(Too?) Early Jobs

Dear Students,

Since a decade or so and significantly in last 5 years there has been some shift in IT industry recruitment policy. They have started recruiting graduates from any stream and by that I mean not only B. E. but also B. Sc. and equivalent degrees. Given that unemployment has always been a big challenge in Bharat, this sounds like a good initiative from the industry. However you need to understand the pros and cons associated with it.

If you have any plans for a masters degree or any further education, you should do that without taking a break. If break is necessary, take a proper break for a year. Follow your hobbies and interests and resume education. Taking up a job just because you are idling is not a wise thing to do. Nowadays it has become a fad to have a part time job to cover the additional expenses, instead of avoiding them, that pocket-money cannot cover. Students present this as the family's financial struggle and coerce colleges to co-operate with their attendance and submissions records. Some colleges even have the schemes like Earn while you Learn which do help the needy students to some extent. However, there is a flip side to every coin. After a period, even the students with good track record are observed going down in the attendance and academic performance. A little extra money in pocket without responsibilities on shoulders can easily sway you away from the right course. I have seen such students struggling to focus on studies and even worse that they start undermining the education.

Our life has these ordered phases namely:

1. Brahmacharya (student - to learn)
2. G?uhastha (householder - to earn)
3. Vanaprastha (forest dweller - to seek)
4. Sanyasa (renunciate - to retire)

They are there for good reasons. You cannot and should not alter the order. When education is completed (or terminated) then and then only should the job hunt begin. Zen philosophy emphasizes on living in the present moment. Give your 100% to the task at hand. No multitasking please! Our brain has no multitasking faculty like computers. There may be a few people who can manage both studies and job without compromising any of those, like Manoj Kumar in 12th Fail, but most of us lack that level of grit and determination. Brain exertion can lead to physical lethargy and physical exertion leads to a lethargic brain. Exerted body and fatigued brain is not a good combination for very long time as you are inevitably inviting stress in LIFE. So, unless and until family's financial condition demands that you must earn being a student, do not fall in the trap. In my opinion there are no significant positives in seeking jobs early at the expense of education. Yes, there definitely are some drawbacks:

• Low skill-High efforts job
• Lower salaries
• Restricted career growth
• Restricted switching options
• Lower satisfaction
• Stagnancy

Dear students, if you are seeking a job early in life, do ponder over all the points and take a thought-through decision so that you do not repent it in future.

Best Wishes!!!