Shilpi Sneha

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Career, Personal productivity, Work productivity

Is your remote work productivity getting better or worse?

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When I first started working from home, doubling the work productivity was my pursuit. How would I, with no prior remote work experience, possibly do that? Saving on three hours of commute time and a […]

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Career, Job search

Online job applications are a waste of time: reality or myth?

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Online job applications

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash Filling out online job applications is tedious. Have you been applying to jobs online without ever having any luck? Hear out my personal experience to decide for yourself. I […]

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Career, Work productivity

How to feel productive every day with a to-do list done right

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Craft To-do lists to increase productivity

With limited time on hand, we all strive to juggle the ever-growing list of things to do. However, our life is more than deadlines and reminders. It’s full of aspirations. In this post, I will […]

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About Me

Shilpi Sneha

Hey, I'm Shilpi.

I'm a product marketer at Cisco and in this space, I talk about career growth, productivity, home workouts, and life hacks.

Come learn, grow, steel, & unwind with me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Views and opinions expressed here are my own.

I share career, product marketing, and study abroad tips

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Switching careers or facing an interview after a l Switching careers or facing an interview after a long break? Showcase transferable skills you learned during the gap. Remember, permanent jobs or paid jobs are not the only means to build skills. You can build skills through online courses, side hustle, volunteering, and personal life experiences. Write down scenarios to describe the transferable skills you built using the CAR model. Context Action Result Happy interviewing! #careertips #interviewing #skills #upskilling #careerbreak #careerswitch #careerchange #interviewpreparation
Every time I feel there’s too much on my plate, Every time I feel there’s too much on my plate, I make it a point to discuss it with my manager so we can reprioritize tasks before I get burned out. But instead of just putting it out there, I first assess the situation so I can put it across without sounding like a complainer. I follow a 3-step process. 1️⃣ Frame the problem clearly ❇️ Are there too many projects or tasks on your plate that are too much to manage in regular hours, or keeping you from top priority and impactful projects? ❇️ Is it the lack of resources such as tools, processes, or project manager? ❇️ Are you trying a new skill or project where you need more support or training that can help you do the same task faster? 2️⃣ Propose a solution or a couple of options ❇️ I’ve been feeling overwhelmed keeping up with the number of tasks on my plate right now, and I was hoping we could talk about my role in [project X] and [Y] since these are taking up a lot of time. If we could take [project X] off of my plate and use process P for [project Y], I’m positive that I could be more intentional and thoughtful about [project ABC] as it’s a key objective for us this quarter. 3️⃣ Summarize for alignment ❇️ So to make sure we’re all on the same page, I will focus on A and B for the next week, which means that I won’t be working on C What do you do when feeling overworked 👇🏼 #careergrowth #worklife #worklifebalance #boss #manager #prioritize #work #avoidburnout
I dodged a bullet! 🤷‍♀️ 5 years ago this I dodged a bullet! 🤷‍♀️ 5 years ago this time around, a month after my graduation, I booked tickets to fly back to India should my visa status get invalid in a month. I was interviewing with multiple companies and was in different stages of interviews with each. But, based on visa regulations, I would be out of visa status if I didn’t get the employment offer and start date within the next month (60-day mark after my graduation). Thankfully, I had an offer the next week. I can never forget the pressure in those challenging times. Many companies are reluctant to sponsor work visas, especially for non-STEM candidates, because the process can take a long time, and there is a risk that it might not work out. I know it all feels very daunting because the reality is there is a risk involved. However, it works out well for many people. And that’s why you should maximize doing what’s within your control to minimize the risk. Here are some Dos and don’ts ✅ Prioritize getting a full-time paid summer internship. My internship experience and recommendations played a role in getting the full-time job offer. ✅ Always be looking for internships and jobs. Keep a closer look at companies that sponsor visas and be open to startups. I accepted the first offer received because the clock was ticking and later switched to a company that was able to file for my H1B visa. ❌ Don’t overlook resources provided by the international student office. Reach out to them to discuss potential alternatives for Plan B in advance. ❌ Don’t spend all your time looking through online forums at a handful of examples that didn’t work out as planned. Stay focused on your job search. 👉 What helps you stay focused in stressful times? #internationalstudent #internationalstudents #internships #jobsearching #dosanddonts #workvisa #studyabroad #masters #mba
