The Placement Cell, Miranda House

How to avoid burnout (and recover from it) in college

‘Slowly you may have transformed from a helper to one in need of help. Recognize that’
Jenn Bruer

Are you feeling constantly stressed, helpless, disillusioned, and completely exhausted? Maybe you have got a dozen of deadlines coming up, tests to prepare, society work to do AND also expected to find an internship or job between all this. This stress is taking a toll on you, and now it almost feels like your default state of being. However, it shouldn’t be-if your levels of stress remain high for an extended period of time, you are heading towards burnout. And at the Placement Cell, Miranda House- we firmly believe that your mental health comes before everything (yes, even before competition). We have compiled some resources and tips to help you take a breather and take charge of your own life. The first and foremost step for this is to recognize burnout in its true sense.

‘Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose interest and motivation that kept you going at the very first stage. It reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you helpless, hopeless and completely exhausted.’

It can stem from excessive workload from any arena of life, be it school, college, workplace or home. But anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at the risk of burnout. For e.g. Students competing with the outside world for jobs and internships may start feeling feeble over the fact that they are not able to work things out as per their expectations. This may lead to feeling vulnerable, under confident and deprived of inspiration.

If every day of yours is turning into a bad day, if you have started feeling like you are not making a difference at all, then it’s high time that you start working on your mental health and work on what satisfies you more.

How to deal with burnout?

Dealing with burnout requires 3 R’s:

Recognize: Watch for warning signals and don’t avoid them.

Reverse: Undo the damage already caused by seeking support from self and others.

Resilience: Build resilience to stress by taking care of your emotional and physical health.

If you are in extreme burnout or if you have detected the warning signals already, then start taking to someone. May be they are not able to provide you with solutions but if they are good listeners, even that will help, as you can let out your emotions to someone.
Limit your contact with negative people and negative vibes. Because aura matters the most to stay physically and mentally fit.

Start taking more regular and occasional breaks to calm down and realize your self- worth.
Understand that people may or may not appreciate you, but self- appreciation is a must.
Meditation can be a good way to channelize your energies in the right direction and enjoy “me time”.
Understand that if you face problems with your mental health, then asking for professional help is not wrong. Consult a therapist or a counselor, when needed.

“Work hard and burn out, don’t work hard to burn out.” Start embracing yourself, start challenging you every day. But don’t forget that you are the most important human being in your life. So live, live freely and embrace life. Always try to be better than yourself, because one fine you will definitely be the best of you. Have faith and stay strong!

Online resources you can turn to:

https://yourewonderfulproject.org/

https://yourdost.com/

https://www.betterlyf.com/

https://yourewonderfulproject.org/

https://www.manastha.com/

-Ria Goel, PR Team

Online Skill Development: Pros & Cons

Online skill development platforms allow a person to learn a new set of skills or hone their existing ones, sitting anywhere and at any time. Through the years technology has been developing rapidly, and the internet is one of it’s groundbreaking contributions to humankind which makes our lives much simpler and easier. Online courses are drawing in thousands of virtual students and becoming much more popular day by day. There are numerous advantages of these courses; let us explore some in detail here:

Financial Savings: Students can save money as online courses are usually much cheaper than their conventional counterparts. The average cost for online courses can vary depending on the institute that offers it and the field within which it is being taught, but the knowledge they impart is certainly worth the (minimal) fee. Moreover, it helps in cutting out the cost of books, as the material is provided online, and the daily commute most of us are forced to undertake.

Wide Reach: Online programs are accessible to all enthusiastic learners. They reach out to far more students than a physical classroom can, and also welcome students from a variety of backgrounds regardless of previous qualifications and age group.

Convenient: Since it can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, learners don’t have to stick to a particular schedule. Both full-time and part-time employees and homemakers can easily manage it alongside their office hours and household chores respectively. Additionally college and school students can take up additional courses and pair it up with their institutional studies to gain a greater understanding in their area of interest.

Extended Options: Learners get a plethora of options to choose from as there are numerous courses which may not be available or affordable offline for users, but can easily be accessed on these platforms. This also lets them explore their hobbies and interests with ease.

Self-paced Learning: Learners can learn according to their own pace and according to their needs. In a class not everyone is able to cope up with the lectures, e-learning, on the other hand, does not set boundaries or pressurize the learners.

