Book Business

With Jaipur literature fest hogging the news space, books, reading and publishing are in the limelight these days. The love of reading has survived the onslaught of audio-visual media and the Internet. It draws sustenance from the publishing industry which has seen a lot of ups and downs over the years. Sunandini Banerjee checks out career opportunities in this industry

If you love books, their size, their shapes, their smell, the feel of different kinds of paper, the sound of pages turning, the colours on their covers, the variety of bindings, the way the letters march across the pages, the way the pictures dip in and out of the text. If there is no greater joy in your life than curling up with a good book, then a career in publishing may be the right option for you. Read books, design books, edit manuscripts . . . surrender to your love for the printed word and image and learn how to make a living out of your passion. Welcome to the world of publishing.

The publishing industry has room for editors, proof-readers, translators, graphic designers, sales and marketing experts, print and production managers, entrepreneurs and, of course, writers and illustrators.

The skills required for a job in publishing are:

An eye for detail: How you would like reading a book that abounds in errors and whose cover is at loggerheads with its content because its editor and the designer were indifferent to the finer details that would have given it a unique character?

Would you pick a book from its shelf if it were the umpteenth book on a subject or topic that has been written about and discussed ad nauseum?

Mostly, you wouldn't. But if the sales and marketing experts highlight the little things that set the book apart, most certainly, you would.

The only profession where being pernickety pays is publishing because in the world of books every little detail counts and contributes. So whether you are an editor who renders the text error-free, a designer or illustrator who brings it alive, print and production manager who gives the book a tangible form or the sales and marketing expert who makes it available to as many people as possible, a discerning eye that pays attention to the minutest detail, can be a great asset.

Analytical ability: It is not only readers and critics who require analytical ability to judge a book. Everyone involved in the production of a book, from the writer to the sales expert, must possess an alert and analytical mind. While the editor has to solve problems at the level of language by analysing the impact of words and the economy of text, illustrators and designers have to be able to comprehend and enrich the aesthetic quotient of the book. People involved with sales and marketing, besides being aware of the dominant trend, must also be able to engage the buyers' interest. If you are in the book business, you ought to be aware of the logistics and nothing will help you better in this than your ability to analyse.

Communication skills: A publisher is, essentially, the bridge between the author and the reader. So publishing is all about communication. As an author, you require excellent communication skills not only to appeal to the readers but also to convince the publisher or editor of the importance and relevance of a particular title and why it needs to be published. As an editor you make the author's word clearer for the reader, as illustrator or designer you give a distinct shape to the author's imagination, as a sales person you make the book available to the reader. And in this two-way traffic, communication skills is what comes most handy when you negotiate with the author or the translator or the designer who's thinking about the cover or the bookseller who needs to stock the title on the shelves.

Career prospects

Publishing requires specialisation at every step and this creates opportunities for employment in each. Depending on your aptitude and inclination you can choose to be an editor, designer, commissioning editor whose basic task is to commission authors to write on a particular issue, print and production manager and sales and marketing professional.

Course details

Courses in publishing are offered by a few institutes. Most of these are dedicated to teaching the basics of editing, designing and page layout. A few also concentrate on the marketing and management sector of the industry. One needs to be a graduate to enroll in a publishing course, which is a postgraduate diploma or certificate course in most institutes.

Eligibility

A graduate degree in any stream, good command over language and good communication skills are all you need to be eligible for a publishing course.

Remuneration

Publishing industry is a highly remunerative career option. It is decided by personal skills and abilities of the person concerned. The normal pay packages of fresh graduates in this industry are Rs 15,000 to 25,000 per month in most big publishing houses. The remuneration also depends on one's talent, performance and achievements.

 — The writer is Senior Editor, Seagull Books and Dean of Design and Production, The Seagull School of Publishing, Kolkata

Best place to work
Google tops Fortune magazine list of best companies to work for
Yoshita Singh

Internet giant Google has been named the best company to work for by Fortune magazine, taking the top slot in a list of 100 firms, with employees raving about everything from its work culture to perks like free food at well-stocked pantries.

The California-headquartered company climbed three spots in the list and was ranked No. 1 in the magazine's 2012 '100 Best Companies to Work For' list.