God was testing me 😛 Three years into the corpo God was testing me 😛 Three years into the corporate world, I felt I needed more challenge and excitement. Unsure what would be a better path for me—M.S. or MBA—I had many questions. 🤔 Everybody is talking about STEM. Is it too early to let go of my tech skills to kick start a different career in business? 🤔 What if I don’t get the right job, or worse, I do not get placed after my MBA? I would regret leaving Accenture. 🤔 What if a fail? All I knew in the professional world was algorithms and testing logic. Only because I like reading Economics Times and love listening to TedTalks on business doesn’t mean I can walk the talk. What if I realize this is not for me midway? 🔍 There was a lot of uncertainty in my mind. I looked up online every day after work and stalked LinkedIn profiles. Noticing many people who did M.S. ended up doing MBA within 5 -10 years, I started looking for indicators in my day-to-day. ✨ Words, numbers, and presentations excited me more than strings. I was keener to learn about how our company grows business for clients. I sneaked into town hall meetings where clients in suits would present business numbers and men in senior roles stared at me—what is this little girl doing here? I enjoyed taking free management training courses offered at Accenture, which most of my engineering peers said was a waste of time. And a few more. ✨ But the bottom line is that in that phase, I strongly felt if I were to spend two years of my life and lots of money on upskilling, then I better do something that motivated me the most. That’s when the preparation for B-schools kicked off. ✨ So, take your time if you’re not sure. Read up online, take a course, talk to people, seek real-life examples of career paths, and observe your strength, likes, and dislikes. Tell me one thing that keeps you excited at work or one thing that you feel is missing. 💬 #mba #ms #graduation #graduatestudent #masters #careerchoices
The answer depends on quite a few things, but not The answer depends on quite a few things, but not your educational background! Why? NOT COMMERCIALIZED YET Product is a relatively newer career option that evolved from the need to bridge the gap between people who build products and people who sell them. Today, only a handful of certifications and academic courses are available worldwide. So, employers can only look for matching transferable skills as professional degrees do not exist. DEMAND IS HIGHER THAN THE SUPPLY A great customer experience is challenging to deliver without this bridge. Because customer experience is becoming even more critical for businesses to grow, the demand for product roles is high. Filling open requisitions is challenging because of the lack of candidates with knowledge or exposure in this field. People who proactively build skills and show an appetite to grow would stand out. REQUIRE MULTIDISCIPLINARY SKILLS A lot happens between building and selling products. People in this role work with technical, business, and creative people across the departments and all at the same time. So, the more crossover of skills, the better! Have you considered a career in Product? #productmarketing #productmarketingmanager #productcareer #careerchange #careerchanger #careerswitch #upskilling #career
I am grateful to people who told me it’s not goi I am grateful to people who told me it’s not going to be an easy path, but it’s possible. Here’s how I have seen some people do it. But, many people also said demotivating things. 👎🏼Your engineering background will not help you much in marketing. 👎🏼Product marketing roles require more marketing and overall experience. Look for something feasible to crack. 👎🏼Marketing roles are better suited for native speakers of English. Why don’t you try something else? ⚡️I didn’t stop. ✨ Acknowledging that something is challenging is different than making you feel you are not cut out for it. 🔆 A guest lecturer once mentioned what matters is how badly you want something. With the Product Marketing teaser I got from my academic projects, I knew I would love it. I knew I wanted it bad. I kept working towards my goal. With new and transferable skills, I was able to kick start my product marketing career right after my graduation. I am continuing to grow in this role ever since. Looking back at my last four years at Cisco and beyond, I’m glad I made that choice. 💪🏽When you’re looking to switch careers, let go of the comments that are not constructive and focus on what you want and what you can do about it. What’s the best choice you’ve made recently? #choice #careerchoice #careergoals #motivation #dontstopbelieving #productmarketing #productmarketingmanager #productcareer
My five-step plan I followed for every Product Mar My five-step plan I followed for every Product Marketing interview. I worked in the following sequence starting with the first two here because they are unique to each company. 1️⃣ Company Research I read up on their vision, mission, products, competitors, industry, and the latest news. 2️⃣ What’s my story The first two rounds are usually with the recruiter and the hiring manager so I prioritized getting my story right. You can do this by thinking through and preparing for questions like why are you interested in this job, why are you the right fit, and why you want to switch now. 3️⃣ Put together a portfolio I kept a running list of hyperlinks and attachments to select and package for emailing then when asked for work samples. 4️⃣ Functional Questions Not getting the basics right can be a deal-breaker in panel interviews. I practiced the most commonly asked product marketing questions on positioning, messaging, go-to-market plan, pricing, campaigns, etc. 5️⃣ Behavioral Questions I looked up and practiced the most commonly asked behavioral questions. For example, tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult coworker. GOING AN EXTRA MILE (optional but helps you stand out) I would one customized piece of marketing asset. For example, a blog. Or a short video using any free video creation software with pre-built templates. I focused more on how I highlighted my marketing message in the video, which is what they expect, and not much on the visuals. Go and ace that next interview 🙌🏽💪🏽 Got questions? Leave them in the comments #interview #interviews #interviewprep #Interviewprepartion #interviewskills #productmarketing #productmarketingmanager #productcareer
