Sunday 27 August 2017

How to Ensure that your Resume is Read?

Even the most qualified candidates with the strongest qualifications sometimes get bypassed by recruiters when they are looking to fill an open position. How do I ensure that my resume is read?

An ‘impactful Cover Note’ can help you achieve that objective. First, let me tell you How NOT TO DO it!

You don’t have to tell the whole story in a Cover Note. It has to be short and crisp but focuses briefly on that part of your background which helps in solving the employer’s problem. The objective of a good cover note is to ensure that your Resume is read and nothing else.

Here are tips to write an effective Cover Note which guarantees that your Resume is read:

1] Brief profile:- Introduce yourself by mentioning areas of domain expertise so that it spells out in the beginning itself what your core area of strength is along with the industry/s experience.

For example “ I am a Media sales professional with an overall experience of 16 years in the Corporate category across Print, TV and Radio with reputed organizations X, Y and Z. Well networked with established relationships in the Delhi market.”

2] Challenges:- Spell out the kind of challenges that you have handled successfully. Employers like to meet candidates who think out of the box. It could be any challenge that you handled ( think about it and you will come up with few).

For example “ I have successfully converted non-advertisers in Print and attracted them on board which has helped me overachieve my targets”

3] Research the need:- Do a lot of homework on the problem/s ( pain points) that the prospective employer is facing. For example, assume you are being interviewed for a Regional Media Sales role. And your research gathering throws up information that the Group does not get Ads for three categories vs the competition though their reach and other parameters qualify them to be in the Ad.campaign ( pain point). And if you have proven ability to crack those advertisers and Ad Agencies specifically from those three categories, mention that as a point in your Cover Note.

You may mention ......” I understand that there is a need for ABC organization to grow the categories in the XYZ region ( addressing the pain point). I have been a top performer for the Ad.categories like Auto, Telecom, Textiles and FMCG wherein I grew the market share from X % to Y % in one year’s time and overachieved my target.

4] Luring the Employer:- Finally, tempt the interviewer to meet you by mentioning something like “ There are certain key strategies which I have used to achieve my goal and they have been appreciated by both, my seniors and my clients. My achievements are mentioned in my Resume ( tempting the reader to open your Resume) and I would be happy to personally share the strategies which are applicable to your organization as well and can help improve performance. Look forward to meeting you to discuss further.

Follow these and before you know, your Resume would be read and well, you could be sitting in the interview room.

Thursday 24 August 2017

DIGITAL MARKETING – A NEW FIELD OF OPPORTUNITIES

“DIGITAL” is a huge world within itself. We all know that the changes in the technical world are pacing up rapidly and merely owning a website is not going to solve the problem. There was a time when development was considered as a most important factor in IT and is still so, but there is now something more to it and that is what DIGITAL all about. Not many people are yet aware of this term and as this field is new to most of the Youngsters, mostly are confused whether to choose it as a career path or not.

Well, prospects of this field in India are not as huge as in Foreign Market, but still comparable. Top MNC’s do have this process running and every year they seek for Fresher's or Experience candidates so that people can kick starts their career in this domain.

Talking Technically, Digital Marketing has completely revolutionized the Digital Market from every aspect. It has now become the platform which is crucial for all the major businesses, whether they are start up’s or already established. Till 2020, the boost we are going to have in the Digital world will be far beyond everyone’s imagination.

There are a number of fields that one can opt if he is really interested in this field. With time you can become an expert and master this domain. Just a little patience and Knowledge is all that you need to be the best.

“IMPORTANT VERTICALS OF DIGITAL MARKETING THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE”

-SEO

-ADWORDS

-SMM

-WEBMASTER

-ANALYTICS

-AFFILIATE MARKETING

These are the most crucial domains that you need to get familiar with and excel in at least one if you really want to be the part of the game. Every domain mentioned above is huge and having to the point knowledge of each will really lead you so far. All you need is a right start and will to achieve perfection.

AVERAGE PAYSCALE OF DIGITAL MARKETER IN INDIA

Pay scale of digital marketing varies from position to position. An Entry-Level Digital Marketing Manager earns an average salary of Rs377, 522. It’s a good start up for person’s seeking a stable career. While different fields associated with digital marketing have different pay scales.

