Careers in hospitality: Some unusual options

The hospitality industry in India is huge: a complex mixture of top end five-star hotels offering immense luxury at steep prices and low-end hostels offering merely a bed and shower. The recent economic transformation of India has thrown up a number of unusual and rewarding places looking for skilled workers and willing to pay for them. Here we take a look at two promising options:   

~ Spas
In India, the Spa has been around for 10 years but has really taken off during the last five and is expected to explode in the near future. However, the industry is being plagued by skilled manpower shortages.

Says Dr Pramod Mane, an ayurvedic physician at Ananda, a spa in the Himalayas, "The spa is going to be a big industry in the near future. But the truth of the matter is that the sector faces a huge shortage of well-trained staff. If awareness levels are increased and people show interest in getting trained in spa therapy, then the sky is the limit."

Indian spas have distinguished themselves form their international counterparts by offering a combination of yoga, ayurveda and massage therapy rather than mere pampering. Most of India's 20-25 major spa centres are located in the south, in Kerala [Images]. Health tourism is being given a lot of importance, by both private players and the state governments.

A spa therapist's job profile includes providing massages: Swedish, Oriental, Thai, Indonesian, Balinese etc. The job also includes aromatherapy, scrubs, wraps and facials. Having a working knowledge of pedicures and manicures is an advantage.

There are many treatments to be provided as well like seaweed hydrotherapy, reflexology, blitz shower, jet hydro massage, hydro jet body blitz, exfoliation and skin care treatments. A candidate should ideally possess complete technical and practical knowledge of international spa treatments, beauty treatments and therapies as well as good communication skills.

People joining the spa start with a package of Rs 5,000-6,000 per month and depending on their performance, they are even eligible for incentives. The package could increase to Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month and go as high as Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000 per month.

There are no dedicated spa training institutes in India. There are a few centres that are usually attached to resorts. Many hotels and big spas are planning to open up institutes. Ananda plans to open one in Hyderabad which will be the first in the country.   

Spa therapists begin their careers as trainees and could go up to the level of spa manager or even spa director, in five to seven years. There are also options for entrepreneurship.

Says Bob Christo, director of Health and Fitness, Golden Palms Spa & Resorts, "Most people getting trained in the hotels, venture abroad or even start their own set-up. With the kind of demand for spas being forecasted and its availability in most cases being limited to top-end hotels, small outlets are bound to come up and many will surely be from those who have had their training from hotels resorts like us.

"There are many people who come to learn spa therapy even though they are holding good jobs. It is mostly an entrepreneurial bug in them especially considering the big boom waiting to happen."    

~ Budget hotels
One of the growing trends seen in India is 'more for less'. Following the explosive growth of low-cost airlines is a remarkable growth in the mid-tier hotel segment of low-cost or budget hotels.

While these have always existed it was the Tatas, with Indione, who opened up this segment, thereby transforming the experience to an elitist taste.

A number of brands have entered this space including:

• Accor's Novotel, Mercure and  Ibis brands
• Carlson's Country Inns and Suites
• Kamat's Kamfotel
• Best Western International
• Choice International [Get Quote]
• Courtyard by Marriott
• Days Inns
• Fortune Park
• Holiday Inn
• Park Inns
• Tulip Inns

While the brand name might not be as good as that of a top-end five-star hotel, budget hotels are much better in terms of career growth.

Says Vaidyanath Purohith, partner, Globegrid International Consulting, a recruitment firm with major interests in international hotel placements, "Budget hotels have more responsibility and students are exposed to a wider picture in a short duration. In a big hotel where there is a huge hierarchy, in both length and breadth, the scope to get even the basics of all operations is a mammoth task. Also a budget hotel has promotional advantages, which is quicker, easier and comparatively competitive as far as the package is concerned."

A lot has changed as a result of the entry of branded chains into the budget hotel segment. These hotels not only want to tap into the budget traveler but also create a niche by providing a luxurious atmosphere.

It is a good idea to join the budget brand of a large hotel chain because one can grow within the brand and finally find a place within the parent brand. Large hotel chains offer better opportunities for advancement than smaller independently owned establishments but relocation is necessary very few years for advancement.

Contemporary budget hotels are able to lure graduates as a result of their branding as a result of which the growth ladder is unlimited.

The two, dramatically opposite, examples given above are merely a preview of the kind of prospects that the booming hospitality industry has thrown up. Many new sectors will rise in coming years and there are no limits for those who are able to see the opportunities and willing to take on the challenges.  

 

Are you a people's person? A career in hospitality might be for you

Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you thrive in high-pressure zones where every day presents new, sometimes bizarre, challenges? Are you friendly and enjoy meeting new people? A career in hospitality is for you.

Hospitality is a booming industry in India. Tourism and hospitality are the third largest net earners of foreign exchange and they are expected to be number one by the year 2010. The ninth five year plan has predicted a shortage of 30,000 trained professionals every year.

