Corporate trends
The working networks
In-house social networks are being used by companies now as a measure to increase employee engagement and to retain a younger workforce
Geetu Vaid

Call it a trend, fad or sheer necessity to stay connected in the information age, but there is no denying the fact that social networking and professional networking sites be it FB, twitter, linkedin, apnacircle, siliconindia, peerpower, toostep etc have become a part and parcel of the lives of workforce across all industries and companies. Various studies conducted all over the world have debated on how work hours are lost and productivity is dented with employees staying "busy" on networking platforms making the HR departments take preventive measures to curb excessive "networking".

Winds of change, however, are sweeping across the "restricted" cyber space in workplaces as now several companies have realised that by using in-house social networking platforms they can not only 'learn' the language of the youth much faster, but also get a platform to put their ideas across to different teams in an informal setting.

As the average working age in India is falling rapidly, in-house networking by the head honchos has become a complete HR strategy in some companies in order to make the company Gen Next ready. While some senior managers are using the sites to pass on better-management nuggets or give mini pep-talks to staff, others are broadcasting their business plans and goals, and seeking mass feedback from employees. From small start-ups to midsize companies like Nikon to heavyweights like Dell all are adopting in-house networking platforms.

HCL is one such group that has developed its own Facebook-type social networking platform called MEME in a move to better engage the GenY workforce. "This provides a communication medium which the younger employees of the company are more comfortable with and aligned to", says Ravi Shankar, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources, HCL Technologies, while talking about MEME which already has over 48,000 registered users and 938 groups where employees can discuss topics ranging from work-life continuity to their passion factors at work.

Organisation-specific social networking sites are an innovative platform that boost productivity and connect employees with team members across all tangents. These also facilitate seamless interaction across multi-location teams and provide a more cohesive work environment as employees can know their colleagues better and stay in touch constantly.

At TCS, the country's biggest software exporter, nearly one third of the over 1,50,000-strong workforce is actively participating in the company’s social media platforms already. TCS uses wikis, or personalised, websites that bring together specialised communities, apart from other tools to help its employees collaborate better. TCS has a platform called 'Just Ask' that is used by employees to post questions to be answered by employees. Also, to better capture nascent ideas, the company has IdeaMax, a Digg-like social network that lets any employee submit, comment, and vote on ideas.

Infosys, too, launched 'Bubble' sometime back, which is a combination of Facebook-like social networking features such as sharing pictures, combined with Twitter-like capabilities to "follow" others. Cognizant also has its C2 network on the similar lines.

The purpose

Companies like HCL are using this platform to facilitate discussions between high level management and employees and these may even translate into policies. "Leaders are using such platforms to communicate larger company trends, their own business group trends and answer queries of employees. They also use these platforms to generate ideas", says Shankar.

"This platform helps us to constantly monitor the pulse of employees on an ongoing basis", he adds.

With companies getting more sensitised about retaining talent and enhancing employee engagement, in-house networks are ideal tools to share business challenges and to discuss and adopt employee ideas on the same. Moreover, the issues of interest and concern can also be captured online and companies can explore proposed policy issues with employees.

The Users

Though the younger workforce is the more active user group, the mid-level and CEO level executives are also on the bandwagon. Vineet Nayar, Vice-Chairman and CEO, HCL Technologies is part of the networking platform. "With him coming on board and making his comments, the traffic to the site has increased manifold", says Shankar. Such social networking sites enable the top level managers to get a better understanding of team issues along with internal customer issues.

Pitfalls

Though one can't turn a blind eye to the grey area of abuse of such platforms, such in-house networks do have a unique way of moderating themselves. "Companies do tread cautiously on this factor and have a responsible social media policy which guides employees on do's and don'ts", says a TCS spokesperson. Though safeguarding corporate secrets is a challenge in this domain, with the required checks and balances more and more employers are using these to retain and engage the workforce effectively.

Key Features

Discussion on issues on diversity, gender etc

An employee can interact with his/her HR through an open medium and get his queries answered

Employees can create their own profile page/groups and invite others to join.

