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Spicing up Supper
ARE you a creative person but looking for new and different design options? Do you love cooking but can’t see yourself becoming a chef? Do you like working with your hands? If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you may like to think about food styling – a fairly new and fascinating career for anyone who is creative and interested in food.
Food stylists are people who style food that is portrayed in pictures. The delicious pizzas, fried chicken, ice-creams, tandoori dishes, or exotic vegetables and fruits that we see in newspapers, magazines and on television always look so good, fresh and inviting. Whether in a food show, the menu of a restaurant, a glossy magazine, or an advertisement, the food is presented in such a manner that it looks appetising and makes you want to continue watching, try out the recipe or better still, visit the restaurant or buy that finger-licking chicken. It is a food stylist’s job is to get food ready to have its picture taken. What people don’t know is the amount of training and experience required to excel in this career, more than just being a good cook, or knowing a few tricks.
The food stylist is responsible for organising the food, sourcing unusual ingredients, arranging for shopping, pre-production preparation of food, preparing food on the shoot, and the final presentation of food under the camera. This requires detailed information about the food item to be filmed, deciding on amounts of food needed, the equipment needed to prepare and present it. Food stylists also typically shop for the food, selecting the choicest ingredients, prepare the food, and arrange it so that it looks attractive to the camera. Taste is of little concern, but looks are everything. The goal is to create images that appear to be freshly made, coming straight out of the kitchen to your dining table. So, often this means they need to keep it looking wonderful until the photographer is ready to shoot. The ability to do this — despite having handled the food a great deal — or having food that must stand for long periods of time is both an art and a science. Food stylists also need to know the tricks of the trade, as sometimes food is faked to look luscious and inviting. Often in advertising commercials, foods are made from wax or plastic. Moreover, as food tends to dry out, shrink, discolour and sag, food styling needs to counteract these forces — you may need to use a brush stroke of oil, or a spritz of water to revive it. Ice-creams can melt; so toothpaste or mashed potato can be used to do the job. A zap with a blowtorch and a touch of soya sauce can make an uncooked bird look like a beautifully cooked roasted chicken! Food styling can involve all different kinds of foods and be in any conceivable environment. One day you may lay out a picnic spread on a grassy field for a TV commercial, the next you could be spreading the client’s frosting on a sponge cake in a studio. In print — advertising and editorial — the work mostly involves still shots. In cookbooks and magazines, the work can be more creative – a background, table setting, plates, dishes and cutlery may be involved. Food stylists also often work in movies along with a prop master who works on the set. Foods need to look natural and be edible but things happen to food in film over the period of the shoot. A bite is taken out of a hamburger, so they may need 30 perfect hamburgers ready, or a slice of cake is cut, so you need a supply of them ready, too. Food stylist may also use tools and ingredients other than food items. Besides regular cooking equipment (measuring cups, oven thermometers, etc.), a food stylists may also need to use paint brushes, tweezers, spatulas, fun tac, etc. as well as materials from dental and medical supply stores. Digital photography and advanced computer technology has greatly improved the scope of food stylists. Digital photography allows for easy corrections and clients can see the work without being in the studio. A good professional training in cooking, through the hotel management programme, home science or one in culinary arts is useful. In addition, courses in art and design may help. There are many stylists who just have good creative skills, an eye for detail and a passion for food. Many stylists don’t actually cook, but have an assistant. However, it is an advantage to have good cooking and baking skills, be versatile, have a good deal of patience, and be able to work in a team and take stress. Food stylists also need to be adaptable as everyday is different. They have to be flexible too – expect the unexpected — and be ready for any eventuality: ingredients not being available or of the quality desired, plates getting damaged or food not turning out right. Food stylists must be highly organised and good problem solvers. You will probably spend a couple of days before a shoot planning for it, creating a concept, collecting all the necessary crockery, glassware, cutlery and anything else you need to make the food look as delicious as possible. This may include candles, flowers, ribbons and other decorations – the more creative the better. So, you have to be constantly up with new ideas on styling, looking through books and magazines and shopping for new and rare foods. It is also important to keep abreast of current trends in foods, decorative styles as well as cookware and homeware. Most jobs for food stylists are with book publishers, magazines and advertising agencies. There are some larger publishing groups and magazine houses that employ an in-house full time food stylist, but in most cases food stylists work freelance on a job-by-job basis. You can also work with companies marketing kitchen equipment, table ware, crockery and glassware and a portfolio of your work helps get more assignments in this field. Some food stylists work as chefs on specialty cuisines or on other food related projects. They could also develop recipes for clients, work as a consultant to food companies and write on food subjects for magazines. Sounds like fun? Yes, it is but you certainly need to have a passion for food, strong artistic skills, love what you’re doing and be a foodie. You can be sure there will never be a dull moment in your career! (The writer is a noted career expert)
