My Internship Journey At Mondelez International Amidst Lockdown

Being a part of an organization that cares about its people is a blessing in itself. In these unprecedented times, Mondelez kept its promise to provide the interns with an exciting internship experience despite the odds. It gets a bit discomforting when things do not roll out as expected, adapting to the virtual internship was a similar feeling. But the team left no stone unturned to make our experience a memorable one. Even before we began our journey with Mondelez, we had frequent communications by the HR to keep our apprehensions at bay.

The induction process was fun-filled and exciting, to begin with knowing each other and ice breaker activities, accompanied by knowledge and insightful sessions from the leaders to get well accustomed to the culture and know-how of the different functions and categories. The onboarding process was well designed by the team to provide a seamless experience.

My mentor has been supportive right from the beginning, open to discussions anytime I feel stuck and guiding from time to time. I got a buddy to help me get comfortable with my project and the organization culture. I had many apprehensions before joining virtually. After six weeks of experience, I can proudly say that the project I am working on is beneficial for the business, I get all the help I need, and given the open culture of Mondelez, I can reach out to any senior leader as well for any inputs required. It helps me grow as a person as well as an employee and provides a sense of belongingness when people take time out of their busy schedule to help an intern. Catch up calls with fellow interns helps in building companionship and allows learning from each other.

Working in a virtual set up right at the beginning of my career was something that I dreaded, but Mondelez has given me an experience filled with immense learnings that I can surely say I have become more resilient and more positive in these uncertain circumstances. I am working in Information Business Services function, and as part of my role in supplier experience, I get to interact with people all across the globe. It gives me good exposure to dealing with cross-cultural practices. Mondelez believes in creating an inclusive workforce, and a women employee is always supported in her endeavours to grow. Diversity and inclusion is a priority for senior leaders, and it gives a confidence boost to know that hard work is always appreciated.

I think working in a virtual environment makes me feel anxious about whether I am putting in efforts in the right direction or not and that’s a common issue each of one us face at one point or another. But it is a part of adapting to the new normal, dealing with ambiguity, building resilience and creating positivity around us. As much as work is important so is the health of the people and Mondelez also provides a subscription to fitness apps ensuring that even when we are distant from office gym, we get ample resources to keep our mind and health in place. In the end, all of it boils down to the fact that all that matters is to adapt to new ways of working, being agile and get the necessary support from the organization.

Proud to be a part of Mondelez and share a fulfilling and exciting internship experience!