Wednesday 23 August 2017

Indian organisations willing to adopt a flexible employment structure - It's True

The daily grind at work is about to get over. Jobs in the future will allow far greater flexibility and autonomy than what is allowed today. A few years down the line, people will have their own “brands” and will be selling their skills to those who need them. Some reports even suggest that two out of five people believe that traditional employment will not be there in the future. Interestingly, a few companies are taking the concept of the “gig economy” seriously, allowing their employees to choose projects and negotiate project terms and deliverables based on their skill sets. Compensation is adjusted based on the amount of time worked. The employees have the freedom to freelance but under the safety net of a larger organisation or brand.

According to a study by PwC titled Work-life 3.0: Understanding How We’ll Work Next, 41% of non-independent workers say they expect to become independent workers in the next year— and 53% say they expect to work on their own in the next five years. Two-thirds of employees agree that future career paths will be determined by workers themselves, not by their companies. Similarly, 63% say the eight-hour workday will become obsolete, and 68% say that work will be done remotely instead of in a traditional office. Moreover, 76% of workers believe that benefits and healthcare will be squarely their own responsibility, rather than their employers’. About 86% of respondents at least somewhat agree that they have a strong desire to work independently. That’s because independent work is perceived as allowing greater flexibility in schedule and control over work environment, the opportunity to earn more, and a better work-life balance.

Take the case of Chandrika Pasricha. She herself has been a management consultant for over 17 years, mostly at McKinsey & Co, Inc and is the founder and CEO of Flexing It, a global marketplace that connects over 32,000 highly skilled business consultants and experts to more than 1,600 organisations across the region for project-based and consulting assignments.

“The interest in and usage of our platform is across types of companies and also industries. Over half of the organisations registered with us are startups and SMEs, followed by MNCs/large companies, professional services firms and PE/VCs/investors. These organisations are from different industries – including consulting firms, development/not for profit, banking services and financial institutions, retail, IT and telecom, education and FMCG. From the projects posted on Flexing It we observe a spike in the demand for flexible resources for marketing strategy development, industry analysis and market assessment, project management support, data analytics, interim CXOs, business heads and talent acquisition and recruitment,” she says.

Organisations are realising the need to offer flexibility as a core strategy to retain high-performing talent. This flexibility could vary in terms of capacity, roles, options to work remotely, etc. This is a key expectation today amongst most senior professionals as well as the millennials ie, the ability to craft a meaningful portfolio of work while having control over their schedules, working style and balancing personal life along with the professional commitments, Pasricha says.

Most companies are now through their diversity programmes bringing women back to work. Start-ups too are looking for qualified professionals in an attempt to work within their constrained resources. Besides, it is a win-win for both. “Both organisations and professionals increasingly value learnings and skills, and each project executed builds on these, and increases the value organisations can get from experienced professionals,” she says.

Rakesh Deshmukh, CEO, Indus OS, believes that traditional employment is making way for a more flexible employment structure. Indus OS has espoused the gig economy in the real sense. It has both experienced seniors and gives employees the freedom to choose their project to build their own brand and expertise. “We have seen that this freedom is exercised especially by the technology, engineering and product teams. The employees have the opportunity to choose the projects they would like to be a part of depending on their skill set from within the current and future company projects, rather than the management assigning projects to them directly. Employees can choose the area of work relevant to them and their future aspirations,” he says.

Sunday 20 August 2017

"What are your salary expectations?"How do I handle the Interview Question?

Who does not like more money? All of us do.But remember that this is one of the most critical questions and needs to be handled with kid gloves because the response to this Q can, at times, be a ‘deal breaker’. Please bear in mind that the situation is similar to you, liking a product in a shop but it’s ‘price’ does remain a ‘deciding factor’ in your purchase.

The following are some ‘factors’ which need to be taken into account while devising your response to this Question. If anyone or multiple of these factors hold true, your salary expectations will have to be worked around accordingly.

• Is the offer your ‘dream job’?
• Is the ‘job profile’ very exciting and does it meet your career goals?
• Does it offer ‘career prospects’ which your current job does not?
• Do you bring some ‘unique’ capability, skill and/or experience to the job which other candidates would not possess?
• Are you getting back to a corporate job after a ‘career break’?
• Are you currently ‘jobless’?
• Have you made ‘too frequent job changes’ and is this an opportunity for a ‘course correction’?
• Are you ‘shifting to a different domain’, say from Sales to marketing or from HR to BD and so on?
• Are you ‘relocating’ to another city due to personal reasons?

Once you have accounted for the above, then there are certain DO’s and DON’Ts which can be used as ‘guidelines’ to negotiate better.

