I joined Dell Technologies straight out of college in 2019. During placement season, a close friend encouraged me to attend Dell’s pre-placement talk, a small push that shaped the course of my career. Before my official start, I had the opportunity to visit the office with a few other new hires. We were excited to see where we would soon be working. We were welcomed by a kind leader who showed us around, introduced us to colleagues and future teammates, and spent almost half a day with us despite his busy schedule. After onboarding, the same leader would occasionally stop by my cubicle to see how I was settling in and offer guidance. Those simple gestures helped me feel welcome and supported as I took my first steps into the corporate world. From that first nudge by a friend to the continued support of mentors, I’ve come to realize that throughout a career, there are always people who push us to be better, guide us, and help us grow. 

Why I Chose Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies isn’t just a well-known laptop manufacturer; its products are recognized worldwide, even by those not familiar with technology. What drew me most, however, was the enterprise side of Dell, powering massive infrastructure and driving real-world impact. The opportunity to contribute to that innovation was one I couldn’t pass up. From the placement talk, Dell’s purpose of driving human progress through technology stood out and still resonates with me today. The work environment is collaborative, empowering, and full of opportunities to learn and grow. Six years in, I’m still challenged, still learning, and still excited about what we do. 

The Developer Within 
Testing gave insight into system behavior, but I wanted to understand what happens under the hood. This curiosity led to development, where I immersed myself in SONiC’s infrastructure, and tools like Git, Docker, C++, CI/CD pipelines, Redis, Linux internals, and more. Today, I work on infrastructure and security-related applications, managing the full feature lifecycle. Contributions include features such as Licensing, Multi-Factor Authentication, and AAA accounting, to name a few. From high-level design and proofs of concept to implementation, testing, debugging, and production delivery, every stage of the process is covered. Test plans and automation are maintained, peer code is reviewed, process improvements are driven, and newer team members are mentored along the way. 

Growing Beyond Code: Building Networks That Matter 

One of the first things that stood out to me at Dell was the culture. It is encouraging, empowering, and genuinely people-focused. Life here offers flexibility, opportunities to learn, and the privilege of working with skilled yet down-to-earth mentors and colleagues who support you across teams and time zones. My professional growth accelerated through the Graduate Development Program (GDP), where I was part of the core team for the Chennai site. From planning events and inviting senior leaders to presenting and engaging with experts, I built confidence, leadership skills, and a stronger professional presence. Later, through the Women in Tech (WIT) Employee Resource Group, I had the opportunity to meet Radia Perlman, “The Mother of the Internet,” whose humility and impact on networking deeply inspired me. With WIT, I helped organize technical sessions, mentoring programs, hackathons, and Women in Engineering Day celebrations, experiences that continue to shape my journey. Of course, I still get stage fright and make mistakes, but the support and encouragement around me give me the confidence to keep learning and moving forward. 

Advice for Women in STEM 

Looking back at my own journey and talking to other women in tech, I’ve realized how easy it is to underestimate ourselves. I remember in college thinking I might not even land an IT job and seriously considering an MBA as a backup. But staying curious, learning every day, and asking for help when I needed it slowly changed that mindset. What I’ve learned is simple. Keep exploring. Set high standards for yourself. Ask questions. Reach out for guidance, there’s always someone willing to help. Celebrate the small wins along the way. Trust that your ideas and perspective matter, and don’t hold back from sharing them. Passion and persistence will take you far!