Rejection Is Not The End Of The World!

From being an introvert while growing up, to serving as the vice president of her batch during her post-graduation, to breaking barriers in the world of Human Resources, Anila Nair has come a long way. This transformation did not happen overnight as she had to put in all her efforts to see herself evolve. Currently, Anila is working with Cimpress India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai, as HR Business Partner. She shares her journey with Corporate Citizen Read on!

"When it comes to studies, it was never a smooth journey for me. Things happened gradually. Change happens little by little, day by day. And in the end, it all worked out”

Success does not come overnight, it takes everything you have got, at times, even more. But the sweet fruits of success makes one feel that all the hard work you had put in was worth it. Anila was born in Kerala and raised in Mumbai and Pune. For her, it was never a smooth ride in achieving anything in life. But once she understood how life functioned, she made the most of it. “When it comes to studies, it was never a smooth journey for me. Things happened gradually. Change happens little by little, day by day. And in the end, it all worked out,” she said.

The transition

During her school days, Anila was a total introvert and an average student. And like most kids, she detested Math. “I was shy and a quiet kid. There was not a single complaint about me during the PTA. But the one subject that sent jitters down my spine was Math. That was only until I met the right teacher,” she said. Further adding, “What I learned was, rather than hating or being afraid of any subject, one should embrace it and learn to love it. The moment you do that, things will surely turn in your favour. Rejection or failure is not the end of the world. It is the start of something beautiful. Learn from the mistakes, take rejection as a stepping stone and then the sky will be your limits.”

Luckily, she found the best teacher for Math who made her understand the concepts quite swiftly. “I guess this was the game-changer for me. As I did not perform well under pressure, Balakrishnan Sir broke down the subject for me and made me understand the concept in a very sweet manner,” she said.

Once she entered college life, she saw a great transformation in herself. “From being an introvert while growing up, to being the vice president of my batch during the post-graduation, to breaking barriers in the world of Human Resources, I feel I have come a long way. As I entered college, I understood the importance of extra-circular activities. I guess that is what made a huge change in me. I started interacting with more and more people. The change was evident and it did reflect in my character,” she smiled.

The strict life

After her graduation in BBA from MIT, Pune, Anila went on to pursue her post-graduation in HR from SBS. “This shift was a little difficult. I took a little while to adjust to the strict curriculum during the PG. The schedule was pretty tight, little breaks, back-to-back classes, and guest lectures made the days pretty long. But once I got used to it, I rather started liking the schedule. Now when I have entered the corporate world, I have realised the importance of the strict schedule that we had during PG. It has shaped me into a better person and has made me industry-ready,” she explained.

“After a strict schedule, one would want to enjoy their break. But we would rather practice for our GD and PI round. We would divide ourselves into two groups and two students from our group became the invigilators who scored us with full integrity. We would come up with topics to debate from and learn from everyone”

The preparation

It is every student’s dream to get placed in the best company. And for that, they are ready to move heaven to earth. Well, so did Anila. Talking about the preparations, she said, “It goes without saying that to get placed in top-notch company one needs to ace all the three rounds of aptitude, GD and PI. And the best part is, my college had prepared me for all that. When it came to the aptitude round, what sufficed for me was, not only attending all the lectures but also paying attention to what the professor taught.”

For the GD and PI preparations, Anila and her friends came up with the best process. She informed, “All the students had only one dream of getting placed into a good company and with a great package. Our motive was to push everyone so that they achieve their goals. To do so, our batch decided to start a mock-up GD and PI rounds,” she said. Further adding, “After a strict schedule, one would want to enjoy their break. But we would rather practice for our GD and PI round. We would divide ourselves into two groups and two students from our group became the invigilators who scored us with full integrity. We would come up with topics to debate from and learn from everyone.”

With giving utmost importance to studying, Anila wanted to make a point, she said, “Studying is important. But one has to also give equal importance to extra-circular activities as well. It’s their right combination which will shape your future.”

“As I entered college, I understood the importance of extra-circular activities. I guess that is what made a huge change in me. I started interacting with more and more people. The change was evident and it did reflect in my character”

Anila Nair with her family

Entering the corporate world

Getting the news of being placed in Vista Prints, which is now known as Cimpress India Pvt. Ltd has been the best thing that had ever happened to her. All her hard work had paid off. Talking about the placement rounds, she said, “I appeared only for two companies. One took time to revert and by then I had got through Cimpress India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai. In the end, everything worked out - I did not need to know how all I had to do was trust myself.” Further adding, “The shift from college life to the corporate world was quite interesting as it made me realise a lot of things. Enjoying your college life along with the studies is important. Adhering to the strict schedule during the college days will surely pay.” Anila is having the time of her life as she enjoys each day in the corporate world. So far, she has worked in the areas of talent acquisition, business partner, HR operations. When asked what’s next on your plate, she proudly said, “The best is yet to come.”

After venturing into the corporate, Anila is now settling in well after getting the hang of the work ethics. On that note, she passes on a few tips to her juniors for the campus placement and much more…

Step out of the comfort zone: Everything you ever want is simply one step out of your comfort zone. For that, you’d have to take risks. Don’t stay in your cocoon, get out of it, and try new things.

Stay updated: Read the newspapers every morning, the knowledge you gather from it will surely come in handy during the GDs and PI.

Group discussions: Your friends at times are the best critics. Form a group and rehearse for the actual group discussions and personal interviews. Take this process very seriously.

Be positive: Learning could be a difficult process. Don’t lose hope if you aren’t able to understand the concepts. Stay positive. Learn to love the subject rather than hating it.

Follow your passion: You cannot go wrong if you are doing something that you love the most. Hence, always follow your passion for the best results.