I interned with HSBC in the retail banking and wealth management division. My profile covered parts of both Marketing and Finance, and my project was on ‘optimal usage of the HSBC public website’, with a focus on credit cards.
The project had a timeline of eight weeks; the first two weeks entailed data collection, followed by four weeks of data analysis, and concluding results in the last two weeks. My team was extremely professional, yet helpful. My mentor gave me adequate time to complete my project.
It was a very open environment, in terms of the fact that I could approach anyone when I needed them. Being a fresher, this was my first corporate exposure and needless to say, I got to learn a lot, in terms of corporate lifestyle, culture, as well as the much talked about “work-life balance”. I even got the chance to see my recommendations being implemented, which was a proud moment for me.
Gaining perfection in the work you deliver, rising above the standards you set for yourself as a student, and getting depths into work you do were some of my key-takeaways from this experience.
This internship also gave me a chance to implement my classroom teachings, and most importantly, gave me a clear idea of where I would want to be post my MBA. The biggest challenge I faced during my internship was, understanding the functioning of the whole team and department in a span of eight weeks. And then, give recommendations based on that timeline.
One of the most memorable experiences during my internship was when I went for a dinner with my team, and we followed that up with an IPL match. It was a great way to bond with my team and break the ice.