Deloitte

Business Analyst

Re-Defined

Re-Defined is non-profit started in 1.5 yrs ago with the goal of empowering people from marginalized communities especially BIPOC community and international students. The main ways in which we hope to empower the youth is via provision of access to education, opportunities and necessary resources.

We have impacted 30,000 people across 5 countries and 20 regions include Canada, India, Ghana and Uganda and Pakistan, hosted 45+ events catering to 10,000+ attendees for a community of 50,000+ international students across Canada in 4 cities

We give them the tools and resources so that they can advocate for themselves and become CAREER-READY & LIFE-READY

Founder & CEO

Jack.org

2XTEDX Speaker

Motivational Speaker

One Young World

One of the youngest women of south Asian representation, representing Canada at the One Young World (OYW)’23 in Ireland

OYW Ambassador: Top 2 impact professionals from Deloitte Canada

United Nations Foundation

Director Board of Directors, Ahmedabad Coalition | Girl Up Campaign

YOUTHTOPIA

Circle of Youth Member

Teenvisor

Director Board of Directors

SPEAK TO UPLIFT

Co-Founder

UBC School of Kinesiology

•Organizing one of the first-ever Kinesiology case competitions with the hope of equipping students from non-traditional backgrounds with business knowledge and analytical skills
•Formed collaborations with different clubs across campus including toastmasters and Sauder Management Consulting Club
•Includes public speaking training, case analysis workshops and much more
•To be held in March 2022

Project Manager

elemeno

•Increased subscribers by 30% in less than a month through effective integration of existing customer feedback and leveraging social media campaigns
•Conducted around 100 customer and vegan-food producers, restaurants surveys and interviews to reinforce and guide the developmental strategies of meal offers, press releases, and their implementation

Freelance Consultant

My story: I remember struggling to find opportunities coming from a non-traditional educational background. Applying to hundreds of roles wasn't working, and all I would receive are job rejections.

Does this sound like you in your career? 😮

My name is Ritika, and I am a creator, speaker founder, writer and a consultant. I graduated with a Bachelors of Kinesiology from UBC but irrespective of my background in science, I've always strived to work in the top consulting companies and hopefully enable others from non-target schools to do the same. I've had the opportunity to work with multiple startups, non-profits and other companies and seeing thousands of other students hoping to do the same, I wanna help. This is the reason why I post content on this platform.

My goal is "to raise awareness about students specifically international students from non-traditional backgrounds and help them transform into winners". 

There is this quote that my mom says "Keep striving, keep challenging yourself and keep growing because when the desire to develop diminishes, that's when an individual has failed"

🏆 My Highlights:
🙏🏻 Founded a non-profit, called Re-Defined at the age of 21. Helped more than 30,000+ people in 4 countries and 20 regions
🏢 Built a community of 50,000 international students across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram & Whatsapp
✨Won CMC-BC student award for excellence in Management Consulting and Student Excellence in Kinesiology
💪Received the “Women creating an better world” award by the Women Economic Forum (WEF)
🎉Selected as one of the Top 3 people in Canada to be an ambassador at the One Young World Conference (2023)
 🙌🏼 Won Business Leadership Award 2022 and Indian Achiever Award by IAF (Indian Achievers Forum)
✨Featured in magazines including Michigan Times, Study International, Rushhour times, Inforens and many more
🙋🏻 Spoken at 30+ events and conferences as a motivational speaker and a career mentor for international students and students from non-traditional backgrounds 

🌏 Life outside of work
----------------------
👐 I enjoy connecting with new people
🎨I love going to the gym & painting 

If you want to talk about your career, life as an international student and how maybe you can redefine your experiences/career, REACH OUT and FOLLOW ME 

You can learn more about me here: https://linktr.ee/ritikasaraswat and to connect for collaborations, events or brand promotion, you can reach me at redefined.npo@gmail.com or message me on LinkedIn

Let's together re-defined our career trajectories, opportunities & capabilities :)

I graduated university with zero corporate experience — yet I still landed 4 job offers.

And no, it wasn’t because someone referred me.

It was because I built my own proof of concept through relevant experiences, freelance strategy work, and hands-on implementation gigs.

You can do the exact same, but only if you stop waiting for opportunities to appear and start creating them yourself.

Here are 3 actions I recommend:
1. Audit your evidence gaps
Look at your current experiences and identify what proof you're missing.
Which skills don’t you have evidence for yet and in what real-world context do you need to show them?

