Diwali Gifting The Corporate Way
The progressive and ever evolving face of India Inc is reflected in its choice of gifts this Diwali. J&C takes a look at the changing trends

Whether it is rewarding the hard work or dedication of an employee or welcoming a new client and silently staying conscious in his mind, it is not an easy job especially if the means to do is a gift. So, enter corporate gifts! Today's corporate world survives and thrives on relationships and networking. Most corporate gifts are embellished with the name; tag line and logo of their company, helping them increase their brand value. The size of India's corporate gift market is growing each year. However, after a lacklustre period last year this Diwali corporate houses are going all out to lure both, their employees and business associates. As per industry representatives there was a 30 per cent decline in the Indian market for corporate gifts during the Diwali season last year, which this year is expected to return to its original size of Rs 6,000 crore.

However, with each year a changing trend in gifting in corporate India has also been noticed. Gone are the days when formal gifts were limited to flower bouquets and sweets or chocolates. This time around companies are taking an extra step to improve relations with their employees by rewarding them with certain unique Diwali offerings.

“The gifts need to be different. This is what we are hearing from all our corporate customers this year. They are bored with chocolates, sweets, diyas and thalis. Most of these standard gifts are most likely to be passed on. The sweets normally end up being given to maids and drivers. Which is why clients are asking for innovation in the product, irrespective of the price range. It should be of utility and a gift which gets discussed at home or office of the recipient and has a "wow" factor attached. Only then will they stand out in the clutter and there will be a brand recall. Products such as a sand garden for the desk, a comfortable lap cushion to use when you want to write or use your laptop in bed, clocks that are powered with water, a foosball table, Red Dot Design award winning flasks and torches are some of the products that have been appreciated this year”, says Suvir Khullar, Managing Director, Gifting Ideas Pvt. Ltd. The company’s key clients include American Express, Barclays, Infosys, Citi Group, Essar, DHL, Google, HDFC Bank, Loop Mobile, Nokia, TATA Group, The Times Group, Uniliver, Vodafone and Volkswagen among others.

According to Jolly Jose, director of eYantra, a Hyderabad-based leader in merchandising and corporate gifts, orders from the corporate sector this year are double in terms of both volume and value. “Last year was the year of gloom and the business wasn't so good. But with the economy improving as slowdown has bottomed out, things have really improved a great deal from last year,” Jose said.

The company caters to as many as 1,000 corporate houses across the globe, with a client list that includes not just multinationals like Microsoft but also large Indian companies such as Infosys, Wipro, Google, Satyam and Dr. Reddy's Labs.

Companies like eYantra maintain that the maximum orders this year were being received from information technology and outsourcing firms followed by those in the automobile industry.

These, they explain, were the ones that had resorted to the maximum cut in their Diwali gift budgets last year.

Unique offerings

With the demand for new and unique gifts on the rise companies like RewardPort India have come up with a number of new ideas for the Indian market and several corporates are lapping these up this year. Giving a lowdown on the products on offer Girish Khare, CMO , RewardPort India, said, "We have a wide array of unique gifts. These include : CineRewardz — freedoms pass to watch a movie at any of the 1,500 multiplexes across 100 cities.

Travel Rewardz — a number of options from which a person may choose a holiday specific to his or her liking from more than 2,500 packages in India and abroad. Health and Wellness Rewards— an indulgence experience at a spa/salon or medical benefits, from any of the 750 outlet across 300 locations in India.

Dining Rewardz — Dining voucher that empowers to choose a meal or drink of preference or liking from a wide range of food outlets. Discover Insignia: A gateway to world of privileges and benefits in more than 7,000 outlets covering 250 brands available in 250 cities in India and global. My Choice of Gift Card — A unique gift card that provides a choice of gifts from over 500 options in various denominations both branded and non-branded items, delivered in 150 cities across the country.

Magazine Rewardz — Reward your corporate partners with magazines subscriptions delivered anywhere in India.

Scratch'n Win — fantastic array of product promotion products and ideas that have addressed more than 50 million people in India and the Middle East.

Pizza Card: Iwantmypizza.com actually allows the giver to assign a number of pizza to be gifted per month over several month. This is a special collaborative offering for Dominos Pizza delivered anywhere in India that Dominos have an outlet!

