Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year

Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009!! Yes, the old is nearly out and tonight after the stroke of midnight, the new will be ushered in with billions of ‘Happy New Year’ wishes.

We wish you a wonderful, thrilling, successful new year and look forward to your continued readership :). Cheers and Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Search for Jobs Online

Just because you’re using the internet does not mean it’s going to be easy. The internet has everything readily available, but the catch is that it’s always there if you know where to look.

Google is fantastic when it comes to top of the line searches conducted, and I myself am an absolute fan of the Google search engine and their other internet services (like Gmail, Gtalk, Google Chrome, etc). But no matter how fantastic Google may be, if you don’t know how to do an internet job search for your job employment options, you will get little further then seeing an excellent search-engine at work to the best of its abilities.

When it comes to doing a career job search, there are job websites galore and many, articles on how to do a job search, and still there are a few simple steps one must follow in order to ensure their job hunting success.

The first step is to decide on what type of job employment you are looking for. Are you a fan of books? Maybe you would suit a job as a librarian. Do you just love learning new programs and designing software? Maybe you would suit being Software Engineer. Choices in the market are limitless; it is just the job logistics you need to finalize.

The second step is to understand what makes the job search complete and workable. Unfortunately, there are many who believe that by solely reading the classifieds they would be able to get quick results and are often disappointed with the slow progress they seem to be making. In all of that, they end up spending all their effort on very few results.

You and I both know that we live in a very modern world, and much of our daily interaction with others, our jobs, lifestyle, etc relies on none other then the internet. There are many job sites as I’ve said before, and you can log on to just about any one of them in order to receive job availabilities, but my advice would be to look for the ones which have resume services as they normally have some combo packages for both making your resume and opening your account. Some even have job

Remember that there is no use in putting all your eggs in one basket so to speak, and you will get the most results if you apply to more then one website that caters to the local area in which you live, or as per your job location needs.

An important thing about searching for jobs on the internet is that it never takes a holiday and is ALWAYS available to you…unless of course – true to Hollywood style - America (God save her) is going down and the rest of the world with her.

But internet or no, we’ve already established the need to not ‘put all your eggs’ in the same basket, and that includes not giving up on those oh so faithful classifieds.

All the best with your search for jobs, good luck!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

What’s new with India’s Employment?

Employment in India is at an all-time high despite the dullness of the global market as a whole and the employment opportunities are expect to only grow from here with companies in the south creating a number of jobs.

The IT and ITES boom has not gone out of style, and are still growing steadily. They in fact, are the primary hires right now. Other hot hires are those with telecommunication jobs, health care jobs, etc. Those in the retail industry are relatively safe as well thanks to the many middle class folks who give them power as a result of their purchases.

Another quickly growing field is that of medical tourism. Many come from abroad to get their medical treatment done here as cost for medicines and treatment in other countries is easily several times the cost here.

I have even heard from some friends that booking the round trip ticket, plus booking a hotel and paying for all hospital treatment and bills still works out to be cheaper than driving down to your local doctor in places like the States, Europe, etc. Another reason this happens is possibly due to the fact that Indian doctors are held in high regard. It is perhaps because this is a quickly growing trend that the tourism industry is promoting is along with their other endeavors.

Employment services tell us that the entertaining jobs, publishing jobs, media jobs, etc have a very fast growth in salaries and rumor has it that the Indian textile industry will be creating nearly 5 million jobs by 2010!

The goal to attain to in all of this is to register yourself with a good employment site. Why, you may ask? Because even as the market is currently going down, what goes down must sooner or later come up! And you want to be in on the action when it happens. It’s not only India that is doing well. Employment overseas is also on the rise.

If you are one of those that are looking to get into a good job and are not exactly sure of what you want to do, you may want to explore various possibilities such as legal employment, part time employment, etc.

But most importantly, do NOT forget to read up on the employment laws of the country in which you live. Many layoffs are happening now and that too to people who are largely unaware of what their rights are as employed laborers. Every country has a law of the land, and you would do well to read it. Did you know they cannot fire you on the spot, unless there is a breach of policy, misconduct or unless your contract specifically states otherwise?

And, did you know that under the Payment of Gratuity Act which was created in 1972, all workers are entitled to 350,000 gratuity after 5 years of continuous service? Ipto.co.uk further added to this: The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 requires employers to pay a gratuity to workers earning less than a certain limit upon termination of service. Well! If more people would have know about even just these laws, it may have made their work easier.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Recession Resilient IT Jobs

In October 1929, the world rocked with a financial crash that led to severe depression and the naming of Black Friday. They say history repeats itself and never has it proved to be truer then when The Great Wall Street Crash was reenacted nearly 80 years later.

But, the good news is that, despite the rough market situation, and the rumors that things haven’t been this bad since 1929, ITians need not career swap, for there are still IT recruiters who are bold enough to hire those of you looking for an IT job.

Who says that just because there are depressing surveys and predictions on budgets and IT careers, there is no room for IT employment? It is a farce – nothing more.

If those hiring are upbeat about the IT job vacancy, then so can we be. The reason they are giving for the positive outlook is that technology is something that every company needs, in every sector. They say that IT is the winning career for the day.

The jobs that experts find at risk however are the networking jobs. In a recently published list of jobs that are supposedly recession-proof, the IT jobs were toppers on the list. Other job streams that were seemingly safe were: networking and system administration jobs, software jobs, design jobs, QA jobs, testing jobs and more.

Apparently, the demand for people who can work with AJAX, Ruby on Rails, etc is high up there.

If you are a consultant, consider getting a full-time employee status. While you can be an outsourced aid if you work on the lower-level IT projects, you cannot move to higher levels unless you are a full-time employee.

If you are looking for a full-time IT job, you should consider if there is also scope provided for any hands-on training or new experiences and new projects. If there is such possibilities, you would do well to take the job while it is still available as training and experience is the best way you can get into higher-paying jobs. Earn while you learn should be your mantra. It is priceless!

Although companies are falling and the economy is sliding, companies still have to function. It is because of this that those with good training and experience will keep their jobs, especially so if you are an IT person. Companies need their core activities to stand strong and as we are in an IT world, this is one battalion that cannot fall unless of course the company is shutting down either temporarily or for good.

But in all this talk, we will not underestimate the skills that are not technical. All have something to contribute to the overall success of the company. If you have soft-skills such as being a people person, if you’re soft spoken, or can handle stress well, you will be the last to go even if the company is sinking.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

How to manage your minutes effectively

In an age where attrition is rife in the market and jobs are quickly becoming scarce, there is something that seems to be helping those who posses it, to hold their jobs. The talent in question is multitasking.

There seems to be a never ending steady stream of work, with a not so steady time to fit them all in, and to top that off, there is always the goal of being the best, improving work habits, good work ethics, etc, and far too much competition in the market.

An article from Times of India said:

A multi-tasking employee is never a diminishing asset to an organization. And it is time management that churns out this skill in an employee. “Time management makes an employee more productive, helps him/her reach his/her goal at a faster pace, and most importantly, gives a feeling of contentment and joy,” confirms Arun Rao, VP-HR, Applabs.

It also helps employees to maintain a work-life balance which is of paramount importance in today’s stressful environment. Optimum utilization of available time and reducing procrastination are some of the areas that professionals focus on for maximum results. “We encourage our employees to set realistic goals and priorities them. It is important that they decipher the relevance of goal setting, handling interruptions and find the most effective means to complete their work,” says Nishikant Kadam, vice president-HR, CBay Systems.


So how can one find the wherewithal to do such seemingly impossible Herculean tasks? The answer lies in tracking your minutes and in finding the peak hours which you can obviously fit more work in.

Try keeping a schedule up for a week. Excel sheets help with this. Log in your starting time, and keep logging everything that runs through your day that is work related – including those 2 minute meetings, etc. Doing this for a week or better yet, for a month, will show you where your time is getting spent so you can improve upon it.

So manage those minutes effectively, and save your job for another day!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Banking Jobs

There is a lot of scope for banking jobs in India. Working at a job in banking can be an exciting one, but also highly stressful if you’re not careful. Working in a bank, means you will get to meet many different kinds of people as well as learn a lot from your hands on experience. Perhaps the best part about working in a bank is that it looks pretty impressive on your resume.

But if you think it’ll be a walk in the park, think again. Many a banker comes home late – like late, late – to be with his wife and family, solely because the work pressure on him in office kept him working till 10 at night – and maybe longer.
Insurance and accounting jobs are no better. High-pressure work loads make the jobs stressful and largely draining. While it looks good on your resume to have these kind of jobs listed as work experience, you should count the cost before you step in to fill such a role.

Finance jobs can be quite exciting although, and looking on the bright side of it – at least it pays well. Jobs in Bank Industries have been known to pay over 6 digits per month and sometimes even more than that. But this need not always be the case. Jobs in Banking can be as diversified as there are types and categories of jobs in the market – well maybe not that many, but you get the point..

The first thing you need to do when considering joining a bank is ask yourself why. Are you joining them for the money? Are you joining them because they are a good brand name? Are you joining them because the market is down and you have nowhere else to turn? Ok, I’m sure that’s not why you’re joining, because banking employment seems to be the last place anyone would look if they were in such a state. Are you looking because you want to learn something new? Are you there because it’s a family business or your parents want you to do this?

Once you decide on your reason for doing this, figure out whether you would like an online banking job, or work in a regular bank. There are many types of banks under the heading of a regular bank. Some of these are: a small bank, a national bank, a hometown bank, a regional bank, etc. and then take the next step to applying to them.
As with any job, there is a minimum qualification that they expect you to meet. They don’t expect you to have criminal records or any such thing. You also need to have some basic computer knowledge.

And finally, bank jobs can be found online, in local newspapers, etc. Pick up the phone and apply.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Choose Your Career Wisely

Sales Jobs – A common myth about a sales career is that working in sales will give you more ‘control over your life’. When doing a job in sales, your life will be more exciting and adventurous then it ever was, owing to the fact that it is a challenging, high-pressure job. In sales, you get to learn a lot of new techniques and tricks as you are on the job. It’s one of those jobs that take practical and hands-on learning to gain experience and become a top-notch professional. If you enjoy interacting with people, tactfully and convincingly marketing a product, and more, then having a career in sales is for you.

Automotive Jobs – Automotive retailing jobs seem to be the most happening thing on the block. With an estimated 31,000+ new jobs being made available annually, a career in automotive retail seems to be the way to go. Taking up a job in the automotive industry can be extremely rewarding financially, intellectually and in the stability it provides as well.

Nutrition Jobs – If you enjoy working with people, taking up a job in nutrition is an excellent idea. You can find jobs for dietician’s just about anywhere: at a hospital, school, in a food processing unit, etc. If you have a flair for writing, you can take it one step further and cover the nutritional aspect of some part of life as a journalist. Having a career in nutrition is becoming better financially as time goes by. Soon there will not only be scope in the variety of the job, but in the levels of pay packages as well.

Accounts Jobs – Careers in accounting today have become much more happening thanks to the computer. Letting the computer do the calculating work for you, will leave you free to analyze and search for solutions to problems that your clients face. If you have strong interpersonal/ communication skills, and an excellent grounding in financial analysis, starting off your career in accounting will be fitting. According to an article in TimesJobs.com, a job in accounting equals a dynamic growth possibility in which strong careers can be established.

Online Data Entry Jobs – The best thing perhaps about having an online data entry job is that you can work on your own terms, and as per the amount of time and effort you put into the work, you will be paid accordingly. This kind of job is something that can be done anytime and from anywhere. Whether you are on vacation or not, you can still be earning. Pay in this kind of job is entirely upto you, as if you spend 40 hours working, you will obviously get more pay then someone who only puts in an hour a day.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Part time jobs

A lot has been in print as well as online about the now very popular concept of part time jobs. In fact, as one who writes on job market trends, industry updates, and careers, over the last two weeks I must admit that I’ve had a very large number of requests for various articles on part time jobs in India, online part time jobs, part time jobs in Delhi and other details about the same. So said, I have done a quick, condensed compilation of some ways to get a part time job no matter who you are.

First of all, if you’re a student and looking for a part time career, you can start by putting together a list of your educational qualifications, any job experience you have, and extra curricular activities you may have taken part in, such as social work – in short, you’ll need your resume. In your resume you should make it clear that you are looking for part time work.

After you’ve made your resume, prepare to go out and ‘claim the land’ so to speak. If you don’t have some nice formals, now would be a good time to get some. When going for an interview, first impressions are extremely important. Whatever your plan of action (whether it be to apply online for a job or to visit office to office, etc) you will need a hard copy of your resume, possibly samples of your work (or at least documented samples of your work), and of course presentable clothes.

For those of you who are not looking for student part time jobs, but are possibly looking to get, say a part time hr job, there are some points to keep in mind that are absolutely crucial to your success in getting part time jobs.

The first of these is, as I said earlier to get together a simple resume for yourself if you do not already have one.

Remember that appearance definitely matters. First impressions count, and you need to look your best if you want to get the job. Get some neat, formal clothes that you can wear when on interviews and first time meetings.

Make a list of places that you would like to apply to whether or online, or in person. A short pencil is better then a long memory!

Prepare yourself that the answer will oftentimes be a ‘no’ to giving you the job. This is absolutely normal and nothing to panic about. Sometimes all the available jobs in the company are filled, perhaps they are already over-staffed, maybe they just don’t have jobs for freelancers or whatever the case may be. Don’t be disappointed. In not now, then soon you will get the job you want.

And last but not least, follow up on places that you have been to. If they ask you to call at a specific time, to meet them on a specific day, or to send them mails, DON’T forget. You may be risking your new job if you do.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Search for Jobs Online

Just because you’re using the internet does not mean it’s going to be easy. The internet has everything readily available, but the catch is that it’s always there if you know where to look.

Google is fantastic when it comes to top of the line searches conducted, and I myself am an absolute fan of the Google search engine and their other internet services (like Gmail, Gtalk, Google Chrome, etc). But no matter how fantastic Google may be, if you don’t know how to do an internet job search for your job employment options, you will get little further then seeing an excellent search-engine at work to the best of its abilities.

When it comes to doing a career job search, there are job websites galore and many, articles on how to do a job search, and still there are a few simple steps one must follow in order to ensure their job hunting success.

The first step is to decide on what type of job employment you are looking for. Are you a fan of books? Maybe you would suit a job as a librarian. Do you just love learning new programs and designing software? Maybe you would suit being Software Engineer. Choices in the market are limitless; it is just the job logistics you need to finalize.

The second step is to understand what makes the job search complete and workable. Unfortunately, there are many who believe that by solely reading the classifieds they would be able to get quick results and are often disappointed with the slow progress they seem to be making. In all of that, they end up spending all their effort on very few results.

You and I both know that we live in a very modern world, and much of our daily interaction with others, our jobs, lifestyle, etc relies on none other then the internet. There are many job sites as I’ve said before, and you can log on to just about any one of them in order to receive job availabilities, but my advice would be to look for the ones which have resume services as they normally have some combo packages for both making your resume and opening your account. Some even have job

Remember that there is no use in putting all your eggs in one basket so to speak, and you will get the most results if you apply to more then one website that caters to the local area in which you live, or as per your job location needs.