Step 1: Do a Google search for LinkedIn and Facebo Step 1: Do a Google search for LinkedIn and Facebook groups with your university name as keyword. There are two types of groups. Official groups are created by the university and promoted on their websites. The unofficial groups are created by incoming students, current students, and alumni. Step 2: Read through the group description and guidelines for who should join the group. Join as many as applicable. Every group is for a specific purpose. You will see groups from current students post about accommodation, opening a bank account, and related topics. There are are also groups dedicated to career and job openings. Step 3: Start engaging with the posts and observe what topics are being discussed. Scroll through the page to see already answered questions or post your own. Be relevant and try not spamming the thread! Can’t find a group? Create one and build a community! What other approach have you tried or would recommend? #internationalstudents #studyabroad #career #careergrowth #indian #immigrant #careertips #linkedin #networking #masters #mba #buildingconnections #graduateschool #graduatestudent
One of the legit and reliable proof points to chec One of the legit and reliable proof points to check out and consider when choosing a university. Next, you can look through a few profiles to see their degree specialization and career paths. If you come across a first or second connection, then definitely reach out to them. You can request an informational call and ask what it was like to find opportunities during and after graduation. Most people are willing to share their experiences. What do you think about this? What are some of the other things you would recommend checking out when choosing a university? #internationalstudents #studyabroad #career #careergrowth #indian #immigrant #careertips #linkedin #networking #university #graduateschool #mba #mastersdegree
The number one mistake I have seen people making i The number one mistake I have seen people making in grad school is applying for both product marketing and product management internships or jobs. There’s nothing wrong in doing so but here’s the thing. Both these roles require a different type of preparation and approach to crack the interviews. If you’re preparing for both, you might not be able to give your 100% to either. So then, how do know which one is the right one for you? Here are a few things that will give you a flavor of how these roles differ from the day-to-day standpoint to help you start thinking about it. WHAT WILL YOUR GOAL BE As a Product Manager (PM) you would focus on understanding customer needs and then define and deliver products based on those needs. As a Product Marketing Manager (PM) you would focus on positioning those products to market in the market to meet customer needs and communicating their value. WHO WILL YOU WORK WITH As a PM you would spend the most time with engineers UX/UI designers As a PMM you would spend the most time with marketers and sales reps. Both PM and PMM collaborate with each other a lot! WHAT WILL YOU DELIVER As a PM your key deliverables are going to be product strategy, product roadmap, product requirements, dashboards, user testing, customer insights, etc As a PM your key deliverables are going to be Go-to-Market strategy, launch plan, campaigns, content development, sales enablement, customer insights, etc. Was any of this info new or surprising to you? 🤔 #productmarketingmanager #productmanager #productmarketing #productmanagement #careerpath #careerchange #productcareer #career
Most people are willing to help so why not make it Most people are willing to help so why not make it easy for them! Any you would add? #internationalstudents #linkedin #networking #career #careertips #careergrowth #indian #immigrant #careertips #careergrowth #womenintech
Who can relate? 🙋‍♀️ Don’t be demotiva Who can relate? 🙋‍♀️ Don’t be demotivated. The job market works like any other market. Keep these three things in mind and hit that apply button! 1️⃣ All your peers are looking at and competing for the same job posting. The rules of the game are the same for all. How you play will make you stand out. It is within your control. The best you can do is maximize your performance with the skills, tools, and resources you have until that time. Do that! 2️⃣ Competing candidates with more years of experience might not be the right fit for the role. The fit is determined based on many other factors, such as behavioral traits and exposure to a similar industry. Do a self-assessment of your fit and prepare a pitch to showcase that. 3️⃣ You might feel interviewing is hard. The reality is hiring is tougher. Supply (availability of talent) and demand (desire to hire the right talent) influences the hiring decision process, and performance assessment is relative. So, focus on giving your best shot! Do you apply for jobs you’re not quite qualified for? What has been your experience? #jobchange #career #careerbuilding #careeropportunities #careertips #careegrowth #skills #applyingonline #jobapplication #jobsearching #jobhunting
