Open up to the changes around you: BABAJOB this time

Sean Blagsvedt delivering at BARCAMP Bangalore

I get too excited observing the changes happening around me and in this society. Feel like recording them, narrating to the people who seem oblivious to the slow change happening around them. I feel like doing a Thomas Friedman, a La World is Flat continuing from where he left may be not in a global context, but pertaining to things in India. But , I know this is all as a result of the state of excitement that my mind is in. It would be preposterous to compare the sagacity of Thomas with me.

But still, blogging gives me the power to put my thought without seeking anyone's permission.In this post, I am not taking any pains to organize my thoughts. I am too excited now to organize and present but I would try to make some sense here. There is so much of change happening around us and so much for the better. There is empowerment and true rights being bestowed upon the beaten and downtrodden, who were till now at the mercy and highhandedness of the upper class. We are slowly and surely trudging towards a society which is far better than it has ever been in its history. My mission is to keep my fellow citizens aware of this change so that they appreciate and be happy realizing that they are so much the reason for this change though indirectly.

So who am I talking about today? So what happend today? Why am I so charged up? Ok Lets begin...

I was having a tough time looking for a cook for a small eating joint that we are opening this Christmas. I used all my contacts but of no avail. And suddenly my wandering mind thought of BABAJOB.COM.(Read about BABAJOB here) I had blogged about BABAJOB.COM few days back and I felt like a fool today for not having used their service all these days. I logged in and searched for cooks available in Bangalore.My jaw dropped to see a whooping 450 resumes in its database.


Though I had blogged about BABAJOB.COM a few days ago, I had not read the impending signals then. I could not measure the power that this initiative could lend to these workers.

So lets analyze the bigger picture:

You should not get surprised if your till now subservient house hold 'bai' suddenly demands a raise from next month. And if you answer in the negative or ask her to wait a couple of months more, she wouldnt think twice before 'putting down her papers'. Why? Because she would have atleast a couple of offers in her hand from other families in the city with a better pay. Got you thinking???
Dont you think this is a big social change ? And is it not for the better? If the market gets competitive for these low skilled workers(whoever said these services were low skilled. How many of us can cook, if this was a low skill.) they would get a fair deal for their sweat. No one would be able to hold them hostage becuase of unavailable options. They can be more forthright about their demands. Their wages would go up. People would be willing to pay more. And then attrition wouldnt be a problem only in the software industry. :)

I while trying to get the contact number of the prospective cook, called up the office number of BABAJOB. And my excitement grew no bounds when the voice on the other side of the phone was of Ira Weise, the cofounder of BABAJOB. The poster boy for the media these days.
He helped me get through the number of the person concerned. I expressed my heartfelt wishes for his noble venture. We spoke for a while and I asked if I could meet him sometime. He obliged. Let you know that they have been the flavour of the season for the media these days. Their stories appearing in all business magazines and newspapers.

I had the fortune of meeting the other founder member Sean Blagsvedt at the July session of BARCAMP Bangalore at IIM Bangalore. But I did not know what BABAJOB was then and what were they upto :)



Dont be surprised if you see them collecting prizes this year for their work on this cause.