Magic happens when you don’t give up
There is a certain kind of conviction in her, and that reflects from just one conversation. She is stubborn and zealous when it comes to achieving her goals. “Magic happens when you don’t give up, even though you want to. The universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart,” she smiled.
Meet Neha Puri who is currently working with KPMG, Gurugram, as their HR Business Partner. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen, she talks about her educational journey, an incident that prepared her for the corporate world, she also shares a few tips for her juniors on how to prep for the campus placement, and more
Born and raised in Delhi, Neha scored pretty well in her school and college exams. This whole process set a foundation for her further education. “Academically, I was quite a good student. With that, I was very active in extracurricular activities as well. I found a place where I could belong when I took part in debates and speech competitions. All this made me ready for the coming years,” she said. While further adding, “In retrospect, taking part in debates and speech competition as a student, gave me a chance to explore the various hues of life. It improved my research skills, emotional control, confidence, interpersonal skills, quick and critical thinking, just to name a few. In essence, I urge every student to follow their passion and hobby as it broadens their horizons.”
Being headstrong
In life, you ought to take chances, as you never know how they might change you as a person. Agreed Neha, “I believe in making the most of what life offers.” Talking about one such experience, she said, “As a student, I yearned to take up leadership roles. So, during my graduation days, I took part in a festival called ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’, where I led a group of 50 girls. This sure was a life-changing experience, as it revealed a lot of things about me. The fact that I was successfully handling the event, sure put a smile on my face but that was the moment when I realised that I was should venture into human resources. I knew I had it me, all I had to do was take up a course and polish my skills to enter the corporate world.” After completing her graduation in BCom (Honours)from Delhi University, she moved to Pune to pursue her MBA in Personnel Management and Human Resources.
"With each passing day, I am able to find what value I am adding to the employee’s life. This gives me immense happiness. In the longer run, I do wish to wear the cape of a life coach"
-Neha Puri
Neha with her partner AbhinavThe giant leap
The jitters of moving to a city do give butterflies in one’s stomach. New city, new challenges, and a breath of fresh air. All her life, Neha was settled in Delhi. But soon after her graduation, she decided to move to Pune. “I wanted to get out my comfort zone, as life begins at end of it. I entered the city intending to grasp as much knowledge as possible, become a better individual, and of course, to get placed in a good company,” expressed Neha.
As the campus placement season started, Neha pulled up her socks. Talking about her preparation for the same, she said, “I spent hours watching videos on YouTube pertaining to campus placement. I did a lot of self-study. With that, I keenly observed my friends, the way they would study, and gained value from their experience. What helped me the most was connecting with my professors to seek their advice and knowledge. I was interviewed by four to five companies. I learnt from every experience and devised a plan to transform myself for the better.” When things did not work in her favour, she did not lose hope. Rather, pumped herself up to give her best in the coming rounds. “I kept an open mind and learnt from what my peers were going through. I realised that I lack a sense of technical knowledge. To improve that, I spent a lot of time understanding the concepts and that’s how I could land an internship with Delliote, India,” Neha said.
Hard work and the belief in herself got her placed with Firstsource Solutions Limited as their Senior Executive–HR Business Partner. After gaining enough expertise, she moved to KPGM in October 2021. She is inquisitive and intellectually curious, which is why she is having the time of her life in this organisation. So, what’s next on your plate, we asked, and she was quick to respond, “I am still trying to find my life in this company. With each passing day, I am able to find what value I am adding to the employee’s life. This gives me immense happiness. In the longer run, I do wish to wear the cape of a life coach.” She signed off
As Neha Puri settles in well in the corporate world, she passes on a few tips for her junior son how to prepare for campus placement and much more...
Stay focused: Focus is the key to achieving your goals. Begin with deciding your niche, and then don’t leave a single stone unturned to make your dreams come true. Agreed, as a student, there is a lot on your plate, but built up your determination and perseverance, and nothing can stop you.
Be prepared: You never know about the questions that you will be asked during the placement rounds or the situations that you will go through. In such cases, being prepared for everything always comes in handy. Even if you don’t wish to get placed in a company, appear for the interview, and go through the experience. This surely help you in the future.
Self-confidence: Nobody will validate your performance, rather, you shouldn’t expect that. It is only you who can analyse your journey better. Have faith in yourself and keep improving.
Observe and learn: Learning is a never-ending process. There is so much happening around you, just keep an open mind, observe, and grasp everything that you can. The moment you stop learning, you start moving backwards in life. And that’s harmful. Keep polishing your skills and be a good learner.
Be optimistic: The campus placement process is taxing. At times, you will get through but sometimes you hit the rock. It’s not the end of the world. Just learn from every experience and keep facing every problem with your head held high.