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Design Revolution
Art of selling
Career Hotline
Office Mantra
Want to up output?
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Product designers are equipped with the skills needed to bring products from conception to market. They should have the ability to manage design projects, and subcontract areas to other sectors of the design industry. Aesthetics is considered important in product design but designers also deal with important aspects including technology, ergonomics, usability, stress analysis and materials engineering. As with most of the design fields, the idea for the design of a product arises from a need and has a use. It follows a certain method and can sometimes be attributed to more complex factors such as association and telesis. Also used to describe a technically competent product designer or industrial designer is the term Industrial design engineer.
Career diary
Job search
Prospects in product designing are huge and competition will be keen because many talented individuals are attracted to the design field. The best job opportunities will be in specialised design firms that are used by manufacturers to design products or parts of products. Product designers with strong backgrounds in engineering and computer-aided design and extensive business expertise will have the best prospects. As the demand for
design work becomes more consumer-driven, designers who can closely monitor, and react to, changing customer demands — and who can work with marking and strategic planning staffs to come up with new products — will also improve their job prospects.
Money flow
Getting started
Minimum qualification required for admission into undergraduate degree in product design is a pass in the final examination of 10+2 system or its equivalent from any recognised board. Most of the product designing institutes conducts an entrance test to select candidates for their course. Those appearing in 10+2 final or equivalent examination can also appear in the entrance examination. Product designing courses can be pursued at the undergraduate level as well as postgraduate level. Apart from the undergraduate and postgraduate courses, some institutes also offer diploma courses in product design for at postgraduate level.
u
Diploma courses: One-year duration (The writer is Director, Raffles Millennium
International)
Institute watch
There are some very good institutes that offer product design courses at undergraduate level as well as at postgraduate level. But one should be selective while choosing any institute for product design course. Some of the well-known institutes are:
u Raffles Millennium International 9B, Rajendra Park, Pusa Road, New Delhi – 110008,
Phone: 011-43172222 u Industrial Design Centre IIT Bombay-Powai, Mumbai – 400076,
Phone: 022-5767801 u National Institute of Design Paldi, Ahmedabad, Gujarat – 380 007,
Phone 079-6639692, 6605243 u
Department of Design Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati, North Guwahati – 781039,
Tel: 0361-690321 to 28 u
Centre for Design and Technology Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012 Tel: 080-23600810, 22932246
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Art of selling
Selling is the basis of all commercial activity, big or small and irrespective of the product or the service. It is for this reason that even in times of cut-backs and recession, a sales job is one that will always be around — whether you have to sell sarees or software, mangoes or microwaves, housing loans or holiday plans.
Promotion and selling of products and services are the main objective of almost all organisations. For this every firm small or big requires professionals who take care of sales, marketing, product promotions, advertisement and public relations. They analyse the demand of the firm’s products and services in the market, and identify competitors and potential markets such as businesses, retailers, wholesalers, government, and the general public. Their main aim is to maximize the firm’s market share and profits by developing effective pricing strategies, all while maintaining customer satisfaction. Salespersons or representatives are an important part of every organisation. Regardless of the type of product they sell, their primary duties are to interest wholesale and retail buyers and purchasing agents in their merchandise and to address clients’ questions and concerns. They market their company’s products to manufacturers, wholesale and retail establishments, construction contractors, government agencies, and other institutions. Sales representatives demonstrate their products and advise clients on how using these products can reduce costs and increase sales. Sales representatives represent one or several manufacturers or wholesale distributors by selling one product or a complementary line of products. Depending on where they work, sales representatives have different job titles. Those employed directly by a manufacturer or wholesaler are often called sales representatives. Sales representatives spend much of their time traveling to and visiting with prospective buyers and current clients. During a sales call, they discuss the client’s needs and suggest how their merchandise or services can meet those needs. They may show samples or catalogs that describe items their company stocks and inform customers about prices, availability, and ways in which their products can save money and boost productivity, emphasising any unique qualities of their products and services. Many of the FMCG companies selling consumer goods and household products, conduct a major part of their sales through such sales representatives Frequently, sales representatives who lack technical expertise work as a team with a technical expert. In this arrangement, the technical expert — sometimes a sales engineer — attends the sales presentation to explain the product and answer questions or concerns. Sales representatives have several duties beyond selling products. They analyse sales statistics; prepare reports; and handle administrative duties, such as filing expense account reports, scheduling appointments, and making travel plans. They read about new and existing products and monitor the sales, prices, and products of their competitors.
Beyond degrees
More than any formal qualification, to be successful in sales you need the ability to sell. You can, therefore, get into a sales job directly after school or college, although most organisations also expect you to have some marketing training or experience. Most organisations prefer to take on graduates with marketing skills, though the requirement could vary, depending upon the nature of the organisation’s products and services. Sales and marketing is taught as part of the BBA and MBA programmes, and there are also stand-alone diploma and degree courses in sales. Nevertheless, for some consumer products, factors such as sales ability, personality, and familiarity with brands are more important than educational background. On the other hand, firms selling complex, technical products may require a technical degree in addition to some sales experience. Companies dealing in engineering or pharmaceutical products may prefer to recruit engineers, or pharmacy graduates. In general, companies are looking for the best and brightest individuals who have the personality and desire to sell. Moreover, excellent communication skills, pleasing appearance and problem-solving skills are highly valued. Patience and perseverance also the key to completing a sale, which can take several months. Sales representatives also need to be familiar with computer technology as computers are increasingly used in the workplace to place and track orders and to monitor inventory levels. Some large corporate houses have their own in-house training facilities for their sales personnel because a thorough knowledge about the product is crucial for identifying the customer and planning marketing strategies. Starting work may even require initial training by accompanying experienced workers on their sales calls. Many sales representatives are also expected to attend seminars in sales techniques or take courses in marketing, economics, communication, or even a foreign language to provide the extra edge needed to make sales. Sales representatives must also stay abreast of new products and the changing needs of their customers in a variety of ways.
Growth graph
Sales is one job that will keep growing as sales and marketing managers are employed in nearly all industries. Employment of sales representatives is expected to grow faster than all other occupations primarily because of continued growth in the variety and number of goods to be sold. Sales managers hold almost half of the jobs in manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, finance and insurance. Over one-third of marketing managers work in manufacturing or in scientific, professional, and technical services industries. Others are employed in manufacturing, retail trade, information, and construction. Because of the diversity of products and services sold, employment opportunities are available in every part of the country in a wide range of industries. So, what are you waiting for, this is the time to sell yourself into the best sales job available! (The writer is a career expert)
Challenges & more
Sales work is not easy. Some representatives have large territories and travel considerably. Hours of work can be long and often irregular. Dealing with different types of people can be stimulating but demanding. And because earnings can depend on commissions, sales persons are also under the added pressure to maintain and expand their clientele. But this is one field where good sales records and leadership ability can help you advance to higher-level positions such as sales supervisor, district manager, or vice president of sales. In addition to working in a firm, salespersons can also go into business for themselves, or find opportunities in purchasing, advertising, or marketing research.
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Career Hotline
A. You are right, the recession has impacted most sectors but luckily, you have nothing to worry. The armed forces are not cutting out jobs. Rather, they are welcoming enthusiastic young men and women as they are facing a shortage of employees. The Army has a sanctioned strength of 46,615 officers and is facing a shortage of 11,238 officers. With the economic slowdown hitting jobs on Civvy Street, the demand for a career in the armed forces has gone up. So, don’t worry about the job security. Just prepare yourself to make it to NDA in first shot. Incidentally, the slowdown is now showing signs of slowing down as the Indian economy picks up, faster than its western counterparts. So, overall, things will only get better on the job front.
Knowing the agri sector better
A. Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU) School of Agriculture has recently started a six-month certificate programme in agriculture policy. The online programme covers various aspects essential for policy formulation to achieve overall economic development of the country. The curriculum is designed to address factors related to the agricultural development process in India, farmers’ plight, their intellectual property rights issues in cases of plant-breeding and others, and research opportunities.
