Ever wondered what will it be like to join a company whose ardent customer you are? Have you ever thought MBA can actually take you to very different places?
Here is a story about an ardent player, payer in games and a MBA graduate. Aparajita loves playing games (not the PUBG/shooting types but simple candy crush types!). But her gaming habit started with a game called Farmville in 2009. She gradually moved to playing Farmville 2 in 2012 almost as soon as the game was launched. She heard about it from a fellow MBA graduate (in 2012) when she was doing her 1-year MBA in IIM Bangalore. She was working in Dr. Reddy’s for 7 years before joining MBA. Desiring to delve into the technological landscape, she transitioned to Tech Mahindra after her MBA. However, she eventually returned to what she fondly refers to as her “original sphere” in pharma after 18 months.
For last 6 years, she kept playing Farmville 2 and other games. She became an advanced player and moved to level 145. While many supporters encouraged her to engage in something more productive, she saw her love for gaming as a way to ecpress herself creatively,going beyond simple entertainment. Little did she realise that her gameplay would lead to an interesting change in her future journey!
In 2017 a significant change occurred when the FarmVille team reached out to her to engage with their player community.She provided them with meticulous feedback, even suggesting enhancements inspired by other games.Being inherently curious, she asked the team about Product management. In a bold move, she shared her resume during this feedback exchange,although her pharmaceutical background seemed an unlikely fit for a gaming company. Amidst uncertainty, she soon forgot about this episode.
Suddenly, one day she got a call from Zynga whether she can prepare an assignment. They found out that not only is she an advanced Farmville player/payer, but also a MBA from the top B-School in India and a graduate from BITS Pilani, another top grad school in India. She already had 11+ years of work experience across operations, business development, licensing, technology and strategy. The team invited her for an interview at their Bangalore office.
“Now things were getting serious. They had called me to their office in Bangalore from my Hyderabad location. Senior people were getting involved. And I had no clue of what I was getting into! I then spoke to a few of my batch mates and alums who worked as product managers to understand what they exactly did in their day jobs. Speaking with the right people helped me to build a perspective and prepare myself for further discussions at Zynga.”
The interview was a good process testing her analytical skills, understanding of tougher situations, overall strategy, design aspects and creative side. During the interview, she faced inquiries about the various roles she held at Dr. Reddy’s and Tech Mahindra. She openly admitted her tendency to become disinterested after prolonged periods of doing the same thing. Yet, a persistent question nagged at her: Why were they interested in interviewing her given her background in pharmaceuticals?
“With love for games and an MBA, you do make a good fit. That’s what we look for Product Management in Zynga” (was told to her by Zynga, India head)
She got the Product Manager role at Zynga and happily moved to Bangalore to start her new stint in Jan 2018.
Though, the above story may sound serendipitous, Aparajita had stuck to her core of being creative and doing what she loves. This story also teaches a lesson to those who wish to change their careers. It’s okay not to have experience in the specific industry, but it’s crucial to possess a powerful skill that can be applied effectively in the new role! Equally important is the willengness to explore the unfamiliar world around you.
There is one more an interesting observation: if an organization is convinced that you can make an impact positively, they are willing to take a bet on you, irrespective of whether you have a relevant background in that industry or not. This lesson is even more important at this time when there are so many emerging careers for which, nobody might have any relevant background. To enter and thrive in such careers, stay dedicated to enjoy your work and create a positive influence. Stay open-minded, learn and build connections across different industries.
Having spent a year in understanding nuances of the industry and the game from a different perspective, she’s now embracing a more demanding role for her favorite game. Aparaijta has been an enthusiastic mentor at GoCrackit and she loves helping people in their careers! We extend our gratitude to her for sharing her journey to inspire those stiving for career success.
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