"Everything was up at Google last year — revenue, profits, share price, paid search clicks, hiring — and so, too, was employee love," Fortune said. Employees at the internet giant "rave about their mission, the culture and the famous perks of the Plex: bocce courts, a bowling alley, eyebrow shaping (for a fee) in the New York office," according to the magazine.

"Then there's the food: some 25 cafés companywide, all gratis," it noted.

In the second spot was Boston Consulting Group. Fortune said the global consulting giant invests 100-plus hours and thousands of dollars to recruit each conultant and once hired, they earn an average of $ 139,000 a year.

Other companies in the list are Mercedes Benz US (12), DreamWorks Animation (14), Goldman Sachs (33), software-maker Adobe (65), Intel (46), Starbucks (73) and Microsoft (76). — PTI

Career Hotline
Do your homework diligently
Pervin Malhotra

Q. After completing MCA, I'm currently working in a private company. I now want to leave my current job and am interested in home-based jobs. I have come across many companies but I'm unaware about their credibility. I have learnt that some of these companies that provide such jobs are fraudulent and cheat people by charging big amounts as registration fee etc. I am not in a position to suffer a financial loss, and so am scared of signing up. Can you tell me the names of reliable and genuine job providers who provide home-based jobs without investment (or minimum fee) in India (Punjab).

— Hardip, Amritsar

A. Your concerns and suspicions regarding offers of home-based jobs are well-placed. These schemes and offers promise quick and easy money - usually though only for the promoters of the scheme!

Verifying the credentials of such offers/schemes becomes all the more critical. However, this is easier said than done. Most are offered from unknown groups or companies with little independent information available other than what is given on website (that is IF they have a website).

Then, too, they have complex pay-out structures and high registration or "training" fees. And, even if they are legitimate and if you manage to get your head around all of their technicalities, then legal hurdles could come in the way - the example of the Speak Asia is a case in point.

So, the bottom-line is that there are no free-lunches and certainly no "easy" money to be made.

Do realise, that in majority of cases, it can take a fair amount of time (often years) before you start earning a steady income from home-based jobs. Then too, it may NOT be at the same level as that of a regular job. This is why a lot of people look at these options as a source of generating "additional" income.

However, all is not hopeless and gloomy. There are several viable options available to you. But the decision of which route to follow must flow from the answers to the following questions:

• What are the reasons for leaving your current job - money, working? What you must do is analyse your strengths and skills to evaluate what kind of work you would be good at.
• Do you want it to be a full-time or a part-time business?
• How much risk are you willing to take?
• What resources do you have that you can use - money, space, know-how, etc?
• Do you have the support of your family?
• How many hours per week would be able to devote to the new activity?
• Would you require any special training, licenses, and certification?

MSc biotech through distance learning

Q. I have already done MSc in Genetics and am working, but due to some technical reasons my employer wants MSc in Biotechnology itself. So please suggest if I can do MSc Biotech through distance mode along with my job? Would such a degree be valid by the UGC and accepted by Panjab University. Are PTU's distance education courses recognised by UGC? And can I do MSc from PTU or any other university out of Punjab state?

— Rupinder Kaur, Chandigarh

A. For a distance learning course, especially a degree course, to be valid and recognised, the University offering the programme must be recognised so by the DEC (Distance Education Council).

Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, is a UGC-recognised university, and its Directorate of Distance Education is DEC-approved, so you have no worries on that count in case you choose to pursue a course offered by PTU.

PTU offers a MSc in Biotechnology both through its affiliated institutes as a full-time programme and also a distance-learning programme.

What is not clear from the information you have provided, is why does PTU's distance education MSc Biotechnology need to be recognised by Panjab University?

If, for example, you require a MSc in Biotechnology degree merely as a technicality (for promotion or for an appointment, for example) to complement your practical knowledge and work experience, then a distance-learning programme should suffice.

Do bear in mind that a distance course is invariably considered less rigourous and may not be viewed on par with a full-time programme by some recruiters, and especially so where research and development work is involved.

In addition to PTU, MSc Biotechnology course is offered at Panjab University, Chandigarh; Punjabi University, Patiala; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; and Thapar University, Patiala. All of the above are also approved by DEC to offer Distance courses.

