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OFFICE Mantra
Course chat
Career Hotline
Interview: Not a tough nut to crack
Sleepless over no jobs
RECESSION PROOF
The meltdown
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Impress your boss
To excel at your workplace, it is important that you share a healthy relationship with your boss. RC Sharma tells you how can you easily lay the foundation of a mutually beneficial relationship In order to be successful in your career and to keep your job secured, it is imperative to have cordial relations with your boss in the organisation where you work. So, to achieve a smooth and positive growth, you should be his partner and not his ‘any other subordinate’. But the million dollar question is how to manage a boss who is difficult to persuade. Bosses are generally tough to be influenced as they mean business. According to Richard Petty, Professor of psychology, Ohio State University, “Powerful people have confidence in what they are thinking. Whether their thoughts are positive or negative towards an idea, that position is going to be hard to change.” And according to researchers, excessive confidence in one’s beliefs is actually a sign of over confidence. Don Moore, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Theory at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, studied extensively the effects of overconfidence. Some of his findings are:
Over confident bosses hinder the learning and growth of their subordinates. Employees working under them seldom get a chance to showcase their competence, expand their knowledge through debates, receive honest feedback or even express their views. Any such attempt earns them rebuke, insults and even silent treatment. So, is being subservient a solution to dealing with such bosses? Definitely not. Such an option hampers not just your professional growth; it kills your work spirit. It destroys your creativity, competitive spirit, enthusiasm to grow and even your self-confidence. You become a mere mechanical device controlled by your boss. To avoid this, Pablo Brinol, a social psychologist at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain and lead author of the study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, advises, “If you temporarily make a powerful person feel less powerful, you have a better chance of getting him to pay attention.” One conclusion of the study was that, it matters when people are feeling powerful, whether it is before or after the persuasive message. Petty, who was co-author of the study, says,” You want to show all your arguments when the boss is not thinking of his power, and after you make a good case, then remind your boss of his power. Then he will be more confident in his own evaluation of what you say. As long as you make good arguments, he will be more likely to be persuaded.” He explains this with the following example: Suppose you want to ask your boss for a raise what you should do is to take him or her to a place where there are no reminders of who is in charge — probably a restaurant — and present your argument. But in case you have to talk to him in his office, say something that he does not know or something he is not sure about and consequently shakes his confidence. And once you have made your argument, remind him that he is in charge so that his confidence in his decisions is reaffirmed. Besides these, there are a few standard practices that make your boss more accessible to you. They are the bridges of friendly, productive and reliable relationship with your boss. They are:
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 and 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. Don’t take time off except real illness or emergencies. Avoid idle gossips and office chitchat. 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. 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. Avoid unjustified and unnecessary conflicts, be cooperative and give importance and preference to your relationship with the boss to pave the way for a smooth sail and successful career. For that lasting impression
A straightforward communication can influence your boss more effectively. Ask your boss exactly what he needs to know in order to feel comfortable. Solve your boss’s problems. Figure out what keeps your boss tense then find ways to help solve these problems. Offer him help in a gentle manner. Majority of bosses say they wish that their employees would just come right out and ask for what they want instead of being evasive, timid or passive-aggressive about their needs and wishes. So, don’t be shy about asking for what you want. Make your boss’s job easier. Do something you know he or she isn’t very skilled at or feels burdened by. You create a win-win situation when you offer your boss a helping hand. Make you boss look good in the eyes of others. This is one of the best ways to improve your relationship with your boss. Find ways to make them look good. Your boss will be much more likely to listen to you and grant your requests. Offer your boss feedback. Bosses often feel that they rarely receive clear, honest assessments of their actions. Be prepared to offer constructive criticism if asked, but remain aware that sometimes bosses need a simple, sincere statement of praise for a job well done, just like you do. Listen to your boss’s expectations and challenges. On a regular basis, ask your boss what he or she expects from you. This will help you prepare in meeting his expectations, which will ultimately reflect in your work.
