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The perfect fit
Career Hotline
Revival to boost attrition
Women fare better in recession
Shell transferring thousands of jobs to India
Skillful is successful
Depression hits performance
New course
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The perfect fit
On the professional front many people, more specially students, launch or reshape their careers by choosing an industry to work in without necessarily having a full understanding of the many specialised roles and occupations within it. An industry is a field of work – like financial services, hospitality, fashion etc. They exist to provide essential products or services and typically house a broad spectrum of roles and professions. Industries bring together different professions, providing a variety of career opportunities for individuals from a variety of backgrounds. So if you allow your choice of career to be guided by the industry you wish to work in, you may find that you are in the right field but the wrong job.
Role definition
So if you work in a profession that is primary to your industry, your career is stable within the industry and can expand and grow according to the expansion and growth of the industry. Those who work in a profession that is secondary to your industry may be less stable within the industry, but more mobile when looking at other jobs in different industries. You can choose to be a designer in a fashion clothing company or work as a web designer with an IT company. In the first case, this would be a primary profession and your experience will enable you to build up expertise and grow within the fashion industry. On the other hand as a web designer in an IT company, yours would be a secondary profession and your experience would be of value to your industry or any other you may move to.
Think and choose
Evaluate
When thinking seriously about your work you must carefully evaluate specific organisations that you may have selected in the context of your career success and what best facilitates that success. Not everyone is immune to the environment in which they work. It is important, therefore, to identify the environment of the organisation you would prefer to work in. Each has its own aura and attraction, and you should identify the one, which makes you most comfortable, for unless you are comfortable, you cannot enjoy your work. Do you like a regular 9-5 kind of routine, or prefer flexible working hours? Do you like to work by yourself, or in a group? Do you like to work in a large organisation where you are just a cog in a wheel, or do you prefer a small firm where you can make a difference? And so on. Our work arena is also decided on the basis of a certain intangible environment — the culture of an organisation, who and what we would like to work with. Are you comfortable in a research or academic area, dealing with information and data, and if so, what kind of information and data? Or are people your forte, or things. Here too, you need to identify the type of person whom you would be interested in working with, and the kind of things. To manage your career effectively it is also crucial to think about the relationship of your organisation, its health and vitality in relation to the larger picture of the industry, regularly evaluate how you fit in, and how you can continue to grow within the organisation. Often students fail to look at this larger picture when student placements convert into real-life job situations. When you are starting out it is usually not difficult to find a job in your field – salary requirements are low, you need experience, and you may not be sharpely focused on what work you would really like to do. Most young people latch onto at least one job, simply by coincidence, like hitchhiking and taking the first lift that comes along. The deeper you go into your career the harder it is to land the job you really need and desire. Therefore, you need to rethink your career direction; invest not only in the job you want, but also in the organisation and the industry that you think will satisfy your career and financial needs. It is important to see the difference between a job and a career and capitalise on the investment you’re making in yourself. Let this be your New Year resolution!
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Career Hotline
A. Most openings for oceanographers are in organisations handling environmental conservation and protection. Industries involved in the packaging, marketing or export of marine products also provide employment to oceanographers. Besides oil exploration petroleum and petrochemicals industries such as Essar Oil, Reliance Industries, ONGC, and government bodies like the GSI and National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, which are involved in ongoing frontline research. Oceanographers spend months of their time in data processing, computer programming, analysis, writing, budgeting, planning, and conferring. Also since most of the time is spent outdoors (although not necessarily at sea), the job demands physical fitness and adaptability to variations in the work environment. Laboratory work demands precision, computer expertise, and ability to consolidate data. Communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team are also essential. Depending upon the subject you major in (i.e. physical oceanography, chemical oceanography, marine biology or marine geology), you can be working in the respective research departments of institutes like NIO or their research stations. Besides the satisfaction of working in a growing profession, people who love the sea get to experience the exhilaration of actively doing something about conserving and protecting ocean life and its environment. The world’s coastal ecosystems are currently in a critical condition and there is no accurate record of their history. Just as doctors have a better chance of saving a patient’s life if they know his medical history, scientists would be better equipped to help reverse the dwindling marine population and restore the balance of marine ecosystems if they know the history of these environments. Most research jobs are usually filled by those who have doctorates in the subject. As a fresh postgraduate, be prepared to carry out routine jobs in the beginning. If you are deterred by vast amounts of paper work, and mathematics, then oceanography might not be your cup of tea (or saline water). Also be prepared: this line of work requires constant travel.
