India may be a single country – but it’s made up of a wide range of climates, cultures and customs. As the daughter of a military man, the young Seeja Sreedharan got to see many of them as she travelled from army base to army base around the country. But far from regarding all this unheaval in her life as a challenge, Seeja sees it as a unique experience.
“I got really good at adapting to new environments, making new friends and adjusting my lifestyle really quickly,” Seeja laughs. “I still enjoy the challenge of change – and that was one of the reasons I decided to join VFS. My background in HR was exclusively working for big name technology companies, such as Dell and Ericsson – I knew nothing about finance or sales. But I figured I’m not going to learn unless I try – so I jumped in!”
A ‘curious learner’
‘Jumping in’ and getting invoved sums up Seeja’s attitude to life. She claims not to be naturally bright or talented, but rather a ‘curious learner’ who gets results by commitment and effort. This may be false modesty, as she holds a degree in Commerce from Mysore University, a second degree in Human Resource Management from Bangalore University and a post grad certificate in HR from XLRI business school in Jamshedpur.
But why did she choose a career in HR rather than a military career that was always her plan growing up “My heart lay in dealing with people,” she says. “HR is so dynamic – it’s all about people, and it’s people who drive businesses forward. It is at the center of any business, putting the right people in the right places. And I love the idea of talent management, building people so they can take on new challenges.”