Places where demand for hospitality exists:

• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Fast-food outlets
• Catering companies
• Mine/ Factory/ Office canteens
• Hospitals
• Hostels
• Resorts, guest houses and lodges
• Casinos and clubs
• Spas

Here, we shall try to list some of the professions that exist within the hospitality industry:

~ Housekeeping
Housekeepers are no longer the people who switched between hard and soft brooms for different surfaces. The housekeeping system and control rooms have now been largely computerised. The housekeeping staff -- which at one point were largely illiterate -- now hold diplomas, have technical qualifications and are fluent in English.

Housekeepers today are well-versed and multitask effectively. Besides housekeeping, they take care of horticulture, laundry, interiors and even guest relations. Today most complaints are forwarded to the chief housekeeper with only the largest or most important going to the front office or general managers. Many of today's housekeepers have the experience, skill and knowledge to run the Rooms Division.

Housekeeping has a bright future with applications in any and every industry: even housing societies are now hiring housekeeping contractors. "Private housekeeping businesses," says GK Shrivastava, president of the Indian Housekeepers Club, "established by the housekeepers themselves are also lucrative nowadays. Many housekeepers today also engage in part-time consultancy in multinational/national companies, earning a good amount of money just visiting the site once a week on their off days."

~ Cookery
One of the biggest myths attached to the careers of successful chefs is that they require an excellent hotel to make it big. Actually, a hotel needs an excellent chef rather than vice versa. There are hundreds of stories about chefs who have raised the standard of the property they were working at by innovating and producing excellent cuisine.

To take up cooking as a profession one must have creativity, shrewdness, knowledge and willingness to learn through trial and error.

The remuneration that a chef receives depends on their potential, experience and skill-sets. A good chef might earn as much as the general manager does.

During the early part of a chef's career he will work for different sections like saucier, pantry, main kitchen, bakery etc. This is to allow the employer - as well as the trainee - to evaluate the youngster's aptitude. The allocations usually last six months apiece. The trainee must put in long hours during this phase and be prepared to perform both menial and extremely demanding tasks. Perseverance and dedication are a must in this period.

Many avenues have opened for chefs in sectors like in-flight catering, hospital catering, food styling, catering, restaurants, cruise liners and as entrepreneurs and consultants.

There are various levels and jobs under professional cookery:

• Head chef
• Chef
• Sous chef
• Chef de Parties
• Commis chef
• Trainee chef
• Kitchen porter
• Kitchen assistant
• Catering assistant

~ Kitchen stewarding
With increasing specialisation, the maintenance of the kitchens of an eatery or hotel has passed from the head chef -- who now focuses exclusively on cooking and training -- and into the hands of the kitchen steward. His duties include:

• Cleaning and organising dishes including buffets
• Controlling inventory
• Monitoring the use of machines for different kinds of utensils like pots and crockery
• Maintaining hygiene and quality in the kitchen and different equipment used there
• Keeping a tab on breakage and missing cutlery

A kitchen steward complements the role of a chef and the F&B manager, helping the chef purchase the necessary ingredients and helping the F&B manager control the inventory. What was previously seen as a menial chore now has an aura of professionalism and technicality.

There are no specific qualifications required to be a kitchen steward. Hotels insist that it is attitude they look for: "The trainees should have the right attitude towards the kitchen, the hotel and even the guests, as we also let them handle guests," says Paul Dhas, HR, Director, Le Meridien.

"The first year, we focus on kitchen training, then cross training in the second year, where they handle the responsibilities of a chef and the kitchen. The final year, they don the chef's hat."

A good steward can go anywhere within the hotel hierarchy, depending on the hotel. After two years he could go on to become a supervisor and then a chief steward. Some stewards become executive chefs and a working knowledge of the kitchen could enable the steward to become a restaurant manager. The most enterprising go on to become general manager.

In the beginning, a kitchen steward earns a mere Rs 3,000 a month but this increases to Rs 7,000 when he or she becomes a supervisor. An executive steward could earn as much as Rs 10,000 or Rs 12,000 rupees a month and the chief steward, whose rank is comparable to an F&B manager and is considered indispensable, earns between Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000 per month.

~ Bakery
While it is a branch of cookery, bakery offers many opportunities to hospitality students in its own right. While at one point bakeries were mostly found around hospitals, preparing bread for sick people, they now exist in every nook and cranny of India. Many people start and end their day with baked goods: bread and dessert respectively.

Baking requires hard work, discipline and creativity. One could specialise in many a field like bread-baking, pastry baking, cookie baking, demonstrating, R&D, marketing etc.

"We have had students who have success stories to tell in the bakery profession from all across India," says Manish Gaur, Director of Training at the Institute of Baking & Cake Art. "Students are generally interested to learn the right techniques along with the procedures of practical processing and the different classification that has been made simple for them in their classes."

The market has grown very fast in the last five years, as competition and new products available increased public awareness and consumption.

A student can be much in demand after he has been educated and specialised. Employers include raw-material manufacturers, equipment developers, food courts in malls, franchise fast-food chains and bakery brands in different cities.

