Career Today: Best Jobs; Ask Tarun!!!

Sanjay Rishi, Country Manager (India & Asian Countries), American Express Travel Related Services, underscores the leadership attributes that are critical for a mature organisation.

The right leadership competencies:
At AmEx, it is vital for an employee to have thought, relationship, results, and process leadership qualities. These competencies are assessed through a unique feedback process. Every employee is appraised on the leadership style, based on demonstrated behaviour. She is appraised on thought leadership (analysing things), result leadership (goals achieved), relationship leadership (customer relation), and people leadership (managing people). Senior-level employees are appraised on all these points beside other key competencies.

The right performance management system:
We have a comprehensive system to ensure that goals of all employees are focused on enhancing values for shareholders and customers. The system also enables the company to identify, assess, and develop leaders for quality leadership. From the employees' perspective, it tracks individual performance and focuses on planning to achieve leadership competencies and behaviour.

The right feedback process:
The leadership feedback process is designed to provide the employees with the knowledge needed to develop their skills through targeted 360-degree feedback that is multi-source, comprehensive, and aligned to the leadership-competency model. It allows leaders to assess themselves against core competencies at an individual level. And organisationally, it leads to improved leadership for continued business success.

CEO (Internet Software); IT firm; New Delhi; B.Tech (Computers); 20 years experience in SW development & profit centre management in large software company; Tushar Dev, Dev Solutions, 106 Gupta Arcade LSC 5, Mayur Vihar-I, New Delhi.
email: devsolutions@vsnl.com

CEO (it education); FMCG group, Delhi; B.E./MBA with five years experience as CEO/Head of Operations in education/IT/service industry; Sundeep Kataria, advanced Corporate Services, 1420, 14th floor, Ansal Tower, 38, Nehru Place, New Delhi-19.
e-mail: acsjobs@vsnl.com

Manager (Projects); GE India; Hyderabad; B.E./B.Tech/MBA; 7 years experience including e-business project experience; Box No. 245323, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi-1.
e-mail: ad@geind.ge.com

Head (Technology Cell); Lord Krishna Bank; Kochi; B.E. (computers/information technology); 15 years experience; Indian Express Building, Kaloor, Kochi-682017 (Kerala).

General Manager (IT); Ludhiana; relevant qualification with relevant experience; Net Cradle India, Majestic Park, Plaza, Bhai Bala Chowk, Ferozpur Road, Ludhiana-141001.
e-mail: len@netcradle.com

General Manager; East Africa; ICWA/CA/MBA (Finance); 10-15 years at senior levels; datamatic Staffing Services, Eucharistic Congress Building-111, 5 Convent Street, Colaba, Mumbai-1.
e-mail: dsscv@vsnl.com

Senior Manager; Zensar Technologies; US/UK; 10-15 years experience with 3-4 years in software quality function.
e-mail: qualitycareers@zensar.com

Manager (SQA); IT firm; US; B.Tech/M.Tech; 7 years experience in networking technologies; Asesslan Communications India (P) Ltd, 2040 Fortune Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.
e-mail: indiacareers@accesslan.com

Manager (Business); Muscat; MBA with relevant experience; Delta Co. Ltd-Muscat, P.O. Code: 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman.
e-mail: deltaco@omantel.net.com

Jobwatch

Is your company a market leader in a product or service category? And, has it been around for more than a decade? If your answer is yes on both counts, you are working in a mature organisation. A mature organisation, by definition, is between 10 and 20 years old, with a reasonable share of market or business. Usually, such organisations would have strong, well-documented systems and processes and are likely to be multi-divisional, with each division operating as a profit centre. Prime examples of this are banks, large FMCGs, engineering, pharma, and automotive majors. More often than not, such companies are change-resistant, something that inhibits quantum growth. In such an organisation, your career would be impacted by both your performance and that of your company's. Particularly, if you are at the middle-to-senior level. At an individual level, cross-functional rotation or secondment, should be actively considered for rapid career ascent, apart from performing consistently. Since compensation in a mature organisation is mostly market-determined, you would do well to choose a company in a high-paying sector. And a function that commands a premium in the market.

So you work for a market leader. Or want to be with one. Either way, it could be tricky. An established company could be under pressure because of changing market scenario, increased competition, and change-resistance-all of which may impact individual careers adversely. Even if the company is doing well, a large talent pool and hierarchical structure could arrest fast growth. Check out whether you have the right skills to make a success of it.

A large dollop of strategic skills: Strategic competence is a must. While multiple role responsibility is not required, you would definitely need to be a manager who is both a thinker and a doer.

Openness to learning: Reinventing oneself and continuous learning are essential to stay on top in a mature company. Training and cross-functional shifts are good ideas. Flexibility to acquire and discard skill sets is critical.

Proactivity and sound business judgement: A good understanding of business is necessary over and above functional competence, along with analytical skills.

Ability to be a team-player: Teamwork and an ability to work through people is vital, particularly in case of top-level positions. Mature companies usually have little room for heroes.

Easy Come, Easy Go
Old economy beckons, and then repels! Star marketer R. Shyam Sundar, who had a glittering career as the marketing head of the nutritional beverage business at SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare, quit to join the most happening sector-insurance-some time back. He was part of the Max India-New York Life team that had banking veteran Anuroop 'Tony' Singh at its helm. But things seem to have soured pretty fast, and Shyam, as he was known in SKBCH, left the hallowed Max portals even before business could officially begin. He is reportedly joining Dabur India's healthcare products division as its marketing head and will also look after new product launches. The division already has a chief in Deepak Sethi, the former marketing head of Cadbury. Did the lure of FMCG sector prove too strong? A rival marketer, of course, thinks that long stints at SKBCH, insulates managers and makes them unfit for the real world. But we reserve our comments...

