Career in Soft Skills Training

Introduction
Of late, soft skills have emerged as a tool with enough power to make or break your career. How often do we encounter technically talented people who excel in their jobs, but whose career stalls beyond a certain point because they lack the social communication and relationship building skills to manage, work with and lead other people? Soft skills is an umbrella term which includes communicative skills, listening skills, team skills, Leadership quality, creativity and logic, problem solving skills, diplomacy and change readiness, among others.
Soft skills are generally gifted and cannot be learnt from a book. Roots of soft skills can be traced back to one’s ‘Sanskaras’ (Family Values). Still, formal training can, of course, give you a fresh perspective, and teach you tips and techniques if you need to improve specific skills, but if you really want to ingrain soft skills into your personality, you have to become a keen observer, an eager learner and an assiduous workman religiously putting to practice all that you have learnt. Here are a few soft skills which may help you improve your career prospects and enhance your personality as a whole.

Effective Communication Skills
Effective communication skills include oral Skills for public speaking, presentations, negotiating, conflict resolutions, knowledge-sharing; Writing Skills for preparing reports, proposals, instruction manuals, writing memos, notices, official correspondence etc. It also includes a combination of verbal and non-verbal skills. Since our official medium of communication is English, certain amount of proficiency is needed in it. As English for us is a second language and not our mother tongue, so a constant practice at home/hostel, followed by language-lab sessions, is need of the hour. Those institutes that want their students to get placed in MNCs and reputed companies, must give this a deep and urgent thought. Quality job depends as much as on knowledge of the respective subject as on good communication skills.



Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills
Interpersonal and teamwork skills contribute to higher productivity and better environment as people work together to reach common goals. Some individuals are born leader or intuitively adopt the traits required in team work. However, in general, these skills need to be taught or can be learnt through practice and awareness. This skill has four dimensions namely—Cooperation, Communication, Work Ethic and Leadership. Cooperation requires demonstrating the ability to compromise on their views, treating team members with respect, and working within a consensus of the team. Communication here requires a dynamic interaction among team members and inviting and providing feedback and resolving conflict. Work ethics includes accepting responsibility for assigned work, completing any assigned tasks and doing so on-time, and offering assistance to other team members when required. It is certainly desirable for each team member to demonstrate leadership. This includes helping to provide structure by initiating action, clarifying concepts and problems, and summarizing activities and results.

Personal Skills
Many people wonder why they do not have the success they want in business! Most of the time, the reason will be right under their nose; they are just unable to see it. The first thing that someone should ask is, "Am I successful in my personal life and relationships?” Personal skills are those skills which make you not only acceptable and respectable in society and at the work place but also help you in getting a good job and better career growth. They include ability to make decision, Alertness, Assertiveness, Attention to details, calmness, Commitment, Cooperation, Emotional stability, Empathy, Flexibility, Generosity, Tolerance, self-confidence, self-control, self-reliance, self-respect, Honesty, and sense of humor among others.

Problem-Solving and Other Cognitive Skills
In your day to day life, you often come across such situations where you are unable to make right decisions. You are more likely to get into such conditions when you are working in an organization. To deal with such stresses, you need to develop some skills which may help you in making decisions, developing creative and innovative solutions, developing practical solutions, showing independence and initiative in identifying problems and solving them, applying a range of strategies to problem-solving, applying problem-solving strategies across a range of areas.



Adaptability and Work Ethics
It is a well-known fact that contemporary organizations evolve and change rapidly, given the fast pace of technological change over the last hundred years of industrial era. Consequently, an employee in a contemporary organization must not only be willing to work hard but also possess the flexibility and ability to respond to rapid change. An employer requires a whole set of skills to develop adoptability like communicating across cultures, getting along with others in a multi-cultural work environment, respect for others’ faith and belief systems, avoiding racial/cultural discrimination at the workplace.
Work ethic is a set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character of the employer or any individual. A work ethic may include being reliable, having initiative or maintaining social skills. Apart from that a sense of responsibility, honesty and commitment may also be included in it.
In order to posses these above discussed skills you need to be self-aware i.e. you need to cultivate positivism in your thought and approach. You should also know how to live consciously and try to put your words into action. Reading is yet another way to improve your skills and can help you develop a better perspective of the world and the things around you. You should also open yourself to new ideas and experiences and be willing to adapt to changes if it makes the things go easier. The last but not the least you should always remember is that you need to practice and practice these skills with dedication. Practice improves your performance, helps you discover and overcome shortcomings and mistakes and gives you confidence.

Career Prospects

• Soft Skill Trainer
Most of the organizations are now providing their employees the training of soft skills in order to improve their positive communication, interpersonal and team skills, problem solving, adoptability, and work ethics. This in turn has a very positive impact on their business and personal lives on one hand and increases the productivity of the organization on the other. So after completing a course in soft skills, one can get a job of a soft skill trainer in any of private or public organization and earn a handsome salary.

• Personality Development
Of late, the focus has shifted from a natural man to a groomed one. Organizations, particularly corporate ones, are seeking individuals who are smart and well groomed. They have the kind of communication skills that they can outsmart any one. For which they provide training to their employees once they are recruited. But they prefer those who are already better. Since most of the people are born with the talents but they need policing and grooming, a number of private institutes are set in market that are doing this job for them. These institutes are earning a lot of money in turn, thus, providing an attractive job option for a soft skill trainer.

• Teacher
Teaching has recently been a good option for a soft skill trainer as Technical Communication is a compulsory subject in all Engineering and Management Institutes. There the students are trained and prepared for their placements and communication skills along with other personal skills are required to perform better in interview and group discussion. Since the growth of an institute is totally dependent on the job placement of its students, the role of a soft skill trainer becomes very crucial.



Placement
After completing the course, one can get a job in any public or private organization, educational institute, or can set his own training centers. Initially, the trainer can earn somewhere between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month which increases over the years.

To Know about the premier institutes offering courses on Soft Skills, please contact:

MANISH LAHOTY
THE RIGHT PATH
E112, Lower Ground Floor,
Kalkaji
New Delhi-110019
manishtrp@timegurus.com
+91 9953 070305

Go after your Goals

We all know the importance of setting goals. When we set them, somehow we often don’t seem to achieve them. Why is it that most of us fail to achieve our goals?

