Hitting It Out Of The Boundary: Harsimran’s Take

If life were a cricket pitch, you’d never know the fate of your next ball. Will it hit a boundary, or will you get bowled over? Fighting with all his might at the new pitch of life—this is Harsimran’s take and his story of winning the toss of life against all odds.

Raised in a thoroughly pampered family setup, Harsimran always had supportive parents and sisters. Moreover, being presented with elder sisters made him compassionate, sensitive, and a happy-go-lucky child, Harsimran was never asked to leave his comfort zone, no matter what. He was never that inclined towards studying and scoring high marks; growing up, he wanted to be a cricketer. The cricket field had always fascinated him enough to score high, and the game instilled the spirit of sportsmanship in him at a very young age that helps him even today, but destiny had other plans for him.

He was enrolled in a regular BBA program at a small college, which wasn’t as popular as the premier business schools across the country were. There, the three years of graduation went instantly, and it didn’t fully sink in with Harsimran that college was over. Moreover, the placement drive wasn’t as smooth as he had expected it to be. He didn’t get a good placement, which was the beginning of a very dull phase for him. Harsimran was very sad and clueless about how things would go in life! Though nobody around him made him feel unworthy enough, that inner guilt sometimes put him in a corner. Harsimran wasn’t able to figure out his career path for six long months.

He describes that period of six long months as the most burdensome and challenging time of his life. People around him were getting placed daily, and he was still searching for the right opportunity to knock on his doorstep! He was so desperate to get a job that he started applying to IT companies for tech-based roles and opportunities, irrespective of being from a non-technical background.

Confused and disheartened, Harsimran was then contacted by an old friend, who was already working at Cyntexa. Upon hearing about a job vacancy Harsimran left everything behind and decided to encash this opportunity and proceed further with the interview process. Dressed in his best formal outfit and wearing all the gathered confidence left within him, he showed up for the interview for the post of Business Analyst at Cyntexa. Even though at that time he didn’t even know what a Business Analyst does?

He clearly remembers his entire episode of the interview—the nervousness, the gut feeling, and that bit of nervous excitement. He said, “It was Christmas, and I was somewhat hoping to somehow sail through the interview. However, there was more to come. “I had no clue that the entire senior panel at Cyntexa would be present during my interview!” Harsimran recalls his feelings of that day as one of the most shocking experiences of his life.

He remembers that feeling of getting that job confirmation call after facing several backlashes. It felt like a victory in all actual senses for him. He was excited, nervous, and happy at the same time. It was a new beginning for him here at Cyntexa. Initially, understanding and adapting took a lot of work for him.

He had suddenly shifted his background to a technical one. It was new for him, and while polishing his skills and requirements as a BA, he was also undergoing specialized training in Salesforce and other technical aspects. Suddenly, his life took a 360° turn; he had to learn and unlearn things to cope with other people who were much more technically sound and ahead of him. His non-technical background initially acted as a hindrance for him. The Salesforce training and everything associated with it became too overwhelming for him.

Although Harsimran always believed that knowledge is power and that confidence is the byproduct of that knowledge, his scope of learning at Cyntexa was unparalleled. However, he admits that handling the technical aspect of the Salesforce training was challenging for him. Even though he always had mentors and people around him to guide and teach him, he was still hesitant about leaving his comfort zone. And all of this started affecting his performance drastically. It was evident to everyone that he had gotten distracted and lost focus on his work and responsibilities.

One fine evening, when he was playing table tennis, he was called over by Shrey to the balcony for some updates on his performance, training, and work, which was then converted into an impromptu evaluation session for him. He couldn’t answer any of Shrey’s questions. He went numb, and at that moment, he felt he wasn’t doing enough! Is he just wasting all his time? Will he ever be able to justify his role as a BA? What if nothing works out in the end and all his efforts go in vain? All these questions just flashed through his mind while his eyes were down, looking to the ground, and his heart was heavy with an abundance of self-doubt!

