DU Placements

Dare to be different!

2011-01-12T06:27:00.001-08:00

‘You don’t work, you don’t study, you don’t behave, you don’t understand and you don’t…. etc. etc. etc.’ Everyday the same old story of getting accused and getting blamed. What is your mistake if you see the face of Romeo in the picture of Elvis Priestley? Not really any! Where is the fault if Alpha sign reminds you of the music band and Anglo-American literature makes you hum Beatles all the time? How are you to be hollered up if the history of Catholicism makes you yawn and instead Sexual Revolution is where your interests lie? In your imaginary brain you picture Mahatma Gandhi with a cap on his head and shades on his eyes and believe rose could have looked better if painted black. The thrones of the flower appeal you more than the petals and the fragrance. To you algebra is nothing but a disorder stemming from alphabets and Philip Larkin is a pervert. Where are you to be blamed if Nazism seems to be the only solution to you for a corrupted society and what can you do if you see a Hitler on the face of your lecturer?

Well do not get traumatized if you have any possible signs as described above. You really are not to be blamed for any of it. This is a boon and not a curse. Very few dares to dream and think ‘out of the box’ and what you are engaging in is exercising your brain a little differently from others. To think different is a daring act and you should know the exact way to derive optimum usage from that. You are blessed! So choose for yourself a blessed career. Become a trend setter and explore ways to discover yourself once again. Buried by the hegemonies of a society that preaches only the mantra of ‘ways to achieve fame and money within a year of your career’ somewhere creativity gets obliterated. Prevent the saga from happening in your life. Don’t submit yourself to a life of ‘living up to other’s expectations’. It is your life so live it as a master. Forge into opportunities, delve inside your heart, listen to the mute desires and allow your dreams to get their wings and survive in fresh air. Life does not begin and end in the brackets of being a doctor, an engineer, a MBA or a lawyer. There are much more beyond all these labels and do justice to your life if your interests don’t lie in the above mentioned titles and tags.
Some great man once said- ‘A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night. You need happiness inside to feel beauty when in utter despair.’

Interview blues!

2010-12-17T04:04:00.001-08:00

I was so nervous the first time I was to give an interview. I sat there waiting in the reception area of an elite office. The environment was new and uncomfortable. Thinking about the heavy breakfast I had been forced to eat by my mom, hoping there isn’t anything stuck in my teeth! The reoccurring thought was what if I freeze and end up saying nothing? Am I wearing the right clothes? You know what they say the first impression is the last impression! Then another thought stuck me, do I have enough copies of my resume? Did I forget to carry my passport photographs?
Well if anyone goes in for an interview like me, a nervous wreck then it is but obvious that you’re not going to get a job!
So I thought of some guidelines which might be of some help here -
1. Mostly all jobs involve a face-to-face interaction, so make sure you are confident and learn to communicate effectively. Do your homework about your potential new employer beforehand.
2. Always try to anticipate likely questions and think of valid answer’s. Do look at the company's website to find out all you can about them. Prepare yourself to ask your interviewer questions too; those obviously should be meaningful! It actually shows that you’re interested, well-informed and intelligent.
3. First impressions are vitally important, especially your appearance, even if the employer has a relaxed dress code. So make sure you're smartly dressed, be neat and clean. Especially for the girls, hair should be tied back neatly, nails should be well manicured, and preferably little make-up should be applied and no bold pieces of jewelry should be worn. This will show how much importance you give the company and the position on offer.
4. Never be late, instead be15 minutes early so you can relax, check your appearance and read any notes you may have written earlier. Go through corporate literature on display, and you can even chat with the receptionist - both can be vital sources of information about the company.
5. Make sure you know the interviewer's name and position in the company.
6.On meeting your interviewer, smile, greet them respectfully, make good eye contact and deliver a firm handshake - it will all help you feel confident and will give them the impression that you’re a strong, resourceful character.
7. Always be prepared to give a detailed verbal account of your background (they'll be testing your communication skills). Don’t make vague statements, be specific. Don’t hurry, think clearly - and take all the time you need to deliver your information concisely, smoothly and logically.
8. Place particular emphasis on your recent experience and skills relevant to the job on offer.
9. Always listen carefully and if you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify it. You can also carry a small note pad.
10. If you don't know the answer to any question, just say so and don't be afraid to make it a point of discussion, giving you the chance to turn matters to your advantage.
11. Always be positive, and wherever possible, give positive responses to questions asked, beyond a simple "yes" or "no".
12. Before the interview ends, make sure that you have mentioned all of your relevant experience.
13. If you feel your interviewer may not have covered everything in their questioning you can always try to summarize your understanding of you understood and what they’re looking for so that you can get their agreement or clarification where it might seem necessary.
14. If you are still keen on the position at the end of the interview, reinforce this before you leave. Ask the interviewer about what happens next, when a decision will be made?
15. Most importantly, ALWAYS thank them for seeing you!
Well eventually all my experiences helped me to finally get a job, so hoping all of you out there remember these do and don’ts. All the best!

