|
|
|
|
| JOBS & CAREERS |
|
|
|
Drafting new destiny
Intelligent investment
Career Hotline
Caught in ‘non-you’ web
No compromise on Integrity
Hiring gathers momentum in social sector
HIRING PULSE
Happiness @ work
|
|
Drafting new destiny
A degree from a prestigious IIT is sufficient arsenal for any youngster to storm into the job market and to assert his supremacy in the career of his choice. Top notch companies with their gilt-edged job offers are generally the pied pipers for these top league grads who trot spiritedly on their career path in golden shoes. But there are some exceptions who prefer to forego all this to 'do their own thing'.
'Grow on your own' is a sure shot success mantra for those with a passion for their work and with a spirit for entrepreneurship. A plum job or a fat salary cheque is not enough temptation for them as they set their eyes on new frontiers. In an effort to inspire youngsters on the threshold of their careers to follow their heart and passion rather than falling prey to the pull of tried and tested career paths, J&C tracks the success stories of three IITians who moved out of their comfort zones to start their own ventures.
What was the motivating factor to charter your own career path? I always wanted to do something different. Entrepreneurship gave me and my friends (his partners in the first venture), a platform to fulfill this desire. I was working in TCS till September 2000 and had just resigned to join a startup in US. I'd come to Delhi and was waiting for my visa when I met two of my batchmates. In one of the meetings, we decided to do something of our own. That was the time when I gave up the idea of going to the US. We had no idea about what we would do but it was clear that we would build some unique venture. That's how we started Whiz labs in October 2000. What was the starting capital for your venture? Around Rs 1 lakh, which came from our pockets and than we borrowed around $ 5,000 from our batchmates who were in the US. We rented an office in a residential area in West Delhi; got our own computers and stuff from home to put up the required infrastructure for running an office. In January 2001, we started with revenue of $ 30 through the sale of first license of our product about Java certification
preparation. What is the current turnover and what are your targets for future? Currently, the turnover is around $ 0.5 million and we plan to scale it couple of million dollars in two to three years. However, we would like to build an internet property/IP/product which will have at least double digit million $ valuation; may not have revenues :). We are already on our way to building the same. We are also about to launch a social cricket platform - Soch.la. As cricket lovers and people who have passion for social media, we are going to provide the much-needed dose to add real fun and spice to the game of cricket
through soch.la. What were the main challenges that you faced? n
Resistance from Family. All of us come from middleclass background and our parents have been into government jobs. Naturally, none of our close family members wanted us to leave cushy jobs and jump into the uncertainties of business. n The moment we started our 1st business in October, 2000, Dot com bust happened. n None of us had any sales and marketing experience so we had a tough time selling our first product; fortunately by chance we got to taste success through Digital Marketing. We were among the first few people who could leverage SEO to acquire fortune 500 customers (such as Cisco) sitting here in India without meeting them. n Understanding about Finance - we made tons of mistakes in managing money. This got us in lot of difficult situations including one in which we'd to fire more than 10 people in
a single day. Is there a special skill set required to "do your own thing" or one learns as one goes along? I would say 'Passion' plays a much bigger role than any skill. Also, if you have a great time, you bounce back faster as you face undesired but unavoidable failures. Then, most of the learning happens while playing. I've actually seen and observed after talking to lots of friends that people who start to believe that they need to put every skill in place before they decide to plunge, never get to take that jump. This specially happens when you gain more experience or you are an MBA. What gives you a high in your career? Passion. Freedom to do what you want and making some real difference. I really feel happy when people who leave their cushy jobs at large organisations to join startups like ours. That's what I did 11 years back and I still love it.
What was your motivating force? By the time I was in fifth year of my Business and Technology consultancy career, I had made up my mind to start my own venture. It was the entrepreneurial route in which I could see my future. What was the starting capital for your venture? Rs 4 lakh in terms of hard cash. However, I believe determination, passion for entrepreneurship and experience at the companies that I had worked for was my biggest capital. Now we are a single digit crore company. We would like to take our unmatched value proposition to at least three other countries by 2014 and reach a turnover level of Rs 50 crore. It is a stupendous task. However, it is a real opportunity and it is for us to make that effort. Most of the challenges are internal. Then there were hardcore challenges of meeting cash flow requirements during early days. It is impossible to survive if you are not an entrepreneur by every gut in your body. While the support system around us in India can do much more, it's not worth waiting for anything to setup a venture.
