Happy Independence Day

Every year, August 15 is the day every Indian is proud of. Today, its India’s 64th Independence day. Wishing one and all a very Happy Independence Day. The 2010 is India’s 64th Independence day and on this great day, everyone conveys best wishes and greetings to their family and friends.

The main event takes place in New Delhi, where the Prime Minister hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort  and delivered a nationally televised speech from its ramparts. In his speech, he highlighted the achievements during the past year, raises important issues and gave a call for further development. The Prime Minister also payed tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle.

Patriotic fervour gripped Indians across the world on Sunday as they enthusiastically celebrated the country’s 64th Independence Day by unfurling the tricolour and organising a series of cultural events and festivities. In Beijing, Indian Ambassador S Jaishankar hoisted the tricolour at
the Indian embassy premises in the presence of a large number of community members, including businessmen and professionals. He also read out President Pratibha Patil’s address to the nation.

A similar function was held at the Indian Consulate in Shanghai, where Consul General Riva Ganguly Das unfurled the national flag. About 400 members of Indian community attended the event, including Indian medical students from Suzhou, Nantong and Nanjing universities in Jiangsu province. In Abu Dhabi, the function commenced with the hoisting of the flag by M K Lokesh, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, who also read out the President’s message, while Consul General Sanjay Verma unfurled the tricolour in Dubai.

In Kuwait City, Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra hoisted the tricolour at a ceremony held at the embassy and similar events were organised in the Saudi capital of Riyadh and India’s consulate in the port city of Jeddah. On the eve of the Independence Day, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz had sent a congratulatory message to President Pratibha Patil and wished her permanent good health and happiness and India’s people steady progress and prosperity.

In Singapore, more than 3,000 Indians took part in a function to mark the Independence Day, where High Commissioner T C A Raghavan hoisted the tricolour. Students from Indian schools sang the national anthem and patriotic numbers at the ceremony.

With such and other countless celebrations across the globe, this special day lives upto its expectations. We at ZaaBiz wish all Indians across the globe a very happy independence day.

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Tips for business networking events

Businesspeople unfamiliar with referral networking sometimes lose sight of the fact that networking is the means–not the end–of their business-building activities. They attend three, four, even five events in a week in a desperate grasp for new business. The predictable result is that they stay so busy meeting new people that they never have time to follow up and cultivate those relationships–and how can they expect to get new business from someone they’ve only just met.

I certainly agree that meeting new people is an integral part of networking, but it’s important to remember why we’re doing it in the first place: to develop a professional rapport with individuals that will deepen over time into a trusting relationship that will eventually lead to a mutually beneficial and continuing exchange of referrals.

Some specific steps you can take toward getting more business from your very next event.

1. Limit the number of contacts per event. The most important thing is the quality of the contacts, which means the type of contact, the relevance to your business and interests, how good a connection you’re making and the individual involved. At a typical event, five to 10 might be all you can handle.

2. Spend five to 10 minutes talking to and listening to each person. Just because you’re not handing out your business card to 1,001 people doesn’t mean you should spend 20 minutes talking to just one individual. Invest a few minutes to get to know each person. Make sure to ask for her business card. Then follow up with her after the event; this is where the heavy lifting takes place.

3. Write notes on the backs of people’s cards. Not only do notes help you remember what the other person said at an event, but it also slows you down a bit so you’re not running around trying to meet the next person. On the front of the card, you can write the date and name of the event where you met the person; on the back, jot down a few quick notes about the conversation or anything else of note. When you contact the person later, this will give you something to refer to.

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TATA Consultancy Services makes it to top 10

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has become the world’s ninth-largest software services company in terms of revenues, its chairman, Ratan Tata, told shareholders at the company’s fifth annual general meeting on Friday.The big daddies in the global IT industry include IBM with revenues of $96 billion, Microsoft ($58 billion) and Accenture ($22 billion).

For the $6.3 billion-TCS, the focus now would be to climb the value chain in a bid to differentiate its services from competition.

Several shareholders wanted to know how long Tata, who stood for re-appointment as director on the board of TCS, would continue as chairman. They suggested that like several other industrialists in India Inc, he should continue on the board as long as possible.

TCS was started as a division of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, in 1968 to service the in-house electronic data processing needs. The company today is the largest software services firm in the country.

In a bid to be part of the top league, the company has been bagging clients across geographies, building domain expertise, besides adding on a large number of employees.

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Social recruiting on the rise

The results for third-annual social recruiting survey were released recently and the findings underscore many reasons job seekers need to incorporate online social networking into their job searches.

The survey was based on responses from HR and recruiting professionals about the extent to which they use social networking websites in their recruiting process to find and vet candidates for jobs. Their answers indicate that they view social networks as a viable channel for sourcing high-quality candidates and that they plan to increase their use of social networking websites in their recruiting efforts this year.

