|
|
|
|
|
|
Science of regeneration
Career Hotline cool counsel
Discover the leader in you
carrer compass: funiture design
study abroad: how to write an sop
testing times: medical entrance
background checks
Attrition rates soar
Team spirit benefits trickle down
Happiness@work
|
|
Science of regeneration
Ramesh Kumar, an ex-army officer, met with a near-fatal accident while coming back from a dinner with friends a decade back. Though he survived, the accident left him with a permanent handicap as he was paralysed from neck down with a vertebrae-burst fracture. Over the years he kept on moving from one medical specialty hospital to another in search of a cure, only to be told that he would never be able to walk again. However, a new line of treatment — olfactory mucosa transplantation — that involves transplantation of stem cells found in the nasal region into the injured areas, has revived his hopes now.
Such is now the power and impact of stem cell regenerative therapies. These cells, tissues, and soon organs, which can be kept for a long period of time under -180° C, and centuries later, be thawed and brought back to life have the power to give new life to people. If you are wondering whether this is science fiction, believe it because this is very much the new face of science. Stem cell research brings with it the promise of regeneration. The age-old dogma for several debilitating diseases can be ventured into again with a hope to not only stop the progression of the disease but to regenerate and cure it completely. If you have ever dreamt of working for technology of the future and enabling yourself to regenerate new life from the smallest unit of life, that dream is well within your reach now because stem cell research is emerging as one of the latest career options for youngsters, willing to take on a variety of challenges. So, what exactly does stem cell research involve? It is an advanced level of biological research carried out by people from diverse science background to find new therapies for various ailments. The next level leading from stem cell research is stem cell therapy. Stem cell treatment or therapy refers to introducing new adult stem cells into the damaged tissue to treat a particular disease. For instance, stem cells from bone marrow and umbilical cord have been used to treat leukemia. Stem cell therapy also holds the potential to treat a variety of other serious ailments, such as, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Parkinson’s disease and a variety of cancerous conditions. Who can join If you are wondering that only medical professionals are eligible for a career in stem cell research and therapy the answer is no. Contrary to a general misconception that only people with medical education background can be employed in stem cell research and therapy, the fact lies that students of basic biology, too, can find jobs in stem cell research and therapy. BSc. graduates with at least one subject of biological sciences; MBBS or B.Pharma or BDS or BVSc or BE Biotechnology can find jobs in stem cell research. The career potential in regenerative medicine is a rapidly expanding field with the ability to revolutionise medicine. This field is still emerging, so work is going on in all verticals, including basic research, pre-clinical and clinical, and thus creating more opportunities for a stem cell researcher. This emerging branch of biomedicine needs quality and trained manpower. With the global market of biomedicine expected to reach US $20 billion by 2013, excellent career opportunities will be available to PG students from diverse science fields. India is a major biotech player in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan, South Korea. Malaysia are also in the race. Karanataka, and especially Bangalore, are the major hubs of work in this field. At the international level, a career in stem cell therapy has taken a great leap. Students in Europe, Australia and USA, have the option of pursuing their research career in developmental biology, tissue engineering, embryology, medical biotechnology, molecular biology, cell biology, nanotechnology, clinical research and stem cell biology. It provides multiple options to the students to even pursue higher studies in basic biology and applicative translational field. Scope in India Stem cell research is one of the most rapidly growing fields in science within India as several institutes are researching newer therapies. In India, stem cell biology is emerging in both basic science and clinical applications. Even the government through its agencies like DBT, DST, ICMR, has started investing funds to support basic and translational research in this field of science. Additionally, with a large number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and prominent stem cell institutions carrying out pioneering research in stem cell therapy, the opportunities for students are immense. It is estimated that the investment in stem cell research in India is more than Rs 1000 crore. Most of the investment in stem cell research in India is in the government sector. Opportunities There are several opportunities for science graduates to pursue a career in this field in India. From