Make-up art
Go for a professional course

Q. I am very keen to become a professional make-up artist. Please tell me something about the scope and courses in this field preferably in or around Delhi.

— Vineeta Handa

A. Not all actors or models are born with flawless skin or perfectly chiselled looks, but professional makeup can transform the girl-next-door into the proverbial swan. TV and film make-up is quite different from fashion or party make-up. And being somewhat heavier, film makeup is different from TV makeup. Depending on whether it's a period film or horror flick you may have to use wigs, false teeth, highlights and shadow make-up for each character — maintaining the continuity shoot after shoot. If it's a thriller, materials like foam latex and gelatine are used to change the shape of the face or create life-like scars and wounds.

Professional makeup artists research and minutely plan the make-up required for each production. The medium - video, still or film - also determines the kind of make up to be done. Make-up for the ramp is different from that for TV, and that for TV is quite different from that for film.

Although a traditional male stronghold, the number of women makeup artistes in the Indian film industry is steadily rising — as in every other hitherto male-dominated field, which is a refreshing change.

Besides a steady hand, speed and the stamina to stay on your feet for long hours, imagination and appreciation of the human form are the prerequisites of a successful makeup artist.

To learn the ropes, I suggest you go for a professional course that focuses on how the camera perceives the face under different kinds of lighting.

A good course in media makeup that combines both theory and practical demonstration from a reputed beauty school. Incidentally, even FTII, Pune offers Course in Film Makeup

After that, interning under a professional make up artist will give you the necessary confidence and hands-on experience to make your mark in the industry.

Here are some courses you could look at:

• NIFT (www.niftindia.com)
• Pearl Academy of Fashion (in collab with London College of Fashion) (www.pearlacademy.com),
• Lakme Academy (www.lakmetrainingacademy.com), Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi 110 024
• VLCC Institute (www.vlccinstitute.com)
• Women's World International (Shahnaz Hussain's)

Course watch
CDAC PG diploma programmes

Admission is on for CDAC's PG Diploma in System and database administration and GIS and Remote sensing for its Noida campus. These six months (24-week) programmes are designed to enable the students to acquire industry specific IT skills and obtain better placements. Selection is through online entrance test, ensuring transparency and quality.

The criterion for admission is B.E, B.Tech / AMIE/ MCA/ M.Sc (CS, IT, Electronics, E&C) /MCM (with B.Sc) / B.Sc (Engg.) and MBA (IT, Systems). Candidates should have scored minimum 60% in last qualifying degree. Students who have appeared for the final semester examination are also eligible.

CDAC is a leading scientific institution under the Department of Information Technology, Govt of India, engaged in high-end research and education.

For details visit: www.cdacnoida.in/FS. Application forms can also be downloaded from the website.

Last date for online Registration is February, 24, 2012.

Masters in organisational development

XLRI School of Business & Human Resources, Jamshedpur, and Weatherhead School of Management, Cleveland, USA, have joined hands to launch a unique masters programme in Organisational Transformation and Leadership Skills in India

The 15-month programme titled 'Masters Programme in Positive Organisational Development and Change (MPOD)' is a highly acknowledged programme offering pioneered by Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland.

This programme is intended for executives who are interested in leading positive change, building sustainable institutions, and shaping vibrant communities. The program will be open to professionals from all management functional areas, provided they have at least 10 years of relevant work experience in organisations.

The MPOD programme will commence in November 2012 at XLRI. It will be conducted in six modules which will be conveniently spaced 10-12 weeks apart - thereby making the programme flexible enough to accommodate the busy schedules of executives and enabling them to attend on-campus classroom sessions in India and USA without leaving their employment.

Announcing the launch of MPOD programme Dr. J Singh, Faculty, XLRI & Co-director of MPOD said , "The MPOD will educate and develop business leaders who will shape an enduring socio-economic eco-system that offers extraordinary value to all stakeholders, nourish the co-operative human spirit, and contribute towards ecological sustainability and global well-being".

The fee structure for this programme is $ 35,000 (or Rupee equivalent).

Event management and wedding planning

Wedding planning and event management academy Rachnoutsav Events Academy based in Hyderabad is offering courses in event management and wedding planning. The admission is on for the academic year 2012-2013. The academy is being managed by an event management company and is offering programmes in event management and wedding planning that are innovative, skill focused and management driven. One of the programmes - "Advanced Masters in Wedding Planning" is the first full-time programme on offer in South Asia.

