My First Ever Job - ChandraKaran Reddy, XIMB

Growing up, we all dream of being a part of eminent organizations. We all must have dreamt of working for great brands, taking up challenging assignments, living the corporate life and at the same time earning a good deal of money.

For freshers like me, the thought of working in a company fills one with loads of excitement and happiness. With that in mind, I appeared for the Summer Internship Recruitment Process of PricewaterhouseCoopers, in short, PwC. After multiple rounds of rigorous interviews, I was selected to intern with this prestigious company which is a big name in the consulting sector.

My stint with PwC began on the 1st of April when I was asked to report to the company’s swanky office in Kolkata at 9:30 AM sharp. What followed were two days of orientation where we were briefed about the various aspects pertaining to the company name, the structure, culture, processes, IT systems, legal compliances and other policies. Post which we were given details of our respective managers and were asked to contact them. I was extremely happy to know that my manager is the Director of a particular line of service and was excited to work with a man of his qualification and experience but at the same, I was aware of the fact that he would have tremendous expectations from me. With loads of butterflies in my stomach and a smile on my face, I introduced myself to my manager, following which I was quickly briefed about my work and my deliverables. And thus, began the two most rigorous months of my life.

My first assignment was performing a feasibility analysis for a solid waste management project. To begin with, I, along with a solid waste management expert surveyed and analyzed the region where the project is supposed to be implemented. The site visits I undertook pushed me to my limits and tested every ounce of patience I have. The stench emanating from the dumping sites, coupled with the unbearable heat and the crowded lanes posed quite a challenge. As a part of the project, I spoke to multiple vendors dealing in SWM technologies to understand the requirements pertaining to the implementation of the same at the required location. During the course of my project work, I was asked to brief the client on the progress of the assignment. Client visits tested both my technical and my soft skills to the fullest. The interactions I had with the client helped me improve various aspects pertaining to my personality. I was simultaneously asked to work on a proposal for a project funded by an international financial institution which is known for providing interest-free loans to the governments of various countries. In the midst of all this, I was also tasked with the responsibility of working on certain sections of the quarterly newsletter published by PwC on a topic which was quite new to me. The rigour at the workplace was no different than the rigour at my B-School, each and every day I got an opportunity to experience something new. By the time I had successfully completed all the deliverables I had reached the end of my internship and it was time for the most anticipated part of an internship, the performance review. I was asked to present my project work to the Partner of the department I was working in. My presentation was intricately reviewed following which I was given feedback about my performance. On the last day, an intern engagement program was conducted where I got a chance to network with interns from other departments. Following which I was asked to perform a few offboarding formalities and that marked the end of the two most priceless months of my life.

Every memory I made at PwC will be cherished all my life, for, it was my first ever job. PwC gave me an opportunity to experience various aspects pertaining to life as a consultant, the insights I obtained will go a long way in helping me plan out my future. In the years to come, irrespective of where I work, these two months will always hold a special place in my heart.