Failure happens because most of the times our goals are not really ours; others imposed them on us, and we are made to believe that this is what we should aim for.

Why is it that so many of us don’t set goals? It is because of fear, rooted in poor self-esteem and under-confidence.
Don’t let life just happen to you; ‘make it happen’. Be a doer and a dreamer rolled into one. Are you ready for this challenge?
If you are then make some commitments to yourself

Understand your potential: Be confident. You are a unique being with unique talent. Bring forth your abilities and let them flower.

Bring excellence into your life: Whatever you choose to do, do it to the best of your ability. Being successful is a habit. If you are successful in small endeavors as well, such as polishing your shoes to give them a great shine, you will feel proud of yourself. Success in such mundane activities propels you to success in higher spheres. Rate everything that you do on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means ‘very shabby’ and 10 means ‘excellent’. Your satisfaction level should be at least a 9 on this scale.



No regrets: Let go of the past. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Allow yourself to dream: Be honest with yourself about your goals, but always think big and dream bigger.

Plan for achieving your goals: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. You must make a written plan about how to reach your goal. Take it one step at a time.

Believe in yourself: Confidence in your abilities and your vision is the key ingredient for success.



Never give up: The role of persistence in achieving your dreams can’t be overemphasised. You want something, go get it and don’t turn back till you’ve got it.

For Career Counseling

Manish Lahoty
THE RIGHT PATH
E112, LGF
Kalkaji, New Delhi
manishtrp@timegurus.com
+91 9953 070305

Career Opportunities in Corporate Social Responsibility

The post liberalized and globalised Indian economy is witnessing shrinking role of state and growing role of Corporate and Business in overall development of country. Corporate with their wider reach, professionalism, innovation and wealth have the ability to influence the pace of growth and development. In recent survey by TERI it was found that the public expectations from corporate and business are growing. Indians feel that business sector must play a wider and more expansive societal role. In addition to providing good quality products at reasonable prices, companies should strive to make their operations environmentally sound, adhere to high labour standards, reduce human rights abuses and mitigate poverty.

What is CSR?

Corporate Social responsibility in the past few decades has intrigued not only the scholars but the practioners as well. It is essentially a concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment? (European Commission, 2001). Companies consider themselves as an integral part of the society and act in a socially responsible way (EC, 2001). Till very recently it was viewed as philanthropic activity indulged into only when the firms were in jeopardy. But it is now viewed to be inclusive, broad and diverse. CSR is now viewed as integral part of business strategy to minimize the business risks linked to uncertainty. Though the critic are of the view, CSR is nothing but Corporate Conspiracy to Snatch Resources (CSR), in the name of CSR.

Where are the jobs?

Most of the multinational Corporate have their CSR wing and Deptt exclusively dedicated for doing community development and CSR activities directly or indirectly in the vicinity of their operations. In other companies CSR is running under HR or Environment Deptt.They recruit professionals from Social work,rural development and other developmental fields to undertake and manage the CSR activities of company. It is observed that companies whose operations directly impact the nature like mining, manufacturing, power generations etc have CSR wing quite active to tackle the grievances of nearby population and engage the stakeholders. In green field projects we have seen corporate giant and Govt struggling hard to get the land acquisitions and Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) issues solved, here also CSR professionals are in great demand.
Due to the diversity of this career area, opportunities exist within the private, public and voluntary sectors. It is important to highlight that many CSR roles may not be titled as such but their job content may reflect CSR activities.



Private Sector - Larger companies may have CSR departments or have CSR functions located within particular areas including marketing, communications, environmental management, public affairs, investor relations, finance, operations and human resources. Opportunities are also opening up in the large accounting and consulting firms, many of which are trying to compete with the niche CSR consulting firms by offering their own CSR client services.

Public Sector - CSR career options can be found in national government agencies, PSUs and international organizations.

Nonprofits and research - There are a wide variety of non-governmental organizations (NGO?s), industry associations, think tanks and academic institutions engaging in learning and/or advocacy within the CSR arena. Such groups promote and examine the use of CSR concepts within the private and public spheres. For example:
CSR ? still an emerging profession?
There is no such thing as a typical career path in CSR and there is no single professional body at present that represents the needs and interests of all those working in the field. This is due to the diverse disciplines involved and also the complexity of the roles and responsibilities of a CSR practitioner. The process of establishing and responding to the CSR agenda within an organization will require specialists with specific CSR competencies.

What qualifications are needed for a CSR role?

There are no specific qualifications required for this field but there are an increasing number of qualifications becoming available at Masters Level and as part of MBA courses. The professional courses like Master of Social Works (MSW) MBA in rural development and Post Graduate Diploma in Rural development offered by different universities and reputed institution may be right option for career in CSR.

What skills or competencies would be required for a CSR role?

This is hard to clarify due to the diverse roles and range of disciplines involved. Though the major skills required for successful CSR Professional are
•Business skills (including building insight, communication skills, decision making, commercial awareness, IT, innovation, strategic awareness, leadership, handling complexity and problem solving)
• People skills (including adaptability and empathy, developing others, influencing without power, open minded, integrity, political awareness, self-development and learning, building partnerships, team working and questioning "business as usual")
• Technical skills (including technical expertise, understanding impacts, stakeholder dialogue, internal consultancy, selling the business case, understanding human rights and understanding sustainability).
From above three skills, following 6 core competencies are listed for managers involved with CSR in organizations:
•Understanding society
•Building capacity
•Questioning business as usual
•Stakeholder relations
•Strategic view
•Harnessing diversity



How do I find out more about CSR roles?

•Browse relevant websites and job listings - build up knowledge of what skills, qualifications and experience are being asked for.
•Check out the following reference books in the ?Getting Started? section of the Careers Information Room:
The Ethical Careers Guide - Business Ethics section
The Sustainable Careers Handbook
•Consider joining a CSR network
•Organize an internship, work experience or voluntary placement.

How do I find a job in CSR?

