The journey of every MBA student starts with a rush of activities and studies, but the ultimate goal is the implementation of those learning. My journey also started with a similar pace, from trying to manage stuff here and there, then ultimately able to balance it all. The main grill was not the college studies, or activities, but the real adrenaline rush came when I sat for the internship interview. Dell was the first interview I sat for, which started with group discussion followed by, technical interview, HR interview and at last the Director's round. Every round was an elimination round and I was lucky enough to clear all the rounds and get this amazing internship. So, the grill is easy just be calm and composed; speak what you know, don't cut out anyone else's statement and they will consider you. As the company wants managers and not someone with just knowledge, so be calm even if you are from a different background. The only sure thing should be the current educational knowledge of MBA and confidence.
As the company was hiring for a finance role, and most of the people from IT background get worried that how they'll ace the process. But, I would suggest that be calm and tell the recruiters what you know and what you don't, they specifically at Dell, respect your honesty and would encourage you further if you portray the truth and your desire to join their company. There was no grilling at all and most of my interview sessions went on explaining about my prior work experience or other things in my resume. So, one should know what they have mentioned in their resume, as it might backfire at times. In my case, I was very sure of every line that I had mentioned in my resume and was able to convince them about my skill sets and experience.
When I got selected, the real thing started, the constant wishes from HR departments for various festivals and occasions, even prior to our joining. It made us feel proud of being selected in one of the best companies. Further, our whole plan of action and events were communicated much prior to us by the company. The first day started with discussions with the Vice President himself, and our buddies provided by the company to guide us through the process. We were assigned a separate buddy and mentor to help us complete our projects or any other help that we might need.
The whole environment and people at Dell were so welcoming and helpful that it made the projects more easy and fun. We were given a separate project which we had to do on our own, taking help of our mentor and buddy. These projects were actual business problems or requirements of the company which they would implement with our help. Further, we had to prepare a final presentation at the end of our tenure and present it in-front of all the directors of the company. Along with constant learning, they also engaged us in CSR activities where we learnt how Dell gives back to society through various initiatives. And every weekend we used to have a leadership session with one of the directors of the company, so as to know the departments and company bettor, which they coined as Lessons In Leadership. Not only this the company organised a one day team building event for all the interns, which was filled with fun activities and learning to play together in corporate. Also, along with the daily work there were multiple teams or leaders parties that were organised to socialize more with each other outside office.
The best part of my experience was the constant guidance from the HR team and my mentor, who gave me constant support to not only complete my project in time, but also guide me how to get the best of my career in future. My mentor helped me learn new business tactics and strategies and their practical implementation. He also honed my presentation skills more, and made me learn Excel Macros. In short, in a span of two months only he provided me with the best practical exposure that I could have got in any company.
At last, I would like to conclude that Dell is one of the best companies to intern with, and they will make you feel aligned and connected with not only the brand but also the people who are acting behind the brand. Further, the best learning that I got from this company was, how to become a manager rather than just an employee.