JOURNEY INTO A CORPORATE WORLD!

What makes the internship experience so thrilling that people feel like writing about it? Well, it is the curiosity of entering the corporate world, meeting the expectations, knowing the people, their culture, opportunity to get Pre Placement Offer and so on… My mind was flooded with these questions when our placement committee announced the commencement of summer internship!

The next important thought on my mind was on which project I will get to work? Also after discussion with college friends, I was wondering if I will be entitled for any stipend. Some of my friends were offered a handsome amount while few where not offered anything.

Finally through a close reference, I got a chance to work with a Corporate as summer intern. And luckily the company in which I was allowed to do internship, I was offered stipend too! And, however we say that stipend is not more important than experience which is true, we cannot deny the happiness of getting it.

At last with all this anxiety, curiosity, lessons from my professors I entered into the corporate world to unlock all the mysteries that were flooded in my mind.

THE D-DAY...

I entered into the office after completing all the formalities of gate pass where I got immediate help from my then guide. I met the concerned HR team member and she asked me to complete the other joining formalities. As I had learnt during MBA lectures to build a network, I started interacting with few people in the field HR during the process. Though the formalities took lot of time the people seemed really very co-operative and welcoming. They asked me about the college, then about my career plans and my journey to reach the company. So with all that, I finally met the person heading Talent Acquisition department of a particular Business Unit which I was suppose to join and she introduced me to all the members of the team. The team seemed to be friendly and cheerful with a hope that I would be able to help them in some way to improve their current recruitment process.

On discussion with my manager, I realized that she wanted me to come prepared with a very new topic. Honestly before the internship I had not done much research for project topic as the exams just finished a day before my joining the company. Though I could not meet her expectations, I scratched my heads, took help from friends, read as many articles possible on Human resource to come up with something very innovative. I showed her my research work for topic on recruitment and looking at it she suddenly said, “Why don’t you go for Social Recruiting?” And I agreed upon it as the topic seemed new and interesting. Suddenly everything became so easy and with that my actual work began.

As the company was on the nascent stage of the social recruiting, the team members seemed to be very much interested in my project work and they also provided me with some good contacts for my project study. Looking at my interest they also involved me with some recruiting activities, training sessions, corporate presentations, which helped me a lot.

During the project work, I went through the existing Recruitment process documents. I also had lot of discussions and healthy debates with the team members where they were even checking my communication and analytical skills. Also I got lot of help even during the report preparation. Apart from my mentor, our manager also overlooked my project and suggested me improvements from time to time.

While I was focusing on Recruitment, I also wished I should have got a brief background on the company hierarchy, departmental structures, on how things actually work and the little exposure on the different aspects of HR. Unfortunately, I was denied of it. Also my mentor was engaged in her own work that she could not give me much time. Majority of my time was spent either reading policies of the recruitment process or reading books in the library. But I must admit that the library had the best books and I enjoyed reading them.

The last day…

And finally the day of my departure arrived! The last day was really very special to me. My new team had already planned for my farewell. I was called in the pantry where they had arranged cake and snacks, clicked photographs and really made me feel very special. They appreciated my good work and asked me to stay in touch.

Really enjoyed working for 2 months and this experience removed all the anxieties which I had earlier about the corporate world; instead made me excited to actually work for my final placements. This was one of the most wonderful journeys of my life…[/i]

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

This intern's reflection offers a realistic and thoughtful account of a summer internship, balancing initial anxieties and minor frustrations with genuine learning and a positive overall experience. It's a relatable narrative for many students entering the corporate world.

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Writing Style and Techniques​

• Relatable Introduction: The opening effectively frames the common anxieties and curiosities of a student embarking on an internship ("curiosity of entering the corporate world, meeting the expectations, knowing the people, their culture, opportunity to get Pre Placement Offer and so on…"). This immediately connects with the reader.
• Balance of Positives and Negatives (with a lean towards positive): The narrative acknowledges initial confusion and minor disappointments (e.g., lack of broader HR exposure, mentor's limited time, extensive reading) but consistently circles back to the positive aspects—supportive colleagues, an interesting project, the value of the stipend, and a positive farewell.
• Narrative Arc: The story progresses from pre-internship anxieties, through the initial formalities and project assignment, the work itself, and concludes with a warm farewell. This chronological flow makes the experience easy to follow.
• Emphasis on Learning and Growth: The core takeaway is about learning, both formally (project work, reading policies) and informally (networking, communication skills, adapting to corporate culture). The intern explicitly states that the experience "removed all the anxieties... instead made me excited to actually work for my final placements."
• Detailed Anecdotes: Specific details like the "D-DAY," the gate pass formalities, the HR team's questions about college and career plans, and the manager's sudden suggestion of "Social Recruiting" add authenticity and vividness to the account.
• Conversational and Reflective Tone: The use of "I" throughout creates a personal, reflective feel. The intern shares thoughts and feelings openly ("my mind was flooded," "I was wondering," "Honestly before the internship I had not done much research"), which makes the narrative engaging.
• Integration of Academic Learnings: The reference to "MBA lectures to build a network" demonstrates how classroom knowledge was applied in a real-world setting, reinforcing the value of their education.
• Focus on People and Culture: The description of "co-operative and welcoming" people, a "friendly and cheerful" team, and the thoughtful farewell planned by colleagues highlights the importance of human interaction and a positive work environment.
• Humor/Relatability in Small Touches: The acknowledgment of the "happiness of getting" a stipend, despite the emphasis on experience, is a small, relatable detail that adds a touch of humor and honesty.

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Overall Impression​

This internship reflection is a well-rounded and honest portrayal of a typical, yet enriching, corporate internship. It successfully conveys the blend of practical learning, personal challenges, and positive social interactions that define such experiences. The writing is clear, warm, and engaging, making it a valuable read for students about to embark on their own internships. It emphasizes that even when the experience isn't perfect, significant learning and positive takeaways are possible, contributing to a sense of preparedness for future career steps.