Tag: HR

Tips to Choose the Best Oil & Gas Industry Jobs

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The oil and gas industry jobs are available aplenty even with the recession making inroads into this enormously successful and lucrative career landscape. And being a vast and an oft uncharted territory for most of the elite of the recruitment seekers, the oil & gas job search is often sans the cut-throat rivalry that is now pre-dominant in most other job arenas.

However, this does not make the road to making a career in this domain a cakewalk. Most of the interviewees either do not have an idea about how to search for jobs in this particular industry, or do not have the soft-skill or prowess to make it through an interview in the said sector.

Here are 5 tips to help you out in locating and attaining an oil & gas industry job in a jiffy!

1.Identify the Entry Level You might be a graduate from an elitist college, but if you are willing to work in the oil and gas industry jobs, you need to work from the bottom rung and upwards from there. This is important because only then would you be able to handle managerial positions well- with the basic entities of the domain at your command.

2.Experience Experience is a huge factor in gaining a foothold in your oil and gas job search. The more experience you have working on oil rigs or offshore platforms, the better are your chances to locate a high-paid job from the industry. For freshmen, it is better to work and gain valuable experience at the junior levels being trying their luck further up the corporate ladder.

3.Use References Again, experience counts and also helps in making acquaintances that may help ply your case to the top management. Remember, the oil and gas industry jobs are all pretty elusive but can be pretty easy to achieve with the help of well-placed & well-informed references.

4.Stay Up-to-date About the Latest News from the Sector Knowledge is power practical or theoretical, or both! The more you know of the latest trends in the oil and gas industry jobs, the higher are your chances of making the cut in the interviews. This also includes some very hands-on research and banter with people already working on rigs or platforms offshore.

5.Focus on the Positives Remember, it is easy to highlight the negatives and shy away from the said industry. However, if you focus on the positives, you will find yourself better placed to answer HR questions thrown at you during the interview. This includes high-points like better pay, perks as well as an easy and quick climb to the top managerial positions if you are smart enough!

So you see, getting the coveted oil & gas industry job is not as tough as it is made out to be. However, it is no cakewalk either and preparation & knowing is half the battle won.

Job Opportunities In Indian Aviation Industry

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After Sept 11, 2001 when USA got struck by terrorist attack, almost all the industries has been affected. But Aviation Industry is one of the hardest hit, as the major airlines likes of Swiss Air and American airlines. But despite of all these happenings Indian Aviation industry though minute could withstand this pressure and had grown leaps and bounds. This is due to the growth of Indian economy and tourism industry in particular in the last few years.

In the last two years many a new airlines have come to the fore in a huge way and many huge industries have declared their wishes to enter into this industry. Another major leap was the open sky policy of Government of India permitting the existing private airlines in India to fly to foreign destinations.

It does require a special mention that with such expansions planned by major aviation companies and new companies formed there is a vast manpower requirement. Qualified manpower is in huge abundance in India but they need a proper direction to capitalise on this surge in industry. When the human resources needed by these companies were less in number, it was easy to tap from a huge HR bank but when the demand for such HR increased they are finding it extremely difficult to maintain the quality of HR selected for these jobs especially when more and more foreign airlines are flying into India offering high salary packages forcing the better of HR to go with these companies.

It is important to mention here that Indian aviation industry grew by 20% second only to BPO industry in services sector and then comes the concept of no frills airline the market for which is growing vastly. Many no frills airline have already announced their plans to start services to India a few of them are Nok Air, Air Asia-Thailand, Air Arabia etc.

The boom in the aviation sector in India can be gauged by the fact that in one year, the number of people seeking pilot licenses and airhostess training has multiplied three times. In April 2005, it was 300. In April 2006, the number rose to 1045. The civil aviation industry is booming. Indian airlines placed orders for over 400 aircraft worth a whopping $30 billion for its operational requirements. That shows a requirement of 5600 pilots, 19000 airhostess or cabin crew, 24000 technicians, 36000 ground handling crew and various other related vacancies.