Skill Enhancement: Learning new skills can add to your repertoire and boost your abilities to do a task efficiently.

It is said with every advantage comes a disadvantage, online courses also possess certain disadvantages, a few of which are listed below:

Impersonal: Not everyone is comfortable with online studies. Some people require an instructor to teach them and solve their queries in-person. Such interaction is certainly not offered by online courses.

Requires Self-discipline: Learners need to have self-motivation and determination to be able to successfully complete the course.. Unlike traditional classrooms, there is no one to constantly guide, correct (or scold :p) them throughout the period of their study.

Certificates: Although free courses abound, most of them don’t offer certificates free of cost. While this may work for those doing these courses for the sake of skills, for those looking to gain certifications and licenses to show to future employers will have to shell out extra bucks.

Potentially Harmful: There is some basis after all behind our parents’ perpetual scoldings for spending too much time in front of the screen. Learning from a computer for hours without any breaks can cause poor vision, back problems and injury to your wrist. Make sure you take regular breaks and spread out your lessons evenly. Follow the 20-20-20 rule as a general guideline- look 20 feet away every 20 minutes away for 20 seconds straight.

The pros and cons vary from course to course and website to website. For a better understanding one should be well informed with the details of the course they intend to take Following is a list of some popular websites to get you started on your e-Learning journey:

-Aarushi Jodhawat, PR Team

What to expect from your first internship (and tips to prepare!)

Got into your dream internship program and still nervous about how to make the best out of it?

You’re not the only one, and certainly not the first. Every veteran in the industry started out as an intern, and every intern is anxious about their first time working out in the real world. Here’s a few things which one should take care of before going on their first day of internship.

1.GET INVOLVED

People often go into internships expecting a lot of work to be handed to us, but that isn’t the case a lot of times.People often go into internships expecting a lot of work to be handed to us, but that isn’t the case.It then becomes your responsibility to go to your superiors and ask them for work because at the end of the day you’re there to learn. Getting involved in hands-on work is important where you shouldn’t consider any task as being beneath youThat’s why being present as well as involved is a must throughout the internship.

2.RECEIVING CRITICISM

We often come to college in the habit of working individually and are not used to accepting harsh criticism. As an intern, however, you have to leave your ego behind and take negative feedback constructively. If your boss points out flaws in your work and wants you to do it differently, you should try to understand their perspective and the outcomes they’re looking for.This may seem very hard in the beginning but being uncomfortable is the only path to growth, and as someone with greater qualifications and experience in their field, they probably have good reason for the suggestions they’re making.

3.MANAGING YOUR TIME AND PRIORITIES

There is a great deal of difference when it comes to academic pressure and work pressure. Those who intern for the first time All of us get deadlines in school and college for assignments and projects, it’s just that we often take them for granted and face negligible, if any, consequences for them. Exceeding deadlines in a professional sphere, however, impacts the organization as a whole and learning to prioritize tasks and manage time well will come in useful later on in life.

4.FAILURE IS OKAY

Always remember that internships are designed to give you learning and we never learn without making some mistakes. Don’t hesitate in asking for clarification when you don’t understand something.You are preparing yourself for the future, so that when you get a full time job you won’t make the same mistakes again.

5. ALWAYS OBSERVE

At times You may not be engaged in some work or might finish the tasks given to you early. On these occasions, the best thing to do is to observe others. It may not be possible to be friends with everyone at a workplace but you can observe how they perform and manage their workload and learn from them. You can see how employers get their work done from the employees, how they try to make changes in others works without actually getting harsh, and most of all you’ll get a chance to learn some good team work values as well.You’ll get an idea and some inspiration on how you’ll be leading your life when you step into this ( or any other!)field and start working . Internships familiarize you with the environment you’ll be immersed into later on in your career, and it never hurt someone to get an early taste of the corporate life.

6. DON’T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

Don’t take up work more than you’re capable of in order to impress your boss. Take as much work as possible and try to prove yourself through that only. If you try too hard to stand out by doing some extra gestures or taking a huge amount of work, not only you will come across as desperate but you will also create a poor impression in the workplace if you won’t be able to complete it later on. Mostly employers of interns know interns have other commitments Therefore, try to be honest, practical and committed to your own work during the internship.

7.NOT ALL INTERNSHIPS WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS

There may be times when you doubt your decision of taking up an internship but the truth is every kind of internship will be beneficial to you in some way or the other. We take up an internship program to know how well it will suit our needs or if we actually want to see ourselves in this field later in life. So if you find out that this isn’t the right path for me then you’ve still learned a valuable lesson because if you hadn’t done so you would have never realised your true capabilities and what you actually want from your profession. You’ll be getting a chance to know what kind of profile you’re not suitable for or what kind of interests/aptitude you have. This can avoid the regret of stepping into a field you hate later on in your career.

-Jiya, PR Team

How to Write a Good Cover Letter

There’s a lot that goes into securing that dream job or internship, and as college students this is the perfect time for you to learn, experiment and make mistakes in order to prepare for your career. It’s not enough to take up responsibilities for you CV, ultimately how the CV and Cover Letter are written determine how successful your efforts were. Most people tend to ignore the latter, but MHPC is here to give you clarity on everything needed to understand the competition. A cover letter (sometimes called a covering letter) is a one-page document written to express why you’re the best candidate for a particular job. It is always paired with a resume, and should:

•Highlight your relevant experience

•Showcase your familiarity with the company and their goals

•Convey a bit of personality

What to include in a Cover Letter

A.Contact Information: Basic cover letter for a job includes your details as well as those of the target company.

B. Introductory Salutation: Address your cover letter like a professional. Do not write “To whom it may concern.” “Respected Sir/Madam” usually suffices, otherwise use “Mx.<last name>” for gender-neutral spaces.

C. The “intro” Paragraph: Your cover letter introduction should grab the reader’s attention.

D. The “body” Paragraphs: A good cover letter has body paragraphs that showcase your abilities & how you fit into the company’s future.

E. Call-to-Action: The best cover letter CTA lets the hiring manager know when you’re available to interview, and that you will follow up if necessary.

F. The Sign-off: A cover letter closing should consist of “Sincerely,” “Regards,” or “Best Regards,” with your name.

How long is the ideal cover letter?

Many people aren’t sure how long a cover letter should be, and get caught up in minor details like word count and paragraph length. While these points are important, remember to prioritise the content and tone.

With that said, the purpose of your cover letter is to market yourself to a busy hiring manager. Too much text will most likely hurt your chances, and too little text will make you appear as if you don’t care much for the position.

So an effective cover letter length to go with is 200-300 words. It should also be three to four paragraphs, and NOT exceed one page. This gives you time to introduce yourself, hit upon your main selling points, and inform a hiring manager of your interest in the position.

Writing a Good Cover Letter

1.Cover Letter Heading

Your Contact Information

Regardless of the design, your cover letter header needs to include the following information:

1.Name

2.Address

3.Phone Number

4.Email Address

5.Online

Date & Employer Contact Information

The next step is to list today’s date followed by the employer’s contact information. Make sure to leave a space between the date and the Hiring Manager’s name. Include the following points directly below the header, in the upper left portion of your letter:

•Today’s Date

•Hiring Manager’s Name

•Company Name

•Company Street Address

2. Appropriately address your cover letter

You only get one chance to make a first impression somake sure you start your cover letter with the appropriate salutation.

Ideally, you want to address your cover letter to the hiring manager in charge of the position you’re applying for. This is usually the HR or Talent Acquisition representative, though it may vary for organisations.You can often find their name in the job description or on the company’s website.

3. Cover Letter Body

Opening paragraph:

The first paragraph of your cover letter should cover the following bases:

Grab the hiring manager’s attention.
Provide a self-introduction.
List what position you’re applying for.
Describe where you found the job posting.
Offer a sneak peak into why you’re the ideal candidate for the role.

Middle paragraphs:

Now that you’ve covered the basics, it’s time to delve into your experience and accomplishments. But, this section isn’t just an opportunity to boast about yourself–match your qualifications to what the company is looking for. Use the skills, experience, and qualifications listed in the job description for inspiration. Remember, a cover letter is not a repetition of what your resume has, but an interpretation of it. Don’t list what you did, explain what you learned from it. If, for example, your resume talks mentions a 3-day workshop you did, this is your chance to explain what you learnt from your time there.

Closing paragraphs:

All that’s left to do is tie it all together with a strong concluding paragraph that hits all of these key points:

Thank the hiring manager for their time & consideration of your application.
Restate your contact information, including your phone number and email address.
Finish with a compelling call-to-action, that prompts the hiring manager to invite you in for an interview.
Briefly reiterate what makes you a strong candidate for the role.

