Entries Tagged 'Experiences' ↓

The tables have turned. The situation in the IT market is now employee hunting and not job hunting as it used to be.

My first two hours at BarCampMumbai have been filled with discussions on the current situation in the IT market. Employers are not able to find good programmers. Or even programmers! People have almost given up on finding the right person for the job, it’s more like finding a person who can possibly fit the job!

And I have heard many stories about candidates. People using each organization as a transit camp for the next. People with little experience wanting to do bigtime jobs. And the complete mess that prevails in big companies with competencies and the kind of work people do.

It’s everywhere. And I think the tables will turn again in the next two years.

Till that time, we have to find alternates. Training is the most preferred right now - take anybody with reasonable aptitude and train him/her into coding. Again, this is proving to be a sword with double edge for small companies. But that’s what it is right now.

I have a few thoughts on training.. but wait a bit for that…

Incidently, there are multiple travels that I have to manage these days. Attending weddings, business visit, family outing, religious trip and another wedding!

I am just going through the pains of getting people together for the travel. Different people have different motivations and constraints. When you want all to be together - or even a majority - it gets difficult. Especially because there is no consensus and there are other priorities coming in between.

Two colleagues are getting married in third week of June, one after another. So the office team is planning to attend the wedding. It’s a long journey and would involve some days off work. Not everybody is ready for it. I tried many things to get things together and plan the itinerary. As of now, I am not sure what is going to happen.

We have also been planning some family outing. All cousins were ready for a trekking trip, then we thought about Kerala. Now thinking about Goa. The pattern is repeating here - initial enthusiasm, some work being done, then people opting out one by one.

When it’s a smaller group, things move much better. The religious trip is well planned. The friend wedding will also be.

I am trying to figure out what’s missing. Is it the opportunity? Am I missing on reality? Or is it just the group dynamics?

Last Monday, I sat down and planned activities for the whole week. When I completed that planning, I was clear about the objectives for the week and felt accomplished right at that point in time. During the week, I could follow up on the schedule. I was one day late overall, but could complete most of the items.

Now this may seem normal. But it’s not normal for me! I do a lot of planning, but most of the time, there are tasks that come up which need urgent attention. I do not know what will come up in the week. And I have to take things up as they come. Some of the activities may be fixed, but the actual work on projects, follow up, trouble shooting - it all depends on the troubles faced in the week. Due to this, most of my planning happens at the start of the day. Assigning priorities for the day and knocking things down one by one.

So it was a good experience to be clear about the week and then act on it. Every time I have done weekly planning, I have had similar experience.

But this week I sat down for the weekly plan, and could only chalk out till Wednesday. Things were uncertain, dependent on other people doing their tasks on time and stuff like that. As I think about it while writing this, I feel I should still go ahead and schedule for the whole week. And then create the schedule! That will be a breakthrough not only for me, but also for others involved!

Hmm.. I am ready for the next week then!

How do you plan your work? What works for you?

I have been watching more movies lately. Especially after getting the movie club membership. I am not much of a TV guy and I am wondering if I am becoming one! I like movies. I like well made movies. I can watch any movie and still enjoy it. Now I have the freedom to fast forward the parts that are boring. I also like watching movies home better than the cinema hall. It may be my new home theatre system, but it could also be the freedom I get at home.

In the last ten days, I have seen Hanumaan, Zinda, Jawani Diwani, Scary Movie series, Rang De Basanti and a few odd ones on TV.

And I am wondering if I am wasting my time watching so many movies / TV. It’s a passtime activity these days as I am alone at home. Nobody to talk to, so turn on the TV or music. I believe most of the programs on the TV are crap. But I am enjoying the movies. I feel I can watch one good movie a week!

I am also now understanding why people love going to movies. It’s a good break from the routine and good entertainment also.

May be it’s the vacation season! I will continue watching some more!

We had a colleague who was not performing upto my expectations. He broke his promises and did not seem to put in enough efforts. Seemed like he was taking things for granted. We had talked to him a number of times earlier, warned him too, but things did not improve.

One day I had had enough. One simple task I had assigned was not completed even near the end of the week. I called in the HR, we had a meeting with the guy and we asked him to leave. I also asked HR to take further action and inform other people related.

The guy broke down. It was a shock for him to get this all of a sudden. Guess he did not take our earlier warnings any seriously.

After the meeting, he came to me. He told me he accepts his mistakes and requested to cut down on some of the consequences. I had a long conversation with him. I was not sure if he will give a word and break it again in the future. I asked him that he talks to his Dad about this whole incident and that his Dad calls me up about it. I also asked that he joins another organization and the HR of that company should give me a call within six months mentioning that the guy has transformed.

My intention in the exercise was to give him a jolt and get him on track.

I am yet to see actual results, but I can see that he has indeed transformed. He got my point and took up responsibility and integrity as values for his life. I suggested that anytime he is stopped, he should ask himself “What would a responsible person do in this situation?” and take action accordingly.

Seeing at the change in him, I felt a tremendous level of satisfaction. The joy of making a difference. Of impacting a life that would take the person to newer heights.

I guess you get happier by making others happy!