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A couple of years ago senior executives, managers and other employees of technology companies seemed to have it all, enjoying heady, fast-track careers in ever-growing industries where it seemed that the only place to go was up.
Today, with recession staring in the face, IT industry is now the scene of the despair and disappointment as the technology jobs evaporate by the thousands and people who once toiled in coveted technology firms find themselves pounding real pavements in search of work.
How difficult will it be for these people, especially those in top management positions, to find new jobs? Will their experience as top-honchos at an early age be a hindrance in joining the other traditional non-pure IT firms, where the senior positions are held by people senior in both - age and experience?
Senior IT professionals and executives in the recruitment sector say the answers will largely hinge on the individual experiences and talents of the job seekers. But overall, they say, the slowdown in the broader economy and a rising tide of general unemployment is not helping matters for anyone.
Out-of-work IT professionals were once unheard of. 12 or 18 months ago, it would have been relatively easy for these people to find work. When the U.S. economy as a whole was still going strong, employers recognized the value of a person who had IT experience, whether the company was big or medium or even small. The assumption was that a successful executive in an IT firm who got experience working at 'site' or on important projects for important clients would be so much more attractive than one without such experience.
The problem now is that with the economy grinding to a halt, companies not only are not hiring but also are in layoff mode. The actual number of openings and opportunities ranges from limited to shrinking, so it is very difficult for people who are laid off to try to come back now.
And with the recession looming large in face of the US economy and Greenspan cutting interest rates for the fifth time, happy days are far from just round the corner.
Most serious problems would be faced by the people who were in IT jobs in non-IT firms and left for the pure IT players or succumbed to the lure of the dot coms in the height of the dot com boom. They would not be having sufficient experience in the IT firms to qualify as IT experts, and get the 'coveted' job among the crowd. The homecoming would not be smooth, as they would be not welcome any more now that boom is over and people are not leaving in droves at moment. They would be seen as someone who fell to lure of easy lights turning the back on the company when opportunity came. Forget the guts it takes to leave a secure job and try something different.
At the height of the boom, IT professionals were courted and loved, seemingly unconditionally, by employers during the dot com boom. With that courtship now abruptly ended, workers who were laid off by the tens of thousands are dealing with being jilted in different ways - some looking for work, others exploring the options in manufacturing and others sectors where job is more secure and less hectic.
But before one decides to join the job hunt, few things need to be looked at:
- Past work experience.
People who have worked in manufacturing and other sector would be at ease compared to people from pure IT firms who would be uncomfortable with the relaxed, orderly office timings, and no fire-fighting projects to deliver.
- Glamorous.
Recent downslide notwithstanding, IT is still glamorous and the offices are all modern with fast Internet connections, something that is still missing in traditional firms. So be prepared for cultural; shock if one wants to shift.
- Travelling.
The job in non-IT firms would not require any international travelling unless one is in the international marketing department of the any traditional sector industry. Then also travel would be for a few days only unlike IT projects which require overseas stay for months at a stretch, with hefty allowances. So if one wants to see the world, then IT is the place.
- Perks.
It with its hefty allowances on on-site projects can see huge earnings comparable to yearly savings in Indian salary. Combine this with plenty of opportunities available, and you were in heaven' garden, till yesterday.
- Individual profile and preferences.
IT requires frequent visits to clients, months abroad away from family, uncertain hours. If one feels that ones temperament is suited to a relaxed work style with time for family, take decision likewise.
So think before you take any decision, analyze above factors. These would help you in analyzing your career choices on various parameters, and reassessing their importance in your scheme of things.
Hopefully you will be in a better position to take the decision, with more conviction, rather then following the herd.
As aptly said in Cornithius, Act II
Listen to the.....
*Contributed by -
Sandeep Dhaka
Zygote Technologies
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