How to write a successful CV?

Your CV is usually the first point of contact that a potential employer will have with you, and so it is imperative that when writing your CV, it reflects your skills, experience and accomplishments in an easy-to-read and engaging format. So, it’s essential to have a well presented professional CV, but still many graduates get this wrong. They don’t recognise the difference between a good CV and a great CV – which could be the deciding factor for you in securing an interview for your dream job.

Employers don’t have time to read between the lines, so the more you do to show how great you are for the job you’re trying to bag, the more chance you’ll have of getting it.

Remember, the reader will be asking themselves two very basic questions:

• Can you do the job?
• Will you suit their company?

Make sure the answer to both of these questions is ‘yes’ by:

• Moulding your CV to match what they’re looking for
• Making it clear where your skills meet their needs
• Pointing out the value you could bring to their organisation

Here are few tips for writing a great CV and effectively showcasing your skills and suitability to the professional world.

Mind your language

• Keep copy short and sweet
• Avoid lengthy sentences and use bullet-points
• Don’t refer to yourself as ‘I’ or by name
• Make sentences more direct with such phrases as ‘Major achievements include’
• Use the past tense to describe your career (‘Led a team of…’) but the present tense for your transferable skills and competencies (‘Offers experience in…’)

 Proof read

     It’s deceptively easy to make mistakes on your CV and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. A fresh pair of eyes can be super sharp when it comes to spotting the errors you  may have missed, so ask someone to double-check it for you

 Layout

• Try to keep your CV to two pages.All in all, your CV should be an introduction rather than a biography.
• Keep it clean and uncluttered
• Use the same font throughout and make sure it’s a simple one

Professionalism

CV’s with unprofessional email addresses are often ignored. Create a new email address with your name and a number – no nicknames, no random words. Choose a sensible email address!

 Personal statement

• Your personal statement is your big chance to sell yourself. Think of it as a sales pitch — you have one chance to grab the reader’s attention with how great you are
• Write a focused summary of what you have to offer, keeping it simple and snappy.

Work experience

• Use assertive and positive language under the work history and experience sections, such as “developed”, “organised” or “achieved”. Try to relate the skills you have learned to the job role you’re applying for.
• Start with your current or most recent position and work backwards
• Provide a job title, start and finish dates, company name, and a brief description of what they do
• List relevant responsibilities, achievements, duties and skills; describing the scope of your job, rather than giving a job description

Qualifications, education, training and development

• List professional and academic qualifications, degrees and executive programmes (giving the subject, awarding body and year)
• Include skills such as languages, technology, or vocational training.

References

Including references have to be from a person who has employed you within the past and might vouch for your talents and revel in. If you’ve never worked before you’re OK to use a teacher or tutor as a referee.

Future proofing

When you put together a CV it’s often difficult remembering the projects you have been involved with and the achievements you have made. To avoid missing important pieces of information out, revisit your CV every month adding anything of importance and cut any information that is no longer required.

University of Science & Technology Meghalaya is one of the top Universities in Northeast India. USTM have under graduate programs as well as post graduate programs. PhD programs of USTM are one of the most renowned in Northeast India.  We also have Engineering programs, BA LLB, PG, MBA, BBA, B.Ed. & LLB programs among others. Seminars & Placement in USTM is one of the best in entire Northeast India. http://ustm.ac.in/

Preparing for Civil Services

One of the most competitive and prestigious exams, civil services, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), India’s major regulating body. The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE), popularly known as IAS (Indian Administrative Service) exam including the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Revenue Service(IRS) in two phases namely UPSC Prelims and UPSC Mains. The prelims exam comprises objective-type questions, while the questions asked in mains need descriptive and essay-type answering.

The Prelims exam is also known as Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) that includes two objective type question papers of two hundred marks and two hours duration for each paper. One is on General Studies and the other is General Aptitude Paper (which has now an optional paper). Many students appear multiple times to clear Prelims because limited numbers of candidates are chosen to write the mains exam.

Paper 1 – General Studies

This includes areas like; Indian National Movement, Indian Polity, Basic Economic Understanding, Geography. While these are static part of the syllabus, the dynamic part includes current affairs, General Knowledge and that does not proper definition, thus making the syllabus quite vast.

Paper 2 – Aptitude Test

Unlike paper 1 which has some static part, paper 2 is totally dynamic in many senses. This includes mathematics, reasoning, analytical ability, and interpersonal skills that requires spot mental ability. The Paper 2 is now of only qualifying nature and its mark is not counted in preparing the merit list of the Prelims exam. However, you have to score 33 per cent in this paper to qualify the Prelims exam.

