My First Job Podcast - Real Career Stories for India/Indian Freshers

di Venu Gopal Nair

Stagione 1

A career as an architect - Deepika Sharma - Episode 10

Her whole family were doctors — she was expected to follow. Deepika Sharma picked up a pencil instead, and now runs D Plus Y, the boutique architecture firm she built with her husband Yogi. An unconventional career story about choosing your own path against a family script. Hear it on My First Job. ABOUT THIS EPISODE Deepika Sharma comes from a family of doctors, but medicine was never her path — she loved sketching, and her father saw architecture as the natural professional fit. In this episode, she talks about building D Plus Y, the boutique architecture firm she runs with her husband Yogi, and what has kept her genuinely interested in architecture as a career, project after project, big and small. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN Why Deepika didn't follow her family's doctors-only career script, and how sketching pointed her toward architecture instead - How her father's early nudge toward architecture turned into a genuine, lasting career fit - What it's actually like running a boutique architecture firm as a husband-and-wife team - How she and Yogi divide and manage projects of very different scales together - What keeps her interested in architecture years in, and why she says she wouldn't want to do anything else TIMESTAMPS (approximate) 00:00 — Intro: from a family of doctors to a career in architecture 03:36 — Deepika's background and why medicine was never the plan 13:17 — The turning point: sketching, her father's nudge, and choosing architecture 21:50 — Building D Plus Y as a husband-and-wife architecture practice 31:46 — Managing projects big and small — the hard part of running a boutique firm 41:28 — What keeps her interested, and advice for anyone choosing an unconventional path 45:30 — Closing thoughts ABOUT DEEPIKA SHARMA Co-runs D Plus Y, a boutique architecture and interiors firm, alongside her husband Yogi. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dplusy_architects/ TOPICS unconventional career, architecture career India, creative careers India, family career expectations, career story Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E10

25 mag 2024

45:30

A career as a global marketing theorist and practitioner - Dr. Alby Anand Kurian - Episode 9

How do you take a career risk without betting everything? Dr. Alby Anand Kurian built a rare career as marketing theorist and practitioner, teaching from India to the UK, now Senior Faculty at Exeter. His "Affordable Risk" idea reframes risk for anyone with responsibilities. Hear it on My First Job. ABOUT THIS EPISODE Dr. Alby Anand Kurian has built a rare, multifaceted career spanning both marketing theory and practice — teaching at universities across India, Singapore, New York, and the UK, and currently serving as Senior Faculty at the University of Exeter. In this episode, he unpacks "Affordable Risk," one of several marketing concepts he has authored alongside "Reality Plus" — a framework for taking calculated, affordable career risks without staking everything, even when you have real responsibilities and a family depending on you. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN What it took to build a career as both a marketing theorist and a practitioner — a combination he notes is genuinely rare - How teaching across India, Singapore, New York, and the UK shaped his view of global marketing and global career-building - What "Reality Plus" and his other published marketing concepts actually argue - The "Affordable Risk" framework — how to take calculated career risks without putting everything on the line - How to apply affordable risk-taking to your own career goals, even with financial responsibilities and a family to support TIMESTAMPS (approximate) 00:00 — Intro: a career as a global marketing theorist and practitioner 03:59 — Dr. Kurian's early academic path and first roles in marketing 14:42 — The turning point: building a career across India, Singapore, New York, and the UK 24:09 — The hard part: balancing theory and practice, and life as Senior Faculty at Exeter 35:07 — Introducing "Affordable Risk" and "Reality Plus" 45:50 — How to apply calculated, affordable risk-taking to your own career 50:19 — Closing thoughts ABOUT DR. ALBY ANAND KURIAN Senior Faculty at the University of Exeter (UK); marketing theorist and practitioner who has taught at universities in India, Singapore, New York, and the UK. Author of published marketing concepts including "Reality Plus" and "Affordable Risk." LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alby-anand-kurian-0359911a3/ University of Exeter faculty profile: https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/40927-alby-kurian TOPICS career risk, unconventional career, marketing career India, global career, academic career, second career India Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E9

