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2013 in retrospect education
2013 in retrospect Hiring Trends
Achieve your goals successfully
Fine tune your job search strategy for competitive 2014
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Reform was the catchword
Aditi Tandon Reform of technical and general examination systems remained the highlight of 2013 with the government taking firm decisions to end cartelisation of education at the hands of coaching centres in both engineering and medical courses. On the front of general education, too, reform was the way to go with one of India’s best rated varsities, the Delhi University, showing the way to the rest of the higher educational institutions. DU rolls out four-year UG course
In the new four year UG format, a student can now choose both a major and a minor subject for specialisation. The course spread over eight semesters enables an undergraduate student to pick a Major subject called Discipline 1 in the first year. This is the main subject of specialisation with 20 papers but at the end of Semester 2, a student in the new system can pick a Minor subject (Discipline 2) to study in Semester 3. This subject has six papers spread between Semesters 3 and 8. The hallmark of the new format, introduced for the first time this July in India, is its compliance with the western education system. Moreover, the new format allows students tremendous flexibility with multiple exit points and the freedom to leave college and come back later to finish studies. Students can opt out of the course after two or three years of studies or stay for the entire four-year period. “The decision is historic as students who have left with two or three years of degrees will actually have the choice to return later to complete the remaining years of the degree. In between they can pursue jobs which our new foundation courses will help them get,” DU Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh argues. The new format has 11 foundation courses and 26 interdisciplinary courses (20 in Discipline 1 and six in Discipline 2) from which a student can choose. Whoever joined the format in 2013 took seven foundation courses along with four interdisciplinary papers in the first year. The new course is DU’s second major reform initiative after it introduced semester system after an equal level of resistance. Introduction of jee mains and jee advanced pattern
The new version consists of two examinations — JEE Main conducted by the CBSE for admission to all non-IIT technical institutions such as the 30 National Institutes of Technology and the IIITs among others. The merit list for JEE Main followed the pattern finalised by the Council of NITs and the Council of IITs after over a two-year debate. For the first time in many years, JEE Main gave 40 pc weightage to a student’s school leaving marks coupled with 60 pc weightage to the JEE Main score. The key was normalisation of school marks considering school boards give marks variously — some are miserly and some generous. The normalisation was done successfully and students in 2013 were admitted to NITs and other centrally funded technical institutions through JEE Mains. Some parents challenged the exam in court (Andhra Pradesh HC), but the court refused to stay the results. The case is on but the court is unlikely to interfere in the functioning of autonomous academic bodies like the NIT and IIT Councils. The most interesting shift in technical education sector this year was the transition of IITs from the old version of IIT-JEE to the new JEE Advanced test for selecting students. The first JEE Advanced was held this year. Conducted by the IIT Joint Admission Board, the JEE Advanced was open only to the top 1.50 lakh scorers of JEE Main. The catch was — these 1.50 lakh students should also have figured among scorers with top 20 percentile school leaving marks across state boards. JEE Advanced was also met with tremendous resistance as several JEE Mains top scorers failed to become eligible for JEE Advanced because they had not done well in board exams. After a lot of debate, IIT-JAB decided to continue with the new system next year (IIT Kharagpur will hold the test in 2014) and ignore demands for reversal to the IIT-JEE system. So next year the students hoping to enter IITs would have to work equally hard at school. neet: sINGLE entrance EXAM FOR medical courses
Sadly, after the NEET UG was conducted by the CBSE (it entails common admission test and final student selection based on all-India merit list) for admission to UG MBBS and dental courses, the Supreme Court quashed its validity with a majority judgment. In the three judge bench headed by former Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir, the CJI and Justice Vikramjit Sen held NEET UG violative of the Constitution. However, in a dissenting judgment Justice Anil Dave dismissed the petitions filed by private medical and dental colleges challenging the Medical Council of India’s notification providing for a common NEET for both medical UG and PG admissions. The good news, however, is that the Apex Court in October this year agreed to review its judgment on NEET after the Government (Ministry of Health) filed a review petition citing the dissenting judgment and the fact that NEET sought to bring transparency in medical education by ending years of capitation dominated admission processes by private lobbies. Importantly, due to lucrative returns, private players, including corporate houses and politicians, have set up medical colleges where arbitrary admission and fee charging is the norm. That explains why 190 out of India’s 340 medical colleges are in private hands. Former MCI Board of Governors Chairman S.K Sarin, who conceptualised NEET in 2011, says, “NEET is a uniform transparent assessment system which is convenient; it ends the anguish of parents and students who have to run to 10 centres at a time to give exams for different colleges. Above all, it reduces corruption. But private players were never ready to accept it and in an unprecedented move, the SC permitted them to hold their own admission even when NEET UG had been conducted earlier this year. But there is still hope as a review is on.” Paving way for a better future While much was achieved in 2013 by way of examination reforms, progress on the legislative front was slow with all Bills pertaining to HRD Ministry remaining stuck in Parliament for want of consensus — among these were Bills to end malpractices such as capitation fee in higher education; another to set up innovation universities and still another to create a legislative framework for mandatory accreditation of all higher educational institutions. To find an alternative route to legislative breakdown, the HRD Ministry took two major decisions this year — it got the UGC to issue a notification to all colleges and universities asking them to get accredited by 2014 or risk cancellation of funding. Two, it initiated a proposal to create a regulatory framework (through an executive order) for top 400 foreign institutions (ranked by TIMES Education and other major rating agencies) to set up campuses in India. The proposal allows such entry by processing the applications of interested parties under the Companies Act. Foreign institutions would however be required to show Rs 25 crore corpus and promise to plough back returns into campuses. Most importantly, such institutions would only be allowed to offer foreign degrees and not Indian degrees as they are proposed to be permitted to enter India through an executive and not legislative route. This proposal is under consideration of the Government at the highest levels with the Union Cabinet expected to take a decision soon.
