Gazing at tiny tots...

Yesterday, I was at a school waiting to meet a teacher. As the class was in progress, I was watching some kids who were practicing for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. Shortly, a group of around 50 tiny tots (nursery kids) started coming out of their class in a single file onto the playground. They were dressed in a variety of colours and the attire ranged from traditional south Indian, north Indian to the western. Oblivious to the surroundings, they were happily jumping and running around in gay abandon, some of them kicking their shoes off in the process. The teacher brought a big basket full of colourful balls which she let loose in the ground, so that the kids can go and fetch them. It looked like a perfect exercise as well as a game. In these days of sedentary lifestyles and shortage of playgrounds, these kids had a wonderful time running behind the balls trying to bring them back to impress the teacher.

Personality development happens at such a young age. Observing their antics reminded me of group activities that are conducted for enhancing team-building skills in college students or professionals for that matter. I could see kids helping each other, some jostling for the ball, some sharing with others, some trying to show off, others trying to impress the teacher. Some kids tried to imitate the teacher, while yet another one ran towards the basketball court and tried to put the ball in the basket – obviously she would have seen older students playing basketball. There were also truant kids who just ran out of the ground and tried to get into the neighbouring classrooms. I thought being a visitor, it was natural for me to be mesmerized by the sight. However, as the bell rang signaling the end of the current period, the teachers who walked out of the classrooms stood rooted at the balcony, catching a glimpse of the kids and their activities. I could spend hours watching the kids enjoying in the grass. However, as all good things come to an end, so did their games period and they gathered all the balls and returned to their classroom. I appreciate the energy and the fervor with which the teacher engaged the kids and did mention it to her. Kudos to the teacher and the principal for engaging the students so nicely and providing an ambience and the atmosphere for a healthy growth!!

Language - pleasure or pain

Today, on the television, I heard a Frenchman speak impeccable Telugu that would put the current Telugu-speaking generation to shame. He was participating in an event in Houston, US and spoke about including the teaching of Telugu in his institution in France. He was referring to Telugu as a very melodious language – hope I got the translation right – “madhuramaina bhaasha”. Why is it that the current generation of news-readers, movie-makers, actors, lyricists, et al have crucified the Telugu language and created a weird sounding language that is neither Telugu nor Hindi nor English? These days, it is a torture to listen to any telugu film song or even watch a movie with family. Happy and blissful are those who listen to the songs only for the beat and do not understand the language. In the olden days, songs used to be written and put to tune. I guess these days, the tune and the beat is first created and lyrics are then fit into them. Unfortunately, though Telugu is taught in schools, the standard of education has degraded in a sense that the students do not necessarily appreciate the language. They go through the motions of reading the lesson, mugging up the answers and the meanings. Gone are the days where essays used to be written by students. The focus was on the expression since the students were more aware of what was going on around them. They only needed to put it down on paper. Today, the scene is vastly different. The students are not aware of what is going on around them. So they actually read up existing essays and reproduce that content in the exam. So the focus shifts from expression to recollection!!

The story is the same for English language too. My previous generation actually studied in Telugu medium government schools and I have studied in an English medium public school. Inspite of that, their power of expression and their usage of grammar is exemplary. Any day, my father or father-in-law (who is 80+ years old) would write better than me. The other day, my FIL’s brother was reminiscing about his college-days, ie in the 60s. He was recollecting how he and his friends would go and sit in the back benches of the post-graduation classes to listen to an English Professor while they were doing undergraduation. That was the interest and dedication to learn the language. They widely read books and anything that they could lay their hands on. They would refer to dictionaries to know the meaning of a new word. Today, the opportunities are plenty, affordability has increased, you can read anything and everything at the click of a button, you can refer to the meaning of any word on the internet, using laptop, notebook, mobile and so many other gadgets. Yet, the standard of English in most students is way below what is expected of them. They do not read a newspaper, and even if they do, it is only Page 3 and the Sports page. They are unable to write a single email or comprehend a document properly. It is a torture to read some emails because most of them use the ‘SMS’ language in emails and other official communication. Why this malady and what is the cure?

Why MBA?

Now that the CAT results are out and the second round of the B-school admissions process is in full swing, I thought this is the right time to align the thoughts of students towards the question – Why do you want to do an MBA?

Lakhs of students aspire to do an MBA every year, some plan to study in India and some plan to go abroad. But not many students are clear why they are aspiring for an MBA degree. When I say “students”, I am referring to both students as well as work-ex aspirants. However, this is the first thing that any B-school interviewer would like to understand. In order to gain entry to a B-school one must have clarity as to why he/she is joining the course and how the course will help him attain his goals. Again, when I say “he” or “his”, I am not trying to be gender-biased, but just trying to maintain the readability!!!

There are many reasons for wanting to do an MBA, sometimes one knows it and most often, one is unable to articulate the reasons. So for the benefit of such students, I am only trying to articulate a few thoughts. There are no answers in this article, so if you are trying to search for answers here, you can stop. This is only intended to jog your grey cells to start thinking.

