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Offbeat Options: Career and Contentment

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What becomes of you outside the college gates should not be decided by your neighbour and other Sharmajis. We bring you five choices your relatives never thought could pay your bills.

It is the time for board examinations, and the time for graduations. DJ rightly said in Rang De Basanti, that the life beyond the gates of the school is an entirely different, perhaps more cruel one. The one factor to making it seem less cruel, and in fact enjoyable, is to choose a profession that makes you hate Mondays a tad less. Here are five offbeat career prospects that have the power to make you rich, content, or both:

1. Cartoon making: So Many of the world’s artists spend their entire lives with their heads stuck in a math problem, when they would much rather use the last page for a sketch of Mr. Bean. It is time to make money from your “hobby”. Every acclaimed newspaper and magazine has a dedicated space for cartoons nowadays, while television and movies provide more possibilities to your love and skill for doodling. Asian Academy of Film and Television, National Institute of Design, and National Institute of Fashion Technology are only some of the excellent institutes to hone the skills needed to cut it in this profession.

2. Pet Grooming: As a student of the University of Delhi, you must have become accustomed to having dogs and cats enter your vicinity at any time. If you enjoy petting them more than you love engaging with humans then, there is a future in it for you. It requires patience, and an understanding of the needs of those who cannot express themselves in words. There are no essential qualifications for this profession, but it requires immense skill and hard work. To grow further over the years, you can start a pet salon or a pet cafe, and work with organisations like PETA as well.

3. Rural Studies: If you are one of those people who find the lack of attention given to the 70% of the population of the country, residing in the rural areas, appalling, then there is an excellent opportunity in the field of rural studies for you. You can work with NGOs, the government, or open a business of your own, focussing on the area that interests you the most. There are Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees offered in this course at colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi.

4. Museology: The main reason to pursue this is, of course, the “I dig you” memes. The other important reason is your passion for something considered atrociously boring by the science-inclined population of the nation, i.e. history. Study museums, their significance, and the stories of the past with this career. University of Calcutta and National Museum Institute of History of Arts, offer the best programmes for this opportunity.

5. Bartending: There are careers that are fun, and then there are jobs which make everybody envious. Bartending is a profession that has been around for a long time, but it is only in the recent past that its mainstream value in making money has been realised. If you enjoy listening to people’s drunk break-up stories, and have a love for alcoholic drinks, then this job is for you. You should be a graduate in any subject, if you want to be hired by high-end bars. A knowledge of alcohol, and preferably a diploma is appreciated for this career. Indian Institute of Bartending (Chennai), B’Mann School of Bartending (Chennai), Liquid Art Bartending School (Hyderabad), and Institute of Bar Operations and Management (New Delhi) are the best institutes to acquire a degree for the profession.

 

 

Image Courtesy: Monster 

Anushree Joshi

[email protected]

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Around the Campus

The Entrepreneurship Cell of Motilal Nehru College organised iSocial’s Career Awareness 2016

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The Entrepreneurship cell in association with iMet Global and Campus Connect (powered by smartech labs) organized iSocial’s Career Awareness 2016 drive on New Age Jobs in Digita-Social media and E-commerce on 26th October, 2016 at Motilal Nehru College.

Various facts of a career choice and its determining factors such as aptitude and interest, lifespan of career, commercial resources, availability of opportunities, academic potential and other aspects such as digital and social media marketing were explained through relevant examples.

Digital Marketing is becoming a mainstream in India. A digital professional, or specialist is often responsible for developing strategy used in marketing a company’s product online, utilizing such techniques in the fields as social media, web analytics, email marketing and search engine optimization among others.

Here’s is a list of the various digital marketing positions available for those seeking a career in this arena:-

1)   Digital Marketing Manager

2)   Content Marketing Manager

3)   Content Writer

4)   Social Media Marketing

5)   SEO Executives

6)   Copy Writers

7)   Web Designers and many more.

The workshop began with an introduction of our well-known speaker Mr. Nishant Sharma followed by Mr. Deepak Goel, a strategic driver of BFG Corporation. He suggests students to choose fields which suits their interest and how such choices make it easier for them to grow and build a successful career.

Thus, this was one of the most interactive and appreciated workshops. Overall, the session was very useful to judge one’s skills and move in the direction where one can achieve their ambition as well as enjoy their career.

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DUB Speak

Beyond the Clichés: Political Science Honours

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A student pursuing Political science always deals with the question which someone or the other inevitably will put forth, that of joining the civil services. Civil services and  politics are one of the only few options people are usually aware about while studying political science. Today a score of options are available for students and the sky is the limit. With the right combination, one can be anything, from a lawyer to a radio journalist. Although holding the right degree might not always get you the right job. Nowadays, companies prefer job skills more than a piece of paper certifying your qualification.

As a Political Science student, one has to develop skills in four particular areas:

  • Communication
  • Research and Quantitative methods
  • Analysis
  • Planning and Development

These skills will prove crucial in landing them their dream job. A political science degree equips you with fine knowledge of how the government works and therefore qualifying one to take up any job that requires management and planning in the government and non government sector alike. A career in business and teaching are also available as options.

  • Government and Advocacy jobs – In this area one can work in a number of fields such as city planning, management and even intelligence. One can become a political scientist if analyzing political systems, studying the political mood and analyzing election results is what one finds appealing. As a political scientist one can also help private organizations and government draft policies in accordance to existing rules and regulations.
  • One can go for a career in Law – This usually entails enforcement of national and international rules, understanding the framework of operation within and outside the government, interpreting political ideas and use of analytical skills.
  • Lobbying –  Lobbying  the government on behalf of interest  groups or Non Governmental Organisations  are also options.  These jobs require a strong connection and cooperation with various stages of the government. As a lobbyist one can influence policy decisions and negotiate with elected officials. This usually requires a simple graduate degree although advanced degrees will help you stand out in the market.
  • Business and Entrepreneurship – A political science student can also have a career in business. Banking, advertising, personnel and public relations are available choices. Excellent verbal and communication skills are required to enter this line of work. Depending on the type of job, a good knowledge of working economics and computer skills also go a long way in ensuring a successful venture. A post graduate degree will qualify for a position in human resources and management. Those with advanced degrees are often consulted by major corporations.
  • Teaching positions – I’m mentioning this so as to not leave out anything obvious.  A political scientist can also hold a teaching position at universities and colleges. The goal of a political scientist is to analyse and evaluate everything within the sphere of political influence and a teaching position can prove to be very rewarding.
  • Research – Many researchers also hold teaching positions in universities and colleges. Usually universities, IT institutes, management institutes and the like, have research as a part of teaching.  One can also conduct research as a part of an NGO, university, business or advocacy sector. Some even conduct research as part of their entrepreneurial venture and have their own firms.
  • Journalism – A career in journalism is a well treaded path for many political science students.  Films, television, radio and other media are some of the available choices. One can easily apply for a job as a political correspondent and cover domestic and international policy. Jobs as Editors and  directors are also available in the media industry.
  • International Relations – For those aspirants who want to pursue a career with international agencies such as the UN and Global organizations such as WTO, or even transnational NGOs, a study of International Relations (IR) will provide a big boost to their opportunities.
  • Political Advisers – Knowing the political system of the country like the back of your hand can have many advantages. One can become an adviser to politicians and parties and also help the government and the system by becoming a part of various think tank groups ensuring smooth and effective functioning of all units in the system.

Excellent written and oral skills are a must if you call yourself a political science graduate because the job skills one has to inculcate, over the years, are based on  these. A thorough knowledge on parliamentary procedures is also a must. Political science is a diverse subject having its nose in almost everything. Sometimes a good knowledge of human psychology also serves well. Since it is a social science, there can literally be no dearth of opportunities out there.  All one needs to do is find the right combination to land the perfect job for themselves.

Arindam Goswami

[email protected]

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Offbeat

Offbeat: Science Journalism

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Are you a science student but don’t want to be scientist or a teacher? Do you want to try your hand at something totally different and yet stay connected to your science roots? Science journalism may be the thing for you.

