Question HJ-EJ/ 2014/ JPEG File

 

English Journalism: A journey | An adventure

Hi! I am Avantika, back with the answer to the new 'problem of my life' question of all the new awesome people who've just cleared IIMC EJ! 'Didn't get into Delhi. What now?' And just so that my opinion holds some weight, you must know that it comes from the year's topper. Yup! That's me! *blush*

We have all heard the story of the hare and the tortoise. Haven't we? Remember how the hare bet on the race only by the virtue of being a hare? And we all thought the tortoise was foolish enough to even agree! And we all put our bets on the fast and the furious.

Well, we all know how the story proceeds. But what we here are talking of, is the story of your careers. And we hope we have all learnt our lessons well enough, and won't make the same mistake of betting on the hare.

The IIMC Alumni Association has been facing a lot of questions about how doomed most of you are feeling because you didn't get through the 'best of all the centers', and what you must do next.

Truly, what you should do next is pack your bags and get ready for a journey that you'll cherish for a lifetime. 'Why' is what we will tell you!

First of all, regional centers have only 15 seats except Dhenkanal which has 50 students (no wonder it is as big as IIMC Delhi)! So... which of you doesn't enjoy attention? We all loved the focus our teachers had on us. How we hated those 80 students' classroom in schools and colleges where the teacher knew only a bunch of people in and out! Here, all of get to be the favorites!

Second, you need to know this awesome fact that your teachers come from Delhi only. And they visit you for two weeks and sometimes even more! Of course you have two teachers who teach you throughout the year. But then, there will be a group of awesome, young at heart 'friends', who will visit you and make your life a joyride! Some of our favorites were Rahul Jalali, Gopal Mishra, the very lovely Sangeetika Nigam and of course Ranjit Chatterjee!

The third lovely thing stems from the second. Hold your breath..... These fun people will stay with you! And, you just don't want to miss gossip about the journalists you've admired all your life over a frequent cup of chai and pakoras! These people have worked during Indira Gandhi's time. They've been friends to the names that you know only through books and TV! And when they'll tell you stories about them, you'd thank yourself for landing in a regional center. Trust us!

And of course such stories don't happen in the classroom, specially of 70. It happens when you relax in your hostel shorts in the lawn of your hostel! (which you'll end up calling your home!) (I so wanna go back right now)

And for all those who muttered under their breath asking 'isse kya hoga?' You'll get to learn. They're big names only because of their experience. Right? Books have seldom educated my friend!

So moving onto the fourth, we know your main aim is to get a job. Don't you worry fellas, none of us here are jobless. You should leave that worry at the feet of the beautiful Saraswati outside IIMC Headquarter in Delhi. :)

Fifth. You know, our generation has been tagged as the adventurers. Cause we love to travel. We love to explore. And we love selfies!

And do you really think the hustle bustle of this crazy Capital is going to give you those amazing moments? I will tell you what will...

Starting from Jammu, from your windows you can see the hills. When the early morning azaan will wake you up with the saffron sun's rays... You'd never hate mornings! And of course, an FB update is mandatory! And, for heaven's sake, Jammu doesn't have any unrest! (Plus Katra is only half an hour away!)

Dhenkanal. There is an awesome huge campus that awaits you. And you know what, they have a newspaper museum too! And the whole campus is located among the hills! Just like disneyland!

Aizawl. Have you any friends who are north eastern? Aren't they the politest people? The place is similar. So peaceful and so so so green. In winters, you'll have clouds visiting you. (No exaggeration) *dream like*

Amravati. Forests. Greenery. Pollution free. No pimples. ;) Plus Maharashtra. Mumbai and Goa so close. Need I say more?

Kottayam. People spend lakhs to visit Kerala. You'll stay in its twin! There is no form of beauty that'll get missed there. Just go for a walk and voilà... You have a cover pic ready!

Oh and, these places are not expensive as Delhi is.

Seven, you'll have a place in your pockets, about which you'll know inside out. Isn't that a great feeling?

Eight, your head would be K M Shrivastav. Yes I made this a separate point, and you'll know the point I'm trying to make once you're a part of the regional centers.

