NHHI Hiring Spotlight – Ragini Jain

Tell us about yourself.

I am an ambitious career woman, the spouse of a researcher, and the mother of a beautiful daughter. My spouse and I both wanted to explore the world, so I took a leap of faith and became a trailing spouse. I quit my permanent job, so my spouse could live his dream of working with the best brains in his field. While he was living his dream, I also boosted my career prospects, earned a second master’s degree, and secured professional opportunities while living in Singapore and Sweden.

In October 2020, my husband got an offer from Yale, and in April 2021, we arrived in New Haven. We reside in the East Rock area, which is a diversified and inclusive neighborhood. When I am not working, I love to bake, paint, explore new parks and cafes, and spend time with my toddler, “Bodhi.” I also love traveling and have visited India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, London, Bath, Birmingham, Gloucester, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, France, and a few places in the United States. I am working on upcoming trips to Canada (Niagara Falls), Missouri, and New Mexico.

My lived experiences have given me great insight into how cultural differences color peoples’ attitudes and behaviors. My exposure has prepared me to work in an international community with people of all socio-economic backgrounds.

Tell us about your job search experience.

I worked as a compliance professional for over five years. After relocating to the US, I worked as a tax consultant with H&R Block in New Haven. It was a seasonal job, so my job-searching journey was not over. I received calls for interviews from big banks, legal firms, and multinational corporations, but they all wanted me to travel. Being a new mom, it was not my first choice to commute, so I decided to focus on employment in New Haven, especially at Yale. I applied for more than one hundred positions at Yale. I started in a temporary assignment in Political Science as an undergraduate registrar. Later, I worked in another temporary job with Global Health before securing my regular position in Engineering.

My job search journey was not easy, as I was struggling with my personal and professional life at the same time. Coronavirus, a tough pregnancy, two international moves, and the loss of two family members within ten months impacted my career and mental health and shook me from the inside out.

My NHW job coach was incredibly helpful during this time. She was flexible and supportive. She was keenly aware that I was the mom of a toddler, so she would meet me at 7:30 am or before to make sure we could work on applications. This was greatly appreciated! She also knew I was applying for numerous jobs and tracked all my applications. She was a good critic as well.

Tell us about your current roles at Yale.

I work in the Office of the Graduate Registrar of Computer Science and Chemical & Environment Engineering. I play a critical role in the department’s academic operations by effectively providing oversight and management for the maintenance and integrity of all student academic records, all areas of student registration, and the recording and reporting of grades, transcript evaluations, information reporting, compliance with FERPA regulations, required audits of student enrollment, and the establishment and maintenance of processes for the equitable and consistent administration of policies and procedures as they relate to academic recordkeeping. I leverage best practices to provide a student-centered approach, emphasizing exemplary service to all constituents.

What advice do you have for other job seekers?

Please join New Haven Works to get help with your job search.

Job searching is a very intense process that brings out many emotions; some days, you are happy as your resume is accepted and you get interview calls. Others might be noticeably quiet or full of rejection emails. It is hard to keep yourself motivated. I used to meet with my job coach every week. Meeting with her kept me motivated and helped me push myself from my comfort zone.

What is next for you?

I want to join the Future Leaders of Yale and Working Women’s Network affinity groups to develop and strengthen my long-term career opportunities. Currently, I am working on mastering my technical skills in Workday, Jaspersoft, Slate, and Salesforce.