How I Switched to a Product-Based Company ?
The Beginning: A New Chapter at Cognizant
It all started in November 2024 when I joined Cognizant. By March, I found myself in Chennai, completing my training. The very next day after our cohort's training ended, we were all deployed to different projects.
Out of the entire group, only two got their preferred locations. Everyone else, including me, got Chennai. I hadn’t seen my hometown in four months, and the city’s heat was unforgiving. Staying there for a whole year didn’t feel right.
So, I decided I had to move to Hyderabad, which is the closest city to my hometown.
Taking the First Stand
I started researching the project I was assigned to. I checked where my future teammates were working from. Some were in Coimbatore, some in Bangalore, a few in Chennai, and luckily, a few from Hyderabad. I listed down their names and decided to approach the project lead the next day.
Just as I was about to reach out, I got a Teams call from him.
“Hey Fazil, I discussed your project location with your manager. He’s okay with you working from Hyderabad.”
That one sentence brought me immense relief. I felt like I could breathe again. I missed my family, my friends, and my college life too much. I packed my bags and left Chennai the same day.
The Struggle Begins
After reaching Hyderabad, I visited my hometown. My family was shocked to see my condition. I was tanned, thin, and looked tired. I spent three peaceful days at home and returned to Hyderabad for work.
My project role was in Production Support. Initially, I thought I might enjoy it, but the reality was far from that. I had to log in for 9 hours a day just to monitor batch processes and resolve tickets related to the company’s internal product.
The work felt meaningless to me. It wasn't building my skills, nor was it aligned with my interests in cloud, Docker, Terraform, Python, or databases. I began to feel suffocated.
Decision to Leave
I realized I had to get out. Not just from the project but from the organization itself.
I began dedicating 2 hours every morning to learning. I started revising and implementing the technologies I was passionate about. I regularly updated my LinkedIn and Naukri profiles and began applying to as many companies as I could.
But the job market was brutal. Thousands of applications for a single opening. Despite consistent effort, all I received were rejections.
I felt stuck. I called a relative in the IT industry. His advice was simple: focus on learning and wait until I had one year of experience. Then it would be easier to switch.
But he didn’t understand what I was going through, how it felt to do a job that didn’t require my real potential.
The Unexpected Call
Eventually, I stopped applying. I just focused on learning and kept my Naukri profile active.
One day, I received a call from an HR at a product-based company named apree health. He said my resume was shortlisted, even though I had never applied there. He asked me a few basic questions about working from the office, salary expectations, etc.
I asked him how I got shortlisted, and he said, “We liked your Naukri profile.”
That gave me a ray of hope.
But a week passed, and there was no response. When I followed up, the HR told me the position had already been filled. That small glimmer of hope disappeared.
Another Chance
Two weeks later, the same HR called me again.
He said there was an opening for a MySQL DBA Trainee in their Infrastructure Automation team and asked if I was interested.
I said yes without hesitation. He told me there would be two interviews, one technical and one managerial and I had three days to prepare.
I went all in. I revised concepts, worked on code, and gave it my best shot.
The Interview Days
The first technical interview went perfectly. Every question asked was something I had prepared for. I felt confident.
After the interview, HR told me that the actual interviewer hadn’t been available, so another technical round was scheduled.
That second technical round was much more intense. Since the new interviewer had seen my previous feedback, he went deeper into the concepts. Some questions I couldn’t answer.
Still, the feedback came back positive. I was told to wait for the managerial round, which the HR said would be a quick 10-minute chat.
The Managerial Round
The manager walked into the room. He had a commanding presence. I thought he would just explain about the company, team, and ask a few behavioral questions.
But I was wrong.
He dove straight into technical questions — detailed ones. And not just limited to DBA. He asked about every technology listed on my resume. It turned out to be the toughest interview of my life.
I was overwhelmed. But somewhere during the interview, he said something that lifted my spirits:
"You won’t be limited to DBA here. You’ll get to work with a wide range of technologies. We believe in continuous learning and multi-skill development."
That one line brought back all the hope I had lost.
What was supposed to be a 10-minute conversation turned into 45 minutes of intense but meaningful discussion.
When he left the room, there was complete silence. My heart was racing.
The Moment That Changed My Life
HR walked back in and said:
“The feedback’s positive. When can you join?”
That was it. The moment I had been working, praying, and waiting for.
I wasn’t suffocating anymore. I felt free. I felt aligned with my purpose. The new role was exactly what I wanted — working with real technologies, in a challenging and supportive environment, with a good package.
I resigned from Cognizant and requested early release, as there were no ongoing dependencies on me.
Looking Back
Now, when I look back, I can confidently say that everything happened for a reason.
I gained corporate experience from a top MNC. I got to feel the struggle, the misalignment, the rejection and I used that to fuel my learning and direction.
Today, I’m in a product-based company, working on the technologies I love, with a path that matches my ambitions and a salary that I am proud of.
Alhamdulillah.
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