At some companies, in fact, social recruiting is beginning to eclipse traditional channels for sourcing candidates, such as job boards and third-party recruiters and search firms.

If you’re looking for a job and not active on social networking platforms like ZaaBiz here are four reasons to join and actively manage your profiles.

1. You’ll have access to job opportunities at progressive, growing companies.

Companies that are hiring the most people in the shortest periods of time “are the ones who are more aggressively pursuing social recruiting. Companies with the most growth opportunities are trying to get better, higher-quality candidates through social recruiting.

2. You’ll have access to job opportunities first.

The survey results show that employers prefer using social networking sites for recruiting because they make advertising jobs and sourcing candidates cheap and easy. Seeking a candidate to fill in a position doesn’t cost a dime. For that reason, online social networks are among the first places employers advertise jobs.

3. Employers are increasingly using social networking platforms to find and vet prospective employees.

According to social recruiting survey:

73 percent of respondents currently use online social networks or social media sites to support their recruiting efforts.
92 percent of respondents hiring in 2010 currently use or plan to recruit via social networks.
78 percent of respondents use business networking plaform like ZaaBiz for recruiting.
One-third of respondents always check out candidates’ social media profiles when vetting them.
58 percent of respondents have successfully hired candidates through social networking websites.

4. You may not find as many job ads on job boards or job opportunities through recruiters.

Some employers are shifting their recruiting activity away from traditional channels, such as job boards and third-party recruiters and search firms, as they deepen their engagement with social recruiting. It was found that 36 percent of survey respondents say they plan to spend less money on job boards as the economy recovers. Slightly more (38 percent) will spend less on third-party recruiters and search firms as the recovery continues.

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Football fever grips ZaaBiz and India Inc

As the world gathered in front of television sets to catch the Fifa World Cup inaugural programme, the mood at Mahindra Satyam’s Hyderabad campus was one of celebration. Techies left their cubicles and came down to the sports field. The company had organised a penalty shoot-out competition among employees, while Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’ was beamed live across two big screens and scores of TV sets installed across the office. And when the first match kicked off between South Africa and Mexico, the party started with an unlimited flow of snacks and beverages.

Mahindra Satyam has decided to organise such screenings during all the big matches. And such celebrations will continue across its delivery centres. Mahindra Satyam may have a special reason, with the company being the official IT service provider of the Fifa World Cup. But soccer fever has hit India Inc equally hard. Several companies are setting up special screening zones, decorating workstations with jerseys and posters, organising soccer tournaments, offering free tickets and even flexible working hours for the next one month.

Quick service restaurant chain McDonald’s , for instance, has the option of flexi-timing for its football-crazy employees. US-based KPO, Acclaris has decorated its delivery centres in Kolkata and Vizag with flags and jerseys, set up big screens in the cafeteria and is even allowing its night-shift employees to wear their favourite jerseys. Employees are eligible to take small breaks between work to view the matches.

Many India Inc top notches believe that there is no point in suppressing employees from indulging in fun since it might be counter-productive. They are free to get completely caught up in the World Cup fever, provided they are able to give their deliverables on time, even if they are required to work extra hours.

The silver lining this time around is that in India, most of the matches are scheduled in the late evening hours, when most employees wrap up work. But in sectors like IT, BPOs and banking, where employees keep long hours or work round-the-clock , the fun quotient is limited.

The Fun part is that employees at ZaaBiz are being given flexi-timing options in order to enjoy football finale. ZaaBiz has also organized ‘Football Forecasting’ contest wherein contestants forecast probable winners for matches every day. Prizes are distributed on daily basis and the employee who wins maximum during the 30 day tournament will get a grand prize. Isen’t this exiting? So if you are enticed by this idea or such similar ideas ask your company to join the football fever bandwagon as its a once in 4 year opportunity.

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70 percent of small businesses using social networks for promotion

More and more businesses are taking their messages and products to the Internet via social networking websites that allows people to say what they need. Social media enthusiast believe its a new way to spread word of mouth and its easier and quicker to communicate. Social networking site allows users to upload and share information Networkers also use the social networks to let customers try products, remind them of current offerings and give followers special deals like free food.

A study from Access Markets International reports nearly 70 percent of small businesses in western countries use social media. The trend is not far when even developing countries like India will catch up with the trend. Although the usage of social media among Indian users has grown phenomenally over the past 12 months, but there is heaps of potential to go further.

According to a recent study by Edison Research, 51 percent of active users follow companies, brands or products on social networks. Companies also are using social networks to send coupons and specials to customers. The engagement of the consumers through social networks is quick and responsive. It attempts to break the schakles of how traditional media works. The future for brands, corporations and small companies is definitely social media especially when it delivers results in cost-effective and quick way. The only thing that needs to be addressed is an investment in time as no profits are reaped with immediate effect.

