"These days, NGOs are attracting avant-garde talent" Ashok Khosla President & Founder/ Development Alternatives

Almost eight years ago, when Amit Kumar, now Head, Energy, Winrock International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved with food, income and environmental issues, quit his "secure corporate job" at aluminium major Hindalco to join another NGO, Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), many dubbed him a 'loser'. At that time, working with an NGO was not even thought of as gainful employment, leave alone a sound career move. The NGO sector was considered a pasture for 'bleeding heart liberals', people past their prime and misfits in the fiercely competitive corporate world. And everyone around, family, friends and colleagues, saw joining an NGO as a "radical decision", as Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Associate Director at New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) puts it.

Not any longer, for much has changed since Kumar and Chowdhury took the NGO-plunge. Over the past few years, NGO jobs have blossomed as a full-fledged career option for just about everyone, B-school graduates, chartered accountants, engineers, even doctors. Today, a job with a top-notch Indian or international NGO offers good money (though it is still not at par with red-hot corporate salaries), a professional work environment, and most importantly, challenging and career-enhancing assignments. "It is not easy to compete with corporates to bag World Bank projects, for instance. So these days NGOs are attracting avant-garde talent," says Ashok Khosla, President & Founder of Development Alternatives, who got "seduced into an NGO along the way", after teaching undergraduates at Harvard University followed by a six-year stint with the un in Nairobi.

NGOs are today multi-dimensional in character and are present across different social and economic sectors. With assured overseas grants a thing of the past, NGOs compete aggressively for project-based financing from multilateral organisations such as the UN, World Bank and IMF. A group of committed people working at the grassroots is therefore a necessary but not a sufficient condition for success. NGOs also need corporate types, with the requisite skills to go after the funding organisations and set up proper policy and technical systems together with a robust monitoring and audit practice. "NGOs are under tremendous pressure to deliver in this competitive, globalised environment," says Jagdeep Gupta, GM (Programme Management & Administration), CSE. Recently Winrock India won a World Bank-funded project over four other competitors-the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, the National Productivity Council, TERI and CII.

Little wonder then, NGO-recruitment is no longer an accident, so don't expect an easy walk-in. Most big NGOs are as rigorous in their recruitment process as large multinational companies, with a lot of them going in for campus recruitment at business schools or engineering colleges. And with a big budget for lateral recruitment, anyone seeking an entry into NGOs must be ready for a gruelling process that often involves a written test, panel interview with experts and a final one with the president/ director of the NGO.

Entry-level salaries for MBAs or engineers joining global NGOs such as Winrock are a sizable Rs 40,000 per month. Middle-level managers with around four to five years experience get almost Rs 80,000 a month, and senior manager salaries are usually in six figures. But a decent salary is just part of the reason for most opting for an NGO career. "NGOs give space for individual creativity like no other corporate job," says Divya Narain, a fresh graduate from the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, who recently joined New Delhi-based Development Alternatives. The satisfaction of seeing one's work deliver visible social surplus, whether it is in eradicating poverty, reforestation or fighting social scourges such as illiteracy, is a major stickiness factor with most NGO jobs.

Winrock's Amit Kumar quit Hindalco to join an NGO

Working on a multi-disciplinary team, a hallmark of most NGO jobs, with people from myriad backgrounds is a great value-add as it not only breaks the monotony of regular work but also exposes the employee to different perspectives. "Donors demand certain standards of performance, accountability and professionalism, and NGOs have definitely responded," says Ashok Alexander, Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which disburses funds to a number of NGOs in India as part of its anti-aids initiative. With demanding donors, most big NGOs are on a tight leash and therefore tolerate no employee complacency. "It (NGO job) is not for non-performers (anymore)," says Gupta of CSE.

And even if you're not looking at staying with an NGO for life, a stint in one opens immense opportunities, easy admission to Ivy League colleges, even an entry into global multilateral organisations like UN and IMF. You can even consider re-entering the corporate rat-race, with companies increasingly getting obsessed with corporate social responsibility (CSR). And who better to man it than someone who's been on both sides of the profit, non-profit divide.

SPOTLIGHT
Emission Traders

Mitcon's Bavadekar: A green career beckons

The Kyoto protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which came into force this year, has opened up a brand new job opportunity, being an emission trader.

Over a dozen consultancy firms have sprung up across the country that employ engineers to work as emission traders. "Since this is a new industry, and people with relevant experience are hard to find, we look at hiring engineers and re-train them," says Pradeep Bavadekar, Head of Pune-based Mitcon Consultancy Services. Emission traders help Indian companies sell their carbon credits-which accrue to them either through energy conservation or use of non-conventional energy sources-to companies in the developed countries who have exceeded their emission quotas. With a starting salary of around Rs 20,000-25,000, and a market that's just opening up, good money and fast growth is assured in this green career.

-Kumarkaushalam

COUNSELLING
Help, Tarun!

I have over eight years of experience as a manager in an advertising firm. Now I want to work in the event management sector, but at a relatively senior level. However, I do not have any experience in terms of managing big events, only the ones that I arranged for corporate entertaining within my business sector. Please advise how can I get into a field I have no experience in and develop it into a long-term career.

