At Veeva, she found a second home halfway around the world
Meet a Veevan is a series that looks at the employees who bring us life. For this edition we spoke to Shilpa Candermohan, Senior Software Engineer focused on the Vault Clinical Data Management Suite (CDMS). Shilpa has worked her way east from Bangalore to Boston. She is the first engineer in her family and was encouraged to always give 100% and break barriers along the way.
What is your personal and professional background and how did you get to Veeva?
Shilpa: I was born in Bangalore, India and raised in a traditional family, the younger of two girls. Our parents were determined to give us the best education possible but neither of them were in the technical field and I am the first engineer in my family. My father was the primary earner, working in accounting for the government, and my mother did everything possible to enable us to have a wonderful home life. I attribute my strong values to my parents and family — be responsible and take care of each other. We were also taught that whatever you are doing, give 100%, and that every generation needs to do something to make it better than the last and bring everyone up along the way.
My education through high school was in India. In high school, I had an incredibly wise physics teacher who became a role model. He used humor to connect to our generation and his guidance stayed with me. Beside my dedication to studies, I also pursued track and field spending every day after school at practice. My commitment was recognized when I was appointed “games captain” for our school, effectively the leader of all the sports. This was one of my proudest achievements.
When I was given my first computer, my interests began to shift from physics to technology. I was fascinated by how much could be done moving data from paper to digital storage. Cloud was just coming into focus and I was excited to learn more and I shifted my studies to computer science. I began by focusing on UI and the web front end, working on various side projects as I pursued my BS in Engineering in India. After graduation, I was offered several jobs, but some were out of the area. My parents preferred for me to stay nearby, so I accepted a local position at a major Indian company which allowed me to build a foundation in engineering.
As I progressed in my work, I began to be curious about back-end engineering, but my company wouldn’t provide any opportunities to move into a new area. This motivated me to go back to school and pursue a Masters’ degree. I was offered a full scholarship at ASU/University of Texas. My father truly surprised me by supporting my decision to go to school on the other side of the world. I realized that when it came to education, it was OK to leave India. Truly, it was unusual for an Indian family to send their 20-year-old daughter to pursue an education overseas. But my parents were committed to helping me grow and break barriers as a young woman.
When I finished my Master’s degree and began to look for work, Veeva was one of the first companies that caught my attention, as one of my school alumni with a similar background was working on Vault. At the time, I already had an offer from another major company but I fell in love with Veeva during the interview process. Even before it started, I was made to feel so comfortable. Afterward, I felt I had really learned about Veeva’s culture. When the call came with the offer just two hours after my last interview, I accepted it immediately even though it meant a move to California and away from Texas where I had family. I just knew it was the right place for me.
After working at Veeva for several years, I met my husband. His job was in Boston and he visited me on weekends for many months. When I heard Veeva had a branch in Boston, I applied to change teams and now reside in Holliston, Massachusetts. We have a new home and a puppy that requires our attention, so I am grateful for my flexible schedule.
Over my 5.5 years at Veeva, I have worked as a software engineer on many teams — starting out in CRM and today on the CDMS/Vault team focused on data extraction. Throughout this time, I have worked across the spectrum — front end, back end, full stack and performance engineering.
What’s unique about the work environment and culture at Veeva?
Shilpa: Compared to the cultures of other companies, Veeva is very professional. When people are hired, they make sure the person can contribute 100% and can work well within a team.
When I look back at what I thought before I joined Veeva, what happened was completely different than I anticipated. I expected a 9–5 job and then to go home. I was shocked by what I found in the Generation Veeva program — two years to learn and be paid to help you choose your path and become better at what you do. After the program, I assumed I would do front end work, but my manager suggested I do full stack work and contribute in all the spheres, thereby helping her team and the company even more. Even so, she said if I didn’t like it, I could return to front end work. I never imagined I could make such a change inside of one year. But thanks to all the good people from whom I could learn coding, styles and patterns, I was able to make the change.
I also particularly appreciate the Work Anywhere program and respect for work-life balance. This helped me with important changes in my personal life — being with my husband and getting a dog. Above all, it’s a place where the culture is so good that you can make friends forever.
How will Veeva help you grow?
Shilpa: At Veeva, we grow on a daily basis. There’s always something new to learn. If I draw a map of my career over the last five years, I went from front end coding to back end to performance analysis. When I get stuck, I learn something new to undo the problem. It’s simple to communicate with the team and the seniors direct you to the right path.
An essential part of growth is the one-on-ones with managers to understand where we need to improve, and in turn, this improves the quality of the end product and saves time. I even learn from my mentoring associates.
I do well when I really love something. At Veeva, I love the company, the work, the team and my managers — and this makes me want to do better. Personal growth and growth at Veeva go hand in hand. If you take a step, the company takes a step with you, and if the company takes a step forward, it takes you with it.
What would you say to someone who was thinking of working here?
Shilpa: If you want to work in a place where you don’t feel like it’s work, but feel at home, you have to work here. The kind of friends you will make are the kind you will keep forever.
