'An MBA is a great passport to a good job'

sandy: Hi Abha. I want know what kind of jobs are available in the media for managers, especially since media and entertainment are unstructured businesses with more emphasis on creativity?

Abha Kapoor: Hi, what is your core competence? Marketing, sales or finance?

nylonnalini: Is it possible for a housewife to get into the media?

Abha Kapoor: Media has become a very specialised category. Therefore it is important to have a qualification, as also the drive to make good in the field :-).

Kr: Hi, I am Kr (Kumar) from Chennai. I am 38 years and am interested in working as a news anchor. Is age a criteria/problem for this job?

Abha Kapoor: Not if you have some expertise in the field and are telegenic!

arb: Hi, I am a businessman who is now looking at an opportunity in the hospitality/F&B business. How do I go about it if I have no prior track record in the same field, but have a lot of ideas and have implemented certain things for others?

Abha Kapoor: What kind of ideas have you implemented? Are they in promotions/event management? It is very difficult to enter an industry unless you have a specialisation, since this is the age of specialisation. What kind of business were you running? What is your core skillset?

Ramesh: Hi, I am Ramesh from Bangkok. Wondering if you would look at my question regarding moving back to India.

Abha Kapoor: There are various employment opportunities in India. But a specific move would require more information on your area of specialisation. What was your question?

ricoCHET: I was terminated from my earlier job. I was idle for a few months. What should my approach be now? My qualifications: IIM, B Tech. Now working in a small firm.

Abha Kapoor: We would like to have some more details on your work experience as also your interests before commenting on what next.

dipesh: Hi Abha. I am in the IT field. Recently, I got an offer from CMM level 5 company from Delhi. My joining date was fixed, but after that they told me they were considering some other candidates also. What should I do?

Abha Kapoor: Please do not put all your eggs in one basket. Apply for other opportunities as well! And do not pester them to come back to you!

ram: Hi Abha. I am a final year management student specialising in marketing and finance. The problem is I am a hardcore born marketer, but have an interest in finance. Should I choose a career in sales and marketing or hardcore finance or is there a midway?

Abha Kapoor: Why don't you go in for a double major and look at an industry like banking/financial services? You could look at a marketing opportunity in this category.

AjitAM: I am in IT working for an MNC. I have a passion for finance. Will an MBA by correspondence help me get going in finance? I have a BE in computer science though.

Abha Kapoor: In finance, a degree like a chartered accountancy or a full-time MBA programme in finance is preferred. Why not consider that? All the best!

waahid: Hi Abha. Waahid here! Actually I am in a dilemma and looking for an expert advice. I have done my MMS in marketing and currently working as ASM (area sales manager) in a small FMCG company. Now I want to switch to MNCs, but I am getting no response from headhunters because of lack of experience and the low profile of my company. What should I do? Should I wait or should I opt for an MBA from a premier B-school? I have 1.5 years of experience and I am 24.5 years old.

Abha Kapoor: Why not try an MBA from a premier business school? That's the best passport to a great career, especially in MNC FMCGs.

gg: I have a post graduate degree in mass communication with 10 years experience in regional satellite television. I would like to move to the national level. What are the opportunities I have?

Abha Kapoor: There are numerous broadcasters and sales is a very important function as that is what brings in the money. Depending on your experience, as also your competence, I am sure you will have various opportunities at the national level. In the news and children's category, there are various channels at a startup phase who might have a requirement. All the best!

Rizwan: Hey! I am working as a marketing executive in Dubai and our office is planning to set up a branch office in India and shift me over here. Should I look out for better opportunities in Dubai or shift back to India?

Abha Kapoor: It's always good to get exposure in as many markets as possible. I suggest you take up the India opportunity. All the best!

Kallol: Abha, are you here to evaluate candidates' profile and suggest changes to make it look saleable? If yes, request your mail id.

Abha Kapoor: Why don't you check out my article that was published the other day on rediff.com -- Can you sell yourself well? :-)

maryvarghese: Hi, I have 12 years of experience in the television industry and have been involved in production, talent hunt and overall programme management of a regional channel. I wish to move on to something more challenging. What are my options?

Abha Kapoor: You could look at national channels now! That will give you a broader perspective and a larger platform for growth.

Ajit: I am 27 years old. I don't know if I should take a risk for full-time MBA. Also, due to my hectic work schedule, it is difficult to go for a part-time MBA. I am happy about my job, but feel I can make better in finance.

Abha Kapoor: Try and do a three-year MFM programme from a reputed insitution/university. All the best!

Roshan: Hi Abha. I am 25 years old. I have done my MBA in finance. I want to become an anchor or act in a television serial. Will my qualifications contradict or do I require any other specialised qualifications? What are the opportunities at an entry level in this field?

Abha Kapoor: Are you good-looking?! Can you act :-)

Hiten: Hi Abha, I'm into my final year of engineering (mechanical).I've been selected by Cognizant through campus recruitment. I'm wondering if I should accept the offer and do my MBA after a couple of years or go for one right away? Which, according to you, would be the better option?

