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Career Hotline
Body language plays an important role in fostering healthy workplace relationships and good impression
career compass: mobile app developer
smart strategy: impressive covering letter
Happiness @ work:
Gems of ancient wisdom
management tip
Promising sectors
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Young Dreams
On the occasion of India’s 66th Independence Day, it is pertinent to explore whether this escalating youth population is a boon or a bane and what are its hopes and aspirations? The bestselling author Chetan Bhagat whose latest offering What Young India Wants catches the pulse of the youth. Talking of the ‘great Indian dream’ he says, “It is to have a prosperous life based on fair and honest means and also to give back something to society.”
Encashing dividends
India’s advantage in the backdrop of most other countries that are likely to face human capital shortage in the near future can be an asset for the financial standing of the country. The Approach Paper to the 12th Five Year Plan states, “India has a younger population not only in comparison to the advanced economies but also in relation to the large developing countries. As a result, the labour force in India is expected to increase by 32 per cent over the next 20 years, while it will decline by 4.0 per cent in industrialised countries and by nearly 5.0 per cent in China.”
The youth is a potent force and if this potential is not tapped, then global mass youth movements generate public opinion and even topple governments. The “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the United States or the Arab Spring protests are examples of youth’s reaction to unfulfilled aspirations and reduced job opportunities and inequalities. In order to meet the aspirations of the youth it is important to create an environment in which the economy not only flourishes but also ensures quality employment opportunities. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in a report titled ‘Global Employment Trends for Youth 2012’, released in May this year states, that there will be ‘nearly 75 million unemployed youth in 2012, accounting for 12.7 per cent of the global youth labour force aged 15 to 24, an increase of nearly 4 million since 2007’. The human capital of any nation has to grow if it has to reap dividends for its economy. Sam Pitroda, Chairman, National Knowledge Commission India, in the Report to the Nation 2006-2009 says in the foreword, “To get the real demographic dividends we need to empower and educate the 550 million young below the age of 25 through proper education to build future growth and prosperity. The destiny of India is in their hands”.
Choices on the platter
In India, the first youth policy in 1988 recognised the removal of unemployment as its most important component. Other measures can include, ensuring high levels of health, education and skill development that can tip the scales in India's favour. Lack of skills and poor employability levels of graduates is a cause of concern for policy makers and civil society. It is common knowledge that graduates from engineering colleges from tier II, III cities are found unfit for employment. Students also fall short of the expected levels in soft skills such as communication and decision-making abilities. In 2005 The National Council for Skill Development (NCSD) was set up in India to work in the field of skill development primarily amongst the youth. Saurabh Saklani co-founder of Exper Executive Education and inme Learning, New Delhi, who is also the author of What Teens Want but Can't Quite Say opines, “The state should involve professionals, choose those that make and execute policies based on merit, and treat citizens as individuals with potential and not as individuals with votes.” With the proliferation of a wide variety of new-age professions, the country’s youth are now looking beyond the traditional options. Career-seekers now have a wide array of choice in sectors ranging from public relations to IT, from retail to aviation. ApnaCircle.com, India’s leading business and career networking site’s founder and CEO, Yogesh Bansal avers, “Apart from the top chosen fields like IT, Finance, Medical and so on people today are moving towards talent based professions as well. Art, fashion and entertainment are also emerging as attractive career options. Given the state of our rural segment, social entrepreneurship has a lot of scope in India.”
Change in perception
Another growing choice amongst the self-driven youth of India is entrepreneurship. Kuldeep Dantewadia and Saurabh Saraf both 24-year-old started their Bangalore-based company Reap Benefits, which is India’s first portal to rate environmental performance in educational institutions. They started this venture in March 2011 with a seed capital of Rs 1 lakh and have so far rated more than 50 institutions. The industry is lending positive support to start-ups and incubation programmes have spelt success for youth energy. Kuldeep feels, “There is a lot of interest amongst the youth in working in off-beat entrepreneurial ventures but the action to back it up is missing by and large”. Considering he feels his age sometimes is a hindrance in his business as he is thought to be’too young’ to be an entrepreneur, it is time we did a re-think on our attitudes towards youth power.
Opportunities for the young workforce
Ajaya Sharma, Senior Manager, Max Life Insurance, gives the pulse of the youth employment trends, “The youth is moving towards the IT Sector, FMCG and KPO. What the young are looking for is a good working environment and remuneration. Yes rewards and recognition by the company is another major factor in talent management in companies today”. Coupled with this is the growing need for specialised skill sets that is on the rise and talent retention is the prime goal of corporate houses in the current scenario. Bansal says, “Despite the global slowdown, the Indian economy is expected to move ahead with expansions. Reverse migration and the increasing number of jobs in India is a sign of good times to come”. The July 2010 report by Goldman Sachs titled, ‘India’s Rising Labour Force’ states that, “India’s labour force is expanding at a time when many other countries are facing ‘ageing-related issues’ (older populations) and shrinking workforce. India’s workforce growth will be driven by people in their 30s and 40s, urbanisation, and rise in number of working women”. It goes on to record that, “India will likely provide the largest increase to the global labour force over the next few decades”. Vocational and higher education in India requires systemic changes, strengthening of infrastructure, qualified faculty and more importantly state-of-the-art R&D facilities. No wonder then that according to a recent Google India survey, the word ‘education’ is the most searched amongst Indians today. Appropriate educational policy interventions have to be made for capitalising this ‘'youthful’ demographic advantage. Generating employment, securing better educational opportunities and infrastructure are some steps that are a must for India to capitalise on its growing young workforce.
