Ementor

Recruitment

I would like to know the opportunities for CCNA, CCNP and how much salary one could take home. Also, please tell me which one is more in demand? And what are the minimum academic qualifications required for a good job along with certifications like these?

—Raghav G, via e-mail

Satish Doshi: Cisco offers three levels of general certification—from Associate to Professional to Expert, representing the highest level of achievement—available in various paths (or tracks) and designations. CCDA/CCNA are Associate level courses. CCDP/CCIP/CCNP/CCSP are Professional level courses and CCIE is an Expert level course. Thus, CCNP is a higher level course compared to CCNA. Hence, CCNP is more in demand compared to CCNA. There are good opportunities for CCNA/CCNP certified professionals. The salary would depend on many factors, including academic qualifications, experience, current salary, personality, job role, organisation, city, etc. If you do not have experience, than such certifications will be helpful in getting your first job compared to other similar candidates, who do not have such certifications. An engineering degree is preferred as the academic qualification.

Human Resources

I am a project manager with a team of 20 software engineers. We are basically responsible for providing software maintenance support to our overseas client. Hence, most of the work is routine, involving bug fixing, software modifications, etc. My team of 20 software engineers are young, having experience ranging between two to four years. My team members are generally a frustrated and demotivated lot. They hate the work that they have to do and are always looking for an opportunity to move out from the project. Attrition rate is very high for my team. Can you help me?

—Name withheld on request

Varda Pendse: The challenge facing you is how to keep the team motivated and working inspite of the job supposedly being routine and not challenging. However, you need also to introspect in terms of your managerial style and the communication message that you give to your team members regarding the work profile.

In a routine work environment the role of a manager is to create a sense of excitement and achievement for the team members. Some of the things that you could do is to:

a) Track work progress through charts put across the work place. This tracking needs to be colourful and creative.

b) Provide flexibility to employees to leave the workplace if the assigned task/work is over.

c) Allow for employees to work along with other projects and slowly transition them.

Employees should look forward to level ‘c’ as a part of recognition and not merely their right. It is important for you to demonstrate that your are interested in the careers of your team-member, who deliver and are good team players.

Training

I have a small question? Does certification really count? I have a reason for asking this question—I attended MCSE classes in Mumbai with a leading training major in December 1999, for a full month, then appeared in all six papers and passed. In spite of spending

Rs 70,000 directly, or indirectly in terms of course fee, exam fee and leave from office, I found that my counterparts with practical experience but no certification, had a better chance when trying to switch to a job of network administrator.

Many of the doubts could not be clarified because even the institute could not provide sufficient lab time and facilities to conduct all lab exercises suggested in the course material. I saw some other small institutes with very little facilities, helping people get MCSE certification. Today I feel that practical experience is much more important than certification. What is your opinion about certifications?

—Lalit Kumar Jain, via e-mail

NJ Rajaram: As an IT professional, you have to highlight your credentials, knowledge and expertise in areas of your preference. Your academic achievements and skill-based certifications are right indicators. Certification offered either by vendors or independent groups demonstrate your proficiency and employability. In this ever shifting technology environment, you are required to constantly re-skill and update yourself to maintain competitive advantage. Also, any good certification is a result of a very rigorous training and skill development process that prepares the individual for a long-term career. MCSE is a premier credential for systems engineers and this will enable you to develop and implement IT solutions based on Microsoft platforms. Presuming you have a good academic background and depending on your specialisation—either in Security or Messaging—you may try for appropriate openings. I would only say that experience will certainly hasten the process of getting a good break. I am sure that you will be able to get rightly placed soon.

Heart to Heart

I joined a call centre as a customer support executive six months ago and am happy in my job though I have to work consistently at night. I get very little time with my family as I sleep in the day. My parents are upset and are constantly cribbing. Furthermore, coming from a typical middle-class background, they are not at all happy that their daughter has to stay away from home at night. It is leading to a lot of problems for me. I want to do something in life. How do I deal with them?

—Sneha Shukla, Noida

Harish Shetty: Sneha, you have echoed the issue of many young women working in call centres. The needs of every profession is different and the young are working in night shifts with their dignity and pride intact. Take your parents to visit your centre or let them meet your colleagues, especially women. This will help their blues and calm their hearts. Also have frank warm chats with your umpires (parents) who seldom are acknowledged by their children. “Thank you for all what you have done for us”...is a statement which works magic. At times their own personal life situations add to their woes and can boomerang on you. Let them have many mental health holidays and help them have a blast off-and-on. Let your parents not be your “best friends” but only very good friends. Be honest and share your heart and build a trusting relationship. As and when possible have close intimate chats and be at their bedside during sickness and health. Avoid intoxicants so that your sleep-awake cycle is not further disturbed.

Due to the high volume, we regret our inability to respond to all queries. While advice is given in good faith, neither IT People nor the eMentors can assume responsibility for individual decisions taken by readers based on this advice.