Q: I am 27 years old and I have completed my MBA from Utkal University. At present, I am working as the area sales officer in an MNC dealing with branded edible oils. My total work experience is four years. Since I am not from a reputed B-school, I could not start as a management trainee. Now I want to be in a managerial position. Should I stay on in my present company and wait for a promotion or should I look for a new job that offers a managerial position? Please advise.
Bikramjit Chowdhury,
Calcutta
A: Move out! You can use your present job as a springboard to negotiate a higher grade for yourself. You should also express your willingness to relocate as this expands your horizon and options. Otherwise, you will have to make do with the opportunities available locally. And those may be limited. Whichever way you look at it, a shift will be beneficial.
These days, the trend is also towards gaining new experience and this pays rich dividends as the companies also benefit from the exposure the prospective employee brings to his position description. So it is a win-win situation for you and the company you join.
Q: I am a qualified cost accountant and company secretary and I work in a PVC manufacturing company as a senior accountant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prior to that, I had worked in the accounts department of three different companies in Calcutta. What are the chances of landing a good job anywhere in India if I quit my job in Saudi Arabia?
Farooque Ahmed Raza,
Saudi Arabia
A: If I were you I wouldn?t worry about employability on returning to India. You have very bright chances of landing a job in a prestigious corporation if you choose to return. The only worrying factor would be money. How much of your pay packet are you willing to compromise! The corporations in India won?t be able to match your present salary.
Q: I am a pure science graduate from Calcutta University and am now pursuing a postgraduate diploma in public system management from IISWBM, Calcutta. I used to work in a higher secondary school as a computer teacher but had to leave that job to pursue my course. Will my qualification allow me to gain an entry into other fields like private banking, etc? I am confused. Please advise.
Name Withheld
A: Your question leaves me confused too! You don?t seem to have given any thought to career planning, neither when you chose the field of study nor when you chose the career you wanted to pursue. You will get no weightage for past experiences if you shift from your area of expertise now. That would be a real pity!
Q: I hold a BTech degree in food technology and bio-chemical engineering from Jadavpur University and I have also completed BSc in chemistry (honours) from Calcutta University. I have a total of nine years? experience in IMFL bottling, biscuits, packaged drinking water, dairy industries in the middle management level. In my quest to find the right kind of job I have changed jobs every six months. What will be the impact of this frequent change in my career? My experiences include working in the production, maintenance, project and administration. If I want to shift to quality control or assurance in a relevant industry will that be a better option for me? Will that lead to career growth? Will my candidature be accepted for this option? If I go for further studies, which professional course will be suitable for my career growth?
Debabrata Patra,
Calcutta
A: The impact of frequent job changes in your career can be summed up with one word ? disastrous. What puzzles me is why on earth you want to shift to quality control? I think you really need to exercise more self-discipline and stop chasing a mirage by moving from one department to another in your quest for some perfect placement. Only disillusionment will set in (some of it is evident from the tenor of your letter).
Please zero in on one department and then grow in that area. Trying to study further is another way of escaping facing the present challenges. I would advise against that.
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