And these aviation industry vacancies are all fresh vacancies without including vacancies that may come up in the existing aircrafts.

Also the pay packages offered by the various Indian airlines have also seen an upward trend due to very few number of trained pilots and cabin crew availability. Hence there is an opportunity for you.

Indian aviation is witnessing a mushrooming of new airlines especially low cost carriers. Besides the existing Air Deccan, newly launched Spicejet and value airline Kingfisher Airlines, there are Indus Airways, Air One, East West Airlines, Go Airways, Magic Air and Crystal Air who are getting ready to fly Indian sky soon. India is to see the launch of at least 14 such airlines. Low cost start-up carrier IndiGo had stunned the aviation industry by placing orders for 100 aircraft at a list price of over $6 billion last year.

How To Get A Job In The Fashion Industry Even During The Recession!

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Today a friend from who worked at a Designer Apparel company called me somewhat depressed. His company closed their showroom and he has been out of work for 4 months without any prospects for work. I felt his pain and asked him to join me for lunch so we could figure out his next step. Over lunch I asked him how he was feeling. Frustrated, concerned, worried, and wondering if he would find work were some of the emotions. He did everything you are taught to do when looking for a job. He had called everyone he knew, went on line to see what jobs were posted, sent resumes everywhere, but to no avail. Well, my first step was to change his attitude. Because feeling the way he was feeling was not going to help him one bit. Then I asked him where the opportunity was in this challenge? How could he turn it around so that his next position was perfect and soon? By the time we were done he had the beginnings of a great plan which if he follows through (which knowing him I believe he will) could give him his own business, that he would love, with the potential to earn oodles of money. I also told him to get the book “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield to help him bring his plan to fruition. Which brings me to the basic concept which is: “Where is the opportunity in every challenge that you have?” Remember the right attitude is a big part of succeeding.

With the economy being what it is today every industry is fighting for survival and the fashion industry is no exception. Fashion is the only industry where styles go “out” of fashion and then they come back “in”. In a sense it is a very volatile and fickle industry. And in to this whirlpool of movement and the ins and the outs of fashion came The Recession.

With this economic scenario what is a person to do? Jobs are essential as more often than not, based on the take-home people are paying off mortgages, credit debts and loans. All your regular tried and tested ways of getting another job when the job market is so tight are sometimes in vain. You would really then need to sit back and take a long hard look at your methods and come up with something where you get a job and one that you enjoy that meets your career expectations.

Finding a job during recession need not mean you have to compromise to an extent you feel you are short changing yourself. It just means you have to find a way to get a foot in the almost closed door and make it open for you. Employers are now looking to boost their revenue potential and one way you could present yourself as a potential candidate is to focus on companies that are still growing. If your resume highlights your successes rather than your oh-so long list of qualifications then you stand a better chance at getting the second call. “Over-qualified” is a curse during recession because the more your degrees and diplomas the more prospective employers feel you are looking for a large pay package. Don’t forget, people are still buying clothes, shoes, handbags whatever just not as much. The fashion industry cannot come to a grinding halt we just have to continue wading their way through the recession period so cost cutting is paramount in our thinking.

You want that job and you want that the employers should notice your resume among the thousands they receive. Don’t fall in to the old trap of sending out a standard resume to a large number of companies. Doing this means you have given all companies an open invite to your resume thereby negating its potential value and you are commoditizing yourself. Your resume needs to stand out.

Jamie Varon 23, had her heart set on working at Twitter. She already applied for a position on the companies website. She had asked a friend at Google to put a good word in for her. She even showed up at the company’s web site with a bag of cookies in an effort to charm the recruiter into meeting with her. All to no avail. What she did next was sheer brilliance. She created a web site called twittershouldhireme.coom which included her resume and recommendations plus a blog which detailed her quest. Within 24 hours the company contacted her and she had a meeting set up at Twitter. She also received two job offers from other tech companies that had noticed her site. Talk about thinking outside the box. This is the kind of thinking you need to do in order to stand out from the crowd.

