THE ENGLISH MYTH

Good English language skills seem to be a pre-requisite everywhere. And why should it not be? English is after all an international language (and the only one) understood across continents. Even non-English speaking countries have realized the importance of English for faster integration with the global economy. We find thousands of English coaching institutes, mushrooming in every nook and corner, promising impeccable English language skills in a jiffy. All major management entrance examinations test the candidates' ability in various applications of the English language.
People claim to have excellent English language abilities in their resumes. But they fumble when asked to draft a simple business letter. Even top managers, drawing huge pay packets, in leading business conglomerates write shabby English. So where exactly are people going wrong in their approach to better abilities in English?

The English Myth

1. English can be improved in 30 days: Learning is an ongoing process. There is nothing called 100% perfection. However, reaching a certain level of proficiency does take years. Books and coaching classes offering "guarantees" are just filling their coffers.

2. Learn a word list of 3000 words by heart and English is mastered! Learning 3000 words by rote may not be of much use unless you know how to place them in your everyday usage. For example: "Kill" can be used both as a noun as well as a verb.

3. English improves by speaking daily: Unless you improve/correct your fundamentals, you will be repeating the same mistakes daily. Speaking daily may only build your confidence and nothing more.

4. If vocabulary is strong, grammar comes automatically: If you know to change gears in a car, does it imply that you will automatically learn to use the steering wheel? Wrong. Similarly, building one's vocabulary and learning grammar require a complemented approach.

5. Vocabulary is more important than grammar: In a car, is the brake more important than the clutch? A grammatically correct statement requires knowledge of both vocabulary and grammar.

6. Spoken & Written English is different: Although, there are various schools of thought on this issue, English in both forms should be same. However, while speaking there is some amount of flexibility considering the redundancy of punctuation?

7. Using powerful words indicates fluency in English language: Using the right words at the right time is more important rather than using powerful words. Moreover, using strong words in an incorrectly framed sentence does more harm than good. Also, as a principle it is imperative that message is understood by the receiver.

8. Vocabulary should be learnt before grammar: Do you learn to use the accelerator pedal first and then the brakes? Both need to be learnt simultaneously. Similarly, vocabulary and grammar go hand in hand.

9. English is not our national/official language: According to Section 3 of the Official Languages Act 1963 (amended 1967); blanket permission unlimited in point of time has been granted for the use of English.

10. Intra Office Communication by emails etc need not be well drafted: This reason is rooted from childhood days, where children assure their parents good results in the final examination while failing in all class tests. Good writing must become a habit rather than an exception. Use of SMS lingo must be strictly avoided.

11. Perfect English is for Fiction Writers and not for Corporate Employees: As the old adage goes, "The pen is mightier than the sword", a well drafted business letter/report/resume can get your points across more easily as compared to the inferior ones. A well crafted resume may be picked up vis-à-vis a shabby resume (even though the latter may be better qualified).
It is essential to understand that there is a definite structure to master this language. Also, mastery does not come in 30 days (as some books claim).

The Coaching Class Myth

Ever seen the study material provided by most of the English coaching classes? You will find vocabulary lists, lists of plurals, lists of genders, lists of noun/adjective/adverb forms, some introduction to basic grammar followed by loads of exercises.
Their modus operandi is fairly simple. Put a few fancy words into people's mouths and make money. This is nothing but cosmetic English.

Basic Anatomy of English
Grammar is the heart of any language, with the vocabulary built around it. The set of rules used to place the appropriate words in a grammatically correct statement is termed syntax. Grammar can be classified into two types: Prescriptive Grammar and Descriptive Grammar. Prescriptive grammar provides rules for correct usage whereas Descriptive grammar describes how a language is actually used.

Words are divided into different classes based on the role that they perform. Broadly, words are divided into 8 parts of speech: namely noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction and interjection.

The parts of speech concept is supposed to be the backbone of grammar. The usage varies depending on time, gender, quantity, quality, mood and circumstance. The above only gives an introduction to English language and achieving perfection requires study in detail.

Placing words at the right place in a sentence gives a logical meaning to any sentence. Moreover, the correct grammatical form of the word should be used in the appropriate place in the sentence. For example: "I shall drive to Pune tomorrow" uses the word 'drive' in the verb form whereas the sentence "Let us go for a long drive" uses it in the noun form. Using the right spelling at the right place is also essential. The spelling per se may be right but the usage in that particular statement may be incorrect.

Some people mistake English with smooth talk, usage of accents and slang words. English is not about using international accents or slang words. Also, scoring 85% in a descriptive English language paper does not signify a great intellectual ability in English. The ability to comprehend, interpret and explain goes beyond the scope of any rote learning activity!!

