ethical hacking
The white hats
The survival of organisations in this electronic era hinges on security systems. This has created the need for ethical hackers
Gauri Chhabra

Thinkstockphotos/Getty images

Have you ever gravitated towards viruses, or wondered how your friend could get hold of your password and smuggle into your mails or got interested in Distributed Denial of Service attacks? If yes, you might consider ethical hacking as a career option.

The term ethical hacking may sound like an oxymoron. How can hacking be ethical? Well, it means hacking or penetrating a system for legal purposes. Plainly put, ethical hacking is hacking for safety and security purposes. It is the process of penetrating the secure network to detect weaknesses in the system that can make it susceptible to loopholes and dangers and fixing the system so that no one else can take advantage of it. While the normal hackers discover the vulnerability and use it to take advantage of the users of the certain product without anybody knowing it, the ethical hacker discovers it and patches up the weak points before anybody else discovers them.

You need to be an expert in computer and networking to be an ethical hacker. You would be required to use the same testing tools as the hackers but would be required to report and solve problems instead of taking advantage of the loopholes. Ethical hacker has earned the sobriquet of a 'white hat' — a term that owes its genesis to the old English movies where the Good Samaritan wore a white hat. Today, organisations hinge on security systems and this has created the need for ethical hackers, who in order to catch a miscreant, think like a miscreant.

Getting in

What you need to do to get started on the road to becoming an ethical hacker depends on where you are in the IT field. You can take up a certification in Ethical Hacking after graduation /postgraduation in computer science and information technology. For a hacker, networking know-how is vital. Discover and play with Unix/Linux commands and distributions. Make sure you also learn some programming - maybe C, LISP, Perl, or Java. And spend some time with databases such as SQL. Besides, you need to have a Systems thinking approach, analytical reasoning, out-of-the-box thinking, and an attitude of going to the depth of every problem.

Certifications

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH):

It involves earning the certification from the EC-Council (http://www.eccouncil.org/) after two years of security-related IT experience. The certification will help you understand security from the mindset of a hacker. You'll learn the common types of exploits, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures.

The course of study covers creating Trojan horses, backdoors, viruses, and worms. It also covers denial of service (DoS) attacks, SQL injection, buffer overflow, session hijacking, and system hacking. You'll discover how to hijack Web servers and Web applications. You'll also find out how to scan and sniff networks, crack wireless encryption, and evade IDSs, firewalls, and honeypots.

Through approved EC-Council training partners, you can take a live, five-day onsite or online training course to prepare for the CEH cert. You can generally take live online classes over five consecutive days; onsite courses typically offer the content spread over a couple weeks for locals. In addition, you can take self-paced courses and work with self-study materials with or without the training courses. The EC-Council also offers iLabs, a subscription based-service that allows you to log on to virtualized remote machines to perform exercises.

Other certifications offered by EC-Council:

Licensed Penetration Tester - LPT
EC-Council Certified Security Analyst - ECSA
EC-Council Network Security Administrator - ENSA
EC-Council Certified Incident Handler - ECIH
Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator - CHFI
Chief Information Security Officer - CCISO
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)

Career pathways

IT companies

If you have a background of networking, you can get the job of network security administrators, network defence analysts, web security administrators, application security testers, security analysts, forensic analysts, penetration testers and security auditors. Database developers, software developers and web designers are some more options. You would be responsible for testing large systems, try to diagnose any loopholes in them which can make them crackable. Next, you would be responsible for ensuring that the system is secure. Secure programming, authorised hacking and network security surveillance are niche areas that you can major in.

You would be responsible for the design, execution, and oversight of a formal, enterprise-wide security and vulnerability identification and testing programmes. Besides, you would perform periodic and scheduled testing of the company's public and private networks and technologies for known and unknown vulnerabilities and coordinate security incident investigations. On the whole, you would be responsible for consultation with IT, compliance, audit, and other stakeholders to ensure security is addressed throughout the development lifecycle

Forensic departments

Forensic laboratories, defence organisations, detective companies, investigative services and law enforcement agencies offer roles that challenge the expertise of ethical hackers. Those with a taste for adventure and proficiency in cryptography and forensics can venture into this domain. You can escalate your career from a network security administrator or application security tester to enter the C - Suite and become the Chief Information Security Officer or Chief Application Security Officer.

Pay package

As a fresher, you can expect a pay package between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 6 lakh per annum. In case you go in for a higher job profile the package may be as high as Rs 30-40 lakh per annum. However, the job options are in metro cities Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Chennai. Salaries for information security professionals are at least 20 to 30 per cent higher than for most other positions at the same level in other fields of IT.

The road ahead

The road to ethical hacking as a career looks very silky. As a complement to the Information Technology sector, ethical hacking is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years. Today, leading IT giants like Wipro, Google, Accenture, IBM and Infosys are hiring ethical hackers in order to conduct audits and suggest fixes in case of any vulnerabilities that may result from improper system configuration, hardware or software flaws, or operational weaknesses.

So, gear up and brace yourself for the silky world of ethical hacking.