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IIM-C launches new business course
New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) has announced a year-long executive course in international business in Delhi. The course is specifically designed to help students acquire knowledge and skill to work in international companies. “The executive programme in international business is a course which helps keep pace with today’s requirement where globalisation, Internet and hyper competition have dramatically re-shaped the markets and has changed the way business is being done. Today, one has to keep pace with the customers requirement and has to bring in services and products as per global standards,” an IIM-C official said. Unlike the grilling tests which one has to go through to get admission into an IIM, the eligibility criterion for this programme is 50 per cent marks in graduation and three-year’s work experience. “The programme will see maximum use of technology. It will consist of a judicious blend of lectures by two senior faculty members of IIM-C, Anjan Raichaudhary and Prafulla Agnihotri, real life access to case studies, live corporate examples, general discussions and assignments. “There will also be regular evaluation processes and at the end of the 12-month course, the students will get a certificate from IIM-C,” the official added. The last date for application to this course is May 15 and the course fee is Rs 2,06,000. — IANS
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Footwear designing a hot career choice Pervin Malhotra
Q. I am awaiting my results of Class XII examinations. I am keen on taking up a job in the footwear industry. Please tell me about the prospects in this field. — Nina Sacchar A. India’s footwear industry has grown at an unprecedented pace over the last few years, touching Rs 10,000 crore. Today, India is the second largest footwear manufacturer in the world, employing over one million people.
Designers handle the creative part of the job, which involves creating new footwear styles and patterns. They are hired as technical designers who have formal training in shoe pattern-making, cutting, designing and sample preparation, or as stylist designers who are clued into the current international fashion trends and can conceptualise an attractive and saleable product. Armed with technical skills, precision and computer savvy (CAD/CAM) which a good course in footwear design would provide, you will be taken on as a designer — either on the rolls or as a freelancer. Since footwear is an integral part of the booming fashion industry, footwear designing is a hot career choice. Thousands of new designs are flooding the market to keep pace with increasing brand and fashion consciousness. Understandably, jobs are not hard to come by, and as a fresher you can earn anything between Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on your qualifications and the recruiting organisation. Manufacturing involves everything from preparing and treating the raw material, to working with highly sophisticated machinery for cutting, stitching and adding the finishing touches. This is a highly mechanised process handled by skilled production technicians with an eye for detail. Marketing involves selling the various types of footwear, which in turn requires a keen grasp of the domestic as well as international market. The industry is open to science graduates and those with experience or training in management and supervision of footwear manufacture. At the postgraduate level, footwear technology can be taken as a specialisation. On completing your course you could either work with shoe manufacturers or handle independent projects for them. Some of the big companies that employ footwear technologists are Reebok, Adidas, Nike, Bata, Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Farida Shoes, Drish Shoes, Mirza Tanners Ltd., M&B Footwear Ltd., Liberty Shoes, Lakhani Shoes, Sree Leather or lifestyle retail chains like, Pantaloon, Lifestyle, Landmark, Footmark, etc. In this industry, career progress is purely performance-based and innovative designers can rise quickly through the ranks of junior stylist and senior stylist to become the chief designer of a plant or a company. You can also join the profession as a management trainee, product developer, quality controller, merchandiser, marketing executive, production supervisor and business developer or planning executive. Graduates find employment with big multinational companies or buying houses dealing with footwear and allied products. After you have gained some practical hands-on experience in a well-established design and fabrication firm, you could set up your own unit catering to international as well as domestic markets. As this is not a very cost-intensive venture, a single line, small-scale unit could be set up with a relatively small investment. Besides, labour and raw material are still available at a reasonable cost and power consumption is minimal. Religious teachers
in Army
Q. I come from a family of traditional Brahmin pandits. I want to join the Army as a religious teacher. Could you please tell me what are the necessary requirements? What will be my rank and what is the retirement age? — Yogesh Sharma As a religious teacher you will preach religious scriptures to troops and conduct various rituals at regimental/ unit religious institutions. Your duties will also include attending funerals, ministering to the sick in hospitals, reading prayers with the convalescents, visiting soldiers undergoing sentence, giving special religious instructions to the children and enlisted candidates. Depending on your religious ties, you can join as a pandit, granthi, Buddhist monk, padre or a maulvi. To join the Army as a pandit, you need to be a graduate with a Madhyama in Sanskrit or a Bhushan in Hindi or its equivalent standard in the regional language concerned. You are also eligible if you have passed BA with Sanskrit/ Hindi as an elective (main) subject, but have not done Madhyama in Sanskrit or Bhushan in Hindi. Selection is done on the basis of a physical fitness test, screening, written exam and interview. Upon successful completion of training, you will be commissioned as a religious teacher in the Naib Subedar. As a JCO (RT), your minimum pay scale will be Rs 5,620-140— Rs 8,140. In addition, you will be entitled to DA, free accommodation, ration for yourself, clothing, free medical and leave travel concession for yourself, your family and dependants, canteen facilities and other regular Army allowances. After 10 years of service, you will be eligible for paid acting promotion to the rank of Subedar/Raisaldar. The normal superannuation age for JCOs (RT) in the rank of Naib Subedar/Subedar is 57 years. As a Subedar Major, you will retire on completing four years or at 57, whichever is earlier.
