The Indians Abroad

Overseas Living: NRIs & India abroad

Posts Tagged Jobs

Are you in the right Job or occupation? The Monday morning test!

Aug 28

Posted by admin in Business, career planning, Consciousness & Awareness, Jobs and Occupations, personal development | No Comments

Jobs and occupations – Evaluating your current work options!

Tokyo Women’s Medical University study, published in the American Journal of Hypertension, shows that many workers suffer a significant increase in blood pressure as they return to the office after the weekend.

Other researches show that the most common day for heart attacks is Monday. Statistics spike on Monday mornings, in particular, since heart attacks occur between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. more than any other six-hour period.

How much do you really like your job or occupation? How you feel on Monday morning may be the real test of your career choice and the occupation. There are very few who enjoy waking up Monday morning, looking forward to the work. After a relaxing weekend, very few want to go back to the job routine. After all, as name says it all, work is just that – work!

Most of us work for livelihood, and there is no choice but finding a way to make the living. There are very few who have combined their work with their favorite hobby. If your work is also your hobby, well then you don’t know much about the Monday morning blues!

How stressed you are on Monday morning may be the real test of your carrier choice – how well you like your job and the work-place. If you feel like having a heart attack every Monday, or every other day for that matter, then you should certainly reconsider your work options – find a way to deal with the stress more effectively or look for a different job. After all, health should come before work, or that is how it should be prioritized.

It is easier said than done, but it is not impossible! Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

A summary of job search tips and new business ideas

Nov 18

Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, personal development | 1 Comment


A good job is hardest to find when you really need one! Th psychological pressure of job hunt takes its own toll; the  emotional stress alone  is hard enough to deal with.

So, how do you go about looking for a job? Do you send out you resumes to every company within your areas of expertise and then sit back and hope for an interview call? Are you the kind of person who goes out and talk to the businesses, handing out your resumes, filling up application forms and calling back regularly for an update? Or you just apply online, and then check your email for the response every hour?

Everybody is different, everyone has his or her own way of doing things. same goes for the job search. Some try and try regardless, while others get discouraged more easily.Th knowledge is power. More you know about the ins-and-outs of job search, less nervous and less stressed you will be.

The intent of this article is to share some good resources on job search information and new business ideas, some additional tools that you may or may not have explored before.  Armed with the information, you can go about your job hunt, in your own way.

Who is hiring?: It is always good to know which businesses are hiring lately or which jobs are in high demand. These article below are a good place to start:

  • Jobs and Occupations in highest demand in USA: 2006 to 2016
  • 25 Highest Paying Jobs and Occupations in America
  • The fastest growing jobs and occupations in USA

    • Who will be hiring?: The trends in job openings are always helpful and are good indicators of job forecast in the near and far future. If you are still studying, it is good to know which areas of economy are growing and may be hiring by the time you finish your studies. These articles below summarize the employment forecast and list the jobs and occupations that are in high demand:

  • USA Employment Projections for 2008-2018
  • Education levels for the fastest growing jobs!
  • Jobs and Occupations in highest demand in USA: 2006 to 2016

    • Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    Your pay depends on where you live in USA

    Jul 28

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations | No Comments

    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Comparisons of pay between metropolitan areas in 2009

    This should come as a no surprise – your earnings from the same job or occupation can vary significantly, even within the same country. Based on a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, your pay depends on where you live and work in America.

    The variations are quite noticeable from city to city. For example, the average pay for a civilian workers in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA metropolitan area was 20 percent above the national average in 2009.

    This National Compensation Survey (NCS) study includes 77 different metropolitan areas. The chart below is a pictorial view of the pay relation for some of the cities across USA. In this survey, the term ‘pay’ includes all the wages, salaries, commissions, and production bonuses.


    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    Happiness outsourced

    Mar 12

    Posted by admin in india abroad, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, Short Story | No Comments

    His house sits in one of the most upper-scale and affluent residential area of Chicago suburbs. As I walked inside the double-door entrance with marble sidings, I quickly realized that the inside of the mansion is even more impressive and pretty that outside view. There are two separate staircases leading to the upper storey; there are multiple bathrooms on the main floor; the open ceiling concept has a catwalk that overlooks the family room; the kitchen alone is bigger than decent size luxury apartment…

    If you look at the size of house, you would think that some millionaire lives here. Maybe, he is a millionaire; it is hard to guess his wealth out of his humble disposition and very friendly nature.

