IT Admin to UX/UI Designer — Got an Offer in Just 90 Days! - Aditi Agrawal Success Story

How many of you are excited to know the second mystery guest? She's in this camera. She switched on the camera. Okay. Yes. And this was the career switch I was talking about. Okay. It is a truly inspiring story, guys. Okay, you need to just take a notepad and pen and you need to just observe first of all, what is this person saying? Okay. Everybody can ask doubts, no problem. But ask at the last and surely she's good. There is a reason why I'm bringing her on the spotlight because people has to ask her questions. How did you tackle the salary negotiation? How did you tackle the non experience? How did you tackle this much of big experience you have in other field and how did you tackle here? Please understand from this particular person what is really, really important. Okay? Yes, she's from team five. Yes, she's from team five. But the person is Aditi Agarwal. Congratulations. Aditi Agarwal. How are you?

Yeah, good morning, Jetmeesh. I'm good. Good. Thank you. Thank you for that.

When I first saw you when I was traveling actually when I had this workshop. Okay. So I remember that you are very concerned about your existing career. Right? I'm having a lot of experience in this. Different fields like this. I've learned bits and pieces here and there but I'm not able to get the job. I can still remember that day. Super. And how far you have gone. Congratulations. People are saying Jabin, Jabin will come soon, guys. Next week. Jabin set a goal. Japan is also team five. Oh you. You got. People got confused. Okay, okay, okay, fine, fine. Yeah. Japan will also get it. Don't worry. She's also a career transition. She's also going to be a see if Jabin wins this game it's going to be even more intensive because she's a housewife kid. Many, many what you call.

Okay.

She'll tell her story. Okay. But now we have an extraordinary different person because I know I've been going through how many interviews, Aditi? I don't know in the last two months there was a lot of interactions which we had.

Right.

So before me revealing all these things. So please introduce yourself and tell what are the win and success you got. And. And yeah. Over to you.

Yeah. So good morning everyone. And I see a lot of participants are present here today and I am little bit afraid to speak in. Yeah. These many people. So I have taken sessions before also but it was not that much. Like this is the most number of participants I am going to speak now. So yeah. I am Aditi Agrawal. I have Been a part of DFC community from the last year, December. I joined here before that also. I was learning design on my own. But I found that I was, you know, the alone person in this journey and there was no one guiding me to, you know, support me and say, yeah, you do this and what is the right thing for you? You have to take this step then. I had seen many ads for the design community. So before joining DFC I had also gone through one more workshop. So it was a weekend workshop only, but there I did not sign up for their complete course. I don't know what conviction brought me here to join df. You know, after attending that four hours live workshop with Jagdish, I felt that okay, yeah, this is something that can be taken and yeah, let's you know, enroll for this course and see how it goes. Because that time I was feeling like already I have spent six months learning design and its concept but there is something missing. So I needed to get more clarity. So that's how I joined and came into dfc. After that I saw the intensity of, you know, the classes and everything, the pace at which community is moving forward. So that really pushed me. And yeah, it was a very changing experience for me to join the DFC and connecting with you Jagdish. So it was, you know, always good. Like you have always helped me in my journey because this was something my career switch. I was doing it for the very first time. I had joined Wipro as a fresher, so. So as a fresher we don't go through all these steps of negotiation, discussion and everything. Right. So you are just hired based on your interview and one written round of that. So after six long years I was going to do my first switch.

I thought it's a five interesting year.

So this June I completed six years in Wipro.

And what were you working in Wipro?

So in Wipro I am working as an IT infra admin. It is an admin role where we are taking care of the clients infrastructure and other devices. So that is my role. Completely technical side.

Very inspiring and very. So what made you choose this as a career? You could have went to this Solution Architect, right? What is that role role? Is there a Solution Architect money is there in Solution Architect Scope is there in fact more than UI UX design? For your information, Solution Architect has a lot of scope. Okay, that is the truth. But why didn't you go to that kind of a field and why did you come here?

Because, yeah, you know, because I think design was something which was always there in me. It started from the childhood only. So my parents, both of them, they have good drawing skills. So from my childhood I would design something. You know, in the school I was constantly winning the competitions and all. Then in my school days I wanted to give the nift exam. That could not happen while. Yeah. So while giving the JE exam for the engineering entrance after 12th. So I had also given the B architect exam that I had cleared. I had received one college also. But that was not very satisfactory. So I decided to pursue engineering in cse. Yeah, so there were, you know, these things which had always been in my way. But that could not happen eventually. After that, after, you know, working for these many years in I T I thought no, this is something I don't want to continue for the rest of my life. You know, I just wanted to go back to that creative side and yeah. Continue my passion. Okay, let's see if at least I should give it a try, right? If. Because I should not have that regret that. Okay. I didn't try even for my career switch. And yeah, now I am sitting.

I'm really happy. I mean there is a different level of happiness I had when you said you have become success. Yeah, everybody success is very happy for me. But this is something very different. This is what many people are scared from the outside. In fact I wanted to bring you live in the workshop and show you. Okay. Show. This is what people can do with respect to switching careers, right? Many people are very afraid. They don't know how to tackle this game. And more importantly, I need to definitely give you the guys. Don't think only, only DFC has helped her. No, DFC is just a small support. You know how much effort. She's very clear in her communication. She's very clear in what she wants. That is what I like about this particular person. Whenever I interact with her quickly she will catch what we are telling. Just one line. I will tell, she will quickly catch. That's what is called observation. Many people are asking me same things again and again and again. I don't have a problem in telling. But if you are very careful in listening to what I am saying. That will be solving most of your problems. Right? One time. If I tell anything, Aditi will not do it. Second time. That's the kind of attitude she has. That's what I like to work with her again and again and again. And more importantly, I know she's going to get her results. And she's going to try to get two more offers also before this weekend. Next weekend she's going to get two more or one more. At least one more offer you get. Aditi, this is very important because with one job until we cannot do anything we need to have three offers always. Okay. And in that only we have to choose one.