Mycupofcoffee.in which operates exactly like the pizza card but with Costa coffee, these are the most unique and one of a kind gifts this season." Buyers (Corporates especially) are constantly looking for that special not so often encountered gift, "something new and different". That doesn't mean that the regulars like office tableware, pens, etc have gone out of fashion. This still sells to those who can't seem to decide on anything else. This year it is no different, business is there but clients are far more aggressive on the price points.

Gift of growth

Contrary to what is happening in the US and Europe, India is still in a relatively good position and that reflects in the manner corporate are investing in the act corporate gifting. The market potential is over Rs 12,000 crore. But as of now it is still very largely in the hands of the unorganised sector

At Planman, our utmost priority is to keep our employees motivated. Hence, our gifting ideas revolved around the same ideology. We decided on gifting a range of products that would be useful in their routine lives. Therefore, when we designed gifts like goodie bags, we knew that our employees would feel special and would definitely be excited.

— Deepak Kaistha, Director, Planman Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

This festive season we can see the demand in silver plated items and Swarovski and crystal- studded goods. Mirror trays, jewellery boxes and tea sets are selling like hot cakes. There is no limit to amount of money corporates are willing to spend on such items for their employees; it can vary from Rs 2 lakh to 20 lakh. Gifting companies like ours, offer customised gifting options according to the gifting categories (A,B,C,D) which are divided based on the expense a company wishes to incur.

Clients: Hero Honda, SR Mining ,SR steels, Emami, Coca Cola(Bottling work force)

— Praveen Rao, Vice-President, dmart Exclusif

Career compass
Not Micro in scope
Rajeev Rai

Microbiology, one of the fastest growing areas of science, is the study of organisms so small that they must be viewed with a microscope. These organisms are primarily bacteria, yeasts, molds, and viruses. Many of the most important scientific discoveries of recent years have been made by microbiologists: since 1910, one-third of the Nobel Prizes in medicine and physiology have been awarded to microbiologists. They are concerned with the welfare of humankind, concentrating not only on aspects of host-microbial interactions influencing disease and immunity, but also on ecological concerns impacting food production and the environment.

In demand

There is a great demand for microbiologists in a number of sectors. Graduates with specialisation in microbiology find positions in the areas of medical, agricultural, food, industrial, pharmaceutical microbiology, microbial genetics or physiology. They can become teachers, science writers, technical librarians, or managers in scientific companies. Some of these professions require advanced degrees. Specialisation in microbiology is designed to furnish necessary experience in academic and practical skills to prepare graduates for immediate entry into the job market or for continuing graduate education in pure or applied biological sciences.

Research on microorganisms has contributed considerably to the understanding of important cellular processes in humans, animals and plants, and has also allowed us to control diseases caused by microorganisms. Microorganisms are being exploited in biotechnology to produce e.g. medical drugs and can be designed to be active ingredients in functional food, or to remediate pollutants from the environment.

Job opportunities

As a biotechnologist you will have numerous job opportunities in different sectors.

Microbiologists work in hospitals in pathology/cytology laboratories.

In the pharmaceutical industries opportunities exist in the R&D division. In agricultural research microbiologists are recruited for conducting research.

Microbiology and immunology provide major inputs to biotechnology and hence several organisations involved in biotechnological research offer opportunities.

In the government sector, you can get job in the Department of Microbiology, and employment opportunities are offered by a number of agriculture and horticulture institutes.

Market division of some industries also require the services of microbiologists.

Career profile

Bacteriologists: Study bacteria, bacterial growth, metabolism, diversity and evolution.

Biochemists: Study organisms - how organisms obtain energy, consumes nutrients and reproduces.

Biotechnologists: Manipulate genes in order to modify micro organisms. Their work has produced novel organisms that make new products for human use. (i.e. insulin, medicine, grocery store items).

Cell biologists: Explore the actions of molecules on and in the cell. Their investigations determine how micro organisms and cell function.

Environmental scientists: Investigate the effects of biological, chemical, and geophysical activity on the environment. Their studies provide information necessary for helping humanity cope with the consequences of life.

Geneticists: The language of life is written with four letters, A, C, G, and T each letter taken by itself is meaningless. But together the letter creates a code of life. Geneticists study the process by which organisms inherit and transmit genetic information.

Immunologists: Investigate the body's defence against disease. To answer basic questions about bacterial growth, metabolism, diversity and evolution.

