This whole searching lasted nearly a month. I had applied to more than 50 companies, met more than 20 HR managers and others and waited long hours to just get an opportunity to explain myself to them and express how and why should they take me for an internship. But, alas! I received only rejections because firstly I was pursuing an undergraduate course and secondly, I had only completed my first year.
But fate had something in store for me. I was very lucky to have received an internship offer from UCO Bank, Kolkata Head Office. The mail read that my application to intern with the UCO Bank at the Kolkata Head Office has been accepted. My joy knew no bounds. My internship then started on 12th December, 2012 in the Strategy Planning Department.
On my first day I was introduced to the General Manager of UCO Bank Circle Office who had provided me the project titled "Seasonal Variations in the Bank Deposits and Advances of banking system in India with reference to UCO Bank”. He had assigned me the project under the guidance of the Deputy General Manager of Strategic Planning Department. The DGM himself was an Economics post-graduate, so we shared a common link between us. I was also introduced to the department and was given a cubicle where I could work and do my research.
My experience at the internship was very different and fruitful. I had gained huge amount of knowledge in various avenues and got a very good exposure to the working of a banking organisation. I collected data, represented it through graphs, analysed the trends and made certain inferences out of them. I also provided some meaningful insights to the bank on the various market trends and the seasonal impacts of macro-variables such as inflation and money supply and suggested them strategies to tap the deposits and loans market.
There are two incidents which I would like to specifically mention which left an everlasting impression on me. It was one fine morning when the assistant manager of the department summoned me in his office and explained to me that he wants to show me something. He had seen me trying to analyse data and derive patterns out of them. So he showed me a video on data analysis where an eminent professor of a university was giving a lecture on TEDx and supported his views with data on a software with very dynamic graphs and graphics which were animated. It fascinated me and I asked him, "What software is he using for this?". The manager turned around, looked at me with a stern look and said, "The problem with your generation is that you don’t want to learn from the start. You just want to free ride and take shortcuts. On the contrary, you should first understand the reasoning behind everything, the need for anything you need or do and the develop a profound knowledge base. The professor has put in years to research and develop his theory, he did not do it in a day. Every success requires long term dedication, hard work and determination. So, learn to take the longer paths however difficult they may be, because on these path success is guaranteed."
Another incident which affected me was a senior manager on a Saturday evening saw me working late till 7 o'clock when the other employees had left by 5 since it was a half day. He called me into his office for a little conversation. He offered me some snacks and a chocolate pastry which he received from his seniors because it was his birthday that day. He had a light-hearted conversation with me where he shared his work experiences and gave me some very important lessons on working in a company. These two incidents had special impact on me because they showed me the importance of relationship building, work ethics and the importance of gaining knowledge and not just education.
Friends, it is very rare in life that we get to learn from our elders, our peers or our acquaintances lessons which have the potential of changing our lives for good and putting us on right path whenever we digress or are wrong. Seldom do we come across people with huge knowledge and experience about a journey called Life, but when we do, they impart us their teachings and learnings so that we may develop and grow to be better human beings. Hence, we should always hold on to our values infused into us by our elders and whoever we get in contact with. These values and teachings make our lives easier and show us the right path. This internship experience brought me in contact with many veterans of work and life and provided me great knowledge both in educational and life fields.
Comments
Ayush Sharma
Finally your hard work paid off..Happy 4 u :)
29 Jul 2016, 11.17 AM
Akhil Rohilla
Really nice blog to read..!!
30 Jul 2016, 04.16 AM