4. Cover Letter Conclusion

A salutation, or complimentary close, is your opportunity to bid adieu to the hiring manager. Be sure to use a professional, yet friendly letter close.

Salutations You Can Use:

Best
Best Regards
Sincerely
Thank you for your consideration
Yours Respectfully
Cordially

Salutations you should avoid:

Warm regards
Best wishes
Cheers
Yours truly
Take care
Yours sincerely
With appreciation
Always

Signature

The final step is to authenticate your cover letter by signing below the closing salutation. If you’re submitting a digital copy, it’s not necessary to include your signature–instead, just type out your first and last name. However, if you prefer the old fashioned way of doing things and would rather include one, it’s appropriate to include an e-signature at the bottom of the document.

5. Cover Letter Aesthetics

When it comes to your cover letter, first impressions matter. Follow these guidelines to make sure your cover letter is up to standards.

Font Style: Cambria, Arial or Times New Roman
Font Size : 12-14
Spacing / Margins: 1.5 Line Spacing, Margins can be default
File Format: PDF

6. Cover Letter Format for Emails

The majority of the cover letters you send are going to be digital. If the job posting has an “upload” button or has asked for a file attachment, then you don’t need to make any changes to your cover letter format. If needed, simply convert your letter to the appropriate format and extension (.pdf, .docx)and hit upload. However, if you’re required to send your cover letter in the body of an email, you’ll need to make the following adjustments to the format.

Craft a Professional Subject Line
Relocate Your Contact Info
Remove the Date & Employer’s Contact Info

And there you have it. With these guidelines on your fingertips, you’re bound to make a great first impression and climb up the career graph rapidly! After all, there’s a reason you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

-Sajneet Kaur Bagga, PR Team

Foreign language Courses: Opening New Doors

All over the world, businesses are expanding rapidly, and seeking employees who are multilingual. Besides the increased employment prospects, learning how to speak a foreign language fluently could also instill a sense of curiosity and acceptance of other traditions and cultures. Read on below to know some more advantages of learning a new language.

1.Learning a New Language increases your chances of being hired – In this age of cut-throat competition among people to get into international firms and organisations, it is advantageous to be adept in speaking and understanding another language. Many employers have clients from different parts of the globe, and having an employee who speaks more than one language can become their asset.

2 .Learning a New Language provides travel and global opportunities- In some of the most outstanding destinations around the world, you will not be able to find English speaking locals. As a result, you will be kept away from getting the best possible experience at the end of the day. But if you can speak the native language, you will find it as an easy task to blend perfectly well with the tourists.

Some of the languages in demand across the globe include Mandarin and Cantonese, primarily spoken in China. This language is considered one of the most important to enhance business prospects. Over the past 15 years, more than 150 Chinese companies have invested more than $30 billion in India in sectors such as automotive parts and consumer electronics. To enhance your CV, you should think about taking a Mandarin course. The demand for Portuguese language is also growing significantly, due to the flourishing relationship between India and Brazil. There is a lot of demand for Portuguese language experts in sectors such as finance, exports, tourism and technology.South Korea has invested in India with companies like LG and HYUNDAI dominating their respective markets. Hence, there is tremendous demand for Korean Language Experts in these companies. There are also other languages like Spanish, Italian, French and Arabic which can boost your career. European countries have attracted Indian immigrants for decades because of better economic and educational opportunities, and having fluency in one of their languages could not only make things easier, but also save you money! In Germany, for example, tuition fees for courses taught in German are very cheap, almost at par with the cost of learning in India.

Other off-beat career tracks to consider after learning Foreign Languages:

Teaching Abroad as an ESL TEACHER– ESL stands for English as a Second Language. It is an English Language study program for non-native speakers. One of the best advantages is that many get hired without prior teaching experience and one gets the opportunity to travel the world.

To pursue a career in ESL, you would need a Masters degree in English and a high level of proficiency in the language of the target country. A little teaching experience would definitely add value to your CV as well.

Jobs in International Organisations – The world’s largest intergovernmental organisation, The United Nations, works in various capacities around the world to ensure peace and security. They prefer workers who are proficient in multiple languages, in addition to other prestigious international NGOs and NPOs like WHO, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, ILO and WTO. Apart from the financial prosperity these organisations guarantee their employees, the experience of working at a global level to effect changes in policy, administration and justice can be life-changing.

