Dinesh Jayabalan, (BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature, 2019) shares his career journey with us. He is currently part of Unilever’s Future Leaders Program. He shares with us his journey from being a UNM graduate to entering a graduate programme that is designed to prepare trainees to assume challenging responsibilities and business leadership roles.
Being a firm believer of the saying “You are your worst enemy”, Dinesh approaches the challenging aspects of his career such as managing his workload effectively and knowing where to set his limits with regard to growth and opportunities with a clear mind. Moreover, the rewards he reaps from his career such as the impact he makes by being part of a company that puts people first helps him move forward everyday.
Dinesh secured his spot in the programme through a long application process that involved several virtual assessments as well as an in-person test that assessed suitability for an ideal Unilever Future Leader.
The experience he gained through this programme has accelerated both his growth and learning, and will play a vital role in shaping him into the HR leader he aspires to be. His time in the programme so far has been overwhelmingly positive as his colleagues and peers have encouraged him to constantly challenge himself by going out of his comfort zone. He also has a very supportive line manager who always inspires him to be his best in anything and everything he does.
Dinesh shares that his time at UNM shaped him into the person that he is today by giving him opportunities to take up leadership roles in several clubs and societies. This allowed him to develop the skills needed to stand out from the crowd and survive in the corporate world.
His long-term career plans include being part of a company’s board of directors so that he can shape strategies that will impact the lives of many. His short-term goals are to work and grow as a successful management trainee.
His journey in UNM has been full of fond memories and Dinesh tells us that he misses living within proximity of his friends and going out on midnight adventures that consisted of food hunting, watching movies in the cinemas and chilling out at the beach to reward themselves after a long day of assignments.
For future students of UNM, he has the following advice:
“For those of you who want to pursue a tertiary education in UNM, just remember that your greatest learning might not be the one that happens within your classroom. UNM offers many opportunities for students to really go outside of their comfort zones and become a better version of themselves. So, embrace every opportunity that comes your way. The sky is truly your limit! All the best”
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Posted on 27th July 2021