VTS Next Step: Preparing You for Career Success

Clarity is the key to unlock your potential

Finding the right path after college can often feel like trying to navigate without a map. Where do you start? How do you make a resume that actually gets noticed? How do you turn a casual conversation into a career-defining opportunity? These are the questions that keep students and young professionals up at night.

To help answer them, VT Seva hosted Next Step, a four-week career development intensive designed to bridge the gap between graduation and a dream job. Led by Bhavishya Lingam, a Senior Recruiting Business Partner at Amazon with over 20 years of experience, the program wasn't just about technical skills; it was about building the confidence to own your future. Through a blend of practical assignments and stories from speakers at various career stages, our participants spent a month transforming their professional outlook.

Pre event blog is here: https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vts-next-step

Week 1: Knowing Your Value

Our journey began with a focus on the internal work that must be done before the first application is sent. We challenged our participants to look inward, reflecting on their genuine interests, assessing their skills, and mapping out potential career paths that aligned with their personal goals. By learning to realistically evaluate different roles, students moved from a mindset of "I hope someone hires me" to "I know where I belong."

This session featured Abhiram Boddu, a finance student at the University of Washington and an incoming Business Analyst intern at Amazon. Abhiram shared his own winding journey, from starting a clothing company in high school to finding his footing in corporate finance. His message was a powerful reminder for everyone in the room: growth comes through exploration and consistency. He encouraged participants not to feel pressured to have everything figured out on day one, but rather to stay open to the unexpected opportunities that arise when you surround yourself with a supportive community.

Week 2: The Application Toolkit

In the second week, we moved from reflection to action by building the "how", equipping attendees with the professional tools needed to stand out in a crowded inbox. We dove deep into resume storytelling, LinkedIn optimization, and the art of the elevator pitch, moving beyond basic bullet points to craft impactful statements of achievement using measurable results.

To give us a view from the other side of the desk, we were joined by Devyani Matcha, a University Recruiter at Amazon. Devyani shared her firsthand experience evaluating thousands of candidates, emphasizing a concept she calls "customer obsession" in recruiting. It takes only 6 seconds for recruiter to evaluate your resume! She urged students to view the hiring process through the eyes of the manager and stressed the importance of building genuine relationships early. Her advice was a clear call to action: don't wait for a job opening to seek out a mentor; those relationships are the very things that accelerate your growth and open doors you didn’t even know existed.

Week 3: Job Search Strategy

In Week 3, we learned how to treat their job search like a project by identifying the right opportunities, tracking applications systematically, and mastering the complex timelines of recruiting season. We explored how to use job boards effectively while maintaining a targeted list of dream companies to avoid the burnout of "cold applying."

Harish Jaisankar, a graduate of the University of Michigan and a full-time software engineer, joined us to share his personal experience navigating the high-pressure world of software recruiting. Harish spoke candidly about the challenges of difficult coursework and the perseverance required to push through moments of doubt. He emphasized the power of prioritization and persistence, reminding our students that in a competitive field, applying broadly and leaning on your college network are the keys to finding that first big break.

Week 4: Networking and Confidence

Our final session was dedicated to the art of the conversation, covering everything from informational interviews and outreach etiquette to the mental preparation needed for high-stakes interviews.

Our final guest speaker, Avinash Boddu, a software engineer at Microsoft, spoke about the profound role that authentic connections play in long-term career success. He challenged the participants to move away from "transactional" networking (simply asking for a job) and instead focus on building relationships rooted in learning and collaboration. According to Avinash, when you approach opportunities with preparation and genuine curiosity, the confidence follows naturally. By the end of the month, our Next Step cohort didn't just have better resumes; they had a clear vision, a proven strategy, and the community support needed to take their next step with total confidence.

Blog Written By: Harish Jaisankar