An important thing about searching for jobs on the internet is that it never takes a holiday and is ALWAYS available to you…unless of course – true to Hollywood style - America (God save her) is going down and the rest of the world with her.

But internet or no, we’ve already established the need to not ‘put all your eggs’ in the same basket, and that includes not giving up on those oh so faithful classifieds.

All the best with your search for jobs, good luck!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Cutting Jobs Internationally

The Global Meltdown is hitting companies currently hiring and hitting it hard. No company appears to be safe as jobs universally are getting scare and companies are rapidly downsizing to cut costs. Here is an article from Times of India on one such company that is even now going through the downsizing process:

After a series of changes designed to draw more people to its online marketplace, eBay Inc's latest alteration is aimed at its own employees. The auction site operator said that it will cut about 1,600 jobs, 10 per cent of its work force, in its largest round of dismissals ever.

About 1,000 full-time employees will be gone, while eBay will achieve the rest of the cuts by letting temporary and part-time workers go and by leaving open positions unfilled. eBay would not describe which positions would be cut, other than to say they will come across the company and around the world.

eBay chief executive John Donahoe said in an interview that the cuts were not a reaction to the weak economy. Investors were still disheartened, sending eBay shares to a 5 1/2-year low.

Donahoe, who took over as CEO from Meg Whitman in March, said eBay's leadership had been thinking about making the cuts since midsummer. The moves will make eBay "more responsive and nimble," he said, and will give it an opportunity to reinvest in growth areas like its online payments service PayPal and its classified-ads business -- both of which eBay augmented with acquisitions.

"This is trying to position our company in the right way for the medium to longer term. I would say it is not a reaction to the short-term macro environment, or short-term pressures," Donahoe said.

eBay anticipates $70 million to $80 million in restructuring charges related to the job cuts, mostly in the fourth quarter. The company said the cuts will result in $150 million in annual cost savings.

This round of cuts is eBay's second this year. The company said in March that it would cut 125 positions in Europe and North America, including 70 jobs at its San Jose, California headquarters.

Pacific Crest Securities analyst Steve Weinstein praised eBay for "taking proactive steps" that reflect "the challenging environment they're in." But he also lamented that the cuts indicate how much trouble eBay is having at igniting growth in its core business.

eBay has struggled to match competition from other areas of e-commerce, with many consumers increasingly using more online retailers like Amazon.com Inc that follow a more traditional selling model. In the second quarter, eBay's count of "active users" rose just 1.4 per cent.

Already this year, eBay has altered the fees that vendors pay, its search results and its feedback system in an effort to improve the experience for buyers and keep them coming back. But the changes have also angered a number of sellers, some of whom have left the site.

Donahoe did acknowledge that the weak economy and the effects of the strengthening dollar are hurting eBay's business. Third-quarter revenue will be at the low end of the company's expectations. Nonetheless, eBay said its third-quarter earnings would be higher than it had predicted in July.

eBay's shares fell $1.05, 5.5 percent, to $17.89. The shares have lost about half their value this year. eBay also said that it will purchase Bill Me Later, a privately held company that lets online retailers give shoppers credit without detailed application forms, for about $820 million in cash and $125 million in outstanding options.

The Timonium, Md.-based company is expected to become part of PayPal by the end of the year. Shoppers should be able to use the Bill Me Later service on eBay's sites in the second half of 2009, PayPal President Scott Thompson said in an interview.

eBay might see the purchase as a way to get consumers to buy more-expensive items through the site. Thompson noted that people using Bill Me Later tend to spend more on online retail sites.

"I think they're taking advantage of a good opportunity at this time," said Weinstein, the analyst. "It should help them do well in the payment business in the future."

eBay also said that it purchased Danish classified-ad site dba.dk and vehicles site bilbasen.dk for about $390 million in cash. The sites add to eBay's stable of classifieds sites, which include Kijiji and Gumtree.

Donahoe said eBay went after Bill Me Later and the Danish sites now because it is "a good time for smart investors that focus on the long term to move." "In times like this," he said, "strong companies have a potential to get stronger."

Article Courtesy of Times of India

Friday, October 3, 2008

Finding Job Steps

What does it take to find a job? What are the steps involved? How can you find dream jobs that you are searching for? An article found in About.com Job Searching site takes you through the steps that are pivotal to ensuring job hunting success. Best of Luck!


Finding a Job: The First Step
The first step in finding a job is to write a resume or prepare to complete a job application. Depending on the type of job you are searching for, you will need a resume, CV (curriculum vitae) and a cover letter or you will need to complete an application for employment.


In most cases, you will need a resume to apply for full-time, professional job opportunities. If you are seeking a part-time job or work in a career field like hospitality or retail, for example, you will complete an application for employment.


How to write resumes, curriculum vitae and cover letters, including samples and templates.
Compete a Job Application How to complete an employment application, applying for jobs online, via email and in person. Includes samples, examples and advice on the best way to apply.


Step Two - Find Job Listings
The next step in finding a job is to find employment opportunities to apply to. You will need to search the online job search sites, like America's Job Bank, Monster, Career Builder, and Indeed, and utilize offline resources including networking, which is still the way most people find jobs.


Job Listings Job listings, job banks, job sites, employment opportunities listed by location and career field, and other resources to help find a job.


Find a Job How to find job listings, both online and off-line, networking, using a headhunter and more job advice on how and where to look for jobs.


Get Job Search Help Need help with your job search? Here's how job seekers can find free, or inexpensive, resources in their geographic areas.


Job Banks Search the online job banks by by keyword, location or career field. This directory includes job search engines where you can search many databases in one step.


Jobs by Career Field A comprehensive list of job listings sorted by career field including arts, communications, business, education, not-for-profit, legal, science and technology and more.


Local Jobs Staying or home or relocating? Search the local job sites that focus on the locations where you want to work.


Job Fairs Attend a job fair in-person or online.


Networking Networking can sound intimidating and a little bit scary, but, it doesn't have to be and it really does work.


Follow Up It is important to follow up with the people who have interviewed you. Send a thank you letter within twenty-four hours of your interview. Also contact the employer if you haven't heard whether you got the job, or not, within a week or so of interviewing. Inquire about the status of your candidacy and ask if you can provide any additional information.

Thank You Letters Sample thank you letters and other job search correspondence.

Main article courtesy of: About.com

Monday, September 29, 2008

Workplace Fashion: You Are What You Wear

See also: How to Dress for an Interview

Rightly said, ‘Our attire, appearance and conduct is reflective of the corporate image’. If you are concerned about your career, you will be more concerned with looking professional than looking fashionable or decked out. In today’s world of cut-throat competition and spirited professionals, office wear doesn’t mean just the formal wear. One has to carefully pick the right attire for all office related events, be it product launches, office parties, business lunches or office picnic.

Getting dressed for the office doesn’t mean leaving your personal style behind; yet it is important not to be a fashion victim at work. Make sure your attire is pleasing and in accordance with your functional imperatives.

Your everyday work wear speaks volumes about your attitude and commitment to work. Your goal to getting dressed for work is to project a professional, competent image, regardless of your employment level or career path. While formal attire helps present a sharp, smart and service oriented executive; needless to say, casual wear reflects a nonchalant laidback attitude.

Some organisations encourage employees to dress as well or better than their customers, especially for employees who meet clients. It doesn’t come as a surprise that more and more companies are joining the bandwagon of ‘uniform for employees’. Best bet: Formal trousers/pants, button-down shirts with tie, belt and shoes that are in good condition, neatly groomed hair. Sarees, salwar suits, churidar kurta, trouser with striped shirts, scarf, manicured nails, conservative hair, jewellery and makeup for her. Career killer: Not wearing a belt, mismatched pair of socks, wornout shoes, shirts showing gap between buttonholes, body odour, etc.

