It been months since I blogged. It's been a combination of nothing and everything happening in life all at once.
Recently, I've been drawn to books about business administration and IT project management in a big way. Just the other day, I spent the obscene amount of S$136 buying three books on management. On reading them I realise that everything - and that's EVERYTHING - written in the damn books is nothing but plain common sense. The whole experience of reading a book on management is like watching some of Baba Ramdev's morning sermons on Zee TV. You hear everything you already know (if you are a person with a non sub-human IQ), and feel like a fool for spending your valuable (!) time reading the damn thing.
That's not to say these books are not worth reading. The more I read them and the more I underastand about the corporate workspace, and life in general, it seems to me that we need to be reminded of some of the most basic facts from time to time - however obvious they may seem.
So, on that basis alone, I decided to pen down a few of the things I feel are vital to remember in today's IT workspace. Anyone reading this (and no one might - no one reads my blog anyway) may well feel that I am stating the obvious - but it is my strong conviction that the obvious is what we(including me) invariably overlook. Almost all the time.
It's been 4 years and 3 months since I started working in the Indian IT industry. Here are the summaries of my learnings to date :
1) You need to have a core skillset to succeed. The trend among freshers to be a master of all trades simply is not a viable strategy in the long run. True, this way of working is often pushed down to the fresher by the system. Also true, it's important to have an awareness about various technologies and their workings. But to be a Java resource and a C resource and a tool specialist and a testing resource and a developer and a support person is not the way to go, especially after about a year of work. One simply must have something to call one's own. It is important for a person to be categorised with some kind of work - as opposed to just being a good resource. There are ways to do that. Which brings me to my second learning.
2) No one gives you opportunities. You have to find them out for yourselves. This is something I am learning every day. Many times while searching for opportunities it is not evident that there is an opportunity right at one's doorstep. It's important to bring oneself to knwo that. And grab it. In today's IT industry, unless you are a brainbox with an IIT/REC degree (in which case you never read my blog and don't need my advice anyway), you are most likely to be employed in one of the big names in a Bangalore/Hyderabad/Pune based company. In that eventuality, you are one in thousands of people vying for promotions. If you are not proactive and don't search for chances to put your foot in the door yourself - it's likely that nothing is happening in your professional life. For this, it is nessecary to be vocal and assert your expectations. This leads to making contacts with important people. Which is my next point.
3) Relationships are invaluable. It's crucially important to be in the same office as decision makers in your devision/company for the first few years of work. Something I have ignored and have been unable to do. Relationships with senior folk are invaluable in terms of opportunities they throw your way. Though this seems to be an obvious fact, I used to underestimate this a lot - as I suspect do many junior folk. Talking to a decision maker or someone who knows decision makers over lunch or a smoke is probably more important in the long run than that piece of code one writes or that module one tests.
4) There will always be assholes. And in copious quantities. The trick is to ignore the bastards. When ignoring them is not an option there are two possibilities. If said asshole is your peer - keep only a working relation with him. If asshole is your boss/senior you need to keep in contact with - leave all self respect in the locker and suck up to him till his asshole factor ceases to be directed towards you. This is another truth I have been loathe to follow - consequently landing me in many a troubled time. If there is one learning that anyone should remember it is this one. The bright side is this : the asshole eventually gets his due. Revenge tactics rarely work. Best to tolerate the sonofabitch till you or he gets reassigned. If you are better than him, you will rise to a position far better than him. It will never happen that you will lord over him. But you will do better if you ARE better. The proverb to keep in mind is "Elephants don't take notice of dogs barking in the streets".
---The asshole factor is so strong in workplaces that it's worthwhile mentioning more here. If the asshole is just plain rude - forgive him. If he is vindictive and a snitch - DO NOT be afraid to take the first step and snitch on him first to save your ass. Escalation to a sane manager is often a lifesaver, especially if you have followed step 3 and built a good rapport with him.---
5) Most importantly - Patience Is Paramount. Those who work in the IT industry today invariably come from backgrounds where making money was one of the hardest things to do in life. Suddenly in this generation (for the IT folks) it's the easiest. We do not come from families where parents can easily relate to the present industry and give us advice relevant to the current day and age. Most often we have to make career decisions for ourselves. Relying on the advice of flatmates and friends. We see people in Bangalore with 3 years work experience laughing all the way to the bank drawing paychecks of 12 lakhs per annum. We see dumbass juniors who we thought couldn't tie their showlaces without help get a longterm onsite to UK and buying a 3 bedroom flat worth 40 lakhs. And we don't know how to deal with it. The urge to jump 3 jobs in as many years has never been stronger. But the truth of the matter is - these job jumping easy money makers will be nowhere in their senior life. Unless of course they are super gifted in what they do - of course, the number of super gifted people in our industry and quite small. The virtue of being patient and waiting it out, proving onself before asking a 50% hike in salary is absolutely vital.
Basically the truth is - when push comes to shove and the IT industry takes a hit - the new guy has the privilige of being the first one out of the door.
Well, that's my dose of the obvious. Everyone of these are tried and tested truths, and I am yet to follow any of them well.
I console myself by realising that I know enough now to write these out - just as a reference during times I know I am going to go against any of them.
Hasta la vista.
