Misled by a Big IT Company: How Should My Friend Handle This Career Setback?

Hello,

There is nothing new I am raising, but please suggest what to do in this case. One of my friends got selected in a big IT company. That IT company is a role model for many people. He got an offer letter and an appointment letter for Associate Engineer - Programming. He left his city and moved to Mysore. During training, the seniors told him that he has to sit on a calling seat in the Technical Support department. Moreover, they also told him that all his degrees and the last 2 years of experience can never take him to the programming field. He can never be a developer. They have started demotivating him. Furthermore, this is what the company is doing to 5 employees of the same group.

Please suggest what he can do in this situation. The CEO of that company is a role model for many of us. Looking forward to suggestions.

Deepali

Hello,

I understood which company you are talking about. The company has a very strong HR system, is what I heard. You can also drop a direct mail to the CEO of the company; he will respond. Record all communication in regards to grievance reporting. Do not blame anyone, but make the problem you are facing very clear. Do not deal with people of lower rank in HR; deal with heads and managers or anyone above them, but mark CC to the CEO to keep him in the loop.

Welcome to the world of office politics.

Thank you,
Octavius

Hi Deepali,

Please ensure that you review the discussion this gentleman had during the interview. Many times, when IT companies (especially in the consulting business) hire people, they convey information about the job profile.

In tech support roles, employees are experienced programmers/developers who have a practical understanding of technical issues. If this information was not communicated to him and he was directly shifted to such a role, he should raise his grievance directly with the senior HR members.

Regards,
Tikam
Email: tikamindia@rediffmail.com

Dear Deepali,

Let's analyze the situation and then comment.

Designations are nothing. It is the role that is important. You can hire someone as a VP-HR and ask him to do the work of Executive-HR. If you are friendly with some of the HR people in the US and have had the chance to scan through their career paths, then you will know what I mean here. Some of those people join as Associate Managers and then move to Director HR or Vice President HR, and then you see them working as Sr. Executive HR. So, what I mean is designations are not important.

Coming to your present case, what was the role discussed with your friend at the time of the interview discussion?

There is another angle to your case. If you know how to write an impressive CV, have good communication skills, and a bit of common sense, you can actually get any job, anywhere in the world and in any company. It is only after you join the work that the manager or management can know your actual caliber. So, though the chances are less, sometimes they feel that though the person was appointed as Sr. Executive, but his level is only that of Management Trainee, then they might not degrade the designation but might degrade the role.

I hope this makes some sense to you. Do not go by face value; try to find more details.

Thanks and Regards

Hi Deepali,

Your friend might have been posted there under some training module for a day or two. You first need to understand it carefully and then proceed further. Many employees feel insecure at the induction of a new professional among them, and their comments, as said by you, might be a result of the same.

I would not recommend leaving your job; rather, you need to understand the situation by talking to any senior official. If nothing works out, then you could go ahead with your resignation plans.

Thank you,
Sweety Singh

[quote="Deepali Gulati"]
If he has the job description with him that was shared during the interview and if he can reproduce his discussions with the concerned business manager related to his role, then he should approach the HR head of the concerned SBU to get his grievance resolved.

Hello,

He spoke to the person who conducted his interview and also to the individual who sent him the offer letter. They said, "We can't help you in this case." 😢😢

Deepali

Hello Octavious,

I understood which company you are talking about. The company has a very strong HR system, as I heard. You can also send a direct email to the CEO of the company, and he will respond. Remember to record all communication regarding grievance reporting.

When expressing your concerns, avoid blaming anyone. Clearly state the problem you are facing. When dealing with HR, interact with heads and managers or anyone above them. Make sure to CC the CEO to keep him in the loop.

Welcome to the world of office politics.

Thank you,
Octavious

Hello Octavious,

He does not know to whom he will be reporting as he is in training right now. Moreover, at the beginning of the blog, copying the CEO on an email could work against him.

Deepali

The first step should be to discuss with your immediate reporting person. If they are not responding to your issues, escalate the matter to their superiors. This is the only fair way to deal with issues in any company. Politics are very common in any office, but as long as you are clear with your work, there should be no worries.

Thanks, Ravinder

Hello,

He spoke to the person who conducted his interview and also to the individual who sent him the offer letter. They said, "We can't help you in this case." 😢

Deepali, is this an actual case or an imagined one? If he has the job description that was provided to him and the offer letter describing his role, he can first approach the concerned HR Head of the SBU and then the HR Head of the Company. There is no reason why his case cannot be heard and resolved.

Infosys cannot afford such blunders. They made one such mistake around 5-6 years ago when they delayed the joining of around 15 people selected through campus hiring, and they paid a huge price for that. One VP of the company was charged with a case of sexual harassment and was subsequently fired. Therefore, the company upholds good values, processes, and procedures. If there is a miscommunication or issue, it will be resolved. However, the fundamental principle to resolve it is that your friend should have documented proof stating that he was promised something and was given something else.