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2013 in retrospect Hiring Trends Arupjyoti Gogoi The overall hiring trends remained positive in 2013 and there was a marked improvement in hiring in almost all sectors. After a grim job market in 2012, this year saw an improvement in hiring activity across all sectors because of improved financial conditions and recovery of global economic condition after years of turbulence. However, economic surveys and reports reveal that recovery from the global economic slowdown is still continuing. India, too, has been battling with increasing inflation and weak economic growth over the past couple of years. At present the country’s economic growth is pegged at around 5 per cent. Nevertheless, the hiring activity witnessed a consistent growth since the beginning of 2013 and most of the Indian companies started hiring for the mid-senior level positions indicating a better labour market condition as revealed by surveys conducted by many recruitment firms. According to V.Suresh, Executive V P and National Head Sales, Naukri.com, “The job market had started heading north in 2013 thanks to the slow recovery of the global economy and positive sentiments in the Indian subcontinent in the second half of the year.” Referring to revival of the US economy, Suresh said, “The US labour market seems to have revived and we are likely to see an increase in the discretionary spends across the IT space, which will have a positive impact on the hiring prospects in the IT/ITES sector in 2014”. “Overall it looks like the worst is over for the job market and we are entering a zone of another 2-3 years of positive growth if not more”, he added. Though the job market didn’t show any signs of great growth in the first half of the year, there was some kind of recovery in the second half primarily in sectors viz., IT/ITES/Pharma/Biotech and Healthcare. Commenting on the hiring trends in 2013 Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services India, says, “From a talent management perspective, 2013 has been quite an eventful year in India. One of the noticeable trends that stood out in 2013 was that of corporates increasingly making efforts towards retaining resources. This had a direct impact on business like customer facing roles. “We saw many organisations adopting tools and approaches that help solve productivity, turnover and service challenges. With the government clearing FDI in the retail sector, aviation, pension funds increase in demand for resources may be seen towards the last quarter of 2014,” says Kamath Salary structure
Like last year, 2013 did not see a significant increase in the salary packages. Companies are making smart moves by trying to attract the best of talent from the industry. According to Sangeeta Lala, Senior Vice-President & Co-Founder, TeamLease Services, “Salary package negotiations drove a hard bargain this year, for job seekers and at appraisals. Productivity and performance (in appraisals) and future ROI and best fit (for new hires) were rewarded, that also in single digits up to a max of 20 per cent for the best rewarded. Companies looked to attract hard work and award smart work with attractive incentive plans, reward teamwork through group rewards (in kind and cash) and annual bonuses at end of year. ”
Even though there has not been a significant hike in salaries, job seekers can expect better pay offers next year. “Hiring and retaining quality talent is still a tough task. With signs of global recovery and job market looking positive, it is important for companies to attract, retain and motivate high performers. Hence I foresee the increments to be slightly better in 2014 than last year. Employees with good potential and performance will get differentiated significantly going forward through innovative compensation and benefits,” says V Suresh. HR experts even believe that employees can expect a better salary hike in the coming year. “The inertia with which 2013 had greeted jobseekers will make way for a refreshingly confident stance in the New Year”, adds Suresh. Since the markets will have jobs galore for the next six to nine months, those with niche skill sets, such as Data Analytics, Mobile Application Development, Social and Digital Media can gear up for a hoard of opportunities. While employees can expect better increments in the next financial year, keep in mind that there will be a reasonable gap between high and average performers.
