My internship journey

As a young professional just starting out, I understand the importance of gaining hands-on experience through internships and transitioning to a full-time job. In this blog, I will be sharing my personal experiences and knowledge on how to successfully navigate this process and increase your earnings along the way. In addition to my experiences and advice, I will also be sharing personal photos to further illustrate my journey and bring life to this blog.

In June 2019, I started my search for internships and turned to various websites, including Internshala, for assistance. I was a novice with little experience, but I was determined to create a solid and impressive resume. I used Apple's Pages software and utilized a pre-existing template to add all my personal details, such as my date of birth, 12th standard percentage, and awards won etc. I took my dad's advice and printed a hard copy, which I kept in a nice folder. Two companies offered an opportunity for an interview. I'll talk about both of them in this blog.

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First, I found an internship opportunity at a blockchain-based startup in Mahadevapura, Bangalore, and I was invited for an interview. The pay was great, at Rs.50k/month, but the distance was also significant, as I lived in South Bangalore, and the travel time was over two hours one way. If I would have started my internship in this company, I would have to spend atleast 4 hours everyday in commuting. Regardless, giving interviews is a good way to build experience and ace future interviews. Keeping that in mind, I dressed in formal attire, ate lunch and with my parents' blessings, I embarked my two hour journey in an Uber Pool.

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As I arrived at the new co-working office space for my interview, I made sure to be on time, or even early, as punctuality is crucial in any interview. The interviewer greeted me and showed me to a meeting room, where I made myself comfortable and felt ready to answer any questions. During the 40-minute interview, I was asked various questions and was also given a sheet of A4 sized paper to draft an email template. I did my best to create a rough but presentable email sample, like the ones I had learned in school. Our conversation continued and the interviewer mentioned that he travels 100 km daily, spending a total of 6 hours on the road. I was taken aback by this, as it seemed like a large amount of time to spend on commuting to the office.

Once the interview was over, I attempted to book an Uber pool, but it was peak hour in Bangalore and finding a ride was not easy or cheap. However, after a few tries, I finally managed to book one. When I got in the cab, I shared the ride with other techies who were also on their way back home. During the ride, we chatted and they shared with me that they live close to the tech park and one lady mentioned that she spends approximately 15,000 rupees per month on Uber rides. Finally after dropping her in J.P Nagar, I was the last one to be dropped home.

I was excited for my next interview, as it was at a startup located in the bustling area of Koramangala, Bangalore, in a co-working space named Innov8. This time, my travel experience was more manageable, with the journey taking only 25 minutes. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the interviewer and I confidently answered all the questions that were thrown my way. To my delight, the co-founder was impressed by my responses and offered me the internship position on the spot. Initially, the stipend was set at 8k/month, but after a successful interview, the co-founder raised the offer to 10k/month. After going back home and consulting with my family, I eagerly accepted the offer and my internship officially started on July 1st, 2019.

After beginning my internship, it took a few days for me to officially sign my employment contract due to the co-founder's hectic schedule.  During this time, the office physically shifted the next day after I started working and we literally carried all our laptops etc to the new co-working office space which was directly opposite to Jyoti Nivas Pre-University College.

However, the internship proved to be an invaluable learning opportunity as I was introduced to a wide range of aspects within the business, including cold-calling, API integration, and automation processes. During my time, I had the chance to utilize various tools, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Phantombuster and Hunter.io, which added to my overall experience and knowledge.

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During my internship, I developed strong professional relationships with two other interns. One day, one of the interns and I decided to go out for lunch and we ended up at a local Tibetan eatery. The food was absolutely amazing, as you can see in the picture. It was a great experience, and I savoured the delicious cuisine. My internship lasted less than two months but it was an incredibly valuable experience. I would highly recommend that everyone goes through an internship phase in their career, as it provides opportunities for growth and learning which should contiune throughtout our lives.

One year after my internship, I secured a full-time remote job at a company located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The founder was impressed with my confidence during our first virtual meeting and offered me the job on the spot. This new job came with a significant pay increase, as I was earning close to Rs 2L/month at the young age of 22, compared to my previous internship pay of Rs.10k/month.

I was overjoyed with the new job and felt comfortable with the improved financial stability. I started saving and investing in the stock market, making the most of the favorable exchange rate between the Canadian dollar and Indian rupee. The best part was earning in dollars and being able to spend in rupees, allowing me to maximize my purchasing power.

In conclusion, I can say that my internship experience was a pivotal moment in my career. The exposure to various aspects of the business, including cold-calling, API integration, and automations, was incredibly valuable in shaping my future. I was able to establish strong professional relationships with my co-workers, which helped me land my next full-time job in a company based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The significant increase in pay was an added bonus and allowed me to invest in my future. I highly recommend everyone to go through the internship phase of their careers as it will give you the necessary skills and exposure to help you succeed in the future. If you want to excel at your interview, be confident and well-prepared, and I suggest reading my other blog on how to ace an interview. For more detailed information on my experiences, stay tuned for a video on my Youtube channel where I will share in-depth details and insights.

Thanks for reading this blog!