PERSONAL FINANCE


Here are some simple steps Some time ago, a professional in the investment banking sector asked me what he should do about the sudden lack of energy that he felt at work. He wondered whether he had outgrown his job or was just burnt out. The variables at the workplace had not changed...

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Effective communication is a crucial factor in career progression as this example underlines Subbu (name changed) was scheduled to go for an interview for the post of marketing head. The date, time and venue were confirmed by the company in advance. He was going to be interviewed by the CEO, a...

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Changing careers can be a positive, only if you remember these five things I was recently called by a person for career advice. He had an interesting question about making calculated career moves. He asked if it really mattered in today’s world to make deliberated job changes, considering that...

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5 ways to combat that sorrowful feeling after the holidays The festive season has begun and everyone is making plans to take a few days off as a good escape from the routine. Whether it’s a short break or a longish holiday, this is a time not only to relax and ease the stress, but also meet...

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Shalini Amarnani explains how to avoid such a fate Though widely used and immensely convenient, credit cards can become your worst enemies if you are careless. One negative aspect of using credit cards, instead of cash, is that you don’t feel you’re spending real money. The pleasant feelings...

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It is alright to express regret if you believe you overreacted or got carried away Remember the last time you had a good fight with a loved one and needed to make up? How hard was it to say sorry or to forgive? In a world where conflict is inevitable, amicable resolution of conflicts can be...

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There are far too many people in the network who can make a difference I am sure you have been through one or more co-incidences where you meet a completely random person in a completely random situation and then find some connection through family or friends. Sometimes this happens at work...

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5 factors that will help you to draw the line between the two Having read my column on work/life balance, a client recently asked me: where does the line lie between encouraging employees to do things other than work and ensuring that hobbies don’t eat into professional duties? Thankfully, a...

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Cheer quotient is an important factor in team performance I just met an old friend who had gone away on a sabbatical for a few months and has come back totally rejuvenated and invigorated. His positive attitude and extremely excited demeanour were highly visible. I kept wondering if he was...

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Will you continue to pay for a crime that you have not committed, asks Pankaj Kapoor Reports published by the Australian Institute of Criminology say that 10% of the claims paid by Australian insurance companies are fraudulent and they add about A$70 to the premium of each Australian policy....

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Some dos and don’ts if you are a victim of workplace sexual exploitation Gender exploitation at the workplace is an established reality. This requires that we address it squarely. However, it has been commented upon so often that it has become clichéd. I am not going to write about the types of...

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5 ways in which the past can be a guide for the future In class seven, I wondered why it was important to study history. In class 10, I figured it was a good subject to score marks, especially if you are weak in maths. Now I realise that history, of any sort, is an important component of...

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5 ways to infuse merriment in workplace When I asked my three-year old niece what fun means, she looked at me as if I was asking a dumb question, and answered, “fun means play.” In order to get some more insight from her, I asked her, “what is happiness?” This time, her eyes warned me that she...

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What are you supposed to do if your peers behave suspiciously? The news these days is all about terror plots, identity theft and fake passports. It is alarming how many individuals who seemed like “guys-next-door” have been implicated in heinous crimes and terror attacks - both, failed ones...

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Anxiety and anticipation are integral to relocation. Here is how to get over them Whenever it pours in Mumbai, I wonder how many people think of going to live in another city. Moving to a new location can be overwhelming. It only gets compounded if you have never made too many geographical...

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Do you have what it takes to start out on your own? The Indian talent pool’s biggest strength is known to be its entrepreneurial spirit. Whether it is the ‘intrapreneurial’ moral fibre that employers look for in managers, or investors reviewing a multitude of revenue models, entrepreneurship...

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“Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry” Shakespeare wrote this in Hamlet. Luckily for the world, nobody listened; otherwise there would have been no banking services. Globally, the debt market is estimated at around...

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Emerging trends in the insurance industry will benefit consumers, predicts Pankaj Kapoor Like in aviation and telecom, as a motor insurance buyer, you are headed for good times. Till 2000, you just had four government companies to choose from. Since then, you had a wider choice of names, but...

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What does it take to lead those who you think are better than you? Try these five approaches Have you ever felt that your team is much smarter than you? Or that sometimes your subordinate knows what to do with a particular issue even before you do? Or that people you manage seem to have better...

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Assess the long-term nuances of alternative jobs Whether or not you are looking for a job or actively searching career alternatives, a headhunter’s call is usually welcome. And in case you are open to exploring options, then the abundance of available opportunities can be overwhelming. It is...

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