Nitin Kumar, CEO, Appulse Technologies
What was the motivating factor to charter your own career path? I guess the motivating factor at the time when I started was to do something which was bigger and had more impact than the job I was doing. I was inspired by questions like, how can we do world class software development from India; how can we bring more world class software R&D work to India and produce original cutting edge software from India. This was a motivator then, I was 24 years old at that point of time and I guess motivating factors keep on changing with time and maturity. For some time during my journey I have been inspired by building a company with global presence and sometimes it has been the joy of innovating and working on a new idea that can solve a challenge in the market. What was the starting capital for your venture? The starting capital was Rs 15 lakh that were taken as a loan from our first client. What is the current turnover and what are your targets for future? At peak we had turnover of more than Rs 8 crore an annum, which came down during recession. Our goal is to build successful new business models at this time. What were the main challenges you faced in setting up your own venture? Initially, the challenges came in the form of raising initial capital, building trust of customers, sales in US and Europe, building systems for performance management etc. At the time of setting up the venture, I did not face many challenges that other entrepreneurs faced, as I started with a customer in hand who was willing to sign up for long-term and was also ready for a joint venture. My challenges started more at the time when the company grew beyond 15-20 people and when I decided to grow, I faced challenges in hiring and selecting the right people, especially non-engineers. I guess I started dealing with a kind of workforce that was different and had a different work ethics from my previous work experience of dealing with engineers in India and other roles in US and Europe. It was a big challenge, to weed out manipulative people and filter out people with strong personal and work ethic, fire for their job and career and "Can do" attitude. As a startup, attracting talent was also a challenge that we had to overcome, engneering as well as sales and marketing talent. I think it is extremely important for a startup to have initial team of 10-20 people which is straight forward and focused on the goal kind of team and requires less "managing" and is driven more by passion and initiative. It was hard for a software company to raise capital through loans, as banks would not recognise any thing as an asset. Like other export focused companies, increasing sales organically was a challenge as our target markets were other countries and we had to either find partners or set up our sales force there, we did some hybrid models there. As an entrepreneur, at a personal front I think the challenge was and still is to balance between growth and risking family money, working with friends and still making people accountable, dealing with conflicts and keeping positive focus at all times. Is there a special skill set required to "do your own thing" or one learns as one goes along? I don't think there is a special skill set. There has to be a strong feeling or desire or meaning in what you chose to do. Need to be stubborn or persistent, and keep your mind focused. What gives you a high in your career? To turn ideas into reality and see them in reality. Making great impact by delivering something innovative and useful to people. I enjoy working on new products and ideas and also like the part of traveling different countries and meeting people of different cultures. I also enjoy software development though I have not done it in a while. Working on innovative ideas in software, education, high tech that makes difference is the outcome that excites me.
|
|
Inculcating the spirit
Karsanbhai Patel came from nowhere to create “Nirma” detergent powder about three decades ago. He showed Hindustan Unilever and others that an unsatisfied group of people lived below their radar who wanted cheaper but effective washing powder. Nrima went on to become a legendary success story.
There are many such stories of successful people who became immortal by creating new products and services and transforming the way we live. Incidentally, they became very wealthy too. They spotted an unmet need an offered an innovative but acceptable solution to people. In the process, they took calculated risk and convinced customers why they should buy their solutions We may have many Karsanbhais around in different industries and markets. They have the passion to innovate and win; they do not give up easily, and are prepared to work hard and face hardships. They are entrepreneurs, and these qualities reflect the essential meaning of entrepreneurship. Several psychologists, sociologists, economists, and management researchers have given us a list of behavioral attributes of an entrepreneur. The most essential among these are:
n
Passion about doing something new or having a specific idea n
Confident about winning n Persistent with the idea and actions to accomplish the desired goal n
Persuasive to win support of
others n Hard working and extracting work from others n
Adaptable to situations n Team oriented and innovative n
Optimistic and not giving up in the face of difficulties n
Ability to manage risk n Relevant technical and managerial skills The extent to which these qualities are required and in what combination to become a successful entrepreneur obviously varies depending on the external environment and challenges involved in converting an idea into a commercially attractive product or service. Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught? As noted above, entrepreneurship involves a combination of attitudes, skills, and knowledge (ASK) and is hence difficult to teach. We can certainly facilitate the development of these capabilities. In that sense, educational institutions can provide the inputs for students to become entrepreneurs, though it may not be taught in conventional way. How Do We Do It? Most entrepreneurs not only innovate but also get involved in execution. Some continue with the organisations to become their strategy and operation heads, while other quits managerial responsibilities on the way. It is useful to understand the differences in key capabilities required in an entrepreneur at different stages in life of a business. A student needs to understand that entrepreneurial journey begins with developing and demonstrating an attitude towards entrepreneurship. This is the time when they start getting serious with ideas and spot opportunities. It leads to preparation of business plan often as an instrument to get an external funding. However, the critical role of a good business plan is in terms of helping the student think strategically and be aware of the possible pitfalls, whether external or family funding is involved or not. In the process of building business plan, students build not only analytical but also synthesising capabilities for starting and managing an enterprise. As the projects gets executed, a student will realise that several of the assumptions made earlier have to be dynamically revisited and adjusted in the plan. The capabilities required to manage the venture during the start-up and growth stages and later are different. For example, most entrepreneurs learn to work on multiple fronts such as operations, accounts, finance, and marketing simultaneously in the start up phase. Later, they learn to recruit and delegate work to new team members. Since, entrepreneurs have to keep on taking decisions, developing analytical and decision-making capabilities at all stages is very important, and that is what can be taught in entrepreneurship courses at B-schools. We are experiencing a paradigm shift with tremendous interest and excitement growing among youngsters to pursue entrepreneurial careers. Today’s young brigade has ideas, and determination to prove itself. Naturally, there is a growing demand for entrepreneurship education. It ranges from curiosity to understand what it is to make serious enquiries for specific assistance. The writer is Senior Lecturer, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur
|
|
Intelligent investment
In today’s increasingly competitive world where various factors — political, economic, competitive, cultural or regulatory — constantly complicate an organisation’s environment, the demand for properly skilled managers, who understand the industry and have the energy and courage to tackle difficult situations, is constantly on the rise.
While various institutes across the globe have entered the race to create successful managers, very few understand which candidate is apt for which specialisation. For a person who enjoys following the financial markets, understands the trends of the market and constantly updates himself with prices of shares and stocks through various media, an MBA in Investment Management is just the right option. Specially meant for those people, who believe in independent functioning, rational thinking and taking calculated risks from time to time, investment management broadly affects households from all around the world and yet, offers one of the most stabilised careers when compared to other areas of finance like investment banking etc. Also known as asset management, investment management deals with professional management of assets, securities and bonds in order to meet the investment objectives of various investors. In other words, an asset manager seeks to generate income and grow capital for its clients. Asset managers don’t just work on retail and institutional clients but also on hedge funds, where outside capital is combined with capital of the partners of the fund, and this money is invested using complex and at times risky methods, in order to receive extraordinary profits. They are immune to the unpredictability of market because they are