Mind matters
A. Although both psychologists and psychiatrists perform much the same function i.e. diagnose and treat patients with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders using a variety of psychotherapeutic methods, the one major difference is that psychiatrists are qualified doctors and can prescribe medication as part of the treatment. The medication is usually of the kind that affects the patient’s mood or behaviour like anti-depressants or tranquillisers. They should have completed their MBBS with specialisation in psychiatry during their MD (three years). Psychologists, on the other hand, treat their patients through counselling, have no medical training and can’t prescribe any medication. They generally take their specialisation after graduation. It is essential that practicing psychologists have a Masters, M. Phil. or PhD degree. Some specialisations, like Clinical Psychology for instance, require a two-year M Phil in the subject as a necessary qualification. However, both clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, when properly trained are equally competent as far as psychotherapy is concerned.
Go the LLM way
A. From your question I gather that you would like to continue working as a corporate lawyer and are, therefore, looking at a higher (PG-level) study option that will enhance your knowledge and professional prospects. If this indeed is your intention, then the LLM is perhaps the preferred route. Pursuing an MBA, will take you away from Law, and gear you to be a corporate “knowledge worker”, not necessarily in an area that will build upon your experience and expertise in legal matters. Moreover, I would strongly advise against an MBA through correspondence mode. Not only is the academic content way less rigorous as compared to a full-time programme, but also a correspondence MBA is very poorly regarded by industry and potential employers. If you want to enter the corporate world, then you may be better off with Company Secretaryship (CS) as a further study option. A law and CS combination is a much desired and valued one in the corporate world. Wishing you the very best.
Equip yourself for pharma sector
A. Since you are already in your second year of BSc Biology, I suggest you put in one more year and complete it. This will open up several options, including those which involve working in the pharma sector — be it as a microbiologist, biotechnologist, biochemist, bio-informatician or in pharmaceutical marketing and management. Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Distance Learning Programme Division, Pilani, offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Pharmacy Operations through distance learning. However, only employed persons possessing a Bachelor’s degree / Technical diploma are eligible. For such candidates, the duration of the programme varies from two to three years. Jobs in the pharmaceutical industry range from those in sales and marketing to high-end research. Pharmacy graduates are appointed by the government as Drug Inspectors and Drug Analysts. Hospitals also hire pharmacist consultants to advise physicians on the precise dosage schedules and possible side effects of the various drugs. Teaching is another option after a Master’s degree. India’s pharmaceutical industry is the fourth largest after US, Japan and Europe, and 13th largest in terms Apart from the drug manufacturing industry, pharmacists are also employed in the chemical industry and food and drug control organisations. A large number of pharma grads and diploma holders go on to become medical sales representatives. Of course if you are enterprising, you can open your own chemist shop or even go into manufacture of drugs or cosmetics. The cosmetics industry is growing at an even faster rate as compared to the pharma sector.
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Revival to boost attrition
With the revival of the job market, India Inc is all set to witness a significant jump in attrition levels as well, especially in sectors like aviation, information technology and business process outsourcing, executives search firm GlobalHunt India has said. “Attrition is a sign that there is a growth in the industry. Attrition will go up, the moment the job market picks up,” GlobalHunt India Director Sunil Goel said, adding that sectors such as BPO as well as IT and aviation were likely to see the maximum attrition.
