How to have a successful MMC-related internship

Over the years our alumni have been there, done that. Now that they have become successful media professionals, what advice can they give their juniors?

HERE ARE SOME VERY VALUABLE TIPS FROM
ALUMNI WHO HAVE CHOSEN MMC (MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION)-RELATED CAREERS

• ARPAN BHATTACHARYYA (Class of 2010), Grey Apple, Bangalore

ARPAN BHATTACHARYYA

1. Copywriters/art guys and girls/client servicing people: Whatever it is that you are doing, you have to be well-read about advertising. Now, no one will expect you to have read all the books and know everything there is to know (no one does and if someone tells you otherwise, don't believe it). However, there is at least one book that you should have leafed through if not read. That book is Ogilvy on Advertising — David Ogilvy is considered the god of advertising and this book the Bible. Technically, during your internships, if you don't know about this book, it might not raise too many eyebrows. But if you do then it could raise those eyebrows in a rather appreciative way. Also, this book will really, really help you with some superb know-how on the profession you are entering. And it's available in the Commits library.

THE GOD OF ADVERTISING: David Ogilvy

2. Look around you, keep going to YouTube, scan the newspapers and magazines to stay current on what's happening in the advertising world and otherwise. As far as advertising is concerned, again, you won't be expected to know much but just a basic idea of what's happening, what's working and what's not will be really helpful when you have to come up with ideas on your own.  And you can get some brilliant ideas by just observing what's happening in the world.

3. Be confident about your ideas; be protective and possessive about the stuff you write or design, but remember that you are going to be working with people who have been there for a bit longer than you. If something gets shot down don't get too upset. And DO NOT become arrogant and over-confident. Most of the time there will be a very valid reason as to why your idea might not be the best. You can always go up to the seniors later on and ask why they didn't think it was good enough. The answers might help you think of something that's absolutely fantastic. But don't sulk and mope about your idea not getting selected. I've seen it happen and it can really rub your seniors the wrong way. Also, unfortunately, there are times when a good idea will get shot down for no apparent reason. At times like that, remember that you are an intern and there is really nothing you can do about it. Don't start thinking about whether people are trying to put you down, etc., etc. Think of the next idea. They can only refuse a few good ones before they realise that you're the real deal.

4. I know this is a cliche and I know that a learned journalism professor has told you to avoid cliches like the plague! But advertising isn't all glitz and glamour; it isn't all about TV ads and front-page solus magic. As interns you'll have to do a lot of the donkey work. I work as a copywriter and if I went in to work tomorrow morning and found an intern in office, I would gleefully hand over all the boring jobs that I had: brochures, pamphlets, proofing assignments. Sorry, but that's just how it is: on my first day at work I had to proof a 50- page hearing aid brochure. It'll be tough; it can be boring. But it's all part of the learning process. And, as an incentive, just think of what you'd do to interns when you're a big shot.

5. Be, and appear, willing to learn. It'll go a long way in showing people that you're passionate about the profession. Don't suck up to people unless your wisdom tells you otherwise but asking for opinions about your work and just socialising in a general way will help you a lot.

Finally, just remember to enjoy yourself: It's a fun profession. Here's hoping to see a few more admen/women rolling out of Commits in a year's time! But just remember, if you ever come to work in my agency, you'll still be my junior. Which means, you'll still have to do the brochures and pamphlets! At least for some time! :P

All the best!

***

• ANKANA SINHA (Class of 2009), Text100, Bangalore

ANKANA SINHA

Here goes my advice to all budding PR professionals:

First, set your expectations right. You will not be given client-facing work on Day One, or even on Day 15. PR is all about relationships and reputations. You need to be thoroughly inducted into the account before you do "path-breaking" work. The work might seem mundane but there is a lot to learn there as well.

Second, make an effort to familiarise yourself with the publications, the columns, and the supplements before you begin your internship. And I mean all the general and financial newspapers. This will help you map opportunities for your client and impress your boss.

Once you join the PR firm, please spend enough time understanding the client and the industry it operates in. Read up as much as possible.

