I have been pondering over the business of ‘Jobs’ for a while now.
I work with a bunch of about 130 really smart people and observe them closely.
Over the past 13 years as an entrepreneur, my group of start ups have employed probably an additional 500-700 people.
I have a vision of where the Job Market is going from here and I wanna share the same:
I think the Job Market is going ‘DIY’.
If you live in a cave and don’t know what that means… DIY means ‘Do It Yourself’.
YEAH – I WANNA JUST BE A HORSEMAN
Here is why:
1. First the Background of why JOBS SUCK (as they are today):
– People want to work closer to where they live. Not where their Boss lives.
I live at Peddar Road in South Mumbai.
And selfishly, I have located my office a few hundred metres from my home, at Tardeo.
Just because I don’t want to move my butt around traffic-congested Mumbai, I expect 130 people to travel to the place I LIKE TO WORK!
Now, how amazingly thoughtful is that?!!
As traffic congestion and infrastructure in the city sink from worse to impossible, qualified employees are going to look for alternatives of living their lives.
No one wants to LIVE IN A TRAFFIC JAM.
– Work timings suck
A lot of people like to wake up late and tumble into work. Maybe at 11 am or even by noon.
And then work till 9 or 10 pm.
Most ‘regular’ jobs don’t allow for that. Despite the fact that employees can be productive and successfully complete what they should be doing. It’s just a mind thing.
Each month we have this silly fight with the accounts department – on late marks and why deductions should be pardoned.
– People, bosses, etc are so annoying
It’s tough to get along with people. I know someone who is brilliant at technology and is a ‘home hermit’. He just cannot interact with people.
– The Job, what it makes you do, could be so much better!
Yeah, we all know that most Jobs SUCK. And the ones that pay you really well, make you do stuff that you hate. Like talking to clients who seem to be the dumbest people alive. Or servicing customers who believe it’s their right to torment and torture you just because they pay some silly bills.
There is a strange co-relation between high paying jobs and highly frustrating jobs. They are positively co-related.
2. Now, consider the emerging Economic Reality
Most Companies are up Shit Creek.
They have bloated salaries and general costs. Their sales figures don’t meet with what was projected to make them profitable.
(Basis of statement – check results of most listed companies in the past 2 quarters and remove items like extraordinary income and one time profits from their P&L. Then see where they stand.)
Their stocks are down and their CEOs really highly strung.
I don’t think these CEOs and these Companies are in the frame of mind to really address people and their job aspirations as much as keeping sure that their Company’s market capitlization is meekly maintained to status quo.
In short, there is a massive MISMATCH on the kind of work people want to do vs what Companies want to offer right now.
3. Finally appreciate that the Future Internet is where this mismatch will be serviced
I believe:
That the connected, Internet and Mobile world create the perfect platform for DIY jobs.
Imagine:
– Checking into Foursquare and finding jobs ranked in many myriad ways in places next to you
I mean if you are an accountant or a data entry person where one job is as good as another, then why would you not shift jobs and companies that reduce travel by 2 hours each way?
All that’s required is to FIND that ‘nearby’ job.
– My personal belief is that as individuals begin to throng the Internet and make their personal services public (what they do and how they can help), their COST will be greatly reduced.
Think Linkedin going location and getting used as popularly as Facebook.
Or just imagine Facebook Jobs that also have friends’ recommendations.
For example, take a bunch of lawyers I know who live in the far flung suburbs who come to Fort in South Mumbai to work everyday.
These people work for firms that are a 100 years old and these firms charge my Company 10k per hour of work put in by these lawyers.
These firms charge these fees because of reputation (very hard to beat); BUT ALSO because of expensive built-in costs of old partners, office rents etc etc.
Of the 10k paid, I am sure none of these lawyers even earn 5k per hour PERSONALLY (thats 40k a day or 8 lacs per month)
BUT the firm I use charges this to me because of the overall costs.
Now, if these lawyers became available on Social Networks publicly, and physically come to my office to consult individually, and charge me 2k per hour, everyone will be happy.
– Lots of Jobs are now ONLINE.
Today, routine jobs like back office work, data processing etc etc… do not need physical presence.
They will create some amazing DIY jobs.
I believe that the combination of PEOPLE DISCOVERY driven by the Internet will change Jobs forever.
And when reputation of your work carries a publicly acceptable ranking that can be relied on, then hiring strangers will never be an issue.
I bet you don’t like your job too much. Well, just get ready to DIY.
*****
Nimit Panpalia
Hi Alok,
Felt really nice to read your thoughts and sometimes in the evening i really feel like staying back in the office rather than going home and come back in the morning. One more point which i will like to add that having a job near to his/her house will help an individual to spend quality time with family and live a healthy life. I wonder, why people dont give respect to this 2 most important thing in their life… May be a post from you on this topic will help 😉
Sachin Bhatnagar
This was brilliant. I think the only thing that keeps people away from becoming an entrepreneur is fear. It is fear of losing out on reality, life and its chaotic chores, which we love so much. I can say this because I often find myself reaching that juncture where I will have to take that leap of faith and do what has only been stagnating inside my head for a good number of years. Its like ‘now or never’.
Its so true that its sometimes impossible to make superiors understand the importance of letting go of silly HR principles in favour for an environment that allows employees to actually use their head in whichever way they can make it work. Flexible timings or no timings is one such thing that you touched here. And yes, not everyone can wear a suit and act smart infront of a client. Being a techie and an educator in the creative industry, I have seen geniuses tucked up in the oblivious confines of a cubicle with beards and attire that can pose serious competition to show stopper sadhus in a Kumbh mela. And these geniuses do just one thing, the only thing they’re bloody good at. But almost in every case, they’re just there, unsung. You only see the almighty CEO, who’s happy to ring in praise, PR and the prize for himself.
I must say that articles such as these act like steroids for those who have to take that one step into being a successful entrepreneur but are afraid to do so, in fear of landing up into a pit. Count me as one such fool. Your article has helped! Thanks 🙂
Aji (Digital Marketing)
Best example is “Kerala”
People have land but the no body wants to work for them as everyone wants to go to Dubai (and they go and earn more money). Nobody is available for chota chota work. Even when you are ready to pay more.
Most of the work is done by people themselves. The outosurcing work: Previously people Tamil Nadu use to come for work, they became expensive, now people from Bihar and Bengal are coming for work. Even they will go expensive and not easy to available.
Same thing will happen for many chota chota work in business, from HR to Marketing … “Think partners not employees” is going to be major statement in the years to come. I spoke about it few years back in Chennai … https://www.seoforclients.com/blog/marketing/mindset-changes-indian-webmasters.html