Quest for the perfect job

It’s been almost 4 months since I was out of this space…I have been on a roller coaster ride that life keeps giving us all once in a while. I am not sure if I am off this ride yet or there are more miles to go. As of now the ride is not bumpy… that’s all I can say and that should explain why I have been out of this space.

Off late I have been spending time reading and writing on this question and answer forum called Quora.com (of course, whenever am free at work). There is a lot to learn there and a lot more to explore. Check it out readers.

Alright, diving into the post, the title should have conveyed what I am going to write about. Did you know if there is a perfect job that exists at all in this world? How many times have you heard people saying ‘Ohh I am doing the perfect job in the world’? Or how many times have you said that to yourself? I am sure that is not very common.

What defines a perfect job? A big fat pay check, or flabbergasting work environment or a very supportive team, or a very friendly boss, or mind blowing benefits or working on your passion? A mixture of all these may be the recipe for an ideal job. However, how often do we find a concoction of all these elements? If not all, at least couple of them?

We have been said and read that a person is very fortunate to find a job that is his/her passion and get paid for the same. Well, I may have to rephrase that to suit to our current scenario...because it depends on the individual on what he/she chooses. What you chose is what you get. Working in an IT company and mourning about a media career that you missed is mere waste. In today’s age, you have to choose what you really want. But does it end there? Choosing is not merely enough according to me. Keeping up what you chose in spite of all the odds is the real challenge. Well, there will be instances when we start thinking if it is worth all the pain? That is something one has to decide as soon as possible. As one keeps pondering over that thought, the time invested on that job would go useless. A recent survey in the BBC magazine said that the companies prefer those uninterested people quitting as soon as possible if they think they or the company requirements are a misfit. The sooner you decide, the more you save for yourself and the company.

Another BBC article says, it’s not fat pay check or great work that keeps an employee hooked to any particular company but the treatment one gets. Employees prefer to leave those places which ill-treat/ do not give the respect they deserve than those who do not pay them well. Surprisingly most percentage of surveyed people have agreed to the same.

Consider those places, where you hardly do any productive work or work that is not so competent in nature. Have you ever experienced or imagined such situations? They can make your career miserable. Any career oriented person would not enjoy such work environment where there won’t be enough food for soul.

Not to forget, perseverance is what is required in overcoming monotony and routine that springs out of any job that you have been doing for a while. Otherwise it is easy to lose out in the competition. The hare and rabbit race is the best relevant story that comes to my mind. It may not be important how quick learner you are and how ambitious you are but it is very important that how consistent you are. The young clan is too impatient to hold on to one job for a lifetime. They seek change and challenge more often. It takes incredible amount of patience to sustain the lows in order to excel in any field. I always think the perseverance and endurance levels have been diminishing with time. The patience to endure difficult times was far better in our older generations. They always craved for excellence while given the rat race we have to run today, we are unable to get beyond mediocrity.

Let me quote my own experience here. Ever since I started working, I  always looked for challenging work, not the sort of challenging work that we mention for namesake in the CVs, but real work that requires a brain drain and at the end of the day that which would give me ultimate job satisfaction. I honestly believe this term ‘job satisfaction’ is the key to any ‘perfect job’. My mom always quoted this. Over 35 years of service, she had innumerable moments of job satisfaction, which I think is quite fulfilling. Her job was to teach. Whenever she had her students excel in exams or in life and come back to acknowledge how prominent her role was, she felt extremely gratified. When she wasn’t able to deliver her best, I could notice the disappointment on her face. I never thought it would be so bothering. I ruled her out that she was taking things way too seriously until I got to the point where I experience the similar feelings and couldn’t get it out of my head. Fortunately, I worked with an excellent team at my first job in USA. Little did I know then, all jobs wouldn’t be same. When I moved back to India, it was quite feat for me to find the right place. The work culture is certainly far behind ages than that of the West. Transparency lacks in most situations. Managers seem to be overdosed with egos. One cannot help but sometimes give up to the whims of an arrogant manager or quit the place. Most of the times, even though you have a better solution to a problem, you shouldn’t dare to express your thoughts against the manager’s. Either you have to wait on him to give the solution or zip your lips. The hierarchy is strictly adhered in terms of authority more than responsibility. I heard from my friends working in IT that it is more liberal and has adapted the global work culture whereas in core fields unfortunately, it is not yet there. Fingers crossed and anticipating a positive change.

Concluding the saga of a perfect job, all I can say is perfect job is to work on your passion, no matter you are earning millions or not you will enjoy an invaluable pleasure doing it. May be I should quote this Telugu movie here where the protagonist doesn’t find the challenge in any of the jobs he does, and so goes on robbing the rich like a Robin hood and gives away to the sick kids seeking medical aid which he says is satisfying. Am not suggesting you to find illegal ways but opt for something that satisfies your soul which indeed would become a ‘perfect job’

