I am a senior exec at a consumer products company and have my own views-I have, after all, been in the business for a decade and a half-on how to tackle the slump the industry is going through. I thought I had my chance when the incumbent CEO left and one of my colleagues, #2 to the CEO, took over. I didn't waste any time cornering him and telling him what I thought needed to be done. He heard me out and suggested that I give him some time to learn the ropes. Eventually, when he did lay out his plans, I was shocked to see all my suggestions completely ignored. When I asked him about this, he responded cryptically that he wanted a team that supported him completely and hinted that I leave the company if I were unhappy. He actually ventured far enough to offer his assistance in finding a new job for me. Should I quit?

Can't take the hint, can you? For some reason, your CEO has decided that you do not fit into his team and has asked you to move on. However, you shouldn't take this too personally. It's probably because of a mismatch between your and your new CEO's styles of functioning. The best option open to you is to gracefully bow out while you still retain the goodwill of your organisation and colleagues. Start exploring opportunities elsewhere and take up the offer that suits you the best.

I have a problem at the workplace. Many of my senior colleagues keep dumping me with odd jobs that are not really part of my regular duties. Given their seniority, I am unable to turn down their requests. As a result, my work is suffering and my immediate supervisor is becoming increasingly impatient with me. How do I cope with this situation?

Doing work that is not part of an individual's defined duties is something that almost everyone, no matter how senior, has had to do. But it is important that your regular work gets priority over such errands. How you cope with such requests is a function of your ability to multi-task and prioritise. If you are smart you should be able to keep on the right side of your supervisor (and an eye on the main chance) and rise in your organisation.

I am an engineering graduate with a MBA degree from an Australian university. I recently applied for a job at a reputed multinational company. The company gave me a written examination but at our preliminary meeting-prior to it-the HR manager made it clear to me that the company didn't think much of the particular university I obtained my degree from. I studied abroad because I thought it would help me get a job. This seems to have backfired. What do I do?

Obtaining a degree from a university overseas does not guarantee a job; not all foreign universities are held in high esteem in India. Employers often tend to distrust those foreign universities that they know very little about. It is evident that you cannot sell yourself to the organisation you have applied to on the basis of your foreign MBA degree. However, what you could do is try and convince the hr manager concerned that the handicap of having studied in Australia notwithstanding, you possess the skills that are relevant to the task at hand. You could even tell him that you are prepared to go in for a part-time MBA degree from an institute of repute should the company feel it necessary. This may change his mind; even better, you could end up with a qualification from a reputed Indian school and that will help you when you make your next move.

My company is trying to cut costs by reducing real estate expenditure. It is doing this by providing us with smaller desks and packing everyone into a small office. This is physically uncomfortable and I have not been able to concentrate on my work. Are there any rules that a company must follow while allocating workspace to its employees?

There are no such rules. As long as the space allocated to you is sufficient for you to do your work comfortably, you don't have any real cause for complaint. But in this case, you could certainly go ahead and tell your boss that the crowded atmosphere is hindering your work and that it may be difficult for you to keep important official information confidential because of the cramped workspace. Remember, however, that it is up to the management whether it gives you a more commodious work space or not.

Answers to your career concerns are contributed by Tarun Sheth (Senior Consultant) and Shilpa Sheth (Managing Partner) of HR firm, Shilputsi Consultants. Write to Help,Tarun! c/o Business Today, Videocon Tower, Fifth Floor, E-1, Jhandewalan Extn., New Delhi-110055.

SECTOR WATCH
The Pharma Rush
The boom in pharmaceuticals has created hot new openings for management and science graduates.

Udai Upendra, VP (Global HR), Ranbaxy Labs

The pace at which the pharma industry is growing and the global opportunities it offers for career development have been key drivers in attracting people to this industry. The opportunities the pharma sector offers to professionals range from positions in marketing and sales to those in scientific research. Following are the areas open to those seeking to enter the industry.

Research and Development: Scientists are in perennial demand in a sector that is driven by breakthroughs. Doctorates are preferred, but those with adequate qualifications and inclined towards serious research work are also taken in by recruiters in this sector. Those with an academic background have a tremendous opportunity to make it big in the corporate sector. For those with the right aptitude, there are also plenty of opportunities in intellectual property management and regulatory functions.

Sales and Marketing: Pharma-marketing was not, until recently, considered as exciting as the marketing of consumer durables. This scenario has changed with the pharma sector employing pharma graduates and post-graduates with good selling skills as frontline medical representatives. The complexities of pharma-marketing, together with the diversity of products and geographic reach, is, in many ways, a challenging experience for these professionals.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain: Manufacturing and supply chain management gives science and engineering graduates an opportunity to work in a world-class environment with tough regulatory compliance and good manufacturing practices (GMP) and provides them with adequate exposure to state-of-the-art technology and managerial challenges.

Support Services: A MBA degree or equivalent or a degree in international management coupled with good inter-personal and analytical skills are essential qualifications in support services in the pharmaceutical value chain. These support services hire candidates as hr or it professionals. The industry, on the whole, prefers candidates who are result-oriented and possess a good amount of creativity and 'people' skills.

A CROWN OF THORNS

CEOs and the top management are today an extremely volatile set. They are hired to perform and given little or no time to attain what, at times, is considered impossible. True, salaries have gone up at the higher echelons, but so has accountability, with stakeholders getting increasingly impatient with every passing day. In line with the current trend of CEO exits, headhunter Executive Access has done a study that shows how the sacking of the No.1 in companies has gone up from 1 per cent in 1999-2000 to 7 per cent in 2002-03.