Go for diploma in computer hardware
Q. I am a student of BA I. Besides an English speaking course, I want to do MCSE, CCNA, LINUX, etc. networking course. I can’t do the course from any private institute because of high fees. What should I do and from where? — Mahinder Kukreja A.
Perhaps the best thing to do at this point is a diploma in computer hardware and networking. There are plenty of institutes like NIIT, DOEACC, C-DAC, ETDC, Aptech, etc., which offer such courses. This will prepare you to consider a career in hardware networking or systems integration or in technical support functions in IT user companies or with authorised service centres for computer hardware, including peripherals or a self-run business of maintenance and assembly of computers. Once you’ve developed a base, you can go for certifications like MCSE, CCNA, etc., but not before.
Take the help of Internet
Q. I am in government service (high court). I want to do postgraduation in criminology. Can I do it through correspondence? Is there an entrance exam for admission? Also, tell me about the examination dates if possible? — KP Solanki A.
You could check out the following: The admission and selection details can be obtained from their websites. Dr. Hari Singh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Institute of Distance Education, Sagar (MP) PG Diploma in Criminology & Forensic Science Eligibility: Graduation (in any discipline) Website: www.sagaruniversity.nic.in/services/dis_home.htm Annamalai University, Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalainagar (TN) PG Diploma in Criminology & Forensic Science (1-year) Eligibility: Any Degree or equivalent exam Website: www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in/distance_edu.htm Madurai Kamaraj University Directorate of Distance Education, Palkalai Nagar, Madurai (TN) Courses: PG Diploma in Criminology & Forensic Science (1-year) PG Diploma in Criminology & Police Administration (1-year) Eligibility: Graduation (Any Degree) Website: www.mkudde.org Big time avenues for dairy engineers Q. I have done class XII with maths. I am studying in a polytechnic where my trade is dairy engineering. Please, tell me about the opportunities in this field. — Divesh Kumar A.
India is the world’s largest producer of milk. In fact, milk is the single largest commodity contributing to our GDP. Dairy farming and processing is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the country today. India has the largest cattle population (with some 20 recognised breeds) in the world. And the demand for hygienically processed and packaged dairy products has been increasing steadily over the years. The increasing production of milk and milk products in India has opened up lucrative promising career avenues for dairy technologists. These specialists can seek employment in dairy product manufacturing, and marketing and research in the public and private sectors. Milk co-operatives and federations also provide ample scope. Modern-day dairy farming calls for modern methods and techniques, to remain globally competitive. The operational areas include collection, production and processing of milk, quality control, and even the manufacture, management and marketing of dairy products like cheese, butter, ice-cream, sweets, chocolates, milk food, cream, milk powder, etc. Amul, Mother Dairy, Milkfed, etc. are leading milk co-operatives in the country. There are several dairies and dairy development boards like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in the public sector where the pay and perks are as per government grades. In the private sector, Indian as well as global giants like Cadburys, HLL, Britannia, Dabur, Nestle, Glaxo, Vadilal, Smith Kline Beecham, etc. are some of the major employers that hire dairy technologists. Dairy technologists are recruited as trainees and shift officers in dairy plants. They move on to become assistant managers and senior plant managers and even consultants to private enterprises. Besides production, they are also preferred for marketing positions. While dairy farming can be another challenging career, offering exciting prospects for the trained professional, you can also set up your own venture with a small number of units, and add on more heads as you go along. You must however be prepared to live in rural areas if necessary, (which has its own charm), and roll up your sleeves and work hard. If you wish to study further, several agriculture universities offer BTech courses in dairy technology. Please contact those in your state for admission to second year through lateral entry scheme for diploma-holders.
