Life during 2 Month Summer Internship

2 Months of Summer Internship……..

I still remember the interview for summer internship held in my college. The interview was taken by HR of ITC who hailed from Calcutta and Assistant Manager who was from Patna. For 30 minutes I was drag with lot of question and finally I came to know my name was in the waiting list. After few days I came to know that I have been shortlisted for the summer internship of ITC. In the interview round there was strong discussion on whether retailers or wholesaler are important. From the beginning I laid my stand on wholesaler, and didn’t change my stance. After the interview I realized ITC lays more emphasis on retailer than wholesaler, and I thought I made a blunder. But finally I thank God I was selected for the summer internship.

My summer internship project was “Driving Superior Availability And Visibility of ITC Products in lower pop group markets”. I was assigned to work in five areas of Biharsharif (a place in Bihar). The five areas that I was given was Rajgir, Nalanda, Chandi, Danyama and Noorsarai (which are the rural areas of Bihar). Just one day before my summer internship I got a call from my mentor who was the Area Manager motivating me to work properly and give 100% effort. Finally my journey started on 12th April 2012. I left Patna morning 6 am and reached my destination at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. I was getting call from the supervisor to come to the office and visit the market. After just reaching Biharsharif I took the hotel in hurry and headed over to the office. I visited some of the retail, wholesale and confectionary soap of the local market with the supervisor (an employee of the distributor) in Biharsharif. Before the summer internship I was having idea of ITC cigarette, but I wonder there are so many products under ITC. I was surprised that within 10 sec the Supervisor noticed what are the ITC product and competitor product available in the counter. The same thing was expected from me also as I was assigned the work of improvising the visibility and availability of the ITC products. During my past days when I use to visit any retail outlet to buy any product, then during that time I never use to pay attention to the visibility of the product, but my entire perception changed. After working for the entire day when I returned to the hotel room, it was nightmare for me. Room was full of mosquitoes and the environment seems very strange. The food in the restaurant of the hotel was not tasty and I seem to miss lot the dosa provided in the college mess. There were few holes in the door which made me wonder that someone is continuously watching me. The internet was also not working as the connection that I took seems to have poor service. That time I remember the words of one of my professors who told that when you go to corporate life, life will be not as easy as in college, there will no beautiful secretary...e .t.c., pressure to perform better and no friends who help to do work as in the college assignments. I was admiring his words. The one thing that kept me busy was continuously talking with my friends who were working on the same project but in different areas. Next day I changed the room. I got all the list of ITC products and within 2 days I also got some competency in indentifying ITC products. Moving in the market daily 4 to 5 km and understanding the market in 40 degree hot temperature was not easy task. I thought sales job is the easiest job before my college days, but I wonder I was so wrong.

I was staying in Biharsharif, but from that place I have to cover 5 areas which were an average 45 km from my place. I saw the movie Swades few days before my summer internship and wonder a scene how a bus can be so crowdie. Most of the times when I use to travel by the local bus I faced the same situation as I saw in the movie Swades (a small bus in which a lot number of people are sitting and its very crowdy) was really amazed from the personal experience. I also travelled with product carrying van to check whether services are done on the regular basis or not. When I came to know that I have to work in two tourist place, I thought wow it will be fun, but visiting 30 outlets daily and making available maximum number of ITC products was not an easy task. For the first time I organized haat activity in Rajgir and Nalanda. Lot of people visited the haat, few were foreigner also, found really exciting telling about the ITC products and giving them attractive offers. Visiting a cosmetic outlet was really pleasing for me, because most of the time I get the time to talk with beautiful ladies. First activity that I did was the survey of the availability and visibility of the ITC products in the entire five markets allotted to me. While doing survey I was amazed when I came to know in some of places people were thinking me a government officer who has came to raid them. Most of the people were feeling shy to share their mobile numbers. After survey I worked on the visibility and availability of the ITC products. The lessons taught in consumer behaviour classes were so different than the real experience. I thanked God for the class I bunked. I did talk with lot of retailers and distributor and I realized they were so business- minded. There was only one day off (i.e. Sunday) in which I use to go home because it was just 75 Km from Patna (my home city). The next day Monday I have to leave early 4 o’clock in the morning which was very difficult for me. For the past two months I worked hard and found that there was good increase in the availability and visibility of the ITC products. There was only one day off (i.e. Sunday) in which I use to go home because it was just 75 Km from Patna (my home city). The next day Monday I have to leave early 4 o’clock in the morning which was very difficult for me.

After my summer internship got over, I was told to give presentation in the Patna ITC office. I know I did good work, but then also my heartbeat was fast. Finally after giving a presentation of around 25 minutes, I got appreciation for my work. Finally my journey of summer internship end and now when my fourth trimester classes are going on, sometimes I do feel nostalgic about the experience that I had during my two months of summer internship.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

This is a highly detailed and relatable account of a challenging yet ultimately rewarding summer internship experience. The narrative effectively captures the initial anxieties, the harsh realities of fieldwork, and the personal growth achieved.

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Overcoming Initial Hurdles​

The narrative immediately engages the reader by detailing the initial anxiety of the ITC internship interview and the author's unwavering stance on wholesalers, which seemed to be a "blunder" at the time. This opening effectively builds suspense and makes the eventual selection feel like a hard-won victory. The quick transition to the project scope and the mentor's motivating call sets a professional tone while maintaining the personal touch of a first-hand account.

The Gritty Reality of Fieldwork​

The strength of this piece lies in its unvarnished portrayal of the internship's challenging conditions. The vivid descriptions of the "nightmare" hotel room, mosquito infestations, unappetizing food, and poor internet connection effectively convey the discomforts of working in rural Bihar. The author's candid admission of realizing the difficulty of a sales job, previously underestimated, resonates strongly. The daily grind of covering long distances in 40-degree heat and experiencing crowded local buses, reminiscent of a "Swades" movie scene, paints a compelling picture of the physical demands. This raw honesty provides a stark contrast to typical idealized internship narratives, making the experience feel authentic and hard-earned.

Learning Beyond the Classroom​

Beyond the physical challenges, the narrative highlights significant learning moments. The immediate expectation to identify ITC and competitor products, the shifting perception of product visibility, and the disconnect between consumer behavior theories and real-world interactions are all valuable insights. The humor in realizing that "the lessons taught in consumer behaviour classes were so different than the real experience. I thanked God for the class I bunked" adds a relatable, self-deprecating touch. The account of organizing "haat activity" in Rajgir and Nalanda, interacting with diverse visitors including foreigners, and even the humorous encounters with security guards and "beautiful ladies" in cosmetic outlets, showcase the varied interpersonal skills developed. The realization that retailers and distributors are "so business-minded" underscores the practical lessons in negotiation and market dynamics.

Triumph and Lasting Impact​

The culmination of the internship in the Patna ITC office presentation and subsequent appreciation marks a satisfying end to the journey. The sense of accomplishment is palpable, reinforcing the theme of overcoming adversity through hard work. The concluding reflection on feeling "nostalgic" about the experience, despite its difficulties, effectively conveys the lasting impact and personal growth achieved. This account serves as a strong testament to the transformative power of a challenging summer internship in shaping one's perception of the corporate world.