--
Chetan Bhagat, Best-selling author
-- Kuldeep Dantewadia and Saurabh Saraf, founders of Reap Benefits
-- Debanjana Moitra, NDTV 24X7
-- Srishti Bhatia, First year Math Honours student at JMC, New Delhi
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How well oiled are the wheels of growth
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom...” —Jawaharlal Nehru
On the Independence Day, India has all the reasons to smile and celebrate as it now is among the fastest growing economies in the world. With a population of more than 1.2 billion to feed despite all challenges, India’s growth path has been incredible. India Inc has been keeping the country’s flag flying high by charting motivating success stories. The establishment of companies like Tatas, Reliance, Infosys, ITC has enabled foreign organisations to look at India as one of the prospective competitors in the corporate world. While the birth of the Tatas group in 1868 kick started the business culture in India, in the 21st century hundreds of Indian companies have stepped in and have been successful in making a strong presence in the global market. In the early 1950s India was a path setter as it represented the non-capitalist path to development and adopted social democracy to sustain. India today is hub of thousands of companies which provide employment to millions and it is this workforce that is behind the success of the corporate companies in the country. As the country celebrates its 66th year of Independence let us see whether freedom has changed the fortunes of the workforce or not. The recent furore in Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant is the biggest example of a deadlock between workers and the management in the recent times. The labour laws in India are known to be strict yet workers seem to be struggling to get their rights. Globalisation and liberalisation of the Indian economy has made an impact on businesses and hence the demand for cheap labour has shot-up. Maladministration of several years has created a massive army of under-educated and unskilled labour force, especially in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Rajasthan and West Bengal. These workers are generally deprived of their rights and in spite of living in an independent country, they work in oppressive conditions under managements that have scant regard for workers’ democratic rights. Workers are the key behind every manufacturing plant and until and unless they are provided the facilities to sustain and lead a respectable life, things will never improve and repetition of Maruti and Toyota cases cannot be ruled out. In order to provide freedom to workers proper labour unions, safety measures and hygienic living conditions should be restored. Migrant labourers should also be taken care of as their percentage is increasing day by day due to modernisation and urbanisation. With 94 per cent of Indian workers falling under the unorganised sector of labour force, a Bill named Unorganised Sector’s Social Security was passed in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, 2008. It laid absolute responsibility on the government to provide workers with life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old-age protection, child education, skills upgradation and provident fund assistance. To bring them back from the brink of uncertainty, this measure has been a remarkable effort from the Centre. But in spite of favourable regulations a lot remains to be done as far as the welfare of primary level workers in different industries is concerned and unless this is achieved the fruits of freedom will remain a distant dream for a large percentage of the workforce in our country. Creativity and innovation bloom when one enjoys one's work. A look at the corporate work culture reveals that there is an increasing recognition of the fact that bringing in newer dimensions at workplace that create a dynamic environment in which everyone can contribute and have fun too is the need of the hour. Major IT companies as well as MNCs today are way ahead and are very conscious about the welfare of their employees. They are willing to walk an extra mile to make their employees smile and work efficiently. Through several programmes and initiatives executives are being encouraged to ideate, innovate and express ideas that are in sync with the organisational goals. “More and more companies are now hiring smart people and are empowering them to deliver in an eco-system where innovation is in the air. And there’s an increased stress on letting employees take decisions independently. Uniformity in diversity throughout the workplace gives the employees a sense of freedom and trust that one essentially looks for in a job,” says Anupam Pahuja, General Manager, PayPal IDC. Workplaces these days leave no stone unturned in engaging their employees completely in order to increase productivity, yet the lack of freedom hampers the growth of employees at a certain level. A recent survey by Mercer group highlighted that no fewer than 54 per cent of Indians are seriously considering leaving their job, and the figure has gone up to 66 per cent in the 16-24 age group. Youth workforce plays a pivotal role in organisations’ growth and, therefore, it is very important to let them explore their talent and be given an environment where offices turn into virtual offices and the emphasis is on independence of employees. Workforce these days is intelligent, smart and knows what it needs from its job. Employers also know how to extract the best from them and to retain good employees it is vital to understand their needs and aspirations. “Today’s scenario demands an increasing need for work-life balance and a sense of freedom. Employees are the biggest asset of an organisation and if they are not happy, the business will collapse. Treat your employees with utmost care. At Thomas Cook we help our employees to work independently, we have developed flexible employment policies, part time working, work from home and in this way we try to cooperate with them and they prosper in their careers,” says Raj Tanwar, Head of Human Resources, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. It is the job of the HR to keep a track of the performance of every individual employee and try to understand their problems which can become a hindrance in the growth path for them and in order to achieve it, it is imperative that an employee is given the freedom to act accordingly.
