People mostly associate the finance sector with investments and multiplying resources. During my internship at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) I learned that managing resources efficiently is also an important element of finance. In addition, I got an insight into the corporate world and learnt important life lessons. The pre-placement offer I bagged is just the icing on the cake. Let me tell you about my time at HUL.
HUL is a travel-led company; employee travel accounts for a huge chunk of the overhead budget. My project was to identify savings opportunities in the travel space, make the process more efficient, and design a travel solution with the required control points. This meant making some suggestions and decisions that weren’t popular. But working in the corporate world is not about winning a popularity contest. In the end, I was told that my interest and positive attitude reflected in my work.
Communication skills
Effective communication is a key to doing well in the corporate world. I submitted weekly reports to my mentor and interacted with people from across departments as much as possible. I was encouraged to communicate with professionals irrespective their position in the hierarchy. I got the chance to interact with GMs, VPs, and CXOs of other companies too. Such experiences helped boost my confidence. I also gained confidence because my ideas and suggestions were heard. It made me feel valued as a professional and convinced me that I am on the right track.
But there was a doubt that lingered in my mind: will I have a personal life if I choose to work in the corporate world? I got an answer for this as well at HUL. The work culture is chilled out and you are encouraged to have a relaxed outlook. I could go to the ‘living room’ to relax or arrange a meeting in the ‘ adda ’.
Last day
The last day of the internship was the best. It started with the announcement of pre-placement interviews, which were conducted 30 minutes later. There were 11 interns in the Finance Leadership Training Programme and we were mostly asked questions about our project. Throughout the internship I had received feedback that I am an independent learner who doesn’t need to be spoon-fed. I think that worked in my favour. The once-in-a-lifetime experience of interning with HUL has given me spoonfuls of everything.
(The author is a PGDM student at FORE School of Management.)