4 Things That Helped Me Build My Career
It’s been close to a decade since I began my career and started working full time. Ten years may not seem like a long time for most people, but I’m certain that the experiences that have shaped me in this time have set the tone for the direction I want to take in my 30s, both personally and professionally.
Before I jump into what some of my biggest learnings have been through this journey, let me quickly take you through who I am and what I do for a living. My name is Akshara Subramanian, and I’m currently the head of customer marketing at Vue.ai, a company that works with retailers across the globe to optimize their digital businesses using AI and automation. We specialise in retail verticals including fashion, beauty, home, health and wellness. I’ve been at this company for a little over two years and have had the incredible opportunity of working with brands like thredUP, Depop, The Tata Group, Forrester, publications like WWD, Vogue Business and many more — a dream that’s now a reality.
Before I joined Vue.ai in 2018, I did my masters in Strategy Design and Management at Parsons School of Design in New York City, worked at Jabong and a health and wellness startup called Stepathlon in their content teams between 2012–2015. I’m also a contributing writer to Vogue India and have a new piece coming out in November 2020.
Today, I’m going to talk about the things that helped me build my career and get to this point. I hope it’s useful to anyone that’s reading!
1.I stayed true to my interest and passion, even if it seemed offbeat.
While I grew up in a fairly open-minded family, fashion was still not looked at as a lucrative career option in our immediate environment. I knew for a fact that my strengths weren’t in physics or math — I was always naturally creatively inclined and didn’t allow anyone to deter that path. Being true to my passion helped me quit jobs that had no future and realise what I didn’t want to do very early on. This might not be relevant to everyone because each person’s goals are different, but I’m one of those people for whom a job is never “just a job”. If I’m spending 9–10 hours doing something, I’d better care about it for reasons beyond being paid, otherwise it’s not worth it to me. If you’re bursting with ideas, don’t let anyone else’s negativity or disbelief in it stop you. People can only project on you, it doesn’t mean their failures or insecurities become yours.
2. I didn’t put myself in a box.
I always knew that I wanted to work in fashion. I just wasn’t sure about what avenue I’d take. With that as my north star, I started experimenting with different paths within fashion. My first internship at 18 was at The Hindu’s retail supplement in the south. I had to cover stories around what college-goers were spending on their wardrobes, what buying trends the city was seeing, retail budgets and store launches. This was my first ever stint with writing and I didn’t think much of it, because I felt like I hadn’t explored enough. My next internship was with IMG, the company that runs Lakme Fashion Week. I did this in Mumbai, and I learned so much about the technicalities of events, sponsorships, designers, logistics and the production of something as large as this event. I wrote a fashion blog for several years (before I shut it down cos I just couldn’t manage producing the level of content it needed while simultaneously managing a full-time job). I tried my hand at a bunch of things before I did my masters. This also helped me realise what I wanted to do long-term. If you have some sort of overarching passion but don’t know how to go about it, it’s really okay. I feel like your early 20s are the best time to learn as much as you can. You can always become a specialist later in your career. Putting yourself in a box is extremely limiting, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless that’s something you voluntarily want to do. In that case, go for it!
3. I rely on my professional mentors heavily
I’ve always made it a point to stay in touch with my old bosses or people who have in some way shaped my career. Every time you hit a roadblock, or you’re not sure of your next career move, their guidance and opinion can help you gain a new perspective, or one that’s really different from yours. It’s also a great way to stay connected because you never know when you’ll cross paths again. I have always worked with my old colleagues in new roles — and it’s been great for my personal growth.
4. I said ‘YES’ to things I was uncomfortable with.
I’ve found that the best way to learn how to do things you don’t know and become indispensable in your role is to simply get down to doing it. Through the years, I’ve started a podcast. I’ve done crazy amounts of cold outreach. I’ve run instagram accounts for three companies with no professional training and was able to grow them significantly. I’ve hosted video conferences. I’ve learned everything on the job — some things came to me naturally, some really didn’t and I had to spend time training myself to get better at these skills. I don’t usually have that whole “this isn’t my job” attitude. It may not be your job, sure, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn a new skill. I know I’m not always going to say YES to everything in the future and I know this sounds like major gyaan — but it’s really not. There is some truth to what they say about growth being outside your comfort zone. When work becomes like exercising a muscle or a reflex, it gets a bit mindless. At least for me. Trust me, employers are not looking for “experience” on a fresher’s profile — they’re looking for people who are willing to get their hands dirty!
I wrote this piece specifically for those who are starting out, but might find certain things daunting to do early on in their career. I know things like these would’ve helped me when I was starting off, so sharing what I can to pass the knowledge!
Thanks for reading if you made it till here.
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