Job Responsibilities As an ethical hacker in an organisation you would be the one who: Conducts security and vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and ethical hacking of enterprise systems, networks, and applications to identify security weaknesses, compliance issues, and vulnerabilities. Coordinates and manages intrusion detection, intrusion prevention, event correlation, and security and event logging vendors and technologies. Monitors and tests wireless technologies for known and unknown vulnerabilities, rouge nodes, unauthorised access, and adherence to enterprise configuration standards. Researches threats and vulnerabilities and recommends actions to help mitigate threats, reduce risk, and remediate vulnerabilities. Documents, logs, and investigates security incidents. Performs case management throughout the incident lifecycle for complex security incidents. Manages the design, development, implementation, and review of security testing technology standards, processes, and operational workflows. Participates in the IT Risk Assessment process. Institute watch DOEACC, PG Diploma in IT (www.cedtic.com) Calicut PG Diploma in Information Security and System Administration Institute of Information Security, offering certifications in Certified Professional Forensic Consultant, Certified Information Security Consultant, Certified Professional Hacker (www.iisecurity.in) University of Madras, MSc in Cyber Forensics and Information Technology (www.unom.ac.in)

— The writer is a Ludhiana-based career consultant

Career Hotline
Is it mandatory to join an airhostess training academy?
Pervin Malhotra
email your queries to careers@tribunemail.com

Q. Although I’m from a small town in Punjab, I have studied in an English medium boarding school. Is it still necessary for me to join an airhostess training academy if I want to become an air hostess? — puneeta

A. Not really. You don’t necessarily need to enrol for an expensive course run by the private institutes that have mushroomed all across the country. Most premiere airlines put their cabin crew through a rigorous training programme to hone their skills.

The training is designed to familiarise you with aviation terminology, destinations to which the airline operates, refresher courses in geography, handling passengers, documentation, laws and regulations of travel. In-flight service training includes the safety briefing, how to serve customers in different classes, how to greet customers as they board and disembark, etc. Passenger and aircraft security is of paramount importance. Flight safety classes are conducted using simulated or mock evacuation drills. Since the airhostess epitomises the warm and welcoming face of the airline, personal grooming and voice training form an important part of the training.

No one is saying that it’s easy. But if you have the grit and determination you can surely get your wings for this high flying job.

So while it is by no means mandatory, join a training academy if you feel you are lacking in ‘polish’, confidence or communication skills. Also helps if you are open to other ground jobs or working at the front desk of a hotel, spa etc

Some budget airlines also tap into the products of these schools. But at the end of the day, it’s you who has to make the cut.

Should we support son’s idea?

Q. Our son is very keen to go to Australia for pursuing a PG course in hotel management. However, as parents we are a little unsure. What should we be keeping in mind before letting him apply to institutions there? 
— vinita bakshi

A. Australia has again started to pick up as a study destination, as the visa norms permit students who have studied in the country for two years to work there for two years. Australia also offers the highest minimum wages — as high as $80/hr — which is an attractive proposition.

The new guidelines of Australia under the post-study work stream offers extended options for working in Australia to eligible graduates who possess a higher education degree.

Under this stream, successful applicants are granted a visa of 2, 3 or 4 years, depending on the highest educational qualification they have obtained.

Although Australia is a popular destination among students, there have been concerns about racial discrimination and attacks against Indians in the past. So students and parents must double-check on the safety aspects. However, the Australian government has taken steps to curb such instances and, hence, the enrolments are up.

Dealing with failure

Q. I’m a BA first year student. I have lost all confidence after failing twice. Please suggest a stream in which I can pass easily. Also please tell me which field I should plan my career in? — satbir singh

A. There are no absolute “easy” or “difficult” courses it’s all related to our individual strengths and interests. The same person who excels in humanities may struggle with maths and statistics, while a science student may find accounts to be a conundrum.

It would help to analyse the reasons for your failure — is it due to insufficient effort, low motivation levels, lack of familiarity with the subjects/ field of study?. If it’s on account of lack of effort or motivation, then the remedy lies entirely in your hands.

While you may not particularly enjoy studying (and not everyone does), think of it as a necessary ‘must-do’ to help you move ahead in life. “Picturing” the rewards that completing your BA course, can often act as a strong motivator. You haven’t mentioned your stream in Plus II or your scores in the Class XII boards, so it’s hard to suggest what other areas of study may be of interest to you.

Also, please don’t let minor setbacks such as this, dent your self-image or confidence. Many of those who do rather poorly in studies often go on to do quite well later in life. This may also be due to the fact that many of us are good at “practical” tasks and find ourselves more motivated and focussed on doing them. Perhaps looking at courses in practical areas may be helpful — hotel management, journalism or mass communication, office management, travel & tourism, art and design etc. Some universities also offer a BA in Vocational Studies.

Parting advice: Don’t let what you can’t do, come in the way of what you can do.

And in case that these courses are not possible to do or enter at the graduation level, then do remember that these areas of work are open even after completing your graduation in any other stream. You can also look at diploma courses in these areas while pursuing your graduation in distance or correspondence mode.