2. Build a target list of NGOs & startups
Find organizations that have clear gaps or needs you can help solve. Look for places where your skills can genuinely add value.

3. Start reaching out with clarity
Talk to these organizations, validate whether the gaps are real, and then propose how you can support.

Go in with a clear idea of the role, deliverables, outcomes, and what you want to gain from the experience.

These can take the form of unpaid internships, volunteering, freelance projects, or shadowing opportunities, many of which can turn into paid roles once you show value.

When you create your own opportunities, you get to set your own terms:
• how long you want the experience to be
• what you’ll contribute
• what outcomes matter to you (experience, recommendations, introductions, etc.)

Any questions?

P.S: waiting to board my flight for Halifax

Ritika Saraswat

Founder of Re-Defined I Empowered 10K+ students I #1 Mindset & Career Coach I Top Voice I Top 200 Global Women Leaders I I 2xTEDX I 75+ Keynotes I Featured in TimesSquare, CTV, CBC News

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Toronto showed up. Again. ❤️

This weekend, we wrapped up one of our last social of the year- The Immigrant Social 2025 and I’m still processing the amount of love, energy, and belonging that filled the room.

150+ people.
30+ mentors.
15+ companies represented.
One community. One family.

Unlike our typical guided networking or career-focused events, this one was intentionally different.

No structure. No agenda.

Just a space to connect… to celebrate each other… to find friends, mentors, and maybe even someone to spend the holidays with.

And honestly? That’s exactly what happened.

We’re still collecting feedback, but as of today the event is rated 4.8/5, which means the world, especially because this was our first time hosting a social event at this scale.

But more than the numbers, what stayed with me were the moments:
✨ People running into old friends
✨ Newcomers finding mentors within minutes
✨ Groups making Christmas plans together
✨ Students feeling seen, heard, and supported
✨ People from ALL stages of life showing up for each other

When I moved to Canada 7 years ago, I could’ve never imagined this.

A community that grows every month.
A city that shows up not because of me — but because you all bring each other along.

Re-Defined is not “my community.”
It’s our family, built one person at a time, one story at a time, one moment of kindness at a time.

Thank you to every attendee, mentor, volunteer, and partner who continues to believe in this mission.

Your support is the reason we get to keep creating these spaces.

See you in the New Year with even bigger, better, and more intentional Re-Defined events. 

— Ritika

Thank you CHEFS HALL for your support :)

Entepreneur I Helped 10K+ people build their personal brands I #1 Mindset & Career Coach I Top Voice I Top 200 Global Women Leaders I I 2xTEDX I 75+ Keynotes I Featured in TimesSquare, CTV, CBC News

If you’ve applied to 100+ jobs… heard nothing back… and started telling yourself “maybe I’m just not good enough” -READ👇

Because no, the problem isn’t that you lack capability.

The problem is that most international students & newcomers are repeating the same cycle:
You apply → get ghosted → feel discouraged → apply to 20 more roles the same way → get ghosted again → start doubting your worth.

No reflection.

No data.

No change in strategy.

Just hoping for a different outcome with the exact same inputs.

And then you wonder why nothing changes.

Here’s the truth I wish I knew earlier:
👉Rejection isn’t feedback — it’s silence. And silence is not a strategy.

If you want different results, you need a different system.

Here are 3 steps thousands of students in our community have used to turn ghosting into interviews (and yes — even into second chances after an initial rejection):

1️⃣ Follow Up — Visibility > Capability
Most employers don’t even know you exist in the pile.
Send a simple, respectful follow-up:
“Hi ___, I applied for X role on ___. Just checking if there are any updates. Happy to resend my resume.”
This one action has helped countless students land interviews they were initially rejected for.
Why? Because visibility creates access to opportunity.
No visibility = no chance.

2️⃣ If no reply? Go straight to LinkedIn.
Find people who are:
✔️ In that same role
✔️ In that company
✔️ OR someone who literally got hired in your place
Reach out for a 10-minute chat.

Ask them:
What stood out in their application?
What experiences did they highlight?
Can they share their resume format?
What skills did the hiring manager care about most?

This works because you’re learning directly from someone who actually got in — not guessing, not assuming.

3️⃣ Collect Data. Build Evidence. Then Apply.
Talk to enough people until you know:
➡️ What skills employers actually want
➡️ What evidence you’re missing
➡️ What your resume is failing to communicate
➡️ And what to fix before your next application

This turns every rejection into information, not insecurity.