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Social Media is the best recruiting tool

As a recruiter you want to be where the most qualified, talented, and largest pool of applicants are. Human resources can leverage social media to tap in to potential recruits. This type of head hunting is called social recruiting. It’s about engaging with users and using social media tools to source and recruit talent.

But how do you find the right person for the job you have available using social media? Here’s how to get started. To start with you can tap in to the free resources offered by ZaaBiz.  You should start by building connections to people you already know. This could include former co-workers, current clients, local entrepreneurs and even friends and family. Because you never know who someone else may be connected too that could make for a top-notch candidate. You should also join groups where you might connect with potential candidates. For example, if you are always looking for IT consultants you can find an affiliated group on ZaaBiz. Once you join relevant groups find ways to begin discussions with people in the group. If you notice people who are active in the group, they always ask questions and answer others questions, those might be the people you hone in on for job opportunities.

There is also a free way to advertise that you are hiring, without posting a job. Use your profile to broadcast that you are hiring. “Looking for an IT consultant.

When you find someone who may be a good fit for your company you have to evaluate their profile. Does the person have a complete profile including a picture? Are they a member of groups relevant to their field? Do you have any 2nd or 3rd degree connections to the person to get a more personal referral? You can find out a lot about a person from their profile before contacting them for an interview.

As small business owners, you can easily leverage ZaaBiz to find talent.

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Indian amongst 6 “Champions of the Earth”

An Indian green energy entrepreneur is among the six ‘Champions of Earth’ announced by the United Nations that include heads of state of Maldives and Guyana as well Chinese actress Zhou Xun. The Champions of the Earth is an international environment award given out every year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for commitment and vision towards environmental leadership.

Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems and green energy entrepreneur, was named as one of “Champions of the Earth” for his efforts to encourage people to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.  Entrepreneur Vinod Khosla has made it a personal mission to realize a low-carbon path by establishing investments in clean and renewable energy start-ups.

A venture capitalist, Khosla is dubbed as Silicon Valley’s ‘Mr Green’. In September 2009, his firm, Khosla Ventures, raised USD 1.1 billion in a “green fund” that would be used to spur development of renewable energy and other clean technologies. Khosla has initiated several start-ups to try to reduce the world’s dependence on petroleum as he is of the opinion that burgeoning revolution in oil alternatives will be far bigger than the internet revolution.

Other winners included Afghanistan’s Director General of the National Environmental Protection Agency Prince Mostapha Zaher and Japanese earth scientist and pioneer of research into how the oceans cycle carbon, Dr Taro Takahashi.

While the six winners represent some of the key pillars upon which society can build Green Growth and a development path, I appeal all the members of ZaaBiz to contribute to green growth by taking small initiatives.

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Prof. Prahlad an immortal gem of management

Professor CK Prahalad will be remembered among the greatest thought-leaders of the 21st century. His path-breaking work on strategy undoubtedly represents one of the defining points in the evolution of management theory. He lifted management thought to new levels of excitement and activism.

He was an alchemist. He worked with missionary zeal to get Indian businesses to uncover the immense possibilities at the bottom of the pyramid. This not only because of the latent business opportunities, but because of his conviction — that’s how the poor could be uplifted. And that’s how businesses could win the legitimacy and trust that they deserved. His contention, that business interests and the interests of society could be intertwined, has been a powerful message. Doing business and doing good did not have to be two distinct initiatives.

His cutting-edge ideas and wisdom have a timeless relevance.

Today, if one were to carve out the equivalent of a Mount Rushmore for management thinkers, I am sure, Prof Prahalad would have to belong there. He will always remain on top of the lot. We at ZaaBiz are deeply saddened by his sudden demise.

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Social networking basics for job seekers

Networking remains the best way to conduct a job search, and the number one method leading to offers. Add technology and we have super tools when they are used effectively. A job search is about effectively marketing yourself and your skill sets to prospective employers. Social and professional networking tools provide a simple and efficient way to accomplish this. And using these tools is worthwhile because HR professionals, hiring managers, recruiters, and search firms are also using these tools to look for you.

To consider your ZaaBiz profile current, it should have great resume content for all your experience areas as well as references from former colleagues. Consider growing your connections by entering the names of the companies you have worked for, so that you can review who else you might want to invite to link. It is also beneficial to see who else you know by looking up people and companies using the search feature. This treasure hunt will pay off. Include your picture, and make sure a person interested in hiring you would consider it professional. On the home page you can share information about the kind of position you are looking for — these updates can be very effective.

Next, join some industry relevant or region relevant business groups. ZaaBiz groups are a great way to keep current on industry news, networking events, trends, and more. So start by joining all of the groups hosted by the largest industry associations.If you want to take your social networking strategy to the next level, consider sharing your industry expertise through various business groups. It’s a great way to showcase your knowledge and experience with your peers as well as potential employers.

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