Big time avenues for dairy engineers
— Divesh
Kumar A. India is the world’s largest producer of milk. In fact, milk is the single largest commodity contributing to our GDP. Dairy farming and processing is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the country today. India has the largest cattle population (with some 20 recognised breeds) in the world. And the demand for hygienically processed and packaged dairy products has been increasing steadily over the years. The increasing production of milk and milk products in India has opened up lucrative promising career avenues for dairy technologists. These specialists can seek employment in dairy product manufacturing, and marketing and research in the public and private sectors. Milk co-operatives and federations also provide ample scope. Modern-day dairy farming calls for modern methods and techniques, to remain globally competitive. The operational areas include collection, production and processing of milk, quality control, and even the manufacture, management and marketing of dairy products like cheese, butter, ice-cream, sweets, chocolates, milk food, cream, milk powder, etc. Amul, Mother Dairy, Milkfed, etc. are leading milk co-operatives in the country. There are several dairies and dairy development boards like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in the public sector where the pay and perks are as per government grades. In the private sector, Indian as well as global giants like Cadburys, HLL, Britannia, Dabur, Nestle, Glaxo, Vadilal, Smith Kline Beecham, etc. are some of the major employers that hire dairy technologists. Dairy technologists are recruited as trainees and shift officers in dairy plants. They move on to become assistant managers and senior plant managers and even consultants to private enterprises. Besides production, they are also preferred for marketing positions. While dairy farming can be another challenging career, offering exciting prospects for the trained professional, you can also set up your own venture with a small number of units, and add on more heads as you go along. You must however be prepared to live in rural areas if necessary, (which has its own charm), and roll up your sleeves and work hard. If you wish to study further, several agriculture universities offer BTech courses in dairy technology. Please contact those in your state for admission to second year through lateral entry scheme for diploma-holders. This column appears weekly. Please send in your queries, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to:
Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers
@tribunemail.com
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Interview: Not a tough nut to crack
To appear for an interview is the most dreaded fear of many. But careful preparation can ensure it turns out to be a pleasant and winning experience
While an interview provides the employer with an opportunity to meet the interviewee in person and assess whether his/her personality will fit into the culture of his organisation, it also presents an opportunity to the interviewee to see if the organisation will help him in achieving his career objectives. Since your future hinges on how you perform in the interview, it is important that you are well prepared to take on any challenge that would be thrown to you during the interview. Here’s your checklist:
Dress smartly Do’s and Don’ts
The moment you enter the interview room, the interviewer judges you by your appearance. So focus on wearing formals. Wear shirts and trousers that are well ironed. Colour of your suit should also be not too gaudy. Your shoes should be well polished. Avoid wearing strong perfumes; you never know whether your prospective employer likes that smell. Even one shouldn’t be wearing too much of jewellery. You don’t want the interviewer to get distracted by your appearance. Get all of your preparation out of the way well in advance, and start well ahead of time so that you reach the interview venue in a cool calm state. By reaching early, you will get used to the environment and the nervous energy will soon wither away, and you are more likely to feel more confident.
