YOUR PERSONALITY, YOUR CAREER

-          By Shodhika

What are you like?  What do you like to do?  Answer these questions before you decide on a computer career.  Here's an advice on how to go about it.  Can computer feed you?  Yes, they can.  That doesn't mean that pizzas will pop out of your CD-ROM drive.  It means that if you knew something about computers, you could make enough money to feed yourself.  Many people have asked me, "Shall I do computers?"  It's a strange and rather sad question.  In India, you always have to "do" something to make you living, whether you like it or not.  You can't start a career by asking.  "I like computers, what should I do? or, "I like singing, what should I do?"

This article is about computer careers.  But I cam not going to tell  you what to do.  Instead, I am going to suggest that you find out who you are, what you are like and what you like to do.  Once you have looked at yourself in this mental mirror, you can decide whether anything that a computer can do for you.  Who are you?  If you have asked your self this question ofter, and have a good enough answer, you probably don't need to be taught more.  Many people  never ask this question.  Or they think it's a very simple one and give an answer: "Myself, So and so..." But this is not quite enough.  You are a human being and have enough education to understand the things.  You are alive and you have the rest of your life to go through.  You would like to go through life doing more of the things you like to do and less of the things don't like to do.

Deciding on a career is a tricky and important task.  You should think very carefully about it before you take any decisions.  Unfortunately, most people don't do this anymore.  They decide on a career just by looking at what kinds of jobs are easy to get and will get them good salaries.  Getting a job with a big salary may sound like a nice thing, but it is not the only way to decide on a career.  I know many people who are highly paid, but don't like what they do.  When they first get the job, they don't care much about what they do, because they are thinking about how they will spend their salary and how they will get their next promotion.  But very soon, may be in just a couple of years, they begin to get bored.  They get bored with their work, bored with the things they bought even bored with the money.

It you like doing something and are also good at doing it, then that is what you should do.  If you are good, the money and fame will follow.  If you like doing something and are not very good at it, you must find ways to learn how to do it better.  Nothing can be worse than doing something that you do not enjoy.

And lastly, if you find yourself thinking about money and position more often than about anything else, you must realize that there is something wrong with your mind.

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-          By Aitik

Listening  is to basic that we take it for granted.  Unfortunately, most of us think of ourselves as better listener than we really are. Who we are and what we say triggers other peoples response to us.  That response and our connection to others remain vital to our psychological well being.  Listeners often don't hear because they have to preconceived notion of what we are going to say. The speaker who has intention of what he or she wants to communicate, sends a message and that message has an impact on the listener.

Good communication means having the impact you meant to have.  Some people have no idea how pressured and provoking the tone of voice is, but they come at you like a bad dentist.  Most people won't really listen or pay attention to your point of view until they become convinced that you have heard and appreciated theirs.  Anytime you demonstrate a willingness to listen the minimum defensiveness, criticism or impatient, you  are giving the gift of understanding-and earning the right to have it reciprocated.

Effective communication is not achieved simply by taking turns' talking, it requires a concerted effort at mutual understanding. Responsive listening means hearing the other person out, then letting him know what you understand him to be saying.  If you're right the speaker will feel grateful sense of being understood. If you didn't get what he intended to say.  Your feedback allows  him another chance to explain.

Responsive listening can be practiced like any other skill if you're  willing to put in effort. Your effort to listen a little longer and more carefully to others will, if you stick to it, initiate a positive spiral  in all your relationships. You can get through to most people,  even on difficult subjects, by first listening to their side of the  issue.

Here are a few tips which can prove to be the best for effective communication.

·         Pay attention to what other person is saying.

·         Acknowledging the other person's feeling.

·         Listening  without giving an opinion.

·         Listening without offering advice.

·         Listening  without immediately agreeing or disagreeing.

·         Noticing  how the other person appears to be feeling and then asking.

·         Respecting the person's need to address problems.

·         Listening to but not pushing too hard for feelings.

Saying "I really appreciate when you listen to my feelings; it means a lot of me" encourages other person to listen more. Don’t tell angry people to calm down.  Doing so only makes them feel like you're  denying their right to be upset. Sharing problems make people feel better and build closer relationships.  There are things that have no place in friendship, and  judging is one of them. 

Concluding this paper, I would like to say that 'Listening' is not only a need, it's a gift we give to others.

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MIND YOUR BUSINESS MANNERS

-          By Apurva

"First impression is the last impression."  Yes, this stands true under all situations, either personal or professional.  Even if you are one of those who care about their manners, there is always a scope for improvisation.  After all, good manners lead to good business prospects.  The new generation, of course, need to be provided with useful suggestions on how to call upon a business meeting or talk, especially first time.  Here are a few tips on "do's and don't" which will make you a good associate in the business market.  Although, these may appear to be elementary but people do tend to overlook such simple matters, unwittingly.

Find out whatever you can about the person you are meeting, especially about any of his or her strong likes and dislikes.  Arrive on time for your appointment and if you happen to reach earlier by more than 10 minutes, suggest to the receptionist to refrain from announcing your arrival immediately because your early arrival may cause inconvenience to the host.  Always remember, some people also feel uncomfortable to keep waiting for visitors.

Be polite to the receptionist.  Always smile and greet.  If the receptionist is not too busy, engage in some pleasant conversation.  This way, you can often garner useful information about your host's method of business dealings.  You may be offered refreshments while you are waiting, but do not take your cup along, when you are shown to the host's office to move in.

As a general rule, the host is supposed to invite to sit down.  And if he fails to do so, ask politely whether you could sit down.  It is both good manners as well as sound business sense to control your emotions and to avoid extremes of anger or frustration.  Do not forget your business manners even if the meeting is proving a disaster.  And in any case, avoid getting drawn into a shouting match.

Smoking is increasingly getting regarded as ill-manners.  Abstain from smoking except at the persistence of your host.  Asking "Do you mind if I smoke?"  will most likely meet with, "Of course not,"  even if the other person is not very comfortable with it.  This way, your behaviour may, to a certain extent, be labeled as good manners.

One should always seek consent of the host before taking notes during a meeting.  Any way, it is not mannerly to place your pad on his/her desk just at the beginning of a meeting.  You must be an attentive listener to what is being spoken by the person being approached.  You should never project yourself as a clever person.  Express yourself emphatically and to the point.  Do not be distracted by either sex and concentrate only on the business aspects of the matter under consideration.

When you go to a formal group meeting, respect the established seating plan.  It's a bad start for a newcomer if unwittingly he takes the place of a longer established member.  Simply wait till others are seated or better ask for a place to sit.

Like an effective business meeting, a telephone call needs preparation before you lift the handset and start dialing numbers.  Preparation means assuring yourself that - you are ringing the appropriate person, at a time convenient to the receiver, and you are ready with whatever you want to ask or inform.  the receiver will always listen for a short spell without interrupting.  Do take advantage of it by stating your purpose in brief.

Extend the courtesy of greeting to the switchboard operator processing your call at the receiving end.  These courtesies are as essential when dealing with switchboard operators.  In case you are initiating the call through your secretary, ensure that you get on the line before the receiver.  It is bad manners for the receiver to be kept waiting by the caller.  If a call gets disconnected, it is courteous for the original caller to redial.  If the receiver suspends a call, it is then his responsibility to redial.

Apart from all these, communication skills in whatever language it be, greatly influence the business interaction.  And thus it is my sincere advice to all, who are at the initial stage of their careers, to hone the interactive skills to facilitate the advancement of personal and business prospects.

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