Career advisors

2012-07-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

Follow Your Dream Career

Often we associate "dream" to mean deepest desire, vision or ambition, and "follow your dreams" to mean pursuing your deepest desires.

What if "dream" were to be interpreted as internal wisdom, and "follow your dreams" meant to be guided and inspired in unique and profound ways by our internal wisdom?

Reasons to follow your dreams

(1) Everyone should follow their dreams. If you don’t follow your dreams you crush your dreams.

(2) Dreamers who followed their dreams have created everything around us.

(3)Personal growth will happen when you stretch yourself. If you don’t follow your dreams you’re not stretching.

(4)Your dreams and your actions define you. If you do what others tell you to do then you’re letting them define you.

(5)Following your dreams makes you an interesting person.

2012-07-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

GETTING LAID OFF

Layoff is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer needed or when a business slow-down occurs. When a company eliminates jobs regardless of how good the employees' performance. Layoff is done when the company is facing financial difficulties.

It hurts to hear the words "Your services are not needed anymore. Please pack up your personal belongings and you will be escorted out of the building." Often the people leading these changes are not very sensitive to the fact that you are a human being and you have been loyal to this company!

There are ways you can prepare before you get laid-off - keeping in mind that it's important to remember that your job is not as secure as you think it is. There are also steps you can take to help get through a layoff, and even ways to use a layoff to your advantage.

How To Handle A Lay Off

1. Don’t get too emotional

The workplace is not a good place to express this disappointment and upset. Such reactions might be mistaken or misunderstood. It’s also best not to burn bridges, no matter how bitter or upset you may feel in the moment. You may need references from your manager or supervisor, and want to keep in touch with coworkers you’re close to. Ask for personal email addresses and act calmly, no matter how you may feel inside.

2. Get complete information

Sometimes we forget to listen or to get all the information we need. Is there a benefits package I get to leave with? Employers generally provide the information in a letter form as well, and your HR personnel can answer any followup questions you may have via email or phone. The key is to remember that the more details you have, the easier it’ll be to answer others.

3. Balance your finances and budget

Take a realistic look at your finances and budget, and see how long an unemployment benefits are going to last you. Whatever you do, do not put this off longer than a week. While we may not enjoy dealing with our finances, failure to do so could result in a far worse situation

4. Start searching for a new job

Nearly all job recruitments are now online, so searching through them is very easy . Jobs sometimes become available as people retire, or a company’s focus changes. Extend your search somewhat outside your profession as well, just to see what else might be available.

5. Don’t Give Up Hope

It is very important to remain optimistic. A pessimistic attitude can easily turn into full-blown depression when job hunting, especially in a down economy when hundreds of companies are laying off hundreds of thousands of workers. It’s a tough market to be looking for a job, of that there is no doubt. However, people who stand out in such markets usually can find a way to bounce back.

2012-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

No Boss

In our professional life, we all have a person who has a higher authority than us and he is in a position to order us to do something. This person who can control our activities in the office is known as Boss. So a boss in general terms is the person who is in charge of you at work.

The relationship between an employee and the boss is very unique in itself. Bosses organize your time for you. You have any problem give a complaint to your boss. The main thing a boss does, though, is give you the momentum you need to get through the stuff that takes perseverance. The main thing that ends the career of a Free Agent is the lack of a hand pushing on the back, someone handing out assignments and waiting for the deliverables. Who keeps you going when you don't feel like doing it? If you don't have a boss, you may need to invent one.

There is other side of the coin as well, which is that you cannot always say yes to your boss. It’s a simple fact that you can never be productive if you take on too many commitments — you simply spread yourself too thin and will not be able to get anything done, at least not well or on time.

Saying 'No' is an art and at times it becomes imperative to refuse to people, especially when your life and health are at stake.The situation becomes stickier when your boss is sitting across the table and demands a 'yes' out of you, every single time.

How to say no to your Boss

(1) Concise message :- It is essential that you choose your words wisely and deliver the precise message that you mean to. Bosses tend to have selective hearing, and will hear what they want to hear while ignoring the rest. When you do use a “yes-but”, a boss may “tune out” after the “yes” portion, resulting in your objection (the “but”) falling on deaf-ears. So when communicating your message, you need to be sure that you are saying exactly what you mean.