Be confident
The name of the game is confidence. You will be more relaxed and able to talk lucidly about yourself if you are confident; you will be able to look the interviewer in the eyes. Greet the interviewer openly with a smile, look them in the eyes and shake their hand firmly and positively. Be ready to answer questions relating to your previous positions, experience and what responsibilities you have held. The interviewer will probably ask you about certain aspects of your CV and what your long-term career goals are. Also, know more about the organisation where you are going to be interviewed. Find out its history, core functions and business model. You don’t have to worry a lot about researching as the information is available on the website most of the times. This will help you in answering questions pertaining to the company. Answer all questions confidently. Be careful not to be over confident. Excessive confidence can sometimes convey arrogance and can come across as an unattractive trait for the employer as it implies that you are not a good team player.
Be ready to be grilled
Certain jobs require people to work under tremendous pressure. Employers are looking for such people to fill the vacancy who can keep their calm under trying circumstances. So sometimes the interviewer may deliberately set about picking holes in your CV. He may pose a couple of spiked questions to see how you respond under pressure. Remain calm and pause to gather your thoughts. Try not to react but respond.
Act professionally
It is always advisable to be professional in your approach during the interview. Sit with a good straight posture and be precise in your answers. Avoid doing ‘Um and Ah’. Be friendly and open, smile and greet pleasantly everyone you are introduced to. Remember, the interviewer is buying into you and your personality almost as much as buying into what you can do for them. Be responsive if the interviewer makes a humorous comment. If you can subtly incorporate humour, then do so, but bear in mind that this is a business interview and you should be
professional.
Showcase strengths
Remember, all employers prefer to hire candidates who have leadership qualities and are capable of shouldering responsibilities during the times of need. Therefore, you narrate those incidents in your previous jobs where you held positions of responsibility. For example, it could be like leading a team and achieving a certain target. These qualities are linked to confidence. Bring it to the notice of the employer about how you have used these skills and how they have impacted on the business or the work you do. For example, you undertook a certain project and it turned out to be a profitable venture for the company. If your able to implement most of the above said measures, your job will be half done. You will definitely leave a lasting impression on your prospective employer’s mind. Once the interview is over, you can ask the interviewer politely about when can you expect to hear to a decision from them. There isn’t a readymade formula to succeed in an interview. However, by being true to oneself and prospective employer, relaxed and confident, one can increase the chances of bringing out a favourable outcome from the interview.
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Sleepless over no jobs
A US college diploma has long been the ticket to a good job, but the deepest economic slump in decades has dampened the dreams of many college seniors
CHICAGO: College seniors in US face a hard reality upon graduation this spring: stiff competition from the growing ranks of the unemployed, from those forced out of retirement or delaying it because of the collapsing stock market, and from graduates of past years who are still searching for jobs in their chosen field. “You’re graduating into this world and being thrown out of the college bubble and you’re supposed to be able to get a job, which just doesn’t exist,” said Andrew Heber, 24, of Chicago, who graduated from New College in Florida in 2007. The US Census Bureau says 1.6 million college degrees will be awarded this year, a figure that has climbed steadily. Many depart school with expectations of making it on their own and with hopes of repaying student loans that average $22,500. For seniors like Amanda Haimes at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, the drumbeat of bad news about theweak job market is worrying, even scary.
Losing coverage
“People are saying this is the worst year to graduate, ever,” she said. Haimes, 22, plans to move back home with her parents in Atlanta and will make $3,000 this summer as a political party canvasser. “After that, I’m not 100 per cent positive” of her future, the sociology major said. Many seniors like Haimes face the added worry of losing health insurance coverage for the first time in their lives. Some 20 US states have passed laws mandating that adult children can get coverage under their parents’ health insurance plans until they reach their mid-20s, but usually must remainunmarried dependents. Some see few options other than living at home. Confronted by a prolonged recession and a rising 8.5 per cent unemployment rate, the highest US rate in a quarter-century, some college seniors have grown “so anxious and worried they are paralysed” and are not looking for a job, said University of Wisconsin, Madison, career services director Leslie Kohlberg.Kohlberg and other college counsellors said there were jobs to be had, but stamina was needed for the search. What needs to happen -- and will, according to college job counsellors -- is for students to migrate from training in sectors that were losing jobs like finance to fields gaining jobs like health care, education, engineering, and computer technology. Still, there is desperation in the air, based on anecdotal comments from counsellors, students and recruiters. Wall Street recruiter Kurt Kraeger said he had to take down an online advertisement for three internships when he was flooded by 200 resumes. Other employers tell him of overqualified graduates appealing for any job they can get.
