NEW DELHI: Today freshers have multiple options, ranging from the IT industry to BPO, from retail to telecom to banking. So what should they cho
ose and why?
The BPO industry is among the most attractive industries. First, the industry changes personalities for the better. There are numerous examples of people who have been armed with life skills exuding confidence about their future after being in a BPO.
While functional skills can be acquired in any profession, developing life skills is a significant leap. Second is the exposure to the global best practices.
BPOs provide the headstart in terms of ‘process maturity’ and hence helps shape the thinking of young workforce. The third is the opportunity to learn international cultures.
Interacting everyday either with customers as in a call centre or being part of a team that works with international teams, today’s youngsters get the opportunity to experience what it is like to work as a global professional.
The fourth is the opportunity to grow in the industry itself. An interesting aspect is that many employees grow on to managing multi-million dollar businesses at a young age. From an entry-level position to a managerial position there are several examples of growth.
Then there are benefits of travelling outside the country, as part of the functional requirement. All this is in addition to the benefits of a good pay.
So why, then, are many freshers still not clear about making BPOs a career choice? One cause is the perception about the industry.
For an industry that has grown to Rs 50,000 crore in eight years, there has been a lot of talk about what this industry has to offer. There are always many positives and some negatives.
However, the negatives have caught the attention of people. One is the fact that unlike retail or IT which was largely associated with technical qualifications, higher pay and travelling abroad, the BPO industry came as a huge shock to society.
Here was an industry willing to pick up freshers, not requiring specialised educational qualification, paying them Rs 15,000 as starting salary, working at different times of the day and night and creating massive employment.
It defeated all conventional norms of employment. It was a contrarian industry which created quite a stir. The larger society could not digest the pace and quantum of change.
Instead of good things getting highlighted, the focus went on to some of the drags like rash driving BPO cabs, possible health issues of late night working and whether the social fabric will change with so much money at the disposal of a young workforce. This got highlighted rather than the huge good that the industry has created.
The consequence, BPOs got positioned as good for a stop-gap, not for a long-term career. How untrue. With over 8 lakh people employed, it represents a vibrant India. This is the place of action.
Courtesy: Times of India
ose and why?
The BPO industry is among the most attractive industries. First, the industry changes personalities for the better. There are numerous examples of people who have been armed with life skills exuding confidence about their future after being in a BPO.
While functional skills can be acquired in any profession, developing life skills is a significant leap. Second is the exposure to the global best practices.
BPOs provide the headstart in terms of ‘process maturity’ and hence helps shape the thinking of young workforce. The third is the opportunity to learn international cultures.
Interacting everyday either with customers as in a call centre or being part of a team that works with international teams, today’s youngsters get the opportunity to experience what it is like to work as a global professional.
The fourth is the opportunity to grow in the industry itself. An interesting aspect is that many employees grow on to managing multi-million dollar businesses at a young age. From an entry-level position to a managerial position there are several examples of growth.
Then there are benefits of travelling outside the country, as part of the functional requirement. All this is in addition to the benefits of a good pay.
So why, then, are many freshers still not clear about making BPOs a career choice? One cause is the perception about the industry.
For an industry that has grown to Rs 50,000 crore in eight years, there has been a lot of talk about what this industry has to offer. There are always many positives and some negatives.
However, the negatives have caught the attention of people. One is the fact that unlike retail or IT which was largely associated with technical qualifications, higher pay and travelling abroad, the BPO industry came as a huge shock to society.
Here was an industry willing to pick up freshers, not requiring specialised educational qualification, paying them Rs 15,000 as starting salary, working at different times of the day and night and creating massive employment.
It defeated all conventional norms of employment. It was a contrarian industry which created quite a stir. The larger society could not digest the pace and quantum of change.
Instead of good things getting highlighted, the focus went on to some of the drags like rash driving BPO cabs, possible health issues of late night working and whether the social fabric will change with so much money at the disposal of a young workforce. This got highlighted rather than the huge good that the industry has created.
The consequence, BPOs got positioned as good for a stop-gap, not for a long-term career. How untrue. With over 8 lakh people employed, it represents a vibrant India. This is the place of action.
Courtesy: Times of India
