20 hours before Day 0 of summer internships, when the CV shortlist was out, just right there my ride got bumpy. With my name reflecting in the waiting list, my only aim was a move to the main rounds. With only a 50% chance in my hand, it was time for me to put nothing less than 100% of all the rest that I had to offer.
What I had with me was learnings from my past experience, months of practice for group discussions, case studies, mock interviews and there had come a time to leverage it all. The next morning, the show began and I was determined to not anticipate the next scene but only focus on what comes at the moment. Not being too caught up by the thought of winning the internship, I pictured myself in the game where I needed to clear each level and get onto next one. With the same clarity of thought, I moved from GD to case round to PI and then finally to EY!
Key Takeaways
- Not all that starts unwell ends unwell
- Do not rush in. Go one step at a time
Interning At EY
Being a Mumbaikar, when I got my location as Pune, I learned the first thing about consulting: Consultants do not have a permanent address; the client’s location is their address. So there I was. On time, dressed like a consultant (as expected to) and wearing my lucky cologne to kickstart my day with all energy.
The first day started off with an introductory web call with interns from all the major cities who were the part of the summer internship program. It was followed by HR representatives taking us through the entire structure of the organization and business heads speaking about multiple verticals. I was awestruck with the magnitude that EY offers for professionals to bud. One thing was surely implied that there were opportunities all around it was upon us to take a leap.
Post two days of orientation, I had expected things to quickly take shape. But in the consulting world, nothing happens on its own unless you drive it with enough force. You are required to take charge and stand out so as to make things move. With vigour filled in me, I was sure to soon figure out what my two months calendar looked like. I met everyone in the team and by the first week, I was briefly aware of the team practices and how the team functioned. Did I like the work? Hell yes! The practice I was allotted was Supply Chain, and it was something totally new and something that I would have never normally chosen; not because I don’t like Supply Chain but simply because I have never been exposed to much of it. Plus I knew all I had was two months in my hand and I was clear in my thought that be it anything, I am not letting it simply pass rather make it an incredible experience for me and my team.
Key Takeaways
- Take ownership
- Explore the unknown
The Project And The Team
Under the impression that everyone would be too engaged with their own deadlines & deliverable, I was sceptical about gaining attention from the team and mentor. But I was totally proven wrong. Detailed rounds of project understanding, weekly updates, scope modifications, project execution support, flexibility and liberty given by my mentor ensured that engagement and motivation bars didn’t drop by a single point.
I realized what impact managers can bring to the business with their style of leadership and communication. I wouldn’t talk about the hard skills that enabled me to successfully deliver what I was expected to, because knowing the concepts, readings, tools & frameworks, MS skills are all bare minimum expectation from any MBA grad today. And some are technical in nature, which can, therefore, be picked up on the job.
But what makes the cut here is your personality, your thought process, the way you articulate and the responsibility you take up on the job. The project was only what was assigned to me but it didn’t confine me. The time when I learnt something new, the time when I had meaningful conversations, the time when I made good friends was all when I was involved in the work that was out of my project scope. We are not limited by job descriptions. If we really want to be a part of something then we must work as a team and not limit ourselves
Key Takeaways
- Shortsightedness is blindness
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Also read in the Summer Saga series -