    After a brief chit-chat, I asked him about his occupation. I knew he was not working much currently, but I was very curious to find out where he got the big bucks to build that big mansion.

    “One second, be right back”, he briefly went into the kitchen and came back with two cups of hot tea – steam still floating over the edges.

    “It was a good job, a very good job. Only 15 minutes drive from the house,” he reflected on his past occultation, the cup of tea resting on his thigh as he leaned back in the easy-chair.

    For 15 years, I found out, Ramesh had worked for an electronics company as a quality controller. He does not have any special technical education –engineering degree or anything else of the sort.
    “I started on the assembly line, but I was promoted to the supervisor within years”, there is a happiness in his voice as he walks down the memory lane.
    “Everybody appreciated what I did for the company. I used to get letters of recognition all the way from Japan – our upper management headquarters.”
    “So, what happened?” I asked curiously.
    “Outsourcing!” he did not feel any further need to explain. But then, after a brief pause, he spoke with a sad tone, his voice lowered, “they did not need us anymore, they found cheaper ways to do what we did, in other countries!”
    “Oh, I see!” I did not know what else to say.

    For the past 4 years Ramesh has struggled to find a decent job. Most of the jobs that need his skills are outsourced. After trying for years, he gave up on the job market, and tried to do what one of his best friends does – real estate agent. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    25 Highest Paying Jobs and Occupations in America

    Dec 21

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Most Popular Stories | 4 Comments

    25 Jobs and Occupations with the highest median annual wages in America

    A program from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), called ‘The Occupational Employment Statistics’ produces employment and wage estimates for national and state level occupations. Based on the data available from May 2008, following are the highest paying jobs and occupations in America, along with the the median annual wages and a brief description of the occupation as provided by the US BLS.

    Note that a highest paying job does not mean that it is in the highest demand.

    1. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (More than $166,400): Perform surgery on mouth, jaws, and related head and neck structure to execute difficult and multiple extractions of teeth, to remove tumors and other abnormal growths, to correct abnormal jaw relations by mandibular or maxillary revision, to prepare mouth for insertion of dental prosthesis, or to treat fractured jaws.

    2. Orthodontists(More than $166,400): Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.

    3. Prosthodontists (More than $166,400) Construct oral prostheses to replace missing teeth and other oral structures to correct natural and acquired deformation of mouth and jaws, to restore and maintain oral function, such as chewing and speaking, and to improve appearance.

    4. Physicians and surgeons (More than $166,400) : All physicians and surgeons not listed separately. This is general category for the physicians/doctors and surgeons, practice medicine and perform surgeries.

    6. Chief executives ($158,560): Determine and formulate policies and provide the overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within the guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

    6. Dentists, general ($142,870): Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums and related oral structures. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting vitality of teeth. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    Change in US Labor Force by Race and Ethnicity

    Dec 17

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 2 Comments

    Source: US Bureau of Labor Stats

    Source: US Bureau of Labor Stats

    “Making informed career decisions requires reliable information about opportunities in the future. Opportunities result from the relationships between the population, labor force, and the demand for goods and services.”  ~ U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

    The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics has a very comprehensive report on jobs and occupations in USA. The report outlines various aspects of job situations and provides projections on the jobs outlook.

    The term labor force or work force includes all the people either working or looking for work. Over the next 10 years,  based on the population growth and job outlook, the report also includes the change in the labor force for different races. This chart here has a graphical view of change in labor force by race and ethnic origin comparing 2008  employment to the projection for 2018. Note that there is no separate category for ‘Indian Americans’; in this study, they are part the ‘Asian’ group.

    Some of the Highlights of the report are:

    •  The U.S. workforce is expected to become more diverse by 2018.
    • Among racial groups, Whites are expected to make up a decreasing share of the labor force, while Blacks, Asians, and all other groups will increase their share.
    • The Asian work force is expected to rise from 4.7 percent to 5.6 percent, a relative growth of 25 percent over 10 years.

      • Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    USA Employment Projections for 2008-2018

    Dec 11

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Most Popular Stories | 1 Comment

    The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Dec. 10, 2009 that, during the 2008 to 2018 period, the total employment in America is projected to increase by 15.3 million, or 10.1 percent.

