There were three chickens which all laid eggs, says Hrish Bijoor, brand consultant, weaving an allegorical tale. One was shy, one was honest and one was a chicken with hype. All laid an egg each, ordinary looking, whose product quality was identical, say 100. The first made a noise of two decibels, so very few heard of it and came to see it. But with those who did come, it scored 98 plus.
The second was the honest chicken. Its product quality was 100, it made a noise about being 100. Everybody came expecting 100, got 100. The end result was even or neutral, neither positive nor negative. The third chicken, whose egg was of quality 100, made a noise that it was 400, everybody came expecting 400, but got 100, that is minus 300.
If you have not guessed it yet, the first chicken is Tata Consultancy Services, the second is Wipro, and the third is Infosys - the three leading lights of the Indian software industry. They, more than anything else, have put Indian skills on the global map and gained India greater global respectability than it has ever had in its modern history.
The three, by now household names among middle class Indians, represent a fine conundrum. They offer near-identical services of near-identical quality and there is little to distinguish them in the way they meet customer requirements.
But they are so different -- in age, pedigree and history of growth. Not unexpectedly, in an attempt to differentiate themselves they have followed vastly different marketing strategies and sought to makes themselves into distinctive brands. Read on…
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
What Should NOT Be On Your Resume
In our eagerness to obtain an interview, we sometimes have a tendency to provide a prospective employer with inappropriate information that would be detrimental to us, resulting in both a loss of interest and an interview.
Keep in mind that a prospective employer, who must review 200 to 400 resumes for an advertised position, is busy and has to rule out or disqualify all but a handful of those resumes in an attempt to find only qualified candidates. If he or she can't easily find what they are looking for immediately (in 20 seconds), it probably will get discarded. In order to avoid having your resume land in the "round file," here are a few hints.
• Avoid nicknames, using your business name and middle initial.
• Don't try to impress or insult the employer with fancy words as you may frustrate them and perhaps have your resume rejected.
• Never include personal information such as age, race, gender, height, weight, religion, national origin, marital status, children, health, physical appearance, or a photograph of yourself.
• Do not handwrite your resume. Typewriters are fine, but a computer and printer should be used if possible. Be sure to use tabs instead of the space bar when typing.
• In your Objective, never tell an employer what YOU expect out of a job -- only what you can contribute. Keep in mind that it's not up to the employer to motivate you and present challenges -- it's up to YOU. If you mention in your objective that you wish to advance within the organization, this could work against you in that the position for which you are interviewing may be a dead-end job.
• If using a Profile, don't include the same information listed on the resume. When listing your current and past employers, omit street names, zip codes, telephone numbers, and the names of supervisors. You really shouldn't go back any further than 10 to 15 years regarding employment, unless it is directly related to the position for which you are applying.
• When listing job duties, don't use sentences or paragraphs, as you don't want to be too wordy and bore the reader. Instead, use bullets without punctuation, maintaining consistency throughout.
• Don't eliminate a previously held job just because it doesn't relate to your career goal. You don't need to elaborate – just mention it -- as you don't want a gap in employment.
• Never divulge the reasons why you left each place of employment nor your availability to begin working for the company -- both of which should be discussed in the interview.
• Don't place Education before Employment unless you are a current or soon to be graduate or have received your degree within the last two years, unless your education relates to the position for which you are applying. Don't include your GPA unless it is at least 3.0 or higher.
• Salary or wage should never be mentioned until an offer is presented at the interview and only if brought up by the prospective employer. The only exceptions would be if salary history or requirements are mentioned in the ad, in which case you need to follow the directions given.
• Hobbies and personal interests should be omitted unless they represent your career goal, such as "golfer" for a position at a golf course.
• Never list your references or the words "references furnished upon request" as this is an insult to the prospective employer's intelligence. Of course you will provide these if he or she requests them -- which wouldn't be until after your interview. So why give them information they may not need?
• Don't forget to put your name on the second page, in case it separates from the first page.
• Don't use cheap paper, carbons or onionskin. Don't use wild or bright colors for your resumes, as you want to remain conservative and business-like.
• Upon completion of your resume, have your copies professionally reproduced -- not on a copy machine.
• Don't submit a resume longer than two pages. Never print on two sides of the same paper.