Next needs a *Drumroll*

Nine. From two years, the toppers of EJ have been from Jammu. And this time top ten ranks have been only from regional centers. 4 awesome beings belong to Jammu, while 6 belong to Dhenkanal, Kottayam got 1 and so did Aizwal! (All the math gurus, I know 4+6 is 10; but four guys scored similar marks! )  

Yuhoo!

I am sure there is a ten and an eleven and an infinity. But what would you find out if we told you everything?

Journalism is all about moving around. Remember the keywords ‘leg work’. If you are someone who wants to stay in your hometown and never move out… We suggest, you must consider your career option once again !!

So, just as I said before, get packing! You can thank us later.

(Remember the hare and the tortoise!)

Prep Talk For GD & Interview

Tania Ameer | After graduating in English Honours from Sri Venkateswara College (Delhi University) in 2006, I did Radio and TV journalism from IIMC (2006-2007). Immediately after that I started working with 'DD News' and then shifted to 'News X'. In 2008 I started my stint in print journalism with a Delhi-based Tabloid 'Metro Now' where I covered features. In 2009 I shifted to the Magna Group which includes magazines like Society, Stardust, Savy and others. While in 2012 I joined 'Millennium Post', a Delhi-based newspaper. Here I cover politics and the government. I am also a visiting faculty at IIMC.

When you have cleared the written test at IIMC, the next stage is clearing the Group Discussion (GD) and interview round. For both try and stay calm and be confident.

For Group Discussion

- Be confident and assertive but do not go over board and interject constantly

- Make your point and blend with the conversation after that

- Have a key point in mind on the topic and make your presence felt by asserting it

- There should be a focus on this being a discussion and not a verbal duel

- Remember it is how and what point you put across rather than how high your pitch rises

- Do not stay quiet through out the GD interact and definitely make your point felt in the discussion

For Interview

- Be calm and listen to the questions posed to you by the panel

- There are some expected questions like why journalism - print or tv / advertising and public relations. Take your time and answer them. Link them to your educational background in under graduation or post graduation.

- You might also be asked where you see yourself 5/10 years down the line?

- According to your area of interest you can be asked questions example lets say your interest is in politics. So you can be asked about the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and what made Narendra Modi win.

- You can be asked about your hobbies example reading, painting... Then the question that follows would be which author/painter you admire and why??

- There can be general questions about your background (family/city) example if you say Lucknow you can be asked about the cuisine,music or culture 

- Be yourself and mostly importantly be self-confident

- Have a conversation and not an argument

All the best

Be Confident; Mould The Interview Your Way

Pratham Dwivedi is from English Journalism batch of 2011-12. He is currently working with Doordarshan News as Content Executive and also runs his own business.

I have heard many times that some students do well in IIMC written exam but fail to make a mark when it comes to interview. The confidence they exude in writing their answers, vanishes in the air when they go for the interview.

This happens due to the pressure of the interview and nervousness. Confidence is the key to success in any interview and you will be confident when you are equipped with information about the field you are getting in.

If you are confident, you can mould the interview your way through your answers.  When asked about your favuorite newspaper, last book your read, last movie you watched, which beat you prefer; you should name things you are confident to speak about.

If you don’t know the answer to a certain question, instead of making a guess and making a fool of yourself, simply tell the interviewer that you don’t know the answer. He won’t shoot you down if you don’t know the answer but it will definitely send a wrong message if you beat around the bush and give an inappropriate answer.

Interviewer may also ask tricky questions. For example: What is the difference between American English and British English. If asked such question do not jump into conclusion immediately. Take few moments to understand the question, and then answer accordingly.

Take care of the following before you go for the interview:

• You should be aware of all the issues that have been in news for last couple of months, the changes made in the government and the corporate sector.

• Do remember the name of the Editor-in-chief of the news paper you read. Also the name of the special pages and the columnists who write for that news paper.

• It’s very important to know about the place you come from, i.e. any river that flows in your home state, the name of the MP and MLA of the area you come from.

• Prepare a good answer for your hobby. For example, if you say reading novels is my hobby, you may expect the interviewer to ask about some writers.

• Do prepare an answer for questions such as: Which book you read last? Which T.V. serial you like to watch? Which movies you watched last? Why journalism? Why IIMC? Etc.

All the Best !