Details of the courses:

Professional Foundation Course in Event Management (1 year full time - Mon to Fri) - aimed at producing professionals for event and other related industries.

Advanced Masters Course in Event Management (2 year full time - Mon to Fri) - intense executive program based on managerial development and skills.

Advanced Masters Course in Wedding Planning (1 year full time - Mon to Fri) - aimed at entrepreneur development.

Admission criterion: Individuals with a creative zeal and passion to take up challenges. He/she should have completed higher secondary (10+2) and should have at least 60% marks in English comparable to IELTS 6.0.

Application form: Students can send in their queries to info@rachnoutsav.ac.in or leave their queries on www.rachnoutsaveventsacademy.com . — TNS

Career compass
Precious passion
Usha Albuquerque

With changing fashion and taste, men and women today, are steadily moving away from conventional styles of adornment and ornamentation and gradually adopting modern patterns better suited to their busy life styles. While not much has changed as far as the utility of gold, silver and diamonds go, the art of finding gemstones, grading and evaluating them and processing them for the end user has changed radically.

India is the largest consumer of gold in the world and has excellent infrastructure for diamond cutting, Gemmology can prove to be a very lucrative and satisfying career.

GEMMOLOGY

Gemmology is essentially a scientific and technical field dealing with the study of gem stones and precious metals. Gemmologists are required to be highly skilled to identify, sort and grade diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones and to establish the weight, size, form and other related aspects. They may also be required to identify the treatment which may have to be given to modify the colour or appearance of the gemstones.

Opportunities

A profession in gemmology is not just confined to laboratories and conducting tests for grading and evaluating gem stones. In fact, as a gemmologist you have innumerable job opportunities ranging from working in a diamond mine to the owner of a popular gems and jewellery brand.

Wholesale and retail job opportunities are also available. Other professionals in the field include:

Gem grinders, who grind the stones to the required size and shape;

Gem-polishers and sorters, who polish and sort and select the gems;

Jewel setters, who set the gemstones according to the designs; and

Engravers, who engrave or emboss ornamental designs or letters on jewellery, and so on.

Other important roles include

Diamond Grader - a professional who has the expertise to grade diamonds according to the established diamond grading norms;

Jewellery Designer - conceptualises new jewellery designs and styles keeping in account the changing demand of fashion, time, taste and preference of the society at large;

Sales Personnel - Responsible for selling gems, precious minerals, jewellery and gemmology related tools and equipment in the national and in the international market.

Gemstone Auction Manager - who takes care of the entire auctioning process of various gemstones in an auction house.

Courses

There are a number of courses for training in gemmology ranging from short certificate courses to diploma programmes. Some of these short-term courses are:

• Gem Identification Certificate course;
• Diamond Grading Certificate course;
• Certificate course in Cut Design and Analysis;
• Pearl Grading;
• Polished Diamond Grading course

Moreover, some jewellery houses hire and provide in-house training for their recruits. Many too have facilities and earmark budgets for research and development in the fields of gemmology and jewellery design.

Remuneration

As a gemmologist, your pay scale will largely be governed by your qualification in this field and by the status of your employer. A basic course in gemmology can fetch you a salary in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 a month. On the other hand a higher qualification can help you command a Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 package. If you are running your own independent unit then the profits you earn can easily run into crores of rupees annually depending upon the scale of business.

Skill set

Gemmology is a science and art rolled into one. To take it up as a career you need to have interest in the study of various precious and semi-precious stones.

You must have a discerning eye such that you can spot even the minute changes in the constitution of different gems and stones. This quality immensely helps gemmologists to grade and evaluate gemstones. You must also be prepared to work for long hours in gemmological laboratories and units where cutting and polishing or treatment of gems takes place.

Other essential qualities for this profile are good communication skills, ample knowledge of technological advancements in this field and personal integrity when making high profile transactions in the gem market.

For becoming a successful Gemmologist, you should have good manual dexterity, colour vision, and steady hands. Good analytical skills and the ability to work with clear guidelines in an organised manner are important. Excellent powers of observation, attention to detail, precision, ability to concentrate, initiative, an objective approach and a tremendous sense of responsibility are some of the other qualities, which will make your progress in this area, fast and smooth.

