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Abhijeet Singh

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Abhijeet Singh

Senior Manager

Manhattan Associates

My achievement

After graduating as a University Topper (Rank 2) from SRTMU university with major in BE (Electronics), I joined ME (Electronics and Communication) with specialization in Digital Communication from JNV University. I started my career in early 2004 as Software Engineer @i GATE Global Solutions in Bangalore. After spending little over a year with iGATE, I joined Manhattan Associates in 2005 and moved to US in Jan 2008. Ever since, I have been working with MA completing 8 years this July/August. In my tenure @MA, I have worked in various department including core R&D division of the world class Warehouse Management product (WMi) formerly known as PKMS. For the last few years I have been in consulting group of MA, implementing the product where I was involved in core development with R&D group for several years. I have won numerous awards, atleast 1 every year, for the outstanding work performed during my stay with the company.

Goals and Ambitions

I'm very much satisfied with my career achievements thus far. However for the next 5 years I would like to continue my quest for excellence by performing bigger leadership role at my firm, contributing to growth and success of and the organization which in turn will benefit my personal career and help me achieve new heights of success.
I want to manage key accounts for the company helping in new sales oppurtunity and understand the complex business model across globe.
Diversity in business across different geographies is what fascinates me to explore new oppurtunity in different parts of globe (Europe, Canada, US, Asia Pac etc).

My strongest Skill

Project Management, Design Lead, Consulting in Supply Chain fraternity. Subject Matter expert on Warehouse Management System, Distributed Order Management, Transportation Management, Labour Management primarily on Manhattan Associates Suites of products.
Technical - AS400, i Series, DB2, CL, RPG, Web Sphere, Web Services

My advice

DO's and DONT's
1) First job, always look for learning curve and opportunities.
2) Salary is important but since our Software Fraternity is "Knowledge Based Industry", make sure you learn enough in first few years of your career and money will follow.
3) Everyday is a new challenge and new learning. Embrace change with both hands.
4) Be Respectful.
5) Look for oppurtunities and grab with both hands.
7) Always give your 100% in whatever you do.
8) Speak Up your mind. No idea is BAD idea.
9) Work smarter than harder. Smart worker is the need of hour.
10) Be Versatile-Always look out for customer facing oppurtunities and work on communcation skills along with Techincal Skills. Your communication is equally important for your career growth.

Current Trends

Technical skills are more and more being supplemented with functional skills. Gone are the days where we use to have 2 categories namely Technical Consultant and Functional Consultant. Industry is demanding more and more Techno functional consultants where demand is high and supply is scarce. Learning curve is amazing if you get best of both world where technical skills are supplemented with consulting skills.

Views about 'Tech product Introduction is weak among Indians'

I believe I can do justice to this question, especially when I'm working for a product based company where our products are industry #1 in Supply Chain Domain.

This goes back to my previous reply where I emphasized on the need of technical skills being more and more supplimented by consulting/business/communication skills. We as an Indian (including me) are by nature people shy species where we have all the technical brain power to take on any challenge in real world, however still skeptical in make the first move. We are comfortable in our own little cubicles where we do BEST in what is being asked to do, where we need to leave our comfort zone and propose new ideas and ways of solving complex business problems across the globe.

With my personal experience working in R&D team first where primary responsibilty was to make the product at par with industry requirement and then consulting the same product gave me that insight.

My important career decision

The most important career decisions I have made thus far:-

1) I had 14 offers (No Exaggeration)when I decided to make a career move from my first company. Some of the BIG names in IT industry were in that list. However I consulted with a senior of mine who was, back then, working for Manhattan Associates and decided to join MA solely because of nature of work where the growth opportunities were tremendous. I was critised by friends and family for making such a move, however I did what was right for my career.

2) I moved from R&D to consulting division at MA where in R&D I was in my comfort zone whereas consulting involved lot of travel and personal sacrifices especially when we were expecting baby around the same time. I was told not to do so, however I decided to move and never looked back since then. I believe in saying "Take Care to Get what you like, or you will forced to like what you get".

