Last week's Q & A

• Qualifications :BE Electronics
Query Background :Career future
I have been working on Powerbuilder, Unix and oracle for the last 3 years. I am learning Java now. I am just wondering as to how I can get an assignment on Java. My company does not do Java development. I want to get into Java area as powerbuilder is not sought after tool anymore in India. Will post graduation be helpful. Thanks

Dear Mr. Ramesh,
The following are the options available to you:
1. You could take up a job in another company engaged in Java Projects: Since there is an acute shortage of IT professionals, most companies these days take freshers and train them in Java. You have an edge over the others here as you are already learning Java. Companies such as Wipro, Infosys, Satyam take in a lot of freshers. But they do not usually recruit through advertisements in the newspapers, or magazines. Most of the companies recruit either through headhunters, employee-referrals or through advertising online. What you need do is to network with people working in companies engaged in Java programming and keep in constant touch with them, submit your resume with placement agencies and simultaneously register with jobsites such winjobs.com, careermosaicindia.com and other IT jobsites.

2. You could talk to the Project leader in your company and try to persuade him to also take up Java Projects, as you have already mentioned that Powerbuilder is on its way out. You can emphasize on the fact that it will ultimately prove beneficial to the company.

3. In order to gain further experience or knowledge about Java projects, you could register with sites like eworks.com and also visit forums such as java.sun.com, Internet.com, developers.com. Apart from the above-mentioned, you could also register with international technical sites such as dice.com, hightechcareers.com, techies.com etc.

Post graduation although not mandatory, will definitely help you gain an entry into IT majors. An M.Tech or an MCA is advisable. You could also take JCP (Java Certified Professional) tests in order to gain an added advantage over other Java Professionals.You could also try doing an MS course from a University in the US on-line or off-line.

• Query Background :CISCO / ORACLE DBA
Qualifications :B.E. (Computer Science)
I'm having 10 years of IT experience of which 6 years in teaching (In a Engg. college) and 4 years as a system administrator. I like to switch my job and I'm interested in doing new courses.My current skill set : MCSE NT 4.0, ERP (Tetra Implenetation) ,MCDBA. I would like to do :
1. CCNA (cisco)
2. Sun Solaris 8.0 Admin.
or shall I do ORACLE 8.0 DBA. Pls. advice. Since NT is loosing it's ground to Solaris and Linux. I'm interested to learn Solaris 8.0 admin. What is your opinion. Pls. advice any good institute to learn Solaris 8.0 in Bangalore.

Dear Mr. Zulfikhar Ahmed,
You could take a Certification in Sun Solaris from RCS Systems, Bangalore. This Sun-endorsed training institute is at Brigade Road, Bangalore. Their web address is www.rcsedu.com.

For CCNA, the best information source is the Cisco site (http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/10/wwtraining/listAllTP.html). Oracle is available from SQL Star in Bangalore.

We feel that NT is losing ground alright; but not just to Solaris and Linux. Looming on the horizon is Windows 2000. This uses a different API and we see a need for experienced administrators in the next 2 years.

Regards
T. Muralidharan
CEO
Careercommunity.com

• Qualifications :MTech
Query Background :IT Project Management
I am planning to return to India shortly and my IT background is in IBM Mainframes with an INSURANCE domain. How can I get into Project Management Positions with Indian IT Companies & what could be the expectations & salary range being offered for my kind of Qualifications,Skills & Experience(10Years)? Can you name few IT companies who would be interested in hiring me.? Thanks in advance.
Indian Admirer

Dear Mr. Mani,
I think you have very valuable qualifications and experience which should be in demand in India. You are aware that the Government of India has opened up the insurance sector in a big way. A lot of private insurance companies are being formed and these companies will require technical teams, so the first thing is to do is to apply to an Insurance major as a CTO or GM (Technical). The second option is to join companies which are developing software for exclusive companies for insurance like PMSI (Policy Management Services Inc.) based in Indore. They do exclusive work on Insurance software.