Exclusive pages can also be created for specific departments and teams

Profile Map: Helps employees connect with people whose professional profile matches with theirs

Friend/Group recommendation: Automatically recommends friends / groups

Telltale: Allows employees to publish recommendations that others have written for them

Doc and link sharing: Helps employees share links and documents with selected groups

Discussions on the chosen areas among communities bound together by similar interest

Teams can pose their work challenges like tech issues and an experts helps them to resolve the same

League of healers
Usha Albuquerque

Physiotherapists are as essential as doctors in helping in rehabilitating patients from a state of incapacity, and it is used in conjunction with almost every stream of medicine. A physiotherapist treats cases such as fracture, dislocation, amputation, deformities born or acquired, nerve injuries, cerebral, heart and chest conditions, skin conditions etc. It is, therefore, specially recommended for the physically challenged, sportspersons, stroke patients, persons with degenerative disorders and those afflicted with arthritis, spondylosis, neurological dysfunctions and so on.

A variety of tools and modalities like heat, electricity, hydrotherapy and exercise are combined and used to treat patients. This involves treatment of patients through exercise therapy and other therapeutic agents, including heat radiations, electricity, sound, water and massage, and is used to cure weak muscles, limitations of movements of shoulder and knee joints, paralysis, inborn and acquired deformities, gynaecological ailments and other such disorders. The paralysed and handicapped patients are taught to perform basic physical exercises, to encourage the movement of their limbs and other organs. Physiotherapists also train the permanently disabled and handicapped people to make the best use of the able potential in them.

Physiotherapy also plays a significant role in training sportsmen and in the management of sports injuries. By designing or supervising individualised conditioning programmes, physiotherapy promotes optimal physical performance and enables the health conscious, in particular, sports persons, to increase their overall fitness levels and muscular strength and endurance. It's not surprising therefore that practically every major sportsperson has his/her personal physiotherapist.

Getting In

You require to have completed 17 years of age and Plus II examination with science subjects (physics, chemistry and biology) and English to be eligible for course in physiotherapy.

Diploma in Physiotherapy (DPT) of two and a half years,

Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) of four and a half years,

Master of Physiotherapy (MPT) of two/three years

Admissions to most of these courses are based on a joint entrance examination conducted by the Rehabilitation Council of India in New Delhi.

With the wide range of ailments handled by physiotherapists, the areas of specialisation in physiotherapy are also increasing, including sports medicine, cardiac therapy, paediatric and geriatric physiotherapy. Other specialisations include chest physiotherapy, neuro-physiotherapy, ortho-physiotherapy, clinical electrophysiologic and cardiopulmonary therapy. These are specialities which can be completed through a M.Sc. and a PhD in the specialist area.

Skill set

As physiotherapy is a medical field, a positive attitude, patience, understanding and an ability to instil inspiration and courage in patients is important for anyone venturing into this field. You also need to be able to work in a team, have good powers of observation a calm temperament, yet firm and persuasive, manual dexterity and physical stamina.

Moreover, although trained professionals are taught to handle patients without straining themselves, the work done by physiotherapists may tend to be physically very strenuous as it involves lifting and supporting patients.

Job Prospects

Physiotherapists, like all other medical and paramedical professionals, can work in hospitals, orthopaedic departments, rehabilitation centres for the handicapped, schools for the mentally retarded and physically disabled children, health institutions and defence medical establishments and can also perform private practice.

Their demand in medical institutions is ever increasing since physiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of patients with muscular and cerebral problems. Not only do they work in the orthopaedics and rehabilitation departments, they are also increasingly employed in the neurology, dermatology, paediatric, cardio-thoracic and even in the prenatal and antenatal care departments.

Physiotherapists can also opt for teaching, while those with adequate capital can establish private clinics of their own.

Private practise may require heavy investment in terms of equipment used for therapy, but can prove very lucrative in the long run.

With health consciousness on the rise, there is also a great demand for physiotherapists in health clubs or fitness centres, for help in terms of posture and exercise methods. Most sports associations and institutions employ physiotherapists for helping athletes and sportspersons. Many top level sportspersons appoint their own individual physiotherapists to advise and help them maintain optimum physical fitness.

The demand for physiotherapists in India is rapidly increasing. At present there are only about 10,000 qualified physiotherapists, so the demand for trained professionals can only be imagined. Moreover, there is also an increasing demand for trained professionals in countries such as USA, Canada, UK and Australia.

With the growing awareness about keeping fit and healthy the role that physiotherapy can play in enabling not only the phsycially handicapped but also the healthy to lead productive lives has increased the demand for trained professionals. So if you are a fitness enthusiast, too, you can help others stay fit and help yourself to a healthy career as well.

