Career Today: Best Jobs; Ask Tarun!!!

Dilip Ranjekar, 49, Corporate Executive Vice-President (HR), Wipro, on what it takes to attract and retain top-notch software professionals.

What are the factors that a software professional typically considers, before signing on the dotted line or deciding to stay on?

Such choice is determined at three levels: job content, personal needs, and the brand-value of the employer. A software professional will first look at the job content and see whether it satisfies his learning needs; next, he will consider the hygiene factors, including compensation and benefits, and finally, he will consider the brand name of the company and whether it adds value to his resume.

Undoubtedly, the job content. Since continued employability is crucial in this industry, an employee always looks at the intellectual challenge an assignment provides, along with its relevance of application. A job must provide a great learning opportunity to the employee.

The quality of the physical environment and work relationships far outweigh considerations of compensation and benefits in the long run. Since work in this sector is team-led and project-driven, and the workforce, relatively young, relationships between peers or with supervisors often influence decisions to stay or leave. The degree of empowerment is also important.

It is crucial in the short-term. In this sector, compensation is determined by performance, market value, future relevance, and skill shortage at a particular time. Also, wealth-creation options play an important role. But compensation will never be the sole factor in attracting or retaining talent here, or for that matter, anywhere.

CEO; a leading software development company; Chennai; Engineer with MBA from a premier institute with a minimum experience of 20 years; Age not exceeding 50 years; Krisvin Personnel, 3136, 13th Cross, 7th Main, HAL, 2nd Stage, Bangalore.
e-mail: krisvin@blr.vsnl.net.in

CEO; Basic telecom services; Metropolitan cities; Engineer with MBA from a premier institute and experience in a reputed company preferably in the telecom sector; Age: 42-47 years; Classic Search, 1st Floor, Miller Tank Bund Road, Bangalore.
e-mail: clasarch@vsnl.com

Vice-President (Technology); Transnational software company; Bangalore; Should have 10 years of relevant experience; Access Management Services, 414, Hemkunt Chambers, 89, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019.
e-mail: amsgadh@vsnl.com

Head Software Development; Large software firm's R&D center specializing in software development in ERP, e-commerce, datawarehousing and application development; Delhi; BE/B.Tech/ME/M.Tech/PhD with a least 15 years of experience in project management and software development; SSJ Solutions, Noida-201301.
e-mail: ssjsolutions@vsnl.com

CEO; Leading bank in East Africa; Candidate should be around 50 years and a qualified banker with commercial orientation.
e-mail: virenshukla@hotmail.com

Vice-President: DD Systems Inc.; USA; BE/B.Tech/MCA with 8-12 years of experience in software development; DD Systems Inc., 2440, Heritageways Union City; USA-94587.
e-mail: resume@ddsyst.com

Global Account Director; Consultancy services in the area of telecom, e-Commerce, banking, travel, and technology produces; USA; BE/B.Tech/MCA/MBA with experience of 12 years; Age: 32-46; VM Careerist Management Consultants, 39, Community Centre, East of Kailash-110065.
e-mail: itcareers@vsnl.com

Jobwatch

Software is a star sector if ever there was one. According to figures provided by National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), the demand for software professionals will be around 2,30,000 in the next three years. And as many as 1,80,000 code-jocks have been snapped up by companies in the past three years alone. Finally, by the time India meets its annual (software) export target of $50 billion in 2008, the demand for software professionals would have quadrupled at the very least. There will be positions opening up in a range of companies: infotech services, software products, infotech-enabled services, and internet and e-commerce. The demand for Indian software professionals in other countries and the resultant exodus are expected to continue.

Industry estimates state that at senior levels alone-CEOs, coos and business heads-there could be a demand for 3,000-odd people in the next two years in the sector. And at the entry-level, these numbers are slated to go up significantly. Already, the top 20 firms employ close to 50,000 people, and with companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys technologies, and Wipro expanding their presence across the globe, the demand for quality manpower can only spiral upward. All this means software remains one of the hottest job options. So just log on!

A software job is a passport to professional nirvana! Or is it? Before you consider yourself the next Bill Gates, check out whether you have the right attributes to stay on in a field where the Darwinian rule has a twist: only the fastest survive.

Learnability: Obsolescence is a fact of life for any software professional. You have to keep learning to stay fit.

Ability to handle change: Technology changes constantly, driving changes in the market landscape, business needs and customer requirements . An ability to handle the ambiguity and be proactive, is essential.

Initiative: This is not a profession that is governed by hierarchy and supervision. You have to be a self-starter with the ability and willingness to assume ownership of your work .

Adaptability: Software is a truly boundary-less profession. You could be required to work anywhere in the world, for any customer. Lack of racial, social, and gender prejudices is a must.

Teamwork: As you would work mostly on projects that entail team effort, a strong belief in teamwork and skills in building relationships would help.

The Top Level: CEOs, coos, and CTOs.
Qualifications: PhD, M. tech./B. Tech/B.E., MCA. An MBA is desirable.
Compensation: Rs 22-40 lakh.

The Senior Level: Business heads, unit heads, and functional heads-heads of finance, hr, and marketing.
Qualifications: PhD, M. Tech/B. Tech/B.E., MCA, M.Sc/B.Sc with pg diploma in computers for technical positions. An MBA degree for functional positions.
Compensation: Rs 15-21 lakh.

The Middle Level: Senior project managers, technical managers, and project managers.
Qualifications: PhD, M. Tech/B. Tech/B.E., MCA, or M.Sc/B.Sc with pg diploma in computers.
Compensation: Rs 7-14 lakh.