The industry offers immense opportunity for bakers, decorators, trainers, process managers and distributors.

~ Accountancy
Working as an accountant in the industry is quite unlike the other industries. The job, while challenging and stressful, offers quality work and immense job satisfaction.

Each role within this industry encompasses a wide gamut of responsibilities. Titles include accounts executive, credit manager, F&B controller, financial controller, general manager of finance and many more.

The ideal qualification for a person entering this field is a degree in commerce and an added qualification of CA or MBA for managerial positions coupled with a diploma in hotel management.

This ideal is a rarity and hospitality education is often absent. "A complete and thorough knowledge of the hospitality industry is necessary," says HA Mishra, MD of Foodesign Hotels & Resorts Systems.

"Only someone proficient in the operational aspects of hospitality and financial knowledge can perform to their potential." This knowledge requires analytical skills, the ability to develop ratios and thumb rules and awareness of laws and tax holiday schemes announced by the finance ministry.

Additionally, knowledge in the requisite accounting systems and technology is a must since manual accounting has been replaced by computers and software. Mishra says, "Today technology gives maximum result and helps obtain optimum potentiality and helps to take corrective action. Otherwise it is hard to handle volumes. This enables time to hone skills to monitor and interpret results."

Salaries are going up in the industry and reputed brands are paying high salaries. Beginners are paid Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. Mid levels are at Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 and people in senior levels are paid anywhere between Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,25,000 per month.

The hospitality industry is one of the most recession-proof in existence: even if one of its sectors is failing, another could be expanding. It demands a great deal from its people but offers the most rewarding of careers in return, making it the ideal choice for people of ambition.

 

Careers in hospitality: Colleges and courses

India has an incredible variety of institutes offering a selection of courses in the many branches of hospitality. There exists a path to fit every pocket and palate.

While not every institute might offer all the courses shown below, the list features the main courses that are offered in India.

Courses available

• 1-year trade Diploma Courses in
  ~ Bakery & Confectionery
  ~ Hotel Reception and Book Keeping
  ~ Restaurant and Counter Service
• 3-year Diploma in Hotel Management
• 4-year Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology
• 3-year BSc in Hotel Management
• 3-year BA in Hospitality & Tourism Management
• 2-year PG Diploma in International Hotels
• MSc in Hospitality Administration
• 6-month Certificate Course in Hotel and Catering Management

Eligibility for above courses
~ For 1-year diploma: Class X or XII pass with minimum aggregate performance of 50 per cent
~ For 3 or 4 year bachelor degree programme: Class XII or equivalent pass with a minimum of 50 per cent
~ For 2-year PG Diploma: The applicant must be a graduate of any stream
~ MSc in Hospitality Administration: A BSc in Hospitality Administration
~ Certificate courses: 10+2 or equivalent

Some of the best hospitality institutes in India
~ FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management
The FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management offers 4-year programmes in both International Hospitality Administration and International Culinary Administration, certified by Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL), Switzerland [Images].

It also facilitates students to get them a BA degree in tourism from the Indira Gandhi [Images] National Open University and offers a one-year diploma in hotel operations and a 3-year BSc in Hospitality and Catering Management from the Sikkim Manipal University.

All applicants must have passed their 10+2 or equivalent and must have a good knowledge of English. The fees for the International Programme (IP) in Hospitality Administration are Rs 1.8 lakh per year and the fees for the IP in Culinary Administration are Rs 2 lakh per year.

Hostel fees are Rs 50,000 per year and is optional. The 3-year BSc in Hospitality and Catering Management costs Rs 3.5 lakh in total. The FHRAI offers scholarships on the basis of need and merit. Most banks are open to providing student loans too.

Entrance to the FHRAI IHM is based on a written test, group discussion and personal interview, all of which are conducted on the same day. Students have been placed and interned in places like the Oberoi, the Hyatt Regency, the Marriot, the Trident Hilton, the ITC Sheraton, the Imperial Grand and many other places.

Address: FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management, Plot No. 45, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida- 201 306
Phone: 0120 2323626-30
Fax: 0120 2323631
E-mail: director@fhraiinstitute.com, info@fhraiinstitute.com

~ Institute of Hospitality Management, Goa [Images]
Admissions to the IHM in Goa for the BSc in Hospitality & Hotel Administration are done on the basis of the All-India Joint Entrance Exam conducted in April. It is three-year course and costs a total of Rs 1.4 lakh.

Other courses include a one and a half year year Crafts Course in Food Production and Patisserie which costs Rs 27,000 and a 24-week Crafts Course in Food & Beverage Service costing Rs 13,000. Admissions to the these courses are based on merit.

The institute also has a 3-month short term course in Food Production and Patisserie (conducted thrice a year) for which no qualifications are required and there is no age limit. A working knowledge of English is necessary and the course costs Rs 12,500.

It also offers a number of 6-day/3-weekend career and certificate courses in skills ranging from house keeping to fruit carving. These course cost between Rs 1,700 and Rs 2,500. They also offer weekend courses in Thai cooking, basic bakery etc for less than a Rs 1,000.

Address: Institute Of Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Alto Porvorim, Bardez, Goa - 403 521.
Phone: + 91 832 2417252 / 2417379 / 2411142
Fax: + 91 832 2417209
E-mail: ihmgoa@sancharnet.in

~ Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
The AIHMCT runs a 4-year Bachelor in Hotel Management course, charging Rs 36,500 per annum plus Rs 15,000 on admission. Admissions are based on the candidates' performance in the written admission test and personal interview in the ratio 60:40.

The AIHMCT is one of the best catering institutes in the country, however, admissions are reserved for the children of ex-servicemen.

Address: Army Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Nagareshwara Nagenahalli, Kothanur Post, Bangalore 560 077.
Phone: 91 080 64543206/ 64543207
E-mail: principal@aihmctbangalore.com

~ MS Ramaiah College of Hotel Management
The MSRCHM is part of the Gokula Education Foundation. It is affiliated with the Bangalore University and has been offering a 5-year BHM course since 1995.

Anyone who has completed their class XII is eligible. Annual fees are Rs 95,000 but scholarships are automatically granted based on the Class XII marks (Rs 20,000 pa for those scoring above 70 per cent and Rs 10,000 pa for those scoring above 60 per cent). It also has short duration courses in basic communication, advance communication, lifestyle etiquette and lifestyle hosting.

It also offers foundation courses in housekeeping, front office, food production, food and beverage service. It has 1-year apprentice programmes in various specialisations. Students have been placed with such companies as ITC, Taj, Royal Orchid etc.

Address: MSRCHM, MSR Nagar, Msrit Post, Mathikere, Bangalore 560067
Phone: 91 80 3601829
Fax: 91 80 3601815
E-mail: Principal@msrchm.edu

~ Sapthagiri College of Hotel Management
The Sapthagiri College of Hotel Management, established in 1989, offers a three-year BHM course as well as a three-year BSc in Hospitality. The fees are approximately Rs 35,000 per year. Admissions are based on the candidates' performance in the Class XII exams.

Address: Saptagiri College of Hotel Management, Kavoor, Mangalore 575015
Phone: (0824) - 481672
E-mail: Somayaji@saptagiri.com

While the list only presents a fraction of the education that is available in India, any one of them is equipped with the faculty and facilities to induct you smoothly into a long career in the vast market that is the Indian hospitality scene.

 

'How can I ace my call centre interview?'

Do you want to improve your English speaking skills, but don't know how? Or want to join a call centre but have been rejected at the interview stage because of a 'mother tongue influence'? Well, you are not alone. We receive numerous e-mails from readers asking for advice on how to improve these and various other aspects of written and verbal communication.

Here, Nasha Fitter, an expert in vocational and communication skills management for BPO and service-based organisations, addresses some of the queries we recieved.

Improving English language questions:
~ Hi nasha i want to improve my english plz help me give me some tips and plz tell me something about daily routine.

-- Deepesh

Nasha answers: There are two things I would suggest. First, increase your exposure to the English language. Make sure that on a daily basis you are reading newspapers, business magazines or books. Try to take at least an hour per day to read. Reading out loud is very helpful. Additionally, watch English TV shows and movies when you can.

Second, practice writing correctly. In your email to me, you have made various grammar and pronunciation mistakes. Stop being lazy when you write! It is unacceptable to send someone an email where you write "plz" instead of "please". It doesn't take too much longer to write the whole word. If you practice writing correctly every chance you get, you will end up speaking better English as well.

'Working in a BPO' related questions:
~ Hi Nasha, my question is if a person who does not have experience on a call centre is there any chance for employment and what questions she can expect?

-- Anchen

~ Dear Nasha, My name is Adnan, I have completed my graduation in B.COM, I have a certificate of basic information technology, and I have completed one more certification course of Export Import Management. I want to make my career in BPO, will you give me some tips that what could I do to make a successful career in BPO Industries.

-- Adnan Binmahfooz

~ Hi, i am currently  working for teleshopping company as franchisee coordinator in marketing department from last one year & i also have experience of domestic call center of same company. I'm looking to move into bpo industry. Any suggestions for me?

-- Ganesh 

~ I am in telecom industry handling backend operations -- Legal & Non - Legal. If I am going for an interview in a BPO company they will ask what do you know about BPO? and Why are you coming to BPO industry? What is meant by outsourcing? Pls clarify.

-- Palani

Nasha answers: Many of you have asked similar questions about BPOs and call centers. First off, let's define what these places of work actually are.

BPO stands for Business Process Outsourcing. BPO concerns are vendors that do "outsourced" work for foreign companies based in countries like America. For example, if Citibank in America decides that it wants to have people in India do some of their telesales work, that would be considered "outsourcing".

They may choose to give their telesales work to a third party vendor like Wipro [Get Quote] -- who would be considered a BPO. Indian companies can also outsource their work, and we refer to the third party vendors who take on this type of work as "domestic BPO".

