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The choice of subjects should be based on an understanding of student’s personality and goals plus an assessment of aptitudes.
“Take up science if you score well in the Class X boards, otherwise opt for commerce," the parent of a 15- year-old advises his ward with regard to the choice of a stream.
Similar is the case of many Class XII students, who decide on careers without an in-depth study. But this is not the right way of planning one's career. Career planning starts with the individual understanding himself. Then, one chooses a stream accordingly. Premlata Garg, principal, DAV, Shrestha Vihar, opines that only when proper counselling is undertaken can a right assessment be done. She says that a number of students don't understand the avenues and are also not goal-oriented. Lots of them choose the stream based on their friends’ advice. One needs to understand one's aptitude, personality, interests, abilities and what one values as an individual. Aptitude is what comes naturally to an individual or is one's special ability. Students can be shy/outgoing, creative, conventional or the type to influence others. This determines their personality. A shy person will not fit into the role of a direct marketing professional and so on. Personality is an important parameter in the selection of a career and hence, the stream. Thereafter, one needs to understand one’s interests. Students might need to delve deep into themselves to understand their real interests. One can take a cue from the activities one enjoys the most at school or at home. We also need to check if we have the ability to take up a particular subject area or career. Last but not the least, one should examine what one values. Some people value money, some glamour, some power, others time for themselves and so on. One cannot expect the fulfillment of every aspiration in a particular career. So, one can decide, prioritise and then choose a stream based on one’s goals and values. Says Rithambra, a counsellor with Ryan International, Noida, "Undue weightage is given to the Class X board marks and students attach lower significance to an area like humanities. The orientation of parents becomes important on a regular basis to help them plan the child’s stream choice." One needs to understand that a number of careers are available, irrespective of the stream taken. So, the chosen stream should be of a student's interest. The following are the broad career categories available: a) Corporate or business careers— management (sales & marketing, finance & accounts, human resource management, Systems, Operations/Logistics), chartered accountancy, insurance and banking . b) People-based careers—hotel management, psychology, social work, teaching and tourism. c) Creative careers—Fashion Designing, Accessory Designing, Acting & allied careers, Photography, Interior Decoration, and Advertising. d) Careers involving outdoor work — reporting/journalism, defence, police, physical education e) Science-based careers — i) PCM based: scientist, biotechnology (only B.Tech), engineering, merchant navy, commercial pilot, audiography and motion photography ii) PCB-based: biotechnology, medical, pharmacy, physiotherapy, medical lab technology, nursing, ayurveda and homeopathy. Certain other careers like law, gaming technologies and IT (computers) can also be pursued. Except for science-based careers (and defence i.e NDA at the Class XII level), all other careers can be taken up by individuals with any subject combinations. A commonly held myth is that if one does not have maths, one is doomed. This reasoning is not valid as explained above. A number of careers can be taken up by individuals who don't have maths, like the first four groups of careers listed above and of course, the PCB-based ones. The only fields one can’t opt for without maths are: B.Com(Hons), Eco(Hons) and Computer courses(BCA, MCA). Though at some places, the BCA can be taken up without maths also. Anjali Mehta, counsellor, Amity International, feels: "the stream choice is a decision of a lifetime. So, students should choose their stream with care and after a lot of deliberation. Sadly, students and parents don't spend as much time in selecting a stream as in choosing and buying a car. As a result, the whole life of a student is affected." Another myth is that humanities student don't fare well in life. Not only can humanities students look at any career in the first four groups mentioned, they can also do well in civil services, law, social work, psychology or even journalism. For career planning, one can take help from counsellors, go in for psychological testing or take the help of websites. It is definitely a good idea to spend time on this process, take help from elders, meet up people working in that career and then make one's choice. This could be a sureshot formula for success. The writer is a career counsellor.
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Mission admission
Job satisfaction is the key to excel in your career and it can be only achieved through a promising job that matches your interests, aptitude as well as personality.
If you are caught in the wrong job, then you will dislike the work and hence, not be able to climb up the ladder. So, if your are seeking admission to one of the premier colleges, but are baffled as to which stream will make you sail to success, then counselling is necessary. Seek guidance regarding the desirable and feasible career options available to you.
