The power of community is in its conversation, and this week, the women are speaking.
At C2C, we believe sharing the journeys can provide the motivation, inspiration, or belief others need to either take their first steps or keep going.
In that spirit, we're honoring Women's History Month by having career conversations with the women from our global community, culminating on International Women's Day on March 8, 2021.
Today we're featuring Vijeta Pai, program manager and cloud evangelist, who is currently on a mission to demystify the cloud and increase its proliferation and adoption.
How did you get started with the Google Cloud?
Pai began as we all do: an intern. She said she earned powerful hands-on experience with data center management and server deployments on Akamai's network process team.
"I became well-versed in the subtle nuances of on-premise infrastructure maintenance, so I started exploring cloud offerings out of sheer curiosity," Pai said.
Like Nina Trankova in the C2C community, Pai turned to Coursera last year and worked to earn a professional certificate on the Google Cloud Platform. The certification course is curated by experts working at Google and arms students with a strong foundation.
"That was just the beginning of my journey," Pai said, "and I haven't stopped since."
What makes you a cloud expert?
A unique combination of storytelling and technical expertise allows Pai to make cloud computing accessible to anyone.
"I want to use my experience to grow and give back to the profession," Pai said. "I want to make technology accessible, fast, scalable, and reliable."
With a master's in English literature and a zeal for learning about cloud computing, Pai uses animations and analogies to demystify cloud technology. She aspires to learn something new about cloud every day, not only because of its rapidly evolving, agile nature, but also because she believes in evangelizing products like Kubernetes.
Do you have a favorite product or project? Why?
"I'm a die-hard fan of Kubernetes," Pai said. "I have a favorite anecdote whenever I talk about Kubernetes, which I can elaborate on if anyone is interested. But long story short, I love the portability, simplicity, and speed it offers, along with excellent integration and agility."
To hear the story, connect with Pai on the C2C Community platform.
What certifications do you have? What's next?
In addition to the Google Cloud Platform's Professional Cloud Architect certification, Pai has a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSSBB), and is a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). Coming up, Pai wants to work on her AI/ML skills to gain more hands-on experience.
Pai loves supporting others on their certification journeys, so she's open to connecting and sharing her learnings and experiences.
If you could go back and tell yourself a piece of career advice, what would it be?
Despite Pai's achievements and successes, she struggles with the same challenges many women experience, not just in tech, but in careers in general: Imposter syndrome.
Feeling like a fraud or not worthy of your success, or as the Harvard Business Review states, it's when you are "doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Many question whether they're deserving of accolades."
So, to combat those thoughts, Pai reminds herself to simply celebrate her achievements with pride, "and not give in to the imposter syndrome."
What advice would you have for someone interviewing to be on your team?
Building on the idea of believing in yourself and what you can bring, Pai's advice is simple: "don't limit your imagination, and don't be afraid to take a leap of faith."
As an avid reader, Pai also leans on her favorite author, Rabindranath Tagore, when she needs a boost.
"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water," the Nobel Prize-winning poet wrote.
Why did you choose to join the C2C community?
This is best shared through Pai's own words: "The vibrant culture, diversity, and wealth of information by the community drove me to join the C2C community," Pai said. "However, it was my call with Sabina [content manager] and Alex [content production assistant] that sealed the deal. I got a glimpse into the wonderful opportunities, enthusiasm, and vigor exhibited by everyone working towards making the C2C community a better place for all cloud enthusiasts."
How can the community best get in touch with you?
The community can connect with me on LinkedIn or visit Cloud Demystified.
______
As a former journalist, I am already ready for a good story. So, tell me a story! Reach me at sabina.bhasin@c2cglobal.com, or comment below.