Since the preliminary exam is a test of endurance, candidate must prepare themselves mentally to adapt to the requirements of this test. The main constraint is the time one gets to answer about 100 questions in 120 minutes. On an average one gets around 40 seconds for each question.

It is not an exaggerated fact that IAS is the nation’s toughest competitive exam and calls for intensive practice and preparation. There is no definite answer to the most commonly asked questions, such as how many hours an IAS aspirant need to put in every day? It will differ from person to person so let us look at it from a general perspective.

Experts believe that aggressive preparation for 10 to 12 months is a must. Four out of every 10 Indians (21-32 years) aspire to become an IAS officer and competition is so intense that only 5 percent of that massive number gets through. An aspirant must map-out an effective strategy and decide ideal number of hours required to implement that strategy.

An aspirant should also understand that preparation for civil services examination calls for qualitative and not quantitative preparation. It is about completion of your short-term target. Ideally you should target two subjects every day. Most of the top rankers starts preparing for the exams right from their school days, as most of the questions are asked mostly from Class 6 to 12 standard books. So preparing notes and devoting 10 to 12 hours before a year of exam is believed to be sufficient.

Even with all this preparation, it is necessary to have a positive attitude and a great amount of will power to succeed in this exam. You must remember to achieve your goal of getting through the Civil Services exam, qualifying the Prelims exam is the first hurdle.

University of Science & Technology Meghalaya is one of the top Universities in Northeast India. USTM have under graduate programs as well as post graduate programs. PhD programs of USTM are one of the most renowned in Northeast India.  We also have Engineering programs, BA LLB, PG, MBA, BBA, B.Ed. & LLB programs among others. Seminars & Placement in USTM is one of the best in entire Northeast India. http://ustm.ac.in/

Job satisfaction or Job security: The lingering question

What’s more important to the nation’s job seekers? Finding a job which provides excitement and challenges is more important to current job seekers than one which provides stability and security. There are many people who are in jobs they don't like, some who don't think about it much and some who give up their jobs for passion.

Working has still occupied a great part of our lives. Yet, the meaning of work, which target should we pursue, chasing the job satisfaction or maintaining the job security, has sparked a heated debate. Some people believe job safety as the most important matter, and some believe the opposite.

Of course, giving up money and the security is tough. With increasing hectic lifestyles and the prevalent mall culture, spending habits are on an upswing and supporting such lifestyles is pricey. Particularly, people with dependents find it tough to provide well for their families without the financial security that a job provides.

Apparently, job satisfaction, including satisfying in terms of salaries, positions, promotion chances, or even the culture of the company, links to the motivation why we determine to do this work. Undeniably, under an unmotivated circumstance, people may deal with their works in a passive status, which will bring them unhappiness and depression. Further, if an individual is unsatisfied with the promotion opportunities, it will result in an unpleasant routine work and run his/her total life. Additionally, some people cannot share the same value with the management due to the disagreement on company culture. Under such circumstance, the target of fulfilling the team work cannot be achieved.

It cannot be denied that maintaining the job safety is crucial to some people, specifically to some elder people or someone without higher education backgrounds. Admittedly, it can be completely understood that some people are afraid of losing working opportunities. However, they may lose their targets of lives and lead to a repetition of daily lives if they regard the safety of the work as priority regardless of job satisfaction.

It is obvious that satisfaction in every person's life is one of the factor which increases eagerness to continue life. Those who don't enjoy their life cannot be happy or successful and even sometimes can cause depression. One of the factors which influence people's life quality is job. Every person prefers an ideal job which has good co-workers, good salary, high social value, appropriate time schedule, concerned to university major, which is not possible in all situations. People must tolerate their bosses and co-workers for years since they have no choice or they are not enough confident to change their jobs. Sometimes people cannot earn their desired money maybe because they are in the wrong way or their profession is not related to their inner talents.

In conclusion, it depends on the person to choose pleasure or security regarding to their occupations. Although, pleasure and satisfaction is more important rather than money since future is vague and it is not rational to ruin present for future.

University of Science & Technology Meghalaya is one of the top Universities in Northeast India. USTM have under graduate programs as well as post graduate programs. PhD programs of USTM are one of the most renowned in Northeast India.  We also have Engineering programs, BA LLB, PG, MBA, BBA, B.Ed. & LLB programs among others. Seminars & Placement in USTM is one of the best in entire Northeast India. http://ustm.ac.in/

B.Sc in Food Science & Technology: A different career path

A delicious combination of food and technology is what makes the art of recipes thrive in a world that has a constantly changing taste bud and newly discovered diseases. In simple terms, Food Science & Technology combines both these disciplines to preserve, process and manufacture food items. Quality management and research regarding dairy products, food grains, confectionary and fish products are some of the necessary aspects of food and science technology. As a subject matter, it has moved beyond just adding flavours to preservatives; it now explores areas where technology can be used to whip up healthy and tasty delicacies.