The writer is a career expert

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a system of treatment of disease and disability using physical exercises, as also heat radiation, water therapy, massages, diathermy, traction, short wave diathermy (SWD) and other procedures to alleviate movement dysfunction of the human body.

INSTITUTE WATCH

PGIMER, Chandigarh, offers a B Sc in Physiotherapy

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

National Institute for Rehabilitation Training and Research in Cuttack conducts a three and a half year degree course, including a six-month internship.

The National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped in Calcutta offers a three-year diploma course.

Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of the Physically Handi capped (New Delhi) also offers a three-year diploma course.

Amar Jyoti Institute of Physiotherapy, New Delhi,

Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine & Allied Science, Guru Gobind Indraprastha University offer courses in physiotherapy.

Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi

financial planner
Precise plan
Shajan Samuel talks about the value of a CFP in the current economic scenario

Getting a Financial Planner certification may not be the same as getting the key to the kingdom of financial planning, but with the commoditisation of the asset management business, margins are getting squeezed and everyone is sharing the platform, so how do you set yourself apart?

Planning changes the whole relationship. You are viewed in a different light. You are not the guy calling the clients on the latest bond or the hottest stock tip or getting them the best deal hitting the biggest breakpoint in one fund family, rather the CFP (certified financial planner) is the person who goes with the client to his attorney to make sure that his assets are protected now and for future generations. They not help create financial portfolio across diversified segments but also help the clients avoid probate, estate taxes, and made sure the spendthrift kid with the drug habit doesn't blow his inheritance up his nose.

The Number of HNIs in India doubled from around 84,000 in 2009 to over 1.5 lakh in 2011, but there hasn't been a proportionate rise in the number of CFPs. The number of CFP professionals in India is roughly 1,500, while there are 1,500 more CFPs who have cleared their CFP exams, but are not certified. The market opportunity for CFPs is, thus, open and very clear. HNIs are those individuals whose investment potential is above Rs 5 crore per annum and usually invest in real estate, equity markets, mutual funds, insurance, gold, FDs etc. A Certified Financial Planner brings expertise in each of these segments and helps to create a balanced portfolio for the client. A CFP must also be articulate, transparent, shall set goals before investments and must put the clients interest ahead of his own interest.

Let me explain in layman terms, "If my saving potential is around Rs 1 lakh per annum, I would use the services of an insurance advisor or a mutual fund advisor, but if my investment potential is above Rs 5 crore, I would always prefer a CFP. It's like this, if you need to do a health check up you go to a general physician but if you need an operation then you would need to go to a surgeon, the CFP is the surgeon of "Financial Planning ".

Given an incremental capital output ratio of four, India can hope to sustain its growth rate of 8 per cent with a domestic savings rate of 32 per cent, going forward we will see more participation in equity markets from the public, thereby strengthening the cause for having financial goals and plans for every individual.

Today India is a young country with high aspirations of youngsters who are looking for their savings to have the rupee multiplier effect. These are great positive signs to manufacture and establish CFP certification as a tool of credence in the area of Financial Planning. The value of a CFP certification is priceless.

What is a CFP

CFP is the highest certification conferred by the Financial Standard Board of India, rated as the gold standard in financial planning by Wall Street Journal. CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM Certification is a mark of excellence granted to individuals who meet the stringent standards of education, examination, experience and ethics. It is the most prestigious and internationally accepted Financial Planning qualification recognised and respected by the global financial community. The CFPCM Certification wins trust and presents opportunities worldwide; this certification is valid in 23 countries in the world.

According to Neeti Trivedi, CFPCM, CA, currently the founder at Money Compass, a financial planning firm, "CFP certification builds confidence and engagement points across with the clients" , she gave up a prospering career with ICICI Bank and Infosys to pursue her entrepreneurial dream and, says that this is the most natural transition for any CFP .

How to register

Professionals, graduates and those interested can undertake this programme through regular classes with an authorised education provider listed with FPSB India as online sessions and private tuitions will make it a touch too difficult to cross the finishing line.

Pathway to certification

There are two pathways for CFP certification, one is the regular pathway and the other is the challenge pathway. The details, eligibility criteria and registration amount can be taken from www.fpsbindia.org

Module-wise break up

There are 6 modules in CFP; the first module is a waiver. For the remaining five modules, the candidate needs to write the exams at an NSE authorised test centre, post clearing all the modules and meeting all the eligibility criteria's, the candidates finally gets the CFP certification.

On clearing every module from the second module, the candidate gets an Associate Certification Planning both from NSE and FPSB.