1) Growth prospects. Most often one hears answers like ‘It has good growth prospects or career progression”. But do you really know how or why the prospects are higher? Is it the degree that makes the difference or is it the pedagogy? Or is it the environment and the peer interactions? Compare what you are doing today vis-à-vis the institute/organization that you are joining and then decide.

2)  Good salary. Hmm. This depends on where you are going to join and how you fare in the course and the subsequent placement activity. However, you also need to compare the current salary that you are getting and the normal growth in two years if you continue to work. If the difference is significant, it makes sense, else, it does not sound convincing.

3) I like managing people. I often hear students say this. Do not think that just because one does an MBA, one is entitled to manage a set of people, and probably get to boss around, without having to actually do stuff!! This is the biggest myth, and if you are thinking on these lines, please take a reality check!! There are various streams and not all of them involve “managing people”.  You will need to start your new career as a trainee and only if you perform well, you can aspire to “manage people”. In any case, a management degree is not a pre-requisite to manage people, it is most often your performance and your personality that will matter. Moreover, jobs in finance, hr, marketing in most organizations may not form part of the mainstream activity, so these departments may actually have fewer teams than normal line functions. So set your expectations accordingly.

4) I am not good at technical stuff, I am better at managing/organizing stuff. Do remember that if you are not good at technology and you are not enjoying it, then you need to read up a lot about the management courses and understand what you are getting into, before you jump in. There is no point in realizing that you are not interested at a later stage. Only if you have a flair for understanding the “big picture” or organizational issues, you can comprehend management concepts. Technical aspects are much more straight-forward and easier to comprehend compared to organizational aspects. Do your homework thoroughly.

5) I like interacting with people. This is an interesting one. There are various careers that bring you closer to people interaction. Every customer-facing job involves interaction with a variety of people. Every job requires interaction with the team in which you are working. So there is actually no need to take up any specific career for this reason. However, do understand that all these interactions come with targets and are most often very stressful. Understand the nature of the interactions that will be required and see if you are game for it.

Whatever be your reason for wanting to join an MBA program, it is important for you to list down your goals in life and try to align your path towards your goals. A proper understanding of the course curriculum, what it entails, what job prospects are there both in terms of salary and type of work involved will go a long way in helping you find the right answer to the question “Why MBA?”

CLAT - demystified

When I say I help students prepare for CLAT, a lot of people ask me what is CLAT. I have recently provided a short writeup regarding CLAT for our Abhyaas blog. Check it out on http://blog.abhyaas.in/?p=50.

An Engineer’s Dilemma - Job or Higher Studies??

Today, the most sought-after career option after 12^th standard is to take up an engineering course. Most often, you get into an engineering college without even realizing what you are getting into!! It could be your parents’ dream, pressure from society, peer pressure, or maybe sheer ignorance of any other career opportunity. After two years of slogging in junior college with hopes of an IIT or an NIT seat, you would end up in some engineering college (no doubt because nowadays the seats outnumber the students, so there is no question of not getting a seat!!). You feel you deserve to enjoy after all the slogging. So the first two years pass by like a breeze, and before you realize, you are well into the third year, and people start asking you, what next?? 

Now most students that I come across are confused about their future at this stage. Most often, the parents by this stage, have given up trying to influence you. Either their dream of seeing you as an engineer is fulfilled, so there is no further pressure, or you have become more independent and are no longer inclined to be prejudiced by their views. Whatever be the case, most often, you are the decision-maker now. How should you decide? Listen to friends, teachers, uncles, aunts, cousins, parents, seniors….. Each one gives a different suggestion and whenever you see someone successful, you want to emulate them or listen to their advice. But then, each option is different and how should you choose? This is a crucial decision and should be a personal one. You should not take any option because someone else is doing that. This should be a calculated decision, and well thought-out.

The following factors will influence your decision or choice –

1) Responsibility towards family – financial dependence. If there is no dependence on you, then why should you limit your education at this stage? Why not go for higher studies that will help boost your career prospects for a lateral entry into managerial roles or technical specialists? If you are thinking of working for a few years and then going for higher studies, give a serious thought. Would you like to give up regular income for two or more years in order to study further? With time, will you not have further responsibilities?  This factor is completely personal for each individual and cannot be compared with your friends.

2) Interest in Core field or technical aptitude. Some of you who have a genuine interest in the engineering field need to build your expertise by going for higher studies. This can only be achieved with an M.Tech from the IITs or IISC. Doing an M.Tech for the sake of a PG degree is of no use. In fact, for those who are opting for an IT career, it is not required. Even after M.Tech, you would be doing the same job that you could do after B.Tech.

3) Dream of going abroad – Those who have a desire to work outside India should take the GRE exam and go for an MS program. Do note however, that you need to work atleast for 3-4 years outside India before you return. Else, the MS degree will not have much value. Now I know a lot of people, who think of going abroad for a management program, because they cannot get into the IIMs. Don’t think that writing the GMAT and doing an MBA abroad is in any way easier than doing an MBA in India. Moreover, unless you are interested in working abroad, the knowledge that you gain abroad, cannot be applied in India because the working conditions and environment are completely different!!!