Cool Counsel
Never lose grip on commitment
D. C. Sharma

Many innovators and aspiring achievers wonder what made the American Supreme Court decide that Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone while many had worked prior to him and had the patents too. The court found out that Bell was the one who not only added something more but made it click also. The addition was comparatively very small and simple but that alone made the invention work. The latter had the commitment to succeed which superseded the comfort that kept even his immediate rival Phillip Reis far behind. Reis failed to transmit speech telegraphically, but Bell did that. The court declared: “The difference between the two is the just the difference between failure and success. If Reis had persisted he might have found out the way to succeed, but he stopped and failed. Bell took up his work and carried it to a successful result.” We can see this happening all around us if we pay attention to the success stories of our times. The tragedy with most of the employees who have sufficient potential bubbling inside them but fail to do well and lose out to those less cpable than them, is that though they know what they really want to achieve, they just don’t press ahead to pursue it. They are too attached to comfort. Studies have shown that if one truly wants to grow and achieve one’s goals and dreams, then one must get to a point where commitment supersedes comfort. Here are some tips that will help one keep the fire to succeed burning bright:

z Have a keen and intense desire to achieve your objective with commitment. Intense desire is the most powerful vibratory force in the universe. Napoleon Hill, the celebrated author of Think and Grow Rich writes: “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep it constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.” As you put down on paper the ways to accomplish your job in hand your intense desire will make the workable ideas pop up in your mind to accomplish those things in innovative and interesting ways. Remember it was the keen and intense desire that made Alexander Graham Bell succeed when he was inventing the telephone.

It is well said that failing to plan means planning to fail. To stay committed to your goal you must keep a blueprint of your goals handy.

Goals are best achieved with commitment when deadlines are tied to them. Management guru Diana Scharf Hunt has well advised that “goals are actually dreams with deadlines”.

Another important point is flexibility of approach. Once planned is not always planned. This simply means that our ways and means to achieve must be reviewed time and again — at least weekly if not daily — as only then will deadlines be possibly and effectively achieved. Like a mason or a carpenter changing one’s designs with innovative skills, you too can improve upon what you had earlier planned in your mind.

Your achievement in any field depends upon whether you are committed to proceed in the right direction all the time or not. It is here that you need to have sincere lieutenants. They are your army that equips you with perfect weapons, tools and requisite knowledge. They are good guides and assistants who keep you moving in the right direction. They are the ones who can dare to pinpoint your flaws fearlessly yet constructively. So make an extra effort to build your network and have wise, sincere and trusted people around you rather than selfish psycophants.

Any worthwhile achievement is not possible unless and until you are willing to make sacrifices for achieving it. It is when you trod the rocky path to realise your dream that you really stay committed.

— The writer is a Kangra based psychologist and career expert

field in focus: sales & marketing courses
Boost your market value
If you have good communication skills and the ability to convince clients that you are offering them the best deal in the market, sales and marketing is the right field for you. A wide choice of courses can help you script a perfect success story
Usha Albuquerque

Can you sell a comb to a bald man, or persuade your friend to see a film that he dislikes? Are you super-confident, very articulate and love meeting new people? In other words do you have persuasive skills and winning ways that can make a simple detergent or face cream a simply-must-buy product? The most attractive dress and the fanciest phone is valueless until a customer knows about it and understands its use. Sales and marketing does just that. By assessing people's needs and then fulfilling them, it brings products and consumers together. So whether it is the latest designer dress or software, tasty snacks or microwaves, housing loans or holiday plans, effective sales and marketing is vital to the success of any commercial venture.

Every organisation irrespective of the product or service it offers needs a sales and marketing division. The main function of the sales and marketing department is to find out what customers want or can be persuaded to want, and at what price. While marketing requires the study of consumer needs, and includes market research, consumer behaviour pattern, advertising and devising strategies to enhance product sales, the sales department puts marketing strategy into action. The main responsibility here is finding and dealing with customers for a particular product or service. In most companies, this means contacting and selling to distributors and/or retailers.

Sales and marketing is a practical, on the-ball function. You can specialise in consumer goods sales, technical or industrial sales or export sales. If you choose consumer goods sales, particularly FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sales you will deal mainly with retailers, distributors and wholesale dealers of the company's products. Some companies like pharmaceutical companies that require selling to GPs, hospitals and medical staff, may insist on a science or medical degree. Industrial sales and IT company sales involve a lot of interaction with technical people, and may require a technical/ IT background. Sales work can also be in merchandising, which primarily means helping retailers to maximise sales through promotion campaigns, displays or through other new techniques, while media sales - selling advertising space in magazines to clients - is usually telephone sales. Another area is that of export sales which requires you to know the export and import procedures of different countries.

Moreover, the concepts of tele-marketing, networking, on-line sales, customer care, space selling, and brand management have ushered in a new revolution in the area of sales and marketing, promising a great future for those aspiring to work in this field. With the rising popularity of social media platforms, social media sales and marketing is another new and fast growing option, ideal for those adept with digital technology and good inter-active skills.

Getting In

More than any formal qualification, to be successful in sales you need the ability to sell - termed as 'the ability to sell ice to an Eskimo!' With such an intrinsic skill, a graduate can join as a trainee sales representative in a small or medium enterprise. Of course today, most organisations also expect you to have some marketing training or experience. Moreover, a pleasing personality, excellent communication skills, and good leadership qualities, go a long way in having a successful career in this field. While most organisations prefer to take on commerce or economics graduates or those with a degree in business management at bachelor or master's level, the requirement could vary, depending upon the nature of the organisation's products and services. Companies dealing in engineering or pharmaceutical products may prefer to recruit engineers, or pharmacy graduates. Some large corporate houses have their own in-house training facilities for their marketing personnel because a thorough knowledge about the product is crucial for identifying the customer and planning marketing strategies.