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Career Hotline
Difference in character Q. What is the difference between engineering research and the research done by scientists? — Naresh Kr Srivastav A. A scientist asks “why” and proceeds to research the answer. By contrast, an engineer explores “how” to solve a problem, and how to implement that solution. In general, it can be stated that a scientist builds in order to learn, while an engineer learns in order to build. Scientists investigate phenomena whereas engineers create solutions to problems or improve upon existing solutions. However, there is often an overlap between science and engineering. In the course of their work, scientists may have to accomplish engineering tasks (such as designing experimental apparatus or building prototypes), while engineers often have to do research. It is not uncommon for scientists to become involved in the practical application of their discoveries; thereby becoming, for the moment, engineers. Conversely, in the process of developing technology engineers sometimes find themselves exploring new phenomena, thus becoming, for the moment, scientists. However, engineering research is different in character from scientific research. First, it often deals with areas in which the basic physics and/or chemistry are well understood, but the problems themselves are too complex to solve in an exact manner. The purpose of engineering research is to find approximations to the problem that can be solved. Let me give you a couple of examples: the use of numerical approximations to the Navier-Stokes equations to solve aerodynamic flow over an aircraft, or the use of Miner’s Rule to calculate fatigue damage to an engineering structure. Second, engineering research employs many semi-empirical methods that are foreign to pure scientific research, one example being the method of parameter variation. You have not mentioned your field of study but if you are interested in pursuing your Ph.D in either physics or theoretical computer science, do refer to the notification for joint entrance screening test (JEST) 2009.
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Key to success
— Vanita Deogan To be appointed a full-time teacher in a school, you require a degree in music from a recognised university or for direct recruits a higher secondary certificate with any of the following qualifications:
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Sangeet Visharad of Gandharav Mahavidyalaya, Mumbai or n
Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth, Lucknow or n
Indira Kala Sangeet Viswa Vidyalaya, Khairagarh (Chhatisgarh) or n
Sangeet Prabhakar exam of Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad or equivalent qualification from other recognised institutions. The following degrees/ diplomas awarded by the Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, are also treated as an equivalent qualification for the post of music teacher: n
Sangeet Bhaskar with graduation in any discipline. n
Sangeet / Nritya Bhushan with graduation in any discipline. n
Sangeet Bhushan with senior secondary / intermediate / part-I of a three-year degree course. n
Sangeet/Nritya Visharad with senior secondary / intermediate / Part-I of a three-year degree course. Of course, you could take music classes for kids or anyone interested in learning, informally at home if you don’t have the formal qualifications. Although your music teacher, particularly if he comes from a traditional gharana or music school, can help you prepare for these exams. Since you are already accomplished in the practical aspects, you just need to brush up on the theory part. All the best!
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PMT not for NRIs
— M.S. Chibber A. The CBSE guidelines are very clear on this issue (and I have especially crosschecked this for you) — only Indian nationals are eligible to appear for the All-India (CBSE) Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Examination. However, there’s no cause for despair. All private medical institutions have a provision for enrolling NRI and foreign students on a dollar-paying basis. Up to 15 per cent seats are reserved for NRIs/foreign students in private medical colleges. Of course, the fees are somewhat hefty as compared to the regular full-paying fees for Indian nationals — five times that of payment seats. They range from $ 50,000-80,000 for the complete BDS/MBBS course and between $10,000-20,000 for engineering courses. Besides, NRI and foreign students are exempted from taking the admission test and are admitted on the basis of marks scored in the qualifying 10+2 or equivalent exam. However, the Supreme Court says that you have to be a genuine NRI to take admission under the NRI quota in Indian medical colleges. As the fees for the NRI quota is high, medical colleges were seen bypassing the rule and admitting local Indians under the NRI quota seats as long as they got an NRI sponsorship and paid in foreign currency.
