Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Manager asked a young engineer who was fresh out of engineering, "What starting salary were you thinking about?"
The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a red Corvette?"
The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
The interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
About.com Seeks Health Writers
About.com, a subsidiary of the New York Times Company, are seeking part-time writer-experts to serve as Guides for them.
As a Guide, you'll build and maintain a GuideSite, a topical section of About.com that contains:
Original content (articles, reviews, FAQs, tutorials) written by you
A blog featuring your unique voice and personality
A directory of the best content in your topic, whether it be your own work or links to other sites
A discussion forum where you serve as community leader
A bio page with your contact info
All About.com Guides are considered freelancers who work online and set their own schedules, giving them the flexibility to log on from anywhere in the world whenever they have the time. With no timesheets to fill out and no timecards to punch, working for About.com gives you the flexibility to write when you want, even if you have a full-time day job.
The compensation is based on page views - the more traffic you get, the more money you get. But all Guides, no matter what, make a minimum of $725 a month. Want to know more? Visit http://beaguide.about.com
Guide Openings on the Health Channel
About.com Health, which consistently ranks as a top health site according to Nielsen/NetRatings, has more than 70 health Guides who cover a range of topics from asthma to pediatrics and stroke. All new Health Guides have their work reviewed by a Medical Review Board physician and a health editor.
They are currently expanding our health channel and are seeking writers for a large number of topics.
Many of rheir Guides are doctors or nurses with direct clinical experience in their topic, and they are now encouraging people with direct clinical or research experience to apply.
To submit an application, learn more about About.com or see our full list of available topics, please visit http://beaguide.about.com.
As a Guide, you'll build and maintain a GuideSite, a topical section of About.com that contains:
Original content (articles, reviews, FAQs, tutorials) written by you
A blog featuring your unique voice and personality
A directory of the best content in your topic, whether it be your own work or links to other sites
A discussion forum where you serve as community leader
A bio page with your contact info
All About.com Guides are considered freelancers who work online and set their own schedules, giving them the flexibility to log on from anywhere in the world whenever they have the time. With no timesheets to fill out and no timecards to punch, working for About.com gives you the flexibility to write when you want, even if you have a full-time day job.
The compensation is based on page views - the more traffic you get, the more money you get. But all Guides, no matter what, make a minimum of $725 a month. Want to know more? Visit http://beaguide.about.com
Guide Openings on the Health Channel
About.com Health, which consistently ranks as a top health site according to Nielsen/NetRatings, has more than 70 health Guides who cover a range of topics from asthma to pediatrics and stroke. All new Health Guides have their work reviewed by a Medical Review Board physician and a health editor.
They are currently expanding our health channel and are seeking writers for a large number of topics.
Many of rheir Guides are doctors or nurses with direct clinical experience in their topic, and they are now encouraging people with direct clinical or research experience to apply.
To submit an application, learn more about About.com or see our full list of available topics, please visit http://beaguide.about.com.
Online CV Builder For A Perfect CV In Minutes
If you have been sending out your CV and not getting interviews, you can certainly blame your CV.
Without a good CV, companies have no idea that you even exist - unless you are invited to an interview by the hiring authority, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' job while your friends move on to new opportunities and brighter futures.
Basically, your CVs only job is to open doors !
In the midst of hundreds of CV’s recruiters and employers receive for any given position, your CV needs to stand out from the crowd. You must make the Hiring Manager want to read your CV more thoroughly than just the rudimentary 10-20 seconds the vast majority of your competition will warrant. The way to do this is by design and create a CV that is accomplishment driven.
Infact, having the right CV for the job you want needn’t be difficult.
Nowadays, CV preparation or CV how to do it on your own is possible, but, there really speaking, there is no substitute for letting a resume writer do it.
As they say it really doesn't pay to cut corners when it comes to your career and that key elements could be missing, and a jobseeker generally doesn't discover this until a good portion of time has been poured into the job search.
Basically, you only have 30 seconds to impress an employer with your CV. With CVwriting.net you get that expert advise, tools, tips and assistance that you need to maximise your job hunting opportunities with a Professional CV.
• An unique online CV builder that offers you a step by step assistance
• A CV builder which makes your CV building surprisingly easy
• Select headings that better describes your own skills and experience
• Gets the recruiter’s attention with a clear and effective CV.
• Fonts, structure in a style most popular with employers
• Something that maximises of you being invited for an interview
• Something you can simply update, thus saving you valuable time
• You can have your CV ready and is available at all times.
• Something you can post to all the major online job boards
• A “try before you buy” service and comes with CV examples
• All popular formats available – Word (.doc), PDF and HTML
Lastly, a CV builder service that has unlimited updates, amendments and downloads for a full 12 months plus free customer support.