- Tanya Paul

The art of speaking the same thing in different ways

2010-12-14T01:59:00.001-08:00

Alert: Shameless warnings against an internship which intends only to teach you a lot. Work work work alone, can make the interns a dull lot.

I Learnt a lot as an intern but what I learnt the most is the Art of speaking the same thing in different ways over and over again, yet not get tired.

‘Not all who wander are lost’ and I firmly believed the same before I decided to be an intern in a marketing company to accelerate my career. But now I don’t wander anymore, I am simply Lost. Since hours I have been sitting in a meeting. The topics have already been discussed infinite number of times. Six bored faces, one talkative guy. The pompous ass! We have been talking the same issues with different words and sentences since four hours. The agenda of the meeting is long lost but meandering discussions never cease to be. It is difficult and strenuous to keep your eyes open but you will have to show interest even if all you can think about is to dump everything, go home, take the pillow and ensure yourself a good night’s sleep. The talking never stops.

The guy sitting next to me is scribbling on a paper, making cartoons, drawing national flag, chewing the butt end of the pencil and am sure is feeling all brutal urges to bring a dead end for the chatter box. Same here! The girl across the table is deafened by the on-going noise. All three of us are interns- lost, confused and totally harassed. ‘I want to sell my idea’ so how do I go about it? Let’s begin by eating the peaceful brains of the peace-loving interns. ‘I am convinced already Sir, so spare me the trouble of this unnecessary hazard.’

Every time my boss looks at me, I will have to pass that smile of total understanding, interest, eye-full of curiosity and vigor. Hungry till the pit of your stomach you need to force yourself to take notes even after knowing that you can frame the same sentences much better than your boss. Yet, the man is known for his approach towards marketing and guess this is it all about.

Moral: Want to be the Next Marketing dude of the world? Speak, speak, speak non-sense till your mouth gets dry and your audience drop dead. It is only this unique art form that can make the door either shut on your face or open it for you once and for all.

PLACED BY COLLEGE PLACEMENT CELL

2010-12-10T05:18:00.000-08:00

Readers,
Hear an intern’s honest confession and words of gratitude in simple realistic style.

Placed by Placement

Sitting, chatting, gossiping,
I used to cherish my lazy time.
Surrounded by my pals and best of buddies,
Wading away from all worries,
I cherished my idle time.

Café was our hot spot and
Life tasted complete wth flavored” chai” ,
Mixed with spice and” masala” from the campus.
Happening and careless, sitting and sleeping in the class
I cherished every minute of all that.

I was least bothered, I was least caring
But had to wake up from the sleep.
Placement Cell of college did the rest of it.
I was placed a position, I was given a designation.
Placement cell placed my career at a height.

- MADHUMITA

N.B. Unnecessary bunking, sleeping in class, i-pod in the ear during a heated lecture, unfinished syllabus, making the canteen of the college as a permanent address in the working hours can be SERIOUSLY injurious to health.

One Year as a paying-guest in Delhi:

