Sixteen years on and consulting practice manager, Shaik Shakeel, looks back on his time working at Oracle with pride. A twist of fate and a tenacious, fearless attitude led to a dream coming true and he can truly say he has no regrets. Why does he love life at Oracle Financial Services (OFSS)? Read on to find out.
Take a risk or lose a chance at success
Shaik didn’t join Oracle in the most conventional of ways but he soon figured out that there’s no barriers to entry when it comes to hiring new talent.
“The way I got here is still so surreal. It’s a story that could’ve very easily not happened if it wasn’t for certain choices that I made, the alluring twist of fate and a pinch of luck,” he remembers about the day of his unexpected interview.
He continues by sharing, “One of my colleagues had an interview with i-flex solutions (this was before its acquisition by Oracle) and I had a walk-in interview elsewhere. We decided to share the auto fare and the thought that I too should give i-flex a try, suddenly struck me. Unfortunately, security refused me entry as my name wasn’t on the list. While I was busy arguing, the hiring manager walked by. I realized I couldn’t pass up this opportunity and seized the moment by handing her my profile. Granted the chance to interview, to my utter disbelief, I got an offer to join before noon.
An inclusive culture that promotes growth
Settling in to life at the company branch in India, it wasn’t too long before Shaik’s hard work was rewarded with a new role and a move to Singapore. It was through this process he really got to experience what the culture at Oracle stood for and what true workforce collectivity looks like.
He remembers fondly, “It was a very fast-paced environment with high expectations, but my supervisors led me very well and provided me with support to lead projects alone further down the road.”
Starting as an onsite developer, the consulting manager has had various roles in Singapore from team, production support, and project lead, to project manager and now, a delivery manager. He reflects on the culture he’s been welcomed into from day one, “There were get-togethers every month, and parties for just about everything! We even conducted a T20 cricket match within OFSS, five teams participated in the event, over a period of three weekends. Oracle not only encouraged us but sponsored the event as well.”
Open communication and plenty of constructive feedback
At Oracle, we believe different perspectives are what drive innovation and so, an effort to instill open communication in all teams is ever-present. This is something Shaik values as an employee and an individual.
“I personally never felt that there was room for ambiguity about my job expectations. This is due to the open and effective communication, which is a critical component of any organization, omnipresent in Oracle,” he reiterates.
Providing employees with resources and foundations for personal and professional growth, is also a standout feature to the manager, “My superiors constantly provide me with useful, constructive feedback which acts as a catalyst for growth and improvement. There’s a great rapport established with my managers, peers, and team members, which encourages collaboration and helps to foster camaraderie and morale. I took a leap of faith with the chance given to me and now, 16 years later, I can say with the utmost confidence that I do not regret any of it.”
Shaik signs off by leaving his biggest piece of career advice, “With so much experience, failure really is no stranger to me. I’ve definitely had my fair share of both the good and bad times, but we’ve just got to keep our faith and put trust in hard work which gradually led us to better times.”
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