[ajmat]

Originally Posted by R2D2

While this may have been published in the newspapers today this policy has been in practice for the last 1.5-2 years. Insider updates.

Someone I know personally who worked at the company for >25 years was edged out. Several of his peers have been shown the door using ingenious & subtle methods. Yeah, it all boils down to this..if you're in the IT field and 40 yo and over you better watch your back. Start working on a plan B ASAP.

PS - Retirement age at Tech Mahindra was 60 earlier

PPS - Some more insider information. Other large Indian IT companies are seriously considering following suit. One of them (no names at this time) was a trailblazer insofar as this policy is concerned. They had implemented it earlier than Tech Mahindra.

#metoo!

Two attempts were made to oust me on stupid technicalities - one at 50 and a successful one at 55. The second time, it was take a humiliating position or a package! I, stupidly tried looking for a position but its fairy gold even though I have a lot to offer.

Am now planning to look at consulting

Originally Posted by Relax&Cruise

Why do I have no drive? Because I have no financial constraints. No car loan, no home loan, two kids whom I figure I can put through college with what I have, an imagination that can’t vision the future and a mobile phone that takes up all my time thanks to the countless whatsapp / telegram messages that pop up every waking second.

Sometimes I feel a financial burden will be utmost effective in giving life some purpose, while at other times I thank god I’m burden free.

Unless my fear comes true it's early retirement which I'm very much looking forward to.

My wife does not work but does freelance interior projects which are pretty thin due to current liquidity situation. I am fortunate that I carry no debt and have savings. I need to sell some investment property and I will be on home ground. MY only commitment at the moment are my daughters college fees.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Samurai

This explains something to me. I was interfacing with a senior manager (about my age) in TechM since a few years. Last year he told me he is switching jobs. Then I find him working at a college. I was quite surprised why he did that. Now I see what it could have been. He was one of the few decent, no-BS corporate managers I knew. May be that is why he got axed using the age rule.

Mid to Senior IT professionals (both tech but especially managerial) are 4 letter words nowadays.

And once you're at that age you become very vulnerable given your commitments & responsibilities to the family AND low chances of getting a new job given it is an Industry trend. So, the only option is to work on a Plan B and if that doesn't work, a Plan C. In short, just build a lifeboat (and a dinghy) before the Capt. chucks you overboard into the ocean.

The person won several awards and recognition from the Management but you know how it is. Capabilities, personalities, skills, talents, long service and all the positives don't really matter once they decide your time is up. "Nothing personal" as they say although that fools no one. It is how you are edged out that matters..some folks are just called by HR and shown the door. Some are given a long glide path; for e.g. moved to the 'parking lot' to become a 'grazer' and reminded subtly to take a hint. Some are given i.e. 3-6 months notice & tagged as VRS with a golden handshake. It's only someone with a very thick skin who can put up with all this but the end is the same..unpleasant and humiliating to the employee and the family when they are at their most vulnerable.

All I'd advise anybody over 40 in IT or tech - be prepared to change, re-skill and watch your back. This the new normal.

Originally Posted by ajmat

#metoo! Two attempts were made to oust me on stupid technicalities - one at 50 and a successful one at 55. The second time, it was take a humiliating position or a package! I, stupidly tried looking for a position but its fairy gold even though I have a lot to offer. Am now planning to look at consulting

Yep, seen some of my friends and ex colleagues going through this. They renegotiate your salary to a fraction of what it was and tell you to take it or lump it.

As for an alternative career - I wish you every success man.

[androdev]

IT crowd is an elaborate conduit setup to transfer forex into the pockets of builders, car dealers and school management. Arguably the brightest minds of our country's workforce, they are totally incapable of thinking beyond their next appraisal. If you are an individual contributor (programmer, chef, etc.) who can't BS then you better be an entrepreneur as well. It's the ultimate kick in life, to use your skills to build your own business. Having such an outlook from early on will surely help you to deal with job insecurities because you are not working to please your boss or keep your head out of EMI waters but have much bigger fish to fry.

[Dry Ice]

How's the trend elsewhere? Is this something limited to our shores or is it the same case everywhere else too?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

How's the trend elsewhere? Is this something limited to our shores or is it the same case everywhere else too?

Though illegal in the US and with most companies claiming to be equal opportunity employers, age discrimination is present mostly in the high tech industry based out of the Bay Area. Some reading - Age discrimination in the US

The Indian IT industry has been heavily influenced by some parts of the culture and practices of US businesses sprinkled with a desi touch. They are equal opportunity employers on paper but these get discarded per the needs of the day.

Continental EU countries are by and large Socialistic when it comes to jobs. It's not easy to lay off people there or discriminate on age and other factors.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Continental EU countries are by and large Socialistic when it comes to jobs. It's not easy to lay off people there or discriminate on age and other factors.

