Vinod Varma has had a career in software engineering and consulting, working for both government and private companies in roles ranging from scientific assistant to general manager. He discusses keys to a successful career, including developing interpersonal skills like teamwork and understanding others, as well as continually improving technical skills and anticipating changes in technology. Varma emphasizes focusing on solutions rather than just problems, understanding market trends, and having ambitious goals of making a difference or changing the world through entrepreneurship.

1. Sky is the limit
Vinod Varma
'..And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.' -
Paulo Coelho

2. Introduction
● Myself – Retrospective
– Started off as Scientific Assistant in National Informatics Center, Delhi
– Scientist SC in Department of Electronics (Formerly, Ministry of IT, Government
of India)
– Senior Consultant at Competency Center for Java India, in CMC R&D Center,
Hyderabad
– General Manager (Technical) Kaashyap Radiant Systems Ltd, Chennai
– Software Engineering Specialist, Rational Software Corporation, Chennai
– Software Engineering Consultant, Astra Infotech, Chennai/Dubai/Hannover
– Consultant, BPAS, Dubai
– Presently freelance consultant involved
● Software Rearchitecting for a tour automation software company in
Technopark, Trivandrum
● SAP Business ONE customization projects using SDK

3. You can
● My own experience

4. Job Vs Career
● Audience poll

5. Skills Vs Knowledge
● Audience poll

6. Winning ways

7. Towards a great career
● The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
– Independence
● Be proactive
● Begin with the end in mind
● First things first
– Interdependence
● Think win-win
● Seek first to understand, then to be understood
● Synergize!
– Continual improvement
● Sharpen the Sword; Growth

8. Diffusion of technologies
● What does this mean for you?

9. I Vs We - Accomplishment
● No one really cares for individual excellence
unless
– You can work as part of the team
– Win as a team

10. I Vs We - Responsibility
● The buck stops with you; you cannot pass it on
● Failure is not an option; you got to win
A network is only as strong as its weakest link...
and you should not be that

11. Anticipate skill churn
● Technology waves
– I started with computers using punched paper tapes
– Worked with mainframes, personal computers, and
embedded systems
– Moved on to web and web 2.0
– Involved in mobile apps and game development
Technology would keep changing and you need to
move with it
– Keep an eye on the hype curve

12. Understand the market
● Technology would keep changing
● You need to move with it
● Keep an eye on the hype curve

13. Solution focus
● Focus on solution rather than talking about only
the problems
– Individuals problems are not in anyone's priority

14. Looking ahead (poll)
How many of you plan to make a difference?
How many of you plan to change the world?
How many of you plan to be an entrepreneur?
Note that it is only a lock-down
Don't get bogged down

15. Thank you