When you do this consistently:
Every “no” becomes a redirection.
Every ghosting becomes data.
Every application becomes 10x stronger.
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Don’t apply blindly. BE INTENTIONAL.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned (and watched thousands of others learn too):
100 skills × 0 visibility = 0 opportunities.

You can be brilliant.
You can be hardworking.
You can have the best intentions.

But if nobody knows, nobody comes.

Over the last few years through Re-Defined, our events, our mentorship programs, and even my own journey, I’ve seen one pattern repeat over and over:

The people who put themselves out there consistently…
get opportunities that others assume are “luck.”

Every time someone in our community started sharing their wins, lessons, failures, experiments, reflections, even the “small” stuff, something shifted.

They became visible.
And visibility creates opportunity.
I’ve lived this myself.

Every time I’ve shared online,whether a story of failing, a moment of clarity, a milestone, or something uncomfortable — it opened doors I didn’t even know existed.

Events.
Partnerships.
Clients.
Speaking gigs.
Mentors.
Friends.
Life-changing rooms.

All because I decided I didn’t want to stay unseen anymore.

So when people ask me:
“Ritika, what else should I be doing?”

I always respond with a gentle but honest question:
👉🏽 Are you truly doing everything in your capacity to move the needle?
Including the uncomfortable things — like posting on LinkedIn?

Because it really comes down to this:
How badly do you want it — and what are you willing to do for it?

If you’re working on something, no matter how early, imperfect, or small it feels, share it.

Your story matters.
Your progress matters.
Your voice matters.

And you never know who’s watching.

I’m 24, and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that…

1. Sometimes I feel like I should “have it all figured out” by now, especially because I run a community, speak at events, and create content that helps others.

2. But the truth is, I still have days where I feel lost, confused, and unsure if I’m even doing enough.
I struggle with rest.
Even when my body slows down, my mind doesn’t.
I keep telling myself there’s more to do, more to achieve, more to fix — and somehow rest feels like something I need to earn instead of something I deserve.

3. For the longest time, I was scared to put myself out there.
I felt like what I had done wasn’t “enough” to talk about.
I thought I needed bigger results, bigger titles, bigger wins — before anyone would care about my voice.
Looking back, I realize it wasn’t lack of ability… it was lack of confidence.

6. I’ve spent years showing up for everyone else, but sometimes I don’t feel like I have many people I can lean on myself.
Building community is beautiful, but being the one holding everything together can also feel incredibly lonely at times.

7. I put a lot of pressure on myself to provide for my family.
It means everything to me…
but honestly, it wears me down more than I like to admit.
Some days I feel the weight of responsibility more than the joy of achievement.

8. Confidence didn’t just “happen” for me.
It was built through rejection, mistakes, and walking into rooms that terrified me.
And even now, some days I feel like that scared version of me shows up again.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy.

I’m sharing it because someone out there needs to hear it:
You are not behind.
You are not alone.
You are not the only one struggling quietly while trying to look strong.
You’re just human - growing, learning, rebuilding, and doing the best you can with what you have.

And if you ever need a community that understands all of this…
you know where to find us.

As someone who comes from a non-traditional background but made my path into business and tech roles

Here are my 2 recommendations for your if you are currently a college or university student:

1. Unlike what it may feel like sometimes, instead of just chasing roles or jobs, chase FUTURE YOU and your purpose 

And that starts by you defining who FUTURE YOU really is and does and then decide and plan what all you need to be doing today to become that person 

I say this because the vehicle you choose to become future you is something that will and can change over the years

But what really help people stay put besides the changes or the shifts is having clarity about the NORTH STAR

And that comes when you take out time to reflect, realize and define it 

2. And the way you find the vehicle of choice at least initially is by trying diffrent things, roles and capacities while in university, whether with clubs or NGOs or showing or interning 

So, if you are feeling lost, or not sure where to start, try this out and let me know 

It won’t solve everything but will give you clarity of thought and a starting point
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Meet myself and other incredible mentors and leaders on Nov 21st and 29th respectively in Halifax and Toronto:

Halifax:https://luma.com/kab9daxt

Toronto: https://luma.com/pqoe0s2i

We are boarding now…on my way back to Toronto!!!!