And yeah, I've written that as my goal also today that I need to get two more offers before mid of September.

Super. So September. September is. You write August here.

August.

August 15th. Independence. They let independence come to all of us. Okay. So you'll have to write that right? Like that. And more importantly what happened to many people they do call me like this one company is there afternoon 2 o' clock interview. What should I do for 2 o' clock interview? Tell me if your interview is there at 2 o'.

Clock.

I told definitely don't arrange the calls immediately. Have one or two days time and fill that excel sheet. Take a snapshot, follow the protocol and then call me. I have to tell all these people and then they have to cut the call and they will come back after some time and they will not do it properly. But Aditi, when I said first time this is a protocol you'll have to follow. This is how you ask questions. This is how you do. That's it. From there she doesn't have that question. She goes to the next stage. Jagdish, I've cleared the sign task. I've cleared the question answer. Now I'm going to the interview. This is what interview cleared. Next salary negotiation. Clear. See if you are stuck in only one phase. Either getting connection with the people or talking to HRS or doing design tasks. If you're again and again doing the same mistake then what happens is becomes a big problem. So you have to just observe how this person, you can talk to her. How did you develop that power of listening and empathy? You can see her headphones also you can see her communication also her background, what she has worked in has supported a lot for this to be very empathetic towards that. And that one answer which attracted me for Aditi is when she switched this career she had this design for change also I asked the same question. She said empathy. I can relate that pattern here with my existing experience on this. And I I that day itself I decided there is a story for her. We can easily stitch that story and sell to any recruiters, get any job. It's all about how she gets into this game. And now can I tell you something? Aditi is qualified to get 3x now like let's say whatever CTC she's having now. Okay. If she's comfortable she can share the ctc. But normally I don't recommend to share that. Okay, let's assume Aditi is having one CTC now. Okay. Put 3X into it. How do I say very confidently she can able to go for 3x because this is how this game goes. Once you're crossing certain salaries in design, certain designation in design, certain experience in design, you will only get 3x. You cannot get 30% under that's not possible. You cannot get 2x and all. Yeah, you can get 2x. But if your efforts are targeting of the industry is wrong means you will be little getting more. 50%, 70%. Recently one person also got 70% hike. Right. So, so that will be there. But if you push the buttons right and if you target the right companies, what I'm helping you to exactly understand for your niche, for your capability, minimum 3x you can get freshers can get 3x. But first you need to get into the industry. Let's work on that. You need to complete one impactful project for the three to six months. You need to prove yourself in that industry. I wanted you to get a grip in that you come with me that kind of a project and that grip and being an intern or anything then I'll tell you how we can go for 3x. So there is a transition. This graph doesn't go linearly. Okay. And it doesn't go exponentially. Also it grows in a different way and it's very, very different for different career phases. What you guys have. So Aditi is now in that particular phase because her design skills are sorted, her communication is sorted, her mindset is sorted. What else you need here three things are required. No. So these three things are sorted. Now it's all about precise strategy. How to find that 85 percentage of the hidden job which is going to help her get this particular 3x and where she has to go and position. For the next six months she will be completely working on only positioning herself. And she has to take up this new challenge, work really hard, prove the people in the next six months you have to set a big goal Aditi 3x and the next jump is directly once here. Clear. I know. I'm not sure whether you can able to get one CR directly here. You can get unless until you're moving to us or some places where the money value changes and then you get one CR directly. I've not seen much people there like that. Okay, you can get it. But getting into 1cr is a 2 phase. Game for you now. First phase is this 3x. This is the most difficult stage. 1cr is not a very difficult jump. If you get this cross 50 or 5060 LP clear. So this is how your career should go. Where people are getting that particular salary and designation in 50 age, 45 age you are going to get at a much younger age. Are you clear about what I'm saying?

Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Are you connecting or it feels like you're not connecting what I'm saying?

No, no. Actually I wanted this. So this one cr. So this first phase, I didn't think of how to move to one cr. But one CR is something in my mind that I have to achieve in next the next two or three years.

So yes, possible 100 is possible. Three. Two to three years is a very good time. Okay. See your. Your job, what you're having now. No, this is not a testing job in the sense not a test phase of design career. Internship, first design job and all testing phase. Because people will not know what is mean by design. See, you don't think hackathon is done. You got a job 3 LPA, 6 LPA. No, that is not real design. The real design will only come if you get to a real world project and complete it with a boss and a manager and get into a high pressure work with that experience. I needed you to create a good impact and a good name and a good project. Impactful project. No. I used to tell the half life is first three months in any new company. That is what I want. Once you do that, direct game is 3x only because you know how I work. You know how the DFC works. You know how to target the companies. I don't have to teach you everything again. Now you are experienced. Now you are precise strategy. Now you have to only work with me in one to one. This is where the second, third one to one. You guys can use it in a very precise way. This is the roadmap. How should I get this once here. How should I get this 24 LP? How should I really map this salary? How should I target this companies? When can I expect? Now you have a relaxed mindset. You don't have a pressure. Next month EMI is there. I need to get one job or else it becomes a problem. So you operate with a different pressure and a mindset, right? But now you can able to relax target. This is where also the success will come faster. People with a pressurized mindset, no, they will not get results faster. But relaxed RM say you go. Many offers will come. You'll be cello. Let's not attend this interview. Let's leave this offer. This is just a 24 LPI. This is just 30. Let's, let's wait for something. Let's try to figure out something. So the mindset works very differently. Okay, and, and could you please share your pain? What did you go through while applying these jobs? Starting from the application of design until you got this offer, what was the pain you gone through? You. I, I wanted to mainly hear it from you today.