a chief scientific officer to lab assistant, the opportunities are several. Owing to a scarcity of trained manpower in the field of stem cell research and therapeutics there is a high demand of the same from pharmaceutical and stem cell companies. The foothold A basic science degree is not sufficient to find a job. An exclusive training to understand the working style and requirements of the industry is an added advantage. Candidates, who want to move ahead in their career, have the option of pursuing courses such as, MSc. in biotechnology, biochemistry, genetics, zoology, biophysics, microbiology and life sciences. Remuneration The compensation offered is also competitive. As a beginner, an eligible postgraduate can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month and after obtaining a PhD. one can earn more than Rs 50,000 per month. When these PhD holders are recruited abroad as postdoctoral fellows, they can earn annually US$ 35,000 to 40,000 or in Euro 25,000 to 30,000. — The writer is Professor & Dean, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
|
|
Career Hotline
Q. I have done my master’s in Geography but regardless of what everyone says, I want to be a writer (not a journalist). I have a novel inside me which I have to write. Can you suggest a course in Creative Writing so that I can learn the technique? I am fluent in English as well as Hindi. —
Richa rathod
The first step is deciding the genre you’d like to specialise in i.e. poetry, fiction, non-fiction, script writing, copywriting etc. A keen sense of observation and the ability to weave words together to convey a central idea is a creative writer’s forte. There are many things that go into successful creative writing — Ideation and researching the topic, writing the synopsis, preparing the first draft, overcoming writers block, editing the manuscript, choice of title, selling the idea to the publishing house, overcoming rejection etc. And contrary to all that spiel about writers being “born”, I’m firmly convinced that writing is a craft that can be learnt. Once you’ve grasped the fundamentals of plot, structure, character, voice, dialogue, and description, you will be on a surer footing. And for this, a simple course in creative writing would be useful. Creative writing covers all areas of non-journalistic and technical writing. It’s a broad term that covers the following genres: fiction writing, non-fiction writing, screenwriting, scriptwriting, memoir writing, novel writing, poetry writing, playwriting, children's books, TV serial writing, humour writing, mystery writing, romance writing, writing lyrics, science fiction writing, travel writing, feature writing, writing book reviews, interviews, film or art criticism and business communication. Be it a book, a blog, a diary or an article... just start writing! There’s no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. Start with 12-18 bullet points, write 10-12 pages on each… and you’ve got an e-book! If you need help go to www.elance.com But remember, there’s no instant glamour or money in the profession. Writing can be solitary and backbreaking work. The process never stops… so there’s really never any moment when you can switch off like a run-of-the-mill, nine-to-five person. The first draft is just that —a beginning. Most writing happens when one is revising. The more you revise, the better it gets. If you want to make creative writing your forte, you could perhaps opt for any of the flowing courses which are offered through distance learning: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) (www.ignou.ac.in). Course: Diploma in Creative Writing (Eng/Hin) Jamia Millia Islamia, D/o Hindi, New Delhi (www.jmi.nic.in). Course: PG Diploma in Mass Media & Creative Writing (Hin) Karnataka State Open University, Manasgangotri, Mysore (www.ksoumysore.com / www.ksouonline.org) Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (www.scdl.net) UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University, 17 Maharshi Dayanand Marg, Allahabad (UP). Also in Hindi.3
How can I get into IAF?
Q. Could you please tell me how I can get into the Air Force after completing my BTech (ECE)? I'm doing my final year. — jeev nayar
A.With your qualifications, you can get into the Indian Air Force through the following modes:
No minimum percentage specified. Age: 19-23 years; Gender: Men only CDS is conducted twice a year (February & August) The notification for CDSE appears on the official UPSC website and in Employment News.
Education: B.Tech (60%) Age: 19-23 years; Gender: Men only Watch out for notifications in December & June in the Employment News and other national dailies.
Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) Academics: B.Tech (60%) Age: 18-28 years (if married), 18-25 years (if unmarried); Gender: Men & Women Watch out for notifications in December & June in the Employment News and other national dailies. Alternatively, log onto:
http://careerairforce.nic.in/.
Wild passion
Q. I am a BSc graduate in zoology and am very passionate about animals. I wish to pursue a career related to wildlife. Please give me some details of institutes offering courses in or related to this field. — angad bakshi
A.
