In India, we often use the word “fresher” to describe recent graduates or candidates with minimal work experience. This term can also apply to someone moving into a field where they don’t yet have direct experience. What freshers bring is energy, curiosity, and potential—but guidance and mentoring for this early in career talent helps them make that transition much smoother into a corporate environment. As a recruiter with a Bachelor’s in IT and over five years in talent acquisition, I’ve worked with “fresh” graduates and seasoned professionals. Having sat on both sides of the table myself, I’ve seen how small details can make or break an interview. Here are some lessons I wish every fresher knew—shared from real moments in my recruiting journey. Resume hygiene is non-negotiable 📝  I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen resumes with typos in email IDs (yes, “gamil.com” instead of “gmail.com”), or resumes saved in a format the system couldn’t read. I’ve had to pass on strong candidates simply because their details never came through the ATS. What I tell freshers: Save your resume as Word or PDF, use clean fonts, and always double-check your contact details. Even the file name matters—Richa_Kadam_Resume.pdf looks far more professional than just Resume.pdf. Do your homework 🔍 I once asked a candidate why they wanted to join our company, and the answer was: “I don’t know much about what you do.” Compare that to someone who said, “I was impressed by your recent product launch in AI—it aligns with my final-year project.” Who do you think stood out more? Lesson: A little research on the company’s website, products, and values makes you memorable and shows genuine interest. Projects speak louder than marks💡 Grades matter, but in interviews, your projects and internships tell the real story. I’ve seen resumes that simply list “E-commerce Website” and leave it at that. But one candidate wrote: “Built a responsive e-commerce app using React & MySQL—reduced load time by 30%.” That one line showed me their skills, initiative, and impact. Takeaway: Don’t just say what you did—show the results.

At Coupa, celebrating our people is part of our culture. Whether it’s driving innovation behind the scenes or stepping up in moments that matter, we recognize and reward those who go above and beyond to help us shape what’s next. That’s why the Coupa India Leadership Team created the Extra Mile Award —a quarterly recognition that honors individuals who demonstrate excellence, resilience, and impact. It celebrates those whose contributions drive results, inspire teams, and embody our Coupa Core Values. This quarter, we’re proud to recognize two standout engineers whose dedication helped lead a global rollout to success: Sourabh Jagadale and Sayan Acharjee. Their work on deploying the Pulse Agent for Elasticsearch observability demonstrates what it means to combine deep technical skill with strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration. Joining forces, Sourabh and Sayan helped the Coupa engineering teams get better insights into how the system is performing, detecting issues faster and more proactively.

As the global economy continues to evolve, Coupa is at the forefront—transforming how companies make decisions and trade with one another. From automating workflows to optimizing entire supply networks, we’re building a new intelligent enterprise platform powered by agentic AI. But equally important is having the right people in place to guide this transformation and vision. We recently sat down with Salvatore Lombardo, Coupa’s Chief Product & Technology Officer, to talk about his AI vision, the company’s compelling data advantage, and why now is a career-defining opportunity for engineers to help us build tomorrow together. What drew you to Coupa? Salvatore: After leading product and engineering for global procurement platforms for many years, I saw an inflection point coming—where AI, data, and cloud-native architecture could converge to fundamentally reshape how companies make decisions and operate. I joined Coupa almost a year ago because it was clear this was the place to turn that vision into reality. Coupa had the foundation: a unified platform, deep domain expertise, and a uniquely rich dataset built from real spend transactions across a global network. What we’re building now isn’t incremental—it’s a new operating model for enterprise decision-making. One powered by agentic AI, fueled by trusted data, and designed to help businesses move faster, collaborate smarter, and create lasting value. This is the most exciting time to be a part of Coupa. We’re scaling fast and seeking talent that wants to shape not just a product but build a platform and lead the industry.

At Coupa, building a great career means more than just doing your job well—it’s about being seen, celebrated, and supported along the way. Whether you're driving impact on a major project or stepping up to help a teammate, we believe every meaningful contribution deserves recognition. That’s why our Coupa India Leadership Team introduced its Standout Performer Award. This award spotlights those who consistently go above and beyond—delivering results, living our Coupa Core Values, and helping shape what’s next for the company. We recently awarded Standout Performer Awards to 4 inspiring Coupanians: Krati Bansal, Sanket Golar, Bhavesh Soni and Surendra Cheedella.

