On the 14th of February 2023, Mrs Shailaja Rao spoke to the girls of INATMAN Foundation on how to ace an interview and also gave a few pointers on how to prepare for examinations. This is very useful for the girls as some of them are about to go for job interviews in the year 2023. Mrs. Shailaja’s preparation points are going to help them in writing their exams well.

A powerpoint presentation, with simple and workable pointers, showed the way to prepare oneself for an interview. In Fact the very first pointer was on how to “Prep & Practice” for an interview. From going at it with a minimum of 3-4 drafts, researching on the right words to verbalise while backing one’s true strengths, was emphasised with practical examples. She advised speaking about the relevant highlights of one’s personality in a short span of time, for instance what one brings to table as a strength or value to the place of work, instead of simply mentioning name and qualification as a skill. Mrs. Shailaja Rao did not stop at working on the technical aspects alone, she shared expert suggestions on body language, dress code, importance of maintaining balance and not being flustered when at the interview. She rounded the session with how one can impress the interviewer with in depth questions or observations about the organisation, the job role and match it with what one can offer if given the opportunity.

The girls once again, followed up the session with very many questions they had. This included one on how to cover up for mistakes or reply if one doesn't know the answer to the question asked. The sharing of real life experiences of her students, and following it up with ready to go tips, had the girls listening and taking notes ardently.

The girls got a chance to sharpen their wits and engage their minds in a very lively interactive session with Dr. Madhavi Majety on 11th July 2023.

After a talk on how to navigate life's challenges while managing a demanding career, how to be happy and successful at the same time while juggling various interests and roles, she moved on to the Q & A session. That sparked interesting conversations on topics ranging from how to be comfortable with oneself, to being happy in what you do, how to stoke self confidence and about Neonatology and Physiotherapy for infants.

That the guest is a lifelong learner shone through. Her candid nature, and sense of comfort in the range of work she indulged in, left the girls aspiring to pursue a path of excellence as well as happiness!

Priyanka spoke in the google meet presentation about the various forms of yoga, their essence, and meditation techniques. She spoke about Hatha and Ananda yoga methods that will benefit the mental and physical well-being of our students.

According to her, “ Every woman needs a community that supports, uplifts and helps her get better at managing her Mind, Body and Soul. Yoga plays a major role in this. When we breathe mindfully, we unite our mind, body and soul into a single point. Holding our breath brings in Samasthithi or complete balance.”

This blissful session ended with an excellent interactive question and Answer session. Our students asked her and clarified their doubts regarding stress management during exams, how to achieve better concentration while studying, when to eat before practising yoga, skin and hair care etc.

Ms.Manikya Veena is a multifaceted personality. She did her post-graduation from Hyderabad Central University, a Technical Writing course in the US, and worked for several years in different positions. A prolific writer and a polyglot, she has done many courses in writing and languages, including one at the prestigious Stanford University. She is a qualified counsellor, certified from the Criminal Justice System, in San Mateo County, California, and has 20 years of experience in counselling clients dealing with domestic violence. 

Ms.Manikya Veena spoke about the importance of asking for help when needed, and giving help to others whenever required. She said one should discover one’s dreams and goals and not be afraid of societal and preconditioned limitations. She said each person is unique and one should not compare oneself with others. She also stressed that one should define success for oneself, and not be dictated by external sources. 

The session ended with comments from the students, the founders and the mentor.

Ms.Archana is a customer-obsessed, solution-driven strategy and execution specialist. Her areas of work are in large-scale programs, community engagement, and corporate strategy. A multi-industry sector leader, and entrepreneur in technology, education, ed-tech and entertainment and equipped with an MBA in strategy and leadership from ISB(2023), she is unafraid to learn about new domains and deliver them successfully.

She is passionate about building a quality learning system for all and mentors college graduates with career building skills. She lives in Hyderabad.

Dr.Sujatha Rao is the Founder Director of Viridus Social Impact Solutions, and Co-Host of The Workwise Pod. She works as an organisation Design practitioner and lives in Singapore. She was a professor at Azim Premji University, Bangalore. She is a co-founder of Chabee, an organisation focused on providing learning support and scaffolding learning pathways to millions of people in India who are out of formal education and employment to gain their first school and skilling certificates. She was a lecturer/Doctoral candidate at university of Sydney Business School, Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies.