Thursday, May 17, 2012

Careers in Fashion Merchandising

Positive increase in the income level, coupled with better standards of living, has brought new demands for fashion makeovers in terms of clothes, styles, and accessories. In addition to this, the internationalization of markets, styles, colors, and choices of customers are continuously changing. Looking at India’s gripping hand in the global market; fashion merchandising is emerging as a stipulating career option these days. This mainly includes the sales and distribution of the finished product.

Fashion merchandisers are coordinators, who are involved in each and every stage of the garment's development, right from concept development to sales. Their work involves studying the buying trends and the buyer's needs, and coordinate between the market and production process. They are also required for business planning and analysis, customer management, order fulfillment, concept and product development, production cost control, sales and preparing income projections, and many more functions in fashion houses, designing organizations, and retail stores.

Course Details
Many courses of fashion designing and merchandising are offered by numerous fashion institutes all over India. The candidates has to be creative and evaluative skills, along with an eye for fashion. The duration of various courses of fashion merchandising can be two-year degree course, four-year degree program, certificate courses, diplomas, and advanced study programs are currently offered in fashion or apparel merchandising. These courses can be in the area of fashion designing and clothing technology, apparel marketing and merchandising, apparel production engineering, apparel designing and textile designing to fashion designing, garment construction, and fashion retail management. Undergraduate courses are offered to the students who have passed their 10+2 exam in any stream. However, only graduates are eligible for post-graduate courses in fashion merchandising. These courses include a basic understanding of fabric, fibres, weaves, cutting, sewing, and finishing, along with know-how of international marketing and trade.

Career Prospects
A qualified fashion merchandisers can work with any national or international lifestyle or fashion company. Good jobs are also available in ready-to-wear production companies and large retailers/chain stores. Export houses and Export fabrication companies also recruit merchandisers to coordinate between the foreign retail stores and production houses. Fashion merchandisers can work with fashion designers and can come up with a new product, taking the latest trends into consideration.  Visual merchandising, where products are promoted by visual display, also offers great opportunities in this area. Merchandisers can look for positions in boutiques, clothing wholesalers, retail management in departmental stores, importers, designers, and manufacturers as fashion advertising agents, store managers, fashion product developers, fashion retailers, event planners, window dressers, and fashion promotion specialists. With adequate experience, fashion merchandisers can even set up their own small-scale industries as well as big export houses.

Institutes Offering
Fashion merchandising courses are offered by several institutes in India like:
  • Society of Fashion and Technology (SOFT), Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur; 
  • Mumbai; International Institute of Retail Management (IIRM), Delhi; 
  • National Institute of Fashion & Textile Technology, New Delhi; 
  • Footwear Design & Development Institute, Noida; 
  • National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi; 
  • National Institute of Fashion Design, Chandigarh; 
  • Pearl Academy, New Delhi; Wigan & Leigh College, New Delhi; 
  • Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore; 
  • Foreign Trade Development Centre, New Delhi; 
  • School of Art and Fashion Technology (SAFT), Dehradun; and Academy of Fashion and Textile Technology (AFTT), Chennai.

Remuneration
Remuneration in fashion industry is decided by the personal skills and fashion competence of an individual. Normal pay packages of fresh graduates in this industry are Rs. 12,000 - 15,000 per month. With gradual experience and talent, one can easily move up to Rs. 30,000 - 40,000 per month. Fashion merchandisers having their own export houses have varied revenues as per the size and nature of their business.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Career as Wildlife Photographer

Wildlife photography is an exciting and thrilling career option for the youth who have the courage to go to in jungles and take photos of animals. The main work of a wildlife photographer is to take photos of animals in  jungles. These photographs are taken with very high quality cameras. These photographs may be of a roaring lion, yawning tiger, an alert leopard, a jolly elephant, or huge flying pelicans. To become a wild life photographer one needs to have immense passion for wildlife, nature, and to, along with in-depth knowledge of the subjects. One should also have the good knowledge of photography, willingness to work outdoor in all weather conditions, have a patience to wait for the perfect moment to take a great photo. He/She must also have strong interpersonal communicating skills to deal with the wildlife park authorities in order to seek permits and visit the restricted areas.

Course Details
There are not  regular courses in wildlife photography in India. A aspirant willing to make a career in this field of photography can pursue Bachelor’s degree course in photojournalism. A large number of good institutes offers part-time as well as full-time Degree/Diploma/Certificate courses.

Career Prospects
With a huge geographical and weather differences, India is a good place for wildlife photographers. Professional wildlife photographers generally take assignments from magazine, editors of newspapers, publishing companies, advertising agencies, and government agencies. Many NGOs also offer good career opportunities to wildlife photographers. Besides, they can also host exhibitions and send their work to photography contests to get their talent identified and recognized in the industry, thereby earning the desired name and fame. Wildlife photos clicked by them can be used for designing cards and calendars or for launching brands related to them. Wildlife photographers can re-license photos to editors and exhibit pictures in museums as well. Other options include running photographic workshops and selling related retail products.

Institutes Offering this course
Few institutes in India offer specialized courses in wildlife photography. Young aspirants can take up courses in photography, which are offered by many eminent institutes in India.
.   National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
    www.nid.edu
.   Asian Academy of Film and TV, Noida
    www.aaft.com
.   Fergusson College, Pune
    www.fergusson.edu
.   Canon Education Portal
    www.usa.canon.com

Remuneration
The wildlife career option offers a non-predictable pay to professionals. At the beginner’s level, one can expect a salary of Rs. 6,000-10,000 a month, depending completely upon the ingenuity of the person. With the experience the salary of people keep increasing. Popular and reputed wildlife photographers easily earn pay packets ranging from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 5 lakh a month.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Career as Tour Operator


People go to holidays to rejuvenate, to get energized, and to spend quality time with their loved ones. To have a great tour experience people look for the tour planner who can plan some best holidays at a desired destination in reasonable budget.  Now, a tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a holiday. Tour operators plan and organize tours to various tourist destinations and manage the travel and stay of the tourists. Tour operators sells the concept of traveling to the prospective travelers and then manage the total experience of the tourist by  managing modes of transportation, accommodation, and lunch and dinner.

Course Details
There is no specific course for becoming a tour operator. However, pursuing a Degree/Diploma/Certificate course in Travel and Tourism can give one a professional outlook and provide an edge over other candidates. Most of these courses have set the minimum qualification to 10+2 pass. At the PG level others require a Bachelor’s degree to apply for admission. To be a good tour operators one needs to have certain desirable skills, such as good oral and written skills, good interpersonal skills, competent organizational and sales skills, a competent grasp of geography, excellent communication skills both over the telephone and face-to-face, and ability to cope under pressure with enthusiasm, confidence, flexibility, more than obtaining degrees or diplomas in this field.

Career Prospects
One of the the best option available to a tour operator is starting his/her own tour and travel agency. However, before establishing his/her own venture, he/she should have ample practical experience of conducting tour operations. On the other hand, one should have adequate capital to start a tour company. However, one can also work with ,major tour/travel companies as a tour operator. Tour operators can seek suitable employment opportunities in government tourism departments working at state level.

Institutes Offering
Any course related to the travel and tourism sector can give you an insight into the functioning of tour operations. Such courses are available in various colleges across India. Some important institutions are: the Government of India Tourist Offices; Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) at New Delhi, Kolkata and Gwalior; Delhi University, Delhi; Agra University, Agra; Kurukshetra University, Haryana; Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu; National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Hyderabad; MS University, Baroda; Tezpur University, Assam; Institute of Tourism and Future Management, Chandigarh; Guwahati University, Guwahati; Utkal University, Puri, Orissa; University of Calcutta, Kolkata; Maharshi Dayanand University, Haryana; Awadh University, Madhya Pradesh; Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla; and Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi.

Remuneration
Career of a tour operator is highly paying. A trainee tour operator working with a travel/tour company can easily earn Rs. 9,000 - 15,000 per month. On gaining 4-5 years of experience, one can set up his own tour operation venture. Income in self-employment venture depends upon the nature and size of operations.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Careers in Hospitality, tourism and catering

Careers in hospitality presents an unique opportunity to the students who want to serve people. India with its rich cultural heritage and beautiful flora and fauna, is a good traveling destination.  The word ‘hospitality’ can be defined as a relationship between a visitor and a host. In other words, hospitality mainly concentrates on the providing good  services to the customers. The field of hospitality requires personal skills, like helpful and friendly nature, sense of responsibility, and attractive appearance, along with good presence of mind. A number of institutes are offering courses in this field, under the administration of National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Ample job opportunities are available in the hospitality sector, including hotels, travel and tourism, and aviation.

Course Details
Many institutes in India offer courses in hospitality at certificate, diploma, and postgraduate diploma levels. However, some institutions also impart programs in hospitality at undergraduate and postgraduate degree levels. Some of the most common hospitality courses are Diploma in House Keeping, Hotel Reception and Book Keeping, Certificate Course in Hotel and Catering Management; and Restaurant and Counter Service; Craftsmanship Course in Food and Beverage Service; Diploma in Front Office, Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics and Hospital Food Service; Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery; Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology; BA in Hospitality & Tourism Management; and M.Sc in Hospitality Administration. To take admissions in UG programs, one has to clear 10+2 level of examination, in any stream, from a recognized state/national board. For PG courses, graduation in relevant stream from any recognized University is mandatory. Students are imparted technicalities about various aspects of the relevant subjects, apart from practical exposure and theoretical knowledge.

Career Prospects
After completing the course in hospitality, one can become a specialist in the field and work as a catering officer or chef in hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, and allied sectors. Management trainee, customer relations executive, and marketing/sales executive are other prospective positions to look out for. Besides, kitchen management and house keeping management are other areas to seek lucrative jobs. Moreover, A person has some other career options like one can become an executive in tourism development corporations and resort properties, as a lecturer in hotel management institutes or food craft institutes, and as cabin crew in national and international airlines and cruises. 

