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The human touch
Job prospects
Industry
Speak
The fine CUT
For easy adjustment
International twinning engineering programme
Happiness @ work
Career Hotline
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Companies are increasingly being rated according to their reputation as employers and as places for
talented professionals to work. Usha Albuquerque on the challenges and thrill of a career in HR
Today the primary task of human resource management is the efficient use and development of available skills and talent within an organisation. Whether staffed by women or men, the work varies a great deal from one establishment to another depending on the size and the activity of the organisation. But its increasing importance comes from the fact that companies are rated according to how they are perceived as employers and as places for talented professionals to work. In fact HR plays an important role towards ensuring that the employer is viewed externally as an attractive work destination. This form of HR branding is another reason why the HR field is on an equal footing with marketing and helps create a good employer brand for the organisation, which in turn helps build better customer relations. The larger the organisation, greater is the responsibility of the HR department, which in most organisations deals with functions like recruitment, training, placement, promotion, transfer, industrial disputes, labour discipline and grievances, drafting and implementation of rules and regulations and so on. In other words, the HRD function is to place the right man/woman at the right place by recruitment, promotion or transfer, and ensure that he is able to perform effectively for his own benefit and for that of the organisation. HR defines the internal culture of an organisation, and brings insights around why people are attracted to a company, what keeps people within a company, and why people go. Some of the major activities you will be handling in HR include: Manpower Planning: This means identifying an individual’s potential and on that basis, planning employees’ education, training and career development. Industrial legislation and relations: This is concerned with establishing and maintaining lines of communication between an organisation’s various interest groups and handling all aspects of worker-management relations. Recruitment and training: This includes devising, monitoring and applying selection procedures and assessment methods for all levels of staff, and with organising training programmes and refresher courses for employees. Human Resource management also includes other specialist areas such as compensation and benefits which includes job evaluation and salary administration, and health and safety, which covers all welfare aspects, including the implementation of safety measures, staff welfare schemes, setting up of co-operatives, canteens and other such facilities.
Getting In
There are several routes for entry into the area of personnel management. The most often sought is the MBA route with a specialisation in personnel
management. A master’s degree in human resource development, organisational behaviour and other specialised experience in personnel related activities could also get into the HR field. A specialisation in labour law is also acceptable particularly for handling of industrial relations in an
organisation.
These are all post-graduate programmes, which you can take up after graduation in any subject, although most young people today like to do graduation in psychology, sociology or a BBA before applying for an MBA or MA in human resource management. While most business management institutes offer the HR specialisation, many universities offer masters course in HR and related subjects. Delhi University offers a two-year full-time Master of Human Resource and Organisational Development, while Allahabad University offers an M.Psy in Human Resource Development & Management, which emphasises on development of behavioral skills grounded in Psychological and Management theories, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences www.tiss.edu has a two-year MA in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations.
A basic liking for people, a pleasant personality, and an ability to empathise with others are the basic skills required to do well in this field. It also requires organising ability, lack of prejudice, good communication skills and an interest in change.
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Job prospects
Most organisations recruit trained graduates at the management trainee level, where they are then put through the paces of the job and rotated in all the departments of the organisation for a better understanding of the management structure and the activities of the organisation. The work includes recruiting personnel, interviewing applicants, administering pre-employment tests, and processing transfers, promotions and terminations. The work also consists of conducting training sessions, writing job descriptions and performing job evaluations. In organisations where unions are concerned, the responsibilities could also include resolving grievances, interpreting union contracts, administering health and safety programmes and so on. Most jobs in HR are with industrial or business organisations, or factories. Government undertakings and public sector enterprises also recruit HR managers on a regular basis. There are also openings in hospitals, banks, financial organisations, hotels, airlines, professional institutions and any other types of establishment where a large number of people are employed. There are also consultancy organisations providing specialised services in the area of HR for corporates and companies, handling the HR function through diagnosing faults, suggesting remedies and providing objective information and analysis for improved management decision making which an employee may not be in a position to handle. This wider scope for HR indicates the growing importance of this function in all aspects of commercial and non-commercial activity, and therefore the demand for trained people can only show a rising graph.
