In Part 1 of our conversation with Rushikesh Kulkarni, we explored his UPSC journey, the emotional resilience it demanded, and how he eventually made peace with stepping away from the exam. In this second part, the conversation moves beyond UPSC and into what came next.
Rushikesh shares how he accidentally discovered Human Resources, why corporate life initially felt uncomfortable, the surprising ways UPSC preparation translated into workplace success, and what aspiring HR professionals, career changers and even experienced professionals can learn from his journey.
He also offers a candid perspective on AI, layoffs, transferable skills, impact over titles, and why experimenting with your career doesn’t always mean you’ve lost your way.
Q&A with Rushikesh Kulkarni
1. After stepping away from UPSC, how did you find your way into HR? Was it a deliberate choice or something that emerged through experimentation?
Missing the UPSC final list by just 0.7 marks forced me to rethink my future. I wanted financial stability, a structured routine to continue preparing, and a career that would still be meaningful if UPSC didn’t work out. Initially, I planned to study Urban Governance at TISS, but a friend reminded me that I should choose a degree for my life, not for an exam. That shifted my perspective. I chose HR, cleared the entrance largely because of my UPSC preparation, and once I joined TISS, Professor Mulla encouraged me to commit fully. From that moment, HR stopped being a backup plan and became my career.
2. Moving from the idea of public service into the corporate world must have been a huge shift. Did you have any hesitation?
Absolutely. I never imagined myself working in glass offices and boardrooms, and even today I sometimes feel like I don’t naturally belong there. My motivation had always been public service, so the corporate world felt unfamiliar. What made the transition easier was realizing that HR is also about serving people. You influence careers, solve workplace challenges, support employees and improve organizations. That sense of purpose aligned with what had drawn me to UPSC in the first place. The corporate environment was different, but the opportunity to create a positive impact made the transition worthwhile.
3. Many UPSC aspirants worry that years of preparation won’t count for anything outside the exam. Looking back, what skills proved surprisingly valuable in your corporate career?
The biggest misconception is that UPSC preparation is wasted if you don’t clear the exam. In reality, it develops skills that employers value. You become comfortable with uncertainty because UPSC constantly tests you in unpredictable ways. You build resilience by learning to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward. You also develop the ability to absorb large amounts of information quickly, prioritize what matters and make decisions with limited data. Those abilities translate directly into the corporate world, where change is constant. UPSC may not always give you a government job, but it gives you capabilities that stay with you for life.
4. You also ran Break Free Journeys before entering HR. How did that entrepreneurial experience shape your career?
Running Break Free Journeys became one of my greatest professional advantages, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. During campus placements, many recruiters focused only on the number of years of experience and overlooked my profile. But once I got into interviews, most of the conversations revolved around what I had learned through entrepreneurship. Managing customers taught me resilience, empathy and how to accept feedback without taking it personally. Coordinating vendors strengthened my communication and execution skills. Those lessons helped me create an immediate impact when I started my HR career because people management is, at its core, about listening, collaborating and solving problems.
5. HR often feels like a vague or misunderstood profession. What does a typical day as an HR Business Partner actually look like?
An HR Business Partner works across the entire employee lifecycle. Some responsibilities follow a yearly cycle, like performance reviews, salary revisions, surveys and promotions. Alongside that, every day brings new challenges—supporting managers, resolving employee concerns, planning hiring needs, coordinating with learning and development teams, analysing attrition and helping leadership make workforce decisions. HR is constantly balancing business goals with employee wellbeing. It’s a collaborative role that involves working closely with specialist HR teams, business leaders and employees to ensure the organisation functions effectively while creating a positive workplace experience.
6. For someone considering HR as a career, what’s the best way to know if it’s the right fit?
The simplest way is to experience it firsthand. Internships are a great starting point because they give you exposure to the profession before making a long-term commitment. Talking to HR professionals also helps you understand the realities of the role. One thing many people don’t realize is that HR is largely a support function—you work behind the scenes to help others succeed rather than being in the spotlight. If that appeals to you, HR can be incredibly fulfilling. For working professionals, internal projects, employee resource groups and eventually a specialised HR qualification can also provide a pathway into the field.
7. We’re in a time of layoffs, hiring freezes and uncertainty. As an HR professional, what are you seeing on the ground?
AI is reshaping the workplace faster than many people expected. The professionals who are staying ahead are those who continuously upgrade their skills and learn how to use new tools to create greater value. At the same time, organizations are becoming more thoughtful about workforce planning instead of over-hiring and reacting with layoffs later. Performance is also becoming increasingly important, so consistently contributing and learning is essential. For individuals, the focus should be on adaptability, continuous learning and embracing change rather than resisting it. Those who evolve with the market will continue to find opportunities.
