I did my schooling till 10th in a very small place, and from there I got admission at St. Xavier's College Ranchi (intermediate section), which is known to be one of the best institutions in the whole Bihar-Jharkhand region. In my 12th exam, I was the 5th rank holder in my college. My picture was posted on a large banner in front of the campus, which was like a dream come true. I experienced a great shift in the level of my surroundings, as coming from a Hindi medium background to completing an English-oriented college was difficult in the beginning, but I adapted quickly.
Tell us about your experience at Byju’s?
I always kept myself engaged in different kinds of professional experiences. All my previous experience added up as an advantage when I was going through the process of BYJUs. Internship openings were posted online and that's where I applied with my resume and cover letter that got shortlisted for the interview round. After the interview round, which included questions about me and some relating to my professional experiences, I was offered the role of marketing intern at Byjus.
Tell us about your roles and responsibilities as a marketing intern at Byju’s?
I am working as a part of the Below The Line (BTL) marketing team at Byjus and am part of the Discovery Super School League (DSSL Programme). Most of my work revolves around approaching the school management or principal, fixing a meeting, and getting them on board to participate in this league. My team and I take care of all the planning, execution, and coordination at their level, and once we have the confirmation from the school, we organize the test for the student with the help of our managers.
How has been your overall experience?
I really enjoyed the internship for a few key reasons. First of all, my team and managers are amazing. There is no such pressure on the target. I am learning new skills every day, and it's great fun to interact with so many great people through this internship across various districts of Jharkhand.
For me, the stipend is something you should look for if you have the proper experience and I would never take up any internship just for a stipend. You should go through it after reading the job description and the company profile. Byju’s is a big company, and it is offering us a stipend of 20k and providing our transportation and food while at work.
You founded the Leaders Society in college, so how do you see it helping you in terms of your career growth?
As exposure, skills, and networking are things that have become necessary to achieve success, whether as an employee or as an entrepreneur, except at a few top colleges in India, Society/association culture doesn't exist in India. Hence, I saw a big opportunity to take the association/society culture to everyone who is passionate about management, commerce, and entrepreneurship and wants to learn and grow despite their college & background by creating an inter-college association to create the atmosphere of the culture of associations in small-town colleges, and that is what gave me the idea of founding The Leaders Society and I went ahead to execute it. Now a student from any part of Bihar/ Jharkhand/ UP can connect with a student from DU / BHU, etc. through our inter-college society. Currently, we are a team of 60 to 70 members, but we are growing fast.
What are your views on how a stipend should be decided for internships in different domains?
From the company's perspective, it should follow the investment and return pattern. If the interns are hired for a big project, they should be paid well, and vice versa if the candidates are less experienced and have a small role. The company should also consider the work hours and other facilities provided to the interns, which should not be considered a part of the stipend.
Please share your views on the importance of doing internships during college?
In the last 1 and a half years, I have taken up many internships, and all the internships helped me build a great network of different professionals, entrepreneurs, seniors, & colleagues, which is helping me to build my society and also provides a reach for anything I need to know. From not being able to convey my messages clearly and being underconfident in giving live interviews properly on camera, I have come a long way through the experiences that my internships gave me. So, I would recommend everyone in college to take up as many internships as possible.
What would you suggest to someone who is looking for an internship at a company like Byju’s?
I would say don’t go after big companies only since there are many start-ups and small companies offering good internships. Just gain skills and get exposure as much as possible, and build a great network. All these things helped to get this internship, and I believe anyone with the right perseverance can grab such an opportunity easily.