Without evidence, not even the court can provide assistance. I hope this explanation makes sense to you.

Deepali Gulati

Sanjeev,

This is a true case happening in Infosys. I don't have the waste of time to discuss imaginable cases. Apart from it, the latest news is the HR head has refused that they have committed anything like this as the technical support level 1 person is also called an executive engineer. Even Narayanan Murthy has refused to listen to them. All five have requested to take a technical test and then decide; they even refused to do so. A blunder like this is never expected from a company like Infosys.

Deepali

When they have already spoken to the HR Head and Narayanan Murthy without any success, the best course of action is to hold a media conference or reach out to news channels. Any news channel will be willing to hear their story and broadcast it. They will be more than happy to assist your friend and his friends as well.

Hi,
I feel this unprofessionalism should be brought to the attention of the HR Department. If this doesn't yield results, escalate the matter to the higher authorities. If necessary, contact the Role Model CEO.

Regards

Dear Deepali,

Another reason could be that the facility at Mysore is planned to accommodate 5000 software professionals, but the project is yet to be completed. The people are already recruited. Some of them have no seats, and they are being paid salaries for 2 months without having anything to do. The project is delayed due to a lack of cement. But a giant player like this should have a crisis plan in place.

Hello Anjan,

It's not a matter of 2 months; they have clearly conveyed that you will never be able to join the programming department in our company.

Sanjeev,

Going to the media is not a good solution.

Hi,

I understand which company you are talking about. Yes, Depalli, for the past 4 to 5 months, there have been issues in the two most highlighted IT companies. It seems that for the candidates already hired, they either put them on the bench or assign them to non-associated profiles.

My suggestion is, instead of getting demotivated and feeling let down, since this may continue for another 3 months or so, advise your friend to resign and seek better prospects in terms of career growth rather than being tied to the reputation of a big company.

DG

Deepali, what is your suggestion? How do you think this can be resolved? Every problem has its solution, and this one is not unique. You said that they have tried unsuccessfully to contact Narayan Murthy and the HR Head (though they made the attempt) and they do not want to go to the media. No one is listening to them. So, what do you think they should do to solve this situation? It is related to career and professional growth; hence, resignation would be the last suggestion.

Looking forward to knowing your perception, your ideas, your thoughts, and views to solve this case.

Thanks and Regards

Hi Deepali,

First of all, what your friend is going through is really a tough time because this can really affect his personality as a whole. In such a case, what your friend can do is talk to the HR manager of the company. Alternatively, he can just seek support from a few good people in his workplace. It's true that you can't deny what your seniors say, nor can you do something that you are not supposed to do. However, in this case, your friend has just joined the company, and showing resistance to work won't do any good for him. Instead, talking to his peers who are supportive can help him emotionally. This will also assist him in creating his place in the organization.

That's the extent of my suggestion. I hope it works at least for some good for your friend. Take care. :)

Goodbye,
Deesha

Hello Deepti,

Thank you for the suggestion. Can you suggest any other job for him in that particular location, I mean, Mysore or Bangalore?

Can't we do anything against these types of behavior from these tycoons? The only solution is to either do what they are saying or quit.

Deepali

Hi Deepali,

I think your friend should seek support from the media. Your friend is not against the HR head or the Role model CEO; he is against the system. All the people who have come across this case need to learn from it. It is advisable for your friend to search for a new job in another company. After six months, disclose this case in front of the media. Take a step forward to change the system, not the people.

Regards,
Swati Sharma

Dear Friends,

There are many instances where numerous aspirants get caught up in the waves of politics or are subdued by 'THE POWER'. We, as HR professionals, can make a difference in our workplaces. I am reminded of an inspiring story. Let us make a difference in someone's life/career.

Thanks,

Hello Deepali,

I am Vishwa Sehgal, the Head of Human Resources at an international BPO. First of all, sorry to hear about your friend. Let me provide you with insight into the situation. Your friend was hired as an Associate Engineer for a programming role. However, after it was realized by the managers and other seniors that your friend did not meet their expectations, they suggested moving him to a different line of operations. Some even attempted to demotivate him in hopes that he would succumb to emotional distress and voluntarily leave the organization. This behavior is known as intentionally causing distress when seniors do not want to keep an employee.

My honest suggestion for your friend is to start exploring opportunities elsewhere and seek a company, regardless of its size, that offers a good working environment and stability.

Take care,

Vishwa (vishwasehgal@gmail.com) 9967573663

Hi Friends,

Thanks for the suggestions.

He has had a word with the HR department and his superiors, but there have been no results.

Media is not a solution; it will only create gossip and once the story is out, the media will move on, leaving the sufferer, my friend, behind. Quitting is also not a good solution.