Mycologists: Explore the various uses of molds and yeasts for the production of antibiotics as well as food.

Parasitologists: Investigate the complex life cycles of and adaptations made by organisms which depend on other organisms for survival.

Science writers: Write articles for the general public as well as for microbiology professionals. They must have a thorough understanding of language, grammar and science.

Teachers: Educate students about the usefulness and uniqueness of micro organisms.

Virologists: Study viruses and bacteriophages. Virologists are interested in how viruses change and are always on the alert for new types.

Eligibility

A large number of institutes in India offer diploma, graduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. courses in microbiology

Eligibility for BSc. Course: Plus II with life science/microbiology.

Eligibility for M.Sc. Nursing: B.Sc. Microbiology

Duration:

B.Sc.: 3-4 years

M.Sc.: B.Sc. + 2 years

Ph.D.: Two-three years

The writer is Chairman, AVK Group of Institutions, Bangalore

Where to study

• Panjab University, Chandigarh
• Kurukshetra University : Faculty of Science, Kurukshetra (Haryana)
• Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (Haryana)
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (Punjab)
• Punjab Agricultural University : College of Basic Science and Humanities, Ludhiana
• Delhi University, New Delhi
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
• Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar
• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
• AVK First Grade College (B.Sc. Bio-Technology, B.Sc. Microbiology, B.Com.), Bangalore
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
• University of Pune

IN-FLIGHT CATERING
Catering to hi-fliers
In-flight catering is a good option for hotel management students interested in joining the aviation industry, writes Hemant Kumar Kochar

Hospitality is an integral part of the aviation industry. Every airline is careful in offering the best services to its passengers. In-flight catering is an essential component of an airline's marketing strategy, especially in view of the stiff competition between airlines.

In the recent past there have been many developments in the designing of galleys as well in the improvisation of in-flight services by airlines, with choices ranging from gourmet cuisine, in-flight entertainment and sales of bar items to cosmetics and various other articles. Besides, airlines are constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas to pamper their passengers.

Today, the concept of in-flight catering has undergone a sea change with more airlines successfully enhancing their domestic air traveller base with affordable airfare and light meals. However, on longer flights, a more elaborate in-flight catering service is preferred by most frequent fliers, especially business class passengers who look forward to a satisfying meal on board.

Opportunities

India is a major market where there is a strong demand for top quality in-flight catering services. The number of air travelers is increasing at a rapid pace, triggering a high demand for in-flight catering services. Whether a business travel or a holiday trip, air travel is one of the best and most opted modes of transportation in today's world.

Since hospitality and tourism are closely related, airlines also hire students from this field of study. Choosing a career in airlines can be a good option for hotel management students because it requires groomed personality and communication skills which are mandatory in hotel industry.

Skills required

Positive attitude, energy and friendliness will take one a long way in this field. Other than that, good communication skills, excellent organisational and administrative skills, personal charm, a polite and pleasing personality, flexibility and a confident approach are the skills which will help any individual to grow in this field.

Job prospects

One can join the core team of in-flight catering as a Chef or Sous Chef or as an in-flight attendant or a flight steward. The average salary offered to beginners is around Rs 20,000 for domestic airlines and Rs 35,000 for international airlines.

Eligibility

Minimum qualification required for an undergraduate degree in hotel management is Plus II from a recognised board or university. Most of the institutes offering the course conduct an entrance test and candidates are selected on the basis of marks obtained in the entrance test. Eligibility for Advanced Diploma and Diploma courses is a pass certificate in the final examination of Class X or 10+2 from a recognised board or university.

Duration

The time duration of the course varies from institute to institute and could vary between six months to three years. Hospitality management students are eligible to take on various positions in this professional option as per their preference and choice.

The writer is the Director of Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research (MAHAR).

Institute Watch

Madhuban Institute of Hospitality Management & Research (MAHAR)

Degree, diploma and advance diploma courses in Hotel Management

Hotel Madhuban, Dehradun

National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma in Hotel Management catering & Nutrition

Library Avenue, Pusa Complex, New Delhi

Course watch
Food security

Global food security is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The combination of an expanding population, increased competition for land and water, climate change and economic development is leading to major changes in food supply chain and consumption. Scientists at the University of Liverpool have launched a new initiative to train researchers in the science needed to help secure the future of global food supplies and are inviting postgraduate students to enroll for two MSc courses.