Besides the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal (MP), a premier autonomous institute under the Ministry of Environment and Forests which offers a PG programme in Forest Management that enjoys 100 per cent placement (Selection: CAT, followed by GD & Interview), the following are some of the other courses you could look at: Course: M.Sc animal biotechnology. Eligibility: Bachelor's degree in zoology /animal sciences /biotechnology / biochemistry/fisheries science. Kuvempu University, Kuvempu Centenary Building, Jnana Sahyadri, Shankaraghatta - 577451, Shimoga Dist. (www.kuvempu.ac.in) Course: Postgraduate degree in wildlife mgt Saurashtra University, Kalavad Road, Rajkot 360005. Course: MSc in wildlife science Eligibility: BSc (55%); PG Diploma in Forestry. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (www.amu.ac.in) Course: MSc in wildlife science Guru Ghasidas University, P.O. Koni, Bilaspur 495009 (Chhatisgarh) (www.gguniversity.nic.in) Course: MSc Forestry, Wildlife & Ecology Development. Eligibility: BSc with chemistry/botany or forestry The Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun (www.wii.gov.in) Course: M.Sc. in Wildlife Science (2-year) offered every alternate year. Eligibility: BSc (Biology), 55% /BVSc/BSc (Forestry/Agri/Environ). Postgraduate Diploma Course in Wildlife Management (9-month) offered to in-service officials (officer trainers): park managers of the protected area at the manager level. Also certificate in wildlife and short-term courses. If you’re interested in Research work, do contact the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History, Kalampalayam P.O., Coimbatore (http://sacon.org)
email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com ...
|
|
cool counsel
It is estimated that we spend between 50-80 per cent of our waking life communicating — but only half of this is spent listening!
Developing good listening skills will not only help you reap rich dividends in class, but will also reap benefits for you further down the road. The ability to listen effectively and glean the most salient information from a meeting, speech or presentation will be a required skill in your future — whether you’re a doctor formulating a diagnosis based on your patient’s long-drawn litany of symptoms, or a business executive taking instructions from your CEO for an important project, or even a parent trying to make sense out of a hysterical outburst of your ward. So what is it that distinguishes a good listener from a bad one? “Well, try and recall the last time you spoke to one”, suggests Ron Fry, the celebrated author of the world’s largest selling How To Study series of books. What was it that indicated s/he was paying attention to you?
This is exactly what an intelligent student does in a classroom. Sometimes listening actively is indeed a challenge, if not virtually impossible. Because, no matter how fast someone speaks, he cannot deliver information fast enough to keep our minds entirely occupied. The slow pace of orally delivered information is simply not sufficient to hold our attention. That’s why our thoughts literally go out of the window, up to the ceiling, or ahead to the weekend bash at a friend’s farmhouse, completely obliterating the lecture from our brain’s attention. In fact, many experts in management and education agree that listening is one of the most neglected skills in modern times. We assume that if people can hear they can listen. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Here are some steps you can take to master the art of listening
However, this does not mean that note-taking should be entirely dispensed with. Since memory is not infallible, intelligent listening supplemented with skillful and selective note-taking in the ratio of 80:20 should do the trick. How to categorise information
As you listen to the teacher, decide which of these categories best fits the information being presented. This will help you determine how detailed your notes on the material should be. Look for non-verbal clues Remember, only a small portion of the teacher’s message is delivered by the words themselves; a greater portion is transmitted by body language, facial expression and tone of voice. Watch out for these vital giveaways while the teacher is speaking to identify the most important points of the lecture. If the teacher begins to look out of the window or the eyes glaze over, the signal is clear: “Put your pen down, this isn't important.” On the other hand, if s/he makes eye contact with the class and/or gestures dramatically, pay attention: an important point is being made. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Nevertheless, keep your antenna finely tuned to capture the clues!
|
|
Discover the leader in you
Leadership skills are seen as an important ingredient of success. But while each one of us wants to be a leader, very few know exactly what leadership or being a leader means actually.
