Q I am a student of Class X, studying humanities. I want to become an advertising professional but I am not good at either drawing or design. What should I do?

Shivika Sharma

The first question you should ask yourself is which aspect of advertising appeals to you. Is it the creativity involved? The fun working environment? Or the glamour? Once you figure that out, you can take a decision accordingly.

Advertising agencies employ people with a wide range of skills but the creative people are the most recognised faces. The creative department mainly employs graphic designers and photographers. To join creatives, you need to go to a design school. Or, if you are good with words, you can write copy.

The advertising industry also employs marketing professionals. If you find that interesting, you could ge a postgraduate degree or diploma in marketing or brand management.

Market and consumer research is another aspect. If you have an interest in people and know what drives them, you could suggest strategies to the marketing and advertising teams to create the perfect ad campaign.

Advertising agencies have a tradition of taking in interns. That is a great way of finding out which aspect fits you best.

Research helps

Q I am a third-year engineering student of computer science. What are the requirements for pursuing an MTech in the US or any other foreign country? Is there any exam apart from GRE and Toefl that I need to take before applying?

Santanu Gupta

If you want to study abroad, first decide your budget, the course you wish to pursue and your long-term goals. Budget is the single most important factor as it helps refine your research. International education can cost between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 30 lakh a year. Just applying to foreign universities can eat into your savings as it needs a lot of money. Thus, choosing universities appropriate to your field and budget is vital.

While researching universities, ensure that the qualification is recognised or accredited in the country you are going to. Many a time students are duped by educational institutions because they have not done proper research about accreditation norms in the host country. If you study computer science, choose to specialise in human-computer interaction, Internet security, gaming or cloud computing.

Very often, students make the mistake of choosing a course popular in India, assuming that it will be in demand overseas. That is not always the case. Understanding the job market of the country you plan to study in will help you take the right decision. GRE and Toefl scores are required if you are planning to study in the US. A score of 90 percentile is considered good. It will be better if you gather some work experience before proceeding for your master’s degree abroad.