Job Hunting - Considered India?

Today's guest blogger is one of the most widely read HR Gurus on the net.  Please welcome Guatam Ghosh: http://gauteg.blogspot.com

Job Hunting - Considered India?

I guess India and China are staple discussion items and are often hyphenated together. No wonder that my posts are so closely following Frank's in the Recruiting BlogSwap

Here's my submission to you:

If you are looking for a job, maybe it's time for you to consider India !

Why is that?

India's fast growing industries, from Information Technology, to Pharmaceuticals, to Insurance to Manufacturing all need people with the ability to get things done, and fast.

Most of these are family owned businesses that have nevertheless understood the need to professionalise and get talent from around the world. That's because if you have to sell tractors against John Deere then you better know what sells in the heart of the US. Who else apart from American managers can give that insight.

Indians speak a language of business that is very close to American. And I don't just mean English ! The premier Indian B-Schools like IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta have been established in collaboration with Harvard and MIT, and therefore have some common DNA. Lots of Indian managers have been educated in the US also.

A stint in any global location would be an added strength on your resume and maybe be a differentiator when one is being considered for leadership roles. In fact, one of my ex-boss moved from Canada's banking industry to India's BPO industry. When I asked him why, he said "I've downsized organizations in Canada, now I wanted to understand how growing an organization feels like!"

What else?

The cost of living in India is still very less ! A dollar takes you a long way !

The heat and dust might take some getting used to !

What skills are most in demand?

Marketing globally
Project Management
IT niche skills
US GAAP and Sox skills
Hospitality
Aircraft Pilots

Wish you all the best !

Comments

[Keith Partridge]

article on resumes
http://www.journalism.co.uk/features/story1953.shtml

[Biswajit]

This is an interesting article - Why foreigners love to work in India.
http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2006/jan/12spec1.htm

For people in the developed economies, it is necessary to work for some time in a developing economy..be it India or Brazil. The thinking expands...Your view on certain subjects change...You attain a global perspective on a variety of issues. I have stayed in US, India and Canada and every time I encounter a problem, I think I can analyze the problem from various angles.!

[sivamangesh]

Good one. Here are my two cents

As of now India needs more middle managers than any other country.
The organizations are now in a mode of professionalizing themselves to compete with global warriors. I see lot of requirements in global strategists, marketers, operations.
The companies are expanding by breaking territorial barriers, which require middle manages and strategists. I can say India needs managers in their 30’s and 40’ to see organizations transforming.

As you said, IT, BPO’s, KPO’s are obvious need of people. Apart from all the Intellectual property consultants from west are most sort for Indian companies now.

Another point is most of MNCs in India looking at American degrees.

[Santosh]

We at JobMilan.com blog jobs of various companies in India. May be this will give readers an idea on what are the skill set, the experience level and criteria of recruitment in India :)

I am "hands-on" Indian IT professional, and have worked abroad in Finland, USA, and UK. I can tell you working in India is fun because you get "top notch" jobs in India. I was part of 4 product development while in India but after I left India, I am only doing "maintenance" work. But that doesn't mean there are no product development happening elsewhere.

Infosys is now sending their American graduates to Mysore, India for training. More about it
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=3671