Sales is often a good entry point into a future position in marketing; while marketing jobs can lead to a career in general management. There are specialised courses, offered in the field of sales and marketing that can help hone your 'selling' skills. Short certificate courses in Sales Management, Customer Service Management are offered at many business schools and institutes, while internships or on-the-job training opportunities can give the individual a real and practical experience of life in the sales and marketing function. Some B-schools have also designed executive post graduate programmes in sales and marketing management for working professionals. Eligibility for post-graduate management courses is graduation in any discipline. Some institutes may have cut-off percentages.

Some good Sales courses are: Indian Institute of Technology ( IIT), Delhi The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, (www.iitb.ac.in) has announced a six-week certification course in sales and marketing for graduates, postgraduates and corporates. This certificate programme is a year-long training course as part of the Continuing Education programme of IIT, Bombay, and will be held at New Delhi. Classes are proposed to be held every alternate weekend on Saturdays and Sundays. The post graduate certificate in sales and marketing management will cover in depth, aspects of sales management, like the role of communication, technology and distribution channels; forms of personnel selling, advertising and promotion, and international business and e-marketing, among others. Graduates in any discipline, with a minimum of 50 per cent marks will be eligible to apply for the programme. Students pursuing graduation may also apply. Aspirants will have to appear for an entrance test followed by an interview. Institute of Management Technology Institute Of Management Technology, Ghaziabad www.imt.edu offers a one-year Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Sales and Marketing suitable for sales and marketing professionals at the early stage of their career, or professionals looking to move into the field of sales and marketing. It is also open to fresh graduates of any discipline from a recognised university. Classes are held once a week, so you can take it up alongside further studies or work experience. Welingkar Institute of Management development Welingkar Institute of Management development (www.welingkar.org) offers diploma and certificate courses in specific areas of management such as sales and management, for candidates who want to understand the marketing management fundamentals and purse their career in marketing and sales management. The programme, conducted by experts from the industry and academia, has been designed taking into consideration the needs of both working professionals as well as freshers, with evening and weekend classes. NIIT NIIT www.niiteducation.com offers several programmes, including a Diploma in Marketing Management (DMkM) and in digital marketing open to all final year undergraduates and graduates.  NIS Sparta NIS Sparta www.nissparta.com offers customised training programmes in the area of Sales Maximisation, Customer Management, Personal Effectiveness and Leadership & Management. The programmes are available through various modes of delivery, including classroom teaching as well as e-learning platforms such as internet, video conferencing and computers, among others. International Academy for Certification and Training International Academy for Certification and Training (www.iact.ac.in) offers an online sales training certification course which includes training in effective planning and information gathering, communicating with customers, positioning your product, sales techniques and so on. The online training is delivered through the Internet using an interactive voice-based programme. Each programme is divided into modules and each module has a quiz and assignment at the end of it. Candidates can clarify all their doubts by writing to the domain experts who in turn respond to every query within 24 hours. You can also take up this programme at the IACT study centres supported by training coordinators who are available for guidance and training support. These and many other courses are worth pursuing if you are looking for a career in sales. While it is best to try for some work experience, when it comes to applications and interviews, any direct sales experience, retail work or even collecting for charity can be useful to show you have experience of talking to customers. Employers will want you to give examples of a time when you persuaded someone to do something. They'll also be looking at how you present yourself and how you communicate. So if you think you have good communication skills and the ability to convince clients that you are offering them the best deal in the market, this career is just for you. XLRI The Postgraduate Certificate in Sales and Marketing Management of 12 months duration offered by XLRI, Jamshedpur (www.xlri.ac.in) has been specially designed for the fast changing marketing environment which demands that professionals learn new skills, improve their efficiency, learn to compete and think out of the box. To be eligible for this programme you need to be a graduate from a recognised university with a minimum of two years of work experience after completing graduation. Admission is on the basis of your performance in a personal interview. The classes conducted through the virtual classroom include project work, assignments, case methods and group work as well as five days of intensive learning at XLRI campus. The on-line sessions delivered on the virtual classroom platform incorporate live broadcast video, two way audio and data interactivity to enable the students to watch and interact with the faculty live in their virtual classroom. The All India Management Association (AIMA) The All India Management Association (AIMA) has launched a Sales and Marketing Management programme for junior and middle level executives to help the industry meet the ever increasing demand of quality manpower through industry/skill oriented academic programmes. The one year Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Sales and Marketing Management suitable for both working executives and fresh graduates is offered in flexi learning mode with substantial classroom teaching and hands on experience in industry.  Indian Institute of Foreign Trade The Post Graduate Certificate Programme in International Marketing offered by the Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade (www.iift.edu) provides in-depth knowledge of the contemporary international markets and innovative concepts, techniques and approaches to develop sales and marketing competencies. This programme is suitable for graduates or post-graduates from any field looking to get into the export/import business, as well as for professionals and entrepreneurs involved in the export/ import business, and those wanting to expand into international markets.

