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From Noob to Ninja: My First IT Deployment Saga!

Every journey has a beginning. For me, it was a slightly chaotic, mostly clueless, and incredibly rewarding adventure into the world of IT recruitment. My mission: to find a Front-End Developer proficient in Angular—something as new to me as coding in binary. Let’s rewind to where it all started.

The Assignment:

Transitioning from non-IT to IT recruitment felt like learning to swim by being thrown into the deep end. I was handed a JD, introduced to the client, and left to figure out the rest. What kind of profiles were they looking for? What’s Angular again? With zero formal training, I dived into the trenches—armed with Naukri, sheer determination, and a sprinkle of panic.

Round 1: The Great Rejection Fest

My initial enthusiasm resulted in four profiles swiftly uploaded to the ATS and sent for interviews. And guess what? All four got rejected. Yup, a clean sweep of “No.” Ouch. But as they say, failure is the best teacher, right? So, I sat down for a post-mortem (a fancy way of saying, "Where did I screw up?"). I did an RCA, asked for advice, and finally understood what the client really wanted.

Round 2: Nathiya, Pritam & Indhu Enter the Chat

Armed with newfound clarity, I set out to source candidates again. This time, I struck gold—or should I say Angular gold? Nathiya, Pritam, and Indhu. Three profiles that ticked all the boxes. To make my life easier, the interviewer even gave me screening questions to share with candidates. (Pro tip: Leverage interviewers to sharpen your sourcing game—they know what works!)

Pritam went first. His interview lasted a breezy 30 minutes, and the interviewer was ready to pop the champagne. “This is the kind of candidate we need!” they exclaimed. I processed Pritam for the client round, and he breezed through R1. But, plot twist! Pritam got an irresistible offer from a product-based company and chose to move on. A heartbreak moment for me—but also a lesson in resilience. Recruitment is a game of moving on, learning fast, and keeping your head in the game.

Nathiya’s Big Moment

Next up was Nathiya. Her first interview lasted an hour, and while she didn’t blow minds like Pritam, she impressed enough to proceed. Thus began the real challenge: coordination.
There were two more tech rounds to tackle, and I became the human version of Google Calendar, juggling between Nathiya, my manager, and the client. From scheduling interviews to requesting reschedules, I mastered the art of engagement and coordination.

Finally, Nathiya cleared all her interviews and got the offer! But in recruitment, an offer isn’t the finish line—it’s just halftime. Onboarding was the next hurdle.

The Sweet Victory of Onboarding

With onboarding details in hand, I ensured Nathiya joined seamlessly. She was thrilled with the offer, and her first day went smoothly. (I may have done a mini happy dance in my head!) A week later, Indhu also joined. Two candidates onboarded in one week—cue applause from the leadership team. 🎉

Lessons Learned

  1. Adaptability is Key: Transitioning into a new domain is tough, but with curiosity and grit, you can conquer it.
  2. Learn from Failures: My initial rejections were stepping stones to understanding the client’s needs better.
  3. Engagement is Everything: Coordinating with candidates, clients, and managers is no joke, but it’s the secret sauce for a smooth recruitment process.
  4. Celebrate the Wins: Whether it’s one candidate or two in a week, every successful onboarding is a victory worth savoring.

Looking back, my first IT deployment taught me that recruitment isn’t just about finding the right candidate; it’s about learning, adapting, and keeping your cool amidst chaos. To Nathiya, my first IT success story—thank you for being part of my journey!


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