The writer is Divisional Head-South at Indian Institute of Job Training (IIJT)

SMART STRATEGY
Impressive intro
The covering letter can make or mar the impression of a job seeker, writes Shikha Sondhi

The first thing that strikes our mind while talking about a job interview is a well designed and impressive resume. We hardly bother to work on the covering letter which is equally important.

Covering letter is a job search tool which provides the employer with more information about the job aspirant than the one mentioned in the resume. As such it functions as a complement to a resume and also as a first impression on the employer. A resume when sent alone fails to define the job seeker's professional goals and objectives, work profile preferences, areas of interest, etc. A covering letter on the other hand, contains a brief description of a person's aims, potential, job preferences, achievements, etc.

The chief aim of covering letters is to introduce a job seeker to the employer. A well designed covering letter presents a candidate as a thorough professional. Thus, it functions as a self-marketing tool. Through this candidates explain why they are interested in the job and why should they be hired.

Scrutinising hundreds of resumes, choosing the most impressive ones and selecting candidates for an interview is quite cumbersome for the recruiters. Since a resume fails to highlight what a covering letter does, many candidates, however capable they are, may be ignored because they have not bothered to attch this important letter along with the resume.

Mechanics of a good letter

As mentioned already that a covering letter acts as a job search tool, it is a very short, precise and crisp document. With the use of very simple language and subtle vocabulary, it represents the candidate so that, the recruiters can decide if the candidate should be invited for the interview and gives them a glimpse of the job seeker before he appears before them in person.

Writing an impressive covering letter is a skill which is honed only with experience. All it takes is a deep insight into the profession one desires to get into and a deep understanding of what one wants from the job. All that is required is a thorough recognition and knowledge of one's aims and scope of the job challenge. Equally important is to be self aware and to know the areas and fields in which one can contribute to the industry and growth of the organisation, keeping in mind one's capability and capacity.

However, it is not so complicated. Once a person is able to identify what one expects and desires, and can decipher the degree and extent to which one can be committed to the job, a covering letter can be devised accordingly.

So as far as writing a covering letter is concerned, it should introduce a candidate briefly and crisply in not more than 3-4 short paragraphs.

The first paragraph should talk about the purpose of writing and the position applied for.

The second paragraph should talk about the reason for interest in the profile applied for and how the applicant's experience makes him suitable for the particular position.

Another important concern while mentioning experience should be emphasis on what one has learnt from working with various organisations, for example skills that one has acquired or may be qualities like working in teams, or leading a team, etc.

The third paragraph should mention key potentialities, strengths and capabilities. A must highlight is how one can contribute to the growth of the organisation if he is hired. Another important thing is to portray oneself differently from other potential applicants for the same position. It is very significant to mention such qualities that make the job aspirant really outstanding.

The covering letter must be concluded by simply asking for a chance to appear for an interview. One must not write anything anticipating selection and must avoid clichéd closings like "I hope for a positive response" or "I will be waiting for your reply."

Writing a covering letter surely requires good expression and writing skills. However, one must remember to be simple, precise and be what one is.

— The writer is Lecturer, Chitkara University

Highlight

Strong desire to be associated with the organisation with which the applicant seeks to work

Experience, if one has any, in the same field

Qualification, qualities and skills that one possesses

What one expects to gain or learn from joining the organisation

How can the organisation benefit from him

Avoid

Too much of emphasis on "I", for instance, "I have done a degree in….. I have the skills required by your company", "I am the most suitable person for you", etc.

Being over-confident

Faking qualities and qualification

Giving false information

Using ambiguous language and words

hiring scene
Slowdown concerns to cool attrition

Corporate India is likely to see a significant decline in attrition in the coming months as both employers and employees adopt a “wait and watch” approach amid global economic slowdown and volatile markets, say experts.

Attrition has already gone down 5-10 per cent across industries in the third quarter this year and the trend is likely to continue for some more time, according to executive search firm GlobalHunt.

“It is a wait and watch attitude both from the employer and employee. 2008 is not a very distant memory and therefore both the sets are very cautious,” said Hay Group Managing Consultant, Mumbai Operations, Sridhar Ganesan.

In the wake of slowdown concerns and weak markets, people do not want to risk their jobs at this and want to avoid “last-in, first-out” scenario in case massive lay-offs take place.