— The writer is Director, Careers Smart Pvt Ltd.

smart strategy: developing customer centric approach
Focus on clients to stay ahead
Understanding of the dynamics of customer relations is one of the key skills that your manager will be looking for. Here’s how you can build on this
Jappreet Sethi

The modern business world is less about coming up with a better quality product and more about staying in the good books of your customers and clients. This is also the reason why managers want their team members to be more consistent with their customer communications. From initiating a new launch to the end marketing strategy revolves around the customer preferences, demands and expectations. According to Marketing Metrics, the probability that an existing customer will be a regular buyer is around 60-70 per cent but the probability of earning a new customer is as low as 5-15 per cent. Satisfied customers will spread the positive brand image of a company to an average of 4-6 acquaintances. However, a dissatisfied one will make sure that at least 9-15 non-customers know about the trouble they have been through. It is easy to keep a customer happy but it is easier to lose one.

What indicates a customer centric work ethic?

Professionalism in work

If a product/service doesn’t meet the perspective of the target user, there is little chance that it will survive in this competitive market. Modern customers are highly knowledgeable and know all the options they have when it comes to their necessities or luxuries. If you are not taking good care of them, someone else will and they will not hesitate switching. On the other hand, if an organisation is highly customer centric, the end users might stick to it even in hard times. Networking becoming stronger between end users and the internet serving as an ultimate medium for research, customers have the upper hand in every step of the business process.

Timeliness

This is a busy world and customers would appreciate if they could be given top priority. A strategic customer service procedure will help in timely delivery of products and services and even redressal.

Problem solving skills

Modern managers want their executives to focus hard on customer policies. Every time a customer reports an issue or asks for help, the reply must be prompt and to the satisfaction of the end user. This also requires understanding the likes and preference of the end user. As it is, you cannot sell woolen clothes in Kenya or enough sundresses in a conservative society like Islamic nations. Communicate to the customer what the company or brand is all about and what good does it stand for. If the targeted demographic is facing some acute problem with your product, make sure you address it the instant. The problems can range from not able to read the manual to technical damages.

Devotion to the product/service you sell

As the customer service executive representing a company/brand, you are the best person to know the good and bad about your products. Customers understand that every product isn’t suited for every demand and that they have the options to choose between varieties of them. However, knowledge about products showcases the devotion of the executives and that you aren’t just trained to lie. Do your research and be prepared for any kind of question.

Efficiency and high work quality

That’s prime to any business process. An efficient customer service setup will make sure that the customers return satisfied and come back with family members, friends and acquaintances.

Comfortable talking to customers about the services

Once a problem surfaces, the manager and the team would need to sit together and chalk out a redressal strategy that will save the sales as well as credibility of the organisation/brand. While networking allows customers to get a more transparent view of products/service, it also allows companies to interact on a more personal level with the end user. The same platform can be used to make the customer feel more special. Try to make customers a part of the organisation, seek inputs in case you are looking to come up with a new product or resolve issues in existing ones.

Being customer focused is prerequisite for every modern business

Customer centric organisations guarantee a better experience and there is little reason that it becomes the core competitiveness of the brand. As the manager of a company, it is his role to create a team that is focused to winning accolades. If you have been asked to be customer centric, it is for the good.

Benefits of being customer centric Profitability, brand awareness and credibility Deeper knowledge of demographics and better strategy formulation to grow business Quick response to customer demands Efficient, collaborative and busier workplace with everyone trying to hit the same chord Better downturn protection

— The writer is a Human Resources and business strategy professional and a consultant for start-up ventures in South Asia.

cubicle trends
Reach office early to get that promotion

Have you received a less favourable appraisal from your boss this year? It is likely that the reason is that you were coming to office late. A study has found bosses to be favouring employees who, even though on flexible timings, arrived early. Researchers decided to see if workers were, as it has been claimed, being penalised for working flexi-hours. “Perhaps, we hypothesised, it matters in which direction an employee shifts hours,” said lead researchers Christopher Barnes from the University of Washington.

Although flexi-time has been introduced in several firms, the question was if the bosses practically favoured this approach. Google allows many employees to set their own hours, while at Microsoft, many employees can choose when to start their day between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The team found that people do make a greater natural implicit association between morning and conscientiousness.

“The field study we conducted tested the hypothesis that supervisor ratings of conscientiousness and performance would be associated with the timing of an employee’s work day,” Barnes was quoted as saying in media reports.

Across 149 employee-supervisor relationships, employees who started work earlier in the day were rated by their supervisors as more conscientious, and thus received higher performance ratings. “Team leaders must come to accept that the people who use flexi-time to start their day late are not necessarily lazier than their early-bird colleagues,” the researchers noted.

Researchers surveyed 149 pairs of employees and managers about when each arrived at work and how the manager rated the employee’s conscientiousness and performance. People who started later were rated worse, particularly when their managers were early risers. There was no evidence that people who went home early were seen as less productive.

In a second experiment, students took the role of a manager in a fictional scenario to rate staff performance, The Times reported.

They were told that the employees’ performances were identical but their start times varied. Late start times led to lower ratings, even though productivity and total hours were the same. The study is to be published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

— Agencies

Men also seek flexi work hours

As opposed to the popular belief that women, especially working mothers, prefer workplace with flexible work hours, a study has revealed that men too are increasingly opting for such options. According to a survey by job portal TimesJobs.com, over 62 per cent of the men stated that flexibility is indeed an important factor for them in a job. About 45 per cent of organisations said that men are largely using this option for child/family care, while 31 per cent use it to study/upskill themselves.