IT guys or any successful professionals generally sing ode to capitalism. As industries have started downsizing, suddenly they want government to intervene, want to start unions, etc. You know, the socialism thing.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by Samurai

IT guys or any successful professionals generally sing ode to capitalism. As industries have started downsizing, suddenly they want government to intervene, want to start unions, etc. You know, the socialism thing.

Capitalism gets you the job, Socialism helps you retain it.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Samurai

IT guys or any successful professionals generally sing ode to capitalism. As industries have started downsizing, suddenly they want government to intervene, want to start unions, etc. You know, the socialism thing.

Yep, people have to take the bad with the good. I used to tell some people "You saw the good side of Western style capitalism now you get to see the bad. C'est la vie."

Many IT professionals who were junior to mid level employees in what I call the "Golden Days of IT" bulldozed, threatened, jumped ship galore to increase their salaries by 3-5x in a matter of years. And then it came crashing down and these guys, spoilt by multiple job offers, became vulnerable and some even fell ill given they had taken HUGE loans (with EMIs of 70K and over per month for 15-20 years ) for a fancy home and it's decor, plus a nice car among other over the top financial commitments.

Post 2008 many were up crap creek without a paddle. As for me and others of my generation, I think our parents imbibed us with middle class values that held us in good stead during those times. We were able to handle the turbulence better although it did shake us hard and put the fear of a job loss foremost in our minds. That fear has an amazing ability to temper your greed and enhance financial prudence.

[honeybee]

Age discrimination or learning new technologies?

With IT, the technology changes are far more rapidly happening than in any other business. The technology I worked on six years ago has become obsolete four years back.

Ironically I am working on a 20 year old technology in my current job and am a bit happy to be out of the rat race for learning new technologies every six months.

Both my team mates are 40 or above and I see the resistance to change in them. People at this age just aren't as dynamic as they were ten years younger.

As with any other company, there's a pyramid, and the largest pool of jobs is near the bottom. The higher jobs usually go to seasoned hands who are well versed with the company culture and retain sufficient knowledge to matter to the company.

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by ajmat

#metoo!

Two attempts were made to oust me on stupid technicalities - one at 50 and a successful one at 55. The second time, it was take a humiliating position or a package! I, stupidly tried looking for a position but its fairy gold even though I have a lot to offer.

Please name and shame such companies so no one joins them. No point holding it back to yourself.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

Please name and shame such companies so no one joins them. No point holding it back to yourself.

Doesn't really work. In 1991 HCL did something unheard of in India. They fired 600 employees in one go. It sent shock-waves in the industry. Everybody said that no one will ever join HCL. But HCL never had any problem hiring.

[Miyata]

I am not from the IT sector, but i was wondering aloud - pls. ignore if it sounds too theoretical - given the nature of many BHPians and their commitment to excellence combined with unbiased professionalism with the added benefit of a great platform to get together; Can many of the IT folks here not come together and start something of value?

Sure, it might not give a 50L PA, but still there would be something...no?

[F150]

In the organisation that I currently work in, everyone except the vertical head and her PS are billable.
Also I am seeing a strong push to make even managers work on their own projects will doing line management, with 70 % of the time spent on Capex (projects).

Does still mean age will be a factor ?

[maddy42]

Anyone here affected by the H1b visa extension rejection yet? Am on that boat currently and the free for all H1b era is coming to a close(atleast in my case).



What i learnt is clients are negotiating harder and sow's are being signed for shorter timespan(sometimes months).
Developer roles have a greater chance of survival in the industry than a BA or manager in the org.
The older saying of get your i140 you will get your extension doesnt work anymore.
Other neighboring countries will see a increase in work visa applications.
Many of the Clients have been going through rounds and rounds of Reorg which ends up with the relationship between a contractor and an employee being a suspicious one more than a trustworthy relationship.


I totally agree with the point of IT boom was a roundabout scheme to benefit realtors as everyone is getting a 15-30 year loan while your job may not last that long.



Am currently figuring out my options while i try to pack up a decade of living in the states in two weeks time with a lot of regrets.


Maddy

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by maddy42

What i learnt is clients are negotiating harder and sow's are being signed for shorter timespan(sometimes months).
Developer roles have a greater chance of survival in the industry than a BA or manager in the org.
The older saying of get your i140 you will get your extension doesn't work anymore.
Other neighboring countries will see a increase in work visa applications.
Many of the Clients have been going through rounds and rounds of Reorg which ends up with the relationship between a contractor and an employee being a suspicious one more than a trustworthy relationship.

A friend of mine part of the sales organization at Cognizant was saying the firm's pushing heavy to get Canadian work permits for as many as possible who's H1B is on a risky plate; to the extent that now there's a long line for those visas too.

Lots of openings by the clients but very few resources to fulfil the need; it's a quite a mess these days.

Am currently figuring out my options while i try to pack up a decade of living in the states in two weeks time with a lot of regrets.

Sorry to hear about your state - that's a really bad place to be. Have a few friends who are on the potential block; with RFEs on the plate.