« Back to article

Print this article

My first job: 'Perseverance is the key'

We had asked you, our readers, to tell us what your first job was and what you learned from it. Here, mechanical engineer and Get Ahead reader Subin Mohan tells us how his first job laid the foundation for his career.

My craze for the automobiles is what landed me in the mechanical engineering stream.

I was pretty sure where I needed to go ; IT jobs never interested me.

While my classmates and batchmates queued up for the campus interviews in our college, I was making merry outside and waiting for my type of jobs to pitch in even though the chances were slim.

When the course ended and 75 per cent of my batch mates headed towards the metropolitan cities to chase their dreams, I headed to my village jobless.

After four months of hunting and circling vacancies in national newspapers, I landed my first job in an automotive dealership firm that belonged to Maruti in Cochin.

I joined as a management trainee.

It was decided that I would undergo training in different departments and after completion, depending on the requirement have the final placement.

I realised that things can change in corporate organisations.

I was first deputed to the showroom for having customer experience.

Meet-and-greet became part of my job and later I'd be involved in sales discussions.

My engineering background helped me in having a deep understanding of the vehicle technology.

I became an instant hit at the showroom with customers.

Sales people loved to have their customers talk to me and provide test drives.

One added benefit that came out of this was that I found out I had a flair for sales and customer interaction than working with spanners and grease on my hands.

The management found me useful inside the showroom and appointed me as showroom staff instead of continuing my training in various departments.

This came as shock to me because I had not wished to have a career as a 'counter boy' because I knew it would not take me far in my life.

Slowly work started getting monotonous and I felt like I was being over-used and exploited.

However I held on and over time convinced the managers and the HR department to shift me into the sales team.

The sales responsibility came as a relief to me as it allowed me to travel outside office.

The sales targets were hard to achieve, but they made me tough.

The lengthy hours and travel for the sales job was tiring but that increased my endurance.

Dejections and rejections were part of the job but it made me optimistic.

My first job was a learning experience and whatever I am today, I owe a big part of it to my first job.

The first job can be called the die and it is in this die that you prepare the mould.

Therefore the first job is what prepares you for your future path.

Today after completing almost 12 years in the automotive industry, I work for a German multinational company as a regional manager in their after-sales department.

My advice to youngsters is to not lose hope and act with patience.

Perseverance is the key for you and this alone can make a lot of difference in your lives.

ALSO READ My first job: Life was difficult in the first few months

Dear Readers, do you have an interesting first job experience to share?

Simply write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject line: My first job) and we'll publish the best ones right here!