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Industry
Speak
What is the scope of this field in the present day context in India? There is enormous scope in India in almost every sector. There is no organisation without people and HR is the key to manage them. What is the primary task of HR management? Human resource management (HRM) is a highly important work, and its primary task is managing the network of complex contracts and relationships between workers and the organisation. What are the challenges that a manager has to face or challenges and pitfalls of this career? As this profession involves dealing with people, so the challenges are many. Some of the main ones include: Managing change: As organiations are going Global one problem faced by many organisations is of manging change in the organisation and how to make people acquainted with the changes. Cultural diversity is one more aspect of concern. Work culture: Due to acquisition and mergers taking place it becomes important for the HR Manager to develop the work culture. Ethics and values: In the times when we are getting more professional and narcissist, it is very important to have ethics and values to be in place which also in the long run decides the sustainability of the organisation. Managing low attrition rate: More competition also adds to high attrition. Now here is the opportunity for the HR manager to play safe and introduce good retention strategies. Stress and conflict: Long working hours, target pressures, high competition etc adds stress and conflicts in the organisation. It is the duty of an HR manager to have proper responses to the stress and conflict before it causes damage to someone’s personality. Consultative approach: Developing continuous dialogue, open communication, participative decision-making is very important for implementing consultative approach. It is an HR Manager who can facilitate such approach to procure participative and democratic culture. Restructuring Organisation: As the trend is changing so is the organisational structure. The organisations are getting more flat and simpler. Globalisation: Companies are going global due to which the workforce diversity is increasing. Managing these people with different religious, cultural, moral background is a challenging task for the HR Managers in 21st Century As an HR man which are the basic areas and activities that you have to be involved in? The basic areas include, human resource auditing; strategic planning; manpower planning; recruitment / selection; induction; orientation; training; management development; compensation development; performance appraisals; performance management; career planning / development ; coaching; counseling; staff amenities planning; event management; succession planning; talent management; safety management; and staff communication etc. It is preferable to have experience in two or more of the following areas: human resources management, organisational development/change management, process improvement (Six Sigma preferred), compensation, staffing. Excellence in a client management model, mobilising the best people and integrating the tools and processes required to meet the needs of the business. Which are the basic skills and academic qualification required to enter this field? A. An HR managers require outstanding communication and presentation skills. They should have a high level of interpersonal skills and integrity, and should be excellent team player. Ability to influence senior management, establish and maintain collaborative partnerships and provide thought leadership along with an ability to architect and drive change, ability to lead in a global, matrixed environment, patience, persistence, empathy, and strong communication skills make a successful HR manager. And yes, MBA is mandatory as it gives an upper edge towards handling the work. A brief note on a day in the life of an HR manager in a corporate house. All employees of a company are the customers for HR professionals. A typical workday would commence differently in different organisations. Hiring status, attrition rates, compensation are some key areas that keep a manager busy. Unlike earlier role of HR managers is not limited to only personnel management in an organisation, it has become more strategic in nature. A HR manager has to attend almost all the meetings related to each and every function of the company, be it marketing, finance, operations, supply chain, etc. She/he functions in an active and influential business advisory role with executives in order to achieve targets. Developing and implementing staffing and learning strategies, developing retention strategies, leadership and organisational development, talent planning, diversity, compensation management and delivery, performance management, workforce planning,, increasing associate satisfaction and engagement, build-out campus recruiting programme which also requires some travel are some other functions that an HR manager has to perform. — TNS
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If you are passionate about cutting and styling hair, want to do something creative, don't like studying, want to make big bucks, and want a cool job, then hair styling is the career for you, writes Sanjana Kalra
Today, hair means big business. And it's not just the celebrities who are constantly reinventing their looks. More and more people are willing to experiment and in turn spend money on getting the perfect hairstyle. They turn to professionals for treatments that enhance and maintain their looks. Hence today’s hairstylist is very different from the erstwhile barber. S/he uses an array of instruments ranging from combs and electrical appliances like hairdryers to complex chemical processes to tint, colour, wave, curl, straighten, and condition the hair, as well as hair products to finish off a look. More salons are setting up shop all over the country including international brands like L'Oreal, Frank Provost and Schwarzkopf, Lakme, Harry & Shanti, Affinity, Habibs, VLCC etc. The industry is said to be growing at 25 per cent a year. As more salons open, there is a greater demand for trained professionals and many young people are seriously considering hairstyling as a profession. Being able to cut and style hair is just one part of a stylist's job. You must know how to talk to your customers, find out what they want done with their hair and offer options. You should also be able to discuss any problems clients may have with their hair and recommend appropriate hygiene and styling practices. This approach builds up their confidence in your abilities. Once you have the credentials, you can take your skills anywhere. Successful stylists rely on building up the loyalty of the clients they serve and encourage repeat business. Artistic merit and good client relations may still not be enough. You also need to have good business sense to get ahead.
