I am Tejaswita and working as SRE at CloudRaft. Recently, I celebrated my first anniversary and It's hard to believe that I've already completed one year at CloudRaft.
Before joining CloudRaft, I had spent a few years working at one of the largest MNC, a global leader in IT services, where I built a strong foundation in my career and gained valuable experience. Moving to CloudRaft was a new chapter for me, with a different work culture, a smaller team, and new opportunities to learn.
When I joined, I was excited about the opportunity but didn’t really know what the year ahead would look like. Looking back now, it has been a year full of learning, new experiences, challenges, and most importantly, growth.
Discovering a new place
After a few years at my previous company, I was looking for an opportunity where I could take on more responsibility, work on different kinds of problems, and continue learning beyond what I was already comfortable with.
That's when I came across CloudRaft. What attracted me was the opportunity to work in a smaller team where I could have more ownership and exposure to different areas. I felt it would give me the chance to learn faster, take on new challenges, and grow in a different kind of environment.
The interview process also gave me a good first impression of the company. The conversations were comfortable and focused not only on my existing experience and technical knowledge, but also on how I approach problems and my willingness to learn.
Looking back, that turned out to be a good introduction to the kind of culture I would experience after joining.
Transitioning from a large company to a small team
Moving from large team to a smaller team at CloudRaft was quite a change, especially in terms of work culture. At a large MNC, work is generally more structured, with defined roles, processes, and different teams handling different parts of a project. At CloudRaft, I found the environment more collaborative and flexible, flat hierarchy, with more opportunities to work closely with teammates and take ownership of different things and gain direct visibility across the company.
The team interactions were also quite different. Earlier, I didn’t get many opportunities to regularly connect with teammates through fun activities or informal sessions. At CloudRaft, there is more focus on spending time together outside of regular work through Fun Fridays, games, festival celebrations, and leisure trips. These activities make it easier to get to know your teammates beyond work and build stronger connections.
Overall, moving to a smaller team gave me more opportunities to contribute, learn from others, and be involved in different aspects of work as well as team life. It was a change I really enjoyed and one that played a big part in making my first year memorable.
Work and growth
New opportunities
One of the things I really appreciate here is the number of opportunities I’ve been given to learn and grow.
I've had the chance to work on different kinds of tasks and explore areas that were new to me. What I especially value is that I've also been given opportunities to work on areas where I wasn't very strong.
Instead of staying within what I already knew, I was encouraged to step outside my comfort zone, learn something new, and improve along the way. This has helped me grow not just in terms of technical skills, but also in confidence.
Learning from challenges
Not everything is easy when you work on something new, and there have definitely been situations where I had to spend more time understanding a problem or learning something from scratch.
But those experiences have been some of the most valuable ones for me. They have taught me to be more comfortable with uncertainty, ask questions, research, and figure things out.
Over time, I've become more comfortable taking up something unfamiliar and learning along the way instead of waiting until I know everything before getting started.
Beyond my role
Another thing I've really enjoyed is that my role has not been limited to my day-to-day responsibilities as an SRE. I've had opportunities to contribute to different aspects of CloudRaft and be involved in things beyond my regular project work.
This includes participating in interviews and the hiring process, being part of the POSH committee, and contributing to different initiatives within the organisation. These opportunities have given me a chance to interact with people across different areas and understand more about how the organisation works.
Being involved in these activities has also helped me develop skills beyond my technical role, especially communication, collaboration, and decision-making. It has made me feel more involved in building CloudRaft and has been an important part of my overall experience this year.
People
Learning together
The people I work with have been one of the best parts of my journey here.
Everyone is quite open about sharing what they are learning, whether it's something new they have explored or something they have worked on before. Whenever I'm working on something new and get stuck, I know I can reach out to someone who may have faced a similar problem before.
What I really appreciate is that people are always willing to help without making you feel like you're asking a silly question. At the same time, these conversations often turn into opportunities to learn something new from each other.
Over time, I've realised that having people around you who are willing to share their knowledge and support each other makes a huge difference. It makes it easier to try new things, ask questions, and keep learning.
Guidance and support
One thing I've really valued during this year is the guidance and support I’ve received from my manager.
There has always been encouragement to take up new challenges, step outside my comfort zone, and work on areas where I want to improve. I’ve also been encouraged to explore new areas based on my interests rather than limiting myself to what I already know.
Having someone who pushes you to do more while also being there to support you when you need it has helped me become more confident in taking on new challenges. This has played an important role in my growth over the past year.
Support
The HR team has been another important part of my experience.
Communication with the HR team is very easy, and I feel comfortable reaching out whenever there is something I want to discuss. Whether it is a concern, a problem, or simply something I want to share, there is always an open channel of communication.
We also have regular HR connects where we can talk about our work-life balance and any challenges we may be facing. I really appreciate having a space where we can openly share what is on our mind and know that we are being heard.
Regular 1:1s
Regular 1:1s with my manager are something I really value. They give me dedicated time to step away from the usual day-to-day work and have an open conversation.
We talk about how things are going, what I’m currently working on, and anything I may need help with. It is also a good time to discuss things I’m interested in or would like to explore in the future.
I think having these regular conversations makes it easier to stay connected, share what’s on my mind, and make sure I’m moving in the right direction.
Beyond work
Fun Fridays
One of my favourite things here has to be Fun Fridays.
It's a nice break from our regular work and gives everyone a chance to chat, interact, and have some fun together. We’ve played games like Scribbles, Smash Karts, and Sequence, and some of the games have definitely brought out our competitive side!
I really enjoy these sessions because they give us an opportunity to interact with teammates beyond our regular work.
Celebrating together
We frequently come together virtually to celebrate different festivals and occasions.
These activities may seem small, but they give us a chance to connect with each other, learn a little about everyone's celebrations, and have some fun together. I think these moments play an important role in building team bonding.
Offsites
Along with our regular fun activities, we also get opportunities to spend time together through offsite.
Our last trip was to Goa, and it was a lot of fun! We got to spend time together outside of our usual work environment, enjoy the beaches, take part in team activities, and play games together.
Of course, good food was also a big part of the trip! 😄
It was a great opportunity to relax, have fun, and get to know our teammates better outside of work. These experiences create memories that go beyond our regular work and bring the team closer together.
Recognition
Player of the Month
Another thing that keeps me motivated is recognition for good work.
The Player of the Month is one such initiative where exceptional contributions are appreciated. Being recognized for your work feels great, but more importantly, it motivates you to keep learning, improving, and doing better.
I’ve personally found that appreciation can go a long way in encouraging people to keep pushing themselves.
Looking back
After one year, what stands out to me the most is not one particular project or one particular achievement.
It is the combination of all these experiences, getting opportunities to work on different things, learning from teammates, being encouraged by my manager, having an approachable HR team, and having a culture where we can work hard and still take time to have fun together.
This year has helped me grow both professionally and personally, and I'm grateful for the people and opportunities that have been part of this journey.
One year down, and looking forward to everything that comes next! 🚀
We are looking for talented peers as we grow. Reach out to me or our talent team or apply directly through our careers page.
