Bangalore or Bust?

Careers advisors often worry about offshoring – the idea that programming jobs are heading overseas where people are cheap so more profit can be made. They even suggest that means computing is a bad career choice. Some are even starting to worry about it in India!

Is it a problem? Actually it isn't. Let's do a thought experiment...

You are responsible for recruitment at a giant games software company with massive resources as a result of the sales from your previous games. You are looking for a programmer to drive future innovative game design. You have identified two outstanding applicants. One is an Indian student who wishes to be based in your Bangalore offices. The other is a Brit and if employed will be based in London. The location is not an issue for you. You know that, given their strength far above any other applicants, either would earn £1 million a year for the company from their work. Unfortunately, from their applications and performance in their interview you can see nothing to choose between them. You are in a quandry.

Who should you choose?

Trying to help, your Human Resources manager who sat in on the interviews points out that if you employ the London student the cost to your company will be £100 000 every year when all the costs (like salary, pensions, office space and so on) are taken into account. The Bangalore student will only cost £50 000 per year because living costs in India are cheaper.

It is your decision. Who will you employ?

Click here when you have decided.