My Job

One thing I've decided is that in my life I want to have a story, not a CV. I learnt this from 2 old men - my father and another Australian who lives in the UK working for a communications company.

My father has often told me the importance of a CV in one's life. And he's right of course. The fact is that in India, if your CV has to go past someone's rubbish bin it has to have the essentials of a degree, some work experience and depending on your luck - your name needs to fit in with the person's inherent biases. But he also gave me the comfort and security to KNOW this information and make my own choices despite it. More on that later. The other old man (to be fair they're both kind of middle aged) told a group of us a story about someone he knew called Dave or Steve I forget; who went from school to playing music with goats, then to incorporate 2 major businesses etc. His life generally went like this. So through my meandering and sometimes confusing life experiences so far I've decided I want a story as well and not a CV - where I need to compress myself into one page of boring rhetoric.

When I was coming to work today in an auto I realized I love my job. I have this realization sometimes - at weird times. Randomly at my desk, before I fall asleep, when I'm on a flight, when I come to work. But it comes nevertheless. This is the feeling that gives me the confidence to continue what I'm doing. The essentials of my job are:

1. I work in Mumbai
2. I work for almost nothing (Rs. 7500)
3. I live with 10 other people in a space that's enough for 4 people comfortably
4. I work with the same 10 people who have all had a fantastic leadership experience in the past and all assume they are right.
5. These 10 people definitely know more then me.
   
6. If I have a fight/argument at work I need to come home and live with the same people
7. In meetings its a clash of Delhi v Bangalore v China v Hyderabad v Chandigarh v Jaipur v Pune - the people on the team.
   
8. There is no concept of your own space or privacy - if you are extremely happy or sad about anything it needs to be disseminated.
   
9. The office is cluttered
   
10. The washing machine (in a flat where only 4 people should stay but 11 do) leaks terribly
11. We also live with 1 rat who brings friends on and off
12. Some people sleep at night and some in the day (thus moods varying accordingly)
13. There is no actual working structure - you have to make it up as you go along.
14. There is no protocol except the minimum
15. We work only for one year - so you need to work and do everything you can in that one year and hope that people coming after you will believe in some of the things you have done.
16. No one can have an ego but since that never happens, it just means 11 EGO's manage themselves in a very small space.
17. You have the space and the environment to think anything is possible and then do it. No one will even try to stop you.
18. You don't need to suck up to the boss to make something work. Or get a promotion. Because there are no promotions!
19. You don't work for money - which means you work for the love of the job, for the love of learning or for the love of being able to accomplish something.
    
20. There is no other place to feel a sense of pure ambition.
    

It looks - well out of the ordinary. But thats what makes it worthwhile. When else except at 23, single and with no responsibility will you do something out of the ordinary?