Call centers are one type of BPO. They do work that is voice-based. BPO also includes non-voice based services like email customer service and back-end work like data-mining.

If you are interested in working in a voiced-based position in a BPO (examples are customer service and telesales), how you communicate is very important. Focus on improving your grammar, pronunciation, pace and tone.

Extempore rounds in call centers test a few skills. First, they test your ability to speak English on the spot -- make sure when you speak that you are grammatically correct and that your sentences sound professional. 

Second, they test your ability to speak clearly and in a way that makes sense to the listener -- make sure that your thoughts are logical and when you speak you get to the point quickly. Avoid sentences that are long and have unnecessary words. 

And lastly, extempore rounds test your ability to add flavour to what you are saying -- be sure to intonate and emphasise words while you speak.

Next, make sure you have an answer prepared for the question "Why do you want to work in a BPO?" Explain to your interviewer that you want to build a career in a BPO -- emphasise on ambition. 

Last, research the call center you are interviewing with so you can really tell your interviewer why you want to work there.  For example, you could say, "After researching your website, I noticed you have a commercial banking process. I studied Commerce and am very interested in consumer financial markets which is why I want to work for a call center focused in this area."   

Team leader-related questions
~ Hi Nasha, I am a graduate in humanities. I have nearly 4 yrs of experience in BPO industry in Transaction Processing (Non - Voice). In 4 years I have worked in 3 different companies. I am determined to work in BPO industry. But now I feel that I need a growth designation wise. I am looking for a team leader kind of position in a BPO company.

Please advise what should I do ? I have no idea at all.  

-- Priyaranjan

Nasha answers: As a team leader (TL) your command and delivery of the English language needs to be strong. Brush up on your communication skills as they are very important at the TL level. 

In your interview, bring up any managerial and leadership positions you have held. As a TL, you need to be able to motivate your team, deal with interpersonal issues, and ensure that your team is meeting company expectations. During your interview bring up responsibilities you have held that touch upon these topics. 

Pronunciation-related questions
~ This is Ramesh & am working for a technology company. I believe I speak good english, but still I would like to focus on improving pronounciation, accent skills etc.

-- Ramesh

~ Hi, This is kabeer. where ever I go I got rejected by saying that MOTHER TONGUE INFLUENCE but I don't know what bothers them because when I speak, I speak like a normal person who speak English. For me I never find any difference between their voice and my voice. Please help me giving tips to come out this problem as soon as I can.

-- Kabeer.h.m

Nasha answers: Improving pronunciation is difficult, and it can get frustrating when interviewers keep complaining about your "mother tongue influence".

First off, there is nothing wrong with having an accent. What you want to do is just work on softening some harsher sounds so you are more globally understood. I have found that if people aspirate more (allow additional air to come out of your mouth) for the "P, K, T, TH" sounds, and make sure the tongue does not touch the roof of the mouth for the "R" sound -- accents become much more clear.

Also if you aspirate more for these sounds, it becomes difficult to speak fast -- thus your rate of speech simultaneously improves.

 

'It's a huge risk to under-utilise your innate talent'

A brief look at his career profile will make you wonder at his genius.

That sense of wonderment is only heightened when you read that he has also graduated from the finest and the best educational institutions in India. For Balu Nayar, the managing director of IMG India has achieved educational excellence as well.

After graduating from IIT Kharagpur (1987) he went ahead and did his MBA from IIM Bangalore (1989). Ask him how he could crack two topmost exams in India and the humble Balu says, "There's a lot of luck involved."

After completing his MBA Balu began his career with Rediffusion DY&R. Though he has an MBA degree, Balu believes that a lot many fresh MBAs have too much of an air about them.

"Starting off with advertising was a great experience. It helps you keep your ego completely down to very realistic levels," he quips.

"Many fresh MBAs place less stress on making a contribution at the workplace and much more on the almost completely irrelevant historical fact that they have an MBA and some others don't" says Balu, tongue firmly in cheek.

In an interview with rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore Balu discusses his career -- that saw him work with Yahoo! Mobile as regional director, Asia Pacific, based at Singapore, Hutchison Max Telecom as the head of value added services and itspace.com as its vice president for marketing and business development, and STAR TV as the marketing head. He also shares the lessons learned working at these diverse companies.

At the time of going to press news was out that Balu had put in his papers at IMG India and was planning to start his own private equity firm backed by a global investment bank. Excerpts.

Your journey from childhood to college days:

I was born in Calcutta (Kolkata) and did most of my schooling in Madras (Chennai). I grew up in an environment of learning and reading -- my father was an extraordinary person with interests varying from Sanskrit and mathematics to music and history and hungry to learn new concepts every day. I've always been addicted to books as a result -- and due to a simple supply-demand issue, went on to read a lot of his collection pretty early, sometimes through the night -- ranging from A L Basham, Martin Gardner, Smullyan, Gibbon, Krishnamurthi to Poe and Edgar Wallace.

