I am an engineer with a masters degree in environmental sciences and am working with a Michigan-based consulting firm. I feel that my career in the us has become stagnant and I want to return to India. Will relocating give me a better chance of rising up the ladder in terms of relative pay and social status? Do you think this is the right time for me to be making such a move?

This is certainly not the right time for you to return to India. For one, openings for a person with your qualifications will be hard to come by. Another good reason is that compensation packages in India are not as lucrative as those in the US. Environmental consulting is a concept that Indian companies are only just beginning to understand and your options here will be limited. I would advise you to stay on in the US and look for a better job. But if you want to shift to India for reasons other than money, you could try applying to multinationals with environment consulting operations in India.

I am a 22-year-old business management graduate with specialisation in marketing. When I graduated two years back, I was offered a call centre job in a reputed company. I wasn't sure of my career objectives at that time and took up the job since it was the first one to come my way. I now want to work as a copywriter in an ad agency. However, most agencies I have approached are willing to take me only as a client-servicing executive. How do I make the switch to copywriting?

Keep trying. Your call centre work experience is coming in the way of your copywriting ambitions. Maybe, you've pitched yourself too strongly as a client-servicing type in your resume. That could be the reason why prospective employers seem to feel you'll do a much better job as a client servicing executive. What you could do is to get a masters degree or diploma in advertising or in brand management. This would not only add to your qualifications, but also help you get the job you want. You could also ask agencies to give you a copywriting test and recruit you on that basis. Finally, you need to make it clear to interviewers that you are now focused in your career objectives and want to work only as a copywriter.

I am an economics graduate with a diploma in marketing communications. I have been working as a senior customer support executive for the past four years. I feel that my company is not paying me enough and that I should ask my boss for a raise. What is the best way to go about it? I also want to switch to marketing in the long run, but most employers seem to prefer people with some relevant work experience in the said field. How can I boost my chances of landing the job I want?

First of all, there must be a logical basis for your demand for a raise. You need to be clear as to whether it is your performance that has been overlooked or whether you just being paid less than others involved in similar work. Unless you have a logical argument to offer, demands for a raise is not likely to go down well with your boss. Approach your boss if you think you have a convincing case. But if you think he will react negatively, don't approach him unless you have an alternative offer ready. As for your desire to switch to marketing, the best thing for you to do would be to look for opportunities within the organisation. If that fails, try looking for a client-servicing job with an advertising agency. That would be the best way to gain an overall perspective on the key issues of marketing as well as some get some hands-on experience in the field.

I was fired from my first job because I was, let's face it, irresponsible. I regret it now, but do I need to mention this job on my resume?

Always mention all positions and companies that you've worked in. You could omit a job you did not perform exceptionally well at, but be prepared to explain the gap in your resume. Being fired from a job is not the end of the world as it is generally made out to be by most people. It weighs as a negative factor only if you have a problem that has a direct bearing on the job you've applied for. If the job applied for involves major responsibilities, a prospective employer may think twice before hiring you. Still, much depends on your ability to convince the recruiter that you have outgrown your irresponsible phase and can be entrusted with responsibility at the workplace.

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
Everyone's Invited
The telecom sector offers a host of career options for competent professionals. For a job-starved market, that's good news.

Jagdeep Khandpur, Director (HR), Bharti Tele-Ventures

Telecom has been one of the major drivers of growth in the services sector in India in the recent years. Much of the growth has been in the mobile phones segment. This growth bubble has created great opportunities for ambitious and qualified professionals. Here are some of the hottest areas in telecom for job-seekers.

New product development: Competition has brought the focus of almost all major players squarely on to the one thing that will count in times to come: differentiation. Those who can take on the challenges posed by the need for product differentiation and product development will command a premium.

Technology: Reliable and high-speed networks, efficient operating systems and subscriber portals will continue to form the sector's backbone. People with skills in areas such as switch engineering, operation and maintenance, network planning, it and intelligent networking shall remain in high demand.

Customer relationship management (CRM): Market realities have forced most companies in the sector to make huge investments in building and sustaining customer relationships. Continuously realigning the organisation's operating systems to meet and address customer needs efficiently has become critical. B-school grads as well as people with experience in client servicing are eligible. Strong interpersonal skills are absolutely essential.

Human Resource Development: hr professionals with the ability to develop capability-building strategies and initiatives aimed at motivation and retention are sought after.

The career-growth of high performers matches the industry's scorching pace of growth. Fresh engineering graduates and MBAs can get on to the fast-track and rise to become functional heads or CEOs within 10-11 years, while those joining at senior levels can reach top management positions in four-to-five years. Positions in technology, product development and it, require specialisation in the relevant areas, while those in CRM need relevant work experience.

Jargon-Bender: Musings on Mickey Mouse

Anuwan Zoysa yorker swung in through the defences of Brian Lara, the West Indies cricket team's ace batsman, giving Sri Lanka its third consecutive victory in the historic 2001 test series. Although Lara had performed with astonishing consistency throughout the series, scoring 688 runs, his team came a cropper. Lara may have done better if he had factored in the 'Mickey Mouse' theory before padding up. Most of the earlier films of Mickey Mouse had piquant situations where the protagonist would spend a lot of time on something that came apart at the drop of a hat. Walt Disney's famous toon became synonymous with something that required considerable effort for slight or no result. At times, a company may set itself over-ambitious aims. This could put excessive strain on the company, leading to results quite different from its expectations. To avoid this, HR pundits prescribe caution. Just as Lara could have effortlessly warded off the deadly Zoysa yorker had he been a bit more careful. The term is also applied to policies felt to be needlessly offensive.