Subject of consideration

Food Science & Technology is not a departure from the traditional subject, it is merely an amalgamation of the two in order to develop something refreshing. Taking up this subject accrues different benefits, and allows you to follow your passion as well.

Research and Development: for those who are constantly looking to explore new areas in the food industry, taking up food and science technology will prove to be highly beneficial. Research within this subject is clustered under several main excellence areas like preservation, packaging, microbiology, consumer science. Research in these areas under the umbrella subject garners you the reputation of a food scientist.

Job opportunity- pursuing food and science technology provides you with a myriad of opportunities. With the growth of Food and Beverages industry, a huge window has been opened up for those who always wanted to have a career with food. Food Science & Technology ensures that you will not have a job confined only to the kitchen premises. It provides you with jobs in laboratories, factories and government departments concerned with food policies.

Growing market-with the demand for consumer food like pasta, cookies, pastries and cocoa products increasing, it is predicted that the food processing industry has a very potent market in India. This boom certainly needs new food research so that health of the consumers is not compromised which might indirectly lead to commercial loss. Moreover coming up with new ideas to cater to different tastes is not an easy job. This is where the educational experience of Food Science & Technology will be of immense help.

Philanthropy fulfilment-since food and science technology deals with producing food from agricultural commodities, this subject is tailor-made for those who believe in bringing about economic changes for the poor. With a large chunk of India’s population dependent on agriculture as a means of earning, a degree in the subject will help you come with different innovations to deal with the woes of the farmers so that they have the minimal economic loss.

Given the growing scope of the subject, USTM has recognized the need to introduce this course for the students. So those who are interested in pursuing a B.Sc in Food Science & Technology, USTM is the right place for you with its qualified teachers and all encompassing course. For more details, visit our website- http://ustm.ac.in/

Benefits of diploma courses

The global job market has become extremely competitive. As such it so happens sometimes that a degree might not be enough to earn one a well paying job. Moreover, there might be brilliant students who never got a chance of pursuing or completing their degrees for one reason or the other. This is where the diploma courses come to aid.

Taking up a diploma course does not consume much time nor does it cause much financial strain. Diploma courses are suited for those who are looking for different options for their career path. Those who are already in the job market can increase their chances of a promotion by opting for a diploma course. One can continue working to earn their regular income while spending some amount of time in pursuing their diploma education. It is a win-win situation as there is no sacrifice involved-either in income or studies.

Why diploma course?

Entry level scenario-job seekers who are at the entry level are the main beneficiaries of a diploma course. Not many industries want to spend time training their employees to equip them with necessary set of skills. Employers expect performance on the first day of the job itself. A diploma course comes to the rescue in such a scenario. One main advantage of a diploma course, especially for a job seeker is that the courses are constantly updated to keep in tandem with the changing requirements. This provides a myriad of options as well as practical experience to the students.

Varied options-while greater importance is still given to a traditional degree over a diploma course, the changing times has necessitated that both students and employers alike have to pay attention to a diploma degree. A diploma course arms the students with more knowledge than just textbook teachings. A diploma should not be undermined as its curriculum plays a key role in developing skill sets and adds more value to educational qualification. 

Career opportunity-for those who want to earn more than just minimum wage (which is extremely low in India), a diploma is a must have, especially if you have not completed your educational degree. Without a diploma there is a possibility that you might be stuck in a dead-end job without any advancement in your career. Devoting sometime to a beneficial diploma course without compromising too much money will allow you to further your career and enhance your earnings.

It however needs to be kept in mind that the reputation of the institute from which the diploma is being pursued is extremely important. A reputed institute like USTM, provides its diploma students the best of the updated curriculum. The diploma students studying in USTM have access to a good course structure and practical skills that will ultimately help one to secure a place in the job market. To get a better idea about the diploma courses in USTM visit website- http://www.ustm.ac.in/.

Tips to Choose Your MBA Specialization

Many business professionals at times face the challenge of deciding whether or not to return to College to earn a graduate degree. One of the most popular graduate degree options for business professionals is the Master of Business Administration (MBA). The MBA is held in high regard among employers because of the overall foundation in business tactics and functions that graduates receive.

