Transitioning back to B-School post internship -By Karanveer Singh from FSM Delhi

The feeling was familiar. It was like someone has pressed the rewind button on those tape recorders which played music cassettes. Exactly a year back, I returned to do my post-graduation after working in corporate for three years. There was nothing that I did not love there – the glamour, the gossip, the parties, the work culture and the team. I also went through the phase of constant job switches every few months to get the best deal. The only thing that sucked in those glass buildings and envious corridors was the paycheque. It was time to move up the ladder. Transitioning back to B-School was easy yet difficult.

CAT and the struggles that come along

MBA was the dream I had for years and pursuing it was important. CAT preparations took the joy out of my life as managing work and studies was a tough task. Sleep deprivation kept me on edge but who knew both these traits would come handy once I reach there. Getting into an esteemed college is important in a country like India where there is a college in every nook and cranny. With admission at FORE, I had half the job done. The college started and it was a shock to be back in college after a gap of four years. The assignment, deadlines, the committee meetings and the attendance, the first term was a mess. Yet, I adjusted.

The two-month training

A year passed in no time and then came the internship. Summer internship interviews were a trailer to what was coming for final placements. Sales and marketing roles are different. Doing an MBA, after working on projects in back office, required learning and unlearning. The glamour of marketing taught me the art of lying. It is all about selling a dream which many innocent Indians will fall for. I got my internship in a start-up that sells products on Amazon. The job title was – Business development lead. However fancy it may sound, the job was quite basic: B2B sales. Brand awareness and visibility were a challenge, yet I sold hundreds of pieces. I managed to get a few bulk orders and meet the targets.

Back to my territory

Transitioning back to my B-School feels like getting nurtured in a known territory. Not even a week has passed and the jitters have started coming back already. The submission of SIP reports and meeting the mentor who is pissed is another story altogether. He didn't receive my first draft well. The second saw a similar fate too!

The classes are going as usual. The juniors have arrived. It feels good to see them hustling around, confused and lost in the corridors, arranging their B suits and formals like high school pass-outs. They are trying their level best to adjust to the B-school environment.

I noticed my juniors during the busy lunch hour in cafeteria. I tried finding myself in one of them. The rat race is on and it is getting fiercer.

This article was submitted as an entry to Become an Author with Dare2Compete.