• Make sure there are no typographical or grammatical errors, erasures, white outs, scratched out or rewritten text, and that your paper isn't dirty, ripped, ink-marked, stained or wrinkled. Check that your verb tense is proper, using past and present tense when appropriate.
• To keep the professional image, it is suggested that you don't staple your resume.
• Prior to sending your resume, check to see if you placed adequate postage on your envelope and put a return address on it.
• Don't forget to include a cover letter with your resume as this is expected in the business world.
Keep in mind that you are marketing yourself with your resume. Be creative, honest and assertive. Before you mail your resume, review it one last time. Then ask yourself this question, "If I am a prospective employer, and I just read my resume, would I hire me?"
Keep in mind that a prospective employer, who must review 200 to 400 resumes for an advertised position, is busy and has to rule out or disqualify all but a handful of those resumes in an attempt to find only qualified candidates. If he or she can't easily find what they are looking for immediately (in 20 seconds), it probably will get discarded. In order to avoid having your resume land in the "round file," here are a few hints.
• Avoid nicknames, using your business name and middle initial.
• Don't try to impress or insult the employer with fancy words as you may frustrate them and perhaps have your resume rejected.
• Never include personal information such as age, race, gender, height, weight, religion, national origin, marital status, children, health, physical appearance, or a photograph of yourself.
• Do not handwrite your resume. Typewriters are fine, but a computer and printer should be used if possible. Be sure to use tabs instead of the space bar when typing.
• In your Objective, never tell an employer what YOU expect out of a job -- only what you can contribute. Keep in mind that it's not up to the employer to motivate you and present challenges -- it's up to YOU. If you mention in your objective that you wish to advance within the organization, this could work against you in that the position for which you are interviewing may be a dead-end job.
• If using a Profile, don't include the same information listed on the resume. When listing your current and past employers, omit street names, zip codes, telephone numbers, and the names of supervisors. You really shouldn't go back any further than 10 to 15 years regarding employment, unless it is directly related to the position for which you are applying.
• When listing job duties, don't use sentences or paragraphs, as you don't want to be too wordy and bore the reader. Instead, use bullets without punctuation, maintaining consistency throughout.
• Don't eliminate a previously held job just because it doesn't relate to your career goal. You don't need to elaborate – just mention it -- as you don't want a gap in employment.
• Never divulge the reasons why you left each place of employment nor your availability to begin working for the company -- both of which should be discussed in the interview.
• Don't place Education before Employment unless you are a current or soon to be graduate or have received your degree within the last two years, unless your education relates to the position for which you are applying. Don't include your GPA unless it is at least 3.0 or higher.
• Salary or wage should never be mentioned until an offer is presented at the interview and only if brought up by the prospective employer. The only exceptions would be if salary history or requirements are mentioned in the ad, in which case you need to follow the directions given.
• Hobbies and personal interests should be omitted unless they represent your career goal, such as "golfer" for a position at a golf course.
• Never list your references or the words "references furnished upon request" as this is an insult to the prospective employer's intelligence. Of course you will provide these if he or she requests them -- which wouldn't be until after your interview. So why give them information they may not need?
• Don't forget to put your name on the second page, in case it separates from the first page.
• Don't use cheap paper, carbons or onionskin. Don't use wild or bright colors for your resumes, as you want to remain conservative and business-like.
• Upon completion of your resume, have your copies professionally reproduced -- not on a copy machine.
• Don't submit a resume longer than two pages. Never print on two sides of the same paper.
• Make sure there are no typographical or grammatical errors, erasures, white outs, scratched out or rewritten text, and that your paper isn't dirty, ripped, ink-marked, stained or wrinkled. Check that your verb tense is proper, using past and present tense when appropriate.
• To keep the professional image, it is suggested that you don't staple your resume.
• Prior to sending your resume, check to see if you placed adequate postage on your envelope and put a return address on it.
• Don't forget to include a cover letter with your resume as this is expected in the business world.
Keep in mind that you are marketing yourself with your resume. Be creative, honest and assertive. Before you mail your resume, review it one last time. Then ask yourself this question, "If I am a prospective employer, and I just read my resume, would I hire me?"
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Wal-Mart takes over the world!
