The months of March-April are full of excitement, nervousness, mixed feelings in any MBA 1st yr. student's life for which Company to join for the summer internship. Being new to this whole phase I was also determined to opt only for big "brand" companies to shine in my resume. But then one fine day my professor asked me if I would like to intern in "Calyx Pharmaceuticals" as she got a reference and said I would get very good exposure in my field of intrest - HR. What made me little sad was that I was not going to get "stipend" & had to work on other jobs other than my project which was not the case with my classmates.
I took few days to make up my mind as this was a medium scale co. unlike what I had "dreamt" of. But I grabbed this opprtunity because I was confident about my professor's choice for me. The meeting with the VP, GM & Manager of Calyx Pharma had a total change of my perspective about internship. This period was not restrained only to my summer project. Office hrs. being from 8:15-5:15 waking up on time & being back to work was boring at times for 1st few days but once in office it was total pleasure working with the HR team.
The next few days had me attend the "Induction Program" where I got change to know the business of a pharma co. & interact with the Top Management. Then followed the job of calling shortlisted candidates for interviews & scheduling & co-ordinating the interviews. I was allowed to sit for the interview session with the senior management. It indeed felt awesome to be on the other side of the table for the 1st time in life. This job had me interact with the outside world, I got to see the nervousness & anxity on the candidates goes through & what gets the candidate "bag the offer".
Then I was also assisting the HR Manager in designing a new ol system for Performance Management. For which I got to interact with the IT manager, had sessions with the GM(HR) & Manager(HR) for collectively designing the system. What made me feel special was that I was never looked at as a trainee. My inputs were given equal importance. At times the Manager relied on me for the system design testing & check. I was given the sole responsibility by the Manager(HR) to make the preparations for the training to be held the other day at the organization. I was made to attend the "Communication & Interpersonal Skills" training prog. where I got to interact to many employees of the organization & had great fun during the 2 day training.
Calyx being a pharma co. had one of its plant in dombivli which is few km away from the Calyx R&D center where I was working. The GM(HR) gave me an opportunity to visit the plant (I felt as if I was going for an non-college sponsored "Industrial Visit". During this plant visit I was surprised to see all the employee I had meet during the training period work here. Now being good friends they explained me each & every step how the medecins are made. To my luck after this plant visit, now from just being a "BCom" graduate.......I could confidently say that I have enough knowledge as any "pharmacy" guy.
Slowly & unknowingly I became a part of the Calyx Family. I saw myself change from the trainee attitude to a responsible employee of the organization. Those 2 months had me as a "generalist" rather than a "specialization" student. By the end of 2 months I had exposed myself & to an extent "excelled" in recruitment, selection, performance management, training&development, payroll activities. The last day when I submitted my project report was when I realized how many friends I did made in the organization during those 2 months. Many came to wish me luck for my future career & life. A big surprise was also awaiting when I was given a cheque..... wow my 1st earning, it was an awesome feeling.
The lunch hrs. had me sharing the table with the executives, manager, GM & VP enjoying the food & having fun chats. I not only learned the managerial functions & the work life....I observed how people of all age grps., culture, mind-sets, personalities work in synch with eachother. The HR VP was a 50+ gentleman how was the guide-helper & director of his team with systematic approach to the work. The GM 40+ age was a responsible but a happy-go-lucky, fun loving guy who's presence could make you feel happy & relaxed. The rest HR team was young blood who was eveready to take up any task & successfully completed it given them the whole responsibility of the job target. During the Performance Management System Testing meetings the HR being people oriented had our own demands & expectations from the system design output, while the IT people being technology oriented had thier own outlook of looking at the same system outputs the other way.
This organization changed my whole perspective of interning with a "Big Brand" Co. It dosen't matter where you intern what matters is what you learned. And I am proud to say that "Calyx Pharma" helped me in all the ways possible to not only observe but handle the management functions with guidance. Aaahhh I miss those independent days of work life.....where targets for the day were given and we as a HR Team was at end always successful in executing them with loads of fun.
I took few days to make up my mind as this was a medium scale co. unlike what I had "dreamt" of. But I grabbed this opprtunity because I was confident about my professor's choice for me. The meeting with the VP, GM & Manager of Calyx Pharma had a total change of my perspective about internship. This period was not restrained only to my summer project. Office hrs. being from 8:15-5:15 waking up on time & being back to work was boring at times for 1st few days but once in office it was total pleasure working with the HR team.
The next few days had me attend the "Induction Program" where I got change to know the business of a pharma co. & interact with the Top Management. Then followed the job of calling shortlisted candidates for interviews & scheduling & co-ordinating the interviews. I was allowed to sit for the interview session with the senior management. It indeed felt awesome to be on the other side of the table for the 1st time in life. This job had me interact with the outside world, I got to see the nervousness & anxity on the candidates goes through & what gets the candidate "bag the offer".
Then I was also assisting the HR Manager in designing a new ol system for Performance Management. For which I got to interact with the IT manager, had sessions with the GM(HR) & Manager(HR) for collectively designing the system. What made me feel special was that I was never looked at as a trainee. My inputs were given equal importance. At times the Manager relied on me for the system design testing & check. I was given the sole responsibility by the Manager(HR) to make the preparations for the training to be held the other day at the organization. I was made to attend the "Communication & Interpersonal Skills" training prog. where I got to interact to many employees of the organization & had great fun during the 2 day training.
Calyx being a pharma co. had one of its plant in dombivli which is few km away from the Calyx R&D center where I was working. The GM(HR) gave me an opportunity to visit the plant (I felt as if I was going for an non-college sponsored "Industrial Visit". During this plant visit I was surprised to see all the employee I had meet during the training period work here. Now being good friends they explained me each & every step how the medecins are made. To my luck after this plant visit, now from just being a "BCom" graduate.......I could confidently say that I have enough knowledge as any "pharmacy" guy.
Slowly & unknowingly I became a part of the Calyx Family. I saw myself change from the trainee attitude to a responsible employee of the organization. Those 2 months had me as a "generalist" rather than a "specialization" student. By the end of 2 months I had exposed myself & to an extent "excelled" in recruitment, selection, performance management, training&development, payroll activities. The last day when I submitted my project report was when I realized how many friends I did made in the organization during those 2 months. Many came to wish me luck for my future career & life. A big surprise was also awaiting when I was given a cheque..... wow my 1st earning, it was an awesome feeling.
The lunch hrs. had me sharing the table with the executives, manager, GM & VP enjoying the food & having fun chats. I not only learned the managerial functions & the work life....I observed how people of all age grps., culture, mind-sets, personalities work in synch with eachother. The HR VP was a 50+ gentleman how was the guide-helper & director of his team with systematic approach to the work. The GM 40+ age was a responsible but a happy-go-lucky, fun loving guy who's presence could make you feel happy & relaxed. The rest HR team was young blood who was eveready to take up any task & successfully completed it given them the whole responsibility of the job target. During the Performance Management System Testing meetings the HR being people oriented had our own demands & expectations from the system design output, while the IT people being technology oriented had thier own outlook of looking at the same system outputs the other way.
This organization changed my whole perspective of interning with a "Big Brand" Co. It dosen't matter where you intern what matters is what you learned. And I am proud to say that "Calyx Pharma" helped me in all the ways possible to not only observe but handle the management functions with guidance. Aaahhh I miss those independent days of work life.....where targets for the day were given and we as a HR Team was at end always successful in executing them with loads of fun.