I was very excited, woke up early and dressed up neatly, after all I was going for the first day of my internship in REDDVISE (Start-up), till then I had seen all my friends going for their offices and I was eagerly waiting for my opportunity.
Initially I was selected for a start-up called Mechanics and have a story behind how I transferred to REDDVISE. I reached their Wakad office in Pune and dialled my mentors number, after a while I was told to meet another person who will guide me for rest of the internship. I was assigned the work of visiting CFOs of real estate projects to pitch for my company’s product, which offers electronic door locks and security systems. Initially I was confused about the project but went on with the assigned work and visited four construction sites that day. It was fascinating to search for construction sites and meeting diverse peoples from labours to manager, and to follow up CFOs. Then I realised it’s not easy to convince people for something they are not aware of, and it gave me immense respect for sales people.
As I am finance student and was assigned the role in marketing, I was very confused, so I told my mentor about the same next day. It was then I realised that there were some miscommunication, the company though I am a marketing student, and selected me when they came for summer placements. Hence, after a long interview taken by my mentor and her two other partners, finally I was shifted to REDDVISE in financial profile. I took a sigh of relief and the next moment my inner voice was saying what next Chandan? I felt confident and wanted to bring out as much as fun possible from the internship. Google almighty was the only life saviour in that phase of internship, the term Research sounds great and make a very rosy image in mind about things people do in research, but when you do it, it’s nothing more than heaping data after data which you thinks you have read, but when someone actually asked about it, you realise that you have only read it. Anyways it was bound to happen for a person like me, who is very talkative and like speaking more than reading.
Things were getting better after little bit of push from my inner soul, which saved me from any kind of disastrous encounter with my boss. Finance role was looking very lacklustre and I thought searching for Construction sites was much pleasurable than getting harassed by numbers and figures. After three weeks of research, the time was for analysis of theories with practical scenario; I interviewed an architect and a property Lawyer. Initially I thought it will be a very easy to get appointment of lawyers or matter of fact of anyone who is important to complete my work. But it wasn’t, it took me around two weeks of phone number searching and around 50 calls before the First positive response and an appointment. And I learned a lesson that nothing is easy, even if it appears so. I tried just dial, internet and sometimes made cold call and finally achieved what I sought. The days were passing very fast and I was going as per my itinerary. Though final report Making was giving headache, associating data with information then finding its conclusion and giving own qualified suggestion. All was very tough for a student in transition phase from 1st to 2nd year but finally managed to complete it. Experience of start-up taught me a lot about the difficulties of establishing any new business. All though I was working on different project than company’ core business, I learned in any business without selling product, department like finance and H.R are inefficient.
Mentor called meeting of all interns for the last time before the end of summers, he appreciated most of us and also given suggestion to some.
The internship gave an insight of corporate world and was an enormous learning platform. I am thankful to my mentor for providing me with such an opportunity and responsibility. At last a word of advice, it’s better to work for a smaller company or a start-up with larger responsibility than working with a hefty corporate in a less significant role.