Even the World’s richest companies like Google and Microsoft give preference to candidates who are multilingual, especially in roles relating to communications, branding and public relations to assist them in client interaction worldwide.

When it comes to foreign language courses in the University of Delhi, students have two options:Part-time or Full time Degree level courses. There are 24 DU colleges along with JNU that offer foreign language courses at a nominal cost. The Department Of Germanic And Romance Studies Delhi is famous for its undergraduate programs in Romance Studies. The Cultural Wing of the Foreign Embassies such as Instituto Cervantes, Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut also have foreign language courses, but might be exorbitant for some. So, enroll yourself in these courses and add a feather to your cap!

-Ritika Prasad, PR Team

Perks of extra-curricular activities

For most of us, the first few weeks are just spent settling down in college and getting used to the academia and activities. The one thing differentiating college life from school life-the freedom-usually leads us into an exploration of the non-curricular activities we can engage with on campus and, of course, internships.

Most freshers are eager to get the most out of opportunities when they enter college, and are particularly attracted by the word Internships (a second favourite after canteen), and there’s good reason why.

Get a taste of the real world

In 2019, recruiters expect candidates to have tasted a bit of the outside world and work atmosphere through internships. They want candidates who have gotten their feet wet to get their feet wet and have tried out various roles before choosing to enter one permanently. Internships and college societies can provide you with significant exposure and differentiate you from fellow candidates to keep you ahead in the competition.

Expansion, Experience and Education

See your resume as an extension of yourself and how you would want someone to perceive you. Don’t count only on internship experience for this. Participate in volunteerships , seminars, workshops and add-on courses to supplement your core course with knowledge in another field (or expand on the one you’re learning already!)

A rush of adrenaline

Sitting all day in lectures can be boring, and you’re bound to drift away mindlessly. Activities that require you to be on your feet, to meet deadlines, and to perform tasks upto a certain standard can be quite exciting (if a little nerve wracking) and give you a much-needed rush of adrenaline.

Personal growth

The knowledge you gain in fields like public relations, teamwork, graphics, content writing, and event management will come in handy later on in life. Managing your time, however, is perhaps the most important of these ; You learn to develop a schedule. Self-esteem and efficacy grow and turn you into a self-valuing individual. Let’s get it moving for a better version of you!

Let’s also have some fun!

Make sure you take out some time to unwind and attend fests. Check out some popular hang out joints too. You don’t want to graduate without having any good memories to look back to. Recharging yourself occasionally will allow you to give your best to whatever you do.

So to sum it up, internships, seminars, workshops, societies and volunteering experience are really important for your resume and career as well as your personal development. They help you switch off from academia and enter another realm. They are like trailers of your upcoming life and give you an insight into what you are going to land yourself into. And even if you don’t end up liking what you did, you end up realizing what you dislike-a knowledge which is just as vital for making smart choices. So don’t think too much. Trust yourself and go for it, because in the end it’s all about #understandingthecompetition.

-Jhanvi Gupta, PR Team

How to Crack Job Interviews

Interviews are an indispensable part of one’s professional life.

Job interviews are not just a mere formality. It marks your first impression that barely fades.
Anonymous

Hi PathBreakers!

An interview is an indispensable part of your professional success. Any opportunity-be it internship, job or even volunteering- includes interviews as part of its selection process, and cracking these can be your ladder to success throughout your lifetime. But the journey begins early, right from college days, so the MHPC has created a checklist for you to ace interviews:

1. Investigate:

Research about the company, its history and hierarchy and work culture. Be informed about your position, role and job. Yes! This instills confidence in you, and will convince your prospective employers that you’re willing to commit to the company and are worth their investment.

2. Arrive Early:

Arrive about 15-20 minutes early- too early and you’ll seem too eager to please, too late and you’ll seem unprofessional and shoddy. This will also give you time to compose yourself, familiarize yourself with surroundings and be in a better mental state for the interview itself.

3. Over 75% of communication is non-verbal:

Your body language says a lot about you as a person and is bound to make a strong impression. Make sure you’re sitting upright, are relaxed, making eye contact and definitely not fidgeting or showing your nervousness. Nod your head at intervals while they talk, and, and have a steady handshake- this creates a bigger impression than you might think. Carry wipes and hand creams if necessary, and avoid sweaty palms at all costs.