Observe, learn the best practices. Take as much feedback as possible, and remember what you're told.

Ask questions, don't blindly agree to everything. Ask for the logic behind it. But at the same time appreciate that these people have been in the industry long enough to know better. Respect them for that.

Be creative. Throw up ideas. Don't worry about what people will think. You never know what might work.

And most important: Be happy and enjoy yourself.

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• KIRTHANA KARUMBAIAH (Class of 2010), Cover Story, Bangalore

KIRTHANA KARUMBAIAH

Seems quite some time back when I was an apprehensive First Year Commitscion wondering which PR firm I would be interning at!

Be yourself is what I would advise first. It's a cliche, true, but the more you pretend and "fake" your interest in things at work, the more transparent you will appear.

The hunger and desire to know more about what you have to do might be mistaken for over-zealousness. So ask your questions courteously. And listen, always listen; the things you can pick up on and learn when your ears are open are countless.

Have a good time as well; work is not always mundane and boring. This is an internship, yes, but if you are not going to have a bit of fun at work, you will go crazy with boredom.

P.S. My internship personally was an eye-opener: I figured out that I DID not want to pursue PR, though I had a good stint as a PR intern. This internship helped me sift the grain from the chaff. :)

***

• AMBIKA RAO (Class of 2007), Bangalore

AMBIKA RAO

Here are my tips for those going to ad agencies:

1. Read up on the structure of advertising agencies, the different departments, and their respective functions.

2. Choose one specific area that you want to work in and stick to it.

3. Speak to seniors at the agency or any contact there and find out which clients the agency handles.

4. Read up on the brands/clients and look at the advertising they are doing.

5. Figure out which brand and ads you like best.

6. Now, you have the department figured out and also the brand you like.

7. On your first day, tell your mentor or whoever you know, the brand and the department you want to work with.

8. Also, get to know everyone there, introduce yourself, ask questions. All in the first week.

9. Use the library, check awards books, and ask for the guard book (books that have all the ads released by the agency).

10. Ask for work. If you choose to be in the creative department ask for briefs, beg if you have to.

11. Understand the process, don't be scared to share ideas, have lots of fun.

12. Keep copies of all your work.

***

• RAMANATHAN IYER (Class of 2006),Yahoo, Bangalore

RAMANATHAN IYER

Here is what I think that the juniors will need (and this is what is found lacking mostly in freshers when they apply for internships and jobs):

a. Ability to think at a macro level and understand the bigger picture.

b. Most of the times, freshers are just content with the day-to-day deliverables and are comfortable being oblivious to how the operations/or the bigger teams work and how the business pipeline works and how they fit in at an individual level and also as team players within the framework of a corporate setup. This needs to change. Interns should be more receptive and be able to connect the dots.

c. The ordinariness of work, the mundaneness of it, is something everyone complains about; but the thing is that in every industry (especially in the media business) interns will be given what might be perceived as low-ranking jobs. They should not get perturbed by this. This is part of the drill and this is a good thing because they will then get a holistic learning of the business end.

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• SHUBHA KHADDAR (Class of 2007), iPublish Central Inc., Bangalore

SHUBHA KHADDAR

Here's what comes first to my mind:

1. Please go through the website of the firm you will be working with; understand who's who, their services/products, their verticals, clients (if they have a client list).

2. Read up on the industry they are a part of, check the trends, the financial performance of the industry, the usual terminology used so you are not completely lost on Day One.

3. If you know what is expected of you, then talk to people who have been doing that and understand the nuances of that role. If you don't, then let everyone at work know that you are willing to take up any responsibility and offer to rise to the occasion whenever necessary — an enthusiastic, willing intern charms one and all.

4. Do not treat the internship as a summer camp. For you it may be a six-week project, for the firm, it is serious business.

5. Do not give opinions without facts or logic.

6. Do not frown if you are expected to stay back late or are asked to come in early.

7. Many of you will be doing this internship in your hometowns — but that does not give you the excuse to bunk as and when you want. Remember, they could (and most possibly will) be your future employers.

8. Don't get too personal with the staff — no one needs to know how cool your boyfriend is or your home troubles in those six weeks.

