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Corporate Circus #4: Loyalty Points

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On the 27th of June, 2017, I completed 9 years in the corporate industry. Also, 9 years in the same company. Roughly around ten years ago, I was placed in one of the biggest companies of the world as part of the campus recruitment. A day after the last exam of my Engineering ended, I joined the company. Looking back, I feel so nostalgic about the whole journey. My joining location was in Chennai and I spent the first four months of my corporate life there and hated every part of it. While most of my problems were with the city I was staying in rather than my job, I still did not get to enjoy the start of my corporate life. My peers were very different from the way I was. I was the odd woman out among a batch of local produce. There were a few others from different locations as well, but our frequencies were not even remotely close.

During the first four months of my corporate life, I hated everything around. I was one of the lucky few to have been placed in a project in the exact domain that I had studied, so technically I was hanging in there. While I cursed the city and the people around, I was still in love with my company and the work that I was doing. The first chance that I got to come back to Bangalore did not materialize and that took me down pretty badly. Thanks to the long distance, my first ever relationship came crumbing down and I was hampered emotionally. I had a few friends around me but none could understand what exactly I was going through. I was away from home for the first time, in a city that I couldn't relate and had people around who looked at me like I was an alien. Everything that could go wrong was going wrong but I still had my work with me to keep me going. Then one day, I got the news that my project was shutting down.

This was the last straw. I decided to get out of the city no matter what. My mom fell ill at the same time and I just moved back to Bangalore without a project in hand. My manager understood my situation and helped me get an interview for a project here. I managed to clear it and thus started my actual journey in corporate in the city that I loved, around my family and around my friends. It is really hard to believe that nine years have passed since then. Most of my friends have changed companies every two years but I chose to stick to mine. While everyone thought that I was being complacent and lazy, I was learning a lot at what I was doing. As people changed companies, I changed projects and explored various domains. This increased my learning scope. Thanks to being pretty articulate, I could convince managers that I was right for the job. Even if I was starting out in a fresh domain. I took up various roles that challenged me and continue to do the same.

Most of my friends have shifted companies and earn five times more than I do today. But money has never been a criteria for me when it comes to work. While it is important, what comes first for me is learning and self worth and satisfaction. I'm very happy in my workplace and that is all I need. My work lets me come in and leave office when I like as long as the work gets done. My work lets me be flexible and work from home if needed. My friends in other companies crib about their work culture, timings and distance. I stay 2 km away from my work location and do not spend more than 10-15 minutes in travel. Sometimes I get to work in 5 minutes flat. This helps me be more fresh and agile at work and give equal importance to my household chores as well.

People usually are shocked when I tell them that I've spent 9 years in a single company. That too my first ever company. It is not like I do not like change. As and when I felt the need for a change, I've changed projects. I've worked in various locations within the city, traveled on site, explored various roles and domains - all within the same company. Everything that I looked for in a job role, I found it here. No, it is not about the comfort factor. I'm not someone who likes to stay comfortable professionally. Whenever I get too comfortable, I'll leave the project and look for something new. My company gives me the leeway and the opportunity to do that. I've got regular promotions and pay hikes clearly based on the work that I've done. I agree that it is not as much as you get when you switch companies, but it still is an increase. I'm only greedy when it comes to my job role and responsibilities. Money will always come next.

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I have no plans of changing my company for now. I don't know about the future, but for now I'm looking forward to reach the milestone of 10 years in an IT major. I've stayed loyal to the company and I love the work culture here. While most people point out that I work in a company that doesn't pay well, I respond saying that my company keeps me happy and content. They would probably understand this if they looked for happiness outside the financial bracket. I've earned a lot from my company, salary and gratuity apart, it has made me the person that I am today. I know my company doesn't think of me as the same, I'm just another resource for it. But as long as I'm around I'll try to do my best. For my company and for myself.

Comments

  1. Loyalty pays, always. As long as you are happy and loving your job, nothing else matters. Keep up the good work and you will reap benefits, congratulations.

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  2. Congratulations on completing 9 years. I also complete 9 years in current company today. With all the flexibility you are getting, there is no point in changing except for the money. After a certain level, all the IT companies are the same :) I am also looking forward to the 10 year anniversary.

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  3. 9 years in one company is really impressive! Congratulations Soumya <3

    Your Corporate Circus posts inform me about the world I will step into in a few years time. Our fields are way different though *facepalm*. The trend nowadays is clearly to keep shifting from one job to another. Ideally, my introverted self would find that very distressing. But one can never know, I may end up liking the challenge instead. :)

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    1. I'm so glad our fields are different. Someone as awesome as you is not made for IT, trust me. Honestly, it's not much of a challenge. It usually is the same work but with a change of location. Now if you choose to work in a location that is like 40 kms away from where you stay and commute everyday, then that's a challenge :D

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  4. Loyalty does pay. It may be slower than some others, but it does. At least in my experience.
    Good going, and hang in there for the big 1-0.

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    1. It sure does. Oh yes, we'll drink to that soon :)

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  5. Whoa- thats quite an achievement and Its so good to know you valule experience and variety of work over money! Personal growth always pays off in the long run and I wish you all the best of luck to complete the 10th year too here!!! Cheers

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  6. Wow you sure need those loyalty points --- 9 years in the same company??? Thats fantastic. Haven't heard of something like this in a long time, especially in the IT field.

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    1. Haven't heard? I've known people who have spent 25-30 years in the same company :P

      Thanks for reading, Ramya.

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  7. I love your attitude, Soumya. It's rare in this day and age, but I can completely relate. Because money has never come before job satisfaction for me either. I too only switched companies when I switched countries, or rather continents. And with my current job, even though the pay isn't the best, I have stuck with them, because I love the people, the culture and the work. When that stops being fun, I'll move.

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    1. Thank you, Shantala. When work stops being fun, I'll move too.

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  8. This Is fantastic. Staying put in a company for 9 years is an achievement. But then happiness matters the most and you are happy in this place.

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  9. Congratulations! Reading your blog for the first time! I have spent 11 years in the same company where I joined as a fresher, so I do understand where you are coming from. Money should never ever be a criteria for job change. I personally feel, as long as you get to learn a new thing each day, its enough! Work hard, money will follow! Keep writing! :)

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