Using these techniques, you are on your way to writing an accomplishment driven, extremely effective resume. Your potential employers will not only see what you have achieved in the past, but what you could offer them in the future.
For more info, please visit CVwriting.net
Without a good CV, companies have no idea that you even exist - unless you are invited to an interview by the hiring authority, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' job while your friends move on to new opportunities and brighter futures.
Basically, your CVs only job is to open doors !
In the midst of hundreds of CV’s recruiters and employers receive for any given position, your CV needs to stand out from the crowd. You must make the Hiring Manager want to read your CV more thoroughly than just the rudimentary 10-20 seconds the vast majority of your competition will warrant. The way to do this is by design and create a CV that is accomplishment driven.
Infact, having the right CV for the job you want needn’t be difficult.
Nowadays, CV preparation or CV how to do it on your own is possible, but, there really speaking, there is no substitute for letting a resume writer do it.
As they say it really doesn't pay to cut corners when it comes to your career and that key elements could be missing, and a jobseeker generally doesn't discover this until a good portion of time has been poured into the job search.
Basically, you only have 30 seconds to impress an employer with your CV. With CVwriting.net you get that expert advise, tools, tips and assistance that you need to maximise your job hunting opportunities with a Professional CV.
• An unique online CV builder that offers you a step by step assistance
• A CV builder which makes your CV building surprisingly easy
• Select headings that better describes your own skills and experience
• Gets the recruiter’s attention with a clear and effective CV.
• Fonts, structure in a style most popular with employers
• Something that maximises of you being invited for an interview
• Something you can simply update, thus saving you valuable time
• You can have your CV ready and is available at all times.
• Something you can post to all the major online job boards
• A “try before you buy” service and comes with CV examples
• All popular formats available – Word (.doc), PDF and HTML
Lastly, a CV builder service that has unlimited updates, amendments and downloads for a full 12 months plus free customer support.
Using these techniques, you are on your way to writing an accomplishment driven, extremely effective resume. Your potential employers will not only see what you have achieved in the past, but what you could offer them in the future.
For more info, please visit CVwriting.net
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Expatriate Financial Considerations For Retiring Abroad
More than a million British citizens are collecting their state pensions from destinations abroad. With the sights, sounds and local flavour of countries as diverse as Spain, New Zealand or even Belize attracting retirees, getting in on the trend or retiring abroad appeals to more than one up-and-coming retiree.
If the countryside of France or the mountains of Bulgaria sound too good to pass up to you, you’re going to need to make sure you have a few things in order. Finances of course are one of the main considerations and in this article we’ll examine expatriate financial considerations for retiring abroad.
For Britons who want to move out of the UK in retirement, there’s more to planning for the financial future than just making sure a pension is in place; some of the top considerations no matter the retirement destination include:
• Exchange rates. This is a very big concern - in countries where the pound spends very well today, there is no guarantee that this will be the case tomorrow. Retirees are often urged to take advantage of opportunities to transfer assets into euro-based accounts (where applicable) and to lock in to a specialist exchange rate for direct deposits of pensions where possible…speak to your financial adviser about what’s right for you.
• Basic banking concerns. Plan on having to juggle two accounts if you intend to keep a British bank account open (which is a sensible thing to do if you are eligible). Make sure you have online access to this account as time differences might make contacting the bank directly via telephone a little tricky at best. It’s also always a good idea to inquire about local banking in your retirement destination as well; having a local account will make paying routine bills a whole lot easier.
• Pension concerns. If you intend to stay within the European Union your state pension shouldn’t be too much of a concern. If you move out of the EU however, there is a chance that inflation increases will not be credited to you and your pension will be frozen. Take care to research the ramifications before selecting a retirement destination.
• Taxes. This is a sticky situation to say the least! Typically you will find you are taxed at the local level within your country of choice but you might still find HM Revenue & Customs tax you as well. Countries where there is a double tax treaty can help make this issue go away. Destinations that have a tax treaty with the UK include the popular retirement countries of Portugal, France, Spain and Italy. Pay close attention to the tax issues however, or you might find your retirement pension doesn’t go as far as you thought it might.
Buying property abroad and moving aboard during retirement is a major British trend. With the whole world waiting to be explored and many countries offering a better standard and lower cost of living than the UK it certainly makes sense. To ensure you have your finances in order, closely research the regulations and situation in your country of choice. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence…make sure you cover the expatriate essentials relating to all aspects of your financial situation before you commit to retiring abroad – where necessary speak to a financial adviser about your personal situation.
If the countryside of France or the mountains of Bulgaria sound too good to pass up to you, you’re going to need to make sure you have a few things in order. Finances of course are one of the main considerations and in this article we’ll examine expatriate financial considerations for retiring abroad.
