BT Job Interview

BT Job Interview

Ask Tarun! for career counselling

Q. I am a 43-year-old commerce grad, who used to manage a chemicals industry equipment business as well as an export-oriented leather apparel unit until recently. But I was forced to shut down when my main buyer in the US suddenly went bankrupt. Given my background, particularly my experience in international trade and contacts with textile- and leather-companies as well as fashion houses, could I get a break as a senior executive or a consultant in a related industry-even though I do not have an MBA degree?

Both the textile- and leather-apparel businesses, if you ask me, require similar baskets of skills. You could try for jobs in those sectors through placement-consultants in the metros, or even write to companies directly. Exploring cities like Kanpur, Calcutta, and Chennai (for leather companies) and Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Tirupur (for textile companies) could prove to be fruitful too. As the garments industry is promoter-driven, your entrepreneurial skills are likely to fetch kudos there. You could also look for employment with an Indian buying-house, or take up a buying franchise from one of your contacts.

Q. At 30, I am the Executive Secretary to the managing director in a large Indian company. Simultaneously, I am doing my MBA from IGNOU, with a specialisation in HR. While I have some affinity with the subject, I am yet to gain any hands-on experience. I have requested our HR Department to give me some additional HR-related responsibilities, but nothing has come of it yet. I am keen to make a career in HR, but feel I may be too old, with my lack of experience likely to come in the way of my getting a good offer. Is that likely?

At 30, you are not too old to start anything. I only hope you are seeking a career in HR by design rather than by default since many Executive Secretaries seem to end up in
inconsequential jobs in HR Departments towards the end of their careers, or when a new CEO takes over. HR is a vast area, and you should know what interests you before contemplating a career in it. Frankly, a full-time or part-time course in personnel management over the next 3 years may help you more than an IGNOU MBA. After completing such a course, you could ask for a break in your company. If that does not work out, you should not hesitate to seek a job elsewhere.

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