generally paid a certain percentage of the total amount they handle, whether the investment results in profit or loss. Globally, the investment management industry has grown by 10% over the last decade. The clients are generally charged around 1.5-2 per cent of the privilege on retail and industry investments. Hedge funds generally charge 2 per cent management fees and up to 20 per cent performance fees. The best part of being an investment manager is that, in the long run, the fees increases with the growth of the market, but the cost of managing the funds does not; which implies higher returns on lesser cost. Investment management, therefore, has become an increasingly important part of financial services. Career prospects Owing to the increasing importance of investment management, the demand for trained personnel in this field has been constantly on the rise. The work involves meeting with clients, liaising with clients for gathering information, often over the telephone, and researching (from financial media and briefings provided by investment analysts) in order to maintain a comprehensive understanding of investment markets. Candidates with excellent skills in accounting and finance — especially those with a master’s degree or certification — should enjoy the best job prospects. An understanding of complex financial instruments, derivatives, and international finance is important. Like other managerial occupations, excellent communication skills are also essential because financial managers have to explain and justify complex financial transactions. Job Prospects Investment managers work for organisations, like pension funds or insurance companies, where huge sums of money are invested. Asset management may also involve unit trusts or investment trusts, products bought by individuals, which involve smaller sums as compared to institutional funds. As banks expand their range of products and services to include insurance, wealth management, and investment products, branch managers with knowledge in these areas will be needed. As a result, candidates with expertise in management and finance have more favorable prospects. Vacancies may also arise with specialist fund management companies, also known as investment management and asset management firms. Remuneration Investment management offers can be a rewarding option even to the newest entrant in the industry provided his analytical and communicative skills are strong enough to not only impresses the clients but also to read the financial market trends. Generally, a minimum remuneration of Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 can be expected in the beginning. As the person climbs up on the hierarchy ladder and with increased experience, the earnings tend to increase, since fees increases with time and costs do not. According to estimates, some asset managers increase their fees by double digits as well, even up to 15 per cent a year. Eligibility
Criteria Minimum qualification for admission is a pass certificate in the final examination of Plus II system or its equivalent. You must have passed at least one public (Board or Pre-University) examination. Those appearing in 10+2 final or equivalent examination can also appear in the entrance examination conducted by many institutes which also include group discussion (GD) and personal interviews. Duration A full-fledged MBA degree course in this field takes two years, inclusive of a short term of industrial training. But there are various colleges that also offer Post Graduate Diploma courses (PGDM) of the same duration. Today, investment management companies are centering on more than mere investing. Business decisions such as marketing, distribution, global growth, and technology integration are increasingly becoming vital factors in the success of investment managers. Considering the vast scope for growth in this industry, a number of B-schools across the country have started offering Investment Management as a specialization in their MBA and PGDM programmes. The writer is the Founder and
Chairman of IBMR Group of Institutes
Specially meant for those, who believe in independent functioning, rational thinking and taking calculated risks from time to time, investment management broadly affects households from all around the world and offers one of the most stabilised careers when compared to other areas of finance like investment banking etc.
institute watch Sikkim Manipal University, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim.737132 Punjab Technical University, Ladowali Road, Jalandhar, Punjab Institute of Science & Technology, V.P.O. Klawad, Ambala-Jagadhri Road, Near Thana Chhapar, Distt. Yamuna Nagar, Haryana Rajdhani Institute of Information & Technology, Plot No: 1109,Satabdi Nagar, Near Delta Square, Bhubaneswar Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, Haryana
|
|
Career Hotline
Q. I have done BBA and am currently pursuing MBA from IP University, New Delhi. I have decided to take finance as my major subject but I'm confused between taking marketing, Information Technology and International Business as my minor subject. As a result, I am not able to decide on the particular line in which I want to make my career. If I opt for a career in research or logistics or stock broking which subject would be more helpful. I will be very grateful if you could help me in this matter.
— Yash Kapoor A. In an indirect manner, all the three areas you have mentioned — Marketing, IT or International Business - can be connected to Finance. One way to select your choice of minor is to think of which area after Finance you would choose (or are better suited for) as a "backup" job/career. As you have already decided on Finance as the area you will be majoring in, the choice of minor should then be based more on the subjects that you enjoy.