20 mag 2024

50:19

A career harnessing business growth engines - Poornima Shenoy - Episode 8

Poornima Shenoy illustrates how comprehensive policy, backed by a talented team of industry leaders, helped companies enter the Indian semiconductor industry. She knew the power of taking risks and embrace new opportunities after assessing what exactly needed to be done. She also speaks of how her early upbringing ensured that she never put limits on her abilities or her imagination - and how men turned out to be her best mentors

S1 · E8

15 mag 2024

49:04

A career building India's best-known pen brand Reynolds - Vishwadeep Kuila - Episode 7

Vishwadeep Kuila initially graduated in dairy technology and even got his first job in a dairy plant. But cracking the CAT exam and landing up at IIT Ahmedabad changed everything and made him a lifelong practitioner of marketing. He speaks of what it took to build a career in advertising, followed by 13 years spent in marketing at GM Pens - the Indian company behind Reynolds. And how he brought professionalism into an entrepreneurial company. Listen to how chance encounters lead to greater understanding - apart from the work required to fight the odds. #success #careers #marketing #mentaltoughness #dairy #smalltown #information #overload

S1 · E7

10 mag 2024

44:48

A career recruiting and coaching people - Neha Parashar - Episode 6

Ask most professionals to describe their career story and they go blank. Neha Parashar spent years in HR and recruitment before becoming an executive coach who swears by one habit — the "career inventory." A career growth story for anyone who can't explain their journey. Hear how on My First Job. ABOUT THIS EPISODE Neha Parashar built a long career in HR and recruitment before shifting into executive coaching, where she now helps senior professionals navigate career growth and career transitions. In this episode, she explains the "career inventory" — a simple, ongoing practice of tracking your experiences, accomplishments, and challenges — and why most professionals only wish they'd started it years earlier. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN Why a long HR and recruitment career gave Neha a front-row seat to how professionals mismanage their own career story - What a "career inventory" actually is, and why it's different from updating your resume once a year - How journaling career moments in real time gives you clarity and confidence in interviews and promotion conversations - Why most senior professionals struggle to articulate their own journey, and what that costs them - Practical steps to start your own career inventory today TIMESTAMPS (approximate) 00:00 — Intro: from HR and recruitment to executive coaching 03:27 — Neha's career path through HR and recruitment leadership 12:44 — The turning point: why she moved from recruitment into coaching 20:56 — What most professionals get wrong about their own career story 30:26 — Introducing the career inventory — what it is and how to start one 39:43 — Advice for freshers and professionals starting their own career inventory 43:36 — Closing thoughts ABOUT NEHA PARASHAR Executive coach specializing in career growth and transitions for mid- to senior-level professionals, after a long prior career in HR and recruitment leadership. TOPICS career coaching, career growth, fresher career advice, career story, career doubts, executive coaching India Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E6

5 mag 2024

43:36

A career creating advertisements - Narayan Kumar - Episode 5

An MA in Economics, a diploma in advertising, and a first job as a writer at Shilpi Advertising — that's how Narayan Kumar's career in advertising began. It led to campaigns for India's biggest brands, then a creative leap into programming. Hear how on My First Job. About this episode Narayan Kumar's career in advertising began as a writer at Shilpi Advertising, straight after an MA in Economics and a PG Diploma in Advertising. In this episode of My First Job, he traces the path from that first writing job to campaigns for some of India's largest brands — Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Godrej, and Tata — and the later creative leap into learning programming, alongside rediscovering an old love: the classical guitar. In this episode, you'll learn: Why an MA in Economics and a PG Diploma in Advertising led Narayan Kumar to his first job as a writer at Shilpi Advertising What it took to work on advertising campaigns for some of India's biggest brands How enlightened companies like Unilever, P&G, Godrej, and Tata evaluate and approve creative advertising ideas internally How to handle difficult clients professionally while protecting the integrity of a creative idea Why he later made the creative leap into learning programming, and rediscovered the classical guitar along the way Chapters 0:00 — Intro: a career creating advertisements 04:32 — Narayan's first job as a writer at Shilpi Advertising 16:44 — The turning point: working on campaigns for the country's largest brands 27:30 — The hard part: navigating difficult clients and internal creative approvals 40:00 — The creative leap into learning programming, and rediscovering the classical guitar 52:12 — Advice for anyone building a career in advertising and creative work 57:18 — Closing thoughts Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Next up: Episode 7, Vishwadeep Kuila on building India's best-known pen brand, Reynolds. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E5

