Hello, tunes
The music industry offers plenty of career choices from singing to sound management
Usha Albuquerque

And while there are many forms of music, including classical, folk, jazz, popular—which can range from hard rock to fusion—and instrumental music, a person interested in making a career in music can choose to be a performer, a composer or song writer, music arranger, music journalist, or music teacher, radio or disc jockey, music therapist, sound recorder, artist manager, or work with music recording companies, in the music business and sound industry.

Sound choice

Palash Sen

Singers sing alone or in a group, with or without musical accompaniments. Usually, however, they either sing live on stage or in sound recording studios. Instrumental players and musicians are proficient with a musical instrument and play solo, or form part of a group or orchestra.

Singers and musicians normally specialise in a particular form of music, or performance. They need to have a high standard of musical talent and technical skill, which audiences will pay to hear. They can perform for small or large groups, and in a variety of venues.

Those with presentation skills and popular appeal perform at live shows in concert halls, clubs, restaurants, theatres, outdoor stadiums, lounge settings, pubs, night clubs, etc. Performers also sing/play in recording studios, or work for the film industry as playback singers and musicians. Orchestra conductors direct orchestras, chorus and other music performances.

Production path

Music composers/song writers create and write songs and set them to music. Often, music composers/directors work in conjunction with lyricists or they compose the lyrics themselves. Composers write music based on their knowledge of sound, understanding of various musical styles and taste of the audience to which it has to be presented.

Music composers often work with advertising firms, production houses, recording companies, music publishing firms, film, television, radio and normally create music for film, television / radio jingles, folk songs and for recording albums. Some music composers specialise in writing music and jingles for radio and television commercials and work with ad firms and production houses.

Music producers bring musicians and recording companies and studios together so as to present an artistic production. Depending on the end product, they book the studio, hire musicians and sound engineers, and oversee the production of the recorded music. They are also required to know about the business aspect of music such as copyrights, networking, publishing, contracts, performing rights etc.

Music management is a recent career option, which like in the western world, involves managing the music of a particular musician or group/band of musicians. Music management involves planning, organising and negotiating of a musician’s career.

The work involves meeting with radio and television producers and getting air time for their artist, negotiating with recording companies and programme sponsors etc. Experience and training in music as well as a some management skills help to be successful in the field. In some cases, music producers get to become music managers for a particular artiste or group.

Video jockeys (VJs) & disc jockeys (DJs) is now a popular career option for those with musical talent and good communication skills. With the advent of various music channels on TV and radio, DJs and VJs are in good demand.

Music or sound engineering involves recording, mixing and dubbing or mastering sounds and music on machines. Music technologists and sound engineers are responsible for the overall recording quality of music and for interpreting the producer’s or music director’s ideas into reality.

They can work in music and film recording studios, background sound, broadcast, dubbing studios, recording companies or on the sets of live shows, concerts and events. This is a good option for those with musical talent and technical skills.

Music journalists and critics review performances and recordings, conduct interviews with performers for various publications and write music reviews for newspapers, magazines and websites.. With an increase in the number of music related pages in newspapers and magazines and dedicated music publications and also features on TV and radio, career options in this field are increasing. One must however, have a keen interest and be knowledgeable about music and build a credibility with musicians and readers.

Teaching notes

Music teaching is conducted in practically all schools, colleges, universities and institutions and require musically qualified professionals. Many musicians also open music schools and also conduct private classes.

Music therapist is a relatively new field of work which combines musical talent with a knowledge of human psychology. Music therapists or music counselors are trained to use rhythm and melody in therapeutic programs for people with psychiatric disorders, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, speech and hearing impairments, physical disabilities, and neurological impairments. Music therapists work in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and sometimes private practice too.

Musical beginnning

In addition, there are other areas such as a music librarian, or music researcher. Radio and TV stations as well as college and public libraries have music sections that need to be maintained. Music specialists with a training in library and research techniques can get into this field.

Those with a good knowledge of music and an aptitude for research can work as musicologist in research institutes. While this option may still be limited in India, there are good opportunities abroad particularly in fields of western music.

Getting in and working in this career requires more than talent. While some amount of inborn talent, a genuine love and interest in music, a good sense of tone and rhythm, is essential, you also require great versatility, strong creative ability and also heaps of confidence, particularly if you plan to become a performer.

In addition, some marketing savvy, good contacts and the ability to make them, and some financial support can go a long way in setting the stage for a successful career. Often talent can be recognised at a young age and subsequently nurtured through the years, with the right kind of training and exposure.

Training in music is now provided by a large number of schools and institutions. The most prominent among them is Kalakshetra in Chennai and the Sangeet Natak Academy in Delhi. Examinations for these courses are conducted at the certificate, degree and the diploma level. There are several universities that offer degree courses in music.

Course areas include music theory, music interpretation, history of music, composing, voice instruction etc. There are also special music schools dedicated to the different forms and styles of music. Some dedicated musicians have also been training interested persons who wish to pursue this art.

Jobs galore

Today there are an increasing number of job openings for Performing Artists. Students while at college try experimenting with performances at clubs and college functions, and so put their talent on test.

Some artists have been able to command attention and move onto the pursuit of their art as a full-time career. But the numbers are few. Competition in this field is intense and it is difficult for an unknown musician to establish himself. Most musicians take whatever work they can find and try to supplement their income with another job, until they can make a good break. Some musicians have been teaming up with film makers and music directors to take out their own music videos. This is one area which has witnessed a mushrooming of young talent.

Disc jockeys are also much in demand and receive employment in discotheques, five-star hotels and restaurants. Youngsters with a good knowledge of popular music can also join the television as video jockeys, they can also work as radio jockeys for the radio stations.

Musicians and composers are also employed by academies, kala kendras, Doordarshan, All India Radio, music channels, production houses, television studios, and teaching institutions. There are also opportunities for self-employment in the form of freelance writing of books on the performing arts, holding private classes at home, producing and directing independent programmes. So, if you want to sing to your own tune, this is surely the time to Chak de!

— The writer is a noted career expert.

Rocking start

His mother was unhappy with his decision to sing professionally for a rock band. Many years down the line, Palash Sen, a qualified medical professional, is a household name as the lead singer of Euphoria. Like him, scores of youngsters in Delhi and elsewhere today want to make a career out of music by forming their own rock groups or joining the numerous ones that have mushroomed in the city.

Gaurav Balani, a guitarist with the band Crimson, says there are approximately 80 western music bands in Delhi and its surrounding areas, out of which around 40 perform regularly. “Delhi had reached a saturation point as far as the kind of music that was being heard was concerned. Times have changed and people have begun to accept all sorts of genres nowadays. People have become more open-minded,” he says.

Institutions that teach western music and give a good grounding to students have also contributed to the trend. According to Jaspal Singh, deputy head, Delhi School of Music, which teaches western classical, around 500 to 550 students enrol themselves at his institute.

“Some students just take up music as a hobby, while some are serious about it and pursue it as a career option. Eventually, they form their own bands,” Singh says. The most preferred instruments that students wish to learn are the piano, keyboard, drums, guitar and violin, says Singh.

The same can be observed at the Gurgaon School of Music, which teaches western as well as contemporary music. "We have the maximum students coming to learn the guitar, followed by the keyboard," says Ruhi, an administrator at the school. "We have a total strength of more than 400 students at our school," she adds. There are several others like the Parikrama School of Music and the Pioneer School of Music.

Palash of Hindi rock band Euphoria told IANS on the phone from Mumbai: "Music was my passion and it became my hobby. Although I did study medicine to be a doctor, I gradually took up music professionally. Today, I can proudly say that I am a professional in both the areas, but trust me it is not easy." Even Palash's mother was unhappy with his decision.

"My mother had a problem with my choice of taking up music professionally. She always felt that showbiz was not a respectable job but today when I have marked my presence, she has no hassles about it." Some believe that given the hectic lifestyle of today, music helps relieve stress and is a fluid form of expression for them.

Aditi Singh Sharma, vocalist for Level 9, a soft rock band formed by a group of friends, says: "With the help of music I am able to express myself to the fullest and I love connecting with the audience."

Expressing his passion for music, Nikhil Mawkin, a student who studies music at the Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts, says: "I love music and since I have been able to pursue it as a career, I think that is the best that ever happened." Rock group members and musicians who have made it say talent definitely matters.

“Ideally, a person should have the talent first. It does make you feel on top of the world when you sing for an audience of 10,000 people, but, yes, all that does not come until the person is a learned singer," feels Subir Malik, keyboard player and manager of popular band Parikrama.

Subir, who was among the judges for the recently conducted a talent hunt "RC Live" by Radio City 91.1 FM to scout for India's best Hindi Band, advises that young talented singers should concentrate on singing in Hindi, as the masses would be able to connect to them in a better way.

Success doesn't come easily to every aspiring musician. "A band has to make it big in the industry to earn well. Only a few known bands like Them Clones and Parikrama earn well by playing music.

"Playing for my band gives me part-time income. I have my college to attend and what ever I am able to earn is good enough to take care of my pocket money." Interestingly, parents have become more supportive of their children's decision to pursue music professionally.

Veena, Gaurav's mother, says: "When he started playing music, I thought he was giving away his future. But now when he is well established in the field, and earns well, I am proud of him." — IANS

The job stinks
Office conditions leave room for improvement
Molly Selvin

Forget salaries, expense accounts or keys to the executive washroom. Employee loyalty is often won or lost over the cleanliness of the bathrooms and the amount of sticky goo on the carpet.

One in three workers surveyed recently said they had accepted a job — or quit one — because of the most basic working conditions. The respondents' chief complaints by far: the state of the indoor atmosphere, the gripes being about either hot-as-the-tropics heating or Antarctic airconditioning.

Corporate managers searching for new office space think mostly about rent and whether the layout and location will work for their companies, says Johnny Winton, president of Blumberg Capital Partners, which commissioned the survey. “They're not really thinking . . . ‘Will my employees be OK working in this environment?’”

Julie Buckner knows what Winton's talking about. The 40-year-old is a veteran of what she dubbed “the office temperature wars.”

“I always run hot,” she says, recalling how she tricked her co-workers at several local public relations firms by surreptitiously powering up the airconditioner.

When her office mates began to shiver, she says, ‘My M.O. was to tell them, ‘you must just be imagining that it's getting colder.'”

Buckner now runs a consulting firm from her guest house, favoring an office decor that includes candles and cut roses. She has one employee, but Buckner's hand rules the thermostat, generally keeping it at 64 to 68 degrees.

Blumberg's survey of 500 workers was the first of its kind, Winton sasays. "We thought that the office building itself could have some major play" in an employer's ability to attract and keep workers, Winton says.

Apparently it does. More than three quarters of those polled in said the overall condition of their offices affected how they viewed their employer and whether they were likely to stay in their jobs. And 30 per cent said they worried that unhealthy or unsafe conditions in their building might make them sick.

A worker's focus on disagreeable office conditions may be more a symptom of a larger problem than the sole cause for a defection, says Amy Lyman, co-founder of the Great Place to Work Institute, a consulting company.

People don't quit just because the bathrooms are dirty, she says, but because employers that don't keep the bathrooms clean don't respond to other worker concerns as well. The bathroom message is that "these are not high-trust environments," she says.

Apart from extreme temperatures, filthy bathrooms were among the most commonly cited problems in the survey, along with outdated furniture or decor, persistent foul smells, leaky ceilings or windows, worn carpeting and rodents or insects.