So I was applying for the jobs even before this networking challenge had started because I had the mindset on that. Yeah, I was writing goals also every single day. But I think those were not very realistic goals. The deadlines, in terms of the deadlines that I had set in my goals, I was seeing it getting shift shifted, getting delayed. Okay, now this month I'm going to get. This month I'm going. So you know that and the anxiousness, it's very much frustrating. Sometimes you will be heartbroken also. Sometimes you'll feel like, okay, this is the end of the world. Why did I choose design after all? You know, after like in my organization. So I had shared with you also and they were providing me on site opportunities. I rejected that because I know what I want to do. I want to switch my career. Not in this field, which I'm working, but in design. So I was waiting for something. Okay, something good should happen if I am, you know, willing to give up all of this. So yeah, that was something there. But I don't know.

No, no, no. That is really good. And yeah, in your company also, they were trying to retain you, right?

Yeah, they are trying to retain me because in the project that we are working on, we are only three people. And after that I think there should be some issues in the workload and all. So maybe that's what they are trying. But I'm not in the mindset to retain as of now because I know that I'm getting something which I always wanted to work on in the next two or three months.

Very nice, very nice, very nice. See, if you're a completely unemployable person, people will again and again interact with you to make sure you're coming in this organization or because they also needed your services. Right. Everybody is looking for a best employee. See, you go and Talk to any CEOs or any vice president or design leaders personally. I'm saying you go and connect with them, you will come to know what I'm telling is true or not. You just ask them sir, you have how many designers in your team? I have around 12 designers. I have six developers. I have 2015 graphic designers. And I have a team of 50 people. We don't have any vacancy. We are full. But when you connect with them in a personal level and then when you ask them, I can able to perform an extraordinary output compared to any of your employees. As a designer, I wanted to add more value in your organization. I want to increase your product portfolio into next level. I'm thinking about a new product itself for you guys. Can I come and work with you? Do you think that HR or company lead or vice president will tell? No. Tell me yes or no. Tell me yes or no. I'm asking a very important question. Aditi should not tell her. Aditi know that secret. Okay. She has. She has tapped that kind of a market. And then she's went into that. Okay, so what are the answer? I wanted to get in the chat box first. Do you think you can able to get into that kind of roles? Company is already filled with 50 people. Designers or the developers. Are there people who are answering yes. Your mind is working properly in a way of possibility. Again don't now don't type. Yes. Okay. The possibilities. You guys are thinking how to go into the organization where vacancy is not there. If you guys are thinking about what I'm saying, yeah, I think I can go into this organization. Maybe you just trust this process. You trust me. I'm saying you trust me. I'll take care. I'm responsible for that, right? I told you already. I'm responsible for that. Just do what I'm saying. You will get into it. Any design organizations, when they see a best employee, when they see a best skill set. When they see a person who is having a proper soft skills, definitely they'll be having this person into the team. Not maybe immediately tomorrow. But they will take at least two to three months. They will replace one guy who is not performing. Eliminate a round and they will replace you same like BIGG Boss. Only they'll put performance appraisal one rating. Satisfactory rating. They will make that person itself quit. Or they will tell you get lost. Here is a check. There is a door. Go away. Right? There are multiple ways to say that, right? So now they wanted to replace you. Like let's say Aditi is meeting one more person. Aditi is already having 36 LP. Imagine. Okay. And she's telling. See, I'm not behind 36 LPA. Sir. I wanted to truly add a value. Because this is where my interest comes in. In your company, the kind of projects what you're doing with respect to AR VR. This is where I wanted to be. Here you fix the salary. Sir, I'm coming and joining. I'm not worried about that. I wanted to work in AR VR space. Because in your design team there are only one person who is working. I wanted to take your graphic designers also developers also. I wanted to build something solid in the platform called Unity. I wanted to build this user experience for our user. Because AR VR market is growing in India. And your customer likes AR VR and you are not serving that. You're losing the customer already. Let me come and help you. They will find a position for you. They will put designer 3, designer 9, designer 27. I don't know. Something they will put. Okay. And then they will fix a salary for you. This is what is called hidden opportunity. You are writing your salary. You are doing negotiation without doing negotiation. This is the space where Aditi can now and go and target. You cannot go into a conventional position. Then 30% hike, 20% hike, 15% hike and see. When you solve unconventional problem only you will get unconventional salary. How many of you agree this? Do you think you're going to get extraordinary salary by doing ordinary stuffs? Okay. The mindset. When a boss gives you a task, person goes and do it. Maybe he is not able to do. Boss, boss, boss. This is having a little problem. Boss, boss, boss. This is a little issue. Boss will help you. Again you are going and doing. Boss, boss, boss. One more problem is there. I am stuck here. Boss, boss, boss. You are just being a postman to tell that problem is coming. Problem is coming. Hello, boss. You need to go and work on it. You need to take up that unconventional things. Challenge it and then break that challenge and solve that problem. The manager has to be confident that if I give something to Aditi, she's going to do that and deliver it to me. This is the kind of mindset people expect from you. When you're looking for 3x. And that mindset is already there with that person. And I want everybody to really imbibe that if something happens. This portal is not working. It's fine here. Wait. Listen. Observe. Portal is not working. You have some other pending activities, right? One day, one week project parallel. Do that. Take one screenshot, send an email and then you. You. Monday and Thursday we have incubation call. So. So that patience is not there with you. Let us see. Try to log in with a different account. Let us see with mobile how it is working. Let us see. And refresh maybe platform is done. Let me try after six hours. So this kind of a response is also not there with many of our community members. So please work on this. Because if you are ready with this kind of a mindset then only you can attract this kind of a jobs, attract this kind of a people attract with this kind of a CEO's tomorrow. Because you're only going to get job if you network with all these people in the upcoming days and months. Nobody's going to come and tell you you're hired for the interview. You come and join tomorrow. No, that's a normal job. 3 LPA. 6 LPA. 20%. But think about it and the way in which she has also attended and asked the question. In fact there was a failures also guys. She has attended one interview and what did that interview had? We you got selected. But it was a very small company. Could you tell about that experience?

