In A FiX..

I love coding and am a Java/J2EE developer and was happy with the challenges which I had at work and personally, I learnt a lot. I was doing good, delivering the needs on time and improvising my skill set until recently when I was moved to an altogether different technology named ColdFusion from Adobe, a decision which was business driven at a higher management level. And as time passes by, my hand on work experience with java is getting older. The new technology isn’t that hot and requirements seem less when I consider the job market here. My personal responsibilities don’t allow me to take whatever comes my way and sit quite. I am aware that I need to hop jobs to get a good rise of pay in the coming years, as I also plan to get married in the coming two years. But with the new one, I am not sure if I will be able to get a good shift at workplace and am losing my three years of experience as a java developer, with each passing day. Am trying the best I could have, with my profile updated on the job portals. Am getting calls from the recruiters but they never seem to come back for the process. Some aren’t fine with the amount of money I ask for and some aren’t willing to wait for two months after my resignation at the current place (a notice duration which I need to serve and is mandatory). I don’t know what to do. And the process is killing my interest and zeal to read and prepare. Things aren’t working out. At some point I feel, I should ask for less and get an interview scheduled but at the same time, if all these aren’t worth the reason I am looking out for change, the whole point is lost.

On the other, if I stay at the place I am and forget my love with java/J2EE, I have a chance to apply for post graduate program in management at ISB (Indian School of Business, Hyderabad), my dream. I have always wanted to be at a premiere institute. And having failed earlier, this is my last chance in life, to go for a university which ranks 15th in the world. I belong to an average Indian family and it’s not possible for me to apply and read abroad considering the huge amount of bucks involved. ISB is a preferred choice because it guarantees the course fees as a loan at subsidized rates and placements are good and the salary they attract is one of the best one can have in the industry. But as is with life and its options, there is again a trade off. I have a good working experience and a take at entrepreneurial engagement all by myself might make my profile look good with a few recommendations from people more than twenty years old in the industry.. Apart from that, considering that I will be able to score a 700+ in GMAT (LOL…that’s huge….but I can try), my academic background is mediocre. And for ISB, you need to have them all. The whole program is year long and they always prefer good scholars. So it will be a 50-50 that they consider my profile. And if they don’t, I am left with Adobe’s child on my lap.

I have never faced such a dilemma. I decided, with help from my love, to look out for change in the coming two/three months and give a shot for ISB after that, considering that I fail to hop job. But still, I am not sure. Career is a bad word. It kills. And it’s killing me. An as I key in those words, I remember myself, five years back, when I was the only one in my group of friends who used to say that there is no word termed “career”. It’s just something we do to get things in life. And as for people who attach identity and individuality with it, they are people who have nothing else left to do in their lives. Wish I could say the same now.