Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Is 3 months’ notice period validfor IT developers?

Those golden old days are gone when people used to stick to one company for years together. Employers valued employees and Employees respected employers. I still remember my dad worked with a steel company, the company provided shelter, school and a healthy social environment to stay. On the top they provided options, if the person wants to leave he gets a nice voluntary retirement package with awesome PF (Provident fund) on hand.

Things have changed lately,Employers and employee relationship has just become monetary focused.  Especially with IT companies and the US outsourcing banging Indian doors, mentality has worsened.

But that’s fine change is a part of life and we need to start adjusting to it, rather than repeating the talks of golden days. What caught me in all this change,Is the “Notice period” for IT professionals.

IT companies have been asking notice period of 3 months and some smart IT companies go one step ahead making it 6 months.

Damn it, 3 months, what’s the expectation, the person should never resign, even if he does not like the environment?.  At the same time we know developers who are hopping like monkeys for extra 10% every six months. So such kind of enforcement is necessary for them.

But of 100% IT developers how many are of that mentality?.I can assure very few. If you think logically 1 month of notice period is more than enough.

  • How much ever bigger is the project, how much time does it take to give knowledge transfer from one developer to other developer?. If the project was running as a one man show , catch the manager who let that thing happen.
  • Second, Will the other IT Company wait for 3 months to get this developer on board?.
  • Third, a halfhearted developer how good is he for the project?. I think he will spit more venom and discourage other developers in the project.
  • The most important thing in IT is reputation, after so much harassment when this person goes to other company, do you think he will talk good for your company.

If you have a proper and practical knowledge transfer plan1 month is more than enough to a release a developer.

Mr. Shivprasadkoirala is author of the bestselling book .NETinterview questions published by BPB publications. You can also visit his website for 500 .NET and c# interviewquestions from here.