30 apr 2024

57:18

A career improving mental health at workplaces - Usha Krishnamoorthy - Episode 4

Usha Krishnamoorthy didn't plan her way into being a career psychologist — she took chances, tried several things, taught English, and volunteered before it clicked. A career doubts story for anyone who feels behind on a "plan." Hear it on My First Job. About this episode Usha Krishnamoorthy's path to becoming a career psychologist wasn't the result of a clear plan — it was built out of taking chances, trying several different things, teaching English, and volunteering with Chennai Volunteers, an organization connecting volunteers with NGOs and individuals in need. In this episode of My First Job, she talks about how workplace mental health became her calling, almost by accident. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Usha Krishnamoorthy's career took shape through chance and experimentation rather than a fixed plan What she learned from teaching English and volunteering with Chennai Volunteers before finding her calling How she built a career specifically around improving mental health at workplaces What a career psychologist actually does, and why workplace mental health is an emerging area in India Her advice for anyone who feels behind because they don't have their career "figured out" yet Chapters 00:00 — Intro: a career improving mental health at workplaces 03:32 — Usha's early experiments — teaching English and volunteering with Chennai Volunteers 13:02 — The turning point: chance, not a plan, leading her toward psychology 21:25 — The hard part: building credibility in an emerging field — workplace mental health in India 31:09 — What a career as a career psychologist actually looks like day to day 40:40 — Advice for freshers who feel they don't have a clear career plan 44:38 — Closing thoughts About Usha Krishnamoorthy Career psychologist focused on workplace mental health. Previously worked with Chennai Volunteers and taught English before moving into psychology. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/usha-krishnamurthy-474552159/ Topics: workplace mental health, career psychology, career doubts, career growth, mental health careers India, unconventional career

S1 · E4

23 apr 2024

44:38

What does it take to build a career in Journalism? - Lalitha Iyer - Episode 3

From top student to Principal Correspondent — Lalitha Iyer broke barriers as one of the early women in Indian journalism, writing on everything from politics to women's welfare. A career story about the path to a dream career in journalism. Hear it on My First Job. About this episode Lalitha Iyer built a long, successful career in journalism — as Principal Correspondent at The Week magazine, after years at Eenadu — writing on everything from politics to beauty to wellness. In this episode of My First Job, she traces her path from top student to one of the early women breaking barriers in Indian journalism, and how she used storytelling to uncover issues of women's welfare and development. In this episode, you'll learn: - What it took to go from top student to a career as a journalist at national publications - Why she chose journalism, and what her early years at Eenadu taught her about the craft - What it meant to be one of the early women breaking barriers in Indian journalism - How she used her platform to uncover and report on women's welfare and development issues - Her advice for young people who dream of a career in journalism today Chapters 00:00 — Intro: building a career in journalism 03:38 — Lalitha's path as a top student and her first steps into journalism 13:27 — The turning point: joining Eenadu and finding her voice as a reporter 22:06 — The hard part: breaking barriers as one of the early women in Indian journalism 32:09 — Becoming Principal Correspondent at The Week, writing across politics, beauty, and wellness 41:57 — Advice for aspiring journalists and storytellers 46:03 — Closing thoughts About Lalitha Iyer Journalist; Principal Correspondent at The Week (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), with an earlier career at Eenadu. Writes across politics, beauty, wellness, and women's welfare and development. - LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lalita-iyer-b87a9634 Topics: journalism career India, women in journalism, career story, storytelling career, media career India, breaking barriers Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Next up: Episode 4, Usha Krishnamoorthy on a career improving mental health at workplaces. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn

