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An IT veteran reflects on news of Amazon laying off 30,000 corporate employees

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An IT Industry Veteran’s Deep Dive into Amazon’s Massive Layoff Announcement and Broader Market Implications As an IT veteran who has witnessed numerous corporate transformations and waves of layoffs over the years, the recent announcement by Amazon to cut 30,000 jobs right before the holiday season caught my attention—and it deserves a deeper look beyond the headline number. The 30,000 Figure: A Starting Point, Not the Full Story While 30,000 is a significant count, it likely does not capture the full scale of workforce reductions. Industry insiders know that many reductions happen quietly through voluntary exits or “soft” layoffs disguised as resignations accompanied by severance packages. This practice, especially prevalent in regions like India, means that thousands more employees may be impacted without appearing in official layoff statistics. In Amazon India’s case, rather than formal layoffs, affected workers are often asked to resign voluntarily with severance — a form of Re...
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Inside the Hiring Dynamics of Global Capability Centers: A Veteran’s Perspective

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As a GCC veteran who has spent years navigating the evolving landscape of global capability centers in India, I often come across similar questions from professionals eyeing opportunities in this domain. From how these centers hire to the best ways to get noticed early, there are a few patterns I’ve consistently observed across organizations and industries. How Do GCCs Typically Hire? Most global capability centres use a blend of direct applications through platforms like LinkedIn or their own ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), consulting firms, and an often-overlooked yet powerful channel — referrals. While formal postings account for a noticeable chunk of hires, the truth is that a large proportion of great roles get filled through internal recommendations. A referral from someone already on the inside can fast-track the process, helping your resume stand out in a sea of applicants before the job is even public. The Role of Recruiters and Job Boards There isn’t a secret or exclusi...
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Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards new rule: Face cancellation if imprisoned for over 2 years

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The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a gazette notification stating that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card registrations can now be cancelled if the holder is convicted or charged with serious criminal offences. The notification clarifies that OCI status will be revoked if the cardholder is sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more, or if they are named in a charge sheet for an offence carrying a punishment of seven years or more. This provision has been introduced under clause (da) of Section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955. The notification states: “In exercise of the powers conferred by the clause (da) of section 7D of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955), the central government hereby states that an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) registration shall be liable to get cancelled when a person has been sentenced to imprisonment for term of not less than two years or has been charge-sheeted for an offence entailing punishment of imprisonment for seven years or more.” New c...
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Amazon laying off 14,000 people in name of efficiency? Here are the 5 real reasons for corporate cuts - Its not all AI!

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 In the past year, the technology sector has experienced a cycle of aggressive hiring followed by massive layoffs. Once seen as a safe haven for job seekers, tech companies are now facing significant workforce reductions.  While layoffs can be attributed to multiple factors, five key reasons stand out as primary drivers behind the ongoing job cuts. 1. Post-Hiring Binge Cutbacks During the pandemic and its aftermath, many tech companies went on a hiring spree, fueled by increased demand for digital services. As remote work, e-commerce, and online entertainment soared, businesses aggressively expanded their teams. However, with economic stabilization and declining demand, many firms are now re-evaluating their workforce needs. The result? A wave of job cuts aimed at correcting the overexpansion of previous years. 2. Geopolitical Uncertainty and Trade Wars Global economic conditions play a crucial role in the tech industry's health. Geopolitical factors such as changing U.S. ...
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Professional Networking Tips and Ideas: Navigating Job Changes and New Career Opportunities for R2I

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In the fast-evolving tech industry, career transitions are inevitable. Whether you're shifting roles, exploring new industries, or pursuing leadership opportunities, strategic networking is key to unlocking new career possibilities.  In this video clip, Mohan K shares his tips and ideas on networking along with peronal experiences after returning to India after spending 15+ years in America Here’s how tech leaders can effectively navigate job changes through professional networking: Leverage Your Existing Network – Before seeking external connections, tap into your existing professional circle. Former colleagues, mentors, and industry peers can provide valuable insights, referrals, and recommendations.  Build an Authentic Online Presence – Update your LinkedIn profile with recent achievements, leadership contributions, and thought leadership content. Engage in discussions, share insights on emerging trends, and showcase your expertise to attract the right opportunities. ...
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Did Satya Nadella say "AI Is Generating Basically No Value?" Here's what he meant! #demystifyai

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While we tend to get carried away by the recent headlines, I decided to watch his interview with Dwarkesh Podcast in which Nadella expressed skepticism about the hype surrounding AI, stating that generative AI has not yet produced significant real-world economic value. In the interview he talks about why he doesn’t believe in AGI but does believe in 10% economic growth  He explains the growth attributable to abundance of AI and commodity of intelligence available, the first thing we have to observe is GDP growth. When we say this is like the Industrial Revolution, let's have that Industrial Revolution type of growth. We see this exact scenario play out in the corporate world. While most Fortune 500s and multinationals have invested in their own instance of GPT and AI Agents, most of the gains from personal productivity of employees haven’t translated to organizational gain.  To take Satya Nadella’s argument further -the real benchmark is the bottom-line or top-line impact in...
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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella admits that "AI Is Generating Basically No Value"

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 In a recent interview with  Dwarkesh Podcast, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed skepticism about the hype surrounding AI, stating that generative AI has not yet produced significant real-world economic value. In the interview Satya Nadella talks about: Why he doesn’t believe in AGI but does believe in 10% economic growth  Microsoft’s new topological qubit breakthrough and gaming world models  Whether Office commoditizes LLMs or the other way around, In this widely quoted interview, Nadella says  The way I come at it, Dwarkesh, it's a great question because at some level, if you're going to have this explosion, abundance, whatever, commodity of intelligence available, the first thing we have to observe is GDP growth. This is where we get a little bit ahead of ourselves with all this AGI hype. Remember the developed world, which is what? 2% growth and if you adjust for inflation it’s zero? So in 2025, as we sit here, I'm not an economist, at least I look at i...
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