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Mastering finance
Q. Could you please give me some information about the MFC course offered by Delhi University?
— Risha Maheshwari And sure, the financial sector has been severely hit, but some areas like commercial banking, insurance and financial planning are bucking the trend even now. Besides, you will be only entering the job market in 2011 – by which time the sector would have hopefully bounced back. Delhi University’s Department of Financial Studies, South Campus, offers Masters in Finance and Control at the PG level (www.mfc.edu). The MFC comprises of 16 courses in finance and accounting and a super-specialisation in the last semester to equip students with skills in financial planning, decision-making and control while familiarising them with the financial and regulatory environment. The revised curriculum, which will be implemented from July ’09, will include courses in investor psychology, investment philosophy, mathematics of financial markets and technology valuation. This is a good option for someone who wishes to focus on finance from day one. The two-year programme in finance is at par with an MBA. Graduates from any discipline can apply. The admission test (on Jan 18 2009) is on the same lines as CAT with emphasis on current business and financial environment followed by a GD and interview. The application deadline is December 04. What’s more, at Rs 11,500 p.a. the fee is an absolute steal.
MFC is also offered at some other universities: n
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh n
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra n
Panjab University, Deptt of Correspondence Studies, Chandigarh (www.puchd) n
Punjabi University, Patiala (www.univpunjabi.org) n
University of Lucknow, Lucknow (www.lucknowuniv.org) n
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (www.bhu.ac.in) n
Bundelkhand University, Campus for Open Learning, Jhansi (www.bundelkhanduniv.org). Other related courses are masters in business finance offered by the ICICI Research Centre, Chennai or NABM, Pune etc.
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Destination pharma
Sectors like consulting and banking, financial services and insurance topped the agenda of highly talented job seekers till the recent US slowdown. The change in the US is also affecting preferences of job seekers. One sector that is climbing the popularity lists is the pharma industry, relatively bettered shielded from any adverse impact. Consequently, the cream of talent is considering the pharmaceutical sector as a safe venue to park themselves in the current turmoil.
Till now, reports of downsizing the headcount or decreasing or withholding promised and projected pay hikes have not been heard of in the pharma sector. Now, marketing and strategic teams are expecting an inflow of talent from the other battered sectors. Till recently, top business school students were being placed by banking, financial services and insurance and consulting giants. According to a director of a leading B-School, the pharma, biotech and healthcare sectors may participate in the placement process in a big way from this financial year. “Students’ first choice could well be the pharma industry. Human resource availability may actually increase in the current scenario,” he said. The domestic drug industry had hailed Obama’s victory as a positive signal for the Indian drug-manufacturing sector. Obama has been favouring procurement of generic medicines and is also known to be in favour of plugging loopholes in the US system that allow innovative pharmaceutical companies to enjoy perpetual patent rights over their products. These two aspects should prove very positive for the growth of global generic pharmaceutical industry. The US accounts for around 20 per cent of the country’s pharmaceutical exports. Indian companies exported $1.38 billion worth medicines to the US in 2007-08.The annual growth was also impressive touching 39 per cent in dollar terms. Further, according to reports, 6,300 active drug master files are pending for receiving marketing approvals in the US of which 26 per cent (1,700) are from Indian companies. The inherent strengths of the Indian drug companies will brighten their US business prospects in the long run. There are around 150 companies in India exporting over 150 types of therapeutic categories of medicines to the US.
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Now, choose your exam date
IT’S a revolution: Nearly two million students pursuing education in the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) across India and abroad will soon be able to choose their examination date.
“No stress, no fixed exam date. Students can walk in to examination leaving behind stress, tension or fear,” IGNOU spokesman Ravi Mohan said. “Walk-in-examination would give learners the liberty to decide the dates of exams as per their own suitability and convenience, thus lowering the exam pressure on them and thereby bringing down the percentage of failures,” he added. The varsity, which has presence in over 35 countries across the globe, said that under the scheme, students, instead of waiting for the six-monthly term end examination, could simply walk into any identified test centres of the university. The results would be processed on a monthly basis. The flexible examination pattern will reduce the possibility of malpractices in the examinations, as each student will get a different set of question papers and examinations will be conducted with camera surveillance. Registration of students, allotment of the dates and the issue of hall ticket to the examinees for the walk-in examination would be done online. Authorities said initially selected regional centres of the university would conduct the walk-in-examination once a week - Sunday. The frequency of conduct of walk-in-exam may be increased in future depending on the need.
— IANS
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Enhancing employability
GLOBALISATION and market forces are creating job opportunities across countries on a scale never seen before. However, there is also a widening skills gap. India is poised to reap the benefits of the ‘demographic dividend’ but this begets the question, how can a country with a billion people be facing such a severe talent crunch?