What is a perfect ‘meet the client’ outfit? The answer lies in taking extra care to dress up when you are heading for a business meet. Select clean, pressed and wrinkle-free clothes for formal business attire.

Your outfit should communicate professionalism.

Make sure you pick good quality clothes that boost your confidence and determination. It helps to know which look gives you a polished, professional look. Best bet: Formal attire, pantsuits, blazers or jackets, tie, belt, business shoes, etc. Indian wear or western formals which include formal pants or skirts (formal, knee length or longer) with smart shirts/tops for her. Career killer: Shabby appearance, stained or wrinkled clothes, florescent colours, wild prints, athletic shoes, sleeves foldedup, loud make-up, messy hair-dos, etc.

While professionals and organisation are still grappling to give a definition to Friday Dressing, the first and foremost concern is professionalism. Casual Friday is a welcome change, with employees getting a chance to put aside their formal trousers and tie to slip into corduroys or Khaki pants. Though denim, T-shirts and flip-flops are acceptable only in the most casual of work environments, more and more offices are accepting trendy wear.

But before you dress casual, check to make sure you don’t have any meetings that require formal business attire. Shweta S, a media professional says, “For Friday dressing I ask myself if I can meet the CEO today without being embarrassed about what I’m wearing?” Best bet: Smart casuals which include trousers/corduroys/skirts. Company logo polo and jeans. Dressy pants and a blouse, sleek jersey knits, skirts and tops, matching accessories. Career killer: Capri/threefourths, Bermudas, silver sneakers, revealing clothes, slogan T-shirts, miniskirts, spaghetti straps

A party is a party but an official party has a professional and a formal look attached with it. Office party is time to go bling but keep in mind that you don’t overdo it.“Official parties are a great way to interact with your co-workers and to know them more closely; one must take care of things that can make you the topic of discussion,” says Kunal Shroff, a sales manager.

Office parties are a time to relax and rejuvenate. What you wear for an office party should be carefully selected to accentuate your personality. The key is to look graceful yet professional. Best bet: Safest bet is to wear black; jeans and stylish t-shirt/top, matching accessories. Career killer: Sexy outfits, revealing clothes, loud streaked hair, clothes you can’t carry, your nightclub-avatar.

Time to flaunt your colourful tees and sporty footwear! You can easily be yourself during office picnics but don’t go over-the-top. “Many employees tend to get too casual in their attitude when they are away from the formal office environ and face flak for their activities,” says S Ram, an HR professional. Best bet: Comfortable clothes, jeans and tees, jacket, caps, sneakers, etc. Career killer: See-through tops, crop tops, miniskirts, etc.

Article Courtesy: Mumbai Mirror

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Train with Talent Craft to be a professional

Have you heard of Talent Craft? It’s a new and recently launched training solutions division from Times Business Solutions Ltd. Following the Miller Heiman method of training, this site is for training professionals, for those who have a sales jobs, management jobs, and more, this is a must see site. But enough of that, here is something the TBSL CEO said on the launch of Talent Craft:

“Speaking on the launch of Talent Craft, Mr. R. Sundar, CEO, Times Business Solutions Limited said, “Times Business Solutions has already made a significant impact in enabling corporate India to attain accelerated growth, offering the leading job portal - TimesJobs.com and executive search solutions through Smart Hire. Talent Craft is bringing in the next level of corporate empowerment, providing people development solutions within organisations, right from their induction, through performance & promotion systems, to succession planning for leadership. We feel privileged and honoured to provide Miller Heiman’s world-renowned training programmes to India Inc.”

For over 30 years, Miller Heiman has brought an unparalleled precision to the art of selling with simple, yet powerful processes and tools that help drive performance, especially when the sales cycle is complex and the marketplace is demanding.

Miller Heiman also prides itself with expert consultants across the globe who have walked in the shoes of sales leaders and understand the need to deliver immediate results and lasting value having been in that position themselves. They also undertake the world's largest on-going study of sales performance best practices, and have published several best-selling books, including, the award-winning Sales Performance Journal every quarter.

Speaking about Miller Heiman’s association with Times Business Solutions’ Talent Craft, Mr. Michael Light, Regional Director Asia-Pac, Miller Heiman remarked, “We are extremely excited and thrilled to have found such a reputed organisation in India to partner with. We are sure that Times Business Solutions’ Talent Craft will be able to leverage our expertise and disseminate our experience, of working shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's leading companies and our comprehensive research, which has kept us relevant over three decades of change, to Indian Industry.”

Miller Heiman’s ability to transform organizations through their programs is unsurpassed in the industry. They do this by developing enterprise-level sales force strategies, implementing core sales processes to create new opportunities, win big deals, and grow key accounts. They also are global leaders in training sales and support people to maximize their effectiveness, selecting, developing and organizing sales people and sales managers.

Talent Craft in its initial operations has successfully delivered public and private programs for corporate clients and had representations from organizations in individual capacities for their programs delivered in alliance with Grid International, Vital Smarts and Dale Carnegie. Talent Craft offers premium solutions for building capability, capacity and performance of individuals and organizations by bringing to them global content and solutions.

Talent Craft offers assessment solutions to help reduce the recruitment cycle and collaborate with organizations to set up assessment centers to separate the best from the rest. For these solutions, Talent Craft has also partnered with NIIT for IT domain assessments and Skill Profile Analytic for Aptitude and spoken English assessments.

Talent Craft brings cutting-edge management solutions from world-renowned management and HR development consultants, ranging from Miller Heiman’s Sales Performance Systems, Dale Carnegie’s People Management programmes, Leadership series from Grid International Inc., Personal Effectiveness and Negotiation Skills from Vital Smarts USA, in association with Aspectum Consulting.

“Talent Craft is a quality source for inputs to develop and retain talent, which will help organizations to build businesses with speed and quality. The HR community can expect a partner who has come into existence to take care of their specific needs, with products and services that are bench marked as per international parameters. Talent Craft is a long term value building effort, which will offer customized & best-in-class learning solutions to people at all levels of organizational hierarchy.” says Yogesh Sood, President and CEO, of Aspectum Consulting.

As business leaders focus on top-line growth, the value of learning is becoming better understood and more relevant. Those leaders who understand how to drive business results in an increasingly competitive, global environment recognize that a better-trained workforce improves performance, and investing in employee learning and development is critical to achieving success.

Seventy-five percent of executives said talent management is a critical issue in global researches by ASTD (the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals), and Towers Perrin ATP Track Research. The increased focus on talent management results from a maelstrom of challenges: the demographic shift driving a dearth of talent; the globalized talent market; the need for new, complex sets of capabilities to drive growth; and firms (particularly those in emerging markets) struggling to attract and retain talent. Increasingly, executives view talent management not as a “nice to have,” but as a critical tool used in the service of achieving business objectives. This has led learning to move from plug and play to become more integrated with business strategy.

The corporate giants of the new economy are high on people dependence, and we are accelerating towards a scenario where - “Money’s at a discount and talent’s at a premium”
To maintain their leadership, corporates are actively seeking assessment & development solutions to acquire and upgrade the skills of their HR Talent in order to remain ahead and develop their people to take on higher responsibilities and manage employee attrition, and this is just what Talent Craft provides.

Talent Craft, in its endeavor to ‘Simplify Learning’ and bring the ‘Best in Class’ solutions in assessment and training, will also conduct regular seminars and knowledge forums on global trends & practices, for the benefit of Indian entrepreneurs and industry.”
Main article taken from indiaPRwire.com

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

BPO's losing their charm?

