Review: Faujnet & XISF

Two websites I have come across lately which attempt to bring together the armed forces community on one platform are Faujnet (http://www.faujnet.com/) and XISF - which is an acronym for eX Indian Security Forces (http://xisf.org/en/). Having had the opportunity to interact with the founders of both I consider these ventures admirable. Register with them to reap the rewards (both are still very new but are seriously committed to constantly upgrading and improving. As is true for all such ventures, value addition will emerge and multiply based on the membership numbers and interactivity. So you will need to be patient with them for a start). They have similar models:

1. A web based interface which has elements of interest to members in it. In this case career transition advice, job posts, articles, networking, forums, etc. (let me not do injustice by clubbing all the other utilities with an 'etc', the sites actually have a lot more to offer and it will be well worth your time to explore each in detail).
2. Creation of a large membership base.
3. A revenue model revolving around the above elements.
   

Critical aspects required for them are:

1. The utilities / resources being provided to members need to be relevant, effective, scalable and engaging on the long term. As an illustration, an officer seeking transition advice must find it on the site and this should help him in his endeavour for a second career (relevant & effective). This and similar transitional advice must reach all officers who need it. Tailor-made and customized advice could be available, however, resources should aim at providing solutions to the maximum majority possible (scalable). The officer who sought and received transition advice should have a reason to continue to be engaged over the long term with the site (engaging). This could imply continuously innovating with new resources / solutions on the site, tweaking existing utilities to keep them relevant & interesting, creating second, third and so on levels of engagement. Thus, if the officer was seeking information on which transition course he should choose and received this information, the site should further tell him how he should evaluate multiple job options at the time of his placement. At the third level, he could be provided with information on how he needs to set his medium and long term career goals and the steps he needs to accomplish them. Thus at every stage of his career he gets the solution / answers he needs and identifies the site as a source for this information referring back to it on frequent occasion. This level of engagement however is infrequent. The sites should further aim at creating frequent levels of engagement (daily, weekly, etc.).
2. Visibility and branding to propagate the sites to as many relevant users as possible and further ensure they register with the site.
3. High quality content (including user generated) and resources. A user coming across low quality content or a resource which was supposed to work but doesn't could put him off completely and he might never return to the site (I have seen content on both the sites with numerous grammatical & spelling errors and well as some which was outright bad). The Indian Armed forces community has a very strong element of networking and communication inherent in it. A happy user will tell 10 others about the site. The opposite is true as well. Creation of self appointed brand ambassadors is important to create a successful brand.
   

XISF seems to have adopted the Barista model where it evaluates each step independently, refines and goes ahead with it. Whereas Faujnet seems to have adopted the Starbucks model (also adopted by Cafe Coffee Day) where it goes all out in expansion / visibility and refines / consolidates along the way.

There are pros and cons of both approaches. As with Barista, they have a far lesser number of stores but loyalists admire the ambience and personal touch of their outlets. Whereas in Cafe Coffe Day, their large numbers ensure huge footfall (consequently revenue as well) and branding / visibility, but people sometimes complain of an outlet being like an assembly line.

The bottom-line of any such venture is its ability to attract and retain users over the medium to long term. A site can be monetized and thus be successful only if it is able to achieve that aim.

My best wishes to both!

Which Transition / Resettlement Course is the Best Option for You?

Upgrading one’s qualification is one of the critical considerations an officer evaluates on release / retirement from the armed forces. Deciding which one is the best option for you is a matter of personal choice since each officer is unique by way of his/her qualifications, experience, service profile, years of service experience, preference of a profile, etc.

A few inputs on the options available:

1. 6 month GMP (General Management Program) at Management Institutes (IIMs, XLRI, MDI, etc.): Helps you learn practices and theory of the corporate world. You get up to date with market news. Campus placements, when successful, can get you higher packages. However, these have not been successful for many courses for past year+. This might change now since the economy is on the way to recovery and corporates have begun hiring again.

