What I learnt during my internship at Godrej Consumer Products Limited -By Sruthy Pisharady from IMT Ghaziabad

My internship at Godrej Consumer Products Limited was nothing but sort of a dream come true for me in every sense. Godrej Consumer Products Limited is a leading FMCG player who is known for its innovative products and inclusive workplace. Their commitment to their employees and the mantra of putting people and planet alongside profit is an inspiration for each and every one of us. Their coveted summer internship program called ‘Gurukul’ is one of the most structured internship programs in the country and sought after by all MBA students.

How the journey began- The Selection Process

B-School competitions are an important part of every MBA student’s life. When the Godrej team came to our college for the Godrej LOUD campus flag off, I was inspired by the values of the company and how it was a breath of fresh air from the usual corporate competitions.

I went on to become a special invitee and was given an opportunity to visit their office in Mumbai to attend the Grand Finale of Godrej LOUD 2019. We gave an aptitude test which had both verbal and quantitative questions. This was followed by a psychometric test. We were interviewed by the senior management at Mumbai. When the results came, I was thrilled to be offered a summer internship with them.

Pre-Internship Engagement Activities

From weeks before the internship began, the HR department reached out to us and started with the engagement activities. Through some online videos and games, we all got introduced to each other even before the internship at Godrej Consumer Products Limited started.

On-Boarding and Induction Process

I never imagined myself ending up in a virtual internship. GCPL made sure that though we were having a virtual internship, we did not miss out on the initial induction and its excitement. The on-boarding and induction process was very smooth and well planned. We got to interact with the members of the senior management including Nisaba Godrej. It was such an unforgettable experience. I also bonded with my fellow Gurukulers over cups of coffee and lots of fun activities hosted by the HR team.

Virtual Internship

One of the main challenges for companies regarding offering virtual internships is data privacy and security. A well planned and executed on-boarding ensured that everything was taken care of. Video conferencing had become the new norm. We also got to learn about the different businesses of the Godrej Group through interactions with the top leaders. This was a wonderful learning experience to get a 360 degree understanding of the company.

Once we were assigned our projects and started working on them we were mentored by our guide and a buddy assigned to us. Work from home was a completely new experience for me. I learned how to manage my time and keep myself motivated. Though I did miss the kind of fun I would have had hanging out with my co-interns, we did catch up on calls on the weekends.

During the course of our internship, we were also given fun group tasks to complete over the weekends which helped us to engage meaningfully and have fun with others. Gurukul’s Got Talent is another event where we got to showcase our talents. We all got the opportunity to have fun and display our talents.

My take away from this internship

One of the important lessons that I learned is how to connect with the stakeholders in these difficult times and through new communication channels. The feedback that I got from my guide and the others have helped me to improve my presentation and Excel skills. It is quite different from an offline internship; nevertheless, it has been a path of continuous learning and improvement especially since the virtual way is here to stay.

In these difficult times, each and every employee has been extremely understanding and always helpful. The positive and encouraging atmosphere is a blessing that has helped me through this rollercoaster ride. Overall, it has been an amazing journey with Godrej and I can’t wait to see how the rest of it will pan out.