Stop Freaking Out

Isha Jalan passed out of English Journalism from IIMC, New Delhi, in 2013. She works as a sub-editor with Hindustan Times, Chandigarh. When she’s not working long night shifts and sleeping, she likes to make do-it-yourselves (DIYs).

Isha is Vice-President of Punjab-Haryana-Himachal Chapter of IIMC Alumni Association.

First off, congratulations for making it to the interview round. Now, if you eat, sleep and drink news and social media, enjoy reading and writing, and are any or all types of crazy, you fit the bill for IIMC.

Here are a few suggestions to help you reach that beautiful campus in JNU.

Stop freaking out: Firstly, stop freaking out. It’s just an interview. You made it till here. Pat yourself for it, and be confident. Also, a lot of English journalism aspirants are not sure if they would have a GD. In 2012, we directly had interviews. No GD. So, be prepared in case that happens.

Read magazines: Eat, sleep and drink news magazines (and of course papers, but for last-minute preparation, magazines can do wonders) for last-minute revision.

If politics is not your strong point, don’t worry: If you are not passionate about politics as you are about other things such as sports or fashion, don’t worry. Journalism is a wide field and there is space for everyone here. Of course, being up-to date with current affairs is necessary, but, at the same time, if you like other thing, don’t shy away from talking about them in your interview.

Show off: A little show off never killed anybody. If you don’t tell the interviewers what all you have done in the past, how would they know what you are capable of? So make sure you mention about that internship you did a year ago, which you otherwise thought was useless. Also, if you have any kind of published work, get it all with you and proudly share it with them.

Wear formals: During my time, not many people - especially girls - wore formals to the interview, except me. It made me stand out and worked in my favour. So, I’d suggest you to wear formals. Buy yourself a full-sleeved shirt to go with crisply ironed pants and hair neatly tied in a pony. Also, don’t forget the smile! Nobody likes talking to an expressionless face.

Prepare answers: Prepare answers to questions that you are expecting. Why do you want to get into journalism? Why did you choose journalism over AD/PR or vice versa? If you have work experience, why do you want to study when you can work? These are only a few. Think of more and be ready with the answers.

Make points: Give pointers wherever possible. They any day read better over your three-page long essays. Also, it is very important to stick to the word limit. If you have a 10-mark question, do not write more than a page. There is no competition to fill maximum sheets here.

Take notes: If you, like me, are not blessed with a great memory, make sure to jot down notes. Scribble whatever you read and read it when you are on your way to the college.

Outstation students, don’t worry: Getting thoughts such as, ‘Would Delhites get preference over me?” if you are an outstation student are common. However, I can assure you that if you are deserving, you will get through. Quick fact: Around 70 % of my classmates were not from Delhi.

And lastly, don’t be heartbroken if you don’t get through. A year later, you will be in the same, if not better, position if you work at a media house instead, as would be your IIMC friends.

Go break a leg!

Preparing For The IIMC Interview

Andrew Amsan (IIMC, Kottayam | 2013-2014) work as a sports writer with The Sunday Guardian. He loves music and food.

First of all congratulations on clearing the written test. Now the next step would be to prepare for the interview. I have a few tips which should come in handy during your interview.

Read the day’s newspaper: Give special emphasis on the lead story. Do some research on the lead story. Try to formulate opinions based on facts  by referring other newspapers and the internet of course.

Current affairs: Keep yourself up to date with all the latest happenings. Keep an eye on news that is trending. An easy way to do that is to visit news.google.com. You’ll find all trending news items here. If you’re already doing it then you are on the right track.

Sound genuinely interested and not desperate: What I mean here is to act normal and not over exaggerate.

Here is an example which will help you understand what I mean:

A)  Sir I’ve  always wanted to be a journalist. Whenever I see Barkha Dutt reporting, I imagine myself in her place. I want to bring great changes to the society by becoming a journalist. I want to empower the oppressed.

B)  I am intrigued by the process. I love to keep myself update with the current affairs. My area of interest is International affairs. I want to pursue this interest at a higher level by becoming a journalist.

Hope you’ve got my point.

Keep calm: It’s an interview not an interrogation. Be clear in what you want to say. You can always disagree with something an interviewee says, provided you have solid enough reason.

Fake victory sign:  This is something I saw on nat geo , hence the credit goes to them. While you are waiting for your turn to come, just take a moment for yourself and go somewhere no one can watch you, ideally the washroom and raise your hands as if you’ve won a race or scored a goal.