Keeping pace
Training is an ongoing element in this job as styles change and new hair-care techniques are developed very frequently. Depending on where you work, training may be conducted in-house by senior stylists or by company representatives. You can also attend courses and conferences to learn about new trends in the field. You should be interested in constantly updating your techniques and developing your skills. In this job you should be outgoing and respectful of people and able to communicate easily. You should enjoy working with the public and have the confidence to provide honest, knowledgeable advice about hairstyles and hair-care products. As a hair stylist, you are in the image business and you should be professional, tactful and discreet with your customers. You must also keep up with trends and fashions in the industry. Also, as styling has become a prominent part of the entertainment industry, most stylists opt for freelance work during weekends or in their free time. They work on music videos, TV channels, movies, ad films etc. On a two to three day assignment, they earn as much as they their monthly salaries sometimes. Besides the regular tasks involving hair styling or cutting, you also need to have a touch of aggressiveness to get to the top. Owning a hair salon is also a good option provided you have the experience, talent and the name for it. You need to be hard working and prepared to stand on your feet all day long. Good people skills, being able to create conversation with clients, also give a career boost. Hair styling demands technical abilities in cutting hair but it helps if you are artistic enough to develop new styles and techniques. Furthermore, since many people who pursue this profession open their own businesses, you may wish to focus on the business side of the job. You should be flexible with your time and be prepared to work till late in the evening and weekends. You are also expected to be well groomed. Remember, this is a word-of-mouth business. If you are good at your job, the word will easily spread around making it a lucrative career for you.
Take home
A trained fresher can get a monthly salary of Rs 5,000 to 7,000 at a hairstyling salon. If you join a salon run by an international brand, it doubles to Rs 15,000. Your salary only increases with experience. Those with three to five years of experience can make Rs 50,000 plus. And don't forget tips, they form a lucrative part of the package. Some beauty salons pay a fixed salary while others have a lower slab for the fixed component and give a percentage of every cut or hair styling or colour job.
