Hike and No-Hike

This is my first blog. At this point of time; I have only one point in my mind (in fact it is the same point in everyone's mind now), HIKE???

Oh well...I remember when I first joined work, I wondered what's this Appraisal interview and what's this Hike in real terms. Leave alone PF and Allowances...Frankly that swirls my mind even now... :P

Initially you rate yourself on various activities. And then THE DAY arrives. You go inside a room with your boss and your super-boss. They screw you for the work you HAVE done...(even if that has really got an applause from your client - I will come to the client stories later). you are a victim; the judge(super-boss) enjoys the assaults; the lawyer embarrasses you with irrelevant questions(why did u use x as the variable and why not y); and at the end of the session you are hanged(no points); and HR polishes the whole appraisal sessions by giving NO HIKE - BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME. Oh..Did I say all these...Sorry X-Boss. Well I really did not face all these. I have been lucky in the podium with no judge just the nice lawyer. :) but no use! still NO HIKE :( I see the curious eyes outside the room now and then wondering 'pone barah baje...What's goinon (song from Salaam Namastey)'. My experience was very much at 11.45, AM though. I look at the curious eyes and smile back at them when my boss is busy marking points 3 on 5(in people skills); 1 on 5(technical knowledge); 2 on 5 and so on...I counted all the points and I ended up with 1.9 :) oh wow...I thought!!! I was praised!!! My boss did confirm back with me 'R U HAPPY?'. I said I am! Now who did really know, what 1.9 will bring to you and what 2.3(few of my friends scored) will bring. I remember my HR also saying that 'You being a fresher and as your 1 year term gets over after 3 months; you will have another round of appraisal. Hey guys; imagine another round of appraisal!!! I really wondered 'What happens in this IT Service Industry yaar?' Anyway We kept waiting...and one day my Boss calls me and hands over a letter. The letter read ' You have been promoted as Asst. Systems Analyst' (it was Asst. Systems Analyst Trainee before) and your hike is 10.3%. Now don't ask on how much!!! I got frustrated. I wondered if there will really be another round of appraisal. I talked to HR and to haste! I was literally hanged! I was accused! I was I was I was...now what to say...! It was all over. I have no extra money for the extra shopping; no extra money for those extra coffee in the coffee day; no extra money for extra those extra gol gappes. Life came to a stand still. I wondered if I must fight for it. I was cheated. I called all my friends who had similar issue. I had a talk with them. I wanted to know how many of them are ready for the fight. I said 'Don't sign until there is a proper hike' Everyone nodded. But again to haste. I failed one more time. The appraisal brought ingratitude. It discouraged me, I was disappointed, I dint know what would I do for my loan and lot more promises that I have made to my parents and my siblings.

I dint want to leave the organization. My boss was super good, my colleagues were too considerate and helping, my team as such was just like a family. I know lot of you will wonder how can a person talk good about her office and the environment. But I will. I did not have any complaints. I enjoyed my work. I enjoyed the people there. I was having fun at my work place. But at the same time I wanted money to survive in the fast moving world. I wanted to be appreciated in the monitory terms. I wanted it!!!

Now...Today I am doing great. In a new company new environment new kind of job and new boss. I met with an accident which fractured my leg and that changed my life. I had a U-Turn! I molded my career with my own hands. I made it look perfect. I wanted to add few more advantages to my job profile. I am perfectly fine with my work now... :)

Do I sound too happy??? Oh yes!! I am! And you all too should be. Life is not to crib about recessions and inflations! Thats nature! Lets live life the way we want and not how someone else wants... :)