Ma Foi Randstad MD CEO E Balaji said, “When there is a slowdown, job opportunities become less and people are a little more nervous to try out new things. Because of decreased opportunities, the risk taking ability of people will become lesser, so lesser attrition.” Grappling with global economic uncertainties, especially the escalating European debt turmoil, companies worldwide are cautious on business prospects, resulting in slow hiring.

According to a recent report by global staffing services firm Manpower, one in every four Indian employers is uncertain about the hiring plans for the fourth quarter of 2011.

“Attrition and hiring go together in an industry. Less number of jobs always decreases opportunities for the people, so attrition goes down,” GlobalHunt Director Sunil Goel said.

India’s economy recorded 7.7 per cent growth in the first three months of the current fiscal, as against 8.8 per cent in the same period in 2010-11.

Besides, industrial production plunged to a 21-month low of 3.3 per cent in July this year, as compared to 9.9 per cent growth a year ago.

Moreover, in what may have repercussions for industrial growth in August, eight core industries grew at their slowest in 11 months — 3.5 per cent, down from 7.8 
per cent in July.

Recruitment process outsourcing firm Elixir Consulting Manager (IT Practice) Prateek Srivastava said amid the ongoing slowdown fears, job security is one of the key motivators for an employee to stay with current employer, bringing down the attrition level.

Symbiosis Management Consultants Founder and Director Vinay Grover said, “The new jobs, if available, will not give people 30-40 per cent salary hike and the risk proposition for a job change with a marginal increase does not make sense. The attrition levels are bound to come down.” — PTI

Personality assessment

Pearson Talent Assessment, the world leader in developing and distributing assessment tools for recruitment, selection and development of the 21st century work force, launched the Golden Personality Type Profiler for corporate customers.

The Golden Personality Type Profiler, a workplace personality assessment from Pearson Talent Assessment, identifies an individual's personality type and the more complex traits that account for subtle differences between people of the same type. The information from this assessment helps in understanding why an individual behaves in a particular way in a given workplace situation. An important applications of the Golden lies in developing team capabilities at the workplace through understanding of fine-tuned individual differences.

It assesses five personality dimensions called global dimensions:

Extroverting vs Introverting

Sensing vs Intuiting

Thinking vs Feeling

Judging vs Perceiving

Tense vs Calm

The first four global dimensions describe individual differences in the way people direct their energy, process information, make decisions and deal with the world around them, respectively. The fifth global dimension explains differences in the way people respond to workplace stress. Each global dimension includes facet scales that represent more specific information within the global dimension. A total of 36 behavioral facets offer detailed information about the individual that is important to understand  individual differences among individuals who score similarly on the 
global dimensions.

Applications

Coaching, leadership and management development

Conflict management and stress counseling

Improving individual and team communication

Teambuilding and development

Sales force training

Identifying team strengths and blind-spots — TNS 

Course watch

Finance

The Singapore Campus of Curtin University is offering Master of International Business and Master of Finance programmes for Indian students.

Master of International Business

The MIB (Master of International Business) programme focuses on strategy, management, decision making and business in the Asia-Pacific region providing graduates with the skills and knowledge needed for a successful top level managerial career in global business.

Duration- 1 year

Entry Requirement- Recognised bachelor degree in any stream with IELTS score of 6.5

Total Course Fees is SG$ 28,569

Master of Finance

The Master of Finance is designed for those looking to break into the field of global finance for the first time, as well as finance professionals looking to advance their career. Students learn the principles of finance with an overview of the operations of the financial markets and financial instruments that are traded within these markets. Students are introduced to the concepts of equity, corporate debt, foreign exchange markets, derivatives and interest rate determinants.

Duration- 1 year

Entry Requirement- A bachelor degree, excluding finance majors from a recognized university with IELTS score of 6.5

Total Course Fees is SG$ 28,569

There are three intakes in a year March, July and November.

Active is productive

Office workers who walk 10,000 steps a day and work out in the gym thrice a week can help their employers with increased productivity of $2,500 a year, an Australian study has claimed.