This fake victory expression reduces stress and helps you perform better.

Finally:  All the best, hope to see you in one of the centers of IIMC. And even if you don’t get through, remember, great journalists have come up without any formal training.

Fold Your Sleeves And Relax !

Rajiv Singh belongs to 2013-14 batch of English Journalism (Jammu Campus). He conducts motivational speech sessions. Had laid stone for Debating society in college & won inter-college competitions. Rajiv is working as Social Media Researcher & Analyst in ValueFirst, a digital communication company.

Yes you read it right. IIMC written is over. Half the job completed, so why to worry. It's just an interview, isn't it? If you are thinking there will be a 'hidden' meaning in my message, not to panic because there is one!

Confused or surprised after reading it all. Well that's what the interviews are all about. Jury throw surprises and try to put you off the pedal. They want to know whether you are amazing in self contradicting yourself or have crystal clear clarity of thoughts (and actions).

If I just rotate the clock one year back, I can tell you why 'fold your sleeves' is such a standout title for this message. I was part of one of the most dramatic interviews ever conducted in IIMC history.

It was second day of four days long interview session. I was dressed in formals - trousers & cool blue shirt. People around me were flipping through newspapers and were trying to get grip of every event, especially Uttarkhand flood disaster. I on the other hand was pretty relaxed and chatted around with few people (actually I made friends).

Since it was hot that day, I folded my sleeves. In the meantime, my name was called out. Outside the room, while I was waiting I pacified few girls who were panicking. They asked me whether I have worked before & have appeared in these kind of interviews. I said no and they were now more nervous than before. Before I forget let me tell you all, the guy standing in front of me had even rolled up tie around his neck. The dress code pressure on me had mounted and I was completely unaware of this.

My chance came, five panelists were present and it was past twelve. I greeted them afternoon and before I could ask for seat, the lady panelist retorted, "Is this the way to come for an interview with your sleeves folded? I smiled and glanced at everyone. I did not take the seat because I was yet not permitted but I also did not unfold my shirt (I will give you the reason why) but not now. I answered all the questions but I wasn't allowed to finish my answers. I had no qualms, I was all smile. My photo was clicked by one of the panelists, I was still unruffled. When results came out, my name was up there in first list.

To cut the long story short, what I did was pretty simply -

1. I was cool and calm before, during and after interview. I came with a thought process of enjoying the moment. I had nothing to lose, this mantra gave me strength.
2. The way I was welcomed, I knew it is going to be a 'stress interview'. I didn't back out rather I seeked fun in it.
3. I was honest with my words and answers. Since I was enjoying it all, it showed on my face.
4. I was not deeply immersed in newspaper that day because regular news update should be a habit, not a one day feed. Instead I interacted with people and learnt about their experiences and background. You learn from people. Mass Communication is all about people, don't forget.
5. And lastly, I did not unfold my shirt because I wasn't asked to! (If you read the above statement, it was a mere remark by lady panelist not an instruction). Secondly, I stuck to my decision. There is always something beyond the cover of any book. I knew they will read and enjoy it, which they did.

So be who you are, don't be a rebel but back your decisions. And you'll crack it with your folded sleeves and curved smile.

All the best, rock it!

rajiv20singh65@gmail.com

Confidence Is The Key

Megha Prasad is currently working as Bureau Chief, Mumbai at Times Now. A 2003-04 IIMC batch pass out (English Journalism), she was awarded the Hindu Scholarship for scoring the highest in all the three journalism courses. Megha started her career with Indian express newspaper, from where she made a switch to television in August, 2005. Since then she has been a part of Times Now.

Congratulations to you all for having cleared the written examination of IIMC and wishing you the very best of luck for GD and PI.

Let me begin by saying that all the hard work that I am sure all of you are putting in for the preparation will be every bit worth it if you manage to secure a place for yourself in the Indian institute of mass communication.

For me, it was perhaps one of the best things that could have happened and the one year spent in the IIMC campus was by far one of the most memorable phases in my life. IIMC is truly learning with fun.

