Back up candidate.

So this week has all been going tight with lot of deadlines on Projects. It was after some time that I felt that 24 Hrs were not enough to manage things on home, work and personal fronts. Yeah it is good to have this pressure once in a while.

Last week, one of my very very close childhood friend had a strange experience of series of interview for a international position from overseas consultant. While he was fully settled and had no plans to move out of India given the Wellness of Indian economy, as well as appreciating rupee as well as wanting to be close to home as a typical Indian worker do. This would make all the movement out of India a redundant. His Personality profile clearly indicates that he would work for a a good and understanding boss and this has been the case for the past 20 years in the organizations where he worked. He accepted to be interviewed over phone for a simple reason for knowing new people as well as the consultant being " the top notch International recruiter" so its good to know people and this company also is so called leader in the field.

So with the Phone line being as disturbing it was and you need to strain to hear what was said, and there were some hypothetical questions which didn't make sense to him. It reminded us of a tamil movie of 1960s in which two unemployed graduates discuss about the recent job interview in which they were asked questions about sports tactics in a clerical job interview. (Kalyana Parisu)

What shocked us both was that the feedback that came from the company that he needed to improve his leadership skills and that they found wanting. Some excuse for not they not making it for him. We just wondered whether the discussion was for a CEO position giving Jack Welch or Bob Shaphiro a run for the money. More so with we both reading lot of Drucker and Podcasts. I look up to him for advice and suggestion on Management and best practices as well we exchange all the best practices in Management.

Some euphemistic way, I guess. Anyway, he also shared with me a hunch feeling that he was a backup candidate to turn in to should some things don't work with the first candidate. After listening to him with less transparency when the deal is happening. Anyway, it would have made no difference, but just thought of sharing this incident as how things can go in this competitive environment. I guess you cant find out if you are the backup candidate, but as things progress, you can foresee the end, I guess. So you can say it was hell of an interview. We both wondered if an Indian candidate was used as a scapegoat to project the other guys better.!!!!. I have read such techniques as norm in my MBA paper, so could see the real example.

Incidentally, I had posted my query on sharing the Manager tools podcast for our Indian friends who don't have access to Internet in India. Mike and Mark are pondering over this.

So, as usual the Wallabies found Jonny too much to handle in the quarter final. I think the English rugby is alive and kicking. I had referred Jonny in earlies posts as one of the great sports personality and he proved it again yesterday. It was also sad to see all blacks loosing to France. This goes to show the uncertainties of the game.

I am glad Aussies are teaching Indians lesson in Cricket, reminds me of Clive Lloyd handing out Humiliation to India after the fluke of 1983. Teams like India have long long long way to go to catch up on international cricket. One tree doesn't make a forest. Such victories can only bring some pocket filling. To reach world class levels to be even a number 2 team I don't see happening in my lifetime. This is confirmed by a news of a talented cricketer committing suicide, which I just saw as news in CNN IBN.

Till next week, take it easy and take care, Live consciously.

Karthik.

Career Opportunities

Hi all,

Good to be back to after a week gap. I was kind of tied up with couple of career cross roads situation that kind of tied up to take some decisions. Now that I have made the decision, it is good feeling back to focus. Also the Hyderabad flyover collapse happened as I was getting ready to work on my blog last week.

I am just wondering as to how much Indian companies had turned around in their approach to management and cultural shift? I have lost the feel as its almost 16 years. I think they have come a long way in kind of managing the issues professionally. But the question is, Are people who are working in MNC for more than a decade or so, who are used to taking independent decisions and working in virtual environment, be ready to take the plunge to adjust themselves ???. I am not very sure. I have also been seeing couple of my friends/ ex-colleagues who moved out from a stable job in MNCs to work with Indian companies and have since been in a kind of job hopping over the past 4 years. Yes, of course, they have grown in their career position in terms of position, stature, titles, but the question over change always come to haunt putting family considerations as well as entering in to uncharted frontiers of working with the unknown? I would be interested to see comments.

I am wondering about the rains about the last 3 days here in Bangalore, and the damage it has caused including deaths. Wonder, when things are going to turn around. You really feel sad to hear stores of people being washed away or house collapse even when the rainfall is hardly a couple of inches. Wonder, what we can do from our side as a social measure?

I came across this websites which I hope will be of help to you.

Douglas Welch hosts very interesting podcast on career opportunities. Worth hearing. I found podcasts on reputation for honesty, empathy etc, very useful.

Jack and Suzy welch roll out a podcast every week on the Business week column called the Welch Way. I am getting to hear during my evening walk. (Morning walk is reserved for Manger tools). Very practical suggestions, straight forward. You may use Itunes to collect podcasts I guess.

Not sure, If I had given link to the Marcus Buckingham's website in my previous posting on his books. He is refreshingly different. I finished his books, First break all the rules, and Discover your strengths.

Ok, Take care and catch up next week. Enjoy the Ganesh festival. I had a good time yesterday. With my son growing up he has started performing the ritual at home this year.

Until then, Take it easy and Take care; Live Consciously.
Regards
Karthik.