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Attitude matters at workplace There are many students who, once they start working, are surprised when they do not progress up the career ladder as fast as they had hoped. No matter what qualifications you have, the work you are doing, or where you are in your career path, it is your attitude towards your work and the mindset you exhibit that determines your success at work. It is important, therefore, to develop and maintain a professional image that can enhance your career growth. Most people never receive any formal training in how to behave in the workplace. People show up for work, experience the daily challenges, routines, crises and crashes and eventually settle into a framework of behaviour that feels comfortable and appears right enough to others. During your earliest period of time in a new job, you formulate the image and reputation that will, for the most part, stay with you as long as you stay with the organisation. Knowing how to act and react in the world of work is normally something we learn through a lot of trial and error, with lessons learnt, sometimes the hard way. So it is time to do careful strategising on several fronts and not all related to your job responsibilities. Some broad smart strategies that can help you in any career situation involve your professional image and identity, your attitude towards your work, and your approach to your colleagues and your job. These strategies are important not only for enhancing the position you are in now, but also for managing your career in the long term. Get along with your boss. The relationship you develop with your boss is possibly the key to your success in any organisation. If your boss trusts you, values your work and appreciates your contribution to the organisation, you are on the road to success. But if your boss does not like you, no matter how good your work is, your career will go nowhere. Developing the right relationship with your boss starts on the first day, takes work and needs maintenance. Acknowledge your boss's authority, and the fact that he/she has the final say on your work decisions. Communicate with your boss as often and as thoroughly as possible and be open to advice, constructive criticism, and suggestions. Convey an opinion but avoid any confrontations. Value your working relationship with your boss. You don't have to be great friends, you just need to be able to work well together. In addition, be open and receptive to inputs and ideas from others, and not afraid to consult them when the need arises. Your attitude will be appreciated by managers and colleagues and they will be more willing to help when required, and more generous in their recommendations. Be accountable for your actions. Another important key to developing a strong workplace presence is being accountable for your actions, responsibilities, obligations and commitments. Give credit where credit is due, and take credit when it comes to you. In the same way, accept responsibility for your mistakes, oversight, errors of judgement, and lapses. While managers and supervisors would like to see you stretching to achieve goals that are on the high side, even if you fail for whatever reason, acknowledge that you were not able to follow through, and try again. Such behaviour is always noted and appreciated. Keep learning. One of the best ways to enhance your value in the workplace is to continually develop new skills and competencies. This is a good strategy not only for managing your current job situation but also for managing your career in the long run. Develop technical skills as well as broader, more managerial abilities. Be willing to take on more responsibilities, even those outside of your area of work, as these provide opportunities for additional learning and some very valuable experience. It is extremely important to keep yourself developing if you are to be a successful manager or executive. Nandan Nilenkani of Infosys maintains that in today's global world, to succeed you need to be as fluent with technology as with business, and at ease working abroad as working in India. This means you need to have the ability to interact with people with different perspectives and points of view, able to switch careers and the ability to acquire the competencies required. Keep quality a top priority. Always produce work that is of top quality. It is good to be known for work that is consistently good and sometimes great. In a country where productivity is appallingly low, good quality work stands out and is recognised. Being associated with high-quality work means acquiring a reputation that will follow you through your entire career. However, it is important not to overdo efforts to attain perfection. The drive for excellence can actually detract from your productivity, when you are unable to complete several projects on time, while pursuing one elusive goal. You can demonstrate your talent through work output that is appreciated and valued by many, without having to attain perfect results. Be assertive without becoming aggressive. It is good to be as assertive as often as you can and in as many situations as possible. If you are a person who typically needs a push to stand up and be heard, some amount of effort may be necessary. Your colleagues and seniors want to know what you think, and if you are unable to share it with them, they will turn to others. Remind yourself everyday that you have talent, skills, abilities, ideas, and opinions that are unique and valuable to the organisation. But always keep in mind that there is a difference between assertiveness and aggression. The first is generally an asset, the other is a definite liability. And finally, never believe you are indispensable. No one is not even the most experienced person in an organisation. So don't be lulled into a false sense of security. No matter how talented you are, how well you are doing in your job, who you know, or who knows you, no work situation lasts forever. Companies are closing down, mergers and downsizing is taking place. Industries fluctuate, and you may be faced with the unfortunate possibility of unemployment. A good strategy to follow that can enhance your career and your marketability is to think of your situation as finite. This compels you to think about and prepare for the next phase of your career. Moving forward effectively in your career is less about maneuvering and more about developing professionally and personally. It is about doing good work, and working well with others. It is about understanding your strengths and weaknesses, capabilities and limitations and working to the fullest extent possible. Such workplace habits can enhance your productivity, improve the quality of your interactions with others and provide you the professional image that will heighten your career success.
