[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by vdiatech

I heard even the govt pays well now. It looks after you even post retirement and gives you a hefty wallet the day you retire.

if I had to opt between a call centre job at 22K or a Govt job at 15-18K, then it would be the govt job for me !

My dad put in 37 years of central govt service, now his monthly pension and other additions etc is more than what my younger brother earns in a BPO !

You can't compare a man with 37 years experience with a boy just out of college. Compare what your brother earns with the starting salary of a central govt employee and you'll see the difference. Btw, what govt job pays 15-18k starting salary?

[Ravveendrra]

Recession proof - guaranteed custom, fix your own price, always in demand: Undertaker, funeral services organiser, funeral parlour owner. People will always die. No glam, so no takers for the job - it is a sellers market out there. It helps if you can have a mournful look on your face and look good in black.

Cheers,

[mmmjgm]

Just check out the ICE section, i think on a lighter note being a dentist has a lot of potential in the cash department, even Navin will agree !

As Scooby05 said, the struggle period is less, the only investment is the donation if your exam results are poor, and a clinic space.

Don't get into the surgery part of it but cosmetic dentistry, good money.

Rest is struggle for three to five years and you are set. Anyways the Indian diet is rough on the teeth, more patients for you.

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You are talking about the customer interface. The real trouble in restaurant business is on the inside. Again has to deal with labour. Child labour is the norm because adults don't want to be cleaners. The employee turnover is very high. A good cook is very important to retain regular customers. And it is very easy to lose a good cook to head-hunters, who may lure them away to take away your customers to competitors. One has to also have a loyal man to rule the kitchen with the iron hand, to ensure that the staff doesn't eat away half the food. O yeah, that happens a lot. You have to start early, finish late, deal with staff problems, etc., non stop whole day. It is not only risky, but a very stressful business. And no holidays, ever seen restaurants close for weekends and holidays?

Absolutely. I once told my uncle/CPA that I will make some cash in the US, return to India and take a Pizza/restaurant franchise. He said, "Whats with engineers and restaurants, they always think/dream of opening a restaurant franchise with the money saved, and relax. Boy, how wrong could you be..." He gave me the exact same reasons as you. Glad I listened to him, there is no such thing as easy + stable flow of income.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

You can't compare a man with 37 years experience with a boy just out of college. Compare what your brother earns with the starting salary of a central govt employee and you'll see the difference. Btw, what govt job pays 15-18k starting salary?

VDIATECH is correct.

A BSNL employee whose job is to pull wires, etc. and install landline phones earns Rs. 14K per month.
Recently the salary rise was given and its very high.
A 12th cleared person opening and closing lids of oil wagons earns Rs. 30K.
I know this because I had a huge fight at BSNL and some high level person said that earlier salary was less so the employees used to connect and talk through somebody's lines and so there was confusion about bills, etc.

About IOC, we have a good number of neighbours here, and we are in touch with them. Diwali bonus and no. of holidays are also good.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

what govt job pays 15-18k starting salary?

Pretty much any govt job pays better than 20k these days. Govt pay scales have been revised. My relative works at NIV Pune, just out of collage and is getting 24k.

[theMAG]

Honestly, the most balanced career currently is a Central Government job, especially with the recent pay-hikes that have bought their salaries to mid-IT levels, without the IT stresses and timings. I have 2 aunts who work in Central Govt. institutions and they are pleased as punch notwithstanding the big payouts they got as accrued salary hike component calculated from January 2008. And they all get pension. Which IT company gives a pension on account of the fact that they love you??

Either that or the basic hotel industry that caters to the common man's breakfast/lunch/dinner is another recession-proof industry to run.

[StarVegabond]

Last week i bought India Today december 2009 issue. It has a special suppliment on Offbeat Career options for today's youngsters. I take liberty to list them here along with the starting salary range

1. Chocolatier : 2.5-5.0L per year
2. Sommelier or Wine taster : 2-3L per year
3. Chef : 50K to 12L per year
4. Gift Wrapper : 1.5-2.0L per year
5. Micro finance agent : 60K to 12L per year
6. Fitness Trainer : 60K to 1.5L per year
7. Makeup artist : 60K to 1.0L per year
8. Adventure sports instructor : 1.2L to 1.5L per year
9. Footware designer : 2.4L to 3.0L per year
10. Illustrator : 1.5L to 2.5L per year
11. Disk Jockey : 60K to 1.2L per year

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

What do you guys mean by a "stable" career?

As a lower rung Govt. officer, I joined service in march 2006. I have been already transferred ....

7 times. That is right. SEVEN.

I am not home 3 days a week. My monthly travelling limit is about two days room rent in a typical hotel in a C class city. That means, no stability; only running around.

For IAS / IPS, the impact of transfers would be even worse. Especially the IAS guys, who can be shunted from New Delhi to their "home" state at whims and fancies of politicos.

[NetfreakBombay]

Stable means you can be assured that job would be there in years / decades.

E.g. in IT, 2001 and 2008 seemed like end of road from career point of view. Thankfully things recovered in few months in both cases.

[khan75]

Most stable: Any government job

Most lucrative: Lawyers if you're in it for the short run ($150K out of school but progress there on can be laborious) and Management Consultants for the long haul ($70K out of school but once you hit partner level in 6-10 years, you're looking at $500K+ easily). My friend's a divorce lawyer and he's making a killing these days. Bankers were up there until last year's fiasco.

[sdp1975]

There's this usual saying - grass looks greener on the other side.

Those in pvt jobs think govt jobs are better, and vice versa.

[Johnny_]

Originally Posted by ajmat

The most stable business is the equestrian / horse racing business - This is in the stable!

Quite true, its a very rewarding hobby, if turned into a profession.

[Johnny_]

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

Recession proof - guaranteed custom, fix your own price, always in demand: Undertaker, funeral services organiser, funeral parlour owner. People will always die. No glam, so no takers for the job - it is a sellers market out there. It helps if you can have a mournful look on your face and look good in black.

Cheers,

I believe it usually works this way in other countries, here in our country this service has not been professionalized yet.

[Johnny_]

MBA is considered to be a good addition too. Apart from management jobs, there are quite a few govt. sector jobs like customs, IT, revenue department; all these fields are a bit difficult to get into initially, but once one manages to get placed, there's no looking back. Customs, IT officials are also respected(read awed/feared) at par with the police officials.