IT jobs-Are they as fancy as we make them out to be?

I was talking to a friend who somehow seemed to believe that an IT job in a reputed firm is a dream come true. I did not agree with her on many levels.

The general opinion is that the IT sector provides a new lease of life to the educated youth. There are hordes of youngsters waiting to get into these top-notch IT companies in India. They are attracted by the lure of quick money. But in reality, it is deceptive. We are paid a pittance, considering how much we are made to slog. Most companies work for organizations in the US. Hence they are highly influenced by the economy there. We also have to take into account the exchange rates. The recession we are now facing is due to the appreciation of the rupee against the dollar. It is expected to last for around two years. This in turn will reduce the employee intake, or worse still, result in down-sizing.

Most entry-level jobs involve monotonous coding. There is no scope for creativity. The work is not challenging and there is no room for innovation. It is very difficult to move up the corporate ladder, unless you are armed with additional qualifications or have good contacts. This clearly explains the high attrition rates. Ultimately, it also depends on how driven you are. Only the crème-de-la crème make it big, while the rest just manage to stay on.

Work-life balance is non-existent in India, especially in the IT-ITES sector. Here in India, life is work and work is life. In striking contrast, companies in the US and other developed nations have managed to achieve the perfect balance. There, five day weeks are the norm and several employee-welfare benefits abound. There are options to work from home and flexible working hours are prevalent. It is only when the employee is treated as a valued asset, will he be able to show loyalty to the company. This results in increased productivity. This works both ways and is mutually beneficial to both the employee and the employer.

Yes, these Information Technology giants have done a lot of good. They have fuelled the Indian economy in a big way and have provided employment to thousands of youngsters. However, it is high time they paid more attention to employees, in terms of enriching the job-content or, as a first step, improving the working conditions.

Review 2-finished,atlast!!

This week was too much to take. We had 3 days of college, for assessments. The next day (today) was meant for our 2^nd review. However, things did not proceed as we wanted. First, everyone in my class was made to write a re-test in Mobile Computing, since a good majority of the class had failed in it.

So, two periods were wasted writing this re-test. Then, when we thought we could present our review, we realized that none of the other batches were planning to present today. None of us (my batch mates) wanted to make an extra trip to college the next day. So, after persuading our internal guide, we managed to present our review. Luckily, the review went on smoothly, without any hiccups. What was more surprising was that we were not asked too many queries after the presentation. We were bombarded with questions during the first two reviews. We were better prepared this time, since the review had been postponed twice due to symposium and tests.

The best part is we get an extra day off and can enjoy an extended weekend.

In other news, my brother reached the finals in the General quiz at Techofest in Anna Univ today and is bugging me with the details. So I have to go now.

A gastronomical journey-My favourite eat-outs in Chennai

Being a foodie, I just had to put this up. Here is a round-up of some of my favorite restaurants in Chennai.

Eden:

Yeah, I know, this has to be every vegetarian’s fav restaurant. Situated in Besant Nagar, you get amazing continental food- a wide variety of baked vegetarian dishes. The Corn Florentine, with alternate layers of delicious, gooey cheese and vegetables is one dish you must try. Lip smacking! A word of advice though, it helps to reserve a table in advance, especially if you are planning for dinner on a weekend. Else be prepared for a long wait. It is slightly on the expensive side.

Jelly Belly:

It is situated below Eden and run by the same management. You get a variety of desserts-mousses and cheesecakes-all veg again. You also get vegetarian snack items-I like the Vegetable Quiche here-flaky and soft.

Eatalica:

It has a couple of branches, but I’ve only been to the one at R. A. Puram. Eatalica’s tagline goes thus-“a little bit Italian, a little bit American” and it stays true to this. You get the best burgers and sandwiches here, though I can’t comment on the non-vegetarian section. The pasta section is good too. However, the vegetarian selection is quite limited.

Baywatch:

It is located on the Besant Nagar beach front and dishes out my fav Veg Club Sandwich. The portions are huge and contain a liberal slathering of mayonnaise and cheese. The décor is interesting and different. The French fries here and at Pupil are the best I’ve tasted. Especially, the pepper fries are really tasty. Unhealthy perhaps, but one can indulge occasionally right? Not a family place, as this place has a steady stream of smokers, puffing away to their heart's content with trance music playing in the background.

Sangeetha, Saravana Bhavan and Hot Chips:

Many branches abound, but we frequent the ones in Adyar. They are characterized by pure vegetarian, tasty South Indian food. Besides, North Indian and Chinese dishes are thrown in for good measure.

IIT eat-outs:

The food is inexpensive and yummy-catering to the student community. CCD prices are a third less than elsewhere. Choc-A-Vloc is my fav dessert here.
Minar serves typical north Indian fare. A meal for two will cost less than Rs. 100.
Gurunath café serves fast food and Chaat besides a variety of beverages.

The best part about these places is that you can eat to your heart’s content without worrying about burning a hole in your pocket.

Ananda Bhavan and Gangotree:

The Dhokla (with mint chutney) at Gangotree is the best I’ve tasted in Chennai.
AB is the south Indian counterpart and serves a selection of delectable Chaat items.
They’ve now introduced a full-fledged restaurant at some branches, serving the regular Indian-Chinese fare.

Hot Breads:

The croissants at HB are amazing- hot, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth. Their stuff is expensive but worth the price. They use fresh cream in all their cakes and so it tastes better than some of the cakes you get in Adyar Bakery.

Ascendas food-court, Subway, Pizza Hut are other good eat-outs.There are many more but these are the one’s we frequent.