The year 2009, was one of the worst years in terms of job market as terms such as ‘layoffs’, ‘pink-slips’, ‘right sizing’ became hot topics in household discussions. The later part of 2009, however, saw signs of revival reflecting improving sentiment in India. The International Labour Organisation also reported that as many as five lakh jobs were created in the third quarter following the government’s stimulus measures. Besides, according to global staffing services firm Manpower, recruitment pace is expected to return to the pre-recession level this year and corporate India’s hiring outlook has risen across all sectors. Job seekers in the services, public administration, education, mining and construction, finance, insurance, real estate, and the wholesale and retail trade sector could look forward to the most favourable hiring environment in 2010, Manpower had said. The year 2010 is likely to be a good year in terms of company growth perspective, industry growth perspective and hence attritions are expected. However, it would be lesser than the levels of 2007, when attrition reached its peak. Goel further said “increase in hiring across different sectors will lead to increase in attrition as well. Employees who fall under 25-30 age group bracket and hold less than five years of experience will cause maximum attrition.” A sector-wise analysis shows that BPO, ITeS and aviation sectors will witness attrition level of as much as 40-45 per cent this year, followed by retail and telecom (35-40 per cent), IT (30 per cent), pharma and infrastructure (20-25 per cent), while research and development will see 15-20 per cent of attrition. “Though there will be high level of attrition, it would be more at the fresher and beginner level as people at these positions always want to experience different things, organisations and different profile,” Goel added.
— PTI
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Women fare better in recession
Official figures show that the number of men of working age with jobs has fallen from 92 per cent in 1971 to 75 per cent, while the number of women who are employed has risen from 56 per cent to 69 per cent, narrowing the gap between women and men to 6 per cent. The recession has had a disproportionate effect on men, with the number of women in employment increasing since June, while the number of men has continued to fall. The 1997 film “Full Monty” is a story of a group of unemployed steel workers in Sheffield who became strippers. Because men have traditionally been employed in the manufacturing industry, while women worked in service industries, men have been the worst affected by the lengthy decline in British manufacturing. The Conservative work and pensions spokesman Theresa May said: “Unless Labour address the growing skills gap in the economy we risk losing a generation of men to a cycle of worklessness.” According to Mind, the mental health charity, the recession is causing an increase in mental health problems among men because of fears over redundancy and lack of money. More than a third are feeling worried or low and middle-aged males are seven times more likely than women to have suicidal thoughts.
— ANI
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Make internship work for you
“As many as 61 Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta students got internship offers abroad with 43 per cent landing up jobs in banks and equity firms, during summer placements conducted by the institute this month. The placements — a course requirement that expects every student to complete a two-month industry internship during the summer vacation between two years of the course — were held on the campus from November 4 -11 with all the 407 students of the 2009-11 batch getting offers”.
Such news items are no longer surprising or rare for the Indian fraternity in view of the spur in economy and consequently in various related sectors. And so is the case with management education sector in India. One question that give sleepless nights to students undergoing internship or summer training in various organisations is: “Will I get a job offer from this organisation or not?” Though students from premier institutions like IIMs get better offers from the companies visiting their campuses at the end of the session, who wouldn’t like to make his future safe and secure. Moreover, the number of students at these elite colleges is hardly one to two per cent of the total number of students in this segment. So the intensity of question still remains the same. The answer to this question depends on various factors — ranging from student’s performance during the training to his behaviour with his colleagues and staff members of the organisation he is working with. Summer internships, more often scheduled for 4-13 weeks, are seen as crucial teaching tools to establish a link between the theoretical aspect and the practical direction of the course, and a way for students to get real experience. Apart from this, it is also aimed at better understanding of an opportunity or a problem that a corporate is facing. And for the two-year courses, when the internship is scheduled during the end of the first year of the curriculum it serves as a bridge between the two academic years. Internship programmes need to be further encouraged for students to assess their capabilities and get a real-life experience of the corporate world. It is quite evident in past and even now that many organisations and students do not approach internship programmes in a structured manner. Internships can be much more than just time spent at an organisation. It is learning for the student and the company as it gives an opportunity to both sides to understand each other, and this can also result in full-time employment. From the employer’s