What operates in 44 countries, has 2,276 stores outside of the US, has more than 100,000 associates (their term for worker) in Mexico alone and does $56.3 billion in sales overseas? Read on…
Jet Airways buys out Air Sahara
In the biggest aviation takeover in India, Jet Airways has struck a deal to buy Sahara Airlines for Rs 2,300 crore (Rs 23 billion), a move that would help Naresh Goyal promoted carrier to become the biggest domestic carrier. Read on…
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Story of a Software Couple
One fine day, Vivek's PL Bhatia asks him whether he has any time for a small meeting. Vivek obviously has time and so the two go to a conference room. Bhatia then clears his throat and says "Vivek, there is an on-site requirement. It is in Covina, Los Angeles. It is for six months. I can suggest your name. Do you have any problems?"
Vivek cannot believe his ears. Of course why should any one have problems going to the Sam land. "Of course no Bhatia.. I have no problems." he says. Bhatia looks at him very kindly and says "You better draw up your personal plans with your wife and let me know in a day or two" That's when Vivek remembers that he has a wife.
Then it strikes him that there is a himalayan problem in front of him. Shobana is working in XXX MNC. She is in the middle of a project in which she is a moduleleader. She cannot leave it all and come to Covina with Vivek. On the otherhand it will be cruel on Vivek's part to leave her here and go to Covina for more than half a year. Moreover, they have just been married. Vivek can stay back. But one day he has to go.. He cannot stay back in India indefinitely. Project requirements are too demanding. Shobana can resign XXX MNC and accompany Vivek. But what is the guarantee that she would find such a nice job in such a nice company after they come back from Covina?
So Shobana and Vivek discuss this issue. They reluctantly agree to get separated for six months. Vivek hugs Shobana in the airport and says "I will be BACK" in a typical Arnold Scharzegger tone and then boards Delta Airways leaving Shobana in tears.
In Covina Vivek gets lots of work and his stay gets extended by two more months. The days and months move very slowly. Vivek starts counting even minutes. During this period, Shobana's PL Ashish Mehta calls her one day and asks her whether she has any time for a small meeting. Shobana wonders what that meeting is.. They go to the conference room and Mehta tells her about a great on-site requirement in Berlin, Germany for their customer. "It is for six months and you are most suited person for this. I am going to suggest your name. Do you have any problems?" Mehta asks her. Shobana gets excited.. Berlin! She has never been out of India. So she instantly nods her head. Mehta then smiles and says "Okay discuss with your hubby and let me know in a day or two"
That's when Shobana gets the gravity of the situation. It will be two months before Vivek can come home..... By the time Shobana will have left to Berlin for six months. Shobana cannot decline this as this is an important assignment. That night Vivek spends hundred dollars on telephone to discuss this matter with Shobana. Finally they decide to go ahead. Shobana breaks down in the phone and Vivek breaks down thinking about his phone bill. And then Shobana leaves to Berlin.
One month after that,Vivek comes back to India. Then Shobana calls him almost everyday and they discuss about all petty things on the phone. Shobana applies for a loan to clear her telephone bills.
Vivek gets into a new project which is not yet started. His PL Prateek Ray calls him one day and says that he has to go to Toledo Ohio for the requirement analysis of that project. Vivek frantically says no. Shobana is arriving next month. He doesn't want to miss her. But Ray assures him that the work is only for one month and that he would be back before Shobana comes to India. Thus Vivek flies to Toledo Ohio and gets into the requirement analysis of the new project. That's when he comes to know how difficult it is to retrieve information from the users. You can design a system the user wants only when the user knows what he wants. Vivek gets baffled by the questions his users put.. "Do you think I need those fields "GMG_TYPE_HJHJ_TW" and "Auto_level_ind"? What are they by the way?" The requirements analysis stage continues for three full months at this pace. Shobana comes to India one month after that. And she tells her PL that she doesn't want anymore on-site assignments. "I understand" says Mehta and she desperately waits for Vivek to come back to India. It has already been two months over a year since they last met.
