Taxation management
Money solutions
Usha Albuquerque

If numbers are your forte here is a career where you can manage your own tax problems and also help others

This is that time of the year when everyone starts thinking about Income Tax — how much we may need to pay and how we can invest wisely to save tax. The close of the financial year is the time when tax managers and accountants step in to oversee our tax planning. This is a specialised field of accounting best undertaken by professionals trained to devise, implement and oversee the tax plan for a business or client.

The work

Tax managers prepare the required government documents concerning taxes, ensure the accuracy of these documents, and offer solutions to pressing tax problems.

The primary responsibility of a tax manager is to accurately and efficiently manage tax reporting and planning and ensure compliance of tax laws for the company or client.

A tax manager oversees the completion of accurate tax returns, which help in minimising the tax obligations of the client, and offers solutions to the client based on need.

In an organisation, tax managers offer solutions and work with staff to improve the quality of employee performance while simultaneously working with senior management to meet the businesses tax objectives.

A tax manager is typically considered an experienced, trusted adviser to senior management and is capable of working with a diverse group of people to further the goals of the company. Depending on the client — whether an individual or organisation — the amount of education, and experience required, tax managers must be familiar with international and domestic, state, and local tax laws. 

Getting in

A position as a tax manager usually requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in taxation or accounting from an accredited university and a considerable amount of experience. To work in this field a degree/ diploma in taxation is useful, as it covers all aspects of taxation and tax laws, including managerial accounting, corporate income tax and procedures and practices in taxation.

Auditing, information systems for accounting, tax planning, and theory of accounting are also involved.

Anyone with an interest in the field can take up a course in taxation, or tax management.

There are several degree and diploma courses in taxation, including B.Com and M.Com with specialisation in taxation, as well as PG diplomas in taxation and tax management.

To pursue a graduate level course you need to have passed Class XII in any subject stream and from any recognised state/national Board.

To be eligible for the PG courses, one has to complete graduation preferably with a commerce background.

Professionals with background in law, business management, commerce, company secretary or government services can also pursue a course in taxation as an additional training and qualification.

Job prospects

The primary responsibility of a tax manager is to accurately and efficiently manage tax reporting and planning and ensure compliance of tax laws for the company or client.

Taxation involves every working individual and every organisation requires people having an expertise in this field and so this is an area of work with considerable scope and demand.

This includes private companies, corporate and multi-national organisations, government departments as well as public sector undertakings.

Those with a good knowledge and professional qualification in taxation can be appointed as tax accountants, revenue managers, tax analysts, tax advisors, tax examiners, business tax consultant, income tax consultant, etc.

Government services such as Indian Revenue Service, Customs Service and others often appoint those with taxation qualifications in key positions.

Corporate houses and consulting companies such as PWC, Ernst & Young and Deloitte also recruit managers with a knowledge and training in taxation. Such organisations take on taxation specialists to assist clients in improving their tax operations particularly in terms of their domestic operations and global strategies.

Corporate lawyers and management professionals with tax qualifications are also highly regarded so as to help clients navigate the complexities of domestic and international taxes with a clear understanding of the taxation laws and their implementation.

As the current economic climate is likely to generate further changes to regulatory and legislative policies, the demand for taxation specialists will increase substantially.

Moreover, with the projected growth in business there is expected to be an increase in the demand for accountants and management professionals who can keep a tab of changes in domestic and foreign tax regulations and many other related allied taxation matters.

Skill set

Those who are good with numbers, possess good analytical skills, and the ability to analyse complex data can look forward to a challenging job in taxation. You must also have good communication skills both written and verbal, and editorial skills along with the ability to perform presentations for clients.

Additional interpersonal skills are also necessary to manage tax accounting staff, and to enable you to work with higher management, and other stakeholders where necessary, in multiple phases of project planning.

So if numbers are your forte here is a career where you can manage your own tax problems and also help others.

— The writer is Director, Career Smart Pvt Ltd., New Delhi

Career Hotline
Try fashion marketing
Pervin Malhotra

Pervin Malhotra

Q. I have done a course in fashion design from a polytechnic and am working in a small boutique. Someone has suggested that I should do a course in fashion management to improve my career prospects. Although I enjoy being in the fashion industry, my designing skills are average. However, I like dealing with clients. — Priyanka Satija

A. Fashion Marketing Management has emerged as a relatively new branch of management to cater to the demand for people who can combine skills of communication, marketing and management.

To meet the rising industry demand for skilled workforce in this field, courses in Fashion Marketing focus on the theoretical as well as applied study of fashion branding, global fashion industry etc.

The fashion retail industry requires a mix of expert design, marketing and floor management skills to successfully run a fashion store. This warrants a creative out-of-the-box thinking all-rounder and hence the need for focused fashion marketing professionals.

They need savvy online marketing professionals who understand how the web operates and know how to make it work to their benefit by creating a buzz of viral marketing and inbound traffic through the internet, social media, blogs etc.

With the influx of international brands at the luxury as well as mass market levels, in-depth knowledge of fashion marketing can give a boost to a fashion professional’s career.

