We asked Get Ahead readers to send their layoff tales and we are getting mails from employees belonging to different sectors of the Indian economy.
In the 31st part of this series engineer Avijit Singhal*, tells the story of how he was sacked despite no fault of his. He had joined as a business development oficer but his CEO wanted him to understand technology too.
Name: Avijit Singhal (*name changed on request)
Company/Sector: IT/ITeS
Qualifications: MBA in business development
Work experience: 3 years
Background:
I have been working in the ITeS (IT enable services)industry for last four years. In past, I had worked in an IT company as a business development associate. They had built a mobile software application and I had to get clients for them. As they were a new company they had been building the mobile application for a year and had started the business development just a month ago before I joined.
We had only three members in business development team. There was business development manager and couple of business development associates. I was the only person working at night and interacting with US clients. While I was new in this filed I had to work hard in the office even at night sometimes. But I had no issue with that. I gave my best without any training.
How I lost my job
I had to speak to CEOs or CTOs of companies in the US and arrange meetings with them. I fixed a lot of meetings between my business development manager and our clients overseas. I was always with him during the meetings with the clients and was on a learning curve. I was doing well and my business development manager and also project manager were happy with my work and progress.
However, the CEO of my company always had an issue with me because of my limited knowledge in understanding technology and he was expecting me to understand finer details in express way. When I had joined this company and during my interview with the CEO I had told him about the lack of my experience. However I took this challenge as a learning curve.
But, I wasn't trained well by them. I had to do lot of self-training. I felt the CEO didn't understand the process of business development. He didn't have much patience. One fine day, I got a pink slip.
How it affected me
It was very hurting. I expected my manager to support me as I was personally very close to him. This experience made me feel very low and I lost my confidence. I kept asking myself: Why am I made a scapegoat? I was doing well and getting lot of appointments from clients for my manager. I also did my manager's work and helped him in other aspects of his job too.
Lessons learnt
While I got a new job very soon I learnt some important lessons in life:
Don't be emotionally attached with people in your workplace. You should come and do your work.
Don't try to do extra work because the management team will not be bothered about it. All they need are people who wouldn't hurt their egos.
When you are out of the work, don't be aloof. Give time to your family apart from giving interviews. Update yourself with certifications or a diploma.
In today's world, you need to have more than one option of getting income.
Do save at least fifty percent of what you earn.
Losing your job shouldn't worry you. Market is in bad condition and the recession is for real.
In private companies you should be mentally ready for retrenchments.
Look for government because you job is secured in this sector even if you are paid less than what the private companies pay.
Illustration: Uttam Ghosh
Do you have a layoff tale to tell?
Have you lost your job? Do you know someone who has lost her/his job recently and is trying to come to terms with the situation?
If you, your friends or relatives have a layoff story to tell, to inform readers about the lessons that you have learnt, please write to us at getahead@rediff.co.in. Your name and identity will not be disclosed unless you want it to.
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