noname01.com

I have been doing some thinking lately. Ever wondered why it is still so hard to get a good job in India and unemployment is so high? Also, why is this trend changing so rapidly in the recent times?
I may know nothing about economics, but here is my opinion on the subject. What you will listen from the media and other blabber mouths is that India’s population was too large and hence jobs were hard to find, and the recent change is due to IT boom, economic growth and what not.
But you just have to look past these factors and the news and simply analyze the mindset of the people and this country in general to come up with one simple answer.
The main reason why we it is (or was) hard to get a good job here is simply because too many people were just looking for a job. Yes, that’s it. Simple. For many reasons which are linked to our traditional practices, Indians like a sense of security of a monthly paycheck and don’t want to risk starting a new business or a start up. People still get married quite early here(though this is rapidly changing) and it helps to have safety and security for the family. Hence you didn’t have much growth and job creation. Hence, no jobs. Its like a feedback cycle. Sounds ironic, but if you analyze it, it makes perfect sense.
And the second question, why this trend has changed recently? To analyse this, you have to look at the reasons behind the growth of companies like Infosys and Wipro, and Reliance. There are countless of other new companies which provide jobs to the people, which you probably won’t read in the headlines, just because there are too many and its not considered that big a deal. The simple reason is that more people have become entrepreneurs and started their own business, which hire employees.
You might be wondering why I am talking about this subject all of a sudden, after all the crap I write on this blog! If I look at the students in my college and other so called “engineering” colleges in the country, 95% just want to settle for a job. Placements! Its probably the worst thing in an engineering college! Bigshot companies come and hire mass labor for  cheap. They take advantage of the fact that its not easy for freshers to get a job. The kind of placements that an average Bangalore student gets actually cheapens the so called engineering degree. Software testing and support. Building a simple UI for a database. No, I am not kidding. There are a few who want to go for higher studies, but ultimately they just want a high paying job. I mean… Why?
I know I am more lazier than the average 20 year old, but how can so many people actually like the idea of going to office every day at 8AM and work their asses off for someone else? I am sure most, if not all, people DON’T enjoy their work. Once again, its the safety of an assured check of Rs 30k per month that they are looking forward to. I am not saying that everyone should be an entrepreneur (where will we get employees from?) but I have seen smart, intelligent, creative students who are just too scared to take this option. There are still far too few people going for entrepreneurship and business.
And this is the message I want to convey to these guys: Look, we are like 22 years old. Do you want to spend the rest of your productive life stuck in a office like this? You don’t need security until you are like 28-30 and you are married and have kids. Come up with an idea.. Its not hard to think of something which you can improve and what people will want. (NO I am not talking about technology and Internet start-ups only… I am talking about every sector out there.) Of course, it is hard to do business and be successful and make money, but its not impossible. And certainly, its much better than taking a job, even a high paying one. You may not earn the same amount in the first few years, but you will be doing something you love. You will be working for yourself. To all the students out there, just think about it. That’s all I am asking for.
And yeah, there is a nice collection of essays and articles by Technology entrepreneur Paul Graham here. They are really worth reading, even if you are not into the Technology sector.