(2) Firm :- You need to be sure that your response is firm and directly to the point. A firm response lets them know that you mean business and that you’re stance on the issue is set in stone. Also it gives your boss a clear idea of what is acceptable and what isn’t.

(3) Explanation is Key :- Give a proper explanation for saying no. Let your boss know exactly why; if you are too busy to complete the tasks assigned, let them know. By doing this, you provide tangible reasons why the requested task cannot be completed. So rather than thinking that you are being lazy or stubborn, they will know that you are prioritizing properly, or that you know exactly what your responsibilities entail.

(4) Offer Alternatives :-When saying “no” to something that you can tackle later, be sure to offer alternatives. For example-

“I don’t have time to get to this right now because I am preparing for my conference call. But after that call I would be happy to get that done.”

If it isn’t one of your responsibilities, consider something like this-

“That isn’t something that is one of my responsibilities, but I know that Kim has done that in the past- maybe she could help you with that”

Offering alternatives like these not only shows your boss that you are willing to help, but also provides a solution that will help the tasks get completed sooner rather than later.

2012-06-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Salary Negotiation

A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee. It is an expense of an employer for acquiring the human resources. Salary acts as a motivation factor for an employee to work for the employer. It helps the employee to fulfill his basic needs. The salary given should be according to the talent of the employee, if the salary is low, the employee will be demotivated and if the salary paid is high, then the resources of the employer will be wasted.

In India most of the employees are underpaid in comparison to the employees in America and Europe. What is the reason behind this discrimination?

I think in our country people are fearful to negotiate salary with the prospective employer, they think that if they ask for more salary they may get rejected. This view is totally incorrect.

Salary negotiation is more of an art than a science. It usually is one of the most neglected and under-rated aspects of a Job search. The employee has all the right to negotiate his/her salary with the employer. As long as you are informed about the position you are offered and make reasonable requests, attempting to negotiate for more money is acceptable and often successful.

HOW TO NEGOTIATE SALARY?

(1) Be Prepared :- Preparation is critical when negotiating the terms of your employment. The more information you have, the more successful you will be. You should know the background of the company, salary paid to other employees in the same position.(To get more information about the average salary please visit www.Dhung.com)

(2) Don’t tell your salary expectation :- Leave the salary expectation question blank on application forms, and don't mention a specific salary level in your cover letters. By specifying a salary expectation you are restricting yourself.

(3) Understand your worth :- You should be able to know your positive points and put them in front of the employer. The employee should understand what is his/her worth in the company. Emphasize the benefits of your skills.

(4) Take the risk :- From your research, you know the offer is low. You can either accept the offer or leave it. It's a calculated risk to walk away from a job offer. They might call you back with a revised starting salary or they might just close your file and hire someone else if they feel you've been greedy, arrogant or overly demanding.

(5) Focus on Your Goals :- Too often in negotiations winning becomes more important than the actual goals that are achieved. Not only is it important to focus on achieving your goals; it is also important not to make your future boss feel like a loser in the negotiations. Remember, that this person will control you future career.

2012-06-20T08:29:00.002-07:00

A To Z of Career Success

We all want to have a successful career in life but only few of us are able to actually have this sense of achievement. Have you ever thought that why some people gets to achieve their goals while some people despite of doing hard work are not able to achieve what they wanted.

I think people should have a clear set of goals from the start of their career- "what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it". The first thing what you want varies from person to person. Some wants to become a doctor, engineer , teacher, manager or a businessman. It totally depends on your education, interests, skills, talent, knowledge, and values.

The second thing is how you can actually achieve success , for this you should consider all these key points below which can help you to realise your dream career.

Keys to a successful career:-

(1) Manage:- Identify what you want in life, what type of job you really want to perform, what you want to become within 5-10 years.

(2) Don’t depend on others:- If you are dependent on your current employer to ensure your career success than this would be harmful for your career. Being dependent means that you have to act according to your boss, and you will not be able to take decisions for yourself.

(3) Take responsibility:- If something goes bad, don’t go into a blame game. Take responsibility for your actions. Find out what went wrong and try to improve, so it does not happen again.

