Demand for PROs up
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
TIMES are changing fast. And this change is affecting every sphere of life. With the beginning of the process of globalisation, competition is growing in every sphere of human activity. The government sector is shrinking even in developing economies like India while the private sector is flourishing.

India accounts for most foreign students in USA: report
WASHINGTON: India was the leading country of origin for foreign students in the USA for the second consecutive year, says a new report here. With 74,603 students of the total 586,323, Indian students represented 13 per cent of the international students.

Demand for PROs up
Sarbjit Dhaliwal

TIMES are changing fast. And this change is affecting every sphere of life. With the beginning of the process of globalisation, competition is growing in every sphere of human activity. The government sector is shrinking even in developing economies like India while the private sector is flourishing.

New job opportunities are coming up in the private sector. However, because of stiff competition, it is very demanding on the employees.

In this era of competition, publicity has become important. Without publicity, it is difficult to achieve success in the market. In other words, for image-boosting, it is necessary to resort to intense but professionally-handled publicity campaigns.

As publicity, a highly technical and sophisticated task, has become a basic necessity, demand for well-trained and groomed public relations officers and executives is growing. Job opportunities in this segment are tremendous.

In fact, more and more people are choosing public relations as a career and also for career advancement.

Over the past few years, thousands of firms have emerged in the country which handle the job of public relations. These firms have employed public relations officers and executives. Various companies sign contracts with public relations firms to handle their publicity campaigns. In Chandigarh alone, there are 40 such firms, which are engaged in this task. About 200 youth work in Chandigarh in such firms.

Such firms employ young, good looking, sober but intelligent boys and girls to manage the hard job of public relations for them. When companies launch products or organise events, they hold media conferences in various cities.

To handle the media coverage, public relations firms are hired by such companies. Press notes are prepared by these firms, which even employ experienced journalists who have retired. These firms also employ copy writers for publicity campaigns of their clients.

For advancing loans, banks employ private public relations organisations, which contact prospective customers.

Such organisations brief the customers about the procedures, terms and conditions and attractive packages offered by the bank concerned.

Mr P.K. Khurana, a top functionary of the Quick Sell public relations firm here, says in Chandigarh more and more boys and girls are taking up public relations as a career.

He says at least six employees, who worked with him for few years as public relations officers, have now got prestigious jobs in Delhi.

Adopting public relations as a career at the initial stage provides one confidence to handle big assignments in the future.

"A hardworking youth having confidence and good communication skills can hope to get a start of Rs 6,000 in small firms while big firms offer salaries between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000", he adds.

However, big firms employ youth with a very high academic profile, he says. Various public relations organisations have started event management companies as their subsidiaries.

India accounts for most foreign students in USA: report

WASHINGTON: India was the leading country of origin for foreign students in the USA for the second consecutive year, says a new report here.

With 74,603 students of the total 586,323, Indian students represented 13 per cent of the international students.

China was second with 64,757 students, according to the "Open Doors 2003" report of the Institute of International Education (IIE) released here recently.

The report highlighted significant decreases in the number of students from Middle-East countries. Their enrolment in US institutions was down 10 per cent to 34,803 from 38,545 in 2002.

The census is based on a survey of over 2,700 accredited US institutions, with a response rate of approximately 90 per cent.

A large number of respondents reported especially steep declines in new students from Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia (29 per cent), Pakistan (28 per cent) and the United Arab Emirates (23 per cent). — IANS

A You could look at the following courses:

Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi

Course: PG Diploma in TV Journalism (I-yr)

New Delhi YMCA, Institute for Media Studies & Information Technology, Jaisingh Road, New Delhi.

Course: PG Diploma in Television Journalism (6-mth).

Jamia Millia Islamia, MCRC Course in Electronic Journalism (Hin/Urdu, weekend).

Janakidevi Mahavidyalaya (Delhi University), Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, Delhi. Course: Short-term course in Hindi Newsreading on TV (for women).

Makhanlal Chaturvedi Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya (contact their affiliated institutions/study centres)

Course: MA in Broadcast Journalism.

Besides these, some TV personalities also conduct short-term courses on television presentation. However, do check out their offerings before you sign up. Many of them offer substandard fare that will get you nowhere. While it’s an asset, it’s not absolutely essential to do a course. If you are a graduate with a clear diction, a pleasant well-modulated voice and pleasant looking, you can appear for the written test (a background of the cultural traditions of the region and overall general awareness are important criteria for selection) conducted by Radio/TV channels. If you manage to qualify the written test, you will be called for an audition followed by an interview. Also take a shot at the FM channels while you’re at it. The confidence and skills you gain while presenting the programmes will hold you in good stead.

A Increasingly schools, especially in urban areas, have begun to provide guidance and counselling to students in educational, personal and vocational matters. This has generated a need for professional counsellors who provide care, support and a congenial environment during the child’s development processes at school.

Training for the job of a counsellor is rigorous and specialised. However, once in the job, you have to keep yourself well-informed of the current developments in the fields of education and careers. On the other hand, tact, patience and persuasive skills are called for in tackling behavioural problems and learning blocks.

In case you are interested in counselling, you could opt for a diploma course in guidance & counselling. You can also choose from several related PG Diploma courses:

Ranchi University: Diploma in Psychology & Education.

SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai: Early Child Education

Gujarat University: Special Non-Formal Education for Children.

NID, Ahmedabad offers a PG Course in Toy Designing for those with a specialisation in Child Development at the Master’s level — a fantastic option if you have a flair for designing. If you wish to study still further, you can also do research (MPhil followed by PhD) in your area of specialisation. Alternatively, you can teach or look for a counsellor’s job in a school or work for NGOs operating in the area of child development and childcare.

— Pervin Malhotra, Director, CARING

Please send in your query preferably on a postcard along with your name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Query Hotline, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160020, or at careerguide@tribuneindia.com