Good scope abroad
Q. I have been working in a bank in Chandigarh for the past eight years. I was just wondering if there's any possibility of finding a job overseas in this line? — S.P Bhatti There's a demand for functions such as relationship management, sales and marketing, new product launch, back and front office operations and technology support across levels. And companies in these regions are offering a 15-20 per cent hike over their current salaries to these banking professionals. In turn, our banking professionals are interested in taking up these assignments for the new challenges, exposure and attractive compensation they provide. Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are the major countries where Indian banking professionals are in demand at senior levels. In West Asia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia are equally keen on hiring these professionals. Even a large number of non-finance firms like business conglomerates and multi-national companies are looking for these professionals. These companies are hiring finance and accounts, taxation, audit, MIS professionals from India.
Check details from university
Q. I am very keen to do Bachelor's in physiotherapy and immigrate to USA. An institute in Punjab that claims to be affiliated to a "recognised" university is offering BPT courses. But it does not have a hospital affiliated to it. Are such degrees valid for taking the US licensing exams for physiotherapists? Which is the regulatory body for physiotherapy in India? Can you please tell me about the BPT institutes in India where Plus II (PCM) is not an admission criterion? I am a commerce student. — Vibha Mehra A.
The eligibility for admission to BPT courses is Plus II or equivalent with PCB and English. Selection to these courses is on the basis of an entrance exam. Unfortunately, with a commerce background you are not eligible. If the institute claims affiliation with a university, I suggest you check with the university directly. Also make sure the institute is recognised by the Indian Association of Physiotherapists (IAP), which is the representative body for this field. Check out their website for details: www.physiotherapyindia.org Indian physiotherapists are recognised by the World Council of Physiotherapy. But don't be disappointed. Reassess your interests and abilities to find a more appropriate career option. You could even consider an alternative career in related fields such as Fitness / Nutrition /Yoga / Aerobics / Massage Therapy / Nature Cure as a therapist or instructor.
Must go for summer placement
Q. I am in my first year of MBA at a private institute which has not been able to arrange summer placements for our batch. They have asked us to find work on our own. How important is the summer placement? Since I don't have any contacts in this city, would it be ok if I skip it and go off to my hometown instead? — Gayatri Kashyap A. The 8-10 week summer training programme is mandatory for successfully completing the first year at most B-schools. Besides being a part of the curriculum, for many students it's the first exposure to an organisation. They find the training an ideal opportunity to gain first hand experience in their functional area. For others, it is an avenue to further their career interests. This mid-programme break is a great opportunity to test the management concepts that you've learnt in the classroom. Besides adding value, your summer training will help you select electives in the second year. If permitted by the company, you can even extend the summer project as a part of the course requirements at your B-school. If you can't find decent placement locally, you could try and locate a good one in your hometown itself so that you get to spend time with your folks as well. But do ensure that you get some meaningful or constructive work which offers you an opportunity to learn, even if it doesn't pay well. Your exposure to the world of work is what really matters. You can even ask your parents or relatives to help you find a good assignment through their contacts. If there's a particular company that really interests you, be proactive and approach them directly offering to work on a survey or project that could be of use to them. Besides, an increasing number of organisations consider summer training as an extended opportunity to evaluate students, as is evident from the increasing number of Pre Placement Offers (PPOs) at leading B-schools. This may be a golden opportunity, particularly for students like you, who are enrolled in B-grade institutes. If the company is happy with your work, they may well ask you to join them at the end of your course!