(4) Focus on your strengths :- Do what you are good at and what you have passion for.

(5) Establish a good reputation: - Create a good reputation for yourself by keeping one or more job for a period of time. Changing your job constantly can lead to a bad reputation.

(6) Find a mentor: - Mentor can really help in achieving the career goals. Find someone who is the best in your field. Get in contact with him and try to learn from him.

(7) Create contacts:- Make yourself known in your industry.

(8) Be in touch with your past employers:- Going back to your past employer may be beneficial. You will get a job with more responsibility and increased pay.

(9) Never be unemployed:- If you get fired, or laid off, volunteer immediately somewhere for something that puts your skills, knowledge and abilities to work. The longer you are unemployed, the more this will drain your energy and confidence.

2012-06-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

What to choose Finance or Marketing?

It is a very important question which my friends also ask me very often. I think it all depends on your interest. If you think that you are good with calculations and can handle the finance than you should go for it, If you like talking to other people and have a zeal to sell products and be creative than you should take marketing.

Choose a program that suits your goals, interests, and talents. One can have meaningful success with a specialization in finance or marketing, but you personally will have the most long-term success in that field which excites you most, is best aligned with your skills, strengths, and future career goals...and, of course, brings you the most happiness.

So, please go by your strengths and weaknesses instead of just going by word of mouth about the current trend and good pay package. Pay package depends on your performance. And trend is temporary. So, plz note that MBA is a good investment for future and do not take it casually.

MBA marketing Careers

Some of the top MBA marketing jobs and careers include the following:

(1) Public Relations Specialists – The professional in this position is responsible for managing communications between business and customers. The average salary for a Public Relations Specialist is typically $51,000.

(2) Market Research Analysts – In order to influence marketing strategies, the individuals in this position conduct public opinion surveys to maintain a customer base. The average salary for this position is $61,070.

(3)Advertising Manager – The people in this position oversee various promotional campaigns in order to attract a new customer base. Additional duties include monitoring the marketing methods from other companies in order to stay ahead of the competition. The average salary for this position is $80,220.

(4) Marketing Manager – Responsibilities for a Marketing Manager position include finding new markets, watching new trends, and recognizing . new products and services. In the end, managers in this position help companies gain a better understanding of how customer demand can affect the company’s profits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for marketing managers is $113,400 as of May 2008

MBA finance Careers

Some of the top finance jobs and careers include the following:

(1) Fundamental Analyst: The job of a fundamental analyst is to follow a list of companies, which typically belong to the same industry, and provide regular research reports to the firm's clients. As part of that process, the analyst will usually build models to project a company's financial results. To develop a comprehensive picture of an industry, an analyst interacts with a company's customers, suppliers, competitors, and other sources with knowledge of the industry.

(2) Technical Analyst: A technical analyst is a researcher who analyses investments based on past market prices and technical indicators. They believe that short-term price movements are the result of supply and demand forces in the market for a given stock. For them, the nature of the security is less relevant than the current balance of buyers and sellers.

(3) Fund Manager: A fund manager is responsible for implementing a fund's investing strategy and managing its portfolio trading activities. Now, investors choose to invest in a fund (e.g. a mutual fund) in order to leave the investment management function to a professional who knows what to buy when and when to sell.

(4) Portfolio Manager: One of the most coveted careers in the financial industry is that of the portfolio manager. Portfolio managers work with a team of analysts and researchers, and are ultimately responsible for making the final investment decisions.

(5) Merchant Banker: A merchant banker deals mostly in (but not limited to) international finance, long-term loans for companies and underwriting. Merchant bankers do not provide regular banking services to the general public. They provide advice on initial public offerings (IPOs), mergers, stock repurchases and corporate refinancing.

(6) Forex Trader: Forex markets can be an exciting and lucrative market to trade if you thoroughly understand how to buy and sell currencies. Forex jobs are fast-paced and involve strange work hours and long work days. That's because forex markets are open 24 hours a day, for five days a week. Forex traders require knowledge of, and compliance with, laws and regulations governing financial accounts and transactions

(7) Risk Manager: A risk manager is involved in analysing, controlling, or assessing various types of potential risks such as credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk as well as non-market related financial risks. They perform a broad variety of functions related to risk management within investment banks, asset management firms, as well as in corporations and Government agencies.

