This was my first job after finishing my Master’s degree. I had worked before during my student days, but those were mostly event-based or short-term gigs. So, this was my first real corporate job. I joined Pragya, a development organization with its main office in Gurgaon and project offices spread across the Himalayas.
Getting a good job in your field is one thing, but having your boss become your first mentor is something else entirely. Like many freshers, I felt confident and ready for anything. Only after working in a few more offices did I realize how much I had learned from my first job. I learned to handle pressure and meet deadlines, carry myself in an office environment, work with different people on a team, and dress appropriately while maintaining day-to-day professionalism.
My first boss was Gargi Banerjee, the Founder-Director of Pragya. During my two years at the organization, she gave me opportunities and projects that most freshers can only dream of. Looking back, I see how I might have handled those tasks differently with more experience and maturity.
Being sent to remote project areas and managing both the projects and their budgets gave me the confidence and courage to take on bigger challenges later. It also helped me become skilled at traveling alone.
I am one of those fortunate people who were blessed with bosses who believed in me and pushed me to reach for bigger ideas and goals.
Here, my boss, Gargi Ma’am, saw something in me that no one else did —not even me—a sense of potential. She once told me that if I got organized in my thoughts and life, and used my skill sets, I would be unstoppable. That suggestion stayed with me and helped me land important projects and succeed in my future workplaces. I will talk about that in my next diary note.
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