Outsource yourself!

November 12, 2011 11:32 AM

Looking for work? Come to India!
posted by Tom-B (26 comments total)

Not only does your money go farther there, but many Indians have a good command of English and you can get by easily. You can make even more money on the side if you want to teach American English to Indian college students. A couple of downsides: Massive congestion, infrastructure problems, and left-sided driving. Otherwise, it's smooth sailing.
posted by Renoroc at 11:49 AM on November 12, 2011 [5 favorites]

Didn't they cancel this show?
posted by Thorzdad at 12:02 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

couple of downsides: Massive congestion, infrastructure problems, and left-sided driving AND political corruption.

A 2005 study conducted by Transparency International in India found that more than 55% of Indians had first-hand experience of paying bribes or influence peddling to get jobs done in public offices successfully. [wiki]

But yeah, other than that smooth sailing.
posted by Fizz at 12:04 PM on November 12, 2011

Nothing worthwhile is going to get started without a little Baksheesh, I'm afraid.
posted by Renoroc at 12:08 PM on November 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

But yeah, other than that smooth sailing.

Well, other than the horrendous pollution levels in major cities and soul-crushing inequality everywhere around you, though you become inured to the latter.
posted by Dasein at 12:14 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Sound good, I will accept payment in chicken tikka masala, samosas and aloo paratha. That is where most of my money goes anyway. Why is Indian food so expensive in the US? The only other option is those combo cab driver hangout/video rental/buffet places which I go to for rice, channa masala and what appears to be goat, I am not nearly drunk enough for goat right now though.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:24 PM on November 12, 2011

But yeah, other than that smooth sailing.

I think you forgot that India is located about eight feet from the Earth's sun.
posted by griphus at 12:36 PM on November 12, 2011 [15 favorites]

Don't forget the tropical diseases!
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:39 PM on November 12, 2011

The linked article is actually about companies trying to convince Indians to take jobs in India, not foreigners.

The framing of the post and article headline don't exactly make that clear, though.
posted by iotic at 12:52 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Indian companies need experienced people who can step into project management roles up to senior levels, said Bhushan.


This is the key, teams PMed from the states are a mess, office hours are all out of whack and there are sometimes surprising differences in holiday schedules. If you schedule a a conference call for EOB east coast half the guys in India seem like they are on a cell phone at a club or something.

Companies are trying to transition away from "rent a coder" to teams run end to end in India.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:03 PM on November 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

For some strange reason, this thread makes me think of the old Gooness Gracious me sketch about the Indian advertising agency, where they trying to rename someone with an Indian name. Ah, good times, good times....

Also, Indian food is expensive in the US? Something something immigrants something.
posted by marienbad at 1:15 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Or if you're like my company, become a contractor working (the same job) for an Indian company overnight. Or get fired.

I wish I was kidding.
posted by tommasz at 1:15 PM on November 12, 2011

I think you forgot that India is located about eight feet from the Earth's sun.
posted by griphus

We were listing negatives. Not positives. That is a positive.
posted by 200burritos at 1:15 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Goodness. Oh ffs. Only now am I beginning to understand the depth of feeling over the edit window.
posted by marienbad at 1:15 PM on November 12, 2011

The linked article is actually about companies trying to convince Indians to take jobs in India, not foreigners.

That's their main target, but:

A job fair at the San Jose Convention Center this weekend is focused on helping companies recruit Indian workers who may in the U.S. on a visa by informing them about the professional and economic opportunities back home.

Organizers also stressed that the job fair is also open to anyone who is interested in working in India.

posted by delmoi at 1:35 PM on November 12, 2011

Also, Indian food is expensive in the US? Something something immigrants something

Well, there isn't a wide range of options. It is either $30 for a cloth napkin restaurant or $5 for rice and chickpeas from a storefront buffet. None of the storefront buffets are convenient for me so if I get Indian for lunch it is a bit over my lunch budget. I used to work with guy who not only got Indian for lunch every day but got takeout on his way home every night. He must have been spending $50 a day on Indian food. This is the side effect of working on a floor with 30 Indian developers, they bring in amazing smelling food but never share with us white guys.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:37 PM on November 12, 2011

Only now am I beginning to understand the depth of feeling over the edit window.

Hit post, ye MeFites, and despair.
posted by Malor at 1:38 PM on November 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

other than the horrendous pollution levels in major cities and soul-crushing inequality everywhere around you

Thanks for coming tonight, folks, we're here to play GUESS! THAT! COUNTRY!!!
posted by threeants at 1:57 PM on November 12, 2011 [11 favorites]

At least in India, the corruption is equal opportunity. In the west, you can only bribe if you have a corporation.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:22 PM on November 12, 2011 [10 favorites]

Ad hominem, have you looked for a tiffin service in your city? Example.
posted by maudlin at 3:25 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]

Also, Indian food is expensive in the US?

It is if you've ever bought Indian food *in* India. $17 for a chicken biryani? Really? Try 100 rupees...
posted by thewalrus at 4:46 PM on November 12, 2011

Where do Indian companies outsource their customer service?
posted by litnerd at 7:17 PM on November 12, 2011

the horrendous pollution levels in major cities

Delhi's not that bad lately, with all the tak-taks converted to LNG. The air is much cleaner than Bangalore, say.
posted by me & my monkey at 9:28 AM on November 13, 2011

Where do Indian companies outsource their customer service?

Poorer parts of India, actually! Bangalore is getting way too expensive because the higher margin, higher salary programmers working there are driving up the whole local cost structure.
posted by atrazine at 11:42 PM on November 13, 2011

I was in Bombay over the past 36 hours for about 20 hours and what little I saw of the suburb I visited left me with a very positive impression over all.

Here's something I'd read in the previous Economist about TCS, Wipro and Infotech's new drive to raise their value adds - TCS has set up a huge office in Ohio where they're mostly hiring local university grads since work permits to the US are far more difficult now.
posted by infini at 4:44 AM on November 14, 2011

Metafilter : not nearly drunk enough for goat right now though
posted by dprs75 at 5:32 AM on November 14, 2011