For employees of some companies, such as Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., the office is a sprawling complex with manicured outdoor areas, cafeterias with extensive menus, light and airy working spaces, sports complexes, day care and more.

Winton says the survey results should encourage other companies to follow suit - or at least pay more attention to the basics.

Like vermin. Buckner has few fond memories of the down-at-the-heels building where she worked in 1996. Much of the building was vacant, or so she thought, until she heard rats scurrying above the acoustic ceiling tiles.

"The tiles were always slightly askew," she recalled, "and every once in a while you could see their foot or tails come through." Her first rat sighting was quite alarming, she said, "but like all things, you get used to it." Until you can find another job. — LA Times-Washington Post

Labour pains
S.C. Dhall

The labour force in the country is growing at the rate of 2.5 per cent per annum, while employment growth is estimated at only 2.3 per cent. This means that India will have to handle the challenge of not only absorbing new entrants to the job market but also clearing the backlog.

Although the country has one of the largest labour forces in the world, the number of skilled workers comprises only 5 to 7 per cent of the total workforce as compared to a smaller country South Korea, which has 95 per cent skilled workforce.

The Government of India has introduced various schemes to ensure that there is an increase in the skilled workforce. Employment generation will be crucial, especially once there is an increase in the skilled labour force. The government has to identify the sectors which can provide jobs for this labour force. Sectors like textiles, agriculture, labour, tourism, HRD, development and technology will be crucial in generating jobs in the next five years.

With the percentage of skilled labour set to increase from the crucial 5 per cent of the total workforce to 50 per cent, employment creation will be the focus area. Meanwhile, the Government of India has set up a committee to study the situation. C. Rangarajan, chairman of the Prime Minister’s council, has projected that there will be no unemployment by 2012.

Given the backdrop, vocational education in India has assumed critical importance. There is an acute shortage of trained manpower in the manufacturing sector. With India being a member of the WTO, the demand for trained manpower in the services sector is also set to increase.

Regrettably, vocational education in India has not lived up to its promise of providing an adequate number of people with training relevant to the needs of industry. Keeping in mind the importance of technical education, Budget-2008 proposes to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes into centres of excellence in specific trades and skills under a public-private partnership. There is, however, still a lack of clarity regarding the level of autonomy the private partner can enjoy.

Corporates will come forward to adopt ITIs only if the government provides enough incentives in the form of tax exemptions and benefits and more administrative powers over the staff and in other areas.

The country is still far from achieving its target of providing primary education to all and this is where the government must focus. Even the higher education infrastructure in India, despite its much publicised achievements, remains inadequate.

Demand for seats in quality institutions far outstrips the supply, with the result that a large number of students seek higher education overseas.

That skill shortage has the potential to derail the course of high economic growth is being increasingly acknowledged by the government.

India has over 600 million people who are 25 years of age. It has been estimated that by 2010, over 70 million youths will enter the working age population. The country has a huge shortage of skilled people and this talent deficit is already hampering the manufacturing and services sectors’ growth prospects.

India’s education system has been unable to support the rising demand for skill sets. There is also a big question mark on the employment opportunities for the students who receive higher education.

Defence officers at IIM-A get 100 per cent placement
Armed for a corporate career

The third batch of the country's Armed Forces undergoing a management course at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, has achieved almost 100 per cent placement which was not the case with the first two batches.

The 66 officers, part of the six-month management programme at the IIM-A, received 302 job offers, placement co-ordinator for the course Sanjay Srivastava said.

"Fiftyeight officers have accepted the job offers while eight have decided not to accept the offers," Srivastava said, adding that the salary offered was between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 32 lakh per annum.

Officers of two earlier batches were not able to find 100 per cent placements as some of them had to wait for four to six months to get a decent job after completion of their course at IIM-A, Srivastava added.

"The most refreshing thing about this year's batch is they have got job offers from varied sections as marketing and sales. Earlier, the armed forces officers used to get jobs in just administration and human resources sectors," retired Colonel Sujit Dutta said.

