After my two-year stint at Vistra ITCL as an Operation Executive in the Fund Operations team, I decided to pursue a management career with specific focus of finance and was lucky enough to be selected at NMIMS Bangalore. This transition marked a new challenge as I stepped from the outsized corporate world to a premier b-school. Besides the proven versatility, industry tailored curriculum and diverse peer group of a MBA Programme, this granted me the opportunity to relocate to a new city and grow holistically in a dynamic environment away from the comforts of my home.
Over the months, I managed to settle in well with my peers and focused on my academics. Our curriculum was quite interesting comprising of general management subjects but I had a strong inclination towards core finance topics. In order to broaden my knowledge base, I decided to take up a Certification Course on Wealth Management from FLIP which I successfully completed with an All India Rank of 36. The college also played an active role in molding our character and shaping our thought process by conducting guest lectures that encouraged active discussion and engagements with leading industry experts and hosting conclaves, case study sessions, events, contests, etc. which made us more socially aware. The college also conducted mock interviews to gear up students for their summer placement interviews. Professional Talent conducted by HRiday – The HR Club at NMIMS was one such interview competition where I secured the 1st Rank in the Finance domain in a batch of 200 students which provided a sense of achievement as well as a huge confidence boost. I also took part in the Infosys B-School Competition but only completed Round 1. However, my colleagues and me managed to crack the Tata Motors MindRover Case Study and were ranked in the top 10 among South Colleges and top 40 in India. I also ensured that I was thoroughly well-read and up to date with the latest news, current affairs, stock markets and any specific industry developments. Maintaining diligence in academics with a 3.01/4 CGPA, I excelled by way of these experiences and lessons.
Coming to April 2019, I was back home in Bombay for the commencement of my summer internship at LYNK Global as a Research Analyst in the Client Solutions team. The Hong Kong based start-up is a leading expert network firm that serves as a platform that connects management consultants, investment firms and corporates to leading industry experts, thereby facilitating on-demand knowledge transfer by way of phone consultations. My role primarily entailed understanding the nature, scope, deliverables and timelines of the project and the client’s request, conducting research to identify prospective experts, connecting with them through networking tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Naukri as well as through cold calls, on-boarding them on our expert network platform, thoroughly screening potential experts based on discussion topics, drafting the bio profile and ultimately facilitating the consultation call between the client and expert thereby generating revenue for the company.
I was working alongside the top management consultancies to deliver key personnel with industry expertise for time-sensitive projects related to market research, due diligence or consulting activities. The workforce was relatively young and rather dedicated and energetic which fostered a healthy work environment conducive to the highest productivity. Co-workers were extremely friendly and approachable and their relentless support and guidance helped us understand the business model and work flow processes. During my tenure at LYNK, I had the opportunity to interact with top C-level Executives, Directors, top-level Managers and industry practitioners. It was an enriching experience to connect with such knowledgeable professionals and onboard them onto the expert network platform. At times, the roles and responsibilities of the job demanded me to work around the clock to cater to clients in different time zones. My key learning from the internship was networking and using its incredible reach and power, micromanagement, prioritization of work and timely delivery on fast-paced projects.
I was assigned Kaustubh Agrawal as my mentor who was a great source of motivation. He possesses a great understanding of the business operations and his work pace and ethic is commendable. He presents a great level of professionalism while dealing with stakeholders, both experts and clients and I have learnt a lot by simply observing his work style. He has always been very helpful in guiding me through the work processes and deliverables, which has enhanced my contribution. He is always receptive to any of my doubts and queries and has always encouraged me to perform better. We have worked closely on multiple projects and liasoning, coordinating and communicating with him has been very easy and effective. He will always take out time to systematically explain the nature and scope of the project and the deliverables, which in turn makes my job of searching for the desired expert profile much easier. He also gives enough freedom in terms of time and space while working on any multiple projects.