perspective it usually takes six-eight weeks to hire new recruits and about more than six months for them to settle in completely into the organisational system. This period can be shortened if interns are given the right exposure and inducted into the company during internship. It is also more result-oriented to have a dual assessment approach, where in the professor and company participate equally in the assessment of the project. This gives the required balance between theory and practical business application. And also many a times it is seen that students working on academic projects or internships are mollycoddled. They must be treated like full-time employees. It is only then that the interns will get hands-on experience and the company will be able to do a fair assessment. From the intern’s point of view every intern should learn from the ground level during the internship period. It is possible that the work assigned to a person doesn’t match his profile and knowledge, but it enhances one’s practical skills. Perhaps one can never learn it in future in any other way. Internship thus helps students to test themselves in a field that they are interested in and decide if that is where they want to make a career, and how much they are prepared to commit to their job. Do summer project performances land one in the good books of the employer and translate it into final placements? Good performances do give interns a head start. The ever-increasing number of management institutes has created an uncertainty in the minds of industry big wigs due to the glaring difference between the academic output of graduates in India and industry’s expectations. Out of thousands management graduates only a marginal percentage have the foundation required for a corporate job. A recently conducted study on the emerging global labour market has pointed out that the multinational companies in India find only about 17 per cent of management students who graduate every year falling in the “employable” category. Employability means those attributes of an individual, which make him/her capable for the job; these include technical and soft skills. So the challenge lies in aligning a joint effort between academia and industry. There have been instances of industry and academic institution partnerships in the past, but the main focus has been on the technical or business angle. The employability enhancement programmes need to have a 360-degree approach that covers soft skills and attitudinal changes, which are crucial for a new entrant in the corporate world. Present trying condition is synonymous with working with targets, diverse working cultures, team spirit, etc. It is imperative for freshers to absorb the changes that come with time and cultural differences, and make the required attitudinal changes.
Some points to be taken into account during internship
Networking: This doesn’t often mean to go after the seniors all the time or trying hard to please the top honchos in order to secure a job after the internship period. Instead, one should look for the industry-related professional groups and organisations and become a part of these. This enables one to make good contacts and increase future options. One might land a better offer this way. Moreover, this provides a good platform to meet various people coming from diverse backgrounds with varying degrees of experience. Partnering the activity group: Most of the time big organisations or companies have some activity group for professionals and it is open for the interns. But their temporary status always leads to their non-participation in these activities. In fact, these activity groups provide golden opportunity to an intern to mingle with senior officers and showcase their inherent skills. This also helps them learn a thing or two about the professional work ethics and culture. Other way it helps the company employees observe the interns in a better way, thus enhancing their chances in future. Sincere face: However big an organisation may be, one prefers a sincere contributor to the growth of the company. Achieving targets, performing well isn’t everything; one is always appreciated for sincere efforts. And this ultimately pays off in long term. Sincerity ensures - quality work and good result. March alone: Representing all alone doesn’t reflect lack of team spirit, as is perceived many a times. This, in fact, helps guests leave their comfort zone and meet new contacts. Which is vital for a new entrant to any organisation, be it a new employee or an intern. So if one is not accompanied by friends, then the possibility of getting introduced to new guests is much higher. And such introductions have long-lasting effect on the guests. Big punch lasts long: A commonly observed behaviour of new entrants is to try hard to get themselves acquainted with the top officials, assuming that it will help them land in their good books. But it is not. Initially, one should reach those who are easy to approach. This way one can build up a network and by the time the internship period nears end, meeting with top bosses can help the interns in their purpose. By that time a colleague may put in a good word for that candidate. Composite social loss: It is another factor, which one must take into account during internship. Usually the students, who don’t see a chance with the company they are working with, start working and behaving in a tremulous way. This is not only a financial loss in terms of not getting a PPO (pre-placement offer), but also loss of further referral by the current organisation. This also increases the chances of being blacklisted for future recruitment in that organisation along with a possibility of bad word spreading about them in the industry. Thus hampering their future prospect in a gross way.