Dutta has accepted the offer of vice-president marketing in Gujarat-based Sagar Group of Companies. "I was also offered an HR job. But I took up marketing as a challenge," he added.

Squadron leader Savita Singh has accepted the offer of general manager (operations) for Chennai based A-One Aviation Company for a salary of Rs 32 lakh per annum.

“I was a pilot. If I had not come for this course at the IIM-A, I would have taken up a job as a pilot in a civilian airlines. But with this course at IIM-A, I have got a management level position in an aviation company,” Savita Singh said.

Indian Navy Cdre Jitendra Shekhawat, who took premature retirement, has got a plum offer from Cadila Pharmaceutical. "This is a good opportunity for armed force officers who are transiting into a civil life. We thank the IIM-A for it," he said.

Sqdr Ldr Nitu Thapliya said, "Th Armed Forces have made me a self-confident person. What IIM-A has done is transformed and polished me". Thapliya has got a job offer from Hyderabad based EMRI, which provides emergency medical service.

Officers of this batch for the first time also received offers from overseas companies but they preferred to stay in India, Shrivastava said.

The valedictory function of the batch was held recently, at which director of the institute Samir Barua said that officers are going to take double responsibility as they go to the corporate world with responsibility of armed forces and knowledge they have acquired at the institute.

Director-General Resettlement (DGR) Maj-Gen S.G. Chatterji said the officers going to the corporate world are ambassadors of the armed forces. — PTI

Tailor a defence resume to fit civilian job
Mary Ellen Slayter

After a 22-year career in the Army, Garth Hahn is seeking a management position in telecommunications, possibly at a defence-related company.

Overall, Hahn's resume is attractive, says Malcolm O. Munro, a career coach, who teaches workshops for people transitioning out of the military. But it may need some adjustments, depending on the particular job for which the ex-serviceman is applying.

“If (Hahn) is targeting a defence contractor, he may not have to civilianise his resume that much,”Munro says. Indeed, in that case, the military terminology could be an advantage.

“It's possible the hiring managers at these companies may in fact have held similar jobs while on active duty. If the contractor's customer is a branch of the military, his resume has the right jargon and acronyms to land him an interview."

Another plus: a security clearance. Hahn “does himself a big favour by listing his top-secret clearance at the top of his resume, right above his objective — this is one of his best selling points,” Munro says.

But for employers outside the defence industry, he will need to make some "minor adjustments," Munro says. Even though the technical aspects of the jobs will likely be similar, the language used to describe them — and to catch the eye of a hiring manager — will be different. ‘Soldiers’ would become ‘staff’ or ‘employees’ and so on.

Beyond that, Hahn just needs to pick out some specific employers and jobs that interest him, Munro says, and “make sure his resume speaks to those requirements.” — LA Times-Washington Post

Interview intelligence
Mary Ellen Slayter

Interviews are perhaps the most stressful part of any job search, but a few hours of preparation can go a long way toward quelling some of your anxiety. That time can also make it more likely that you will get the job.

Good preparation starts with your attitude. ‘Number one: Relax,’ says Brad Karsh, author of ‘Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider's Guide to Landing Your First Job.’

‘So many people think everything (in a job interview) is a trick question,’ he says. But these are just ‘honest conversations between two people.’ But relaxing doesn't mean slacking off. Nor does it mean slipping into overconfidence. ‘Interviewing is the step that most people think they're good at, but they're not,’ says Susan Strayer, author of ‘The Right Job, Right Now: The Complete Tool-Kit for Finding Your Perfect Career.’

Before you walk into a job interview, there are some basic steps you should take to prepare. Some questions are almost universal, and you should know how to answer them in a polished way. These include standards such as discussing your strengths and weaknesses.

Other questions will be specific to the job for which you are applying, and will require some research to answer thoughtfully. The most common questions will relate to your work history and education, and how they relate to the job at hand. In short, what makes you qualified?