2010-12-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

We all dream to live our life independently. Same with me. The teenager that I was, I came loaded with dreams to venture the city of Delhi. A dream to live alone and experience everything, in short to “live life”! I am in Delhi, far away from home and staying as a paying guest. So, guys you might be wondering that it must be all fun to be the master of your own life, the boss. True, far from home, away from all those “do’s and don’ts” everyone is suppose to be happy and gay about it but reality is bitter. It is just not the way it seems and especially being in a metropolitan, the game turns out to be a rat-race where Darwin pokes into your mind every minute saying- ‘My son, survival of the fittest’.
We, initially think that life would be “romantic” once we are out of our house. But, let me correct all you people out there. I won’t disagree that we become more responsible once we are the master of our own tiny existence, but life becomes more challenging and difficult once the cuckoo is out of its nest.
Everyday you need to fight against your will, against your society, against laid down norms, conventional rules and hegemonised beliefs. Adding to the misery is the fact that you are a girl and you are a paying guest in a city which believes only on Speed. Their would be a constant apprehension about your roommates, tensions about an unseen ‘tomorrow’, about apparently insignificant things like food, dirty clothes, kleptomaniac roommates, sly land-lord, etc. Beside that, there would Be constant intervention from your pg owner (nothing better if she is woman), who can at times successfully make your life hell. Very few are lucky if they can survive on the pg food and trust me on it. In most cases, they’ suck’. I am not kidding. Your appetite gets ruined; you feel dizzy; look mal-nutritioned; faint in between meetings and whole day all you feel is Hungry. Anyway sounds scary but nevertheless, truth it is.
Alright, alright no need to feel depressed or anything! Please don’t. There are more stuff to scare you. The constant thought about your amazing life back home will get you out of your wits, in short, what we call as ‘home sickness’ can be a real terror. Some deny being a victim of it. But that is a plain lie, a bull shit!
My intention was at the least to scare you. Come on, I introduced you to the reality. But after reading these don’t change your mind. Against all the cons that I mentioned few things in life do contribute to your making and a Pg life can be one among them. I learnt and I learnt a lot. I know every household chore now that you can gather in your imagination. I am a stronger woman now, a person who can decide her life course all by herself and knows all the tricks to survive amidst all the odds. Pg life in a city like Delhi can make you, or break you. The choice is yours. Personally I would suggest, there is no loss in being courageous, trust me!

Madhumita:)

Got that ‘funky-ethnic’ touch in you? Intern as a Fashion Designer!

2010-12-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

It must be a constant stress to worry about ‘what to wear’ after opening your closet every day? You stand gaping at it for hours infinite? What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about dressing for college? Something funky, punky, colorful? or something which is street smart? Let me be a little helpful here. A combination of blue mixed with green, or yellow with red or more vibrant colors mixed with proper accessories can become a fashion statement and trust me would do enough justice to kill the early morning blues of a hectic week. Most fashion columns and magazines say more about color, different style and designs, hit among the mass but then they are mostly unaffordable for us .Mix matching is an art, and it is not in the hands of many to create amazing designs out of random wardrobe stuffs yet simple ideas can create real buzz in the campus.

Well many of us are guided by the fashion designs which we see our Bollywood and Hollywood actors sporting out there. Nothing abnormal. It happens. They are trend-setters but what if the magic wand is in your hand? Bollywood and Hollywood is an inspiration. Those intrinsically designed lehangas, classy churidars, sarees , skirts, gown , dresses, and many other designs which come out from designers work becomes fashion statements and we all tend to follow it. Both Hollywood and Bollywood are known for creating amazing designs and decors, which ranges from classy , traditional patterns to funky , fashionable trendy wear.

Don't we feel at times what if we could design our own clothing and accessories? What if we could become a trend setter instead of a follower? Well, I can assure you that it is not a very difficult task. If you have some knowledge of colors, different styles and interest you can be a designer. For many, fashion designing is a lucrative career option and needless to say, fashion industry is a flourishing and happening industry for now and will remain so for the coming years. A combination of effort, hard work and interest can give you fame and name so come on, an internship in fashion designing wont do much harm. Give it a shot! Try something new.

- MADHUMITA

Internship: Hear it come alive through different people

2010-10-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

This is what internship means to people (to the intelligent and to the fool):

A college student; 19yrs.
Discipline- B.com (H), Delhi

I was working with a marketing company. They were ‘weird’ (Mark his words). A host of punctual people obsessed with work, bad sense of humor, worse dressing sense and the worst of all- their daily routine of work totally sucked. Yet I continued (Is he mad?). You know why? Because only those aliens acquainted me to a world I had thought am a miss-fit otherwise. I learnt so much. So damn much (Sigh, alright).

My neighbor; 37 yrs.
Profession- Doctor

Oh don’t you remind me of those days. Let me inform you that waking up every morning with the shrill of the alarm clock just in order to rush to the hospital can cause serious mental injury to one. But I confronted it and now left with post traumatic stress disorder (A witty doctor?). Internship can be really exhausting but the fun part is (oh, there IS a FUN part?), even before it gets over you feel you are ready to be the boss. It helps a lot.

The high school girl; 17 yrs.
Discipline- Arts

Dumb that I am, I never thought my friends can be actually right when they talked about ‘internship’. But I just discovered. It is so much of fun altogether. I wait for classes to end and then I walk in to the office which is in the next block. I get thrilled with the look of the newly printed papers, smell of printing ink, Betty’s smiling face, the creative content to be written for tomorrow’s paper. Everything is exciting about an internship and try yourself, you will know better (Thank you so much). And yes, I got this new nail paint and this dress from the stipend I got.