Over 80 per cent women use the flexi option for child care and a mere 20 per cent use it to train/ upskill themselves. “Changing socio-cultural dynamics and increasing trend of nuclear families is seen as the primary reason behind the growing usage of flexibility option by men, said nearly 66 per cent of the organisations,” the report said. Among the various flexibility programmes being offered by organisations, part-time schedules and flexi-time are the most widely offered work arrangements across sectors. Close to 40 per cent organisations offer these programmes to its employees. A combination of programmes tailored to fit employee’s needs is offered by 16 per cent of the organisations.

Experts believe being flexible creates an environment where employers and employees can look at work and personal needs in a balanced approach, which is mutually beneficial and close to 60 per cent of the organisations are likely to implement more flexibility options in the near future. — PTI

salary scale
Analytics professionals make big bucks

Analytics professionals in India obtain a 250 per cent hike in their salaries from entry level analysts to manager; the average entry level salaries have increased by 27 per cent since 2013, from Rs 5.2 lakh to Rs 6.6 lakh per annum, according to the Annual Analytics Salary Report — 2014, shared by Jigsaw Academy — The Online School of Analytics.

The report states that cities like Bangalore and Delhi/NCR continue to be the hubs for analytics companies in India. Mumbai continues to offer the highest salaries because of its high cost of living, Bangalore and Delhi/ NCR are the hubs for analytics jobs. They have the highest number of analytics companies and analytics jobs with salaries in the range of Rs 11 lakh. Analytics salaries in Hyderabad and Pune are 20 per cent lower in comparison to those in larger metro cities. The average analytics salary in India is Rs 11.1 lakh.

In addition, the type of company worked for, the city lived in and the analytic tools worked on, can impact remuneration considerably. Compensation at captive centers, which deal with locked-in clients for longer time periods, is higher for analysts. Niche service providers who move analysts across multiple industries and clients offer lower salaries, but give the analyst a richer resume opportunity

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Gaurav Vohra, CEO, Jigsaw Academy, said, “The Data Analytics and Big Data buzz has far from died down and the demand for trained analytics and big data professionals is increasing at a tremendous rate. Though many say Big Data is just hype, the reality is that companies are investing big time in Big Data initiatives and are willing to pay big bucks for the right talent. In India, Big Data is just about picking up. Companies especially in the finance, retail and e-commerce sectors are relying more heavily on big data to make decisions that impact their sales, operations and workforce. There is such a dearth of Big Data talent that these companies are willing to pay high salaries for the right skill set”.

The year 2013 saw a significant rise in Data Analytics and Big Data initiatives across all sectors in India. Finance, telecom, ecommerce and retail sectors showed higher investments in data related tools and technologies. Industries like healthcare, auto and manufacturing also increased their data related spend and Hiring picked up considerably.

The data analytics industry in India is all fired up. As the year progresses, the country will continue to see a lot more data analytics start ups raise huge sums of money, big corporates will consolidate their data operations and multinationals will set up more data centers in India. The analytics job market will be more potent than it ever was. — TNS

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Accept a challenge

Many of us have hidden talents and it is only sustained effort and hardwork that make us achieve our full potential . The fear of failure and unwillingness to put in a sustained effort are the biggest roadblocks in realising our true potential and become successful.

Ten-year-old Salim shot a house sparrow. But when he looked at it closely, it had a yellow patch on its throat. He took it to his uncle Amiruddin Tyabji who was a noted game hunter. As his uncle couldn’t identify the bird, Salim took it to WS Millard, honorary secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society. Millard opened drawer after drawer to compare it with the numerous birds preserved there. Finally, a match was found — the latest victim was a yellow-throated sparrow.

“I didn’t know there were so many kinds of birds,” the boy exclaimed. “I wish to learn about them all.” From that moment till Birdman of India Salim Ali’s death at the age of 91 in 1987, there was “hardly a place in India where his rubber shoes did not leave a mark”. To pursue his passion for flying machines, 10-year-old Abdul left the security of his home as there was no high school on Rameswaram island. He studied BSc as there was no one to guide him into engineering. He became an aeronautical engineer, but was rejected by the Indian Air Force for a pilot’s job.

Abdul remained close to flying machines in the defence aeronautical establishment and was selected by the National Committee for Space Research for its pool of engineers. Hardwork resulted in him leading the Satellite Launch Vehicle project. Later, he was given the task of developing indigenous missile capabilities. He was the first scientist to become President of India — APJ Abdul Kalam.

A British company was drilling for oil near Rawalpindi but was forced to stop operations. The mud that was drilled out combined with salty water and turned into a hard, rocky mass. The problem was referred to scientist Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, whose contributions to emulsions and colloids were well known. He studied the problem at the Punjab University, Lahore, and advised the company to add an Indian gum to the mud. For solving the problem so cheaply and quickly, the company rewarded him Rs 1.5 lakh. But he declined and told the company to give it to the university to start a new department on petroleum research.

On finding that wife Naganika was well versed in Sanskrit, King Shalivahana of Pratishthana decided to learn it too. Experts said that it usually took 12 years, but a hardworking student could complete it in six. Scholar Sarva Varma said he could teach the King in six months. Working hard day and night, the King addressed the court in flawless Sanskrit six months later! In winners’ dictionary, the word impossible doesn’t exist.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com

course cruising
Online exam for design courses

LISAA School of Design will be conducting an online entrance examination for selecting candidates for its undergraduate courses in textile design, interior design, product design, graphic design and web design for the current academic session. The institute is recognised by the ministry of Culture and Communication in France and UGC in India and has branches in France at Paris, Rennes, Nantes, Strasbourg and in India in Gurgaon.

