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Your guided tour of the blog — based on where you actually are right now.

Welcome — I'm Arvind Kumar, and this blog is where I share what 15 years in Indian tech (production support to Devops/SRE to platform engineering) has taught me about careers, interviews, salaries, and the hard transitions in between.

You're probably here because something specific brought you — you're job searching, you just got laid off, you're overwhelmed at work, you're wondering if you should switch specialisations. The blog has 30+ posts covering all of it, but the most useful path through them depends on where you are right now.

Pick the section below that matches your current situation. Each has 4–5 posts I'd recommend reading in that order.
Path 2

If You Want a Promotion at Your Current Job

You've been in your role for a while and know you're ready for the next level — but not sure how to make it happen without waiting years for someone else to notice.

  1. 1. The 30-60-90 Day Plan for a New Role If you're new-ish, this shapes how you're perceived for the next 900 days.
  2. 2. Personal Branding for DevOps and SRE Engineers How to build internal visibility deliberately, not accidentally.
  3. 3. Year-End Appraisal Guide — The Complete Playbook How to translate your work into appraisal language and navigate calibration.
  4. 4. Upskilling for Career Growth — What to Learn When You're Working Full Time The 5-hours-per-week plan and the exact script to get your employer to fund it.
  5. 5. Timing Is Everything — When to Push for the Next Step The 12 signals that tell you whether to push for promotion or wait.
Path 3

If You Just Got Laid Off (Or Are About To)

Whether the notice was 30 days, immediate, or you're reading the writing on the wall — this path is designed to help you stabilise emotionally, financially, and professionally, in that order.

  1. 1. Laid Off with 30 Days' Notice — The Honest Survival Guide My own layoff story (Sept 2024) and the 11-step India-specific action plan.
  2. 2. Tech Job Market in India 2026 — What's Actually Happening Understand the landscape before applying anywhere. Where the jobs actually are right now.
  3. 3. LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Engineers The 90-minute refresh that gets you noticed by recruiters in 2-4 weeks.
  4. 4. ATS-Friendly Resume Tips The formatting and keyword strategy that gets past automated screening.
  5. 5. 10 Proven Job Search Strategies The 12-week structured plan when you need to move fast but move smart.
  6. 6. Emotional Intelligence in Job Search The emotional side nobody writes about — but everyone experiences.
Path 4

If You're Switching Specialisations or Roles

You're pivoting — from support to DevOps, from testing to data analysis, from IT services to a product company, or from engineering to management. This path covers the transition itself and the specialisations worth choosing.

  1. 1. SRE vs DevOps vs Platform Engineering — Which Career Path? The honest comparison from someone who's worked across all three roles.
  2. 2. Career Switch to DevOps Engineer — The Real Roadmap Written from my own transition. What worked, what didn't, and the honest timeline.
  3. 3. Data Analyst Career Switch — Is It Right for You? The honest pros, cons, salary expectations, and 6-month learning path.
  4. 4. Upskilling for Career Growth Certifications, tools, and the 5-hours-per-week plan for career switchers.
  5. 5. Interview Strategies for Experienced Professionals Overqualification objections, salary ceiling concerns, and how to reframe your background.
Path 5

If You've Just Started a New Role

You just joined a new company or moved to a new team internally. The first 90 days will shape how people see you for the next 900. This path is about executing that window deliberately.

  1. 1. The 30-60-90 Day Plan for Your First 90 Days Foundation, contribution, influence — with weekly reflection prompts.
  2. 2. Thank You Email After Interview Yes, even after you've joined — for the recruiters and managers who helped you.
  3. 3. Personal Branding for DevOps and SRE Engineers Start building visibility from day one, not from month 12.
  4. 4. Work-From-Home Era — The Playbook If you're joining remote or hybrid, the practical setup and routines that matter.
  5. 5. Work-Life Balance for IT Professionals Set boundaries before they become burnout. Especially critical in the first 90 days.
Path 6

If You Want to Build Your Personal Brand

You want to be visible in your field — for future opportunities, for internal recognition, or just to build a professional presence that opens doors. This path covers the platforms and practices that work in 2026.

  1. 1. LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Engineers Section-by-section formula with before/after examples and 90-minute refresh plan.
  2. 2. Personal Branding for DevOps and SRE Engineers 10 honest strategies including the introvert's path to visibility.
  3. 3. Personal Branding for IT Professionals — The Introvert's Guide If you hate self-promotion, this is your version — the quiet path to visibility.
  4. 4. Stop Chasing AI Buzzwords — What Employers Actually Want The 10 real capabilities employers value beyond LinkedIn buzzwords.
  5. 5. Cover Letter Tips That Actually Get Read If your brand includes writing, this is where it shows up first.
Path 7

If You're Overwhelmed, Burnt Out, or Considering Quitting

You're not sure if the problem is your job, your role, or your industry. Before making any big decisions, work through this path to figure out what's actually broken and what's fixable.

  1. 1. Work-Life Balance for IT Professionals What 15 years of on-call rotations taught me. Practical boundaries that hold.
  2. 2. Timing Is Everything — Is It Time to Leave? The 12 signals that tell you whether to fix your current situation or leave.
  3. 3. Emotional Intelligence in Job Search Making career decisions when your energy is low — the honest guide.
  4. 4. How to Negotiate a Counter Offer If you're getting external offers — what actually improves the situation vs what doesn't.
  5. 5. Midlife Career Change — The Honest Playbook If the answer is a bigger change, this is the framework.
Path 8

If You're Mid-Career and Wondering What's Next

You've been at this 8+ years. The work is fine, the pay is fine, but you're wondering where the next 10 years should go. Manager track? Specialist track? Different domain? This path helps you think it through.

  1. 1. Midlife Career Change — The Honest Playbook Real stories from 35+ professionals who pivoted successfully.
  2. 2. SRE vs DevOps vs Platform Engineering If you're in infrastructure, this covers the specialisation choices.
  3. 3. Tech Job Market in India 2026 Where the paths lead in Indian tech right now, with real salary and hiring data.
  4. 4. Interview Strategies for Seasoned Professionals If a move is on the table, how experienced engineers actually should interview.
  5. 5. Personal Branding for DevOps and SRE Engineers Whatever direction you choose, visibility compounds. Start now.

Didn't Find Your Situation Here?

The paths above cover the most common places engineers are in their careers — but yours might be different. If you have a question or a specific situation you'd like written about, I'd genuinely like to hear it.

Reach me via the contact page or on LinkedIn. Real questions from readers often become the best future posts.

— Arvind Kumar, Bangalore

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