Companies that were among the top employers
Sectors that are going to be among
the top hirers in 2014
Sunshine Sectors
1
Banking and financial services sector 2
Fast-moving consumer goods sector 3
IT/ITes sector “Global Outsourcing giants are getting a sense that India is no longer a destination for just Business Process but also Knowledge process Outsourcing. Though these are still early days, India in my view, is slowly moving up the value-chain and is poised to make significant progress in areas like consulting, data analytics, mobile, mobile application development, internet, social, digital media and healthcare”, says V. Suresh, Executive VP, Naukri.com. According to him the reasons for this lie in the population demographics of India. The current population of India is 1.27 billion. According to age demographics, 50 per cent of the total population of the country is below the age of 25, which is, a whopping 635 million young people! Approximately, 30 per cent of the young population has a good command over English. In addition, the number of employable people in India is over 200 million now. All these factors, cumulatively, make India a hotspot for outsourcing, says Suresh. India, with its huge pool of talent, will have no difficulty in overtaking the US in terms of internet user base. According to a report by Avendus, the country has over 160 million Internet users, out of which 86 million use mobile devices to access the Internet. In the last three to four years, the user base of 3G connections has surged to 22 million. According to September 2013 statistics, there are more than 36 million smartphone users in India. This proves the depth of mobile penetrability in the second largest English-speaking country in the world. According Naukri Job Speak Index, professionals working in IT/ITes industry continued to observe growth in the first three quarters of 2013. ITES/BPO also experienced positive growth with the index showing an increase of 14 per cent in October, 2013 as compared to September, 2013. A similar growth trajectory is visible if we take a year-on-year comparison with the index which reveals a spurt of 36 per cent. Furthermore, with a focus on hardware development, the Indian Government has created special economic zone in Nagawara, Bangalore (Manyata Technology Park). This will be another key enabler for job creation in the mobile, chip design and electronic space. 4
Pharmaceutical & healthcare sector This sector has been witnessing a remarkable growth over the past few years which has resulted in new investments from foreign players as well. The sector is primarily privatised (accounting for over 80 per cent of total healthcare expenditure in India), according to the IFPMA. Approximately 75 to 80 per cent of medical centers are managed by the private sector. To this end, state-of-the-art technology, new applications and unlimited infrastructural services have metamorphosed the quality of healthcare. India has also emerged as a fine destination for medical tourism.The Indian healthcare industry was worth $ 65 billion in 2012 and by 2020, the sector is projected to be worth $280 billion. With the increase of average income of the citizens, there has been a major breakthrough in terms of health awareness in the country. Other new avenues like medical insurance, medical tourism etc. have also created huge job opportunities across the country. Naukri Job Speak Index shows that the hiring in this sector was consistent throughout the year and picked up during the third quarter (July-September). 5
Infrastructure sector Infrastructure sector of the economy was bullish in hiring this year. Due to steady growth of the Indian economy, even though not like early 2000, infrastructure development was given importance with aggressive infrastructure development initiatives not only in major cities, but also in the remote corners of the country. This resulted in demand for a massive labour force across the country. Job seekers could benefit from this development. This trend is expected to continue in the next year as well since the country's infrastructure development projects are yet to be completed and need huge number of labour force. The country is investing in large infrastructural projects in highways, railways, aviation, shipping, power and energy etc. Rapid progress has been made over the last decade, including employment generation which is very significant. “Entrepreneurship is another area which received a major impetus when the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) set up innovation and incubation centers. IIT Bombay had established such a center in 2000. Till date, it has incubated 48 companies, of which 20 are funded. “With host of disruptive innovations, we can expect some of the tech- startups to add new dimensions to the ever-evolving job space”, adds Suresh. Poor performers The sectors that are likely to stay at the lower end of the graph are infrastructure, real estate and BFSI. This is mainly because these three sectors are interdependent and are largely driven by consumer confidence and key policy decisions.