In summary I think your skills are good, and I need a detailed CV to send it forward. In the CV highlight your skills and the role you would like to play as a Team Leader/Project Leader. You could mention the area in which your competency lies whether it is Business Development or Customer Relationship Management. Mail me your CV at [email protected]. I will be able to give you a feedback on the salary only after we receive your CV and talk to the prospective customers.

Regards
T. Muralidharan
CEO
Careercommunity.com

• Qualifications :B.E. IT - Final Year
Query Background :Internship
Hello Sir,I am a final year student of B.E. information technology with a top class academics and good project experience.I am looking for my final semester internship (6 months - full time). While hunting for internship opportunities, I am unable to find a single opportunity even after applying to about 200 places all over the world. I am totally nervous of this and don't see any way out of this...please suggest some concrete ways for getting success.

Dear Ms. Gunjan,
It appears from your mail that you have applied to all and sundry companies, instead of focussing on a few.
You don't necessarily have to do your project from MNCs or in companies that are located abroad. There are plenty of companies in and around Gujarat where you could apply for doing your internship. The following tips should be kept in mind when applying for internship:

1. Identify 10 Indian companies primarily Manufacturing firms that are located around or in Gujarat E.g. Fertiliser companies. Ensure that atleast 2-3 out of these 10 are Public Sector Companies.

2. Find the e-mail i.ds of the Head of the HR departments in these companies(you must address your mails only to the HR heads).

3. Use your Professors' contacts and also seek their help in writing mails to these people. The letter should establish that

(a) at the end of the 6 months of your internship you would have benefited them by choosing a project that is mutually beneficial to you and the company (Most companies consider taking interns as an investment you will have to convince them that you are a good investment).

(b) Commit yourself to the company if they find you appropriate for their IT departments. (No company would like to invest in a person for just for 6 months). If you can assure them that you will take up employment with them if it is offered to you then they would definitely consider you seriously.

Before you write to these companies visit their websites to know more about them, and include a few lines from them. This will indicate that you have done your groundwork before applying for internship. You could visit www.themanagementor.com to know about different companies and Industries in the reports provided on the site.

Good Luck

Regards
T. Muralidharan
CEO
Careercommunity.com

• Qualifications :IInd Yr. B.Sc. Comp Sc.
Query Background :Course of Action
Hi there, I'm in my IInd Yr. of B.Sc. Comp Sc. at Loyola College, Chennai. I'm interested in a career in S/W Development. I have over 5 yrs. programming experience, including Java. I've also published a couple of technical articles on Java. Going thru the Opportunities supplement of The Hindu ... I get disheartened seeing that all these IT companies aren't even willing to consider a competent B.Sc. graduate while welcoming any BE from a god-knows-where college. I'd like your advice as to what course of action I may take ... is it worth it (still) to prepare for IIT and write the exam next year (and waste 2 yrs) ? What course can I pursue after B.Sc ? I'm interested in working part-time in the IT field ... how should I go about this ? I'd appreciate your advice.

Dear Ms. Sonal,
What you need to understand is that any qualification is just a mode of entry for a candidate into a company, it is only the persons' competence in her/his subject that eventually helps the person get a job, especially so in case of a career in S/W development. There are plenty of companies that do take in BSc.(Computer Science) freshers and then train them. Wipro conducts an entrance exam for B.Sc. graduates. This is basically is an aptitude test with the usual logical reasoning, language, GK sections followed by a group discussion. Sometimes some basic knowledge of computers is also tested. There is no reason for you to get disheartened.

Regarding your question on whether you should try for IIT again, there is no harm. But since the IIT entrance calls for a good amount of preparation, you might find it difficult to work part-time, continue your graduation and also prepare for the entrance at the same time. So you will either have to drop the part-time job, or the IIT preparations. I wouldn't recommend leaving college, as you will need something to fall back on.

For a part-time job in the IT industry, you could either work as a lab-assistant, or even a faculty (if you can convince them of your competence)in a computer-training institute.

Best of Luck.
Regards

T. Muralidharan
CEO
Careercommunity.com

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