Your first move should be to make a list of what kind of job you really want. Design the job in your head. Than write down what it looks like down to the details of what you will be doing each day, how you will dress, and what you will be paid. Don’t let fear take over. By taking time off to detail what you are looking for you are giving yourself a vision of what your next job is. Than start looking at companies that fit the bill. Once you have narrowed them down to the top 15 – 20 companies, next start your campaign to find a job in those companies. Again be creative, look for companies that are doing well and growing. There is always someone doing good business in every kind of economy.

Four years ago I found myself unemployed. The division I ran for 17 years was being closed and there wasn’t another position being offered. This was a crushing blow as I thought of this company as my home. While I was incredibly upset on the day it happened the next day I found myself excited by the possibilities. Wow, I could reinvent myself. Four years later I have an even better position as President of a major celebrity brand with a very successful company making more money than at my previous company. Again having the right attitude is a major part of the process.

The next step is your resume. Seek help from professional resume writers. Remember if you reveal everything about you in the resume then you are giving the reader an open invite to make snap decisions. Matters are complicated enough what with your resume having to clear three levels in one go, the junior HR recruiter who is working on key words, the next level manager who is looking for experience and skills and finally the actual recruitment person who has to ensure you are the right foot for the shoe. A sluggish economy requires that your resume must fit every framework. Be exact and not vague in detailing your eligibility. They are looking for people who can think on their feet and offer viable solutions not general ideas.

Your aim is to let your prospective employer know you are flexible, your experience can only bring positive results to your new job, you are able to read situations, take required action and get positive results whenever the need arises. If you feel you can start at a lower salary for a short period on the condition that you will get an increment when the economy settles, be open to it. This indicates your willingness to adjust to the constraints the company is facing. It is always more important to take the best position than the most money as that is what will make your career more successful. In the fashion industry there are always people jumping from job to job with no staying power. Those peoples career always self destructs eventually. You need a home not just a paycheck. The money always comes as you grow in your career.

Now you have the interview. What are the next steps? You need to sell yourself in the interview the same way you would sell any product. Make a presentation on how you would benefit the company and fulfill their needs. Do your research. Know the company, know the job and it’s requirements and than show how your experience and strengths would solve their challenges. Show examples of how you have done this in the past. Be open and friendly in an interview and do not bring up any negative points. Do not tell them how hard it is to find a job, do not trash your old company or boss. Be very positive. Prospective employers want to work with pleasant people. I always wonder about negative people and have never hired one. I look for people who really want the job but are not desperate for the job.

Getting a job during recession is not an impossible task. All it requires is a little effort on your part, a little patience and some clear ideas on how you can bring opportunity to your doorstep.

Copyright (c) 2009 Create My Career

Impact Of Health Care Legislation Hr 3962 On The Outsourcing Industry

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President Barack Obama had a hard won victory on Saturday night (the 7-8th day of November 2009) when the landmark health care reform legislation (HR 3962) was passed with 220-215 votes. Now if everything goes the Obama way, then by the end of the year 09 Affordable Health Care for America Act would apply as a law impacting almost fifty million US lives. But what does this Act actually imply? How does it stand to impact an average US life? How does the Act affect the outsourcing industry at large? Through my article below I endeavor to answer these and many more questions.
Ab-initio we will refresh the fundamentals of federalism, stating the Roles, Duties, Nature, Scope and Restrictions on the government in a written federal constitution. Next we proceed to see whether the above attempt by the federal government to accede healthcare legislation is ultra-vires the powers granted by the US Constitution.

What is Federalism?