9. Ensure that you follow email etiquette: do not sign off with your nickname or change the signature font the way you want it (unless the firm is OK with it). Ensure that you spell correctly the names of all the people you're working with — it's a huge NO-NO to use incorrect spellings of names.

10. Do not, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT, give away important information to your friends about the firm's plans, especially with ad/PR/event management firms — you cannot tell anyone the names of the clients your firm plans to pitch to, etc. If you are caught doing that, you will be in serious trouble.

11. Most agencies are cool with whatever you wear — but during your internship, please dress formally, or at least semi-formally.

12. If the firm is taking the team out for drinks or dinner or whatever — for heaven's sake, DO NOT overdo it, DO NOT get drunk and make a fool of yourself and the college you are representing. Remember, it's a small world and news spreads like jungle fire — do not get into a mess.

Hope my tips help you — here's wishing you all a great internship!

***

• SATISH PERUMAL (Class of 2011), Percept, Bangalore

SATISH PERUMAL

Here are some tips that might help my friends complete their internships successfully:

1. Don't wait for work, take the initiative and go get work for yourself. Make yourself useful as interns are generally given 'donkey' work. Make the most of every opportunity.

2. Talk to people, identify one person whom you can talk to and get a better understanding of the industry and how it functions.

3. This internship is your opportunity to get a job, so always let your work do the talking and DON'T take anything lightly.

4. Nothing can substitute hard work and dedication towards what you do. Think of this as a proper job and you guys will do well.

5. Last but not the least, break a leg. :)

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• DEBOLINA MAZUMDAR (Class of 201O), Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, Bangalore

DEBOLINA MAZUMDAR

I am new to the PR industry but one very important thing that I have learnt in the last few months is that in PR one must know and follow a few guidelines like one follows the holy books:

1. Know what's going on around you. Read, read, read all you can... newspapers, magazines... to the extent that you know each and every column and the journalist writing it.

2. Practice your writing skills BIG TIME. This is one of the basic necessities.

3. Meet deadlines with precision. Even though you are a fresher, a shoddy job is unacceptable.

4. Behave cordially with your colleagues.

5. Know what you are doing even in times of crisis.

I hope this helps you, juniors. All the best.

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• SUPRIYA SRIVASTAV (Class of 2011), Bangalore

SUPRIYA SRIVASTAV

I have just two tips for my juniors:

First, take the initiative. If you think you are are not being given any work, ask for it. Your colleagues are not there to train an intern, but, yes, if you show interest they will give you useful insights and you will leave a positive impact on the organisation.

Second, know what's happening around you. Seek possibilities where you can offer help. Do not hesitate to ask what's happening and how it's happening. They will appreciate it if you ask questions (even if you think these questions are stupid) at the right time, perhaps when they are free, maybe during lunch. After all, there is no such thing as a stupid question, as we have learnt at Commits. All the best!

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• AMRUTHA RAMAN (Class of 2011), IndianStage, Bangalore

AMRUTHA RAMAN

My only advice would be, go with an open mind. Interns learn the best when they are thrown into the deep end.

Don't expect spoon-feeding. Jargon will be thrown at you and you might wonder what it all means. Figure it out, take help, and eventually you'll settle down. By the end of these six weeks, you'll will be a different person.

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• APAR DHAM (Class of 2011), Explocity, Bangalore

Ask, ask, and ask some more. There should be no limit to the number of questions you ask. The whole idea of an internship is to learn and it won't make any sense if you sit behind your computer screen and just keep doing what is asked of you.

APAR DHAM

Ask anything and ask whoever is in sight. Bug your colleagues to death. The company agreed to give you the internship so they are aware of your intentions to learn the tricks of the trade. Most of the time, your colleagues will be more than willing to help. If that is not the case, then take a different approach and send an email if they are too busy to answer your questions in person. Do not hesitate to introduce yourselves on the first day and familiarise with the people and the environment. It always helps.

And don't just limit your questions to the department you are working for or are interested in. Try to learn about other things as well in order to get a better understanding of the entire business.