Super excited to be speaking today at 4pm at the Datathon event with 300+ attendees with Google Developer Groups (GDG) 
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I also wanted to create a post about to highlight the importance of Intentionality when creating VISBILITY 

And what I mean by that is that you have to be clear on what is it that you are looking to create as outcomes when you post,  who is is it for, what are you trying to do through it, what kind of opportunities do you want people to approach you for etc 

And that is how I have been creating inbound for everything I do whether it’s brand, or public speaking, sponsorships etc isn’t strategically sharing about those opportunities and highlighting that I am someone who has done those things and has done it well before

Which makes it easier for anyone to say YES to you for the opportunities or even approach you for 

So, before you start questioning you and why something is not happening, I want you to ask yourself if you have made it easy for anyone to hire you or approach you for that one type of thing/role whether that is through your linkedln, your posts, the conversations you have etc 

If not, then the opportunity not happening is not because of lack of capability but because of lack of being in front of the right people and being seen in the right way and capacity

I recently invested close to around $3,000 into Creator College 

And there are a few things I wanted to share with you that I found relevant to even job seeking:

1. Attention is everything- what that really means is that you would have the most expertise, skillset and capability for certain roles but unless you talk about it in-person, online or share proof, landing those opportunities gets tricky 

2. It’s important for you to be INTENTIONAL and CLEAR with what it is that you are trying to do, for whom and how you want them to feel/see you as. Whether it’s for your audience or even for employers, it is importang for you to be clear on the perception you are looking to build and then taking intentional actions towards it.

3. Don’t think you have to start from scratch. There are so many people doing almost everything you can imagine and so there is no one who is the first onto do it, all you have to do is get out there on platforms or at events to find those people. And analyze their journey, story, content, experiences etc to design and define your path. 

You should also when possible reach out to people who have done what you hope to do before and get their perspective and feedback. This helps build not just a stronger ecosystem around you but also gives you the opportunity to be more strategic starting out. 

Whether it’s content or getting a job or building a company:

Clarity, intentionality and implementing learnings from others, are key non-negotiables 

It’s simple but very important.

I did a keynote for TMU at their the INSPIRE event this weekend 

And there was a key question that came up consistently and so I thought I share with you as well:
How are you so confident? And how are you able to communicate so effectively? 

And it was interesting, how most people assumed I trained professionally for speaking or have always been good at it

But the reality is quite the opposite 

In fact, I used to be a really shy person with low self-confidence. I never went to events or even if I did, I would hide and get my friends to talk to folks 

And would always try to escape the opportunity to present

So, you may wonder what made the change then? 

Well, one day I did an activity which made me define the person I want to become 

That made me realize I want to be someone who empowers people, 

Which meant I need to empower myself first and do what is uncomfortable like speaking 

And so, I got started one step at a time and did 3 things to start:
1. I started taking every opportunity to put myself out there and,
2. I consistently putting myself in situations that made me anxious like a class presentation or going to an event 
3. I would spend time post the events or situations, to reflect, take feedback, and try again

And I just repeated this process constantly making sure every next event showed improved than the previous one 

And that was it, 

So, don’t complicate it 

Get started NOW and keep doing it until it becomes second nature to you

I read this somewhere and it really stuck with me…. 

If said ‘A winner is just another loser who tried once more’

A lot of us for the longest time have made the mistake of seeing mistakes as failures

Because in reality what a loss or failure really is, is feedback 

Which if understood helps you move forward 

Failure teaches you more than winning ever can 

So, failure is not something you run away from, but something you look forward to learning from

The riskiest move today isn’t trying.
It’s staying the exact same.

So many times, I hear from students:

“I’m scared to try something new.”
“I don’t want to look stupid.”
“What if I fail?”
“What if it does not work out?”

And I get it.

But here’s the truth:

What if it works out? What if instead of focusing on the fear you spent your energy focusing on making it work 

And if you are not sure where to start, do what people living upto their potential do:

1️⃣ Build in Public
Don’t wait to be “perfect.”
Share the process — the wins, the lessons, the messy middle.

That visibility becomes your credibility.

2️⃣ Create Opportunities Instead of Waiting
Reach out.
Ask for conversations.
Show up at events, join communities, and connect with people who uplift you.
Opportunities come from people — not portals.

3️⃣ Teach What You Know
You don’t need to be an expert.
You just need to be two steps ahead of who you once were.
Share the insights you wish you had when you landed here.

4️⃣ Make Your Work Visible
Projects. Case studies. Volunteering.
Content that shows your thinking.
Proof > Potential.
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The reality is simple:
Your skills.
Your story.
Your visibility.

Are the only things no one can ever take away from you.

That’s your real job security.

We’re taught to “work hard,” but no one teaches us how to make that hard work visible inside a Canadian workplace.