The Body-Brain Performance Institute, in collaboration with Melbourne’s Swinburne University’s Brain Sciences Institute, identified 40 employees of the Melbourne branch of global software company SAP in April. They gave them pedometers, which measure footsteps, and then split them into two groups. The first group was given the task of achieving 10,000 steps a day. While the second group also had to clock 10,000 steps, but in addition had to undergo three training sessions each week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Over eight weeks, the employees’ brain function, including the ability to plan, remember, simulate future scenarios and make decisions, were measured using a test. Their alertness and energy levels were also measured, along with levels of anger and stress. The test showed a clear link between vigorous physical activity, increased brain function and reduced stress levels at work. — IANS

Career Hotline
Pervin Malhotra
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com 
Get into action mode

Q. On completing my MBA from a decent B-school, I took up this job in a blue-chip IT company with great enthusiasm. But after the wonderful training period, I have been placed in a glorified sales position which I simply loath and where I have stopped learning. My boss is a cold, unresponsive person who only finds faults. Despite performing satisfactorily, I am losing my confidence and my spirit, although the money is decent. Some of my batch mates suggest I move into their companies (banking and consulting), but I'm very confused.

— P.S. Bedi

A. If it's any consolation, close to 50 per cent of B-school grads feel they didn't get what they expected from their first job. The majority seem to have leapt blindly at the first spark of glamour and later regretted it (Reasons vary - lack of formal training, role definition, job autonomy and challenge, poor learning environment, poor cultural fit, compensation). If you need even more consolation: most feel their bosses are neither great nor good. Bottom-line: the shine doesn't last.

Be that as it may, it's a fact that most of us slowly, usually in unnoticed increments, start adjusting even to a bad situation; such survival instincts are in-built into the magnificent human machine.

It is also a fact that such an adjustment has a correspondingly incremental corrosive impact on our zest, spirit and confidence. Over time, it can get even the best of us down.

Thus, when one becomes aware of being caught in such a situation, one needs to immediately shake off the inertia (which, too, is in-built as Newton propounded in his famous laws, to wit: a body continues with its ongoing movement, or rest, unless an external force is applied upon it).

You believe that your present job is not the best of situations for you. The answer then is to "apply external force" to get out of inertia - and change it.

The elements of external force in this context being:

Making a resolve to take matters in your own hand, namely application of will to take charge of your own life;

Pro-actively start creating multiple options harnessing all means available - peer group networking, head-hunters, contacts, et al. Just hark back to those days when you were working with your B-school batch mates enlisting companies to come for campus recruitment - you need to re-capture that kind of mind-set and attitude.

Keep integrity with your present job so long as you are in it.

Moreover, there seems just now such a confluence of positive opportunities for you to explore any of which could lead you to far better options.

Connect with your colleagues to check out what these might be and to get their feedback on the pros and cons of switching to banking, consulting, product management etc.

Please don't take these opportunities lightly simply because they have opened fortuitously. Great openings are more often than not filled up through internal referrals.

For this, you need to get your CV in shape in the next few days.

In addition, as you get cracking, many more options would emerge through your own networking, head-hunter routes, or even at your own company offices elsewhere in the country.

So, since you find yourself unhappy and frustrated, well, just get moving - who knows, in the next few weeks the whole world might have changed for you. Yes, it can be as simple as that.

We all sometimes get into this negative vortex; the way to get out of it is to just do what needs to be done, that's all. Apply "external force" as Newton put it. Never, never, let a bad situation make you feel bad about yourself. Hark back, instead, to those determined days of getting into a to-rung B-school, organising campus placements.

And, remember, you can move mountains if you want to. Put your shoulder to it and start pushing - you'll be amazed at the results.

Career and hobby

Q. I am interested in becoming a fashion designer and a musician. Can I pursue both careers simultaneously? Please advise.

— Vidur Saini

A. Although both careers demand a high degree of creativity and aesthetics, fashion designing and music are entirely different fields. Ultimately, you'll have to choose between them as there's little synergy between the two. Each has its own intricacies and 'grammar' which calls for a high degree of patience, practice and dedication to achieve any measurable level of success. However, if you still wish to have your cake and eat it too, you can opt for a career in fashion designing and settle for music as a hobby on the side, or vice versa. Believe me, unless you are exceptionally talented, you may find it impossible to do equal justice and devote adequate time and energy to both simultaneously.

That said, as a multi-dimensional human being, you don't have to confine your interests or limit them to your bread-and-butter profession. By all means dabble in whatever catches your fancy. Who knows given sufficient talent and interest, your hobby may well develop into a rewarding full-fledged career in the future.

Forensic art—an exciting option 

Q. I am a really good at art and fascinated with crime and criminology. Could you give me some details about the different types of forensic art techniques used to nab criminals? Is this a good career option?

— Ankur Kaushik

A. Forensic artists make those composite pictures of criminal suspects, dead or maimed victims and drawings, slides and videos that lawyers use to present their cases in court.