With the retail boom, avenues in all fields of Brand Management, Sales Management, Key Accessory Management, Marketing Management, and Product Management are bound to rise making it a good career choice for those who have a passion for fashion and a flair for marketing like you.

IT vs Management

Q. I am a student of Plus II (with maths). I can’t decide whether to do BCA+ MCA or BBA + MBA. I am very confused. Kindly advise. — Tushar Handa

A. Making a successful career choice is one of the most difficult decision due to lack of objective, timely information. Not just that, with changing times, some totally new career opportunities have opened up, further compounding the confusion.

Both the options which you have listed are top-of-the-line ones, which leads me to believe that you are keen on pursuing a professional career. It is, therefore, very important to go by your interest and aptitude rather than popular beliefs and media hype. The two require fairly different aptitudes and temperament. And unfortunately, without the benefit of a crystal ball, no one can say whether you would come out ahead by pursuing management or IT.

If business, marketing and finance interest you, then you can go for a BBA/BBE/BCom and follow it up with an MBA.

But if you like computers and computer languages, then a BCA degree also makes for a win-win situation. You can top it with an MCA or an MBA degree subsequently. If you decide to go for an MBA being an IT graduate you have another advantage. Besides specialising in the traditional functional areas of Marketing, Finance or HR, you could opt for an MBA in IT or Systems which are highly in demand.

You can even do an MBA after you complete your MCA or after working for a couple of years, by which time you will be clearer about your goals.

Even if you pursue a career in IT, you’ll find that a significant part of your job content, a few years down the line, ends up being administrative or managerial in nature — managing the project, leading your team, handling the planning and financial aspects of the project etc.

As the MBA programme is more holistic and covers a wide range of subjects, it helps you develop an all-round personality and equips you with confidence to adapt to varied functions and environment.

There is an equal demand for business-savvy tech guys as well as tech-savvy business guys.

Make-up courses around Delhi

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

A. Not all actors or models are born with flawless skin or perfectly chiselled looks, but professional makeup can transform the girl-next-door into the proverbial swan.

TV and film make-up is quite different from fashion or party make-up. And being somewhat heavier, film makeup is different from TV makeup. Depending on whether it’s a period film or horror flick you may have to use wigs, false teeth, highlights and shadow make-up for each character – maintaining the continuity shoot after shoot. If it’s a thriller, materials like foam latex and gelatine are used to change the shape of the face or create life-like scars and wounds.

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

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

Besides a steady hand, speed and the stamina to stay on your feet for long hours, imagination and appreciation of the human form are the pre-requisites of a successful make-up artist.

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

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

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

Here are some courses you could look at

• NIFT (www.niftindia.com)
• Pearl Academy of Fashion (in collaboration with London College of Fashion) (www.pearlacademy.com)
• Lakme Academy (www.lakmetrainingacademy.com), Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi 110 024
• VLCC Institute (www.vlccinstitute.com)
• Women’s World International (Shahnaz Hussain’s)
• Christine Valmy’s International School of Esthetics, Mumbai (www.christinevalmyindia.com).
• Lambency Chrysalis Academy of Beauty, Hair & Spa, C- 44, Institutional Area, Sector 62, Noida (www.lambencychrysalis.com)

Scholarship roundup

Fellowship

The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, India invites applications for PhD fellowship in humanities and social sciences. Currently, the specializations offered are in the areas of architecture, disaster relief, gender studies, history, human geography, social theory and urban studies, English literature and philosophy.

Course Level: The fellowship is available for pursuing PhD degree at IISER Mohali.

Eligibility: MA/ MS/ M. Phil/ B.Tech/ B.Arch or equivalent degree in any subject with minimum 60% marks (or equivalent grade).

Details: Selected students will receive fellowship (institutional/UGC-NET or JRF) depends that they are a UGC NET/JRF or not even if applicant does not have NET/JRF, s/he is eligible to apply .

How to apply: Email to Dr. Anu Sabhlok at hssphd-at-iisermohali.ac.in with the following:

• CV
• A one page statement of Intent outlining research interests and previous experience
• Graduate transcripts, percentile in national level exams taken such as UGC NET, GATE
• Names and contact details of three referees.

Deadline: April 15 for August 2013 session.

University of Liverpool

ARM Ltd and the University of Liverpool offer masters scholarships at University of Liverpool in UK. The students of India can apply for this scholarship.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships for Indian students are offered for the MSc(Eng) Microelectronic Systems (preffered) or MSc(Eng) Microelectronic Systems and Telecommunication.

Course Level: This scholarship is available for pursuing masters degree level.