For Britons who want to move out of the UK in retirement, there’s more to planning for the financial future than just making sure a pension is in place; some of the top considerations no matter the retirement destination include:
• Exchange rates. This is a very big concern - in countries where the pound spends very well today, there is no guarantee that this will be the case tomorrow. Retirees are often urged to take advantage of opportunities to transfer assets into euro-based accounts (where applicable) and to lock in to a specialist exchange rate for direct deposits of pensions where possible…speak to your financial adviser about what’s right for you.
• Basic banking concerns. Plan on having to juggle two accounts if you intend to keep a British bank account open (which is a sensible thing to do if you are eligible). Make sure you have online access to this account as time differences might make contacting the bank directly via telephone a little tricky at best. It’s also always a good idea to inquire about local banking in your retirement destination as well; having a local account will make paying routine bills a whole lot easier.
• Pension concerns. If you intend to stay within the European Union your state pension shouldn’t be too much of a concern. If you move out of the EU however, there is a chance that inflation increases will not be credited to you and your pension will be frozen. Take care to research the ramifications before selecting a retirement destination.
• Taxes. This is a sticky situation to say the least! Typically you will find you are taxed at the local level within your country of choice but you might still find HM Revenue & Customs tax you as well. Countries where there is a double tax treaty can help make this issue go away. Destinations that have a tax treaty with the UK include the popular retirement countries of Portugal, France, Spain and Italy. Pay close attention to the tax issues however, or you might find your retirement pension doesn’t go as far as you thought it might.
Buying property abroad and moving aboard during retirement is a major British trend. With the whole world waiting to be explored and many countries offering a better standard and lower cost of living than the UK it certainly makes sense. To ensure you have your finances in order, closely research the regulations and situation in your country of choice. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence…make sure you cover the expatriate essentials relating to all aspects of your financial situation before you commit to retiring abroad – where necessary speak to a financial adviser about your personal situation.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Going to Work in Sweden
Because of its reputation as an extremely high taxation nation, Sweden is not usually the first choice of nation for would-be-expatriates looking for an overseas location in which they can live, work, explore and enjoy life in a different land with a different language and culture. But having said that, taking tax out of the equation and because there are actually many reasons why Sweden is an attractive nation to reside in and seek employment in, an increasing number of international citizens are taking up residence in Sweden, with the nation home to around 11,000 British expats already for example.
If you’re thinking of going to work in Sweden this article covers everything from labour laws and visas to finding accommodation and just how much tax you really do have to pay on your hard earned income!
The quality of life that you can enjoy in Sweden is very high – education, healthcare, housing and social welfare for example are all exceptionally well funded by the government and mean that each and every citizen of the nation stands a good chance of a decent quality of life. As an expatriate working abroad you might think that you will not be entitled to the same standards of living or the same levels of access to healthcare and education for your children for example – but you’d be wrong.
Depending on the nation you herald from, if you have the right to live and work in Sweden you have the right to free or heavily subsidised healthcare, you have the right to have your children educated for free up to the age of at least 16 and you have the same rights as Swedish citizens when it comes to pay and working conditions too…in fact, Sweden is an exceptionally fair country.
If you’re British you can live in Sweden for three months without needing any sort of visa…if on the other hand you know you want to move permanently and get work in Sweden then you can either apply for a residence visa before you go from the Swedish Embassy in the UK, or you can apply for residency after you’ve moved to the nation. If on the other hand an employer offers you a job and relocation to Sweden you’ll automatically get a residence permit for five years unless the position offered is temporary, at which point you’ll be given permission to reside and work in Sweden for the duration of your contract.
If you come from anywhere else in the world other than the UK you’ll need to check with your nearest Swedish embassy to determine your rights to reside and take up employment in Sweden before you make a commitment to move there.
In terms of the main employment centres they are Stockholm and Gothenburg with Malmo another popular spot for some expatriates. Naturally the very fact that there are plenty of job vacancies in these cities means that the demand for accommodation is high and therefore housing costs are higher than elsewhere in Sweden too. Many Swedish citizens rent their properties with a lot of subsidised municipal housing available – this means that rental law is well developed and tenants’ rights are well looked after.
And finally – yes tax in Sweden is high…how else can the nation afford free healthcare, education and an abundance of municipal housing not to mention numerous other social welfare type initiatives and benefits? So while you pay top dollar out of your wages to live in Sweden, you do actually have something to show for it other than a massive, well equipped army! Income is taxed upwards of 35% depending on how much you earn and the municipality in which you live, and then there is another national income tax on top of this which can go up to 25% of you annual salary.
If you’re thinking of going to work in Sweden this article covers everything from labour laws and visas to finding accommodation and just how much tax you really do have to pay on your hard earned income!