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Career Hotline
Q. I am in the final year of B.Pharma course and want to know about the MPH (Masters in Public Health) and MBA in Public health courses in India and abroad. What are the career aspects in these fields? Are nursing students eligible for these courses? —
Kavita Handa
A. Sadly, India has one of the highest disease burdens in the world, which in the long term, could prove to be a major stumbling block for our country’s economic development. Some of the major public health concerns are chronic diseases, toxic wastes, health problems of the impoverished and disadvantaged, new infectious diseases, health of infants, mothers and senior citizens etc. The acute shortage of public health professionals further compounds the problem. There is a worrisome dearth of trained healthcare professionals in preventive and social medicine in the country to address these issues. Leading business groups and philanthropic organisations, including the Melinda Gates Foundation, Ranbaxy-Fortis Healthcare group and a few others have joined hands with the government to set up public health schools on the lines of leading public health institutions in the world (e.g. National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine, US) with a corpus of over Rs 100 crore under the aegis of the Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi. The public and private sectors coming together to breathe life into the ailing public health system should bring a host of opportunities both in terms of teaching at these new public health schools as well as working with the government and NGO sector for providing healthcare facilities to the people. The Indian Institutes of Public Health set up by PHFI in Delhi, Hyderabad and Gandhinagar offer a variety of courses. For further details about their offerings, log onto the PHFI's website: www.phfi.org The Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, offers a master’s programme in Public Health (MPH) funded by the WHO and offered by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi. All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata (affiliated to the West Bengal University of Health Sciences) (www.wbuhs.org) offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (2-yr). A flagship course under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Check out their websites for eligibility conditions and other details.
Computer knowledge for financial analyst
Q. I am in the first year of B.Com and am thinking of becoming a financial analyst. Do I require special knowledge of computers or programming language? — tushar jaju
Fundamental analysis is the approach used to arrive at the basic value of a security/asset based on actual data that is intrinsic or fundamental to it — sales, earnings, dividend, etc. It entails reviewing and uncovering information about the basic operations of the company. You will pour over past financial statements and records with a fine-toothed comb. Fundamental analysis does not take into consideration the overall state of the market or even competition performance in arriving at a recommendation whether to buy or sell a particular security (share, bond, etc). Technical analysis is the name given to the practice which analyses past (financial) market data (basically price movement and volume) to predict the future price of a security. It heavily uses statistical tools and sophisticated charting techniques. Technical Analysis has its roots in the efficient market hypothesis — where the price of a security incorporates all available related information (including intrinsic or fundamental value). As a financial analyst you will extensively use computers and special software programmes to perform complex calculations and analysis. You don’t need to specifically know a programming language, but comfort with using a computer and spreadsheet software is essential.
What are the prospects in nanotechnology?
Q. I am doing B.Tech (Mechanical). What are the prospects in nanotechnology?
— urmila sood
A.Nanotechnology is the technology of the future. By 2015, it is expected to grow into a $1 trillion industry. Nanotechnology impacts all major sectors like solar energy, aerospace, environment, telecommunications, computing, etc. besides being widely used in a number of movies, television series and video games. Hundreds of companies are developing and offering nanotech products while an equally large number are involved in nanotech research. With a professional degree in Nanotechnology, you can work as a scientist, academic, biotechnologist, systems designer, research officer or product designer. Besides these, you can work in several other areas of nanotechnology, such as business development and administration, legal areas, and sales and marketing. Remuneration can vary from Rs 6-20 lakh p.a. depending upon your qualification. India plans to become the global hub for nano science and nanotechnology. To this end, the government has set up a five-year nano science and technology mission spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to create nano clusters in the country with huge investments. This has resulted in the initiation of hundreds of R&D projects, establishment of several centres of excellence in nano science and nano technology some of which are in the public private partnership. And India is favourably placed as it is expected to have the youngest scientific talent pool in the world by 2020.
Am I eligible for forest service?
Q. I am a student of chemical engineering, but I am interested in environment related professions. Can you tell me if I’m eligible for the Indian Forest Service? — ritesh mankotia
A. Yes you certainly are! If you love the outdoors and are interested in protecting our country's environment and wildlife, the Indian Forest Service offers a challenging and adventurous career. Work in the Indian Forest Service is a combination of desk work and extensive field monitoring. It is mainly concerned with the management, maintenance and protection of forest flora and fauna, reforestation, wildlife, revenue collection, etc. To qualify for this service, you have to take the Indian Forest Service Exam, which is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the subjects i.e. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering or an equivalent qualification. Note: In exceptional cases, the UPSC may treat a candidate who does not possess any of the above-mentioned qualifications provided that s/he has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his/her admission to the exam. email your queries to
careers@tribunemail.com ...