There is more than just one type of MBA available for students considering the program. In addition to a general Business Administration program, there are MBA specializations available in a number of business sectors that graduates can pursue. Some of these specializations include Finance, International Business, Marketing, Accounting, Information Systems, and Technology Management.

MBA programs come in all shapes and sizes, but most students play it safe and go for finance, marketing, or management. One of the main reasons for this is that they do not fully investigate the diversity of specializations out there. This is a great shame, because only once a student knows the full range of MBA options available, can they select the one that best fits their career goals.

How should students go about deciding which specialization is best for them?

Below are some points that may help you make the right choice-

1. Consider all available options and zero in on the one that matches with your career aspirations. 

2. Make an assessment of your personality traits. If you are an extrovert who loves going places then marketing is the right choice. Again the creative ones can go for communications management, the people-friendly types for HR and those fond of numbers for finance.

3. Consider your educational background. A graduate in pharmacy will benefit by doing a course in Hospital Management while a Computer Engineer by specializing in Systems.

4. Your previous work experience can also be a factor in deciding your choice of specialization. 

5. List the job opportunities in your chosen field. Gather information regarding the job profile and salaries offered in each of these roles.

Most importantly, follow the path you are passionate about and lead yourself to a fulfilling career ahead. Institutes on their part can help students by offering counseling sessions or expert advice by faculty or alumni.

USTM, one of the leading science and Technology College in entire northeast offers MBA programs with specialization in Marketing, Finance and HR. The University is dedicated to the cause of high quality science and technology education and advanced research in frontier and cutting edge areas leading to the creation of a University where innovation, invention and entrepreneurship remain the cardinal focus and thrust.

For more information regarding the College visit the website http://www.ustm.ac.in/ 

Career Goals That You Need to Succeed

Career goals can be specific or broad, ranging from, “I want to teach Math to high-school students” to “I want to work at a place that drives me to outperform every single day”. Identifying them is the first and foremost step in career planning and will lead you towards your goals. You might have to ask yourself what level you want to reach in your career and will you set career goal that requires you to change careers? It is also likely that your goals require you to add to your existing qualification.

Performance Expectation is Key

Hard working, positive individuals realise the value of performance expectation. It is important to have a clear picture of your professional expectations and if required even sit down with your peers and superiors to fully understand it. Depending on the parameters that will help measure your performance over the year, you will know if you have met expectations at the end of the year.

Learn Something New

There is no doubt that we have to move ahead professionally in order to thrive. Without doing that, your career is likely to wither. And the best means to continuously move forward is to learn something new and apply it to your professional role. From soft, technical to management skills, there are a number of courses which professionals can avail to enhance their existing skill set and positively impact how they do their job. Distance education courses are the answer to a busy professional’s time and commitment-related problems, which prevents them from taking up a full-time course.

Reflect on Your Lifetime Goals

Take time out to reflect on your lifetime goals and find out how they are helping you accomplish your career goals. You can use the helpful approach to set realistic yet challenging goals by aiming for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based or SMART goals.

USTM believes in all round development of the students by providing ample opportunities towards their physical and emotional well-being. It helps the students to develop their career goals by making them realize the value of their own performance. At Ustm, Professors helps them to see a clear picture of their career goals by making them learn something new every day.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

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International Youth Day celebrated at USTM

The University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) celebrated the International Youth Day  with a daylong programme on 12^th August, 2016. The students of the Department of English performed a Skit to present the theme of 2016 International Youth Day- “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”.  The title of the skit was ‘Today's Youth: A Harbinger of Change’. The programme was attended by Nilima Bhagabati, Dean, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, USTM, Junali Chetia, a senior Professor and other faculty members of USTM. 

        

The programme was conceived and coordinated by Pramasa Saikia, Assistant Professor, Department of English, USTM. The performance of the Skit was the result of a united effort of all the students of the Department of English under the guidance of the faculty members. The main motive of the skit performance was to show a step forward by the Youths of our region to eradicate poverty through proper use of sustainable consumption and production. Nilima Bhagabati, while addressing to the gathering, delivered a motivated speech to the students about the responsibility of the young people to take part in eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development. The Skit concluded with a pledge to work together for a change to strive to work for the eradication of poverty.

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Importance of effective communication for students

Effective communication is a two-way process, where each person is responsible for his/her own part. When people communicate effectively, it helps them feel more comfortable in talking about important information, sharing concerns or asking for help. Being able to communicate with others is one of the best life skills a person can develop. Someone who can effectively communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings is better equipped for success both on the job and in personal relationships.

Communication skills are essential for a successful career of a student. In today’s competitive world, communication skills in business are the most sought after quality of an educated person. Reading, writing and listening carefully are the three most important communication skills for students. These skills like most of the communication skills sounds too familiar as a result of which we take them for granted.

