I was up there on stage in that beautiful auditorium. I was in front of a group of senior scientists. They were experts in their field with PhDs and research papers to their credit. I was a fresh graduate, right out of college presenting my amateurish work. I had all the reasons to be anxious. But, I was all pumped up, very proud to get that shot at my dream job of becoming a scientist. How did I get that chance? How could I muster all that confidence? The answer lies in the successful internship I did during college. There are many benefits of internships for getting the best job. Here is a first-hand account of how an internship helped me get my dream job.
How did I get that internship?
I was in college at a time when internships were not usual. We would call it an ‘industry project’ instead of an ‘internship’. It all started with a specific career choice. I head about a domain having high potential in the future. Coincidently, my college offered an elective (optional credit course) in the same domain in partnership with a company that was the best in that domain. So, I willingly opted for that course. At the end of the elective course, the company took our test and an interview. The company selected a few of the students for a full-time internship working out of the company office.
The opportunity to work in a top company in the domain I was interested in was a big thing. So, selecting that internship offer was a no brainer for me. The company offered no stipend, no benefits except for a chance to use company transport as the company was too far from the city. But, it was all about grabbing the best opportunity knocking on the door and not get distracted by these petty matters.
Benefits of internships for getting the best job
I got a taste of how a professional workplace operates
The time spent studying in college with professors and classmates was helpful but was nothing compared to what I experienced in an actual work environment. I got to experience how companies execute a large project with a series of tasks and a team from diverse backgrounds. Those six months gave me exposure to corporate professionalism and etiquette.
My supervisor set the objective of my project. I had all the tools required for the project. But, I had to figure out the steps and knowledge required. This approach had a lot of room for mistakes but gave me ample opportunities to try different approaches to meet the objective. I got the first-hand experience of doing a research project even though I was just an undergraduate student. I had to give many presentations along the journey. The final presentation in front of the general manager helped me boost my confidence in my technical competence and presentation abilities.
I got clarity about my career path
The discussions in meetings and casual chats in the canteen with different professionals helped me understand different roles and careers options available in the same domain. I realised what I wanted to do in the long term. It also helped me discover my career path in the domain I was passionate about. I was set out to do a career in the same domain and if possible in research function.
How did I do my job search
I was studying in a top college. So getting on-campus placements offers from top companies was the norm. I too got selected in two companies with high salary packages. But, when I asked the HR managers about the role and work profile, their answers were unsatisfactory. It was certain that their job offers were not in line with my career path. The company I interned with could not offer me a job because of a large corporate merger.
So, after completing my graduation I was set out to get my dream job on my own. I made a list of companies working in the domain. I tried to search in my network of family, friends, professors, mentors about references in these companies. So, in a month, I got a couple of interview opportunities.
How did the internship help me get my dream job?
I had casually sent an email to a reference in Tata Research Development Centre. In the email, I asked for career advice not for a job interview as I knew that they accept only post-graduates. But the internship on my resume got them intrigued and they asked me to come for an interview. I was astonished looking at the opportunity but quickly understood that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Instead of an interview, they wanted me to present in front of the entire team of scientist.
I went well prepared with a presentation and with mental revision of relevant technical knowledge. Following my presentation, I was interviewed multiple times by different panels. The entire focus was the work done during my internship and not the other technical subjects and projects I did during college.
After a week, I was offered the role of ‘Researcher’ in the same domain I was passionate about. I was the first person without a masters degree to get offered in that prestigious organization. It was an honour to be given that opportunity. Taking cues from Colin Powell’s famous quote, I would say, ‘There are no secrets to career success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from internships’