FIITJEE- Nation’s premier institute for IIT-JEE training will be conducting FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam on Sunday 25th December 2011.

FIITJEE Talent Reward Examination (FTRE) is meant for students presently in class V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI & XII, who have as their target NTSE & Junior Olympiads; excellence in boards; SAT- I; SAT-II; TOEFL and advance placements for admission to US University; IITJEE / MEDICAL / XII Board or integrated school / Olympiads / KVPY / SAT Plus and other engineering entrance competitive examinations. FIITJEE, a socially responsible organization aims to help these serious IIT-JEE aspirants realize their dreams through this examination and based on their performance, it will help them know their chances of success in securing a seat in the IIT’s through the Rank Potential Index obtained in FTRE.

Students can use this exam as an assessment tool to decide about their best career choice / option and the need to join any relevant coaching / support program. Substantial STUDY SCHOLARSHIP and CASH AWARDS will be given to those students who will perform exceptionally well in the exam.

There will be a minimal fee for appearing in FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam. The exam pattern of FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam is truly scientific and is a combination of objective and subjective questions. The exam will be held in different sessions starting from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm with proper intervals. The questions will cover all the important topics of Science & Mathematics and also test the student’s IQ & Aptitude for their overall assessment

The last date for the registration is Sunday 11th December, 2011 with a registration fee of just Rs. 300/- and after 11th December, 2011 the late fees of Rs. 100/- (total exam fee of Rs. 400/-) along with the registration fee will be charged till 20th December, 2011. Results will be announced from 4th January 2012 till 19th January 2012.

Further details and information about the registration process, exam schedule, the details of syllabi and the regular FIITJEE Programs are available at www.fiitjee.com

Awards & Scholarships: Based on the performance in subjective paper of FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam, students will be rewarded.

For students studying in class V and VII the rewards will be of Rs 60,000, 50,000 and 40,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 97 more rewards for V class students and 297 more rewards for VII class students.

For students studying in class VI the reward will be Rs 1,20,000; 1,00,000 and 80,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 297 more rewards.

For students studying in class VIII the reward will be Rs. 3,20,000; 2,80,000 and 2,40,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 497 more rewards.

For students studying in class IX the reward will be Rs 2,60,000; 2,30,000 and 2,00,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 497 more rewards.

For students studying in class X the reward will be Rs 2, 00,000; 1, 80,000 and 1, 60,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 497 more rewards.

For students studying in class XI the reward will be Rs 1, 00,000; 90,000 and 80,000 for students scoring 1st, 2nd and third rank respectively and 297 more rewards.

Tags: Career Planning, FIITJEE, IIT-JEE, Talent Reward Exam
]]> http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/talent-reward-exam-for-iit-jee-aspirants-in-2012-conducts-fiitjee/feed 1 http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/career-path-career-planning/tips-on-how-to-get-into-a-job-in-a-different-industry http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/career-path-career-planning/tips-on-how-to-get-into-a-job-in-a-different-industry#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:57:05 +0000 admin http://www.careercola.com/?p=313

Changing Industry is a well thought process

Tips on How to get into a Job in a different industry

Looking for some expert tips on How to get into a Job in a different industry? Help is here if you want to change the industry you are working in and make a career in a different industry.

When applying for such a position in an industry different than yours keep in mind some important tips …

Identify Industry: If you are looking for a job in a different industry – First, see what industries are most portable with your skills.

Do your research: We advise you to do your research and based on public research you will be in a position to demonstrate some basic insight into that industry. However be cautious and upfront indicationg that you have a thin knowledge which is just based on publicly available information. Make sure you do not project yourself as know-it-all fellow.

Do not oversell in resume: Do not oversell by relating your experience in minute details with their industry. All you need to do is to cleverly indiacet key similarities in your cover letter and remain silent on the rest. If your résumé indicates that you are a solid management asset, you will sure get a call-back.

Make a case: If you are interested in making a transition to a new industry you must understand how to make a strong case for such a move. You must be able to make a connection between their current industry and a new sector and demonstrate their value proposition to prospective employers. Identifying transferable skills is the first step in building that connection from one industry to another.

During the interview: You need to help the hiring company see how well you understand their customers, products, business norms, metrics and processes. You must relate your level of understanding about their business and indicate how you would contribute to their personal (hiring manager’s) and organization goals. Then, show the interviewers you understand the applications of the knowledge you bring to the table and that you can help them monetize that knowledge. Finally, make sure you understand the gaps you don’t fill well and speak to those in a positive way.

Do you have any experience in changing the industry? If yes share your experience by writing in the comments below.

Write your own career path

Want to write your own Career Path? Here is some help from CareerCola.com on writing Career Path.

Why write your own Career Path?

Career Path or Career Planning are much abused words in HR lexicon – many times used by HR practitioners to fulfill their agenda. You can not leave the important aspects of YOUR career in the hands of some “HR practitioner” whom you barely know and who may not even know anything more about you except your name and designation. You have to take control and write your own career path.

Never accept the paths given to you – make your own

Yes – organization have set paths based on concrete hierarchy. This makes the options available to you limited. Organizations also are lazy – late to react to changing demands and hence they are always late to change the career paths, roles and organization structure – most of the times unless they are forced to do. If you accept the paths given to you by Human Resources or your supervisor – you are doing injustice to yourself. You have to make your own – based on your goals and dreams. If later you find they match a path in organizations book – OK. If or if not – you have your own path.

How to write your own career path?