Yeah. Yeah. Actually there was one company based in Gujarat. So it was a startup company only. They were okay to take me. But the budget was a constraint there. And the team size and the company.

Size is not a constraint. We that guy was coming for salary negotiation also. Okay. I know surely that guy will come for salary negotiation. We had sent one message. I don't know whether Aditi had that message or not. That message made him come immediately to the to the salary level. But the thing is the growth will not be there in those kind of a companies. Aditi will not grow there. Team is very small. And the manager whom she's reporting is also not a design guy. She's not going to grow there. Waste of time. Yeah. Even if she gets salary high, I don't think she will grow there. So that is also very important. When you gauge and metric at a company where and how you wanted to grow there. She is also exceptionally attended that interview. That guy called her very interested. See when people see that skill set and mindset in you, they keep coming back. You don't have to even follow them. That is very important. Okay, one second. One second.

Okay.

So when people see that they will be coming back to you. Right? So how many of you are now setting a goal that you have to come a mystery guest on which Saturday can everybody take your notepad and pen and write your. I would say affirmation. Okay. More than a goal, you have to write I am coming as a mystery guest with this salary. Particularly Saturday 5:30 only.

Don't worry.

Okay.

Time is not going to change. Which Saturday? Next Saturday. Two weeks? Three weeks. Could you please do it could you please do it? Superb. So which day, which time, which salary? How you want to do even T shirt also you can put which T shirt you're going to come. What dress you're going to wear? You are wearing that empathy designer T shirt, Aditi.

No, no. It's different.

Something different T shirt.

Auto is made here.

Auto. Okay fine. This team five designers have sent me one T shirt. Guys, how many of you don't know this? I have one T shirt of empathy designers I used to have in the workshop also. Okay. Team 5. They have printed my name and then they have gifted to me. I was very happy in my home also. Like you should give students T shirt here. Why are they giving it to you? We ship lot of T shirts also. T shirt, hoodies, mug and everything in the last hackathon. This hackathon also we are going to ship you diary as well as pen and all. But this is a very very special gift. Which team five has given more power to you. Team five, are you guys here? Okay, let's come to the main point. Can everybody tell why she has become very successful? Why she has become very successful? We have given you some.

What?

We have given you a little context, right? We have given you a little context. Can somebody exactly guess why she has become very successful? She could have definitely done it even without me also. But her success was truly a tremendous one. Empathy, dedication. She was ready for it. Okay. Mindset, clarity. That and all I told guys, I'm asking you means there is something else, right? You guys will be totally shocked. Fast grasping. Okay. That's also a second or third reason. Okay. But the first reason is little different. In fact Aditi will be very shocked if I tell that. Can I tell you what is that? Jabin will also be shocked if I tell you that. Tamra Rasi will also be shocked. Are you guys getting that she has accelerated her career because of her hackathon participation. Mind blowing participation. I wanted to tell you. It is not only the secret of IITI to win. It's also because of Jabin. It's also because of there is one guy called Riyas. Okay. This is because also one guy called Aravind. There is also one person called Tamil. Okay. And there is one more person in the team five. So all these people have worked on a brief which is mind blowing. I really like they came just a second in the last hackathon. Okay. The Sanjay team. Because of that movie these people have got or else technical and point ways. These people are second. He and the Pranita's team, Team six was second and third last time. Okay. But the point is these people have learned technically very good and the morale of the team was very good. And Even after the 45 day challenge, Rabin was asking, I wanted to get accountable with Aditi, right? So Tamil Nadu says like I want to get accountable at this point. So I would highly, highly tell the success for her came with the acceleration. And that acceleration started in this team 5. How many of you can feel that you cannot do it alone? Guys, I told you, right? Jagdish is also a part of 20 percentages game only. Ultimately this particular design for change is made of community. This is not a course, this is a community. You're going to get a support of this community to really prep yourself and then the team is going to be the big, big, big success game for you. Because if you play this game for 90 days alone doing project, you will not feel that motivated. You know how much cross learnings. Aditi, could you please share your Team 5 experience? I think I will bring Jabin also here for sure. What year you're preparing some script? Huh?

No, no, nothing. Yeah. So team five, it was actually my first hackathon participation here in dfc. So it started in I guess Feb or Mid of Jan, something like that. So yeah, we were like I was very excited to work in a team because previously I had worked all the projects that I worked were alone. I was the solo contributor there for my practice. But here the team environment and the team dynamics, it was very good. Like, you know, I could not, I did not expect this kind of support from the team members. As you rightly mentioned, the names Jabin Tamil and then Riaz Arvind. So all of the team members. Yeah, yeah. So we are there for each other whenever, you know, we had some backlights also. Okay. We are there to cover that up and we can do that work. That's not an issue. So everyone was in a learning zone and yeah, we did well. And actually this FamCare project, it was actually appreciated by the interviewer as well. Where I'm selected. He is, yeah, he liked that case study that we worked on. He said that it's very detailed. I said, yeah, you know, we wanted, since we had worked so hard for the six weeks, we wanted to showcase everything into that and he really liked that.

So Jabin was little concerned here two, three weeks before. No, Javin was like, I feel like I need to. Jabin. Jabin said in a different way, okay, we need some detailed feedback for your. For Our project. We need to have a very detailed feedback. And one more person also came. Sangeet. I think she was team four. She also said, I'm not satisfied. You need to give me more detail. I said, your projects are really good. Please go. Not an interview. Jabhin, I did not scold. But Sangeetha, I scolded. I told her. Who told you that your project is not ready? Tell me how many recruiters you talked. How many people you reviewed this project? You tell me. Don't confuse much here. Go and just apply for the job. Now she's attending interview. You have to take the action and go forward, guys. Okay. More than sufficient. You guys are learning in the hackathon. That is enough to get one job. So don't think you need degree to do it. Or maybe you need. This is the kind of output Jabin was also asking. This thing I wanted. I wanted a very detailed feedback from you. I'll give you detailed feedback. But if something is there then I will not. For the sake of giving feedback, I should not give something.

