Part 2 - Why you should join IBM India?

I know your WTF reaction if your are coming from Part 1. But after checking the statistics of the visitors visiting my blog, i see most of the crowd are into the article Why you should not join IBM India? Then it evokes another perspective of the same Why not? How bad it is compared to rest? Does my article makes you think whether you accept the offer or not? I request you to spare another five to ten minutes to read the rest. Which might help you in making a wiser and more informed decision.

Before i proceed further, and if you are asking why the hell you are flipping the side? Simple answer is "Context". Nothing in the universe is absolute. If we are standing on the ground where we consider we are still at zero velocity or not moving, for an observer in space which sees earth rotational speed is at 1670 km/hour. Do remember earth completes its rotation in 24hrs and have its radius close to 6000km. So virtually everything on earth living or dead moving at 1670 kmph. But the point is "What is your frame of reference?". So the change of mind is solely not to mislead the reader, but to give an holistic view and take a call if you are in a fix to join IBM or not, or if you are normal reader enjoy for the sake of fun or information again depending on context.

So my article was for a time frame of 2006 and 2010. Yes it changed in terms of facility, training, consolidation or even charging money for the tea you drink. But does it really matter to you if you are planning to join IBM in year 2012 or 2013 with 2006 frame of reference. Answer will be NO. But for you, it does matter how it is going to change post your joining, and how much facility they are adding or reducing after that. And change is only things constant. If you don't change with time and environment, it will not long enough to be extinct as dinosaurs.

If you feel good about the brand IBM, you should be. Even though most of the project considered as cost center (IBM US outsource its work to India), IBM India is a different entity than IBM Global from the functioning perspective but it does provide a wide range of projects to work on. IBM doesn't have single client focus, nor they are single industry focused  So they are virtually into every possible domains with dozens of clients. So if you want to change inter-domain or inter-project you can. Probably big name can gives that flexibility.

Does HR policy are employee friendly? This is not a true false question. So this question should be dealt with sort of relative to others. It has got good number of sick leaves, PL and others, late commutation get reimbursed, day care at some facility, no dress restriction, no MUST formals with tie in scorching Indian summer, no time bound entry or exit as long as you deliver your stuff. What else you want? And if go to US for an onsite we used to get a reasonable amount (not sure of now, check it if it is your concern).

So by telling all these i want to re-iterate its a company like any other IT company you find in the street of Bangalore. They have a set up in India for the cheap labour. If tomorrow they find some other place like Philippines or Vietnam they won't hesitate to migrate there business and sack dozen of employees as they do in US. That's the truth you have to accept. That's how a business survives. My question was never on the nature of business. Profit is a very sacred word in business. But having said all these never expect or treat as a real MNC, with free food at cafeteria, coke vending machine to quench your carbonated thirst. Its just a company with a brand name.

All others peers are no exception. Most of them behaves same way or the other with few plus or minuses here and there. So if you are happy with the offer you are getting, take it. But if there are several offers from several Indian/Other MNC treat equally. Check your convenience. Don't get fooled by name itself.

With above note, I must say welcome to corporate world. It might look cool from outside, but inside its survival of the fittest. Fittest in terms or performance or vocabulary or both. All the time we talk about "team effort", "team building" but do remember there is nothing known as "team appraisal cycle" where everybody get same rating or same hike. Its always 1 on 1. If you are dancing too much on team building activity, remember 1-on-1 is round the corner :) If you get good rating it seems you are indispensable else system sucks. If it happens everywhere then why not in IBM.


Disclaimer - I am not a job consultant, nor i advice on career. Intention is not to confuse you but to let you know the bit of reality. 

Respect, Command to Demand in sixty odd years

Ailing health of Bala Saheb Thackeray, put Mumbai on high alert few days back. His son repeatedly repeatedly asking the party worker and people to remain non-violent and maintain peace. When finally on Saturday he breathed his last, all shops were closed. Taxi and Auto guys were on jammed wheel for a day. Schools and colleges were declared off for Monday, and extension of it considering the situation. Lively Mumbai, all of a sudden went to comma.

The next logical question that comes to my mind, is it all happened out of respect? Answer will be a "NO" but a candid one. Even if you ask the same question to a SENA worker answer will still be the same, but little more candid. 

If you compare the first generation of politician, post independent they earn there respect. They sacrificed there lives. Be it Abdul Azad or Sashtri or Patel. They command respects. But now politics and politician made these post highly negative, and if you think of the word itself by closing your eye, it always reminds of a corrupt guy, with a mustache and a licking tongue dangling out of mouth, about to lick anything and everything that comes in his way. Scam after scam, CD after CD and pants down video in half a dozen cases. So over the years the reputation has corrupted to that extent even an illiterate guy knows the closest synonymous of politician is "chor" (thief). 

The new generation of politician which lost its respect now started demanding it. They also sense they are not being treated with same scale except there party worker. I was watching an interview few days back where a SENA worker was addressing Bala Saheb and his son with adjective "honorable". This sort of adjective were used to the rulers and kings hundreds of years back, but never to the politicians to my knowledge. They are there to serve people. I don't understand why the f**k i will use such words, which alienate them from the common man.

