By Saumya Sahni:
Being an undergraduate student of the prestigious University of Delhi, pursuing a hip course like Journalism, one starts to think that post the three lovely years of college, life will become bliss. Thinking about how thousands of media organizations will start queuing up to hire you, you start building your castle in the air. This was exactly my perspective two years back when I had just joined this course. All I knew was that three years from now and I will be “the queen”. Â After all I knew I will start earning.
I always knew that a career in Mass Communication was my calling. The first year kick started and also ended with the 1st semester examinations following which the winter break provided me with an opportunity to intern with any media house and utilize my one month break from the university. Initially as a fresher, that too somebody from the first year, you will come across as a naïve who just keeps on staring into the cabin of the interviewer when you are called to face your first interview for the position of an intern in an office.
I started as an intern with a reputed news channel’s website. Knowing the fact that this is my first time and I am not going to be paid, I found it extremely challenging to keep myself motivated for the first month of my joining. As time progressed, the office became a part of my life. The high I used to get when I told people not to disturb me because I am at work, was immense! By the time, the internship period got over, I took with me an experience that will not only add on to my Curriculum Vitae, but will also open doors for me in my future! Such is the pleasure of interning with any organization pertaining to your field and interest.
An internship implies that you receive some sort of training with any organization while studying simultaneously. Internships today constitute a major part of any student’s CV. Everyone today is aware that the four cornered education provided by our institutions will definitely suffice for a degree at the end of the course but the practical hands on approach will not add up to the value of the degree and it will just look like another piece of paper. Employers also look at the internship background of a person before he/she can be zeroed in for a job. They now are on a lookout for that sort of an employee who knows some of the work beforehand and can work with minimum directions.
Historically, internships were not looked at like something which could sharpen somebody’s skills but was pursued only as a hobby which a person took up to fill in for the unutilized time. Today internships share the same podium as that of a ‘trainee’ in an organization who looks forward to being absorbed in the organization at some point of time. Internships are valuable for various reasons. Firstly, when you start interning at different places, you get a hang of which field is suitable for you. Secondly, you tend to think a step forward than your peers and lastly the most beneficial aspect of an internship lies in the fact that you might just land up with a job in the organization where you are interning.
While selecting your first internship, keep a few things in mind:
– Go for an organization that will make work. It is a well known fact that some organizations do not utilize an intern’s talent to the greatest extent.
– Try to stay away from office internal politics.
– Being regular at work is of prime importance, so do not take frequent leaves from office.
– Sometimes the working hours might tend to stretch a bit so try not getting restless.
– Be in the good books of your mentors as they will be helpful in the long run even after you are done with your internship.
The more number of internships, the better career choices you will make and the easier it will get to choose your desired field of profession. Also, you will gain knowledge of all the fields which you can’t while you are sitting and attending lectures in your classroom. With so many advantages in sight, also be cautious while choosing your office-
– Go for a place whose background is known to you.
– Do not trust internet portals all the time for jobs. They might not be genuine.
– Try going in for a not-so-famous place. They will make you work.
– Do not ask for a paid internship if you are a fresher with no experience.
With four internships in my kitty and still craving for more, internships have benefitted me and many others a lot. In my opinion, no matter what is your course, do try to utilize and sharpen your skills as a practical hands on is always talked about than the number of marks you scored in your semester examination!