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Q I'm in Class XII and want to
become a hair stylist. Can you please tell me about the
specialisations and what are the prospects? — Garima
Kapoor And no longer is perming, straightening,
colouring, tinting, bleaching, conditioning or volumising, purely a
women’s thing. Men are increasingly going for the whole works -
equally game to experiment and have fun. Hair being an essential
part of one’s fashion statement, the hairstylist is now treated on
a par with a fashion designer, commanding mega bucks. With popular
international brands like Clairol, L’Oreal, Wella, TIGI and
Schwarzkopf entering the Indian market, hairdressing has become a
hot business. Being a hairstylist is not all glamour. It calls for
hard work and precision. You have to stand on your feet for long
hours, establish a good rapport with your client (create a feeling
of mutual trust). Make sure you’re not asthmatic or allergic to
ammonia fumes though. The first starting point is a certification
from a professional school of hairstyling - to get a hang of the
basics. Besides hair styling, you can further specialise in four
areas: Hair colourist and perm specialist: To learn the
tricks of the trade start out with two-three conventional methods
and then let the creative juices flow using advanced colouring
techniques. Hair extension specialist: This is usually an
add-on skill, where you learn how to add volume, lengthen hair and
use chemical-free highlighting. Hair spa specialist: Adds
bounce and lustre to dull lifeless hair. In great demand for hair
treatments like head massage, protein treatments. Creative hair
stylist: You need to take an advanced styling course to gain
expertise in 30-40 advanced cutting techniques. You also need to
keep up with the latest international trends - continuously studying
international magazines, learning new techniques, watching TV and
the browsing the Net. You must focus on the complete look -
keeping in mind the person’s age, personality and lifestyle.
Starting out as a shampooist, you go on to become a junior
hairstylist and finally, a senior hairstylist, adding
specialisations as you go along. Starting out with a modest
apprenticeship, you can earn anywhere between Rs 20,000-30,000 with
some experience, not to mention the generous tips that satisfied
customers will slip into your pocket. And if you make it to the film
or fashion world, you can expect anything from Rs 40,000 -1
lakh. After you’ve gained some experience and a reputation at a
good parlour, you can start your own salon. Factor in an investment
of Rs 8-10 lakh for a well-equipped 2-3 seater. If you are good,
your reputation will spread fast and wide and you can expect quick
and good returns. Toying with a different idea
Q Doll making is my hobby. Is there
any way I can turn it into a profession? Are there any good courses
in India? — Smita Kohli Although, doll making is taught in many craft courses,
an excellent option would be NID in Ahmedabad, which offers a
specialisation in Toy Design and Development in its D/o Industrial
Design. The eligibility for the 2 `BD -year PG Diploma programme is
a bachelor’s or equiv in Engineering/Technology, Computer
Applications /IT, Child Development/Therapy, Architecture/Interior
design, BFA./Applied Arts/ Design or graduates with certain
experience in allied areas. Details: (www.nid.edu). If you have a
really inquisitive mind and are able to think out of the box, this
is the field for you. Bright graduates of this course find work
with reputed national and international toy manufacturers. Work
opportunities also exist in social sectors and government projects
in craft design development, health, education and play therapy. You
could also set up your own establishment supplying toys/games and
related products and services as a design entrepreneur or freelance
consultant. Bioinformatics an informed choice
Q I have heard about the
Bioinformatics National Certification Exam to certify professionals
in bioinformatics. Can you please give me all the details about the
paper? — Binny A Faced with the burgeoning demand
for trained manpower in the field of bioinformatics, the Department
of Biotechnology (DBT), GoI, has instituted the BINC examination to
standardise the procedure for evaluating the knowledge and aptitude
of students. Of late, several universities and private institutes
have mushroomed across the country that offer bioinformatics
training. Earlier, there was no regulatory mechanism in place to
screen the skill sets of the students being churned out of these
institutes. So, to separate the wheat from the chaff, the DBT
certifies skilled bio-informatics professionals who can then be
easily absorbed by industry. The best part is you don’t need any
formal training in bioinformatics to take the BINC. Eligibility:
Bachelor’s degree in Science / Pharmacy / Engg / Agriculture /
Veterinary / Medicine / Technology. Postgraduates and Ph.D. in above
mentioned disciplines are also eligible. Currently, there is no
limit on the number of attempts for the BINC Exam. The exam
consists of three papers. Paper I is objective type and
carries 100 marks. Aspirants who score 40 per cent or above marks in
Paper I only will be eligible for Paper II and III. Watch out, there
is 0.33 negative marking per question. Paper II comprises of short
answers while Paper III comprises practicals and carries 150 and 100
marks, respectively. The syllabus comprises four sections: biology,
physical and chemical sciences, information technology and
bioinformatics. Sample papers are available online. If you score an
aggregate of 50 per cent you will be certified as a bioinformatics
professional. The exam will be held on February 24 - 25, 2007. The
application deadline is January 30, 2007. The University of Pune
is the nodal agency for coordinating this exam along with five
centres---JNU, New Delhi; Anna University, Chennai; West Bengal
University of Technology, Kolkata, and Institute of Bioinformatics
& Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore. For details please contact
the University of Pune, Bioinformatics Centre Pune 411007 (Mah) (D/o
Biotechnology, GoI) (http://bioinfo.ernet.in) Go for greening
Q I would love to contribute to the
conservation of our environment and forests, so I have decided that
I want to be a forest officer. I would like to know more about the
job profile and its responsibilities. — Gurveer These will
include supervising forest workers, organising the training of
existing staff, and being directly involved with the training of new
forest officers. You may even be required to act as an adviser to
private estates in the area, administer grants and liase with local
authorities. Experienced FOs may have specialist duties such as
research, education and training, or even technical development.
They also oversee the fire protection arrangements within their
area, besides taking measures to prevent unlawful poaching and tree
felling. The responsibility is, therefore, immense, especially when
at times even local farmers fail to appreciate the significance of
forests in conserving the environment. Carried away by popular fads
that promise greater prosperity they don't hesitate to replace
forested areas with fruit orchards or commercial plantations in the
hills. So, the job profile of a FO has changed considerably over the
years. Now his job is not merely confined to preserving and
protecting forests and wildlife: it also extends to new areas like
maintenance of the whole eco-system, social forestry and
afforestation. Soaring high, but from the ground
Q I would love to contribute to the
conservation of our environment and forests, so I have decided that
I want to be a forest officer. I would like to know more about the
job profile and its responsibilities. — Gurveer A
Forest officers perform a variety of roles depending on the level
they reach in their career. Starting as a Technical Supervisor who
plans and controls operations, you will perform a range of
management functions besides planning, controlling and implementing
policies and operations as your career advances. These will
include supervising forest workers, organising the training of
existing staff, and being directly involved with the training of new
forest officers. You may even be required to act as an adviser to
private estates in the area, administer grants and liase with local
authorities. Experienced FOs may have specialist duties such as
research, education and training, or even technical development.
They also oversee the fire protection arrangements within their
area, besides taking measures to prevent unlawful poaching and tree
felling. The responsibility is, therefore, immense, especially when
at times even local farmers fail to appreciate the significance of
forests in conserving the environment. Carried away by popular fads
that promise greater prosperity they don't hesitate to replace
forested areas with fruit orchards or commercial plantations in the
hills. So, the job profile of a FO has changed considerably over the
years. Now his job is not merely confined to preserving and
protecting forests and wildlife: it also extends to new areas like
maintenance of the whole eco-system, social forestry and
afforestation. No mind-less work, this
Q I am presently doing MBBS.
Can you please suggest a few good courses in psychiatry? What is the
scope of this profession, both in India and abroad? —
R.P.
Samthar While the WHO pegs the global figure of those
afflicted by mental, neurological or behavioural problems at a
boggling 450 million, over 10 million patients suffer from severe
psychiatric illnesses in India alone. The norm is one psychiatrist
for every 50,000 people, 1 clinical psychologist, 1 qualified
psychiatric nurse and 1 psychiatric social worker for every 25,000
people. Taking this as a standard, the gap in mental health
services even in an A-category city like Delhi stands at a shocking
92 per cent. The number of qualified child psychiatrists in all of
Delhi can be counted on the fingers of one’s hand. In fact,
mental health facilities are abysmal in most parts of the country.
Since there are no psychiatric departments in most hospitals,
patients have to travel miles before they can get professional help.
The most "disturbing" fact is that there are barely
4,000-odd psychiatrists in a country of over one billion people,
which boils down to 1-2 professionals per 1 million population in
most parts of the country (vs 100 per million in developed
countries). And as more mental health professionals head for
greener pastures abroad (UK, Australia and New Zealand), the ratio
will get skewed even further. A shrink earns more than 80,000 pounds
a year. So, the long and short of it is that this field has great
scope - particularly considering the stressful and complex times we
live in and the fact that consulting a psychiatrist is no longer
considered a taboo. Several medical institutions in the country
offer courses in Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine at the MD
(3-year) or DPM (2-year) level. Some of the leading ones are: lAll
India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi
(www.aiims.ed). lLady Hardinge Medical College (affiliated to
University of Delhi), New Delhi-110001. lMaulana Azad Medical
College (affiliated to University of Delhi), Delhi. lInstitute of
Human Behavior & Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Dilshad Gardens, Delhi
(http://ihbas.delhigovt.nic.in); recognised by University of
Delhi. lNational Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore-560029
(www.nimhans.kar.nic.in) lPanjab University, Sector-14,
Chandigarh-160014 (www.puchd.ac.in) lPostgraduate Institute of
Medical Education & Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh-160012
(http://pgimer.nic.in) Alternatively, you could opt for a Diplomate
of the National Board of Examinations, which is considered
equivalent to an MD. The DNB takes two years. The writer is a noted career consultant
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, Chandigarh-160030, or at
careers@tribunemail.com
|
Career Hotline
A Not content with a mere trim, the Indian woman, quite
like her western counterpart, is turning adventurous. And what
quicker way to transform the way you look - than sporting a new
zippy hairstyle!
A There’s an increasing
demand for imaginative toys that are soft, safe, durable and well
designed. Toys are also being increasingly used as educational
instruments.
A
Forest officers perform a variety of roles depending on the level
they reach in their career. Starting as a Technical Supervisor who
plans and controls operations, you will perform a range of
management functions besides planning, controlling and implementing
policies and operations as your career advances. 
A Studies on mental health across the globe indicate
that at any given time, 10 per cent of the population is in need of
psychiatric help. 
