Internship : Choosing Firms and Offices_Part II

Hola Guys...!!!

Keeping my promise of coming soon.I am here to discuss more about Firms and Offices.

Last time I discussed about how to search for firms.
Now let's get to Step Two i.e. How to apply into suitable firms

Before applying, be careful about some things to be done while searching for firms:
1. Checking the last date to apply

2. The procedure to apply (Online on the website of firm or by email or by physical presence)
3. Size limit of portfolio (If any)
4. Noting the contact details of the firms

While applying through emails
- Have a separate mail for a separate firm. You should not tell firms where else you are applying, Do You?
- Have a eye catching yet professional looking Subject.
- Body should contain the cover letter content. Don't forget to mention your contact details also.
- Attach your CV first and Portfolio after that. Make sure their names are proper and not like final portfolio or something really more weird. (To know more, read my post about CV and Portfolio)

Now talking about firms, different firms have different requirements or environment. You must have and you must haven't visited some. Hence, your Cover letter content needs to be modified according to the firm. Make those minor changes in your cover letter which will make you look more sincere and informed about the firm. As I already told you in my post regarding Cover letter that it is the first Impression, you should be really careful about the content.

If you are applying through the firm's website, every firm has different requirement. Hence, go through the website carefully before applying.

While applying, note the Contact details of firm with the date applied and last day of their reverting back. Most of the firms only revert back to those who are selected. So, you must need to contact them to know if you are selected or if the procedure is going on or if you are not been selected into that firm.

If last date to revert back is given then, just contact them the last day of reverting back in working hours of the firm or a day after. If there is no date given, then call the firms after 2 or 3 working days to make sure if they got your mail and what is the status of your application.

Well if you have to be physically present into a firm to apply, just call them to get an appointment and rest I will talk about in the step 3 which is about interviews and everything else important.

Be Careful while applying and Good Luck...!!!

Internship : Choosing Firms and Offices_Part I

Hola Everyone...!!!

Well...!!! I have been away for a while right?
But don't worry here I am back again with another important blog in Internship series.
This time we will talk about Firms and Offices.

Let's make it step by step procedure:
Step-I   : Searching for the firms
Step-II  : Applying into the suitable firms
Step-III : Interviews and Everything else
Step-IV : Choosing the best firm for yourself

Not wasting our much time lets just get into the details of these steps now.

Searching for the firms
There are two possible ways to search firms keeping in mind your Institutional conditions.
First, Ask for the lists and go through them and Second, search by yourself.

Before this searching procedure, you should be clear about some of your priorities:
1. The cities/countries you want to work in,
2. The type of projects you are interested in,
3. What you actually want in the whole process of your training. (In my case, I wanted to gain the most knowledge out of my training period. Hence I am where I thought I could seek more of Information and learning from rest of the firms I got selected in)

Third one will make a great difference in your selection of firm you want to work in (Don't make Stipend your priority in Academic training. Think of a long time gain).

So, if you went with the First Way of going through the lists.
You just could not think that it will make your work easier than the second way. Here is what you need to do with the list you get from Professionals or Faculty or Seniors or Friends.
Segregate them according to your above 3 priorities. I must say first two priorities as the third one will most probably be revealed while you went for the interview or had a talk with the firm officials. Segregate the list according to the city/country (Eliminate the ones you don't want to work in).
Search for the selected firms online to check the contact details and type of projects they work in. Here, you can eliminate the firms which do not have projects of your interests. And also you will be updated with latest contact information (In Case of any changes been made to the contact details of the firm).

Then apply for the firms you selected from the above process.  How? I will discuss this in detail while discussing Step-II.

But if you choose to go through the Second Way i.e. Searching Firms on your own.
Don't think it will be more difficult or lengthy than the first way. Because it is not.
You have to search for various firms in city/cities of your choices on internet (Google, Linkedin, Blogs, Facebook pages, etc.) or to know about various firms from people (friends, mentors, faculty, etc.)
Again Segregate them according to your priorities by going through the websites and firm details online and then Apply.

Not making it more lengthy for you people to read, I will talk about the further Steps in my next Blog (with a promise of coming soon).

Till then, Set up a priority list and Start Searching firms with their details to make your own list of firms according to your Interests. And also be careful about the requirements of your institution which you need to satisfy while going to any firm (Mine was at least 10 years old firm/ Principal architect's experience)

Keep in Mind: You can't work for long on a thing or in a job happily if you are not interested in it.

Internship : Cover Letter

Greetings to my fellow students...!!!

Well..!! In my last Post I talked about CV and Portfolio. Now, it is the turn for Cover Letter which is as Important as the portfolio is for us.

We may say that Cover letter is the First Impression of our CV and Portfolio. If it does not Impress the Addressee , they maybe not interested in the CV and Portfolio. Hence a good cover letter is very important for applying anywhere.

Even if the cover letter is read before our CV and Portfolio. I Suggest you people to write it after making your CV and Portfolio. A cover letter must be professional and personal at the same time.

Most people are confused about what it actually is. It is a series of words which tells the addressee about - your purpose of applying, your experience (if any), why are you interested in the firm, why should they hire you, your expectations+goals related to the firm, ending with your enclosures (about which you can define in a line or two if you want to). Describing your enclosure in some lines gives a rough idea and an Introduction of your enclosure.

You may refer to my cover letter shown as an example below which also helped me to cover my weaknesses in my portfolio (shown as example in my last blog post Internship : Portfolio and CV ) making it more stronger than it earlier was.