A graduate: 22 yrs.
Discipline- BBA

Frankly speaking I always sucked at studies and have never enjoyed anything related to it ever. But some great man had once said- ‘an internship can change your life’ (Dud, now who is that?) I know now how to relate theory and practical together. I gained self-confidence, I don’t hesitate talking to strangers, I am much more aware of my personality traits and of all I feel I am ready for life. My immediate boss in the internship was extremely helpful, knew his business well and was an amazing human being (Luck by chance? Or this is how they mostly are?).

A mother; 47 yrs.
Occupation- House wife

Oh God, he hardly gets time to sit with me and talk properly. This internship after college work is taking away all his time. In our time… But I heard Mrs. Bhatia bragging about her son’s bagging one of the best internship certificates recently. So even he should do it. Must be very important (Yes aunty, if Mrs. Bhatia says then it has to be).

A recruiter; 46 yrs.
Post- Sr. Executive officer

Walk in to any interview and the first question that you get to hear these days is- ‘So how many internships you got with you?’ And the answer they expect is not less than 3 (Tell me it is a lie). So I believe for a successful career, the mast to one’s dream can only be a record of proper internships along with proper degree/s. An internship is the only platform where you can get tremendous exposure and learn through a rigorous process of experiments and real life experiences. So go grab every opportunity you get and consider yourself lucky for being the ‘chosen one’.

The Boss; 51 yrs.

Interns? Oh yes, they are really necessary for a company to run successfully. Dedicated, committed, hard working by nature (Dear boss, they are so cost effective as well eh?) these interns add a lot to the company’s growth and it is always fun to have fresh ideas and creative minds around to transform ordinary ideas into extraordinary ones. I completely entertain this new trend and welcome it whole-heartedly.

ME:

Interviewing the above people was my work as an intern. Deciding if it is fun or not is something I leave completely on you.

P.S. The ‘wide-eyed’ intern will soon be back because she just loves it when it’s the end of the month and all her works are over. *winks*

What do the ‘big guys’ expect from the INTERNS?

2010-09-01T05:27:00.000-07:00

I guess the most challenging part of an internship is how to make it interesting. At times it can become really helpful, whereas at times completely futile. So stop missing the mark. Having a proper internship with proper experience is like having the ‘dynamic pack’ in your bag. But what exactly those ‘big guys’ want to see IN you as an intern? Trust me, a hell lot. But then come on be smart enough to show them your worth in smarter ways. (You are not dumb either)

- Set personal Goals:

Don’t forget you are actually going out of your way, squeezing out time from your hectic schedule, managing to fight all temptations of social gatherings, chit-chats, parties, etc. just for this Internship so it has to be worth it. If they cannot structure it for you, do it yourself. Set realistic goals and deadlines and avoid engaging yourself in counterfactual thinking. Locate your interest area and build on it. (Buddy, your destiny lies in your hand after all)

- Keep updating your immediate boss:

Quite obvious? Oh no not always. The ‘big guy’ can just be so occupied that there are possibilities you might not see him for days. But then a lot depends on his/her remembering your ‘existence’. Fix meetings, try and sit with him/ her regularly, share your personal opinions on the works you have been assigned (good or bad) as well as forward your progress report. (Friend it always helps to blow your own trumpet at times and as an intern, all you need to do is to figure out ‘that’ correct time. Who knows the next salary check might just have an increased number on it for that! )

- Positive Attitude:

Sounds sleepy? Don’t, don’t, please don’t. Remember, what seem to us as boring statements are often blessings in disguise. So be positive. Don’t shy away from work or try expressing negative ideas on whatever ‘bullshit’ they forward. Just be ‘diplomatically correct’ and get your message across. Working extra hours are equally impressive. Be ready for the little grant works and do them with equal level of enthusiasm. After all, rules on community living say- behave the way you expect to be behaved.

- Avoid negativity:

Some faces are intolerable at times and everything they do seem annoying isn’t it? Oh, I know that feeling completely but then you got to beat it. Don’t allow frustration surface on your face. Avoid being rude, complaining, appearing arrogant, walking in late, leaving early, missing deadlines, etc. They are of no use. They won’t benefit you as an intern in any way. Popularity will decline and you will be left in the corner with all possibility of getting hints to vacate the office as soon as possible. (Sounds sick I know but this is again among one of those bitter realities which you got to digest)

- Grab all the opportunities to learn about your company:

Consider yourself lucky if the ‘big guy’ calls you to attend a company meeting or a seminar, a talk or an event may be. The more you are exposed to new ideas and new people the more you will learn. If they don’t allow you those exposures then take the task yourself and show your own level of curiosity. (Not to forget, this internship matters to you at the end.)

- Please ask questions if they are in your mind:

There are no questions on earth that can be disqualified as ‘dumb questions’. Smart people know that. So just don’t hesitate to clear your doubts. Internship is a learning process. Yes, your ‘big guy’ definitely wants to wring out certain amount of work from you but then you shouldn’t be forgetting as well what you are there for. You got to use your time most efficiently. Seek advice, ask questions, voice your opinions, get clarified, awake, arise and don’t stop till the goal is reached.

- Undertake tasks yourself and initiate ventures:

Sounds tough? But it is interesting. Take initiatives and explore your own capabilities. It always brings home an amount of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment but just keep in mind to credit your fellow colleagues whoever has helped you in it. People who can think ‘out of the box’ are always seen to have an upper hand over everything. Moreover, it has been universally acknowledged as the easiest tool to impress your employer.

- Find a mentor:

Chill, chill, chill! It is just for your own sake. There’s no harm in giving one the feeling that he/ she is your only friend or last resort. Dude, pretensions always help and you know that. So just spot that mentor who is going to look after you, shield you from work politics, teach you, not to forget- help you and above all, recommend you to higher officials and help accomplish you your goals. What fun! (Things become so simpler with an angel always watching over you.)

- Enjoy yourself:

By now you must have discovered the fact that internships by nature are actually of real fun. It is easy if you know how to make it easy. Play safe, avoid office romances, be discreet while making decisions, make friends and maintain healthy relationships with your colleagues and leave with tangible results. Don’t just be like a robot, mechanical and uptight, be flexible and balance things.

(I sound preachy? Oh no, use your brain. I am being just an intern that ‘they’ expect me to be. Sigh.)

- Riyanka

What does Journalism as a career mean to a student?

2010-05-31T23:57:00.001-07:00

Looking for a career in Journalism?

Are you dreaming of working as a reporter, editor or writer for magazines, newspapers and other media? In a Journalism program, students learn to gather, process and deliver all kinds of information and news, from celebrity gossip to the hard-hitting issues of the day. A diploma in Journalism might prepare you for a career as a news correspondent, columnist or freelance writer. Read more here!
What is a Diploma in Journalism?

Journalists strive to make all news, from politics and sports to fashion or medicine, available to the public. In a Journalism degree program, you'll learn research methods, interviewing techniques, different writing styles, ethics and the history of journalism, all to prepare you for a challenging and rewarding career as a journalist or related worker. Most aspiring journalists can find employment with only a bachelor's degree, but many institutions of higher learning offer master's or even Ph.D. degrees. With the research, fact-checking and writing skills you'll learn in a Journalism degree program, you might be ready to work as a news correspondent, a columnist or a freelance writer.

News Correspondent

Correspondents for written media gather news through a variety of means, from interviews to library research, for reporting while stationed in different U.S. or foreign cities. These workers typically have extensive reporting experience behind them, and are only promoted to the title of correspondent after proving their abilities and reliability in obtaining the best sources and the most accurate information. Correspondents typically are employed by large metropolitan newspapers and news magazines and might be stationed in such places as Paris, Tokyo or the Middle East. This profession may see slower growth than many others in the coming years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),www.bls.gov, as newspapers and other printed media lose readers to the Internet. The median annual salary for reporters of all kinds was $31,320 in 2004.

Columnist

Newspaper and magazine writers who write regular columns in which they comment on or interpret news are called columnists. These writers might have a certain focus in their columns, such as national or local politics, travel or humor, and often develop dedicated readerships from which they may receive feedback, letters and ideas for columns. Like correspondents, columnists will probably see slower job growth than most other professionals through 2014, mostly due to the instability of the newspaper industry (BLS). Most workers in this field made between $22,000 and $48,000 in 2004.

Freelance Writer

Graduates of Journalism degree programs can use their writing, research and storytelling capabilities to work for different newspapers, magazines, journals and even web sites as freelance writers. Freelance writers typically either are contacted for an assignment or choose to pursue a particular story, which they then must market to potential publishers. Freelance writers enjoy a great deal of professional freedom, but often must spend as much or more time searching for buyers for their work as they do writing. Freelancers also need to have a high tolerance for financial instability if they decide to pursue the occupation full-time, or be prepared to hold down other employment in order to finance their writing. Writers of all kinds experience strong competition for jobs, according to the BLS, because many people are attracted to the business. The median salary for writers in book, periodical and newspaper publishing was $37,010 in 2004.

Read more http://education-portal.com/articles/Career_Information_for_a_Degree_in_Journalism.html

What is Photojournalism?
Photojournalism is the use of photography in order to tell a journalistic story. Undergraduate programs in photojournalism, most often in direct conjunction with the journalism department, are available at many U.S. colleges.

