“Aditya’s tough decision”-28 August 2012

Seven years ago, Aditya faced a problem which many young people do. As he passed out of a B-school, Aditya got a job in a start up company launched by three friends. The company was just two years old and was doing well in the marketplace. The pay packet was decent and opportunities quite good. Yet, some of Aditya’s friends got jobs in some more reputed companies with better pay packets. They all started tempting Aditya to refuse the job in the start-up and look for opportunities in bigger companies. Aditya was getting pulled in two opposite directions. Torn and tormented, one night, he got out for an after-dinner stroll and thought hard. And then he made up his mind: Accept the offer in the start-up and make a smart beginning of a career even at what was called a smaller pay packet.

That night, Aditya slept well. The next morning, he called his friends and conveyed to them his decision, which surprised all. Yet, Aditya was firm, and took out his bike and went to the start-up company’s office. There, not only did he confirm his acceptance of the job, but also discussed with the HR manager what he proposed to do when he starts his assignment.
The HR Manager was pleasantly surprised and took Aditya to one of the partners-entrepreneurs recommending the boy for a higher consideration. After a little discussion, Aditya realised that his project-idea was gaining an increasing acceptance. Of course, the pay packet had, by then, become a little fatter.
Once his exams were over, Aditya did not head for home in other town. He headed straight to the start-up’s office. The company allowed him to join since the partners were sure that he would pass with good grades. That very moment, despite Mother’s protest, Aditya realised that life had changed for better. For, what he experienced at the company was a very friendly atmosphere where everybody encouraged the youngsters. In fact, even the partners were quite young and very passionate about the work.
What flourished subsequently was a wonderful range of work-opportunities that took Aditya higher and higher on the ladder. Today, just seven years later, the point where Aditya stood in his company was much higher than did his friends in other companies. Today, he has a bigger pay packet and better offers of growth as a leader of a fairly big team which he helped the management develop for a specialised project.
The moral of the story is simple: At the beginning of the career, youngsters need not look only at the pay packet, but also care for other soft areas like possible opportunities to grow and explore their potential in a more challenging manner. For, a career is not just a job with good pay. A career is, on the contrary, a continuous opportunity to grow and do things that one likes to do most. Career, also, is something that offers one a scope to utilise one’s creative energies in a positive manner. For, full and proper use of those energies makes one’s life more meaningful.
That is exactly why many smart young men and women prefer working with young companies rather than going for jobs in bigger companies where bureaucracy is huge and works in a steel frame that refuses to budge to accommodate young aspirations.
Aditya guessed it all correctly and made the decision. In past seven years, he has had only moments of growth, and none of regret.
Of course, that night when he was faced with the dilemma to make choice between the young and the ‘old’ and big companies, Aditya felt miserable. On the one hand was the firm offer of the job at the start-up, and on the other was only a thin possibility of a job in a bigger company with a better pay packet. But in order to appear for the campus interview of any other company, Aditya had to decline in writing the firm offer of the start-up. And if he says ‘no’ here and does not get a job there, then Aditya would be a soup.
That was a tough decision to make, and fortunately, Aditya opted for the start-up with a firm offer. For that correct decision, Aditya thanks his grandfather who used to say, “A bird in hand is equal to two in the bush”.
For Aditya, the bird in hand proved to be far, far better in every aspect.