If you are a regular 'who-done-it' buff, forensic art could be the career for you. It's an artistic technique used by law enforcement agencies to identify, track down, and apprehend wanted criminals. Unlike the old Wild West and Bollywood films where the criminal's hand-drawn portrait carrying a cash reward on his head, modern-day forensic artists are far more tech savvy. They use computerised image enhancement or morphology not merely as forensic tools but as evidence in court. There are numerous instances where forensic artists have been called upon to track criminals - the latest being the deadly Delhi bombings.

But forensic art is no child's play. It's not just about adding wrinkles or facial peculiarities. You have to work up an entire psychological profile to be able to accurately depict the way the criminal will look.

As a forensic artist you need to be familiar with several disciplines, including composite art, image modification, age progression, post-mortem reconstruction and demonstrative evidence.

Composite art: This one is definitely up your alley. You already have the drawing skills of an artist. To that add the sharp investigative mind of a police investigator and you can excel in this field. Referred to as the 'Portrait Parle' or speaking likeliness method of criminal identification, the artist reconstructs each facial feature of the criminal obtained from the victim's memory. The real challenge lies in your ability to successfully gather, interpret and illustrate the information.

Image modification: Using computer-altered photography you can use this technique to trace people who have gone missing or have been absconding for several years. The amazing part is that you can actually add years to the photograph or even use it for age regression to get a reliable approximation to what the fugitive may look like today.

Post-mortem reconstruction: Computer-generated images, manual sketching any clay reconstruction are used to render facial features of the human remains of an unidentified, decomposed body.

Demonstrative evidence: Recreating the crime scene using basic pencil sketch illustrations or high-tech multi-media presentations during legal proceedings is also the job of the forensic artist.

Try the community college route

Q. Although I tried very hard, I've got a very average score in Class XII (64%). I've always dreamt of studying in the US. Will I be accepted to a college in the US for undergrad programmes with such marks?

— Jasbir Ahluwalia

A. As long as you passed all the required subjects for admission to a college in the US, you can get into a decent college straight out of high school even with not-so-great scores. But it also helps to have extracurricular activities.

I suggest you try for a good two-year community college. Community colleges are less expensive to start out with. You can cut the cost of a four-year degree almost in half by starting at a community college first, and then transferring to four-year college or university to finish up the last two years.

But the low cost doesn't imply low quality education. Moreover, many of these colleges don't even ask for SAT scores. These colleges award associate degrees at the completion of two years of full-time study. You may perhaps be surprised to learn that community colleges enroll almost half of all undergraduates in the US.

The typically smaller classroom sizes at the community college make for a better teacher to student ratio, which means more individualised attention.

A great variety of subjects are offered at these colleges. And once you have a few credits under your belt, you are a transfer student. Then you can go to any college that will accept your college grades.

PREPARING FOR CIVIL SERVICES
Consistency pays
Dr. Pratyush Mani Tripathi

The civil services examination is manly a test to choose suitable administrators. It tests a candidate right from the stage when one starts the preparation. A candidate should have the right frame of mind and the willpower to succeed in the exam. A proper action plan is needed for the preparation itself since a candidate will be tested for some essential qualities like the power of retention, clarity of concepts, ability to identify the correct alternatives with efficiency and accuracy. All this requires a quick decision-making power.

With the new pattern, more stress now is on the language skills and analysis and decision making capacities, so candidates should work on these on a consistent basis as these are the skills that are developed over the years and not just in a few months. It would be advisable to start focusing on your problem solving and language skills as soon as you decide to take the CS exam.

Prelims

Since it is a multiple choice question paper, it needs a different preparation strategy. The first thing that a candidate needs to bear in mind is that the examination is designed to evaluate certain qualities like a sharp memory and basic retention power. Important facts and figures can be simplified and represented on charts in the form of tables or graphs. Another thing to remember is to make short and brief notes on each topic so that the entire syllabus can be revised before the exam.

Since the preliminary exam is an elimination round, the candidate should also learn to focus only on the information needed and filter out the rest. It helps to discuss with friends and teachers but the most reliable way is to solve past years question papers. One should also keep oneself updated about the current events and information related to them.

Notes

Linear notes involve using loose sheets of paper instead of an exercise book since it is easier to keep adding information. It is a good idea to leave space on each sheet of paper for additional information. Another way to make your notes more interesting is to use colours, block letters, boxes and highlighting as and when necessary. All this will immediately draw our attention to the actual contents of our notes and make it more clear and comprehensible.