With the entry of branded gems and jewellery as well as the increased interest in newer designs and westernised styles, job opportunities have increased manifold. If you can satisfy market needs and continue to create new things, you can carve a niche for yourself as a reputed gemmologist and self-employed entrepreneur.

— The writer is a career expert

Course chat
Winning formula

With the Formula One craze vrooming into India there has been an increased interest in careers related to this exciting field. If the super fast, super sleek, super cars give you an adrenalin rush then check out this course on race car aerodynamics

The department of Engineering and Environment at the University of Southampton offers a unique MSc course in Race Car Aerodynamics. Regarded as the world's only dedicated course to Race Car Aerodynamics, it is the most sought after qualification in motorsport.

The programme is aimed at graduates and similarly qualified individuals from engineering, scientific or mathematical backgrounds who are interested in specialising in aerodynamics. The course focuses on analysis computation and measurement of turbulent flows associated with high-performance race cars.

Core modules include applications of CFD; experimental techniques for aerodynamics; geometry and grid generation; numerical methods; race car aerodynamics; race car design/GDP; turbulence I: physics and measurement, and turbulence II: computation and modelling. The course also offers two optional modules chosen from applied aerodynamics or fluids and waves; flow control, or wing aerodynamics.

Developed by Prof Xin Zhang in conjunction with F1 technical directors and aerodynamicists, the MSc is based on the extensive ground-effect aerodynamics research programme at Southampton.

This research is widely regarded as providing benchmark understanding of wing, diffuser and wheel aerodynamics. Students work in teams to design a whole race car with computational fluid dynamics, and perform wind tunnel lab classes on an F1 car and projects with industry.

The course starts in October and eight students are admitted each year. It is a full-time one-year course.

Candidates wishing to enroll on the course should have an Honours degree in engineering, mathematics or a science-based subject. Those with employment experience will also be considered. To enroll, candidates must complete an application form and submit two references. Applications for the course will be accepted until the course begins.

The fee for students for the 2012-13 session is £15,800.

Further information can be found at: www.soton.ac.uk/engineering/postgraduate/index.page. Further enquiries can be sent to: global@southampton.ac.uk. — TNS

Achiever's word
100 per cent inspiration

Scoring 99.99 percentile in CAT is no mean achievement and this year's topper Pemmasani Sri Ram Prasad from IIT, Ropar, shares his success mantra with other CAT aspirants:

Strategy

CAT exam has three sections and each of these requires a different and specific plan

Quantitative aptitude: I personally had a knack for it since childhood and kept solving questions of maths with interest so it was not much of a problem for me ever but it can be a nightmare for many. But practice is the key word here. Just practice a lot and you won't need to mug any formula and any trick. Things will turn out in your favor eventually.

Data interpretation and logical reasoning: As the name suggests, there is no formula and tricks in this section. It just requires organising your mind and thinking step by step for every problem. Common sense can prove to be vital if people practice and use it in right place and right time. Data Interpretation may seem boring but it really is the section where the answer is right in front of you and you can score easy marks most of the time.

Verbal reasoning: This is the area which used to give me nightmares. I was never a reader but I developed the habit of reading newspapers first daily and then novels. First it took me a week to finish a book but gradually it reduced to three days.

Read newspaper's front page, editorial and business page necessarily within 35 minutes. Develop the habit to read for sometime before sleeping. If it's hard talking to people in English around you try and talk at least to yourself in English. That way sometimes you will need words and that will increase your vocabulary automatically. Rest is the same for the section. Performance is directly proportional to practice here. I tried to give as many mock tests as possible to practice verbal reasoning.

Time management

A person has to know his or her strengths and weakness because that is the main factor that will decide the amount of effort to be put in various sections.

Try and identify your topics of strengths and weak ones and focus more on the weak ones. Be thorough with every exam's pattern so that when you enter the room you know exactly what you have to do in those two to three hours. Time management is what comes from lots of test and practices which help you analyse your strong and weak areas.