This very much depends on which area of CSR you are interested in and the type of organization you want to work for. Many direct CSR roles require specialist knowledge and business experience and therefore may not be open to those on graduate programmes or just starting out with a company. You may have to take a longer term strategy and build up your skills and experience in relevant areas first. However, there are jobs out there so here are a few tips:
•Companies recruits professional both fresher and experienced through advertising in media or internal sources.
•Search-out the companies/foundations/trust of company owners doing CSR Works.
•Think hard about organizations you admire and research their values and culture. What is their stance on CSR? Is it embedded in their core values? Do they have opportunities for getting involved with CSR activities? Search out their Websites and CSR Sections.
•Most of the CSR Jobs are done by NGOs so search out the NGOs having linkages with big corporate.
•Some consultancies have CSR departments and take on people in this area. For environmental consultancies with a CSR interest check out these too.
•Get some CSR experience by securing an internship, work placement or by volunteering to assist an organization with their CSR project.
•Keep up to date with CSR developments. Monitor CSR websites and newspaper articles.
•Consider further study. Some consultancies for example, prefer graduates with business or NGO experience and/or a Masters level qualification in a CSR related area.
•Monitor online job listings or register with a recruitment agency that handles CSR vacancies .



To Know About the Institutes Offering Courses on CSR, Please Contact:

Manish Lahoty
THE RIGHT PATH
(An Initiative of Time Education & Immigration Consultants)
E!!@, LGF,
Kalkaji, New Delhi
+91 9953 070305

Career in Translation

One of the career options that has been gaining importance in the wake of this technological revolution is translation. With the world shrinking into a global village, linguistic abilities are being appreciated more than ever.
Translation can be a rewarding career, either as a full-time vocation or as a supplement to your writing jobs. The skills you learn as a translator - patience, attention to detail, expression, composition and can help your writing enormously.
Translation should not be viewed as an activity that involves only word-by-word translation of text from one language to another. In actual practice, it involves moving the soul of a text into a different body. One of the best ways to improve your skills as a translator is to analyze the translation work done by other writers. This will give you an idea of the level of creativity required while executing the work as a professional. Always keep in mind that just like all other careers, it will take time to learn the craft and the business. You need to spend the first few years of your career in learning the nuances of the craft.
The advent of the internet has helped organizations to spread their tentacles outside the home markets. As a result, there is an acute shortage of foreign language translators for handling an organization's external communication needs in overseas markets. Success, however in these markets can only be achieved by gaining an in-depth understanding of the needs of the customers, which is only possible when you have a solid translation backbone. Translation, in our opinion is set to be a multi-billion dollar industry in the coming few decades. This is one of the reasons why many youngsters are opting for a career in translation.
When you embark on a translation career, it is advisable that you begin with dull, ordinary subjects that are easier to translate as compared to challenging literary texts. Beginning with easier texts will help build up your confidence which will come in handy when faced with complex hard to understand text. Start with small companies, as they will be more willing to hire freshers. Try building up a career profile by working on every type of text. Once you have attained a certain degree of confidence you can target import export agencies for assignments. Working for these agencies will give you just the right exposure to develop yourself as a professional translator.
You can even work for multiple organisations by choosing to operate as a freelancer. That way you can build a regular source of income by signing agreements with multiple agencies wherein you get paid for doing a certain amount of work every month. Once you have gained sufficient experience you can begin to charge more. If freelance work does not interest you then there are plenty of opportunities for experienced translators in government and non-government agencies, universities, training centers and multi-national companies.
First Step to begin with:
If you are still studying and are interested in pursuing a career as a translator, start early. Identify the language/s that interest you, and start learning them while you are still studying.
Other languages for which demand still exceeds supply are Japanese, German and French.
After you decide upon the language you wish to learn, explore whether institutes where these languages are taught are available in your city. For example, Max Mueller Bhavan offers courses in German, and Alliance Francaise is the one-stop location for French. Even Delhi University too offers a list of International Languages such as French, German, Arabic etc.
Although, there are no established institutes for learning Chinese or Japanese, with the popularity of these languages growing, several institutes have mushroomed recently. Searching the Internet for these institutes in your city may yield good results.
While enrolling in part-time language courses is a good option, acquiring a degree in the language of your choice goes a long way in launching your career as a translator. Universities such as the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as well as University of Pune offer graduate and postgraduate courses in various foreign languages. Although companies prefer hiring translators with a degree in translation, such courses are still few and far between.

How to get started with the career in translation?
Let's look at what it takes to become a translator. First of all, you do to know another language. Like all careers (especially writing) it takes time to learn both the craft and the business. Let's say you are already comfortable with reading general texts in a language. Translation courses are usually post-graduate level. Some focus intensively on translating into and out of certain languages. Others emphasize knowing many languages and translating into your native tongue. Most translation courses also give supplementary language classes. There are many approaches, each suitable for a different kind of translation. Literary translator, will probably specialize in learning the nuances of just one language. To translate commercial texts, multilingual skills may be important. Courses aren't a necessity, however. You can learn through actually doing translations, if you are patient and motivated. Just like any kind of writing, you need to build your resume, and the best way to do this is to start small. If you don't feel comfortable translating into your second language, start with translating into your native tongue, since passive language knowledge is always stronger than active.
Types of Jobs
There are as many subdivisions in translation as in any type of writing. Experience in a field can be invaluable for finding jobs; you can find many international corporate clients! Once you've specialized, you can start to charge more.
Literary translation, although challenging and glamorous, is usually not a good place to start your career. Begin with more ordinary subjects; find import-export companies and offer your services. A surprisingly large number of text-memos, business plans and minutes, just to name a few -- are shunted from one language to the next and the corporate sector pays well.
As a translator, you can work freelance, through an agency, or for one client exclusively. Many agencies are not willing to consider translators without qualifications, but this definitely depends on which languages you deal with. Freelance work demands constant attention, but it can be rewarding for those who like to work at home, or who want to work on particular hard-to-find subjects. Freelancers sometimes have agreements with several agencies to do a certain amount of work per week or month. Working for one client usually means translating in-office. This could be at a newspaper interested in foreign news or a multinational company, and can mean full-time or part-time hours.