Science journalism is about reporting about science to the public. The field typically involves interactions between scientists, journalists, and the public. Science journalism, like the Science and Tech page in The Hindu, simplifies the very detailed, specific, and often jargon-laden information produced by scientists into a form that non-scientists can understand and appreciate, while still communicating the information accurately.

The National Association of Science Writers fights for the free flow of science news. The Indian Journal of Science and Technology accepts research based articles from students studying at various levels. Various other publications like Indian Journal of Scientific Research and Indian Journal of Science by Discovery prove helpful to those who look to broaden their perspectives about their respective research fields.

It’s not just about research though. Science journalism, or science media if we broaden it, is vast. From interviewing various smart heads to being a brainy radio jockey, the opportunities are endless for those who want to continue with science and yet don’t want to become Einstein. Maybe we could be looking at the next David Saltzberg, the science advisor to The Big Bang Theory. After all, it takes smart people to actually understand the depths of Sheldon’s jokes. And it takes even smarter people to actually use all the scientific knowledge in the world to sit and crack jokes on such matters.

Penny: So what do you say Sheldon, are we your X-men?

Sheldon: No, the X-men were named for the X in Charles Xavier. Since I am Sheldon Cooper, you will be, my C-men.

Yes, it’s a nerd joke. And yes, it’s definitely funny.

Interested people, do check out:

http://www.indjst.org/

Boingboing.net

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Offbeat

Off Beat: Perfumer

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Did your dream job as a child involve donning a mad scientist-y attire and blissfully mixing seemingly potent bubbly solutions in test tubes?  Are you now a bored and over- worked science student who fancies himself/ herself as a bit of an artist at heart? Don’t let the lackluster reality of a dull college lab break your dreams. Explore a career where your scientific background supports your creative ability, like molecular gastronomy, chocolatiering, and many more.

One such career option is that of a perfumer. If you’re a person who can, in just a whiff, identify fragrances ranging from a popular Davidoff perfume to a rudimentary essential oil scent, then your strong olfactory senses and a creative disposition coupled with the knowledge of chemistry can make you the perfect perfumer.

A perfumer, in simple terms, is person who combines various scents and designs new ones. The job is like that of an alchemist and painter combined, you work with existing materials to come up with something truly unique. As exciting as this sounds, the science/ art of devising new scents requires immense patience, and the knack for understanding and correctly deciphering the briefs provided by customers. One person’s ‘fresh’ may be another person’s ‘fruity’. Getting the right blend could take hundreds of tries. Creating a new perfume has also been compared to making music. Anybody can pound on a piano, but it takes practice and passion to know which notes to put together to form a beautiful symphony.

For entry into the field, a degree in chemistry or cosmetic science is most relevant, and a specialized course in being a perfumer follows. Apprenticeship is one of the most important steps in learning the tricks of the trade in this case. Aggressive interning is a sensible way to form a career as a perfumer. Perfumers find employment at all levels of the production chain, From laboratories to big organizations that develop scents for consumer products like shampoos, lotions etc or small businesses which deal with customers directly.

Image: http://www.lorenzodanteferro.it

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Campus Central

Careers and Coaching

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12-coachingclassFew students who opt for longer coaching modules are better off as their schedules are not as hectic. Vidushi Malik, Hindu College is doing Chemistry Honors and taking UPSC coaching, that is, for Civils. Even though she isn’t eligible for appearing for the exam for another 2 years, she is taking regular classes in Career Launcher – thrice a week and evening timings make it pretty easy for her to enjoy college as well as other activities.

Managing coaching with regular college is undoubtedly tough. However, taking the longer module is a better bet any day as it not only gives you more preparation time, but also not having classes daily is a huge relief. It allows time to manage college studies and practice what is taught in coaching classes. Having coaching and college every day becomes almost impossible to manage. By Surbhi Grover ([email protected]) and Pinakita Gupta ([email protected]) Image courtesy: www.dwarkatrade.in and lahore.olx.com.pk]]>

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Offbeat

Offbeat careers: Get Published! It’s Easy!

