"Five Point" Someone..!!

Its that part of the year when morales are high for one section of poeple and otherwise doomed for many sections in IT industry. Yeah its the " Year end" Appraisals time which is no new to any software geek...!! After having been at the receiving end of this system for quite sometime now ( 5 years to be precise), I never had any expectations.
I still remember the days when I entered the industry, with loads of energy and aspirations to be the top notch and belong to the creamy layer. Only to realize that by and large, the appraisal system is the most hypocritic system I have ever come across. The fundamental principles itself show the paradoxy it holds...!!

Realization # 1 : Disappointment knocked me at every turn being a fresher and I was always shown by my superiors that I had fallen short of something initially. In due course of time, I understood that a fresher will have to be exceptionally genius to reach that creamy layer while a senior in the same project gets that spot without actually doing much( not even as much as the fresher). Hmm....

Realization # 2 : Now, how can a fresher become exceptionally genius ?! If he is exceptionally genius already, then why would he be called a fresher, at first place?? Got the catch??:) So its not necessary that you are smart/intelligent enuf to get into top band, you need a strong backing or mentoring from your seniors who would help you get to that. Ideally this shud happen to any fresher who enters the arena but alas.....Life isn't that simple...!! For a backing, there would be many people who would be ready to bootlick the seniors and get the help but those who wouldn't do wil have to get disappointed and accept the mediocrity of life and move on.

Realization # 3 : But I wouldn't take way the credit of those few great leaders (who are still out there) who can guage a fresher's potential and who guide them thick and thin. That is purely a matter of luck, ain't it??!!

Realization # 4 : An individual is rated/appraised based on previous year's performance for which he gets paid in the coming year. It doesn't stop there. The appraisal also takes factors like how much the individual is useful for the project in future. So even if you have slogged for an entire year and want to move on with another project, you would still be rated low since ur not going to be useful in future. Pity!!!

Realization # 5 : Whether you are instantly recognized or not , there would be someone who would surely be watching you and there would be somepoint in time when you would reap it. You should never let mediocrity take over you which is like killing your own fighting self . Rather being driven by monitory benefits, if one is driven by self and satisfaction, I am sure one can perform way beyond the former. A breather and hope!! :)

Having said all that, I am in A band this time for the first time.... Yippieee....:-) I am not sure if I have to be happy for getting there whose basis itself is a paradoxy or feel sad that now I am also part of the bandwagon , having tuned myself to do that smart thing in getting there. I really dont know but I would surely say, realization #5 ( damn this 5 again:) is what I have always strongly believed in, over the period of time. Probably it had paid off :)

On a lighter note,
It took 5 years and 5 months to get a 5/A on the 15th of 5th month and 5th day of the week to be called Five point someone after the 5 realizations......Isn't that a Cool coincidence ??? ha ha ha
Probably everything in life is so well timed OR am I a fool to be just relating all the irrelevant things in life. Whatever it is, it was a good feeling to be "Five" point someone and it did give me a high for a day :):) I am sure tomorrow its going to be a stale news and I wouldn't say or feel the same :)
I am off for a 10 day holiday to my home town as its been 5 months since I am home...Oh myyyyyy!!! Another Five ruling my life ha ha ha ha ha..Well, Life's really interesting, probably a perception is what is needed..:) Until I am back, cheerioooooooooooo...........

~$,16/05/08, 8:00 pm