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2013 in retrospect Top 5 Careers Gauri Chhabra While passion and ambition remain the key factors in deciding one’s career course, job prospects also are an important factor for youngsters while deciding about the future course. Thus, it was the prospect of robust job creation that made certain courses stay on the top of the choice chart in 2013. According to Chakreview, a social discussion platform, out of the 10 careers that topped the list as far as salary, job satisfaction, work benefits, career growth are concerned in the first first quarters of 2013, five are IT manager, Law professional, Social sector professional, Entrepreneur and Healthcare professional. Here is a sneak peak at the careers that topped the charts. LAW PROFESSIONAL
A record 29,530 budding lawyers applied to take the Common Law Admissions Test (CLAT) in 2013. This number was up by 15 per cent against that in the previous year. A total of 1,385 candidates applied for the post-graduate degrees — 642 offline, and 743 online — with this being the first year in which many CLAT colleges will offer the shorter one-year LLM degrees. Job responsibilities For getting into this field the candidates need to clear the entrance exam, enter a good university, a post-graduate legal qualification, and then practice as a solicitor. You will have to be a perennial student with love for books. Caveat everything, talk in jargon and work crazily long hours. You are supposed to give a politically correct answer and love the small print. As the best actuallyprotect the company from getting sued and become the pillar of stoicism. Pay Package Your salary may vary according to your employer and track record. Generally in public sector the salaries are as per the government norms while if you wish to craft a career with private law firms, you can get as much as Rs 6-9 lakh per annum as fresh national law school graduates and Rs 12-15 lakh per annum if you have experience of more than five years. One can choose to work privately as advocate or consultant. First person
Dhruva Kumar, student of B.A LLB integrated course, Alliance School of law Bangalore ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Almost a decade ago we used to hear about students from top league management colleges opting out of their fancy placements and declining hefty salary packages and taking the plunge for pursuing their dream projects. Today, the trend has trickled into other management institutes as well. Many students willingly opt out of placement drives and go in to start businesses of their choice. This is primarily because of the entrepreneurs' go-getter attitude. The entrepreneurial instinct is not limited to freshers alone. Many professionals have quit their high-flying jobs and laterally entered entrepreneurship. Years of serving in one sector has taught them the subtle nuances of the business which they want to use to build something for their progeny. First person
Kapil Munjal, CEO, Medimarcom, Delhi INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER (IT MANAGER)
In the third quarter of 2013, there have been slight changes in the trending of IT jobs. According to a report based on the IT jobs posted by various companies in TechFetch.com, the percentage of the IT jobs in the Q3 has been 14 per cent in July, 15 per cent in August and 13.9 per cent in September. Information Technology teamed with management forms a lethal combination. Many management institutes are offering management degrees with specialisations in Information Technology. Generally you can start your career as Management Trainee in an IT firm and undergo 6 months or one-year of extensive training. Most of the big companies have well-structured training programmes for the new recruits to groom them into future leadership positions. A four-year expertise in the field of IT can make you draw an annual salary of about Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh. Job responsibilities As an IT manager you would be required to plan and manage IT projects. You would be responsible for defining the scope of the project, identify potential risks, come up with risk mitigation strategies and be responsible for timely releases. Although you may not be involved with hands on coding but you should be ready to jump in if the need arises. Besides, you need to be abreast with changing technologies and security threats. First person
Palwinder Singh, Company Head, Panj Careers Healthcare
The Indian healthcare industry, which comprises hospitals, medical infrastructure, medical devices, clinical trials, outsourcing, telemedicine, health insurance and medical equipment, is expected to reach $ 160 billion by 2017, as per Frost & Sullivan. India’s healthcare system is growing exponentially and continues to expand its coverage and encompasses not only the ever triumph tic triage of allopath, ayurveda and homeopathy, but has also enveloped the latest trends in Pathology, Pharmaceuticals, Clinical Trials and Laboratory Information Systems(LIS) in its fold. Increased focus on patient engagement and quality care healthcare providers are focusing on the technological aspect of healthcare delivery bringing in Digital health knowledge resources, electronic medical record, mobile healthcare, and the like. First person
Not only in the field of oral hygiene and dental care, but in all kinds of treatments patients from different parts of the world flock to India. A few years ago I was just treating Indian patients who came to me when their disease was at an advanced state, today most of my patients come from the US, UK not only for prescriptive therapies but also for preventive medicine and cosmetic care. Here they get their treatment done at almost one tenth of the cost in the US. Dr Ankur Sehgal, M.D.S in Conservative Endodontics SOCIAL SECTOR PROFESSIONAL
