July 25, 2009

Meeting a man who lost his job :-(

I went to buy a text book for my internal exams in a shop nearby my place and I met this guy who caught my attention. All of a sudden we said 'hi' to each other and stroked off a conversation on what books we were buying. After the usual introduction, I came to know that he was laid off from his company in USA and is back in India to prepare for GMAT.

A lot of his Indian peers in the IT company he was working for were also laid off but were still hopeful of getting a job there.

However, he chose to come back as he found more sense in it. I told him about the various popular B-Schools and how he could best utilize his time in Chennai by teaching Quants in a GMAT coaching centre [he told me he is good in Quants] while preparing for GMAT.

Of course, the HR guy inside me was very keenly trying to tell the nicest things to him to make him feel good.

In the end, he loved my humble suggestions and thanked me for all the nice things I told him to feel better.

Now, what I really want to stress on is that I do not know how genuinely I was able to help him [Infact he is still in touch with me through mails] but there could have been someone more able than me with a much better oppurtunity and advice for him.

What I really appreciate is that he is so chilled out and so full of life even after being laid off. He is 30 years old and still finding out ways to keep his hopes about a bright future alive.

But I really wonder how many laid off people in our country today would be so proactive and extroverted to share such problems with an absolute stranger???????????????

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Amazing..well, something inexplicable must have sparked off such a conversation..N ur words must have been of solace 2 him, for sure...since u stay in touch now!HR ppl really have to be intuitive,sensitive and empathetic..