DO NOT :

1] ‘Make the first move’ by mentioning your expectations at the ‘first instance’ when the Q is asked (you will set a benchmark in the mind of the interviewer which might become a barrier for further negotiation).
2] ‘Undersell’ yourself by saying that whatever the employer finds appropriate, it will be OK with you (they might offer you compensation lower than your current).
3] ‘Share anything without documents’ about your current compensation. You need to produce proper paper work as a ‘back up’ (it can become an integrity issue and by perception may close the door).
4] ‘Assume’ that because there is a budget available with the company, you can ask for the lowest side of the budget taking it to a 50 to 60 % hike (you will be pricing yourself out of the job ).
5] ‘Penalize’ the prospective employer by asking for an ‘unrealistic’ increase just because you did not get a raise in your current company for the past 2 years. (one needs to be realistic).

DO:

1] ‘First focus’ on ‘selling your candidature’ as the most suitable candidate before entering into a discussion on salary expectation ( once the full value of the product is appreciated by the buyer, only the pricing needs to be discussed).
2] ‘Homework’ through the respective Recruitment Agency to find out what is the ‘pay scale or budget’ to get an idea so that you do not over quote when required.
3] ‘Throw the ball in employer’s court’ .......Tactfully let the prospective employer make the ‘first move’ of sharing an indicative range of offer (you can then use it as a base for negotiation ).
4] ‘Play hard’......In case the interviewer is very insistent on knowing your expectation, then you may mention something like “You have evaluated me in terms of fitment and am sure the company has a budget. Besides the excitement which role offers, I would need motivation in terms of compensation too. You know my current compensation and it would be mutually beneficial if you can share with me at what scale do you think I fit in? “
5] ‘Keep discussion open ended’ .......In case the interviewer is not ready to reveal anything, you may mention a ‘broad range’ (on the basis of your homework done on market standard and the kind of value you get to the job). You may say something like “On the basis of market standards and my expertise which will help the company gain revenues, I think anywhere between 20 to 30 percent can be discussed. But importantly I will need to understand the various components in terms of fixed plus variable for a full appreciation of the package (mentioning a range is advisable. And also by qualifying it with your need to understand the components, you keep the discussion open ended and have scope to negotiate once the employer indicates a figure).
6] ‘One in a million’.....In case you bring ‘unique’ expertise to the job either in terms of experience or skill sets and are able to assess/ establish the aspect during the interview process, you may ask for a compensation which can be higher than market standards.

Thursday 17 August 2017

Multiple Job Openings in India

If you are looking for new job opportunities in India, you better surf all the priorities beforehand. There are a number of jobs available and the best ones are often hard to find. To make your job search a little easier I’m listing current Job Openings according to designation So that you can easily apply for the desired job online.

Jobs By Designation

Choose Your Career - Find Job by Skills

Hello, Guys! We know very well that in today's fast paced up life, it is very hard to find a job matching one's interest. Although there are a number of job openings across India, still individuals with good skills are not able to get the one they desire. To help you out I, have listed some top job openings in top cities of India So you can apply for a job of your interest without any trouble. Below is a list of all the job openings in top cities in India. Have a look at it and start your career today!

For other Job openings Stay updated......

Jobs in Top Cities

Jobs in Hyderabad

Jobs in Pune

Jobs in Ahmedabad

Jobs in Bangalore

Jobs in Kolkata

Jobs in Bhubaneswar

Jobs in Delhi

Jobs in Coimbatore

Jobs in Jaipur

Jobs in Chennai

Jobs in Lucknow

Jobs in Indore

Jobs in Mumbai

Jobs in Chandigarh

Jobs in Gurgaon

Wednesday 16 August 2017

Job interview preparation – Top 10 Tips To Face an Interview

Appearing for a job interview for the very first time can be a nerve racking experience, to say the least! You are a novice, fresh in the industry with no substantial experience other than a few internships that may not count at all. Face-to-face interaction with your employer is your only chance to make a lasting impression and get you hired for your first job.

Job Interview

But how can one do this? What we have here for you are the 10 tips that will help you face and successfully crack your first job interview.

1. Know The Company - Know About The Business

This goes without saying! This is what any employer expects from you and they aren’t wrong! Research well about the company you are applying for and know their aim, mission, vision, values, and functions. Using this information in your answers will create the right impression in front of your employer. The research is the first and foremost task that you need to do before appearing in any interview.