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to:
The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com
|
|
Caught in ‘non-you’ web
Most youngsters get influenced by parents, teachers and the peer group and take wrong career-related decision. Many land up in jobs for which they are not cut out and this mismatch takes the thrill out of their lives and they never get job satisfaction. While making a career choice one should always keep one’s strong and weak points in mind and refrain from toeing someone else’s line. Remember no one else is exactly like you. Your strengths and weaknesses are entirely different. Only you can know what potential lies hidden in you. You just have to dig it out. And once you know this secret only sky is the limit to what you can achieve in life. Achievement doesn’t lie in money, power and authority. It is the perfect satisfaction which comes only from being in harmony with your innate potential. You simply enjoy the work you do to achieve that goal. Before opting for that goal you feel an intense craving. While doing that job you enjoy the working hours. Time seems to fly without your knowing even. And when the job is done you feel perfectly satisfied. May be a bit tired, but not drained at all. Freshers mostly crave for a career that their parents are in. But it is not always the right choice. The right choice is to opt for a career wherein one can use one’s strengths. One’s strengths are not always in what one is good at doing just as one’s weaknesses are not always in where one lags behind. Any type of work which makes you fully engrossed is surely your strong area and if while doing something you are counting each minute then it is your weakest area. Here one is simply playing the ‘non-you’ role, which will neither be productive nor construcive. Most of the job seekers who come to me for career advice want a well-paid job. They come with the expectation that I would give them a tool kit to make lots of money. What I analyse first is their potential traits, interests, strengths and weaknesses. One may have excelled in sports but the motive behind that can be parental or teachers pressure with the candidate himself having little interest in it. The personality of such candidates gets crippled even though they may win name, fame or wealth. I always advise my clients that they may be in any job or career, the organisation they work with is not going to care who they are and what their strengths or weaknesses are. What the organisation is seeking is the output that they will produce. And sure enough the best output they can give to the organisation is only when they utilise their strengths in the most befitting manner. Doing so, they surely remain away from the weaknesses that they carry. Your personality plays a greater role throughout the length and breadth of your career. The plans you make may undergo a change with the passage of time. The job skills you possess at the moment may change. But the seeds of personality that you have inside may flourish but won’t change. You have to follow that potential to succeed in the real sense of the term. Your advisors may push you to this side or that but to succeed in any job or career you have to follow your inner dictates. You can’t play the ‘non-you’ role and still expect to succeed. Simply unlock the powerful potential of the internal you, and succeed in the job or career it directs you to follow.
|
|
No compromise on Integrity
Very few people can honestly say that they have landed their dream job. Many of us work for companies we do not particularly like and with people we cannot wait to get away from at the end of the day. People stay in their jobs mainly for financial security but it is essential to give your 100 per cent at work. Honesty and integrity about one’s work and work place never goes unnoticed. Here are some points that a worker should never compromise on if he wants to earn respect at his work place:
Don’t steal your employer’s time
If your work hours are between 9 am-5 pm do not show up at 9.10 am and then clock off at 4.30 pm, unless you have prior permission to do so due to a doctor’s appointment or some other valid reason. If an employee regularly misses 40 minutes a day for one month, then it amounts to over 13 hours stolen from his employer. Employees who receive hourly wages will need to fill in a time sheet that details the days and hours that they have worked. So if you have not worked the full eight hours for a particular day then don’t lie. Fill in the hours you have been present. Who knows, a generous boss may even allow you the extra money if you are honest enough to admit you did not work the hours you should have done but you agree to make it up later on.
Never bad mouth your employer
Even after work hours you should be careful of what you say about your employer. If you visit a public place, such as a restaurant, and then start talking badly about your employer, chances are that someone who knows your employer may hear you and repeat what you have said to him. Disloyal employees are not wanted and are often given their marking papers before long. So even if you do not personally like your employer, keep your thoughts to yourself. Unburden yourself to a close family member such as your spouse, but do not talk about problems you are having at work in a public place.
Maintain confidentiality
It is not just the medical profession that insists upon client confidentiality. Many other fields, such as nursing homes and banks also expect their employees to keep work related issues confidential. Once you have signed a contract, you have agreed to abide by the company’s policies and procedures related to confidentiality. Breaching these rules, except with the prior permission of authorities and under very special circumstances, can result in dismissal.
Be industrious
Have you ever noticed how lazy employees seem to have more to complain about than those who are industrious? The fact is that even very boring professions can be easier to handle if employees are industrious and get their work completed. It will also make the day go by more quickly for them, rather than just dragging along.