GD and PI will be smooth sailing if you have the right attitude. Go in with confidence but also armed with facts and an analyzing mind. I don’t mean to say that you need to know everything under the sun, but you will be expected to have an adequate knowledge about the current happenings, so keep yourself abreast. Also do not forget to do a bit of reading on the latest controversial issues, as in the group discussions often such topic are thrown at you that have shades of grey and can be both defended  and criticized. So if a situation like that arises, carefully choose the side you are on, and make your point well, be ready to be challenged, hence work on your counters as well.

Personal interview is about everything that you do in that 10 or 15 minutes, from how you walk to how you talk. First things first, be presentable, dress smartly. Go in with loads of confidence but don't be overconfident and don't act too smart with 'all knowing' attitude.

Be very alert, know that you are being watched and being judged by each of interviewers sitting across the table, every minute. If you don't know the right answers, be honest and tell them that you are not aware, though say it with a pinch of humility. But if you know the answers, grab the opportunity and impress them, all you need is to be confident, clear and concise. And the deal will be sealed.

Choose To Shine

Surbhi is an alumna of English journalism batch of 2013-2014. Currently Surbhi is placed in Maharana Pratap University, Jaipur as a Lecturer through campus placement.

Just like how a diamond is worthless until it is polished, intelligence is worthless if it is not put to good use. You have used your intelligence to shine like a diamond. Congratulations for passing the entrance exam.

I was a student of English journalism, 2013-14 batch of IIMC New Delhi. I am sure after clearing the written test all of you must be ebullient as well as highly strung about PI.

Things that you should keep in mind before Personal Interview

• While preparing for the IIMC interview, you need to be very sure why you want to be a journalist. Interviewers can ask you: Why journalism? Why IIMC? Why English journalism? Why not advertising and PR? Have you applied for another course in IIMC? Have you applied elsewhere? What do you like writing on? What are you interested in? Which city are you from? Tell us about your city? Have you worked before? If yes, where?
• Keep in mind that your interview is a 'personality test' and not intelligence test; you have to define your personality in front of them.
• Be in a good mood and maintain a smile  throughout the interview. Be enthusiastic without being hyper.
• Have positive views in your mind: Go for the interview with a positive mindset. Usually, it happens that negative thoughts would start coming to your mind. Especially, to those who are giving interview for the first time, So be positive and think right.
• It takes more courage to listen than to speak: You must listen to the interviewer before you answer anything. It is good to listen completely and then answer rather interrupting when they are speaking.
• Show confidence and talk to them, not at them: You should always look into their eyes and then talk. Do not look down or elsewhere and answer. If do then they might think you do not have self-confidence.
• If you have any previous published work with you, please do present them in front of the interviewers as it displays your passion for the field.
• Even if you don't have answers for all the queries, you should not agonize because one cannot know about each and everything that is happening around us.
• Do not sound supercilious: There is a strong chance that if you are a fervent candidate you will have strong views about few things, make sure you do not carry your preconceived notion to the interview hall.

These are the few things that you should keep in mind before entering the interview room.

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.

GOOD LUCK :)

Be Calm, Candid And Confident

Sumeda is an alumna of English Journalism from Jammu campus of 2013-2014 batch. An economics honours graduate from Panjab University, she secured fourth rank in first semester among all IIMC Campuses. An avid blogger and voracious reader, she has interned in reporting and editorial department of The Tribune, Chandigarh.

I won’t be exaggerating when I say that IIMC is the best thing that happened to me and trust me I can do anything to live the whole experience all over again even if it includes ‘another’ personal interview. When my name got shortlisted for the personal interview, I was half expecting it. And so to make up for the loss, I started my last minute preparation. From my personal experience, I would list down some points which one could try and follow for the PI.

1. Do Your Homework:

Remember that you are appearing for the interview in front of an experienced panel. They will most probably ask you questions which test your basic knowledge about subjects which may or may not be always related to the current affairs. It is therefore important for you to be acquainted about some basic subjects like your state, previous educational qualification and of course news. Keep yourself updated right till the date of the interview.

2. Breathe News:

Read news and keep a tap on various news channels. Make it a habit to read at least three national newspapers. Squeeze in some time for ‘9o’clock debates’. These will equip you with knowledge about issues and make you aware of both sides of the coin. Make optimum use of social media. These days we get constantly updated on SNS like Twitter.

