– Written by Ritika Aggarwal, Statistical Programmer at Novartis

Please note, this blog is the opinion of the author and does not represent PHUSE nor necessarily the opinion of the authors employer.

My first PHUSE Connect was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I want to share that with you in this blog post. My friend urged me to submit an abstract for the PHUSE EU Connect 2022, and that was when it all began. I sat down at my laptop and began reading papers from earlier PHUSE Connects. I read or listen to a lot of professional and personal development content. As I read through several publications written by seasoned leaders and managers in the industry, I became aware of the need for something akin from a newbie’s perspective. In the process, the idea for my presentation, "A Hitchhiker's guide to the corporate world for newbies", was born.

Newbies enter the corporate world with energy, new ideas and potential. The first job might be quite challenging, but it can also be a great learning opportunity and a springboard for a long-term career. The transition from campus to corporate is often accompanied by an abundance of information and an ambiguous path to help or guidance. This can lead to a perplexing journey, which eventually gets addressed, but only at the expense of opportunities and time that might have been available from the beginning. Therefore, in my presentation, I addressed how to start your career with a systematic yet agile approach to learning and growth. To develop a systematic growth mindset early on, one needs to focus on four key cornerstones of professional development: communication, collaboration, self-leadership and feedback. My presentation at large targeted industry newcomers as well as leaders and mentors. It also focused on how, regardless of the work profile, professional growth is a necessary component for all working professionals.

Staying on course with my idea of professional development, I presented at the PHUSE EU Connect 2022 and it proved to be an incredible addition to my learning journey. What’s more authentic than one’s first experience at anything? For me, this Connect brought a lot of firsts. As part of my first-ever conference presentation, I shared my first job experience and the transition from campus to corporate setting. It was my first corporate conference, my first business travel and the first time meeting people from professional and cultural backgrounds. The event’s five days were filled with exceptional and unimaginable learning opportunities for individuals as well as businesses. While I came to share my journey as a newbie in the corporate world, I embarked upon a completely new learning journey, and it was amazing. Here’s what I took away from my first-ever PHUSE Connect:

• Networking: Every working professional should seize the opportunity to go to one of these conferences because they are an excellent setting for networking with people from all over the world. Every individual you meet has something to teach you through their point of view, or you will find someone who shares your perspective, which is incredibly beneficial to your personal growth.

• Holistic perspective on work: I learned a lot about how to grasp industry trends and how to use them to my advantage while designing my own career path. After listening to speakers across various Streams, I was able to gain a comprehensive picture of the work we do in the pharma industry and the impact it creates. The future of technical advancements and leadership in the industry were my favourite picks.

• Business learning: Having listened to multifunctional talks, I developed a two-way approach to learning from happenings in the industry. There are two ways to assess growth: 1. Consider your progress to date, together with strategies for sustaining and rewarding it. 2. Evolve with changes in technology, work culture and resources. These strategies are effective for individuals as well as organisations.

• Sense of Purpose: My favourite aspect of all was how these events bring people together through a shared sense of purpose, which fosters an amazing environment for innovation, collaboration and efficiency.

These are a few highlights from my first PHUSE Connect. I hope this inspires you to grab such an opportunity for your own professional journey.

About the Author

Ritika is a statistical programmer and professional development enthusiast. Her background in translational education enables her to contribute to the transformational uses of data science in healthcare that aim to improve operational processes and patient care. She is passionate about professional development and holds progressive values that have the potential to redefine how we perceive personal and professional growth. She aspires to use her skills to discover impactful approaches that can improve people's lives.