Do not take too many breaks
This point is linked to #1. If the company policy only allows one 15-minute break at 10:30 am and then a 30-minute lunch break from 12 noon to 12:30 pm, be careful to follow these rules. Do not exceed these times or take more breaks than it is necessary or you risk incurring the displeasure of your colleagues as well as your employer. Employees who maintain their integrity and who give their employer an honest day’s work are more likely to gain their employer’s respect and be assigned more responsibility in the company. They will be the ones who will be remembered when promotions are to be handed out. But most important of all, they will have a better conscience and feel more secure in their job if they are careful to maintain their integrity within the workplace. The writer is Project Assistant, IIT, Ropar
|
|
Hiring gathers momentum in social sector
Hiring activities by entities in the social services sector have increased 40 to 50 per cent in recent times, say experts. The need for professionals to manage activities, increased investment in the social sector through public- private partnerships and the importance being given to inclusive growth are among the main drivers of greater hiring, they added.
“The number of people (employed in the social sector) have been increasing at 40-50 per cent (compounded) every year across the level,” executive search firm GlobalHunt’s Director Sunil Goel said. Corporates — that focus on social services — government agencies, international groups and NGOs are among those looking for talent. “There has been an increase in the number of individuals and organisations which are interested in working in the social sector and therefore the sector as a whole has expanded,”” consultancy Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Ltd’s Senior Director Charu Sehgal said. Staffing firm TeamLease Services Vice-President Sangeeta Lala said that hiring in social sector is mostly in rural or tier II & III cities. “The drivers (for hiring) are many fold –- need for local talent, need for talent who know the local language and localised ways and means of reach,” Lala noted. Social sector players are hunting for talent in different sectors including health, education, sustainable development, environment and micro-finance. “Social firms are in need of that talent/professionals who can understand the dynamics of government functioning, flagship programmes, economy model and social status of the country,” Goel said. He pointed out the sector is looking for professionals as well as those who have a corporate background. — PTI
|
|
Auto, IT sectors lead
The first quarter of 2011 has witnessed a healthy hiring sentiment as the Naukri job speak index for March, 2011 was at 1085 as compared to 1050 in February, 2011. There has been 8.5 per cent growth as compared to July, 2008 levels. The index for IT sector is 91 per cent higher than the May, 2009 levels. Similarly, the auto sector also clocked impressive growth figures in March with the index at 1124 being 119 per cent above the January, 2009 figures. This also dovetails with the optimism in the Naukri Hiring Outlook Survey where 82 per cent of recruiters from the IT sector and 85 per cent recruiters from the auto sector had anticipated that new jobs will be created in the first half of 2011. Hitesh Oberoi, CEO and MD, Info Edge India said, “The hiring activity during the first few months of 2011 has been more widespread than in the past couple of years, as all key industry sectors have started rebuilding their staff strength and gearing up for an optimistic FY 2011-12.” An in-depth analysis of the indices shows that all the top industry sectors barring construction and engineering have registered positive monthly growths in March, 2011. Auto, IT and ITES sector witnessed maximum movement in the employment front both monthly as well as annually. Construction and engineering saw a six per cent monthly dip in hiring activity whereas Oil and Gas, Telecom and Banking sectors saw their job indices moving up by four per cent in March. The hottest skill sets for the month of March were professionals in production and ITES where the index moved up by 10 and 9 per cent, respectively as compared February, 2011. The demand for professionals in HR, Accounts, Sales, and IT moved up within the range of three and five per cent in March as against February, 2011. Online job portal Monster.com’s employment index also rose to 118 last March from 116 in February. “The index has continued to be strong, recording double digit year-over-year growth at 16 per cent, as economic recovery progresses at a steady pace,” Monster.com’s Managing Director (India/Middle East/Southeast Asia) Sanjay Modi said. Apart from IT and BPO/ITES areas, other sectors with good hiring trends, include engineering, cement, construction, iron/steel and BFSI (Banking Financial Services Insurance). Among the cities, Coimbatore, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai and Baroda. “Coimbatore (up 38 per cent), Mumbai (up 31 per cent), Kochi (up 30 per cent) continued to remain among top annual growth markets in March,” Monster.com said. — PTI
|
|
Happiness @ work
At a time when the entire corporate world is in a flux, make sure that your work is at least up to the required level that the top bosses think twice before replacing you.