3. Know Yourself:

The panel has already tested your general knowledge. Now they have to test you as an individual. It is more of a test of attitude than aptitude. So, ask yourself some basic questions. For example:

 Why journalism?

 Why IIMC?

 Why should they select you?

Don’t follow the herd while answering this. Stay away from clichés. Speak from your heart. That would surely help the cause.

4. Confidence Is The Key:

Accept yourself. It’s okay to be nervous. Even I was during my interview. Make peace with the fact that its not the end of the world if you are unable to cross the final hurdle. Once you do that gather yourself, do away with those drooped shoulders and go for it. There is no better way to success than self belief.

5. Be Honest:

Its not possible for us to be perfect but we can always strive for it. The panel recognises this fact. So, don’t lie. If in a situation you don’t know something just say that you don’t know it. Being overconfident would not help you. It would do you more harm than good.

6. Clarity Of Thought:

Follow the universal rule. Keep it simple and straight. You have only 15-20 minutes to insure your place in the institution. Never beat around the bush. Try not to fumble and stick to single language. Especially for Journalism applicants, the panel doesn’t like it if you mix two languages.

7. Smart Yet Elegant:

Dress does leave an impact on the panel. Whatever you wear look smart. For boys, even though it is going to be hot don’t commit the mistake of folding sleeves of your shirt. For girls, formal trousers and shirt or traditional attire would work.

I can go on and on but honestly, there is no 100 per cent success magic potion. In the end, I would only tell you to be calm, confident and candid. Carry a smile, take a deep breath and enter that room. It would be like any other conversation. Remember it all depends on you. Don’t give them a reason to not select you.

All the best

For further queries kindly contact me on sumeda92sharma@gmail.com

5 Ways To Perform Better @ The Final Stage In IIMC

Siddharth Malkania | EJ (2008-09) Dhenkanal | Currently: Entrepreneur, Candid & Documentary Wedding Photographer | Skills: Photography, Social Media Content Management | Achievements: Founder of cosmictravelhub.com (A tour and travel company) and  owns http://siddharthmalkania.com

You certainly have questions in your mind for dealing with GD or PI, once you have made it to the written test at IIMC.  In my experience, there is no set pattern for cracking any GD/PI. Yes! There are five factors which are useful to perform better. I am really convinced by these factors which are involved to bring successful outcomes.

Set Your Goal

You must set your goal. A Life without goal is a body without soul.  Setting your goal means you have set rules, planning, objectives to achieve your goal which sums up a discipline in a life. You might be asked “What’s next after Journalism?” or “Why Journalism?” If you are clueless, it proves you have not set your goals yet and many doubts are arisen on your future performances. IIMC is known for providing the best professionals to the respective industries, that’s why, Panel or Interviewer has the great responsibility to strengthen the institute by selecting the best candidate.

Have Positive Thinking

Positive thinking tells interviewer/panel that what kind of personality and thought process you do have? There are chances that you might be a part of a team to achieve a set-goal during your course at IIMC. If you have a positive personality, there will be a good team work and you will come out of any hurdle. 

Believe In Yourself

It leads to the trust and trust leads to the confidence.  Your goals are set, you have positive thinking too, instead of these two factors, if you don’t believe in yourself, it will tell the panel/interviewer that you are not confident for what you are going to do.  You should have the in-depth knowledge of the topic which is going to be discussed.  If you won’t have the in-depth knowledge, you won’t believe in yourself and you won’t be confident enough while participating in the GD.

Being an entrepreneur, I have been involved in hiring and interviewing professionals. To me, there are two factors which contribute best points to bring successful outcomes. If you work on these two factors, you won’t make silly mistakes or put wrong impressions over any interviewer.

Know Yourself

He who knows others is learned, but the wise one is the one who knows himself. You should know where you are going in terms of your career. It is not great to know so much but you should know in what direction you are moving. Don’t take a potshot to get into IIMC. Your answers tell the interviewer that how much you are involved with in yourself to move in a right direction.

Most of the questions are based on the details which you might have provided to the interviewer. There should not be any break in the chain of your details like work experience (If any), education, interests and likings.  There should be a well connected time line. This gives a very good impression to the interviewer at the first place, and your half work is done.  The best way to stay away from errors is to anticipate them. LinkedIn is a good tool to work out on this part. Share your LinkedIn profile with your friends and ask them whether they got confused while going through your profile or they have questions? If yes, then you probably know from which part of your profile the interviewer is going to be confused or going to ask the question?

