As I read about this contest , numerous fond (and some less-fond) memories from my internship days came flooding into my mind. I inadvertently smiled to myself thinking of the summer of 2010 when I, an undergraduate from one of the most reputed colleges of India, had received the internship letter from MoserBaer India Ltd.
“Going to office” seemed such a grown up thing then. Dressing up in formals seemed such a delight. The whole idea of adhering to the office protocols was too romanticized in my mind that for once, I did not mind a 12-hour-work-day.
During the first week of my joining, I sustained minor shocks.
Hailing from the University of Delhi, squatting almost anywhere came naturally to me; which was, as I then realized, looked down upon with a frown at the office.
First week saw me sitting in the orientation room, attending lectures and briefings that was a part of the intern orientation program. I religiously took notes the first day, an activity whose religiousness reduced exponentially with each day passing. Next week saw me running from one department to another getting to know all their HR functions (yes I interned in Training and Development), going through their brick-thick manual, reading about MBIL over the net and what-not. I was at the peak of my dedication and sincerity. One major reason was that I was put in an all-MBA-intern-batch.
So, the perceived notion was obvious. That in any group task, I’d be the social loafer. But that was hardly so. At the time of selection of the project, I, and only I chose Training and Development Department and decided to work on the project alone.
And today, I know I am grateful that I made that tough decision then. Because interning in T&D was the best thing an intern could ask for. I attended the 2-day managerial training program which was truly very rigorous and which would later be a key parameter on which I would base my decision to pursue HR in my post-grad.
So what, if I travelled more almost 120 kms a day, I got to read more novels than I had ever read. So what, if the rules of conduct were strict, I got a chance to step out of my comfort zone and learn to live life as it would ultimately be.
So what, if not on all days I had the time to do my hair just perfect, everybody has a bad hair day!!!
At the end of it, it’s the learning that stays with us forever, not the almost-120 km-drive, not the no-squatting-allowed and not even the 300-page-manual. Now when I look back, I know I did a great job of it.
“Going to office” seemed such a grown up thing then. Dressing up in formals seemed such a delight. The whole idea of adhering to the office protocols was too romanticized in my mind that for once, I did not mind a 12-hour-work-day.
During the first week of my joining, I sustained minor shocks.
Hailing from the University of Delhi, squatting almost anywhere came naturally to me; which was, as I then realized, looked down upon with a frown at the office.
First week saw me sitting in the orientation room, attending lectures and briefings that was a part of the intern orientation program. I religiously took notes the first day, an activity whose religiousness reduced exponentially with each day passing. Next week saw me running from one department to another getting to know all their HR functions (yes I interned in Training and Development), going through their brick-thick manual, reading about MBIL over the net and what-not. I was at the peak of my dedication and sincerity. One major reason was that I was put in an all-MBA-intern-batch.
So, the perceived notion was obvious. That in any group task, I’d be the social loafer. But that was hardly so. At the time of selection of the project, I, and only I chose Training and Development Department and decided to work on the project alone.
And today, I know I am grateful that I made that tough decision then. Because interning in T&D was the best thing an intern could ask for. I attended the 2-day managerial training program which was truly very rigorous and which would later be a key parameter on which I would base my decision to pursue HR in my post-grad.
So what, if I travelled more almost 120 kms a day, I got to read more novels than I had ever read. So what, if the rules of conduct were strict, I got a chance to step out of my comfort zone and learn to live life as it would ultimately be.
So what, if not on all days I had the time to do my hair just perfect, everybody has a bad hair day!!!
At the end of it, it’s the learning that stays with us forever, not the almost-120 km-drive, not the no-squatting-allowed and not even the 300-page-manual. Now when I look back, I know I did a great job of it.