Here is what I want him to do. Please share your suggestions on whether this plan will work.

He has the capability; in his last company, he worked as a programmer. I want him to follow the company's instructions: to work on the calling seat in tech support. Let him work hard, put in all his efforts, prove himself, and gain the confidence of his superiors.

Apply for an Internal Job Posting (IJP), take the test, and then transition into a programming role.

Nothing is impossible in this world. If he starts avoiding situations at the beginning of his career, which is not a solution in the long run, it could hinder his growth. Let him learn to face challenges, let him learn what success truly means.

In my opinion, a person who does not face problems does not truly understand the meaning of success.

And I believe he can do it.

Please share your suggestions.

Regards,

Deepali

Dear Ms. Gulati,

If this is a true case that has happened to a person employed by a company which is the dream company for many of us, then it is quite unfortunate.

I would just like to share the little bit of experience I have in HR. Sometime back, I was into IT recruitments and I used to source candidates for the BPO wing of one of the TOP IT companies. They also used to recruit people from the programming field for tech support - level 1, and they were given an offer letter similar to this with the designation given as "Executive Engineer." But during their interview rounds and even when I used to talk to them, I used to make it very clear that this is a 24*7 on-call support role.

I am surprised to hear from you that they have offered him a role of Associate Engineer - Programmer. If this is true, then I beg to differ from you when you say you have asked your friend to concentrate on his current role. Is it so easy to forget an injustice that has been made to you and concentrate on a job role that you are not interested in? My advice to him is, please go ahead and look for some other job in the same city or maybe in Bangalore, learn programming as much as you can, that company is not the end of the world, you will find a better job than this. I know it is easier said than done, but give it a try!

While you resign from this company, put it on papers and on mail as to why you have resigned from the company.

These are my personal opinions, and I do not intend to challenge any views on the same.

Thanks and Regards,

Indrani Chakraborty

Ask him to drop his CV at indrani.chakrabortty@gmail.com, I will see if my recruiter friends can help him out.

Hi Deepali,

Of course, there are lots of companies in Bangalore where you can get good software exposure, not just at TAG.

When dealing with the present problem:

1. Escalate the issue in writing to the higher supervisor. Whether they accept it or not is a different issue. Almost 90% of issues can be resolved if you can substantiate your point with evidence.

2. Take it to the media so that they don't make the candidates a scapegoat for their prospects. Point 2 needs to be handled diplomatically and shrewdly since it could also put a full stop on his/her entry to other companies.

Hello,

Yes, it's a true situation, but resignation is not a solution. I want him to give a lesson to the HR department by staying in the company.

Deepali

Deepali,

You are stuck with the statement that he should not quit. As all have been suggesting, please tell him to continue working while also encouraging him to search for better prospects. He has proof that he was hired as a programmer but was made to work in the support department, so he has a valid reason to leave. Spread awareness of this injustice through word of mouth if not the media. Inform everyone you know about Infosys and the names of his seniors.

Why should we base our life's decisions on uncertain situations? Let him accept the fact and move on, acting diplomatically, and start searching for new opportunities.

All the best,

Regards,

Asha

I think he should go to his senior, send an email to HR, and talk to a senior outside of the department.

Good luck,

Biswadeep

Hello,

Yes, it's a true situation, but resignation is not a solution. I want him to give a lesson to the HR department by staying in the company.

Deepali

If he wants to stay, he should stay and work. I do not know what lesson you want him to teach the HR of the company. 😄 😳 ☹️ But beware, if he tries to act smart, he will be fired for misbehavior and indiscipline, and then you might come on this forum asking for help for your friend. Remember, if you take away a few liters of water from the ocean, it will not affect the ocean in any manner.

If he wants to leave the organization, he can, but he will create problems for others, which could end his career.

I have a question. Who decided that your friend is not suitable in programming? Was it his reporting officer or also the reviewing officer? Did HR not suggest shifting him to programming as he was offered in the interview - to another department, a senior in Mysore, or preferably another senior in programming in Bangalore? While I appreciate your point that he must prove himself in his "current" assignment, I still feel there must be a way of informing the HR director, CEO, or Chief Mentor. They will definitely find a "just" solution.

The best approach I can suggest for this situation is that your friend should take up the matter with whoever gave him an offer letter. In this regard, they should be responsible for all the troubles and difficulties that your friend underwent due to the offer.

I hope that it gets better.

I feel Indu is very right. Just look for an opportunity and move ahead. As far as teaching a lesson is concerned, it's like getting off track from your ultimate career goal and wasting precious time.

Your Views,
Sanjeev Sir

Regards,
Govil Nanda

Is it possible for all of them to come together first to meet or write a letter to the CEO? If that doesn't work, how about going to either a tribunal or court?