The quality of life that you can enjoy in Sweden is very high – education, healthcare, housing and social welfare for example are all exceptionally well funded by the government and mean that each and every citizen of the nation stands a good chance of a decent quality of life. As an expatriate working abroad you might think that you will not be entitled to the same standards of living or the same levels of access to healthcare and education for your children for example – but you’d be wrong.
Depending on the nation you herald from, if you have the right to live and work in Sweden you have the right to free or heavily subsidised healthcare, you have the right to have your children educated for free up to the age of at least 16 and you have the same rights as Swedish citizens when it comes to pay and working conditions too…in fact, Sweden is an exceptionally fair country.
If you’re British you can live in Sweden for three months without needing any sort of visa…if on the other hand you know you want to move permanently and get work in Sweden then you can either apply for a residence visa before you go from the Swedish Embassy in the UK, or you can apply for residency after you’ve moved to the nation. If on the other hand an employer offers you a job and relocation to Sweden you’ll automatically get a residence permit for five years unless the position offered is temporary, at which point you’ll be given permission to reside and work in Sweden for the duration of your contract.
If you come from anywhere else in the world other than the UK you’ll need to check with your nearest Swedish embassy to determine your rights to reside and take up employment in Sweden before you make a commitment to move there.
In terms of the main employment centres they are Stockholm and Gothenburg with Malmo another popular spot for some expatriates. Naturally the very fact that there are plenty of job vacancies in these cities means that the demand for accommodation is high and therefore housing costs are higher than elsewhere in Sweden too. Many Swedish citizens rent their properties with a lot of subsidised municipal housing available – this means that rental law is well developed and tenants’ rights are well looked after.
And finally – yes tax in Sweden is high…how else can the nation afford free healthcare, education and an abundance of municipal housing not to mention numerous other social welfare type initiatives and benefits? So while you pay top dollar out of your wages to live in Sweden, you do actually have something to show for it other than a massive, well equipped army! Income is taxed upwards of 35% depending on how much you earn and the municipality in which you live, and then there is another national income tax on top of this which can go up to 25% of you annual salary.
Monday, March 10, 2008
How To Increase Your Article Subscription
We know that freelancing has become a competitive business, with hundreds of writers competing for the same, limited number of assignments, and any writer who can best showcase their abilities is the one who lands the job.
Editors don't have the time nor the inclination to sift through the hundreds of resumes they receive. If your credits and clips are not right there on an editor's desk, or available with a single click of the mouse, the assignment is going to go to the writer who managed to got there first, even if you're the better writer for the job.
More importantly, if you have a resume, your resume better be a good one, because it is competing with other resumes. If you already have an online resume and not getting any feedbacks, you can certainly blame the resume. Without a good resume, people have no idea that you even exist, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' situation.
Now the question is "What makes a good resume"? Anyone can type up words on a piece of paper, but a professional resume writer knows how to market your skills by choosing powerful, competitive, words and uses them strategically in order to trigger positive responses. A professional resume writer knows how to highlight your experiences, skills, achievements, education, and accomplishments - and knows how to market you effectively with an individually designed resume.
So in order to get your writing clips into the hands of the editors looking for writers, the best method is to have your own online resume. It is obvious that a personal site has become a must for today's freelancer, but what's needed is a site that showcases your entire writing resume, that highlights;
C V
Publishing Works
Writing-related job history
Any published credits
Specialty or genre
Easily accessible and visually attractive clips, whether scanned or in document form
An editor is then able to access all of your information at once, instead of being forced to slog through links after links. With everything in one place, an editor is also more able to get a feel for your abilities and range. Whichever method you decide to choose, getting your resume and clips online will definitely give you a better access to editors and "hopefully" even making sales tomorrow!
Once you have your online resume, link it with your article page and start putting articles on it. As you no doubt already know, writing articles is probably the most effective way to promote your web site.
It's a very simple principle - publishers want a vast quantity of good quality content that they do not have to pay for; you provide that content, with the proviso that at the bottom of your article, they include your resource box with a link
to your web site. It's a win-win situation. With your article published on heaps of web sites, and in several ezines, it's enough to set your traffic counter spinning.
Next blast it in the search engines. Search Engines love this. They are constantly checking for fresh content and our job is to give it to them with the right keywords!!
Many authors make the mistake of submitting articles that are actually little more than solo advertisements for their web sites. The chances of such an article getting published are virtually zero.
Getting your article (and online resume link) submitted by a professional submission service is a great idea. This may cost a little, but is worth every penny. All you do is register yourself, pay and submit your article.
These type of companies will submit your article to 1,000's of publishers and article directories in seconds. This is a great way to get name recognition for yourself, increase traffic to your website, sell products, get subscribers for your newsletter etc.,
Editors don't have the time nor the inclination to sift through the hundreds of resumes they receive. If your credits and clips are not right there on an editor's desk, or available with a single click of the mouse, the assignment is going to go to the writer who managed to got there first, even if you're the better writer for the job.