Here are few recomemnded steps – if you dont like them find your own..

Start with end in mind – what is your goal in career? What you want to achieve?

Identify where you are

Note down various paths to reach that goal

Select the best scenario and make it your plan A

Select the second and third best to make Plan B and Plan C (life is not predictable always)

Now check if your plans have any similarity with organizations Career Path

Discuss them with your mentor, supervisor and HR and formalize

Remember – you have to write you career path otherwise someone else will write it!

Here are our recommendations for boosting your self confidence

Self Discovery: Self discovery will lead you to know about your self and accept it as it is. You answer questions like:

• Who you are?
• What you can do?
• What do you want?

Acknowledge accomplishments: Now prepare a list of positive achievements and personality characteristics. Forget the negatives and just concentrate on positives.

• List your accomplishments till date
• List your positive characteristics
• Exhibit this list where you can read it daily

Prepare yourself: Your preparation will give you you knowledge, courage, control and strength to achieve your goals. Try to maintain your focus on what you want to do. Look ahead and keep your energy focused on the challenge.

• Prepare yourself for achieving your goals
• Plan meticulously

Perform and Persist: Start action on your plan and keep doing it till you reach the goal. Achieving goals takes work and persistence. Do not stop midway and persist – that is the key.

Here are some Do’s and Don’ts

Don’ts

• Don’t change yourself to please others.
• Don’t compare yourself to or compete with others.
• Don’t let what happened yesterday affect what will happen tomorrow.
• Don’t personalise the failure. Look upon failure as one step toward growth.
• Don’t let your relationships become a hurdle. Sever ties which restrict you.

Dos

• Do maximize your strengths.
• Do believe in yourself.
• Do affirm yourself by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.
• Do visualize your goals everyday and imagin yourself achieving them and think of the process of reaching them
• Do Speak up, share your thoughts, opinions and preferences.
• Do reward yourself. Every time you pull through a challenging or negative experience, give yourself a treat.
• Do think of something something positive for yourself every morning.
• Do enjoy success. Evaluate yourself by what you have done, what you are doing, and what you can do.
• Do Keep a daily, weekly, or monthly record of your accomplishment and build on these. Each day do something a little better than yesterday.
• Do become an expert on something or some subject and share it with others.
• Do accept compliments positively. Say, “Thank you,” to those who offer praise about your appearance or ability.
• Do maintain your perspective
• Do face each challenge with an open mind.
• Do develop strong relationships – those which help you achieve your goals.

Building self confidence will go a log way for you to be successful in your life. Following these small tips over a period of time will help you believe in yourself and reach your goals.

If you thhik you can – you will!

If you are confident then your confidence gives you the courage to set high expectations from yourself and others, to take risk, to grow and prosper, and to reach the goals you want.

If you lack self confidence then you take jobs that are relatively easy setting lower expectations from yourself and others, you avoid risks and do stuff tha will not ask for too much. Those lacking self confidence may be losing out on opportunities for growth and prosperity.

How will I know How Confident I am?

How confident are you? Here is small questionnaire to determine your level of self confidence. The results may help upi in improving your self confidence. To take the questionnaire – just answer “yes” or “no” to the following.

1. I feel that when I do a job, I do it well.
2. I am proud of myself and what I have achieved.
3. I feel good about myself.
4. I am as much or more successful compared to most of my graduating class.
5. I feel that I am a worthwhile person.
6. I feel that if I am dying today I will have no regrets about life.
7. I welcome constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth.
8. I feel that my knowledge and experience enables me to offer good advice to those who ask.
9. I accept mistakes and learn from them.
10. I feel that I can achieve almost anything I desire if I work hard.
11. I feel secure in my interpersonal relationships.
12. I feel that other people regard me as a successful person.
13. I respect myself for what I am and what I can do.
14. I am satisfied with the contribution that I made to the society.
15. I accept failure and see them as a chance to learn and grow.

So now you have responded to all the questions in either “Yes” or “No”. Count all the “Yes” and for each “Yes” give yourself “1″ mark and add them togather.

If you have scored 12 or higher: A score of 12 or higher indicates that you love, like and respect yourself. You have high degree of self confidence. You are content and you accept your positive and negative qualities. You are very enthusiastic about life.

If you have scored 7 to 11 Points: This indicates that while you are confident in some areas at the same time you are lacking in few others. This may also mean that you may be a perfectionist – who sets very high standards in life which result in feeling inadequate about oneself.

If you have 6 or lower points: This indicates you have a low self confidence. You may be lacking the zing in life. Your confidence level may be low due to the experience you had in life.

If you feel that you are high in self confidence despite the low score – may be your mood when you have answered this questionnaire was down.

If you are lacking or are low on self confidence – you can change this. There are ways to improve your self confidence. We will be talking about this in our next post.

However most of them (work from home sites) ask for a registration fee. And like any other business – this business is also full of players (read cheats) who just collect upfront fee (by promising you very high earnings while working from home) and vanish.

Many people want to know how to work from home for FREE, without paying any fees. You can make money while working from home, but it will take dedication, hard work, and creativity. And you can make money subsequently and reach your goal without spending money. here is what steps you should take in this career alternative of working from home:

1. Find your niche area: There are legitimate opportunities to work at home with no upfront fees. We recommend you to Research the options and find something which you are REALLY interested in. There are opportunities can be for freelance writing, freelance editing, freelance design, freelance web development, freelance teaching, freelance customer service, freelance technical support etc. There are other companies that are even for freelance secretary (working virually).