(The writer is a career counsellor)
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Turn setbacks into opportunities Listen to your employees. Listening is one of the best compliments that a leader can give to his followers. As a person at the highest level of the hierarchy, you may not be aware of everything which is happening within the company. Your staff on the other hand will certainly be aware of what is going on at the grassroots level. They may be able to give you new insights, perspectives and ideas. Work around setbacks. Employees expect the leader to be part of the solution. They expect you to be able to work around setbacks, manage crisis and turn setbacks into opportunities. A leader may make mistakes also, agonise over tough decisions and miss milestones and chances sometimes. But the significant thing is to be honest about it. If you have made mistakes, admit them. Your staff will learn to trust and respect your honesty. After all, the ability to endure failure and still find the strength to show the way ahead is the true test of leadership. Good leaders have the guts to stand up for what is right irrespective of what the other pressures may be. They sustain leadership values like integrity and honesty by living them their actions each day. Good leaders are proactive and set standards of excellence for others to follow. When you fail to set up high standards for achieving excellence, it undermines the success, profit and credibility of the set-up. Business suffers as employees become complacent, and customers tend to go elsewhere. Actions speak louder than words, but the power of communication as a leadership tool cannot be underestimated. As a leader, what you communicate not only needs to be understood and accepted, it needs to be remembered as well. Leadership communication must engage and harness the creativity, energy and commitment of the staff. In a world of change and uncertainty, the job of the leader is becoming increasingly rough. We have become a cynical socety and expect a leader to earn trust and respect the hard way before he can fix the direction and take us ahead. Being a leader means having to live with the constant surveillance and judgment which other people pass on you. People are perpetually sizing you up to see if you measure up to their own values and standards of leadership. If they see you stealing credit, rumour-mongering or behaving in a way that does not behove a leader, they will not respect you. If they find that you lack the conviction to carry through with your ideas, they will not support you. If you make promises you keep, they will doubt your integrity. People will be inspired by your leadership only if they understand your vision, believe in your abilities and trust you enough to walk the track you have indicated to them. And what better way for a leader to silence the sceptics, the non-believers and cynics than to lead by example. Above all, being spiritual and righteous makes you stand on solid foundation.
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Practicalities of writing Many youngsters nurse the notion that writing has no connection with order and discipline. This romantic notion of writing proves the professional graveyard of many a bright talent. Contrarily, good writing comes from a disciplined mind. Practicalities pay rich dividend. When you get down to practicalities, avoid plunging into writing. The blank page may scare you out of it. Warm up first. Read something or correct something you wrote two days earlier. Revise an old draft. You get into your rhythm and words begin to flow smoothly. Start early, Experimental evidence shows the main intellectual effort for the day is most effectively made before noon. However, there are some who write well after dusk. They are owls of the writing worlds! If you want to become a goldsmith or a silversmith, you become an apprentice with a seasoned man in that craft. After a few years of apprenticeship, you learn the ins and outs of it and becomes a skilful craftsman. Much the same is the case with the one who aspires to become a good craftsman of English. He has to become a wordsmith. His tools are the words. Once he masters words, their meaning and usage, he can do well. The arty kind of writers usually depend on inspiration - a divine spell! The craftsman steadily and sincerely hones his skills and succeeds. He depends on perspiration. What a good writer needs most is to write! Choose your words with love, care and caution. Where in doubt, leave it out. Or consult dictionary or thesaurus. The latter provides a chain of apt words, which may further lend glow to your thought. But do not let words lead you astray. A wandering mind is a writer's despair. Steer clear of cliches. Do not burn midnight oil over them! But you can play a variation to them and turn out a neat phrase. "That writer does the most, who gives the reader the most information, and takes from him the least time", wrote Charles C. Colton. This is an observation, which every aspiring writes must follow. Pay specific attention to word order. Phrases and words have an unhealthy habit of competing with one another in the same sentence. Even placing adjectives or pre-modifiers may cause trouble. Should it be 'black boy's shoes' or 'boy's black shoes?' You must learn to be economical with words. This is the secret of clear, effective writing. Unnecessary words slow the pace, befog the issue, waste space. And space, where printing is concerned, means money. Delete every unnecessary word. Check spelling where you are in doubt, and ensure that punctuation makes it clear. Concentrate on keeping your language active, spare and precise. Habitual use of passive voice, unnecessary words and vague generalities make it flabby. The more you write, the more fluent your writing becomes. In crafting your writing, the subject has to be shaped by the objective. Your choice of words and arrangement of thought stem from a purpose, which is to communicate facts. Write to express, not to impress.