You have not mentioned what your present job profile is. That makes it difficult to give you advice. All I can say is that whenever you take a major decision, take into consideration your current situation, experience, education and plans for the future. In general, the event management sector in our country is not as well organised as, say, the advertising or market research companies are. Most companies are entrepreneur-run and the turnover is pretty high. Some big event management companies do employ professionals from the advertising industry and you could apply to one of these. If you know someone in the event management field, they will definitely be able to guide you in the right direction.

I am a 24-year-old science graduate working with a BPO outfit for the past two years. I started as a trainee and am now a team leader. While the job pays well and I enjoy my work too, the night shifts are playing havoc with my health. What sectors can I look at where I can have a normal day shift and also put my BPO experience to work?

Health does come first, but you have to weigh your experience with the options you have before you take a decision. For one thing, if you have worked for two years and are happy with your job, then you could speak to your manager and see if he can put you in a role that does not require you to do the graveyard shift. If that does not work out, there are other options. You can easily get a job in BPOs that have only day shifts, and there are several of them. With your experience, you should not face any difficulty in getting a job and it will also be easier for you to make the transition. Yet another option is to apply for a job in companies with a strong customer service component like banks, airlines and the hospitality industry.

I am a 28-year-old, working in the retail sector. I am facing problems at my workplace due to my appearance, particularly because I am overweight. My colleagues constantly joke about my figure and make snide remarks. I love my job but am tired of the nasty digs. Because of this I can't sleep at night; neither can I concentrate on my work. I have also not been eating well. Please help!

First, stop being conscious of your weight. People respect those who respect themselves. If you value yourself as a person and do not get intimidated, chances are people will respect you for your skills. The more you squirm, the more comments you will get. Second, if you can't beat them, join them. If somebody says something, make light of it by laughing at your own weight. But if the comments get rude and go further than harmless teasing, then you need to stand up and counter these people. Last but not the least, you are young and being overweight is a health hazard. For your own good, join a gym, start exercising and eat a healthy diet. As you lose weight, you will not only look good but will start feeling better too.

I am 35 years old, and have served in the Army for 15 years. Now, I've decided to go in for premature retirement and start my own business by opening a garments factory. Although I have adequate financial resources in place to start a business, I have no kind of formal training/experience. I'm also not sure whether taking a chance with a garments business is worth throwing away an established career in the Army.

The garments industry is highly competitive and the export market is tough. Hence, you need to do a thorough due diligence regarding demand and supply and also be absolutely sure about what exactly you would like to do in the garments business. Short-term courses will definitely be a bonus as they can give you an overview of the work you will be doing. As far as career is concerned, if you are not planning to remain in the Army till you reach retirement age, then this is a good age to make a change. However, the perks that you are used to will now have to be paid for. So, weigh your choice carefully.

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

The Doting Employer
IT firms are pulling out all stops to stem attrition.

Wipro listens: An employee interaction session in progress

The work life of techies just became a little better. With the boom in the IT industry fuelling a seemingly insatiable demand for manpower and, consequently, high employee attrition, hr departments just had a change of heart.

"Today, employees are vocal about their needs and aspirations. What we have done in the past is no longer enough," says Upinder Zutshi, CEO, Bangalore-based Infinite Computer Solutions (ICS). So hr departments across it companies have taken to employee relationship management (ERM), essentially hr initiatives that make the workplace a more responsive and happier place for employees.

At Cognizant, buddy-scheme Remora (Reach out and Mentor an Associate) aims to help new entrants adapt to its corporate culture. ICS has buddies@work, with one dedicated employee relations executive for every 100 employees; this executive is their counsel, buddy, even agony aunt. Wipro Technologies runs Wipro Listens and Responds, Meet Your People Programme and Best People Manager. "ERM is also helping smart companies treat different performers differently," says Anish Singh, CEO, Techbridge Networks, a Bangalore-based hr Consultancy.

-Rahul Sachitanand

Shopfloor Workers For BPOs
BPOs are hiring factory hands. Surprised?

Wipro Spectramind's Itagi: From manufacturing to BPO

Call it the second wave in BPO hiring. After raiding hospitality and services companies for customer service-oriented staff and managers, BPOs are now turning to the manufacturing sector, with good reason.

With mounting cost of operations, an appreciating rupee and very high employee attrition putting a strain on the bottom line, the biggest challenge for BPO companies is to improve process efficiencies. "People with manufacturing background bring lean manufacturing techniques to the (BPO) job that helps reduce costs," says T.K. Kurien, CEO, Wipro Spectramind.

And it's working both ways, what with BPOs offering higher compensation compared to manufacturing companies. Take Sanjeev Itagi, 28, who moved from Mico Bosch to join Wipro Spectramind as Assistant Manager (Quality & Operations) with a 70 per cent jump in salary. And he's even happy with the nature of work. "Manufacturing best practices such as Six Sigma are finding easy application in the BPOs as well," says Itagi. Don't be surprised if you overhear BPO employees mouthing heavy manufacturing lingo soon.

-Supriya Shrinate