Employee Profile – Samkit Siyal – Finding new opportunities wherever he goes

When Samkit Siyal graduated from Rutgers University in 2021, he anticipated pursuing a career in theater. However, Optima recognized qualities in Samkit that led them to offer him a different opportunity. Reflecting on this unexpected shift, Samkit shares, “At no point in those years did I imagine working in Financial Operations, but I am so glad my life led me this way.”

Before joining Optima, Samkit worked in a role where he consistently interacted with vendors as a Company Manager. While there was no direct overlap with his current role, the soft skills he gained in this role prepared him for the future work he would do with Optima. However, when Samkit joined Optima as an Operations Analyst for a key contract, he had to ramp up his knowledge. Fortunately, Optima leadership, as well as the hiring manager, were both instrumental in helping him gain the knowledge he needed to be successful.

Samkit recalls his interview process as a valuable learning experience in itself, stating, “I had a three-step interview process and actually learned during that process, which is what helped me get the position, something I later found out from the hiring manager.” Reflecting on his early days at Optima, Samkit remembers investing significant time and effort into tasks such as building Excel sheets—tasks that would later become much more efficient. He attributes this growth, in part, to the guidance of his Team Lead, who not only helped him better understand Excel but also provided ongoing feedback that supported his continuous improvement. Today, Samkit especially enjoys the “problem solving element” of his job. “When creating new automations, I treat them like a logic puzzle. I enjoy being able to creatively make solutions to problems my colleagues are having.”

When Samkit is not immersed in project work, he enjoys unwinding by engaging in his favorite pastime: gaming. Whether playing a simple sports video game or delving into a story-driven RPG alone, Samkit describes himself as an “avid gamer.” In addition to video games, he regularly participates in tabletop roleplaying games with friends, a hobby that has proven both rewarding and fun. “(My friends and I) have been running a game together since 2022, which has been very rewarding and fun.”

Reflecting on what the future holds, as Samkit mentioned, he never expected to move into financial operations from his bachelor’s degree in Theater from Rutgers University, but is grateful for the opportunity that Optima provided to him to make a difference, obtain new skillsets, and grow his career. “I don’t have a concrete answer to (what the future holds),” said Samkit. “I am happy to find my next step where the winds take me.”