    These are very interesting projections; and good news at the times when jobs are scarce. Some of the key highlights of the study are:

    • Projections show an aging and more racially and ethnically diverse labor force, and employment growth in service-providing industries. More than half of the new jobs will be in professional and related occupations and service occupations.
    • Occupations where a post-secondary degree or award is usually required are expected to account for one-third of total job openings during the projection period.
    • Job openings from replacement needs–those which occur when workers who retire or otherwise leave their occupations need to be replaced– are projected to be more than double the number of openings due to economic growth.
    • The projected growth for the 2008-18 period is larger than the increase of 10.4 million over the 1998-2008 period, or 7.4 percent.
    • The relatively slow growth rate for the earlier 10-year period was affected by the recession which began in December 2007, and the projected growth rate is higher than would otherwise be expected because the 2008 starting point is a recession year.

    This report focuses on four areas for which BLS develops projections–labor force, industry employment, occupational employment, and education and training. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    Jobs and Occupations in highest demand in USA: 2006 to 2016

    Aug 31

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, personal development | 5 Comments

    Bureau of Labor Statistics: A summary of Tomorrow’s jobs

    Making informed career decisions requires reliable information about opportunities in the future. Opportunities result from the relationships between the population, labor force, and the demand for goods and services. ~ US Bureau of Labor Statistics
    ocotjc07_99
    The unemployment rate in USA is almost 10% – the worst in decades. A large number of well qualified individuals are desperately looking for jobs. Finding a job that you really like, and getting it, can be a challenging process.

    This article provides a long term view of the jobs and occupation that are, and going to be, in high demand in USA. The information and data is based on the study from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. A wide variety of occupations are forecast to be in high demand. Among all occupations, health-care is forecast to make up 7 of the 20 fastest growing occupations.

    The first chart displays the jobs and occupations that are supposed to enjoy the highest rate of increase. The Top jobs with highest percent change in employment over the period of 2006-16, as shown in the chart, include:

    • Network systems and data communications analysts
    • Personal and home care aides
    • Home health aides
    • Computer software engineers, applications
    • Veterinary technologists and technicians
    • Personal financial advisers
    • Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
    • Medical assistants
    • Veterinarians
    • Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors
    • Skin care specialists
    • Financial analysts
    • and so on…..For more details, you may refer to the chart on the right.

    According to this detailed study, the 7 top health-care occupations are exhibiting high growth rates. Overall, as you can see in the chart, the high growth rates comes from health care, social assistance, engineering, services and technical occupations. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Education levels for the fastest growing jobs!

    Jul 28

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations | 3 Comments

    Fastest growing jobs and occupations by the level of education

    “Learning is what most adults will do for a living in the 21st century.” ~ Perelman

    Education is the foundation for any profession or a career. The skills acquired and the learning experience during education often determine the level of success for any individual. A study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of US Depart of Labor, lists the fastest growing occupations by the level of education and on the job training: Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    The fastest growing jobs and occupations in USA!

    Jul 26

    Posted by admin in Business, career planning, Jobs and Occupations | 4 Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of US Department of Labor, has a very interesting and comprehensive study on the jobs and occupations projections. The report titled ‘Tomorrow’s Jobs’  is quite telling in terms of expected growth in employment over the period of 2006 to 2016. 
    The chart/graph here provides a snap-shot of the fastest growing occupations in USA – the change in the total employment by occupation groups projected over 2006 – 2016.chart 6_99
    The top occupations that are expected to enjoy the highest percentage increase are:

    Professional and related occupations: These occupations cover a wide range of skilled professions. Professional and related occupations are expected to increase by 16.7%. Among the top beneficiaries include:
    -Computer and mathematical occupations,
    -Health-care practitioners and technical occupations,
    -Education, training, and library occupations

    Services: Employment in service sector is projected to increase by 16.7%, tied with professional and related occupations for the fastest rate of growth. The services occupations that are expected to grow the fastest include:
    -Food preparation,
    -Serving related occupations
    -Health-care support occupations
    -Personal care and service service occupations

    Management, business, and financial occupations: The employment is expected to increase by 10.4% by 2016 in this category. Among top growth projections are:
    -Construction managers
    -Accountants and auditors and business operation specialists
    -Financial analysts and personal financial advisers Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Job search Tips: How to look for a Job effectively!

    Jul 20

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development | 6 Comments

    Where to learn about and search for reliable job openings

    “Never turn down a job because you think it’s too small; you don’t know where it can lead” ~ Julia Morgan

    The jobs are scarce in today’s economy. The good jobs are even harder to find. There is too much noise, too many misleading advertisements on dream jobs that don’t exist. Based on various sources including a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics division of the U.S. Department of Labor, here are the key resources for job search:

    Personal contacts: Many of the job openings are never advertised. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors and others; tell them that you are looking for a job. They may be able to help with the new leads and even recommendations. Find ways to network and advertise yourself among peers and the community.