The latest news in the Job Market is that the BPO sector has the highest attrition rate in India. Perhaps it is due to the remuneration that is less then pretty, or the irregular work schedules, but the fact still remains that the BPO jobs in India is suffering from a 23.5 percent attrition rate. This means that it is 7.8 percent higher then other suffering sectors.

An article from the Economic Times said: The report by Hay Group showed that, in general, staff turnover in India is 15.7 per cent, but in BPO companies, attrition stands at 23.5 per cent - the country's highest.

"The overall compensation structure design is not competitive when compared to general market practices. This means that BPO employees do not receive as much cash-in-hand as their peers in other industries," Hay Group, Reward Information Services, Country Head (India) Oscar De Mello said.

"When you add unattractive remuneration to working shifts, lack of career development, and monotonous tasks, it is not surprising that employees leave when offered a small salary increase," he said.

The short-term incentives account for only four per cent of total remuneration, compared to 10 per cent generally. Moreover, the benefits are also limited to those that can be enjoyed only post-retirement, like pension fund and gratuity, and not during the employment period.
While pay is generally designed to give employees more take-home cash, a higher portion is allocated to allowances like housing/rent and not base salary.

"The BPO industry is a critical sector in the Indian economy, worth USD 11 billion and employing over two million people. However, if the industry is to achieve the projected USD 30 billion by 2012, we have to tackle this talent attrition issue now.

"By creatively designing their total reward package towards more short-term incentives and benefits, and linking the package to performance, companies can ensure that they get higher productivity without hefty increases in salary costs and minimize attrition costs at the same time," De Mello added.

The report also recommended that by planning a combination of short and long-term incentives, such as performance bonus, Employee Stock Option Plans, deferred and retention bonus, the industry can tide over the problem of attrition.

What is your take on this topic? Do you agree or disagree? Write in and post your comments right here..

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Jobs for HIV positive candidates

Are you an HIV positive person and want to get a Job in South India? They have actually reserved government jobs for HIV positive candidates! No matter how those NGO’s managed to pull this one off, I am of the opinion that it will bring immense relief to those suffering from such an illness as they will now be well able to care for themselves financially as well.

Economic Times had an article on the same. I’m including a short excerpt here for your easy reference:

"The salary for the contract appointment is between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. According to official figures Kerala has more than 25,000 HIV positive cases, of which around 4,500 are receiving free anti-retroviral therapy in various government run medical colleges in the state. S K Harikumar, who worked previously with KSACS and is now an independent consultant in HIV AIDS and sexual health, said finding a person for the post of the coordinator would not be a problem. "I myself know several people who are eligible for this post. The biggest advantage in such a post with these specifications is that HIV AIDS is no longer considered as a stigma. This shows that our society has matured," said Harikumar. State Health Minister P K Sreemathi said there are quite a few voluntary organizations in the state which work in HIV AIDS with the support of KSACS who have appointed HIV positive people to work among the affected community. The job of the coordinator is to establish a network of HIV positive people in all the 14 districts of the state. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who is the state's goodwill ambassador for an AIDS awareness campaign, was elated by the move. "Every individual in the society has to play his or her part to see that the stigma on HIV positive people is removed once and for all," he said. He said that it was refreshing to know that the government has reserved a job for the patients struck by the disease.”

What is your opinion on this topic? Blog here with your comments!

Friday, August 1, 2008

Dealing with office politics

A friend of mine was complaining that while choosing jobs in Delhi she found there to be plenty of office politics which were more prevalent even then the real hunt for talent. I’m not sure if this is the case in each and every company and if such things are exclusive to the north (she had a job in Bangalore with Dell), but what I did find upon researching such things was an article on a website called ‘Dealing with office politics’. I’ve included portions of it here for your easy reference. It says that office politics are inevitable for the following reasons:

Some people have more power than others, either through hierarchy or some other basis of influence.

For many people, gaining promotion is important, and this can create competition between individuals, or misalignment between the team's objectives and those of individuals within it
Most people care passionately about decisions at work and this encourages political behavior as they seek to get their way

Decisions at work are impacted by both work-related goals and personal factors, so there is further scope for goal conflict

People and teams within organizations often have to compete for limited resources; this can lead to a kind of "tribal conflict" where teams compete to satisfy their needs and objectives, even when this is against the greater good

It also says that you can make them work in your favor. But enough of that! To see the full article, go to their main web page

Monday, July 14, 2008

Industry Web Updates

Jobs in Print
In an exclusive TimesJobs special, your advertisements on our Jobs for Print page will not only be online now but will be featured in prominent magazines as well. Some of these magazines include: The Week, Outlook Business Magazine, Competition Success Review (English and Hindi) and more!

Jobs on Mobile
Jobs on Mobile is a mobile platform from TimesJobs.com which enables jobseekers to Search and Apply to Jobs using their mobile. Jobseekers can now Search and Apply to Jobs anytime, from any place at their own convenience and look for better career options. Once you send your application, it goes to the Inbox of the employer registered with Timesjobs.com.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Did you know?

Did you know that TimesJobs.com was the only Indian Portal nominated at the International Online Recruitment Awards?

Here's why:

The first award being The Best Technical Innovation for the recently launched– TimesJobs Talkies –the First Voice Resumes in the World. This Path-breaking innovation offered only by TimesJobs.com, cuts recruitment cycles, reduces cost, time and manpower involved in recruitment and facilitates candidates by improving their chances of post interview selection.

“TimesJobs Talkies” allows candidates to record, store and place their voice in their resumes for job applications. TimesJobs Talkies is empowered by NowPos patent-applied voice technology.
Mr. Ayyappa Nagubandi, Leader (title equivalent of CEO), NowPos speaking about TimesJobs Talkies said, “The partnership with TimesJobs.com creates several unique solutions, where CVs, first round short-listing and subsequent interviews, empowered by NowPos patent-applied voice technology, will change the way jobs are to be found, and people recruited.”


The second being The Innovative Online Marketing Award nomination for TimesJobs.com’s Chartbusters” Campaign - The creative, is a compilation of songs – spoofs on classic hits– by genuine job seekers who take a break from their routine job search. Tribal DDB, the Interactive Media Division of Mudra Marketing Services, did the creatives for these campaigns.


Mr. R. Lakshminarayanan, Mudra Marketing Services added, “In the interactive space, any communication must be simple, easy and quick. By integrating the browsing and uploading of resumes, TimesJobs.com reflected a fine understanding of consumer needs andonline behaviourand a refreshing approach to capturing their profiles with the least effort on their part."


Mr R. Sundar, President Times Business Solutions, observed “The major victory, we feel, with these prestigious recognitions is that, these campaigns have not only been great creatives – as adjudged by these Juries, but great products as well. Through these, TimesJobs.com has achieved more than 25 thousand registrations a day, resulting in over 5.5 million active job seekers on our site. This shows the strength of TimesJobs.com in delivering results to candidates, who place their faith and trust in us by posting their resumes on our site and makes TimesJobs.com – the Job site of First Preference.”


TimesJobs.com has won a spate of awards for its Interactive Campaigns – a Gold and a Bronze at the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) Awards in GoaFest 2006 and fetched a Silver at the Asia Pacific Ad fest 2006 in Thailand.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Job Portals in India

Are Job Portals in India the most happening thing among dot com companies? When searching through them, there seem to be as many different portals as we’ve got fingers and toes, with even a few to spare! In fact it almost seems to me that they are all EXACTLY the same, only with different templates and User Interface designs.

If this is true, and I am correct, then what is it that keeps people coming back to specific portals? Are they in search of something specific? Are they loving the customer experience? Are they comfortable navigating between pages and find the website extremely user friendly?

Here is what one person had to say about the TimesJobs portal and her experience there:

(Megha, 26 yrs) – “I have been on the TimesJobs job portal for nearly 4 years now and I am loving it! The best thing about this portal is the good customer experience I had. I also loved the resume services. My resume rocked after they did it for me. Three cheers for TimesJobs!”

We all know there are plus points to every website. If there weren’t, they most likely would have been taken down by now from the apparent lack of profit. The difference then, I suppose, is made in the customer experience that follows those plus points. Hats off to all the job portals that provide a good candidate experience to job seekers both new and old!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Jobs in Social Work

At A Glance

Jobs in social work promotes social change, problem-solving in human relationships, and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance their independence and happiness. If you are willing to be a partner, negotiator, supporter, communicator, re-framer, confronter and reflector and if you feel a great deal of compassion towards social issues, then this can be an excellent career option for you.

Social work is not just about doing good deeds and helping the under-privileged. Over a period of time, it has evolved into a profession. Correctly it is not a ‘conventional’ career. But with issues of disability, drug misuse, poverty, mental ill health, problems associated with aging etc. rising constantly, social work has become a vital need of our society today. If you are willing to take up a profession for emotional fulfillment and if your purpose of working is not just financial, this would be the ideal career for you.

What it takes?
Interest in the psychological and emotional side of people's behavior, sensitivity, patience and persistence are a few of the characteristics that you must possess to be in this field. You need to have idealism to make a difference to the lives of individuals, the courage to make a positive decision to do a job that contributes to the society, the need to feel proud of your contribution and stimulating role and most importantly personal fulfillment. Also you need to treat everyone as equals and you can not hold a bias or prejudice against any section of the society.
The WorkSocial work is all about determining people's social, economic and emotional problems. Social workers work towards the solutions of these problems through counseling, arranging conferences, increasing resources, spreading public awareness and starting social programs and health services. Assessing and treating, mental health and emotional problems is also the job of a social worker. Social work offers diverse opportunities because every individual and society deal with different kinds of problems.


Where to study?

You can undertake a two year course [MSW-MA] at the post-graduate level after completing your graduation in any subject. Graduates with a degree in sociology or a social science subject get higher preference. Admission is based on an entrance test which tests your mental ability and general awareness. The interview conducted in the next stage is to test your speaking skills and to understand your reasons for taking up this profession.


In Summary


A social worker works towards the interests of the community and ensures that its most susceptible/vulnerable citizens receive protection and care in the most responsive way possible. Can any job be more fulfilling than this one?


For more on social work, visit www.timesjobs.com

Monday, June 2, 2008

Journalism

At A GlanceJournalism is the act of communicating information through the process of gathering, writing, editing and presenting events to create awareness amongst the public. Career OptionsJournalism is broadly divided into two categories - Print and Electronic. Journalism in the print media consists of newspapers, journals, magazines, digests and news agencies. On the other hand, journalism through the electronic medium consists of television, radio and the internet. The career options in these fields vary.

Journalism includes such things as writing for newspapers, an editorial job, proof reading, being a reporter or correspondent, writing, etc.

Journalism is a craft with established rules, procedures and guidelines, as well as techniques and deadlines. So if you have a flair or talent for language and the urge to communicate, you can learn this craft and become a successful journalist.

Personal AttributesIf you are looking for a career in journalism, you must have a presentable and confident personality. The ability to write and present accurately and concisely is necessary. An inquisitive mind, good writing and communication skills, the ability to differentiate between fact and fiction and tact too are essential. Intelligence, awareness, and interest in current affairs are also necessary requirements. Most importantly, you must exercise high tolerance and be capable of working in difficult conditions if necessary.

Where to study?You can do a course in journalism right after you pass your senior secondary examination [10+2]. You also have the choice of doing a professional degree after the completion of your undergraduate course in any subject. A background in humanities is usually preferred.Courses are offered in English, Hindi and regional languages.

Top Organisations Channels like NDTV, CNN, Discovery and newspapers like The Times of India, The Economic Times and The Tribune are great organizations that any journalist would like to work in.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

How I blew up my change to bag a great job!

A Truly Smart Job Seeker, before a long awaited interview is intricate about details like formal attire, information about the company and the job he is applying for. But not everyone is so smart! Here are some mind boggling incidences on how some "not-so-smart" Job Seekers blew up their chance to get the job they were trying very, very hard for.

You can't misbehave. Hold Your Moods!!You must be there on time and put your best foot forward! Be graceful and well behaved. Don't keep checking the time in your wrist watch as if you were bored of the process. "One applicant asked the hiring manager to speed things up so he could catch a bus." But the weirdest story came from a hiring manager who said, "One applicant said the company had a black aura and left." Now this kind of an attitude will not get you a job ever!

BE Professional PLEASE

Your first impression can make or break your chance to get the job- but "not-so-smart" applicants don't understand the concept of formal attire. These ultra-cool candidates arrived at their interviews in T-shirts and jeans, but the worse is to come. One job hopeful arrived at his interview displaying a hairy chest, medallion, strong cologne and a wad of gum in his mouth. And which is worse: the applicant who wore a housecoat and slippers or the one who wore his slippers with a bathing suit and T-shirt?

But even the "so-called-smart" and impeccably dressed candidates can appear very unprofessional. Singing the national anthem, trying to sell the interviewer a car, doing yoga at the interview and showing off your new gadget will have similar effects!

To read the complete article, please visit our homepage: www.timesjobs.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Getting Freshers Jobs

Getting freshers jobs is not always easy. You must first plan out your career of choice and decide how you want to get it. Plan well as this is something that will affect the rest of your professional life!

The first thing to remember is that jobs for freshers are readily available in every sector of the corporate world. It is up to you entirely how you want to plan your career strategies.

People decide their career of choice in many different ways. The first and most obvious of career rewards is the salary for which you are taking up the job.

If you are a fresher looking for a new job, remember that you must do plenty of research into your prospective career opportunities.

Decide, plan and implement: Decide where you want to go with your career, say five years from now. Plan how you will get there. Make your strategy. Then implement your plan.

Remember to listen to the opinions of others, especially those whose careers and work ethics you admire. They will give you good counsel and advice. But don’t forget that the last decision is always yours!

Once you have made your plan, don’t let anything get in your way. Keep the goal always in your mind and let nothing stop you.

And finally, keep reviewing your progress as you go along. Well begun is only have done. Keep tabs on how things are going. Constantly evaluate your progress.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

If you want a Call Centre Job (BPO Job)

What is a BPO job like?

Instead of working in a bank, credit card company or telecom company where you get to interact face-to-face with the customer, in a call centre you solve problems and provide information over the phone or Internet from a remote location. As in the IT industry, call-centres work round-the-clock and are air-conditioned and ergonomically designed (the better ones even have their own gyms and coffee shops to help you unwind). The atmosphere is informal yet professional. You work in shifts and meals plus pick-up and drop services are offered to every staff member.

On the flip side you must realise that while all this may sound very hi-tech and the money may be fairly decent, the work can become somewhat routine and monotonous. The stress of working long hours, night shifts, irregular eating habits and the demanding pace can be a big challenge. The job is surely not just about having fun. It requires a lot of grey cells and hard work.

What do call centers look for?

