I did my internship at a vibrant startup 'Interface AI' who is a leading provider of the Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) or commonly known as Chatbot solutions to various industries. Since this was going to be my first industry exposure, I wanted to gain experience in what is known as the 'Sunshine' sector that is artificial intelligence, and that is what I exactly got. My work during the internship revolved around conducting market research for the IVA or chatbot industry, and competitor analysis. The teams that I worked for were digital marketing and strategy team. My two month's stint at 'Interface AI' was quite rigorous but at the same time, it was very fulfilling in the terms of learning and gaining knowledge and experience.
Selection and Interview Process:
There were two rounds of the selection process 1) Screening based on resume and 2) Telephonic interview. My tips for cracking the telephonic interview will be to be crisp and precise in what you are trying to convey to the interviewer rather than beating around the bush and be clear with your thoughts and with your words. I would suggest practising with your peers or seniors by conducting mock telephonic interviews to get a hang of it so that one can know his/her strengths and weaknesses.
Learnings and outcomes:
Since it was my first industry exposure, I was pretty excited to know about how classroom learning can be applied in the real world and that is what I exactly got. I started working from day 1 and made a detailed plan on what tasks need to be accomplished during my internship period. I started by gauging the IVA or chatbot market on various parameters of the classic strategy models like SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, Ansoff matrix, PESTEL analysis, etc. I also conducted a detailed competitor analysis and made a Go to Market Strategy. My findings, conclusion and recommendations were promptly used by various teams at the company ranging from digital marketing, content marketing, strategy, sales, etc. The most fulfilling part of any work is not only when it is appreciated but also when it is implemented.
None of the above-mentioned tasks would have been accomplished without the constant support from the whole 'Interface AI' team. The entire staff of the company was supportive and encouraging and it was not limited to the teams I was working for. During my internship stint, I also got an opportunity to meet and interact with the founder of the company Mr Srinivas Njay. His words very inspiring and encouraging and one can spot a true spirit of entrepreneurship from his words. Lastly, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude towards Mr Swapnil Bhagwat, head of digital marketing and Mr Manjunath G.N. head of marketing, without their constant support, such a fulfilling experience would have been not possible. Their focus was more on my own personal learning, more than anything else because they believed that this is what will help me in my future.
