When I came to b-school, I was clueless of what sector I wanted to venture out into. Everyone said that the summer internship was the time to experiment and explore, and so I chose to intern with Operations as it was the exact opposite of sitting at a desk in front of the laptop (summarising 4 years of my work experience).
The sweltering summer months ushered in a new chapter. As a student of a business administration programme, I had to undertake my summer internship which was an integral part of our curriculum. I remember sitting in the swanky conference room the same way I remember my first day of college: excited, anxious but out of place as if I didn’t belong. A lady in a crisp, pink cotton shirt and a warm smile greeted us (me and other interns) and lead us to the office. I followed her while silently chiding myself for not wearing my pink shirt; the blue won the contest in the morning as it seemed more ‘corporate’. After a brief introduction with everyone, we were staffed on our respective teams. As I had hit the ground running, I was immediately allotted work. I was thrilled as the tasks I would complete will be of use in contrast to the numerous stories I had heard where the interns weren’t provided meaningful work. It was daunting at the beginning as I was used to structured and detailed instructions and here in the office, I was given considerable autonomy and freedom.
XLRI and TISS are known for their Human Resource Management courses. The general perception is that XLRI is a management-oriented institute while TISS is a humanities-oriented institute. There’s no doubt that both the institutes have produced excellent professionals in this field.
15 years of school in Joka made it my second home during childhood. Going to and coming home from school every day gave me a glimpse of the hallowed gates of IIM Calcutta just across the road. Even the bus conductors shouted ‘Management! Management!’ to contest for passengers; such is this institution’s aura! One thing became clear right then – my choice of b-school would be easy if I ever looked for an MBA.
The summer placement process is the most gruelling experience any B-school grad would face. After several months of hard work and sleepless nights, I finally got placed in one of the most coveted FMCG companies in India. The sense of relief that ensues once the rigour is over is beyond measure. Just when I thought the grilling was finally over, 7 months later, another battle started in an entirely different setting – new turf, new rules!
Post last night’s anxiety of settling in a new city and the much-awaited 2-months’ corporate stint, was a hot Monday morning. Who doesn’t hate Mondays, yet pulling a smile on my face, I managed to enter the corporate building well before time. Gazing out for my college friends, my eyes were stuck on the glass entrance door. This is the ideal time to step out of your “comfort zone” I recalled, and as a Tuchcha (excuse me for the IIM lingo, alias for seniors) loyalist, I began conversing with the IIM Indore girl sitting right next to me. The conversation got me settling down a bit, my eyes deviating from the initial entrance door glaring business. The batch was a mix of people coming from IIMs, SCMHRD and NMIMS. With fellow networking all over my mind, I was looking for every possible prospect I could catch hold of, to strike a conversation. I came here with the intention of not only outperforming in my project deliverables but also to make friends with as many people as possible, I reminisced.
Interned at – Wipro Technologies, Bangalore From 03/04/2017 To 02/06/2017
The best thing about working in a startup is - “You’ll get to learn a lot” as stated by our seniors and people with work experiences.