2012-06-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

The importance of sample interview questions

Thought of interview questions makes even a mentally strongest man nervous. However, you need not worry about it as you can refer free sample questions few days before the day of interview. The fear of what interview questions the employer(s) will ask bombards your mind with stress. No matter for how many times you have been through an interview, stress will follow you every time. All you can do is converting this stress in your favour by your positive attitude and using sample interview questions.

Job interviews are always stressful - even for job seekers who have gone on countless interviews. The best way to reduce the stress is to be prepared. Take the time to review the "standard" interview questions you will most likely be asked. Also review sample answers to these typical interview questions.

Then take the time to research the company. That way you'll be ready with knowledgeable answers for the job interview questions that specifically relate to the company you are interviewing with.

Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company

What interests you about this job?
Why do you want this job?
What applicable attributes / experience do you have?
Are you overqualified for this job?
What can you do for this company?
Why should we hire you?
Why are you the best person for the job?
What do you know about this company?
Why do you want to work here?
What challenges are you looking for in a position?
What can you contribute to this company?
Are you willing to travel?
What is good customer service?
How long do you expect to remain employed with this company?
Is there anything I haven't told you about the job or company that you would like to know?

2012-06-12T10:50:00.001-07:00

**Have you identified all your skills that could help you get work?**

I know it is very difficult to find jobs in times like these where the world economy is going in recession with the Indian economy also showing signs of uncertainity.
It is very important for the job hunters to equip themselves with the required skills and expertise which are most important in the Indian job market.

With so many graduates now on the market, employers will look for evidence of skills and work experience which will make you stand out from the crowd. Start gathering them now or work on what you've got so you are ready to impress recruiters.

The most important of these are :-

(1) Commercial Awareness:- Commercial awareness means staying up to date with what’s going on in the retail sector as well as developments in the wider world that could affect it. It means being aware of the possibilities which can take place in the near future and be prepared for it. Commercial skills involve using your initiative, being proactive, and being a ‘self-starter’, so that you can spot and make the most of commercial opportunities

(2) Technical Skills :- The knowledge and abilities needed to accomplish mathematical, engineering, scientific or computer-related duties, as well as other specific tasks.

(3) Communication:- It is very important to be able to tell your thoughts to other persons clearly so that there is no confusion between the two. A person who is able to communicate well with others is always preferred by the employers.

(4) IT Skills:- Employers expect current graduates to have IT skills as a matter of course. Most desk jobs will only need you to know how to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), but for more computer-oriented roles you may be required to know and be able to use one or even several programming languages.

(5) Creativity:- What's the point of hiring you, if others can also behave, think and act like you do. Well creativity is to think different from others. A person who can present new ideas to solve problems is always valued by the companies.

(6) Leadership Skills:- Developing your leadership skills and being able to convey them during the selection process is essential. Holding key roles in clubs, societies or group projects shows your commitment to developing your leadership skills.
Employers are looking for you to demonstrate that you have the drive, energy and focus to achieve your goals; they are also keen for you to show that you have an understanding of their business and the sector.

(7) Emotional intelligence:- Empathy and emotional intelligence enable you to understand what might be going through someone else’s head, without them having to explain it to you. Rather than asking you for evidence, assessors will observe your reactions and attitudes to different situations and how adept you are at dealing with them.

(8) Honesty/integrity:- Be honest with yourself, others, and God at all times. Being honest means choosing not to lie, steal, cheat, or deceive in any way. When you are honest, you build strength of character that will allow you to be of great service to God and others.
Closely associated with honesty is integrity. Integrity means thinking and doing what is right at all times, no matter what the consequences. When you have integrity, you are willing to live by your standards and beliefs even when no one is watching.

(9) Flexibility/adaptability:- Willingly adapts to constantly changing circumstances while maintaining a corporate perspective; the ability to engage in continuous learning, to adjust the application of knowledge, skills and abilities to address new challenges as contextual realities change.

(10) Teamwork :- A good team worker will encourage and inspire other team members to perform better, while being prepared to compromise and ignore their own ego.