The Learning Curve

When I was graduating in spring 2003 (May 2003), I was hoping to get an offer from my company. I got in touch with my department and other related people to seek their opinions in that regard. The internet boom was over at this time. There weren’t many jobs available and many energy related companies like Enron and other telecommunication companies had gone bankrupt. So the previous corporate enthusiasm had evaporated. Young people like me were caught in the middle and had to make suffer. I was only able to get pat on the back from my company but no offer. 

I think I was fortunate to not get any job offer or employment at this time. During my last semester, I went ahead started looking for a graduate school for my post graduate studies. I took GRE and gathered all the materials required and sent in my applications to all the perspective universities.  Finally, I decided on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for my M.S. Electrical Engineering.

This is a great school for anybody who is interested in living and studying in one of most progressive cities and state on the east coast. Charlotte has a lot to offer for its residents. And North Carolina is a beautiful state to be in. I enjoyed every minute of my stay in this city. I was able to make great friends and developed life-long associations. Duke Energy’s headquarter is located in Charlotte too. When I was getting ready to graduate from my M.S. and looking for a job, I was able to land an interview with Duke Energy too. I thought I almost landed myself a job in this company. However, for some reasons, which I still have to discover, I couldn’t. Then again, I was contacted by my previous company who was interested in hiring me at this time. And finally, I entered into the corporate world. 

So the crux of the matter is that don’t get frustrated and beat yourself up for any failure in life. Things happen for reasons. I am glad I couldn’t get myself a job right after my graduation. If that would have happened, I may not have had a chance to get my M.S. Now, I feel more accomplished with having a job and M.S. Otherwise, I would have always said to myself that, ‘Man, I could have gone for my masters.”  

Since then, fortunately, I have been very successful in finding the jobs. Whenever I had to go for a job hunting, I have been able to receive great opportunities and offers. At times I have had so many offers that I had to decline some very lucrative opportunities. 

I know people find jobs for various reasons. But this is one thing around which our lives are revolving. We spend a lot of time on work. So an individual should always work in a job that involves passion and knowledge. When these two items are combined, the work becomes lifelong passion. That way, a person enjoys the work with all the energy for a lifetime.