Guide for Journalism students

This article is for students of Mass Communication / Journalism who do not have any contact in the field and are looking for a guidance on how to go about looking for their first job in the media.

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THE SOLE AIM OF JOURNALISM SHOULD BE SERVICE....
   
Mahatma Gandhi
   
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Guide for Journalism students.....

Before anything else, I would suggest you all to stay in contact of as many people as you can, who are either working in the Media or are looking for a job. And the list starts with your teachers in the respective institutes you are studying and your fellow students.

It is always important to help each other, even if someone is not doing it for you, as you never know when will you need to ask for a favour from someone.

It may happen that your fellow student gets an offer before you, and a person who is working in the field gets to know about similar opportunities better than a person who is still out. It could also happen that you are the one who got to the internship or a job before anyone else, but due to some reason could not continue in the same company for long, so you will definitely require contacts to know where all you can apply.

So make sure that all of you stay connected through mails, if one of you went for an interview and for some reason was not selected, tell about the opportunity to other friends or fellow students by either calling them or by forwarding emails.

Also, whoever you meet and speak in the field, always take their contact numbers (preferably mobile numbers) with business cards and keep them with you always...



Now, some things that you can do while doing your course.

First of all you should make a resume, I am giving you an example below, though you can also create it in your own style or ask an expert to create it for you.



                                                         Curriculum Vitae

Name                                                                                                          (Photograph)
Address
Contact No:
E-mail ID :

Objective :
To learn every aspect of journalism by working with the best people in the industry.


Education :


Personal Details :
Father’s name :
D.O.B. :
Nationality :
Marital status :
Languages known :

                                                                                                                      (signature)
                                                                                                                      (full name)



In the Education column, you can mention details starting from latest (your Journalism course) than going backwards (Graduation-- if it is a PG course--, 12th, 10th) and any extra curricular activity that you have undertaken (any debates you participated, or any certificate that you received in sports or any other activity).

And if you have done any part time work, you can mention the same also, if the work had taught you any skill which is relevant to the field of Journalism.


Like if you have worked with a call centre, you can write ---

Company Name ---
I learnt the importance of using clear, complete and relevant words with the pressure of ending the call within 2 minutes while making each customer “happy”. Also I was following all the steps and standards (of taking a call) throughout the day with a “smile that can be heard in the voice”.

Obviously, if you write something like this, you should be ready to explain what do you mean by the steps and standards of taking a call and also be ready to give an example of taking a call in the interview.


Make sure that your Resume does not have any spelling mistakes and submit a soft copy (email) by going in the careers, jobs or work with us option on the websites of all the newspapers, magazines and news agencies you are interested in...

You can also drop a hard copy of your resume by personally visiting their offices. The links below have some addresses....

http://www.ibf-india.com/members.htm
http://www.indiantelevision.com/satreckon/satellitechannels/satellitechannels.htm
http://www.newdelhi.net/Community/newsadd.asp

Though, at many places you may not even be able to enter the offices and most of them do not accept hard copies. Even the guard may ask you to give them your Resume. Don't feel down, give them your resume and request them to forward this to the Human Resource (HR) people and if possible ask for the names and contact numbers of the people in the HR...

Some of them like United News of India and Press Trust of India conduct entrance tests, so make sure you ask the administration department about the next date of the tests or at least take the number and name of the person who can tell you about the same...


You can also put your resume on all the job search websites...

www.timesjobs.com
www.naukri.com
www.monsterindia.com
www.jobstreet.com
www.ClickJobs.com

Now, as you have done with your resume dropping exercise, you should prepare yourself for the tests or interviews that you will be facing.


Start reading at least 3 newspapers daily. For general news, you can read The Hindu, The Times of India and Hindustan Times. For Business news, you can read Business Line, Business Standard, The Financial Express or Economic Times. You can even read these newspaper in their electronic form on the internet, which is the actual replica of the print edition free of cost.

Some of these e-papers require registration and some can be viewed without registration.

http://www.hindu.com/
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/
http://epaper.timesofindia.com//?
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/registernew.aspx
http://epaper.livemint.com/Registernew.aspx
http://epaper.business-standard.com/bsepaper/svww_registration.php
http://www.expressindia.com/signup.php?from=


Do not rely just on the daily one hour dose of news channels, though it is very important to go through the 9 PM news bulletin of any of the two news channels you like.



The tests or interviews that you will be undergoing will have questions on the most important news topics of last 3-4 weeks only. So be ready with your answers, and the best way to prepare is to write yourself about all the major news topics coming in various forms (text, audio, video) of the media (television, radio, newspapers, magazines, Internet). Just write on the top 10 news topics...

As you yourself will be writing on these topics, you will be able to retain some of the possible answers that will be asked in the tests or interviews that you will be undergoing.

You will be asked about the beat you are interested in and want to cover (Sports, Business, Entertainment, Crime, Politics) and about the latest news topic in that beat. Make sure you know at least the 10 top news headlines which have appeared in the newspapers of the beat you are interested in.

Also the interviewer is most likely to ask you the reason you are coming in the profession of Journalism.

Do not speak or write any lie in the resume, tests or interview...

You may or may not get the beat that you are looking to cover, due to lack of experience or knowledge and may start with Sports, Entertainment or Business.

Do not give away any opportunity that is coming your way, do well in the work that you have been assigned and keep upgrading your knowledge on the beat of your interest. You will certainly get the work that you are interested in, but just have some patience.




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Pothi pad pad jag mua pandit bhaya na koi,
dhae akahar prem ka pade so pandit hoe....

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Love and Respect your PROFESSION....

Happy learning and reading newspapers...

Best of Luck...




Jai Hind .....

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