Aman has spent the last decade working on large-scale technology products for some of the world’s most premier consulting companies like ThougthWorks, FIS, and TCS. As a Lead Consultant at Fabric, Aman enjoys working on complex problems and leveraging agile methodologies to drive outcomes for our customers.
I am a Lead Consultant at Fabric, I help clients implement intricate business requirements into simple and evolutionary software applications and guide delivery teams in adopting development practices like TDD and SAFe agile. I often work on new project discoveries which involve decoding legacy software and then coming up with clean and contemporary architectures.
After graduating with a technology degree in 2014, I worked as a backend developer on large-scale enterprise projects at a large IT services company in India. Later, I moved to a fintech multinational where I led a global team to build financial products serving top-tier financial institutions. I then spent valuable time at ThoughtWorks before Fabric found me and I decided to join the team here.
So, my first few interactions with Fabric were with ex-Thoughtworkers so there was a lot of familiarity from the get-go. Also, moving to Australia was on my mind at the time since my partner was already pursuing higher studies here.
Importantly, each interaction with the team at Fabric was great, I was able to get articulate answers about ways of working, the role and growth prospects here. The team here had the experience and a well-defined process to help me move to Australia. The vibe was always very good and I found that very inviting.
At my first employer, I was part of a larger group of new hires - young graduates who were assigned to various projects. Some of us, including myself, were assigned to a large team with around 200 people, working on a multimillion-dollar project. Others were assigned to smaller projects. Initially, I was excited and anticipated that there would be a lot to learn in the larger project. However, over time, I realized that larger teams were mostly chaotic and that those in smaller teams were actually learning the most from their projects.
I learned something very early in my career, working in smaller teams offers greater visibility and growth prospects than in larger groups. In fact, the right term for the teams that I prefer working with now is ‘right-sized’ and not small. Fabric's ‘right-sized’ team has proven to be a major advantage, as the projects we undertake are high-impact and provide significant value to our clients. Moreover, I have the opportunity to collaborate closely with extremely talented colleagues and customers, which facilitates rapid progress.
"Fabric's ‘right-sized’ team has proven to be a major advantage, as the projects we undertake are high-impact and provide significant value to our clients. - Aman Sabir"
Firstly, It isn’t easy but if you have support from your employer like I had with Fabric, it truly helps. COVID-19 made the process slower but in about 10 months the process was complete. For comparison, it typically takes a couple of months for such approvals. In fact, I have seen people get their visa in 30 days or less too. Since my visa application was of a different nature, the HR team at Fabric was very accommodating and supported me throughout the process with timely updates and ad-hoc changes to my application.
Second, I was happy to see that while offshore with Fabric I was doing some meaningful work while waiting for paperwork to go through. I know organisations where off-shore offices get redundant or repetitive work because on-shore teams tend to push these tasks to off-shore teams. At Fabric, the quality and impact my work has are the same whether I am here in Melbourne or at our off-shore office in Pune.
Finally, the relocation process was relatively straightforward. I appreciate the support I received during the settling-in period. Being able to meet peers in person and have face-to-face discussions made me feel more in control of the outcomes I was tasked to deliver. Although the paperwork took some time, it was worth it since it helped me adjust to my new role. As a result, the transition was seamless when I arrived.
Fabric has been spot on with its commitments as an employer. Be it movement to Australia, finding the right project or performance-driven promotion, Fabric has been living up to the promises made ever since the first interaction.
I strongly believe that for application developers who are highly technical and wish to remain in their field, perspective is crucial. Seeking roles that offer opportunities to work with modern design patterns, tackle complex problems, and build cutting-edge solutions should be the top priority.
Moving to a different country comes next, if you’re keen, pick a country that has a path for permanent residency. It is true that I had other personal reasons to pick Australia but coincidentally my experience with moving here has been great and I think Australia tops the list of countries for professionals like me to move to and seek growth.
"Seeking roles that offer opportunities to work with modern design patterns, tackle complex problems, and build cutting-edge solutions should be the top priority. - Aman Sabir"
It is important to find the right combination of these factors to achieve a fulfilling work experience. If you add work-life balance to the list, you will realise how much better Australia is. At my previous employer stress levels were high and long working hours were common, on the contrary, Australia has laws and a culture that supports work-life balance.
Finally, it is important to find an employer that can offer you a combination that works for you. For me, Australia and Fabric helped me find the right balance. I knew I would be permanently settled here after some time, and now, after just one year, I am working on some really engaging projects and working on delivering real value to our customers which has also been a great learning experience. There are also endless opportunities for growth and mentorship, even for senior roles, and I am mentoring people at one of the biggest companies in Australia. Furthermore, I have talented people guiding me as well. All this without sacrificing my work-life balance.