2013 has been a good time to explore non-profit employment opportunities. According to the 2013 Non-profit Employment Trends Survey, 44 per cent of the group plan to create positions in the year ahead. Working for an organisation that is seeking to make real social change is hard work. It means exposure to some of society's greatest challenges, long hours and often the sense that a lot is yet undone. It means working with organisations that might not have the bottom line as the primary focus. In fact, they may be struggling with respect to men and material and have complexity of problems. But the knowledge that you are doing your bit that might change the way the people who are on the fringes live is work is what will change the world and seeing that you can be a part of positive change is the most satisfying experience that any career can offer. First person
Dr Anoop Vats who runs an NGO Citizens Welfare and Protection Council, Jalandhar
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Achieve your goals successfully
To assuage the guilt, we promptly get down to drawing up a list of new goals which we vow to adhere to more strictly and earnestly. Resolutions, To-Do Lists, Goal Setting are certainly helpful because they give us an idea of where we're headed. Top-level athletes, successful business people and achievers in all fields take goal setting seriously. Setting goals gives us a long-term vision and short-term motivation. Here are ten tips to make the going smoother. And easier… 1
Include serious and fun goals Vary the scope of your goals to include some just-for-fun dreams. And, don’t be afraid to complete the ‘easier’ goals first. Building a momentum from these early successes will help you find the courage to tackle the larger tasks. 2
Include undefined goals Don’t overlook a new developing passion or interest. Just go ahead add it to your goals even if you can’t articulate it fully. For example, if you wake up one morning with the desire to learn power bhangra, add it to the list. Let the idea simmer in your mind until something more specific emerges. 3
Document your progress While reviewing your goal list, record your progress and plot the next steps. Documenting your progress will help you to identify set behaviour patterns or other obstacles that are keeping you from accomplishing your goals — it can also show you how far you’ve come. 4
Define the finish line You’ll find it easier to complete certain tasks and track your progress if you ‘fix’ the duration, the result, or the final outcome you desire from achieving a specific goal. Revise vague goals such as “do social service” by specifying the kind of work you want to do. Even if you're unable to do this right away, it’s fine — undefined goals are good, too. 5
Prioritise your goals Arrange your goals to reflect what you want to begin working on right away. You may want to enter the ‘Mr India’ contest and get a promotion at work, but rather than trying to find the time and energy to slog at the gym everyday and log in long hours at the office, focus on the goal that’s more important to you. 6
Maintain a manageable list Somewhere between 20-30 is a good number for many people. Limiting your life list to 25 goals forces you to make some choices. Fewer than 20 goals won’t offer enough variety to keep you moving forward. 7
Review your list weekly It helps sharpen your focus, keeps up your momentum, and reminds you of what's important. As you review the list, ask yourself, “What have I done to achieve a particular goal this week?” If the answer is “nothing”, ask yourself if this goal is important enough to keep on your list, in the first place. If not, strike it off and replace it with something more important. 8
Revise and remove goals Your life list should be constantly evolving — it should reflect what’s important to you right now, not what mattered in the past. Remember, there's no penalty for changing your mind or modifying a goal to better reflect your desired outcome or changed circumstances. A short-lived passion for learning “gift-wrapping” can be reborn as “find a creative outlet,” or ambitions to get 99 per cent in Physics can be jettisoned because sometimes a passing grade is enough of a victory. 9
Keep your goals manageable but rewarding Divide big goals into smaller tasks, but not so small that they become tedious. Taking small manageable baby steps will prevent you from getting overwhelmed by a ‘BIG’ goal. For example, instead of vowing to “get organised” try listing “de-clutter my desk or filing cabinet or inbox” . 10
Make your list public Making your goals public solidifies your commitment to achieve them, holds you accountable, and helps you connect with others who share your interests. You’ll discover connections to social and professional networks that you didn’t know you had, and get you encouragement from those who care most about you. So make sure you share the list with close friends, family members, and colleagues. You can devote months of thought to spell-out your career goals, your one-year goals or your five-year goals. You may write them and stick them under a magnet on your fridge. But sad to say, without a proper disciplined road map, they’re worthless. Here’s wishing you the very best for achieving your goals in 2014 and the years to come!
Here’s wishing you the very best for achieving your goals in 2014 and the years to
come! — The writer is career coach, Career Guidance India (CARING), New Delhi
The goal is only the destination. How much thought have you given to the journey - between where you are now and where you want to go?
You need to strategise and map out each step so that you can check your position and stay on the right path.
Mapping also shows how far you are from your goal and what route to take next.
Also, have a ‘Plan B’ and ‘Plan C’ in case things don’t work out. Remember, no one is born with all the talents to achieve a goal -- you learn as you go along. But achieving your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to
it.
