How I Cracked My PPO From Cognizant - Manjusha Shrimandil, IIM Ranchi

Mahantesh: Could you tell about the summer internship process for Cognizant?

Manjusha: Sure. Since Cognizant is one of the most sought after company on campus, the process is quite defined. We got a few mails before joining the firm which had few manuals about the company attached. Even before we attended induction, a mentor was assigned to us who would guide us on what we should read and be prepared with, before joining.

We had excellent accommodation facility for the first 15 days of internship. The induction was filled with leadership talks and fun exercises like Zumba, quizzes and games. It was a good icebreaker as interns from different colleges were competing.

During the internship, we had lots of opportunities to contribute, and personally, my mentor was very supportive in terms of providing me with excellent learning and taking my views. Overall it was a good experience that gave me a decent idea of the HR function in a big MNC.

Mahantesh: How did you manage to crack Cognizant interview?

Manjusha: As mentioned earlier, the research about the company helped me the most. I was able to visualise my role and relate my previous work experience with it. My interviewer was impressed to know how I will be contributing positively.

Mahantesh: Tell us about your day to day work as an intern at Cognizant? 

Manjusha: I wish I could share about it in detail. Due to NDA, I can't comment on the deliverables. Parden me for that. Mostly, my work was research-based. I had to talk to different departments in the company to understand a process and make suggestions on increasing the efficiency of that process. I also had to do benchmarking for the same process for the competitor organisation.

Mahantesh: According to you, what went right to achieve the PPO from Cognizant?

Manjusha: I tried to use the frameworks taught in the class. Most importantly, I did a bit of analysis on the data provided to me and was able to derive meaningful insights.

I discussed the progress daily with my mentor, and he helped me to arrive at conclusions from the data. I also volunteered to help other teammates and didn't stick to the assigned project.

Mahantesh: Could you please share some of your most cherishable moments during the internship?

Manjusha: The induction was exciting. I enjoyed my stay in the new city, Chennai. Getting to know a new culture was a unique experience in itself. I liked the mentor program, due to which most of my tasks got simple and helped me adjust to the new atmosphere.