Eligibility: Any student who has passed or appearing in India in the senior Secondary School Examination, Plus II model from any stream is eligible for courses. Student should be highly motivated with an interest in arts and design.

How to apply: For admission student has to apply online and appear in examination.

Details of Exam: Eligible students can contact admissions team of the institute at +91-8130445446 or +91-9818882303 to receive an online exam on their mail. The candidates need to contact Lisaa School of Design to get a password to open the exam file.

Students can take the test and mail the answer sheet to exam department at Lisaa School of Design.

Deadline: June 15, 2014

Check Out: www.lisaadelhincr.com

Mass communication

IMCS Media School, New Delhi, affiliated to Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication invites applications for Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication; PGD in Journalism and Mass Communication; and Bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communication courses for 2014 academic session.

Eligibility: Graduation in any stream for the master’s and PG diploma courses and Plus II for the bachelor’s course. The candidates should clear the entrance examination and interviews

How to apply: Prospectus and form can be obtained from the institute or from the website on payment of ~ 250 or by sending a DD in favour of IMCS payable at New Delhi

Deadline: June 30, 2014

Check out: www.imcsindia.com

Diploma in mass communication

Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication invites applications for PG Diploma in Television & Radio Journalism/Production, Digital Media & Online Journalism, Advertising & Marketing Communication, and Corporate Communication & Event Management programmes for the academic year 2014-2015. All the students will be supported by the Institute for 6-8 weeks internship with reputed media houses/advertising agencies/pr agencies or allied organisations.

Duration: One year

Eligibility: Graduate. Those awaiting final year results can apply.

Date of Entrance Exam/Interview: June 24, (New Delhi)

How to apply: AIMC Prospectus & Application Form can be downloaded from the link: http://www.apeejay.edu/aimc/admissions or can be obtained from the Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication, Dwarka, New Delhi-77. Prospectus can also be obtained from the campus on payment of Rs 800 in cash or by post by sending DD for Rs 850 in favour of "Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication", payable at New Delhi.

Admission through entrance test: Candidates are required to appear for the entrance test conducted at the institute campus. The test comprises of objective and subjective questions: 1) General Awareness, General Knowledge & Current Affairs; 2) Question related to the field of chosen programme.

Direct admission: Students with 60% and above marks in graduation, those pursuing final year but have 60% & above marks in their first two years are exempt from the written test and are eligible for direct admission. However, they have to appear before the interview panel.

Check out: http://apeejay.edu

Law

APG Shimla University, an integrated campus approved By AICTE, invites applications for law courses for the current academic session. Students can apply for five year integrated course ot three year LLB or two year LLM courses.

Eligibility: interested candidates should have completed their Class XII in any stream with a minimum 50 per cent overall aggregate. For LLM, graduates with 50 per cent can apply.

How to apply: Admission can be obtained by filing application form of APG Shimla University by paying Rs 1100. The application form can be downloaded from www.apg.edu.in. Application form can be downloaded from university website or can be obtained from corporate office at New Delhi or Campus at Shimla.

Deadline: June 30, 2014.

Checkout: www.apg.edu.in

Hotel management

Delhi Paramedical & Management Institute (DPMI) invites application for its three-year Bachelor in Hotel Management Catering Technology & Tourism course.

Eligibility: CLass XII in any stream from recognised board.

How to apply: Application forms are available till July 21, 2014. Candidates can visit corporate center at Delhi or can register at www.dpmiindia.com.

Check out: www.dpmiindia.com

Management courses

Asia- Pacific Institute of Management invites applications for PGDM courses in marketing, banking and financial services, international business for 2014 session.

Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: A candidate needs to apply through MAT/CAT/XAT/CMAT.

Graduates with aggregate 50 per cent marks and those students pursuing final year of graduation also can also apply.

Those who have not appeared in CAT/MAT/XAT/CMAT or not having the qualifying criteria can take admissions under Management Quota/Company Sponsored Category.

How to apply: The Information Brochure and Application Form may be obtained from: Admission office of Asia-Pacific Institute of Management, by paying ~ 1200 in cash. You can also send a Demand Draft of ~1250 in favour of “Asia-Pacific Institute of Management” payable at New Delhi.

Deadline: June 30, 2014

Check out: www.asiapacific.edu

course chat
Entrepreneurship course

The Entrepreneurship School, (TES), Gurgaon, has introduced a new bachelor’s programme — BCom+BBA — from the current session. This new course combines management studies with commerce and entrepreneurship studies, and is aimed at encouraging the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship education in India.

The three-year full time course is meant for students wanting to specialise in fields like Venture Development, New Business Analysis, Business Consultancy, Enterprise Architecture, and is specifically targeted at those who wish to develop their capacity to own and operate a business.

The newly launched Bachelor’s course has six semesters and the final year students will get to complete the last two semesters at Management Development Institute Singapore (MDIS).

TES is currently supporting eight start-ups ranging from IT, commerce, telecom, fashion, travel, healthcare, water to education.

