MAY 23rd - MAY 28th

Soft Skills An Essential part for a Successful Career

The importance of soft skills has been acknowledged by all the corporate houses. Mere hard skills cant make a person employable and also doesnt enable him/her to sustain in the professional life. Along with hard skills various soft skills are also required to mark an impression in the workplace. Soft Skills have become necessary for a person who has career aspiration and is looking for a leadership role in his/her profession. People are judged on their attitude and how smartly they handle different & difficult situations. In this competitive era, having the required soft skills will give them an edge over others in the corporate arena. Some of the Soft Skills are mentioned herewith which an individual should possess for his/her successful career growth:

Interpersonal Skills
An individual should have good interpersonal skills in order to become a team leader. Its ones responsibility to handle interpersonal conflicts, personality clashes and other issues related to the people around. One should be able to analyze the differences in peers and take impartial decisions. For example, a healthy & formal interaction among the employees in an organization encourages increased productivity. In this age of globalization, it is necessary to have interpersonal skills to work efficiently with people across the world from varying cultures.

Presentation Skills
An employee in todays competitive world needs to be a good presenter. Every area of corporate life requires presentation. It can be presenting before existing or prospective customers, suppliers, media or people within the organization. It is very important to have necessary presentation skills to present the service, plan or product before the audience. One should customize ones presentation according to the audience.

Etiquette
Etiquette refers to the socially accepted behavior and manners to be followed in formal situations. It includes office manners, dining etiquette and procedures to be followed in different situations. Etiquette differs according to the cultures and nations. But there are certain common features which are generally accepted across the world. For example; giving respect and being gentle with elderly people and ladies, taking care of the guests, being gentle and polite in our words and movements, eating without making loud noise, etc. All this should be taken care of in personal as well as professional life.

Team Spirit
Team efforts are appreciated by every company these days. All kinds of work demand united approach and mutual help towards reaching the goals. It has been noticed that when people from different backgrounds and ways of thinking come together, lot of brain storming takes place, which eventually leads to creative ideas.

Right Attitude
In companies, positive attitude is considered to be the right attitude. During hiring freshers with right attitude are preferred over those with mere subject knowledge. If a person has less subject knowledge, it can be provided in induction and training programs, but if a person has negative attitude towards his work and organization, his/her subject knowledge becomes useless and ineffective in the workplace. By regular practice of all the above mentioned skills, one can excel on both personal and professional fronts. Daljeet Chopra Public Relations Officer i360 Staffing & Training Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

EDUCATION: KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE?

Education, yes we all are familiar with this word but lets talk about this word on a broader spectrum. We know that education means knowledge but what is it? Why is it necessary? Is it just knowledge or is there some experience involved? Well answer all these questions in the following discussion but lets first learn what education is. Literally, education means the accumulation of knowledge, skills and values from the world/ society around us and from some institutions by the knowledge providers known as teachers. Yes you are right! Education starts at home but here its more about ethics and moral values but the formal education is imparted at specific institutions. Lets classify education into some sub categories. Education can be professional, vocational or informal. So, lets divide it into two categories: informal and formal.

Informal education:
As we can guess it by its name this type of education doesnt follow any rules or regulations. The informal education is casual in nature and isnt according to any prescribed or customary manner rather its more irregular and relaxed. This is the learning that goes in the daily life - in our society and with the people around. Yes, we have already mentioned it above, it is the one that starts at home and teaches moral values. In the informal education the first teacher is generally the mother. From this type of education we learn values like honesty, loyalty, respecting our elders, religious customs, culture etc. It is self explanatory that the informal education doesnt follow any syllabus and can differ with families, traditional values or culture. In the informal education a father can teach his child his own vocation or some ancestral work. The training takes place at home and not at some professional institution. The informal education might help choose any career option but basically it helps us to become a good human being. With this type of education we learn social mannerism and it imparts in us the knowledge of how to behave in our social circle. The fact remains that we arent certified or provided with any professional degree. You are again right! The informal education plays a very important role in shaping up the character of any person.

Formal education:
A formal education program is the process of training and developing people in knowledge, skills, mind, and character in a structured and certified program. Formal education starts at kindergarten! The Formal education teaches us the rules to read and write. Here the students are given the knowledge targeting on different subjects such as mathematics, science, history, law etc. This is to enhance the subjective knowledge of the students. This type of education is quite customary in its manner and it also follows some rules and regulations. Here the students are provided with a prescribed syllabus and their skills are analyzed through examinations at the end of each term. At an initial stage the formal education is common for all where the students learn some basic survival skills but as the level graduates the candidates have to choose some stream of specialization. So, at higher level the candidates steps into specific fields like medicine, archeology, finance, law, technology, etc. So the formal education, particularly, helps in choosing a career option and to give a way to ones life. So we can say that unlike informal education, the formal education follows a particularly prescribed or modulated syllabus and the candidates are provided with some degrees or certificates at the end. Here we end up answering the meaning and the types of education but the next question that rises here is that what is the importance of education? Education is necessary for all of us. Education helps us to get a good position in the society. If we are educated we can become a successful person. Educated person can understand each others feelings easily. They can become self dependent. They can take right decision. Educated person can make a bright career. They can face every problem bravely. They can communicate to others without hesitation. They can think about their responsibilities. Educated person can get good jobs. We can not become a doctor, teacher, lawyer engineer etc. without education. If we want to become some of these we need a professional degree. So education is very necessary for us. Educated person can improve their personality and they can also become global. They do every work systematically. Education is also very important for the economic and social development of a country. Every citizen should be educated in a country because it is necessary for countrys progress. So education is very important for all of us and we can say that without education a man is no less than an animal.

