An insider’s perspective

In light of the recent comments (rather mean!) from some of my relatives, family friends and such about an IT job, with some merely gossiping about it, some declaring that IT jobs are a bad thing to have happened to India and that expenses on rental properties, bank loans' rates, real estate costs, etc have all gone up, thanks only to the IT jobs, while a few going as far as to state that IT employees are software coolies, I would like to add some aspects of what it is to hold one:

• Cool outlook: Though it is ironic that every Tom, Dick and Harry lands up in an IT job (the job being something totally astray from his/ her chosen field of education), it is still lucrative to the eyes of many.
• Good infrastructure: The infrastructure of the IT offices is by far among the best, perhaps next only to the Hospitality Industry. Undeniably, one of the best aspects is that you go to office before the “Suryabhagavan” shines with all his glory and you start from office well after Sundown. And of course the office is air conditioned (thanks to the fact that on prolonged usage computers emit heat). What better way to beat the heat eh?
• Onsite opportunities: Chances of being sent abroad on deputation are high in an IT organization since most IT firms cater to clients abroad. If you work hard enough and most importantly, if you are lucky enough, you get to ‘see the world while you are still young’, like they say.
• Employee centric policies: Since it is a people intensive industry a lot of attention is paid to make most of the policies as employee centric as possible as compared to several other industries. Though there are outcries here and there saying that there is no Employee Union as such, most policies are still employee centric.
• Pay packages: One might genuinely believe that he/she is offered a pittance for a pay and might even be modest enough to say it. But then to people, of course that person is either joking or being too modest. Not particularly anyone's fault if an IT job is construed to be that high paying. Besides, a little mystery has never hurt anyone, has it? So, one can afford to let it pass I guess; just saying.
• Banking: Two words- ‘Corporate’, ‘Salary Account’, are enough to ensure that banks are only too happy to serve you. Opening an account, taking loans, applying for a credit card etc are much easier if you are from the IT industry and in most cases, you are more favored than a government employee.
• Tech savviness: When people around you have cool gadgets and are tech savvy, you tend to acquire a little of the trait. And societal compulsion (!) mandates that you indulge in acquiring a few of the latest gadgets yourself in order to appear so.

The list is endless with possibilities- most professional ethos, positive work atmosphere, austere disciplinary standards (ombudsperson), young workforce (good or bad debatable, but for me good), flexible work timings and work from home options (not always though), flexible work wear (again, not always) and many such things. There are of course several occupational hazards such as hectic lifestyle, lack of an organized lifestyle and so on, but it is true of many other professions as well.

To the fellow IT job holders! The next time your friendly neighborhood aunty (not Spiderman!) is kind enough to sit judgment on the fate of all IT employees come next recession, you might consider flaunting any of the above mentioned aspects of the job. Or should you rather ignore her for the better? It’s your call.