During the first year at IIM Indore, all my time and effort went into doing pre-reads, burning the midnight oil, adapting to the rigorous routine, juggling classes, quizzes, summer (internship) preparation and attending company presentations. But in the end, it was all worth it since I was placed with the top recruiter at my campus, The Boston Consulting Group, during our summer placements.
Listening to my seniors’ internship experiences in different sessions, , having a one-on-one conversation with them, preparing as per their guidance and prep material and seeking guidance from a senior who now worked at BCG really helped.
Specialising in finance, and having already done internships in marketing and HR during my undergraduation course, I had wanted to get out of my comfort zone and explore other fields during my summer internship. I wanted to get a taste of each field that I was interested in, before finally choosing a field to pursue my career in. Hence, I chose to apply for consulting companies.
Learning opportunity
BCG ensured that we were treated as employees and were exposed to an employee’s daily work routine. Being a fresher, interning with BCG gave me a first-hand experience of corporate culture, and the intellectually stimulating work made my learning curve steeper.
I learnt the importance of structured problem-solving, and the use of logic to understand an industry without necessarily having a background in it. My work kept me on my toes every moment since I knew my recommendations would make a huge difference to the client’s business. Taking ownership of my work and conducting meetings with the client to align with him on my recommendations was an unparalleled experience.
My nine-week-long stint at BCG made me grow as a person, both professionally and personally, thanks to the mentors who were always available for advice, and my buddies, thanks to BCG’s employee support initiatives. I was introduced to some of the smartest people in the industry, a professional network that helped me build close professional and personal bonds. I didn’t hesitate to take any career or life-related advice from anyone at BCG.
New skills
Apart from getting a taste of working in the consulting industry, I also learned to communicate effectively with people and convince them regarding a particular course of action. I also learnt the art of making impactful PowerPoint presentations!