Sixty Days Of Summer - Internship Experience At Citi

As the MBA batches of 2021 have come in across B-schools in the country, I am actively addressing their concerns and queries regarding preparation for the summer internships, and here are some things that a summer intern like you and me must keep in mind before entering into an organisation:

(Purely based out of personal experiences and learning.)

• Go with an open mind: The core idea of a summer internship is for you as well as the organisation to test the waters. In a matter of two months, you will be put through various challenging tasks and situations that might not have been a part of your idea of a summer internship experience. Keep in mind to take all of these tasks in your stride, and try and figure a way out in a way that facilitates maximum learning for you, and maximum value addition to your project.
• Be vocal about your ideas: Not all interns have a similar disposition of being able to confidently express themselves in an organisational setting, especially when you are interacting with leaders much senior to you. But it is crucial to remember that your organisation wants to hear your ideas and thought process as much as they want to see your final output. It is important to keep discussing your ideas actively and seeking feedback for the same.
• Connect and Interact: A major highlight of my summer internship was the amazing bonds that I was able to foster across the HR floor, as well as with interns and employees from other functions. The summer internship is a golden opportunity for interns to get to know people within the organisation, interact and understand from them more about the organisation. The interaction goes beyond work: over coffee, the watercooler, and the meals or in the company shuttle. My project in Citi allowed me to connect with senior colleagues across the length and breadth of India, different Branches and Corporate Offices. Needless to say, the experience of managing so many stakeholders
• Be ready to learn more about yourself: Summer internships are experiences with a steep learning curve, and everybody in your organisation will be ready to give it their best to support you in achieving your goal. During such a time, it is crucial that you as an intern are also willing to learn and more importantly, unlearn. What often tends to happen is that you become your own biggest obstacle, which is natural, given the schema that you come with. But recognising that and being more flexible to uncertainties can make the entire experience much smoother.

A summer internship is the right time to be open to experimentation and a willingness to learn: be vocal, ask for the organisation’s support, and give it your best! Unnecessary pressure can only harm your efficiency at work. Think about giving it your optimum, regardless of the result, and just hope for the best!