Increasing number of IT professionals are quitting jobs to take up hobbies full-time.
Bothered by the deja vu that haunts their jobs day in and day out, IT professionals are seeking more interesting avenues of employment.
City engineers Manikantan Ramanath, Niti Shree and Samyuktha S, after working with coding, testing and programming, are now busying themselves with wedding photography, baking cupcakes and muffins and participating in a nationwide yatras to promote entrepreneurship.
After working with Polaris for three years, Ramanath went to Canon India, “to learn all the technical aspects of photography.”
Today, the Ulsoor-based 27-year-old engineer works as a wedding and corporate photographer. “After a while with Polaris, I realised it was time to take a career call,” he said.
“Ditto,” says IT engineer Samyuktha, who gets orders for marble cake, banana cake, cookies and muffins. She wants to give baking a year’s time, before taking a call on quitting IT.
Shree, who after Cognizant and later Amazon, now works with a communications company, had recently participated in a nationwide Jagriti Yatra spanning 12 cities, to get a feel of entrepreneurship.
“During the yatra, I interacted with diverse people including NR Narayana Murthy, people from rural organisations, visited villages in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh and came up with solutions to solve problems villagers face,” says Shree.
The engineers say quitting the lucrative sector does hurt the pockets, “but that is only a momentary phenomenon. Once we stabilise ourselves in our next roles, hitches smoothen out. It is the passion to do something which drives us ahead.”
So will these engineers ever look at IT again?
“Yes. But only if firms have a post for a photographer or cinematographer,” says Ramanath.
Breaking workplace monotony
Check which part of your work is most annoying. Make a list of things that bother you most, also list out your emotions, why you feel demotivated. Understanding the problems can help in coming across solutions.
List out your hobbies and interests. Devote more time to things you are most passionate about in life.
Take time out socialising, not just at a personal level, but also in a professional environment. Attend trainings, seminar, conferences related to your sector.
Talk to the organisation or manager about the discomfort. Ask them about growth options or internal transfers that are available.
Take a quick 5-10 minute break after every 2-3 hours of working, to break the monotony.
Decorate your work station and use bright colours.
The future of IT industry
Estimates by the All India Council for Technical Education state that the number graduating from engineering colleges this year is around 1.5 million. Of the total graduating lot, around 60-75% seek jobs in the IT sector.
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