Govt jobs secure, pay more too, now A. I understand your anxiety, but you must not worry. While private sector jobs can be satisfying and well paying but it’s a fact that in a downturn there is little or no job security in the private sector. Which is what is making Indian middle class jobseekers look at government jobs with renewed respect. In fact, the number of applicants for the UPSC exam this year has seen risen by 42 per cent — up from 2.8 lakh last year to a little over 4 lakh this year! Apart from the recession, the rise in government salaries after the Sixth Pay Commission and a larger number of vacancies in the services seem to have played a big role in the resurgence. The government’s decision to increase the number of vacancies for civil services by almost 100 per cent this year has also increased the number of applicants. The intake, which was a mere 425 in 2007, has now been increased to a respectable 881. But cracking the UPSC exam is no cakewalk. It requires a lot of steady and sustained effort to taste success. You’ll face stiff competition from some of the top-notch professionals such as doctors, engineers and managers. But the taste of success is always sweet, so if you craving for a prestigious government job and lay great store by job security, then you must stop worrying and start preparing for the exams in dead earnest. In the meanwhile, if you manage to land a decent job in the private sector, give it a try as well. The preparation, although easier said than done, can move in tandem.
If you want a degree, study in a UK varsity A. The basic difference is that colleges in UK don’t have permission to award degrees, but universities do. There are over 130 higher education institutions in the UK that are permitted to award degrees. Additionally, over 550 colleges and other institutions provide courses leading to degrees. They don’t have degree awarding powers but their courses are validated by institutions that have degree-awarding powers. You can find a list of all these institutions on
www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees.
First choose field for biomedical engineering, then the institute A. There is no “best” college for sports. However, there are a lot of very good colleges for sports – and they vary from sport to sport. For instance, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke, Georgetown, Syracuse and UCLA are fantastic for men’s basketball, but for women’s basketball you’re better off at University of Connecticut or University of Tennessee. As for football, you might want to look at a whole different set of schools — University of Michigan (also for Hockey, Softball, etc). Tennessee, Notre Dame, or even a good Southern University such as Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, or Florida State University. VCU, Richmond, Virginia also has a lot of interesting sports. For the engineering and sports combo, Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts may be a good option. But at the end of the day, it all depends on the field in bio / biomedical engineering you opt for, in which case, you might want to look at schools like UCSD or Johns Hopkins instead.
What is BME? Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, spanning a broad array of subfields. Prominent biomedical engineering applications include the development of biocompatible prostheses, various diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, biotechnologies such as regenerative tissue growth, and pharmaceutical drugs and biopharmaceuticals.
Follow your heart, take up art Q. I am a science student of Class 12. I am very good at art and would love to pursue it but my parents feel it’s not the right thing for a boy. They say it’s better to go into safe things like engineering and management instead. What should I do?
— Bharat Punja A. Art – whether fine or commercial — is no longer frowned upon today and lots of talented and artistically inclined young people are making a career of it. The commercial success of Next-Gen artists is also a factor contributing to the popularity of this field. And recent trends show that bright young men are increasingly venturing into art and design as a matter of choice. Just step into any art gallery and see for yourself! For example, as a student of painting, you can take up a job in an advertising agency, as a photojournalist or as a professional cameraperson, once you have developed an eye for detail. Some knowledge of multimedia should hold you in good stead. For admission to the masters programme in art, a bachelors degree in fine or applied arts is preferred. These four-five year degree courses are available in Colleges of Art all over the country, including prestigious design schools like NID, Srishti etc. Admission is based on an aptitude test. Most art schools offer four areas of specialisation in their Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programmes – painting, applied arts, sculpture and graphics. Product design being the newer entrant. After dabbling in one or more of these, you can even decide to combine art forms and media to create a dramatic new expression. For instance, in my room I have this brilliant composition in mixed media by an upcoming artist that combines photography, paint, etching, charcoal and crayon in one brilliantly harmonious piece of art. At the end of the day, I’d say, just follow your dream. After all, you have only one life to live — better to be a first rate artist than a third-rate programmer!
