A clear understanding of fundamentals is imperative. Just having an overview of a sector is not enough. Many students tend to get caught in the “I-already-know-this” trap which must be avoided. As a popular saying goes, the illusion of knowledge is worse than ignorance, the scourge of superficial knowledge has cost many a student their dream companies and opportunities. MBA grads are expected to have a better understanding and insight into the various sectors and the linkages between them. Ministry of Power’s annual reports, MNRE website, Merscom India, ET Energy world, etc were some of the sources which I referred to while preparing for an internship in companies working in the Renewable and Electric Mobility domain. In the techno-managerial courses, like the one I am currently pursuing (MBA in Infrastructure Development and Management), a brush-up of one’s graduating subjects is also vital especially in core engineering streams like Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, etc.
INTERVIEW
The interview session is a wonderful experience and provides an important lesson irrespective of the outcome. Interviews are the holy grail of one’s communication skills. My interview was mainly focused on my academic background, work experience, and technical know-how in the Renewable and E-mobility domain. Some of the technical questions were quite detailed and brushing up my electrical engineering concepts proved fruitful. The duration of the interview was around 15 minutes.
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
An internship is a cocktail of exhilaration, hardship and sobering experience. It is the first foray for MBA grads into the real world, especially for freshers. My internship at Infraline Energy was a great learning experience for me. I worked on the Charging Infrastructure project and its role in Electric mobility transition. It gave me valuable insight into the E-mobility domain. All the tricks and trade learned during the first year of college was put to use. The work not only demanded the technical skills but also the financial and managerial ones. It also brought out the challenges the sector is facing. Some of my shortcomings also came to light which was rectified and overcome through my mentor’s guidance and effort.
KEY LEARNINGS
The whole purpose of the internship is to provide students with the first-hand experience in real-world situations. It helps in bridging the gap between theory and practice. Some of my key learnings are as follows:
- Taking a holistic approach in any project is crucial. It not only helps in getting the desired outcome but also saves time.
- Deadlines are sacrosanct. It reinforces the concept of time is money. Time management is one of the key skills for all MBA grads and internship provides an opportunity to hone that skill.
- It helped me in identifying my areas of improvement. Working with them would help me become a better manager and refine my skillsets.
- The internship helped in zeroing-in on the roles that I would like to work in and also provides a crystal ball to gauge the scope of growth in the sector.
- Personal connections made with the mentors and fellow interns have helped to expand my network.
ADVISE TO JUNIORS
Apart from all the skills, one learns during the internship, it also presents an opportunity to test the waters in the real-world and to evaluate a career path. This opportunity must be exercised with full vigour and enthusiasm. The whole internship experience also brings out one’s areas of strength and weakness. It should also be considered an excellent opportunity to make contacts and hone your networking skills. Students must also skirt the hubris of superficiality. In-depth knowledge is vital for career progression and is one of the most desired qualities sought by recruiters.