Q:I am 22 years old and have just passed my MCom. I am doing my CA and will appear for the November term exam. I want to know if the three years of CA articleship after PE-II will count as work experience. Will the certified public accountant (CPA) course from ICFAI be of any use if done simultaneously?
Susanta Mohapatra
A:First, sit down and figure out your career aspirations. Taking on too many things at the same time does not help. Concentrate on your November CA exams now and once the results are out you can then take a call on what your next step will be. Some companies do value articleship as work experience. Technically, however, it is a training period and may not be considered as work experience by most companies.
Q:I am a commerce graduate and have a postgraduate diploma in human resource management from St Joseph's College, Bangalore. For the last 10 months, I have worked at a US-based insurance call centre that does investment portfolio management. My work consists of generating insurance premiums, death benefit amounts and annuity numbers on various company software. I would like to know if there are any jobs in the insurance sector that would suit my profile. If not, what career options should I consider? Please advise.
Rajani Ghosh
A:There are several options within the insurance sector itself. But you are only 10 months into your job and some more patience and good performance will get you opportunities. Do talk to your supervisor. I am sure he will be able to explain the lateral options open to you.
Q:I am a final year student of MCA and have been selected by TCS through campus interview. I want to work as an R&D scientist. Please tell me if it would be better if I go for a global certification or DOEACC-C level while working at TCS?
Saktipada Maity, Calcutta
A: You have not mentioned your basic qualification. If you want to work as an R&D specialist in computer science, then what was the purpose of doing an MCA? A postgraduate degree in mathematics or computing would have been ideal. In India, one of the key institutions that carry on R&D work in computing is the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune. You can visit their website and figure out if they have some courses that you can pursue to realise your goal.
Q:I am a 24-year-old with a BSc in IT and a certification from CMC Ltd. Also, I have an MBA (systems marketing) from Sikkim Manipal University. Now I am working with an international HR solution company as a recruiter at Sector-V, Calcutta. I like what I am doing and want to know which short-term diploma or certifications I should acquire to get HR jobs.
Subhro Chakraborti, Calcutta
A:Get yourself a postgraduate diploma in HR and start working. But I think you enjoy the recruiting function more than anything else in the HR space. If this is true, you can become a good recruiter by doing several short term courses in the art of interviewing by using competency-based methods of interviewing. Your company may even sponsor your education. Alternatively, you can do them on your own.
Q:I am 24 years old and have a postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM) from AIMA-CME with specialisation in marketing. I also hold a BBM from Bangalore University. I am looking for a suitable job and have attended interviews of some companies. At the interview, I am often asked to differentiate between a PGDM and an MBA. Sometimes I have been rejected only because I have a PGDM and not an MBA. What is the difference between the two in terms of their value? Do I need to do some other course? Would I be eligible to apply where only MBAs are required?
Sauvik Biswas
A:If your course is certified by the All India Council for Technical Education, then the PGDM is recognised as equivalent to an MBA. Even the IIMs confer a PGDM on their students and not an MBA.
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