How to Select a Photojournalism School?
Students looking to pursue an undergraduate degree in photojournalism may want to consider the workshop opportunities offered by prospective colleges. Some schools offer intensive, week-long workshop programs directly through the university while others simply recommend nationally recognized programs. Similarly, some schools offer highly competitive photojournalism programs that students must apply to and be accepted by. Other schools offer less competitive, less demanding programs.

All public and private institutions offering degree programs in photojournalism teach the fundamentals of the trade and allow students access to the basic necessities of photography, such as computer labs and dark rooms. However, some schools place more emphasis than others on more specific areas of knowledge, such as distinct cameras and lenses, black and white photography, Photoshop and Apple color management. Some schools may place less intensive focus on the worlds of photography and journalism in order to spend more time on the fields of advertising and public relations.

While internships are not directly controlled or assigned by the university, they may become a factor when choosing a photojournalism school. Students may want to investigate the kinds of ties and connections prospective university professors have with local businesses and newspapers that offer internships of interest. It is generally recommended that students do not wait until graduation to pursue internships, so the student's university will have at least some effect in that area.

Students may also want to consider location when selecting schools. As a photojournalism student taking hundreds of pictures for assignments and projects, the surroundings and settings of the university may become just as important as the schools itself. Schools in major cities like New York or Boston will offer different visual opportunities than schools in Missouri or Indiana.

Program Overviews

Bachelor's Degree in Photojournalism
Undergraduate courses in photojournalism are typically designed for students with no camera experience and start at the very basics of the field. Classes include basic photography, news writing and reporting, photojournalism, photo editing and digital fundamentals. As classes progress, students will learn how to effectively communicate newsworthy stories through the visual medium of photography. Upon completion of a bachelor's degree program in photojournalism, students will leave with complete, advised portfolios of work.

Related articles to Schools with a Photojournalism Major: How to Choose?

·Photojournalism: How to Become a Photojournalist?
Photojournalism is the documentation of events or people, or anything really. It means capturing things on film, whether it's the change of light on an object or the latest developments in a military conflict. To make a living as a photojournalist, however, you need some technical and industry savvy training. This article offers information on both.

·Photojournalist: Job Outlook for the Photojournalism Career? Field
Ah, photography. The snap of the shutter, the winding of the film, the job competition... Despite the fact that photojournalism is nobody's ticket to riches, enough people are attracted by the creative lifestyle, unique challenges and freedom of a career in photojournalism to make job opportunities scarce. But don't be discouraged; there's still a place for talented individuals with a strong work ethic, good training, and the will to succeed. Learn more about career prospects in photojournalism here.

http://education-portal.com/articles/Schools_with_a_Photojournalism_Major_How_to_Choose.html

Why are internships important?

2010-05-31T23:56:00.001-07:00

Internships for college students

There are many internship opportunities available for college students and a wide variety of resources available for the best places to find them. One of the best places to begin to searching for internships is with the Career Services Office at DU Placements. Career counselors can offer college students a variety of tips on places to find internships, especially if students are looking to work in a specific location or career field.
Since relevant work experience is one of the key qualifications companies look for when comparing candidates for a job or internship, completing several internships during college greatly increases the chances of being selected for a job after graduation. Even though college students learn the knowledge required for succeeding in a specific career through their college courses and curriculum, internships are one of the best ways to develop the required skills necessary to gain the experience required to be successful in the field.

Importance of internships

The importance for internships has grown over time as the competition has grown for good jobs. Most employers prefer students who have done atleast 2 internships during their college. This gives them the comfort that the students understand the culture and importance of work life.

In our survey conducted over 1000 companies, 85% said that they would prefer students with internships than other wise.

Divya

How to look for the right Internship?

2010-05-31T23:53:00.000-07:00

Internships are many - find the one that suits you

Internships come in all shapes, forms and sizes. Some are paid and some are unpaid. Some last for a summer while others continue through the school year. Some internships are local, but others offer employment abroad. Internships are a stepping stone for a final placement.

Many people think internships are for MBA college students, but opportunities for graduate students exist as well. A graduate internship can open the doors to the working world, showing you what it's like to have a boss, attend meetings, and meet deadlines. Internships also introduce you to experienced people who can help guide you toward a career.

Real Deal: Environmental Organization

It was the end of his 12th class in high school, and Rahul needed something to do for the summer. He also wanted to earn a little money, so he visited his school career counselor for advice. The counselor suggested an internship with a local nonprofit environmental organization. Rahul had never worked in an office before, but he decided to try it. Today, he is still interning with the organization as a senior in high school. He even helped a friend get hired.

