Career Hotline
Logging out of software sector
Pervin Malhotra

Q I have been working in a computer training centre. I want to change to some other field which is challenging. Which industry should I look at and at what position? Your guidance will help me come out of this confused state of mind.

— Amit Sehegal

A You are one of the rare exceptions; a huge majority of the people who write in are still seeking to move to IT and you want to check out to other pastures. Well, you will help restore some balance!

You could leverage your experience to look at opportunities in all the industries in the services sector that require customer-care executives, including financial services, telecom, insurance industry and the booming hospitality sector. The BPO sector is another opportunity you could look at.

The entire business process outsourcing (BPO) sector has grown into a big wave in India of which call centres are a significant part. You may therefore like to especially concentrate on this rapidly growing industry which offers exactly the kind of job that you are looking for.

Q I am in Class XI (science stream). What is the job of a Flight Engineer? Are girls and those with spectacles eligible to take up a course in flight engineering?

— Manisha Kapoor

A While the terms pilot and flight engineer are interchangeable in common parlance, there is a technical difference. Let me explain.

Except on small aircraft, two pilots usually make up the cockpit crew. Generally, the most experienced pilot, the captain , is in command and supervises all other crew members. The pilot and the co-pilot, often called the first officer, share flying and other duties, such as communicating with air traffic controllers and monitoring the instruments. Some large aircraft have a third pilot —the flight engineer — who assists the other pilots by monitoring and operating many of the instruments and systems, making minor in-flight repairs, and watching for other aircraft. New technology can perform many flight tasks, however, and virtually all new aircraft now fly with only two pilots, who rely more heavily on computerised controls.

Depending on the type of aircraft, new airline pilots start as first officers or flight engineers. Although some airlines favour applicants who already have a flight engineer’s license, they may provide flight engineer training for those who have only the commercial license. Many pilots begin with smaller regional or commuter airlines, where they obtain experience flying passengers on scheduled flights into busy airports in all weather conditions. These jobs often lead to higher paying jobs with bigger, national airlines.

Yes, girls are certainly eligible for pursuing this course. The specification for eyesight: 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other, correctable to 6/6. If you have any eye defect (myopia, hypermetropia, etc), remember to always wear spectacles and keep an extra pair on standby.

Physical fitness and total dedication to one’s work remains a constant prerequisite in this profession.

Q I wish to join as Matric Entry Recruit in the Indian Navy. Can you please inform me about the eligibility requirements?

— Shiney Singh

A Eligibility for Matric Entry Recruits (MER) in the Indian Navy is matriculation or equivalent with Science and Maths (55 per cent agg) or plus two with Physics and Maths (50 per cent agg) for general category candidates. For sons and blood brothers of Naval personnel and candidates sponsored by widows of naval personnel who die in-service, the eligibility is Matric/equiv with science and maths (45 per cent agg) or (45 per cent agg) in plus two/equiv with Physics and Maths.

Incidentally July 25, 2005 is the last date for MER recruitment for the January 2006 batch. For further details you could also log on the Indian Navy’s website: www.nausena-bharti.nic.in.

Q I am a B.Sc student. I want to do my best in everything that I attempt. However, of late I have started noticing that whenever I want to concentrate, I have trouble doing so and ’am not able to fathom why. This is also affecting my performance in class. Please help me.

— Deepak Singh

A It may comfort you to know that this is a fairly common phenomenon amongst people your age — the world over. Of late there’s been a great deal of talk about ADS (Attention Deficiency Syndrome/ Disorder) amongst students, particularly in the West where it is beginning to alarm parents and educationists. Why just students, nearly 3-5 per cent of all adults have ADS!

In simple terms, it’s a malfunction of that part of the brain which governs self-control, concentration and planning.

However, I don’t think that’s at all the case with you, particularly since you say it is of recent origin.

Besides, being a teen in today’s highly competitive and pressured times carries its own share of stresses and strains that you may at times find difficult to cope with.

The only trick to survive this unsettling and at times overwhelming phase is to judiciously balance your studies with some other fun activities like sports, gymnastics, music`85 whatever.

Try breaking up your normal study schedule into smaller manageable modules. And reward yourself with a brief break each time before moving on to the next one.

However, if there is something else that is bothering you — do face it squarely once and for all. If you can do something about it, well and good; if not, put it firmly under wraps for the time being so that it doesn’t intrude into you present.

Then sometimes an overriding desire or anxiety to excel can have quite the reverse effect. As the saying goes, "just do your best, and leave the rest". While perfection is a desirable goal, it is seldom attainable.

Another trick is to develop a genuine interest in your subject. When that happens you will find that you are being naturally drawn into the topic — without even trying!