2. Research work source: Once done your research and identified an area to work in identify the people who will need your service. Complete as much research as you can to be sure the site is legitimate. There should be no fees involved to “get information”. If the site is legitimate, you will able to begin for FREE. There are many scams out there. Check out scambusters website link below. Some of the reputed sites which are online freelance marketplace are:

www.elance.com
www.rentacoder.com
www.mondayworks.com

3. Register at the site. If you choose to start an at home career, sign up with the website to find out more information on what the company is looking for. Remember never to give any financial or credit card information to sites. Free sites never ask for this information.

4. Check for available work and show your intention to work on thes projects. of required bid for the projects.

5. if awarded – do the work. Once you decide on what you want to do, do the work. For writing, obviously you will need to write. If it is customer service you wish to do, you will have to dedicate time to answer the phone calls.

6. Stay focused, dedicated, and patient. Most legitimate at home jobs are not get rich quick plans. You may not show any significant income for a while, but as you learn the ins and outs of the business you will start to earn more money.

Remember the purpose of you coming in Work from Home bandwagon – then be prepared to give it a long shot. Give the time to this and see results.

Have questions or want to share your views on work from home – just write writing comments to this post.

The marketing experts use a terminology called USP – that is Unique Selling Proposition to describe a feature of product which is its unique proposition to be sold. The same way as an employee we need to have our PUSP (Professional Unique Selling Proposition) – something that makes you stand out from the crowd and this is a very important aspect which may decide your fate on the job.

All senior managers look for someone who can be their trusted soldier. Depending on these few trusted employees (on whom they depend for operational aspects) the managers try to rise up in any company. One of the reason you see many managers when leaving the job they tend to take their team also.

You may be highly skilled or qualified but of you are not visible to senior managers – you are nowhere. There are many ways to become visible in organization but the key is to position yourself in a place where these senior managers will notice you. Here are some of the ways to be visible:

Senior expect to recognize a rising star before they recognized by others in organization. The first step for this is to have a PUSP – professional unique selling proposition that you can talk about to show a potential new manager that you are different to the people around you.

Once you have identified the industry, or area that you want to work in, you need to brand yourself, be clear about your professional unique selling proposition, and practice selling yourself to the people around you who can help you get to the position you are aspiring to.

Note that positioning yourself is not a one day job – you need to do this day in & day out in your career. The dynamics of a successful career demands that you compete in you career every day – you compete when you go for a job interview, you compete daily for the best positions, promotion and pay rise.

So next time when you are in a position to speak in front of one of these managers will you take that positioning step. Yes and keep doing that always? Having an elevator pitch – a GE way in which you are prepared with small conversation pitched (small enough to get completed in elevator) which leave the desired positioning in senior manager’s mind.

Now let’s take an example of how positioning must have helped some of the industry leaders. Mr. Ramadorai CEO of leading software services company TCS has started off as a Trainee in the company and has worked his way to the position of CEO. This would not have been possible without the right positioning he made for himself ever since he was a middle level manager. This includes the way he positioned himself in the right area, networked with the right people, let them know where he wanted to go, and when the right positions came along. Earlier he was America head which is followed by being COO second only to visionary Mr. F C Kohli (one of the founders of TCS). What we need to notice here is that he was prepared for the position, the management at TCS knew he was prepared this position, and he himself right from start knew what he wanted, and he was an undisputed choice for the role.

Unless you put it in practice, then only you may realize the power of PUSP – Professional Unique Selling Proposition. I invite readers to share their experiences of own or people around them. Just add to the comments on this post.

Till now in India the layoff by an Indian company were an hush hush affair. The layoff or pink slips (as they are called in western world) were thought to be a way of only companies from rest of world. This event was unlike the earlier layoffs which has been splashed in media like anything.

On the other side of world amidst the economic recession more than 750,000 jobs have disappeared from the U.S. economy this year. The workers face the prospect of plenty more layoffs to come as a continuing credit crunch and weak consumer demand hamper firms trying to maintain payrolls.

Now the big question before all of us workers is – “How safe is my job”? The answer is tricky but not difficult. You can now look for early warnings indicators for approaching layoffs. Here are seven signs (EWAs) that may signal your position is on the line.

(1) Other got fired in your company: If others are losing their jobs you may too, even if your boss says otherwise. Prepare yourself for that call to corner office and being handed over the pink slip. Note that in bad times even management may not have sense of things which may be affecting the business real time. In a globalized economy situations change rapidly. This does not mean that people are telling lies but them may not be aware genuinely. It may be the case of missing information, or circumstances change.

The basic pint is that you need to be aware of the possibility of a layoff. Workers at greatest risk of layoffs may be those who were most recently hired (although a lot depends on company policy). This was the case with Jet Airways layoff above. Other targets are workers who aren’t getting the job done. Middle management and highly paid top managers are also targets. The workers who are contract are also among the first to go.

(2) Freeze on New Hiring: Vanishing job postings (internal or external) and vanishing referral schemes are also send a layoff signal. You should look at whether colleagues are taking on more or less work, and whether some are being asked or told to leave.

The sequence of disappearance is typically started with the newly created or budgeted positions that have not been filled which are the first to go, then replacement positions that used to be posted and have disappeared, and then come the retirements that seem to be welcomed by management and are not filled.

(3) Training budgets cut: Even large companies may cut training budgets, a red flag that financial concerns could lead to layoffs. While there are certain critical initiatives or projects that need to go forward if a company wants to keep up production, workers should watch out when project spending slows.