According to the traditional classification followed by the political scientists, constitutions are either unitary or federal. In a unitary constitution, the powers of the government are centralized in one government viz., the Central Government. In the federal constitution, on the contrary, there is a division of power between the federal and the state governments in a way that they are both inter-dependent and independent at the same time.
As we all know that Constitutions are organic documents which operate as fundamental law. The governments and their organs owe their origin to the constitution, derive their authority from the constitution and discharge their responsibilities within the framework of the constitution. The judiciary has the power to declare a law unconstitutional if the law is found to have contravened any provision of the constitution. The American Constitution is the oldest and a well praised example of federalism.

What are the powers granted by the US Constitution to the State Government?

Powers reserved for State Governments are:
Establishing local governments
Issuing licenses (driver, hunting, marriage, etc.)
Regulating intrastate commerce
Conducting elections
Ratifying amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Providing for public health and safety
Exercising powers which are neither delegated to the Federal Government nor were prohibited from the States by the Federal Constitution (residuary powers)
Framing other domestic law (for example, setting legal drinking and smoking ages etc.)

What are the powers granted by the US Constitution to the Federal Government?

Under the Constitution, powers reserved for the Federal Government are:
Printing of money
Declaration of war
Establishing the armed forces
Entering into treaties with foreign governments
Regulating commerce domestically and internationally
Establishing post offices and issuing postage
Making laws necessary to enforce the Constitution

What are the powers shared by Federal and State Government?

Under the Constitution, the shared, or “concurrent” powers are:
Setting up courts
Creating and collecting taxes
Building highways
Borrowing money
Making and enforcing laws
Chartering banks and corporations
Spending money for the betterment of the general welfare
Acquiring private property with appropriate compensation

What is the HR 3962 Act ?

The HR 3962 Act conceptualizes a new, voluntary, public, long-term care insurance program to help purchase services and support for people who have functional limitations. The Act endeavors to form a new national program to provide affordable coverage for those who cant get health insurance today because of pre-existing conditions. Under this, the insurance companies must spend 85 cents out of every premium dollar on medical services, thereby fostering the expansion of Medicaid and improving the Medicare. Under this, the young adults, till the age 26, are covered within their parents policies.

The Obama administration intends to attain this by creating mandates. As a self-sustaining public insurance option (that is financed not by tax dollars but by insurance premiums), this provides an alternative to and competes with private health insurance companies, on a level playing field. Additionally, the Act intends to eliminate the antitrust exemption for health insurers and medical malpractice insurers thereby fostering competition thus targeting the existing monopolies in the health insurance market. It aims to establish a new mandatory essential benefits package that shall become the minimum quality standard for employer plans, with the passage of time. The package places a cap for annual out-of-pocket spending, at a maximum of $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per family to prevent bankruptcies from medical expenses.

This Act requires the employers to either provide insurance to their employees or contribute to the cost of their coverage through the public plan/exchange, though the small businesses are exempted from this requirement.

Arguments regarding Constitutionality of HR 3962

The legal fraternity is divided between two schools of thought about the constitutionality of the Act. First school believes that the Act is unconstitutional and places reliance on Articles I 8 and V of the US constitution and on Tenth Amendment. They claim that their argument is supported by the celebrated case of MARBURY v. MADISON, 5 U.S. 137 (1803) and some federalist opinions. The second school of thought places reliance on Article I 8 and the celebrated case of McCulloh v. Maryland, 4 Wheaton 316 (1819); Steward Machine Co. v. Davis, 301 U.S. 548 (1937); United States v. Butler, 297 U.S. 1 (1936) and some federalist opinions. An in-toto analysis of these school of thoughts would conclude that the true interpretation of the word general welfare in Article I 8 of the U.S. Constitution can only determine the constitutionality of an Act like HR 3962. Till date the court opinions have been more inclined towards Hamilton (Federalist 33, 83 etc.) and Story rather than Madison (Federalist 41, 45 etc.).
Simply put, when the government mandates welfare as a quid-pro-quo for premiums collected, such welfare translates to nothing but a tax liability for the country men. Such an attempt by the government to regulate insurance sector by masquerading as an industry player is inspired from socialism. I personally feel that socialism is a Marxian concept and may not go well in an economy with capitalist foundations. The good thing is that people all over the world should buy insurance; this however turns bad when the government forces people to do so.