Some of the contributing factors are the literacy levels (at 52 per cent), high poverty levels (319 million live below USD 1 per day), our wide rural-urban divide, and the uneven quality of education available — only 17 per cent of the relevant age group in the country goes on to undertake higher education. Another cause for the skill gap lies in the quality of talent being churned out. Every year, India produces more than 2.5 million university graduates, of which 20 per cent are engineering majors. The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) estimates that only 25 per cent of these technical graduates and approximately 15 per cent of other graduates are considered employable by the rapidly growing IT and ITeS companies. It also predicts that our IT sector will face a shortfall of half a million professionals by 2010 while a recent IDC report suggests a shortfall of 118,000 skilled IT networking professionals in 2008 alone. Additionally, as businesses propose to double and treble their workforces and Indian companies strive to maintain their position in the global marketplace, it has become imperative to prepare and plan for a world-class, skilled, competent, and innovative workforce. The current state of affairs presents a compelling case for private-public partnership through industry-academia alliances to enhance talent development amongst the youth at the grassroots level. Nasscom’s IT Workforce Development (ITWD) programme was specifically designed to keep the issues and concerns of the industry as well as the challenges of the academia in mind. Moreover, many IT companies, are now partnering with engineering colleges and universities to build much-needed engagement between industry and academia, even creating universally accepted benchmarks like certifications and policy-level curriculum changes. Educational institutions can update the syllabus of professional academic courses to make them more industry relevant, with regular updates from professionals who have a deeper understanding of current business developments and technical standards. The government also plays a critical role and would do well to support the growth of not just tier I but tier II cities by providing social, educational and physical infrastructure. Allocating for meaningful projects that would help enhance the pace of these developments and more collaboration with industry partnerships will ensure India’s success as a knowledge economy The time to act is now, if we can reorient our education system by various programmes, joint initiatives and other measures by industry and academia we can plug the talent gap. Training individuals for the jobs of the future will not only make a difference in their lives but will build a workforce with higher order skills thereby improving the climate for investment, give us a competitive edge, and generally maintain an engine of growth. The Cisco Networking Academy is one such initiative that partners with over 190 educational institutions in the country delivering information and communication technology skills to improve career and economic opportunities amongst the youth. Initiatives like these have had a positive impact on people’s lives by encouraging career advancement, improving access to the Internet, supporting the growth of the ICT industry, and promoting sustainable economic development in the communities in which it operates. If leading companies from across industries can step forward to advance talent development, we could make the youth of today not only competitive, but also help in supporting long-term local sustainable development and addressing global demands.
(The writer is regional manager-corporate responsibility, Cisco South Asia)
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To succeed, learn from the boss
NOW that you have landed your dream job after a fair amount of struggle, do not think that the mission is over. Little consideration is given to the fact that besides getting acquainted with the work culture of an organisation, it is important to get along with the boss for a professionally-charged environment that helps you give your best and not just because your promotion depends on it! Among other things, a close working relationship based on respect, sincerity, trust, and dependability is a must.
From the beginning, set tasks and mutually reach an agreement with the boss to avoid conflicts later. Clarity of goals will help you eliminate any miscommunication and facilitate focus. Identify and request for resources that you require to complete your work. Justify their importance as well. Discuss reporting schedules with the boss, which could be on a daily or weekly basis. Organise your work nicely, accurately and record every single transaction. Submit a comprehensive report. Here are some more important tips to develop a cordial working relationship with the boss.
Meet expectations
EXECUTE tasks to satisfy your boss’s expectations. Observe his or her style of working and align styles for fruitful results. Complete tasks ahead of assigned time as much as possible. If you have any difficulty in accomplishing a task, approach your boss with apt rationale and buy time well in advance. Do not request for time after the deadline, as it may be considered an excuse. Become a troubleshooter and work to solve your boss’s problems. Although, your accomplishment will be seen as your boss’s accomplishments and you may not instantly get the credit you deserve, your boss will keep it in mind and when there is opportunity, he may reward you in recommending advance increments or writing an excellent annual appraisal.
Right to differ
YOU have the right to differ on various issues with the boss. Voice your concerns, even if they initially go unheard or dismissed. This displays that you have an independent mind. Do not ditto your boss’s actions thoughtlessly. Like colleagues, some bosses are also problematic. If you face some wrath despite being efficient and the ideal subordinate, then discuss the matter frankly with the boss expressing your feelings. If you do not receive a satisfying response, discuss your problem with the higher authorities. Most employees avoid doing this due to a fear of blame and grudge. The top management knows that authority down the line can be misused and will willingly set things right. Ensure that you have proper facts to substantiate your points.