Eligibility: Scholarships are open to students holding an offer for the MSc(Eng) Microelectronic Systems (preferred) or MSc(Eng) Microelectronic Systems and Telecommunication at the University of Liverpool’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics for Sept entry. Applicants should have:

• First class BSc, BE or BTech degree in a relevant subject (ideally Computer Science with a good background in computer hardware)
• Multi-disciplinary interest in Computer Science and Electronics engineering
• Desire to advance Internet of Things technology and applications
• A keen and demonstrable interest in research relating to security of embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, ubiquitous computing, human computer interactions, distributed systems, data mining and visualization, energy harvesting, ultra low power design
• Experience and ability with prototyping/scripting languages, object oriented software design, embedded system design using C, web applications development
• Experience in embedded systems design, system on chip or IC design
• Good English language skills (minimum IELTS 6.5/TOEFL 230 + ER 4.0 or 70% in English at Standard XII from central or metro state boards).

Deadline: May 2013.

Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme

The India application form for the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme 2013 is now available online. The week-long study trip to Germany, will give students an opportunity to gain firsthand experience of best environmental protection practices by thepeople and government in industrialised countries.

The BYEEP (Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program) is a global environment education programme organised by Bayer and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to help young people learn about trends and perspectives in the field of environmental protection and sustainability.

Eligibility: The programme is open to all Indian students within the age group of 18 – 24 years, holding a valid passport. Further details on the criteria, joining procedures and application forms are available on the India section of www.byee.bayer.com.

Number of awards: Two

Deadline: July 31, 2013

Testing times: diet mantra
Eat right to stay bright

No matter whether one is appearing for board exams or entrance or graduation and post graduation exams, examination time is the time of stress and anxiety.

However, some positive steps may help the examinees to reduce their stress and assist them in achieving their target. Better eating habits and a sensible diet help a lot in improving mind power and combat the so-called examination stress.

Memory enhancers

• Never use medicines 57.4 that claim to increase brain power. All such medicines, herbal or otherwise, are intoxicants and are, ultimately, harmful for brain.
• Don’t waste your money on much advertised tonics as these can never compete with correct eating habits, e.g. the habit of taking fruits, nuts and sprouted cereals etc. No tonic in the world can ever be better than this with regard to mental health and/or mind related matters.

On the day of an exam just take light meals e.g. daliya, khichri, rice, kishmish or sprouted cereals etc. and take full meal only after taking the exam. Research has proved that chewing of chewing gum, mint etc. sharpens memory by 35 per cent.

Ensure this

Before going in for regular study, students should take a glass full of water and keep positive thoughts for success. Never ever keep any negativity in your mind as it will always break your concentration. Give your best with positive mind and success will be yours.

— Inputs by Dr. N K Sharma, Naturopath and founder of Reiki Healing Foundation

 

Eating habits Avoid these foods as these weaken your mind Sugar (cold drinks, Sweets etc.) Starch, Maida (Bread, Biscuit, Piza, Noodles etc.) Milk, Lassi and Paneer etc. Fried items, heavy diet and non-vegetarian foods. Tea, Coffee – Soft drinks, artificial drinks. Try these to sharpen your mind All kinds of fruits, dried sweet fruits (take after soaking) cashew nuts, walnut, coconut, almonds, groundnuts and oilseeds etc. Fresh juice of all kinds of fruits and fresh vegetables. Salads, sprouted cereals (e.g. moong, moth and grams etc.) Whole-wheat or maize chapatis and bread with bran fiber. All cooked vegetables and simply prepared food. Dried nuts e.g. peanuts, nuts, cashews, walnut and other nuts e.g. almonds, pistachio and and whole-wheat or maize flour with barn or fiber etc. provides ample and enormous energy combined with phosphorus and vitamin B complex and calcium to the mental cells. Non-vegetarian food, milk and cereals are toxic proteins whereas nuts and sprouted pulses are non-toxic proteins. Non-vegetarians may limit themselves to fish and light meat.

Field in focus: textile industry
Weaving magic through textiles
Gauri Chhabra

Every day newspaper supplements and fashion magazines cry hoarse that fashion is big business and the textile trade is booming. People are increasingly been known by what they wear. However, here is a lot more to textile indistry than fashion — haute or otherwise. The industry is peopled by different kinds of professionals, who possess different kinds of skills. The fashion designer is, of course, the most visible of these, as are the models who display a designer’s products.

But behind the designer, whose main tools are pen, paper, fabric and occasionally some computer software, is a large, multi-layered array of career choices requiring technical skills. Textile engineering courses provide one way to enter the vibrant textile industry. Textile engineering or textile technology, involves the study of various principles of engineering which are implemented for the processing and production of different kinds of fabric and yarn. It involves extensive study of chemical and physical principles, which are used for the detailed study and analysis of the behaviour of polymers involved in the formation of textile fiber.

Other than textile engineering, the this industry involve design, manufacture, distribution, and sale of clothing and apparels.

Scope

Textile industry is currently in a very comfortable position offering opportunities for engineering graduates with skills in quality control, marketing, apparel, computers, management, chemistry, design and engineering. With the foray of many big players in the textile and apparel industry not only in India, but in global playfield as well, employment opportunities have increased manifold.

In the last decade or so, the industry has witnessed an exponential growth trajectory and is also expected to become the second largest employment generator in the times to come…

Course watch

Textile engineering courses bring about an amalgam of scientific and engineering principles to the design and control of all aspects of fiber, textile, and apparel processes, products, and machinery. These include a wide array of material from natural and man-made materials, interaction of materials with machines, safety and health, energy conservation, and waste and pollution control. Besides, it also exposes you to plant design and layout, machine and wet process design and improvement, and designing and creating textile products.

