Srinivas Vijayaraghavan's Story
The Journey So Far:
I think its easy to get into a state of inertia in the Corporate World. The Corporate World respects people who take initiative, who can come up with new ideas and can take those ideas to completion. The people who I have worked with have had this quality about them - ideation and execution
The Decisions That Matter
The decision to change my professional profile from a software engineer to a marketing person was the single most important career decision for me. I was lucky to realize what I love doing and even more lucky to make the shift. I thank the people who gave me that chance for that.
Career Profile:
I head marketing for a Telecom company. As compared to my previous roles, the responsibility of the entire marketing function for a global company that has over 530 operators across 160 countries as customers, is definitely bigger. I handle all aspects of marketing - corporate, product & marcomm.
Degrees That Matter:
An MBA from a good school is a very good degree to go through. A lot of my perspective has been shaped by my time at IIM-Bangalore. Apart from that, making learning a constant definitely helps
Working Life Management:
I believe in working smart. 30 mins of concentration can give you better results than 3 hours of distraction while working. I work in short bursts and this gives me the chance to do a lot of things in parallel while working - spending time with family, writing, learning etc.
Done Differently:
It's easier to look back and visualize things differently. My career has been about seeking opportunities to push the limits of my capability, to know what I could do for the company and for myself. It is a work in progress and I would always follow that mantra. Always look to push yourself.do more
Plans For The Future:
I see myself contributing at a higher level than where I am today, solving bigger problems, meeting bigger challenges. As a career progresses, the ability to tackle complexity needs to increase. That is the true worth of experience - the accumulated wisdom to tackle larger challenges
Prized Accomplishment(s):
Building brands is special. I am proud of the fact that I have helped the last 2 companies that I have worked for build a new corporate position and develop a marketing strategy around that. It is a complex process involving a lot of different people and is not easy
Growth Strategy:
Constant learning. Learning never stops. With the internet, I speed-read through a lot of material in a day to keep myself updated. It is important to keep developing a broader perspective of life and industry - understand people better, know customers better, know the company better, know the world
Required Reading:
I have benefited greatly by following the careers of achievers - people who push the limits of their own capability. I usually read a lot of Wikipedia on famous personalities and focus on the journey and decisions they took during their lives. Interviews on YouTube of successful people helps as well
Advice For New Professionals:
It is important to try and find out what you are good at. I spent the first 4-5 years of my career figuring that out. If you don't know yet, try different roles,talk to people. As Steve Jobs said, you can only do great work if you love what you do. Find what you love doing and stick to it
Role Model:
I look around and learn from the people that I interact with. People who push the limits of their capability inspire me. Apart from my family and friends, my work has fortunately given me the chance to work with and learn from visionaries in IT/Telecom and I have learned a lot from them.
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