While some say that leadership is a quality that one is born with, for others it is an acquired quality. It’s hard to say which the correct approach is because if it’s an inborn quality, then perhaps some of us can never become leaders in spite of all the efforts. The definition of leadership is also very different for different people. One can often see ‘proud’ parents calling their “bully” wards ‘leaders in the making’. Unfortunately, this idea about leadership is misplaced. Leadership is more of an acquired skill. Each one of us is born with a basic set of leadership characteristics, and it is society and our environment that sharpens some of these skills and dulls the others. As children go through the educational system, they are taught to obey, rather than innovate. That is the first step in killing the leader in them. Ultimately, what we get are rebels, who have it all wrong, and think they can lead others. Actually, leadership is less about knowing, and more about applying knowledge. Here are some key leadership qualities that need to be inculcated in each one of us as everyone has to take leadership role at some point of time in one’s life:
— The writer is CEO, SelaQui
|
|
carrer compass: funiture design
Not too long ago furniture was custom made for each household or industrial requirement. Well-trained carpenters and craftspersons were employed to fashion or carve out the grand old pieces of furniture that we sometimes see in traditional homes and old palaces. But as mechanisation set in, furniture became a factory product, which may not display the intricate carvings of old, but compensates in functionality, design and aesthetics. Furniture design is a specialised field today where function and fashion amalgmate, not only adding practicality to a space, but also style and personality
The work The work of a furniture designer includes developing briefs from clients and establishing design and performance criteria. It also involves testing product concepts using sketches, full-size models, hard prototypes and computer-aided design (CAD). Every new furniture design starts with a basic concept, or idea. A furniture designer then creates a drawing of this idea often sketching the designs on paper first, before converting it into computer software to create a more intricate and detailed pattern. The computer created design will often include all different aspects of a furniture design, including how the piece is put together and what materials are required to make it, whether wood, metal or a combination of both, as also the material with which it is to be covered. Once a furniture designer completes a design, an original prototype of the piece is usually made. Skill set The process of furniture design demands creativity, business awareness, and skills in marketing, finance, sales and manufacturing. Furniture designers require expertise in many business concepts, including coordinating timescales, resources and production information for promotion and marketing. The furniture designer should also be aware of the different types of materials available in the market so as to be able to use the right type of material to the best advantage, while at the same time, keeping in mind the utility, aesthetic appeal and economic viability of the design. Role The exact role of a furniture designer will depend on the work setting. Self-employed or freelance furniture designers often work alone or with one or two other like-minded craftspeople. They usually need to engage in some form of self-promotion, or marketing such as attending trade exhibitions and design shows or arranging publicity through specialist publications. In-house designers in a manufacturing company may originate new designs or improve existing designs. They may also be required to liaise with other departments such as marketing, production, supply and sales, analysing market trends, and assessing the viability of new design ideas in the market. Furniture design consultants often work to a brief agreed upon with the client and have responsibility for managing a project on the client’s behalf. The foothold To get started with a career in furniture design, you will need to undergo a diploma or degree programme in furniture design. These programmes are offered at design institutes in the country. They take in students who have completed Plus II and also have creative talent with some portfolio to show for it. Admission is normally through an entrance exam which includes a drawing test. Among the premier design institutes is the National Institute of Design at Ahmedabad which offers the four-year Graduate Diploma Programme in Design (GDPD), with a specialisation in furniture and interior design. Other institutes offering the programme include the Shrishti School of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore; IILM School of Design Gurgaon; and Raffles Millineum Institute, Mumbai. Admission to most of these institutes is through the All-India Design Examination (NEED) + interview. The NID and Shrishti, Bangalore, also offer a two-year PG programme for graduates. Most courses equip students with a high degree of practical, technical and creative skills in the field, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of commercial objectives, marketing knowledge, visual merchandising, and branding