    School career planning and placement offices: Placement officers in schools and colleges can be very helpful in finding jobs. They have lots of resources at their hands to help in this area including possible lists of open jobs, career counseling, aptitude testing and job search advice. Some of them also have career resource libraries and may host workshops on job search strategy, resume writing and effective interviewing.

    Employers: One of the effective way to find reliable job openings is to go straight to the source. Contact the company or business directly. If an employer is on your wish-list, find out if they are hiring. Contact their HR department. Send them your resume and follow up; show sincere interest in working for them.

    Classified ads: There are lots of commercials and advertisement about job openings. The main sources of classified ads include:

    • National and local newspapers
    • Professional journal
    •  Trade magazines
    • Library and other local bulletin boards

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    10 most uncommon business ideas for overseas!

    Jul 8

    Posted by admin in Business, career planning, india abroad, Most Popular Stories, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development | 20 Comments

    NRI Tips: Most uncommon or non-traditional business ideas to consider abroad

    “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

    There are some popular business ideas for overseas, including the one discussed in 10 most common businesses to start abroad. Now, here are some not-so-common ones. This should get you thinking, to make your own choice – from these suggestions or perhaps even better ones of your own based on your knowledge, skill and circumstances!  sxc1088992_glass_bangles

    1. Indian fashion accessories: Consider an online or local store to sell Indian fashion accessories including glass bangles, simple Indian jewelries and other beauty items. This can start at a small scale and expand as the business grows

    2. Pet care and grooming: A place to take care of pets including grooming, styling and domesticating. If you love pets, may want to look into this one. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    How to make a really good living abroad! – $$!!

    Jun 18

    Posted by admin in Business, career planning, India, india abroad, Non-Resident Indian, NRI, personal development | No Comments

    NRIs Tips: How to select work and financial options overseas to make real money

    As I discussed before, there are many good reason to go abroad and then there are some bad ones too. Most of the main reasons to leave India and go overseas are directly or indirectly linked to the search for long term or short term financial gains and prosperity. By end of the day, it comes down to MONEY. :) sxc_money_series_51
    However, the often overlooked factor is the poor planning behind all this. If we are sacrificing so much, and put up with so many new hurdles and challenges, we should at least have a solid plan to find the right occupation or business. 
    The plan may vary from one person to another depending on personal strengths and weakness, but it is important to have a plan towards reaching our financial goals; how we are going to succeed in our mission toward prosperity.
    There is all kind of job planning info available, but most of them are more generic career plans for local individuals planning their goals, not for immigrants, Indians or NRIs. As a part of the basic plan, it is very critical to outline and understand:
    - What kind of jobs best suit your skills and needs?
    - Would you consider and take a position that is less rewarding as a back-up plan?
    - Would you consider a career change or downgrade if things are not working out?
    - What are the other options or choices to consider as a back-up?
    - Is going back to India one of the options?

    Depending on how you answer the questions above and any other personal circumstances, you can then decide on the best jobs or best options to support your financial plan abroad. Here are some of the main options to consider for a suitable and rewarding job or business, to make real money:

    1. Find your dream job – Plan A: The best possible scenario is to look for a job that meets your skill sets and then finding one. If you are a computer engineer by trade for example, then first preference should be to search for a job in that field.  There are lots of online and local resources to help in this area. Make sure to take a look at the  job-search tips detailed in a separate post linked here. Also check out the common online resources such as  Career Builder, Yahoo Careers and Monster.com. If you find one, especially in this economy, consider it a major achievement.

      2. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    10 jobs and occupations in high demand!

    Jun 3

    Posted by admin in career planning, Jobs and Occupations, Non-Resident Indian, NRI | 4 Comments

    Job Tips- Top jobs and best occupations for today and tomorrow:

    The job market in America is in a bad shape, and keep getting worse. The unemployment rates at 9.7% is the highest in decades. However, as always, there are some bright spots; many occupation continue to be in demand. Based on the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the US Department of Labor, here are the some of the fastest growing  job markets:

    1. Network systems and data communications analyst
    2. Physician assistant
    3. Medical assistant

      4. Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , , , , ,