CAREER HOTLINE Q. I have always dreamt of setting up my own manufacturing unit but I am not sure whether I am cut out to be an entrepreneur. I have just completed my BE (Mech) but as the youngest in a family of professionals, I have led a somewhat protected life so far. With no business blood in my veins, will I succeed? — Rahul Dwivedi A. To answer your last question first, one doesn’t necessarily need a family background in business to strike out on one’s own. However, parental behaviour towards children does play a significant role in making or marring entrepreneurial talent. Sometimes an overprotected environment can make children highly dependent, cautious and risk-averse. Undoubtedly, entrepreneurship is the bedrock of industrialisation. More so, in a country like ours where unemployment is so rampant, that too on such a staggering scale! But, you are absolutely right. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur. Willingness to take risks, being proactive, a high degree of perseverance — even in the face of repeated hurdles, a sense of perspective and an over-arching vision are some of the essential qualities you need to strike out on your own. I have also found successful entrepreneurs to be highly creative, and innovative and ready to roll-up their sleeves and plunge wholeheartedly into the task at hand, without bothering about protocol. Even if you think you possess most of these qualities, it would be wise to gain some practical work experience in a related industry before you decide to establish your own unit. Sound business sense, planning and marketing-savvy and good people skills are as important as technical know-how and financial backup. In short, you need the following:
Joint force Q. Could you tell me something about the recent move to unify the paramilitary services? What does it entail? — Harbinder Singh A. The Cabinet Committee on Security and the Union Home Ministry have brought the BSF, CRPF, ITBP and CISF under a unified command over the next five years. While retaining their individuality, the four forces now function more homogeneously to combat insurgency and border security. This move also helps upgrade and share their operations, weaponry, training and intelligence to improve the country’s internal security management. A total of 209 new battalions are being raised for the four forces and sophisticated Global Imaging System (GIS) for co-ordinating counter-terrorism operations and keeping vigil in border areas are being introduced. A Joint Entrance Exam is conducted by the UPSC for the Central Police Forces and the Services Selection Board (SSB) for recruitment of Asstt Commandants in the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and Special Services Bureau (on the lines of NDA exam) to ensure uniformity in the selection process. Except for the CISF and CRPF, which recruit graduates of either sex, the rest only recruit males as ACs. Selection interviews are subsequently conducted by the respective paramilitary forces. (Details: www.upsc.gov.in) Tradesmen in Technical Trades, Ground Duty Staff and Medical Corps staff are recruited directly by the respective battalions. Pursuing Pol Sc Q. I have a degree in political science with 51 per cent marks. Is there any university like the JNU, which admits students for PG through entrance exam? What are the job prospects? — Gurmeet Kaur A. Over 90 universities offer MA (Pol Sc) in India. Admission to many of them is through an entrance exam. For a complete listing, please refer to Universities Handbook of India (Association of Indian University publication). With a PG degree in Political Science, you could either opt for teaching Political Science or International Relations at the college or university level after qualifying the National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the UGC for central/state universities, or the State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) for state universities. The Civil Services in general, and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in particular, is another popular option for students of Political Science. The General Studies paper requires considerable knowledge of the Indian polity and current affairs. If you have a flair for writing, you can also become a political analyst for a newspaper, news-related website or TV. Speech problem Q. I am a fresh science graduate, but my problem is that I stammer which causes me a great deal of embarrassment. Please guide which career I should choose, keeping in mind my disability. — Bobby Katpalia A. Stammering is not a permanent disability. It is largely curable with some medical help and determination on your part. Any job that involves research, or deskwork, should be best for you to begin with. Once you gain in confidence, you can slowly graduate to activities that involve more interactions with people. Just proceed one step at a time — and you’ll be amazed at the progress you make. You are a bright young man with all you faculties intact. Make the most of life and the opportunities it throws up. Don’t let a minor problem like stammering deter you from doing anything you fancy. Also remember this cardinal truth: People take their cues from you; if you are not embarrassed or self-conscious, no one can possibly make you feel uncomfortable. Try composing your speech in your mind before you speak. You’ll find it helps immensely. "Practice" is the operative word here. As a child I always marvelled at the story of Demosthenes. This determined Athenian youth not only overcame his awful speech impediment but also went on to become one of the greatest orators and statesmen of all time. His modus operandi (not that I recommend it to you): Simple. Running up and down the beach while reciting complex texts over and over again with pebbles stuffed in his mouth! Coming back to the present, do consult a good speech therapist to get the right professional tips and advice. Chemistry confusion Q. Having completed my M. Sc (Chemistry), I am now desperate to take on a job. But I’m totally bewildered and confused by the various options. All I know is that I’m not too keen on taking up chemistry-related work. How do I select the job that’s just right for me? Please advise. — Manjeet Aluwalia A. Allow me to let you in on a secret: there is no easy or instant formula for landing the perfect job. But, if you work through these seven key steps to selecting a job, you can be confident that you have made a wise decision: First of all, assess yourself. Investigate a wide range of jobs. Identify jobs that may suit you. Develop a short-list of ‘real’ possibilities. Collect detailed information about each job on your short-list. Choose the job that suits you most. Keep reworking your short-list. While working through these steps, it is helpful to remember: Most people are capable of working successfully in a number of jobs. Your ideas about the jobs that suit you may change somewhat. You may not be able to get everything you want in a job. Some people have fixed ideas about the sort of job that should be suitable for them and this often prevents them from finding a job that is actually suitable. Hospital management Q. I have done BAMS. I want to know whether I can do a PG diploma in hospital management and from where? — Sukhdeep K, Jalandhar A. Of late, we have been witnessing the emergence of several super-specialty and multi-speciality hospitals like Apollo, Escorts, Wockhardt and countless others like Max India or Fortis planning large-scale forays into specialty, primary and secondary care hospitals and diagnostic centers, besides a slew of internationally-funded healthcare programmes. This in turn has generated the need for a distinctly qualified and trained breed of managers who are exposed to quality delivery and information systems in the field of hospital and healthcare management. Pegged at a hefty Rs 92,000 crore in India, and $3 trillion globally, healthcare is clearly going to edge its way to the top slot on the career sweepstakes. Being a practising doctor gives you a definite advantage in this booming sector. The courses broadly focus on four areas of management: human resource management, facility management, quality and cost management, and information systems. Here’s a list of the major courses:
The writer is a noted career consultant — Pervin Malhotra Please send in your query, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29,
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Q.
I am
pursuing BA. I am very keen to travel around the world. What kind
of job will help me achieve this goal?