Desperation seeping in
Many seniors planned to go straight to graduate school to get a leg up while waiting for the recession to end, in some cases creating a glut of applicants, counsellors and students said. Heber, an artist who has been unable to get into crowded art schools, is scraping together monthly expenses of $800 in rent and his health insurance premium out of savings from a previous job and earnings from free-lance graphic design work and computer consulting. He cooks dinners for his parents to save on his food expenses. “Most people I know my age still live at home because they can’t even get it together to make enough money to pay rent,” he said. “Each class piles up against the ones before it. I know so many people who are looking for jobs, and have been since they graduated. There’s this sense of ‘no hope’.”His sister, Alana, 21, is set to graduate in May from Knox College in Illinois, and expects to live at home and go back to her old summer job in an ice-cream shop -- far from her chosen field of library science.
Relentless hunt for job
A surging number of graduating seniors are vying for paid and unpaid internships and positions with nonprofit groups, and applying to the government-run Peace Corps, Teach for America and Americorps. All the programmes have more applicants than available spots, President Barack Obama said in a speech April 21 in which he signed legislation to quadruple to 250,000 the number of position in Americorps. “They’re going to be making subsistence wages, but they’re doing something very gratifying until the job market improves,” University of Wisconsin career counselor Randy Wallar said. Graduates also satisfy a criteria many prospective employers insist on: don't remain idle. David McDonough, a Clark University career counsellor, reminds seniors to make sure every cover letter and resume is letter-perfect. “What I have tended to see more recently is people who graduated in the 1980s who have gone through everything that they can and have turned to us for whatever advice we can give,” McDonough said. “Some are in their 50s.”
— Reuters
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Let lawyers prevail Diljeet Titus
At present, though the slowdown is looming large over the Indian economy, threatening to stunt the growth of various industries and sectors, legal profession continues to grow. In fact, today, there is momentous workload on the lawyers as there has been a sudden increase in joint venture terminations, closure of wholly owned subsidiaries, branch offices and liaison offices, winding up of companies, filing for bankruptcy, employee downsizing, etc. for which legal assistance is required at each stage. The companies are also regularly taking lawyers’ guidance on restructuring of credit facilities, debt refinancing and restructuring, etc. to minimise the impact of the slowdown.
The credit crunch has also caused regular defaults in payment of loans, dishonoring of cheques, breach of contracts, resulting into a sudden increase in civil as well as criminal litigation. Additionally, in order to save legal costs, companies and people are now approaching the lawyers for out of court settlement of their legal disputes. Whether things are going well or bad in the economy, there always seems to be plenty of legal work to go around. Career options
Over the last decade the popular perception of the law degree has changed dramatically. Law has become one of the most lucrative and versatile career options all over the world with lawyers becoming indispensable in the society. A law aspirant today has multifold career opportunities encompassing several emerging and challenging areas to consider while choosing his career options such as:
Private practice/ law firms
The conventional career path for a lawyer is to “go into practice” or join the chambers of a senior lawyer as his junior. The traditional image of a lawyer is based on this career option. Regarded by many as the true calling of a lawyer, this option involves representing and advancing his client’s case through oral argument or written documents such as motions and briefs. A law graduate opting for litigation has the choice to start his career independently, joining a senior lawyer or may join the litigation department of a law firm with scope for specialisation in criminal law, matrimonial law and so on.
Legal consultants
Legal consultancy is growing as a bright career option. As modern life is becoming more and more complex there are increasing number of corporate, labour, property and family disputes, which can be resolved through out of court arbitration but with proper guidance of a legal consultant. Even before going to a court, the matters like adoption, succession, divorce, etc. need help of experienced legal consultant. Keeping abreast with the growing need of the legal consultants, many private law firms and consultancy houses are recruiting legal consultants specialising in fields like tax, intellectual property, corporate, matrimonial, etc. Besides, many legal consultants are also opting for self-employment by starting their own legal consultancy firms.