The new programmes will enable young researchers to develop the knowledge, expertise and techniques required to address these complex issues.

Students can apply to the MSc in Advanced Biological Sciences, which offers research projects in many areas relating to food security, such as crop genomics, environmental microbiology, and biofuel improvement. The MSc in Veterinary Science programme focuses on infectious disease control in animals and epidemiology, with a specific pathway in veterinary conservation science. For both the MSc programmes, a Bachelors degree (with Honours) at 2:1 level in a relevant field of study is required. Equivalent overseas degrees together with an appropriate English language qualification are also accepted.

Applications for both MSc programmes are open now and students are encouraged to apply before August 2012 to allow documentation to be processed before the start of term in September next year. For information on postgraduate study at the University please visit: http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/international/

English Literature

The University of Southampton's Faculty of Humanities has launched a new BA programme in English, literature, language and linguistics for the academic year 2012-2013. The Faculty of Humanities is well-known for ground-breaking and internationally-significant research and education across wide-ranging disciplines, most of which are ranked in the top 10 across British universities. In the latest RAE Rankings, four of the six humanities submissions were ranked in the top 10 in the UK in their subject group (archaeology, history, European Studies, music).

The new course is aimed at students from around the world who are interested in the great authors such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen and Wilde but have not studied English literature formally. Taught by experienced academics in English Literature and Modern Languages, the three-year programme will appeal to anyone fascinated by the English language and will also explain how the language is manifested in historic, colonial and contemporary literature.

Through a combination of core courses and fascinating optional modules, students will get an opportunity to study the linguistic systems underlying English, as well as the language in use and the relationship between language and context, the society and the individual. They will study both written and spoken language and English will be related to literary texts and everyday discourse.

Graduates will leave Southampton with advanced literary and communication skills, in addition to a knowledge and appreciation of the interaction between language and literature. The deadline to apply for the same is January 15. Applications will be accepted through UCAS (www.ucas.com) where all admission details can be found. Students who have scored 75-80 per cent in Class XII are eligible to apply for the programme. The tuition fee for the same is £11,600. For more information check www.southampton.ac.uk/english or email at you global@southampton.ac.uk.

Diploma in Corporate Management

Orion Edutech Pvt. Ltd. has recently introduced a Diploma in Corporate Management (DiCM). It is a one-year course tailor-made for the young aspirants who dream of a prosperous career in banking, telecom, retail, insurance, BPO, education, FMCG sectors, etc. The course comes up with three guaranteed campus interviews to ensure optimum career opportunities for every successful student. “This is a demand driven course pursuing which the students can curve a niche in the corporate sector”, said Soumen Acharya, GM. This post graduate diploma course will have two semesters encompassing all the necessary aspects of corporate management, including Communicative English and IT Skill, Soft Skill, Marketing Management, Business Communication, HRM and CRM, Corporate Ethics and Business Etiquette, Financial Accounting, Report Writing and Project Management Skill, Company Law, and ERP. The students will have to sit for an EPA, a hallmark evaluation process developed by Orion Edutech, after the completion of every semester after which they will get provisional certificates.

DiCM has already been introduced in the centers of Orion where students can take admission. The course fee is Rs. 46,000 excluding prospectus fees and service tax. The minimum eligibility is Plus II and classes will be held six days a week.

smart strategy
Craft a  CV that counts
Vinay Grover

Resume is the first step towards a golden career and bagging a coveted job so having an impressive resume is of utmost importance if you are hunting in the job market. Here are sonme points which all job seekers should keep in mind to “craft” an impressive resume.

Customise

The resume, if customised as per the job requirement, would always stand good chances to be shortlisted for Interview.

Non verbal element

Be particular about the use of stationery as this speaks a lot about you.

An A4 size white paper with commonly used fonts and Arial or Times New Roman with 12 as font size made in MSWORD or PDF file is the norm. However coloured sheet is suggested only if the CV in current form has not been able to garner enough views and it is used to gain the attention of recruiter.

Language

An Initial Covering letter can be useful to explain a thing or two about you.

A good research about the company while making a covering letter and a mention of why you are interested in a particular job with the prospective employer would always be taken positively.

Check doubly in case of language used, incorrect spellings, grammatical errors because this can reduce your chances to sit across the interview table.