More importantly, if you have a resume, your resume better be a good one, because it is competing with other resumes. If you already have an online resume and not getting any feedbacks, you can certainly blame the resume. Without a good resume, people have no idea that you even exist, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' situation.
Now the question is "What makes a good resume"? Anyone can type up words on a piece of paper, but a professional resume writer knows how to market your skills by choosing powerful, competitive, words and uses them strategically in order to trigger positive responses. A professional resume writer knows how to highlight your experiences, skills, achievements, education, and accomplishments - and knows how to market you effectively with an individually designed resume.
So in order to get your writing clips into the hands of the editors looking for writers, the best method is to have your own online resume. It is obvious that a personal site has become a must for today's freelancer, but what's needed is a site that showcases your entire writing resume, that highlights;
C V
Publishing Works
Writing-related job history
Any published credits
Specialty or genre
Easily accessible and visually attractive clips, whether scanned or in document form
An editor is then able to access all of your information at once, instead of being forced to slog through links after links. With everything in one place, an editor is also more able to get a feel for your abilities and range. Whichever method you decide to choose, getting your resume and clips online will definitely give you a better access to editors and "hopefully" even making sales tomorrow!
Once you have your online resume, link it with your article page and start putting articles on it. As you no doubt already know, writing articles is probably the most effective way to promote your web site.
It's a very simple principle - publishers want a vast quantity of good quality content that they do not have to pay for; you provide that content, with the proviso that at the bottom of your article, they include your resource box with a link
to your web site. It's a win-win situation. With your article published on heaps of web sites, and in several ezines, it's enough to set your traffic counter spinning.
Next blast it in the search engines. Search Engines love this. They are constantly checking for fresh content and our job is to give it to them with the right keywords!!
Many authors make the mistake of submitting articles that are actually little more than solo advertisements for their web sites. The chances of such an article getting published are virtually zero.
Getting your article (and online resume link) submitted by a professional submission service is a great idea. This may cost a little, but is worth every penny. All you do is register yourself, pay and submit your article.
These type of companies will submit your article to 1,000's of publishers and article directories in seconds. This is a great way to get name recognition for yourself, increase traffic to your website, sell products, get subscribers for your newsletter etc.,
Thursday, February 28, 2008
India Beckons Returnees
India is at it again.
With employment generation and technology advancements in India reaching it's highest ebb, new trend has caught up. It's the trend of reverse brain drain i.e. the "Brain Gain". More than a bagful of overseas Indian's are returning to India to acquire jobs in various technology sectors. Impressive economic growth and over all CAGR of 46% in IT industry over the years has created huge employment opportunities. Many Indians, who earlier headed westwards in search of challenging and rewarding careers, are packing their bags to return to their homeland.
Mr. Anil Kumar E T, Centre Head in Delhi of Mafoi, India's leading recruitment and staffing agency, says that, more than 35, 000 Indian returnees have found attractive employment opportunities over the last three years.
And the trend all set to continue in future years also.
What is making India tick with the already well settled techies at the global level?. Indian IT industry is growing at almost 40% a year and the revenues from software exports and ITES and BPO sectors are expected to touch USD 13 and 5.7 billion respectively in 2005. The industry has undergone a complete overhaul over the years. India today is home to the latest global technologies and Research and Development centres of leading global players like IBM, Microsoft, a far cry from the days of just an outsourcing destination. Off shoring is "in" propelling India up the IT value chain. There is mushrooming of KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) and ITES sectors. Mr. Shekar Nair, President India Technology Operations NetworkAppliance, says that the exciting entrepreneurial opportunities in the "most happening place" drove his decision to return to India. He feels that at present Bangalore offers more creative challenges for the young than the Bay area (read USA).
Adding fun to the feast, the salaries and facilities for the senior management and senior engineer areas like product engineering, Semiconductor and chip design areas are almost on par with those offered in USA. At junior levels i.e. the 0-5+ experience group the pay scales are less compared to USA. But to counter that India offers a better savings opportunity says a NASSCOM spokes person. There are also common but equally important reasons like cultural ties, familial priorities and security of job which have given a fillip to the whole trend.
Globally more nations are increasingly zeroing on India as a long term partner in their Information Technology plans. African countries are looking at India as a "Big Brother" while developed nations like USA, Germany, Japan, China are looking at India to provide stable, high quality and cost effective IT solutions in various fields like Telecom, defence, product development and application development sectors. This scenario has spurred Indian companies to attain world accredited standards in technology, quality and customer relations management. This quest has naturally increased the demand for returnees, who possess such traits and can contribute in realising the goals of the industry as a whole.