Financial Gains from Translation
What you'll charge depends on where you are. A good way to find out rates in your area is to call agencies and ask about their fees. Also check the Internet for markets. There are various job-finding sites.
Before you start even your first translation, make sure you have style guides and dictionaries on hand. There are excellent dictionaries on CD-ROM, both bilingual and English/English and Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Having your dictionaries on the computer can be a time-saver, although it's not essential.
Translation software is a controversial topic right now. It should be said, however, that no translation software, however sophisticated, does the job for you. It can only be an aid. Be professional. Always, always keep your deadlines. You are sometimes the last step before publication, and being late can cost you your job. Keep records, make your own glossary that can save your time and headaches later on. Some computer-based dictionaries have an "add your own words" option, but at the very least a simple list is invaluable. Check and re-check so that translation done is perfect, because if there is crucial sentence in the text is unclear or even (gasp) incorrect, might cause a lot of trouble. Finally, read the newspapers or books in both (or all) of your languages will help you get a feel for translating. Taking the first step in a new direction is always hard. Starting to translate is difficult, but it can lead you into a rewarding area. It's something you can combine with writing to make a full, well-rounded freelance career. Or you may just love it so much you will dedicate your life to it!

There are two main types of translators: translators who work with anything written or published, and interpreters, who listen and translate a voice as it is being spoken. Translators may work on software, internet related materials or a variety of documents, including legal, business-related, technical, or “literary” texts, and is generally paid by the word. Interpreters are normally paid by the hour at business conferences, courts or government proceedings. Simultaneous interpreting is probably the most difficult discipline of translation as the interpreters need to be highly trained and fluent to interpret the voice of the speaker in real time. While interpreters can find their profession very challenging, it can also be quite tedious churning through word after word of, for example, technical texts. Translators, on the other hand, have significant advantages in that they have time to polish their final product revising their translations with dictionaries, glossaries and other reference tools. A variety of working environments exist for translators such as various translation environments for software translation and website translation that include translation memories and glossaries. It can often take significant training for the translator to get fully up to speed with these tools.
Simultaneous translators must have very versatile backgrounds. A strong business background may be extremely useful to the simultaneous translator. To become a technical translator, applicants must pass an exam and receive special certification. These translators must also posses excellent technical writing skills. Thankfully, many companies offer test preparation classes to make applicants ready for the exams. Court translators generally need to be certified by the governments of their countries and need to pass exams for this certification. Other translators work in academic fields either studying or interpreting foreign texts. This is where there is often the most room for creative expression. However, it is also the area most likely to be widely scrutinized.

Translation Service companies prefer candidates who have exceptional fluency in at least two languages, though; many language combinations can often be off-putting for an employer due to the lack of specialization in a combination they are looking for. This may often also be the case for the field a translator may specialize in. A translator specialized in a particular field and language combination for ten years is often more likely to be chosen over a translator who has several working combinations and fields for the last ten years.
Candidates should be fluent in at least two cultures. Cultural study is an area that potential translators cannot overlook as it is invaluable to understanding the nuances of any work to be translated.



Some Important Tips for Translation
Practice your written skills in the language as much as possible. While it is important to be able to speak a language well, writing skills are equally imperative in pursuing a career in translation. Pay special attention to the field you intend to specialize in. For example, if you wish to enter the IT field and work as a technical translator, make a special effort to learn the IT terminology of that language. Read extensively. This is essential in order to improve your command of the language. The Internet is an excellent resource for books and other material.
Use every opportunity to speak the language with a native speaker. Cultivate good writing skills in the target language. A translator is first and foremost a good writer. Ensure that you are able to express yourself well in the target language.
What is the Next Step?
Once you complete your language courses, begin identifying translation and interpreting jobs. Translators and interpreters are hired by MNC's with operations in several countries, hotels, holiday resorts, travel agencies, etc. Depending on your aptitude, identify the areas that you could potentially specialize in. For example, if you are a technology freak, you may want to work for a software company as a technical translator. If you are interested in automobiles, you may contemplate a career as a translator in the automobile industry. There are lots of vacancies in Government Sectors also. All the Government Ministries like Agriculture, Science & Technology, Textile and Education and so on requires Junior Translators, Senior Translators, Subject Experts and Assistant Director (for official languages). The opportunities are endless. However, it is essential to have a fairly good idea of what interests you, so that you can prepare yourselves appropriately.
The importance of computer skills cannot be overemphasized. Although learning languages has very little to do with working on the computer, in order to be able to succeed in this profession, mastery of good computer skills is extremely essential.
Like most jobs, translation jobs are primarily advertised in newspapers and on job sites on the Internet. Identify the kind of job that interests you most and begin the search.

Career Opportunities in International Business

During the last two decades the world has witnessed a sea change in the international trade practices, processes and behavior. Liberalization has opened new horizons of international trade for its huge potential market and has also opened vistas of foreign markets for its diversified product line. Though India’s foreign trade constitutes only 1% of the total world trade, the volume and diversity is significant. In 1991 when the new economic policy was introduced India’s export was merely $ 18 billion which surged to about $ 200 billion by the year 2009.According to an estimate, 45% of the GDP is due to export and import. India’s total share in goods and services trade was 0.92% in 2003 which increased upto 1.64% in 2008. Studies have revealed that nearly 14 million jobs were created directly or indirectly as a result of augmented exports in the last five years (i.e. from 2003 to 2008). Also the EXIM (Export Import) policy provides for an export growth of 15% thereby increasing the share of world trade to 1.5% from the existing 1%.For achieving this objective, the Government has strengthened the foreign trade policy and set up Export Processing Zones (EPZ), Special Economic Zones (SEZ), dry ports for facilitating export and imports, exemptions of duty and other measures. Thus, international trade and business have tremendous scope in terms of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in India.