From an employee’s standpoint, anytime they see an organization cutting back on its spending and cutting back on activities, as well as staff or initiatives around them, they need to think through the details and figure out at what point does it reach my position.

(4) New projects and events vanishing from scene: The new IT project or budgeted initiative has just vanished and no one talks about it now. Well, that is an indication of slowdown and probable cut in employees who are normally required for new projects.

(5) Office Grapevine: Conventional wisdom calls for taking office gossip with a pinch of salt. But sometimes it makes sense to listen to what your co-workers are saying and doing. It makes sense to notice what the talk is and to notice how people’s responsibilities or jobs are being redefined.

(6) Company is missing targets quarter after quarter: While some management may be less than forthcoming about missed targets for financial performance, workers can investigate a company’s health by checking out the budget. A major sign of approaching layoffs is a business that isn’t performing well. Especially at publicly traded companies, performance is critical, because firms that don’t perform to an expected level, even during recessionary times, will be forced to cut back.

(7) What your top management is saying in public: The top management speeches and statements in public are sometimes indicators of coming dangers. Like in case of Jet airways – a stress deal with Kingfisher airlines is announced a couple of days earlier and this followed by retrenchments.

Whatever may be the reason workers all over the world need to face recession and have to secure their jobs. Making note of early warning indicators may help in some cases.

Save to avoid compromise in your career: A good kitty in savings will prevent any desperate measures to compromise in career. Just compare the case of two executives who are being laid off – one is having one year’s take-home pay in the bank and while other is no savings. the second executive will immediately try to settle for a job (whether he likes or not) to save himself from financial distress. Savings are a big relief for the desperate feelings of needing a job when you don’t have cash in the bank. Savings allow you to better choose a position that meets your needs and not taking any job because you need the money right now.

Lower debt helps in more disposable income: If you have lower debt (loans) means you will have lower monthly installments to pay. This will give you that extra flexibility and while working you can enjoy more from life by having more disposable income. Also if your job is in danger, having lower debt means your payments are low and will help you in preserving your cash flow from your savings. This means you can survive without a job for a long time if required.

Credit Rating reflects your capability: Your credit rating will have a great influence on your ability to be hired. Some of the companies, with your written consent (background check), can see your credit information. Hence the companies can use that that information for not hiring you. If the candidate can not manage his finances how will he manage the job?

More savings means more money for the future like – retirement etc. Not having enough savings will significantly reduce your choices about your life and career. For instance if you want to make a decision to choose to no longer work – your savings will be a determinant factor.

Can take more career risks: How well you manage and invest your money and finances will sure have an impact on your career options. More savings cushion will help you in taking more risks – which may help you in earning more (higher risk – higher returns).

One of my sincere advise to candidates is to make a personal finance plan while making career plan. They go hand in hand together as our savings come out of our earnings from job and our future jobs may depend on savings.

I remember looking for a job just before I finished graduate school. I poured over lists of companies that were located where I wanted to live, and I dreamed a lot about what it might be like to work in different industries.

I was reminded of when several my friends graduated with MBA degrees the preceding year and the goals they had.

One handsome, tall fellow wanted to become a vice president of an airline. I asked him why, and he told me that you could become a vice president of an airline at an earlier age than in other industries. Smiling, he also mentioned that as a single man he liked that there more unmarried young women working for airlines than could be met in most other industries.

A married couple had more modest ambitions: to get jobs in the same city that would provide opportunities for challenging careers. If the city was a nice place to live, that was an extra benefit. When both gained jobs in Seattle, Washington, they were thrilled.

Another man had spent a lot of time as a sailor on a nuclear submarine before graduate school: Any job that didn’t involve working underwater was welcome to him.

All of that career planning sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? Little did I know that we were aiming very low.

A recent MBA graduate helped me see that much higher goals can be set. It was quite an eye opener. Let me tell you his story.

Ramesh Venkatraman was born in a beautiful village in a part of southern India that is well known for entrepreneurship in exporting products around the world. Accompanying his father on professional trips expanded his geographic horizons at a young age. His early schooling, college, and graduate studies were undertaken in a semi-urban setting renowned for its textile exports. Having absorbed so many influences, you might think that he entered a career that connected back to those origins, but that was not the case.

After completing a master’s degree in science, Mr. Venkatraman was preparing to join a Ph.D. program; however, he joined the Indian space program instead, expanding his perspective on what can be accomplished. You are probably expecting to read that Mr. Venkatraman then became an astronaut . . . but that’s not what happened.

Instead, his focus turned earthward and outward: He entered the information technology (IT) industry and began work in the United States, gaining important skills in IT at firms like KPMG, FedEx, Compaq, BvOI, and ABN AMRO Bank. Supremely talented, his quickly rose through the ranks from project manager to program manager to vice president.

In the corporate world, he came across many talented individuals who caused him to raise the bar on his dreams and aspirations, directly and indirectly tapping into his hidden talents.

One fine day, he learned that a highly respected colleague was an MBA and a Ph.D. student at Rushmore University. The colleague shared that he would soon be moving into a strategic management function from a technology management position, and the colleague became head of strategy and planning for a leading financial institution.

Encouraged by that example and wanting to build on his IT success, Mr. Venkatraman decided to earn an MBA degree. He hoped his studies would add the skills and knowledge he would need to become a generous entrepreneur, one who would share any wealth gained with employees and other stakeholders.