Transaction lawyers
Transaction lawyers are lawyers that specialises in the area of business law and have expertise in drafting, execution, and administration of business documents such as deeds for real estate, employment contracts, merger documents, etc. In short, any type of transaction or series of transactions that affect the ability of the entity to function within the parameters set by laws would fall under the ambit of a transaction lawyer’s work. With the advent of globalisation and trans-border corporate dealings, the demand for transaction lawyers have increased multiple fold and has created a rewarding career option for law graduates . A large number of companies and law firms are employing transaction lawyers to review business transactions like mergers, acquisitions, takeover, hiving off that the company/client may choose to consider.
Legal process outsourcing (LPO)
India, with its large pool of English proficient lawyers trained in common law, is the favorite destination for the English and American corporations and law firms for outsourcing their large volumes of legal work. Legal outsourcing has opened an all-together new career option for a law graduate to explore and offers significant remuneration. The array of work of a law graduate in a LPO would range from high-end legal research and drafting briefs, memorandums and commercial contracts to litigation support work like evidence related work and first-level document review. There is also immense scope for fresh law graduated to work in public and private sector companies as:
In-house lawyers/law officers
A law graduate can also opt to work with the in-house legal department of a company such as GE Capital, ICICI Bank, ITC, IBM, Infosys, Satyam, Wipro, Dr Reddy’s, Biocon, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, KPMG, etc. In-house lawyers play a critical role in the functioning of a company and are responsible for drafting, vetting, negotiating legal documents for the company, ensuring and monitoring compliance with laws and handling legal disputes of a company.
Arbitrators/mediators
Alternate dispute resolution is rapidly developing at national and international level, offering simpler methods of resolving disputes. As a result thereof, there has been a significant growth in the demand of the arbitrator and mediators. A law graduate can opt to be an arbitrator or a mediator and will be responsible for out of court settlement of business discord, contractual disputes, industrial disputes, etc.
Judiciary
A law graduate has the option to join judicial services and become a Judicial Officer or Judge. Recruitment to the State Judicial Services is made through competitive examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commissions. Successful candidates are appointed as magistrate and munsif. While magistrate presides over criminal court, munsif delivers judgment on civil cases. Promotion may take a person higher up to Sub-Judge, District and Sessions Courts Judge and further to appointments in high courts and the Supreme Court. The other posts filled through the above examinations are those of Public Prosecutor, Attorney General, Advocate General, Notary and Oath Commissioner.
Government sector
Law graduates may also find job opportunities under the Government of India as Assistant (Legal), Superintendent (Legal), Assistant Legal Advisor, Deputy Advisor, Additional Legal Advisor, Joint Secretary and Legal Advisor and Central government advocates in Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta. Further, periodic civil service examinations (judicial) are conducted in all the states to recruit legal professionals in state police/revenue/judicial department. Positions of Legal Secretaries to Assemblies, Legal Assistants in Railway, Staff in the Registrar of Companies, Legal Assistants/Law Officers and Legal Advisors in banking institutions, Presidency Magistrates, Law Inspector, Assistant Government Advocate, Judicial Members of Income Tax, Sales Tax and Excises departments, government advocates are available to law graduates. Also, there is an option to join Labour Officers, Assistant Deputy Labour Commissioners and Labour Commissioners in labour courts. Law graduates can also work in the legal branch of defense departments such as the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. They are responsible for conducting courts of enquiry and court martial of offending service personnel governed by the particular legislation acts.
Academic institutions
Pursuing teaching as a career is also a very rewarding option for a law graduate. Those with a good aptitude and taste for teaching can go for LLM and take up job in any university or institute offering law courses to students. Publishing of journals, magazines and legal books is also an interesting opening for the versatile law graduates.
Media
A law graduate who has an inclination towards journalism and flair for writing may also become a legal correspondent with a newspaper or a news channel.