Vivek then gets the role of an on-site co-ordinator for this customer. He calls Shobana that night and they really don't know what to do. Shobana offers to resign her job and join him in Toledo. But she is getting 21 grand per month in India and Vivek doesn't want to lose that. "Two more months Shobana and I promise I will be back" Shobana retorts back, "There is no solution for this problem." Vivek gets surprised. "What are you talking about?" he asks her. Shobana fights back her tears. "As long as I am in XXX MNC I will be getting a lot of on-site opportunities. Even if I decline all of them, what about you? You also work for a software company and there you need to go abroad almost once every quarter. I cannot accompany you as you don't want me to resign my job here. Does that mean we have to stay like this forever? Vivek! I love you and I don't know how I spent fifteen months without even seeing you once. I may not recognize you also if you come in front of me now... Tell me Vivek, is there a solution for this problem?"
Vivek doesn't speak anything for a moment. He then realizes the truth in her sentences. It is a neverending problem. But what about the 20 grand she is getting per month? "Vivek, is money everything? Can't we comfortably live with what you are getting? Please Vivek, try to understand the situation" Shobana breaks down. Vivek is still undecided. He married a software engineer with a hope that with two incomes he would have a good deal of money to plan
their future.
"Let us face the reality, Vivek" Shobana says, "How much are you paying for the phone calls now? More than 20 grand per month. If I am with you there will your phone bill be so astronomical? Just tell me one thing. Won't you be happy having me there with you?" Shobana slowly turns hysterical.
Vivek gets into the crux of the situation. It is true. He has been spending around 600 to 700 dollars per month on India calls... that is far more than what Shobana is getting then. He thinks and thinks.. for two days he does nothing else but thinking. Finally he decides that he should have Shobana with him all the time from then onwards at any cost. Shobana gladly prepares the resignation letter and submits it. Her PL smiles and says "You've made the right decision Shobana..
Congratulations for the bold step. I understand your problems. Anyway! you have a three months notice period here, right? We have a one month assignment in Singapore..."
Vivek cannot believe his ears. Of course why should any one have problems going to the Sam land. "Of course no Bhatia.. I have no problems." he says. Bhatia looks at him very kindly and says "You better draw up your personal plans with your wife and let me know in a day or two" That's when Vivek remembers that he has a wife.
Then it strikes him that there is a himalayan problem in front of him. Shobana is working in XXX MNC. She is in the middle of a project in which she is a moduleleader. She cannot leave it all and come to Covina with Vivek. On the otherhand it will be cruel on Vivek's part to leave her here and go to Covina for more than half a year. Moreover, they have just been married. Vivek can stay back. But one day he has to go.. He cannot stay back in India indefinitely. Project requirements are too demanding. Shobana can resign XXX MNC and accompany Vivek. But what is the guarantee that she would find such a nice job in such a nice company after they come back from Covina?
So Shobana and Vivek discuss this issue. They reluctantly agree to get separated for six months. Vivek hugs Shobana in the airport and says "I will be BACK" in a typical Arnold Scharzegger tone and then boards Delta Airways leaving Shobana in tears.
In Covina Vivek gets lots of work and his stay gets extended by two more months. The days and months move very slowly. Vivek starts counting even minutes. During this period, Shobana's PL Ashish Mehta calls her one day and asks her whether she has any time for a small meeting. Shobana wonders what that meeting is.. They go to the conference room and Mehta tells her about a great on-site requirement in Berlin, Germany for their customer. "It is for six months and you are most suited person for this. I am going to suggest your name. Do you have any problems?" Mehta asks her. Shobana gets excited.. Berlin! She has never been out of India. So she instantly nods her head. Mehta then smiles and says "Okay discuss with your hubby and let me know in a day or two"
That's when Shobana gets the gravity of the situation. It will be two months before Vivek can come home..... By the time Shobana will have left to Berlin for six months. Shobana cannot decline this as this is an important assignment. That night Vivek spends hundred dollars on telephone to discuss this matter with Shobana. Finally they decide to go ahead. Shobana breaks down in the phone and Vivek breaks down thinking about his phone bill. And then Shobana leaves to Berlin.
One month after that,Vivek comes back to India. Then Shobana calls him almost everyday and they discuss about all petty things on the phone. Shobana applies for a loan to clear her telephone bills.
