At just 23, with a wealth of curiosity and determination to work hard, Shaik Rahil Ahmed decided to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) at Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management (VJIM), Hyderabad.

With no previous professional experience, he knew his journey was going to be different than the rest of his peers. On the other hand, he realized that he had a lot to learn from students with rich professional experience, and believed that his curiosity to grasp knowledge and sincerity towards the course would offer a different perspective to his classmates.

Being a strong believer of fate and the power of perseverance, it was in his early days that he realized that his chosen career was tremendously competitive, but he would never compare his progress to his peers. “I genuinely believe that none of us are born talented. We all need to strive to achieve something. Prior to VJIM, my soft skills weren’t as refined as they are today, neither my rapport with everyone, nor my team management skills were exceptionally good. However, VJIM trained and transformed us to become thorough professionals. Today, I can present myself confidently, I can handle a team, and these skills got developed because of VJIM and the cultural event – Chrysalis, that gave each one of us so much exposure,” comments Rahil.

In his final year at the Institute, his short-term goals were to clear an interview, gain experience from it, and prove how he stood out than the rest. Of course, the journey of finding employment in Deloitte straight after PGDM with no prior experience was challenging, but by no means impossible. To this, he adds, “The biggest hurdle was my CGPA score since it was just above the cut-off range; I had to prove how and why I was the right fit. Following this was a comprehensive aptitude test which was attempted by 16 students and cracked by only 5 of us. I was one among those and that’s how I successfully managed to convince them of what my real potential was.”

Keeping aside the short-term goals, his long-term goals reflect upon his ambitious personality. Although it may seem like a cakewalk, with immense dedication and willingness, he aims to put himself out there to understand the applications of knowledge management, data quality, create visualizations, and conduct statistical tests – and flourish as an expert a few years down the line.

“There are two individuals who have constantly encouraged me and contributed immensely through these years. One, Prof. Sishir who has been a source of inspiration, and two, a bunch of genuine friends I made on the way. Besides, I am forever indebted to VJIM and especially the placement faculties for helping me seize my dream job,” adds Shaik Rahil Ahmed.