If there is a thing called the seven-year itch in marriage, I have the five- itch theory for jobs. This time, when I went around saying my final dues and hues to my bosses and colleagues, the inevitable'why' was difficult to specify. One close buddy could not see why I had to leave despite having three of his why's answered. Moving jobs is always associated with lots ofnegativity. In my case, I made sure people saw my point of view and most did, eventually.

Just how would you know you have had enough of a job? Look out for the tell-tale signs. Among others, if you stop digging into your wardrobe and simply pull out the mismatched orange blouse and red slacks one fine morning and feel it would not make any difference, watch it! If you are the type who would not sleep a wink if there was a single assignment not done, but of late, you feel that tomorrow or even next week would make no difference, again watch it!

And when your boss, who yet again tries to drive a point but your mind is
oceans away, between heaven and hell, you must really think hard this time.

It's a sign

When you reach home after a hard day at work and your mind is still ranting and roving for things to do, then seriously, it is time to get busy. Elsewhere.

So, when I felt all of these and more, I marched into the boss's office and said I was leaving because of this, this and this. That chat I had with my boss was the longest conversation I ever had with him.

I was overwhelmed with by the boss's thoughtfulness who was willing to go to great lengths to have me stay on but there was a voice inside me screaming, just go. I knew my time was up and I was dying for a change, in environment,
people and everything that may come with a new job.

Must confess though, while I was heeding all this, I did have initial fears about job security. But every time this burning question buzzed around in my head, I would find a feasible consolation. Actually, it is all about profit and loss. So, if you are able to list what is the worst that can happen and how would you counter these, there would be light at the end of the tunnel.

One great friend and colleague also decided to throw in the towel weeks before me and we shared a lengthy conversation, and we reminisced the good and bad times with the company and the conversation sailed through a host of common issues, from salary, to increment to bonuses and ended on what a boss should and should not be. Among others, this colleague of mine made an interesting point when he admitted that he was not sure himself if he was making the right move. "I could either be better off or worse off but the only way to know is to take the bold step forward into the unknown."

What about the maxim, it is better the known devil than the unknown, I asked. "Well, the difference between the known and the unknown is just time."

Another great friend had this to say, "Never leave because you hate it here, only leave when you know you for sure the other place is where you want to be."

Great wisdom I thought, and come to think of it, it makes a hell lot of sense.
Packing up! That is the hardest part. I am the kind who keeps notes, messages,
letters and all things printed, simply because I may need it one day. Each time I leave a job, I curse myself for having this habit, but till today I have not got out of this nasty habit. Then there are things you have collected over the years and must be discarded but every piece of document must be seen to make sure nothing important is carted away to the dumps.

I still remember, on the last, last day, my faithful office companion who has been there at every call of mine, peering sadly over the door offering to help with the packing, with a look of dejection written all over her face.

Each time I left a job, I did so with optimism that I would make do well and do my best in my new place of employment. Somehow, I am not the crying type and far from sentimental, so I have always taken farewells in my stride.

Rolling stones

"Remember, a rolling stone gathers no moss." It is an old saying and perhaps outdated. I think in the world today which is changing so rapidly, brought about by globalisation, gathering moss would be the last agenda on my plate.

When friends called the last couple weeks, the first thing I had to say was that I had a new job and they go, "You switched again?" I take great pains to explain that it was a move and not a switch. But what is the difference, a friend asked. There is a lot of difference. To me, switching jobs has a negative connotation attached while moving jobs sounds a little more matured and professional.

While one switches jobs ever so often for a multitude of reasons, moving jobs on the other hand, to me is nobler, for career progression, and I beg to fall under the second category.

Now that I have been in my new job for about 12 weeks now, it has not been easy settling in but then again, isn't that the challenge I was looking for? So, I should not be complaining.

It's quite common for us to take things for granted when we have too much of
something and then we start missing it when the comfort is suddenly taken away. In any job, clear direction and instruction are important as they give the employee confidence and makes working enjoyable.

When I was visiting my old colleagues recently, I was asked whether I was happy at my new work place. I was about to go say that happiness is within you and if you make the best out of everything, happiness is always there, and blah, blah blah, but I stopped short. They were my former colleagues, my friends, I could be frank with them, so, I shared with them my innermost thoughts about my work, the people and the work culture. In the process, I found that I was actually offering consolation to myself.

In a great many organizations, speaking out your mind is taboo but speaking
behind the back is ok. The difference between being bold and outright and being rude is often in the manner and the context in which the conversation takes place.

The truth

Most importantly, as I write this, I am saddened that people in authority are so blinded in their quest for more power that they are chained in arrogance, conceit and superiority complex.

These days, I have become less of a thinker and more of an implementer, but if that is what I am being paid for, why not? If I take a positive attitude and look at things as a learning curve, than I am contended and the great words of Rabindranath Tagore comes to mind:

If you shut the door to all errors, truth will be shut out.

On a lighter note, I am proud to announce that I now have a set of new maxims:
- don't speak even when you are spoken to because you are paid to only listen
- as you can never be right, keep doing the wrong
- deadlines are mere gimmicks to remind one and all that there is still tomorrow
- finding a scapegoat is the most important skill, always be prepared with one
- thinking is not allowed but you can pretend to do so and be appreciated
- 'Sorry' and 'thank you' are bad words and do not fit the vocabulary autocrats
- never say 'no' but just don't do it

There is more but since I am still learning, the list is incomplete.

BHAVANI KRISHNA IYER can be reached at bhavaniyer@hotmail.com