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How Christ’s message can improve productivity
D. C. Sharma X Mas is the time to celebrate and contemplate on the spirit and lessons of Jesus Christ. Though delivered centuries ago these lessons can very well be applied in the modern workplace situations, too. So this X Mas lets take a look at the golden path shown by Jesus. The greatest workplace lesson that comes from Jesus Christ’s teachings is that people learn to function in their dysfunction. How can one learn to do well until one realises to how to mend, bend and improve. It’s here that the seeds of a good career are sown. One may be at home, office or at a workplace, but one always comes into contact with people and it is through contacts that one develops, improves and makes a progress. That’s why Jesus reveals that God brings people into our lives for a purpose. Employees develop their potential by using their talents only by coming into contact with different types of workers. And how should a teacher teach? When the teacher believes in his pupil’s competence, capability and credibility, the latter would simply succeed and win laurels. This is how Jesus Christ would boost his disciple’s morale and confidence by believing in the power of even those who were infirm or ailing. Jesus taught that one could never bring out the best among one’s people by just condemning and criticising them. That’s why he would always admire the potential in others. Instead of focusing on their faults and weaknesses, he would see their potential and what they were capable of achieving. The same principle can be used in one’s work environment to make even unproductive employees more useful. Peter, a pupil of Jesus, was hot tempered and impatient. But Jesus would never point out his weaknesses. He rather gave Peter a fresh name Cephas. The word Peter simply meant a pebble or a small stone and Cephas meant a rock. What Jesus conveyed through this was that even a small, pebble has the potential of becoming a big rock if one just had faith in him. Thus how well you build your workforce depends upon the opportunities that you offer to your juniors. According to Jesus right time comes to each individual. It just comes as a timely opportunity. So when you care for your people, rather than behaving offensively, your workforce will also reciprocate in a positive manner. Jesus told that as you sow a seed of goodness, the same sprouts into a sapling. Just as a plant gets nourished with water and nutritious soil, human beings get due nutrition from love, affection and cooperation. Learn to challenge yourself. Also learn to challenge your workforce. To build potential among others is not that easy. It requires you to keep challenging yourself on a regular basis. To challenge others is easy, but to challenge your own self requires a specific effort. It simply means to encourage others. And when you do that, you build them up. Often employees get discouraged when others find faults with them. Christ taught that if they get discouraged they become weak. As they think the critic was God sent, they improve themselves. Had that person not found faults with them, how could they ever improve? Christ has a message of hope for failures too! Why get discouraged? You may fail once, twice, or many times but just believe that behind each failure and rejection there is great guidance and direction. Remember that one fails and flunks only while trying to succeed. So Christ reveals how each one of us is unique. What you do perhaps no one else can do. Then why follow others? Why not develop your own unique potential? You may do your perfectly unique best. Each failure, says Jesus, is a sure way to your virtual grand success. — The writer is Kangra based psychologist and motivational career expert
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Fine tune your job search strategy for competitive 2014
Experts have predicted that the job market will become more competitive than ever in 2014, therefore it is important to revamp your job search strategy. Mashable has jotted down few tips that will help you refresh and refocus your job search in the coming year.
According to the publication, job searches are a very personal experience and one-size-fits-all strategies will not help you stand out among the competition. It is important to consider your personal experiences, preferences and career goals and use them to position yourself as a unique candidate. It was suggested that breaking your preconceived notions about the scope, strategic importance and long-term potential of jobs is really important and one should learn to look at job titles differently. As around 92 per cent of employers use social media in the hiring process, the content of a candidate’s social profile forms first impression. Therefore, one should take special consideration to job-proof one’s social media profiles. It is important for a job seeker to network with his/her peers, in addition to more senior team members. Find ways to be the person that comes to mind when recruiters ask them who they’d recommend for the job.
— ANI
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COURSE CRUISING
Diploma in Fashion Business Management
The JD Institute of Fashion Technology invites applications for one-year Diploma in Fashion Business Management. The course: This programme offers the students an in-depth understanding of the business and marketing aspects of the fashion industry. It also equips the students with the strategic decision-making, leadership and problem-solving skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur. The Fashion Business Management Programme covers topics like Product Development, Sourcing, Engineering, Merchandising, Product Planning and the overall aspects of Marketing with regards to the Fashion Industry. The onus is to augment the students’ intake of theoretical knowledge with impactful practical involvement that mimics future real-time experiences in the Fashion Industry. Eligibility: Applicant should have passed Plus II from a recognised board in any discipline. How to apply: Application forms are available at the corporate centre of JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Hauz Khas Village. Application Forms can also be downloaded from the website www.jdinstitute.com Deadline: December 30, 2013. Check out: www.jdinstitute.com
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SCHOLARSHIP ROUNDUP
Sheffield Hallam University offers scholarships to 6 Indian students
Sheffield Hallam University, UK, is offering six scholarships for postgraduate study in Sports Business Management out of the 370 scholarships worth 1 million GBP exclusively for Indian students. Six Indian students will be awarded a scholarship worth £3,750 each to study MSc Sports Business Management at the Sheffield Hallam in the UK starting September 2014 as part of the GREAT Scholarship campaign of British Council to encourage India's brightest students to study in the UK which is its biggest ever scholarship initiative in India. The course is aimed at students interested in developing the experience and skills required for careers in the growing sector of spectator and recreational sports. Sheffield Hallam has developed strong links with the sporting industry around the globe. The University's portfolio of international research projects includes working with organisations such as Adidas, Puma, Ping and Prince. The application form for the September 2014 scholarship form can be downloaded from Sheffield Hallam's website www.shu.ac.uk/international/scholarships-bursaries/index.html or in person from the regional office in New Delhi.
