Today we have with us Bhavna who has worked in different sectors like public relation, event management, brand research, client servicing, etc. She talks about why one should intern even though internships don’t always pay and about being confident throughout.
InternFeel (IF): Please tell us something about yourself. Where are you studying currently? What are your hobbies and interests?
Bhavna Yagnik (BY): “An ambitious lady” that is what I have been termed as in these last few years. Hi! My name is Bhavna Yagnik, I am 20 year old and I am currently in 3rd year studying Bachelors of media science at NSHM Knowledge campus, Kolkata. Well I am in that phase of life where the only thing I think about is how systematically and smartly would I want to build up my future.
IF: Tell us something about your internship including stipend, duration and place?
Bhavna: I have worked with some great companies in the last few years. Companies like Bandwidth, Candid Communication, Genesis, Response Advertisement, etc.
Each company has their own way of taking in interns. They absolutely do not take everybody but have certain requirements on the basis of which the interns are selected. These internships were all based in Kolkata with time duration of 2-3 months each.
Internships usually don’t fetch you stipend, they give you a small amount of token of appreciation once you are done with the internship. You only get paid if you do your work up to the mark and also know how to impress people around with your work.
Internships are usually a self-development training period where a company helps you out by giving you training to make you understand what you are good at. My selection process was very challenging for me, I had this fear of not getting it, but I did not lack confidence and that is how I managed to get them all.
IF: How competitive was the selection process? According to you, which qualities have helped you have an edge in the selection process? Also, what were the key things that selectors were looking for?
Bhavna: The one thing which the companies look for in interns is how hard working they are, they also tend to choose people who have proper idea about what they want to do and people who have good communication skills. For me the only issue is the need to do more, I am never satisfied with less work. I see new talent brewing up day by day and preferably they are going to be of good competition.
IF: Could you please highlight the work/research you carried out during your internship period?
Bhavna: I have a worked in different sectors like pubic relation, event management, brand research, client servicing, etc. But I am more into events, my parents own an event management company “Edge events and promotions” and I am mostly working with them. Apart from that during my internships with genesis and response I was assigned media research work. I have worked with companies like 94.3 radio one, Merlin groups and Taaza TV also. Plus I was a backstage coordinator for the IPL opening ceremony 2015.
IF: Can you give us interesting details about your experience – good and bad?
Bhavna: Since all my internships were based out of Kolkata, the usual accommodation hassle wasn’t a problem. I was in my own city which made things that much easier. I made good friends while working in these companies and well still share good relation with them.
IF: How do you think this internship has helped you grow? In other words, what are your key takeaways from the internship?
Bhavna: There has been this constant question people have asked me – why do you always want to do an internship? Well, for me an internship is not about putting up a good brand on my resume. For it is also other things like, during an internship you get to meet new people, become independent and you know you stay happy knowing the fact that you are worth doing something.
All these years I have done internships, I have become stronger as a person, started having that fear of not completing something on time and trying to
build up myself to do more each day.
IF: Has this internship had a decision altering impact on your career? Do you now think of a different future path as compared to before doing the internship?
Bhavna: My parents have been my inspiration throughout; they are a part of the media world and growing up having them around me made me have a clear cut idea about what I wanted in life.
IF: Lastly, do you have any words of advice or caution for students aspiring for this internship and reading this piece?
Bhavna: Go for it , do it and give your best! These internship do matter, it changes you as a person and well helps you in proper decision making. The better you do the more you get out of it.
We’d like to wish Bhavna all the best for her future endeavors.