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Subtle success sutras
D. C. Sharma Communication is a continuous process that has verbal as well as non-verbal aspects. While the main stress is on mastering the verbal communication skills to create a favourable impression and to succeed in one’s career, the non-verbal communication skills are generally ignored. The way one expresses one's body language plays a major role in creating a favourable impression whether one is at an interview or in office. The difference between one’s success and failure is mostly due to the body language that one conveys. It takes just two or three seconds to create an impression on others. How you sit, stand, work, talk, and behave while at work, is very important. Here are some of the body language skills that one should be careful about: Distance matters
Just observe the distance at which you generally sit or stand next to a colleague in office. Sitting too close or too far can create an uncomfortable feeling. Very few know that we all carry an ‘auric’ bubble around us. This bubble extends up to 18 inches around a person. If a stranger or a casual acquaintance intrudes in this auric bubble then the person feels uncomfortable and threatened and this may lead to creating an unfavourable impression. So in office and among colleagues it is better to maintain a distance of at least 19 inches to create the desired impression. On the other hand sitting at a distance of more than 4 ft. is also not conducive to creating a good impression, as one's magnetic pull is not effective at that distance. It is better if while communicating the other person sits across you. It is always better if your right eyes line up. As your right eyes line up, you will naturally use your respective left eyes to observe each other. This action will automatically activate the right sides your respective brains. The right side of the brain represents one’s subconscious mind which has no logical reasoning powers. And as you do so, you will tend to mirror each other’s body posture. As your postures synchronise, the law of connection will be activated, thereby favourably influencing both persons, thus building a beneficial and constructive rapport.
Effective eye contact
Eyes are the most fascinating part of the human body. When the person you are communicating with finds you impressive or attractive his pupils grow significantly larger. And if reversely impacted, they contract. The filmmakers intentionally show the pupils of certain actors and actresses as enlarged to make them look impressive and dominating. The good news is that a good eye contact can work wonders in creating a positive impact. We all have heard about the value of eye contact in building relations. But very few know how to make a favourable eye contact. It, in fact, has a scientific and foolproof methodology that can work wonders provided it is followed correctly. Most of us think that just gazing at the other colleague, or looking into his/her eyes means making an eye contact. It is certainly not the way. Your constant stare may, in fact, make the other colleague feel uncomfortable. There are instances where some women colleagues get irritated by such “staring” male colleagues. Eye contact is simply a contact in the eye-nose triangle. When you are looking at someone then just create a triangle from the two eyes of the colleague to his nose. Though focus at this point makes just two third of the eye contact, research has authentically proved that this is the only point of effective eye contact. It has helped many to climb up the career ladder by building their most rewarding relations at workplace as well as in other situations. Just 10-12 seconds of eye contact with frequent intervals of just five seconds can bring about miraculous results.
Burst the ego bubble
Inflated ego among employees communicates a lot of negativity. One of the biggest problems at workplaces is the problem of ego. The seniors always expect their juniors to wish them ‘Good morning!’ each day. And many seniors are so ego ridden, that they don’t even respond properly when a junior greets them. Just a cursory nod or raising eyebrows to acknowledge a wish is very rude, especially for a senior. Be forthcoming and utter the reply clearly and loudly enough to create a good impression, otherwise one can be dubbed as being snobbish and haughty. Though a simple clear hearted ‘hello’ often works wonders, a hearty handshake is a very effective communication tool that helps in earning a good reputation and builds solid workplace relations. Holding other person’s hand for two heart beats is enough. Crushing the other person’s hand is not a sign of warmth. The handshake must be firm, but not rude or limp. Even using both the hands during handshake seems hypocritical and artificial. Shaking hand with a smiling face enhances warmth and affectionate appeal among colleagues. Just minor changes in one’s body language can go a long way in insuring success in life. — The writer is a psychologist and a career expert
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career compass: mobile app developer Mobile app development is still in its infancy in India, but it is blooming slowly yet steadily Dharmendra Shadija A boom in the Indian telecom market has led to a substantial an increase in mobile application development that is capturing the attention of today’s youth. In fact, India is the world’s fastest growing industry after China and is likely to become the world’s number one mobile market by 2013 with more than a billion mobile users. With this surge there are also commendable opportunities lying ahead for developers in terms of developing apps for running on iOS, Android, and similar other operating systems. But there is a dearth of mobile application developers with a design mind-set due to relative newness of those platforms. Relevance
Though right now not many people in India are buying mobile apps especially with budget-friendly Android phones and millions of free apps affecting the market dynamics. The mobile app development is in its nascent stage in India but is a field with a huge potential and promise.
Getting in
Considering such overwhelming opportunities ahead, there is a growing need for Indian application developers to meet this demand. Getting professional training in this field is the obvious path to follow for students wanting to sprint ahead in their careers as app developers. Engineering colleges in India teach basic level C and Java programming, and this alone can’t be used for app development. Those serious about getting into this field can gear themselves up by buying app development books and enrolling for Stanford University’s online course on iOS development or going in for Apple Development Programme. However, different private institutes are offering a wide variety of courses ranging from diploma, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in mobile computing applications. The main aim of these courses is to help students to develop their understanding and skills of mobile application architectures, development frameworks and technologies. It is expected that this understanding will be based on user-centric design principles for effective mobile interaction, while also covering a range of technologies to support, distribute and integrate mobile applications. Master’s level programmes also address the contemporary aspects of the business, social and commercial context for mobile devices and applications. After gaining an in-depth knowledge and skills about mobile technologies and applications, the graduates can easily advance their careers and become Mobile Computing Applications Designers, Developers, Testers, Planners, or Project managers, among other possible professional roles. While pursuing a master’s level course, the students will:
Eligibility
Though this field has already made a mark among various careers and is ideal for the existing industry professionals wishing to further develop their skills or to begin a career in mobile applications, graduates in computer science, software engineering or network programming with an interest in this area can get into mobile app development arena. However, there are still some basic criteria that one has to go through in order to enter the different courses. The main eligibility criteria for a master’s level course are: First class degree in Computing, Computer Engineering, Computer Science or other relevant areas such as Information Technology or Software Engineering. Students having significant knowledge and skills in programming or database design and development can also opt for this course.