Making job easier

This is again very important question and I appreciate it being in the interview section.
The first and foremost thing according to me is my communication skills and helping nature. Always greet people with smile. Always be ready to share your knowledge, little or more, doesn't really matter. I'm a firm believer that you learn the most when you teach someone. Secondly, I would say, be respectful. Always respect and stand for people working with you. Gaining respect in an organization is the most difficult task at hand even if it doesn't sound like one. Next I would say have passion for work and take sense of pride and ownership in what we do at work. No work is small or big but its the thinking behind it which makes it BIG. Be a strong team player where people love to work with you. You can never win a WAR alone no matter what skill you have in your kitty.

Books recommended

I usually rely on Google for any technical or functional help. I personally have never read books when it comes to problem solving or learning. I usually read IBM's red books online which are very detailed and informational.

My role model

My Role Model is NO known figure from history or books. I would give that spot to my bosses (Namely 3) from first company to current whom I have always respected for the knowledge and help they have provided me over a period of time making sure I'm what I'm today. I try to implement the same skill set in my day to day work, be it complex problem solving techniques or never say never attitude or respecting people and treating them with equality. Learn, Learn and Learn has always been my mantra and that I have incorporated from my seniors and reporting bosses I have worked thus far.

Being different

The only differentiating factor I would personally feel is the "Ability to approach complex business problem" where in Engineering we are exposed to such problem solving skills on a daily basis. Sometime I get comments like, "I like to approach this problem, the way you do" and my response to them, with Smile, is "Because I'm an engineer".

Managing professional as well as personal life

In today's competitive world, its very important to have a proper Work-Life Balance, otherwise we can see the stress of one impacting the other. My idea of relieving strees is spending time with family, do more outdoor activities, yoga, gym, running etc. This goes back to one of my previous reply where I talked about Smart Worker over Hard Worker. We have to be SMART in this challenging world so that we can manage our personal-professional life balance.
One of the common trend I see with young professionals in India espcially in IT industry that they dont have personal life outside office. My advice to them is that even if they dont have family, going out and doing outdoor activities and not only take the stress away but also help in focussing on the Job to do it better.

Company and job profile

I currently hold Senior Manager position at a multinational firm "Manhattan Associates". With offices in nine countries, including India, and partners on nearly every continent, Manhattan Associates is the supply chain solutions provider of choice for supply chain leaders around the world—for multichannel retailers, consumer goods manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, 3PLs and wholesale distributors. For more than 20 years, we’ve partnered with more than 1,200 customers globally, representing many of the world’s best-known brands.
My current job responsibilities includes managing multiple complex projects implementations for key accounts.

Family Background

I'm from Varanasi, UP. My Dad is a businessman and mom a home maker. We are 3 siblings (brothers) and I'm the middle one. Eldest brother is also settled in US working for IBM after finishing his MS in Computer Science. Younger one is a MBA graduate working in Mumbai, India. My Mother had only 1 dream of giving quality education to her children and today I can see a sense of accomplishment on her face when people talk about her kids.
My better half, Monalisa Singh, is a doctor and currently finishing her Phd in Pharmacology from Mercer University, Atlanta, GA, US. We have 2.5 year old son name Aaryan Singh who is making sure that we have a perfect work-life balance after I come back from work and travel:-).
Elder brother is married to Shalu Agarwal who is also in Software Industry working for Oracle Corp in bay area, US. They are blessed with a 1 month old baby girl Aarna Singh.

Challenges faced in job

Today's Macro Economic environment is creating challenges for every industry on the globe and NOT only Software. Ever changing trend in retail industry, shopping industry, manufacturing, Automobiles, Mobile revolution etc is driving business in almost every domain to adapt as quickly as possible and be ready for the next change. Every day is new challenge with new customer business requirement changing based on consumers demand and our software has to adapt the new change in NO time. Industry today is so dynamic in nature that you cant predict what has future in store for us.