Dimensions of International Business
In broader terms, international business strives for achieving the foreign trade objectives of a country by integrating the export and import practices of various trading partners/countries. With the emergence of WTO (World Trade Organization) in 1999 the international trade practices have gone standardized and member countries have agreed to come under a broader network with some common rule and trade codes of conduct. Though there are some impediments and disagreements on some issues, the contribution of this organization to bring world trade coherence can not be neglected. Since various trading partners/countries are involved in the complex trade activities, a lot of complexities arise during the whole process. These may be due to differing export-import policies, legislations, custom agreements, documentation requirements, quality control concerns, standardization and other micro/ macro economic consideration. International business operations account for production, invoicing, packing, insurance, transportation and shipping, logistics, quality control, inspection, finance, documentation, marketing, import, export, custom clearance, legislation, risk assessment, surveying, service, liasoning, foreign exchange management, merchandizing, taxation, research and development etc. Aside from it, there is direct role of professionals in managing human resource at multinational companies involved in international trade and business. These include; cross cultural research methodology and cross cultural negotiation and communication, foreign exchange markets and their operations, institutions for finance and infrastructure including export promotion councils and commodity boards, state trading corporations, export processing zones, regional trade blocks, multilateral and bilateral trade agreements and e-commerce. They enhance the scope of international business.



Scope and Nature of Career in International Business
In view of the dimensions mentioned above, the professionals in international business are required by organizations involved in export import specially export houses, merchandisers, custom clearing houses, special economic zones, dry ports, ports, logistic companies, transportation corporations , state trading corporations, marine insurance companies, shipping companies/corporations, directorate general of foreign trade, banks and financial institutions providing export-import finance & foreign exchange services, pre-shipment and post-shipment quality control labs, export marketing firms, BPO involved in export import business, customer relationship management, International finance, international accounting and international financial management.
International business management is one such career course that offers ample scope for career in international and transnational corporations. Candidates after completing the course may search for jobs available in the export companies, public sector houses, international banks and companies having subsidiaries in other countries. Most of the companies offer handsome salary packages along with other lucrative facilities.
After completing masters’ degree/ diploma in international business, one can be absorbed in export houses or with merchandisers. The responsibilities assigned to a professional may be documentation related to export/import and liasoning with the tax & custom authorities. Their work also involves liasoning between exporters and port authority. CHA (Custom House Agents) are required by the exporters to facilitate the custom clearance. Similarly, export managers and executives are much in demand for insurance companies particularly marine insurance corporations where they are required to assess the loss or physical damage to the goods shipped in a country. They are assigned the responsibilities of assessors, surveyors and certifiers. This is a very technical and specified job which not only requires professional competence but also demands knowledge of latest standards and legislations in international business to cope up with the situation.
In marketing field there lies enormous scope for the management graduates with IB specialization. For boosting overseas sales, searching new business hubs and potential markets abroad, marketing professionals are desired by the export houses. The essential qualification includes; post graduate degree in IB with attitude to take challenges coupled with understanding of the world business environment. Knowledge of foreign language is an added advantage for these professionals. In addition to the above, international marketing executives suggest strategies based on marketing research and predict demand and potential buyers abroad. They are also engaged in Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
Consultancy is one of the most sought after and remunerative career for international business professionals. An international business consultant is responsible for providing relevant and up-to-date information about various aspects of business development and market information for international companies. The international business consultant conveys information about foreign business investments, opportunities, competitive companies and even information about business practices and legal implications of owning a business in another country. International business consultants work for companies that are already in international markets or with companies that are planning international expansions or investments. Risk analysis and business analysis based on research is also a part of responsibility to international business consultant.
If one can develop and exposed to the international trade legislation, negotiation and research in international trade, he will surely find suitable positions in WTO, UNCTAD, IMF, World Bank, Regional Trade Blocks and trade associations. Experts in commodity trade are also required for the posts catering to the needs of the exporters and importers. The persons with interest in legal affairs of international trade disputes ranging from patents, specific product and service categories related to geographical locations, multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, customs, tariffs and non tariff issues are much in demand to solve the legal disputes among countries. A degree in international business with law qualification is sufficient to grab the opportunity in this sector.
International finance has also emerged as a major sector attracting experts in managing the fiancé related affairs of multinational corporations and Despite the increasing demand of experts in international business management, there is a dearth of faculty in international business in management institutions offering and planning to offer these courses. If you have a taste of updating, analyzing, accelerating, disseminating your knowledge in international business, there lies enormous opportunities in teaching and research profession. You can develop your specialization in the field of international business area if already teaching in some institution. Media reporting and journalism related to import export and commodity specific reporting can also be a good opportunity to the young people having a flare for international business news in print and electronic media.
People having analytical skills and background in international finance are placed at different positions in finance related departments of banks and financial institutions. Now a days banks have their own separate wings of foreign exchange transactions, export finance, risk management and consultancy in international financial management where every task related to foreign exchange dealings and export import finance is performed e.g. letter of credit etc. Competent professionals must have degree in international business with specialization in international finance are placed for this job. EXIM bank, ,public & private and foreign banks also appoint specialized people in international finance, foreign exchange, risk management and currency derivatives.
Entrepreneurship is also one of the lucrative career options for the persons who desire to have their own export house for facilitating international trade practices. The professional having some experience in export-import documentation can establish their offices in dry ports, SEZ and export processing zones (EPZs) and provide services to the clients(in this case exporters and importers) related to every aspect of procedural requirement of export and import.
International accounting is also an area where the experts in accounting operations may be posted in multinational corporations and firms engaged in international business operations. The accounting professionals are required for compliance of international accounting norms and standards. The Now let’s have a look on the degree and diploma courses in international business management. The following is the comprehensive list of the institutions in India offering professional programmes in international business management:



Now let’s understand terminology used in this article:

International finance is a branch of economics that studies the balance of payments issues, exchange rates, foreign direct investment, capital flows, trade deficits, and surpluses, and how they affect international trade and the global economy.
Foreign exchange management denotes the management of foreign currency payments and receipts involved in international trade.
Risk management is related to the identification, assessment, prediction and control of risk aroused due to transaction of foreign currency in international trade.
Special Economic Zone in short SEZ is a geographically bound zone where the economic laws in matters related to export and import are more broadminded and liberal as compared to rest parts of the country. SEZs are projected as duty free area for the purpose of trade, operations, duty and tariffs.