The returnees possess specialised skills in applications, data communication, storage technology and domain specific skills which are in huge demand. Mr. Nair feels that product marketing, customer technical support are the areas where returnees can be hugely productive. Documentation, technical writing and training are some other areas where returnees are in great demand. Ms. Nirupama of TeamLease Services, which has 11 offices across Indian cities, predicts a more wider opportunity areas for the returnees. According to her jobs are available in the following areas:
1. Top management: Functional expert, Client coordination
2. Support services: Documentation, Transcription, Web Designing, Content Management.
3. KPO and BPO environment
4. Data warehousing
5. Networking
6. Trainers
Many returnees are absorbed by the Venture Capital companies as they can easily blend in to the company because inherent experience of working in US companies. They can also make an easy transition in to subsidiary companies which have their parent company in US. Returnees are accommodated at various levels in an organisation like group Leaders, General Manager Levels, client coordinators technical testing, documentation, product development, IT sales, web design, knowledge management, data warehousing and IT infrastructure services.
Mr Jiju George HR manager of Subex Systems feels that companies generally look at returnees for Tech Lead, Project managers, Product Managers, Technical Architect, CEO, COO, Technology Head etc. It is in such crucial positions from where returnees can make real impact to the company with their motivation, vision, goal setting and commitment and inspire other employees of their respective companies to achieve better productivity and quality.
Though overall scene is buoyant for returnees at senior management levels, lower level returnees may not find much favour with the employers. Abundant and highly versatile local talent is still the preferred lot. Even if the returnee is hired the salary may be 30-40% lower than that offered in USA. They have to make do with the lesser quality infrastructure and facilities in India. With all this returnees are "coming". They have realised that, country's tech revolution offers the dual advantage of working in a sophisticated tech environment in a land that's their own.
There is also the softer issue of mother land. As Mr. Nair puts it, "A little goes a long way here.
I am happy even if I can make little positive difference to few individuals." That's for young Indians.
With employment generation and technology advancements in India reaching it's highest ebb, new trend has caught up. It's the trend of reverse brain drain i.e. the "Brain Gain". More than a bagful of overseas Indian's are returning to India to acquire jobs in various technology sectors. Impressive economic growth and over all CAGR of 46% in IT industry over the years has created huge employment opportunities. Many Indians, who earlier headed westwards in search of challenging and rewarding careers, are packing their bags to return to their homeland.
Mr. Anil Kumar E T, Centre Head in Delhi of Mafoi, India's leading recruitment and staffing agency, says that, more than 35, 000 Indian returnees have found attractive employment opportunities over the last three years.
And the trend all set to continue in future years also.
What is making India tick with the already well settled techies at the global level?. Indian IT industry is growing at almost 40% a year and the revenues from software exports and ITES and BPO sectors are expected to touch USD 13 and 5.7 billion respectively in 2005. The industry has undergone a complete overhaul over the years. India today is home to the latest global technologies and Research and Development centres of leading global players like IBM, Microsoft, a far cry from the days of just an outsourcing destination. Off shoring is "in" propelling India up the IT value chain. There is mushrooming of KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) and ITES sectors. Mr. Shekar Nair, President India Technology Operations NetworkAppliance, says that the exciting entrepreneurial opportunities in the "most happening place" drove his decision to return to India. He feels that at present Bangalore offers more creative challenges for the young than the Bay area (read USA).
Adding fun to the feast, the salaries and facilities for the senior management and senior engineer areas like product engineering, Semiconductor and chip design areas are almost on par with those offered in USA. At junior levels i.e. the 0-5+ experience group the pay scales are less compared to USA. But to counter that India offers a better savings opportunity says a NASSCOM spokes person. There are also common but equally important reasons like cultural ties, familial priorities and security of job which have given a fillip to the whole trend.
Globally more nations are increasingly zeroing on India as a long term partner in their Information Technology plans. African countries are looking at India as a "Big Brother" while developed nations like USA, Germany, Japan, China are looking at India to provide stable, high quality and cost effective IT solutions in various fields like Telecom, defence, product development and application development sectors. This scenario has spurred Indian companies to attain world accredited standards in technology, quality and customer relations management. This quest has naturally increased the demand for returnees, who possess such traits and can contribute in realising the goals of the industry as a whole.
The returnees possess specialised skills in applications, data communication, storage technology and domain specific skills which are in huge demand. Mr. Nair feels that product marketing, customer technical support are the areas where returnees can be hugely productive. Documentation, technical writing and training are some other areas where returnees are in great demand. Ms. Nirupama of TeamLease Services, which has 11 offices across Indian cities, predicts a more wider opportunity areas for the returnees. According to her jobs are available in the following areas:
1. Top management: Functional expert, Client coordination
2. Support services: Documentation, Transcription, Web Designing, Content Management.
3. KPO and BPO environment
4. Data warehousing
5. Networking
6. Trainers
Many returnees are absorbed by the Venture Capital companies as they can easily blend in to the company because inherent experience of working in US companies. They can also make an easy transition in to subsidiary companies which have their parent company in US. Returnees are accommodated at various levels in an organisation like group Leaders, General Manager Levels, client coordinators technical testing, documentation, product development, IT sales, web design, knowledge management, data warehousing and IT infrastructure services.
