Understanding of the industry, company, its culture, and your boss will make you look as a more knowledgeable and confident individual. 

An internship program prepares you for your first job. If you take it seriously and learn the basic things, your first (and subsequent) jobs will commence with ease. And also, your work is going to have an impact on the organization and your contributions, mistakes are going to affect other people.

It is important to be organized, be careful not to take on too much, and to let someone know if you cannot complete a project by the deadline.

Take the opportunity to build as many quality relationships in your internship as possible. The more colleagues know you and what you are capable of, the more support you will have once it is time to turn your internship into a full-time job.

It’s important to ask for feedback on a regular basis. This shows the employer you are taking initiative and willing to make the changes necessary in order to succeed.

Try to challenge yourself by doing something you have never done before. Utilize your coworkers and bosses to learn and develop the abilities and skills.

The personal details section is the first thing that a prospective employer will see. This section must contain the following information in chronological order: 

• Your name: Written in big bold letters and centered on the page 
• Your contact details: Address, mobile number and e-mail address (Do not underline the email address to avoid hyperlinks)  

This second section of the Resume focuses on a brief profile summary to set the professional quotient and a great place to really hone in on who you are and what you intend to accomplish. Being a student, this can be a simple single sentence.

The employment and work experience section of a CV is another crucial part of your CV which is dedicated to the work experience that you have till date.

The following are some of the jobs that you can include under this section: 

• Permanent and temporary jobs
• Full-time and part-time jobs
• Internships
• Summer jobs 

• The name of the company you have worked in
• The start and end dates (from-to)
• Your job title
• Your primary duties and responsibilities (should be described clearly in a sentence) 

If you have undertaken any Volunteering, please mention it separately below the heading “Volunteering Experiences”. 

The skills section of a CV is another part where you can mention some of the skills and abilities that you possess which will assist you in the job you are applying for. Mentioning relevant skills gets you the competency for landing into an internship/ job in line with your field of interest. There are a broad range of skills that you can mention, such as: 

• Technical Skills 
• Communication
• Interpersonal
• Analytical
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork 

This section should contain a summary of your educational background informing the reader, in brief, the education you have received to date, starting with the most recent. Mention your schooling, undergraduate and postgraduate courses mentioning along with following in a tabular column format: 

• Degree Name, Specialization, University/School name, Year of Passing, Percentage or CGPA or whichever credit system available as per your institution

Including a list of achievements on your CV is an excellent way of making your CV stand out from the crowd. The certifications section of a CV is usually a section specifying names of the qualifications that you have achieved accompanied by the following information:

• The issuer/training provider
• The level of the qualification (if applicable)
• The validity/expiry date of the certificate (if applicable) 

Once you’ve created your first resume or refreshed your old one, you can simply tweak it to match it up with a job when you’re applying for an open position 

• Tailor your CV for each individual job that you are applying for 
• If you’ve uploaded your CV to a job site so recruiters can find you, keywords are very important. Job titles and job buzzwords will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile. 
• A basic font like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Verdana is a good choice because your resume needs to be easy for a hiring manager to read. Consistency is also important. Have uniformity, sufficient spacing, indenting and use Bold, Italics or Underline wherever needed. 
•  Save the document with the format “ Your Name_Resume”. And lastly, before your resume is finalized, it’s important to carefully proofread it for spelling and grammar mistakes. 
  

P.S. --You should keep your CV up-to-date whether you’re looking for a job or not.!

To keep oneself updated with the industry’s new trends, it is necessary to attend the webinars and seminars that are organized time to time by different industries. Cloud Counselage conducts a lot of webinars on the latest topics related to the IT and Management Industry. Know more about it at www.cloudcounselage.com/ccpc/

To get an edge over others, one needs to start working on different tools and technologies so that they become well-versed in their technical domain and can outshine.

Internship plays a very significant role in learning and development of individuals if they are dedicated enough. Internships help you get an exposure to company culture and also help you get familiar with the corporate system. Know how you can get it at www.cloudcounselage.com/ccpc/

Industry visits are very important to be job-ready because there you will understand how everything actually works, and once you are aware of the workstyle, you are now ready to apply your innovation and creative thinking.

Reading actually is a savior. Once you start reading you will notice that after a month, your vocabulary and your communications skills get upgraded and this is what a candidate should have. 

You might have 500+ connections in LinkedIn but on how many connections can you count on when you need help? It’s because lack of communication and nurturing the relationships. Sharing ideas and discussing on a relevant topic might help you to know these people. Remember LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are tools that you can use to connect in a personal way to different people in your industry

Get into a conversation with your colleagues especially those who are promising and dedicated to his or her work and know them well. Your co-worker might be experienced in his or her career and might have good network connections. This is how networking can be built.

It is important to follow up on referrals and check up on previous acquaintances and connections. Regular contact makes your connections stronger and it is good to connect with people outside of the business context and develop acquaintanceship with those around you. A good network is an active one.