He also selected Rushmore, primarily because he would have more freedom there to tailor his studies and courses to meet his personal objectives. The freedom he gained provided lots of motivation to learn, and Mr. Venkatraman graduated a little more than a year later.

Asked just before his graduation what his goals for using his MBA degree were, he reported that he now wanted to found a billion-dollar business in a short amount of time. Wow! What a contrast that goal was with what my friends and I had thought about at the same stage in our business training.

Curious about the shift, I asked Mr. Venkatraman to tell me more about how he decided on this new direction. He responded that the course work at Rushmore made him realize that greater things were possible than he had considered before. Wanting to help others, he also began to appreciate that the more successful he was as an entrepreneur, the more people he could help as a philanthropist, a role he hadn’t thought about playing before.

He now feels confident that he can accomplish that aggressive goal and is working hard to achieve it. He is also considering earning a Ph.D. from Rushmore.

Naturally, few people accomplish the full scale of what they hope to achieve. Often, they accomplish quite a bit less.

Even if Mr. Venkatraman falls far short of his new goals, he will probably accomplish more than he would have by merely fulfilling his pre-MBA goals. By learning the power of thinking carefully about what he wants to accomplish, his education served him better than mine did.

What are the lessons for you?

Are you insisting on the best from your career? If not, why not?

Ask yourself what the best could be for your career if you shoot for the top. Then get busy!

Author Resource:-> Donald W. Mitchell is a professor at Rushmore University, an online school. For more information about ways to engage in fruitful lifelong learning at Rushmore to increase your success, visit http://www.rushmore.edu-

Article From Articles Promoter

Many people at different points in their life decide that they wish to pursue a different career. Sometimes it is just a passing interest or repressed childhood dream and this article is not suggesting that your should resign from your account manager position to become a rodeo clown, however more and more people are retraining and pursuing different career paths.

Perhaps you are looking for something with more satisfaction, maybe you have bested all the challenges that your industry has to offer or perhaps you are looking for that golden pay check. Whatever the reason this article breaks down the overwhelming concept of changing your career path into ten simple steps.

1. Decide what job you really want. The importance of this part of the process depends on the circumstances of the individual job seeker however for most people with existing financial responsibilities it is crucial. The secret is finding a balance between what you really want to do and what is realistically achievable. It is essential to seek career advice and industry knowledge from impartial advisers preferably from within the industry you are examining.

2. Obtain the relevant training or qualifications. Use online resources and job search websites to look at the current market and at what level you can afford to enter the industry. It will not be financially viable for many people to accept entry level positions so you will have to keep working in your current role and study part-time. This is a good way to meet people training at similar levels from within the industry and employers will respect this as it shows you really want it.

3. Gain work experience in that field. Another great way to impress future employers is to do work shadows or work experience. This is more applicable to certain industries but it will build up your industry contacts, allow for networking and give you valuable practical knowledge you can apply in your courses.

4. Update your CV catering to the industry and specific position. Start building your CV as early as possible using this experience. Seek advice from industry professionals and your tutors about structure and content. Use online job searches and CV wizards to get ahead of the game.

5. Monitor trade magazines, websites and job search websites. Knowledge of the job market is essential because timing is everything in job searching. The trade magazines of the industry provide crucial information about the main players, legislative changes and trade organisations that will prove invaluable in job searches and interviews.

6. Register with Job Search sites. This resource is fantastic as you can float your CV then wait for responses, judging the effectiveness of your CV in the process. This site will be used by many specialist recruitment consultancies within the industry so keep a note of which agencies are handling the jobs you are interested in.

7. Listen To The Recruitment Consultants. When it comes to specialist recruitment, always listen to the consultants. They know what is going on in the industry and can give invaluable advice about CV, potential employers and where the money is.

8. Be pro-active and send CVs, request applications for positions and follow up when you say you will. This is imperative as you need to manage the consultants to a certain extent, build relationships and instil confidence by meeting deadlines and commitments to contact.

9. Get the interview and attend as many interviews as you can. The consultants are only there to get you an interview so have that objective with them. Attend as many as possible as they are valuable learning experiences and you might come back to that company in five years time with more experience. Even bad interviews are learning experiences.

10. Do not listen to interview techniques. They are crude, false and employers can generally see through them. You must be yourself, even if that means being nervous. If you have done your preparation then there should be no nerves, both you and the interviewer want you to be the right person for the job so enjoy it and use it as a networking opportunity. Each interviewer is another industry contact.

Happy hunting and good luck!

Author Resource:-> Shaun Parker is a leading online job search expert with many years of experience in the recruitment industry.

Article From Articles Promoter

Some of the popular self-assessment inventories used worldwide are:

• Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator
• Campbell Interest and Skill Inventory

Here we are providing you links to some of the prominent self-assessment inventories for career seekers. You can explore interest inventories online through the following links:

• Jung Typology Test – Personality assessment based on the Myers-Briggs
• Princeton Review Career Quiz – Skills and interests inventory (will need to create an account)
• Work Values Inventory – Work value inventory

The Jung Typology test will give your type formula according to Carl Jung and Isabel Myers-Briggs typology along with the strengths of the preferences. It will give the description of your personality type. Princeton Review Quiz asks 24 questions which evaluate relative merit of each occupation in your view to chose what you like most. Work values calculates values dear to you at work.

Take the tests. You can write a brief review about your experience on comments to this post.

