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- Name: Raneel B.
- Year Of Graduation: 2019
- College/University: Douglas College
- Major: Biology
What do you do for a living?
I’m currently working as an account manager with a tech startup that provides retail analytic solutions to consumer brands. It’s basically relationship management!
Can you tell me about your job search experience after graduation?
The moment I was on stage, holding my biology degree and getting congratulated left and right, I knew I had just earned a degree in a field that I would not want to pursue a career in. This made my job search a bit trickier since I had to start from scratch. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what my “true calling” was (isn’t that what college is for?) but I definitely knew what I didn’t want: working in the pretentious academic world. If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t have had any idea what I wanted to do even if I wanted to work in the “science” world – I mean, what are the prospects available to a Biology graduate who doesn’t want a Master’s/PhD but wants to delve straight into the job market and start earning?
The only options that I could find for someone in my position were Customer Service jobs – so I thought why not start there? I interviewed at a bunch of places and got an offer to begin as a technical service representative for Shaw Communications. I vividly remember my first day there, trying to figure out what other positions I could transition to that wouldn’t be support-related. I soon learned that wasn’t going to be very easy. I worked at Shaw for a while, then switched to a similar position with Rogers. With no idea what I was doing with my life or where I was headed, and I can easily say these were some of the worst years of my life. Almost 1.5 years into my position with Rogers, I’d had enough and took the risk to prioritize my mental health over everything else, and resigned with no job offers in hand.
My first day after resigning felt like my first breath since graduation. I felt like a free bird but reality hit soon – I needed to find another job! This time, my search led me to the world of startups. I’d always felt like I wasn’t made for the traditional corporate world but didn’t see a way out, so having stumbled upon a few job postings from startups, I could finally see hope. I started interviewing like my life depended on it (cause it did!). Every day for the next month was full of either sending applications in, responding to emails, or interviewing. Within a month, I had secured two job offers! I accepted one that made more practical sense at the time (even though my heart was with the other) and started as a support specialist with a fintech startup. After about a year in this role, I was promoted to be one of two founding Customer Success Managers. I worked at the same startup for another year before calling it quits and securing my current position.
I still won’t say I’m “satisfied” with where I am or what I’m doing. but I’m definitely not where I was a few years ago. One thing I’ve learned along the way is that you need to look at life with a practical lens. Growing up, you feel you could do and be whoever you want to be, you feel invincible, but the hard truth is that life rarely turns out to be as picturesque for most: you just learn how to deal with regrets and what-ifs, and always keep pushing forward.
Why did you choose your major? Would you still pick this major now, if you could go back in time?
Honestly, I have no idea why I chose Biology as my major, specifically. I grew up in India, which is a country where taking the science route is the only thing that’s considered “good enough” for kids. If you go the arts or commerce route, you’re thought of as not being intelligent or capable enough. After grade 10, when we have to choose what courses to take, under the science route you can either do chemistry, physics, and biology (known as the “Medical Stream”) or chemistry, physics, and maths (the “Non-Medical Stream”). I went with the Medical Stream as I was never a fan of maths in my younger years. That led me to the world of biology, and the rest of history! I’ll spare you all the details of my grade 11 and 12 journey and struggles. That’s a discussion for another day, but if an Indian student is reading this right now – you know what I mean!
If I asked you 3 years ago, what would you think you’d be doing right now (in life/career)
Believe me when I say this – the only thing I could’ve wished for 3 years ago was to find a job that was somewhat better and more comfortable than what I was doing at the time. I had lost all hope in life so all things considered, I’m better off today than I was yesterday! This is what I mean when I say look at the practical side of things – progress will come (and it always does). Even if you’re not happy with where you are in the present, look at the journey you’ve been on and how far you’ve come from the day before. Even if the steps you’ve taken are small, that’s progress, and progress is a thing to celebrate!
What’s your biggest struggle right now?
My biggest struggle right now is something kind of off-topic but still maybe related. It’s definitely my mental health. Without going into too many details, I’ve always struggled with issues like anxiety (and others). Some days are bad and some not-so-bad. My sole focus right now is to try and find peace (and happiness) in life. I’m still searching!
If money was not a factor, what would you be working on or spending more time on?
This is the hardest question to answer! There’s so much in life I’d like to do and experience: I want to travel the world and explore places I’ve never been (but like a local, not a tourist). I want to move countries and live a little! I want to start a business with my sister and work towards something that makes us happy and fulfilled, rather than working for someone else. I want to give my parents everything in life, things they don’t even need, and just spoil them! I want to spread a little kindness in this world, and somehow do whatever I can to help people struggling in countries like Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and more.
If we traveled 3 years into the future of your life, what would you hope we’d see?
A happier and more peaceful Raneel! I hope 3 years from now, I’m doing something of my own along with my sister, it doesn’t matter how small or big – just our own little business. If not, I hope both my sister and I have made good leaps in our careers (although I’d completely prefer the former option, this is just me being practical). I hope I’m financially more stable and am traveling the world and experiencing things I never got to, due to the whole “immigrant” thing. I hope my mom and dad are just as healthy and happy as they are today. That’s all I could ask for!
What advice and/or learnings would you give to the current students or recent grads?
Losing out on a job or a good internship feels like the end of the world right now but believe me, it absolutely isn’t! Your job search may be very short or it may be months long. It is in no way an indication of your capabilities or you as a person. In life, you win some and lose some and that happens to all of us. Just remember to keep pushing forward. If you’ve sent 200 applications and not heard back a single time, the 201st time might be the lucky one, so KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. No matter what, do not lose hope, and remember to not let rejections shake your confidence! It’s hard, but you can do it!
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