Even while he knew that Krishna favoured the Pandavas, Duryodhana realised that the Yadava support would be vital in the Mahabharata war. So he went and sought their help and got the entire Yadava army on his side. Balarama decided not to fight and Krishna decided to fight on the side of the Pandavas, but without weapons. In Kamrup district of Assam, Guru Nanak saw a strange sight — his mate Mardana bleating like a lamb. It was the work of Nur Shah, who practiced black magic. She then tried her tricks on the guru, but to no avail. Vanquished, she fell at his feet. So complete was Swami Vivekananda’s mastery over the scriptures that all his addresses at the Parliament of Religions, including the one on September 11, 1893, that began with ‘sisters and brothers of America’, were listened to with great admiration. While the perfection of masters doesn’t give anybody room to better their work, imperfect work allows others a pretext to interfere. Even though Nala was not an expert he loved to play dice. Exploiting this weakness, his cousin Pushkara exiled him and Damayanti for three years. Even a skilled archer like Arjuna was not equal to grandsire Bhishma. So he killed the old man standing behind Sikhandin. For this wrong, the seven Vasus, who were the brothers of Bhishma in his previous life, decided to send Arjuna to hell on his death. The only way to prevent this was Arjuna’s death at the hands of his son Babhruvahana. Uloopi, Arjuna’s Naga wife, revived him after he was killed by his son in battle. As it was against the rules of mace fighting, Balarama raised his plough to punish Bhima for delivering the fatal blow on Duryodhana below the navel. But Krishna stopped his elder brother saying, “You only have knowledge of mace warfare and not about this war. So, you are not fit to give judgment.” Remember, mediocrity invites meddling. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
|
|
Fortnightly Quiz-385
2. Name the three most populous states of India as per the Census 2011’s provisional data. 3. Name Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate and co-founder of the micro-lending Grameen Bank. 4. In which state is the Great Himalayan National Park, proposed to be given the UNESCO World Heritage status, situated? 5. Which Indian state is also referred to as “the God’s own country”? 6. In which state of India is the US premium motorcycle maker Harley Davidson setting up an assembly unit? 7. How many years ago did Yuri Gagarin undertake the historic first space flight? 8. Which countries will host the 2015 cricket World Cup? 9. Who was the Man of the Tournament in the 2011 Cricket World Cup? 10.Which Asian country has won the cricket World Cup twice? —
Tarun Sharma
|
|
|
Vinay Singh, CEO, Vital Wires
Nitin, is the CEO and founder of Appulse and has more than a decade of experience in product engineering, outsourced R&D and off shoring of mission-critical initiatives. Prior to founding
Appulse, Nitin, an IIT, Roorkee, alumni, worked with HCL Technologies.
In a country like India, where the investment sector is taking the market by storm, being creative, analytical, a good salesperson and a great communicator may not be just enough. Another factor that adds to a successful manager’s essential traits is proper knowledge of money and the market. This is because up-to-date knowledge of finance enhances the analytical techniques, institutional practices, financial theory and practical applications of a manager and allows him to make effective decisions on fiscal policies and strategy. 
A. You will be happy to know that the demand for Indian banking professionals in the global market has risen by 25 per cent. Companies in Africa and UAE are trying to attract Indian banking professionals because of their ability to handle volumes and their experience in the expansion of private banking and of the full life cycle of banking in India — from transactions in passbook, multiple accounts, credit cards, to ATM to mobile banking and their ability to handle volumes some of which are yet to be seen in these regions.
Career problems frequently originate when an employee plays a ‘non-you’ role. When a worker ignores his interests and works only for money then he is not on the right track and that is when he is playing a ‘non-you’ role. There is no denying the fact that need for employment is supreme and even the most qualified and skilled workers need their job and a regular income. This is the reason that makes many take up a job just to make a living. But for a real upward career climb and work satisfaction, one has to have a job that enables him to utilise his strengths properly.
Once Dhritrashtra got very angry with Vidura for ‘always favouring the Pandavas’. Vidura left Hastinapur and joined the Pandavas in exile. The king repented later and sent his charioteer Sanjay to get Vidura back.
1. What is India’s population as per the Census 2011’s provisional data?