Cheers

Jyostna

Divide & Rule

So much has been said and written about A.P state bifurcation and now the doomsday has finally arrived. To bluntly put it, this decision is nothing but a most selfish political motive of the Congress party. The demand for a separate state has been lingering for several years; however, Congress had always paid a deaf ear to the demands. This evidently shows that at the verge of 2014 elections, the party seems to have planned to grab the attention and interest of all the regions. Congress party seems to be hugely inspired by the British ruling motto “Divide and Rule”. Because, the party is too insecure about its future in the coming elections. Even if they would explain this decision is to respect and response to the demand by the people of Telangana region, it is nothing but a gimmick to cover up. Had they had this interest and seriousness from the beginning, the division decision could have arrived much earlier. For so many years, they procrastinated by giving reasons for not being able to act immediately on this issue even after the riots and violent protests taking place across the T-region. They went on giving monotonous excuses that there has to be a consensus between the people of all regions and a decision that will not affect any region in future is to be taken which can happen only after careful and insightful considerations. Although the committees ordered for this particular task have suggested several different prospectives, the Congress party seems to stick to its own selfish political aspirations. If it was to follow suggestions by experts or by its own committee, this decision would not have been so late. Because, the decision is not something very new or different from what was been discussed and analyzed even by the most common man groups. May be the Congress feared, had they kept dragging the same indecisive answers till 2014, the T-region people may go in favor of another feudal party TRS (party men and policies behave and appear as feudalists). Now that they have announced what has been in demand for years, their political career might enjoy a long mileage in T-region. And, the MLAs and MPs who have been doing the ‘Jumping Japang’ feats will now shamelessly jump back to Congress…as they know that TRS’s future is going to be a dilemma. The TRS will of course have to struggle and make its mark either by finding another issue which can possibly trigger hatred/violence/emotions, or otherwise make negotiations to seek a refugee shelter under Congress. Just like a recent merge by another much hyped and talked party led by Mr. Chiranjeevi, TRS may also beat the mud very soon. But the TRS leaders have made the maximum out of the T-movement which would otherwise take ages for any normal political leader. If not for a political life, they could collectively start real estate dealings in a more authoritative tone. And in worst case, if TRS manages to win, it has been evident that the TRS leader KCR is fan of the Nizams (as stated by him that “Nizams were better than the people of Andhra”) and his ruling style might be inspired by theirs if given power. Have a feast T-people.

When it comes to the other two regions, Rayalaseema seems to be given least priority in voicing their opinion. The first of two reasons being that there are only 4 districts under this region and the second is the absence of a powerful leader like YSR. Although his son Jaganmohan Reddy forced his way to continue dynasty politics, his attempts will be highly unlikely to materialize given the fact that he had been accused and imprisoned for possessing illegal assets worth 100s of crores. But, his mother and sister seem to be putting in their best efforts to popularize their new flag and win the elections by hook or crook. However, the surveys are not in great favor of this new sympathy party, definitely not as much as they expected it to be. Even though they manage to win more seats, the party’s sole agenda seems to be nothing but coming to power. What or who or how or when are questions that can’t be posed to this party people as in nobody knows answers to any question. The only decision maker and breaker is none other than Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy. Chances are that he might be ineligible to contest even if he manages to get out of the imprisonment as per the new Supreme Court ruling that any person convicted and imprisoned for 2 or more years will be ineligible to contest any election in the country. If this rule is passed, this party will fade out in no time as he is only reason for it to continue. So, chances of voicing out for rights of Rayalaseema region might be almost zero. Even though Mr. Naidu belongs to Rayalaseema region, he cannot be crusading in one region’s favor as his party is quite strong in coastal A.P region too. Just like other parties, Mr. Naidu has also been flipping cards when it comes to bifurcating T-region. His primary reasons for not strongly adhering to a decision could be the big-time investors and industrialists who have made Hyderabad as their prime business center and who have potentially been funding his party for ages. If he completely leans towards T-region’s bifurcation, he would definitely be in trouble waters in other two regions. As a man known for his visionary administration, he might definitely be against the bifurcation personally if not politically and publicly.

Coming to the Andhra region, it has been unanimously voicing for United AP. Nobody in this region except for the real estate agents would want a separate state. The repercussions are clearly understood by most people here…as they might have to be the victims of the direct implications. Both Congress and TDP hold neck to neck competition in this region… recently joined by YSR party, in few locations. Although the current situation seems volatile, the region may not carry any serious protests. All in all not even a single party is truly dedicated or serious with the intentions behind seeking a separate region except for the selfish political motives.

If development issues were the only concerns behind seeking a new state, would a separate state bring in the development that was not been brought in over several years?? When huge chunks of funds under the name of development packages were allotted, what happened to the development?? Was it all used up by one region alone?? Were these politicians who have to be instrumental in ensuring that those funds reach the appropriate region not alive then? Would they not be continuing in future because they failed to be productive?? That remains an unanswered question even to the staunchest supporters of a separate T-state. Be it unified or bifurcated, the state cannot see any sort of development as long as the power rests in the hands of a bunch of selfish and gruesome politicians who cannot even think of any developmental issues even in their wildest dreams. If this separation was only because the people of T-state were craving for carving out their own region, what about the interests of other states wherein certain regions have been sloganizing for a separate state?? Why are people of T-region alone so privileged to be obliged for their demands?? So after Telangana, will the Congress continue playing the splits game for rest of those regions under demand as well?? All these are questions and perhaps even more will be posed by people from the ‘common sense’ region. Although these questions might never be answered in all honesty, the Congress should start to retrospect as in why only political motives should be in the forefront when it comes to decision making. Being such a historic party and holding good stead in most states for many years, it could have concentrated on the developmental issues before heading for a spineless decision. Well, Congress is not alone in this category; all other parties too share a huge chunk. In the name of serving people, politicians have sabotaged the country’s fortune.  No decision is democratic, in one of the so called largest democracy; our democracy is just large in terms of numbers but not in substance.  God save India!!!

Cheers

Jyostna