The Junior Level: Module leaders and project heads.
Qualifications: M. tech/B. tech/B.E., MCA, M.Sc with pg diploma in computers.
Compensation: Rs 4-6 lakh.

The Entry Level: Programme analysts, programmers, and software writers.
Qualifications: Relevant technical qualifications.
Compensation: Rs 2-4 lakh.

Flying Free
It's a season for solo acts! The high-profile managing director of Eicher Consultancy Services (now renamed ECS), Anil Sachdeva has decided to set up a learning centre, Grow Talent, together with Ex-Crompton Greaves chief K.K. Nohria and Yogesh Andley. The new venture, which could have some sort of tie-up with ECS, is expected to be set up by December this year. Later, Sachdeva could also shift to a non-executive role in ECS. Will Sachdeva, the face of ECS in the corporate circles for long, replicate his success in the new venture? Watch this space...

Personal Marquee
Arunav Bannerji, head of human capital services at Arthur Andersen. Bannerji, a seasoned consultant, who has done longish stints at Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers and a short one at Arthur Andersen, is setting up shop on his own. His as-yet untitled company will primarily be a strategy shop, focusing on high-end hr consulting that includes competency-mapping, organisational design and job evaluation. With his experience, Bannerji could make a go of it. But, does this mean that his corporate infatuation with blue-chip consulting firms is actually over...

Maternal Instinct
One more joins the mother hen team at @India. This incubator, which already has stars like GE Capital's R. Kannan and Kanwaljeet Singh, former marketing head of Intel, has just roped in N. Narsimhan from Microsoft (where he headed finance). Narsimhan will be joining the @India team as the CFO. That's quite a group for a start-up, surely! Now, all this team has to do is wait for the right eggs, sorry, ideas to hatch...

Homing In
Finally, here's a positive fallout of the Stanchart takeover of ANZ Grindlays. The high-profile hr chief of Stanchart, Mohan Kumar, is moving to the Bank's Asia-Pacific operations to take charge of the function. It is a great move for Kumar, who is a known face in both banking and the hr circuit, having put in considerable time at both American Express and Stanchart. Kumar is also known to be a Kathakali aficionado but he surely won't need those skills in his new position...

Postscript
Mumbai-based search firm has been given a specific brief for this assignment. The team that they are searching must be on the right side of 35, not a day over. No, the client is not a dotcom, but ICICI-Prudential which is overhauling its team and looking for functional heads. Well, it fits as the company's CEO, Ajay Srinivasan is certainly on the right side of 40.

I am a science graduate. I am considering a career in hospital management for which I will need a degree in the subject. Could you refer me to some institutes that offer this programme? What other qualifications would be needed? Would the lack of a medical degree be a hurdle? What are the prospects in this sector and what remuneration can I expect?

Hospital management in India has so far been the preserve of senior doctors or retired army personnel, mainly because there are not too many hospital management courses offered here. It would be a better idea to get a job with a hospital at the entry-level-which should not be difficult given your qualifications-and work your way up. You could simultaneously join a distance-learning programme in a related field. Though a career in hospital management is promising in the long run, it should by no means be overestimated. Contrary to what is shown in TV serials like Chicago Hope, it is not glamorous in the least. It could, however, be a stepping stone to other healthcare-related services.

I am 24 years old and have a bachelor's degree in banking and financial management (a distance-learning programme). I am also completing an advanced diploma course in business programming, again through correspondence. I have also completed courses in computer network engineering, e-commerce, and financial accounting. I want to pursue a career in banking or financial services, preferably in a transnational or private sector bank. How do I go about it? Since I do not have the benefit of campus placement, should I approach executive search firms? What are my chances of getting an entry-level position in such companies?

Frankly, your time would have been better spent in completing one full-time course in a relevant subject, than in joining several unrelated distance-learning programmes. That would also have improved your job prospects. You should follow up on job advertisements and seek out the search firms in your city, though the latter rarely deal with entry-level vacancies. Take up any job you are offered in the banking or financial services sector, even if it's not your dream job.

I am a 26-year-old graduate with an MBA in marketing. I have worked with several companies as a sales executive in the last two years. My last job was selling computer hardware before I took a break for the civil services examination, which I could not crack. Now, I wish to consider software as a career option. I am computer literate, but have no professional degree in computer applications. Is it advisable to enroll for a course? Given my background, could I make a successful switch? Or should I stick to sales and marketing?

A career shift is definitely within your reach if you have the aptitude and skill, and work really hard. Even then some changes-ones to related fields (sales to marketing, for instance)-are easier, compared to cross-functional ones. The shift you are contemplating is not likely to be a cakewalk. You need to beef up your software skills by pursuing relevant courses. Your previous experience would also not receive much weightage-unless you want to pursue software sales, which would give you the perfect opportunity to combine both.

I am a standard XII student with an excellent academic record. I would like to do an MBA with specialisation in finance. I want to make a career in investment banking. Is that a wise choice? Would my chosen career path suffice? Or should I acquire a specialised degree in investment banking? Is there any such course offered in India or abroad?

You seem to be clear in your objectives, which is rare and commendable at your age. You could do an MBA even after a bachelor's degree in science. An MBA (finance) would allow you to make a career in investment banking. There are specialised courses offered, both here and abroad. But for an entry-level position, an MBA (finance) is more than sufficient. In the next couple of years, there will be more options and you could check and decide accordingly.

Tarun Sheth, the senior consultant at the Mumbai-based recruitment and training consultancy firm, Shilputsi, addresses your career concerns every fortnight. Write to help, Tarun!!! c/o Business Today, F-26, Connaught Place, New Delhi-1.