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Shell transferring thousands of jobs to India
Royal Dutch Shell has also announced that it would slash 5,000 jobs by year-end —including “hundreds” in Houston as part of a sweeping re-organisation new CEO Peter Voser said is needed to make the company more competitive. According to internal Shell documents, the European oil giant has been transferring additional office jobs from Houston and elsewhere to India and the Philippines to reduce costs. The “migration” programmes affect employees in finance and other support functions, which are being consolidated in “shared service centers” in low-cost countries to fit the new company structure. It’s unclear how many of Shell’s 13,000 employees in the Houston area will be affected by the migration plans. Partly, that’s because company officials are still deciding which jobs will stay or go abroad, and are rolling out the plans in phases that run into next year. But at least a few divisions in Houston are preparing to be downsized dramatically. Major oil companies including Shell, ConocoPhillips and BP have been cutting jobs, capital spending budgets and other costs in response to the global economic downturn that has sapped demand for petroleum products like gasoline and diesel fuel. And it's nothing new for multinational companies to move US jobs to lower-wage countries to save on labour costs. But Shell’s migration programs could have broader implications for Houston. Shell, which is based in The Hague, with US headquarters in Houston, has been involved in a major downsizing since Voser replaced Jeroen van der Veer as CEO in July. By year end, the company plans to cut 5,000 employees, or 10 per cent of its global workforce, under a reorganization he calls Transition 2009. The process — which merged the company’s three upstream businesses into two, expanded its downstream group and added a new projects and technology division — trimmed management ranks by 20 per cent and has forced 15,000 Shell employees to re-apply for a smaller pool of jobs. The company recently told employees within its finance division that some of their jobs are being relocated from Houston and Calgary, Alberta, to “finance operations center” in Manila and Chennai. Spokesman Bill Tanner said foreign shared service centers are key to improving the finance unit’s competitiveness. “Currently, our finance operations are too complex and too costly and this is preventing the finance function from fully contributing value to the business,” he said.
— PTI
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Skillful is successful
What is “skill”. It is adroitness, expertness, facility and knack. Skillful means able, accomplished, adept, adroit, apt, competent, expert. Let’s take a practical example. An advertisement for a job in journalistic field says that the candidate much have experience of four years. It simply meant that he should have four years of “skill” in professional journalism. There are levels of aptness at which one can talk about skills. In fact, the area of skills can be a discipline in itself, quite complex in its own study and make-up. To avoid getting bogged down, let’s look at skills from the perspective of experts. Each career field deals with requirements, training, and methods of entry, qualification, profile-related classifications, and information, clues for applicants and requirements. Your skill areas are significant in determining the direction of your career. Suppose you have a diploma or degree in journalism but no “skill” in any specific aspect of it, your degree is of no avail. Another candidate who has roughed it out, even as a sub-editor in a small publication, and also has a diploma, is more hireable. Don’t forget other considerations like your interest and enthusiasm for the activities of your field, flexibility that allows you to change direction, types of people generally found in the field, as well as other criteria specifically important to you. The importance of each varies with different jobs. You can take a job, and determine its relationship to working with data, people, and things. Thus, knowing your own skills and experiences with each category, you can develop points of departure of career exploration in fields suitable to your skills. A college degree is not going to make you hireable. It wins you only eligibility. What matters is skill in a special area. Simply talking about skills, work-specific, or dealing with people, date, and things, in resume or in an interview will not guarantee success in your job search. It is possessing a skill that bags a job. The key element is your ability to base these skills in actual experiences.
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Depression hits performance
Psychological stress at the office can make it more difficult for depressed workers to perform their jobs and be productive, says a new study.
“There is a large economic cost and a human cost,” said study lead author Debra Lerner, Ph.D., director, Programme on Health, Work and Productivity, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies at Tufts Medical Centre. “We need to develop and test programmes that directly try to address the employment of people with depression.” To reach the conclusion, the researchers screened 14,268 adult employees and ultimately compared 286 depressed workers to 193 who were not depressed. They recruited participants between 2001 and 2003 from doctors’ offices. The study findings appear in the January/February issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion. In many cases, the depressed employees had problems at work, Lerner said. “They’re often very fatigued and have motivational issues. They also may have difficulty handling the pacing of work, managing a routine, performing physical job tasks and managing their usual workload.” The findings suggest that there is a link between productivity and an employee’s ability to control his or her work. “The workplace does play an important part,” Lerner said.
—ANI
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New course
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has started a new course in financial markets practice, which will commence from January.