Instead of attending events just to build a network, go there to have fun or to learn something new because you will be meeting many new people with similar interests. There is a greater chance of making real connections in this way.

Networking is a two-way process. It is equally important for both parties to gain while networking. It is not only about taking benefit from the other party but also to make sure that the other party is gaining benefit from you.exposure.

The above strategies can work as a bridge between two or more people. A strong network cannot be built in a day. It needs patience, honesty, reliability, and continuity. Networking is about establishing and nurturing long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet, therefore investing in relationships both personal and professional, will give you a sterling return of investment throughout the course of your life.

The job market is a very challenging place to be. If a vacancy demands experience sometimes you can’t apply without it. If a position doesn't, you are likely to lose out against a candidate with more experience.

Getting any kind of work experience will at least help you stand out. Especially in more competitive fields or if you think other parts of your resume are weaker. Internships can also be a great way to get a full-time position as well afterward. If you are a good fit and provide results as an intern, you will likely be hired to continue work there. But, the benefit of having actual work experience is especially important for the next point. 

If you need to get employed quickly you need to have what employers want and they want experience. Providing that exact thing gets your resume past screening, secures you an interview, and hopefully, the position you desire. Unfortunately, if you are missing something from your resume, there is a chance that the employer will discard it without a second thought. The best way to get through is to not give them a reason to eliminate you.

If getting a university degree taught you everything you needed to know to succeed in life, we wouldn't hear success stories of drop-outs and non-graduates like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Ritesh Agarwal, etc. Going beyond your comfort zone and achieving something beyond your academic activities is a sure shot way to learn more. That does not mean getting an education is useless (it's a must in many professions), but it can't make you an expert right at the start. You need to learn as you walk your professional journey.

Even though all the above reasons do apply the best reason of all is it gives a chance for you to do it for yourself. 

If you are thinking: Why on earth would I want to start doing work? How does this benefit me personally? 

First of all, you get to try experiencing the career of your choice. You can find out what you enjoy or don't enjoy and utilize that knowledge to find more suitable future jobs. 

Secondly, you are allowing yourself to try new things. Some things can only be truly learned from the hands-on application. 

The third is the network you build for yourself with the new friends, colleagues, and acquaintances you meet. Personal development does not always happen in isolation. 

Lastly is the satisfaction you get from improving yourself. In the end, you should feel a sense of personal accomplishment from what you've achieved.

Work experience allows you to apply your skills. What you have done in-turn can be put to your resume to further your career. It helps you by enabling yourself to build confidence in your ability in the workplace for advancement in future jobs and career opportunities. 

Industry exposure enables you to explore, discover, and select the professional path that works for you the most. 

At Cloud Counselage too, we are looking to provide you internships through engagements and industry exposure. Please visit our CCPC Page to know more.

“The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seus

When I first began reading it was just a race. I was focused on reading books on leadership, management, personal development and a variety of different business topic. I would finish one, put it on the shelf and start the next one thinking I can retain a little from each one that I read. Looking back, I jumped around from topic to topic. 

Some of the first books I read were: Secrets of Power Negotiating, Good to Great, Raving Fans, and Man’s search For Meaning. I usually chose the books I read because they were mentioned in another book I was reading, or someone suggested it. That is how I still choose my books today, but I have more intent and focus on what I’m choosing to read now.  

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Benjamin Franklin

Darren Hardy is an author I enjoy learning from. I remember him saying that we need to “learn less and study more. Learning is not the problem; lack of real study and implementation is.” 

I take more time going through a book now to study the content and learn it better. If I find a book I really like, right after I finish reading it, I’ll often turn to page one and start over. Other times I might just turn to a specific section or chapter to review. 

Rather than flying through books now, I spend more time studying what I’m reading. That way, rather than hoping I’ll retain a little from each book, I feel that I can retain a lot more.

Watch and learn from the people who inspire you. This could be someone you know, such as a supervisor, family member or public figure. Identify the qualities you admire in them and try to replicate those in yourself.

Eg : The leadership style, any workflow structure or management style. 

By interacting with many types of people, you can learn new ideas and understand how to communicate and work with different personality types. You can also meet people and develop relationships that might help you in the future. Networking through industry organizations and shared interest groups or attend conferences and engaging in events on topics that interest you. You can also join ‘Cloud Counselage Professional Community’ (CCPC) to build your network and get corporate and industry exposure. To know more, please visit https://www.cloudcounselage.com/ccpc/

Writing in a journal every day or week can help you gain self-awareness and reflect on recent events, decisions and conversations. You might keep a hand-written, private journal, or you might choose to share your thoughts and experiences by blogging. Use it to set and assess goals and progress. 

These strategies helped me grow as an individual and also in my peer groups. Reading, learning something new, communicating and building new ideas lead my inner self to believe in myself. Prior to what interest you have these strategies will definitely help you to grow personally and professionally.