Young expats seek capital experience

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Dave Prager seen here celebrating his birthday with colleagues in an ad agency

For long, Delhi has been home to expatriate community. Foreign diplomats and top honchos of MNCs have been the dominant lot, who found themselves posted to Indian shores without much choice. However, there has been an increasing influx of young expats willing to begin their career in the city.

The infrastructural development, high compensation packages and multicultural approach has made the city a preferred destination.
Whilst studying in the USA last year, Kasia Rynkiewicz, a Polish native, heard a lot about Indian culture from her classmates. She decided to explore the country and start her career here. A chance to work as an intern with the Smoke House Grill group as a marketing and guest relations executive presented itself as the perfect opportunity.
“I think Delhi is a great place for young people from all over the world to work. It gives us a lot of unique opportunities and challenges. It’s been almost a year since I came here and so far my experience has been very good,” smiles Kasia.
Similarly, Benjamin P. Rogers moved to the city along with his wife to intern with The Society of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). “Delhi’s size reflects a large variety of cultural pursuits. India is increasingly important on the world stage, and Delhi is attracting foreigners seeking to help shape that future,” says Benjamin.
There are a few sectors that have seen larger employment opportunities for expatriates. “Automotive, retail, social and hospitality sectors employ expats on large scale. Indian companies in these sectors are seeking high caliber talent from abroad. They offer good compensation packages that can range anywhere between `3,00,000 to `6,00,000 per annum. In addition, they usually provide accommodation, travel expenses and even fund education of kids,” explains Sangeeta Sant Lal, Senior Partner, Transearch International, a global executive search firm.
Dave Prager and his wife, Jenny, a young couple moved back to USA recently after staying for almost two years in the capital. Working for an advertising agency based in Gurgaon, he enjoyed his stint and loved the variety of food offered in the city. “During my tenure in India, I earned much more than my native colleagues. I felt very guilty about it. However, at the same time, my costs were much higher. Our savings were eaten up in cost of traveling home for holidays and special occasions,” says Dave.
While many of the young expats find the work atmosphere friendly, those who have stayed long enough feel the attitude of native colleagues needs change. “There is an inherent tendency to point fingers at the culprit and shrugging from finding solution to problems. This needs to be done away with,” says Peggy Bhohi, a Business Development Manager with an international logistics firm.