Conversations with a student
A true jetsetter, Atlanta, New York, London, Paris and Bombay - Heta Jangla was hard woman to pin down! As a newly minted MBA grad, she recently moved from London to Mumbai. We got a chance to catch up in person and talk about our journeys. What most intrigued me about Heta was her constant curiosity for education as well as experience. I have the privilege of interviewing her and getting a perspective of the student to full time employee transition. I also learnt about how one can grow in their career path. If you’d like to know more.. have a read!
1. Tell us a bit about yourself?
Engineer. Consultant. Investor. MBA. International Development.
Originally from Bombay, I went to the States for my undergrad (engineering). My first job was in management consulting in the US, where I spent ~3 years, then wanted to move away from the developed world / Fortune 500 problems, so I took a sabbatical to work for non-profits in rural India. I saw I quite enjoyed working on the very challenging problems in emerging markets, and so I quit the US job, and eventually found a role in impact investing in India. A year later, I decided to pursue my MBA in France/Singapore, and found myself back in consulting, though this time, fully focused on emerging markets (international development), which I have been doing in London for over 3 years now. I just moved to the same company’s Mumbai office last month.
2. What do you enjoy about your current job?
I am a problem-solver at heart, so the consulting ethos works very well with me. Specifically, at my firm, we work on some of the most challenging problems faced in world – from providing access to electricity in rural Kenya to improving making roads safer in Brazil – to of course supporting countries and multi-laterals cope with all the challenges COVID.
3. Let’s zoom back: can you describe a few challenges you faced while finding your first internship at Fidelity Investments?
It is a funny story, because I never actually applied for the job that ended up being my first internship. But thinking back to that time, I think the biggest struggle was that I hadn’t even thought about an internship, and did not even realize how important it was. I was an 18 year-old engineering student, with no interview experience; I did not even a decent resume. I had the fortune of becoming good friends with some seniors who sat me down to write a thorough resume, helped me understand the application process, and pointed me to a host of resources. I honestly have them to thank for the rest of my career that ensued.
4. How was your experience at Ernst and Young, and what did you learn?
My time at EY was a whole new world. I remember failing in love with New York the first time I visited as a freshman, and spending a summer in a Times Square office was a dream come true. I learned all the basics of the professional services world, from appropriate work attire and the importance of punctuality, to developing deliverables and presenting to C-suite clients.
5. How did you experience with Deloitte Consulting build your skills?
As my first full-time job after university, Deloitte played an instrumental role in shaping my skills and the rest of my career. I had the opportunity to work with some of the sharpest minds in the business world and largest enterprises in the US. More than the hard skills, I was able to really hone my soft skills, from structured problem solving to clear communications. It laid the foundation for me to become a successful professional.
6. How did your time at Omidyar Network help you gauge the industry and build connections?
I joined Omidyar just as I returned to Bombay from the US, and my short time there was filled with immense learning. I was at Omidyar at the time where venture investing had seen a steep increase in India, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem was budding. I learned about the host of technology focused start-ups solving problems pertinent to Indian needs, and of the journeys and challenges faced by entrepreneurs. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to understand a different type of role from consulting and experience the Indian work culture.
6. What learnings did you take from your internship at Boston Consulting Group that you still follow even now?
My internship with BCG exposed me to yet another culture in the Middle East. From Sunday-Thursday work weeks to the economic challenges unique to Gulf countries, I had the fortune of participating in the development of some of the highest-level national agendas. I did learn here, however, the importance of humility. Despite having worked several years in strategy consulting, I realized that it is critically important to always keep a learning mindset and have the eagerness to continue growing to truly build a promising career in a new company.
7. How did your different volunteer experiences shape you not only professionally but also personally?
I always had an inclination towards working in international development, so it was my volunteer experiences that led me to understand the key actors and ecosystem of the development sector. At a personal level, getting out of my bubble in the city and understanding what life is like in a different setting gave me immense perspective on my own, and helped me determine what is truly important to me.
8. Would you want to change your journey of navigating through the different internships? If so, how and why?
I had the good fortune of working in great companies across the different stages in my career, and am thankful for all that they have taught me. I sometimes think that I could have been more intentional about the roles I sought or had a clearer idea of what I sought to learn, but I think that by just following my gut, all the dots still connected wonderfully.
9. Any advice you would like to give recent graduates, especially those who are finding it difficult to navigate and find a path, especially amidst a pandemic?
I would say to keep an open mind and be opportunistic. At such an early stage in one’s career, getting anyexperience is greatly valuable. Take what you get and seek to learn the most from it – not just in terms of the company, sector, etc., but more importantly, about yourself: what motivates you, what you are naturally good at, what you want to get better at, etc. This will take you a long way in a successful and satisfactory career.