Cultivate confidence

I had been mentored by experienced people. Group discussion is not only about speaking, but speaking with accurate facts and self confidence. Proving that your point is correct by stating a fact is the most effective way of marking your presence.

Definitely starting and concluding a discussion earns some points but never ever attempt to do so until you are aware of the topic otherwise it can backfire.

Personal interviews are the most dreaded things among candidates and they read a lot about world, politics and many other things but the biggest mistake they make is that they never introspect.

Knowing yourself better than others is the key to a calm, composed and stable mind without which you can never succeed. Try to know your strengths and weaknesses. You should have sincere, honest and convincing answers to questions like why you want to do MBA.

I would like to say reading is the solution to everything. A well-read person has enough knowledge required to perform in GD PI and written tests. Until you know something, you can't prove it anywhere. Thus keep reading newspapers, magazines, novels of every genre

Stay motivated

Keep reading, keep performing, keep competing and above all like what you are doing and enjoy it because unless you do so, you may never be able to give your 100 per cent. Do your best and leave the rest to God. — As told to Preetinder Kaur

Balance work, life
Ragini Gulati

In today's corporate world most professionals spend long hours at office to cope up with an overwhelming workload. As a consequence work starts invading into their personal life, eventually creating an imbalance. No one can deny the importance of work for survival, however, other aspects of life, including family, health, relationships, hobbies etc are equally relevant. Balance is the key to lead a successful and fulfilling life, without regrets of missing out on anything. Here are a few tips to strike a healthy work life balance:

Make a distinction

These days technology has made it possible to connect to anyone at any time and from virtually anywhere. As a result it has become difficult to maintain a clear distinction between work and home. When professional and personal lives start blending, it eventually takes a toll on productivity, family and health. Make a conscious decision to turn off the cell phone and put away the laptop once you are at home. When leaving office for the day, leave unfinished projects and assignments on the desk. Carrying work home not only creates tension and stress but also takes away focus from the family. Moreover, unless it is an emergency most pending work can wait until the next morning.

Prioritise tasks

In order to strike a better work life balance it is necessary to organise every element of one's daily life. With limited hours at our disposal juggling the demands of career and personal life is an ongoing challenge. Prioritising makes it easier to divide attention amongst the multitude task at hand in accordance to their importance. Make a list of what really matters, to discover and drop activities that are superfluous yet taking too much time. Also review the list at the end of week to re-prioritise and adjust work schedule accordingly. Selecting what is important and what can wait ensures enough time for professional as well as personal life.

Learn to say 'no'

Most of us find it difficult to say 'no' whether it is helping a colleague with an assignment or organising a friends' party. However, in our quest to please everyone we often overlook that we are being nice to others at the expense of ourselves. Saying 'no' does not necessarily mean being rude neither does it mean being disagreeable. In fact, it is about how to say it rather than the fact that it being said, that affects the outcome. Be firm yet polite whilst refusing a request so as not to jeopardize the relationship. Refusing to do things out of guilt or false sense of obligation will leave ample time for activities that are important and bring joy.

Take a break

In an attempt to keep up with the pace of work most of us never seem to slow down. Taking an occasional break from the daily grind of workplace can go a long way towards creating a healthy work life balance. Set aside money and clear schedule well in advance by finishing existing projects for time off with family and friends. Incorporate short breaks during the office hours, either by stepping out for some fresh air or by looking away from the computer. Not only will you feel refreshed and relaxed but also return more enthusiastic towards work.

Build a support system

Create a support system both inside and outside of workplace to successfully handle pressures of life. Enlist the help of colleagues for whom you can cover and who can do the same whenever a family issue arises. Look out for friends and neighbors to pitch in with household chores when you have to work overtime or go on a business trip. Stay connected with your support system and also let them know that you appreciate all they do.

Look after yourself

One of the best ways to boost work life balance is to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly and get sufficient sleep. Start the day with a good breakfast and make time for lunch irrespective of a hectic schedule. Set aside time each day for a physical activity or relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga. Lack of sleep in addition to causing headache, blurred vision and dizziness affects the ability to concentrate. Get a good night's sleep to allow the body time to repair vital organs, muscles and immune system. Most importantly don't put off doctor's appointment especially when you feel something is wrong.

