As usual, my friend kept me waiting in the waiting lobby in her office. I was just thinking about the exams these security personals were writing. I tried hard to remember any such exams I’ve written in my last 4 years after coming to a job. I couldn’t remember any and that too in such a strict examination environment. There has been never an attempt to measure our skills at the cost of our job. (It’s not only for me, but for 99% of us).

    I do agree we do take up interviews before joining a job. I’m worried when we stay at the job for longer periods. I’ve seen many of my seniors staying in the job for more than a decade. I’m not sure of the present system we have. Probably with the time, we learn on our job. But are we really evaluated at any point? Maybe for the annual appraisal we are evaluated. But here again, on the tasks we’ve performed for the last twelve months and not for what we’ve learnt. I agree the learning and job go hand-in-hand. But when a person on job which don’t require a top-class techie, takes up regular exams in his subjects on latest advancements, it make me think aloud…

Thinking still louder, I’ve got few points to make

• Every employee should be evaluated on technical or non-technical skills relevant to the current market demand, to his job and to his experience.
• For any organization to be successful, atleast the 5% of the workforce should be replenished annually. (May the above said evaluation be a scale?)
• I agree the infrastructure for this set up calls for additional costs, but in the long run, the ROI is definite.

The above points may be little extravagant in terms of reality. But I see them as a necessity to survive. Please do share your comments.

“Part-time” jobs during college-days…It’s left for the students who can’t supplement their college fee.. It’s really below the dignity to go out and work during college…Any sort of work…for which you are paid for… How can I miss the ‘fun’ in the college days…the gals…the movies…the bars…the parties…I too had my college same way with little difference.

“I can’t believe, you worked part-time…., that too in India…..” – the very same statement, that hurt me and still has it’s effect on me. In start of my post-qualification era..i.e when I the so-called graduate was finding ways to get the grip of what this professional industry have in for me, I’ve faced this statement n number of times in interviews…I decided to be different but I had no choice but to start my career as a fresher….I agree I’s a fresher only from the college….certainly not in this Industry where only years after college count for your experience…!

Seeing a 24 year guy with a black hair (In India, your hair should turn grey if you’re experienced…. ), we’ve some standard set of questions to be asked in an apptitude tests, interviews, sadly even in the HR interviews. Never bother about his competency level…He is just a year or two out of college. I agree you are recruiting…still he might have been ‘better-used’ by you. Instead of grooming his skills or himself, you end up in grooming the so-called designation.

In a get-together couple of months back, one of my friend asked another, “What is your designation in your company ?”, “Individual contributor” was the reply. The next question, I couldn’t understand the basic reason behind.. “Hey.. you passed out in year 2002, Still not a project lead/manager..??”. The story here was different. My friend was not interested in managerial activities. He’s much comfortable as a individual contributor to the team. But the message is very clear from the second questions. Care what not, come what may, If you have certain years of experience ( mere year count) you should be in certain designation…?? Cool..

Does years only count towards experience…??? I don’t know to answer. But the industry says “Yes” strongly. I’ve seen adds. for positions calling for 12-15 years of experience in….. Have not we changed in technology for last 15 years. I agree people with 15 years of experience in the industry are better. I can’t and will not agree people with less number of “years” in industry are not capable of doing it…? I hear you.. “It’s my money.. How can I risk…??”. Agreed, still we have CEOs at age of 17. Given a chance the later may be a better breed. We never give chance…so don’t worry in that direction…!

Still I don’t understand the so called ‘Big’ companies deciding the career-path of the freshers without any base. They don’t consult.. no ask them. Their interests ….doomed. We want you to work in this way…We want you to test.. we want you to code this…we want you to maintain this…we even want you to sort-list the resumes downloading from the web…(This happened to one of my friends…)..I doubt they don’t have the concerned manpower to do the house-keeping jobs.. Being a fresher with ‘no’ experience is ‘trained’ to do the particular job in the best way possible…( fresh blood… ). It atleast takes him couple of years for the reality to hit him. But it will hit him hard… The best part of this practice is that he gets paid for doing nothing of his caliber or interest…

My humble question is – Why not give him the choice initially…???. You invest crores in training the right people for the wrong job…and get it done in the best way you want it..!Am I old enough to voice this…???

I think I’m young enough to….