Profile Pic

I was back to my desk after having a quick coffee and was checking the updates on the intranet. Apart from the organizational announcements and rewards and recognitions, I came across a paragraph on the left corner asking employees to share their career journey experiences. It was well worded and appealing. I read it, smiled and moved ahead. Then I was back checking emails and started working on routine tasks and by the end of the day, I had almost forgotten about what I had read about sharing career experiences on intranet.

The next day when I was again on intranet to find some work related information, I came across the same update. This time I checked the details and many seniors in the company had shared their career experiences. Those were great articles. Very inspiring and honest. This made me think about my own journey but still could not pen down anything. I had intentions only to write for myself (as I always did) without wanting to share with others.

The thought was whirling in my mind when I was travelling home and my subconscious mind was somewhere urging to write but the thoughts were scattered all around the place. Suddenly after dinner when I was putting my daughter to sleep, thoughts started dancing in my mind. Unlike always, this time I made a conscious effort, took a paper and a pencil and started jotting down points and literally scribbling words up and down.

The next day morning that was my blueprint. I elaborated all the raw thoughts and weaved them in a journey that made sense! This time I also attempted to share it with the world. I hesitantly sent it to the team in-charged without letting anyone know in the office and asked for their feedback as it was the first time I had written something and share it in the office which was not work related. They liked the article and though the deadline had passed they happily asked me to post it on intranet. Ah! The lady replying explained to me how to post it but I requested her to do so.

After some time, she asked for my pic as she needed the employee’s pic along with the article. Oh my my…Another struggle started. I never click solo pics. I do not have a solo profile pic on my WhatsApp profile as well. I am bad with selfies also. I searched my entire phone gallery and could not find anything that was fit for the criteria. My phone gallery was full of my daughter and husband’s pics & relatives and friends’ pics. They needed a solo pic which was front-facing and a close up of face!

I tried to crop from a few group pics but none worked. The photos on the pan card and passport were like stories starting with “Long long ago…..”.  The hunt for my own pic was a bigger challenge than writing that article. I then realized that I sincerely didn’t have solo pics. I didn’t want a sad or a plain pic in front of the article that I had written with so much passion. Finally, I found one which was with my friend and I cropped it and requested the team to someone manage with that pic as I was not even ready to click one immediately in the office.

I suddenly understood the importance of having profile pics. On my immediate next trip with my friends, I asked my friend to click my solo pic and she had her jaw wide open hearing this! I always wondered how people can change profile pics on WhatsApp every day and thought it was a waste. Now I know that, had they been in my position, they would have had options and choices to select and give the best one to compliment the article or their work.

After WhatsApp, this was my first instinct with social media (though internal social media restricted only to the office) and people liked and commented on my article. Initially, I struggled to reply but eventually learned it. It was great to see so many people replying including the seniors, friends, known and unknown colleagues.

In my first instinct with social media, I realized that the “profile pic” is equally important than the content and the comments and yes, this reminds me that I am yet to add a profile pic to my Storymirror profile!