Taint of layoff haunts techies applying for new jobs

A resignation letter is face-saver for employee and employer, but a termination letter is a blot

The embarrassment of layoffs haunts retrenched employees in the IT sector when they apply for new jobs, despite having years of experience. Retrenched techies from Verizon who attended other interviews, were asked about their termination.

One of them said, “It’s been more than a month. If not for Verizon, I was certain I would get a job given my job experience. However, at every interview I attend they ask me if mine was one of the names on the list of retrenched techies? This is a tough and embarrassing question to answer as the company did not cite an accurate reason, and our resignations were shown as voluntary.”

The mass layoffs are said to be due more to companies restructuring than to the personal performance of employees.

Those familiar with the industry say most of the techies who are laid off because of company restructuring are hired by other companies.

Sandeep Kumar Makthala, Telangana Information Technology Association founder and president said, “When a techie is laid off, even if it is a forced resignation, the company registers it as a voluntary resignation. The techie is equivalent to any other professional who left the job for another, better, opportunity.

In some situations companies give a letter stating that since the project ramped down we are letting go of the employee. Companies only tend to maintain a record if it is a voluntary attrition or termination.”

When a person’s service is terminated because of poor performance or misconduct, they are given around two or three months to improve their performance and if they do not upgrade themselves, they are thrown out without any allowances.

A resignation letter is a facesaver for the employee and employer, but a termination letter is a blot.

Apuri Satyanaraya, a retrenched techie from Tech Mahindra, said, “I was asked to resign despite being a good performer. I resisted voluntary resignation, so I was terminated. I have applied to hundreds of companies but got a call only from three. The technical interviews lasted for hours but I never heard back from any of them. It is difficult to manage finances when you are the only person fending for your family.”

A layoff is a temporary phenomenon, and such employees are hired by other companies where there is need.

Sometimes, employees who voluntarily resigned are taken back by the same company, but not those whose services have been terminated.