Where you can study
A hairstylist's job requires skill training rather than high academic inputs. Of course, you must be able to read and write and it is advisable to at least have completed your Class XII. Most of India’s leading salons have hair academies, where students are trained in everything there is to know about hair. Of course you do need to make an initial investment (course fees range from Rs 90,000-1,50,000 depending on the institute) and the institute provide both theoretical and practical knowledge. International Polytechnic for Women is one of the best institutes that offers one year Diploma certificate in Hair Dressing and Beauty Culture. Being enthusiastic and creative is important; without creativity it is easy to get stagnant in a field with so much competition. Staying updated with the latest trends in fashion, hair and style is extremely important. Nobody wants to parade last season’s mane anymore! The writer is Executive Director, International Polytechnic for Women , New Delhi
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office Mantra
Neha Kapoor on how to shift smoothly from the student mode to the employee mode
you have just passed out from the university and joined an organisation as a management trainee, after having cleared several rounds of written as well as oral interviews. With great enthusiasm and hopes of making it big in life, with great expectations from the job as well as from your own self, you go to work every day. You put in extra hours, stay back in the office hours after everyone else has left, for you believe that you are laying the foundation of a great career. Days pass yet there is no sign of growth or achievement. You, nevertheless, silence the rebellion within by reminding yourself that “this is just the beginning.” Weeks pass and yet nothing momentous or grand occurs in your professional life. Slowly you begin to feel as if you have been demoted in life; from being a “somebody” you are now a “nobody”. You are now a non-entity. Consequently you begin to lose interest in work as it fails to produce instant output of desired nature and grandeur. Your dissatisfaction which is hard to contain finds a vent at the slightest provocation, as a result you begin to be labelled as a highly immature bundle of nerves, not at all in control of your emotions. Feeling disillusioned with work in particular and life in general, you even contemplate quitting the job and one day finally muster courage to hand over your resignation. Sarangi Chatterjee, a Services Co-ordinator with a private firm recalls, “I was the only one from my class to get selected in a Delhi- based organisation of repute. I had expected that each day would bring in loads of activity and loads of challenges. But contrary to my expectations, nothing eventful or momentous took place for the first few months. Challenges came only in terms of coping up with days of inactivity and in retaining my calm, being emotionally in control. From being the brightest star in school, college and university, I was suddenly finding myself struggling to re-establish my worth. I failed to understand what was going wrong. I seemed as if life had come to a standstill. The fact that there was nobody around who could explain the situation to me, added to my woes.” Many university grads find themselves in a similar situation within the first few days of joining a job. The problem here is that there is actually no problem. It is just that the life you have led as a student, the role you have wonderfully performed has now ended and now is the time for you to move into another role — it is this transition from a free-willed student to an employee which is so sudden and placing innumerable demands upon you that you are finding it difficult to cope with. From a highly secure environment with multiple support mechanisms, high level of certainty and predictability, you are (without any kind of formal training) being shifted into an environment in which you are left entirely on your own, without any support and without any guidance. The current challenge is that of switching over smoothly from student mode to employee mode. School or university education succeeds in preparing us for the intellectual challenges that await us but does not train us for the emotional challenges which lie in store for us. Work environment puts to test our emotional strengths more frequently than anything else. The change that a new entrant experiences is more so at the emotional level than at the rational or intellectual level. In other words, “it is altogether a different feeling.” Moreover, the life that an individual leads in school, college and university can be compared to a square compartment with the syllabi or the curriculum forming its inelastic walls. The inelasticity of these pre-determined boundaries, within which he performs, ensures that once he is familiar with every nook and corner, he assumes full control over the entire quadrangle. Now, the only difference is that in a professional environment, the same compartment comprises elastic walls. The walls keep stretching and expanding with the passage of time, so that just when an individual begins to be complacent and feels that he or she has gained control over it, he or she finds the boundaries expanding, the benchmarks changing. At times the very shape of the quadrangle itself may alter drastically. The solution to this turbulent yet transient phase of transition lies in adjustment. The professional world demands adjustment every single moment. And emotional adjustment forms an integral part of it, for more than your IQ, it is your EQ that is put to test in a working environment.