Opportunities
Mobile computing has jobs for students from each sector — be it marketing, sales or IT, there are a number of choices available in this field. Young entrepreneurs with great ideas can easily venture into the mobile applications market. One can develop a mobile application and market it using one of the platforms, be it Apple’s App store or Google’s Play store. This is a big market and is really successful due to the concept of icropayments. All one need is a great idea that would appeal to the masses and your application could be the next ‘Angry Bird’. — The writer is Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University
Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune
(Three-year BSc. in Mobile application Development)
NIIT
(A course in developing mobile application in J2ME. But don’t have a course targeted at training students specifically in developing apps for iOS or Android platform except for a course which introduces students to Android, but the course doesn’t include app development or coding).
Sheffield Hallam University
(Master’s degree on Mobile Computing Applications)
Geek Mentors, Noida
(Courses for building applications for different platforms. The institute is offering a three month course in mobile game development for the designers without any experience or knowledge in coding.
CodeFrux, Bangalore
(App development courses for iPhone and Android platforms with real-time application development on relevant devices. Classroom and online courses for iPhone and Android and these run on weekends for a span of one to two months)
Genius Port, Bangalore and Pune
(Mobile app training for iOS, Android and Windows 7).
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field in focus: fire safety and management
With growing industrialisation and urbanisation, fire safety has gained relevance for maintaining a safe living and working environment. Besides, several measures being taken by the government fire departments, there has been a concerted move by various industries, both large and small, to emphasise on fire safety to guard against the loss of human and material resources. Earlier fires were handled as and when they occurred with limited measures to prevent occurrences in the future. But growing numbers of accidents have led the government to enact and implement various Acts and regulations keeping the safety of people as a primary concern. There are now stricter safety regulations for all residential, commercial and high-rise structures in the country. The recent adoption of the Constructional Safety Act by Parliament has made it mandatory for all buildings to get a certified fire audit report from listed licensing authorities stating the building is well-equipped with safety systems and complies with fire safety norms, and the appointment of safety officers compulsory at all construction sites. As a result of these measures, there are growing opportunities in fire protection as there is a huge shortage of trained people in this field. Fires get out of control due to lack of preparedness and planning. The major areas of work in fire safety are industrial safety and the safety of construction sites. Each year hundreds of fire incidents happen on construction sites, potentially putting the lives of workers and members of the public at risk. The booming construction industry involving thousands of workers and professionals and all kinds of tools, machinery and hazardous materials requires strict safety rules and norms. Fire safety in construction is about preventing fires from starting and ensuring people’s safety if they do.
Fire accidents have always been a serious hazard in industry with devastating results causing loss of lives, injuries, and heavy damage to national property. Industrial Safety is the science and art of identifying, evaluating and controlling workplace hazards. Industrial Safety is being adopted in various manufacturing/industrial houses to avoid accidents. Industrial Safety is normally concerned with minimising hazards. To become aware of fire risk is the first step in applying the fire prevention. It includes measures to prevent human exposures to chemical and physical agents as well as faculty or unsafe work practices. Fire safety implies planning and application of measures to mitigate the damage caused to man, material and property. The workers are trained to identify the reasons for fire outbreak, how to avoid fire risk, how to use fire extinguishers, how to save others from fire etc. Fire fighting training and demonstrations are conducted — preparedness and regular drill exercise is more important than fire fighting once an accident occurs. The work
The work in fire safety is to ensure the safety of employees in an organisation. This could involve seminars for making employees aware of the possible accidents in their work environment, the use of various safety gadgets through demonstrative sessions, accident alerts, fire drills and other measures are put into practice by the employees. There are also fire protection engineers who protect people from the effects of fire through the use of scientific and technological equipment, which are used to reduce the break out of fire. Various fire control devices are used by a fire protection engineer, in order to control and prevent fires and safeguard life and property and deal with the after effects of a fire accident. Fire protection engineering can be a risky profession, but it is a challenging and highly demanding one too. Over the years, the demand for fire protection engineers has increased manifold. Many government and private companies are now making it mandatory to recruit fire protection engineers to protect their staff and property from the hazards of fire accidents. There is an acute shortage of trained hands in construction and industrial safety making this a suitable career option for those interested in working in this challenging field. A rough assessment of the industrial and government sector demand puts the requirement at over 12,000 fire and safety personnel every year. Training
