I started my career as a Graduate Engineer Trainee (GET) in one of India’s leading private utility firms. My first day was superb—a warm welcome from the HR team, an inspiring speech from company leaders, and the opportunity to meet a bunch of talented colleagues. It was my first real taste of corporate life, and I was feeling great.

After 15 days of induction and HR training, we began our two-month on-the-job training. We visited different locations and departments, learning about their functions while being divided into small groups of 4-5 people. Our daily tasks included interacting with senior employees, understanding their job roles, and taking notes to decide which department and location would be the best fit for us. It was an exciting phase of our careers. At the end of these two months, we were required to present our learnings to the management, which would help determine our placements within the company—a very fair and transparent process.

I was assigned to the maintenance team responsible for the street lights of Mumbai. My team consisted of linemen, jointers, and other workers. My daily job was to locate faults based on customer complaints and ensure they were fixed. Initially, I felt out of place—the location was far from my home, resulting in long daily commutes. Moreover, the workers I was managing earned double my salary, yet I had to persuade them to complete their tasks. Imagine a young GET giving orders to experienced 40-50-year-old workers! The worst part? They would start leaving around 4 PM, with some disappearing as early as noon.

However, over time, I started building connections with them, and the situation improved. I began to enjoy my work. My seniors were supportive, guiding me at every step and never making me feel like an outsider.

At the end of my one-year tenure as a GET, I was promoted to Assistant Manager—but in a different department and location. My new role involved approving electricity connections for residential customers. While I formed good relationships here as well, I never truly enjoyed the job since it didn’t require my engineering skills. The company had a straightforward career path—work for some years, and with age and experience, you would move up the hierarchy. However, something inside me kept pushing me to look for a different challenge.

One fine day, I received a call for a sales and marketing role from a reputed engineering firm. Thanks to naukari.com. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to break free from my existing profile.

Was this opportunity worth it? You’ll find out in my next blog!

Post your likes, queries, feedback, and suggestions. You’re also welcome to share your own career journey—let’s build a community of sales and marketing professionals together!

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