To know about the institutes offering courses in International Business at Bachelor's or Master's level, please contact:

Manish Lahoty
THE RIGHT PATH
(An Initiative of Time Educational & Immigration Consultants)
E112, LGF
Kalkaji, New Delhi
+91 9953 070305

CAREER IN PRINT MEDIA

If you dream of making a qualitative change in the people's life, bringing into light the dark side of the society, have the patience to get along with politicians, bureaucrats, criminals and a myriad of persons desperate to get some ready to rush to work at odd hours, do night shifts; Journalism is one of the best careers to pursue.
Journalism as such is more than a career, it's a mission. A mission that generates your creativity helps you socialize, earn name along with your livelihood, bring to the forefront problems facing the society and help implement the possible solutions. These inherent advantages of journalism attract a lot of young graduates.
Scope and Areas of Work in Print Media
Print Media is the oldest form of media. But even today it is growing from strength to strength. Around 4000 small, medium and large newspapers and magazines across the county are registered with the Registrar of Newspapers every year. This indicates that it is a growing sector where employment opportunities are increasing with each passing day.
Most of the young aspirants who want to enter the print media prefer reporting, but newspapers and magazines also seek young talent as photographers, artists, editors, computer experts, librarians, and cartoonists. Students who have writing ability, graphics or photo skills, curiosity and determination and who are well prepared by education and training have less difficulty in finding a good opening in the print media. The well known areas to work are:



Editing:
Editing means to plan the contents of the publication and to supervise its preparation. Newspapers have Editors who should have sound knowledge of newspaper laws. They need to put forward innovative ideas and establish the style of the publication. Editors must be able to coordinate the efforts of a team. They must possess a sound knowledge of their market, and take the initiative in looking for new authors and new subjects. In very large newspapers, there are associate or assistant editors who are responsible for particular topics, such as sports, international news, local news, supplements, special pullouts, etc. Administrative duties of editors include hiring writers, planning budgets and negotiating contracts with freelance writers.
Newspapers also have a large number of sub-editors whose job is to give a final shape to the story submitted by a reporter. Sub-editors acts almost like a gate keeper ? editing, reformatting, objectively presenting each report, keeping in mind the general policy of the newspaper. They must be able to identify potential doubts, complications and mistakes in the text, inconsistencies or lack of adherence to the style of newspaper.

Reporting:
Reporting in Newspapers and Magazines means to file stories about local, state, national and international events; to present different view points on current issues and to monitor the actions of public officials and others who exercise power. Newspapers frequently station reporters known as correspondents in large cities and in other countries to prepare stories on major news events occurring in these locations.
Freelancing:
One can also work as a freelance journalist for newspapers and magazines. Freelancers are not the regular employees of the organization. They are paid according to each piece or article they write.
Writing Columns:
A newspaper appoints specialists for regular columns. Columnists, being assigned a column, have to keep contributing to the column on a regular basis.
Writing Comments:
Well known people, who are authorities in their respective fields, are invited to write on topical issues in magazines or newspapers.
Drawing Cartoons:
A comical or satirical sketch on political, cultural events is the job of a cartoonist. While established cartoonists work for some big groups, others are generally free lancers.
Working as an Artist:
Illustrators and cartographers who specialize in maps and charts to illustrate data work in this medium.
Photojournalism:
Photojournalism is an art to tell a story with pictures. People having an interest in photography with an ability to link it with a news story can work for newspapers and magazines as a photojournalist.



Nature of the Job
A journalist can work in various capacities in print media. The print has several sub categories like newspaper, magazines and news agencies, and also internet based news portals like Tehelka.com, Indiatimes.com, Rediff.com, etc.
In a newspaper house, fresh journalism graduates usually join as trainees at the news desk or the editing desk. After a couple of years, they get transferred to reporting. However, exceptions to this rule are common and some people join straightaway as trainee reporter also.
The hierarchy for reporters in most of the newspaper houses is roughly as follows - trainee, staff reporter correspondent, principal reporter/ senior reporter/ correspondent, chief reporter and special representative/ correspondent.
Working for a news agency is slightly different because of the tougher deadlines - not at the end of the day but right now. The ABC of news agency reporting seeks accuracy, brevity and clarity. The format of writing is very straight forward and to the point and does not allow any scope for speculation or analysis within the news story. Agencies like Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) are 24 hours open and their offices are not closed even on Republic or Independence Day or on big festivals, which are holidays for the newspapers.
Reporting for magazines involves less leg work than newspapers. But it requires closer co-operation with the sources of news. Here, the distinction between reporting, editing and desk work many a time gets blurred and the reporter does all the work.

Where to Study and the Eligibility
To pursue a career in the print media one may attain a bachelor's degree or a post-graduate degree or diploma in journalism or mass communication. Courses in journalism are offered in English, Hindi and regional languages. Specialized courses in selected fields like page composition, layout designing and photo journalism are also offered. Apart from the professional degrees, other skills required are a good command over the language, good general knowledge and the ability to collect information and report events quickly.
Now a days most of the Indian universities offer both under-graduate and post-graduate programs in journalism. Graduates of any stream are eligible to opt for a post-graduate degree or diploma program in journalism.
Some of the well known institutes offering journalism courses are Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, AJK ? Mass Communication Research Centre (MCRC) of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan units at Mumbai, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal, Times of India School of Journalism, Mumbai, Pioneer Media School, New Delhi, The Manorama School of Communication, Kottayam, St. Xavier?s Institute of Communication, Mumbai,Simbiosis International University, Pune etc.
Beside this, there are certain traits which a budding journalism graduate needs to know while opting journalism as a career. A good journalist should have ? a keen interest in people related issues, an inquisitive nature, ability to meet deadlines and outstanding communication skills. Basically if you are not interested in what people have to say, their emotions and their achievements, you simply cannot function as a journalist.