Do not use high-powered vocabulary so that one needs to open a dictionary to comprehend the resume.

Qualification focus

Irrelevant qualification only spells your non-focus.

Mentioning qualifications just for the heck of it or to impress the recruiter about various degrees acquired won’t come handy as it will reveal only that you are directionless and dabbling into various streams that might not make sense with your job experience.

Avoid pics

Photographs are a big no no. Unless it’s specifically requested

Photo is distracting and unnecessary especially while E-mailing, it can make the file heavy and might not reach the desired destination as files above certain size are rejected. Also the fixing of photograph might result into alignment of CV getting disturbed.

Photographs could be useful in context of hospitality or jobs at front desk where looks or visible appearance is an important criterion.

Short and crisp

Very exhaustive resumes will make the recruiter lose interest in your credentials and CV will find place only in junkbox.

The approach of being specific and concise always works. Just making a CV lengthy and copying the same set of responsibilities in one role to another role and from one organisation to another will dilute recruiter’s interest. In fact, the responsibilities change from being an executioner at junior management to oerational at middle management whereas it becomes strategic in nature at senior management.

Selected refrences

Too many references or even including a reference can mar your chances.

References are generally required at the last stage of the evaluation process so as such these are not required at the initial interface.

Remeber that mentioning too many references may go against you as one out of the multiple ones may not find favour with the interviewer because of his past experience.

References should be provided only after being asked for and persons should be informed beforehand that their name has been given for reference check.

Steer clear of cliches

Stereotyped adjectives like dynamic, versatile and repetitive use of words like result-oriented, self motivated, high energy levels should be avoided.

Often employees go overboard in a bid to impress their recruiters by using impressive adjectives. Words such as innovative, motivated and dynamic have been used so often that they’ve lost their impact. Steer clear of these words whenever possible and focus on quantifying your contributions.

Include impact factors

Responsibilities in place of accomplishments will greatly reduce the impact of your resume.

It has been researched that recruiters often wish to understand how an employee’s role made a difference in the company. One often tends to mention the part of responsibilities as accomplishment, few responsibilities are such that it is always expected as part of your job whereas accomplishment is something exceptional that probably would have resulted in cost cutting, savings or profits.

Hobbies

Irrelevant hobbies could make you appear strange rather than well-rounded.

Mention of hobbies/Interests than can translate into your usefulness for a job applied can always be a bonus, else hobby or passion should exhibit versatility and adaptability on part of your character. If you believe you haven’t any specific hobbies, then it will be better to avoid the hobbies/interest heading.

Proper mail ID

Using an improper email address is immature and childish.

It has been noticed that mentioning humorous email addresses using words like queen, princess, bond007 etc might be fine for your personal correspondence, but not for a job application. For a professional email address, just use your name and numeric.

Talk strategic than generic

At senior levels the candidate should talk about the strategic nature of their job rather than whole lot of responsibilities they are performing. One page “Snapshot” is sufficient at very senior levels, it should talk only about accomplishments at the organisations that they have served.

Caution on sites

Be cautious while putting information on networking sites

Linkedin or other professionally networking sites are very commonly referred by recruiters these days and is used in tandem with CV while screening the application, any information that is presented in CV and not matching with profile on networking site will make it unpleasant for the candidate if asked to explain.

Be different

Avoid constructing CVs that follow the standard pattern.

Notably, the CVs that are being made by some professional organisations use specific sequence, fonts and language that makes it easy to comprehend the work of a professional resume maker. It will be assumed by interviewer that certain things are exaggerated and do’nt truly speak about candidate’s potential.

The writer is Director of Symbiosis Management Consultants

jobs update
Hiring outlook takes a beating

Corporate India is likely to witness a slowdown in hiring activity in the last quarter of this year, owing to the ongoing global economic uncertainty, but the decline is only temporary, said a report by staffing firm TeamLease.

According to the TeamLease Employment Outlook Report, there has been a dip of 3 points in the employment outlook index, which stood at 71 for the October-December quarter against from 74 in the previous quarter.

“Despite economic uncertainty looming globally, we are confident of the India growth story. Though the employment index has witnessed a dip, we are hopeful that this dip is only temporary,” TeamLease Services Sr VP Sangeeta Lala said.

From sectoral perspective, too, six out of the eight sectors reported negative growth in the index, with the tech industry bearing the brunt.