It includes subjects like:

Textile chemical technology dealing with the innovative solutions to today and tomorrow’s textile wet processing opportunities.

Fiber science technology dealing with fiber and polymer research, developing new fibers, and increasing the productive capacity.

Technical textiles that are manufactured for non-aesthetic purposes, where function is the primary criterion. These include textile structures for automotive applications, medical textiles, protective clothing e.g. against heat and radiation for fire fighter clothing, against molten metals for welders, stab protection and bulletproof vests, spacesuits and the like.

Information Systems Design dealing with use of computers for design of textiles.

Advanced programmes in textile engineering focus on textile chemical technology and fiber science. Training in plant designing, wet process designing, dyeing, and printingis also part of this area of study.

Courses in accounting, economics, management, marketing and computers are coordinated with textile courses related to managing people and processes in the fiber, textile, and carpet and apparel industries. Optional courses allow you to concentrate on specific aspects of the business such as marketing or apparel manufacturing.

A career offers employment opportunities in product research and development, corporate management and supervision, process engineering, and sales.

Getting in

For a diploma in textile engineering, you must clear Class X with at least 50% marks. Various polytechnics offer diploma in various disciplines of engineering.

You can also pursue a degree of B.Tech or B.E in chemical or textile engineering.

To be eligible for bachelor’s degree course i.e. B.E you must clear the Class XII Board exam with at least 50% marks (60% for IITs) in the science stream with physics, chemistry and mathematics as compulsory subjects.

Career pathways

Textile industry provides a broad spectrum of career pathways. You can craft your career in departments of textile plants and companies varying from small to big scale, i.e., production, planning, quality control, sales or marketing or in agencies of domestic or foreign companies for textile products and textile machinery, concentrated in different regions of the country.

Graduates with textile chemistry find careers in three different areas —research, design and development; production and quality control; and customer service and sales. The profiles can be dyeing and finishing, technical services, research and development, quality control, product development, polymer science and environmental control.

Most graduates of textile management programme initially enter management trainee programmes which can ultimately lead to plant or corporate management. Other career options include technical sales, industrial engineering, product development, marketing, customer relations, human resources, and cost and inventory control. So you can work as Process engineer, Quality control supervisor Technical Sales Manager, Operations Trainee, Process Improvement Engineer and Medical Textiles Engineer .

Students are drawn by the strong job placement, the high salaries and the flexibility the textile degree offers.

The writer is a Punjab-based career consultant

The perfect cut
Career Compass: Hair Experts
Preetinder Kaur

Gone are the days when a haircut was a casual affair. Today, hair means big business. And it’s not just the celebrities who are constantly reinventing their looks. More and more people are willing to experiment and in turn spend money on getting the perfect hairstyle. They turn to professionals for treatments that enhance and maintain their locks.

More salons are setting up shop all over the country, including international brands like L'Oreal, Frank Provost and Schwarzkopf. The industry is said to be growing at 25 per cent a year. With new trends like hair extensions, laser treatments for hair growth and a vast variety of spas and treatments to deal with different hair problems, the scope of this profession has increased immensely and it is no longer limited to just cutting and styling. Hair experts and consultants with major salons have a strong clientele and reputation.

Getting in

Though there is no specific eligibility criteria required for entering this field, it does require not only professional expertise but also a great deal of practical training to make a name in this offbeat career. The basic qualification needed for hairdressing is good communication and negotiation skills, backed by training with a renowned salon. There are several training schools for beauty and hair care courses. Most of these prefer a Plus II or at least a Class X level qualification.

Prospects

Backed by annual growth rate of 40 per cent, the Indian hairstyling industry offers dozens of career opportunities for aspirants entering into this field. One can find employment in the following major areas of work

In a salon/ beauty parlor/cosmetics manufacturing company/ health club or in television and film industry. Also while a graduate with formal training can join the industry as a hair consultant, one always has the option of being in-house employee for fashion houses, magazines and photo shoots.

Self-employment: After gaining reasonable experience, one can always think of setting up own venture. If you market yourself well and offer the latest services and trends in hairstyling then sky is the limit for you. Many renowned hairstylists have written their own success stories this way.

The work

Work hours for hair experts vary depending on the salon. In high-street salons, working hours are usually from 9am to 5pm. Hair stylists working full time will usually work up to 40 hours per week. This usually includes working on Saturday, with one day off during the week.

Every salon is different, but in general hair stylists have to spend a lot of time on their feet whilst they style clients’ hair. The priority of the job is client satisfaction and hair stylists have to be helpful and enthusiastic towards clients even when they are tired and the salon is busy. Hair stylists must work as a team within the salon to make sure that all the clients there are being taken care of.

Remuneration

Generally, as a fresher one gets a monthly salary of Rs 5,000 to 7,000. Someone trained with an international brand, can fetch Rs 15,000 per month. The higher the experience, the higher is the salary in this field. What’s more, if pleased by a hairstylist’s services, customers do tip him heavily.