Using multi-media design and technology aided delivery system, the one-year post graduate diploma programme will be offered in collaboration with the Financial Technologies Knowledge Management Company (FTKMC), Mumbai. Open to graduates, the programme fee is Rs 10,000 and will be conducted by the IGNOU’s School of Management Studies (SOMS).
— IANS
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Happiness @ work
Many of us feel let down when some differences with the boss crop up. An instantaneous loss of interest in work occurs. This is natural, but don’t take it too far. Your devotion must not be to an individual, but to the cause.
But Bhishma never lost sight of the cause. He lived for Hastinapur, fought for it and accepted death only after the Pandava win. Now, the kingdom is in safe hands, was his last thought. It is generally accepted that Indian cricketers play for records and not for wins. On many occasions, they have delayed declaration of the innings for some individual landmark snatching a draw from the jaws of victory. The conglomerate of Rajput kingdoms inflicted a big defeat of Mohammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain in 1191. But the elopement of Prithvi Raj Chohan and Sanyukta split the association of the Rajputs. A year and battle later, Ghori was on the Delhi throne. Don’t let your grudges show on the product. After all, that is what gives you your salary.
— Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Sea of opportunities
At the start of every New Year we normally do an assessment of our goals, both professional and personal, and evaluate how we score. Has the previous year been a good one? Is a course correction necessary? What new resolutions do I need to take in the New Year to be able to get closer to my ultimate goals?
Every industry attracts both primary and secondary professions. The primary professions are those that represent the essence or core of the industry, and are indispensable. For example, chefs in the hotel industry do the work we normally associate with the industry, as also fashion designers in the apparel industry or reporters in the newspaper publishing industry represent the primary professions. But to exist and function effectively every industry also requires a range of secondary professionals: marketing people, accountants, human resource managers, administrators and so on. 
It is also important to think about the organisation you wish to work for. Organisations have people from different professions who come together to pursue a well-defined set of goals and objectives. Organisations can take the form of small businesses, medium-sized companies, or huge corporations with divisions that cut across several industries. To be successful in your career you need to identify the organisation that makes you feel most secure, and which provides you the impetus for growth. Every organisation has a distinctive culture, a personality of its own, which has significant implications for your career. It could be a leading company in a particular industry, or that company’s fiercest competitor. It could be a small firm, or startup business, or a medium-sized organisation. It could also be a franchise or even your own enterprise. Often the choice of organisation tends to shape one’s career.
Q. I am thinking of doing MSc oceanography. After finishing this course what kind of jobs can I get? What are the industries that will be open to me?
— Jaspreet Sandhu
Q. I have psychology as a subject in school and I it find extremely interesting. I want to become a psychologist. Is psychiatry a related field? What is the difference?
— Meghna Duggal
Q. I am a corporate lawyer based in Ludhiana. I have more than three years of experience and I want to study further. Actually I am confused whether I should go for LLM or MBA and which of the two will be beneficial for me to make progress in my career. If MBA, then which field will be suitable and which is the best and economical correspondence course?
— H S Jolly
Q. I am a student of B.Sc (bio), 2nd year. I had scored 70 per cent marks in Plus II.. I want to join B. Pharma. Should I leave B.Sc and opt for B.Pharma or should I enter in this sector after completing B.Sc? Please also tell me scope of this sector. — Surjit Wadhwa
More women will be working than men within four years due to recession, creating a “Full Monty” effect, a British think-tank has predicted. “We are having a Full Monty-style recession with women faring much better than men. As Britain has lost industrial jobs over the last couple of decades, the number of men in work has collapsed, and the numbers on benefits soared. The current recession is accelerating this trend further,” The Telegraph quoted Neil O’Brien, director of Policy Exchange, as saying.
Skill is the buzzword in the job market today. A look at requirement, employment and wanted advertisements reveals that people with specialised skills are ‘‘preferred’’. A deeper look reveals that a “skill” is professional expertise.
The idea of skills their identification as well as their application in work situations, is not difficult to grasp. If, you, as a student, know your skills and how they apply to work situations, then half your battle is won.
Due to his differences with Bhishma, Karna refused to fight under the grandsire’s command. Had these two invincible warriors fought in tandem, the result of the Mahabharata war could have been different.