HR Tango
There seems to be no dearth of skills here. Healthcare major Becton Dickinson had an affable hr chief in Yogesh Gautam for India, who moved to the Asia-Pacific region some time back. Now, Anand Shukla, hr head in Perfetti India, has stepped into his shoes. As BD is in a ramp-up mode and also has a plant in India, Shukla should have his hands full. Meanwhile, Shishir Jha, from Max India, has taken over from him at Perfetti. Cross-industry moves seem to be the norm for all these functionaries...

Dial Up For People
What is it with Sunil Mittal? Bharti Group's CMD seems to be acquiring biggies by the dozen. First, it was Rohtash Mal-former GM (Marketing) of Maruti Udyog-as CEO, Basic Services (Delhi). Now K. Krishnan, who was President at HMV, an RPG company, has joined him as CEO, Basic Services (Tamil Nadu). He is also hiring a CFO from a big-time firm. Mittal's newly-acquired army is expected to help him realise his dream of running the country's biggest telecom conglomerate. As for the new incumbents, is it the excitement of a new sector, operational headroom, or simply the colour of money that is luring them?

Leap In The Dark
Pharma major Ranbaxy Laboratories has always had a dedicated core that has stuck with the company through thick and thin and helped it prosper. But an inner-circle member has now sprung a surprise. Rajinder Sinh, the company's redoubtable hr head, is leaving after a stint of close to two decades in the company. Sinh could be taking a leap into the new economy. He is reportedly looking to join Zee Telefilms to head the function and may move to Mumbai. Zee is acquiring professionals at a furious pace, and losing them too. But Sinh must have considered those things before making up his mind. Particularly, since he is also looking at an offer from Delhi-based Apollo tyres. And may end up joining it.

Postscript
It is a classic case of recruiting in a hurry and repenting at leisure. Two Mumbai-based insurance companies had given out searches for almost all senior executive positions to a handful of search firms. And in no time, they had managed to fill up the ranks. But now, as business is about to begin, the available talent or the lack of it, seems to have stumped them. Reportedly, most of the new incumbents have got it all wrong, despite the hefty price tags. Now, the companies are actively considering getting rid of them and have asked a number of firms, Delhi-based Amrop India, among them, to help them do so. And get fresh talent. What went wrong? Lack of skills, or just bad judgement...

I am 25 years old and have done post-graduation in economics. I am unemployed, and pursuing a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) course through distance learning programme. Would the CFA course help me make a career in finance or the insurance sector? Is there a particular course that I can take up to be considered for the positions of actuaries and underwriters in the insurance industry? Would it be possible to shift from the insurance industry to a more generalised finance job at a later date?

A CFA qualification may get you a job, but since the financial sector is passing through a trough, it is not easy. As for insurance, you could pursue specialised courses-for example, by the Insurance Institute of India. But in the meantime, get yourself a job. Don't look for anything high profile, just something relevant to your background, and which will keep you occupied. And you will at least be learning from the experience.

I am a 32-year-old electronics engineer working in an engineering concern. I have realised that without an MBA, my career prospects are limited. I have taken the Common Admission Test (CAT), but failed to crack it. Which are the second-level B-schools based in the South I could apply to? Would a distance-learning programme-like those offered by IGNOU-help my cause?

An MBA is not a panacea for everything that might come your way-it won't solve all your career problems. Especially not a correspondence course. Some B-schools you could try for are the ones at Trichy and XIM in Bhubaneshwar. Chennai and Bangalore Universities also offer MBA programmes. However, you could use your electronics degree to your advantage even after obtaining an MBA degree. This is an opportune time for a person with your background, and you would do well not to miss any chances. Software, or even marketing are the obvious career choices for a person like you. However, if you enjoy finance more-go ahead. The other advice would be-don't let your past dictate your future.

I am an advocate specialising in income tax and have set up a firm with my spouse who is a Chartered Accountant (ca). I was also pursuing the ca programme, but couldn't complete it. All our clients automatically turn to my spouse for expert advice. Even my spouse's attitude is condescending. Should I try and qualify as a CA/CFA myself? Or should I look to acquire more expertise in the legal field?

The reason for your spouse's popularity are obvious. You did not clear your ca examination, your spouse did. There is a lot of overlap in taxation issues on which normally a ca would be consulted. The impression that most people have is that a lawyer is called in only in cases of possible litigation. While there is nothing wrong with seeking a ca qualification, you must do so to enhance your own areas of competence and not merely to prove youself to the world. The one person you are ultimately responsible to is yourself.

I am a 24-year-old sociology graduate pursuing my MBA and yet to decide on the area of specialisation. I have been advised by many to specialise in marketing as it would synergise with my background. But I don't think I have the necessary attitudinal skills-I am neither gregarious, nor a go-getter. I am interested in software, but lack the necessary qualifications. Can I specialise in marketing and then work for a software company in the sales or marketing department? Or should I go for an MBA (Systems), or a diploma in software after I have completed my MBA?

You could go for a business management course with specialisation in marketing and work for a mainstream company. However, don't just assume that a marketing person has to be fast-talking and aggressive. Then again, if you are the type who speaks only when spoken to, you may find constraints in such a career. As far as choices are concerned, you could do an MBA (Systems) if that is where your interest lies. Remember, however, that you are not an engineer, and a career in software may not be the right choice.

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.