Call centres look for confidence and the ability to speak well in unfamiliar situations, basic computer skills and of course excellent spoken English with a decent voice qualityHandling tricky complaints and persuading clients to stick to repayment schedules calls for diplomacy, presence of mind, communication skills and absolute familiarity with the product line and company policy

For more on a BPO Job, visit the Career Resources page on http://www.timesjobs.com/.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Resume Fill-ins

Awkward holes in your CV can give you sleepless nights while job hunting. There are some of the experiences, apart from work, that you can highlight to create the best impression

When you start thinking of your resume as a powerful tool, the results can be astonishing. Ideally your resume should project a professional image, reflect your unique skills sets and accomplishments, be easy to understand and most importantly project you as the best candidate for the job. However, there are often some unforeseen circumstances that lead to the accumulation of blank spots on your resume. When you are searching for a job a gap in employment can cause a lot of stress and fear.


What can you do to stop that listless period from burning you down the road? In other words, what can you put on your CV apart from employment/ work history? Are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realised, that have helped to define you as a person?


Let them know what’s in it for them. Project the positive. Your break may have helped you rejuvenate and spend time with the family but think from the perspective of an employer. How do they gain from hiring you? Highlight your accomplishments and help them understands your value.


Life throws up a lot of surprises and you can’t possibly plan for everything. A change in the economy resulting in downsizing, sickness, divorce, the birth of a child or a lot of other unexpected things can keep you away from work for long. It is important to stay positive and let your potential employers know that this gap has rejuvenated you and that you are ready to join the workforce with more passion conviction and commitment.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

How to write an Electronic Resume


An electronic resume is an absolute must in today's scenario where recruiters prefer resumes and applications be sent by e-mail. It is significant to provide a Crisp, comprehensible and brief electronic resume.


Some scanning systems and databases discontinue reading it following a certain length, often after about one and a half pages, so be certain that your nearly all vital information appears early in your resume. It is easy to reformat your on hand resume by minor alterations here 'n there.


  • Convert your regular resume in Text only or plain text format.

  • Graphics like: lines, images and bullet point symbols would not show in text only or plain text format. You can apply alternatively plus symbols (+), asterisks (*) or hyphens (-) to replace bullet points symbols.

  • The margin should not be more than 65 characters. Maintain all text aligned to left.

  • Use an easy-to-scan font, such as Courier, Arial or Helvetica.

  • Remove bold, italics and underlining if any. Set up major sections in capital letters.

  • Use the space key for indenting.

Test your electronic resume by e-mailing it to your alternate mail id. You can also send it to someone who can view it via scanning it to know how it actually looks to be sure.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Tips for telephone interviews

  • Do make sure you are in a place where you can read notes, take notes, and concentrate. ensure that you can hear and are being clearly heard.
  • Do make synopsis to avoid fumbling. This will also make you more confident since you are prepared. Ask thoughtful questions to end the conversation intelligently.
  • Do also have your resume with you, so that you have all the necessary important information handy.
  • Don't get nervous between conversation breaks. If you've completed a response, but the interviewer hasn't asked his or her next question, don't start to fill in airtime.
  • Don't panic if you have special needs. If you are hearing-impaired, for example, phone interviews are still possible.
  • Don't snuffle, sneeze or cough. If you can't avoid these behaviors, say "excuse me."

To read the rest of the article please visit the TimesJobs website.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Choose your Career - Beauty Therapy

When you are choosing your career in beauty care, you have a whole range of specialisations to choose from: beauty therapy, hair styling, make-up, massage, facials, manicure, pedicure, electrolysis, herbal beauty care, etc. There are other closely related jobs like those of a beauty lab assistant, health club instructor, cosmetic sales person, consultant, yoga and naturecure practioner, etc.

While it is possible to practice more than one of these simultaneously, you can choose to specialise in any one — hair, skin or makeup — if that’s where your interest lies.If you are specialising in hair, the work would involve cutting, colouring and styling hair.

To achieve professionalism and a good reputation you must blend your technical skills with a dash of creativity and imagination. Barbara, an expert hairdresser who runs her own South Delhi salon, says, ‘’Shaping and styling hair gives me the greatest thrill... Making my clients look good gives me tremendous job satisfaction, besides the opportunity to expand my practise. Financially too, hairdressing is highly paying. Today I can afford all the luxuries of life.”

The makeup artiste’s job is to make the face look attractive by using complementary shades of colour to highlight the features while camouflaging and down-playing the flaws. It is fascinating to watch an expert create several faces on a single individual with a few deft strokes. This is a highly specialised field and a well paying one to boot.

For more on Beauty Therapy, log on to http://www.timesjobs.com/

Monday, April 7, 2008

Managing Your Boss



The following outlines ways to manage your boss.

Managing the boss requires that you gain an understanding of the boss and his/ her own context, as well as your own situation.

At a minimum you need to appreciate your boss's goals and pressures as well as his or her strengths and weaknesses. Such as what are the boss's organizational and personal goals and objectives? What are the pressures? What are your boss's long suits and blind spots? What is his preferred style of working? Does s/he like to get information through memos, formal meetings or phone calls? Does s/he thrive on conflict or try to minimize it?

Without this information, a manager is flying blind when dealing with the boss and unnecessary conflicts, misunderstandings and problems are inevitable.

Developing and managing a relationship

With a clear understanding of your boss and yourself, you can usually establish a way of working together that fits both of you, that is characterised by unambiguous mutual expectations.

Compatible work styles

A good working relationship with a boss accommodates differences in work style. Subordinates can adjust their styles in response to their bosses' preferred method of receiving information. Peter Drucker divides bosses into "listeners" and "readers". Some bosses like to get information in a report so that they can study it others like it better when information is presented to them so they can ask questions. So the implications are obvious (says Drucker) if your boss is a listener you brief him/ her in person then follow up with a memo. If your boss is a reader you convert important items in a memo and then discuss them.

Other adjustments can be made according to a boss's decision-making style. Some bosses prefer to be involved in decisions and problems as they arise; these are high involvement managers who like to keep their hands on the pulse of the operations. Usually their needs are best satisfied if you touch base with them on an on going basis. Other bosses prefer to delegate - they do not want to be involved. They expect you to come to them with major problems and inform them about any important changes.

Creating a compatible relationship also involves drawing on each other's strengths and making up for each other's weaknesses.


For more hot tips on how to manage your boss, log on to http://www.timesjobs.com/

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Resolutions to Success

If your career is losing direction, it's time to make not only personal resolutions, but some professional ones too!

Resolutions are nothing but setting goals for your self, which is anyway the secret to success. But keep in mind not to set unachievable steep goals that are not within reach. Set short-term goals and go for them. On the professional front you could look into some of these resolutions or maybe go for all of them!

  • Revise your skills. Join workshops to brush up your knowledge and also learn the latest.

  • Also pick up some foreign language course. It will give you an additional qualification. Or do some specialization course to update your skills..

  • Clear up junk from your book shelf and study. Don't forget your mail box! This will add clarity and you will be able to prioritize.

  • Update your resume. Highlight your achievements and qualifications. Don't be modest now!

For more Resolutions to Success, log on to http://www.timesjobs.com/


Sunday, March 30, 2008

Resume References

Resume Reference What is so important about a reference page? A reference page makes you look more professional, organized and serious about your job search. It ultimately helps you present yourself in the best possible light and demonstrates that you are a candidate that should be taken seriously.
It is not necessary to include references in your resume. You should however, keep the reference letters handy so that after the potential employer has had a chance to meet you he can find out more about your professional experience.
All you need is a professionally prepared list of three to five business references of people willing to attest to your work habits and qualifications. You could have then included a coworker, supervisor, or even a professor for your business references and for your personal references you could have included a minister, neighbor, or close friend.

You might be wondering, "How do I compose this list?" Well, in order to compose your reference list, you should list the most important reference first and then include their name, title, all contact information (addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.), type of reference (personal or professional, and a brief summary of how long they have known you and in what capacity.

