Job market is looking up in 2010, especially in India. As more and more companies look for measures to cost cutting, more jobs are expected in Asia, India in particular because of the vast experience in service based industry, especially IT industry.

Last year, because of the recession, there were lot of layoffs, probably first time at this scale in India. Lot of dissatisfied employees in the companies are leaving their jobs and looking for new avenues. HR teams trying their level best to retain good talent but looks like the trend will continue for a while. Lot of companies are giving tons of incentives like bonus, mid term market correction etc. because of high attrition. This is especially surprising since there have been talks of double dip recession. Profit of the companies is also dipping because of higher salaries. This may eventually make Indian service industry especially IT industry uncompetitive as difference between US and Indian salaries reduce.

One of the key ways I had seen companies come out of a recession well is by viewing the period as an opportunity. Clearly, your first priority should be survival, but I like to follow the advice of Warren Buffet: “Be fearful when people are greedy, be greedy when people are fearful”. Here are ten areas of opportunity you should be considering in the next year:Using a strategic thinking and business coach approach, here is my recommended strategic action plan for recession resistant marketing.

1. NEVER STOP MARKETING! Marketing is a continuous, not an intermittent or sometimes endeavor.

2. Contact and reactivate past clients. Call them or send them a letter, but make sure you contact them.

3. Deliver consistent superior service to your clients. Create a WOW factor with your service.

4. Develop your 100 most desired clients list and plan an aggressive business marketing campaign to retain existing clients and attain new clients.

5. Develop and implement an effective Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan.

6. Develop and implement a contact strategy so you will gain “Top Of Mind Awareness” by being in regular contact with your clients and prospects.

7. Employ cross selling and up selling tactics to increase revenue from new and existing clients.

8. NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK!

9. Develop and follow a yearlong marketing activity plan.

10. Continuously test and evaluate your marketing tactics and strategies.

The above strategic action plan provides solid advice to follow in good or bad economic situations. But a commitment to each action in the plan is imperative.

Jobs Cuts Worldwide

recession has also hit the internet job market.

Google (Search Engine - Advertising Network):100 recruiters, + 10,000 contractors
Digg(Social Media): 7 jobs out of 75 employees
eBay(Shopping/Classified0:1000 Jobs (10% of the workforce)
AdBrite(Advertising Network): 40% of the workforce
Pandora(Internet Radio):20 jobs
SearchMe(Search Engine): 20% of the workforce
TicketMaster(Shopping): 35% of the workforce (around 1000 jobs.)
LinkedIn(Social Network): 10% of the workforce (36 jobs)
Akamai(Technology): 7% of the workforce (110 jobs)
BuzzNet (Social Network): 15 jobs

Impact Of Recession On Job Market

Recession can be define as a decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in GDP growth, real personal income, employment , industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.But for an average person recession can be define as large rise in unemployment. So recession do have a direct and indirect impact on certain profession.

As we all know that US markets have a great impact on the global economic growth. And there is a recession in the US which is affecting Indian market as well as the global markets leading to a global economic slowdown Now since global economy is in recession companies need to have some kind of recesion plan with them.It can also be called as preventive measures or restructuring which can lead the large corporates worldwide for downsizing their staff, production and expenses. Even some of India's biggest companies have laid off several employees and might continue doing so in the coming months.

HIRING TRENDS IN 2009

As we all know that 2008 was a tough year for Job market. Market suffers alot in 2008 which has a direct impact on recruitment and other HR policies. Looking ahead, recruitment levels are expected to be lower in the new year, but employers are not out of the mix completely; instead they're taking 'a wait and see' approach to hiring. Flexible Work Arrangements, Green Jobs, Diversity Recruitment and Rehiring Retirees Among Trends for 2009

Still there are some companies who are placing the same or greater amount of emphasis on recruitment. For example Cognizant, with headquarters in New Jersey and operations in India, now employs 29,000 people.
Companies are expected to follow global recruiting in which Key focus areas include global sourcing, globalized websites, and globalized employer referral programs. IBM AND Infosys can be example for this new recruitment policy

Models of Training

Training is a sub-system of the organization because the departments such as, marketing & sales, HR, production, finance, etc depends on training for its survival. Training is a transforming process that requires some input and in turn it produces output in the form of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs).

THE TRAINING SYSTEM

A System is a combination of things or parts that must work together to perform a particular function. An organization is a system and training is a sub system of the organization. The System Approach views training as a sub system of an organization. System Approach can be used to examine broad issues like objectives, functions, and aim. It establishes a logical relationship between the sequential stages in the process of training need analysis (TNA), formulating, delivering, and evaluating. There are 4 necessary inputs i.e. technology, man, material, time required in every system to produce products or services. And every system must have some output from these inputs in order to survive. The output can be tangible or intangible depending upon the organization’s requirement. A system approach to training is planned creation of training program. This approach uses step-by-step procedures to solve the problems. Under systematic approach, training is undertaken on planned basis. Out of this planned effort, one such basic model of five steps is system model that is explained below. Organization are working in open environment i.e. there are some internal and external forces, that poses threats and opportunities, therefore, trainers need to be aware of these forces which may impact on the content, form, and conduct of the training efforts. The internal forces are the various demands of the organization for a better learning environment; need to be up to date with the latest technologies.

The three model of training are:

1. System Model
2. Instructional System Development Model
3. Transitional model

Career Planning

Long past are the days of lifetime employment and now you need to plan careers as how to shift from one organization to another for gaining maximum industry experience. The task of career planning is quite a laborious one and it requires systematic planning of every step and a calculated execution. Take the onus of planning your own career.

Steps in Career Planning Process

Step One: Self Assessment

The first and foremost step in career planning is to know and assess yourself. You need to collect information about yourself while deciding about a particular career option.You must analyze your interests, abilities, aptitudes, desired lifestyle, and personal traits and then study the relationship between the career opted for and self.

Step Two: Goal Setting

Set your goals according to your academic qualification, work experience, priorities and expectations in life. Once your goal is identified, then you determine the feasible ways and objectives how to realize it.

Step Three: Academic/Career Options

Narrow your general occupational direction to a particular one by an informatory decision making process. Analyze the career option by keeping in mind your present educational qualification and what more academic degrees you need to acquire for it.

Step Four: Plan of Action

Recognize those industries and particular companies where you want to get into. Make the plan a detailed one so that you can determine for how many years you are going to work in a company in order to achieve maximum success, and then switch to another. Decide where you would like to see yourself after five years and in which position.

Step Five: Catch Hold of Opportunities

Opportunity comes but once. So, whenever you get any opportunity to prove yourself and get into your desired career, try to convert it in every way for suiting your purpose. Remember, a successful professional is also quite opportunistic in his moves, examining every opening to turn to his favor.

Advice on Career Planning

Try not to waste much time and wait too long between career planning sessions.

Don't ever judge and analyze yourself, like your likes and dislikes, abilities, etc. by listening to what people around you say. Be your best judge.

Be open to constructive criticisms.