I completed an internship in advertising (with the digital department of DraftFCB+Ulka in Mumbai) because I always wanted to see what the ad industry was all about. Many of my classmates wanted to pursue careers in advertising and I wanted to find out if I would like it or not. Many a time I was told that I would be good in it. So I took it up. And I'm thankful to everyone who pushed me for it.

But I'm not in advertising today. I learnt how advertising works and it didn't excite me as much as I thought it would. I learnt a thousand things about this industry and one of those things was that I'm not cut out for it. Now before anyone jumps to conclusions, this is my opinion. I'm not in any way saying that advertising is not an exciting field. To each his own. My classmate Catherine Dequadros was with me at DraftFCB+Ulka. Today she is a part of the same industry and working as a social media expert because she LOVED it there. So the internship helped us learn a lot about the kind of careers we would like to pursue. This is why an internship is so important. It helps you to make an informed decision about your career. Now this is a lesson in itself.

VEDANT VARMA

I'm very happy I did an internship with Draft FCB+Ulka. I had an amazing time. Mumbai was an interesting experience. Lovely city bustling with life 24/7.

My best wishes to those who are going to Mumbai to work under the tutelage of the legendary Mr.Vedant Varma. Say hello to him for me and enjoy Mumbai! (Commitscion Vedant Varma, Class of 2004, pictured left, is an account director with DraftFCB+Ulka in Mumbai.) Good luck. :-)

• SAMARPITA SAMADDAR (Class of 2010), IFA, Bangalore

There’s a big difference between your first and second internships. Either you’re going to love your second internship and work in the same industry or you’re going to change your mind. But no matter what, make the best use of your internship. It might get you a job!

If you are doing an internship in PR here are a few things to keep in mind.

SAMARPITA SAMADDAR

Let me be honest: not every agency will take you to client meetings. You might not even get an opportunity to attend big press conferences, depending on how the agency functions. However, don’t get upset and start thinking that they don’t have enough work for you. Show interest, do more than you’re asked to. You will be noticed and definitely you will get to do a lot.

Internships are indeed the best way to build contacts. You never know how, when, and where contacts help in the media industry. If you are sent on media rounds with your colleagues, absorb and learn how they interact with journalists. Media relations is a major part of PR. For example, a few journalists I met when I interned with brand-comm, a PR agency in Bangalore, still interact with me on stories about IFA events and activities. But don’t be pushy or too friendly. Journalists won’t remember you for that long! Sad but true.

Be enthusiastic about everything. Don’t slouch in a corner and be content with making PowerPoint slides or doing online research. Say that you want to know how to write press releases, you want to learn how to strategise PR plans or journalist pitches. Go up to your colleagues and discuss the different accounts with them during the lunch break. Ask about their experiences, take valuable tips from them.

You will be asked to make follow-up calls to journalists. Be prepared to face some …er… 'not-so-good' experiences. They might just hang up on you. That happens; don’t take it to heart. When you try talking to them on the phone, try not to mention you are an intern, especially if you have to talk to a senior journalist. It helps sometimes.

If you love what you do, work is damn good fun! At least for me, work is a superb high!

So, go out there, get a glimpse of the REAL world and have a blast!

• RESHMA SHETTY (Class of 2004), Australia

a. Most important: 'If you don't ask, you don't get'. I think this applies to all areas of our lives.

b. All companies agree to take on interns with good intentions, but in the course of a busy working day, interns often get sidelined. Don't take this personally. Focus on what you want to get from your time there and keep you eyes and ears open to absorb as much as you can about the way things work.

c. Focus on the big picture: If in exchange for doing some menial task (say, photocopying a big bunch of stuff for someone), you are able to get that person to teach you something that you want to learn or get you involved in some key project, then the photocopying wasn't such a waste of time really, was it?

• Valuable tips from Commits alumni who have chosen AVC-related careers: HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL INTERNSHIP-1 
• Also read: What did some of these Commitscions do during their internships? (a) The Commits Chronicle, No. 45 (b) The Commits Chronicle, No. 46 (c) The Commits Chronicle, No. 47