Remuneration
The salary of a fresh law graduate varies according to the career option that he chooses and the area of specialisation he does. A fresh graduate can normally fetch anywhere from Rs 20, 000 to Rs 60, 000 per month. There are also some corporates that are offering as high as Rs. 13 lakh as initial salary. The right career choice of a law aspirant from the multiple options mentioned above combined with suitable aptitude can lead to a successful legal career. The writer is senior partner in Titus & Co. Advocates
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Malaysia defers levy hike; Indian cooks to
benefit
He, however added, that the implementation of double levy charges for foreign workers would be considered once the economy sets back to normal. “When the economy looks better, the cabinet will have to study the matter again and then see how it can be implemented,” he said. In his statement, Subramaniam said he was informed that more than 375,000 workers in 25,000 Indian, Muslim and Chinese food outlets risked losing their jobs if the levy increase was carried out. In the mini-budget announcement in March, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has said foreign workers would have their levy doubled. — ANI
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Fortnightly Quiz-335
2. In which country were the first cases of swine flu reported recently? 3. Which party recently swept the South Africa’s general elections? 4. What was the tax levied on non-Muslims in the time of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb known as? 5. Who has emerged as the UK’s richest person for the fifth consecutive year? 6. Which company is Europe’s biggest carmaker? 7. Name the world’s first cloned camel. 8. Which day in April is celebrated every year as Earth Day to enhance the understanding of citizens about the importance of environment, and motivate them to take action at the local level? 9. Who was Sachin Tendulkar’s childhood coach? 10. Which player of Kings XI Punjab recently took a hat-trick in an IPL match? — Tarun Sharma
Winners of quiz 334: Second: Gurdeep Singh, class VIII-A, Government Senior Secondary School, Sandaur, district Sangrur, Pin Code - 148020 Third: Sakshi Sabharwal, class V-A, Saupin’s School, Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, Pin Code - 160047 Answers to quiz 334:
Fourteen; Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma; Bhim Rao Ambedkar; 90; Korea; Sachin Tendulkar; Rifle-shooting; Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan; 41; Rahul Dravid Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address. Note:
Kindly mention the pincode of your place to facilitate the delivery of the prize money. Answers can also be sent
Name……………….………….....
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New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) has announced a year-long executive course in international business in
Delhi. The course is specifically designed to help students acquire knowledge and skill to work in international companies.
“The executive programme in international business is a course which helps keep pace with today’s requirement where globalisation, Internet and hyper competition have dramatically re-shaped the markets and has changed the way business is being done. Today, one has to keep pace with the customers requirement and has to bring in services and products as per global standards,” an IIM-C official said.
There are primarily three segments in this specialised industry that requires sophisticated machinery and technically skilled manpower: designing, manufacturing and marketing. 
A. The Indian Army recruits graduates in any discipline with relevant religious qualifications and robust physical and mental health between 27-34 years of age as Junior Commissioned Officers (Religious Teacher). 
Q. I have done class XII with maths. I am studying in a polytechnic where my trade is dairy engineering. Please, tell me about the opportunities in this field.
Once you get an interview call from an organisation, you can rest assured that the organisation is interested in knowing more about what you have in store to offer to them. The interview stage comes after the organisation has gone through your CV and found your qualifications, experience and background suitable for the advertised job. This means you stand a good chance to fill the vacancy, as approximately 10 to 15 per cent make it to the stage.
From settling company cases to labour disputes and family cases to consumer
matters — law professionals seem to be the busiest. Changing economic and social scenario has opened new avenues for them 
Further, several companies facing demand-slowdown are trying to get rid of their surplus employees. Lawyers are these days also busy providing opinion on procedure and consequences of retrenchment, company’s liabilities with respect to laid-off employees, calculating compensation packages, representing companies and individuals in labour disputes and so on and so forth. 
Petaling Jaya: Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam has announced that the doubling of the levy for foreign workers has been deferred due to the economic crisis, a move that that will benefit thousands of Indian workers employed in the food outlets in the country. “After listening to the grouses from industry players, the cabinet has decided to postpone the levy increase,” The Star quoted Subramaniam, as saying. 
1. Which Article of the Constitution guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir? 