I highly recommend you reading and practicing the I highly recommend you reading and practicing the questions from these two books for product marketing interviews. It was very helpful as a grad school fresher with no background or experience in marketing to prepare for the interviews. Drop 💯 in the comments if this was helpful 🙌🏽 Share your recommendations 👇🏽 #productmarketingmanager #productmarketing #productcareer #marketing #productmanagement #careerchange #interviews #interviewprep #interviewpreparation
If you have changed jobs internally in the past, y If you have changed jobs internally in the past, you know what I’m talking about! When looking for career growth, our first instinct commonly is to look outside. However, it’s an opportunity missed for both you and your company. Why go for an internal job change? 1️⃣ You are usually allowed to apply for the next grade or even the skip level. 2️⃣ You will have internal people who can advocate for you, increasing your chances of getting the job. 3️⃣ You will be familiar with the interview process. 4️⃣ Companies understand that, in most cases, internal candidates get up to speed faster. 5️⃣ You won’t have to start afresh and learn about a new company and processes. 6️⃣ You won’t have to adjust to the new company culture. 7️⃣ You won’t have to build relationships and network from scratch. 8️⃣ You won’t have to set up logistics related to finances, healthcare, and other workplace resources. 9️⃣ You will be growing your internal network which can help you in scaling and influencing projects and stakeholders. 🔟 The company has already invested in you and wants you to succeed. ⁣ Is this something you have tried before? If so, how did it go? Would you add anything to the list? #jobchange #career #careerbuilding #careeropportunities #careertips #careegrowth #skills #applyingonline #jobapplication #jobsearching #jobhunting
I was shocked to hear about two cases from someone I was shocked to hear about two cases from someone I personally know. I also get DMs about being stuck with an agency “who has my documents”. That’s why I thought it was important to share this and raise awareness on this topic. Please be safe and share with others too! 🙌🏽 #studyabroad #workabroad
Your work can be your passion, and you can have mu Your work can be your passion, and you can have multiple passions ((think simple things and big goals). They can even influence each other. What are your thoughts on this? I started in the software engineering field. It aligned with my strength but not with my passion. Eventually, I switched my career to product marketing. Now, my work keeps me excited and on my toes (for the right reasons). I’m also passionate about career coaching, digital content, public speaking, and yoga. The first three are something I get to apply frequently in my role and outside (for example, right here on IG). Eight years ago, I had no idea I would find passion in Marketing. But here it is. My passions might change with time, and that’s great too. For now, I feel like overlap in my passions makes me happy and productive. #passion #work #career #careerbuilding #careegrowth #skills #passionforwork #invested #joyatwork
Where else would you look for internships and jobs Where else would you look for internships and jobs outside traditional job search portals? Let me know in the comments below 👇🏽 #internships #jobsearchtips #jobsearching #jobsearchtips #career #careeropportunities #studyingabroad
Taking a vacation increases your chances of gettin Taking a vacation increases your chances of getting a raise or promotion. “People who take all of their vacation time have a 6.5% higher chance of getting a promotion or a raise than people who leave 11 or more days of paid time off on the table.” This is from a study published on @harvard_business_review in an article “Are the People Who Take Vacations the Ones Who Get Promoted?” by Shawn Achor Of course, this won’t work in the absence of consistent high performance but sounds like vacation influences that too. In another study, highlighted on the same article, it was found that 94% of vacations result in higher levels of happiness and energy if you plan ahead and prepare your coworkers. But you must be thinking, I’m onboard but what if my manager doesn’t perceive it that way? Good news is that research says most managers understand that happy employees are more productive and collaborative. Leaving you all with my favorite one liner from this article: life is finite, and work is infinite. Something for us to acknowledge every day. I just came back from a vacation and I feel so energized. When was the last time you took time off or where are you headed next? #timeoff #timeoffwork #careergrowth #productivity #happiness
There is a reason why it’s called preferred qual There is a reason why it’s called preferred qualifications. Do not stop yourself from applying for a job as long as you more or less meet the listed minimum qualifications. While some companies filter out based on minimum qualifications, many don’t even do that. In most cases, they are flexible if you show you can deliver what they expect you to in the job role. I wouldn’t be at Cisco if I waited to meet all the preferred qualifications before applying here. What generally holds you back from applying for jobs? Let’s chat and get over it! #career #careerbuilding #careeropportunities #careertips #careegrowth #skills #jobapplication #applyingonline #jobapplication #jobsearching #jobhunting
The interview rounds vary a bit across companies b The interview rounds vary a bit across companies based on role level. However, more or less, this is what I have seen in most companies that I have interviewed with following. Drop a 💯 if this was useful! Would you add anything to this list? #productmarketingmanager #productmarketing #productcareer #inteview #interviews #interviewprep #interviewpreparation
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