Institutes Offering
Some of the good hospitality institutes in India include:
  • FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management, Greater Noida; 
  • Amman Institute of Hospitality Management and Computer Application, Salem; 
  • Angel Institute of International Hospitality and Management (AIIHM), Greater Noida; 
  •  Brilliant Institute of Hospitality Management, West Bengal; 
  • College of Hospitality and Tourism, Gurgaon; College of Hospitality Administration, Jaipur; 
  • Hope Institute of Hospitality Management, Delhi; 
  •  Institute of Hospitality Management, Goa; 
  • Indian Institute of Hospitality Management, Maharashtra; 
  • Army Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Bangalore; 
  • MS Ramaiah College of Hotel Management, Bangalore; 
  • Saptagiri College of Hotel Management, Mangalore.

Remuneration
Remuneration in the field of hospitality is good and may vary from one organization to another. At the fresher level, the salary may be a little bit low, but with experience, one can be offered high salary packages.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Study tips for exams



Here are some study tips you can follow before exams

  1. Know your concentration span, Study with breaks.
  2. Work out the best time for concentration
  3. Group study for difficult subjects. 
  4. Master the essential information first.
  5. Prioritize the study. Give your best concentration time to the toughest subject.
  6. Repeat your remembered work so that the recall in exam is easy. Work, not repeated or revised is easily forgotten.
  7. Give yourself a few treats - pamper yourself with lunch in a restaurant, or listen to your favorite CD for an hour after you have finished your revision.
  8. Do not let pervious results discourage you-identify your weak areas from previous exams and work on them.
  9. Choose a study place with minimum distractions and auto suggest to yourself about your resolution.
  10. Try to coincide study time with the time you would be given in the exam.
  11. In case of average achievers, master what you know and are comfortable with.
  12. Practice all the possible diagrams which you can use for making your answer more effective.
  13. Relax with what you know before entering the exam hall.

A story about time


Imagine a situation in which a bank credits one million dollars every day to your account. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every night it deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What you will do in such a situation. You will try to draw every dollar from your account.
Similarly, we all have a time account. Every morning it credits us with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever part of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it credits time to your account, and by night it burns the remain of the day.  
Now it is up to you how you use your time. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. In the word of time there is no going back. There is no drawing against the ‘tomorrow’. You really need to live on that days deposits. Use your time is such a way to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success. The clock is running very fast, so make the most of today.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Careers in BPO

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one decade old industry.  BPO refers to outsourcing in all the major fields of business. In India, various organizations have set up call centres wherein outsourcing of business process is done. One can find call centres (for customer care services) of many organization, right from telecommunication companies to banks. Call centres are concentrated in the major cities of India, including Bangalore, Delhi/NCR, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Due to the good salaries and incentives, a career in BPO has become a great option among the youngsters . According to the latest NASSCOM statistics, more than 1.2 million people in India are working in the BPO industry, which is expected to increase to 2-3 million by 2012. Convenient transport facilities, attractive lifestyles, and whopping salary packages have led to this boom. As a result, many specialised institutes have started imparting training to develop special skills required for the job, such as proficiency in spoken English, accent and voice, speech, modulation, marketing skills, negotiation with clients, and communication skills, through short-term diploma or certificate courses.

Course Details
BPO companies hire fresher’s, predominantly graduates. Hence, one can work with BPO with a graduation degree in any stream. While domestic call centers recruit students who have passed 10+2 or are undergraduates, international call centres, on the other hand, ask for graduation or work experience in the relevant field. One can choose from several courses available for BPOs, such as BPO Training Certificate Course, BPAP Certificate Course on BPO Management, Introduction to BPO/Call Centre Career Program, Diploma Course in Finance and Accounting, Diploma Degree in BPO Management, Graduate Degree in Business Process Outsourcing, MBA in BPO Management, PGP (BPO Operations Management), etc. Apart from academic qualifications, one has to be proficient in English language (both written and spoken) and should possess good customer service, call handling, computer knowledge and communication skills.

Career Prospects
After completing graduation, job seekers can join any BPO specialists, such as Comprehensive BPO, Transactional BPO, Niche BPO, etc. Ample job opportunities are available in telemarketing services, customer support services, technical support services, employee IT help-desk services, data entry services, insurance services, data conversion services, and online marketing, in this field.

Institutes Offering
Some main institutions in India that conduct different level of courses for the skills required in BPOs include Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi; Aptech (with ACPG courses in all major cities of India), Lason India, Chennai; Brainware (in all major cities of India); Excellionn, New Delhi; Hero Mindmine Institute Ltd. New Delhi, Bangalore; K10 Technologies, Mumbai; Sikkim Manipal University (SMU), Sikkim; Acumen Education Group, Chennai; Nittany Institute of BPO Management, Chennai; NEXT at Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam; BPO certification Institute, Orissa; Bangalore Institute of Call Center Training, Bangalore; ITES Grads at Gurgaon and Bangalore; and Chennai Business School, Chennai.

Remuneration
As a fresher, one can earn between Rs. 7000 and Rs. 10,000 per month. After 3-4 years of experience, BPO professionals can easily generate around Rs. 12,000-15,000 per month. With subsequent work experience, remuneration can increase up to Rs 20,000 or even more, per month.