In Pattern notes we have to begin the topic at the centre of the page. Each line radiating from it represents a branch of the main idea. Each point is written as briefly as possible using a key word or a phrase. It is a better method to adopt because it is more flexible than making Linear notes. One can add extra information to it at any point without any problem. Second advantage is that we can see the whole pattern at one go without actually turning the pages. Thirdly, we can indicate the links between different topics more easily than we can do in a linear method. Another advantage of pattern notes is that it is exceptionally useful when making notes from memory for revision as you keep jotting down points as and when they occur to you. This makes it easier to revise for exams and writing out essays as only brief key words are used. Lastly, it is easier to remember as notes are made in a shape format.

Mains

The civil services main exam consists of descriptive type of questions. It focuses on testing a candidate on various levels. The time limit for the essay paper is three hours without a word limit, but for the optional paper, there are questions with specific word limit like 250 words in optional subjects and 250 words, 150 words and 20 words in general studies. The candidate then has to prepare himself to answer all types of questions. The most important thing to be kept in mind is the time constraint. Therefore, it becomes necessary to answer these questions quickly and effectively and in minimum words.

Though there is no set rule, it is wise to adopt a style depending on the question asked. If the question says to discuss, analyse or critically examine, it would be better to answer the question in the paragraph format. On the other hand, if the question asks you to list the advantages or give reasons for/against etc., it is better to go in for the point format of answering.

The next logical step is to know how to write a good answer. The first step is to prepare the framework where one can list all ideas, thoughts and facts and write them down. It is important to adopt an answering style which is natural, original and to the point. Emphasis should be given to the kind of language used, one which is simple and clear without unnecessary use of nouns and verbs. Use of archaic and fancy words or language should be avoided at all costs. Last but not the least, it is very important to have a good and a legible handwriting.

Read effectively

One should be objective and try to focus on about 70 per cent of the syllabus instead of being over ambitious and trying to cover the whole syllabus. The next thing to be kept in mind is the choice of study material. It is a wise option to just refer to a few standard books to get a deep understanding of the subject. Reading from too many books will do more harm than good.

The writer is Director, Vaid’s ICS, Lucknow.

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On December 22, 1901, Rabindranath Tagore started a school at Shanti Niketan. But soon, he was short of funds and had to sell his books. The situation did not improve much as there were no sponsors and not many students. But on November 15, 1912, when he got the Nobel Prize for Literature for Gitanjali, people started flocking to him. “How come you recognized my worth only after outsiders did so?” Gurudev remarked.

“Finding your sons in danger, you are willing to accept me as your son, O queen. What stopped you from coming earlier?” Karna asked Kunti before the Mahabharata war.

Albert Einstein was a German but Nazism drove him away to the USA in 1933. It was his letter to US President Roosevelt that speeded up the nuclear programme that finally led to the decimation of the Axis trio — Germany, Italy and Japan.

Krishna never met his childhood mate Radha again after leaving Vrindavan for Mathura. Didn’t Krishna value her? Yamuna river explains in the Bhagwat, “Radha is the embodiment of all wives and childhood mates of Krishna. And both of them are inseparable.” No doubt, Radha’s name comes prior to Krishna’s in Radhekrishna.

Queen mother Satyavati was in a dilemma. Before her marriage to Santanu, she had asked her stepson Bhishma neither to ascend the throne nor marry. When Satyavati’s sons Chitrangada and Vichitravirya died without an heir, she was forced to ask Bhishma to sire an heir from her daughters-in-laws Ambika or Ambalika. On Bhishma’s refusal, Satyavati’s son from her previous marriage, Vyas, did the needful.

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Even Duryodhana thought Krishna to be a simple cowherd when he came to negotiate peace between the cousins. Krishna displayed his universal form when Duryodhana tried to arrest him.

His family didn’t think too much of highwayman Ratnakar. “We don’t have any share in your sins,” they said. After meditating on the name of Rama, he became renowned as Adikavi Valmiki.

Shirdi Sai Baba wanted to stay at the Khandoba Temple in Shirdi, but priest Mahalsapathi sent him to the nearby mosque. When he shifted to the mosque, Shirdi Sai Baba kept a dhuni (sacred fire) constantly burning at the mosque. The place is now renowned as Dwarkamai.

Why wait for a farewell party to recall how valuable a person was?

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com