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People say getting published is a long frustrating dream. Maybe it was once, but in today’s world, with all the new technologies and innovations, it isn’t as scary as it used to be. If one goes step by step and climbs the ladder gradually, it is actually very simple. The foremost point is of course, writing a best seller.

One can start with a simple blog or keep a journal. That way, writing prose or poetry becomes a habit which eventually leads up to the desire of getting published. Bloggers have an edge over the diary writers for they can get opinions from others too. Now days, microblogging on social media sites like Twitter has become a trend too.

Moving on from free expression and no bars, getting published is quite a different scene. Impressing a certain publisher seems quite a task. Freelancing for various online magazines like 21 Fools or Campus Diaries can help one earn some decent amount of money and also get an idea of what the audience today likes to read. These sites are different from news sites or content writing sites which do not give any freedom of expression to the writer.

Apart from these today-written-tomorrow-published techniques, actual writers dream of making it big in the world. They dream of the Man Booker Prize or the like. Even for well-written manuscripts there is a world of struggle out there. One can again start from smaller avenues like approaching magazines like Readers’ Digest or Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Short stories generally find  place here.

Certain publishers like Power or Zorba present packages as low as Rs 8000 for self-publishing. They print 20 copies of your book but without any editing. Editing and more sophisticated layouts require more investment by the writer. It may be a risk but then 50 Shades was a self-publication. And it turned out to be a best seller so the investment does pay off at times. Or if one likes the feel of having his or her name on a book cover in the bookstore nearby, it’s a good idea to go for such deals.

Other budding publishers like Rupa or Srishti publish selected works and sell your book for as low as Rs 100. Many Indian authors have established their names through these previously unknown publishers. Ravinder Singh, author of I Too Had a Love Story is one such example. Even though it is difficult to make a living out of self-publishing, there is no limit to the marketing creativity. One can ask bloggers to review the book or set up YouTube or Facebook pages.

“Usually when authors approach us with their books, we want to read a synopsis and a few chapters. Every publishing house has a few pet subjects on which they publish books.”

One of the world’s leading publishers is Penguin and they accept sample chapters by mail. If they like your work, they talk business. They respond within their concerted three months limit. Pothi.com prints even one book at a reasonable cost thus reducing or eliminating the need to invest in bulk printing and storage of copies.

So just sit down, get that pen and paper (laptop) ready and begin writing! Once the manuscript seems good to you, it can easily find a place in the wide world of books out there.

Email your work to:

Penguin: [email protected]

Srishti: [email protected]

Grapevine: [email protected]

Power: [email protected]

Image credit: freedigitalphotos.net

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DUB Speak

Jobs that are just Plain Weird

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Ever heard of an odour judge? Or a dog food tester? Well, there are people who would do just anything for money. They would take up the weirdest, most random jobs which most of us didn’t even imagine existed!

Being a pet detective looked cool in the movie Ace Ventura but to think that it is actually a real job is hard to comprehend. Then there’s a professional whistler. Yes, a person who gets paid to whistle. Being a snake milker or a mascot or a rodeo clown, there’s just so much to do!

In casinos abroad, there is a special person who is just employed to check if the dice that you’re playing with is perfectly proportioned or not. Then there’s a vomit collector, someone who is employed in theme parks specifically to mop up puke near rides that tend to inspire motion sickness. A professional queuer on the other hand, stands in queue for tickets and all for a small commission.

People don’t actually eat worms just to get 10 minutes of fame on TV; they get paid for the gross stunt too. A fart sniffer gets paid to smell gas given off by cows in order to determine their diet, hormonal balance, and overall health. There are just no words to describe the absurdity of some jobs.

Some of us love to sleep all day. Did you know you can actually make money out of that? Doctors and scientists need these ‘professionalsleepers’ to research more about insomnia and other sleeping disorders. And did you know that there’s a livestock masturbator? Similar to the animal inseminator, they are individuals who masturbate cows and other barnyard animals in order to acquire the body fluids necessary for conception. Again; no comments.

The world is full of so many odd jobs. Why worry about being unemployed then? There definitely must be something out there for you too!

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