No.

Give me feedback. Give me feedback. Give me what? What? So. So remove that people knows what you are telling to them. If Aditi says FamCare, he is going to ask question in FamCare. Right? If Aditi is saying I was there with this NASA mission, he's going to ask question in the NASA mission. So whatever you guys are having that particular project with you. That is what people are going to ask you. They are not going to reinvent something. And then they are going to ask what is this particular glass material made up of? Nobody's going to ask that. So please understand this. I'm telling all the freshers and mid level people. Don't worry about questions. You are going to be only asked in the questions earlier past. And which is in your control only. And if you don't know also it will don't know. Right? Aditi? Am I correct or not? She's been asked one question. Okay? Very, very peculiar question. She also tackled that question. So the point is everything is there with you only. And see now the recruiter has really appreciated that. Yeah. This could be also one great reason why they got convinced with her skill set. Why they got convinced with her design project. Right? So please treat this hackathon very, very seriously, guys. This is going to be a game changing activity for you. Because I've also learned this coaching journey. When I participated in Hackathon with my other coaches, two coaches were there, okay. Who are at least 10 times bigger than me. Okay? So they have guided me. This is how you need to take courses. This is how you need to start talking with community. This is how you need to create this landing pages. I also don't know anything. I know design, but I don't know any of this coaching stuff. Central I also learned that. Do you think my mentor came and helped me? No, that is not correct. Also he has given the concept. He has made me participate and learn the concepts. Context. Okay, but I only did it live and then I was struggling, made mistakes and I got a support from the peers. See, same like this team 5. When I would say if I have to really give you an award for the team health and the relationships, first is team five only. In fact, team five was very close. Guys, you know what are the one factor which differentiated team three and team five? It's because of audience score. Particularly that movie these people have played. No, this team 3 empathy. What is that 3L. Because of that the audience voting was very, very high or else these people would have got the. For me there is nothing like this team is big or that team is big. Everybody has played the part well. But see, the benefits are now getting seen visibly. So any project is fine. Any project, whatever you have in your portfolio is going to flip your career in a whole new different way. And I want all of the people to make that pivoting project as hackathon. You have to give 100 percentage to that hackathon and make sure it is the best of the best what you're delivering. You know, night and day. These people have worked 12 o', clock, 1 o'.

Clock.

There is one night shift guy in his team. He will work only in night shift. He will join exactly in the morning session and then he will go for sleep. So these people have also really worked hard for this and multiple iterations. And guys, I would highly recommend someday you can share your case studies. Also on the Saturday implementation call you can just show to inspire people not to put them on a pedestal. Okay, so let them understand what you guys have also did. And it's a very detailed work. Also in the. In the last hackathon I would say. And team three and team five particularly their work was very detailed. And yeah, that is giving her the confidence right. To talk in interviews and other things. See same project. Now Jabin also has Tamil. Nadi also has. These people also can use this in your in their interview process. And absolutely. People will be like, oh, we want something like this in our organization also. Could you do that right or not? And be very clear on what part you played. You cannot take the credibility of your credibility of your team and tell this is what the fully have done. I was responsible for that. But I was fully responsible for the deliverables. That is what going to differentiate. Be very careful, okay. Don't claim the other people work unnecessarily. Then they will figure out and they will spot you out. Okay. Super. And. And yes. Any. Any other words? Aditi, you wanted to tell for the community any advice or any big thing which has helped you a lot?

Yeah, sure. Actually these morning classes also helped me. Because when I was taking the morning classes in the starting only. So I was noting down everything the important points. And before the interview I through those notes and there. So before yeah. I had gone through in the morning and there was a question asked to me regarding accessibility. How do you check the contrast ratio and all. So I I said one name that I had noted down in my notes also. So there was a Figma plugin. It was called as Apka and the interviewer also did not know it. So that actually came from my notes. And I thought okay. So you know anything learned never goes to a waste. You can find the dots somewhere or the other and it should be. It is always helpful for you. So that's what I believe. Like you know, any skill that you learn will always be helpful. If not now, then maybe after some time. So he was really impressed with that. He said that. Okay, I did not know it. I am also going to try it and ask with my team also. Okay, now show me how to use this plugin. Yeah.

Yeah.

I think this. This guy's session, this Kerala one guy was there no accessibility. We had two sessions.

Yeah.

No, no. That is a different. He. He told about Stark. Stark and lint. Right? Two plugins in Figma.

I think current session.

You're also there. Okay. Okay. Okay. I thought you are sleeping. Spotlight her Jagdish Spotlight. But she's not switching on the camera. We cannot spotlight because in zoom it's not possible. Okay. Tamil Nadi looks very different. Okay. So I think this team is feeling little nostalgic. They are connecting again. I want all of you guys to see. You remember one discussion we had with the Hackathon team? Discussion. I said all of you are going to get the job with this project. Have you remembered that word while reviewing? I think for team four also I said team four and team five had a very detailed review in the last hackathon. Okay. This Balu's team and this team. I said you guys are Going to get job through this project only. I said that in fact the team for research work was very good. Their context was very traffic congestion. So very huge problem. How they have narrowed down to a particular brief was very extraordinary. Please go through that team for Balu and what is that team Chitra Gokul. These people have also did extraordinary great work in the team 4. This guy Mohan Joseph and all. Okay. But the thing is I said this project is going to get you job. And I soon expecting Jabir and Tamil Nadi is also in the final stages interview. She will get it for sure. Okay. Please get it fast here. Okay. We are waiting for your. Because you are a fresher, right? You are also coming from a very different background. And after career gap you're going to win. So we are expecting you. We are expecting Jabeen. Jabin is totally different background. So I want every single one of you to really understand that possibilities is there. Okay. People have given you some information. Some. Some. Some clarification, right? How Aditi has won. How Jabin is also going to win. Tamil Darasi. A lot of people, they're going to come. But please do understand there is an effort behind all these things. You cannot just tell that. I have completed one hackathon. I completed a getting started video. Jagdish has given me certificate. I need to get a job. Don't have that courses mindset here please. That is what I wanted to again cleanse. There is something called detox which you need to do right before we start this new hackathon. So thank you Aditi for coming and inspiring us. Any final advice? Yeah. Attend morning sessions is one advice. Any advice for your career switching people? See, there are many people like you here in this community. Could you please give them one advice?