LinkedIn has emerged as the most trusted professional platform. When used effectively, it’s a huge opportunity for candidates at various stages of their careers to connect with clients, partners, and employees. As a recruiter, LinkedIn is one of our first stops in identifying talent. If your profile is outdated, incomplete, or inactive, you’re likely to be overlooked, even if you're a strong candidate. You lose out on job leads, professional connections, and visibility in your industry.

Every company needs a set of guiding principles that shape a company's culture, behavior, and decision-making. At Coupa, we call these our core values, which are driven in part by our seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and people in the Coupa Village. ABLE stands for Achieve Beyond Limitations and Expectations. This ERG’s mission is to foster an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive regardless of ability. We do this through advocacy, education, and collaboration to promote awareness, break down barriers, and celebrate the unique strengths and perspectives of people with disabilities and their allies. Recently, we held a presentation on ADHD + Success in the Workplace that was well attended and sparked great conversations and feedback. For me, it was truly an inspiring and touching moment. We covered an array of topics that included: Understanding ADHD in the workplace Simple tips for success Communication and collaboration best practices Asking for support ADHD Superpowers My fellow Coupanians and ABLE members, Nora B. Clark, Recruitment Marketing Specialist at Coupa, and Ashwini Manerikar, Lead Software Engineer, presented alongside me, sharing examples from their current and previous work experiences, helping to bring to life one of our key values — Cultivate Belonging — for our participants. Nora had this to share: “I’ve often been told I’m ‘too out-of-the-box’, quirky when it comes to many of the ideas I’ve shared in my career. While it can be frustrating to hear, my unique style has ultimately helped carve out my career success. Bringing your authentic self to work is still very much a privilege in today's society, so being able to share my experiences and journey with those who are still trying to figure out who they are and what they want in their personal and work life is really important to me. I continue to learn every day, and I’m so proud that ABLE continues to inspire through presentations like this, and I look forward to more in the future.” Ashwini had this to add to her experience. “I used to feel like my mind was constantly full of ideas, and I wasn't sure how to channel that energy. Having inattentive ADHD, I often found myself drifting between thoughts, struggling with a hard-to-explain inconsistency in motivation. It brought real challenges: self-doubt, difficulty focusing, and a constant sense of being everywhere. But over time, I began to recognize the strengths within the chaos — an intuitive way of thinking, the ability to spot patterns and connect the dots quickly, and a creative mindset to thrive outside the box. Learning to work with my brain instead of against it has been empowering. With awareness and understanding of my ADHD, I’ve been able to lean into those strengths and explore ways to manage the challenges in a way that works for me. What helped most was hearing from others with similar experiences, beyond the clinical lens. I’m grateful for initiatives like these from Coupa ABLE and hope they encourage others to embrace their unique wiring to feel supported.” As Coupa employees, we benefit from inclusive best practices, and Coupa ABLE helps connect and empower others to drive success in many ways. ERGs like ABLE provide resources, presentations, and events that continue to help our culture thrive and drive our innovation and global impact. We also help Coupa Villagers with ADHD to understand how ADHD can be a superpower due to the creativity, curiosity, and out-of-the-box thinking that comes along with ADHD. Through this event, we aimed to help Coupa Villagers and their supporting managers learn tips to be more successful, but we found an entire community with whom this message deeply resonated. After the event, I heard from Villagers across the organization who shared how happy they were to know they are not alone. We have a community of neurodivergent Villagers here at Coupa, and Coupa ABLE is here to support #AllOfUs! Check out some of the tips we shared during our presentation, as well as other helpful resources How to help with time management and organization Use project management tools that include visual and audible reminders Prioritize and organize a brain dump session How to create a supportive work environment Investigate noise-cancelling headphones Show compassion Research fidget tools Propose walking meetings if it's suitable How to help create effective communication strategies Practice active listening and communicating clearly Don’t judge when being asked for clarification Leverage strengths Resources: CHADD Succeeding in the Workplace Understood.org ADDitudemag.com NeurodiversityHub.org ADHDfoundation.org TextHelp.com Creativity in ADHD: Goal-Directed Motivation and Domain Specificity

Nine years ago, I arrived in Ireland with two suitcases, shaky English, and a dream to build a brighter future. Today, as Senior Operations Manager of Coupa’s Global Education Services & Enablement Team, I’ve learned that owning your path and lifting others leads to success. Future Coupa interns, this blog is for you - to show how resilience and teamwork can shape an incredible career. I’ll share my journey from Technical Support Engineer to leadership, the lessons that drive me, and why Coupa’s values make it a place where you can grow and belong. Chasing Dreams with Grit In Brazil, I dreamed of football, then banking, but financial hardships forced me to pivot. At 16, I worked as a messenger, studied nights, and walked 10km to afford college. In 2016, my wife and I moved to Ireland, where we knew no one and barely spoke English. Job rejections piled up due to my language skills and visa issues, but I owned my results, studying relentlessly and applying for roles. Seven months in, with savings gone, Coupa offered me a Technical Support Engineer role in 2017 - just as we prepared to leave. That moment showed me that when you keep pushing, you build tomorrow together with those who believe in you. My advice: Interns, your challenges are opportunities - own them boldly.