Abha Kapoor: It's always advisable to do an MBA after one or two years of work experience. Work experience adds a lot of real value to an MBA programme as you can apply or translate your experience into your academic situation. It will also bring in that reality/excitement quotient in your learning. You therefore will definitely have an edge over people without any work experience in your MBA programme.

Jigar: How can we bring experience into our resume if no one gives the chance?

Abha Kapoor: Jigar, please don't give up! Somebody will give you a chance. Please persevere and keep trying to get that opportunity! All the very best!

DaKku: Hi Abha... Do you feel mid-career shifts are easy? I mean, is it easy to cope with living up to everybody's expectations on both the social and professional fronts?

Abha Kapoor : Hi, mid-career shifts are not EVER easy. But listen to your calling and if it is something that you are really passionate about, then take the chance. You are bound to be good at what you love to do. Go for it!

neha: Am doing my post-doctorates study in science, in one of the most famous institutes in the world. Now I want to do some charity. How to contact people?

Abha Kapoor: Why don't you do a search on google.com on NGOs? And take it from there? All the best!

ricoCHET: Is there any point in taking part in this rat race? What's your opinion? After all, the corporate growth pyramid grows steeper as you near the top. Any reason why you deciced to opt out of the corporate rat race?

Abha Kapoor: I am very much in the corporate rat race! In fact, it is a tougher one as I am running my own business. And a challenging one as I am responsible for professional lives. The only difference is that I LOVE what I do, which is adding value to professional careers. So the secret is: Follow your heart and do what you love doing most!

deepakbhattad: Does an MBA help in a job in the media in areas like media planning where analysis is involved?

Abha Kapoor: An MBA is always a great passport to a good job, especially in functions like media planning, where analysis is required. You could also think about MICA if you are looking at this specifically. All the best!

ashesh: Hi Abha... I run my own company with 35 people. we are into text conversion and data entry for an MNC for the past two years. I want to close and start working as an professional. What kind of response will i get if i apply to ITES companies?

Abha Kapoor: I am sure you will get an opportunity with an ITES company that requires these specific skillsets. You will probably have to do a search and treat your own candidature like a project. Give it your full focus as also a time frame and you are bound to meet with success! All the best!

sulbha: Hi Abha, this is Sulbha here. I am a BSc in statistics and I am working as an assistant to the CEO in a private firm. I may have to leave the full time job for my baby. What would you suggest -- should I take a part-time job or a home-based job? Do you think home-based jobs really give some earnings? What about DATAMATICS? Is it worthwhile and helpful for me to earn some money for my own sake? Thanks for your help.

Abha Kapoor: For the first six months, why don't you give quality time to your baby and enjoy motherhood? Meanwhile, look at various flexitime/part-time options. In case you have support systems, you can resume fulltime employment after six months. Good luck!

rathtapan: I have 20+ years experience in project management and about five years in marketing. I want to switch to academics, which is my long time dream. But I do not have a post-graduate degree. I am a graduate mechanical engineer. Please advise on how I can achieve my cherished dream.

Abha Kapoor: Many institutes may not insist on a PG degree if you have such an extensive experience, as also a core competence. Why don't you try applying to the ones on your wishlist? All the best!

parab: Hi Abha, I am into intellectual property rights. Though the job is good and the salary is also good, I wish to switch to freelancing. Is there scope for freelancing in IPR in India?

Abha Kapoor: There is/will be a huge demand for your skillset. It depends on your competence level. All the best!

dinesh: Hi Abha, I have worked for one year with one small company in ASP Net. Because of some problem, I left two months ago. Now I am working on Mobile Games on J2ME, again in a small organisation. I am confused as to what should I choose? What is the future of game developers in India?

Abha Kapoor: Gaming is the new buzzword in content these days. Go for it!

rr: How to handle strength and weakness questions in an interview?

Abha Kapoor: With honesty and integrity! Often, weaknesses can also be strengths and vice versa. Don't hedge because they have various tools for reference checking these days, and you will be found out sooner or later. You will be surprised what an interviewer can pick up just by your body language and eye contact or the lack of it!

jayparikh5028: Hi Abha, this is Jay. Well, i am from Mumbai and I want to get into serials and ads. Could you tell me how can I approach... I have already given my snaps to some co-ordinators but nothing has happened. What do you suggest if I go to Balaji? My id is jayparikh@rediffmail.com.

Abha Kapoor: Balaji has a talent coordinator/casting director and they have created household names. So that is a good idea! Good luck!

Rao: Hi Abha, I am currently working with India's largest multilingual portal in sales. Prior to this I have with me television and print experience. Could you share your experience on whether I should move back to traditional media or you see the Internet medium would offer to keep me in good stead?

Abha Kapoor: Both options are open to you. It's boom time for content -- be it television, print or the Internet. With your experience you are very lucky to have these choices. Television sales often does pay better than the other medium. You have to decide what motivates you. Good luck!

anuraj: Hi Ma'am, I'm doing my MBA and I'm very worried about my career. Tell me the right suggestion.

Abha Kapoor: Stop wasting time worrying and concentrate your energies on focusing on your grades! The right opportunity will come by. Relax!

Abha Kapoor: Hey all, it's been great chatting with you. Apologies for the questions that I couldn't answer. I will be back soon! Till then stay focused! Bye!