There are now quite a good number of training institutes that offer various fire technology courses in India. The fire safety courses available in India are quite varied and one can pursue certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses, bachelor’s degree and postgraduate diploma courses of various durations. The courses are for technical and non-technical personnel in jobs such as Safety Officer, Safety Warden, Safety Instructor, Safety Auditor, Safety Engineers, Design Engineers, fire protection Engineers, Fire protection technicians and so on. The courses may involve the study of subjects that deal with the designing of safer fire resistant equipments and plants, in depth understanding of the science of fire and safety, its hazards and control measures in various associated engineering subjects, and various managerial functions which aid in managing fire fighting along with psychological and managerial programmes for fire officers. The courses in fire engineering include:
The admission procedure and eligibility criteria for these courses may vary. As several of the courses are through distance learning, for some universities/institutes the applicants have to pass their higher secondary examinations from a recognised board of education whereas in other cases, the minimum eligibility criteria is a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university with physics, mathematics or chemistry as elective subjects. There are a number of Fire Safety Training Institutes in India. These include: National Centre for Professional Training in Kerala; Institute of Fire and Safety Technology (IFAST) in Kochi; National Institute of Fire and Safety (NIFE) in Kochi; National Fire Academy in Vadodara; Institution of Fire Engineers in New Delhi; Indian Institute of Fire Engineering in New Delhi; International Institute of Fire Engineering, Safety Engineering and Security Management in Pune; National Institute of Fire Management in Chennai and College of Fire Technology in Gujarat. While two engineering colleges, Cochin University and Nagpur university offer a four-year B.Tech in Fire and Safety Engineering, qualified engineers can take up a specialisation in fire protection engineering, too. National Institute of Fire Engineering and Safety Management, Chennai, offers diploma and PG diploma courses in Fire Engineering, Industrial Safety, Occupational Health and Environmental Engineering in technical collaboration with Annamalai University. The Institute of Disaster management and Fire Science in Chandigarh offers several Certificate and Diploma courses in Fire Safety and Industrial Safety, for Class X and XII pass students as also a PG Diploma in Industrial Safety Management (PGDISM) for graduates. Job prospects
After a course in fire safety and fire engineering, one can work with consulting engineering firms, manufacturing industries, fire departments, fire equipment/systems design and sales, government organisations such as the Defence forces, Railways, Airports Authority of India, electricity boards, municipal corporations, mines, refineries or petrochemical complexes and so on. Fire safety officials are also required in hospitals and healthcare complexes, in research and testing, and educational institutes etc. Students can find employment in the following sectors:
Demanding job
Fire safety and fire engineering is a demanding and highly responsible job suitable for those who are willing to take on risks and challenges, disciplined, reliable, and in good physical form. With the enlarging scope of work related to construction, oil fields, chemical substances, nuclear substances and so on there is always the danger of fire and disaster which needs to be handled expeditiously. The remuneration is also higher to be able to attract good talent and starting salaries can range from Rs 15,000-25,000 and even higher. Employment opportunities are, therefore, increasing particularly in countries of the Gulf where there are large oil fields and industries and fire protection is of primary concern.
Some of the reputed institutes offering this programme include:
— The writer is Director, Careers Smart Pvt Ltd., New Delhi
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smart strategy: impressive covering letter Zubin Malhotra Now that you’ve agonised for hours to create the perfect CV, your job is finally done. Right?
Actually, you are only half way though. What about the covering letter? How much time have you spent on drafting the document that gets noticed first? Chances are very little, say most HR experts we checked with. Many of us mistakenly feel that covering letters are an optional exercise in the job-seeking game. Now what if I were to tell you that the covering letter carries as much weight as the CV? Which means that it deserves as much (if not more) care if you wish to make a stand-out impression the moment your envelope is slit open. And, the higher you ascend the professional ladder, the more important the covering letter becomes for showcasing your prize skills and accomplishments. So treat this superlative marketing tool with the respect deserves and see what it does to escort your meticulously crafted CV. The best thing you can do to ensure that your resume gets read is to include a personalised and custom-written cover letter. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to stand out from the dozens or may be hundreds of other people who are applying for the same position as you are. What is a covering letter?
It's simply a letter introducing you and your resume to the prospective employer. But do make sure it is drafted specifically to complement your resume. Your covering letter is a personalised statement of an essentially impersonal document. Smartly conceived, it sets the stage for distinguishing your resume as something special and worthy of note. Never exceeding a page in length (it can be done), make sure it carries the appropriate date line, your name and contact numbers and address. Paragraph #1 should powerfully highlight the reasons why you are right for the job you are applying for without wasting valuable space on stating the position you are applying for. That is obvious. Just quote the relevant reference. The key is to be concise yet thorough. Similarly, avoid run-on sentences, unnecessary semicolons and abbreviations and capitalisation of trade names, titles of departments etc. Remember the reader is pressed for time and has to study your CV as well. In the next two or three short paragraphs summarise in precis form, with bullets (avoid open ones) if you like, why you fit the requirements for the job.