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CAREER HOTLINE
New master’s courses in education
A. Azim Premji University has just announced admissions to its MA in Education programme. You can choose to pursue a general programme in Education or specialise in any of the following disciplines: Curriculum and Pedagogy, Early Childhood Education or School Leadership and Management. Selection to the programme is based on a National Entrance Test in mid-February (the application deadline is February 7, 2014). Eligibility: Working professionals, teachers and fresh graduates. Neither of the programmes is very expensive. Special weightage will be given to candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds in the form of scholarships (up to 50 per cent covering tuition fee and accommodation and even 100 per cent scholarship in exceptional cases). IGNOU’s Master of Arts (Education) programme is an innovative programme that provides a wide and comprehensive understanding of education covering a variety of areas ranging from understanding the concept of education to understanding how knowledge is generated in education. The course will help you acquire a higher level of specialization in a specific aspect of education i.e.:
The objective is to produce well-trained professionals who are knowledgeable about education along with its various dimensions. Of the total number of 68 credits, you need to cover 34 credits each year, while the Dissertation in Year-2 carries 10 Credits Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree (any discipline) with/without a degree in Education. Duration: You can complete the programme in a minimum of two years and in a maximum of five years. Medium of instruction: English The Multi-media instructional mode combines self-instructional print material, audio/video components, assignments, counselling sessions, teleconferencing, Interactive Radio Counselling, and dissertation work. Details and application form: www.ignou.ac.in.
Career prospects in nutrition
A. The fast developing food processing industry spurred by the entry of multinationals, offers well-paying job opportunities in this field. Nutritionists continuously research and experiment with the ways to improve the nutritive value, flavour and general acceptability of the food while keeping the calorie and fat content to a minimum. Food processing units, food research labs, wholesalers of edibles, hospitals, large industrial and educational canteens, besides hotels, health clubs and fitness centres employ people specialising in Food Technology, Nutrition & Food Services Management. Sports nutrition is yet another emerging field of specialisation. Moreover, should you wish to strike out on your own you could start your own consulting practice, or catering service, supplying balanced and nutritious low-calorie meals that can be eaten at the desk, for instance. Teaching is yet another option. With a BEd under your belt, you could teach Nutrition and Dietetics at schools that offer Home Science as a subject. However, to teach in a college or at the high school level, you require a master’s in Home Science.
Time management woes
A. Time management is the best thing that any B-school could teach
a student. Here, as in life, you can’t read everything, you can’t do everything; you can’t learn everything. The trick lies in prioritising the essentials. To assign the same priority to each task is to wind up with 40 tasks all tied for first call on your time. Re. motivation: that’s a tough and lifelong call. Immediate and short-term motivation can usually be generated by the upcoming challenges, e.g. exams, project submissions, etc. What you have to do is “visualize” the positive outcomes of such short-term events — a higher grade, self-confidence for the next sem, building towards final placement of choice, the joy of overcoming an impending challenge, etc. If you can vividly and strongly visualise such positive outcomes, that will create the necessary episodic motivation — for the end-term exams, etc. So, that’s probably the answer for what you need right now. Enduring, long-term motivation is another kettle of fish altogether. One must understand that “motivation” does not exist in vacuum. It arises from strongly delineated long-term vision and goals. Motivation is the result of these — not an independent entity that can be summoned at will. So, the answer to enduring motivation lies in visualising your long term dreams (or “mission” in the parlance of business strategy) as clearly and as steadfastly as possible. Sounds easy, right? Wrong! It’s one of the more difficult things in life. Take heart, for long-term motivation is a struggle for everyone; that doesn’t mean it has to be abandoned; far from it. In fact, it has to be worked on and continuously. Meanwhile, get that short-term buzz going! Email your queries to
careers@tribunemail.com
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Reform of technical and general examination systems remained the highlight of 2013 with the government taking firm decisions to end cartelisation of education at the hands of coaching centres in both engineering and medical courses.
On the front of general education, too, reform was the way to go with one of India’s best rated varsities, the Delhi University, showing the way to the rest of the higher educational institutions.
The overall hiring trends remained positive in 2013 and there was a marked improvement in hiring in almost all sectors.
After a grim job market in 2012, this year saw an improvement in hiring activity across all sectors because of improved financial conditions and recovery of global economic condition after years of turbulence.
Come December and what really strikes us is how fast the year has flown...! This in turn brings on a wave of nostalgia and remembrance of the fun and memorable times we’ve had. It also brings to the front-and-centre some uncomfortable regrets about the things we’d pushed aside and procrastinated upon.
To assuage the guilt, we promptly get down to drawing up a list of new goals which we vow to adhere to more strictly and earnestly.
DU weathered widespread resistance from academics and students to introduce the 10+2+4 format of instruction at the undergraduate level replacing the old 10+2+3 system which allowed an undergraduate to choose only one subject for specialisation.
On the technical education front, the first version of the reworked Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to non-IIT central technical institutions and separately for the 15 premiere IITs was successfully held this year. The same format will be followed in 2014.
The first version of NEET-UG (National Entrance cum Eligibility Test), the single- window entrance for 340 medical colleges in India was also held earlier this year amid severe resistance from the private medical education lobby which wanted the old system that allows them to fix prices for seats.