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For easy adjustment
Take it easy policy: Try to take things calmly. You are treading into unfamiliar zones and socializing with unfamiliar faces. The situations as well as the people you are dealing with might seem hostile to you initially and this might prevent you from approaching them. Do not get overwhelmed. It is natural to feel the way you do. Just recall how as a child you would whine and fret about going to school. But gradually you got a hang of things, made friends, and were able to overpower the anxiety that you initially felt. Do well: Till you get that big break, do well whatever comes your way. As a student, your teacher might have reposed enough faith in you and handed you the most challenging of assignments. But now you are an employee and not a student and your boss is an employer, not a teacher. As the variables change, so will the equation. It might take months or even years for your boss to be convinced of your capabilities and finally hand over that dream project to you. Till then learn from your experiences, your observations and work upon yourself. Polish your skills, so that when that big break does come, you are able to put your best foot forward. Refrain from comparative analysis:
As a student you are constantly comparing yourself with others through the marks that you receive and the grades that you achieve. The result is that you carry the same mindset to the job environment. You judge your performance against that of fellow employees, overlooking other important variables like age and experience which also have a role to play. Your attempt should be to get rid of this habit of measuring your success in terms of the failure of a colleague. Remind yourself that your colleagues’ achievement is the result of his or her work and not your failure in any sense. Your success or failure will spring from your work and not from anyone else’s work. Another form of comparison which should be eliminated is ‘comparison with classmates’. Do not get
over-awed by the highly exaggerated accounts that people offer of their accomplishments. Success means different to different people. For some, getting a job itself might be sufficient for them to feel “on top of the world.” So, whenever people say that they have succeeded, remember it is as per their own definition of success. Take your interests to a new level: Find out what interests you. It could be music, dance, books, cooking, gardening or anything that you enjoy doing. Take your interests to a new level and experience the joy and sense of satisfaction it yields. If work is not challenging enough at the moment then make your hobbies and interests challenging. The idea is to keep your mind engaged so that it does not drift into the unsafe zone of negativity. Don’t have unrealistic expectations: Quite often we come to our work environment with an unrealistic set of expectations. As these remain unfulfilled, they create a persistent feeling of discontentment and frustration. So set targets for yourself but make sure that they are in sync with the reality. Have patience:
Unlike the school or university where in success becomes synonymous with marks which you are instantly accorded for your performance, in a professional environment, success will come to you differently dressed and that too with time. Do not expect instant rewards for everything that you do. Also keep in mind that nobody starts from the top, we all work our way to the top. Till you find your way, have patience, wait!
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Course chat
ITpreneurs, the global leader in IT Service Management (ITSM) and IT governance training solutions, has launched blended ITIL Expert Programme — an efficient path for IT professionals to achieve ITIL Expert Level in one-go. ITIL Expert is the most-sought-after certification level in the IT industry for ITSM. Not only does this demonstrate superior knowledge of the ITIL framework in its entirety, but it also makes for a better, more-rounded IT practitioner or manager. Becoming an ITIL Expert makes one an authority within the international ITSM community and helps accelerate career prospects. Having ITIL Experts in your organisation dramatically improves your credibility as a serious leader in the IT/ITSM space. This programme combines all ITIL v3 Capability or Lifecycle Intermediate courses and Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) in an integrated programme. This fully accredited programme (by EXIN/LCS) helps learners achieve the internationally recognised ITIL Expert Level through a mix of instructor-led interactive teaching and self-paced e-learning and by equipping learners with the hands-on tools they need to implement ITIL on their work floor. ITpreneurs uses its award-winning learning methodology and a string of cutting-edge technology tools, such as e-readers, to enhance the learning experience and improve retention. This programme provides an opportunity to all IT professionals who are keen on advancing their careers and to all IT organisations that are looking to develop their key personnel and practitioners into well-rounded IT professionals. Adopting the Expert Programme’s guidance offers users a range of benefits — from significantly lower costs, provision of standards and guidance, and improved productivity, to enhanced learner satisfaction through a more-professional approach to service delivery. The programme consists of two tracks: Lifecycle and Capability. The lifecycle track covers the service design, service strategy, service transition, service operation, and continuous service improvement (CSI) courses as well as MALC. Students spend 10 days in the classroom (practical application) and complete 50 hours of e-learning (knowledge) at their own pace. The capability track covers the planning, protection, and optimization (PPO), service offerings and agreements (SOA), operational support and analysis (OSA), and release, control, and validation (RCV) courses as well as MALC. This track requires students to spend 12 days in the classroom and complete 50 hours of e learning. “Itpreneurs” Expert Programme is a unique accredited programme for aspiring IT professionals, which gets them to ITIL Expert level in one-go. Through a mix of self-paced study and instructor-led interactive teaching, students can leverage time to their advantage while working towards this highest level of internationally recognised certification available in the ITIL domain. We feel glad to be the pioneers in launching this Expert Program for our Indian IT professionals,” says Anuradha Madhusudhanan, Country Director, ITpreneurs India. The programme is available through Itpreneurs’ partners across the world, and more information can be found at www.ITpreneurs.com/Expert.
