Day before yesterday

Day before yesterday

i.e on 12th April 2017, I felt very bad, because I have not done enough in the 11 months(from 2nd may till 12th April) I spent in Australia without a job. Things I could have done
1) Prepared well for job (could have learnt R and Python. Also could have improved more on SQL and Tableau) 11 months great period of time
2) Applied for Driving License
3) Could have done some part-time job

It is a great thing to be cool but not lethargic. I hope I change and start utilizing my time properly and productively. I realized this only when my wife told that she didn't get the opportunity (onsite  assignment  with HCL in Australia) that she was expecting for sure. Just for a great period of time I was feeling how one can marry if he cant really take care of his partner. Shame on me. In the way of becoming a cool person I have become a lethargic person.

I will be a better person form now on.

my First in person interview in Australia

Today I attended an Interview after 4 years.

It was an awesome one. I really enjoyed the interview, I felt relaxed and was able to answer and explain all the questions. I might have done better which I am sure everybody feels the same way. There were 4 persons in the panel and they were very co-operative and created very friendly atmosphere. In the group of 4 people only 3 were questioning and one was just an observer. In my life this is the first time that I faced an interview where 4 people interview one. I felt, they are really wonderful people. I hope I get this job and enjoy working with them. This is the first time that I have attended an interview in person in Australia. Also, first time Australians interviewed me, that too in a group of four members. Wow what a beginning.

Again a big Gap

A big Gap again.

In the month of July 2016 my wife visited me in Australia for 4 days and went back to India, she is  continuing her job in HCL India. I had an interview in the month of June I vaguely remember. After that interview there is a big gap in interview calls. May be the local companies didn't really find my profile appealing as I was following a different format. By the time I realised it I was in the month of September. Decided to upgrade my skills and learnt some new skills and update my resume. Then again a big back. Fell unorganised for 3 months and left focus on job search in the month of Nov, Dec and Jan. Now already in next year 2017. No interview calls so worked on resume again and started getting one or two enquiry calls in the month of Feb. Only in March I got a proper interview call from SmartMorph asking me to prepare a visualisation by using the csv and requirement files sent by them.
completed the task and they were happy with it and they scheduled a skype call interview as the company is in Brisbane. The interview was scheduled on 28th March 6pm. I was eager and little tensed at the same time about the interview. On 27th evening I received an e-mail from them saying the interview got cancelled. Felt too bad, eyes were slightly wet for a while.

As I had an interview scheduled on 3rd April with other government organisation (information cant be revealed) I was able to control my disappointment.

Back to fear one.

Back to same fear one

To get an Australian PR, one has to complete IELTS exam. I joined IELTS coaching in the year 2011 but was scared to take up the exam. Got married by November 2011 and had fair bit of problems with married life and wife's ill health and unfocused professional life for some time. In 2103, I developed the courage to write the IELTS and got a score of 6 with no effort, if you are reading my blog you can understand what is my standard. Even after 10 attempts I was unable to score 7 in writing. Other than writing I was able to get 7 in other 3 sections and 7.5 in reading and 8 in listening. However, I got Australia PR in the year 2015, state sponsorship. May be this is the reason why people say that one will achieve anything if one has determination.

Forgot to update, in the mean time I moved to different technology, Business Intelligence and visual analytics. On 2nd May 2016 I moved to Sydney Australia. After moving to Australia, I took one month rest at my cousins places without applying for any job. After a month I started applying for jobs and got a call very soon from TechMahindra (Satyam got merged with Techmahindra). However, I didn't get a job as they were expecting more variety of experience.

Migrating to other countries

FIFA South Africa, my first onsite

Moved to South Africa Feb 2009, Initially I felt very scared as many told that it is not a safe country. Also, I felt very boring for initial 6 months. After six month I visited India and went back to South Africa to continue in the project. This time I really started liking the place due to many factors. Like, now I know the place better, I realised many places are safe, I have more friends to catch up and spend time. I really had a wonderful time in South Africa from 2009 to 2010.

To update about my Australia plans, I should first tell something about my cousin, he joined HCL in 2007 and moved to Australia on a work VISA. In the year 2010 we used to talk a lot about living in foreign countries, mainly Australia. Then I started to feel like most immigrants, why shouldn't I move to Australia and settle there. I am not a scientist, I am just a normal employee. In fact, by moving out of India I am helping some others by not occupying a seat in the local bus or train or road or job. Is that not a service that I am doing to my fellow citizens.

First of all, why should I think that I belong to only India! why can't I be the son of earth. If somebody is polluting in farther place will it not  affect the planet? Our mother earth doesn't show any discrimination. Even though many work in IT companies in India they are working for foreign company projects. Does it mean that they are not helping India grow? Now, I don't really know if migrating to other country is right or wrong!

Whatever may be the thoughts, in 2010 June I decided to migrate to Australia. By June 2010 I moved back to India after the completion of FIFA Project in South Africa and was able to Move to Australia by the month May 2016.

Scared of exams all along.

Scared of exams all along.

In spite of learning CCNA and MCP well, I was scared of taking up the certification. Again same issue, was unable to find a job that requires these skills. Luckly there was a job opening for fresher in my cousins work place. It was for VBA (visual basic application) developer. My cousin asked me if I am willing to work in programming? I said yes, and joined the company. In that company I worked as VBA programmer for 2 months, learnt VBA  first month and completed a small project in the 2nd month successfully. Later I got an opportunity to work in the same company as system administrator and grabbed the opportunity. The position that became vacant was offered to my friend Vamsi.

After working there for some time I developed the skill and decided to complete the certification and completed MCP certification. After completing the certification I applied for jobs and got a job in Satyam computer services limited as system admin. I really felt happy that I got into an MNC. Now I am a software professional, some might think system administration is not a software job. After working for an year in a project, we, my team lead and me, were about to move to USA, my lead on long term basis and me on a short time, the project got closed. However, our manager provided and opportunity for me and my college to work for FIFA in South Africa.

My first flight that too International one - Awesome.

Moved to Australia May 2nd 2016.

Moved to Australia May 2nd 2016.

I always wanted to live and die in India, as I felt people who leave the country are not doing enough to improve their mother country where they are born and learnt or acquired the skills. However, like many average educated citizens of the country I completed graduation in computers (studying almost outdated programming languages) and an MBA form a very new college(I don't know what subject I learnt here, but felt like a better person after MBA).

After completing MBA I moved to Bangalore in search of a job. I looked for different jobs in the field of marketing, but was unable to find a decent job(a decent marketing job in my view is, where we need not bluff customers to the core). However, I was unable to find any except for the credit card marketing, in my view, begging software employees to apply for credit card. Back then, in the year 2004, it was difficult to find a job opening even though there might be some opportunities. Internet access was too slow, too costly, for a lower middle class job seeker. A normal mobile phone was a greatest thing then.

By chance I got a job as a software recruiter in a small consultancy, but I quit it as my lead didn't treat me well when I made a call to one of the prospective employee for the second time by mistake. In fact, I deserve that, as it was my mistake to call the same person again as I didn't maintain the call record well. Because of ego I left the job without intimating them. Back then I had EGO in abundance. 

Now decided to find a job in the field of information technology. I followed my cousin's advise and I learnt hardware. Just after finishing the course I was not getting any money from home to survive in Bangalore. Therefore, decided to move to Chennai to my cousins room as he was working in software testing and was earning enough to stay in sharing room and spending for food. There I joined networking, CCNA. I really learnt a lot in this course and I still remember the concepts. Then again I joined MCP (windows server) course. My cousin paid fee for both the courses, my food and accommodation.