How to Start Your Search

How do you find the right internship for you? Start by answering these questions:

What interests you? Do you like photography? Flying? Computers?
What kind of internship do you seek? Do you want to work during the summer or the school year? Do you need to earn money or could you work for free?
What you want out of an internship? If you're interested in the legal field, your search should start with law firms, not banana farms.

Use a Variety of Resources

Many resources exist for finding internships. Employers often advertise internship positions through schools. Ask your high school counselor or career coordinator about these opportunities. You might also find out about internships through a school club. And don't forget family and friends. You may want to know more about the accounting field, and your friend's accountant mom might welcome your help.

If there's a specific company or organization you'd like to work for, don't be afraid to inquire directly. Even if they've never had an intern, you might be able to convince them they need one by being clear about how you could help.

The Internet also provides a wealth of resources. Helpful sites include:

www.duplacements.com
www.internshipprograms.com
www.internabroad.com
www.idealist.org allows you to search for internships at nonprofits such as environmental groups
www.volunteerinternational.org lists volunteer opportunities abroad.

Real Deal: Local Newspaper

Preeti wasn't sure she wanted to be a journalist. She liked writing for her high school newspaper, and the field seemed exciting, but she didn't know much about it. To help make up her mind, Preeti landed an internship at the local newspaper through her high school business club. Her job was to help out in the office, but she also convinced the editor to let her do some reporting.

To her surprise, the editor gave her an assignment right away: report on Friday's high school football game. Preeti wasn't really interested in football, so she spent the game interviewing parents of players. When she typed up her story, she realized she didn't even know the final score! That taught her to make sure she got all the facts, and during her junior and senior years, Preeti covered everything from rodeos to a local burglary.

As an intern in the office, she processed subscription checks, wrote classified ads, and worked in the pressroom stuffing advertising inserts into newspapers. She learned every aspect of the newspaper business and decided to major in journalism in college.

Evaluate Opportunities

To make sure you get the most out of your internship, ask lots of questions. Find out exactly what your duties will be, and who will help teach you the skills you want to learn. You can even ask to speak to previous interns about their experiences. All this preparation will ensure the internship you land is right for you.

Rahul thinks every student should try interning. "Go outside your boundaries, outside your neighborhood, do something you've never done before," he says. He also recommends building relationships with those who can teach new skills. "Find someone to learn from," says Rahul. That way, no matter what you do, your internship will be worthwhile.

What kind of internship are you looking for?

2009-05-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Help us find you the internship you really want.. Do leave us your details and what you are looking for.

Regards,
The DU Placements Team

DU Placements is on twitter

2009-05-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

Hey,

Now follow us on http://twitter.com/duplacements to keep updated with the new openings!

Cheers,

Internships gaining currency, start-ups the new favourites

2009-05-22T03:52:00.001-07:00

New Delhi/Bangalore: When Gunjan Aggarwal launched her training and placements start-up Avsarr Quest Pvt. Ltd with two friends in April 2007, it was just the three of them. And 12 interns.
With little money but a lot of contacts, she recruited commerce and English students from University of Delhi and taught them everything, from how to answer a phone to how to conduct market research.

“I would talk to professionals in the industry with 15 years of experience and (developed the) confidence to talk to people about everything,” says Nishca Arora, an Avsarr intern. “Today, if I was made to stand in front of the CEO, I won’t be afraid to even say ‘hi’, which earlier I would have been.”

Aggarwal’s experience with interns has worked so well that she is starting a website, Duplacements.com, in March to help connect students with other companies interested in internships (the website is not affiliated to University of Delhi).

The concept of an internship—working for less money in exchange for basic job experience—has been popular in Western countries but is only now gaining currency with Indian employers and students. In a mutually beneficial arrangement, a growing number of Indian students are looking for work experience before graduation and Indian start-ups are looking for new, cheaper ways of getting work done.

Around 70-80% of the 120 companies registered on another internship portal, Hellointern.com, are start-ups or small- to mid-size businesses, according to one of the website’s founders, Abhishek Sharma. Sharma, who is a mechanical engineering student at IIT Bombay, says his own experience as an intern at five companies, including CNBC TV18 and Bharti Airtel Ltd, spurred him to launch the portal two years ago.

“The point is, these days students want to have some relevant work experience before they graduate, and they want to explore their interests before they decide on a career option,” he says.

