Q: I wish to become an airhostess. Please advise.

Debjani Sen

A: Apart from being smart, well-groomed and pleasant-looking, you need to be alert, courteous, patient and good-humoured. You must enjoy being with people and learn to adapt to unstructured work timings. You also need loads of physical stamina to withstand long hauls. It helps to be soft-spoken, caring and responsible while staying unruffled in a crisis.

If you are single and below the age of 25 (a few airlines extend it to 27), you can send in your application to various airlines for the job of an airhostess though most of them prefer graduates or diploma holders in hotel management/catering.

Your height should preferably be between 154 cm and 170 cm; weight: in proportion to height, normal eyesight. While proficiency in English and Hindi are essential, familiarity with a foreign language is desirable. Most airlines advertise for vacancies specifying the desired eligibility criteria. While government carriers only scrutinise applications after they call for them, candidates can also apply to private airlines. Of late, some airlines have begun to engage recruitment firms to process the application procedure. The applications are first screened by the agency, but finalists undergo a rigorous test conducted by a committee consisting of cabin crew management and a psychologist.

The selection process includes an objective-type written test with multiple-choice questions followed by interviews and GDs of the situational-analysis type. The whole procedure may be video-recorded, so make sure you convey the right impression from the time you enter. In Indian Airlines, selected candidates are further subjected to three flight observation tests to ascertain their tendency towards air sickness, etc. Shortlisted candidates are called for a detailed interview.

Show me the money

Q: I want to do an MBA and hence, I would like to know the salary that an MBA can command. How much do they get after five-eight years of experience in India and abroad?

Sahil Jain

A: The salary you get after doing an MBA will depend to a large extent on the B-school in which you are enrolled. While IIM graduates get an average salary of Rs 7-8 lakh (for domestic, and considerably higher for foreign placements), those in the lesser B-schools must contend with much, much less. And there are nearly thousands of them!

The hefty figures like the $15,2000 package bagged by an IIMA student and the Rs 65 lakh per annum package offered to an IIML student are exceptions and certainly not the rule. There is no hard and fast rule about how much you make subsequently. That will depend entirely on the industry you are in, your track-record and the company you work for.

Learn Chinese and be an interpreter

Q: I intend to learn Chinese in my university. Please tell me about its prospects?

Lucy

A: The job market for students with a degree in Chinese language is really looking up. And let me also add that you could not have chosen a better time to learn the language.

With growing bilateral trade between India and China, job opportunities have also been on the rise. Up until the early 1900s, some odd translation jobs or jobs in government departments were the only options. But things have changed considerably. Many corporate houses such as American Express, Samtel, United Airlines, Konika Electronics, etc. are recruiting Chinese language experts as they feel it is better to have fellow Asians communicating with the Chinese.

There is a lot of interpretation and translation work because of the increasing number of trade delegations visiting both countries. Translation rates vary between Rs 500 to Rs 800 per page.

The demand for Chinese interpreters is also on the rise in the tourism industry. In fact, there is a premium on Chinese-speaking tourist guides. Even the cabinet secretariat recruits language specialists in Chinese. So, what are you waiting for?

Q: I am a Class XII student in the commerce stream. I don?t want to join a regular college. Instead, I would like to work and do a correspondence course on the side. Please tell me what factors I should keep in mind while choosing a course.

Praveen Kumar

A: Increasingly, students have begun to opt for your kind of decision. In today?s fast-paced world, work experience seems to have become the order of the day.

In order to zero in on the best course, you must go in for a recognised, well-known university. Then check out its jurisdiction. Except the central universities and a few others, most universities stipulate their own domicile requirements.

First try your local university. That will be a very prudent decision ? it will save you the bother of travelling to another city for taking your exams. Also check out whether the university offers contact programmes in your city from time to time, as these can be of great help.

As far as the course is concerned, opt for an honours degree instead of a pass course if available in the subject of your choice.