Remuneration
The minimum salary as per government directive has to be Rs. 5500 to Rs. 9000 for reporters and senior reporters, Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10,500 for the chief reporters and sub-editors, and Rs. 7500 to 12000 for editors. Private sector even offers higher remuneration including lucrative various fringe benefits. However salaries offered depend on the publication house one is working with. Field journalists are given travel and stay expenses as well as allowances are additional with all pay packets. Freelancers are paid for each piece of work they submit. Self-employed also have good earning depending upon the nature and extension of their business.
Further, the bigger publishing houses pay far higher salaries than the prescribed grades of the Government of India. Entry level salaries range between Rs. 8000 to 12000, experienced Journalists get from Rs. 20000 to 25000 and Senior Journalists earn over a Lac per month. Editors of several publications draw salaries in Lacs as they are given globally competitive salaries.
Excelling your Skills
Journalism is one of the most important vocations. Journalists not only report news but are also responsible for searching out for new stories that might impact the larger society. Journalists are also responsible for shaping opinions and perceptions about key issues that are prevailing in a society. From the local to the national level, journalists play a key role in shaping public opinions and perceptions. Journalists therefore perform a special function and one that no other vocation does.
Journalism as a vocation has also been one of the fields that have seen a radical change over the years. Both print and the visual medium have grown exponentially over the years and there is always a demand for skilled professionals. Increasing competitiveness has also led journalism becoming a very high stress job where deadlines must be met at all cost.
There is also an intense competition for more readers and viewers in both the print and the visual media. Both print and media journalists have to battle the daily stresses of work and life in order to produce relevant results. The job is stressful and may involve very high workloads in order to meet tight deadlines. It is not a profession for the weak willed or the timeservers. The vocation requires passion and complete dedication from an individual if he wants to excel.
Good writing skills itself is not enough to excel in journalism. In addition to it, one requires an attention to details, because it is in these details that a story finds both clarity and meaning. Journalism also requires boundless energy and the relentlessness to pursue a good lead.
Journalism can be an ideal career for those who love to read books and write. The vocation offers them an opportunity to extend their natural talents and utilize them to the best of their abilities. There are also various streams within journalism that a journalist can specialize in. These specializations include sports, investigative, science and film journalism.
For people who are looking forward to a journalism career, there are so many things that they can do to move an inch higher to their dream. For young people who were already to determine in themselves that a journalism career is really the profession that they would want to pursue, they can start gaining all they need to be qualified for the job.
Young ones should be arming themselves with the necessary skills in becoming a journalist such as writing. To do this, they should practice writing articles more often and monitor their improvement. To be more knowledgeable about the craft, they should also enroll in various writing workshops where the resource person are the ones who have been in the industry long enough to share their first-hand experiences. Aside from meeting famous writers and journalists, attending writing workshops can also help you improve your craft and will introduce you more into the technicalities of writing such as styles, structures and the like.
To widen your vocabulary, it is also a must that you read the newspaper regularly. Aside from current events and news, reading feature articles in magazines and even novels can help you be familiar with certain writing styles that can help you in creating your own in the future.
When you get to college, it is best to take up a journalism degree giving importance to the practical assignments. Generally in a good institute, you will be trained in all aspects of the field. Aside from training your writing skills, the school will open you up to other possibilities of the field such as the business side and other fields that may help you decide which field you are really suited to. Here, you will also have the opportunity to meet the "masters" in the field and you will also be able to use the school publication as the training ground for your future journalism career.



Getting the First Career Break
Graduates can go in for an internship with a newspaper for supervised training. The latest trend in this regard is that big groups of newspapers advertise the posts of trainees in any of the above categories. After conducting the entrance examination, suitable graduate trainees, with a flair for writing, are selected and employed.
Almost all newspapers hire journalism graduates fresh out of college, though most of the larger papers (and many of the medium-sized ones) ask for prior experience. Therefore, the smaller the newspaper, the better your chances of landing that first job. It is advantageous to apply to newspapers that you know something about, newspapers where you have had an internship, and papers that are located in areas that are familiar to you.


Print Media organizations where aspirants can find jobs are:
• Newspaper groups
• News agencies and news bureaus like the Press Trust of India, Reuters, United News of India and Associated Press
• Magazines and journals in English and vernacular languages
• Indian Information Service (Group A) of the government, Directorates of publicity
• In-house publications of large corporate houses
• Websites
It is best to create your own opportunity by learning how to market one's self, coming up with a strong portfolio, and to know when the best time to break into the field is. Here two things are quite important. The first one is to sell one's self. This is a very important aspect because employers and editors would not believe you if you just say that you are good. During an interview for a position, try to mention some of your good qualities that can be assets to the publication such as resourcefulness, creativity, and productivity. The second one is the willingness to start small. If you are a fresh journalism graduate, don't expect that you will get the position you want right away. Since the journalism field is competitive, it is best if you will have mindset of starting small. Those who are enjoying their journalism career nowadays are the ones who underwent through the ladder of success.

Selecting the right B-school is important

With the counseling for Integrated Common Entrance Test (ICET) all set to begin for admissions into MBA colleges students are obviously confused on choosing the best institution. What are the parameters that should be the basis for students to pick up the institution that gives the degree more valued in the job market?
Here are a few tips:
Any graduate who has decided to take up the professional course MBA-Master of Business Administration, should posses one of the primary quality of Asking many questions, the various parameters on which the decisions to select a right institution are:
Approval: Any institution which is offering MBA should be approved by All India Council for Technical Institute.
There are some institutions which are offering MBA or equivalent course which is not approved by AICTE. It is one of the important criteria to undertake a course in AICTE approved institution for global recognition. Please logon to www.aicte.gov.in to know the list of colleges not approved by AICTE.
Affiliation: The institution would be either affiliated to university or autonomous. Each of the status has its own advantage and disadvantages. Universities traditionally have a strong base and autonomous colleges have the advantage of flexibility of updating the syllabus yearly which is done in tune with the industries need.
Selection should be done browsing the syllabus and it's checking its validity in par with the industries need.
School rating: Organisations like AIMA (All India Management Association), IMRB, Business India, Just Careers, B-School survey and many other organisation regularly conducts survey and rates all B-schools at national level, rating is one of the important criteria as companies use this rating for visiting for campus placement, fixing the salary, etc.
Rating is given to institution by taking into consideration factors like infrastructure facilities, faculty strength, campus placement, association activities, personality development programmes, guest lectures, FDP, Industry Institution Interface, Membership in professional bodies, MoU and many other factors. An institution which is rated above ‘A' at all India level is desirable to be selected.
Employability: The purpose of joining any organisation is to get placed in an MNC. To get placed variety of employability skills like communication, aptitude, attitude etc are required. Thus it is important to select an institution which provides facilities to the students to enhance their employability skills like communication skills, Group discussion training, personality development, Interview techniques etc. which will enable students to acquire various skills and qualities to enhance their placement.
Clubs and association: A good institution should provide opportunity for the students to apply their theoretical knowledge into practice. Various clubs are formed like Marketing, Finance, HR, Business Line, Entrepreneurs club etc. these club serve as a platform for students to develop their managerial qualities like effective planning,
Organizing, authority and responsibility handling, decision making skill etc. Thus availability of these types of clubs and association enables the students to enhance their managerial skills.
Placement cell: Placement being the buzz word, every college has a placement cell, but more important is it should be active. A good institution should have a separate placement officer, should have organised on campus placement and job fairs, regular employment enhancement training programme.
Placement percentage: Student opting for Management programme should check the Placement percentage for last three years. If the institution provides information that it has placed its students as 80/90/cent percentage placement, it is important to know the type of companies and their level of salary offered. It is also important to collect information how the placement was done, whether it was n campus or off campus. How many got placed in on campus and the salary offered to them. Mere percentage should not be considered for selecting.
Visit: Never select an institution by going through the institution website, catalogue, and information received at the admission centre or education fair. It is advisable to visit the institution and check the various facilities claimed by the institution in various promotional materials like computer, library, good classrooms, placement record etc.
THINK SMART: It is important to select an institution which provides facilities to students to enhance their employability skills.

