Today we have with us Vatsal Sharma who is pursuing his engineering degree and through various internships has decided to pursue a career which is not related to engineering but enter the marketing field instead. Read to know why it’s important to do internships not just in your field but also some others.
InternFeel (IF): Please tell us something about yourself. Where are you studying currently? What are your hobbies and interests?
Vatsal Sharma: I am a 3rd year engineering student in Delhi Technological University (formerly known as Delhi College of Engineering) pursuing Polymer Science and Chemical Technology.
I hold several positions of responsibilities in college National Vice-President of Global Youth, Publicity Head and Founding Member of IIChE – DTU Chapter and Founding Member of Zenith – AstroSoc of DTU
IF: Tell us something about your internship including stipend, duration and place?
Vatsal: I have done quite a number of internships like-
- Digital Marketing in Xponential Growth Ventures – INR 2000 per month; it was a 2 month internship.
- Content Writing in LetsRunDigital – INR 6000; it was a one month internship.
- Operations in GrocNow – it was an unpaid internship.
- Marketing in Fabrify – I am still a part of it and its INR 2000 per month stipend.
Initially, I found such opportunities in Internshala where I applied in lots of companies and some of them reverted. Some of my friends also recommended me to their known recruiters which helped me a lot. One of the best ways to avail such opportunities is to be part of Startup/Internships Facebook groups which have lots of internships posted.
IF: How competitive was the selection process? According to you, which qualities have helped you have an edge in the selection process? Also, what were the key things that selectors were looking for?
Vatsal: The selection process is quite competitive with at least 50 people applying for each opportunity. I faced some rejection but rather than being disheartened and quitting, I kept on applying till I was selected in some.
The fact that I have experience in leadership positions at college level and good communication skills helped me a lot in securing these opportunities easily.
IF: Could you please highlight the work/research you carried out during your internship period?
Vatsal: At Xponential Growth Ventures, i was in digital marketing, handling social media accounts, planning marketing campaigns.
As a content writer in LetsRunDigital, I was writing 30 blog posts for the company’s clients.
For GrocNow, I started operations in DTU.
Currently in Fabrify, I work in multiple roles such as marketing, handling social media accounts and planning marketing campaigns
IF: Can you give us interesting details about your experiences – good and bad?
Vatsal: Xponential Growth Ventures was my first ever internship and although it was very informative and increased my knowledge, it ended badly as the seniors had a falling out which resulted in breaking up of the team.
LetsRunDigital was a very good experience which improved my writing skills and helped me gain knowledge about business and employment scenario in India. Since the office was located in Gurgaon, it involved a lot of travelling which was a hassle.
Fabrify is an ongoing internship and it is very important to me as I am wholly responsible for the marketing of the service. It is a new experience for me.
IF: How do you think these internships have helped you grow? In other words, what are your key takeaways from the internship?
Vatsal: These internships have taught me the importance of meeting deadlines and not delaying work too much. I used to procrastinate a lot but managing the internships have made me realize how to manage time and work efficiently. I have also inculcated a professional work ethic too.
IF: Have these internships had a decision altering impact on your career? Do you now think of a different future path as compared to before doing the internship?
Vatsal: Yes! Totally! Earlier, I wanted to pursue a career in programming and even did some JAVA courses too. But after doing these internships, my interest changed to marketing side and now I wanted to pursue a career in that only. I am thankful that these opportunities not only showed me my aim but also helped me gain valuable experience.
IF: Lastly, do you have any words of advice or caution for students aspiring for these internships and reading this piece?
Vatsal: I just want to stress on the importance of doing internships. You will be able to gain on-ground practical knowledge which would provide you with an edge over other applicants. Make sure that you experience the startup culture as it builds your profile and gives the best knowledge and experience. Utilize your holidays and avail the various opportunities that you come across.
Don’t stress too much on stipend in the early stages, try and get as much experience as you can. However, after some considerable amount of time, don’t waste your time and effort in opportunities that won’t serve you in the long run.
We would like to thank Vatsal for his time and wish him all the best for his future.