strategies. The programme normally includes time spent in an internship and a final diploma project. Jobscape Professionals with training in furniture design can work in furniture design firms and create traditional furniture designs for mass production or develop custom pieces of furniture or related products such as furniture accessories, lighting equipment, for specific areas of an interior space. Furniture designers might also prefer to work in a freelance capacity. These designers usually have more creative freedom when designing furniture. Many of these types of furniture designers will work closely with clients in order to create one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture for personal or commercial use. Some furniture designers also choose to specialise in conservation and restoration of old or period furniture pieces. In larger organisations furniture designers work in coordination with architects and interior designers, as well as painters, artisans, craftsmen and carpenters within a given structure keeping in mind the client's needs and budget. Planning an interior requires extensive and meticulous research based on which the furniture plan is worked out which includes design sketches and layouts using a computer-aided design (CAD) programme and a breakdown of costs. Once a design concept is finalised and approved by the client, the designer has to source out the materials needed and technical contractors (electricians, builders, etc.). Also, if the project is complex and needs some structural work, the designer will have to consult with architects or engineers. Pay packages The finished product is there for everybody to admire and appreciate. Starting salaries can be around Rs 4.5 lakh per annum with no upper limits to this very creative field. So if you have good taste, with a keen eye for objects d'art, and decoration then you can not only make the bed you lie on, but also design your future career. —
The writer is Director, Career Smart Pvt Ltd., New Delhi
|
|
study abroad: how to write an sop Natasha Chopra
The SOP is simply a statement that gives you an opportunity to talk directly to the admissions tutor and to let him know everything about yourself — the unique personality that you are; all the things that you aspire to do, wonderful things that you have done, whether these are mistakes or are achievements and what you have learnt from these experiences. The SOP is your chance of letting the admission tutor know directly why you are so interested in a programme and what you expect to learn from it and why he should admit you to the programme that you are applying for. Your statement of purpose is the most important tool that you have in your armory apart from your prior grades and references. Of course the SOP, does test your communication skills, the ability to use language, your grammatical skills, sentence structure and your expression of thought. Your SOP will also force you to have clarity of thought for the programme that you have applied for and perhaps think seriously about why and what you seriously wish to achieve from this? So what is it that makes a good SOP? First of all the style of writing does not have to be very formal. It should be as in a conversation, neither too formal nor too casual. Do not ever make up stories, give the details as they are, be truthful. The SOP is about you and your experiences, not somebody else’s. Here are some tips that can be helpful in writing an impressive SOP
Once you have outlined the basics, you may wish to seek mature advice, including from a professional. Expect to have to put in a lot of effort as you may easily have 5- 10 drafts before your SOP is finalised. Well Good Luck and you will do well! The writer is the MD of education consultancy The Chopras
|
|
testing times: medical entrance
The Medical Council of India (MCI) has decided to change the syllabus pattern of NEET and the final picture will be clear by the first week of November. With the opening of registration window for NEET PG more than 38,000 candidates completed their online registration and scheduling process within 24 hours. Conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) in partnership with Prometric, the first computer-based NEET-PG will be administered over 10 days between November 23 and December 6, 2012 at selected test centers across 36 cities. For Class XII students The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will also be conducting the first common medical entrance test NEET - on May 13 next year. NEET will be a common test for Class XII students aspiring to take admission in different medical colleges, including the private ones. NEET will consist of one paper containing 180 objective-type questions on physics, chemistry and biology to be answered using ball-point pen on a specially-designed machine-gradable sheet. The duration of the test would be three hours and each question will carry four marks. How to prepare A correct combination of intelligence, smartness, hardwork and luck is needed to grab 11,000 seats of available to enter the world of medicine. But how to make it possible is a big question for students who study almost 18 hours in a day. Studying is not a big deal; actually it is studying smartly that is the key here. You need to pick important things from the standardised