First of all I would like to thank you. You know, so I had the belief in me that okay, I can do it. But you brought the confidence in me. Just do it. Go and attend it. You know, without you I think it would not have been possible. You have guided me in everything. How to, you know, stitch my design story. Because I was always very confused. How do I relate to my past experience? How do I do this? How can I justify. Even whenever they ask me this question.

She'S not going to attend. You know, suddenly one day she said I'm not going to attend this interview. Jagdish. I said why are you doing that? You go and attend here. I used that word also. Please go and attend. You don't think much. Please go and attend. Please go and Attend please go and jagdish, I don't have this because six years is a non design experience. Right. I said first you don't go and tell I am a faulty guy. In this world you don't tell anybody. You just go and attend interview. Just go and attend interview. Somebody has to tell you guys or else what happens is you'll be stuck there. You need a confirmation also there, right? And little bit. Should I really ask this? She used to ask this question every time to me. Should I really ask this? Is it okay to ask this? It's fine. Now she will not ask. She knows whatever she asks she's going to get that. Right? So thank you for also trusting me. I also wanted to thank you back. Right. See, many people are also getting job guidance from me. Many people are also attending interviews. But they don't follow what I'm saying at all. 50% also they don't. I don't know how much they're observing or listening but they don't implement what we are seeing. And I will not thank them because they have not implemented what I said. But you exactly dittoed it. And there is one more mystery guest also. In fact that person is also like ditto. Whatever I say, she will just do it. That is the kind of mindset these people had. And thank you so much for putting that trust and faith in me. Thank you for accepting and coming here as a mystery guest. And can I ask our audience to have any questions from you? Will you answer them?

Sure, sure. Yeah.

Superb. Any other questions for the Aditi guys? You guys. You guys have for her like let's say apart from this. You can open your mic and please.

Yes, I have.

Yeah, go ahead.

So confirm us Aditi. Please confirm us. Everyone please be patient. And it's a time taking process.

I'm taking processor.

Yeah, we need to be patient. And it. It doesn't. It doesn't happen within one day or within a week. Everyone wants this words from you, James.

Actually.

Okay. Yes, yes. Yes. Correct. So that's also a very important thing. And yeah, this hackathon. Have you participated Aditi? This 4.0.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm there. But not to the extent I was there in the three third hackathon.

Actually you had.

I'm actively participating you.

Two times you had confused this particular program. See, there is one problem also which Aditi had. She went for a big gap after February. I don't know this Kumbh mela or something. She went okay. And the second is she suddenly said I'm not able to come to sessions after some break. I'll come. It's fine. If these two breaks would have been not there, she would have got job two months before itself. So there is a flow which every designer builds. Guys, when a hackathon is completed, listen to me very carefully. Yesterday I was also telling the same thing to one guy. When you complete a hackathon, there is a flow which is set for you. You are in the touch with that same flow. You need to get the job in maximum 45 days to 90 days. Let's say if you're leaving that flow, you're coming again again. You need 90 days to build that momentum. Don't think that you are in the, you know, design and all. No. There is a flow which every designer sits because project is a flow. Connecting, networking is a flow. Interview is a flow. Talking about salary negotiation is a flow. Doing all this design task is a flow. When you are in the same state of flow, you get the job and results. That's why I told you get three offers, don't get one. Because again you'll have to build your momentum to get the offers. It's a huge process, guys. It's a huge not required. First of all, use that momentum. Know what you've gained so far. What is law of momentum? F is equal to ma. Okay. You have gained that momentum, right? So you need to utilize that. So many people you know the big problem with this design community. Students know. Because many mentors are not telling that. I'm telling you openly. You guys are giving a gap or a break. And then you're suddenly, I don't know, like you guys are going away. It is because of family commitments. It's because of somebody is telling you this that you are uxa. Who asked you to come to this field? There is no job is that this person would have completed the hackathon, going to apply for the job. She's definitely going to get the job in next one or two weeks. What happened is one cousin will come from Dubai. One guy will come from this is your bad karmas. Okay. Universe will not make you become success through these people only. Wait. These people are waiting for you only to get you distracted. How come you are joining this UI UX and all? No UI UX and all. No scope is there 0.0scope. Who told you job? First of all, you're having so much of experience. You cannot get the same salary. You will be given 3.25 lpa. If somebody would have told Aditi no your earlier salary, whatever Nobody is going to 3.2. Do you think she will continue this program? She will ask for refund. I made a big wrong decision. No, people will not ask a refund like that. People will ask some medical emergency is there. Please give me money. What is this? For your medical emergency. How should I be responsible? Guys, many people are not many people. I would say in the last one, last two months two people have used the same thing. Guys, don't use this medical terminology to use this. If you're having a problem, you have to talk to me. If your cousin or somebody said that you just talk to me will help you understand. See, always believe the stats and numbers, right? So please be very careful. Two mistakes Aditi has made because of this gap or something else have happened. But if you don't give any kind of a gap and then if you press this button hard for next 365 days. I wanted your next 365 days. I told you in the orientation session itself. This is a one year game. This is not a three months game. You have to hook you to to join this program. I'll tell you 90 days. 90 days you will get job. There is no doubt about it. But job is not the real success. Transformation is what I want. One year. You give yourself all these ups and downs considering your medical gap, this gap, that gap, all this problem will get sorted. And you will start getting abundance in your life to see a tangibility. So when you're going for a restaurant, when you're thinking okay, I need to order starter, I need to go for main course, I need to get the desert from there, I need to go to this movie. And then I had to buy a. How do I say whatever clothes my family is asking without seeing the name tag and price. And I have to come back to the home, right or not. Without even looking at the bill, without even looking at the price, without even looking at anything. How many of you wanted this kind of a lifestyle? At least to give your family. You need to work hard really for one year. There is no shortcut in this. You can only become success when you go through this pain and journey. And you are going to become ultimately success only with this one year, three months. You can get the job but you cannot get the stability. You cannot get this freedom lifestyle. You cannot really see lowest price. Normally we used to order starter and all. Why is it really required? We will go for directly main course. How many of you are like that? I was also like that. Okay, so we know. I mean I know how the psychology works. But when we have certain capability and abundance and financial freedom then we will also take the quality of our lifestyle in a very different way. Please think about it. I don't want you to give this gap. Two gaps she has given. Or else you would have got even more results faster. Same Jabin also has a gap. She is also little bit inconsistent and came back again. Flow will be missed. You guys will be losing out that credibility. No. You guys have accumulated some merits. I don't know. For some reason you guys are living okay. So please be careful with this 10 people whom you're talking. Also Jabin has talked to one person guys in the LinkedIn. She got her entire career in a negative direction because of that one person. How many of you are there? In that Saturday call she has shown that one person has replied. UI UX field is not for you. Your portfolio is completely waste. UI UX field is died. Who asked you to apply job? She started. Okay, I'll not tell. But she started feeling very bad. And she expressed that in the call itself. Four people have came and cheered her up. In the call itself. It wasn't that cold actually. Ah. Vizak was also cheering. Vizak was also having the same pain point when he has got the first design job. Very big story. Vizag also had. Vizak told her story and one more person also told the story. I don't know. These people have had a lot of struggle guys. Vizag and all. Once he becomes a mystery guest, you will come to know. I know his full story. He has explained me before. Even we did not have one to one. But I know a lot of things about Vizak. And I know why he is not able to still get that success. He is in that final stage. He will get it. Don't worry. So everybody goes through this pain. Okay. But don't stop this game. That is my humble, humble request. If you stop this game, it's better you don't start it at all. I told you know in the workshop itself. If you're thinking of quitting, don't join this program. Same commitment I wanted from all of you. Till the time you get result through Aditi story, this is what I will tell. Okay? Is it fine? Jabin and Tamils, you want to give any final words for the hackathon, for the team, for Aditi. With that we are signing off.