Don't know how much I understood of some of those authors at that age! Today, it's in the reverse direction, when I sometimes escape to the world of Enid Blyton and P G Wodehouse. 

I think I was really fortunate to go to a one-in-a-million school, Sishya -- run by a visionary gentleman called K I Thomas. We had no homework, no exams and no uniforms -- and each classroom had not more than 20 students. It was an idyllic environment in many ways, but not a complete picnic. In such a free space you tend to learn faster and better, and find out what you're really good at.

I was sort of good at mathematics so I was allowed to go ahead. I think we were free from the pressures that most kids today go through, thanks to a creative approach to education.

My entry into IIT was a life changing experience. We lived in Madras but my parents agreed with my choice of wanting to stay in a hostel environment -- Kharagpur was the most acceptable due to its proximity to Calcutta. I think a hostel stint is a must for everybody at some point in time in their academic lives -- there is such an abundance of stimuli from intelligent, slightly crazy people coming together from all parts of the country, and from overseas. 

It was at IIT Kharagpur that I started playing a lot of outdoor games (as my childhood asthma had vanished) -- more enthusiasm than talent, and was introduced to a range of music from Shivkumar Sharma to Jethro Tull. I didn't spend a lot of time in the classroom except for a select few professors -- some fabulous concepts like fluid dynamics, artificial intelligence which can keep you spellbound for hours.

But I think you grow up very soon there, some bitter-sweet memories too -- of suicides, of friends losing their balance. You'll also find a lot of trauma in that environment.

You also did your MBA in Finance from IIM Bangalore. How did you manage to crack both the exams?

There's a good component of luck involved in getting through these exams -- I'm not sure that there's much to separate the top five to ten per cent who enter these exams.

Any tips to those preparing for their IIT-JEE scheduled on April 13?

I wrote the IIT-JEE many, many years back and I don't think I'll be able to give any specific tips that can help today.

In a general sense, however, I think any person wanting to get into the IITs should understand that what's really the key is the understanding of concepts that is more effective than solving umpteen problems and hours of studying.

Next, to maximise your efficiency, the key that students should follow is to keep a cool head during the exams -- that's the best way to good results.

I'd also like to add that just getting through the JEE is not enough -- many students who get through to IIT tend to be toppers in their schools, but you've got to be prepared to face pretty stiff challenges in competing with people of the same calibre. That's a shock that many kids face on getting through -- and it's important to accept that quickly with due humility, else that could prove quite traumatic.    

What are the lessons gained from your entire career experience till date? Would you share them?

Broadly, I can say that I have learned a little in the area of media, marketing, and investments. I've been fortunate enough to be involved in building businesses in virgin territories, in working closely with numerous start-ups, mentoring a few of them, and in advising venture capitalists, too.  

Starting off with advertising was a great experience, as working in that field keeps your ego completely down to very realistic levels, helps you cope with high pressure multi-tasking across a range of brands, and pushes you to use both sides of your brain. In that environment, you quickly come down from the rarefied MBA level to the learning ground of harsh reality and intense teamwork.  

Many fresh MBAs place less stress on making a contribution at the workplace and much more on the almost completely irrelevant historical fact that they have a coveted degree and some others don't.

People who inspired you:

I have been lucky in working closely with a number of inspiring people, but it's important to be able to learn from almost anybody, not just the obvious corporate names. An opera-singing taxi driver in Singapore, the man who used to deliver bread to our apartment in Mumbai after a full day at the factory, our maid who went through incredible sacrifices to make sure she could send her daughter to the same school as our neighbour -- these are all sources of inspiration.

Most importantly, I've taken a lot of inspiration from my father. He always made me understand the importance of learning, of honesty, hard work. And, of course, caring for people -- he had helped many, many people around him. On the domain front, I owe my interest in mathematics, cryptography, music and chess to him.   

On a more distant level, I've always been inspired by mathematicians -- Gauss (A German mathematician and scientist) and Euler (a pioneering Swiss mathematician) among others. Sometime in the future I plan to spend more time on exploring the mathematical basis for musical preferences.

Advice to youngsters who would want to emulate you:

My primary advice is not to try to emulate anybody else! Every individual has a unique identity, and needs to chart their own path. In a general sense, I would emphasise the importance of instinct over analysis in making career decisions, and of the need for killer instinct to achieve goals.

Risks that an entrepreneur must take to succeed:

Risks are a fact of life -- whether you are working as a career professional or starting out on your own. I'm only starting out on an entrepreneurial path, so my thinking is largely a level removed. I think the biggest risk one can take in life is to under-utilise the innate talent, energy and resources that one is given.

I've always known that I needed to take this route; it was only a mater of timing. I've come close to starting something on my own quite a few times in the past, but (in some cases, luckily, in hindsight!) hadn't taken the entrepreneurial plunge. This wasn't limited to just the predictable Internet start-up concepts -- I had serious plans to start a resort on an island in Orissa some years back.