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International twinning engineering programme
Manipal Education has announced the opening of admissions to their International Centre for Applied Sciences (ICAS) Twinning Programme, a collaborative arrangement with foreign universities. The course provides a platform for students to pursue engineering programmes overseas, at a fraction of the cost. To apply online, access www.manipal.edu/icas or email to icasadmissions@manipal.edu or call 080 – 40789113/117. ICAS is a Credit Transfer Programme that enables its students to pursue the first two years of their degree programme at Manipal and the last two years in a foreign university. The foreign university awards the degree. Based on the performance in the first two years, the credits can be transferred to top league institutions like John Hopkins University, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Virginia Tech, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign, Purdue University, University of California- Berkeley, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Texas A & M, Ohio State University, University of Southern California, University of Minnesota ICAS also has successful tie ups with universities in the US – Andrews University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Michigan Technological University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, St. Cloud State University, The University of Missouri-Kansas, and North Dakota State University. In the UK, ICAS has tied up with City University, Lancaster University, Sheffield Hallam University and University of Leicester. The ones in Australia are Deakin University and University of Queensland. The degree will be awarded by a foreign university after the successful completion of the course. The course curriculum, methodology and evaluation are based on the US University structure and is compatible with most of the universities in the US and UK, thereby making for smooth credit transfers. The course also provides opportunities to avail paid internships in US, UK and Australia. Universities also offer part or full tuition fee waivers and scholarships exclusively to ICAS students depending upon their performance and merit. It is also possible to finish the programme in less than four years as it depends on the number of subjects chosen in each semester.
— TNS
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Happiness@work Do what has to be done
But Krishna (Gita 18.10) says, “An enlightened person is neither attached to work he is good at nor does he hate deeds he cannot do well.” Yudhisthira was an epitome of truth and continued so till the 14th day of the Mahabharata war. But Drona stood as an unsurpassable hurdle in the Pandava win. “I know that this is against your nature, but for the victory of good over evil, you will have to utter the lie that Drona’s son Ashwathama is dead,” explained Krishna. Drona gave up his life on hearing this falsehood from the ever-truthful Yudhisthira. At the end of the 12th year of exile, Dhaumya, the priest of the Pandavas, said, “Veiling your immense qualities is like trying to hide the Himalayas behind some bushes. But it has to be done.” Despite the odds, the disguise of the Pandavas and Draupadi was not unraveled till the next 12 months passed. Even while she was not a soldier or mountaineer, Hira, a milkmaid, climbed over the eastern wall of the Raigadh fort and down a hill to reach her hungry child in the village. For this act of bravery, Chhatrapati Shivaji got built a watchtower there and named it Hira Burj. Chores that you avoid today will catch up with you tomorrow. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Career Hotline
Pulse of fashion
— Sadhvi Goyal A. Fashion Communication is a new but very exciting field that has opened up in the fashion industry. In today’s extremely fast developing fashion scenario, many Indian brands are competing with international brands. This has opened up exciting opportunities for those who have a design aptitude combined with specialised knowledge of communicating through different media such as print, electronic, digital, web and audio-visual media. A good course in communication will arm you with an understanding of web and multimedia design, computer graphics, illustration, product design, exhibition design, visualising and art direction, typography, photography. Students passing out, will have high level skills and domain knowledge, and emerge as professionals who can offer effective communication solutions for the fashion and lifestyle industry. As a designer of fashion communication, you will work on areas such as visual merchandising, styling, graphic design, display and exhibit design, advertising, public relations, and creative writing, besides evolving design strategies, branding, portfolios etc. Courses in Fashion Communication are offered at: Pearl Academy of Fashion, www.pearlacademy.com, NIFT (www.niiftindia.com), Symbiosis Centre for Design, Pune (www.symbiosisdesign.ac.in), SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai (www.sndtcet.in)
Arithmetic and account executive
— Deepak Biswas A. The Client Servicing Department in a typical ad agency is manned (or wo-manned) by several Account Executives (AEs), working under an Account Planner on receiving a detailed brief from the client, the Account Executive (not to be confused with “accounting”). In ad parlance, each client is called an “account” and account executive works out a strategy based on the brand’s positioning, its USP (unique selling proposition) and its communication objective. This done, the creative and media department are briefed and after considerable brainstorming (over endless cups of chai/coffee), and a creative strategy is hammered out. Account Executives innovate and coordinate advertising campaigns. They usually work as part of a team. Their job includes collecting information about the client like the product and the company details, budgeting and the marketing goals. They then have to brief the same to the creative team, media planners and the researchers. It is their job to supervise and coordinate the work of various production departments so that the campaign proceeds according to the plan. Throughout the project the AE works closely with the client, assisting them with marketing strategies. Personality traits like creative ability, imagination, good communication skills, organisational skills, ability to work under pressure and analytical skills are valuable assets to stay ahead in the highly competitive ad industry. Preference is given to those with a formal management or advertising qualification at the entry level in the agency’s Client Servicing Department.