books and make a bunch of all good questions at one place so that you can summarise all your study material, and don't need to open several books and study differently. As NEET will be conducted by CBSE, the aspirants are suggested to read NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) books thoroughly. They should also solve the exercises given in NCERT books. Take mock tests as it will help you to build up your speed as you will be required to answer 180 questions in 3 hours. It means one should not spend more than 1 minute on one question. Also go through previous years' AIPMT papers as difficulty level of NEET paper is expected to be of the same level. Compare the CBSE syllabus for Class XI, XII with that of NEET, there will be minute differences. — The writer is Director, Delhi Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
|
||
|
Scholarship roundup
Rosalind Franklin Fellowship
The University of Groningen has initiated the prestigious Rosalind Franklin Fellowship programme in the Netherlands to promote the advancement of talented international researchers. The programme is directed at women in industry, academia or research institutes who have a PhD. The fellowship offers career opportunities to work in international leading milieu. Eligibility:
Duration: Three years. Value: € 3.195 gross. Other benefits: Facilities for the partner of the Rosalind Franklin Fellow to make it easier to find a job here also. How to apply: Email. Deadline: December 1, 2012 Check out: www.rug.nl Swiss offer The Universität Bern offers six Master Grants for the academic year 2013-14 for international students. The scholarship is provided to take up any of the courses offered by the university. Eligibility:
Details: The grant consists of 1'600 CHF per month for the duration of the master’s programme (standard period of study). Criteria for selection are academic excellence and the candidate’s potential and motivation. How to Apply: By post. Deadline: December 1, 2012. Check out: www.int.unibe.ch Young India fellowships Students can check out the Young India Fellowship Programme (YIFP) that offers fellowships for postgraduate students at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Indian university. The YIFP is a unique holistic, multi-disciplinary programme focused on the liberal arts and is run in association with the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). This one-year residential post-graduate programme brings young men and women from around India with the aim of creating India’s next batch of socially conscious leaders. Fellows take classes in a range of subject areas that cover anthropology to ethics, life sciences to climate change, art appreciation to entrepreneurship. The programme is the precursor to Ashoka University, India’s first specialist Liberal Arts university, which is under development at Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat, Haryana. Eligibility: This postgraduate programme is open to:
Upper age limit is 28 years Details: It includes:
How to apply: Online Deadline: November 15, 2012 Check out: www.youngindiafellowship.com
|
|
background checks
Sometimes a person sitting in front of the recruiter looks innocent and decent but may not be so in reality. So, it becomes very important for recruiters to check a candidate's background before employing him/her. Pre-employment screening is also a necessary hiring practice to avoid lawsuits and costly hiring mistakes. Gone are the days of a simple reference check and a few phone calls to screen new employees. Amid security concerns, corporate scandals, and workplace violence, pre-employment screening has become more elaborate. So job seekers should be very careful about choosing the persons whose names and details they are going to enter in the “references” column of their job application. It is a good strategy to duly inform your reference person that you have mentioned his/her name in your job application so that the person is prepared in case your future employer makes a call. Apart from getting the required information from the references, organisations nowadays also carry out detailed background checks of candidates. Here are a few criteria that are used to assess the suitability of a candidate: Checking the criminal record An individual’s history of convictions for theft, violent crimes, or the possession of controlled substances are important while determining whether a prospective employee should be hired Then comes the point where the employer has to check whether the candidate has been sued on any civil issues in the past. Thirdly, comes the point of verifying whether the information provided by him/her in the bio-data is genuine or forged. These include the academic qualification, the work experience mentioned by the prospective employee. There have been cases when the candidate supplies wrong information just to get hold of a job. Checking the work history A candidate’s former employer can give a detailed picture of his potential as a worker, his sincerity and his/her capability. So references from previous workplace are used to get this information. Financial stability The financial or economic condition of a candidate
is also checked. The employers need to know whether the candidate has failed in repaying loans or has been involved in financial bungling.
