Monday, September 13, 2010

Perhaps some clarification?

Ok, after reading my old(er) post, most of you must be under the impression that I'm now working, besotted and settled (career-wise) in EK. Oh really?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Absolutely not. Since I haven't been able to come online regularly, I haven't been able to update about my life here as much as I'd like to. I am NOT with EK. Loud and clear. I wasn't with them for even one full week. Why? Here's the story for you all:

1st point. Element K now has a 2 years service bond for every freshman entering the company. This clause has been introduced from my batch (2010 pass outs) onwards and experienced professionals joining the company don't have to sign it. This bond was not mentioned at the time they came for on-campus to my college in february! Not even on the first day, when the new employees are introduced formally to the company's structure and their existing employees - the orientation day. I still remember how our HR casually spoke about the bond (he quickly changed topic too) as "some minor paper works that are required to be signed" on my 2nd day at office. :x yikes! the cunning he'd had to push it on my face like that.

2nd point. The breaking of this service bond implied that I needed to pay 1.5 L to Element K to get out at any point during those 2 yrs (as stated in the agreement). Very high amount, ain't it? Ensures that nobody would even think of trying such a thing.

3rd point. The pay per month in Element K - phooey! it is your average KPO. Please put that modest 5 digit take-home salary that flashes across your mind when you think of a job in a BPO/KPO. So I would lose more (cos of the bond) if I signed their service agreement and worked there, all to quit when a better opportunity came up. I was surely planning to go to places. Not stick my ass to a KPO for long!

4th point. MAN! It is not even an IT job. Not a job that suited my graduate profile. After doing a BE (ECE) I had no business sticking my tail in a company like Element K. Instructional Designer? Not a sensible career to stay for long. Especially after completing a Bachelors in engineering, definitely.

So after hanging around in the company for a mere two days' tenure, I walked out with my head held high. No papers were signed and I was NOT imbibed as an official employee of the company by then. On what-would've-been-my-3rd-day (at office), I stayed home; I phoned the HR and told him the bond was an unstated clause in my employment and it hadn't been mentioned to the students when the company came to the college for campus selection. Why go so far down history? It's not even mentioned in the offer letter you guys gave me, I said. He brushed my point aside as "Well, it seems like some miscommunication between you guys (students) and the college. Anyway, you know it now. So sign the bond and hop aboard!" He made it clear that there's NO other way out regarding the bond for freshers except signing the damned thing. They were very strict about this bond for freshers entering their oh-so-great company. Right! So I was asked whether I'd be willing to sign their bond and continue or walk out. I chose the "walk-out" option. :P

And thus, the tale of Hello-Element-K became bye-bye Element K! I decided I wasn't going to stick there. I wasn't willing to compromise upon certain things and the place couldn't have been my choice under these conditions. Trust me, putting my foot down and getting out of EK (at that time) had been the toughest decision I had ever made pertaining my career. I didn't have a back up job or something else in hand. I blindly chose to end my tenure with Element K, after those two days there. There was no other decision that seemed sensible to me. Of course, I was terribly scared about what I'm going to do next, once I quit Element K. No job in hand, no chance of pursuing further studies (it was mid june already. Admissions were closing in many places. Besides, mom said and still says don't think about it!) and I had to start job-hunting afresh. Now looking back, I am happy that I chose to get away from EK when I could. God presented me with a better opportunity & career in less than 2 months from the day I walked out of EK office in Guindy.

TCS is where I am/will be going to! B) India's top-rated IT company. I belong there today. And BOY! I am super proud of this. I felt such unbounded happiness when I received my interim offer letter from the TCS HR at 2.30 PM on 15th aug 2010 at Veltech, Avadi. It was indeed a moment of bliss for me and my mom. I'm now a part of Tata Consultancy Services. :D Ok, that story's in the post which follows this one. I promise to pen that one SOON. :D