Yes.

Yeah. You both go. Wait. Let me bring one more person. This person wants to talk. Yes sir. Go ahead. You wanted to tell something. Meanwhile you guys prepare the script. Okay? Yes.

Yeah sure. I just have one question. So Aditi, could you just genuinely tell us like from first day to getting job, how much day it. It took from.

Tell me a question. How much am I.

Am I audible? Properly audible.

But your voice like you are feeling like you're talking inside the water.

Okay.

Very, very. Audio is like you're inside the water and then you're talking.

Okay, okay, sorry. Now. Now it's properly audible.

Better. But you'll have to work with your audio man. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sure.

Weekly winner. You can get this Apple headphones.

Okay. Okay. So Aditi, one question from our side. So could you genuinely tell us like how much days it took from first day you joined the DC DC community and to the getting. Getting job process?

Yeah. She said no. Last year, December, she joined.

Okay, okay, sorry.

Yeah. December. And that's what she took. The. What is the date today? July. Right. She took two gaps. Sartak. Okay. Because she was very active in the Jan. Feb. March hackathon. First Q1 hackathon. Very, very active. She was. But what happened is there was some gap she met and then she came again. She was very active in the interview. Suddenly she dropped again. But now she's very active in the interview. She got the office. So if that two gaps would have not been there four months. Am I right, Aditi?

Yes.

120 days. Your answer is.

Okay, okay, got it. And second, quick question. Like what are that question every recruiter will ask to you and we need to prepare with in any condition.

Come on.

Yes. Yeah. So they will ask you about your experience, what are you doing? And one thing I have noticed is whatever interviews I have attended so far, they'll ask you about your design journey and your design story. So keep that well prepared. And how can you, you know, keep it impressive to them? You know, show them what value can you bring to them along with your design story. That will be very good.

Yes, wonderful answer. Did you understand Sardag, what she said?

Yes, yes, yes.

That's the end of the thing. And we had one session also with Aditi. You remember Aditi, I stitched your story. You and I don't know Jabeen and all came. It was in the Saturday archive call guys, please go and watch that. It's a very, very detailed. It's a three hours to four hours call we had. I. I brought nine people in my camera. Okay. Nine people. I brought nine people story. And then I told how to create a cvv. Sorry, Compelling value proposition CVP and how to pitch the recruiters in just one minute. We had a live role play also for nine people. How to bring your existing experience pitch As a result, how to bring your experience pitch? So that is the answer. Sartik, I will also refer that recording to you. Sartakich, you can watch that. It will be a great insight for you. Okay. Because you are not there at that time you joined recently.

Yeah, sure, sure.

Thanks. Excellent questions. Two questions are very, very meaningful and high quality. Thank you for asking that question. But why are you sitting in the some den where? What is that background?

Sorry, I have some disturbing background.

So correct your audio here. Tomorrow if you're going for interviews, you should not talk like this. You should buy a good headset or something.

Okay, sure, sure, sure.

Yes, yes, yes. Sudeshna, go ahead. Another MVP in our program. Two knowledge sharing sessions he has taken. Ah yes. Sudeshna, ask your question.

Hi, everything. First of all I would like to say congratulations.