Apart from reading and writing, presentations, reports and speeches are now part of schools and colleges' curriculum. This has been introduced in schools and colleges for the overall development of students. This makes expressive skills and managing skills also important for a student.

Some of the importance of effective communication for students are:

Self Esteem: In general, people want to be heard. If a teacher shows interest in a student’s opinions, that student will feel that his/her thoughts or ideas are being appreciated. This increases self-esteem and confidence. A confident student is less likely to second guess his answers on tests, and a self-assured student is more likely to speak up in class. Class participation leads to increased learning for the entire class.

Class Performance: Teachers who reward student communication and class participation will notice an improvement in overall class performance. A teacher can gauge the effectiveness of a lecture by student feedback. By asking questions, a teacher can determine if students were able to retain the imparted information. If there are a lack of responses from the class, it is likely that the students were unable to understand the lecture. This can lead to poor performance in exams.

Professional Growth: A degree of communication is required in every profession, and communication skills are necessary at even the most preliminary stages of career growth. For example, an applicant must be able to communicate his/her skills and abilities during an interview in order to acquire a job.

USTM helps in developing student’s communication skills in all aspects of their life, from professional life to social gatherings and everything in between.  The ability to communicate information accurately, clearly and as intended, is a vital life skill that is taught at USTM and something that should not be overlooked.

http://ustm.ac.in/

USTM pays tribute to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on his first death anniversary

 ‘We will walk on the path shown by you’, vowed the students of USTM

University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) was blessed to receive the Missile Man of India, the former President, DrA.P.J Abdul Kalam to address the North East College Principals Conclave 2014 (NCPC-14) on July 23, 2014. The emotionally charged USTM family observed the first death anniversary of this great man by recalling his message, which is still fresh in the minds and hearts of the each member of USTM fraternity. “It was a golden moment for USTM to witness the gracious presence of this great man whose words are still echoing in our ears and we are all ready to carry his legacy in the coming days”, stated the Chancellor, USTM, Shri Mahbubul Hoque, who is a fervent follower of Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam.

While paying the tribute to Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, the Pro Vice Chancellor, USTM, Dr.R.K. Sharma has described the contribution of the former President at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and his involvement in India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts. Dr.Alaka Sarma, Dean Students Welfare USTM has shared her experience of the encounter with the legendary Dr.Kalam during his visit to USTM. She said that Dr.Kalam was truly the Peoples President and loved the people of this country, especially the youth, whom he wanted to be the ambassadors of nation building. She also told the students to read the books which are stored at the USTM library donated by Dr.Abdul Kalam himself. The Registrar USTM, Mrs.Anju Hazarika also urged the students to follow the path shown by Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam to achieve success in life.

          

The students and the faculty members from all the departments of USTM gathered to pay homage to the great soul. The students have pledged to be ambassadors of his ideas and walk on the path showed by him.  Two minutes silence was observed during the meeting to pay homage to late Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam.  

http://ustm.ac.in/

UG courses at USTM

The University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) is the first State Private University on Science & Technology in the entire Northeast India, sponsored by ERD Foundation, Guwahati. USTM offers various Undergraduate programs and helps a student to choose from the courses he/she is preparing to study. The main objective of the college is to become the pioneer of modern interdisciplinary biological sciences by integrating emerging disciplines with biological sciences and other UG courses.

The various UG courses provided at USTM are:

B.Sc. Biotechnology B.Sc. Food Science & Technology B.Sc. Radiology & Imaging Technology B.Sc. Electronics Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) BA Sociology BA English. BA Psychology Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) BA LLB Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) is one of the most popular academic degree courses at USTM. The duration of B.Sc. degree course ranges from 3 years to 5 years. At USTM, students can opt for various specializations. USTM provides well equipped Biotechnology, Microbiology, Tissue Culture, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Electronics, Psychology, and Basic & Applied Science laboratories. USTM offers full time BBA programmes. The focus of the department is on imparting quality management education and the course curriculum has been designed keeping in mind industry specific needs. USTM also offers Bachelor of commerce programmes. Commerce is regarded as the most important subject for the purpose of getting equipped for handling markets, its fluctuations, latest trends and many more. At USTM, we have qualified faculty members which help the students to garner and polish their knowledge. USTM also provides bachelor of arts degrees with specialization in Sociology, English and Psychology.  USTM also offers bachelor degrees  in Social Works, Computer Application and Law. The University is directing all its efforts to provide high quality science and technology education in the region. Thank you for visiting our blog. http://ustm.ac.in/