How to Not Get a Tech Job in Pakistan
Chapter 24 of “Hold ON”: Peshawar Cantt 2015
(N.B. I’m writing a novel, a chapter a week, here on Medium. Find out why I write here, start from Chapter 1 here, and always feel free to give me feedback in the comments. I write here for the community.)
Hira asked Sadia to meet in the afternoon, as Hira was doing an internship at a provincial government office located in Peshawar Cantonment. Although the internship wasn’t great, it provided Hira with an opportunity to spend time outside her house. She was extremely stressed and bored after her undergraduate exams ended. She was relieved and happy to find out that her father had arranged an internship for her through his former boss.
Hira would often invite Sadia to visit her during lunch breaks. This arrangement was fulfilling for Hira, and Sadia was always eager to hang out with her in Peshawar Cantt. While the internship wasn’t rewarding in terms of work experience, it still served as a means to escape the toxicity at home.
In early fall, they sat on a bench in the park, and Hira began to cry. She told Sadia about a painful secret that she had been carrying for years. When Hira was in grade 6, a few girls bullied her because she looked different from her parents. They had said very hurtful things and accused her of not being her parents’ real child.
Hira had been struggling with this for the past 10 years. It affected her life in many ways, but she never talked to anyone about it, not even her parents. Recently, Hira read the book, “The Gene: An Intimate History” by Siddhartha Mukherjee, gifted to her by Ahmad. The book had changed everything. She learned that children can look different from their parents because of changes in genes. The book also talked about how depression can be passed down in families. Alongside weaving together personal narratives and concepts like the history of science, this popular science book explained the discovery of genetic concepts, the influence of genes on human traits, and the ethical challenges that genetic technologies pose. Hira said to Sadia, “This book has explained these complex concepts to me in a very simple way and has ended many of the things I have suffered from for years”
Hira realized her mom had been suffering from depression. Hira also thought that why these things were not explained ever in their biology courses and why even her teachers and parents could not understand what had been going on in her life. Hira also developed a lot of sympathy for her mother for what she had been going through. She realized her depression vented out in the form of toxic patriarchal oppression for Hira.
Sadia listened carefully and felt sad for her friend. “It is good that you finally know the truth now. You can let go of the pain you have been carrying for so long. You should now move on.” Hira replied, “Yes, I am so grateful that Ahmad gave me this book. If he had not, I might never have learned the truth. He does not even know what he has done for me.”
Hira told Sadia how hard it had been for her to carry this burden for so many years. It had been a very painful and troubling time in her life. Sadia hugged her friend and told her that she was not alone. She had friends who loved her, and now she could finally start healing.
As they sat together in the park, Hira and Sadia talked about the future. Hira felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her heart. She knew there was still a lot to learn and understand, but she was grateful for the support of her friend Sadia and the knowledge she gained from the book.
Although Hira had started an internship at a government office, she didn’t like it. Government officers always asked her to fix their computers, even though she was a software engineer. They also wanted her to manage their emails and develop PowerPoint presentations for them because they didn’t know how to do so themselves. Hira didn’t have a good place to sit, and there were few women working there. There was no separate bathroom for women, and she didn’t like the sexist jokes she heard all day.
Hira’s dad had arranged the internship, but she knew it wasn’t the right place for her. She called Ahmad for help. Ahmad told her how to make a CV for software companies in Islamabad and Lahore. It would be easier for Hira’s parents to let her work in Islamabad because they had friends there.
Ahmad wanted to help Hira with her job search, so he asked her to send him her resume. When he received Hira’s CV, he then shared his ideas and suggestions with her.
He told her that she should not spend too much time writing about her school years and the grades she got in each subject. Instead, Ahmad suggested that Hira should concentrate on the important things that employers in the technology sector look for.
Ahmad explained that Hira should write about her computer skills, like the programming languages she knew and the software she could use. She should also mention any projects she had worked on, like building websites or creating apps, and developing games. He also asked her to write all the online courses she had taken. Hira did not include these courses initially in her CV because she thought these courses did not matter. He emphasized that she should especially write about a few courses she had done in computer vision and mention the kind of projects she had developed during these courses.
Ahmad made it clear that, in the technology sector, what matters most is a person’s skills and experience. Employers are more interested in knowing what someone can do, rather than the grades they got in school. By focusing on her skills, Hira would have a better chance of getting a job in the software field.
Ahmad then advised Hira to search for all software houses in Islamabad and send her CV to them, even if they hadn’t advertised any job openings. He explained that demand for employees can arise unexpectedly, and companies may not have time to advertise positions. Instead, they often hire from a pool of potential candidates when an immediate need arises.
Ahmad also suggested that Hira create a LinkedIn account and send direct messages to software professionals based in Islamabad. This tip proved to be effective, as Hira received a call from InfoTech, a company located in Islamabad. Ahmad coached Hira on how to prepare for her interview. He told her to carefully review InfoTech’s website to understand the type of work they do and learn about the people working there. He also advised her to examine their LinkedIn profiles to identify their skillsets.
Ahmad explained the concept of behavioral interviews, where she should follow the STAR method, and for technical interviews, she should be prepared to write code or solve problems she might be asked. This guidance was invaluable for Hira, as she had never learned these things during her four-year degree program from her professors. During her preparation, she often wondered why this was the case and why such professional development concepts were not part of her university curricula.
Thanks to Ahmad’s guidance, Hira received a job offer from InfoTech with a salary of Rs 50,000 per month, which represented a significant change for her family. Her mother was also very happy to hear the news. However, the main challenge now was figuring out how Hira would manage living independently in Islamabad, the most expensive city of Pakistan. Hira was determined to succeed, and felt like she had a new chance at life.
