How an internship at Diageo India gave me the platform to learn core Marketing skills | Kshitiz's story
Diageo genuinely puts stock in being a decent corporate native. It is focused on making a positive job for liquor in the public eye through its National Road to Security programs. Diageo likewise improves the lives of individuals in the networks around its plants with specific accentuation on empowering women. The best thing that I liked about my internship at Diageo India was independence. The freedom it gives to implement your own ideas gives you a huge boost in confidence.
What is the selection process for an internship at Diageo India?
The selection process for an internship at Diageo India had the following stages:
- Aptitude Test
- Group Discussion
- Personal Interview
The selection process was divided into three stages. Each stage was an elimination round. The first was an aptitude test comprising of English, Mathematics and Logical Reasoning. The top performers were called for a group discussion followed by a personal interview. The interview was based on my past experiences and my response to real-life business problems.
What did I learn during my internship at Diageo India?
For my internship at Diageo India, I had to handle a market research project related to the rum consumption pattern in Eastern India. I was assigned a guide and he gave me enough freedom to drive the project on my own. I, thus, had to come up with a timeline, do the preliminary study to find out the underlying problems, design the questionnaire and select the outlets where the target consumers may come in better proportions.
This internship honed my execution skills. Idea generation and execution are two separate things. Once you join an organization, you realize that executing an idea is very different from generating it. Many obstacles come during executions, especially in a regulated environment. You have to find ways around such barriers without deviating from the goal. This was one of the most important lessons that I learned in this internship.
Every state has a unique market in the alcohol beverage industry, depending on the rules and regulations specified by the government. This internship, hence, gave me the challenge to apply my knowledge in a heavily regulated environment and a platform to learn core marketing skills.
My internship at Diageo India was in Kolkata. I was in Kolkata for a really long time, the very first time. I rented a 1 BHK apartment near the office. Kolkata has its own culture and is very different from other metropolitan cities. There is no denying that the sweets of Kolkata are absolutely mouthwatering! One can see the presence of a bygone era of Bengal in forms of trams. Although very few people use it as compared to other public transport - it still gives the vibe of a hundred-year old India.
I will be glad to join this company if given the opportunity. Diageo has a healthy work culture that also promotes work-life balance. In addition, it provides an environment where an employee can learn and nurture his/her skills. Apart from that, Diageo also promotes the responsible consumption of alcohol.
Some memorable experiences during my internship
The memories I experienced during my internship at Diageo India were priceless. I had to cover around forty to fifty outlets. On the first day of my market visit, I called the sales executive and he told me to reach Kanchdapada. This town is sixty kilometers away from Kolkata. Being new in that city, I had no idea how to reach there. The buses don't write the destination name in Hindi and there were no Uber cabs available.
At last, Google came as a savior. I had to take two trains to reach that place. It was a pretty exciting journey. In the subsequent days, it became a routine. Each day I had to call an executive and I never knew where he might ask me to come. These unplanned trips to new places were the most thrilling experiences I ever had!