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Dollar dreams suffer big hit
The United States seems to be losing its spot on the topmost destinations' list among students in search of quality education abroad. The economic slowdown and fall in the Indian Rupee as compared to the US dollar is discouraging both students and parents. Tuition fee, living and travel expenses and other miscellaneous expenses have shot up significantly. Dr Narender Manrao of Nabha, Patiala, is a worried man these days. His son had gone to New York to pursue a masters degree in computers engineering in 2006. If the fall of the rupee does not stop, he will have to pay 20 to 25 per cent more to meet his son's expenses. "My son is coming to India at the end of November and for just the air fare, I am shelling out 10 per cent more than last year," he says. Students planning to go abroad to study or work are also likely to face difficulty in getting loans from banks, most of which have already slowed down the process of clearing and sanctioning loans. Banks are now insisting on higher interest rates and collaterals and guarantees for job-specific courses like hotel management and pilot training. According to a chairperson of a public sector bank, clearing of loan applications will become tougher because of the slowdown. "The process for foreign education loans got over in August for US and UK. Students may face a problem in the coming year if the situation does not stablise," he says. Banks had already disbursed loans to the tune of Rs 21,638 crore as on June 2008, according to data available with the Indian Banks Association. However, education consultant A.S. Oberoi does not see any slowdown in education loan disbursement. Despite financial crisis in developed economies, the delinquencies are low. "Every year, over two lakh students go overseas for studies, of which over 82,000 go to USA. Australia is the second most popular international education destination for Indian students and in 2007 over 60,000 students went
to Australia. Then third preference for students is the UK," Oberoi tells. Parmod Uppal, a Chandigarh-based banker, says that if the situation does not stablise soon, banks will have to start discouraging students approaching them for overseas loans. "Because of the slowdown, banks' non-performing assets are likely to increase significantly. Loanees will not be in a position to pay their EMIs until they are absorbed in a job or start earning, chances of both are dim, especially in the USA," says Uppal. Most top brass of banks have admitted that non performing assets level in banking sector is likely to increase manifold by the end of the current financial year.
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Summer placement a good show in B-schools
There is no dearth of offers made to B.school students by domestic and international companies. Over 100 companies have visited IIMs, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Ghaziabad-based Institute of Management and other major management institutes across the country for summer placement. The highest offer has been made for Rs 1,00000 against Rs 80,000 last year in the IIFT, and in Ghaziabad, the offer was Rs 80,000 against Rs 60,000 last year. According to a report, 80 per cent of students have been recruited by companies. Banking and financial services sector made their presence felt for recruitment of students. FMCG, consumer, manufacturing, marketing trading services, retail traders, media, infrastructure related companies are visiting management institutes for summer placements. Summer placements went as anticipated, but there was a change in the focus of the companies. Coca Cola and Microsoft have offered highest domestic stipend. According to B.B.Goel, head of the public administration, Punjab correspondence courses, the impact of the financial crisis could be huge, but with necessary and corrective steps being taken by the regulators, things would normalise soon enough. MBA job offers may suffer in the short term, but over a period of time, new and better profiles would start emerging, which would give the students better opportunities and more scope to grow. Areas such as private equity, carbon credits etc would start becoming more popular among the finance students. According to Madhu Manrao, a professor based at Nabha, there will be companies freezing recruitments reducing costs, trying to adjust to these developments, but again this will be a short-term phenomenon and things should settle down.