So the procedure of demanding respect has changed. They need red beacon on there car hood, security guards or many Scorpios in there cavalcade. Even deep inside they know there is no threat, nor they are busy working so that traffic delays will hamper there efficiency,  these are all the means to get a salute from here and there and wild pass to cross the traffic signal just to feel important which he is not. So in sixty odd years we have shifted from command to demand. Though not related, someone said why an animal husbandry director needs a red beacon on his car?

Now, how far we are going to support the Girls who voiced there candid answer over Facebook. If i believe NDTV report the status was "People like Thackeray are born and die daily and one should not observe a bandh for that". For a second lets assume that this is an offensive statement for argument sake (i could do a better job though ;). So SENA should have the guts to assimilate it. In democracy all are legally entitled to have there own opinion. If you consider him to be leader of masses then the gal well in her rights to her opinion on him. Else, if you think its your prerogative don't talk about a Memorial at Shivaji Park which is still a public place. Make the memorial in your party office. 

Well, will talk about Thackeray in next article. Those who can't digest one line full article sounds little harsh on them.

Take care.

People, System and corruption

Going to a news site on regular basis becomes part of life. Checking Facebook and news handle in twitter for extra kick is also a ritual. Being in proximity to the media (Indian media in particular) you are not going to miss corruption for sure. After Arvind Kejriwal got into politics in a big way, and hitting his target mercilessly on a 4-5 o clock press conference, so the evening discussion picks the topic till late night, adds extra spice to all of these.

So talking politics and talking corruption over lunch is common practice. so when things comes to point fingers towards politician over corruption, we act as a perfect opposition with no speaker to monitor the proceedings in the cafeteria. But fact remains we are the 95th corrupt country from 180 odd countries as per Transparency International. if you ask Diggy or Kapil Sibal they might simply write off by telling, for your country rating why to consider the fact of an Intentional organisation without any vested interest.

off late i was thinking what could be the root cause? Why the people who got elected, overnight have a different mindset? Why in a mood to amass so much wealth much more what they can chew or digest? A country where we strongly believe in karma ( कर्म), and the result as per our good or bad karma has to be faced in this life, and we do a carry-forward to next life if account can't be settled, yet fearless in looting.  

Country where the ruling party got it's origin from Gandhian ideology, communist party whose philosophy should be structured social order, and that of RSS backed BJP should be of high integrity. Then why people of so varied category does these crimes. So there is something wrong in the system for sure. No matter how colorful Biriyani you eat, the stuff that comes out in the morning have the same odor.

But honestly speaking is there a difference between people and system? Or we the people different from the system that we follow. I don't think so. Even if we argue on it, the line will be very flimsy. According to Rory Stewart, a UK parliamentarian "For politician to be honest, the public needs to allow them to be honest. If the democracy needs to be flourished its the active and informed engagement of every citizen". Why isn't the politician of Newzeland, Singapore or USA are not contaminated with this virus? Are they genetically or morally more sophisticated than us? Just blaming the system is enough as if the so called "system" has fallen from the sky to us. It is fabricated, nurtured by us. Can we not take this moral responsibility of not letting any corrupt practice which will directly or indirectly affect our society and people. Be it in bribing for jumping the signal, or getting a seat in the train, or to get a quick service or be silent on someone doing some wrong. Start objecting and start cleaning self, rest will fall in place.      

In one his interview Imran Khan said "Corruption is what makes a third world country".  it is so true. He further added if you see the list of countries of Transparency International, those who lead the chart are not only clean but are developed. There is such a strong correlation between these two, corruption is difficult to ignore. So lets pledge we do our part, as the people no different from the system. Cleaning ourselves indirectly leads to the cleaning of the country. So next time we accuse someone do remember part of it's we owe as well.

- Jai Hind

PS - Please do comment if you agree, disagree or i need a pat or kick on back.

How long.... we are going to be in grass-root?

In one of the interview i hear MR Obrean talk the definition of TMC. Its grass root. I am pissed off with his explanation and more on the vision one politician posess. For how long my dear minister you are going to keep the people on grass root? Running a country or state is no less than running a enterprise and running a enterprise one need business accumen not seer politics.


I always strongly feel we need to change the eco-system. For instance women-reservation (empowerment) bill. If a woman is not empowered to walk alone in the street whats the point in the bill? I feel if a country is safe enough to walk down on the street in the mid night for a woman without a fear or aprehension of being mobbed or stalked then trust me we don't need a bill. If we can address that rest will be taken care by itself.

Similarily on the reservation (be it on caste or religion). Always change the playing field. If we facilitate a guy from minority to take up education, information or knowledge with mainstream trust me he don't need reservation. Once the earlier is addressed rest will be taken care of as side effect. But explaing the process in a political rally is difficult compared to one word as reservation.

Avg income of people are growing along with the economy. PPP is on raise as well. Same people if need to travel on same railway which is more prone to accident, i bet my wallet on this people don't mind to pay a premium for safety and other services. Empower people with information, infrastructure and vibrant environment. Once they alleveate from there so called grass-root they don't mind paying for the service.

So i want a leader who take them from the grass root to sky level, inflate there expectation and meet them. Once you do that they don't want any f**kin subsidy on petrol, gas or commutation. Playing to the gallery for petty politics will drag the whole generation behind. Call is yours.