Job history

Start with the job description, if there is one. This is practically a cheat sheet for the interview, Karsh says. ‘If it says they want someone with managerial experience, be prepared to be asked about your managerial experience.’

Also, be prepared to expound on everything on your resume. ‘Have reasons for everything that you've done,’ Karsh says. ‘The resume is what I call the `whats.' In an interview, I want to know the ‘whys’ and the ‘hows.’A single bullet point on your resume might inspire an interviewer to talk for 10 minutes.’

Know thy company

You should also expect to answer some questions about the company — and to ask a few intelligent ones of your own. ‘You should absolutely know what an employer does, how it was founded and what its goals are before you walk in the door,’ says Strayer, who is director of talent management for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. "Know how a company makes money,’ she says. "Even if it's a nonprofit, you still need to know what their funding model is."

With well-known employers, it's easier to tell how they butter their bread, she acknowledged. It's when the company is new or works primarily business-to-business that deeper knowledge about its operations will really help you stand out.

Think broadly about where you can gather information, Strayer says. "People rely on web resources and company reports, but their best bet is to find contacts in the company. Ask what they are working on, what their struggles are.’ You can even ask about the interview style of the people with whom you will be meeting.

Be prepared to ask your own questions. ‘One of the worst things you can say at the end of the interview is that you don't have any (questions),’ Karsh says. These queries can be business-related, about the employer's long-term goals, or they can be personal, about workplace culture or how the interviewer came to work there.

Rehearse, rehearse

Strayer said you should always practice your responses. She encourages people to tape themselves to see whether they are engaging in any unconscious behaviours that could hurt them, such as excessively using filler words like, well, ‘like.’ You know?

However, please don't try to memorise specific answers to any of the likely questions. At best you'll sound wooden; at worst you will forget all your best lines just when you need them most.

Instead, bring along a notebook, with a few key points you want to remember jotted down. You can even create a list with brief descriptions of your accomplishments, says Katy Piotrowski, author of ‘The Career Coward's Guide to Interviewing’ and a career counselor. ‘Write it down. Take it to the interview. It's like a security blanket.’

Strayer says the secret to interviewing is to create a library of stories that indicate the point that you want to get across. ‘That way when you're in the interview, you're just recalling a story,’ she says.

‘When you give examples, then you bring life to it.’ All this preparation may sound like a lot of work, but it can pay off when hiring managers are trying to decide between two otherwise equally qualified candidates, Strayer says. "When decision makers sit around a table ... they recall stories. They don't just recall words.’ — LA Times-Washington Post

Career Hotline
Fund raising
Pervin Malhotra

Q. I have done MBA with a specialisation in finance. At present I am working with ICICI Securities. I am interested in becoming a fund manager. I want to know what are the special skills required to be a successful fund manager.
— M.L. Gupta

A. Despite soaring salaries, there is an acute shortage of fund managers at a higher level. Poaching from rivals is rampant. Adding to the crisis, many top-notch fund managers are moving to less stressful positions such as consultants or advisors that offer even fatter pay cheques and a more leisurely lifestyle.

As a result, more and more equity salesmen with analyst background are getting into fund management because of this shortage. But don’t be in a hurry to jump in. It takes a few years to groom a good stock-picker i.e. someone who knows how to invest and where to invest - at minimal risk.

The agent or distributor assumes the role of a financial advisor and is the key channel for bringing mutual funds to a large number of investors all over the country. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) which sets the industry standards for all funds operating in India has a certification process - the AMFI Mutual Fund Test.

This certification has been made mandatory by SEBI for anyone engaged in selling mutual funds - agents as well as those employed in distribution companies and banks.

Upon clearing the test, you can apply for your AMFI registration number which will certify you as an AMFI Registered Mutual Fund Advisor (ARMFA). AMFI has prepared the necessary study material to help you prepare for the Test. The Workbook can be obtained from the AMFI office in Mumbai. For details log on to: www.amfiindia.com/testingprogram.html

There are some excellent books on the subject. Log onto: www.visionbooksindia.com for an exhaustive list.