The IT sector witnessed 6 points decline followed by engineering (4 points). Sales, marketing and customer service keeps its top position at 79 points despite a 3-point fall.

There is a 2-point drop across all other functional areas, Teamlease said.

“All the sectors are growing, though at a slower rate, and hence employees want to hold on to their jobs preferring stability,” Lala added.

The survey further said junior and mid-level hiring are projected to be down 4 points each, for entry-levels there would be a 2-point loss, while senior profiles are well protected in their niche, which sees a single point drop to a stable 24 points.

A city-wise analysis shows that Delhi and Bangalore each has witnessed a 9-point drop in employment sentiment, while Pune witnessed a 8 points drop and Chennai 7 points fall.

Interestingly, for Kolkata the employment index rose by 5 points.

The net business outlook also fell by three percentage points to 72 per cent for the October-December 2011 quarter.

However, the drop in sector indices for business outlook is by a lesser margin compared with the employment index, the report said.

The study, covering 620 companies in the latest round, focusses on employment growth potential, the business outlook and hiring forecasts with relation to the location and the company profile. — PTI

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Excess is bad

The workflow works fine as long as the volume remains within limits —neither too much nor too little. Even while he was alone inside the Chakravyuha on the 13th day of the Mahabharata war, 16-year-old Abhimanyu could handle the opposition. But hell broke loose when six warriors decided to attack him simultaneously.

When a follower of Zen monk Mokusen Hiki complained about the stinginess of his wife, he went to meet her. He showed her a clenched fist and then opened his hand flat. “If my hand remains in either position permanently, what will you call it?” he asked. Deformed, she replied. When she realised what the monk meant, she helped her husband save as well as spend.

A Zen nun had a golden statue of the Buddha. Not wanting her incense to spread to the other statues, she devised a funnel for the smoke to just descend on her statue. This blackened the nose of the golden idol making it appear extremely ugly.

In the 12th century, King Vishnu Vardhana of Hoysala (in Karnataka) waged a long series of wars to break away from the lordship of Chalukya Emperor Vikramaditya VI. This gave him no peace and little time with his wife Shantala. Not only did Vishnu Vardhana fail to realise his dream, but his wife threw herself over the cliff. Sculptor Dasoja immortalised Shantala’s beauty in the Vijaya Narayana Temple, now renowned as the Chenna Keshava Temple, at Belaru.

In the 17th century, Laluk Barphukan, Prime Minister to the Ahom King Lora Raja, had unleashed a trail of terror and thought he could get away with it. While Prince Gadapani and his sons escaped, his wife Joymati was caught.

She was not given the respect accorded to royalty or to a lady, tied to a tree and tortured for many days due to which she died. Her death inspired the people. Lora Raja was killed, Laluk ran away and Gadapani was crowned. A wooden post in the Jaisagar Lake in Sibsagar town marks the spot where this brave lady sacrificed her life.

How much can a dove weigh, thought King Sibi when he made a promise to a hawk to give his own flesh — equal in weight — in order to protect the dove. Smiling, he cut a generous piece of flesh from his thigh and put it on the scale.

Panic set in when the scales didn’t move even after he had put his legs and arms on the balance. The scales equalled only when he had himself put on the scale. The dove and hawk were Agni and Indra who had come to test the king’s generosity.

The Bhagwad Gita recommends balance in work, sleep and consumption of food.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Camaraderie in crisis

While the recent global financial downturn saw employees competing with each other to survive at the workplace, the challenging phase also seemed to have built up a spirit of camaraderie among a lot of them. According to a British study, most of the employees would rather take a pay cut than see colleagues lose their jobs.

Despite the rising cost of living or difficulties many people face to make ends meet, 62 per cent of office workers said they would forego part of their salary if it kept other staff in employment, the Daily Express reported.

The study says the hard times have brought staff together as they have relied on others to get contracts and projects completed.

In its survey, the serviced office finder officebroker.com, asked 500 employees of firms what they would be willing to give up to cut their employer’s costs and help save jobs.

Nearly half would sacrifice lunch breaks and be willing to eat at their desks to get more work done.

Compromising with cigarette breaks came next with 14 per cent backing this move. Some 12 per cent would work through their weekends and eight percent would give up their company car. But, at the same time, 38 per cent of the people rather wouldn’t mind their colleagues being sacked if it meant maintaining or increasing their salary.