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SBI to hire 25,000 persons this fiscal
The country's largest lender State Bank of India has said that it will recruit 25,000 people this fiscal, a move at a time when the banking majors are reducing jobs to cut costs amid global slowdown. "For the last so many years, the bank has not been recruiting people. I understand the problem... This year, we are recruiting 20,000 people in the clerical cadre and 5,000 supervisory staff," SBI chairman O. P. Bhatt said at a SBI officers association meet in the Capital. Interestingly, in recent time, many financial institutions has showed pink slips to their employees as a measure of cost-cutting due to economic slowdown. The world's largest bank Citigroup plans to lay off at least 10,000 employees and raise its credit card interest rates as part of its plans to return to profitability. US credit group American Express will also lay off its 7,000 employees, amounting to around 10 per cent of its workforce. Bhatt said the SBI's business is of more than Rs 10 lakh crore and is also planning to increase its ATM from 9,000 to 15,000.
PTI
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Career Hotline
Bikramjeeet Singh A. I don't think you should have a problem if you enroll for the one-year Pre-Sea Training Courses offered by institutes like the following for which the eligibility is a BE mechanical engg/ naval arch. Marine Engg & Research Institute (MERI), Hay Bunder Rd, Mumbai 400033. Binny Engineering Ltd., 65 Armenian Street, Chennai 600001. Institute of Armament Technology, Pune. Course: ME (Mech) Marine Engineering. Punjland Shipping & Maritime Services, SCO 487-488, Sector 35-C, Chandigarh 160022. International Maritime Institute Ltd. (IMI): (www.imiindia.com) 13, Institutional Area, Surajpur-Kasna Road, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida 201036. (UP). Del Off: 208/D, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli Badarpur Road, New Delhi 110030 However, if you are seeking admission to these courses, make sure you are medically fit. Glasses are permitted ,but the power in each eye should not exceed +/-2.5. You must also not suffer from colour
blindness. On completion of the course and after obtaining Part 'A' of the MEO Class IV Certificate of Competency of the M/o Shipping from the Directorate General of Shipping, you will be recruited as an Assistant Marine Engineer on any vessel of a shipping company. Of course you will have to approach these companies directly. With further experience at sea and upon obtaining a higher Certificate of Competency, you will have the opportunity to rise up to the level of Chief Engineering Officer.
Dual degree boosts employment avenues
Angad Bahl A. In recent years it has become increasingly possible to earn a pair of master's degrees in less time and at less cost or get an advanced degree for an unusual niche. Traditionally, graduate schools (our postgrad is their grad) confined students to one field. But now as working across fields is becoming more necessary, they are offering joint degrees that allow you to link two very different but synergistic areas of study. By allowing credits from one field to be applied to the other, not only are time and costs pared but a dual degree also adds value by expanding your education and, therefore, your employment potential. For instance, Boston University's School of Management offers an MS.MBA to turn out managers adept in technology (somewhat like our MBA (IT). Typically, the course load is heavier and may include an additional semester (21 months). But I think it's worth it. Do explore some of the other leading B-schools for similar offerings. For someone with your background, the MS.MBA sounds perfect. This will let you have your cake, and eat it too!
Delhi PMT
Q. I've passed class XII with PCB from Chandigarh. I have my birth certificate and domicile of Delhi. Can I still appear for Delhi PMT? Disha Verma A. Only students who have passed/appeared in class 12 exam (PCB & English) with 50% marks having studied classes 11 & 12 in a recognised school (CBSE/ISC/Jamia Millia Islamia) situated within the NCT of Delhi (except Patrachar Vidyalaya and Open Schools), are eligible to appear in the Delhi University Medical-Dental Entrance Test (DUMET) in mid-May for admission to MBBS programme in Maulana Azad Medical College, Lady Hardinge Medical College, University College of Medical Sciences and BDS at MAMC which come under the Faculty of Medical Studies, DU. However, female candidates of the SC/ST category and children/widows of Armed Forces personnel killed/disabled in action who have passed the class 12 exam from outside Delhi can take the entrance exam for admission to the Lady Hardinge Medical College only. For more info, log onto:
www.du.ac.in
Profile of credit analyst
Q. What exactly do credit analysts do, and where do they work? Lovleen Jha A.
Credit analysts rate the credit worthiness of a company. They are hired by banks as well as financial services providers. They manage the relationship between front line managers servicing the public to ensure that they receive quality service and quick response to requests for credit. Credit analysts undertake risk assessment analysis of various types of lending proposals. They make a decision based on a number of factors such as the purpose of the loan, viability, track record, credit-worthiness of the customer and the collateral provided. They provide quality service to internal customers by developing and improving the quality of credit submissions, financial analysis, advising and recommending changes to policy and procedures and offering a consultancy service on credit issues and quality. A credit analyst must possess strong quantitative skills coupled with a sound background in finance.