Skill set

This profession requires maintaining good relationships with the clients who are from varied backgrounds. The needs and demands of clients are different so a hair expert must be skilled in handling all the related aspects. Hairdresser needs to have extensive knowledge of appropriate products for different hair types. The end result of the entire work must translate into client’s satisfaction.

• Pleasing personality
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work under acute work pressure
• Endurance
• Creative bent
• Observant to minute details
• Ability to execute reception work
• Operate a cash register and computers whenever required
• Ability to persuade people
• Voluntary in taking responsibilities
• Ability to observe and learn quickly
• Interested in fashion and an ability to keep oneself in the loop on trends in the world of fashion.

Institute watch

• Shahnaz Hussain's Woman's World International, New Delhi
• Javed Habib's Hair Academy, Andheri (W), Mumbai
• Eves Beauty and Hair Academy, New Delhi
• Smiles, Mumbai
• Polytechnic for women, New Delhi
• Akbar Peerbhoy Girl's Polytechnic, Mumbai
• International Polytechnic for Women, Chandigarh
• Schnell Hans Beauty School, Mumbai
• VLCC Academy of Beauty & Hair, New Delhi
• Blunt Academy, Mumbai
• Spratt—The Hair Studio, Bangalore, Mumbai
• Pivot Point, Chennai
• Harish Big Boss Hair & Beauty Institute, Mumbai

Make your GATE score count
Abhijit Chaudhari

Results of GATE 2013 are finally out. For most of the successful candidates it is the beginning of yet another ardous journey as they have a number of decisions to make. Which institute to join? Which course? What is the admission process like? The post-GATE admission process is quite complicated and without proper guidance, it is easy for an aspirant to miss out on the programme of his choice. The following information will give a basic idea about the institutes and their admission processes. We have classified the institutes/colleges into 7 groups, with Group I being the most desired/preferred.

Group I — IISc (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) – IISc has three different programmes – ME, M.Tech and MS across various disciplines.

ME/M.Tech programs are the most desired and are more industry oriented while the MS programmes are more research oriented. Also, a student has the option of stretching the MS programme by 6 months, which is not possible for the ME/ M. Tech programmes. There is no difference between the ME and M.Tech programmes except for the fact that ME programmes are offered in the traditional departments/disciplines while the M.Tech courses are offered in the more contemporary disciplines. Also, the admission to ME programmes is based only on the GATE score while the admission to M.Tech and MS programmes is based on a written test/interview after screening based on GATE score.

Who should apply?

As a general rule - ME Courses: those with AIR < 100, MS Courses: those with AIR < 1200.

For details you can access the GATEFORUM post GATE admission evaluator on www.gateforum.com after March 15.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay

Modes of Admission - Direct Admission based on GATE scores and Test + Interview for some departments (if the GATE score is lower).

Who should apply?

As a general rule – Those with AIR less than 150 – 170 can apply and expect a direct admission whereas those with an AIR less than 500 – 600 can expect test/interview calls (available only in some departments).

Group II – IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras and Delhi

IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi have a mix of direct (GATE score) and test/interview based admissions whereas at IIT Madras, it is mostly direct admission.

Who should apply?

As a general rule, ideal for those with ranks between 80 and 400 (depending on the streams).

Group III – IIT, Kharagpur

Interview based admission to all the programmes in IIT Kharagpur. Ideal for those with ranks between 400 and 700.

Group IV – IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IT BHU

Written test plus interview based admissions in both IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati. Ideal for those with ranks between 700 and 1200.

Group V – NITs, Jadavpur University etc

Ideal for those with a rank between 1200 and 1600. Admission process will vary from institute to institute. For example, all NITs have a common counseling and admission process where as JU has written test plus interview based admission process.

Group VI – University Engineering Colleges, Government Engineering Colleges, BIT Ranchi etc

Ideal for those with rank between 1600 and 2500.

Group VIII – Private Colleges

Ideal for those with rank between 2500 and 3500.

— The writer is director GATE FORUM

Course cruising

MASS COMMUNICATION

Delhi School of Communication

The Delhi School of Communication (DSC) invites applications for its XIXth two-year Post Graduate Programme in Communication (PGDPC). This is a dual-qualification programme awarding both the PGDPC (Post Graduate Diploma Programme in Communication along with the MMC (Masters in Mass Communication) from Guru Jambheshwar University (UGC and AICTE approved). The programme is a broad based course covering advertising, public relations, marketing, and branding. Work exposure via internships is an integral part of the programme. DSC students are placed for internships (full day work experience) for up to 4 months and are placed for apprenticeships (half day work experience) between 3 to 6 months. While obtaining relevant work experience, students also earn attractive stipends alongside obtaining valuable work experience. Work experience gained during the program combined with outstanding industry faculty ensure placements in leading agencies such as JWT, Edelman, Genesis BM, Perfect Relations & McCann Erikson, Mudra, among others up to three months before graduation.

