Among my batch mates who applied for the internship, HSBC was everybody’s first choice and I was no exception. The process started with an online test prior to GD and PI round. I was preparing myself for the day and was pretty confident about the interview as I had prior experience working with leading banks of US during my tenure with Infosys.
It started with a pre-placement talk followed by group discussion and finally personal interview. The entire process was engaging and very enriching and by the time the selection process got over and results were announced, I was enthusiastic for the upcoming assignment with HSBC.
The internship was in the Business Banking vertical in the Commercial Banking Business of HSBC, India. The project was based on live business challenges in the Business Banking space for Pune region and I was primarily involved in Identifying crucial business development channels for Liability Business.
The internship kicked off with the two-day induction program at Taj Hotel (Mumbai). The Induction Program was very oriented. All the interns who were selected from various premium B-Schools across the country were clubbed into groups to ensure they build good conversation skills and networked well with each other. Various activities were designed to cultivate attributes essential to work in the team. The induction program was addressed by the Head - HR as well as Head - Strategic Planning (HSBC). We were also introduced to various risk compliances that were crucial to the bank.
Post the induction program, all the interns had departure to their respective location.
The next morning, I reached the HSBC Pune office where I got to meet my mentor and team members. Since it was my first day, I primarily focused to have a bird-eye view of the work.
Once I was comfortable, I started my project by understanding the deliverables from my mentor, then the next task was to identify the business channels and partners who can lead to prospect clients. I would define this task as an amalgamation of multiple steps which involved understanding of the various channel partners, identifying the challenges in sourcing the liability business, getting acquainted with the core competencies of HSBC, learning about the various HSBC product offerings, the HSBC current market coverage, competitive analysis with other banks and most importantly the analysis of expected business that will be generated through a particular identified channel. In order to meet the outlined objective, I worked with several Relation Managers, who have not only supported me but also enlightened me with their experiences. I also got the opportunity to meet the Director and Chairperson of various Associations and Business Corridor. My mentor, as well as the other RMs on the floor, were very receptive to the new ideas that I brought on the desk. Not only did they appreciate my inputs but also tried to incorporate the ideas wherever there was scope for improvement. With regular feedback and inputs from my mentor, I ensured that there is no gap in my understanding and this eventually helped me build a successful project.
Along with the on-job learning, I also engaged in improvising my knowledge curve through the HSBC training portal. I got a fair understanding of the business banking industry along with some key regulatory aspects of the banking industry.
As I was working directly under the city head of HSBC, Pune, I was fortunate to receive valuable advice from him. I am completely inspired by his remarkable acumen in business matters. My entire team was also extremely helpful and I enriched myself with the knowledge that each one of my colleagues shared. The guidance from my mentor is commendable. I think I have learned the maximum out of him which I can cherish for life. He has encouraged me to take calls, meet clients independently and have motivated me to do my best. He constantly reviewed my progress and gave his feedback which helped me in fetching the desired outcome. He ensured I was learning by giving me pointers and references as well as key concepts which have helped me shape my project. I have developed my negotiation skills and also learned client handling skills through his constant inputs and the experiences he shared with me post each client visit.
Eventually, this internship has transformed me both professionally and personally.
After presenting my work to the head of transaction banking, I received positive feedback on my recommendations and I am hopeful about the value that I have been able to imbibe through my contributions. By the end of the project, I was certainly blessed to meet a couple of signatory from the bank like the country head of Business Banking as well as Head of Transaction Banking.
And one thing that I learned through the entire journey is "I may be a small fish in a renowned, silver-lined pond and I may traverse the ocean but my growth will always be a reflection of the pond from where it all started”.
My professional career has just begun and the HSBC internship experience has truly been a prestigious start!
Sidra Jalal
"2nd-year MBA student at Institute for Financial Management & Research."