It's important however, to be pulled by the concept of entrepreneurship, and not be pushed into it for whatever reason.

 

Exam Time: Hints for Effective Studying

The exam period is a time when stress levels are higher than usual. Stress can be positive, helping you to stay motivated and focused. However, too much stress can be unhelpful, it can make you feel overwhelmed, confused, exhausted and edgy.

 

It's important to try and keep things in perspective and find ways of reducing stress if things seem to be getting on top of you. This factsheet gives you some suggestions of things you can do to maximise your study time and help you learn better.  

Suggestions for Helping you Through Exams

Study Habits

Study Area - Having a good study area can make a huge difference to how well you learn. Study in a well lit, quiet area, away from noises and people in the house. If this is impossible, it might be better to study at the library. Make sure your desk is tidy and organised - it means you can concentrate on studying and learning, not trying to find information.

 

Find Out About the Exam – Find out what format the exam will take i.e. Are the questions in essay, short answer or multiple choice format? Is the exam open book or closed book? Knowing how the exam is marked and what proportion of your total mark it’s worth might also be helpful.

To Do Lists - Make a to do list before each study session. Breaking tasks down into small, managable tasks will make it less overwhelming. Cross them off with a texta as you go.

Past Exam Papers - Ask your teacher for past exam papers. They can be a useful insight into what your exam will be like and can also provide a guide for what you know and the areas in which you need help. If possible, practice some under exam conditions and get your teacher to mark them.

Study Groups - Forming a studying group can be a helpful way to revise your notes and work through past exam questions (it can also help you feel supported, keep you motivated and focused). If you have questions about your work, a study group may be a good place to have them answered. Ask your teacher if they know of anyone else interested in studying with other people.

Switch the Phone or Email Off! - If you find that you are being distracted by the phone or emails, it might help to put the answering machine on or get others in the house to take messages for a while. You can always ring people back later.

Wallpaper - Write down key concepts you have to learn on small sheets of paper followed by examples of how they are used. Post these sheets around your house, e.g. your bed, on the toilet door, in front of the CD collection.  It helps with remembering things like equations, quotes and foreign languages.

Ask Lots of Questions of your Teachers or Tutor! Your teacher or tutor can help if you are having trouble developing a study routine or need help with understanding subjects or a particular topic. Asking for help doesn't mean you're a failure or stupid - it's smart to tap into their experience and knowledge to help you perform better. Keep going back to them if you're still unsure or you have more questions. It's their job to be available for you.  

 

Know your Preferred Learning Style - Some people work better using text based memory tools, like acronyms (e.g. ROYGBIV - colours of the rainbow; acrostics e.g. Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit). Other people find more visual tools more useful, e.g. mind maps or tree diagrams.

 

Take Regular Breaks - Getting up, moving around and away from your desk at least every 50 minutes for 10 minutes makes you concentrate and learn better.

 

Revise and Learn (Not Just Re-Read) - Sometimes reading through notes doesn't result in learning or understanding. Include the following in revising each topic:

• Vocabulary, technical terms definitions
• Summaries of points
• Formulae, rules, diagrams, charts
• Ability to understand relationships

Time Management

Avoid Procrastination - Procrastination is when you do everything else but the task you need to do. It is normal to procrastinate a little. However too much procrastination can just add to your stress and can result in you not giving yourself enough time to prepare. Managing your time and setting realistic goals for each study session can be helpful ways to avoid procrastinating and make tasks seem less overwhelming. 

Make a Study Timetable – Write down all the things you need to do each day of the week, and how long you need for each, including time for enough sleep, relaxation, and exercise. Find out the date of each exam and work out a study timetable leading up to them. Include tests that will help you identify gaps in your knowledge. This can give you some direction and help you focus on what to study each week or day.

 

Use your Frees - Studying in the school library during your frees gives you access to lots of information available on the reference shelves. Some material, such as sample solutions, often can’t be taken out of the library or can be too long to photocopy.

 

Love your job

Love your job, but never fall in love with your company........

 

.......because you never know when company stops loving you...

By N R Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies

Extract of Mr. Narayana Murthy's speech during mentor session:

I know people who work 12 hours a day, six days a week, or more. Some people do so because of a work emergency where the long hours are only temporary.

 

Other people I know have put these hours for years. I don't know if they are working all these hours, but I do know they are in the office this long.

 

Others put in long office hours because they are addicted to the workplace. Whatever the reason for putting in overtime, working long hours over the long term is harmful to the person and to the organization.

 

There are things managers can do to change this for everyone's benefit. being in the office long hours, over long periods of time, makes way for potential errors. my colleagues who are in the office long hours frequently make mistakes caused by fatigue.

Correcting these mistakes requires their time as well as the time and energy of others. I have seen people work Tuesday through Friday to correct mistakes made after 5 pm on Monday. Another problem is that people who are in the office long hours are not pleasant company. They often complain about other people (who aren't working as hard); they are irritable, or cranky, or even angry. Other people avoid them. Such behavior poses problems, where work goes much better when people work together instead of avoiding one another. As managers, there are things we can do to help people leave the office.