Mr Jiju George HR manager of Subex Systems feels that companies generally look at returnees for Tech Lead, Project managers, Product Managers, Technical Architect, CEO, COO, Technology Head etc. It is in such crucial positions from where returnees can make real impact to the company with their motivation, vision, goal setting and commitment and inspire other employees of their respective companies to achieve better productivity and quality.
Though overall scene is buoyant for returnees at senior management levels, lower level returnees may not find much favour with the employers. Abundant and highly versatile local talent is still the preferred lot. Even if the returnee is hired the salary may be 30-40% lower than that offered in USA. They have to make do with the lesser quality infrastructure and facilities in India. With all this returnees are "coming". They have realised that, country's tech revolution offers the dual advantage of working in a sophisticated tech environment in a land that's their own.
There is also the softer issue of mother land. As Mr. Nair puts it, "A little goes a long way here.
I am happy even if I can make little positive difference to few individuals." That's for young Indians.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Corporate Profiles In Diversity - IBM
As the Diversity Talent Strategist for IBM America, Jamila A. Petite oversees diversity recruiting efforts for the top technology corporation. She recently took time out of her busy schedule to talk with LatPro about the value of bilingual and multicultural employees, and what IBM is doing to recruit and retain a diverse workforce.
First, can you tell us a little about your own background and history with IBM?
I began my career with IBM in December of 2003 – fresh off a career in Supply Chain Management with General Mills after receiving a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota. I joined IBM in an entry-level HR role in Rochester, MN. Several roles and opportunities later, I am the Diversity Talent Strategist for IBM America - which includes the U.S, Canada and Latin America. In this role, my team and I manage the diversity talent acquisition strategy for IBM.
How do you define and meet your diversity goals and objectives? Are minority hiring and retention metrics tied to your professional recruitment staff? How does your department measure success?
At IBM, our goal is to mirror the marketplace we operate within. To that end, our objective is to have a workforce population that is as diverse as the marketplace we serve globally. We measure success by having a workplace that embraces people and their individuality, as that is what makes us unique and stronger as a team.
What challenges have you encountered in recruiting Hispanic employees? What methods have you found to be most effective for recruiting multicultural candidates?
I’ve found it particularly difficult to recruit some candidates to opportunities that are farther away from home and their families than they would typically like. We’ve been successful in changing hearts and minds when we show how much we care about this impact. In fact, there have been instances when we’ve talked to parents about IBM and the various benefits we offer so that they could take comfort in their loved one moving far from home to join the IBM ranks.
How does your employee on boarding process help promote an inclusive atmosphere for diverse employees, right from the start?
We educate all new employees on the internal diversity programs and processes on day one. EVERYONE in IBM makes up our diversity mosaic – so everyone has a plethora of diversity inclusiveness options at their fingertips.
What do you say to those who feel that diversity programs are more about complying with EEO requirements and public image, rather than a real dedication to finding diverse candidates?
We have found that a commitment to diversity in the workplace lends itself to diversity of thought. This is the stuff that builds empires and sparks revolution in the technology and business realm. This is the bread and butter of our organization, so we encourage diversity at all levels.
What programs and initiatives exist to help your current workforce value diversity?
We believe it takes more than a simple diversity initiative to show commitment to employees that you value diversity as a company. It’s more than our rich history of diversity recruiting programs. More than our years of supporting diversity constituency network groups. This is the fabric of what IBM is – for us this is NATURAL. We operate in more than 160 countries globally. This exposes our employees to a multitude of cultures and co-workers. This is the rich diverse arena we work within.
Many companies struggle to bring diversity to all areas. Has IBM been successful in achieving diversity in upper management? How were you able to achieve this?
We certainly have. We hire the best and brightest talent into IBM and from that, we have a very rich pool of qualified candidates that can serve in leadership roles. We grow and nurture ALL of our talent in our inclusive environment. We are the architects of grooming top talent in business and technical ranks.
What is your company’s leadership commitment and involvement in diversity? How has the CEO or other top officer of the company embraced or championed diversity?
All IBMers, including our senior executives, are committed to diversity within IBM and externally, serving in leadership roles in both capacities.
What would you say to Latino candidates applying to IBM today? What can they do to use their language and cultural skills to their best advantage?
