Navigating Tech Leadership and Finding Your Passion: Insights From a Senior Manager

Embarking on a journey into the world of tech leadership can be challenging — but you shouldn’t let yourself be intimidated! “Always lean in, and do not be afraid to speak your mind,” advises Usha Rajesh, the Senior Manager SDET at Netskope.

In fact, during her own career journey, Rajesh considers not following this advice to be one of her biggest learning moments. As she says, “the most valuable career mistake I made was being afraid to ask for what I want and underestimating myself and my capabilities.”

But how can you find your voice and confidence as a leader in order to follow this advice? According to Rajesh, a few important stepping stones for aspiring leaders are to:

1. Taking on new responsibilities and challenges.

2. Looking at the big picture.

3. Helping others (such as through mentoring).

4. Reflecting on your accomplishments.

5. Learning new skills.

Here, we’ll take a closer look at a day in Rajesh’s life as an tech leader as well as her inspirational career journey and top piece of advice. Keep reading for valuable takeaways for anyone looking to make their mark in the tech industry!

To begin, tell us a bit about your job. What’s your current role, how long have you been in this role, and what’s your day-to-day like?

My current role is a Senior Manager for SDETs. I manage a team of very talented test developers. I have been in this role for about four-and-a-half years, and my day-to-day involves: 

• Ensuring that projects are completed on time and to the required quality standards.

• Collaborating with other departments and stakeholders to ensure that business needs are being met. 

• Leading automation initiatives and QE process improvement initiatives.

• Leading scrums for sprint testing and automation achievements. 

• Investigating customer problems that were referred by the technical support team. 

• Driving staffing and recruitment efforts. 

• Working with development teams to develop test strategy, automation strategy, craft test plans, test procedures, and test reports.

What advice do you have for someone new to your industry?

• Don't be afraid to ask for what you want or to seek help. Being open and direct about what you want is essential for success. No one is going to give you something because you're thinking about it. You have to ask.

• Speak your mind. Stand your ground. If you’ve been asked to a meeting, remember that you’ve earned your seat at the table. Make sure that your word is heard, and speak up if you disagree with something. Even if you haven’t fine-tuned your idea, the experience of putting yourself out there will teach you a lot.

• Find a mentor or a support group. Seek guidance from people who have more expertise and understanding.

• Be yourself. Resist the urge to blend in, and don't be afraid to ask questions when you don't know something.

• Keep learning. This field evolves rapidly. There are many online resources from where you can keep learning and keep yourself up to date..

In your role, what people, resources, and tools do you rely on to get on to attain work-life balance?

Here are few things that help me to attain work-life balance:

• Setting clear boundaries for myself as far as when I work.

• Maintaining a well-managed to-do list for all the tasks, prioritizing them, and delegating effectively.

• Having hobbies that I enjoy and making time for them.

• Being empathetic with myself!

Based on your own experience, can you share how to find an authentic voice in the workplace?

• Own your voice at work. Seize opportunities to speak, and be unafraid to share your perspective. No one else has your voice or offers what you can say. Your perspective means something completely different because it comes from you.

• Ignore negative self-talk. Remain strong about who you are and your identity in the workplace, especially if you feel like you aren’t being heard. Overcome the voices that say that you’re not good enough. Find a support group who can help redirect you from your negative self-talk and remind you of all things you are doing well.

• Learn to let go of being liked. When you speak up in the workplace, there’s a chance that people will think that you’re not “likable” or agreeable; however, just because you’re liked doesn’t mean that you’re respected. We often have a need to be liked, but it’s not going to help you progress in your career or reach your goals if it comes at the expense of sharing your thoughts and opinions.

Next, let’s talk about Netskope’s culture. What’s your favorite aspect of it, and how does your company help you succeed?

Our company culture focuses on our employees and customers. It is important to continuously improve and find ways to meet customers' needs while upholding our company’s values and ethics. I love working with my team to complete large assignments that help the company achieve important business goals.

Our core company values (such as integrity, honesty, commitment to customers, and teamwork) give purpose to employees. As a company, we are continuously evolving, which gives everyone an opportunity to learn and be part of something big, which, in turn, helps our customers and to achieve Company’s goals.

Finally, what’s the most memorable piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

“Learning from mistakes is more important than not making them.“ 

This has helped me be braver in what I’m willing to try. I can’t grow unless I am okay with mistakes being part of the process and my journey in the industry.