One can say that the formal education can be termed as knowledge and the informal education as experience but, can experience make up for the lack of a degree, or a degree providing something that experience cannot? Is one more valuable than the other? Talk about a discussion that will have you chasing your tail! It's truly a trap topic because there is no right answer. A complex issue such as this will rarely have a simple answer because of the numerous variables mentioned. Personal experience, moral and institutional education, continues to balance each other into the future so much as it has influenced us in the past. Tarun Batra Product Manager- Academics i360 Staffing & Training Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

How to Choose a Career after High School

Sanju has just completed his high school education with good grades. His subjects were Accountancy, Economics, Math and Business Studies. He has scored equally well in all subjects, and hence, the problem before him is to select his further career. He is wondering whether he should major in the Finance field or choose Information Technology. What do you think he should do? Like, Sanju many students are seen searching for an answer for the biggest question before them how to choose a career after high school. Choosing the right career after high school is important because a person has to work in his area of graduation after passing out of university, and if he is not interested in that particular field, then his progress will be very slow. Many a times, students are not able to realize their interests, hidden talents and inclinations, and that is why a career test for high school students has assumed significant importance. Considering the following few points before choosing a career will help you land at the best destination:

Your Interests
In high school, you study a variety of subjects. So, it becomes easy for you to find out which subjects you like and which you don't. One thing I would like to suggest is that you should not link your interests with your marks/score all the time. It may happen that you end up scoring more in a subject which you do not like, and you do the mistake of opting for a specialization in it later on. Choosing the subject/field which you really like, help you to learn faster and achieve great heights in your career.

Your Abilities
One thing which everyone thinking of how to choose a career for high school should remember is that abilities are as important as self interests. Though you have an interest in a particular subject, you should have the ability to interpret it, remember the concepts, and apply them practically. You should consult your teachers to help you know your strengths and weaknesses, as they have spent several years in the education industry.

Career Growth Opportunities

While choosing a career, you should look at the growth opportunities available in the field, so that you can move up the corporate ladder fast. This can be done by meeting job market experts, industry insiders, and conducting a self research. Before choosing a career after high school, make sure that it is in hot demand, and job opportunities are available in plenty to secure your future. Lack of opportunities can create difficulties for you to achieve your ambitions in life.

Money!
Yeah, we cannot completely ignore the money factor while selecting a career. After all students need to recover their educational expenses and earn well to live a better life. So, researching about the salary packages for the jobs which you can get after doing a particular course becomes essential.

Career Tests
Career tests can help you know your interests and likes. Till today, millions of students have benefited from these careers tests. These tests include objective questions having multiple choices from all subjects, such as reasoning, logical thinking, math, social sciences, physics, engineering, etc. After the test, you can get advice from career counselors, who will ask you about your preferred career choice, and tell you how you need to prepare to achieve success in it. Hopefully, this article on how to choose a career after high school will help you take the most important decision in your life. It is always advantageous to go as per our instincts, and do what our inner mind tells us, and not have unrealistic expectations. Good luck and do well!

Vipin Gupta Asst. Product Manager - Academics i360 Staffing & Training Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Self-employment
Is it good to be self-employed or is employment the best option? This is a subject of big debate, as people have different opinions on this issue. Some feel that by being employed, a person can have a stable and continuous income in the form of the monthly salary. Some others argue that though initially a businessman might have to struggle to establish himself, his earnings can easily surpass a monthly salary once he achieves a good position in the industry. My view is that whether you look out for self employability job ideas or accept a job, it should depend on your personal interests, qualities, temperament, and business sense. The following are the qualities which one must have in order to excel in a self-employment/business venture:

Understanding the business model and market Understanding the client or customer needs Effective communication and interpersonal skills People management skills Ability to manage finances well Hard working ability and willingness to travel and learn A never-say-die attitude

If you think that you have the above qualities in you, then go through the best self employment jobs mentioned below:

Options for Self-employment Financial Advisor

The demand for Financial Advisors is increasing greatly these days because more and more people want effective solutions for managing their wealth. Financial Advisors, who often need a license from state authorities to practice, advise people on how to manage stock portfolio, investing in properties, bonds, and mutual funds. Financial Advisors work for individuals as well as companies, and the more the number of high profile clients, better would be their earning.

Freelance Technical Writing

Freelance technical writing would be one of the top self employment jobs. Technical writers prepare information manuals and brochures for their clients, as these manuals help the people buy the products, understand its functioning etc. As a freelance technical writer, you can get contracts from companies belonging to the electronics sector, information technology sector, education sector, and also the financial services sector. The more established your firm is, the more you can charge for your services.