As a global enterprise, we coach all potential candidates to bring ALL of their best assets to the table. Since we operate in more than 160 countries, it’s important that we have a multitude of skills and languages in our teams to do business abroad with our clients. We tell EVERYONE to bring their best selves to the market and be prepared for an amazing career.
What do you want prospective diverse employees to know about IBM and its commitment to diversity?
To IBM, diversity is not a just a month, diversity is not just an isolated action. To IBM, diversity is a business imperative. We can move mountains with the fortitude of all of us working together. Our diversity makes us stronger as a global organization. We cherish diversity – we celebrate inclusiveness – we appreciate individuality. None of us is as strong as all of us.
About the Author: LatPro Inc
An innovator in the online employment industry, LatPro was launched in 1997 to become the very first job board connecting Hispanic bilingual candidates with employers. Our staff authors share targeted advice gained during our 10 years serving Hispanic jobseekers and diversity-conscious companies.
First, can you tell us a little about your own background and history with IBM?
I began my career with IBM in December of 2003 – fresh off a career in Supply Chain Management with General Mills after receiving a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota. I joined IBM in an entry-level HR role in Rochester, MN. Several roles and opportunities later, I am the Diversity Talent Strategist for IBM America - which includes the U.S, Canada and Latin America. In this role, my team and I manage the diversity talent acquisition strategy for IBM.
How do you define and meet your diversity goals and objectives? Are minority hiring and retention metrics tied to your professional recruitment staff? How does your department measure success?
At IBM, our goal is to mirror the marketplace we operate within. To that end, our objective is to have a workforce population that is as diverse as the marketplace we serve globally. We measure success by having a workplace that embraces people and their individuality, as that is what makes us unique and stronger as a team.
What challenges have you encountered in recruiting Hispanic employees? What methods have you found to be most effective for recruiting multicultural candidates?
I’ve found it particularly difficult to recruit some candidates to opportunities that are farther away from home and their families than they would typically like. We’ve been successful in changing hearts and minds when we show how much we care about this impact. In fact, there have been instances when we’ve talked to parents about IBM and the various benefits we offer so that they could take comfort in their loved one moving far from home to join the IBM ranks.
How does your employee on boarding process help promote an inclusive atmosphere for diverse employees, right from the start?
We educate all new employees on the internal diversity programs and processes on day one. EVERYONE in IBM makes up our diversity mosaic – so everyone has a plethora of diversity inclusiveness options at their fingertips.
What do you say to those who feel that diversity programs are more about complying with EEO requirements and public image, rather than a real dedication to finding diverse candidates?
We have found that a commitment to diversity in the workplace lends itself to diversity of thought. This is the stuff that builds empires and sparks revolution in the technology and business realm. This is the bread and butter of our organization, so we encourage diversity at all levels.
What programs and initiatives exist to help your current workforce value diversity?
We believe it takes more than a simple diversity initiative to show commitment to employees that you value diversity as a company. It’s more than our rich history of diversity recruiting programs. More than our years of supporting diversity constituency network groups. This is the fabric of what IBM is – for us this is NATURAL. We operate in more than 160 countries globally. This exposes our employees to a multitude of cultures and co-workers. This is the rich diverse arena we work within.
Many companies struggle to bring diversity to all areas. Has IBM been successful in achieving diversity in upper management? How were you able to achieve this?
We certainly have. We hire the best and brightest talent into IBM and from that, we have a very rich pool of qualified candidates that can serve in leadership roles. We grow and nurture ALL of our talent in our inclusive environment. We are the architects of grooming top talent in business and technical ranks.
What is your company’s leadership commitment and involvement in diversity? How has the CEO or other top officer of the company embraced or championed diversity?
All IBMers, including our senior executives, are committed to diversity within IBM and externally, serving in leadership roles in both capacities.
What would you say to Latino candidates applying to IBM today? What can they do to use their language and cultural skills to their best advantage?
As a global enterprise, we coach all potential candidates to bring ALL of their best assets to the table. Since we operate in more than 160 countries, it’s important that we have a multitude of skills and languages in our teams to do business abroad with our clients. We tell EVERYONE to bring their best selves to the market and be prepared for an amazing career.
What do you want prospective diverse employees to know about IBM and its commitment to diversity?
To IBM, diversity is not a just a month, diversity is not just an isolated action. To IBM, diversity is a business imperative. We can move mountains with the fortitude of all of us working together. Our diversity makes us stronger as a global organization. We cherish diversity – we celebrate inclusiveness – we appreciate individuality. None of us is as strong as all of us.
About the Author: LatPro Inc
An innovator in the online employment industry, LatPro was launched in 1997 to become the very first job board connecting Hispanic bilingual candidates with employers. Our staff authors share targeted advice gained during our 10 years serving Hispanic jobseekers and diversity-conscious companies.
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