Ask Questions

Many times, Interviewer asks in the end “Do you have any questions?” The average candidate does not care about this question but great candidate does care! Great candidate wants to know what the institute and the interviewer is looking for. Sometimes, the interviewer wants to hear from its candidate too. They want to know whether you have actively evaluated the industry in which an institute like IIMC is training its students.

In the end, I congratulate those who have got through written exam and all the best to the same. I request to those who have not got through that don’t get disheartened. Success comes after the failure but you must learn from your failures. Our future is not always built on success, it is also built on failures

Logic Is Primary, Language Secondary

Ajeet Tiwari was student of IIMC, Dhenkanal, 2013-14 Batch, English Journalism. He got through Campus Placement and is now working with Hindustan Times, New Delhi.

Many congratulations for clearing the written examination. You have been able to open the entry gate. Now you are almost there at IIMC. There are many interview etiquettes and tips- common to all the interviews – you will learn from your near and dear ones. These suggestions are specific to IIMC entrance interview.

Know What You Are Talking

Nobody expects you to know everything. But they expect you to know what you are talking about. Don’t talk empty. If you don’t know something, tell them simply, “I don’t know about this.” This may prompt them to ask you your “own domain”. Here comes the ball in your court. If you think you can talk Politics, tell them. If it’s sports, music, arts, economics, engineering, social issues or whatever, tell them. Make sure your “own domain” is your “own”, literally! While talking of any issue which has several dimensions and many sides ensure you don’t take sides. Give them all possible sides of the story.

Know Your Background

Certain questions are asked almost every year. Questions related to the district and state you stay from. You should know the bit of the geography, history, politics, economics, the art and culture of your place. Also about famous personalities who hail from your state. There may be personal questions as well. Suppose your surname is Tiwari. You may be,“What is the difference between Tiwari, Tripathi and Trivedi….and so on.” Bottom line is, you must know basics about who you are, where are you from, and which famous personality- they may be journalist, writers, classical (or otherwise) singer- you share your district and state with.

Shun The Language Complex

There is nothing to worry about if your English speaking abilities are not polished. You impress them by the depth and logic in your answers rather than by bombarding interviewer with heavy English. Talk in Hindi if you are comfortable with it. Remember! If you talk sense language becomes secondary. The task is almost done. Now make sure you don’t be pretentious in the interview, be yourself. You cleared the first hurdle you will clear this as well. It’s not a big deal.

I wish you good luck. I’m sure you will be writing such advises next year for the next batch of aspirants.

Knowledge and Confidence- Your Gateway to IIMC

Somrita Ghosh (EJ 2012-2013 Dhenkanal branch) Worked at IBNLive. Presently working at IANS.

Firstly congratulations for clearing the written test. However a tougher step is awaiting you all. As you all are heading towards journalism course, first and foremost thing is full control and grisp over knowledge. Current Affairs, dont mug up, but understand. Remember, the panel you will be facing in the interview is far more experienced and veterans in this field. So depth in any topic is required, you cant fool them!

Second, command over the language. Choose a language of communication and try to excel in that. Fumbling can be forgiven, but not always. Avoid gramatical errors while speaking. It certainly will create a very negative impression.

Thirdly, Choose any subject you think you will be confident of speaking, politics, international, social, sports, entertainment, movies, any field. But make sure to yourself that you have all the correct informations of that subject.

Fourthly, read, as there is no substitution of reading. The more you read, the more you will know. Read books, newspapers, look around on websites. Keep yourself fully updated on any particular field. However, that doesnot mean you will neglect other categories. Maintain a follow up of any particular event that is occuring. If necessary write it down, so that you dont have to sit idle and keep thinking.

And last but not the least, be confident. Speak with confidence whatever you know. Try to avoid giving wrong answers. If you are not sure about the answer better confess. Show your eagerness and desperation why you want to be a journalist.

Journalism should be your passion. a frequently asked question is why do you want to be in media, be prepared with an impressive answer, but not an artificial one.

Remember one thing, IIMC is one of the reputed and finest media institutions in India. Consider yourself lucky to be a part of this institution. Not all gets a chance to study here.

Wish you all the very best.