2. 1 year executive MBA/2 year full-time MBA (ISB-Hyderabad, IIMs, and other management institutes): In any higher education program a lot of learning happens through interaction with fellow students and professors as well as through case studies where practical knowledge and learning play a big role. Thus one should be able to meaningfully give and take learning. With a purely armed forces background this ability is limited. Also, without corporate experience, one may even be unsure of which profile to specialize in. This option is advisable only to officers with minimum 3-5 years of corporate experience.

3. 2/3 year part time MBA: These are specially designed for working executives. Classes are conducted in the evenings or during the weekends. Classes can be real or virtual. This makes sense for executives who cannot afford to take time off from work to upgrade their qualifications. Some courses like the one conducted at the IIM-L campus at Noida and FMS are reputed and can add value to your profile while you continue to earn.

4. Correspondence Courses: These add value to your resume only by way of the tag. Besides basic management theory should you decide to seriously study the course material there isn’t much value in these courses.

Recommendation

1. 6 month GMP (Ser. No. 1): In spite of the poor campus placement record lately of the six month management courses, I recommend this option. However, for placement, ensure that all options are explored (especially networking as this option has worked wonderfully well for officers in the past) and do not depend purely on campus placement. Smart officers have been known to get reasonable placements even during the recession. Officers in the higher age bracket are at a disadvantage for placements, especially if they do not have any technical qualifications.

2. A part time MBA (Ser. No. 3) from a reputed institute is also a good option to take up.

Additional inputs on officers planning to take up Ser. No. 2 as an option immediately on release / retirement

While it is certainly beneficial to be able to absorb knowledge and information from fellow students, however, you might not be able to derive maximum benefit from a full time course right now. There are several factors for this:

1. If you only take and not give, you might be viewed as a 'leaner' thus changing individual / group dynamics against you.

2. At the present stage you would be like a sponge taking in everything. However, very important is the fact that there are two kinds of information / knowledge to be taken - basic and advanced. You will get so engrossed in taking in the basic that you might either not be able to take in the advanced or might not identify the knowledge as such. Consider yourself as a YO in the corporate world with the difference that given a few years your learning/growth curve will be very steep. Visualize sending a YO for Junior Command as against the basic YO course.

3. Since you lack corporate exposure, the information that you now seek will not be relevant to the level you are entering. Your peers will either be individuals with hard core corporate experience ranging from 15-20 years or young executives at the top of the heap. Interactions with both will be of an advanced nature. Business strategy, advanced management concepts, globally relevant subjects, advanced domain/sector/profile related discussions, etc.

In a nutshell and to put it very bluntly, your investment to return ratio will be much higher in the 6 month MDP / part-time MBA as compared to a full time course. Yes, you must do a full time course, but after at least 3-5 years of corporate experience.

Is it the Right Time to Leave the Services?

An emphatic NO! This is certainly not the right time for you to leave the services. If you have been considering the option, rule it out for the short to medium term. That would be between six months to a year. Timing the economy is difficult and never very accurate. But it is presently plain to see that the current scenario is not an employment friendly one. Further, if you take the Sixth Pay Commission into perspective then if definitely does not make sense to leave now. I advice only those officers to leave who feel they either cannot continue in the services due to overriding factors - personal or professional or those ones who feel they are bringing special skills to the table which will ensure a top notch job immediately. All others wait and watch...

The economy is in a slowdown. Sentiment is low. Pink slips are having a field day and recruitment has been frozen. Even replacement hiring is not taking place (also read my earlier post - "Current Recruiting Environment").

For those officers who have already left and are in the process of looking for a job, doing a resettlement course or waiting for their papers to get through don't loose heart or feel discouraged. There are still good avenues available, though harder to find at the moment. The challenge is to be able to identify these opportunities and go for them. Plan harder, work harder and walk that extra mile to contact as many prospective employers and placement consultants as possible. Even consider options available on recruitment portals that promote your resume amongst prospective employers and consultants for a fee (my next post will delve into the manner to go about a good job search).