4) Not interested in engineering – Need to change gears!! Those who have a flair for business or interested in numbers, meeting/interacting with people, should go in for an MBA. This would be a very good opportunity to change to other fields – like Finance, Marketing, HR, Operations. However, assess your capabilities and your interests before taking this decision. Read up on these courses, talk to seniors about the job profiles and what it takes to get there. Because you need to know what you are getting into. You cannot be in the same state 2 years later!! I know a lot of people who get into an MBA program without really knowing why they are doing so or what they are getting into. Now, MBA need not be synonymous with CAT. Of course CAT is the mother of all exams, and IIMs are the best in the country, but there are plenty of other good options too. Now, there is also a national level exam CMAT conducted by AICTE which will be used by all institutes other than IIMs. So don’t think MBA is beyond reach.

5) Want to take it easy and enjoy life – Take up a job as part of the Campus placements. Now it is a paradox. Does one enjoy life as a student or as a working professional? Well, it is a question of perspective. Enjoy without responsibilities as a student, enjoy having money, not having to write exams(cannot say not having to study, because learning is a continuous process and does not end here),then you need to get a job and start earning.

Whatever you decide to do, always take the campus placements very seriously. A job in hand while in the final year, will give you a lot of confidence. It will change your personality. Self-confidence will make a huge difference to your outlook and you will be able to take up any challenge that comes your way. It will also be a fall-back option in case you are unable to secure a seat for higher studies or have problems obtaining a visa. Start thinking about these factors while in your third year itself. By the time you step into the fourth year, firm up your plans and set your goal. Now all you need to do is plan and achieve your goal. No more dilemma or uncertainty about your future!!

Jumping the IT bandwagon

Nowadays, most engineers end up working in the IT industry. A very small fraction of these engineers would have studied Computer Science or IT in their curriculum. However, every other engineer ends up going for an IT job, without necessarily understanding what they are getting into and why!! I know a lot of people who felt totally out of place a few months or years down the line and then had to get back to higher education or alternate careers, thus losing valuable and productive time in their working life.

My aim is to shed some light on the IT industry and what it entails so that engineers can foray into IT with the right expectation and anticipation. So what goes on in an IT firm? Well, the core business in an IT firm is to solve business problems for their customers – product firms build IT products and services firms provide IT services. Easier said than done… The lifecycle of any project goes from Requirements to Design to Construction to Testing to Production.  In large projects, an individual is generally involved in one phase of the project (and is usually one amongst tens or hundreds of people). He/she may not have a complete view of the project. The cycle time could last anywhere from one year to three years for very large projects.  Such projects are mostly undertaken by large IT firms. Smaller projects follow a somewhat similar cycle. However, the team size would be smaller and also the cycle time could be from a few months to a year. In this case, it is possible that an individual would be involved in the entire lifecycle of the project.

Projects are most often won in competition with other companies, so the timelines in a project tend to be very challenging. This translates to longer hours of work, maybe weekends and sometimes no-vacations during the project life-cycle. Add to this, most developers working on a project are not familiar with the technology, and the learning curve is not often planned, so all that is extra hours!!!

A lot of people are under the misconception that an IT job requires good English-speaking skills. More on that on a later post, but for now, do understand that an IT job is all about teamwork. Individuals need to interact with co-developers, testers, their leads, project manager and at times, the customer. They need to read and interpret the User Requirement Specifications(URS), Software Requirement Specifications (SRS), Test Scripts, User Manuals, etc. Sometimes, they may need to actually write these documents. Hence the need for good communication skills – which include reading comprehension, writing ability, speaking/interacting and listening skills.

Most IT organizations have predominantly flat structures. There would be at the most 3-4 layers in the organization. Freshers join at the lowest layer.  There would be growth in salary year after year, but job responsibilities do not change so fast because the pyramid does not have so many slots as you go up the hierarchy !!! I know a lot of people who get disillusioned when they see their peers growing up the ladder and find themselves at the same level. But do understand that there is no space for too many people to go up the ladder, so only the best ones go. Moreover, choosing the best one is also subjective, so luck also plays a role in it.

So what should one expect while getting into the IT industry?

•  Steep learning curve
•  Long work hours
•  Tight deadlines
•  Competition from peers
•  Good pay!!
•  Good facilities (but what about the time available to use them??)
•  Good environment for learning and growth

Introduction

I have been planning to write a blog for a long time now, but somehow kept putting it off. Finally I got inspired by my friend who recently started blogging. So I decided to give up my inhibitions and start sharing my knowledge and experience.  The views and discussions in this blog are solely my own and do not necessarily echo the views of any organization.  I will try to simplify the concepts so that any person with minimum knowledge of IT domain can grasp the picture.