First and foremost is to set the example and go home ourselves on time. I work with a manager who chides people for working long hours. His words quickly lose their meaning when he sends these chiding groups e-mails with a time-stamp of 2 am, Sunday.

Second is to encourage people to put some balance in their lives.

For instance, here is a guideline I find helpful:

1) Wake up, eat a good breakfast, and go to work.

2) Work hard and smart for eight or nine hours.

3) Go home.

4) Read the comics, watch a funny movie, dig in the dirt, play

with your kids, etc

5) Eat well and sleep well. this is called recreating.

 

 

Doing steps 1, 3, 4, and 5 enable step 2. working regular hours and recreating daily are simple concepts.

They are hard for some of us because that requires personal change. They are possible since we all have the power to choose to do them in considering the issue of overtime,

 

I am reminded of my eldest son. when he was a toddler, if people were visiting the apartment, he would not fall asleep, no matter how long the visit, and no matter what time of day it was. He would fight off sleep until the visitors left. It was as if he was afraid that he would miss something. Once our visitors' left, he would go to sleep. By this time, however, he was over tired and would scream through half the night with nightmares. He, my wife, and I, all paid the price for his fear of missing out.

 

Perhaps some people put in such long hours because they don't want to miss anything when they leave the office. the trouble with this is that events will never stop happening. That is life!!

 

Things happen 24 hours a day. Allowing for little rest is not ultimately practical. So, take a nap. things will happen while you're asleep, but you will have the energy to catch up when you wake.

Hence "Love your job but never fall in love with your company".

 

Have a great day ahead”.

 

How to Write a CV Covering Letter

If you are sending your CV to a perspective employer by post or fax it is essential that you send with it a covering letter. You need to use the CV covering letter to create a good impression so that the employer or recruiter will want to read your CV. It will have more impact if it is individually written in response to a particular role or advertisement.

In the case of email applications it is acceptable to write a brief paragraph of a few sentences explaining where you heard about the role and why your qualifications and experience are a perfect fit for the job. You should ensure the tone of the text is formal as would be the case with a paper CV cover letter. It is a mistake to be too informal as this can be seen as unprofessional.



When making any sort of job application either Speculative, where you are sending your CV to an employer/agency with no specific vacancy in mind or, specific, where you are sending your CV in response to an advertisement for a particular role, the overall CV cover letter format is the same.

Here are the top ten tips to remember when writing a CV Covering letter

• The CV covering letter should consist of 1 page on plain white A4 paper.
  
  
• You should use a font that offers a clean and clear appearance. My advice is to use Arial.
  
  
• Aim for a maximum of three paragraphs. Remember simple is best.
  
  
• Use upbeat and positive language and avoid exaggerated statements.
  
  
• Ensure there are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes.
  
  
• Always use black ink.
  
  
• Express yourself with confidence.
  
  
• Where possible, write to a named individual.
  
  
• Your CV or Resume cover letter should be tailored specifically for each application.
  
  
• Be concise and to the point. Try to avoid repeating what's in your CV.
  
  

CV or Resume cover letter format

Your contact details
This should include your name, address, telephone number and email address if you have one. Remember make it easy for the employer to contact you.

Employer/agency details
This should include whom the letter is going to, company name and full address. If you know the name of the person e.g. if it is mentioned in the advertisement then use it. If no particular name was mentioned use a department title e.g. Personnel manager or Managing director

Date
You should use long date format in full e.g. 27th April 2006 and not 27/4/06

Salutation & Opening
If you know the name use it e.g. Dear Mr Smith. If you don�t know, use Dear Sir/Madam. It is preferable to use a name. The company�s web site is often a good place to search for the appropriate individual.

Letter title
Centre and bold the text. This will enable the addressee to know immediately that this is an application

Paragraph 1 Why you are writing
You want to try & get the interest of the Employer. You should start the letter with the reason for writing and indicate the position that you are applying for along with how you heard of the vacancy. This is also a good place to tell then why you are interested in the position and convey a genuine interest in the company. The company website will be a good source of background information.

Paragraph 2 What you can offer them
Here you describe briefly why you think you should be considered for the role. You should summarise relevant qualifications for the position along with your experience and skills. Also give a brief example of one or two jobs you have worked in that relate to the position. Try to make sure that it is not just a list of what is in your CV but is individualised to the job application.

Paragraph 3 Summary and next step
Refer to your enclosed CV and also ask for the interview. You may at this point suggest that you will be making a follow up call. It is also important that you thank the reader for their time and consideration and tell them that you look forward to hearing from them.


Closing Use Yours sincerely if you are sending the letter to a named person, otherwise use Yours faithfully. Add a few blank lines and finish with your name. The space between is used for your signature once printed.

Finally you may want to add your telephone number and email address beneath your name. Remember you want to make it easy for them to contact you.