For those who’ve just completed Class XII, there are many options to explore. “Students are often not guided properly to opt for the right course. They should be advised to take subjects that gel well with their interests as well as personality. Some students are confused and follow the herd mentality. So, I decided to conduct career counselling sessions to provide the relevant information pertaining to the personality and qualifications of the students,” says A.C. Vaid, principal of GGDSD College, Sector 32, Chandigarh. This facility is provided free of cost to even those who are not students of the college, he says. “It is open to all students, who are either studying in Class XII or have taken their plus two exams,” he adds. Charu Talwar, coordinator, career guidance and counseling cell, GGDSD College, says, “This programme is held on the premises of the college. All you have to do is to get yourself registered and then take a written test. These are standardised psychological tests that are adapted specifically for the target group. They include a series of psychological tests to check the aptitude, intelligence, interest and personality of the student,” She says, on the basis of these tests, detailed profiles of the students are prepared, followed by a personal counselling session, where emotional problems of the students come to light. “After all, a good career decision is made keeping in consideration one’s interest, aptitude, intelligence and personality. So, such counselling is a holistic approach where the detailed profile of the student is studied during the personal counselling sessions. I call five students per day for this counselling,” she says. “These sessions are very important to overcome the emotional problems of the students. Sometimes, a difficult situation crops up, when I have to send the students or, at times, their parents out of the room to counsel in the best possible way. And, after the whole procedure, I suggest a career that is feasible for the student,” Talwar adds. However, you can even seek counselling from the State Institute of Education (SIE), Sector 32. The counsellor of its guidance and counseling department, says, “We provide information about the courses available in and around Chandigarh as well as the details of the availability of forms for the courses to be pursued.” “Aptitude tests are conducted every Monday and Tuesday. Then, students are asked to come for personal counselling on Friday or Saturday, where I suggest a career that matches well with their interests, intelligence as well as personality. I advise parents of the students to accompany them.” Even the parents are anxious to get their children counselled. After the counselling, they are satisfied and feel relieved, the counsellor adds.
So, if you are at the crossroads, counselling is the path to the right career stream.
Testing time
Aptitude tests are conducted every Monday and Tuesday at the State Institute of Education, Sector 32,
Chandigarh.
A career counselling programme will be held at GGDSD College, Sector 32, Chandigarh, on June 13. Students can register for it on June 12.
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Scoring over IT
With the addition of more and more employees, the financial services sector has emerged as the largest job provider in low-cost cities, edging out information technology, says a new study released in New Delhi.
Among 30 lead sectors that provided the maximum jobs to young aspirants between January-March 2008, financial services outpaced the IT sector in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, an Assocham study has said. "A change in the job trend has been observed in small cities, while traditionally the maximum job openings used to be concentrated in the IT sector. But in Tier-II and Tier- III cities, the financial services have overtaken it," Assocham President Sajjan Jindal says. For the Jan- March quarter, the financial services were the second highest job generating sector, providing maximum employment opportunities of 26.35 per cent during the said period. The study covered 60 cities comprising Tier-I, Tier- II and Tier-III cities. Further, job creation in the financial services sector was fuelled by the stock market, brokerage houses and mutual funds which accounted for 35.44 per cent of the total jobs created in the sector. It was followed by the insurance sector that contributed 34.22 per cent in Tier-II cities like Pune, Surat and Jaipur recorded the maximum vacancies in insurance companies, banks, mutual funds, and brokerage houses, while the same in Tier-III cities was witnessed in Mangalore, Pondicherry and Aurangabad. The second largest share of the vacancies posted in the upcoming cities was for the IT sector, which generated an employment of 17 per cent in Tier-II cities and 17.5 per cent in Tier-III cities. However, the IT and ITeS provided maximum job openings in Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad and Nagpur, also Mangalore, Jalandhar and Aurangabad were the most sought after low-cost cities by the IT firms. Interestingly, in the Tier-II cities, the education sector occupied the third rank, offering vacancies of 6.41 per cent, with the maximum pie coming from Lucknow, Pune and Jaipur. Education was followed by consultancy & research sector (4.92 per cent) and management sector (4.70 per cent) at fourth and fifth ranks, respectively.
— PTI
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Smart Skills
With more and more foreign funds coming into the market, and the increasing presence of foreign players in the Indian markets, the stock markets have begun to get more professional with advanced techniques and practices being adopted in dealing with securities.
