With MNCs flocking to India, jobseekers would do well to make a beeline for the ones that have Indians in their topmost rungs

The MNCs are coming. In the past month, at least four tech majors — AMD, Microsoft, Cisco and Intel — have announced plans of investing $1 billion plus apiece in India. Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, who is putting in $1.7 billion, says that he will create 4,000 new jobs in India over the next four years.

These are not BPO jobs, where most of today’s action is. They will be top-end research or marketing careers. Taking them up will be the high-fliers.

“As the Indian economy globalises, MNCs are realising that they have to give more importance to where the action is — India and China,” says the CEO of an international headhunting firm. “Thirty years down the line, some companies may even have to move their headquarters to India. It is necessary to identify today which are the ones that have no hang-ups about operating from a ‘Third World’ country.”

How does this make a difference to the future prospects of today’s entrant in the job market? Yes, CEOs and senior staff are sometimes imported from other organisations. But most companies take pride in nurturing talent within their ranks. To have worked in the same company all your life increases the chances of making it to the top.

How does the green-behind-the-ears MBA identify such companies? There are some simple ways. First — and a very obvious method — is to look at the number of Indians in the top rungs of the MNC. Citigroup, for instance, has several. But, at the same time, some have visibly stumbled at the end. Citigroup makes a lot of its focus on diversity in the workplace. In 2003, the financial services giant added Asian Heritage Month to its list of sponsorships in the US. Says the company: “During Asian Heritage month, the global corporate and investment banking group organised an event highlighting successful Asian managers at Citigroup. Our senior Asian managers shared personal stories and views on career development.”

But trust a banker to find some way of drumming up business. Says the bank: “Citigroup celebrated Diwali by launching a promotion targeted at Asian-Indian clients. Diwali is considered advantageous to making major financial decisions. The promotion — which offered incentives to prospective Asian-Indian customers to open accounts — was advertised on Asian-Indian TV stations and in Asian-Indian newspapers.” Citigroup does not find mention in a list of Asian-friendly companies (see box). Nor does Microsoft or, for that matter, Texas Instruments (TI), which runs on Asian power. TI has, in fact, an Indian initiative. Explains the company: “TI has one group dedicated to the concerns of its Indian workers. The Semiconductor Group Indian Diversity Initiative works with other diversity initiatives to promote career advancement through networking, communication and counselling. In addition, the group works to promote cultural awareness and facilitate an information-sharing channel for visitors to and from India.”

So is the list of any use? Yes, because regardless of what some MNCs are up to, what counts at the end of the day is perception. Perhaps a better bet is to visit sites like BrahmaTalent.com. This styles itself as “an online job board and resource centre designed to promote and empower Asian Indians in the global workplace as a vital workforce in today’s competitive war for talent. BrahmaTalent.com enables featured employers to publicise their diversity programmes and initiatives and differentiate themselves from other employers in the market” .

Check it out if you want. But the problem is such sites need to be accepted by large companies if they are to serve some purpose. And that takes time.