|
|
Attrition rates soar
It is likely to rise further in the coming months, according a survey by recruitment platform MyHiringClub.com. The average attrition rate grew at 21 per cent in Indian firms during July-September quarter, a rise of 4 percentage points from the preceding quarter (April-June). “Almost in every industry we had seen attrition rate increase in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. A major reason for increment in attrition rate is that the recruitment market is now gaining momentum and generating more business in current financial year,” MyHiringClub.com CEO Rajesh Kumar said. “Many employees report ‘better compensation’ as one of the main reason for leaving. Besides, other reasons prompted them to consider leaving their current job, such as the absence of professional development opportunities,” he added. The attrition levels were seen in double digits in all the sectors. It was the highest in banking and financial services at 26 per cent, followed by the IT and IT-enabled at 25 per cent, retail (24 per cent), aviation and hospitality (22 per cent), automobile and manufacturing (19 per cent), FMCG (18 per cent) and 16 per cent each in telecom and infrastructure. The survey, which was conducted among more than 6,500 employees in 10 cities, said that employees having experience between one and five years had the highest attrition rate of 32 per cent, while those in the category of more than 15 years job experience had very low attrition rate of 19 per cent. In terms of cities, IT-hub Bangalore saw the attrition rate of 19 per cent, followed by Delhi/NCR (17 per cent) and Mumbai (16 per cent). Besides, Chennai had an attrition rate of 14 per cent during the second quarter, Hyderabad (12 per cent) and Kolkata (11 per cent.) Looking ahead, Kumar said, “Coming quarter is also going to experience increment in attrition with almost every industry segment.” — PTI
|
|
|
Team spirit benefits trickle down
Effective teamwork among an organisation’s top management makes employees happier and more productive, with positive benefits to the organisation.
Even though much of the top level interaction in an organisation’s top management team (TMT) takes place behind closed doors, Anneloes ML Raes, Heike Bruch and Simon B De Jong, all from the Institute for Leadership and Human Resource Management, University of Galen, decided to find out, and to uncover empirical evidence into how such a relationship might work. The authors gathered data from employees, TMT members, and human resource (HR) representatives of 63 organizations, obtaining the responses of 5,048 employees and 191 TMT members. They aimed to test the hypothesis that TMT behavioural integration increases organisational-level productive energy. They also aimed to find out whether organisational-level productive energy improves employee-job satisfaction, and on the other side, reduces employee turnover intention. Finally, they hypothesized that organisational-level productive energy mediates both the positive relationship between behavioural integration and employee job satisfaction, and conversely the negative relationship between top management team behavioural integration and employee turnover intention. In other words, with top management working in concert, would employees be happier and more productive, with positive benefits to the organisation? In fact, all of these hypotheses proved correct. The finding that the authors describe as the TMT’s “teamness”, indicated by the level of behavioural integration and how this might impact an organisation’s productive energy and employees’ job satisfaction and turnover intention, is an important contribution to the field. Previous researchers have pointed out the significance of teamwork at the top to a company’s strategic and performance-related outcomes, but this is the first study to highlight the correlated effect on employee job satisfaction and turnover intention metrics. “Since retaining and motivating talented employees is of key interest to most organisations, our findings emphasise that it is even more important for a TMT to have a high-level of behavioural integration than researchers have thus far assumed,” Anneloes ML Raes said. TMT work has been characterised as a strategic, relational, and symbolic activity, but until now the bulk of research has investigated the strategic angle. “Acknowledging these influences is important not only for the TMT’s and organisation’s own sake, as employee work outcomes may be early indicators of organisational performance, but also because they are an important aspect of employee well-being at work,” the authors said. — ANI
|
|
Happiness@work
At the passing away of his father Hasan, the estate of Sasaram went to Sher Khan’s stepbrother Sulaiman. So Sher Khan decided to join Mughal Emperor Babur’s service. Fifteen months later, Sasaram fell into Sher Khan’s hands during one of Babur’s campaigns. As Sher Khan extended his empire and assumed the title Sher Shah, he came in confrontation with Humayun, Babur’s son. Without a single arrow being fired at Kanauj in April 1540, Humayun lost and had to leave India for 15 years. By the time Humayun returned, Sher Shah was dead and his grandson Sultan Sikandar Sur was at the helm. After defeating Sur in Sirhind, Humayun entered Delhi on July 23, 1555. During the battle of succession, Asoka killed all his 100 brothers. But a pregnant sister-in-law Sumanadevi escaped the carnage and gave birth to a boy under a ‘nigrodha’ tree. The boy became a monk at a tender age and became known as Nigrodha Kumar. When Asoka met Nigrodha, the enlightened boy — instead of spewing hatred — gave the all-powerful king a lesson of love. When her niece Arjumand Banu and prince Khurram got engaged, Noor Jahan was delighted as she felt that Khurram had the best chance of succeeding Mughal Emperor Jahangir. But later, her daughter by her earlier marriage got married to Shahryar, the youngest prince. She then started preferring Shahryar to Khurram. Noor poisoned Jahangir’s ears and as a result that Khurram was first declared a wretch by the Emperor, then defeated in battle and finally had to flee from place to place as a fugitive for three years. On Jahangir’s death, Shahryar, supported by Noor, ascended the throne at Lahore. After Shahryar’s defeat, Khurram was crowned as Emperor Shah Jahan on February 24, 1628. When prince Bharata, eldest son of Emperor Rishabhadeva of Ayodhya who was the first of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras, ascended the throne, he started on a world-conquering spree. He not only subdued all the rulers around him but also all his brothers — except stepbrother Bahubali. Despite winning the ensuing tussle, Bahubali relinquished his realm for his elder brother and started meditating. But Bahubali didn’t meet with success for a year. So Bharata was forced to advice Bahubali to shed his ego and concentrate on his goal. Finally, Bahubali saw the light. As the world is round, who knows when you may bump into an old
colleague. — Sai R.