S1 · E3

18 apr 2024

46:03

Careers in a global healthcare BPO - Episode 2 Gautam Sivaraman

Gautam Sivaraman took his first job thinking it would last a lifetime. It didn't — but the twists that followed built a career at the top of India's healthcare BPO industry. A career growth story about coping, adapting, and coming out on top. Hear it on My First Job. Gautam Sivaraman, Chief Delivery Officer at Access Healthcare, took his first job assuming it would be a job for life — it wasn't, and the twists that followed built a 30+ year career across India's BPO and healthcare outsourcing industry. In this episode of My First Job, he traces how India's BPO industry evolved from simple call-center work into the complex, high-skilled coding and process operations it runs on today. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why Gautam Sivaraman's assumption that his first job would last forever turned out to be wrong — and what he did next - How India's BPO industry transformed from basic call-center work into complex, skill-intensive operations - What high-skilled resources actually look like inside a modern healthcare BPO — coding, process management, and niche technical skills - How to manage large, diverse production teams across multiple geographies - What it takes to rise to Chief Delivery Officer in a global outsourcing business Timestamps 00:00 — Intro: careers in a global healthcare BPO 03:38 — Gautam's first job — and the assumption that it would last for life 13:25 — The turning point: when the twists and turns began 22:03 — The hard part: coping with an industry in constant transformation 32:04 — How India's BPO industry evolved — from call centers to complex, high-skilled operations 41:51 — Advice for freshers considering a BPO or outsourcing career 45:56 — Closing thoughts About Gautam Sivaraman Chief Delivery Officer — Operations at Access Healthcare, with 30+ years of experience managing large production teams across multiple geographies. Previously Senior Vice President at Exela Technologies (APAC delivery), with earlier roles at Technosoft Corporation, SourceHOV, Tricom Infotech Solutions, Firstsource Solutions, and Tata Chemicals. Six Sigma Green Belt certified. - LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/gausiv Topics: BPO industry India, healthcare BPO, career transformation, coding skills, call center careers, career growth Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Next up: Episode 1, P G Subramanian on his journey from the shopfloor to the C-suite. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E2

13 apr 2024

45:56

A career journey from the shopfloor to the C Suite - P G Subramanian - Episode 1

He started on a factory shopfloor in 50-degree heat. He retired as COO. P G Subramanian's career journey from shopfloor to C-suite is a lesson in choosing to learn over choosing salary — the founding story of My First Job's very first episode. Hear it now. About this episode P G Subramanian, Chief Operating Officer of Amnet Systems, opens My First Job by tracing his career journey from a 50-degree-heat factory shopfloor to the C-suite — a path built on business process management expertise across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the US. In this founding episode, he explains why he chose to prioritize learning over salary at every major decision point in his career. In this episode, you'll learn: - What it actually felt like starting a career on a factory shopfloor, and why P G Subramanian says that experience shaped everything after - Why he consistently chose roles that offered the most learning, not the highest salary - How a career in business process management improvement translates across industries and geographies - What it took to move from shopfloor trainee to COO over a 30+ year career - His advice for young people transitioning from studying to seeking their first job Timestamps (approximate — placeholder markers scaled to this episode's runtime; to be confirmed against the actual audio) 00:00 — Intro: from the shopfloor to the C-suite 04:28 — P G Subramanian's first job on the factory shopfloor 16:32 — The turning point: choosing learning over salary 27:11 — The hard part: building expertise the hard way, project by project 39:32 — Building a career in business process management across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the US 51:36 — Advice for freshers transitioning from studying to their first job 56:38 — Closing thoughts About P G Subramanian Chief Operating Officer of Amnet Systems, a specialist in business process management improvement with 30+ years of experience setting up business processes across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. - LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/pgsubra ( Topics: career journey India, shopfloor to C-suite, career growth, first job lessons, career advice for freshers, business process management Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to My First Job for more real career stories from Indian professionals. Next up: Episode 2, Gautam Sivaraman on building a career in a global healthcare BPO. Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JioSaavn.

S1 · E1

8 apr 2024

56:38

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