Quest for greener pastures
Young Indians prefer moving abroad for jobs

Young Indians prefer overseas employment even without a pay hike for better suited jobs, according to the latest findings of Ma Foi Randstad.

About 60 per cent of employees with higher education are willing to move abroad for a better suited job even if the salary remains the same, Ma Foi Randstad's Workmonitor Survey 2011 — Wave4, a quarterly review of 'mental mobility status' of employees says. It finds that about 39 per cent of employees with low level of education would move abroad just for a better suited job that doesn't accompany a good pay.

In gender, the study says that a significantly higher proportion of men (79 per cent) expect to go abroad for work that promises higher pay as compared to women (65 per cent).

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Ma Foi Randstad Managing Director and CEO E Balaji says, “Attracting and retaining right talent would be the biggest challenge for any organisation in the coming years. With technology advancements, many traditional systems like eight-hour work day and control approach are fast disappearing and impacting the work styles and approach to work.” The growing opportunities have created a major change in the mindsets of the young employees, for whom money is an important driver but they are also driven by workplace flexibility, right culture, challenging roles, career growth and bosses with inspirational approach towards work.

"Companies should re-orient their work culture to address employee needs, to succeed in the emerging war for talent, which will become the key to retain their place in the marketplace," he adds.

The survey further finds that India continued to remain the highest mobility index of 144 amongst all the countries.

This is in line with the findings that emerged in all the previous eight quarterly surveys conducted since first quarter of 2010. The mobility index is least in Luxembourg with Germany and Italy following suit indicating least employee churn.

About 45 per cent of the workforce believes in focus on promotion and 34 per cent believe in doing something different, the survey notes.

This trend is consistent amongst all workgroups based on income, location, gender, type of employment and such others. The preference for moving into a higher position based on existing experience is higher than to venture into a role that is different from their existing role, it says.

It also points out that about 81 per cent of men expect to work beyond their retirement age and a nearly equally high proportion of women (74 per cent), expect to work beyond their retirement age. — Agencies

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Avoid the blame game

Everyone makes mistakes, but don’t blame others or juniors when you get caught. In 1932, flying during the rains was very difficult. One night, JRD Tata was forced to land at Bellary en route to Bombay while flying the Tata airmail service. He even had to sleep under the wing of the plane in that desolate place. Despite the hiccups, the airmail was always punctual.

Despite having a PhD from the USA, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar faced tough times in India. When he came to Baroda, no government official came to receive him at the station and no hotel let him a room. Even the peon at his office, under the Dewan of Baroda, disrespected him and the Parsi guest house threw him out when they got to know his identity.

In disgust, Babasaheb went to Bombay and started a stocks consultancy, but clients avoided him as he belonged to a ‘lower caste’ even while they knew he was an expert. But nothing stood in his way and he went on to become the architect of the Indian Constitution.

Marya Sklodovska came from a poor family. She had to wait eight years after school to go to the university. She travelled in third and fourth class train compartments during her trip from her native Poland to France. She lived in a small attic and ate just fruit and bread during her college days. Even when she, as Marie Curie, was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1903, along with her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel, the couple had no money to attend the function. But she continued her work despite Pierre’s death, won her second Nobel, this time in chemistry, in 1911. Even their daughter Irene also won a Nobel Prize. After World War I, Ghanshyam Das Birla decided to start a jute mill, but the entire Indian industry was in the hands of the British and they definitely wouldn’t have let the Indians follow suit. The British even forced the zamindar, on whose land the mill was to be set up, not to sell it to Birla.

Finally, when the mill was up and running, Paterson, the Scotch supervisor, didn’t want to tell his jute-making secret to Birla. After patiently watching Paterson at his work and hunting for a book on jute processing all across Calcutta, Birla’s manager Jwala Prasad Mandelia unraveled the secret.

When biophysicist Jagadis Chandra Bose was put in an English school hostel by his parents, he encountered an English bully. Remembering Karna, the Mahabharata hero, studious Jagadis fought back and thrashed his opponent.

Good leaders take the blame and pass on the credit to their team.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan, The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Fatter pay cheques in 2012
Employees to get 14 pc average pay hike this year

Employees can look forward to an average salary hike of 14 per cent in 2012, up from 11 per cent last year, while hiring activities would be robust in various services sectors, such as banking, experts believe. Sectors like infrastructure could see average salary hike of as high as 16 per cent, but the increments could be lower at 5 per cent in a few segments like aviation and textiles.