Ensure that your resume is top notch. Sometimes great candidates may be missed simply because their resume failed to attract adequate attention. Bear in mind that at this time there are those many more resumes floating in the market and far lesser vacancies than before which makes the task of finding suitable employment that much tougher.

Application Through... Now What?

Okay, so you didn't heed the advice of your family, friends and colleagues and succeeded in dispatching your application for release with the necessary signatures and recommendations in all the right places!! What next...?

First and foremost, continue to work as you did earlier. For SS officers the duration till you finally hang up the boots is approx six months if you have opted for release after the contractual period of five years and thus submitted your papers after 4 1/2 years. For SS officers on extension the period can vary between three to six months. The period for officers who have opted for PMR after whichever period of service could vary wildly (unless of course someone somewhere has your particulars noted neatly on a scribble pad in an office near the India Gate!!). Coming back to the topic at hand, it is very important to contribute like you did till the last day of service. It can leave a very poor taste amongst everyone around (and yes, even jawans know these things nowadays) to find an officer missing from scheduled events like PT, unit functions, assignments, etc. You are building your personal brand and while in your second avtar in the corporate world almost none of whom you leave behind may matter significantly, but in the long term it helps your brand. So be overly cautious not to convey an attitude of indifference or disinterest.

Secondly, start preparing for the 'outside' world. Preparation primarily amounts to the following:

1. Personal documentation.
2. Opting for a resettlement course through the DGR.
3. Preparing mentally and intellectually to enter the corporate sector.

1. Personal documentation: Ensure all your personal documentation is complete in all respects and sent to the right departments. Be closely and personally involved in this and don't depend on the Head Clerk. They invariably (though unintentionally) let you down. Read the pertinent AOs, regulations and fine print on the forms. It is a blessing to get all your dues within 30-45 days of leaving the Armed Forces (You need to be prepared to fund your resettlement course besides being self sufficient for at least six-eight months after leaving the Armed Forces).
   
2. Opting for a resettlement course through the DGR (also read my other post on this): The DGR has amended their rules for allotment of courses a few times in the recent past. Go through the website to update yourself on these. Ideally, interact with one of the officers in DGR at their office in R K Puram or speak to them on the phone (numbers are given on the website and in the DGR booklet. An online version of the booklet is also available on the website). An officer who has done extensive study of the entire process and numerous rounds of the concerned departments has graciously accepted my request of publishing this on the blog. I hope to have that up soon.
3. Preparing mentally and intellectually to enter the corporate sector: Quite simply put, prepare to WIN. Nothing short of that. Mediocre performance may not be rewarded. Getting sidelined to a second rung profile in the corners of a corporate office may not be something you will accept or enjoy what with a past life of being a Class I gazetted officer with the pay, perks, respect and status we are used to. Resolve to excel in anything and everything you do. Evolve. That seems to be the mantra doing the rounds these days. Leave with only the good you have picked up from the Armed Forces. Besides unlearning the rest and adapting to a completely new eco-system, the only way to evolve is to learn. Formal education, informal education, on the job, off the job, the internet, whichever way it comes. And don't wait for an employer to do this for you. That is an employee attitude. Take control of your life and pick up the skills you need to win in whichever profile you decide to take up. Besides the above, also start reading. Recommended are financial dailies like the Economic Times, Business Standard and the Financial Express. Business magazines like Outlook Business, Business Today, etc. Watch business channels like CNBC, NDTV Profit, UTVi. Read management books. Some are mentioned on this blog. Be sharp, on the cutting edge of knowledge and information and you will feel the difference yourself.
   

Hanging up the Olive Greens - The Way Ahead

(1. In a few places in this post my views are candid and blunt. The intension is not to offend anyone or to be rude. The subject requires thorough soul searching, and complex thought & planning before taking a decision this big.

2. There are no standard templates that can be applied to this issue. Thus this is a generic article for officers retiring/leaving or wanting to leave the Armed Forces. For specific or personal advice, please write to me on my mail id given on the blog).