4. Dress up!

Wear well-pressed formal clothes (Take note of company culture and dress code, if any). Avoid loud colours and strongly scented perfumes and give your shoes some shine. Finally, add a confident smile to complete your look.

5. Pre-interview grooming:

Shampoo your hair well and have a neat hair-do. Little things can make a difference, like having bad breath (mints to the rescue!) or unclean nails. Earrings, spectacles and jewellery, if any, should be minimalist and subtle. If you’re a woman, make sure your make-up is understated and natural.

6. Practice answering questions:

Some questions are almost universal in their nature, starting with “Tell us about yourself.” Although you want to sound like the perfect match to the position, your answer to this question should give you the employer a glimpse into you as a person- with your hobbies, interest and background- and not just as a machine to fulfill work.

“What is your greatest strength/weakness?”, “Who inspires you?”, “Why should we hire you?”, “What makes you suitable for this position?”: These are some of the basic questions you’ll be expected to answer in every interview. Practice these and have a gist of what you would say when asked, but don’t memorize anything. It can sound rehearsed and put off your interviewer.

7. Prepare questions:

When asked, “Do you have any questions for us?” Do not reply, “No, you’ve covered everything.” That shows a lack of interest. Have a few questions ready. Ask “What are the company’s values?”, “What is a typical day like?”, “What’s your favorite part about working at the company?”

And, yay! there you are! Poised, polished, and all prepared for the interview.

-Sangamithra, PR Team

Resume Building 101

Resumes can be the make-or-break for your career.

A resume, which is a written compilation of your education, work experience, credentials and accomplishments, is the most essential document when looking to advance your career . It not only gets you past the first threshold and creates a ‘first impression (most employers dismiss candidates on the basis of their CV alone), but can also be used as questions. And what all do you exclude and keep aside? Here are some tips to keep in mind to get that perfect resume and reach your goals:

Organize your personal information

This is an essential part of your resume, but can’t be the most overpowering one visually. It should include your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn URL. Things like marital status, religion, race, etc are best avoided.

Things to keep in mind here:-

•Use the same font, font size and keep each piece of contact information on separate lines.

•Always double check the spellings and other contact details.

Be honest about your skills

You want your skills section to echo what the employer is seeking, but you don’t want to lie about what you can do only for it to backfire later on (with terrible consequences).

Again, skills can be of two types, hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills include what you have learned in the past in school, college, internship and the like to prove that you have the desired knowledge to perform the job. For example, degrees

and certificates, expertise in MS office, computing knowledge, typing speed, social media skills etc.

Soft skills reflect your personality and character and is equally important as it helps you to be different from others and stand out from the crowd in various aspects. Proper balance should be maintained between the two while designing the resume.

Things to keep in mind here:-

•The experience section of the resume can be used to provide evidence of the skills that you

learned and used on the job.

•The objective statement can also be used to show how your skills can prove beneficial for the required job.

• Do NOT include skills or certifications you don’t possess, even in terms of degree. Don’t write things like “proficient in Google Analytics” if you’re only a beginner, these kind of things can get your fired and blacklisted, not to mention ruin your credibility and chances of obtaining a reference for future jobs.

•Featured skills can be endorsed by your colleagues, seniors and other references to grant greater legitimacy to your claims.

Sectional tips:

Experience:-

This includes your internships, previous job experiences(if any), and volunteerism. Summarize what you gained from each of these in a line or two and organize these chronologically (most recent to oldest).

Education:-

This includes your school and college degrees, and important GPAs. In the Indian context, this should mention your grade 10, grade 12, and cumulative college GPA, preferably in a 3×3 table.

Accomplishments:-

This includes the projects undertaken, honors and awards, publications (if any), known

Languages and positions of responsibility.

You could also include another section on seminars and workshops you’ve attended, and hobbies your pursue. Employers like to know their interviewees as complete people with well-rounded interests.

Things to keep in mind:

•Keep it plain and simple with clear and bold section headings and in aligned bullet points to

make it short and precise. Don’t use borders or colours and never try to make it decorative.

