'Never resign from a job for silly reasons'

We asked Get Ahead readers to send their Happy days... tales as we believe that the dark clouds of recession are slowly but surely vanishing and those who were laid off during 2008 and 2009 are getting back their jobs.

In the first two parts Anuj Patel and Anamika Sahu shared their stories of disappointment, frustration and triumphs even as they negotaited the ups and downs of life.

In the third part of this series, Mohit Raikar shares his story which is a bit different from the previous two published. Nevertheless, Mohit believes that happy days are here again for him and his family.

Read on to learn why you must not resign from a well-paid job "over a silly career move".

Name: Mohit Raikar
Age: 26
Company/Sector: IT
Education: BE in computer science
Work experience: 3 years

I read the 'Happy days are here again' series on rediff about how people suffer when they lose their job. Even I have gone through this period of pain and frustation and hence would like to share my tale about why I resigned from my job -- to repent later -- when many of India's IT companies were sensing first signs of an impending recession.

Background check

I was employed in one of the best Indian IT company at Chandigarh, happily living with my parents, wife and 3-year-old daughter. I worked in this company for 3 years and had no plans to quit as the work culture was good and they had offered me a good package. But all that changed in April 2008.

I was asked by my company to relocate to another city in South India as my project was moved there. I declined since my wife was working and staying along with my parents in a nearby town and moving down south would have disrupted my family life. It was not possible for me to relocate as my parents were old and my wife was working as a central government employee in Delhi.

Hence I decided to resign, thinking that I will get another good job in Chandigarh. But I was wrong.

I uploaded my CV on various job portals and thought that I will get calls immediately. Alas, that didn't happen. I gave a few interviews in Gurgaon and Noida but couldn't get an offer letter because most of the companies decided to keep their projects on hold and hence didn't need manpower.

My level of frustration increased as 8 months passed by and I was still unemployed. My hard earned money was draining out, going for interview to Delhi every weekend and then coming back empty-handed, frustated.

Click NEXT to read how Mohit got his job again.

Do you have a similar tale to tell?

Did you lose your job and got it back? Do you know someone who lost her/his job, and got it back recently?

If you, your friends or relatives have a similar story to tell, to inform readers about the lessons that you have learnt, please write to us at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'Happy days are here again!' Your name and identity will not be disclosed unless you want it to.

In those times I thought I should have relocated to south for some time and should have never resigned from my present company. But nothing could be done then. I even started looking to search for a job down south and was even willing to work for less money.

Then one day I came across an advertisement that one of the big IT companies was having a walk-in interview in Delhi and their requirement matched my profile. I immediately applied and went for the walk-in.

I cleared four technical rounds and finally during my HR round I was offered the job with a handsome package. I felt happy and informed my wife and parents. The company HR told me that they will be giving me my offer letter in two days. But after a week they informed that the project for which I was hired had been scrapped.

I was totally shattered. My wife's contract too was nearing its expiry in another three months. That was a double blow for all of us. We felt as if there was no end to our problems; meeting our monthly expenditure would be an uphill task after three months. But my wife and my parents supported me and asked me to have faith in God, which I had completely lost then. I failed to understand why after clearing almost half a dozen interviews all the companies said that projects would be on hold and they will call me later.

I was fustated sometimes and even felt like hanging myself. But the very thought of my family and my little daughter discouraged me from taking such an extreme step.

I had no job even after 10 months and my tension and frustration increased further. I used to lose my temper very quickly.

But all that changed when I got a call from an MNC. Again I cleared all the technical rounds and was waiting for the HR call. I had no hope because of my past experience of clearing the technical rounds and not getting the offer letter. All of a sudden the the HR person called and told me that I was through and they will soon send a soft copy of the offert letter.

I got the soft copy of the offer letter. I immediately responded by accepting the offer letter. On the very same day my wife also got the letter from her office stating that after the completion of her contract period, which was about to expire in another month, she will be absorbed as a permanent employee. It was just Providence that we both got the job and joined on the same date.

I will never forget the period of frustation that me and my wife went through in those terrible days. But now I have a job with a good package in Chandigarh and even my wife works as a permanent employee.

For me it is indeed 'Happy days are here again!'

Lessons learnt:

• Never resign from a job over a silly career move like I did
• It's important to sacrifice on your cushy life if your job demands so
• If you have made a mistake find ways on how you can rectify them instead of taking extreme steps
• Finally, never give up hope, believe in yourself and have faith in God

Do you have a similar tale to tell?

Did you lose your job and got it back? Do you know someone who lost her/his job, and got it back recently?

If you, your friends or relatives have a similar story to tell, to inform readers about the lessons that you have learnt, please write to us at getahead@rediff.co.in with the subject line 'Happy days are here again!' Your name and identity will not be disclosed unless you want it to.