SAMPLE: MY COVER LETTER

SAMPLE: MY COVER LETTER

As i wrote in my Cover letter that 'my Portfolio shows the basics and beginnings of my work so that the person could see my potential'. It will result positively for me as, now, while looking at my Portfolio, the addressee is in the same status of mind I had while making it. It changes the perspective of employer for analyzing my portfolio according to my thoughts. It makes a great difference in the level of understanding between me and the employer (through visuals and texts in my CV and Portfolio that are being conveyed without my presence) just because of the presence of one line or some words in my Cover Letter.

ADVICE : Make your cover letter short and in simple language. No need to use difficult words to impress (everyone is not used to it and some people may get negative impact also).
Don't forget to mention your contact details in it. And also end your letter in a professional (I would rather say simple and respectful) way.

Again I would like to remind you people that Your Cover letter will be as Unique as your CV and Portfolio. Don't try to copy it. See a lot examples on Internet but only to discover what you should and should not write in it.

BE CREATIVE...!!! I will see you people soon... 

Internship : Portfolio and CV

Warm Greetings guys...!!!

Well talking about CV or Portfolio, they are the FIRST IMPRESSION of yours. I won't talk about what to do and what not to do in them. I will talk about how to show your own Individuality in them as they reflect your Uniqueness only.

The Journey begins from college Itself or much before. It begins from the day when you start discovering yourself and things around you.

It is always been told to us that " SHOW ONLY WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE"
But my question is - "WHY?"
Why should we show them what they want INSTEAD OF  WHAT WE REALLY ARE?
Where do we stand with OUR OWN IDENTITIES, BELIEFS, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES?

And REMEMBER, Now-a-days First Impression is NOT Last Impression. It may change with time.
So I suggest, You should show Who you are or Who you can be (i.e. What is Your Potential) in your CV or Portfolio.

Don't be like " O MAN! Look at his Portfolio. What a Photography, 3D Renders. I should also put some up. So what IF I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I need this job"
And also Don't be like "O GOD! She's so good in Design. I am gotta go nowhere with a portfolio like this."

And also In your CV, put things only you have proof to.

You don't want your employer to feel like "Being Lied To" and you should NOT LIE to them either. Because you maybe not good like others but you are UNIQUE IN YOUR OWN WAY. Maybe there is someone thinking same about your Presentation Skills (I hope I knew how to do this thing and this job was mine).

You never know what the employer is searching within their employee. Maybe its Honesty or Presentation Skills (The thing you are great at). It could be ANYTHING. MAYBE something you got better than others. Every same job post has same work but employer's choice varies (according to their needs, thoughts and different experiences)

Someone once told me"IF YOU THINK YOUR PORTFOLIO IS BEST. THEN IT IS". 
REMEMBER It reflects you not others.

ADVICE : Keep your CV and Portfolio Simple, Honest and as short as possible. Its your own creativity in 'how to hide your weaknesses within your strengths'. And Yes! Don't Forget to add content page so that viewer should go directly to the topic of their interest.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF!!!

HERE IS THE LINK TO MY OWN PORTFOLIO AS AN EXAMPLE (There are a lot good examples on internet too). But not as good as your own creativity and thought towards your Portfolio and CV.

Being An Architectural Intern: General Overview

Greetings to all my student mates...!!!

Well...!!!

Being an Architectural Intern is a real big deal.

 

Its not like other Internships in colleges or universities where they teach you how to do it. It is like a real job where you have to do equal hard work like other employees. Yes! they teach you because its not as same as the college assignments when, you actually step out in real world. But what is important is your willingness to learn.

 

This is one of the most critical times of our Degree as this is the only time we have when we are being employed to know  'How to do it'. Once degree is completed they will start expecting from you. They will hire you for what you actually know not what you can do(your potential) or gain. Only rare will let you get in their firms for your potential or willingness to learn at that point where you graduate.

While getting enrolled in any firm as Intern, You have to go through every process a real job seeker goes through.

1. You have to make your Portfolio and CV.

2. You have to search for Firms you want to apply to and study them carefully.

3. You then apply in Firms with continuous process of Emails, Phone Calls, applying on Websites, Confirmations (Handling your Current Semester side by side).

4. You have to go for real Interviews maybe telephonic, online or physically going to that firm.

Oh My God..!! This is really stressful.

But once you did all this. You get Rejections or Selections in various firms and then you have to choose the one that is right for you. Remember to not bother about where you got rejected from but taking it positive and making work out the reasons for your rejection till you Graduate. And the time is really to focus on the places where you got selected.

Well I will talk about all the points in Detail in my next blogs....

I will See You Again... 

Till then Keep Smiling and doing Architecture.

Affordability Of Silly Mistakes

As Professionals, we can not afford to make silly mistakes. Being in a practical world, silly mistakes make a huge difference.

For example, Being an architectural intern, though I am learning, I drafted wrong due to a silly mistake which says i drafted one line of wrong measurement. But it changed the whole design and I have to start again from a step before the step where i made that silly mistake just to make sure.

It wasted the hardwork and time of my principal architect and mine and we have to start all over again. It also shattered the expectations (This time my own expectations from myself as my architect understands I am at learning stage)

Hence, making silly mistakes dont just make a difference but also wasted the time. And time my friends is not just money but also hardwork in our field. You can loose the confidence of your clients in yourself too(Professional Image is important for work)

Advice (Or what i learnt): Always CROSS CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK YOUR WORK before taking it to higher level or everything is to be started again from where you just did that silly mistake. DO IT BEFORE YOU REGRET IT.

Here I would love to hear from you people some experiences of this sort.

Regards,

ANJALI