With one of the most unique recruitment processes on campus (Aptitude+ Psychometric Test, Chairman GD and PI), I had big hopes for the internship and was elated on joining the undoubted leader in the watches and accessories industry of India.
The Indian Institute of Management of Bangalore has its summer internship program scheduled in the middle of the second term (Term 2 starts in September). I always wanted to intern at a Consulting firm. The rationale behind the same: having a holistic understanding of various business functions and not restricting myself only to one function which I felt would make me very linear in thoughts and ideas. I personally feel for me the access point of growth begins when I’m exposed to unfamiliar tasks which are at the same time demanding and requires one to learn on the job and simultaneously deliver. This is also very much in lines with our MBA curriculum.
The summer in April 2018 was the warmest in years. Amidst sweat and dry wind, there was to be an oasis of hope in General Electric’s (GE) leadership internship program, which was shortly to begin. The ‘Summer Internship’, as I dubbed it, was an experience like never before, contributing immensely to my knowledge and perspective and changing me as a person. From making a new home in a strange city, familiarising with Bangalore’s travelling routes (being visually challenged), coping with challenging projects/tasks, to socialising with new folks and partying on weekends, an initial struggle quickly turned into an intimate and ultimately uplifting experience of two months.
I was going to Delhi for the first time. I remember when I was a kid, I used to ask about Delhi a lot to a cousin of mine who was working there then. Fed up with my questions, he used to say “Go to Delhi when you grow up and see it for yourself how it is!” All intrigued, when I landed at Delhi Airport, the first thing I saw was a baby held by her mother looking at me and smiling. There couldn’t have been a better welcome to Delhi than this. Wait a sec! Let’s talk about how it all came to this.
Have you ever wondered if there was more to human evolution than just standing upright, cooking with fire and forming societies? Well, I have, and I strongly believe that with our dependence on technology and unidirectional education system, we have stunted it.
If you think all Summers' are just about sitting in front of an excel sheet or doing market research or even selling a product, then you haven't met me yet. Very few places sound as frenzy as a media house, even fewer when the place is one of the largest news broadcasting houses in India. Yes, I did my internship at Essel Group – ZEE Media Corporation Limited.
Being a fresher always comes with its own perks and impediments when you are in a B-School. The reason why MBA is a remarkable and life-changing experience is that we get to be a part of the platform where individuals across diverse age groups unite.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
