Lekshmi Priya Venkatraman

I was very good at academics, and I did my bachelor’s degree in computer applications. But ended up doing some random jobs. Later on, I got an opportunity to work for a global technology company that provides IT and network services. I served there for more than seven years and moved to higher bandings twice. But my keen desire and passion never allowed me to sleep peacefully. I always wanted to do more and achieve more in my personal and professional life. But nothing was easier, especially when you have more responsibilities being a wife, mother, and firstborn to the parents.

There were times when I faced moments where I said to myself, ‘Okay, let’s quit’. Because success won’t happen overnight, and too many unsuccessful moments and failures can put you down. Out of all the failures, unsuccessful attempts, and hardships, I decided not to quit. I decided to lead a life where my family could feel proud of me. Especially the moment when my parents could proudly say, ‘This is our daughter’ with a great smile and a heart full of pride.

I moved to the United Kingdom and did my master’s degree in project management at the University of West of Scotland. I was able to secure a good job while studying, and I brought my family in after five months of coming to the UK. By the time I finished my graduation, a lot of questions arose in my mind regarding further professional planning. I was working for NHS during the time I was doing my master’s degree, but I was not under direct NHS staffing. I tried hard to secure a permanent job in NHS. I attended a lot of interviews, but the feedback I received made me feel so insecure. After so many interviews, I was able to get a Band 4 Admin job in NHS, but the department where I got selected withdrew the job post, and it was just a few days before my actual start date. I felt devastated, and emptiness came into my mind. But I was determined, and I put my focus on my career. I again attended some interviews, but this time, instead of a band 4 job in NHS, I got an admin job, which was one band lower than I applied for and was interested. I thought not to give up and accepted the offer.

Working in a band 3 admin role is not what I dreamt of, yet I considered this job role as a stepping ladder. I started attending more interviews, and I was able to get a Band 4 position within three months at the same NHS Trust. I worked hard and gained more knowledge and experience. I communicated with different personalities to develop my communication and interpersonal skills. I attended short-term training courses and developed my skills every day. I tried hard to develop my management and leadership skills. I took the initiative to conduct meetings and engaged myself in learning new things. I put myself into the process of improving my skills to become more efficient. At the same time, I started attending interviews for higher bands. My master’s degree in project management paved me way to attend interviews for management job roles.

Again, things went in unexpected ways, and the interviews I attended never gave me a happy ending. I kept on trying hard, and after 141 job applications, I finally became a Deputy Quality Lead in NHS, which was two bands higher than my previous job role.