Until a decade or two ago, it was more the rule than exception that most people retired from the same organization that they joined as an employee or a trainee. In fact, getting a decently paid job itself was difficult in the first place, leave alone the chance of having multiple choice. Then, they were `loyal’ employees, every one of them, unfailingly getting ‘rewarded’ the routine annual hikes. Job switching was very rare even among the few enterprising ones who wanted to have an enviable time getting a `good’ offer.

All this was before India’s economic boom. As a result of the huge economic boom that began in the late 1980s and soon brought every economic activity within its ambit, a world of diverse job opportunities opened up for techies and ‘loyalty’ to the corporate organizations became a rare virtue. Today the techies are busy, playing ‘job hopscotch’.

According to a recent study conducted by Ma Foi Global Search Services in India, job-hopping is going up sharply. The report confirmed that in 2004, 12 to 13 percent of the previous year’s IIM batch shifted jobs within a year. This percentage has risen to 18-23 in the last two years.

There are also genuine reasons for a techie to switch the job. It might be medical emergencies, feeling unrecognized or undervalued at work, relocating subsequent to marriage, higher education, onsite opportunity, and higher salary and perks. However, a candidate who decides to leave a job should have a clear justification for the same.

However, in order to make a shift in their job, some of the candidates come up with lame excuses. "I have had experiences where candidates wants to make a better choice, hence, before joining the organization they come with excuses like their parents are not well and since they need to spend more time with them; they are not interested in taking up the job. This is unbelievable," says Kishore Deshpande, HR Head, Webex.