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Office Mantra
The study found that Britons aged 18 to 24 most admired ever-smiling Virgin boss Richard Branson (40 per cent), followed by dour business tycoon Alan Sugar (13 per cent), according to loyalty scheme Nectar Business research. Next on the list was chef Jamie Oliver (9 per cent) and Dragons’ Den panellist Peter Jones (8 per cent). Almost one in ten of people admired former model Katie Price, the study found. Tim Birchinall, head of Nectar Business, said: “Most people aspire to enjoy what they do at work. It’s interesting so many see being happy and contented as the biggest measure of business success above other more material indicators.”
Aggressive women earn big bucks
Being a nice girl would not take you ahead of others in the professional race, for a new study suggests that being aggressive and having a masculine approach is what makes you earn big bucks at workplace. A study has shown that “alpha male” women earn an average of 40,000 pounds more over their lifetime than female colleagues who are “nice”. It was found that personality traits are just as important as intelligence in determining how much people earn in their career. The team found “alpha male” women earn 4 per cent more than those who are deemed to be “passive”. Scottish businesswoman Michelle Mone, chief executive of the Ultimo lingerie company, agreed that having an assertive manner had aided her success. Led by Guido Heineck, the study titled ‘Does it Pay to be Nice?’ also showed that “conscientious” women, who display self-control and persistence, generally earn 5 per cent more than sloppy colleagues. Heineck, from the Institute for Employment Research in Nuremberg, Germany, said personality traits such as “agreeableness” were not beneficial in the workplace. “Our statistics show that being nice does not pay for women, whereas working hard does. This is probably, in part, because agreeable people are too passive in conflict situations and poorer in wage negotiations,” he said. He added: “Traditionally, women are more passive and likeable at work. This (research] shows that to be successful in the workplace women have to adapt a more alpha male-like behaviour.”
— Agencies
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Happiness @ work
Though blest with all varied gifts increase,
A land gains nought whose king is not at peace, wrote saint Thiruvalluvar in his Thirukkural. Ravana didn’t heed the advice and the golden kingdom of Lanka was gutted by Hanuman and its warriors killed by Rama and his army. The Pandavas got a raw deal in the partition of the kingdom as they were given a wasteland called Khandavvan. But Duryodhana wanted even that part for himself. His father Dhritarashtra remarked, “You already enjoy everything the world has to offer. I do not see why you should be so restless.” The Kuru clan almost lost all its members as a result of Duryodhana’s restlessness. Why rock a boat sailing smoothly? — Sai R. Vaidyanathan This column appears weekly. The writer can be contacted at
svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com
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Want to up output?
In August 2008, the state of Utah moved all of its employees, apart from the emergency services, to working 4/10, as it has become known. The hope was that by shutting down buildings for an extra day each week, energy bills would be slashed by up to a
fifth. Researchers Rex Facer and Lori Wadsworth of BYUs Romney Institute of Public Management analysed the potential benefits of Utah government’s four-day work week transition and found that the employees were satisfied with their jobs, and enhanced productivity. They found that even though four-day workweek employees work the same number of hours per week as their traditional workweek counterparts, they reported being more satisfied with their jobs, compensation, and benefits, and were less likely to look for employment elsewhere in the next year. With the four-day work schedule, employees were less likely to report that they come home too tired, that work takes away from personal interest, and that work takes time they would like to spend with family. Other studies have linked work-home conflict with low job performance and lessened productivity. There are going to be very real benefits for employees, specifically decreased gas cost, decreased commute time (both because they only have to commute four days, but also because they will be commuting during off-peak times, so the commute could potentially be shorter each day), and hopefully, improved work-life balance, said Wadsworth. The second form of the four-day week is to work the same number of hours per day for four days only, with a commensurate 20 per cent pay cut. With the recession hitting revenues, accountancy company KPMG announced in February that it was offering its 11,000 UK employees the option of a four-day week to avoid job losses. So far, 85 per cent employees have applied to join the scheme, and 800 now do a four-day week.