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Resume:The First Step

The first step in the recruitment process requires sourcing prospective candidates’ profiles. This is done by advertising the vacant positions on various channels or media like Newspapers, Internet sites, Radio, Billboards and mobility services. Interested candidates respond to the advertisement by sending their applications along with their profile. These profiles are typically called Resume, Bio-data or Curriculum Vitae.

Technically speaking, each of the above three has different meanings. A Resume, which is of French origin, indicates a chronological listing of jobs whereas a Curriculum Vitae of Latin, focuses more on academic credentials and is more comprehensive. The term bio-data traces its origins to Industrial age when a definite format with a specific number of fields were used to capture a candidate’s details. Since the format was uniform for all candidates, it was easier to compare these skills and predict suitability for a position. However, nowadays these terms are used interchangeably and any profile uses a combination of the three definitions.

Resume-Purpose
People wrongly believe that the purpose of a resume is getting a job. Far from it! If a resume could get you a job, there would be no need of interviews, group discussions, presentations and so on. Again, if a resume cannot fetch a job, one would wonder about the necessity of a resume!! One could simply send names and phone numbers for registering for an interview or presentation. That would be ideal but pragmatic only for a small pool of applicants. In a country with a 61% employable workforce out of 1 billion people (the absolute number itself is a staggering 610 million and is expected to grow year on year).


As per a UN division report, the number of people in the workforce is expected to rise to 64% of the population.

Considering the huge populace, one can imagine the number of people applying for any job vacancy that is advertised. Of course this may not hold good for areas that are relatively niche but such requirements are also not common. Again, the number of applications received is higher at lower levels and decreases as we move up the hierarchy. However, that is a relative comparison and the absolute numbers are still high. A view of the recruiter’s desk or email inbox will better demonstrate this. So it is practically impossible/un-economical to meet every candidate. The better option then is to short-list relevant profiles for an interview.

An average recruiter does not spend more than a minute on any resume. The time spent is generally inversely proportional to the number of applications/resumes received. So it is essential to catch the recruiter’s attention at his first glance. The role of a resume is only to fetch an interview call. Since there could be numerous profiles with similar backgrounds, the resume which makes the best impression gets the call.

One For All?
Does a sales person use the same sales pitch with all his prospective customers? No way! He changes his pitch according to his prospect’s background and requirements. Similarly a job application tries to convince the prospective customer .i.e. the employer that you are the right product (candidate). Applying and interviewing is like a sales process. Hence it is essential to align one’s resume to match the advertised position. Aligning does not mean fudging. It rather means emphasizing skills which are more relevant for the advertised position. For example, teaching/research positions lean heavily on academic credentials, publications and research inclination. However, a business development job requires more of networking and communicating skills.

Switching careers may require an all-together different resume to show how the existing skills and experience can be useful in the new position.

Major Resume Gaffes

1. Several spelling errors
2. No details of experience (time duration, work profiles etc). Only company names mentioned
3. No paragraph alignment thus giving a very illegible look
4. Lots of blank spaces between paragraphs
5. Punctuation errors thus making the statement incomprehensible
6. No contact details

Essentials
It is widely believed, especially in India, that a resume has to be very long to make an impression. Lengthy resumes supposedly indicate “more” experience. So it is not uncommon to see people with 10 years experience carrying resumes that run up to 10 pages or more. Of course, sheer organization of the same text itself can reduce the size to at least 7 pages. So what is meant by a good resume? What do recruiters expect? Why some profiles get short-listed whereas others (similar background) do not? This article will give you a “scoop” of the secret behind this selection. Fatalists always resign to their fate and blame it on the L-factor. But some serious home work can beat the L-factor to a considerable extent.

1. Length of a Resume
Entry level to middle level candidates should NOT have resumes exceeding a page. You doubt that it will fit? It will. Yes it will-provided you use the space as efficiently as possible and make use of powerful compact words instead of long sentences. For example: Instead of writing “Extremely good performance” one may write “Stellar Performance”. Senior level applicants’ resumes may run up to a maximum of 2-3 pages. In case of project experience, the same should be appended as an annexure rather than including in the main body of the resume. In no case, however, should the resume run into dozens of pages.

2. Content at Top of Resume
Does one need to follow a standard format of mentioning Objective, Education, Employment, References and then perhaps the age-old style of ending the resume with a signature? When you approach the cute girl down the street, do you start of with your weaknesses and tell her that you are a short-tempered guy with no education and a worthwhile job? Not really! Rather you put your best foot forward and tell her about all the great qualities you have. You also tell her something that will impress her. The resume works in the same fashion. You write what is most important on the top and the inconvenient stuff goes to the bottom. So persons with an exemplary professional career but with poor academic credentials may like to de-emphasize on education and talk more about their professional achievements. If you are applying for a teaching job with an experience in Marketing, you try to align your wording to show how your experience would be useful in pedagogy.