For more information about the admission process check out: www.entrepreneurship.edu.in

Specialised bioscience eLEARN course

Jamia Hamdard University and BD Biosciences, a segment of global medical technology company BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) have announced FACSTM e-LEARN — a joint online learning programme in cell research and diagnostic for young scientists and researchers.

Giving details of the course Dr G.N Qazi, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard University said, “Academic programmes named as FACSTM eLEARN initiative will be a blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on exposure to the wonderful technique of flow cytometry which has found increasing new applications in the fields of science and medicine.”

These programmes are designed for professionals who are already in a job or a regular academic programme. The web module and e-mail support programme will be followed by a hands-on experience on flow cytometry instruments and applications. The web-based learning course will start from July 15, 2014 and a five-day contact programme inclusive of evaluation and examination will be held between November 17 - December 19, 2014. Online application forms can be obtained from June 2 and completed application forms can be deposited till the last week of June.

scholarship roundup
Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships

Applications are invited for Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship for Indian students. Up to 50 Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships are available for pursuing MBA programme at Stanford University.

Eligibility: The Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship Programme provides future Indian leaders with the educational foundation to effect positive change in India. Fellows return to India to lead organisations that are at the forefront of growth and development in the rapidly emerging Indian economy.

Duration: Two years

Details: Fellows will receive financial support for the cost of tuition and associated fees for each year of the two-year Stanford MBA Program (approximately $145,000 total).

Selection criteria: Up to 50 Reliance Dhirubhai Fellows finalists will be selected based on:

Merit
Commitment to developing India
Financial need

How to apply: Online.

Deadline: June 13, 2014.

Check out: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/financial-aid/types/fellowships/ stanford-reliance-dhirubhai-fellowship

Engineering scholarships for women

In order to boost the number of women students in advanced engineering education, the Faculty of Engineering at the UK-based University of Sheffield has introduced its ‘Chung-Liversidge 2014 Scholarships’. This is a Postgraduate Taught Scholarship Scheme for female rising stars of engineering. The scholarships, which will fully fund the tuition fees for a one-year Masters programme, are aimed at female postgraduate taught students commencing their studies in September 2014. The Chung-Liversidge Scholarship has been named after Sir Sze-Yuen Chung, an alumnus of the University of Sheffield from 1948 - 1951 and Pam Liversidge, a Chartered Mechanical Engineer who was the first woman President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1997-98. The scholarship is funded from the generous donation of Sir Sze-Yuen Chung who, after studying at the university, went on to become a distinguished businessman, politician and educator in Hong Kong.

Subject: The scholarships will be provided for a number of courses in the departments of Automatic Control & Systems Engineering, Chemical & Biological Engineering, Civil & Structural Engineering, Computer Science, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Eligibility: The scholarships will be awarded to female candidates on the basis of their academic merit and personal statement, so long as they are otherwise self-funded and they are classed as ‘overseas’ for tuition fee purposes.

Details: The scholarships, which will take the form of a tuition fee reduction, can be awarded to the candidates in addition to other University of Sheffield International Scholarships, as long as their funding does not exceed their payable tuition fees.

Deadline: June 27, 2014

Check out: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/faculty/engineering/students/scholarships.

J K Business School

J K Business School, Gurgaon, is offering scholarships for its two-year full time PGDM programme for 2014-16 academic session. A scholarship of up to 100 per cent tuition fee will be offered to students securing 75 per cent and above in Class X,XI,XII and graduation followed by written test and interview. Apart from this students from J&K and North eastern states, wards of defence and paramilitary forces and Haryana Police personnel will be eligible for a waiver of ~1.5 lakh in the fee.

Selection: Selection is based on Graduation, MAT/ CMAT/ CAT/ any other national management entrance exam score, Group Discussion, Personal Interview, Past Academic Record, Extra- curricular activities and Work Experience.

How to apply: Application form can be purchased from the campus by paying ~1000 in cash or downloaded and sent along with a DD amounting to ~1050 Drawn in favour of "JKBS Fee Collection Account" payable at Gurgaon / Delhi

Deadline: May 31, 2014

Check out: www.jkbschool.org

news board
CEO Hunt

Online shopping community DesiDime.com has launched the campaign “Desidime.com Next CEO hunt” — an opportunity for young college students to experience the first taste of entrepreneurship by working as the CEO of Desidime.com for a period of 15 days starting June 16, 2014. The campaign is powered by Twenty19-India’s largest student opportunity portal. The selected candidates will be working along with the CEO of Desidime.com and will be involved in day- to-day decision making process. The remaining 15 days of the tenure he/she would be working in the capacity of Management trainee in Marketing Department. The opportunity is for a period of one month at the end of which the candidate will receive a stipend of Rs 7000 along with a recommendation letter and a work experience certificate.

The opportunity is based out of Desidime.com Mumbai office. In case the selected candidate is based out of Mumbai, his/her travelling expenses will be taken care by Desidime.com. The last date to apply for this opportunity is June 12, 2014.

For more details please visit http://www.twenty19.com/internships/company/desidime-com/ desidime-com-next-ceo-hunt

QS Asian university rankings

After breaking into the top 100 in BRICS Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Ranking last year, Manipal University, has found a place in the QS Asian University Rankings 2014 released last week. As many as 17 Indian institutions find a place in the 300 Asian Universities QS rankings. While most of these are the IITs, Manipal University, at 181, leads among the private Indian universities in the ranking.