Q: I completed graduation in nautical science six years ago and am now serving in a foreign vessel in the rank of a second officer. I am 27 years old. Am I eligible for the Common Admission Test or the Management Aptitude Test ? Will a postgraduate degree in business management boost my career? Please advise.

A: You can most certainly take the Common Admission Test as there is no age bar. An executive programme in business management would boost your credentials. It would help if you have any specific career plan to put your extra qualification to good use.

Q:I am a 45-year-old manager working in the defence sector. I have 27 years of experience in human resources, administration and other operational functions. I am interested in recruitment consultancy. How do I go about it? I am a science graduate and want to join shipping companies or agencies in Calcutta. Can I get a job with a good salary with my experience?

A:You can explore the possibility of joining a recruitment consulting firm that specialises in marine recruitment. There is no reason why you would have to compromise on your salary as you have considerable experience in this field.

Q:I am working with a private life insurance company as a senior manager for the past five years. I had completed masters in English and done a postgraduate diploma in management and insurance. But I am interested in pursuing a different career path, something related to human resources or academics. Do you think pursuing a different career at this stage would hamper my job prospects?

A: It would be best if you could make a lateral shift to human resources in your company as other companies may not be eager to offer you employment in that field. Your company may be willing to do so depending on your suitability for a role in human resources. If you have good communication and interpersonal skills, enjoy meeting people and solving interpersonal problems or have competence in handling training functions, you can approach your employer and request for a lateral shift to human resources.

Q:I am a final-year BTech student. I am specialising in electronics and communication. I had appeared for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) in computer science and engineering and secured 93.19 percentile (All India rank 1202, GATE score 392). I have also got a job offer from a software company at Noida. I don’t know if I should I go for MTech or accept the job offer.

A:Whether you opt for higher studies or embark upon a career depends on your career aspiration. Are you interested in a career in academics or would you like to build a career in industry? If you are interested in academics then you should choose to do MTech, but if you want a career in industry then you should accept the job offer as a postgraduate degree will not lead to a substantial hike in salary. It will be of help if you get two years’ work experience.

Q:I am 26 years old and have completed BSc in pure science. I also have a diploma in computer hardware maintenance, CCNA, MCSA and A+. I am working with HCL Infosystems in Calcutta as a systems administrator. I am confused about whether I should do MSc in information technology, MCA, or any professional degree like OCP and RHCE.

A: The decision should be based on whether you want to work in your current field or shift to software development. Depending on what you choose, you should be able to build your credentials in the related field.