This is particularly important because, the recruiter will read your entire profile only if he “feels” you are the right fit for his requirements. Else your resume goes straight into the bin or perhaps into a folder waiting to be picked up some other time (but in majority cases it is forgotten there)

3. Contact Details
Of what use is an aptly matching profile, if it does not carry valid contact details. There are candidates who provide email addresses but do not check their email accounts for months. Worst still, they provide mobile numbers and then change their numbers. It is always better to provide multiple contact information (like 2 mobile numbers, postal address and 2 email addresses).
What a goof-up it will be, if you realize that you were sent an interview intimation email which you checked 15 days after the interview.

4. Grammar
This is the saddest part of any profile-even senior executives overlook this aspect. No one expects Wren & Martin’s application of perfect grammar, but, adherence to a few important rules is quintessential. Improper or lack of punctuation can give a sentence an altogether different meaning. Usage of wrong verbs, tenses and adjectives not only spoils the impression but also makes reading difficult and boring. End Result: Resume is rejected halfway itself-sometimes the recruiter may miss out important parts of your career which may have been described in the latter parts of the profile. Moreover, improper usage can also be offensive.

5. Layout & Flow
Any presentation has a flow which grasps the audience’s attention and keeps it glued till the end. Similarly, a resume should take the reader through his background without abrupt changes. For example, beginning the resume with a synopsis or a summary is a good idea. So this way the reader has already a framed a picture about the candidate’s background. This picture gets clearer as he reads more about the employment history, education etc. If some list of hobbies crops up in between the summary and employment details, the flow is shattered.

6. Standard Abbreviations
People hardly realize that the reader is the one who is supposed to understand the matter mentioned in the resume. But majority of the candidates write from their own point of view thus assuming that the reader will understand any kind of abbreviations. Of course, generally accepted and standard abbreviations are fine but non-standard ones can lead to misunderstandings and possible rejections.

Standard Format
It is a myth that there is some “standard format” which is to be used to draft a profile. So we have job-seekers always chasing these “standard formats”. These formats are available at the neighborhood book-store or at the photocopy shop round the corner. Students obtain copies from their placement offices and others get their hands on it from the friendly placement agent.

In reality, there is nothing called a “standard format”. What we do have is a set of guidelines that may be followed while preparing a profile. These are industry accepted standards and hence may be considered sacrosanct. But otherwise one can always be creative to come up with a beautifully developed resume.
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DEEMED UNIVERSITIES-EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR DEGREE SHOPS?

A deemed university status is conferred on educational institutions offering academic programs and facilities on par with stipulated norms. This decision, taken in 1948, was to complement the growth in penetration of higher education which would not have been possible with state owned institutions only.
However the entire purpose of this decision seems to be defeated today. The number of deemed universities has grown by leaps and bounds since the last decade. However the quality of students graduating from these institutions is not commendable. Besides the return on investment (ROI) does not seem justifiable. The exponential growth could be due to fall in standards for approval of such a status or a high level of corruption in the bureaucracy.
Either way the society is suffering at large with these so called “multi-campus” Universities who have set up shop in every nook and corner to literally sell a degree. These Universities have dedicated sales teams just like their corporate counterparts. Telesales, email and SMS blasts are the commonly used selling channels/methods. So we have candidates buying commodities rather than earning a degree!

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SOLUTION TO YOUR TOP SKIN AND BODY ISSUES

“A healthy mind in a healthy body”, so goes the famous Roman proverb. Healthy body does not mean only a diabetes free life or a body free from internal diseases. Health also includes the outer skin as well. So a holistic view is of utmost importance. While a lot is written about internal body care, not much is known about skin care.

Some of foremost issues with skin can start with something as simple as a blackhead to something as complex as a ringworm or eczema. People presume that the only way to remove blackheads is by piercing and throwing them off. It is after all not such a difficult process. Blackheads are formed by a mixture of dirt, oil and dead skin. Using scrubs and toners regularly can keep these tiny dots at bay.

Another area of concern (not only to the owner but also to others!) is the armpits which give off that foul odor. No fancy deodorant needed to treat this. Cleaning regularly with soap, water and perhaps even a scrub can usually do the trick. Ask any teenager (and others as well in some cases!) and he will tell you that acne is his biggest problem in life. Not any more if you managed to keep the face, especially the “T Region” (Forehead, Nose, Chin), extremely clean. Agreed that different people have different skin types but washing regularly is one of the safest, cheapest and most effective methods.

Let us weed out the misconception created by marketers that cosmetic medication is the only solution to your skin problems. Some basic cosmetic solutions may work well but expensive treatments are rarely necessary.

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THE BEST SECRETS TO WEIGHT LOSS

Weight loss is best defined as the loss in the total weight of the body. In the context of medicine losing weight is sometimes advisable or in fact recommended especially for people with a family history of diabetes, blood pressure or cardiac problems. A reduction in weight is also recommended for people with weak legs. Excessive weight can cause severe damage to the bones and joints in the legs.