Prospects in geomagnetism
Ravinder
Sambyal A. Yes, those who have done postgradution in science or MSc (technology) with physics the gradution level can apply to the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism,
Panvel, Mumbai, to work as research scholars. For details, you can log onto the institute's website, which is
(http://iigm.re.in)
Empathy, communication skills vital in special education
Veena Misra A. Surprisingly, a quarter of the world's disabled live in India. And unfortunately, lack of education and awareness has become the biggest obstacle in enabling the disabled to lead a normal life. While the staggering number of children with disabilities runs into millions, there is a huge shortfall of special educators who can be counted in a few thousands. Special educators mainly work with children with disabilities like speech or language impairment, mental retardation, learning difficulties (autism, dyslexia, ADS, slow learners, Asperger's Syndrome), visual or hearing impairment. They help these students develop emotionally, train them to be comfortable in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behaviour. Empathy, communication and co-operation are essential traits. After understanding their special needs, a special educator needs to be highly innovative to devise appropriate learning strategies and motivate the child to be as optimally functional and well adjusted as possible. A course in Special Education equips you to work with such children studying either in special schools or in general schools in an integrated setting. But be prepared, while it is immensely satisfying and gives you the opportunity to make a difference, it calls for a great deal of patience, commitment and hard work. In one word, you need to be indefatigable. A variety of options ranging from one-year diploma and BEd (Spl) courses to three-four year bachelor's degree courses are available. Since you have already done your graduation, you could opt for any of the one-year BEd (Special Ed) programmes offered at a number of universities. Rehabilitation Council of India is a statutory body under the M/o Social Justice & Empowerment, located at 23-A, Shivaji Marg, New Delhi 110015. Incidentally, it is mandatory for every special educator to be registered with the RCI. Do log onto their website for details of
courses etc: www.rehabcouncil.org
This column appears weekly. Please send in your queries, 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
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Fortnightly Quiz-323
1. Who recently became the worlds youngest reigning monarch? 2. What is the full form of MIP that was ejected from the Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft? 3. What name has been given to the planned mini-satellite of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that will study corona, the outermost region of the sun? 4. How many tunnels are there on the 96-km World Heritage Kalka-Shimla rail track? 5. Who has been named the richest Indian woman by the Forbes magazine? 6. Name the classical vocalist who was recently chosen for Bharat Ratna. 7. Who was the author of Jurassic Park? 8. Which city will host the Commonwealth Games in 2010? 9. Who recently became the third Indian player to get 300 Test wickets? 10. What is Indias second highest total and the highest on the Indian soil in one-day international cricket?
Tarun Sharma
Winners of quiz 322: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Minni, class VII-A, RM School, Jhabkara, district Gurdaspur, VPO Jhabkara, pincode- 143535 Second: Abhishek Sharma, class V-C, Dayanand Public School, Shimla, pincode 171001 Third: Nidhi Kohli, class IV-A, Lawrance School, The Mall, Mata Kaulan Marg, Kashmir Avenue, Amritsar, pincode-143001 Answers to quiz 322: Vladimir Kramnik; Japan, China and India; 300; Donkey and elephant; Mohammed Anni Nausheed; Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil; VVS Laxman; Lewis Hamilton; Saina Nehwal; Anil Kumble Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address. Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place to facilitate the delivery of the prize money.
Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com
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Whether you are a business head or a team leader, the leadership mantle never rests easy. Leaders are in a position of high authority in the set-up. They are role models who set standards for others to follow. Their action and conduct send messages about what is acceptable and what is not. It is significant thus that as a leader you lead by example. So how do you walk the talk and set the tone for your team and the institution?
Q. I am doing B.Tech mechanical (seventh semester) with an aggregate of 62% till now.
I want to join merchant navy, but my percentage in class 12th is less than 60%, can I join?
International Maritime Institute Ltd., 13 Institutional Area, Surajpur Kasna Road, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida 201306. 
Q. I have completed my BTech (electronics) from the NIT and worked for a little over a year in an engineering company. I am very keen to do my postgraduate studies in the USA to improve my prospects. But I just can't decide between MS in electronics/IT and MBA. 
Q. I have done MSc in physics. I would like to go for further studies in geomagnetism. Are there any institutes that offer such programmes in India?
Q. I am a graduate keen on working in the field of Special education. Could you please tell me about the institutions offering courses in this field?