CAREER


While the teachers of the high-profile Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management are demanding performance-linked incentives and allowances for qualified senior faculty, there is trouble brewing at many other institutions of international repute. One such place is ISI,...

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In its effort to profile potential future employees, Tata Consultancy Services has conducted a survey of India's youth which covered their educational interests and usage of technology along with information access and social networking preferences. It has identified the youth in four...

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My friend had an interesting question for me the other day as I was grappling with this column deadline. He said, you have been writing for so long, but do people really take career advice seriously? His point was that opinions of experts are acceptable as long as they are convenient, but make...

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Here is an example of how employees initiated change. Why can’t we do this at broader levels? This piece is inspired by the poor voter turnout in the recent elections in Mumbai, the centre of commercial activity, India’s financial capital. Even accounting for the fact that elections coincided...

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What to do when the work culture suddenly deteriorates Recently, a friend was telling me about what goes on at her office. She works with one of the larger global companies. The company has been, and continues to be, successful. However, in the struggle to stay afloat, it has compromised on its...

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Values-based workplace will emerge In my previous article, I talked about the possible changes in industry and culture as the outcome of recent events and circumstances. My key perception was that all the transformation that the world is witnessing today is a result of what happened in the...

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Where is the silver lining in the current gloom and doom? Sometimes, I wish I were a soothsayer and could tell which way the world and our lives are moving. While one may not want to know every detail of what’s going to happen to us, one wonders how things will pan out in the uncertain world...

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Practise thrift and prudence during boom times For several businesses and individuals in India, the month of March signifies many things. On the one hand, everyone is scrambling to meet targets and complete financial accounts. On the other hand, people are looking forward to year-end bonuses...

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Some ideas on what to do if you are stuck between a boss and a subordinate who communicate better "I am stuck between my boss and subordinate. They are good friends and everything I do is constantly watched,” screamed Vijay who had come over for counselling. He had been stressed for many months...

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One without the other does not make for leadership We have all been shocked and alarmed by the recent events at Satyam. However, the deepest hurt to society at large has been the betrayal of faith over so many years. The anger one feels against those involved exposes our own vulnerability. As...

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Make sure you are not trying too hard to please others We were on a short break at the end of the year when my sister made an interesting observation. She said that sometimes we work harder than we need to, just to please people and make relationships work. This can actually backfire and work...

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Keeping a job is not just about achieving targets It is interesting to note that so many companies, chief executive officers, leaders in human resources and other experts spend so much time on the issue of employee retention. On the other hand, it is assumed that employees work at retaining...

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It’s painful but you can handle it. Here are four ways totackle the crisis Losing a job is more of a reality today in India than it was ever before. We all know that companies are cutting costs and, in the process, managers are bound to lose jobs. The other change is that everybody is aware of...

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The way you interact speaks volumes about your personality The other day, a friend and I were talking about a common acquaintance. Neither of us knows this person too well, but had met him a couple of times socially and professionally. However, both of us carried a very positive image of the...

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Don’t panic, make up your own mind about your company's future Last week, a young manager came over for career advice. He works with a mid-size marketing company. Things were going fine till one of their investors pulled out. The firm remains operational, since they have other investors who...

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A cross-section of experiences of remote workers The other day, my colleagues and I got talking about working from remote locations. The thought was triggered by one of our team-mates who is working remotely for a while and is enjoying it. However, she said to us that she is happy only because...

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If you are likely to turn down a job offer during a downturn, because they are not attractive enough, handle it tactfully Imagine that! You are almost out of a job, you get a job offer and you say no. Why would you do it and how does it impact you? Recently, I heard of a situation like that. A...

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Four ways to take guard during emergencies We are suddenly passing through difficult times. We have been afflicted by calamities – natural or otherwise – and we all feel like victims of events that are not under our control. It makes us vulnerable and tough at the same time. It is important to...

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Personality tests can be of great help in advancing your career Personality tests are conducted in most managerial assessment programmes. The aim of such tests is to let you know the person inside of you and how s/he steers your life. It is of great value to understand your true self, nature...

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Redundancy is not a reflection of your performance, so be confident and truthful The other day, I was conducting interviews and met a person who had lost his job recently. He actually fared quite well and yet made some classic errors that people normally make in such situations. This set me...

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