Multinational Banks, Pharma companies stood out in Engagement and workplace ambience.
Banking and Financial Services sector is one of the sectors that saw a consistent hiring trend this year. The hiring is expected to remain strong in the New Year as well. Professionals working in Banking and Insurance sectors have seen a double digit growth in the number of jobs in the third quarter of this year. Public sector banks emerged as major recruiters this year. Rajesh Dahiya, President-HR, Axis Bank says, “The overall hiring scenario has been positive for the Banking & Financial Services Sector. In case of Axis Bank, hiring has been fuelled by manpower requirements arising out of the network expansion plans in the rural markets, especially in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Odisha and Gujarat.” 
Hiring remained upbeat in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector as well. This sector, which is also referred to as a recession-proof sector, saw a considerable number of new jobs created in the lower and mid level categories. Apart from metropolis and Tier I cities, Tier II and Tier III cities also contributed to this increase in the number of jobs that created a demand for young professionals. Hiring activity started picking up from the second quarter (April-June) of the year and major players started hiring for various positions like sales and marketing, supply chain and distribution. 
As usual, the IT sector also saw a positive trend as far as hiring was concerned. The $108 billion Indian IT/ITes industry saw a positive hiring momentum in 2013 and remained one of the sunshine sectors in the job market. Even though country’s macroeconomic environment remained a challenging factor, IT sector saw a positive hiring sentiment this year. Most Top IT Companies continued to hire at different levels in 2013. However, the count in entry level was much higher than that in the mid-senior level. Campus recruitment was also upbeat this year. However, companies remained cautious in hiring mid-senior level candidates. 
Pharmaceutical and Healthcare sector witnessed a positive hiring trend this year. This sector emerged as one of the leading employment providers. The demand has increased not only for professionals in specialised and core functions, but also in general management and related support functions. “There is demand for quality professionals in the healthcare sector. Indians are proactive about health and hygiene and this is proven by the fact that the healthcare industry has not been as severely impacted by the economic slowdown as some other industries”, says Suresh. 
Fact sheet
Though pursuing law had been my childhood passion, when I joined a law course I was surprised to know that there were so many offshoots of the profession from being in fields like human rights, intellectual property rights, cyber law, international law etc. This fastest growing professions of India is the perfect choice for those looking for an exciting and ever evolving
career.
The trend
During my 14-year career, I was responsible for the incubation and launch of hyper-local media business, then led e-health and m-health business with Religare, Airtel. I made a lateral entry into entrepreneurship and founded Medimarcom - an integrated marketing and communication agency that helps healthcare providers reach out to patients, and also helping consumers make informed choice on their healthcare needs creating online platforms. I feel that my dream of being a king of my own domain has come
true.
Fact sheet
The combination of IT and Management is the most sought after career. With more and more IT projects outsourced, there is a dearth of people who can not only write good lines of code on ASP.NET MVC, PHP framework, but also know how to manage people in diverse geographical settings and time zones. Today, each IT Manager who has updated his resume on job portals is getting 3-4 calls from IT firms every day and the salaries in Q3 have gone up by 14 per
cent.
Fact sheet
Today, healthcare and wellness sector has comefull circle in our country. It is not only about the fact that you visit a doctor when you are sick, it involves the entire gamut of activities involved in the prevention of diseases and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Fact sheet
With the top names in India like Infosys, Wipro and ITC becoming increasingly conscious of corporate social responsibility and devoting a major share of their budgets on the same, it has also started a wave amongst the youth who go in for jobs in the non-profit organisations as it gives them an increased sense of self-satisfaction. Philanthropy and social entrepreneurship is no longer restricted to mere signing of a cheque or feeding street children. Both philanthropy and social entrepreneurship have transitioned to be strategic in their approach and encapsulate a lot of aspects such as impact assessment, community exchanges, collaborative giving approaches and impact investing to name a
few.
Come December and what really strikes us is how fast the year has flown...! This in turn brings on a wave of nostalgia and remembrance of the fun and memorable times we’ve had. It also brings to the front-and-centre some uncomfortable regrets about the things we’d pushed aside and procrastinated upon.
Know why?
Keep checking your list periodically to determine where you are.
Q. Could you please tell me something about the new master’s programme in education offered by IGNOU or Azim Premji University? I cannot afford very high fees. —
Apurva Singh
Q. I am very interested in health and nutrition. Could you please tell me about the career prospects in the field of nutrition particularly? —
Radhika Uppal
Q. I am into my second semester of MBA, I have zero enthusiasm and motivation to study and can’t seem to wait for the term to get over. The sheer quantum of the tasks is getting to me. No matter what I do (or don’t), can’t manage my time judiciously. In the process, I’m missing out on the present. I badly need help to snap out of this. —
Vivek Sood