MANTRA FOR SUCCESS

Are you looking for more than just a better career?
Are you looking for a profession, one that aligns with your skills, interests, values, and plans for the future? If so, be prepared to face a lot of reflection and planning.

It’s important to take a serious view at the possibilities and outcomes before you jump to decide for your future career. Well most of us believe that it is one’s destiny to the type of career we have. Well one cannot altogether ignore this but whatever is in our hands is most of the time underestimated. If we concentrate on our performance then almost certainly we would always be traveling on the road to success.

Key ingredients for a successful career are:

• Decision making
• Planning
• Determination.
• Discipline
• Stability

Decision Making:

In simple words “every act of ours bears some result” i.e. has its own pros and cons. The most important thing is deciding carefully and after a lot of self analyzing. A wrong decision will never bring the desired right results. Most of the failures we meet in life are because of a wrong decision.

For instance you opt for science in class 12th despite of your lack of interest under parent or peer pressure, you might end up in just managing to pass your 12th exam but you won’t be able to perform better in future.

Now when such situation arises as early as after class 10th then it becomes the responsibility of the teachers and the parents to play vital role in helping the child with the decision making.

Planning:

This is another important tool that plays a key role in any successful venture. For lack of proper planning one usually comes across the unexpected results and events. Needless to say that any planned work or effort does not fail, but even it fails for some reasons then definitely the damage is not that great. For e.g. if an aspirant sets out to prepare for the IIT/JEE exam at the right time with good planning and he is unable to secure good rank in the exam, then he stands the good amount of chances of doing well in the other related exams.

Besides reducing the risk of damage good planning also saves lot of resources such as time and money to a great extent. For e.g. if you plan well before preparing for any exam the chances of success are quite high. Thus success in one attempt saves your time spend for preparing for the second attempt.

Determination:

Buddha to Jesus, Alexander to Mahatma Gandhi including the likes of Einstein and Newton stood tall for nothing other than there towering determination to achieve what they wanted at all cost. It won’t be wrong to say that determination is the carrier of success.

Discipline:

All your effort can go in vain if you lack discipline in life. Not only your effort but you may end up as a failure in life. For e.g. if you decide on to become a doctor and start your preparation with good planning but you are not disciplined enough to put in the required number hours to study then probably all your effort may crumble in a short span of time.

Stability:

This is another variable that should find a place in ones personality necessarily. All your activities that form part of your plan or the road to success need to perform consistently in order to achieve the desired results. For e.g. if your planning says you need to put in daily five hours to your studies then missing out couple of days to that end means that your decision making, planning and discipline are at a receiving end.

A Long Way To Go: India's Literacy Rate as Per Census 2001

LiteracyRate

(Census of India 2001)

Sl. No	India / States / Union Territories	Persons	Males	Females
	INDIA	65.38	75.85	54.16
1	Jammu and Kashmir	54.46	65.75	41.82
2	Himachal Pradesh	77.13	86.02	68.08
3	Punjab	69.95	75.63	63.55
4	Chandigarh	81.76	85.65	76.65
5	Uttaranchal	72.28	84.01	60.26
6	Haryana	68.59	79.25	56.31
7	Delhi	81.82	87.37	75.00
8	Rajasthan	61.03	76.46	44.34
9	Uttar Pradesh	57.36	70.23	42.98
10	Bihar	47.53	60.32	33.57
11	Sikkim	69.68	76.73	61.46
12	Arunachal Pradesh	54.74	64.07	44.24
13	Nagaland	67.11	71.77	61.92
14	Manipur	68.87	77.87	59.70
15	Mizoram	88.49	90.69	86.13
16	Tripura	73.66	81.47	65.41
17	Meghalaya	63.31	66.14	60.41
18	Assam	64.28	71.93	56.03
19	West Bengal	69.22	77.58	60.22
20	Jharkhand	54.13	67.94	39.38
21	Orissa	63.61	75.95	50.97
22	Chhatisgarh	65.18	77.86	52.40
23	Madhya Pradesh	64.11	76.80	50.28
24	Gujarat	69.97	80.50	58.60
25	Daman & Diu	81.09	88.40	70.37
26	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	60.03	73.32	42.99
27	Maharashtra	77.27	86.27	67.51
28	Andhra Pradesh	61.11	70.85	51.17
29	Karnataka	67.04	76.29	57.45
30	Goa	82.32	88.88	75.51
31	Lakshadweep	87.52	93.15	81.56
32	Kerala	90.92	94.20	87.86
33	Tamil Nadu	73.47	82.33	64.55
34	Pondicherry	81.49	88.89	74.13
35	Andaman & Nicobar Islands*	81.18	86.07	75.29