Planning for a Job with increasing big Business Scandals Worldwide

With ongoing severe Global recession, the accounting scandal at Satyam Computer Services not only increase investor nervousness about weak corporate governance and oversight, it can even affect career choice of many job seekers. If you see some earlier reports of Best Global Employers to work with you can find firms like Lehman, Goldman, CapGemeni, PwC, BCG, Infosys, KPMG, Satyam, EY, Cisco, Google etc. While some of them were involved in scams and scandals, many others are doing exceedingly well, as of now!

Little is known about how widespread the problem is and things could get worse if other frauds are uncovered with involvement of mostly greedy promoters, directors and white-collar employees. It has already shaken confidence of all stake-holders in corporate world. And it is compounded in my mind by what I already call the fear complex that exists around all global markets.

The scandal underscores the risks that comes with working for a big employer with not enough regulatory oversight and job protection around. Unlike smaller firms where you can forecast with higher certainty, expect sudden death with MNCs, Conglomerates, Blue-Cheaps! etc. with a large employee-base. It also highlights cultural risks inherent in most family-owned businesses, which have long battled issues such as nepotism, mismanagement, weak boards for governance and lack of transparency and professionalism.

Sadly, about half the companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark 30-share index are family controlled! The people who do such frauds are usually egocentric. They have an incredibly high IQ. They generally surround themselves with people that support their opinion about what they are doing - right or wrong! Some say it shows weaknesses in India’s corporate governance, structural weakness, negligence, etc. Though these are politically right statements, the bottom-line, MONEY is given PRIME importance over everything else, and prevailing wisdom is, if you have it you can BUY-OUT critics. Whatever they say in public life, this concept is endorsed by 99% politicians, media icons, celebrities, regulators, investors, et al. Change in action is what we need!

Nevertheless, such scandals are hardly confined to India, with immense frauds such as Enron, WorldCom, Société Générale, Adelphia and now Madoff rocking the West in recent years. But Satyam's rival Infosys is closing up on Nasdaq and BSE. It shows the changing market sentiments and hiring scrutiny. It will surely impact many future recruitment, especially for top and responsible positions.

I have gathered some tips and guides to reach and sustain in a great company, not by size or perks, of course!
- Be ready with your answers and ideas for facing a business with social responsibility and honesty.
- Great companies are enthusiastic about community outreach, and they prefer to hire like-minded people, acquire such skills.
- Know about popular behavioral interview styles wherein you will be asked to describe difficult situations in past jobs and tell how you handled them.
- Know more about the place and the industry than your rivals e.g. talk to their customers before-hand - no too hard, pick the phone and call!
- Most reliable companies are looking for people who want to build a long-term career. Be persuasive about why you wish to settle down here.
- Passion is a must, talk about the skills you like to acquire or polish.
- Every Best Company keeps track people who barely missed getting hired - and alerts them to new openings - keep your mailbox open.
- Do not apply for a job just because the company is on your list.
- Do not imitate, even if you admire personalities like Phlips Kotler or Obama, try to be original.

This list is not end of it, brainstorm to find more and if you have ideas, we also welcome your comments here.