Dos and don’ts
One of the biggest mess ups you can make is to address your letter to “Whomsoever it may concern”. This is surest way to ensure its summary relegation to the circular file (the waste bin!). Employers are people and like to be addressed by name and designation. Addressing it merely to a position is one mortal sin to avoid. Avoid cliches and drabness. Try to be original. Use simple, direct language (eschew superfluous obfuscation!) Avoid talking about your personal life and feelings. Instead describe how the employer can benefit from the assets you offer. These days, cover letters are usually sent as emails. However, if you do need to send one physically then make sure it's neatly typed on good paper. Handwritten cover letters are a no-no. The second best thing to do is to make a clear statement of purpose in your opening line itself. This should be followed by your plus points — qualifications that directly relate to those sought by the prospective employer. “They are mother's milk to an opening statement on cover letter”, says Joyce Kennedy, America’s nationally syndicated career columnist and author of several cutting-edge career books. She goes on to suggest the following ‘power phrases’ to make your opening lines sizzle with a direct approach and a strong sell that emphasises belief in yourself and your strengths:
What a great covering letter is:
So just go ahead and let your next covering letter fetch you an interview call. — The writer is career coach, Career Information & Guidance (CARING), New Delhi
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Happiness @ work Gems of ancient wisdom
On Independence Day, here are some work ethics that you can learn from our patriots.
Follow words with action: At the age of 17, Rabindranath Tagore went to England for studies, but he returned 17 months later. On being asked, he said, “Even the Brits haven’t yet learnt the art of making education interesting.” On December 22, 1901, he started Shanti Niketan. Efficiency: So good was Assistant Editor and poet Subramania Bharati at his work that G Subramania Iyer, Editor of Swadeshamitran, said, “One should pay you a crore for each word you write. You are a Kalidasa, but I am no Raja Bhoja.” Fairness: Revolutionary Velu Thampi, Diwan of Travancore, was fair to the hilt. For getting his fields categorised in a lower category so that lesser taxes needed to be paid, he not only admonished his mother but also punished the officials responsible. No showoff: When Police Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri stepped on to the platform unaccompanied at Agra station on a visit, he bumped into a policeman who was posted to welcome him. As the cop was expecting half a dozen men around the minister, he didn’t recognise Shastri. No work is inferior: When Gandhiji left South Africa for India, he presented Home Minister General Smuts with a pair of sandals that he had himself made. On this, Smuts remarked: I am not worthy to stand in the shoes of so great a man. Don’t rule; serve: Jayaprakash Narayan, disillusioned by the Partition of India in 1947 and the defeat of the Socialist Party in 1952, joined Vinoba Bhave on a 15km walk. At the end of it, he found the way ahead — the way of service as apart from that of power. From then on, he joined the Sarvodaya and Bhoodan movement. No time to rest: When Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak returned home from jail on June 17, 1914, he was 57 years of age. Many well-wishers tried to dissuade him from taking any more part in politics. He said, “Somebody has to do the work I am doing. If no one does it, the British will rule as they like.” On August 1, 1920, he died — just eight months after his visit to England to present India’s case for home rule. Can’t escape work: As if taking inspiration from the Gita (3.5) that says: No one can refrain from doing action even for a moment, Mahatma Gandhi declared on August 9, 1942, “Do or die.” — Sai R. Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Choose the right leadership approach
There is no one-size-fits all approach to leadership when you manage a diverse team of people with different levels of commitment and competence. When you manage a team of people, adapt your leadership style to meet each person's needs. In general there are four types of approaches: directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating. Depending on the level of your employee's competence and commitment, choose which will work best. When your direct report is learning new skills, be directive. Define tasks clearly and check progress to make sure he's not faltering. Use periodic coaching when your employee is learning new skills but needs the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. Be supportive, encouraging highly competent employees who lack confidence. With employees who are both highly motivated and experienced, delegate tasks. In all cases, your responsibility is to find the balance between hand-holding and empowering. — Adapted from the "Harvard ManageMentor Online Module: Leading and Motivating."
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Promising sectors
Health care, hospitality, IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sectors are expected to create 16 lakh jobs this fiscal despite gloomy economic mood, a study by industry body Assocham has said.
“These four sectors — health care, hospitality, IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) and media and entertainment — have not been much affected by the current glum economic scenario. Therefore, these segments are likely to create 16 lakh jobs in 2012-13,” Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said. Among these verticals, healthcare and IT and ITeS would grow the most followed by hospitality and media, he added. The study said that job creation is happening at all levels in these segments. Even in the engineering and management colleges, the campus placement trends are positive. This trend is likely to continue for another next 6-12 months. However, it said, segments like aviation, finance, real estate and textiles are sensitive to economic uncertainties. Health care sector alone is expected to add about 4.5 lakh jobs in 2012-13 and in the IT and ITeS segment more than 3.8 lakh jobs would be created, it added. The tourism industry, which is on the upswing, may create more than 3.7 lakh jobs in a year, while the media and entertainment industry may create 3.5 lakh jobs.
