Do what you love and love what you do, says Hiral Saraiya

Do what you love and love what you do. Be agile and honest – few words of advice from an ex-NMite as she talks about her journey post MBA, the impact of lockdown on her career and her views on maintaining a good work life balance!

Let’s hear it from Hiral Saraiya from NMIMS Mumbai 2010-12 batch :

Q1. Tell us something about your journey so far?

My journey post my MBA has been an unconventional one. I have moved jobs, roles and industries. There were times when I didn’t have a choice. I have worked in large MNCs to very early stage start-ups to high growth mid-sized organisations. I have worked in multinational start-ups as well. Every stint has given me skills.- both soft and hard, which are difficult to quantify and have helped shape me as a professional. I owe my drive to make an impact, to hustle and to quickly adapt to new situations to this roller coaster ride.

Q2. Tell us something about your experience in NMIMS Mumbai. How has that experience helped in shaping you as a professional?

I owe a significant aspect of my professional growth to my MBA. The degree along with the backing of an esteemed institution like NMIMS brings credibility to your candidature/CV. NMIMS MBA has opened up career opportunities for me which would not have been possible otherwise. It made the journey a bit easier. Apart from that, the experience that one gets via peer learning is under rated and priceless.

Q3. Tell us something about your daily work routine. How do you manage your stress levels in workplace which every professional faces these days?

I like to start and end my day early. I plan extensively – every hour (sometimes minutes!) and make a list of things I want to accomplish. I start by checking and responding to emails till the time everyone else starts coming in. A major part of my day goes in meetings, interacting with internal and external stake holders. Lunch hours are usually “no-meeting time” .I focus on my deliverables and make sure I complete all that I had planned for before I end my day.

Keeping myself engaged in a various activities off-work keeps my stress levels in check. Having a healthy support system at work and socially too is important to sail through difficult situations and stressful days.

Q4. What or who has been the biggest influence in your career so far? How do you balance your personal and professional career?

My mother has been the single biggest influence in my outlook towards my career. My strive to be better and do well comes from her insistence on being self- dependent right from my childhood days.

I love what I do, balancing personal life and professional career has not been so much of a challenge so far. There are few tips I have got from my seniors like switching off work related notifications and emails post work hours, not responding to work related emails and messages at least 2 hours before going to bed etc which helps maintain a balance.

Q5. Which is the biggest challenge you have faced so far? What are your future plans?

I started my current job when the lockdown started. Transitioning to a new role and a new industry brought its own set of challenges. Learning on the job was completely different without in person interactions. This, coupled with the challenges that the industry itself was facing due to the changing lockdown restrictions and relaxations brought with itself a handful of learnings right at the beginning of my stint in my current organisation.

I am looking forward to personal growth opportunities and experiences that push me outside my comfort zone. I plan to grow in my current organisation and make an impact here.

Q6. How has the lockdown impacted you as a professional?

As a professional, I have become more mindful of the way in which I communicate with and listen to my stakeholders and peers. In a remote work environment, one does not get to pick up the non-verbal cues and body language and it becomes difficult to completely understand the other person. Building new relationships is very different in a remote environment. I have learnt to trust and develop meaningful relationships with my colleagues and clients, even in an online set up.

Q7. You have worked across different sectors. What will be your advice to young professionals and MBA students?

My advice to young professionals would be to never stop learning. The environment is constantly changing and it is your ability to adapt to the changes and grasp new learnings is what will help you stay relevant. An MBA from a good institution does open up opportunities but it is your agility that will take you a long way.

It is also important to be yourself, a learning a lot of freshers get after a handful of years of experience.

In a nutshell, agility and honesty helps build good character and shape you as a professional.

Q8. How important is to pursue your passion? How can our readers connect with you ?

I believe it is extremely important to love what you do and do what you love. This keeps you sane even when times are tough. Personally, I have an inclination towards new learnings and I try to stay engaged in such pursuits. I am currently learning French, have got selected for and pursuing a digital marketing and leadership course by esteemed organisations like Google, Indian School of Business and Avtar. I also try to engage in artistic activities to de-stress and unwind.

I would love to hear from your readers. They can write to me directly at hiral.saraiya06[at]gmail .com. I’d be happy to mentor and help in any way I can. Besides, they may connect with me on LinkedIn and can check out my artistic endeavours on @scribble_sheets

The readers can also connect with her on IdeasMakeMarket @hiral-saraiya

Q9. Any suggestions for IdeasMakeMarket.com?

It is amazing to see how IdeasMakeMarket has grown over the years. I think it has great potential and should continue to provide meaningful and practical content  and networking opportunities to young students and professionals.

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