Across all the sectors, the companies are expected to dole out an average pay hike of 14 per cent - higher than 11 per cent in 2011, but slightly below a record 14.5 per cent average increment given to the employees in 2007. "2012 is yet another year where job seekers are going to experience positive hiring and double-digit or an average of 14 per cent pay hike, along with handsome incentive, bonuses and perks," MyHiringClub.com CEO Rajesh Kumar said. "India Inc is also trying very hard to come out with uncertainties in this year and planning to give more concentration on front of employee satisfaction," he said.

Echoing similar views, Concord HR World CEO Shekhar Ghotgalkar said hiring activities are set to increase in 2012, especially in the services sector, and salaries are expected to rise by 10 to 12 per cent. Most new jobs are expected in IT, retail, FMCG, auto, infrastructure, construction, engineering and banking sectors. "Banking recruitment numbers will see growth. As the government wants to open up the sector, a large number of jobs will be created if new licenses are issued," Ghotgalkar said.

The experts believe that hiring activities would be better than 2011 across all the sectors, barring aviation. In terms of sectors, infrastructure space would see an estimated 16 per cent salary rise, while the textile and aviation sectors would be at the lower end of the spectrum with an average of 5 per cent hike, Kumar said. The IT sector might see a 14 per cent salary increment, followed by 13 per cent in healthcare sector, 12 per cent in retail and 11 per cent in engineering and manufacturing.

The consumer durables and FMCG sectors would also see double-digit salary hikes. Commenting on the trends in the IT sector, Zeeways' CEO and MD Syed Farooq said: "We are in process to increase our headcount in India as well our overseas offices also. "Mid-size IT companies like us were scared in the previous (global economic) crises, but now things are over in Indian market. We have started focusing on creating new potential clients with a geographic mix-up suited to safeguard our sales and revenues," he added.

The increments would be promising not only at junior and middle levels, but senior management level employees are also expected to get 12-14 salary hikes this year. Besides, functions such as sales, marketing, engineering, finance and human resources are expecting better salary increments in 2012. — PTI

Management Tip
Use buddy checks

As a project leader your job is to monitor progress against the project plan. But you don’t have to do this alone. Use buddy checks to verify that tasks are done properly. When someone completes an activity, have another team member look at the results. This shouldn’t be an in-depth analysis, just a quick check to confirm that the person didn’t overlook or misunderstand anything. The ideal reviewer is someone who will use the results of the task. Just make clear that this is not a performance appraisal. It’s one team member looking out for another.

— Adapted from Guide to Project Management

Fortnightly Quiz- 405

Tragic

1. Name the Chief Election Commissioner of India.

2. Which Indian states are going to the polls in the year 2012?

3. Where do the Jarawa tribesmen live in India?

4. Which Italian cruise liner sank off a picturesque Tuscan island recently?

5. Which city hosted the Auto Expo 2012 recently?

6. What is the name of the post-harvest festival in Assam?

7. Which community in Rajasthan worships the endangered animal black buck?

8. Which city is hosting the Olympics this year?

9. Which country recently scored 43 runs in a one-day international match against South Africa, thereby losing the match by 258 runs?

10. Name the Australian batsman who scored a century in 69 balls against India in the Perth Test recently.

— Tarun Sharma

Winners of quiz 404: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Vaibhav Kaushal, class VIII, Dayanand Public School, Silver City, Nabha, Pin Code – 147201

Second: Devesh Dhiman, Class VII-B, Little Flower Convent School, Sector 14, Panchkula, Pin Code - 134113

Third: Nishi, class XII, Saini Public School, NR Panorma, Thanesar, Kurukshetra, Haryana Pin Code – 136118

Answers to quiz 404: Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir; Karnataka; Stephen Hawking; Albert Einstein; RE 60; Bodhgaya (Bihar); Braille; Asbestos; Dhanush; Sri Lanka

Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address.

Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place on the letter/postcard to facilitate the delivery of the prize money.

Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com

Name……………….………….............................................

Class ....………….......….……................................................

School address .............................................