Nowadays, losing weight is gaining more interest more from the cosmetic point of view. Leaner people are perceived to be fit, attractive and smart. We come across thousands of advertisements claiming to make one look slimmer within a record time. Although not much is known about the credibility of such claims, there are numerous other time tested techniques of reducing weight. Such techniques may not create an overnight miracle but nevertheless they are safe and reliable.

Exercise, dieting and hypnosis are some of the safest bets towards a leaner figure. Exercise, although effective, is rarely used by obese people as it requires lot of physical efforts. Dieting, an effective method is rarely properly understood. It is commonly believed that dieting means starving oneself. Far from it! It means consuming nutritious food which keeps the body fit and avoiding unwanted junk food which only adds to the body mass. Hypnosis neither restricts food intake nor stresses the body. It creates a psychological dislike for foods that increase body weight.

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TRAVEL TO AIRPORT

A funny observation about our so called international cities. You can buy an air ticket, to travel from Bangalore to Hyderabad, for Rs.2200. So a return journey will cost Rs.4400. Traveling (by cab) from the city to airport and back, in both cities, will cost an average of Rs.800 per trip thus totalling to Rs.3200. Thus traveling to airports is as expensive as traveling to another city!!

This is primarily due to a superficial public transport system. Of course over a period of time conditions will definitely improve and we can expect a cheaper mode of travel.

Controlling Attrition-The Latest Mantra

Organizations have always been under pressure to retain people, especially the brightest ones. But never before has this exercise taken such a dirty shape. Retaining the original documents of academic credentials, getting employees to sign agreements/contracts and bonds are a common sight.

But now what we have seen has broken alll limits. Such organizations want selected employees to place a "security" deposit equivalent to one month's salary. This is more prominent among small sized organizations which keep losing the best talent to the corporate bigwigs. The said deposit is returned after one year. This is apparently to ensure that the employee works for at least a year. Now let us step in to the employees' shoes for a while. Does the organization guarantee employment for a year? What if the employer-employee relation turns bitter? This agreement is not documented in the first place. In any case, legal recourse is both expensive and time consuming.

A better strategy is to hire the right person for the right job. An overqualified candidate will leave as his market value and demand will be great. An underqualified candidate is not of much use. So a change in the hiring process should ensure that only candidates, whose market value will significantly increase only after working in the organization for a couple of years, are hired. Binding a candidate with such rules may be futile. One, good candidates may not be willing to join. Two, employees may try to while away time to pass one year-which is again an economic loss for the organization.

Development Sector & Sustainable Livelihoods

Poverty is a denial to basic human needs. It is a sense of powerlessness and helplessness in life. Poverty is measured based on estimated minimum required income/consumption levels.
Growth and development are not interchangeable terms. Growth could simply mean an increase in the overall income level or gross production (GDP) in a country whereas development is a much broader concept. Development requires that the entire society benefits from the country’s income growth rather than a privileged few. Development encompasses change in societal attitudes and larger social inclusion. Some of the core values of development could be sustenance, self-esteem and freedom. Sustenance implies that there are certain basic needs like food, shelter, education and access to healthcare which are necessary for a reasonable quality of life. Self-esteem and freedom refer to dignity of labor and emancipation from servitude. So the primary goals of any social development project should aim at increasing the availability of life-sustaining goods, raise quality of living and expand social choices available to individuals.
Development, again, should be holistic and inclusive or else it will lead to an increasing gap between the rich and the poor. Although it is said that, in a capitalistic society, over a period of time the benefits of growth percolate down to the bottommost part of society, a failure in this approach could lead to massive social unrest. Yet another school of thought puts forth the benefits of bringing up the lowermost section of society through extensive public expenditure projects. The rich tend to spend mostly on imported goods which do no good to the local industries. The lower sections of society, when uplifted, can stimulate great demand for locally produced goods and services.
A livelihood comprises of the abilities, resources and actions required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable if it can overcome shocks or obstacles, maintain its abilities and provide overall benefits. The sustainable livelihoods approach emphasizes on people, particularly poor people, the opportunities available and the threats faced by them. The focus is on the people, in entirety, rather than the resources or the supplier of resources. Based on the feedback, from the people, support is provided to overcome obstacles and utilize opportunities. The support and assistance can and should come in varied forms. The theory “Give a man some fish to eat and he will be happy for a day, teach a man to fish and he will be happy forever” need not and will not always be true. Future planning is sensible only when the present is secure. What interest will a person, who is not sure of surviving tomorrow, have if offered a 6 month training in technical skills post-which he may be gainfully employed. What is of immediate concern is his survival. So any assistance package should be dual focused- one, immediate help and two, future sustenance planning.

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