This is Ali Gajani
Ali Gajani Founder at Mr. Geek

Hi there! I’m a science graduate, aspiring blogger, thinker, entrepreneur and freelancer and this is my blog. I live in London, United Kingdom, have three amazing pets named Nexus 7, iPhone 5 and MacBook Pro and I love life. I hope my blog will help you know more about myself and the world around me.  Currently, I am studying for an MSc in Web Science & Big Data Analytics at UCL and upgrading myself from knowing the easy stuff to the really hard stuff. Guess what, I am loving the upgrade because it’s so exciting! Moreover, in my free time, I work as a freelancer on oDesk.com, so if you wan’t me to help you out, go there.

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Personal Profile

I am a passionate and focused person with hands on experience in IT industry.  My first encounter with the computer in 1999 has left a lasting impact on my life. I am technically sound and proactive with excellent interpersonal, communication and business skills, both written and verbal. Along with my university education, the internship exposure and freelancing tasks have allowed me to learn to work under pressure, meet deadlines and satisfy my clients. My capacity to handle challenges and solve real-world problems, using information technology, is what drives me to work.

Education and Qualification


2009 – 2012   | University of Sheffield

 BSc (Honors) in Information Technology Management for Business  (ITMB)
Achieved First Class Honors
Nominated for the SET 2012 Awards by Exam Board 

The ITMB degree covers areas of computer science, finance, entrepreneurship, business and management. The programme has given me a holistic view of the IT industry with a blend of business aided by Guru lectures from leading industry figures. In addition, my final year project is an innovative business idea that will allow employers to hire freelance writers online.

1999 – 2009   | The International School, Karachi

Middle School: IB MYP Certificate (Top)
High School: IB Diploma(High)

Work Experience


2011 (August-Present) | Freelance remote IT consultancy at oDesk.com

 I work as a remote IT consultant on oDesk. Using this platform, I have had the opportunity to work with clients from all over the world. I have successfully helped clients to put their businesses on the web using WordPress blogs, websites and videos. I have specifically worked on projects involving the use of MySQL database to record landing page statistics; and an ecommerce content management system for various clients to showcase and sell products and services. In the process, I have improved my communication skills and learned to give attention to detail in my work. The client reviews on my oDesk profile speak for themselves about my skills and commitment to the work(s) done.

 

2010 (June/August) | Web Developer at Techsense UK (Milton Keynes)

My primary job as an internee at Techsense UK was to develop and design websites. I was responsible to communicate with my clients from initiation to delivery. I was also responsible to generate invoices and input accounting data into the system. This job gave me an opportunity to practice my IT and business skills in a live environment.

Skills Profile

Communication: I have developed strong written and verbal communication skills during my university education and employment. At university, delivering presentations, group discussions and liaison with project clients have all enhanced my communication skills.  Further, my work experience has given me an opportunity to communicate with my clients. This has increased my confidence level.

Teamwork: I believe teamwork is one of the core aspects of my skillset. My capacity to blend in a team environment instantaneously gives me an edge to lead people. I have been a leader of five different teams during my university education. I was one of the founding members of my high school’s first Model United Nations conference, which helped me learn to assimilate in a team environment. The end result was a successful MUN.

 

 Problem Solving: I am a problem solver. From high school to the university and as a part time employee, I have always focused on solving problems. I firmly believe in saying that ‘where there is a problem, there is always a solution’. The blend of my logic, patience, persistence and negotiation skills has always driven me to solve the toughest of assignments at high school, university and work.

IT Skills: As an IT student, I have learned to proficiently work with: Java, JS, Rails, CodeIgniter, PHP, MySQL, CSS, XHTML, jQuery, AJAX, Oracle XE, IBM z/OS, various IDEs, Adobe Photoshop, Apple’s video editing suite, MS Office suite. In addition, I am flexible in working on different operating systems, such as Ubuntu, MAC OS X and Windows. My typing speed of 100 words per minute and good eye for design give an additional flair to my skillset.

 

Achievements

Academic Achievements

  • Class Honor Roll in Grade 6
  • Principal’s Honor Roll in 2005, 2006
  • Student of the Year in 2007
  • 20% University of Sheffield Scholarship in 2009, 2010 and 2011

Non-Academic Achievements

  • Build a football field for villagers, with my High school team, in 2008 as a part of a community service.
  • Attended COMUN (Colombo Model United Nations), as a member of my high school delegation, in 2008.
  • Founded and organized high school’s first MUN (Model United Nations) conference in 2009. As an Under-secretary General, for Information Service, I was responsible to handle and solve all technology related issues.
  • Gold Medalist in sprints, long jumps and relay in School Olympics (multiple times)