Here are 3 quiet ways to build credibility + visibility (without changing who you are):

1️⃣ Build quiet relationships — with the right people
Visibility isn’t always public. Most of it happens 1:1.

Start by booking short, intentional coffee chats with senior managers, leaders, project owners — the people who:
• have wide networks
• staff teams
• talk about talent behind closed doors

Understand their challenges, offer support, share relevant insights.

And don’t do just one chat — keep the relationship warm.

These people become your internal champions without you ever having to “announce” your ambition.

2️⃣ Contribute where you feel confident (not everywhere)
A lot of newcomers jump into big calls trying to say something because they feel they “should.”

That usually backfires.
Instead, ask yourself:
“Am I saying this because I think I have to?
Or because it genuinely adds value?”

Let real curiosity guide you — not pressure.

Contribute when a topic lands in your zone.
One thoughtful point builds more credibility than ten forced comments.

 3️⃣ Track your wins and share them naturally

Keep evidence. You’ll need them for promo cycles, coffee chats, and confidence.

Ways to share wins quietly:
• post team-based accomplishments on internal channels
• forward client appreciation emails to your coach / manager
• say “our team delivered X, and I contributed by doing Y”

This isn’t bragging — it’s context.

Your work deserves to be seen, and subtle sharing helps the right people actually know what you do.

Visibility doesn’t mean being loud — it means not letting your work go unnoticed.

Save this for later & share it with someone who needs to hear it 🤍

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, from being a student with no Canadian experience, to getting rejected over and over, to now building communities across Canada, It’s this:

Your mind will make you or break you.

Mindset isn’t a motivational quote. It’s a survival skill, especially when you’re an international student or newcomer trying to build a life from scratch.
I’ve seen it in myself.
I’ve seen it in 50,000+ students we’ve supported.
The ones who move forward are not always the ones with the best grades, the perfect resume, or the strongest network.
They’re the ones who learn to tame their thoughts before their thoughts tame them.

Because here’s the truth:
💭 Your thoughts become beliefs.
💭 Your beliefs become behaviours.
💭 And your behaviours shape your opportunities.

If you keep telling yourself:
“I’m not qualified.”
“I don’t have Canadian experience.”
“No one will hire me.”

Your actions will follow that script.

But when you rewrite the script — everything changes.

So here’s my message to every international student, immigrant, and non-traditional talent reading this:
Master your mindset.
Use doubt as fuel.

And keep showing up, even when it feels uncomfortable.
Your background isn’t a barrier.
Your story isn’t a weakness.
Your journey is your competitive advantage.

Visibility creates opportunity.
Belief creates momentum.

And you?
You’re just getting started. 🔥

Nobody prepares you for how overwhelming your early career can feel, especially when you’re an international student or newcomer trying to build a career in a new country

You walk into your first job hoping your degree and hard work will be enough….only to realize there’s a whole other rulebook no one gave you.

So here are the things I wish someone told me when I started my career at 21 and the same things I now tell thousands of students navigating their first job in Canada 👇🏽

1️⃣ You won’t always feel ready — do it anyway.
 Most growth happens after you take the leap, not before. You figure it out along the way, not in advance.

2️⃣ Being liked is nice. Being respected is better.
 Don’t shrink yourself to fit in. Consistency, reliability, and integrity earn trust faster than trying to please everyone.

3️⃣ Your degree gets you in the door. Your soft skills keep you in the room.
 Communicate clearly. Speak up in meetings. Write effective emails. Ask good questions.
 These are the skills that get you noticed — quietly but powerfully.

4️⃣ Nobody will manage your career but YOU.
 Track your wins, ask for feedback, and advocate for yourself.
 Your growth is your responsibility — not your manager’s.

5️⃣ Rest is productive.
 Burnout is not a badge of honour. Protecting your energy is part of doing good work.

6️⃣ Networking isn’t “sleazy.”
 It’s how opportunities find you. Build genuine relationships, not transactional ones.
 Visibility = opportunity. Quiet visibility still counts.

7️⃣ You don’t have to choose between ambition and joy.
 Your 20s aren’t just for climbing ladders. They’re for learning, experimenting, failing, rebuilding, and discovering what success actually means to you.

If you’re in your early career right now — especially navigating it alone in a new country — I hope this gives you clarity and comfort.

You’re doing better than you think.
 And you’re more capable than you realize. 🤍
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Tired of waiting. Want to get 1:1 support to turn things around, use the link in comments 👇

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