1. How to give news to your Boss about your resignation ?
You should resign in person to your boss. Present a copy of your resignation letter. Be simple, direct and most importantly respectful. The only reason you should give for leaving is that you have decided to take another position or purse other opportunities. No matter how unhappy you were with conditions at your present job, hold these feelings in check. Most importantly, do not tell any co- workers of your leaving until you have told your boss.

2. The Formal Resignation Letter.
A formal, typed, signed resignation letter should be presented to your boss when you meet to break the news. Keep the letter as simple as possible. The letter should state that you are leaving to take another position and your effective last day. Do not add details about your new position or the reasons you are leaving your current company.

3. Give proper Notice before leaving the Job
In most industries it is the norm to give 2 to 4 weeks notice when leaving a job. Remember that it is often difficult to fill open positions. You do not want to burn bridges by leaving your department in a rush. In some departments, you may be asked to leave as soon as you resign due to security concerns. Even if you have noticed that this is the practice, still offer a few weeks notice in your letter; it is up to your employer whether they take it or not.

4. Be Mentally Prepared for resistance
Your current boss may not want you to leave. It takes time and money to hire and train new employees. It is often easier to entice someone to stay than to start from scratch. Be mentally prepared for this resistance. Enticements to stay often include more money or more reasonable hours. Before you resign consider how you will respond should your boss make a counter-offer.

5. Try to Avoid Negative Talk.
Once word gets out that you are leaving, unhappy co-workers may think you are the perfect person to complain and commiserate with regarding all that is wrong with company. Be wary of joining them in their grumbling. You never know if you might someday wish to work for your present company again. You certainly do not want for anything you say on your way out the door to come back and haunt you.

6. Working during notice period
Securing a new and more appealing job is no excuse for not getting your current work done. You should continue to come to work on time. Do not leave early or take 2-hour lunches. Strive to be productive. If possible try to finish projects before you leave. You were a hard worker before you gave notice. Don’t destroy that hard-earned good reputation by giving in to short-timer syndrome.

7. Make sure to take all your personal belongings
When you leave take all your personal possessions with you because once you leave you may never see them again. This includes personal files stored on your computer. Companies often erase hard drives when preparing to re-issue computers to other employees. Make sure you take all pictures, books, etc.

8. Exit Interview.
Many employers conduct exit interviews with departing employees. Typical topics include experience at the company and reason for leaving. Do not use this as a forum to vent your frustrations. Be as gracious as possible; speak of your appreciation for your experience at the company.

By simply following these eight steps, you will leave a lasting and positive impression with your previous employer and former co-workers.So its important to always keep positive relationships.

At some point in their lives many people dream about living abroad for a while or travelling and seeing what more there is out there – and one of the best ways to finance yourself whilst you travel and explore and learn about new cultures and languages is by utilizing a skill that,

There are many benefits associated with spending time working abroad and some of them are:

• Broadening cultural horizons
• Gaining invaluable cross-cultural skills and experience
• Enjoying new and exciting challenges
• Meeting, working with, socializing and dealing with a very broad range of people
• Earning better salaries
  

The skills learned abroad assist many professionals with the overall advancement of their careers as they prove that they are dynamic, adventurous and able to cope in demanding situations.

Opportunities Abroad
Today with globalisation, the world has become better connected. Asians, especially Indians are open to taking up jobs in other countries that offer good opportunities for career advancement and provide an improvement in their present financial position.

Some of the most attractive countries for working abroad include -

• USA – offers a high standard of living and chances for improved lifestyle for professionals. Key opportunities in USA are for Medicine, Research & development and Software professionals.
  
• Dubai & Middle East – Professionals with strong technical skills can earn a high income in these countries. Key openings in this region are for Petroleum & Chemical Engineers, Retail, Sales and Factory workers.
  
• Australia – offers good opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals in various fields. Good infrastructural facilities are available here.
• Thailand & Indonesia – skills in accountancy and technical knowledge can be helpful in building a career here. Software professionals, manufacturing professionals are required.
• Africa: African countries although not very high in the list of job seekers – offer great potential to earn and save. Key countries where opportunities available are – Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa. The African countries attract expats from almost all countries including some of the developing countries like USA and UK. The openings are for manufacturing, mining, petroleum, retail, distribution and sales professionals.
  

Before planning a career abroad and taking up a job in anew country, pay attention to the following matters -

• Size & Type of Company offering the Job Abroad – It is usually a good idea to join a multinational Company when relocating abroad as they have clear policies which hey tend follow well.
• Duration / Time period of the Assignment – Find out the duration for which you will be sent abroad. It is advisable to look for long term assignments which will provide you a chance for career advancement and growth.
• Opportunities to Save – Find out the cost of living in the foreign country and whether or not the company will provide you with housing and medical facilities. Only if these details are taken care of by the Company, you will have the opportunity to save.
• Location and Salary Structure – try to calculate your net saving and evaluate.
• Tax policies & Standard of Living
• Political and Social situation

As of us are well aware, removing oneself temporarily from his/her typical environment provides a means by which an individual inevitably begins asking new and/or deeper questions of oneself and one’s society.

Interactions between and among diverse groups of Indian professionals abroad have a unique potential unlike any other interaction occurring within the country. They share the experience of being an India living outside of India. Whereas, within the borders of India, nationality as a means of identification is often replaced by more specific identifications, or micro-cultures, such as state, language, religion, sub sect etc. Sharing this heightened awareness of being an India outside India while simultaneously acknowledging the self-reflection process provides a potentially ideal learning platform. Through interactions between and among diverse groups of Indian, professionals can help one another progress in their various stages of identity development.