Eligibility: Graduates or those completing graduation in 2013 in any stream may apply for the programme. For admission to DSC, students have to clear either the MAT/CAT/ATMA examination or sit for the DSC internal Admission exam.

The DSC Admission test is for 1 ½ hrs testing an individual on basic reasoning, logic and creative writing skills. Basic knowledge on Advertising and Media is also tested. Thereafter they need to sit for a ½ hr Psychological Test, testing a candidate’s creative writing skills and emotional quotient. Both the Internal Exam and Psychological Test are available online this year. This is followed by a Personality Interview, the third and final step towards obtaining admission to DSC.

How to apply: Application forms may be downloaded or submitted online at www.dsc.edu.in.

Check out: info@dsc.edu.in

MANAGEMENT

MBA in Business Sustainability

TERI University is inviting applications for its MBA in Business Sustainability course.

The course: The two-year course is designed to equip students with an acumen to lead in a resource-sensitive world, and facilitate the inculcation of the basic tenets of inclusion and sustainability. The learning process is highly participatory and students are encouraged to debate on sustainability principles and practices and brainstorm on multiple solutions for the contemporary sustainability challenges that business organisations of the twenty-first century face, or are likely to face. All of this is in addition to development of core management functionalities.

Duration: 2 years

Seats: 30 seats

Fee: 1, 75,000 per semester

Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks or equivalent CGPA, English as a subject till Plus II

Selection process: CAT/GMAT/MAT/CMAT scores followed by interview/group discussion

How to apply: Download application form from University website (www.teriuniversity.ac.in); apply online OR obtain form from campus.

Deadline: April 26, 2013

GD/PI: May 22-23, 2013

Communication Address: The Registrar, TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110070

Doctoral programmes

Applications are invited from prospective candidates for admission to the PhD programme at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali in the areas of biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, earth and environment science and humanities and social sciences for the session beginning in August 2013. Candidates interested in pursuing research in interdisciplinary areas are also encouraged to apply.

Eligibility: The applicant should have a Masters degree in Science/ B.Tech/ MBBS/ M.Tech with a good academic record and should be GATE/ CSIR or UGC-NET/ JEST/ NBHM-JRF/ICAR-JRF/ICMR-JRF/ DBT-JRF/DST- INSPIRE qualified.

How to apply: Prospective candidates should apply online using the "Online Application Facility". Short-listed candidates will be invited for a screening-test/interview at IISER Mohali.

Deadline: April 15, 2013.

Check out: www.iisermohali.ac.in

News board
Skill training tie-up

Sharda Group of Institutions (SGI) will integrate the Oracle Academy Introduction to Computer Science curriculum into Sharda University, and Hindustan College of Science and Technology, located in Greater NOIDA and Mathura respectively, to help the next-generation of technology professionals.

This effort will allow SGI to help prepare 4,000 students for successful IT careers, and help meet growing demand for a highly skilled technology workforce.

The Oracle Academy’s Introduction to Computer Science curriculum includes Database Design and Programming courses and a Java-specific curriculum consisting of four courses (Getting Started with Java Using Alice, Creating Java Programs with Greenfoot, Java Fundamentals, and Java Programming) that are aligned to Oracle certification. The Getting Started with Java Using Alice curriculum engages students with little or no programming experience to learn basic Java programming concepts using Carnegie Mellon University’s Alice software environment.

The programme will be launched in these institutions in April, 2013.

How Well Do You Know Your Boss?
Zubin Malhotra

No matter what your position in an organisation (unless you own it, of course), you’ll always have a boss. And bosses come in an assortment of temperament and personality types — ranging from the downright bossy and toxic variety to the petulant and grudgingly supportive ones. But all said and done, it helps to remember that bosses are human beings. Just like the rest of us. So do take some time out to find out what makes your boss tick. Understanding how s/he handles emotions and work pressure will give you valuable insights into their personality. Assessing your boss’ strengths and weaknesses, will show you the key to make your relationship work better and smoothly. Besides, if you’re smart enough, you just might win an important ally.

The Angry Boss

Some bosses use anger as a means to control others — especially their employees. To this person, the advantages of bullying tactics far outweigh the disadvantages that may result from losing control. Obviously, no one wants to bring an angry boss bad news. Inappropriate anger on his part can shut down communication channels and transform employees from supportive to subversive overnight. When your boss is extremely frustrated, an angry outburst may be justified and can even be healthy. But the key is: does he express anger appropriately and constructively? Does he play fair? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does he keep his remarks impersonal: focused on an action and not on personal characteristics?
• Does he refer only to the situation at hand and not dwell on the past, reciting old lapses and mistakes?
• How does he react to an angry employee?
• Does he check his facts to make sure his anger is directed at the right person?
• Does he give someone a chance to explain before he gets angry?
• Does he make it clear whyhe’s angry?
• Does he issue threats?
• Does he provide alternatives or solutions?
• Does he tick-off employees in private or in front of their co-workers?

To see if you’re reading your boss right, observe how he interacts with other employees and his superiors.

