Inteview: Deep Theerath (Meta-2017)

Deep Theerath

Batch-2017

Employed in the same field as B.Tech

Please state your current profile and explain how your profile. If possible help us understand any previous profiles you’ve worked for.

I’m a part of Vedanta. It is a non-metal extraction company, and I’m working in the Aluminium division. I’m based out of Jharsuguda, Odisha. I take care of process control of cast-iron Aluminium. It’s mostly about analyzing things, taking measurements.

What skills should one develop to follow the career path you’ve chosen? Do include courses, software, coding, internships etc.

Since my profile is based on metallurgy, there are no extra skills to be developed. However, as with any core profile, speaking skills, and managing, people are very important. This only comes with experience. Internships only give you some exposure to the company, you don’t really learn much through, you only get a basic idea of how the company works. It’s a buffer between the college and the company.

How useful is your technical knowledge in your current career?

You can’t expect the technical knowledge that you’ve learnt to help you here as each process here is pre-defined. Managing people here is important. Technical knowledge is important only when some problem arises. You can use that knowledge to judge the extent of the problem and try and rectify it.

What is the extent one should go to find a balance between work satisfaction and monetary satisfaction?

Having both a good working environment and earning money are equally important. At first, money is a little more important, but in the long run, having a good working environment is important, as one could get bored with the money. Your growth is what matters. If a company pays you well but doesn’t help you in your growth, eventually you have to look for another company. Growth and experience will take you to greater heights.

What are some things about your career path you wish you knew in college, in retrospect?

Nothing much really.

Is there something the T and P cell can do which does not even come under its umbrella currently, but is important?

The T&P cell could do better in improving its people skills, they need to improve training in terms of organizing. You can learn that skill when you are a part of fests, but to those who weren’t a part of it, it would be helpful. Working in fests was really useful for me, the experience I got worked like magic over here, although working in fests is a small thing. I was a part of marketing, and it was really helpful, as you need to interact with all kinds of people. You need to be in a position to convince people in the field I work in. During Team meetings with my managers, if you aren’t happy with a work you are assigned, then you should be bold enough to say no.

What to do after getting placed, i.e how to not waste time in the final year?

It depends from company to company, if it is a software company, it would be a good time to develop your app dev skills for example. You need to train yourself based on your profile. I got placed in core, so I didn’t do much, I was aiming for boosting my GPA.

How do campus placements fare with respect to off-campus ones? What route to take for placements out of campus?

Campus placements are much easier, off-campus placements aren’t for everyone. One needs to be super-talented to get placed via off-campus placements. It’s best to not rely on off-campus placements.

How can one be sure that a certain career path is right for them? What is a good way to make that decision?

When you feel happy with your profile/job, that suffices. When you feel you need to be pushed or do your job with a sense of compulsion, it is best to change jobs.

Do you have plans to switch your career field? If so, to which field and why?

I’m trying to get into marketing in my own company, I was a part of marketing teams, especially for my department symposiums. I would like to continue the same and shift to marketing at some point.