Engineering graduate Fatema Dalal, for example, decided on a career in artificial intelligence only after interning with robotics training firm TRI Technosolutions Pvt. Ltd, or TRI. “When I graduated from engineering college, I was very unclear about what I wanted to do,” she says.

Start-ups often use internships as a way to attract top talent even though they don’t have much brand recognition. Engineering design software company FEAST Software Pvt. Ltd, for example, hired four project-based interns from campuses last year but later promoted them to full-time employees. “During the internship, we got to learn all the technical processes of the project from start to finish and the company was a good fit for what I studied,” says Hari Chandekar, who interned with the start-up for a year before returning to a full-time position.

For college students finishing degrees in streams such as commerce and for those working in small companies, the roles are often loosely defined and research-oriented. Start-ups like to use interns for market research in the 18-25 age group, says Aggarwal.

Engineering students and those at more established firms tend to have more structured roles. Roshan D’Silva, who heads Paytronic Network Pvt. Ltd, a 150-person company that collects and disburses payments, hires three-four interns every year (out of 40-50 applicants) and matches each with a senior manager to shadow and assist during the internship period.

And start-ups tend to give interns more scope. “The lines between customer research, sales and marketing are not as evident as in large corporates, so there is less restriction on what your role is,” says Amit Modi, who interned with telecom software company Vegayan Systems Pvt. Ltd while in business school and returned to the firm as a marketing executive.

Agrees Mufaddal Jhaveri, an intern at TRI who plans to pursue a postgraduate degree in robotics engineering, “In my previous internship at a large financial firm, my unit was just a small part of a much bigger product. But here, though I’m from a computer science background, I also learn about other aspects of robotics such as embedded systems.”

Indian college students often enrol in postgraduate programmes after graduation, and most active college placement offices focus on matching students with permanent, full-time jobs.

For those looking for temporary positions, there weren’t too many options and students often had to rely on family connections to hear about internship openings. Now, websites are stepping in to help. “We observed students getting an internship and it was all about whether you knew an uncle or an aunty in that organization,” says Hellointern.com’s Sharma.

Given the background and contacts of the website’s founders, around 60% of Hellointern.com’s registered users are engineering students. Sharma and his co-founders promoted the website through Orkut, Facebook and othersocial networking portals along with emails to placement representatives around the country.

They focused on engineering and management colleges outside the top tier of IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) and IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management). “People in IIMs don’t need our services much,” says Sharma. Around 70% of registered engineers, says Sharma, come from institutes other than IITs.

Aggarwal relied initially on her personal network to find interns at Avsarr but realized the effort required to visit campuses to recruit interns every year wasn’t sustainable for most companies.

Most other employers that she expects to list positions on her website are also start-ups or small businesses, she says, and those looking for seasonal help. Travel firms, for example, she says, need extra help in their peak months of June and July

Stipends for engineering students range from Rs5,000-10,000 per month and for arts or commerce graduates, from Rs3,500 to Rs5,000 per month.

aruna.v@livemint.com

I Know What You Can Do This Summer!

2009-04-24T06:05:00.000-07:00

Very simple, really!

For a student, we find a corporate internship.

And for a corporate, we find a student intern.

Magic? Not really. We at DUPlacements have painstakingly put together the database of students from universities and colleges across the country. Sometimes, we’ve visited the campuses, other times, we’ve just asked for information. But at all times, we’ve kept our experience in mind, which showed us how difficult it is to find data on students at any one place – and more importantly, at a reasonable price!

Just last year, we were out looking for interns to help us with our growing training and recruitment business. When we finally found some students, they worked very well for us. They were smart, eager to learn, and brought a passion and energy to the entire office. In short, they were a breath of fresh air.

You, as a corporate, too can bring a whiff of freshness in to your work. Stir things up a bit. Access our data on students to find the right ones for your requirements. Forget about going to campuses and putting up posters. Simply press the right keys on your laptop.

Our service is absolutely free for corporates.

Even as a student, you can register for free. But you will have to pay a subscription fee of Rs 500 (that’s about the price of one movie outing) a year to apply for internships. We’ve done this simply to make sure that only students who are serious about an internship leave their information on the portal.

In case you still have difficulties figuring this thing out, drop us an email at students@duplacements.com, or better still, call us .. 011 - 46573694/ 96/ 98, +91 99582 93742

How to find interns?

2009-02-04T01:13:00.000-08:00

Interns... We run a start-up firm and have realised the importance of having interns. These are smart kids from the Delhi University who have the hunger and passion to learn. In times, when we wanted quality hires at low cost we used as many as 12 interns! It is really a boon for a business to have young minds working... the question still is how to get these smart kids?