Q: I am a commerce graduate with a LLB degree. I have 20 years? work experience during which I have worked with three MNCs in the accounts/ administration/sales tax matters of their respective branches. The last company I was employed with has recently closed its branch here. Please suggest a suitable course that will help me to enhance my market value.
Raj Kumar, Bhubaneswar
A: You appear to be in your early 40s. So you need to add more to your skills without losing out on your experience. You cannot leverage on your LLB degree except in the day-to-day issues of administration where some knowledge of legal issues would be helpful. Companies will give employment based only on current experience which, in your case, is in accounts and administration.
You will be at an advantage with your MNC background in looking for a suitable job. You should do an MBA from a reputed institute and then negotiate with the management for expanding/enriching the scope of your job.
Q: I have been working in a pharmaceutical company for the last three-and-a-half years as a medical representative and at present, I am also pursuing MBA (marketing). I am 30 years of age. Is the MBA coupled with my professional experience going to help me if I wish to join the BPO industry? I do not wish to work for the pharmaceutical industry. What other options are available to me that will suit my professional background?
Arup Kumar Ray, Ichapore
A: Pharma life sciences and healthcare are one of the biggest industries in the world. In the BPO space the pharma vertical is huge. There may have been elements of your job experience which did not agree with you but it seems very short-sighted to junk the entire pharma industry as a whole. I understand that you do not like being a medical representative as a permanent career journey. But with your background coupled with the mind-boggling opportunities available in pharma industry it would be wiser to grow in this line.
You have the option to combine pharma and MBA in medical pharma-related BPOs. There are ample opportunities in medical processing, knowledge organisation in pharma life sciences and healthcare, export marketing of pharmaceuticals within the BPO industry itself.
Q: I am an employee (clerical staff) of a government-owned bank for the last 12 years. I am a graduate, CAIIB-Part I and am computer-literate as well. I wish to join a private sector bank. What are the prospects of such a change? How do I go about applying for a new job? I am also interested in a part-time career in psychological counselling. How should I go about it?
Rajat Ojha, Medinipur
A: Retail banking in India has opened up in a large way in the last 10 years. More and more private banks are entering this segment. More simply, they are going in for new centres putting distribution in place across India. There is ample opportunity in the insurance business also. Companies like Aviva, Max New York Life, Met Life have a substantial presence in India now. They are taking a rural approach too, so the demand for manpower is burgeoning. Send your CV to job sites or contact manpower staffing agencies in the city.
You can get a diploma in guidance and counselling from NCERT, New Delhi. This would help you in joining schools or NGOs on a part time/ honorary basis.
Q: I am a 30-year-old honours graduate in commerce. I have also completed my CA intermediate. I have nine years? experience in the field of accountancy. At the moment, I am working with a private company. I want to switch to the IT industry or accounting-based BPO units. Will I have better opportunities in these fields?
Dinesh Gupta
A: Opportunities are plenty in the BPO industry. Unfortunately, the understanding of the BPO industry in India is not well-defined. People associate BPOs with only call centre-related activities. In your nine years of experience, you would have equipped yourself with commensurate skills in accounting as compared to someone who does not have the advantage of this experience. So your experience of accounting should stand you in good stead. There is ample opportunity available in the BPO industry for you. Go for it!
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