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 14th part of this series, Anwar Khan tells us how he was shocked to get a layoff notice -- which he still finds difficult to believe -- just six days after he completed his last project.
Name: Anwar Khan
Age: 32
Company/Sector: IT/ Consulting
Educational qualification: MCA
Work experience: 7 years
Background:
I finished my MCA in December 2000 and found a job two months later in 2001. I joined a company when other companies were firing due to recession in 2001 and as the dot com bubble had just about burst. I was wondering whether they had projects or they were just doing speculative hiring.
After 3 months this company started firing people too. I survived. Meanwhile, I had also started looking for alternatives and when I got a small offer and wanted to resign, the HR asked me to pay Rs 1 lakh as mentioned in my appointment letter. So I let that offer lapse. Two months later I was fired with one months' basic salary (Rs 4,500).
A few months later I got another job that paid me Rs 5,000 per month. It was quite meagre in a place like Bangalore but I was ready to fight it out. It was a small company with no technical expertise; whatever we did was considered right, which, I thought, was bad indeed. Anyway, after 2 years I got an offer from an MNC with a salary package of Rs 30,000 per month.
I worked on a project for about 10 months after which the project was stopped. Consequently, I was assigned on a number of other projects which involved maintenance work that I didn't like much. So I started looking for a change.
I got another offer from a Hyderabad-based MNC through a recruiter.
How I lost my job:
As luck would have it I joined this company, changed the location and decided that if everything went well I would prolong my stay in this company.
I got good projects, very appreciative clients, and till February 16, 2009 I had spent 3.7 years in this organisation. For all these years I was never on bench. This February 10th my project finished and on February 16th I was fired! Can you believe it?
Thankfully this company admitted they took the decision due to financial difficulties and not due to any performance related issue. I am currently jobless and looking out for a job.
Liabilities:
I don't have any loans. But today I have cash only to survive another 3 months as I spent a great deal on clothing and hotels when I was earning. I did invest a small amount of money in stocks but it has now depreciated by 70 per cent of its original worth. I have also invested some money in life insurance and PPF for the long term.
But if my mother fixes my sisters wedding any time soon I will have to arrange for some hard cash with very little hope of making this arrangement.
Lessons learnt:
Always save money and have it ready for unforeseen circumstances like the ones I am facing now.
Don't borrow and spend money unnecessarily.
Self-belief and hard work will fetch you a job sooner rather than later. The harder you work / study the luckier will you get.
Be honest. Recently a job consultant asked me to tweak my resume to suit a company's requirement. I bluntly refused.
Know what your real market worth is and how much your employers are paying you. It helps when you get fired and have to work for lesser salary.
Illustration: Dominic Xavier
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.
Advertisement