This has also come about with the entry of financial experts who are now beginning to seriously consider a job in the field of capital markets. The largest single group of employees is in the investment advisory category. As many more people begin to invest in the stock market, there is need for accurate information with regard to securities — what to buy or hold or sell. Stockbrokers require to have this information so as to help their clients make informed equity decisions. Today, stockbrokers, and brokerage firms utilise the expertise of professionals to provide this kind of information and the people involved in such research are called securities analysts or equity analysts. They are employed not only by investment advisers and brokerage firms, but also by banks, insurance companies, pension funds, foundations, mutual funds, and other large financial institutions. The job of a securities analyst, also known as research analysts or market analysts, is to research and evaluate companies, find out their profitability, look for indications of growth and expansion, project the company's future earnings and on the basis of observations, make recommendations to clients on which securities to buy or sell. In other words, the securities analysts are ‘the backroom boys,’ so to speak, of the stock markets, analysing financial performance and making profit projections about companies and potential investments. Analysts usually study an entire industry, observing and assessing the current trends in business practices and industry competition. They keep abreast of new regulations and policies that may affect the industry as well as monitor the changes taking place in the economy, as such happenings affect the earnings of the companies. Based on this preliminary research, the analyst may shortlist companies in a particular industry which looks promising, and proceed to study the same thoroughly. The work of an analyst is, therefore, a lot of research, studying companies - their history, products and services, tracking their performance, meeting people, and trying to understand its growth and future. Much of the information comes from books and trade publications, financial reports, and by studying the public records of the company, or by using reference services like Standard and Poor's Outlook etc. Once the analyst has shortlisted companies which promise to be good investment opportunities, they require to analyse financial data, spot trends and develop forecasts, write reports and make presentations with ratings on "buy", "sell", "over perform", "hold" etc, and financial recommendations. Often analysts prepare independent studies which they can then sell to traders, brokers and investors making recommendations about investing opportunities and convincing them to buy or sell the concerned stocks and securities. Most analysts have an MBA in finance, or some other financial qualifications. To enter this field it is important to understand the working of the stock exchange and money markets thoroughly. Different exchanges in the country today have different norms. So, it is essential to be knowledgeable on how it functions. Those with a bachelor's / masters degree and experience in the financial services industry or statistical research can also get into this field. It is always advisable for you to get yourself training in specific financial interest areas. Most firms also prefer to take on MBA’s with a specialisation in finance, or postgraduates with specialised training in capital markets, stocks and securities or other courses in financial management. A degree in engineering, pharmacy etc in addition to an MBA or a qualification in economics, chartered accountancy and statistics is a good combination as it gives analysts a better understanding of those fields and can help them in making investment decisions in those sectors. Postgraduate programmes in Capital Markets and in Stocks and Securities are available in select universities and institutes in the country. This is a high risk job, and to be successful in this field, you need to have a good understanding of the stock market, and an ability to work under tremendous pressure as large volumes of money are involved. You also need to have logical and analytical and problem solving skills. You must also have a capacity for dogged research based work, an understanding of tax laws, money markets and the business economy in general. In addition, you would need excellent presentation and marketing skills to present recommendations with necessary tact when dealing with clients. Most of all a keen and somewhat instinctive business expertise is essential, your professional growth will depend on the fortunes of the share market, over which an individual often has no control. Securities analysts can work with brokerage firms, or with institutional investors such as hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, with investment banks, proprietary trading operation of banks and brokers, endowments and insurance companies that invest much of the funds available with them. Some of the major players in trading and stock broking in India include companies like Kotak Securities Ltd, Angel Broking, Karvy Stockbroking, Anand Rathi, and multi-national companies such as Thomson-Reuters and Dow Jones Newswires. These companies employ analysts in their research departments. Securities analysts can also work with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) the authorized body which regulates the operations of stock exchanges, banks and other financial institutions. Securities analysts can also start their own consultancies, conducting research on a consultancy basis for brokerage companies, or by carrying out research which they sell to firms without engaging in securities transaction themselves. The job prospects of securities analysts increase when the stock market is in a bull phase, but they may have to face layoffs in a bear market. The returns on such a high pressure job is also not small. Markets are growing and expanding and so are salaries. Most earnings are based on performance, and companies can give bonuses equal to your salary. With trading figures doubling rapidly and stocks being traded by the second, there is now a great demand for trained professionals. And with brokerage firms increasing, and investment specialists and even banks setting up their own full-service brokerage departments, job opportunities have only multiplied. So, if you have a yen for the stock market, then this is the career for you. The writer is a noted career expert.
Take stock
Some of the prominent institutions offering courses in securities and capital Institute of Company Secretaries of India, New Delhi Indian Institute of Capital Markets, Mumbai The Institute of Capital Market Development, New Delhi BSE Training Institute, Mumbai Institute of Financial and Investment Planning, Mumbai
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Career Hotline
A. These are the people who work for companies that are finding ways to substitute limited resources like oil for unlimited ones like air to create power and willing to get their hands dirty for the sake of helping the planet as well as making money. There are now millions of green professionals that install solar panels, weatherise homes, brew biofuels, build hybrid cars and erect giant wind turbines. These green-collars work for a new breed of alternative energy, or "green" companies that are bringing in major amounts of the green stuff (money). Every country from Europe to India and China is "cleaning up" their act in the hope of promoting a good self image while doing the right thing by their air, water and land. With "green" companies bringing in good profits lately, all these countries are benefiting from the trend. Doing our part to improve the planet isn't a new idea, but with hybrid cars and big-name companies bragging about what they're doing to contribute to the movement, alternative energy has certainly picked up in speed and effort. In fact, it is now going global. Besides, as long as there is a demand for renewable energy, "going green" will also have a positive effect on the stock market.
