“After spending one year studying at my B-School, I was ready to get a taste of the real corporate world. I got the opportunity during my internship, which was an intense learning experience for me. Every day I was learning something new and adding it to my skill set,” says Sourav Banerjee, PGDM 2016–18. He recently completed his internship with a renowned brand like ICICI Securities. Here he shares with us his first brush with the corporate world and everything that he learned from the experience.
Preparation for the Industry Experience
For Sourav, the journey to his internship and thereby the professional world began early on at SRMS IBS. He remarks it was his first time in a Smart classroom, but that was just one of the innovative aspects of learning at the B-School. “I have learned a lot from my faculty members. Even guest lectures that were geared to give us insight into the industry. The team room facility is another interesting innovation in our B-School. I have also participated in and helped to organize events. All this gave me confidence for the internship.”
Sinking his Teeth into the Internship Project
Sourav’s internship project with ICICI Securities, Dehradun was “Mutual Funds Simplified”. It involved working both in the office and on the field. He had to interact with customers on the field while brushing shoulders with professionals inside the office. “My mentor taught me a lot about mutual funds and was always available when I needed to consult her. I got insights into the product, the market, and consumer behaviour. I can say I am now confident in handling customers, which help me in my professional life.”
Challenges, Survival Strategies, and Expectations
While Sourav received support from his mentor and professionals from the company, he says it was essentially an individual role. Hence there were challenges like dealing with difficult customers and being calm in tricky situations that he had to himself handle. “I now truly understand that patience is a virtue. My survival strategy was to work hard and tackle the challenge come what may. I had decided not to quit, even if the going got tough. I am proud to successfully complete the project. I hope it will lead to excellent placement opportunities in
future.”