That moment, with a sigh, Harsimran felt the need to reflect and introspect upon himself. That evening session significantly impacted Harsimran, as if his mindset had evolved overnight, as he never wanted to feel the same numbness and blank situation ever again in his life. He has gone all out for his training since then.

He started efficiently managing his time. He prioritized his training and work side by side. Plus, whenever he had spare time, he muted the outside world, plugged in his earphones, and kept on revisiting and revising his training session modules. He was then much more focused, attentive, and eager to learn and ace things in life. He had finally gotten back on track. Moreover, this was reflected in his performance, evaluation, and client-handling sessions.

Remembering that incident, he says, “Initially, I always feared change. I was scared that if things changed, I wouldn’t be able to outperform them, but gradually I realized that change is inevitable! And acceptance is the way to rise! I accepted things as they were, and here I am in front of you today, handling multiple client interactions and knowing the Salesforce ecosystem completely.

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As a Business Analyst, one has to be interactive and focused. They are the ones who bridge the gap between the clients and the developers. Keenly works on understanding the client’s requirements and delivering adequate measures and proposals. The chain of difficulties and challenges began with the first client call experience for Harsimran. He was nervous, anxious, and pretty low on self-esteem. He recalls his first client call as a nightmare! He was shivering. But the light at the end of the tunnel shined for him, too. After that bad call experience, Harsimran learned a few important lessons for life: It’s okay not to know everything! The client is also a human being, and he needs to be treated as one. Lastly, one needs to trust the process. Harsimran’s client interactions today are to be marveled at. It’s smooth sailing and hassle-free; he has become a sword on the battlefield regarding client networking and interactions now! Plus, the clients are also super happy with him and his assistance.

Seeing his achievements and growth, he was appreciated and awarded multiple times in the organization. He was also given a chance to lead a team all by himself. He also added that “appreciation works wonders for me!” All his life, he craved validation and admiration from others. And now, when his efforts are getting recognized and applauded well here, it boosts his confidence and motivates him whenever he is in doubt or a dilemma.

Talking about his role as a team leader, he is a team player, and leadership comes naturally to him. When he was a BA, the team here at Cyntexa was still expanding and taking shape, so he has seen the team getting built from nearly scratch; he understands where a new joiner can face problems. Thus, he always ensures his team members are comfortable, and he is available at all times, possibly for them.

Although Harsimran left cricket, cricket never left him! Somewhere, his team’s handling and building spirits are based upon the tactics and tricks he learned back then as a cricketer. He is all fun and jolly with his team members, and thinking this might sometimes backfire on his role as a team leader, he ensures that a particular line of conduct is always maintained internally within his team. He also swears that mastering professionalism is the key to success in the corporate world! Moreover, one should never cross certain lines on the professional front & they should always maintain the highest level of professionalism, dignity, and authenticity.

So, if you are struggling with work-related stuff and Harsimran is around, you can count on him! Moreover, Harsimran has excelled in the art of leveraging!He believes that learning should never stop. The ones who stop learning and stop growing. According to him, learning is an ongoing process. Plus, he added that once you stop looking at your watch, you can be assured that you’re working in the right direction.

Later, talking about Harsimran’s take on maintaining a work-life balance, he says, “If you’re looking for a work-life balance? Then you’re just chasing something as mythical as a unicorn!” According to him, you can’t have the best of both worlds but rather a combination of both worlds. It is just a simple task to prioritize your work and the essential facets of life in a less complicated manner. Some days, the work demands your attention, and some days, the personal front. One need not complicate the two things and disrupt the peace of their personal and professional lives accordingly.

Harsimran has come a long way and has a long way to go. The carefree, confused, and impatient boy has beautifully evolved into a more patient, calm, and composed individual today. He understands that it’s okay not to know anything. Still, one should always be ready to learn, adapt, and act accordingly. From the cocoon to the meadows like a bright, beautiful butterfly, this was Harsimran’s tale of taking the challenges of life head-on, breaking the stereotypes that only students from top colleges can make it big in life, and landing a job that many just dream of today! Things that we can take back from Harsimran’s tale is that the pitch of life will not always be your favorable pitch, but you should always be prepared for the next ball!