“If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skilfully, you can work miracles.” — Jim Rohn
Communication is the quintessential skill in the world of media and communication industry. The pivot on which the industry relies on. Companies today look for employees who are experts in communications, in specific domains of Advertising, Public Relations, Digital, Data Analytics and many more. With the business situation getting strained, companies are formulating larger communication teams and now hiring experts with specialized formal higher education in communication.
Today recruiters seek employees who blend strong, communication with digital proficiency, strategic thinking, high adaptability and AI expertise. This is Internal Communication in an organization. On the external front organisations rely on storytelling, social media and content management being handled by media and communication experts.
Broadly communication can be divided into Oral & Written Communication Skills. Oral communication means real time discussions which most of the time in a corporate environment are serious office discussion but in an informal format. These are immediate feedback for and from an individual. Written Communication is limited but focuses on permanent detailed records. These are in the form of emails, reports. Thus, one comes with an understanding that Oral communication is an opportunity for creating better relationship building and a quick interaction where as written offering is more precision and meticulous.
This is basic communication skills but still needs too many improvements. Industry reports say that 95% of employers look for good communication but not even 40% students demonstrate efficiency in this skill.
Companies which prioritize their consumers and build strong relationships with this precious audience develop a sound mechanism to communicate purposefully with their customers. Communication is not just a support function but a strategic tool used for building trust, retaining clients and differentiating from competitors.
Students seeking careers in mass communication will benefit from investing their time exploring mass communication topics like nuances of story-telling, PR and events, advertising & branding and even marketing research and consumer insights. They will learnt to build awareness and create communication to diverse audiences keeping in mind, specific business objectives.
Let’s explore a few Media and Mass Communication Institutions in North India which are shaping students skills in this area. Top government institutions are IIMC, Jamia, LSR. In privately run institute The Delhi School of Communication tops the list in a lot of perspectives, exemplifying academic excellence, Industry relevance and a commitment to Building Young India. The professional training led through the programme includes subjective and theoretical orientation, skill enhancement and overall personality development. Ethics and Etiquettes important to survive in corporate world are also a part of the learning.
Industry experienced professionals teach the students, which deepens their learning. Industry experience teaching becomes example-driven and realistic. Industry mentors organically guide students. To make them big in this field, a student is entrusted with excellent communication skills, multitasking, meeting deadlines, and working with a team. Later a student may join marketing, public relations and advertising field with a communications degree, delivering effective written and oral communication to consumers, colleagues or clients. Internships are a part of the learning journey in Higher education. Students enter two to three-month internships twice, which is timed to follow core academic training. This allows learners to apply communication and other management academic concepts within real working environments. Therefore, education at some key institutes like the Delhi School of Communication, progresses naturally from understanding to execution. The institute has a 2-year PGDPC flagship program which they are successfully running for last 32 years. They develop students’ skills in various areas of communications, including digital
During this scholarly phase, students receive academic and practical guidance that helps them adapt to professional expectations. Hence, internships are learning extension rather than a separate requirement. Internship boost employability, improve resume credentials, help develop professional networks, and provide valuable hands-on experience. Internships are currently considered a crucial, necessary, step for successful transition from education to corporate world.
Today soft skills and one’s attitude towards mentor/ boss with respect to duties carried out are measures that carry long term gains. Students are advised to maintain a portfolio and practice writing, copywriting and scriptwriting targeting growth and self-development. Participating in speaking events like debates and presentations are an added advantage.
Seek feedback from your mentos and peer group and work towards creating a focused self.Poised appearance, verbal language and dress demeanour all identify one’s personality. Hence, it’s important to build an image about how you see yourself & how to want others to see you. Be calm but full of conviction.
Students who want to create a change in society, shape a safer and secure country, learning communication is a powerful formal education platform for them. Demand for dynamic future ready communication professionals has risen year on year, thus providing quality education in field of Integrated Marketing Communication has become crucial for Higher Education Institutions (HEI).
