Working in Delhi

Indianworker

Hi everyone,

I am new to Indiamike so apologies if I repeat earlier threads.

After visiting India two years ago on holiday I have decided to take a career break and would like to experience living and working in India. I have applied to a number of companies and one Indian company based in Delhi has replied to me.

I have been in discussion with them for a while and basically they are offering me a salary of a combined fixed and variable rate. The fixed rate is between 20-25,000rps but they haven't stated what I might expect from the variable rate. They are also offering me accommodation but have not specified what kind of accommodation they are offering me.

Could I ask if anyone thinks this is feasible to live on in Delhi. Only came as a tourist last time and did not learn anything about living expenses. Also as a single female do you think it will be possible for me to make friends easily and get on OK in Delhi only have read a few threads indicating Delhi is not best for someone like me but the South would be better.

Also company are not offering Employment Visa but asking me to come on Tourist Visa and said they could change easily once I am out there.

I would be grateful for any comments from people already living and working in Delhi.

Thank you.

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Indianworker

brightspark

Hi Indianworker,

While you probably invite comments from expatriates living and working in India.. I am an Indian who has lived , grown up and working in Delhi. I could still answer your questions to some extent, and have some understanding of living expenses, having known several youngsters working in the cultural or diplomatic milieu.. on local contracts or co-operation (instead of the military service.. for young frenchman.. that now no longer exists).

Often these positions pay less than what is offered to you.

It appears that you are a single person.. I also stay alone.. in a two bedroom plus living room.. barsati (terrace) apartment, at a very convenient central location .. somewhat popular middle class to upper middle class locality.. I will try to give some examples of daily / monthly expenses..

First.. if you get a top floor apartment.. remember it is nice in winter..particularly in winters (much shorter than in London).. but in Summers. it is much hotter.. I have french windows facing the west, in my bedroom.. that makes it a couple of degrees hotter even in the night..

So while terrace apartments are very nice and spacious.. summers are somewhat hotter.. you will certainly need airconditioning at least in one room... which you would expect to use for about 6-8 months.

Expect electricity bills during the summer months to be about Rs. 2,000 per month.. somewhat less in other months.

A maid to clean the house, utensils and wash clothes.. someone who would come every morning for about half an hour or so..you would pay about Rs. 400- 500 /- . You could get a maid to do all these, and cook your breakfast, give you packed lunch every morning, and come again to cook dinner.. for anywhere between Rs. 1200-1500. A full time maid, who stays in your house would be somewhat more expensive..I would pay towards the lower end of the indications.. you would pay a small premium, particularly if you want an English speaking (often very little pidgin English).

Your maid could do the ironing for you..alternately.. you have someone to collect clothes for ironing, and are delivered back to you in the afternoon (if you are not home.. usually you would find a neighbour who will collect them for you !) cost is roughly Rs. 1.5 for each peice.. so perhaps about Rs. 100-150 per month.


Your monthly grocery bill would depend on how quickly do you adapt to Indian style food habits.. (now we have most convenience foods also available ... but if you want your favourite chees or packaged food but not Indian equivalents.. there is a huge difference in what you would spend)..but I would expect it to be around Rs. 3,000-5,000.. With this sum you would eat well. and often be able to invite friends for dinner. This would normally include food, groceries, fruits, basic toileteries,detergents for clothes, kitchen etc...practically everything.. but no fancy cosmetics.. actually I have very little idea about women's cosmetics.. apart from the fact that they are very expensive.. I have discovered, whenever I need to buy presents.


Transport..it can hugely vary. depending on how you commute.. If you were to take autorickshaws (which you may perhaps be familiar from your previous visit) or decide to buy. a motor scooter.. you would spend about Rs. 3000 (for autorickshaws) or perhaps around Rs. 1500-2000 for two wheeler.. that is assuming that your work place is around 7-8 kms..(my office is at home.. so all I need to do is roll out of bed).

Autorickshaws are First Km Rs. 8 , subsequent Km Rs. 3.5 Meter Taxis are roughly double of this.. Taxi meters are roughly 40 percent faster than they are supposed to be.. whereas autorickshaws.. would usually demand a fare which is somewhat higher than it should be.

Again for a new comer.. how much you pay for transport. .. depends on your learning curve.. I would expect that in about a month or so.. you would be paying roughly the same as a local.

Going out and entertainment expenses usually vary dramatically as per your lifestyle..

Drinks are very expensive generally...so it is sensible to drink at home and just nurse one drink usually a beer (between $1.5 to $ 4 )at a club. If evening out for you means going to plays, music concerts, dance performances (usually Indian music), or traditional cultural events.there is a fair choice.. and apart from plays a lot of performances are free.. you just go and collect passes.. even when you have tickets. they are very cheap.. most performances are sponsored by corporate houses..embassies.. In winters there are plays, concerts, and other performances coming from Europe, mainly sponsored by various Embassies.

So all in all if you dont have a very lavish lifestyle.. you could live fairly well and expect to spend much less than Rs. 25,000/-.. you will still have money for clothes.. some travelling over the weekends (no airfares or fancy hotels..)

Will attempt answers to some other questions in the next post.

Should you have any further queries.. you are welcome to post them here.. or PM me.

Richmar

Just curious . How on earth did you manage to get a job in India. I have been trying and without success.

Don't you need a working permit? and how did you approach this company.

Indianworker

BrightSpark, thank you for all this information, at least I know that I should be able to survive on my monthly salary which is great.