— ANI
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Product design can be defined as the idea generation, concept development, testing and manufacturing or implementation of a physical object or service. Product designers conceptualise and evaluate ideas, making them tangible through products in a more systematic approach. The role of a product designer encompasses many characteristics of the marketing manager, product manager, industrial designer and design engineer.
Defence services still hiring
Product design can be defined as the idea generation, concept development, testing and manufacturing or implementation of a physical object or service. Product designers conceptualise and evaluate ideas, making them tangible through products in a more systematic approach. The role of a product designer encompasses many characteristics of the marketing manager, product manager, industrial designer and design engineer. This evolving role has been facilitated by digital tools that allow designers to communicate, visualise and analyse ideas in a way that would have taken greater manpower in the past.
There are a plethora of opportunities for students in product design. Career opportunities exist for graduates in design, general management and consultancy, technology, engineering and education areas where most graduates have been over many years. Students become able to demonstrate creative design skills alongside sound technical knowledge and experience, a balance that employers consider to be an advantage. Since Indian designers being the most creative and efficient, India has become the hub for design outsourcing for MNCs and foreign corporates who are seeking the help of India design companies for the excellent quality and also to cut costs and development cycles. India companies are also increasingly doing research and development for designing their own products and hence recruiting more designers. But unfortunately, the supply is not in sync with the increasing demand and growth in every sphere of the industry.
Product designing is an immensely rewarding profession. Earnings for product designers vary widely depending on the type of design they do and their remuneration depends upon their talent and skills. After getting the required academic qualifications one can also start up his own company and become entrepreneur. The salary structure in this industry is lucrative and sky is the limit for hard workers. Beginners’ monthly salary ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. Hence, if the aspirant is dynamic, hardworking, enthusiastic and ready to ride on a fast-moving career, then this profession may be the right choice. Mid-level professionals in products design can expect anything between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000.
Most pharmaceutical companies employ sales representatives. Sales persons can also work with marketing firms who handle the sales and marketing services for different manufacturing companies. They can also be self-employed sales workers handling direct-to-consumer sales services.
Q. I have done my graduation in arts and have applied for the National Defence Academy (NDA) exams this time. With recession hitting most of the sectors badly, are the defence services also restricting their intake?
— Manav Joshi
The problem got aggravated as about 3,000 officers sought premature retirement in the last three years, most moving to the lucrative corporate sector. But now with the current economic slump, officers contemplating premature retirement are having second thoughts and even those who had applied for PR have begun withdrawing applications. 
Q. I work with an NGO involved in the uplift of people in the agriculture sector. Could you please suggest some course that can give me deeper insights into the development of the agri sector, preferably through distance learning?
— Indira Rastogi
Q. I recently completed my masters in sociology. The economic downturn has confused me – should I opt for a private sector job or go for a government job by appearing for the UPSC exams?
— Diljeet Kaur
Q. What is the difference between studying in a college and in a university in UK?
— Girija Bedi
Q. Which would be the best universities in the US for sports (basketball and football) and for sports combined with biomed engineering?
— Hemant Soin
If you have the basic talent, the skills, techniques, aesthetic sensibility and some exposure and awareness of the market, which you will imbibe while pursuing the study of art, it will equip you for a life-long career. You could even look at openings in commercial establishments.
Forget expensive suits, flashy cars and mobiles – looking happy is more than enough to put you miles ahead in the business world, a new research has concluded. According to the study, 25 per cent people believe that appearing happy and content are the biggest measures of success at work, and good looks, charm or hidden talent are considered the least important qualities needed to be a successful entrepreneur.
God help a team whose boss is not at peace. When Ravana planned to abduct Sita, his uncle Mareecha asked, “Haven’t you a happy home and devoted wives? Enjoy them.”
Converting a five-day work week into a four-day work would result in higher job satisfaction and lower levels of work-family conflict, thus leading to higher productivity, suggests a new study. The four-day week comes in two flavours. One option is to switch from five eight-hour days to four ten-hour days, meaning overall hours and salaries stay the same.