The Effective Boss The effective boss has his emotions under control but is not afraid to display them when appropriate. He knows that without emotions, a corporate environment is dull and sterile. Emotions can be used positively to motivate employees, build empathy and foster team spirit. Effective bosses are willing and able to coordinate plans, programmes and people with intelligence and understanding. They let employees know where they stand and guide the department to meet its goals and get the job done within the limitations of budget, staff or policy decisions. To find out if you are working for an effective boss, ask yourself: Do his successes outnumber his mistakes? Does he handle failure realistically and move on to the next project with confidence? Is he truly concerned with his staff’s happiness? Does his department make money? Does he expect the same high-level performance from himself that he expects from his employees? Does he recognise and reward employees who have performed well? Effective managers are good psychologists. They capitalise on the varied emotional make-up of their employees to enhance their department. They know when to support employees who lack confidence, when to bend the rules for employees going through a difficult family crisis, when to give ambitious employees a chance to show what they can do. An effective boss prizes, above all, individual talent and abilities. He knows that a happy staff will require less direct supervision, allowing him to explore and develop his own strengths.

So where exactly does your boss fit in?

Once you’ve figured that one out, you will be better placed to ‘handle’ him and his outbursts. Ask him what his goals are. Listen carefully and see if you can come up with a few ideas to help him. If he perceives that you’re on his side, his urge to dog your every step may go away. And while you’re at it, three vital pieces of advice (ignore these No-Nos at your own peril):

Never confront the boss in the presence of a higher authority. (Instead, arrange to sit down and talk to him, preferably in a relatively relaxed setting without appearing confrontational or accusatory) Never make the boss look stupid or inept (even if s/he is).

(That’s inviting trouble with a capital ‘T’. It’s the surest way to antagonize him. Not only will he never forgive you for it, he’ll stonewall all your ideas and try to get even)

Never, never, underestimate your boss.

The Fearful Boss

Weak bosses often fear their own bosses and envy employees who appear more confident than themselves. A weak boss can sabotage you just as easily as an overly-aggressive boss. Rather than ignoring a weak and fearful bosss and hoping he just fades away, it’s best to take the initiative and work with him.

Try to find out why he is the way he is. Maybe he has a just cause. Your slightly insecure boss could have been beaten down over the years by a bullying superior. Maybe all your boss lacks is confidence. In which case, you can help him become more emotionally secure by giving him positive feedback and encouragement.

Ask yourself if your boss has problems with any of the following:

• Working well with his immediate superior (fearful of not pleasing his boss)
• Working well with employees (fearful they’re going to steal his job).
• Not a good team leader
• Lacking in a formal management qualification; promoted because of his expertise.
• Handling a new position that has duties he is unfamiliar with.
• Learning form past mistakes and not dwelling on them.
• Willing to take risks.

Bookshelf
Rooting for change
Seerat Toor Grewal

The Reinventors
by Jason Jennings
Penguin. Pages: 246. Rs 699

In order to stay relevant and win one has to continuously innovate and reinvent newer formulas to keep running when others who don’t are bound to meet the face of dark yet certain fates. Jason Jennings’ book The Reinventors takes one down that path. The author has unveiled a reinvention code whose relevance can be stretched far beyond the world of business. It is about the way forward and demands a complete shift of mindset from being static to being in a state of constant and meaningful dynamism. We all live and strive for a better living and to achieve the same we study, take up jobs or start-up our own entrepreneurial concerns which Jason Jennings has quoted Abraham Maslow’s work “Nobody woke up this morning and said, ‘I sure hope tomorrow sucks more than today’”... all this loses purpose if we cannot adapt ourselves to the changing needs and circumstances of the people around us.

The book is one of Jennings most exhaustive pieces of work wherein he researched 22,000 companies across the world which had dared to think differently and had challenged the status-quo to prevent their businesses from an economic free-fall.

Jennings was persuaded to take up this book by an astonishing finding of his extensive research that 98 per cent of the CEOs believed that their current business models were ultimately unsustainable. This presses the need for reinvention which rests on letting go of everything and anybody who is not open to the world of new ideas and is ready to practice the wisdom of today as according to the author the conventional wisdom has no business acumen to deal with pace and situations which were completely unthinkable at any time before in history.

Reinvention, according to Jennings, is not about moving from plan A to plan B when latter starts to fall apart but is about to equip yourself and your workforce with latest skills and values which will make you take up further transfers to plan C, D and E and so on to be able to provide something of value to customers in a never thought-of way so they are willing to pay you for the product and take home an everlasting impact of your service.

The principles stressed and discussed in the book like continuous change, focus, simplification, hire hard, streamline, powerful culture, systematise, digitise etc. are delivered in an orderly and engaging manner. These can be smoothly and effectively stretched to our lives merely beyond established businesses as for young students and novice entrepreneurial players. One of the fascinating mentions in the same category is of the acronym-"WTGBRFDT - What’s the good business reason for doing this?" The immense potential of this line to save businesses, both new and established, from entering a downward spiral especially in these volatile economic conditions cannot be undermined.

