Why “not” Nepal?

to quote Seth,

“be ready for anything”

makes perfect sense when you are in Nepal right now.

see link…

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/12/predictions.html

so here goes the list for the frustrations with dealing with “un-professionals”, while running Digital Max Solutions

1) People take the job as a training first – execution of their responsibilities second(they are less inclined to feel responsible for their jobs.)

2) ‘Grass is greener on the other side’. is killing us. Competent manpower hard to retain for more than a year.

3) Some people work hard to impress you during the early months of their career with you, and then once they win your trust, start slacking off noticeably (intentionally /unintentionally). Am i missing something here?

4) YOu would have to invest most of your resources on infrastructure management, insurance and backup/security of the infrastructure, leaving not much resources for human resources trainings and career development.

5) Work ethics is rudimentary for most people with less than 5 years of experience. “Diligence” is in short supply amongst a wide array of young professionals in Kathmandu. Again, the current brain drain is accelerating, with it, the thinking that, “life is easy out in foreign countries” is solidifying in the young generation.

6) Constant Distractions in Kathmandu seem to affect an employee’s morale more negatively than on work. Young people are more disturbed by not being able to comprehend or able to find solutions to the complex reality of Nepal.

7) Not many people are interested in questioning themselves and their bosses about the career direction/chart. (blindly following whatever is given to them or wherever they are led). Very few are inspired enough to make a career path.

8 ) Common sense (highly undervalued and extremely deficient amongst upcoming IT professionals in Nepal).

9) “The grass is greener on the other side” thought is ingrained, plastered, super-glued !

10) “Because of My family” is the primary excuse for all deal breaking, ties-breaking decisions, some of the employees make. I have rarely seen one own up to their responsibilities cleanly. Those that have owned up, i have only abundant respect for them.

Again, this applies to most professionals i have met while running DMS and talking with other entrepreneurs in Nepal running companies in Kathmandu.

I will try to write how i have tried to counter these issues in a later post (hopefully soon).

My hypothesis:

Best Working Environment >>> Best Workers >>> Best Product (or Service) >>> Profit !!!

I wish i could explain it better with more words/paragraphs.. but this explains it all for what i wanted to say.

btw.. if you think i missed ” Best idea”, no i didn’t. Its good if you have a better idea, but doesn’t have to be a pre-requisite.

so you think you are special??

here is a thought: On your next job application….,

DON’T SEND RESUMES/BIO DATA WHILE APPLYING.

Don’t. ((full stop there))

Instead: (As Seth godin writes and I wholly endorse it )

“How about three extraordinary letters of recommendation from people the employer knows or respects?
Or a sophisticated project they can see or touch?
Or a reputation that precedes you?
Or a blog that is so compelling and insightful that they have no choice but to follow up? “

http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2123/27146996

as usual check out Seth article…its his idea. i wholly endorse it.

I get a lot of my inspiration from “that wise guy”.

These days, we seem to be in odd position here at Digital Max Solutions ( A Web applications development offshore company in Kathmandu, Nepal). We have steady work coming but not enough developers to grab these new exciting works.To date we have tried a few tactics:

Recruiting from placing advertisements in paper or online. (Kantipur daily & Himalayan times-Wednesday listings)

Recruitment from local recruitment agencies (headhunters). We used “Real Solutions” a local head hunter agency.

Word of mouth (through ex-associates or current)

The best is as always through Word of mouth and from recommendations from associates presently working with us and ex-associates.So i have to say so far, the best way to recruitment is from personal viral marketing (viral recruiting actually!). We are hiring from the local competitive IT market. Its a tough recruiting since most young people are increasingly opting to try their hand at the “greener pastures” on the other side. (By other side, I mean, USA, Australia, South Korea, Japan, UK or even some other non english European countries).Interesting dilemma as a CEO.How do we make an IT industry here in Nepal, and increase the clout of the industry when the young talented people who are here, will not stay here to support the pillars ? What do you think ?
Ujw