8. You describe yourself as someone who is still figuring it out. In a world focused on titles and status, how do you stay grounded?
I’ve always been driven more by impact than by titles. That was the reason I pursued UPSC, and it’s still what motivates me today. Whether my designation changes from one organization to another doesn’t matter as much as whether I’m making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Through HR, I get to influence careers, solve workplace challenges and improve people’s experience at work. As long as I’m contributing positively and living up to my potential, everything else becomes secondary. For me, purpose has always been a better measure of success than position.
9. Is it important to explore multiple career paths before finding the right one?
There’s no single formula that works for everyone. Some people discover their calling early and build successful careers without changing direction, while others learn through experimentation. I believe in the idea of being open to multiple possibilities because today’s world offers far more flexibility than before. Career transitions are increasingly common, and many people successfully reinvent themselves. At the same time, experimentation comes with costs, so it’s important to be honest about your circumstances, responsibilities and appetite for risk. Explore when it makes sense, but always balance curiosity with practicality.
10. Any myth about HR or the private sector that you think needs to be challenged?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that HR doesn’t do much. In reality, most HR professionals work quietly behind the scenes to keep organizations running smoothly. They support employees, partner with business leaders, manage complex people challenges and help organizations navigate change. Because much of this work isn’t highly visible, it’s often misunderstood. I believe HR professionals should do a better job of sharing what their role actually involves, because it’s far more strategic and impactful than many people assume.
11. Finally, what advice would you give to people trying to pivot careers, enter today’s job market or those still pursuing UPSC?
Whatever path you choose, approach it with a beginner’s mindset. Focus on mastering the tools of your profession, keep learning and never hesitate to ask for help. Most people are more willing to support you than you think. For UPSC aspirants, continue only if you genuinely have the motivation to keep fighting—not simply because you’ve already invested years into it. Don’t let sunk cost make your decisions. If you choose another path, remember that there are countless opportunities to create meaningful work beyond UPSC. Trust the process, improve where necessary and commit fully to whichever direction you choose.
Key Learnings
Career Decisions Should Support Your Life
After narrowly missing the UPSC cut-off, Rushikesh realised that career decisions should support financial stability, personal growth and long-term fulfilment—not just a single goal. Choosing HR allowed him to continue creating meaningful impact.
Skills Never Go to Waste
Years of UPSC preparation helped him crack the TISS entrance exam and later succeed in HR. Resilience, analytical thinking, adaptability and learning agility proved valuable far beyond the exam.
Commit Fully Once You Choose
A mentor at TISS reminded him that if you’re playing the game, play to win. Once he chose HR, he stopped treating it as a backup and committed wholeheartedly to the profession.
Purpose Matters More Than Titles
Whether through UPSC, entrepreneurship or HR, his focus has always been creating positive impact. Job titles may change, but meaningful work brings lasting fulfilment.
Entrepreneurship Builds Career Skills
Running BreakFree Journeys strengthened customer empathy, communication, execution and stakeholder management—skills that became invaluable throughout his corporate career.
HR Goes Beyond Recruitment
HR Business Partners support employee growth, business strategy, performance, culture and organisational success—not just hiring.
Explore Careers Before You Commit
Before investing in a specialised degree, gain practical exposure through internships, conversations and real-world projects to understand if the career truly fits.
Keep Learning to Stay Relevant
As AI transforms the workplace, professionals who continuously learn, adapt and embrace new tools will remain valuable.
Maintain a Beginner’s Mindset
Career growth comes faster when you’re willing to ask questions, seek guidance and keep learning.
Know When to Persist or Pivot
Keep pursuing your goal only if you still believe in it. If not, remember there are many other meaningful careers where your skills can make a real impact.
Rushikesh Ganesh Kulkarni is an HR Business Partner with experience across leading organisations including Samsung, Pine Labs and CleverTap. Before entering the corporate world, he spent several years preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination while also building Break Free Journeys, an experiential travel initiative. His unconventional journey from civil services aspirant to HR leader has given him a unique perspective on career transitions, resilience and finding purpose through impact. He regularly shares his reflections on careers, leadership and personal growth through his blog CommonLogues and on LinkedIn, where he writes about navigating work and life with curiosity and intention.