Chris Meredith, of officebroker.com, who said the results showed that money was not always the key motivation for workers, also agreed that for some people money is their sole motivating factor. — IANS

DIP IN CHANDIGARH

The Naukri job speak index for Chandigarh has indicated that hiring in the city has been continuing at a steady pace over the past few months. However, September saw a marginal 2 per cent dip in hiring activity when compared to Aug-11. This dip is primarily because the key sectors of Chandigarh, IT and ITES saw dips in their hiring activity in September-11. These dipping figures do indicate some caution in the environment, but a year-on-year comparison shows that the index moved up 16% in Sept-11 when compared to the same time last year. Other progressive non-metros of the country, Baroda and Jaipur have also witnessed dips of 14% and 8% in their hiring activity in Sept-11 when compared to Aug-11.

Hitesh Oberoi, CEO and MD, Info Edge said “Corporate India is likely to see a deceleration in jobs in the coming months as both employers and employees adopt a ‘wait and watch’ approach amid global economic slowdown and volatile markets.”

An in-depth analysis of the sectoral index shows that the index for IT Software and ITES sectors dipped by 4 and 9 per cent respectively in September-11 as compared to August-11. Among the other key sectors of the city, Telecom saw 10 per cent dip in hiring levels; while hiring activity in the Pharma sector picked up by 7 per cent in September-11 when compared to the previous month.

Mirroring the monthly hiring trends of the IT- Software and ITES sector, Software and BPO professionals saw their hiring activity dip by 3 and 11 per cent, respectively during the same time period. The demand for Sales and HR professionals remained steady in Sept-11 when compared to Aug-11.

Better relationship at workplaces

A new survey has found that the “positive relationship” between the staff and management has increased in countries like India and China, whereas Australia dropped four places to take the 13th spot on the list. According to ORC International’s annual workplace engagement index, just under half (48 percent) of Australian workers reported a positive relationship this year, which is 6 percent less than last year, News.co.au reported.

The survey conducted on almost 10,000 workers surveyed them on their attitude towards their organisation, as well as whether they felt a sense of loyalty towards their job and whether they were willing to go beyond their usual duties to help their organisation to achieve its goals.

The survey found that while India and China’s rankings jumped by at least eight places from last year’s survey, to occupy the top two places on the list of 18 countries, merely 38 percent of Australian employees said their manager inspired them to be effective in their job. — ANI

Career Hotline
Pervin Malhotra

Civil engineering route

Q. I am working in a highway construction company and have done my diploma in Civil Engineering. I now want to get a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering through distance learning. Can you please give me detailed information about The Institute of Civil Engineering? Does this institute have AICTE approval or not. Also, is the institute's degree valid for central and state government jobs, UPSC and GATE etc?

— Tushar Sharma

A. The Institution of Civil Engineers (India) is a professional society of Civil and Architectural Engineering to promote and support professional learning for students and existing professionals. Towards this end, it conducts examinations equivalent to Degree and Diploma in Civil Engineering and Architectural Engineering twice a year (typically in June and December) for those who wish to upgrade their academic qualifications and improve their employment prospects.

While the Institution of Civil Engineers (India) does not come under the purview of AICTE, clearing Section A & B of the Associate Membership Exam is recognised by the Government of India as being equivalent to a BE/BTech degree - making you eligible for pursuing higher studies in engineering, management or any other area, (and appearing for exams such as GATE and CAT), sit for all-India competitive entrance exams such as for the civil services and for the armed forces, as also for recruitment and employment in Central and state government departments.

The details of the exams and eligibility are as follows:

Associate Membership Exam (equivalent to Degree in Civil Engg)

Eligibility: Pass in three-year Diploma Civil/Arch Engg with min one-year relevant work experience; those with BE/BTech in other than Civil/Arch Engineering or pass in Section A of AMIE (India) after diploma in Civil/Arch Engineering are exempted from Section A exam.

Technician Membership Exam (equivalent to Diploma in Civil Engineering)

Eligibility: Class X pass with Maths and Science with minimum one-year relevant work experience; those with Class XII (PCM) pass are exempt from taking the Part I exam

Contact details for The Institution of Civil Engineers (India):

Head Office: The Institution of Civil Engineers (India), Career House, Bindra Complex, Model Town, Near Tikona Park, Ludhiana (Punj) Ph: 0161-5014629 / 2453807

Website: www.ice.net.in

Clearing the Associate Membership Exam of the Institution of Civil Engineers (India) is only one of the options available to you to obtain your Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering. Your other options are: lateral entry to a full-time programme, part-time/ evening course, distance learning programme, online courses.