2. The Introduction - Watch What You Say!

‘Tell me about yourself’ is every employer's favorite question! So be confident in your approach while you tell them about yourself.

3. What Can You Offer?

Thoroughly know the job title you are applying for, the responsibilities and why you are fit for the job. Remember a wide spectrum of opportunities awaits you. So for every point that you make try to have an instance where you have used that quality.

4. Act Confident Without Hesitation

This can be quite a task considering it’s the first time you are sitting for an interview but you have to pull off this lie. You have to act confident and make the employer feel that you have it all together and perfectly fit the job. Only confidence can get you there without much hassle.

5. Never Lie In Your Resume

Lying can backfire! The person sitting in front of you has ample experience of interviews and can easily know when you are faking it. So keep it real and only write in your CV, what you have actually achieved.

6. Dress Well

"Job interview preparation" is not as formidable as it sounds. No one can stress enough on the fact that in a case of an interview, ‘The first impression is the last impression.’ Put on your best clothes (formal of course!) and look neat when going for an interview for the first time or otherwise.

7. Have Your Questions Ready

Be observant and notice what’s going around you. Once the interviewer is done asking you questions, it is going to be your turn. Return the favor! Ask if you have any questions about the company and the role they are offering you. Just make sure they don’t come across as offensive or rude.

8. Be Eager To Learn

It’s okay to not know everything! If you get stuck on some questions and don’t know what to say, politely let the interviewer know. But also make it a point to ask what the answer was once they are done with all the questions. This shows your eagerness to learn, which is often considered useful from an employer point of view.

9. Deep Breathe

More than anything else, it’s the anxiety that ruins most interviews. Just before entering the room, take a few deep breaths and relax your nerves. Trust me, It always helps!

10. Thank You Mail

Whether or not you are hired, make sure you send the employer a thank you email after the interview telling them how glad you are to get this opportunity and how you hope to get selected for the same.

So get going and all the best for your job interview preparation!

10 Most Commonly Asked Questions in A BPO Interview

It’s that time of the year again when many of you take the plunge in the job market and look for new jobs. With more and more interviews to appear for, the stress that candidates feel is obvious and nerve wrecking.

Although usually assumed otherwise, appearing for an interview in the BPO sector is one of the most tedious tasks considering the number of rounds you may have to appear for before finally getting the job. So if you are one of those who is planning to join BPO sector or appearing for the interview, this article is for sure going to help you. Here is a list of 10 most commonly asked questions in a BPO interview and some answers to go with it.

1. Tell me something about yourself

This is interviewer’s favorite question, read the best way to answer this question here.

2. What is a BPO and how does it work?

BPO means Business Process Outsourcing. Any outsourcing company works on the concept of outsourcing some of its non-core processes to another company. You can also check the work flow of a particular organization before the interview.

3. Are you comfortable with the night shifts?

You should be well prepared to work even graveyard shifts if required when appearing for a BPO interview. The best answer to this question is yes! In any scenario – ‘No’ is definitely a big No for this question.

4. What is off-shore outsourcing?

When the work outsourced from a company in a different country, which is not nearby, it is known as off-shore outsourcing. If the country is nearby, it is known as shore outsourcing.

5. What is the difference between in-bound and out-bound call centers?

When a call center only receives calls, it’s inbound. If they are allowed to place calls as well, they are called outbound call centers. Inbound call centers usually handle the customer care function of any department.

6. Why do you think BPO is the right career choice for you?

I have always believed that I should work in an industry that puts my speaking skills to good use. The BPO industry is the perfect career choice since it helps me to develop my personality and enhance my communication skills. Also, I do have the zeal to work in this sector for so long.

7. What is the difference between a BPO and a KPO?

KPO stands for Knowledge Process Outsourcing that deals with services like documentation, billing or insurance while BPO is Business Process Outsourcing, which primarily deals with customer services.

8. Why do companies need to outsource?

Not only does it save cost, it is also imperative to get quality work done by resources who know their job. Therefore, it is essential for companies to outsource certain processes.

9. Will you be comfortable handling customers on the phone?

Well, this could be a tricky one considering they could have a mock call with you following this question. You better be prepared!

10. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Another one of the employers’ favorite, it’s important that you include the company you are interviewing for in your five-year plan. An answer like, ‘I see myself growing with this company and reaching a position where I become a valuable asset for the organization.’ is ideal.

I hope this article will help you to prepare for a BPO interview. To check out other articles on Career Guidance you can check it out on Shine Career info page.