Akshat Kharbanda

“So, what's the stipend?” I asked hesitantly. The hiring manager smiled. I saw it coming. “Unfortunately, we don’t offer compensation. But you’ll gain valuable experience.” I nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. I was...tired. I needed an internship. A part of me wanted to say yes and be done with this process. But that's not the part that spoke. "Ah, I see. But your website mentioned internships come with "generous" stipends?" The smile flickered. "We don't, Akshat. The thing is we prioritise learning over earning here." I paused. 3 interview rounds with assignments, case studies, fit questions...I wanted to ask: “Would your full-time hires accept that logic?” I didn’t. I thanked them for their time and walked away. When I shut my laptop, I stared at the screen. I felt...done. 2 months later, I landed my best internship ever. I earned. I learned even more. And I didn't have to choose "learning over earning" Learning opportunity shouldn’t be a loophole for free labor. Work is work. We're all learning. If you’re getting value, you should be giving value. Ever turned down an unpaid internship?

Today was the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. reunion. Let's have a look at the career trajectory of all the characters over the 10 glorious seasons: - Rachel started out as a waitress but ended the series as a major fashion executive (No limit to dreams) - Joey's entire career was giving his everything to each role until he finally became a successful star (Efforts -> Success) - Monica had to work in terrible restaurants with terrible bosses until she was finally made head chef (No giving up) - Chandler hated his job but found the courage to switch roles to pursue his dream job in marketing (Risk -> Reward) - Ross constantly overstepped work boundaries and paid for it (No mixing personal and professional) - Phoebe's career wasn't the most important thing in her life. She was dedicated to her music and not money (Happiness -> Success) I feel every character's professional development is a rarely discussed aspect of the show. Everything worked out in the end, but I guess the reason they faced so many problems and challenges is... ...No one told them life was gonna be this way :p #success #work #students #happiness #inspiration

I agree with Indian CEOs on 70, 80, 90-hour work weeks. Just 5 questions: 1. If I give you 90 hours, are you giving me 90-hour Pay? Promotions? Equity? Or just lip service on "patriotism"? 2. How much of this work is truly value-adding, and how much is just performative busyness?     3. Singapore and China? It’s 2025. Do these outdated comparisons still apply to us? And why only them?     4. If I make these sacrifices, will the company guarantee job security? Or are layoffs still fair game?     5. If this culture is so celebrated, why don’t employment contracts reflect these standards transparently? These are questions worth asking if we want real impact. This "crazy hours" narrative promotes overwork, but who gains? Not us. Frankly, not even the companies. So, does this mean we shouldn’t work hard? Not at all. Hard work matters when it’s for your growth, your goals, and meaningful outcomes. But working just to meet irrational expectations or fill arbitrary hours? Neither efficient nor sustainable. Let's value results over hours and people over optics. Until then, I'll work smart, not blind.