Three questions with a talent acquisition specialist at Bain on identity and resilience
Three questions with a talent acquisition specialist at Bain on identity and resilience
How perseverance and cultural identity shaped one professional’s journey to Bain
Naqiyah Sohagpurwalla, a talent acquisition sourcing specialist at Bain & Company’s London office, shares her journey of resilience, cultural identity, and persistence. Coming from a traditional background, Naqiyah’s path to Bain was anything but typical. In this Q&A, discover how she embraced challenges and turned them into career-defining moments.
1. How did your background shape your education?
My mother is from Yemen and my father is from India. Born into a strong cultural heritage where early marriage was praised, I found myself drawn to a different path: education.
As a child, I was keen on education but, unfortunately, was labelled as mischievous. Things changed when I met Zainab and Munira, who were dedicated students and encouraged me to study. Through their influence, I committed myself to learning, pushing past obstacles, and enjoying the fruits of my labours.
2. How did your family support your educational journey?
I am very close to my family, and their views hold great significance to me. Persuading them to support my journey was tough. Even though I had support from my siblings and best friends Sushank and Zeenia, I longed for my parents to stand beside me and share my dream. And though they had never seen a woman break from tradition to pursue higher education, I held onto hope, and slowly saw change.
My parents gradually accepted the force of my ambition as they saw me transcend from Jai Hind College to the London School of Economics, moving on to a Master's in Industrial Psychology in Mumbai and another in Human Resources from California, becoming the first in my family to hold a post-graduation degree. These achievements have swelled my parents with such pride that it's palpable every time they speak of me.
3. What led you to a career at Bain?
I worked for a startup where they needed to build their strategy teams. Through my research and understanding of the strategy consulting world, I became familiar with Bain. A company known for its exceptional people and their commitment to excellence echoed my own ethos.
After getting married, I relocated to the UK to be with my husband and his family and noticed that Bain was recruiting, and I submitted my application. To my surprise, I received a phone call and was eventually offered a position at my dream company.
So here I am, standing shoulder to shoulder with resilience. I'm rich in the love of my multinational family, and I'm still pursuing my passion — now with Bain, my dream company. I've come to understand what resilience truly means: it's about how you react to adversity, how you rise from the ashes, and how faithfully you keep aiming for your stars. Remember, you hold the compass to your destiny—it's your journey, own it.
