With the world facing a pandemic, there were quite a lot of challenges that people faced in the first half of the year. With lockdowns being imposed globally, many companies resorted to laying off their employees and deferring/canceling their internship offers. However, many others kept their promises and adapted to the changing times to ensure their employees and interns continued to benefit and grow. Mahindra Group was one such who made good on their promise, albeit virtually.
For today's article, we spoke to Prashant Yadav, a Strategy intern who worked in the Auto & Farm Sector at Mahindra. He talks about his internship experience and being part of Mahindra’s GMC program. Read the full interview below!
Hi Prashant, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, I’m Prashan Yadav. I’m a Science Graduate (BSc. Physics) and have 5 years of work experience. I am currently pursuing my MBA from IIM Calcutta. I was previously in the Indian Navy and had a successful start-up in the Agriculture space. My hobbies include photography, driving (Adventure trips / Mountain driving), mountaineering, military history, and geopolitical issues
Tell us about your experience during the Mahindra GMC Internship recruitment process. What was that one question during your interview that you think helped you bag your internship?
Mahindra is one of the most sought-after firms by MBA graduates as it offers a promising career trajectory and is perceived as an agile and evolving group. The recruitment process was seamless, consisting of psychometric tests, case-based group discussions, and a personal interview.
The question which helped me make an impression was – “Why Mahindra after having a successful start-up?” I was able to connect the dots and convey the reasons in a convincing manner. Mahindra looks for leadership qualities that would enable you to work in teams, take on tough projects, and deliver.
Tell us about the moment when you found out that your internship will be completely virtual. What was your immediate reaction? How did you prepare yourself for this unusual setting?
By March-end, the GMC team informed us that we would be starting our projects online from April 6th and switch to offline mode if the conditions permit. The duration of the internship was also extended by two weeks to make up for the loss.
I took this as a challenge and assessed my strategy and approach to making the most of it. I set up a separate place to work where I could work without any interruptions and made sure that my infra-like internet and a big screen for long hours of work is as close to an office setup. I made myself familiar with the tools used by Mahindra like MS Teams and other software. Since we were working remotely, I made extra efforts to keep connected to people in the organization and reached out to them regularly. I made extensive use of the employee directory for contacts and utilized various platforms to interact with people and establish a bond.
Tell us about your virtual internship experience. What were some of the challenges you faced? How did your project guide & team help you overcome these challenges?
Although the virtual mode had a lot of constraints like the absence of face to face interactions and the office environment.
The major challenges faced were:
- I could not travel to various locations for consumer feedback and surveys
- Linguistic barriers were more visible in terms of interactions with field workers
- Offline marketing plans and personal connections were not possible.
My project guide and buddy helped me navigate through this. My guide was a senior leader, but still very approachable. From day one I could feel welcome and a part of the organization due to the warmth and acceptance of the people.
I along with my guide and buddy, I made a well-defined strategy to make the best possible use of the time available.
My guide connected me with the team leaders across various functions so that I could approach them as and when required.
Were there any initiatives to help enhance your internship experience and learning?
Yes, the entire GMC team made efforts to make us feel as close to the regular setting. Some of these include:
- Multiple sessions with the CEOs and Leaders from different businesses were organized to help us understand the sentiment and values that drive people at Mahindra.
- We were allotted senior leaders (including CEOs) as personal mentors whom we could reach out to informally under the “Leadership Connect” initiative.
- I was very happy to interact and learn from Mr. Vinod Sahay - Chief Purchase Officer – Auto & Farm Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
- Sessions with GMC seniors were also organized to help us resolve our queries.
What was your project about? How did you manage to complete it successfully?
My project was in the strategy domain: Digital Marketing Strategy for Farming as a Service, Auto, and Farm Sector.
When I was given my project deliverables, I was excited as it is perfectly aligned with my interests.
I approached it through a four-pronged strategy. I interacted with 250+ farmers across 6 states to prepare a survey document which enabled me to derive insights from the field. Also, I benchmarked various companies and their services in India and abroad to understand the best Industry practices. Based on the data, I prepared a detailed digital marketing strategy across 4 platforms and for offline lead generation. I used different tools to optimize delivery.
With the help of my team, I implemented the plan organically with the required approvals digitally as well in identified locations. Following my planner religiously, I allotted more time to the implementation part of the same. This helped me seek feedback and make relevant course corrections. I also voluntarily broadened the scope of my project to gain better insights.
While I started with enthusiasm, there were times where I would get confused or stuck and strayed into a different direction, I would reach out to my project guide to get feedback. It was this constant dialogue with her that helped me in refocusing my energies in the right direction by making course corrections.
Tell us a little about your evaluation process. What do you think helped you get that coveted PPO?
Good knowledge of PGP1 subjects provided a strong foundation for my project. I think the main reason that helped me bag a PPO was my involvement with the people and the company. In addition to the allotted project, I was a part of various other ongoing projects which helped me get an overall view and add value to my understanding of the business.
I helped the teams design various promotional creatives. I made a short film on the work done by Mahindra during COVID in rural areas. This was tweeted by Mr. Anand Mahindra himself and other leaders which was a great morale booster.
What was the biggest learning from your Mahindra GMC Summer Internship?
It's easy to get wrapped up in understanding every component of all the concepts taught in business school. Remember that in most cases it's not about becoming “the expert” ...it's about acquiring a top-level understanding of key tools and skills so that you may identify potential risks and opportunities, ask good questions and make informed recommendations.
Also, the insights derived from the interactions with the end-user should be a priority as in the end, they are the ones who determine the success of any product.
Which is the most memorable moment/experience of your internship journey?
Interacting with farmers in regions where the language was a barrier was one of the most memorable experiences. Since I could not travel to these regions to interact with the farmers, I reached out to the Territory Managers with the help of my Guide, who helped me interact over conference calls/skype calls.
Understanding the common bond in the farmers across India was one of the best and memorable experiences that I would cherish forever.
Also, we interns had an interactive session with Mr. Anand Mahindra which was great motivation as he shared his personal experiences and guidance. His leadership and simplicity would keep us motivated as we move ahead.
With a PPO in hand, how are you approaching your second year at B-school?
In the second year, we have the opportunity to take on-campus leadership roles in addition to academics, getting the opportunity to lead student organizations, and gain insights about management and networking.
I am a part of the Recruitment Team as a Prep coordinator and am in charge of looking after the overall prep activities for summer placements of the junior batch.
Also, I am a core team member of the Alumni Cell where I am looking at expanding my network and widening my horizons.
Is there any advice you would like to give to your juniors, who want to intern in a top company like Mahindra?
Remember why you came to business school - write it down, revisit your notes, and make it your mantra. Allow yourself to focus on what you really want by narrowing your options. Try making a more targeted list of companies to apply to, or choosing just one club to take a leadership role in. When you go on information channels, learn as much as you can about your target industry, company, and role, and force yourself to step outside your comfort zone.
Having a long-term career goal makes it easier to determine what summer internship, and ultimately what first post-MBA job to pursue.
About Mahindra GMC:
The Group Management Cadre (GMC) program recruits highly talented MBA graduates, empowering them to jumpstart their careers in key positions at Mahindra. Mahindra hires from the best b schools, and currently has over 150+ GMCs within the Group. The GMC is a fast-paced, challenging program that grooms high potential managers for leadership positions over a 10 to 15 years’ time horizon.
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