Yeah, thank you.

There is two questions. One is very basic, the basic one. First, how many projects like while you giving the interview? Definitely as a. You already have a different. You choose to already a different domain. So definitely you count it as a pressure. So how many projects you have have in your portfolio? As you counted as a fresher number one. And number two is how you communicate your design process. Because you are a fresher, right? So you don't have any practical experience. Whatever you have is totally demo oriented or you worked in our hackathon that experience.

Correct.

So how do you convince to the, you know, interviewed that yes, I am able to know do the practical work as well.

This is like.

This is wonderful thing. I want to know.

Wonderful question. Yes, come on.

Yeah, so answering your first question. In my portfolio I have showcased four projects. So first one is which I did solo. Second one is for the one week project I did for the Power of one workbook. Then two projects from the hackathon. So first one is this team five hackathon. Another one which I'm currently doing. So these two. So two projects, they have complete case study and two projects still case study is under building stage. So that I have not showcased in my portfolio. And yeah, apart from that I have also showcased the other creative sites as I mentioned the other part of my creative expressions, those things also. And what was your second question again? I'm forgetting.

Sorry, question is, have you convinced that I have done this demo project? But still I'm able to do the practical one? Because the practical one is totally different that is used different what we do in hackathon and other things. So how you convince this thing?

Yeah, sure. So actually in my interview they did not ask me specifically about any project. He was just going through my portfolio. He checked, okay, this healthcare project she has done, I think he was interested in that. And the company is also into that domain to some extent. So he opened that and he just because he was a senior designer, so he knew what kind of work will be going on behind. I feel like you know, the interviewers which who do not have that kind of knowledge, they will only ask you very basic or the design process kind of things because by seeing the work they will sense, okay, these are the things that this person has done and he or she is aware of that. So again, if I have to explain my design process, I would say it will depend on the project to project. Right. Because design process is something not very linear that we follow. It will always depend on the condition and the stage that we are involved in as designers. So it will depend basically on that. Only if you are starting from the research or if you are starting from the ideation or. Or if you are starting from the usability test only like you know, if something needs to be enhanced first you need to go and check with the users. So like that it should go so you know the answer. How you provide that will basically convince the interviewers. That's what I feel. Okay.

And one, one more question. Like I don't know how you say this. So whatever you like in withdraw whatever salary you have that time and now what is the difference? Like what is the. Is it double or same? What is the big. Why I'm want to know this because you started as a fresher, right? So this is a big thing.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely it is actually. So yeah, I was also in the mindset that I'll be getting salary that of a fresher, maybe starting with 3.5 or maybe 6 or 8. So because I have seen companies who are providing to freshers also they are okay to offer 8 lakhs. So I have attended those interviews also. But since my current was more than that, I think that was something went misplaced there. So with. If you are asking about the hike percentage with, with which you know this offer I have got, it's around 30% standard. I did not ask for more because I didn't want to lose that in just salary negotiation. If I have come so far, I just don't want to my first offer in negotiating the salary and convincing so much. So I accepted that whatever they were.

Offering, in fact we started with 80%, we started with 75 to 80%. I am sure she could have done it. But she was little scared. At the last moment she self told what is her problem. I was feared of getting lost with whatever. That is why Aditi, we need to have a lot of interviews parallel. If you have a lot of interviews and offer no, you will not get this fear. First of all that company is capable of paying that much salary. If they are not capable of paying that much then I will not ask you to go and ask me. Do the negotiation. Right. 80%. Very normal. I have seen many people. Can you reveal the studio name at least? Where are you working? Is it fine?

Yes. Yeah.

She's going to work in a Tata Alexa. That is why I'm not very much worried about salary. Because it's one of the good design studios in India, right? It's a top notch design studio. If she's working there, I'm not worried about she's getting this salary or that salary. She's in an environment your average of your 10 people. She's going to be pushed hard. That's what I want. So and more importantly for career switching people normally we don't do a much hard negotiation. Not required. Just get into the industry first. That's why I told you your 3x is going to start now. Because with this confident experience now you can go for any extreme. 5x is also possible if she understands the hidden job market properly. Okay. Superb. Good question, Sudesh. Now.

Okay, my question is like what are the rounds they have at that kind of corporate company? Yeah. So first one will be the basic screening round over the phone with the hr. After that they'll be scheduling the interview. So first one was my technical interview. Then directly they had scheduled the HR round of interview. After that it was a salary negotiation and then offer release. But this process, they took very long, you know. So one month in almost one month they are able to release the offer. And they had kept me waiting for I guess two to three weeks. Yeah. Yeah. And one more thing I would like to say is like you know as Jagdish says follow up is very important. So yeah, that's what I felt in this offer as well. Because I had received from the call from HR when I was on a vacation. So I asked okay ma', am, can I please attend this interview next week? Can we talk next week because I am out of station. So she said okay, yeah. Then next week she did not give me a call. I followed it back then. She had immediately scheduled the interview for from next two days. So you know, day after tomorrow I had to give the interview. So like that, you know, follow up is really, really important. Just give at least three tries from your your end and after that just drop it off.

Yes. Law of three is a very super number. Universal number. So please follow that. Okay. Three times. You follow it up before you give it up. And she was also very meticulous, guys. Okay. Whenever I tell follow up, she does it. She does it. She keeps doing that. Many people will be bored here. See, you will feel very hesitant not to go and talk to the person again and again. Ask for salary, ask for follow up. She doesn't have any hesitation. That's the kind of mindset you need to tune in. Okay. Success is going to come. Thank you so much, Aditi for answering all of the questions of the people and being our mystery guest. I don't think the next person is ready because she has some rain power cut issues. We'll have her on the next Saturday. Not a problem. Because her story is also very interesting story. We need to hear it out properly. Okay. Thank you so much, Aditi. Congratulations. I wish to see you on the top. This is. You're just getting started.