Once I have worked out how to send a private message I will do so as I have several more general queries that I would like to ask you - hope that is OK.

To Richmar, have spent approx 8 months using every search engine available and searched job websites, websites dealing with call centres and approached Indian companies themselves. If its any consolation I have lost count of the number of e-mails I have sent attaching my CV to various companies/recruitment consultants and I have only received this one interest. It appears to be very, very difficult to obtain work in India - well at least that's how it appears to me.

rashichadha

hey it isnt that difficult to get a job out here.......... y dnt u send ur CV to me if u r seriously interested in coming to India (Delhi) ... mayb I can help......... I am working with a leading Travel Agency.....

Feel free to get back to me

brightspark

Hi Indiaworker,

Yes I was meant to send another post.. to cover some of the questions that remained unanswered. Since these are my impressions on general questions.. I am answering them here.

As regards making friends... well you will realise that you make friends quite easily.. and people are generally hospitable..in fact if you are a young single woman... I presume you are at early stage in your career - so you will perhaps find too many friends.. and as anywhere what is important is to use your judgement.

Perhaps some of your friends at the beginning would be people you meet at work, and you would generally build up friends from that initial group. The other things which you may explore is clubs, associations with common interests..where you could meet both Indians and expatriates with similar interests.

I dont think you should have a problem as a single girl.. as long as you dont attract undue attention.. and also it would depend on the neighbourhood that you live. You would of course.. learn to say no to invitations for drinks or parties from people you dont like.. or feel comfortable with.. you will get many of these.. and as long as you know how to say no you are OK.. but let that not stop you from meeting new people.

I guess most of this would be true anywhere in the world.. you would need to use your judgement in choosing your new friends.

There is no problem using the local transport (autorickshaws or taxis ... I presume the former), espcially during the day.. though expect that you may take upto one month to learn what is the correct price to pay.. or getting people to use their meters.

Also if you are invited out for dinner or go to a party with friends.. usually someone will always drop you home, so you may not have to worry too much. Also in Delhi, usually taxis come from a neighbourhood taxi stand.. which may have 4-5 taxis.. they always return to the stand after dropping a fare.. So I guess in a couple of weeks, you will recognise all the drivers. In the evenings it is fairly safe, to take a taxi (from your neighbourhood taxi stand), ask him to wait and return with the same taxi, after dinner. Alernately, taking a hired car, for half a day could also be a good option (about Rs. 300/- for 4 hours and 40 kms).

As regards tourist visa etc.. I am not sure if I am qualified to comment at all. It would depend on what kind of company that you propose to work, and what is their standing. It is possible that the arrangement that they are proposing to you is not unusual.

Also to my mind.. if they are paying for your ticket to come to India, their intentions would be serious. I would however suggest that you explicitly agree on the qualit of housing, where, how far is it from workplace etc..

Some companies may have guest houses.. where they may have a caretaker who takes care of the kitchen and laundry etc.. and is often offered to new executives as a temporary arrangement.. as also for travelling executives.

Brightspark

Indianworker

Hi Rashichadha

Thank you for your reply. I have sent a private message as not sure how to send attachments.

Look forward to hearing from you.


Indianworker

rohan5577

Sorry brightlight=brightspark
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Hi Indianworker,

Well I am an Indian in Canada and have lived most of my life in delhi.

The expenses estimated posted by brightlight is probably the best you can get.

As far as the job is concerend i think 25000 is not enough to have a decent lifestyle beyond covering the esential expenses. But then it all depends on your profile and resume and what Kind of a job you are looking for.

I am headed back to India after a Master's in Business and would not settle for anything less than 45,000.

Maybe you could send me your resume , contact me through PM/email and I could offer you some more inputs.

Be careful about what company you are joining and the contracts that you sign, visa stuff, kind of acomodation etc.

rohan

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You can take a man out of India, but you can never take India out of a man!

Sahibcol

I am also experiencing untold difficulties in my attepts to gain employment in India. I am currently on the look out for a scientific research position, but have been led to believe that most universities and government institutions operate an "Indian-only" employment policy. While it is perfectly understandable that Indian citizens should take priority it is, nonetheless, profoundly frustrating.

Richmar

Tell me about it. I have tried through various sources and when they hear u r not in India they say forget it..... It is the same all over the world ... first preference to the citizens.... why cant they be a bit more rational.

I am planning to make a trip to India shortly and then will scan the local newspaper for jobs.. possibly it will work out... Mainly looking for work in Mumbai....

Richmar

Hi,

If it's not too personal and ok with you could u let me know the name of the travel agency and place

rashichadha

I am working with Cox & Kings New Delhi

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Mysterious Girl

Rashni

Hi Rashichadha :

I am also looking for work in India since last one and half year through internet/emails & phone calls...but all in futile.I am based in Canada.I wonder why recruitment companies and prospective employers just do not respond.Just do not respond. Since you are in India...you may be knowing the psychology behind this.

If someone can help me or guide me.U may reach me by e-mail :

vrshuklas@gmail.com

Thanks.

Rashni

rohan5577

Hi Rashni,

I am located in Ottawa, Canada and leaving for India at the endof this month.

I am originally from Delhi and let me know your profile, maybe I could offer some suggestions/explanations.

Cheers,

Rohan

Rashni

Dear Rohan Jee :

Thanks a million for your response.Would you please let me have your e-mail to send you my resume.My e-mail is : vrshuklas@gmail.com.

I will also try to send resume by using your e-mail on this forum.

Thanks once again.

Rashni