A b-school teaches you to discover the hidden order in chaos. Amidst all the activities happening in the campus round-the-clock, prepping up for summer internship tops the list of priorities. The GDs and prep sessions, innumerable CV makeovers and all the ‘gyaan’ from seniors will polish your skills and help you sail through the summer placement season. In accordance with the profile targeted, significant domain knowledge is also essential.
In my interview at Nestle, I was asked a lot of situational questions, about my previous company and the work there, why I want to join Nestle and how can I add value to the company. There were a few domain related questions perhaps to check my understanding of supply chain and why I was interested in it as I am from IT background.
Fast-forward a couple of months and there I was, at Nestle HO in Gurugram. Excited...extremely!
This was a new chapter, 18 interns from 12 premiere campuses across India, all geared up to experience “Good Food, Good life” for the next two months. From the very beginning, we were treated more like an employee and less like an intern. The program was well structured, the induction week gave us an insight into the organizational culture. It started with understanding the company and its different verticals and sessions from all domain experts. Thus, it provided a holistic view of how the company operates. It was followed by factory visits, volunteering program and market visits. The highlight of the week for me, was breakfast meeting with the CEO of Nestle India. I was enthralled by the passion with which he addressed us, his personality and simplicity. It was wonderful to know about his journey and experiences. We understood how serious Nestle is about the program and its interns. The meeting was thoroughly motivating.
We finally met our mentors and buddies and waited for the projects to start. It was an amazing week providing us an ample opportunity to bond with other interns, understand the culture and values of Nestle and binge on chocolates and delicious meals. These moments made me realize, that this is the place where I waited to be!
During the 2 months tenure, I was working with the procurement team and my project was – “Distribution Network Redesign for Raw and Packaging Materials”. While working to set up a centralized hub for materials in the factories, my project helped me understand a lot about the overall supply chain process. I worked with different teams – finance, logistics, demand & supply to ensure every aspect of the project ran smoothly and also had a chance to learn from their experiences. The best part was, people around me were just as much interested in the project as I was. They helped me connect with others who could guide me in taking my project further. I also had the opportunity to visit the factories and the warehouses. Interestingly, I realized that the work demands more than just numbers and the processes, it in fact hinges on people and to convince them of how my recommendations will add value to the existing operations.
I was also in regular touch with my mentor, the head of procurement. Despite his busy work, he was very helpful and welcoming. After project briefing, he gave me complete freedom to approach the problems, the way it seemed fit to me. It enhanced my creativity and gave me a sense of ownership and belonging in the organization. For my reviews, I was ready with my presentation well in advance to find enough time to incorporate his suggestions. He was very supportive of me throughout the internship. I am grateful to this collaboration.
The work itself was no cake walk, it was demanding, challenging and tricky at times. It required long working hours, intense pressure and continuous effort to create something new. However, the culture at Nestle encourages you to do all that, to venture outside your comfort zone and find your own ways. It was encouraging to see people on the floor extremely invested in their work, yet finding time for you.
This makes me realize that you only need to be patient and consistent, you strive, and it pushes you harder to get the best out of you. The highs. The lows. The lessons. The setbacks. The comebacks. And I am thankful for it all!