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Food preparation and culinary art
The course: This innovative programme from IGNOU incorporates courses of American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AH & LEI) and is a comprehensive; industry oriented advanced diploma programme. Eligibility: Plus II from recognised board/university or its equivalent qualification with English as one of the compulsory subjects. Selection criterion is on the basis of an entrance exam, counseling and personal interview. Career Prospects: One can find job in hotels / restaurants, air catering, railway catering, army How to apply: Application forms are available at all major book stores in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. The forms can be downloaded or can be filled online from the website www.maharedu.com. Deadline: August 31, 2012.
Enhancing employability
Modrika, an institute for High Frequency and Algorithmic Trading in India, is offering a one-year guaranteed job programme. The course content and corporate experience certificate offered by this programme will make students eligible for over a million high paid job opportunities across the world in sectors like fund management and consultancy, advisory, equity market, derivatives, currency, commodities and research houses. The programme offers essential and specialised guidance for sell-side or buy-side executives, brokers, regulator or fund manager in charge of implementing technology systems for your business and professional traders. The increasing complexity of financial market puts growing demands on the quality of education of finance professionals. At Modrika, working executives learn practical skills from successful corporate leaders and experts, including seasoned professionals and alumni of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), John Hopkins University (JHU), HSBC, Barclay's, University of Chicago Business School (UCBS) and Indian School of Business (ISB ). The course: With dedicated 40 hours per week module, the course focuses on Financial Statistics and Modeling Concepts and Tools with detail on Instrument Pricing, Portfolio Management and Risk Management followed by insights into trading and arbitrage strategies with each participant developing and implementing their own strategies on simulators. Furthermore, the course also provides a basic introduction to High Frequency Econometrics, market microstructure and Transaction Cost Analysis. The final module deals with Algorithmic Trading system architecture and Optimizing Strategies.
Selection criteria: Online IQ test
Eligibility: Basic knowledge of finance, accounting and valuation concepts.
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1. How many medals have been won by Michael Phelps in Olympic Games?
2. Who won the 100m athletics gold in London Olympics by clocking 9.63 seconds? 3. In which event did Vijay Kumar of India win a silver medal in London Olympics? 4. In which wrestling category did Sushil Kumar win a silver medal in London Olympics? 5. In which event did Gagan Narang win a bronze medal for India in London Olympics? 6. In which boxing event did Mary Kom win a bronze medal for India in London Olympics? 7. Who has won India’s first-ever medal in badminton in Olympic Games? 8. In which event did Yogeshwar Dutt win a wrestling bronze in London Olympics? 9. Who was the first Indian to win an individual medal in Olympic Games? 10. Where will be the Olympic Games held in 2016? — Tarun Sharma Winners of quiz 418: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Kanika, class XI-B (Shivaji House), Kendriya Vidyalaya School, Sector 47, Chandigarh, Pin Code - 160047 Second: Riya Wadhwa, class VI-A, Ryan International School, Sector 49-B, opposite Pushpac Complex, Chandigarh, Pin Code - 160047 Third: Zaheen Kaur, class XI, MGN Public School, Urban Estate, Phase II, Jalandhar city Pin Code - 144022 Answers to quiz 418: Rajesh Khanna; Kulandei Francis; ‘The Dark Knight Rises’; INS Sahyadri, INS Shivalik, INS Satpura; Satyendra Nath Bose; Tiger; Windows 8; Kuldip Nayar; Zambia; Wenlock and Mandeville 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
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Cool Counsel
India’s is getting younger and how! According to the 2011 Census report, the current proportion of population under 25 years in India is 51 per cent and the proportion under 35 is about 66 per cent. The country will house a whopping 486.86 million young men and women by 2030. While the average age of an Indian in 2020 is expected to be 29 years, the average age for China is expected to be 37. This large proportion of youth workforce in India is being referred to as the “demographic dividend”.
Youth want to have a prosperous life based on fair and honest means and also to give back something to
society.
There is a lot of interest amongst the youth in working in off-beat entrepreneurial ventures but the action to back it up is missing by and
large.
What young India wants is to work hard, job satisfaction and opportunities to earn big
money.
I want to have progressive and fast life which tests my potential to its full
extent.
A.
As a financial analyst your role may require you to perform fundamental and / or technical analysis.
The latest mobile devices and their innovative applications are changing the way we communicate or do business, access news or even entertainment. Businesses and consumers have embraced this innovative content, making mobile application developer one of the most demanded and fastest growing careers in 2012. Many new things have also come up to make the field of mobile computing rather more interesting. A key example of this is the tablet computer, which is acting like a big game changer in the field and has shifted the balance from the traditional desktop computers and laptops to more interactive devices. Though tablet computers and current hardware devices are leaving a positive impact on the users, one of the key things necessary to grow this sector is the underlying infrastructure. These days we are looking at doing more using mobile technology. This requires better bandwidths, cheaper access to the bandwidth and security over these networks.
Wrong.
Employed; not enslaved: Despite standing fourth in the Indian Civil Services examination in England, Subhas Chandra Bose resigned from the service. “I took the exam to educate myself and not to become a part of the British bureaucratic machinery,” he reasoned.
Interested candidates can apply for one-year Diploma course in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts and Food Beverage Service being offered by Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research (MAHAR), Dehradun. 