As a Senior Product Manager, I’m fortunate to be at the crossroads of technology, leadership, and strategy. My focus is on harnessing the power of AI-driven solutions to transform business spend management. This journey is about more than just implementing cutting-edge technology — it’s about creating meaningful solutions that make a real difference for businesses and their people. Throughout my career, I’ve discovered that the key to true innovation is a deep understanding of business needs and user experiences. AI is revolutionizing business spend management, and its potential is immense — not just in its technology but in how it’s strategically applied with leadership, collaboration, and real-world impact. AI: A Game Changer for Business Spend Management AI has the ability to revolutionize how businesses approach financial management. It goes beyond automating repetitive tasks — it empowers organizations to make smarter, more data-driven decisions that align with their strategic goals. By analyzing vast amounts of data in real-time, AI uncovers valuable spending patterns, predicts future trends, and provides actionable insights that can shape success. What excites me most is that AI doesn’t just help businesses save money — it enables them to strategically invest their resources for greater impact. AI creates opportunities for businesses to allocate spend with purpose, whether for innovation, optimization, or securing a brighter future. This transformation is what fuels my passion — helping organizations become more efficient and focused on long-term success. Bridging Engineering and Business Management In my role, I have the privilege of bridging the technical brilliance of engineering with the strategic vision of business management. I work closely with engineering teams to transform complex technical concepts into intuitive, user-friendly solutions that solve real-world business challenges. This collaboration requires a deep understanding of both technology and user needs, and I take pride in making that connection seamless. Equally important is working alongside business leaders to ensure our AI solutions are perfectly aligned with the organization’s overarching goals. The challenge is to blend technical excellence with business relevance, and I’m driven by the rewarding task of turning ideas into solutions that deliver measurable results. Leadership with Empathy: Fostering Innovation I truly believe that technology alone is only part of the equation — leadership is what drives true, sustainable innovation. I lead with empathy, fostering an environment where collaboration thrives, and every team member feels heard, valued, and empowered. Compassionate leadership isn’t just about managing — it’s about inspiring teams to bring their best ideas forward and trust in a shared vision. By creating a culture of open communication, I’m able to draw out the best in every team member. Encouraging collaboration and creativity allows us to innovate together and deliver solutions that exceed expectations. This approach doesn’t just lead to successful products — it creates a vibrant atmosphere where everyone feels motivated and empowered to contribute. Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Business Spend Management The future of AI in business spend management is filled with immense promise. As AI continues to evolve, so will its ability to predict trends, automate processes, and provide deeper, more insightful data. The real opportunity lies in applying AI in ways that support the broader objectives of the organization. Our mission is powerful: to develop AI solutions that are not just cutting-edge but deeply user-centric, driving transformative business outcomes and fueling long-term growth. The future of business spend management is about pushing the boundaries of technology while staying deeply connected to the human needs behind it. Conclusion AI is transforming the landscape of business spend management in exciting and positive ways, and I’m thrilled to be part of this transformation. Through purposeful product management, compassionate leadership, and a strong commitment to collaboration, I’m dedicated to developing AI-driven solutions that not only increase efficiency but also empower organizations to make smarter, more strategic decisions. Looking ahead, I’m filled with excitement and optimism, knowing that the work we’re doing today is setting the stage for lasting change tomorrow. It’s a mission that motivates me each and every day — to help organizations unlock the full potential of AI to drive success, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Coupa recently refreshed its core values to reflect the new chapter of Coupa, which includes its branding, vision, mission, and new leadership team. Two learning consultants with Coupa for nearly four years shed some light on what these refreshed values mean to them. Matt Daack, Sr. Manager of Learning & Development, is based out of Missouri and is a member of our veterans employee resource group, Encourage. Before Coupa, he spent 25 years in the Air Force as a pilot and organizational leader. Kristi Gay, Sr. Manager of Education & Training, is a member of Empower, Coupa’s women’s employee resource group and is based out of Wisconsin. Before Coupa she spent 20 years as an engineering manager and programmer at a scale manufacturing company.