This Sunday, I got to meet many people, with diverse interests, most of who had one thing in common. All had left their software jobs after graduating in engineering to persue what they had always dreamt of. One was interested in tourism, another guy wanted to do his masters in Sound engineering, the third was working on biomass gassifiers, and so on.
Watching 3 idiots as well as meeting these folks came as a big relief to me, given that I am aspiring to take up a career which has nothing to do with my graduating degree. After all, bureaucracy & computer science don't have much in common. And there are a number of "Mr.Kapoors" around asking all kinds of questions. One question that most of us have been asked by the local junta is "why did you waste your time studying engineering if at all you had to do what you are doing now?". Well, the answer to this is not hard to find.
Most of us have no idea what we are interested in while making our choices. Even if we have one, it is difficult to resist the pressure from parents, relatives, neighbors, and a host of other acquaintances. It is difficult for someone from a middle class family to decide not to choose engineering(software engineering to be more precise), unless one does not deserve it. Very few people decide to take up careers like journalism, literature, archeology, forestery, commerce etc.
However, one has to agree that, there is nothing as safe and as paying as software engineering in India in the present times. No wonder, engineering is such a sought after career. It is a different thing that we end up doing what at best can be termed third grade patch work.
There is a basic mismatch between the demand and supply in the HR market. There are a number graduates in journalism, and yet, there are a number of unfilled openings. Similar is the case with a number of other professions. Take the case of teachers. None other than the prime minister has rung the warning bells. recently. The country is going to face a major crisis in the field of primary education as there are very few quality teachers. No one is opting to become a primary school teacher by choice. It is definitely one of the most critical professions whose importance is often overlooked. There are hundred other professions where the candidates are "unemployable".
So, what is the way out? One has to choose a job that one dreams of. Even if that means a little compromise on the financial terms. "We may have to settle for a smaller car, a smaller house, but definitely greater joy". After all, when passion becomes your profession, it is heaven!