Vaidyanathan The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
|
||
|
|
||
|
Ramesh Kumar, an ex-army officer, met with a near-fatal accident while coming back from a dinner with friends a decade back. Though he survived, the accident left him with a permanent handicap as he was paralysed from neck down with a vertebrae-burst fracture. Over the years he kept on moving from one medical specialty hospital to another in search of a cure, only to be told that he would never be able to walk again. However, a new line of treatment — olfactory mucosa transplantation — that involves transplantation of stem cells found in the nasal region into the injured areas, has revived his hopes now.
Effective teamwork among an organisation’s top management makes employees happier and more productive, with positive benefits to the organisation.
Despite an abundance of research on teamwork in the workplace, studies of how teamwork right at the top impacts employees lower down the food chain is surprisingly thin on the ground.
Now researchers have surveyed business theory and put it to the test empirically, showing that top management’s behaviour does trickle down.
A.Listen to your inner voice and do what you're really great at. Not what you were never made for. Sure, writers do write in a burst of inspiration — but even the best of writers work at mastering the technique: how to achieve the right effect.
Graduates in any field (with maths & physics in class 12).
Bharthidasan University, Tiruchirapalli 620024.
A furniture designer is a professional who designs and creates different types of furniture, sometimes for a particular purpose or function, for comfort or aesthetics, often for all three. They use a variety of skills balancing artistic and conceptual concerns with practical and functional requirements to design new furniture and related products for industrial, commercial and domestic clients. While some furniture designers work closely with individuals to create custom pieces of furniture others simply create furniture designs that are meant to be mass produced by large furniture manufacturers. 
For students applying for courses abroad the Statement of Purpose or SOP is the toughest challenge and many take help of others to write this. But is it fair and sensible to to expect a third person to convey what you are and what your aspirations and dreams are?
With the notification of NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) a change is happening in the medical entrance examination system. NEET PG is the first-ever all-India ‘online exam’ for post graduate (PG) medical students, which will be conducted from November 23, 2012. It is being projected as an easier way to crawl out of giving various multiple exams for PG now only one online exam would give students direct entry to all recognised medical institutions.
Providing a list of reference persons is a mandatory part of a job application as almost all employers demand this. Most job seekers tend to take this lightly, which is a bad strategy. Employers generally get in touch with the references mentioned by candidates to get first-hand information. Actually it is not only the reference-check that is given due importance, the complete background check of candidates is also conducted thoroughly by HR department as a final step in assessing an application. Companies take this exercise very seriously as background checking of applicants can made a lot of difference to a company’s success and security.
India Inc has witnessed attrition rates of as high as 21 per cent during the three months ending September on account of improving job scenario, says a survey.
In today’s hire-and-fire system where people — at all levels — change jobs at the drop of a hat, make sure your exits from organisations are on a neutral or positive note. The world is a small place and you don’t know in which future job you could encounter some past boss.