Sound success
— Lakhvinder Singh A. Speech therapists diagnose and treat persons with speech, voice and fluency disorders like stuttering, stammering and those with oral motor problems causing eating and swallowing difficulties. They teach them how to make sounds, improve their voice, or increase their language skills to communicate more effectively. As a client’s progress may be slow, patience, compassion, and good listening skills are necessary. Audiologists treat those with hearing and related disorders. Presently, there are very few speech therapists and audiologists in India while the requirement far exceeds the supply. This means that there is excellent scope for those venturing into this field. A qualified speech and hearing professional can independently diagnose and therapeutically manage speech, hearing and language disorders. You can work in hospitals, speech and hearing centres, ENT departments, paediatrics departments, and rehabilitation medicine departments in medical college hospitals, spastic centres, schools for the deaf/retarded, child guidance centres or as consulting speech pathologists and/or audiologists. Interestingly, those working in certain professions, which require long hours of speaking, are being referred to speech therapists because they are losing their voices. In its severest form, these people can’t hold onto their jobs. They have pushed their voice to the absolute limit. While teachers remain the most common professional group to require speech therapy, call centre workers have now become the fastest growing “at risk” section. The base requirement for admission to BSc in Speech and Hearing courses is Class XII with physics, chemistry and biology. Selection is on the basis of an entrance test.
Master’s course without entrance test
Q. I am a BSc graduate. I would like to do my Master’s in mathematics. Are there any universities that admit students directly without an entrance exam? — Geetika Kamboj A.
While universities have increasingly taken to admitting students to their PG programmes on the basis of an entrance test, there are some that may admit you on the basis of marks obtained at the Bachelor’s level. So if you have scored between 55-60% marks in your BSc, you should be eligible for MSc (Maths).
You can check out some of the following:
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address |
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Companies are increasingly being rated according to their reputation as employers and as places for
talented professionals to work. Usha Albuquerque on the challenges and thrill of a career in HR
If you are passionate about cutting and styling hair, want to do something creative, don't like studying, want to make big bucks, and want a cool job, then hair styling is the career for you, writes Sanjana Kalra
The most important asset of any organisation is its people and managing this resource to get the most optimised output is the core importance of HR. Human resource management plays a strategic role in the organisational development, says Deepak Kaistha, managing partner, Planman Consulting and director on board in Planman HR Pvt. Ltd. Having had a decade of business experience and a PG diploma in Marketing and Human Resources, he talks about the work profile human resource management in an interview. Excerpts:
Join a hairdressing salon. Some health clubs and fitness centers, too, have salons. Check out salons in good hotels and spas.
As a hair stylist, you can also choose any of the following
specialisations:
Incomplete as we mortals are, each one is good at some things and not so good at the others. Hence, we like to do stuff we are good at and keep postponing the deeds we detest.
Q. What is taught in a fashion communication course and what are the career prospects?
Q. I am in second year of college. I am very keen on joining advertising industry. But I am not very good in maths. Can I still become an Account Executive?
Q. What are the prospects and eligibility requirements for pursuing a course in speech therapy and audiology?