Friend: “I can’t find the right people for my team. It’s a niche project—cutting-edge stuff. You’d think engineers would jump at this. But no one’s interested.”

Me: “That’s surprising. Especially in your company. It’s huge. What’s the problem?”

Friend (sighing): “Exactly that. The company. People associate us with routine, not innovation. Even when the project is exciting, the company brand turns them off.”

Me: “Isn’t that fixable? Can’t you directly reach out to candidates and explain the project?”

Friend: “I wish. All hiring is centralised. I’m stuck with standard Job Descriptions. By the time they reach candidates, it’s like Chinese whispers. The uniqueness of the project is lost.”

Me: “Sounds like a brand problem, not a project problem.”

Friend: “Exactly. And most good candidates are stuck in 3-month notice periods. Even if I find someone, there’s no guarantee they’ll join. They spend those months collecting offers and pick whoever bids highest in the last week.”

Me: “I’ve seen that. We faced the same when hiring in India. The 3-month notice period is a nightmare.”

Friend: “And guess what? Half the people on our internal bench aren’t right for the project either.”

Me: “But isn’t that what the bench is for? Deploying available talent?”

Friend: “In theory. But in reality, many are placed to protect ‘Revenue at Risk’ accounts. We’re hoarding people in roles just to avoid penalties or losing clients. It’s not about matching skills to projects anymore.”

Me: “So even when the bench looks full, you still have to hire contractors?”

Friend: “Exactly. Contractors come in as a stop-gap, but management wants them gone as soon as knowledge transfer is done.”

Me: “That’s a broken system. These long notice periods breed disengagement. Your situation’s a real-world example.”

Friend: “Right. And people think working in a big consulting firm is prestigious. But inside, it’s chaos.”

Me: “So, what do you think should change?”

Friend:

• “To Employers: End rigid notice periods. Retain people with purpose, not policies.”
• “To Employees: Don’t fall for brand names. Choose growth over logos.”
• “To Policymakers: Reform labor laws to discourage long notice periods and encourage healthy job mobility.”

Me: “You know what? This conversation deserves to be written up. It’s not just your problem. It’s the entire industry’s problem.”

Friend (laughing): “You do that. Maybe someone will finally listen.”

“India’s future talent hubs will be small, purpose-driven firms. Pride comes from impact, not brand.”