DREAM BIG WORK HARD
One chat with her and you will notice that what a sweet woman she is. But when she gets to work, she is completely fierce and determined to achieve her target. Meet Prachi Polakhare, who overcome serval odds to enter the corporate world. It has been two months since she is working with Wipro as their Project Engineer, and she says she’s living her dream. In a conversation with Corporate Citizen, Prachi talks about her journey so far, the importance of indulging in extracurricular activities, tips to prepare for the campus placement and more
She is anything but a small-town girl. “I have big dreams and I plan on achieving them all one by one,” smiled Prachi. Born and raised in Malkapur, her thoughts were never restricted to this small village near Buldhana district, Maharashtra. In fact, she is proud of her rich heritage, and it shows in her charisma. Strong and fierce yet so delightful. Since childhood, Prachi was determined to get good grades. “I want to lead a great life when I grow up. And for that, I had to prepare since my childhood. Studying every day made me happy. And as a result, I would always score well in exams. This all adds up in the end,” she said.
MISSED CHANCES
All work and no play makes a kid dull. Prachi knew that as a child but she was so focused on her goal that she never skipped her studies. “Even now my mother reminds me how studious I was as a child. As soon as I got home from school, I would straight away get to do my homework. And only when I was done with studies, I would have my food and then out to play,” she reminisced.
Yes, surely, being studious fetched her great marks. But she missed out on several chances that could broaden her horizons. She gladly accepted, “The time we spend in school is priceless. We are allowed to make mistakes, spend time playing around and invest in a hobby as well. However, I was so neck-deep in studying that I never realised the importance of taking part in extracurricular activities. Hence, I urge everyone to lead a balanced life.” Although she failed to benefit from that during her school day, as she entered college, she realised its worth and made of it. After completing her schooling in Malkapur, she moved to Amravati for her Diploma in Computer Science and Engineering. With that, she directly got a pass to join the second year of COEP, Pune, where she pursued her bachelors in IT.
Your technical and soft skills knowledge are your weapons during campus placement. To sharpen them, you must spend enough time learning something new things and revising what you have already learnt
- Prachi Polakhare
THERE IS A WAY
If someone has a will to reach their goal then they will surely find a way to accomplish it. Joyti, Prachi’s mother, looks after the family. Her mother is a nurse and works at a nearby hospital in Malkapur. “I take it from my mother to never give up. I have seen her battle odds to raise us,” said a proud daughter. Studying in a big city surely comes at a cost. But money is something that will never stand in a way of a determined person.
When Prachi moved to Pune for her higher studies, she knew paying the fees will be a task. In the first year itself, she heard about the Lila Poonawala Foundation (LPF), which supports students with their dreams. She got through it, and the rest of her education was sponsored by LPF. “Lila Ma’am, for me, is like my second mother. She not only sponsored my dreams but also inculcated several values in me. The programmes at LPF groomed me and prepared me for the campus placement rounds,” she said, while further adding, “There are good people in the world. And because of such people I was able to complete my studies. This inspires me to give back to society and support other’s dreams as well.”
NEVER GIVE UP
A diligent child, Prachi seemed to be prepared for her campus placement rounds since Day 1. But as luck has it, she failed most of the time to crack an interview. “I read this somewhere - believe you can, and you are halfway there. I knew what my aim was. And I always knew the path which leads to your goal is laden with hardships. I had the will to overcome anything. Even after several attempts of appearing for an interview, I could clear none,” she said, “I did prepare myself for the placement rounds but I guess it wasn’t my best. After failing to clear the rounds for the 10th time, I took it upon myself to decode this situation.”
So, what changed and how did you prepare for your next company, we asked. She replied, “I analysed my journey so far and I realised that I wasn’t confident enough. It wasn’t that I did not know the answer but it turned out, I wasn’t able to explain myself better. I took an oath to change it. And finally, when Wipro arrived at our campus, I had a gut feeling that I would clear.” Well, she did crack the code for Wipro and it’s been two months since she is working for them.
Although she prefers working out of the office but owing to the current situation, she is getting adjusted to the work from home culture. Days are hectic and she does not mind it. As she wishes to grow steadily in this company, she holds a slightly bigger dream than that-a dream to own a house and lay her mother’s life with nothing but happiness.
As Prachi Polakhare settles in well in the corporate world, she passes on a few tips for her juniors on how to prepare for campus placement and more…
Work hard, play harder: A moment gone, never comes back. School life is precious. Studies are important but investing your time in hobbies, passions, and extracurricular activities is a must. Once you enter college, life becomes tough. Hence, enjoy your school and college life as well.
Sharpen your weapons: Your technical and soft skills knowledge are your weapons during campus placement. To sharpen them, you must spend enough time learning something new things and revising what you have already learnt.
Be yourself: Be as real as you can during the group discussion and personal interview round. Do not lie or fake your experiences. The interviewer is quite seasoned, and they can instantly catch if you are making up your answers. For this, you should know your strengths and weaknesses.
Consistency is the key: It is rightly said-it is not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently. Consistency leads to habit and habit leads to success. Study and revise your subjects every day.
Be confident: Rejection is not the end of the world. It means that you are lacking in your preparations. Analyse your work and plot a plan to bounce back if you fail. Be confident, patient, and hopeful. Have faith in yourself. Things will fall in place.