The book serves as a useful and practical handbook for aspiring entrepreneurs as it puts them on an absolutely different growth trajectory. It offers realistic solutions and prescribes a way forward to sustain oneself in tumultuous situations arising in today’s hyper-competitive world by embracing reinvention.

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Reformers take the tough road

Many of us criticise most deeds of others at the workplace, but have nothing to show by way of their own contribution. Accepted that others are bad, but are you any better?

Indian reformers in the 19th century talked highly of equality. One day, a certain Gopalrao Joshi decided to test if the Indian reformers had the courage to practise what they preached. So he offered them tea at a Christian mission which MG Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Bal Gangadhar Tilak had. Tilak even refused to perform the Brahminical purification ceremony the next day saying, “Is my religion so fragile that it can be polluted by a cup of tea?”

Food supplies in the convent were over and communal riots were raging outside on the streets of Calcutta. While the other Sisters didn’t dare to venture out, Mother Teresa roamed the streets and shops till she was spotted by a police van. Only when the policemen agreed to share a part of their food with the convent inmates did the Mother return to safety. In the Mahabharata, Abhimanyu — with half-knowledge — decided to negotiate Kaurava Commander Dronacharya’s chakravyuha (circular military formation) as the only two who could do it in the Pandava camp — his father Arjuna and his maternal uncle Krishna — were busy elsewhere. Similarly, Bhima’s son Ghatotkacha did what nobody else could, not even Pandava speadhead Arjuna — face Karna armed with Indra’s shakti weapon. The lad not only gave Karna a tough fight, but also forced him to use up the shakti to kill him, thereby eliminating the threat to Arjuna’s life. In 1906, some native Africans called Zulus rebelled against the Natal Government. When the European volunteers and nurses refused to take care of the injured Zulus, Gandhiji — who was in South Africa at that time — organised a corps of 24 Indians to evacuate and treat the wounded.

At a time when almost all Rajput kings had made peace with the Mughals, Rana Pratap of Chittor refused to kneel in front of the Mughal might all his life. Thanvar Vaswani appeared to be having a dream life. He had served as principal of three colleges and was renowned globally for his lectures in Germany, France and England. But he wanted to “devote his life to the service of God and man”. He not only refused to get married but also sacrificed a promising career to found the Mira Movement.

When most sepoys of the 34th Native Infantry Regiment only talked about the atrocities of the British rulers, the usually quiet sepoy Mangal Pande fired the first shot in the First War of Indian Independence on March 29, 1857.

Hollow are the words that aren’t backed by action.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

Hiring zone
Tough competition for engineers

With more number of graduates passing out from high-quality engineering colleges, job aspirants in the engineering arena seem to be facing tougher competition compared to their peers from the business administration stream, says a study.

The findings are based on an analysis of data compiled from more than 50,000 job seekers and 3,000 employers across the country, according to Youth4work.com, a portal for student community which conducted the study. As per study, there are 17 aspirants for every one engineering job available.

In comparison, students pursuing business administration have it easier with six job seekers per vacancy.

According to Youth4work.com founder Rachit Jain, more number of students are passing out from high-quality engineering colleges, which in turn is resulting in higher number of job aspirants than available opportunities.

“... the demand for jobs is increasing compared to those available,” he said.

There are opportunities for engineering graduates in the IT sector but same is not the case in many other industries, including automobile segment, which is seeing relatively slow growth, he said.

According to professional networking site ApnaCircle.com’s Founder and CEO Yogesh Bansal, this year should be better than 2012 for IT sector as global uncertainties seem to be on the wane.

“The IT industry employs over 20 lakh professionals and with an expected growth of 10 per cent we can expect no less than over 2-2.5 lakh additional people being hired in the industry,” he said.

Meanwhile, Youth4work.com survey also said that average salary for fresher with 0-3 year experience for engineering jobs and MBA jobs were more or less the same, averaging around Rs 3.6 lakh per annum.

Cubicle trends
Good looks pay

Good-looking male workers can earn 22 per cent more than their plainer colleagues doing the same job, a new study has claimed. However, good looks do not result in increased salaries for women, the study found.

Researchers also found that below-average looks or outright ugliness can reduce a man’s earnings by 26 per cent compared to an average-looking worker, The Sunday Times reported.

The ‘good-looks’ effect exists across the social spectrum and attractive men in all jobs, from male assembly line workers to highly-paid professional careers, can earn 22 per cent more than their colleagues doing an identical role. The research was conducted by Andrew Leigh, a former economics professor at the Australian National University, and Jeff Borland of the University of Melbourne. The largest exercise of its kind, it repeated a survey from 1984 to see if the beauty premium had changed. Leigh said although he believed good-looking women may also be paid more, the study did not demonstrate this. “Beauty can be a double-edged sword for women. Some people still believe good looks and intelligence are incompatible in women so a good-looking woman can’t be that productive, but there’s no dumb-blonde syndrome affecting men’s pay,” Leigh said.

Leigh said the research showed people in the workplace were “lookist” and he hoped the findings would help employers overcome their prejudice. — PTI