Leisure as business
A. Holidaying has taken on an entirely different connotation in present times. Today, it is not just about getting the right booking for a desired destination but a multitude of activities and events that truly make the holiday a memorable picture-perfect experience. With big bucks being spent on travel, leisure management has come of age in India. Various industries come under its ambit including resort, hotels, restaurants, event management firms, cruiseliners entertainment etc. Essentially, leisure management professionals are in-charge of managing their client’s leisure time. All the activities at a country club or resort, including the live entertainment need to be flawlessly executed. Behind all the fun-n-frolic are a bunch of hawk-eyed professionals who ensure that everything moves like clockwork. If the client enjoys the adrenaline rush of adventure sports like bungee jumping, white water rafting or rock climbing then organizers have to ensure that the client is cushioned against any mishap or inconvenience. Although the bachelor’s, MA, M.Phil and Ph. D courses are available abroad, there are hardly any programmes on leisure management in India. However, professionals from the travel and tourism sector can join as management
professionals.
Charity begins at work
Q. I am interested in doing some charity work in my spare time. How do I go about choosing a good NGO which can provide me exposure to the social sector? A. Over the last decade, NGOs have proliferated in India, while remaining relatively unregulated. There are over 12 lakh NGOs, over half of which are based in 6 lakh villages. Many do good work, but lack of accountability and transparency or voluntary code of conduct has allowed the less-credible ones to undermine the work of the credible ones, leading to a dilution of trust between donors and beneficiaries. Many of them have been found to have abysmal standards of accounting and reporting. Few put up their financial accounts on their websites. While it’s not fair to paint the whole sector black, it’s important to sift the grain from the chaff. Working in an NGO is certainly a good option if you are passionate about charity work. However, be careful about the NGO’s bona fides and credibility. Before pulling out a leaf from your cheque book, make sure you check if it is genuine and committed. The Council for Advancement of People’s Action & Rural Technology (CAPART) has blacklisted nearly 770 NGOs for indulging in unscrupulous activities. These NGOs have misused the funds sanctioned by the government, indulged in financial mismanagement and even submitted forged documents. Make sure you check the governance structure of the NGO. A genuine NGO would have a systematic structure with an active set of trustees. Another way to check the credentials of an NGO is to visit the centre to get a first-hand peep into what and how it is carrying out the social activity. Apart from popular organisations like CAPART there are others like Give Foundation, Karmayog and Concern India that run independent checks on the credibility of NGOs. Use these resources to choose a befitting place. The writer is a noted career consultant.
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Bits & bytes
N-Power, the Certified Hardware and Networking training brand of Aptech Limited, the Global Learning Solutions major, has announced the launch of N-Power Certified Enterprise Systems Engineer
(NCESE) programme. It has been launched in collaboration with International vendors like CompTIA & Redhat, according to a Press release. The NCESE program spans a period of 22 months.
A plus two student from any stream can enrol in this highly professional program. Says Pramod Khera, CEO and MD of Aptech Ltd, “With computers penetrating all spheres of service & business, coupled with multinational business houses outsourcing huge amount of work to India, the need and demand for hardware and networking professionals has grown exponentially.”
3,000 airline jobs to be cut
Rising fuel prices has forced Houston-based carrier Continental Airlines to chop 11 per cent of its domestic flights and 3,000 jobs in order to survive the current airline industry crisis, the worst since 9/11. After trying various other ways to meet the high costs of the fuel, Continental has announced significant reductions in flying and staffing that company deems necessary for further adjusting to today's extremely high cost of fuel. "The airline industry is in a crisis. Its business model doesn't work with the current price of fuel and the existing level of capacity in the marketplace," Chief Executive Larry Kellner said. "We need to make changes in response." These record fuel costs have fundamentally shifted the economics of our business.
— PTI
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The stock market fluctuations have been hitting the headlines for the past
few couple of months, with indices rising and falling, while a lot of people are making lots of money.
Q. We’ve heard of white-collar workers and blue-collar workers, but who are green-collar employees and what do they do?
Q. I am an executive with the travel and tourism industry and would like to know about leisure management as a career option?