Be accountable
BOSSES value employees who take responsibility, follow things through and meet deadlines. If you do this, you will get noticed. When you succeed, take credit. But when you fall short or make a mistake, be ready to admit it and take the discredit, too. Know your job, inside out, and if necessary put in extra time to work things out, then present options to the boss, who decides if any changes in policy or procedures are required. Win over your boss’s confidence by projecting yourself as a team player, as a person he or she can depend on. Apprise your boss of what is happening rather than take actions without permission and regretting later. Know your position in the organisation and stay within your jurisdiction. Your boss has the final say. Try to find out what your boss’s goals are, then help him achieve those through your contribution. Don’t go to the seniors, ignoring your boss. Respect communication channels set up by your boss.
Show commitment
Don’t take time off except real illness or emergencies. Avoid idle gossips and office chitchat. Be proud of your contribution to the overall success of the company you work for. Foresee your boss’s requirements and complete your work ahead of schedule. Refrain from exhibiting behaviour that could be viewed as fawning. Also, do not indulge in boss’s wrongdoing. Seek guidance from your boss to avoid a condescending attitude and make him feel important. Also, think about what went right or wrong in your previous assignment with the boss and apply your learning to the new situation for fruitful working. Nothing annoys a boss more than subordinates disclosing information pertaining to the work or team to other colleagues. Never take advantage of the fact that you have more information. You only will be a loser in the process. In short, avoid unjustified and unnecessary conflicts, be cooperative and give importance and preference to your relationship with the boss to pave the way for a successful career.
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Found: Key to innovativeness
IF you are among those who try experimenting with new things — whether it’s food, places or even your job — then there are chances that your neural connection between ventral striatum and hippocampus is particularly well developed, say Bonn scientists. Both, ventral striatum and hippocampus are centres in the brain and perform different functions. While the reward system that governs how to take action is located in the striatum, the hippocampus is responsible for specific memory functions. Michael X. Cohen and Dr. Bernd Weber from Bonn have hypothesised that in innovation-oriented people, both of these centres apparently interact particularly well. They say that if the hippocampus identifies an experience as new, it sends the corresponding feedback to the striatum, where certain neurotransmitters are then released which lead to positive feelings. With people who constantly seek new experiences, striatum and hippocampus are evidently wired particularly well. Till date, it’s been quite difficult to make the individual ‘wiring’ of the brain visible, but the new method of using modern MRI has actually revolutionised the exploration of the brain. “In principle this was only possible using cross sections of the brain of deceased people, which in addition had to be stained in a complex process,” explained Weber. With modern MRI, its possible to determine in which directions the water in the tissue diffuses. “With this hazard-free method we can work on completely new issues related to the function of the brain,” said Cohen enthusiastically. In the current study the researchers focused on the ‘wiring’ of the striatum. Also, the test candidates had to choose descriptions that characterised their personality best from a questionnaire, e.g. “I like to try out new things just for fun or because it’s a challenge” or alternatively “I prefer to stay at home rather than travelling or investigating new things.” On the other hand, descriptions such as “I want to please other people as much as possible” or “I don’t care whether other people like me or the way I do things,” were about social acceptance. — ANI
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Keep stress & cancer at bay
Stress-free lifestyle can help fight cancer, say Ohio State University researchers. The results of the study were based on a research that included a small number of women recovering from breast cancersurgery. The patients took part in a psychological “intervention” designed to reduce stress and promote a healthy lifestyle, and the analysis revealed that the women survived longer and were less likely to relapse than those who did not, according to the study.
Starting in 1994, researcher Barbara Andersen and her colleagues selected 227 women recovering from breast cancer surgery and about to undergo chemotherapy. Half received a year-long intervention that included encouragement to relax, delegate stressful tasks, exercise, eat healthily and stick to medication.
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Q. I have been learning music privately for the last eight years. Now that my kids are grown up, I would like to take up the job of a music teacher. What are the requirements?
Q. Our daughter is a British national presently studying in Class IX in India. I would like to know if she is eligible to take the All India (CBSE) Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Exam. She is very worried about her prospects. Please advise.
A. The global economy has redefined the role and demand for finance professionals to have in-depth knowledge of mutual funds, derivatives and equities, real estate, investment analysis, insurance management, treasury management, risk management, portfolio management, and project appraisal. They must possess the ability to work with a wide spectrum of financial institutions including those in corporate and international finance, investment analysis and portfolio management, money and capital markets including stock exchanges, depository services and stock broking, financial services like merchant banking, leasing, credit rating, venture capital, banking and financial institutions, insurance, real estate, mutual funds, treasury operations and financial consultancy and advisory services.