‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight is my life mantra,’ says this 23-year-old Goldman Sachs Analyst

As an Analyst- Intelligent Automation, Anirudh analyses massive volumes of data to discover insights that help businesses solve problems, mitigate risks, or seize new opportunities. He completed his B.Tech in Electronics and Communications from Vellore Institute of Technology. In a candid interview, Anirudh talks about the Japanese proverb he swears by, how Apeejay helped shape his ‘never give up’ attitude, his advice to freshers, and more. Edited excerpts:

What are the life skills you learned in Apeejay?

The seeds of what I am today were sown in school. Apeejay provided me with a conducive environment in the form of supportive friends and impeccable faculty. It taught me to never stop trying after failures, and to always strive for more. I swear by a famous Japanese proverb, ‘Nana korobi, ya oki’, which means ‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight.’ No matter what knocks you down in life, get back up and keep going. It may take a long time to eventually achieve your goal, but if you are patient, resilient and persistent, you will eventually get there. Apeejay groomed me in a way that I know how to overcome my failures and ‘soar high’. In fact, our school bears the motto- ‘Soaring High is My Nature’, exemplifying the fact that the sky’s the limit in the pursuit of excellence. The confidence I have gained in school has allowed me to express myself freely in boardroom meetings and take setbacks in stride.

How did this ‘never give up’ attitude help you in life?

You can only succeed in life if you discover the secret to thriving in challenging times. For example, I am aware that as an Analyst, every project and idea of mine will not succeed. However, I have to be resilient enough to work on solving a problem rather than become paralysed by negativity. Let me share with you an anecdote from my school life. I was in class 2 when I participated in a fancy dress competition and I freaked out in front of the audience, but I didn’t give up. My teachers backed me to the hilt by encouraging me to keep on participating in events. As a result, I went on to become the Head Boy of the school and won the ‘Best Actor Award’ in Dramatics.  This ‘never give up’ attitude also helped me ace the campus placement and bagged a job offer with Goldman Sachs, one of the most reputed firms in the world. After I couldn’t crack my initial round of interviews, I didn’t doubt my abilities. This helped me stay positive and face the subsequent interviews with aplomb.

Talking about campus placements, how does one crack them?

I have already talked about the first tip i.e. not to get bogged down by failures. Resilient people don’t let themselves become paralysed by negativity. Secondly, be honest during the interview. The interviewers are seasoned professionals so they would immediately know if you are lying. If you don’t know an answer to a question, don’t beat around the bush. Thirdly, don’t sit for every company and apply for every role. Identify your skills and strength and look for roles accordingly. Lastly, start preparation from the third year itself.  You can get ready for some intense placement preparation with important questions that are commonly asked in interviews.

Your advice to freshers.

Ask as many questions as you can. It’s a great way to learn new skills and processes. Also, master the art of saying and presenting things through official channels. For instance, when communicating through email, always be specific with what you’re talking about. If you have not been able to deliver a project, accept your mistake, state the reason for not doing so and present a revised deadline for accomplishing your task. Don’t tell stories. One should also learn to say ‘no’ if you find a work inappropriate. It’s also important to upskill yourself. Take online courses, attend training workshops to stay ahead of the game. I am thankful to my manager who supported me wholeheartedly on this front.