Most engineering colleges offer lateral entry into the second year of BTech to engineering diploma holders. However, these are mostly full-time programmes and may not be suitable for you since you are working.

For part-time (evening) engineering programmes, look at courses offered by universities/colleges like the Delhi Technological University (DTU), Jamia Milia Islamia, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. DTU (formerly known as Delhi College of Engineering) for example, offers a four-year part-time BE with specialisation in civil, electrical, electronics and mechanical engineering to employed engineering diploma holders. Entry is through a written test (details available on www.dce.edu). Similarly, Jamia offers a BE (4-year): electrical, computer, electronics and communication, civil, mechanical engineering (http://jmi.nic.in)

For distance programmes you can look at courses offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, NIIT, Manipal University, etc. IGNOU, for example, offers certificate, diploma and degree programmes in various branches of engineering including, civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics and communication and computer science.

You may also want to check out the online BTech programmes offered at Thapar University - AVAGMAH (www.avagmah.com) which is aimed at working professionals. Engineering diploma-holders with minimum two years of work experience can enroll in this three-year online degree course after clearing the admission test. The engineering streams offered are mechanical, electrical, civil engineering and computer science. Practical sessions are conducted on campus or at local engineering colleges in major cities across India.

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, similarly also offers a BS in Engineering Technology as part of its specially designed off-campus distance learning programmes. The course is aimed at employed persons with one to two years of work experience in the field concerned and the necessary academic background. Employer's consent with suitable mentor availability is an additional requirement. For additional details see the website (www.bits-pilani.ac.in/dlp-home).

Joining IAF

Q. Please tell me if there is any way students can enter the Indian Air Force straight after school other than through the NDA exam?

— Ravish Tripathi

A. Yes there is. You can join the Air Force as an Airman (which is a non-officer role)

Group X: Technical Trade

Eligibility: Inter/Plus II (with maths and physics), 50 per cent aggregate.

OR

Three-year Diploma in Engineering (Mechanical/ Electrical/ Electronics/ Auto / Computer Science/ IT / Instru Tech) with 50 per cent marks from a government recognised polytechnic

Group Y: Non-Technical Trades

Eligibility: Inter/ Plus II (science / arts, commerce or equiv vocational courses with minimum 50 per cent aggregate.

*Only vocational courses conducted by CBSE and Kerala Board that are recognised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) are eligible.

Group Y: Musician

Eligibility: Matric / Class X or equiv with min pass marks from any government recognised school/board

Age: 17-25 years and proficient in playing at least one musical instrument (i.e. trumpet /bass/ violin/ saxophone/ clarinet/ euphonium /jass-drum/ piccolo/bass trombone/ key board/ guitar/ sarod / viola/ cello/ contra bass (string bass)

Selection is done through a written test followed by physical fitness test and interview at any of the 15 Airmen Selection Centres all over India.

Recruitment rallies are also conducted all over the country from time to time.

Details of eligibility conditions, selection programme and rally venue are published in local / regional dailies. Just report to the rally venue on the specified day for the test with the requisite documents listed in the adverts. Details: www.careerairforce.nic.in

Study in Australia

Q. I am thinking of going to Australia for my MBA. Could you tell me which the Top B-schools there are? Also, is it safe for Indian students to go Australia?

— Harjeet Ahluwalia

A. Australia prides in its education system and boasts of several universities that feature among the best in the world. This has made Australia a preferred destination in the Asia-Pacific region. Its (relative) proximity and affordability have made it popular among Indian students.

The same holds true for management education as well. Several Australian B-schools feature among the top 100 B-schools of the world in rankings carried out by The Financial Times, Asia Week, Economist, etc.

As per the 2011 Asia Week survey, the top 10 B-schools in Australia are:

• Australian Graduate School of Management
• Melbourne Business School
• Macquarie Graduate School of Management
• Brisbane Graduate School of Business
• University of Queensland
• University of Adelaide
• Curtin University of Technology
• University of Technology Sydney
• University of South Australia (International GSM)
• RMIT University