hot jobs

Current trend in the job market

Riyadh-ul-munir, a third year student of DU, has two more years of study in the university. After that he will have to join the competition of job hunting. It's a tough struggle in this cutthroat world, but Riyadh has already prepared himself for it. He's got his mind set on a job in the foreign office, which means he will have to appear for the BCS exam. Why do people make the career choices that they do? What factors influence these decisions? This area has been under the microscope for quite a long time. In the case of Riyadh, he wants the job because he thinks it is challenging, it gives a chance to represent the country and the foremost reason is that it is prestigious.

Trends in the job market show that BCS is still the most favoured job amongst the middle class. The motivation is simple. It provides the middle class with social recognition and security; once you are in the BCS cadre you are safe for life. Government jobholders usually get certain privileges, including moderate living arrangements, office transport, and throughout the years, it has developed an image as a very glamorous job.

These are the basic reasons behind this mass popularity of cadre service among our young generation and their parents.Not everyone wants a settled job. Currently there is a mass trend towards becoming a multinational executive. Pollobi, another student of DU studying at Statistics Department tells us, "I want a job in the multinational company because it offers a good environment and a handsome salary." She sure is right; multinational companies do provide better environment and remuneration than the government employment. The workload is also very tight but Pollobi does not mind.

Banking is another preferred job especially the multinational ones. The reason is so far the same as multinational companies. But there are people who possess a certain amount of aversion towards banking. Ehsan who is doing his BBA from the North South University would prefer a job in the advertising firm. According to him, "Being a banker is boring. I want something creative".
Now, creativity is a sought-after requisite these days. Which is probably why some people prefer to be in the IT sector or want job as a software engineer, graphic designer or a multimedia expert. It is a current fad to become one of these specialists. A large number of IT schools have developed in our country within a decade serving the purpose for many. Alamgir Hossain who recently graduated in programming diploma from a reputed IT school tells us, "The bright future is still there because IT related technology is needed in every field and this technology will travel a long, long way in the future. It is creative and dynamic, besides it pays a lot of money, if applied properly."

Although IT students are suffering from frustration these days because in Bangladesh the field is in the developing stage and there are less job opportunities, more and more young boys and girls are still becoming interested in taking it as a career.

Marketing-related jobs are also is very much in demand. These are comparatively easy to get. We spoke with Shamim Ahsan, a marketing co-ordinator at Computer Solution Limited. He studied both marketing and programming. He combined these two sectors in to a great career. He is in the marketing because he loves the competition. "I love to sniff out clients from the market and win them over from other companies." Experts like him are not always hired to do the job. Freshers are mostly chosen, because it is possible to pay less remuneration to them and at the same time they would not complain if kept under a huge work pressure. Freshers also enjoy the fact that getting a job is this easy.

Popular among women is the teaching profession. It enables them to attend family affairs and at the same time earn money. Just after graduation many women are becoming teachers of English medium schools but of course they are also competing in the more challenging sectors today. Saimum from Dept of IR, DU, prefers teaching for a different reason. He wants a lifetime association with books. Nerds like him are still out there.

Another widely chosen field is the development agencies. Anindita Banik, currently working in the credit card section of Standard Chartered Bank wants to switch over to one of the NGOs. It has huge areas to offer. She would prefer the gender issues. "I want to see some visible effects of my work on the society", she tells us. There are now hundreds of NGOs in Bangladesh offering quick job to our young generations and the areas are still widening.

There was a time when doctors and engineers were considered as one of the most eligible citizens. Back then these professions were in vogue. The trend is gradually changing. These jobs are currently out of fashion. However, because of the social recognition it has gained throughout the years, many parents still want their wards to become eitherone. Whatever the trend might be in the job market, nothing is possible without hope, a will to succeed and hard work.

By Shahnaz Parveen

Fashioning the flowers

The power of flower is indeed unique, as it not only enlivens our souls but also mesmerises us with its beauty. As delegates of nature's magical creativity flowers come in diverse forms and hypnotic colours that enchant our mind and entertains our selves. That is why many families like to decorate their houses with varieties of colourful blossoms. This decoration of flowers not only welcomes a pure vibe in the house but also assures a positive and refined energy in the home. One worrisome factor is their duration of existence. However, cut flowers can be kept fresh for a long time and these beautiful blooms could last long if several steps are taken to care these flowers effectively.

Buying flowers from a reputable shop is easiest way to start. Since flowers are to be out of the water for some time, they must be well wrapped the stem ends of the flower must be covered with damp paper. To get hold of some flower food is a good idea since it contains correct ingredients to feed the flower properly, keep bacteria at bay, encourage buds to open and lengthen the life of the flowers. Flower stems have to be cut with a very sharp knife or scissors at an angle. This gives the stem a bigger area to take up more water and stops from resting on the bottom of the vase and sealing itself. One crucial factor associated with the cut flowers is that they are sensitive to temperature. One study have found out that cut carnations retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12°C than when kept at 26°C. Keeping this freshly harvested flowers at the right temperatures is probably the most important aspect of flower care. Because when this low temperature is maintained, the respiration of flowers are minimised and eventually the cut flowers age slowly.

Once the flowers are at home it is best to keep them in thoroughly clean and coloured-glass vases. The darker the container, the harder it is for unsightly, smelly algae to grow. It is advised to use lukewarm water since there is less oxygen in it and helps to prevent air bubbles in the stem that block the water uptake. To rid the water from unwanted germs like bacteria and fungi, household chlorine bleach can be used in small quantities. It is recommended that 15 drops of chlorine bleach (at 4% solution) be added to each liter of water. The water and solution should also be replaced each day. Cold water mustn't be used because cut stems respond best to warm water.
Proper placement of the flower vase is very important. Flower vases have to be placed in a place where there is no direct sunlight, heat and drought, all of which shorten the flower's life. Many like to place flowers next to bowl of fruits but this is wrong. Flower vases mustn't be kept next to fruits especially apples, pears and plums that emit ethylene gases and causes wilting. Dying and faded flowers also prematurely ages other flowers so they also have to be removed from the fresh ones. It is also advised not to mix daffodils and narcissi with other flowers as the latex emitted from these two shorten the life of other flowers. Lastly vases have to be cleaned, water have to be replaced completely and new commercial floral preservatives have to be added every three days.

By Obaidur Rahman