Tags: Career Management, Career Planning, expat career, Offers and Negotiation, overseas career, working abroad, Workplace Issues
]]> http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/oppurtunities-challenges-of-working-abroad/feed 0 http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/evaluating-the-job-offer http://www.careercola.com/career-planning/evaluating-the-job-offer#comments Tue, 13 May 2008 09:43:00 +0000 admin http://www.careercola.com/?p=22 Once you receive a job offer, you have to decide if you want the job. Fortunately, most organizations will give you a few days to accept or reject an offer. There are many issues to consider when evaluating a job offer.

• Will the organization be a good place to work?
  
• Will the job be interesting?
  
• Are there opportunities for career advancement?
  
• Is the salary fair and justified for my profile?
  
• Does the employer offer good benefits?
  
• Now is the time to ask the potential employer about these issues—and to do some checking on your own.What’s the most important thing to consider?
  
• Do you have enough – whether it is salary, health benefits, or vacation time?
  
• Or could it be the corporate culture or the length or your commute?
  
• What about your boss and co-workers — will working with them be pleasant?
  

As you can see there are a number of factors to take into account and only some are negotiable. You can try to get a higher salary or health benefits are often standard packages. The corporate culture isn’t going to change for you, and your boss and co-workers aren’t going anywhere. Each of us, of course, is different. And what carries a lot of weight for some of us is insignificant to the rest of us.

The organization: Background information on an organization can help you to decide whether it is a good place for you to work. Factors to consider include the organization’s business or activity, financial condition, age, size, and location.

You generally can get background information on an organization, particularly a large organization, on its Internet site or by telephoning its public relations office. A public company’s annual report to the stockholders tells about its corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Most government agencies can furnish reports that describe their programs and missions. Press releases, company newsletters or magazines, and recruitment brochures also can be useful. Ask the organization for any other items that might interest a prospective employee. If possible, speak to current or former employees of the organization.

Background information on the organization may be available at your public library. If you cannot get an annual report, check the library for reference directories that may provide basic facts about the company, such as earnings, products and services, and number of employees. Some directories widely available in libraries either in print or as online databases.

Stories about an organization in magazines and newspapers can tell a great deal about its successes, failures, and plans for the future. You can identify articles on a company by looking under its name in periodical or computerized indexes in libraries, or by using one of the Internet’s search engines. However, it probably will not be useful to look back more than 2 or 3 years.

During your research consider the following:

1. Does the organization’s business or activity match your own interests and beliefs?
2. How will the size of the organization affect you?

Large firms generally offer a greater variety of training programs and career paths, more managerial levels for advancement, and better employee benefits than do small firms. Large employers also may have more advanced technologies. However, many jobs in large firms tend to be highly specialized. Also large firms are rigid about their salary and organization structure.

Jobs in small firms may offer broader authority and responsibility, a closer working relationship with top management, and a chance to clearly see your contribution to the success of the organization.

3. Should you work for a relatively new organization (startups) or one that is well established?

New businesses have a high failure rate, but for many people, the excitement of helping to create a company and the potential for sharing in its success more than offset the risk of job loss. However, it may be just as exciting and rewarding to work for a young firm that already has a foothold on success.

Job content: Even if everything else about the job is attractive, you will be unhappy if you dislike the day-to-day work. Determining in advance whether you will like the work may be difficult. However, the more you find out about the job before accepting or rejecting the offer, the more likely you are to make the right choice. Consider the following questions:

1. Where is the job located?
If the job is in another section of the country, you need to consider the cost of living, the availability of housing and transportation, and the quality of educational and recreational facilities in that section of the country. Even if the job location is in your area, you should consider the time and expense of commuting.

2. Does the work match your interests and make good use of your skills?
The duties and responsibilities of the job should be explained in enough detail to answer this question.

3. How important is the job to the company or organization?
An explanation of where you fit in the organization and how you are supposed to contribute to its overall goals should give you an idea of the job’s importance.

4. What will the hours be?
Most jobs involve regular hours—for example, 40 hours a week, during the day, Monday through Friday. Other jobs require night, weekend, or holiday work. In addition, some jobs routinely require overtime to meet deadlines or sales or production goals, or to better serve customers. Consider the effect that the work hours will have on your personal life.

5. How long do most people who enter this job stay with the company?
High turnover can mean dissatisfaction with the nature of the work or something else about the job.

Opportunities offered by employers: A good job offers you opportunities to learn new skills, increase your earnings, and rise to positions of greater authority, responsibility, and prestige. A lack of opportunities can dampen interest in the work and result in frustration and boredom.

The company should have a training plan for you. What valuable new skills does the company plan to teach you?

The employer should give you some idea of promotion possibilities within the organization. What is the next step on the career ladder? If you have to wait for a job to become vacant before you can be promoted, how long does this usually take? When opportunities for advancement do arise, will you compete with applicants from outside the company? Can you apply for jobs for which you qualify elsewhere within the organization, or is mobility within the firm limited?

Salaries and benefits: When an employer makes a job offer, information about earnings and benefits are usually included. You will want to research to determine if the offer is fair. If you choose to negotiate for higher pay and better benefits, objective research will help you strengthen your case.

You may have to go to several sources for information. This may include internet and your industry sources. Recruitment consultants may also be a great source of information. You should also look for additional information, specifically tailored to your job offer and circumstances. Try to find family, friends, or acquaintances who recently were hired in similar jobs.