Future in foreign affairs

Q. I've done political sc (hon). What are the future prospects after doing MA (with specialisation in international relations) from JNU?

A. After doing your Master’s from JNU’s prestigious School of International Studies, you will have the following options:

You could either opt for teaching Political Science or International Relations at the college or university level (upon 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 ‘Pol Sc’ as the subject is popularly called. The General Studies paper requires considerable knowledge of 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.In Delhi, you can take up research jobs in organisations such as:
Institute for Defence Studies & Analysis (IDSA), Old JNU Campus, New Mehrauli Road, Delhi
Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri, Delhi
Research & Information Systems for Non-aligned Countries, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, Delhi
Indian Council of World Affairs, Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR), India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg, Delhi
Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, Teenmurti House, Delhi.

Map out your course

Q. I am in my final year of Bachelor’s in Geography. I am keen on pursuing my Master’s in the subject. Can you please suggest where all I can apply?
— Gauri Dilwali

A. Here are some universities you could look at:

MA Geog (Distance)

Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Directorate of Distance Education, Sardarshahr (Raj)

(www.iaseduniv.org )

Jiwaji University, Gwalior (MP) (www.idejug.org)

Kurukshetra University, Directorate of Corresp Courses, Kurukshetra (www.kuk.ernet.in )

M.Sc Geography (Distance)

Netaji Subhash Open University Kolkata

www.wbnsou.com ).

Statistics speak

Q. I am pursuing B.Com (Hons). As my favourite subject is statistics, I want to make a career in this field. Please guide me about which university provides a master’s degree in statistics and the work involved?
— Vikash Kumar

A. An M.Sc Statistics (which focuses on the classical and theoretical aspects) is offered at over 70 universities.

Shedding its image as a drab and monotonous subject, Statistics has grown as a discipline by leaps and bounds. Statisticians are using highly sophisticated analysis techniques and applying them to most branches of knowledge. Statistical analysis which involves collecting and evaluating information and drawing conclusions is increasingly used by decision makers.

The information could be a test group's preferred amount of sweetness in a chocolate, or the number of male and female teachers in primary schools in a state or the velocity of a burning gas on the sun's surface. The marriage of modern computer networks, database acquisition and statistics has truly revolutionised the user friendliness of this discipline.

Statisticians provide crucial guidance in determining what information is reliable and which predictions can be trusted. They often help search for clues to the solution of a scientific mystery, and sometimes keep investigators from being misled by false impressions. Statisticians work in a variety of fields, including medicine, government, education, agriculture, business, and law.

What statisticians do

Statisticians help determine sampling and data collection methods; monitor the study and processing of data, and advice on the strengths and limitations of the results. They must understand the nature of uncertainties and be able to draw conclusions in the context of particular statistical applications.

Surveys: Survey statisticians collect information from a carefully specified sample and extend the results to an entire population. Sample surveys might be used to:
Determine which political candidate is more popular
Discover what foods teenagers prefer for breakfast
Estimate the number of children living in a given district
Government: Government statisticians conduct experiments to aid in the development of public policy and social programs.

Such experiments include:
Consumer prices
Fluctuations in the economy
Employment patterns
Population trends

Scientific research: Statistical sciences are used to enhance the validity of inferences in:
Radiocarbon dating to estimate the risk of earthquakes
Clinical trials to investigate the effectiveness of new treatments
Field experiments to evaluate irrigation methods
Measurements of water quality
Psychological tests to study how we reach the everyday decisions in our lives

Business & Industry: Statisticians quantify unknowns in order to optimise resources. They predict the demand for products and services
Check the quality of items manufactured in a facility
Manage investment portfolios
Forecast how much risk activities entail, and calculate fair and competitive insurance rates.

The writer is a noted career consultant.