•Regarding the font size, 11-12 is perfect, but for the main page header, 22-24 is preferable and for subheadings, around 14. Use the same font type throughout. Arial, Times New Roman and perhaps Cambria are acceptable, but none other.

•Try to go with an old-school, classic resume style that will appeal to all kinds of employers so you don’t keep retouching it.

•It’s better to send your resume as a PDF as the formatting, font and layout remains the same irrespective of what device you open it in.

•Go through your resume properly before going for the interview so that you do not say anything contradictory to the mentioned points.

•Try to be as professional and concise as possible and the most important thing, be honest!

And there you have it. Everything you need to get started on your journey for success.

-Chetna Gupta, PR Team

6 Top Tips to stay ahead of the competition:

You’ve got your dream course and college, but you’re probably sitting in a classroom with 80-odd students who are pursuing the same degree in the same college you are. When you graduate and enter the job market, you need to have that extra something to give you an edge over the competition? Did you just graduate with a degree, or with more? How can you be better equipped for the professional sphere? The Miranda House Placement Cell has some of the top tips for you to stay ahead of the curve!

1. Registering with College Placement Cell

This one should be a no-brainer. Every college or university has a well-established Placement cell that assists students of all years and courses with internship and job opportunities. The Placement cell can help you find a suitable position posted by both companies and alumni, develop your online presence, build your networking and interview skills, and prepare you for placements. Through the Placement cell, you can learn about career fairs and meet representatives of prospective companies and establish contacts that might come handy in the future.

2. Writing a good Resume/CV

The next and the most important thing is to know how can you write a good Resume/CV. It’s important to keep it brief (maximum 2 pages), structured and easy to read. There are three basic types of resume formats: reverse chronological, functional and hybrid. Each of them plays a different role, and highlights different skills & abilities. Your resume should give a good overview of your skills, assets and overall personality.

3. Internships

Working while studying is one of the best ways to gain some professional experience and get a head start to your career. Even if your internship is not converted into a full-time job, there will be several other takeaways from this short-term work. From exploring your career choices to developing relevant skills, connecting with people is beneficial for you in numerous ways. Therefore, give your best, ask questions and stay in touch with your supervisors. Logging in to websites like internshala, letsintern can provide you with the desired platform to find new internship opportunities around you.

4. LinkedIn

Building your online presence on LinkedIn can help establish meaningful contacts. Create an effective and detailed LinkedIn profile highlighting your skills and achievements, and make sure you are an active user. You can also set up an online portfolio or a personal website where you can put up your work and link the same to your LinkedIn profile. You might also want to join your alumni groups on Facebook and connect with them for prospective job opportunities. Remember, your fellow classmates will also be in a professional space one day-connecting with them right now could keep you in touch with a future CEO or entrepreneur (and vice-versa!).

5. Networking your way to a new Job

One of the biggest struggles with getting a new job is getting noticed in the first place. If you’re only applying to jobs you find online, it could take you even longer to get an interview. Because there are dozens or even hundreds of applicants for each online posting, you have a lot of competition. However, if you have a large network, finding a new job can be much easier. When you know someone on the inside, they can let you know of jobs before they open, or ensure your resume gets in front of the right person. With the right connections, you can find the job of your dreams much sooner.

6. Doing Online courses

There are a lot of online courses out there—so the first step toward success is sifting through them and finding the best ones for you. Start by considering the industry you’re looking to gain skills in, and whether MOOCs will be the best option. Next, consider your goals. Is there a specific skill you’re looking to learn to top off your existing knowledge base? Once you do find the perfect course for you, don’t take the approach of your college self in that econ class you hated, doing just enough to get by so you can put the certificate on your LinkedIn profile. The value in these courses, after all, is in the actual learning of new skills or integrating yourself into a new industry. Few online platforms like Coursera, Edx etc provides you with several options of online courses and you can choose the course of your interest among them.

Now, you have got a few tips to get a kick start to your career. Start connecting with people and getting involved in campus activities to build a network beneficial for your future. The sooner you begin working on yourself, the greater your chances to achieve yours desired position in the professional world. Go ahead and get going!

-Richa Arya, PR Team

Getting started

The Placement Cell, Miranda House is proud to present it’s very own blog, where you can find meaningful insights and tips into what it takes to find your calling. Career advice, interview tips, resume building, or skill development-we’re here to guide you through this exciting chapter of your life. Stay tuned for our first update!