Vivek gets into a new project which is not yet started. His PL Prateek Ray calls him one day and says that he has to go to Toledo Ohio for the requirement analysis of that project. Vivek frantically says no. Shobana is arriving next month. He doesn't want to miss her. But Ray assures him that the work is only for one month and that he would be back before Shobana comes to India. Thus Vivek flies to Toledo Ohio and gets into the requirement analysis of the new project. That's when he comes to know how difficult it is to retrieve information from the users. You can design a system the user wants only when the user knows what he wants. Vivek gets baffled by the questions his users put.. "Do you think I need those fields "GMG_TYPE_HJHJ_TW" and "Auto_level_ind"? What are they by the way?" The requirements analysis stage continues for three full months at this pace. Shobana comes to India one month after that. And she tells her PL that she doesn't want anymore on-site assignments. "I understand" says Mehta and she desperately waits for Vivek to come back to India. It has already been two months over a year since they last met.
Vivek then gets the role of an on-site co-ordinator for this customer. He calls Shobana that night and they really don't know what to do. Shobana offers to resign her job and join him in Toledo. But she is getting 21 grand per month in India and Vivek doesn't want to lose that. "Two more months Shobana and I promise I will be back" Shobana retorts back, "There is no solution for this problem." Vivek gets surprised. "What are you talking about?" he asks her. Shobana fights back her tears. "As long as I am in XXX MNC I will be getting a lot of on-site opportunities. Even if I decline all of them, what about you? You also work for a software company and there you need to go abroad almost once every quarter. I cannot accompany you as you don't want me to resign my job here. Does that mean we have to stay like this forever? Vivek! I love you and I don't know how I spent fifteen months without even seeing you once. I may not recognize you also if you come in front of me now... Tell me Vivek, is there a solution for this problem?"
Vivek doesn't speak anything for a moment. He then realizes the truth in her sentences. It is a neverending problem. But what about the 20 grand she is getting per month? "Vivek, is money everything? Can't we comfortably live with what you are getting? Please Vivek, try to understand the situation" Shobana breaks down. Vivek is still undecided. He married a software engineer with a hope that with two incomes he would have a good deal of money to plan
their future.
"Let us face the reality, Vivek" Shobana says, "How much are you paying for the phone calls now? More than 20 grand per month. If I am with you there will your phone bill be so astronomical? Just tell me one thing. Won't you be happy having me there with you?" Shobana slowly turns hysterical.
Vivek gets into the crux of the situation. It is true. He has been spending around 600 to 700 dollars per month on India calls... that is far more than what Shobana is getting then. He thinks and thinks.. for two days he does nothing else but thinking. Finally he decides that he should have Shobana with him all the time from then onwards at any cost. Shobana gladly prepares the resignation letter and submits it. Her PL smiles and says "You've made the right decision Shobana..
Congratulations for the bold step. I understand your problems. Anyway! you have a three months notice period here, right? We have a one month assignment in Singapore..."
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Asian Cities and Regions of the Future
As investors such as Ford, Hyundai, Nokia and, most recently, BMW have discovered to their delight, Tamil Nadu has managed to avoid or mitigate problems that dog other locations in India, such as infrastructure and energy failings. Through pro-active and business friendly government policies, the state has harmonious industrial relations, a matured business culture and abundant skilled manpower.
Things should only get better: several new fly-overs and by-passes are under construction that will ease traffic congestion in heaving Chennai, and an ‘IT Expressway’ project will widen the main access road to that city’s thriving software cluster. This hints at Tamil Nadu’s real secret weapon: Chennai’s IT corridor employs nearly 50,000 people, and this number is set to increase to as much as 90,000 when some of the major IT companies investing there get their operations up and running.
Hong Kong earns the title of Asian city of the future with India and Australia picking up the regional honours. Read on to see who’s doing most to attract foreign direct investment.
Things should only get better: several new fly-overs and by-passes are under construction that will ease traffic congestion in heaving Chennai, and an ‘IT Expressway’ project will widen the main access road to that city’s thriving software cluster. This hints at Tamil Nadu’s real secret weapon: Chennai’s IT corridor employs nearly 50,000 people, and this number is set to increase to as much as 90,000 when some of the major IT companies investing there get their operations up and running.
Hong Kong earns the title of Asian city of the future with India and Australia picking up the regional honours. Read on to see who’s doing most to attract foreign direct investment.
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