Also, make sure you are comfortable, (but not overly relaxed) while studying. Try and stick to a fixed schedule. Some people find soft background music helps, while others need absolute quiet. Experiment with what works best for you. And when you do succeed, do write to this column if you would like to share your experiences with all those who may be facing a similar problem.

It’s a pity that our educational system simply does not teach us "How" to study. Studying effectively is an art. And like any art, it can be polished through learning and practice.

Q These days one comes across a lot of openings for call-centre professionals. What skills are required to succeed in this profession?

— Sukhdev Khurana

A There are two main types of call centres — inbound and outbound. Inbound call centres take incoming calls, such as those for placing orders or receiving customer service. Positions in this environment require strong listening skills, empathy, diplomacy and organisation. Outbound call centres, those in which the call originates from the centre for market research or direct marketing, generally add assertiveness and sales savvy to the list of requirements.

Recruiters suggest that applicants prepare for role playing as part of the interview process. Customer-service applicants are often asked to respond to three potential scenarios — the angry caller, the confused caller and the appreciative caller.

From these exercises, they can assess the applicant’s ability to hear the underlying need and understand where the customer is coming from. In addition to content, clarity of speech and tone inflections contribute to successful telephone customer-service and sales interactions. Because call-centre representatives frequently must wrap up one conversation as a new call comes in, multi-tasking is another important behind-the-scenes skill.

A recent report also reveals that the Indian ITES sector (of which call centres form a major part) will have openings for a whopping 1.6 lakh foreign language professionals to handle language-sensitive work catering to Europe and the Far East by 2010.

As of now, the demand for German and French is the highest. Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese and Korean are also hot. Portuguese, Swedish and Mandarin form the third tier.

No place to check into

Q It’s been nearly a year since I completed my course in hotel management, but I have yet to find a good job. Recruiters turn down my candidature citing lack of experience. What should I do?

A There is a bit of mismatch between what the industry expects and what most of the HMIs are churning out. This is probably because of the out-dated syllabus and lack of necessary infrastructure for training students in current industry practices and technologies. The curriculum is theory-heavy. Most of the institutes offer little or no on-the-job training. Barely a handful have hotel properties attached to them.

Also, it is important not to confuse hotel management with business management. Most students end up getting jobs in supervisory positions rather than executive or managerial positions.

A graduate from an average HMI gets a salary fetches Rs 3,500-Rs 7,000 p.m. at the entry level, whereas an even a middle-rung B-School graduate can expect at least Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000. Moreover, few hotels offer benefits like PF, medical, etc to all their staff.

No wonder, hotel managers often move to other industries, where they are paid two to three times what they get in a hotel. Moreover, the jobs are less demanding and the work environment is much better.

To rise within the hotel industry, you will need additional qualifications.

• If you couldn’t get a good placement through campus interviews don’t lose heart. Just rework your strategy.

• Here are some tips that will help give a positive spin to the situation:

• As an alternative, you could join the industry as a management trainee, or an operational trainee, etc.

• Utilise the time to explore the area you want to specialise in.

• Try to read up hotel publications and websites regularly to keep abreast of emerging avenues and opportunities.

• Register with a few online hospitality jobsites.

• You could even consider joining one of the international fast food chains, which provide great career opportunities; good pay packages, and excellent possibilities for growth.

And now some don’ts :

• Think twice before joining small outfits like resorts, clubs, etc even if you are offered a fancy sounding designation. Although this seems like a veritable godsend, it may be seen as a career disqualification in the long run.

• Consider turning to foreign countries, especially the Gulf, only after gaining sufficient experience in India .

However, presently the hospitality industry is on a terrific roll, so I don’t think you’ll have to wait too long before you land a decent job.

Q I am working in a leading pharma company. However, the working atmosphere gets too stifling at times. Some of my seniors (male) try to take advantage of my being a girl and I have also overheard some cheap comments which are in bad taste. I can’t leave the job, as I have no choice at present. Please advice me on what to do. Should I look for a new job?

A Regrettable as it is, pressure (work and gender related) is a part of the corporate environment today. You can’t control "how" people think and "what" they say, but you can surely carry yourself with dignity and grace. This is not to say that you shouldn’t be firm when someone crosses the line or makes you overly uncomfortable.

It sure is a tightrope walk for the Indian working woman. But most of us learn to swim, sooner or later.

If things get unbearable, taking a colleague or your HR department head into confidence about the situation might be a good idea. As this is a delicate issue you need to tread carefully. You need to strike a balance between over-reacting and being a doormat. Best of luck!

— The writer is a noted career consultant

Please send in your query, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers@tribunemail.com