Software Solutions Provider

Computers have created a revolution in our society and have changed the way of doing business. Computer software helps firms to reduce the time to complete jobs and do it more accurately. Preparing, developing and testing software is not an easy task and hence most corporations prefer software companies to get the software solutions. So, if you have good IT skills, then you can start a software services and consulting firm to take advantage of the growth in the IT industry as a whole.

Retail and Corporate Broking

Stock broking is one of the best self employment jobs to do for those interested in the financial services sector. As a stock broker, you can have two options - retail broking and corporate broking. In retail broking, you cater to your retail or individual clients, whereas in corporate or institutional broking, you provide broking services to large funds, companies and wealthy individuals and foreign investors.

These were some of the best self employment job ideas that can help you earn good money. Getting success in these best self employment jobs requires a lot of dedication and effort from your side. You should not expect overnight results, and learn from your mistakes to achieve your goals. All the best for your career!

Ajay Arora Asst. Product Manager - Academics i360 Staffing & Training Solutions Pvt. Ltd

Colour Your Health

Who doesnt want to keep healthy and fit? To keep healthy and fit means recalling or re-living the days of youth and one is ready to give up anything to keep healthy, fit and young - money, time, sweat! We go for expensive treatments, exotic therapies etc. These treatments and therapies sometimes drive us crazy and we look for some easy way out to maintain the days of our youth. But is there any easy and natural way to lengthen the period of ones healthy youth? If you are looking for something similar heres something that will help you. Generally health is misunderstood as the absence of diseases but before proceeding further we must know a better meaning of health. It is the physical, mental and social well being of a person and a proper balance between these three leads us to a healthy life. Colour therapy can prove remedial for the physical, mental and social disorders that we face day to day. But what colour therapy actually is? Colours around us affect our moods and emotions. The imbalances in the bodys internal energy patterns and functioning might lead to emotional or physical ill health. To find and correct these imbalances, Colour therapy is used accounting the sensitivity of humans towards colour. Researches by the colour therapists have proved that each organ and body system has its own characteristic vibrational energy, and disorders can be healed by applying colours of the synonymous vibrational energy to the organs or disorders concerned. What are the principles of Colour therapy? Human body has the tendency to absorb light. This light is made up of the entire spectrum of colours. Each colour of this spectrum has a definite frequency, wavelength and energy of its own. The colours that we absorb can have a reflex on the nervous system, the endocrine system (The endocrine system, along with the nervous system, functions in the regulation of body activities.) and as a result they drive the release of hormones and other organic substances within the human body.

These colours can also persuade the more subtle energies of the chakra system of the human body. This, subsequently affect our emotional, psychological and physical states of health. The symptoms of disease are a sign that there is a shortage of, or improper utilization of colour and light in the cells and organs of the human body. This may b due to factors such as our lifestyle, environment, stress, or too much, or too little of a particular frequency in our energy system. This imbalance can be corrected by the selective use of colour frequencies. The forms by which the frequencies can be transmitted to the body are numerous. So, go meet a colour therapist, spend time with him telling him/her as much as possible about yourself, your medical history, and current physical health and state of mind. The therapist will identify the particular colour frequencies that you need. A typical colour therapy might include the use of breathing exercises, crystals, light, silk scarves or coloured water. Coloured light might be applied to parts or to the whole body. You may also be given advice on how to make the best use of colour in your diet, the clothes you wear and your home and work environment. Each and every colour of the spectrum has its own healing properties so; lets have a glance on the healing properties of the seven colours of the VIBGYOR.

Violet
Violet is the colour of enlightenment and spiritual awakening. The spiritual healthcare providers use violet the relaxation of muscles and organs, and for calming the nervous system.

Indigo
Indigo is the colour soothing and calming. It is also used to develop and stimulate intuition. Indigo has also proved useful in controlling bleeding and boils.

Blue
Blue is the colour of communication and knowledge. It eliminates toxins from the body. Blue has also proved remedial in liver disorders and jaundice.

Green
Green is the colour of balance as it is situated in the middle of the spectrum. Green is calming, and is used by Ayurvedic practitioners to promote healing of ulcers. It has antiseptic, germicide, and antibacterial properties and is sometimes used by the color therapists to treat bacterial infections.

Yellow
Yellow is the colour of sensational development of wisdom and clarity of thought. It has the antibacterial properties and has proved beneficial in healing disorders related to the digestive system and impassiveness.

Orange
Orange is the colour of pleasure, enthusiasm, and sexual stimulation. Colour therapy practitioners believe that it has proved remedial in the digestive system disorders.

Red
Red is the colour of energy, empowerment, and stimulation. It is believed that physically, it improves the circulation and stimulates red blood cell production. So, choose the colour which suits you the best; keep enjoying the liveliness of your youth and cherish the coloured moments of your life!

Avneet Kaur Trainer & Content Writer - Academics i360 Staffing & Training Solutions Pvt. Ltd.