The biggest apprehensions echoing in an officer’s mind who is thinking about or is about to hang-up the OGs are:

1. What next?
   
2. Should I take up a job (for officer’s superannuating)?
   
3. What profile, sector or industry will I fit in?
   
4. What is the pertinence of the qualifications and experience I have gained in the Armed Forces to the private sector?
   
5. Should I upgrade my qualifications?
   
6. Where can I get my resume made?
   
7. I did my engineering ages ago, the world has changed several times over since then.
   
8. Is there anything beyond Administration and Security for me?
   
9. I have done HR all my life, is that where I will fit best?
   

There are three manners in which an officer leaves the Armed Forces:

1. Superannuation: This is after completing his service and retiring at the age prescribed by the government.
   
2. PMR (Pre-mature release): When an officer at any point during his career decides to put in his papers.
   
3. Short Service Commissioned officers leaving after their contractual period of service or at anytime during extension or after having taken permanent commission.
   

Thus the age of an officer retiring from the Army can range from 26-58. There are no simple solutions or standardized answers. The key to success in the private sector will be a function of several factors like age, qualifications, service profile, interests, aptitude, priorities, special considerations, etc.

For an officer falling in category 2 & 3, you need to be very clear about why you want to leave. In my opinion, a simple yardstick applies. An average officer in the Armed Forces will be average in the corporate sector as well. So wishing away your problems or leaving out of frustration is certainly not reason enough. Leaving should under no circumstances be an escape mechanism. There is politics everywhere, good and bad bosses everywhere. You need to analyze in detail the core values/benefits that you are looking for in your life and profession and apply them to the armed forces and to the corporate sector to get a realistic idea of what your next action plan should be.

Some of the biggest reasons for officers wanting to leave are listed below:

1. Salary: The sixth pay commission will address this issue to a large extent. Salaries in the Armed Forces can never be equated with the private sector and should not be since these are completely different worlds. The parity will never emerge.
   
2. Promotion/Growth: Leaving the army is not a solution to lack of personal growth/promotion. There is no guarantee of growth or promotion in the private sector.
   
3. Bad boss: “Individuals leave bosses and not companies” holds true everywhere. In the private sector, you could be in the best company with a bad boss and vice versa.
   
4. Politics: Politics is everywhere and is part and parcel of any organizational culture. It cannot be wished away.
   

Advantages of the Armed Forces:

1. Job Security
   
2. Organizational Support
   
3. Administrative Support
   
4. Lifestyle, Perks and Facilities
   
5. Safe, healthy environs for children to grow up
   
6. No rat race for materialistic wants and desires
   
7. Quality time with family
   

Benefits of the Private Sector:

1. Relatively higher pay scales
   
2. Freedom to choose
   
3. Easier work conditions
   
4. Stability for family and children
   
5. Children's education
   
6. Freedom for spouse to pick up a career of her choice
   

Please be very clear about your abilities and caliber. The private sector is not an easy place to thrive and succeed in. Having said that, if you do plan to move on from the Armed Forces for the right reasons, and have the right attitude, abilities and confidence; then there is no stopping you. You can be as successful as you want to be in almost any profile you decide to take up, in any industry or even if you decide to start your own business/venture.

Additional Qualifications

When you leave or are about to do so, it may be a good idea for you to upgrade your qualifications. This can be done while in service through distance learning programs or after you leave through the Armed Forces Management Development Programs or a regular one/two year MBA. You may even decide to upgrade your qualifications at a later stage after gaining some experience in the corporate sector.

Resume

This is one of the most important documents you will need to make a start in the private sector. Please ensure you invest in making a professional resume (Basic Principles of a Good Resume).

Profile/Industry

This will again be a function of factors like age, qualifications, service profile, interests, aptitude, priorities, special considerations, etc. However, please keep your mind open to all profiles across industry. There are innumerable opportunities on offer. Explore as many as possible.