What are the implications of HR 3962 on the Outsourcing industry?

The object clause to the Act states that it is meant to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending.

In reality, the act is a victim of haste. Ideally if the intention of the Obama administration and the object clause of the Act were actually in-sync then the administration should have awaited a confirmed indication of the end-of-recession. The administration should have first looked at strengthening the fundamentals of the economy, by:
better regulating the existing insurance sector,
improving the US agrarian culture and making the country self sufficient regards its food requirements,
checking the cost-of-living index and
creating more jobs in the private sector.
But if the intention is to make more and more Americans dependant on Federal Government for basic requirements, then the attempt is bang on.

Impact on the outsourcing industry:

Prima-facie it may seem complex but there are clear indications for the outsourcing industry to benefit once the HR 3962 is implemented. The benefit roots from the fact that the employees will become expensive for the employers post this Acts applicability. Now given the very competitive market scenarios, thin profit margin and the inability of the employer to transfer this increased cost to the end consumer, the employer is forced to search for the less costly alternatives. It is needless to say here that the Act magnifies the already existing labor arbitrage opportunities internationally. To appreciate the existing labor arbitrage opportunities you can refer to my older blog post.

How To Use Hr Scorecard For Publishing Industry

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Evaluation of human resource performance has become one of the most popular recent trends in business performance assessment. Balanced scorecard is widely used to optimize performance and evaluate efficiency of human resource departments, especially in huge transnational companies and corporations. Business owners came to understand that human resources are worth to invest in, as such investments proved to be the most effective in the long term. One should not underestimate the power of human resources, and the recent financial crisis is the best proof that efficient and dedicated personnel can help company solve problems and even perform better in post crisis economy.

HR scorecard for publishing industry is gaining popularity. There is a tough competition in the market of both online and offline media. Thats why efficient use of human resources is a precondition for success. Publishing business is not an exception here.

Perhaps, the right choice of key performance indicators for HR scorecard in publishing business is the most important stage of BSC implementation. It is very important to find critical success factors for an effective HR policy. Publishing business has its own peculiar features, business environment and specific nature. It should be taken into account when creating key performance indicators in all categories of balanced scorecard.

Lets review a couple of indicators that might be very helpful in assessment of HR efficiency for publishing industry.

Average equipment cost per employee. Such an indicator is truly considered to be very representative. Personnel uses various equipment in publishing business, like printing machines, powerful computers etc. Inefficient use of equipment may result in huge expanses. In order to optimize production expenses per employee, it might be very helpful to keep track on this KPI. On the one hand, an employee should get everything he or she needs to fulfill duties. On the other hand the company should not overpay. Based on the evaluation results, human resource managers may think of the ways to optimize expenses by forming teams of the right size, allocating the right amount of resources, office space and equipment. Employees may share the same equipment without feeling uncomfortable which will decrease average equipment cost per employee, and thus the company may save money which can be used, for example, for training or personnel coaching.

New hire turnover during the first 12 months. Publishing business involves advanced knowledge and experience in working with specialized equipment. Thats why if a company hires and educates new employees it sometimes spends a great amount of money. If the new employee eventually leave the company having worked less than 12 month, the company is more likely to suffer losses. It is very important to create suitable working conditions for freshly hired personnel, so that newcomers can use obtained knowledge to benefit the company. New higher turnover is a very indicative measure that directly evaluates efficiency of human resource department. Logical leap, the lower turnover is, the better for the company.

Finally, it should be mentioned that when evaluating HR performance one needs to keep balance between interests of personnel goals of the company.