up the responsibility of making me well-versed with this subject. Once, when he scolded me for not understanding the concepts, I took it to my heart and decided to be the best at it. With hard work and dedication, I learnt the basics thoroughly on which the subject math was built. And the results were outstanding,” smiled Abhilasha, who was born and brought up in Haryana.

Her never give up attitude helped her to ace the exams for which she even earned several medals. “I encashed on my strengths and utilised it to the best of my ability during my college life. And when I entered the corporate sector, this knowledge came in handy more so than ever,” she informed.

MARCHING FORWARD

She studied on the go, but that did not hamper her grades. Talking about her studying pattern, she said, “I used to study before the exams because I paid attention during the lectures and took notes. This helped me memorise the topics. And just before the exams, I went through the notes I had prepared. And I scored well.”

A self-made woman, Abhilasha took up teaching during her college days. “Owing to my family condition, I decided to support myself. During my graduation days, I took tuitions for school kids and even taught my friends from my batch as well,” said Abhilasha. This feat helped her in many ways, and she does not shy away from saying that it made her corporate-ready. “Teaching the school kids and my friends aided in building my confidence. I have always been an introvert, but when I took up this feat, it gave me the confidence to hold a conversation. The most important thing that I learnt was patience. All this experience made my college life easy. And the fact that I am settling in well in this industry is by the virtue of my teaching experience,” said a proud Abhilasha.

THE GREAT SHIFT

After her graduation in Commerce from Haryana University, she moved to Pune for her further studies. She pursued her MBA in Finance from a reputed college. “Moving to Pune from a small town was a big change for me. And to cope up with college culture had become a tad bit difficult. However, I wasn’t going to give up that easy. I incorporated all the learnings that my experience had taught me. And as time passed by, I settled well in the city. I made good friends in the college who helped cope with this change,” she said.

“I used to study before the exams because I paid attention during the lectures and took notes. This helped me memorise the topics”

- Abhilasha

ALL GAME FOR CAMPUS PLACEMENT

She adapted herself well in the college and as a result, she gained the confidence to ace the campus placement. However, things did not work in her favour and she wasn’t able to bag a job even after sitting for four companies. “When the situation becomes difficult, the strong will work hard to meet the challenge. As I was good with math, I surpassed the aptitude round. However, going forward, I either fell short during the group discussion or the personal interview round. When I assessed the situation, I knew where I was falling short,” she said while adding, “My lack of information about the company and the sector was hampering my progress. That’s when I took the matter in my hands and did thorough research. With that, I worked on my overall development. I anticipated the questions and rehearsed my answers in front of the mirror. During my campus placement days, my mirror had become my guide as it showed nothing but the truth. I also worked on the inputs given by my professor and smiled confidently and made eye contact during the personal interview. And as the sun shines bright after a storm, the same way, with immense hard work and determination, I bagged my dream company.”

And that’s how she got placed with Infosys. The interview lasted for a good 55 minutes and she impressed the interviewers with her presence of mind.

COPING WITH THE PANDEMIC

Just after a few months of joining Infosys, Pune, the world was hit by the pandemic. Her office provided her with the work from home facility and she moved back to her hometown Ambala Cantt, Haryana. “With great fortitude, I learnt to deal with this shift. I had to manage this work from home situation. There were several difficulties, but I managed to cope up with it. Now things are normal,” she said.

As Abhilasha Chadha settles in well in the corporate world, she passes on a few tips for her juniors on how to prepare for campus placement and much more...

Be attentive: Every lecture you attend adds to your knowledge. So, whenever you attend a lecture, make sure to be observant. All the knowledge that you gather comes in handy during the exams, campus placement and even after you enter the industry.

Make notes: The best way to score well during the exams or to ace your campus placement is to make notes of whatever you learn. This form of studying promotes positive memory, and it helps in retaining the information. Also, when you revise during exams, these notes will help you save time.

Smile often: This the one thing I have learnt through my campus placement journey. Your smile will showcase your positive attitude and your will to stay strong during tough times. A friendly smile during the PI will exude that you are warm, friendly, and stable. Also, smiling triggers a signal to the brain which helps you perform better and calms you down.

Failure is a part of the game: You win some, you lose some. The way you embrace your achievements, you should learn to do the same with the things don’t work your way. Learn from your failures and make sure not to repeat the same mistakes.

Prepare as per the sector: Not every company that visits your campus is the same. Research thoroughly about the company before the rounds begin. And instead of reading about just the company, read up everything about the sector that the organisation belongs to. This gives an impetus to your knowledge.