By including all of this information, you will definitely make your reference list a powerful marketing tool and demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to success!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Ideal Career

Career in India Having an ideal career is a dream for all. For those, who are standing on the threshold of stepping into the corporate world and the ones in it facing a constant pressure to perform. Now the catch 22 situation is where you are asked to plan a career!

If it was so much under my control to sketch and build a perfect career, would I not become the next Bill Gates? But taking all the external and internal factors into account I still can do a bit of planning. Let's say a bit of preparation to deal with a lot of happening days!

The very basic is to know what you actually want. What kind of a company are you ready to work in? Which work culture will enable you to perform? What kind of people do you want to work with? Do you want them to be behaving formally or you want to work in a fun place? What work profile you want? Do you wish to be a leader or a follower?

Think about the roles and responsibilities you want to take. How strong is your emotional quotient for some not-so-desirable work situations? What kind of benefits and compensation you want from the company? Answers to all these questions will bring out a picture of what kind of a career you desire!

Also draft a sketch of must haves you can't do without! This is a category that has a big impact on your career. It is obvious that delightful factors make you perform better than in regular situations. But factors like a good machine to work on is a necessity but the same affair could get delightful if your company gave you a latest technology laptop!

So make sure your must have list is not over-powered by things that delight you! Must-haves are very important. They are absolute requirements. While you may give up some of your "wants," must-haves are essential and cannot be compromised.

Shape your career with searching Employment in India, Jobs by Location, Jobs by Level and Jobs by function.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Faking Resumes

Online ResumesIt’s easy to dream up qualifications & work experience that you think will bolster your CV. But, the repercussions of faking resume facts can be professionally devastating.You learnt early in life that lying was bad. Despite such early conditioning, adulthood has probably taught you to see things in slightly greyer tones.

In a resume, everyone wants to present his or her experience in the most attractive light possible, but information can’t be fiction. Whether you’re exaggerating job accomplishments or creating complete fabrications, lying is simply a bad idea. It might be one of the dumbest and most damaging things you could do in your career, but, surprisingly, a lot of people do it.

According to the Society of Human Resource Managers, more than 53% of all job applicants lie to some extent on their resumes.

Tragically, those who don’t lie on their resumes stand to lose jobs to those who do. That’s where most candidates go wrong and are tempted to give in to peer pressure or exploitation at the hands of a head-hunter.

In times of temptation, it is important to remember that it is what you do with the document, rather than what the document can do for you.

Lying on your resume can come back to haunt you — sometimes even many years down the road. Don’t fall into that trap. Instead, reduce the issue by being creative about marketing yourself and don’t let perceived obstacles stall your search.

Cheers to all those honest people out there who are sticking to facts and demonstrate integrity when it comes to applying for jobs!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Job Fair tips for success

Job Fair Job Fairs are a common platform for both job seekers and the companies! These fairs are not just for the beginners but also for those who have experience and are looking forward to job shift. If you go in prepared, you can succeed with not just one job in hand but multiple offers to choose from!

Job fairs are not a place for fun and entertainment. There is serious work going in there and your carefree outlook can stand against you. Let's see how we can turn a Job Fair into our stepping stone to success.

Pre-event Preparations

Do Research! Have prior information on which companies are participating. Shortlist the companies that interest you. Visit the job portals of the companies you are interested in to have a overview knowledge about them.

Customize your Resumes. make alterations in your resume to match the requirements of the company you want to interview for. This will make your resume appear more appropriate for the job. Carry two copies of the document for each company.

Register Your Self!! You can register your self for appearing in the interview before the actual fair. This gives you an option to decide your interview slot.

For more hot tips to ensure your success at a Job Fair, click here.

You can also visit for recent India Job Fair updates.

Monday, March 17, 2008

How to negotiate the ‘salary issue’

Salary ArticlesKnow your worth
Have a comparison list with you in the interview. Write out the requirements for the job, as listed in the advertisement. Add any extra skills you believe are important for the role. Compare what you can offer with what the company needs.

Timing is important
Think of the timing and importance of the things you want to negotiate, and acknowledge that some things are not negotiable. Pushing in the wrong direction will not help your cause.

Look at the whole package subjectively
Some companies have their hands tied when it comes to salary, but may have a number of other benefits that will raise your overall remuneration to a figure that meets your expectations. Consider all the benefits combined.

Work towards a win-win situation
When negotiating your salary, squeezing every last penny out of your future employer will not get the relationship off on the best footing. Remember that you will most likely be working with the person you are negotiating your salary with. Be prepared to compromise. It's important that the outcome of the negotiation is a win-win situation.

Know your limits
Sometimes no amount of negotiation will get you what you want. If it does not meet your needs, it is time to stop rather than end up with the wrong deal. Be as upfront as possible, so that the interviewer knows exactly what you are looking for.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Interview Rejections

Interview QuestionsHave you been searching hard and rigorously applying for jobs but nothing seems to be materializing? Here are some tips that will help to get the right kind of job that will best suit your profile.

Plan smart.
Don’t apply for junior jobs just because it takes time. Have more plans before the interview and you will avoid disappointment. Your resume should make recruiters see you as prospective candidate. Try to understand why they are looking forward to hiring.

Don't wait to send the next application.
Rejection is as natural as acceptation. Perhaps they rejected you because you were over-qualified than the job requirement. Stop brooding over the spilt milk and immediately look ahead.

Don't burn your bridges!
The company may even have your dream job in store some years later. Learn to accept their decision and don't ever argue. Always call for feedback and respect their opinion.

Act to Improve.
Every word of feedback can give you an edge in the next interview you face, provided you work to improve your shortfalls.

Believe in your self.
Concentrate on your past achievements as they are the building blocks of your present and future. Stay confident. Rejection is just a temporary situation and will pass away any moment!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Quick Resume Tips

Resume Writing Tips1. Keep your resume brief and concise. Do not turn your resume into a tedious list of key responsibility areas. Many people even use their company jargon in writing a resume. Instead tell the prospective employer how you made a difference to your job.
2. Provide specific examples of how the company you work for gained from your performance. Highlight any goals which you achieved ahead of time or any special cost-cutting measures spearheaded by your department.
3. In all, the complete length of your resume should not be more than 2 pages.
4. Keep references ready but provide only if asked for. Keep at least two good referees lined up but do not list them unless you are asked for them.
5. Do a spell/grammar check for your resume. Poor grammar and misspelled words cause a potential employer to question your attention to detail and the quality of your work. Remember your resume is your personal promotional brochure.
6. Eliminate unnecessary resume details. Hobbies and other personal interests should only be included if they relate to the positions you’re interested in.

Search Jobs by function and job by location. You can also search the level wise jobs like fresher jobs, managerial jobs, executive jobs, CEO or CTO jobs.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

How to Face an Interview

3 tips on how to ‘face an interview’

Try to speak what the interviewer wants to hear. Go ahead and analyze the situation yourself before you are sitting in front of him!
Act smart and prepare your answers in advance. Knowing the answer will make you comfortable in the uncomfortable situation also!
When facing an interview, have a positive attitude towards your present job. Don't look annoyed while describing your previous organization. It can be a style of judgment that the recruiter is using to check your attitude. Take it all the positive way.

Read more career tips

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

How to dress for an interview

Dress for success
The way you dress tells who you are. It’s an expression of your personality. It is important to realize that other people judge who you are by the standard with which you dress.
It may sound unfair to say that even your clothes tell a tale, but it is a fact that people who pay attention to the clothes they wear, are more successful in their ventures. The reason? Dressing well shows success. People like to be associated with those who are successful.
Dress for success and you will find success come to you. It need not be anything expensive or fashionable. In fact, as long as it is neat, clean and tidy it will do the trick!!