If you are considering the salary and benefits for a job in another geographic area, make allowances for differences in the cost of living, which may be significantly higher in a large metropolitan area than in a smaller city, town, or rural area. For example cost of living in Mumbai is higher than Jaipur so you should be compensated for same. You can use Cost of Living index published by Government to compare COL in various cities.

You also should learn the organization’s policy regarding overtime. Depending on the job, you may or may not be exempt from laws requiring the employer to compensate you for overtime. Find out how many hours you will be expected to work each week and whether you receive overtime pay or compensatory time off for working more than the specified number of hours in a week. This may not be very relevant for managerial staff – but an indication of working hours and office timings will help you in making decisions. These days many openings are for BPOs serving clients abroad and work in night shifts – check if the company provides cab facility, night shift allowance etc.

Also take into account that the starting salary is just that—the start. Your salary should be reviewed on a regular basis; many organizations do it every year. How much can you expect to earn after 1, 2, or 3 or more years? An employer cannot be specific about the amount of pay if it includes commissions and bonuses.

Benefits also can add a lot to your base pay, but they vary widely. Find out exactly what the benefit package includes and how much of the cost you must bear.

Most journeys have a path and a destination and a career journey is no different. “Career PATH” means the direction in which you want your career to go in and the destination you would like it to achieve. Some of the elements of Career Path are – job, industry, and responsibility you want to take, recognition you want, and way you want to work.

Some of us choose just one career PATH in our lifetime; however, many of us may want to revise our career PATH one or more number of times. You may be choosing a career PATH because either you are starting your career OR you want to see new opportunities or fulfill new ambitions or may be changes in your job or industry have forced you to consider new career PATH.

HOW TO CHOOSE A CAREER PATH

In earlier times most of the people were on a career PATH which they have not consciously chosen and which has been given to them by circumstances. We here such stories – “My father was a painter and his dad before him” OR “In our times we did not have college in our town so I have taken this job” OR “My college School didn’t offer me those subjects”. And some even say that “It was the first job I had and I’ve just stayed” OR “There are not many options for girls”

With the changing times people have become more conscious of choosing their career. Even some of the job portals take advantage of this fact that people are not happy in wrong career choice (Must have seen that TV commercial of Monster – “Caught in the wrong job”). In the new age your choice of career PATH is important and should be an Informed; and well thought-out choice

INFORM YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR CHOICES

You will need to keep yourself informed about – You, the influences which may affect your choices and your options.

About You: You will need to consider some of the crucial aspects and ask questions like (1) what you want from life? (2) What are your motives for working – some work for money, some for learning and so on? (3) What rewards you want from work? (4) What are your key skills (5) how much you want to change and how much you are prepared to change for job?

Influences on your choices: Many factors can influence your choice of career PATH. Understanding what they are and how they might affect your choice will help you put them in right perspective and decide which ones should influence you. Key factors which may influence your choice of career PATH are – (1) Changes to types of work and ways of working (e.g. computers have changes many jobs) (3) Changes to the availability of education and training (4) your financial circumstances, and (5) other people in your life (e.g. family).

Your options: If you are considering a change in your career PATH; your options will fall into one or following category – Change your skills, Change your job or industry or Change your way of working. To identify your options you may need to inform yourself about The nature of specific jobs or industries, opportunities in specific jobs or industries, skills needed for specific jobs or industries and training and education opportunities.

MAKING WELL-THOUGHT-OUT DECISION OF CHOICE

You have seen that you may need to be informed about a lot of things before you can start making a choice. Some people feel that they able to make choices on their own, you may prefer or need to discuss your choices with other people (may be Career Guru at careercola.com). The person could be someone at your workplace, or someone who does professional career counseling or may be your cousin whom you feel is appropriate. We recommend you to seek independent advice from a careers guidance adviser who can also give you access to professional resources such as a career matching exercise, which can help you to identify career PATHs which would suit you.

Are you worried about how difficult the transition is going to be? Then you are not alone.

Many people go through similar anticipation when thinking about attempting a career change. Your career is among the most important things in your life, and changing it is one of the most stressful decisions you will ever make. Be Passionate The reason why you would even consider a career change in the first place is probably because you feel passionate about something and want to pursue it. There is no sense in making a change if you are not going to be any happier than you already are. You may be earning a five-figure salary, but if it is not making you happy and if you are not content with what you are doing, then it might be a good time to switch.Changing careers should be about passion and personal fulfillment. Do Your Research Make sure that before you make the final decision you conduct a thorough research on available opportunities. You need to analyze what skills you have and what skills you may need to acquire for your new job. You should be confident about salary prospects and other relevant information. You may have lots of expectations about the career you want, but conducting the necessary research will help you look beyond this rosy picture. Work with a mentor, such as a career coach, before you make the final decision.

Career Exploration Changing your career can be overwhelming. Explore your options before you decide to make a commitment. Start by categorizing the careers you are interested in. This helps in narrowing down your options. Then pick only those that interest you the most, putting the others aside.

Ask yourself questions such as:

• Why am I exploring this career?

• Will I need additional training or education?

• What are the opportunities and risks in pursuing this career?

These questions will help give you some very important and necessary answers. You can’t really begin on the path to career change until you know why you want to change and how you will go about it. The fact is that changing careers can be very time consuming and expensive, and you don’t want to start the process flying blind. Once you have all the information you need, you can focus on one career option and work toward achieving it. Listen to your heart and head and then make a balanced decision. Whatever you do, remember you need to be flexible and devote a lot of time and energy to jump start your efforts.