I'm Sanskriti Gupta, born and brought up in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. I had commerce with maths and computer science in my 10+2 as I thought computer science had components that actually aid in logical notions. I'm a trained Kathak dancer with over 2 years of professional training and I've been swimming since the age of 4. I'm now pursuing a Bachelor of Management Studies with a major in finance. I also like the marketing industry. I'm enjoying my time at college because I've become involved in college societies, one of them being TEDx, and it has presented me with a lot of opportunities that add immense value to my holistic personality development and are teaching me a lot of new things.
How did you find this internship opportunity at EY?
I entered EY through the campus selection. After an initial aptitude test for EY in which many applicants took part and only 15 were chosen for the pre-placement talk followed by personal interviews with recruiting managers, I was given the internship opportunity.
Tell us about your experience at EY?
I am working with EY's indirect tax department, i.e., GST. I am not yet enrolled in any such professional course, but I won’t let that stop me from trying and making my place here. I actually don't want to become a part of the rat race by pursuing these courses only because every other person around me is doing it. I want to pursue it when I feel it’s time for me to do it because I want to and it’s my calling. I want to learn about these skills and gain knowledge via the process of working at organisations like EY, where there’s a lot to learn. I encounter difficulties on some days as certain concepts are new, but I work to turn them into chances to learn new things. These occasions boost my self-confidence and encourage me to ask for difficult and novel assignments.
Your advice on how to prepare for these internships?
In my honest opinion, I feel companies are more interested in your ability to learn new things and how well you have taught yourself to do certain tasks. You only need to take advantage of the fact that everything is now freely available at your disposal. Similar to hard skills, soft skills are a crucial component. Another crucial aspect is that you must be honest about the degree of expertise you possess and learn to improvise as you go. So, that is exactly what I do. I never leave an opportunity where I can learn about something new, and I keep polishing my skills to stay relevant when I get a chance. Lastly, everything that you want to know and should know is out there. You just have to capitalise on the opportunities you get.
What do you think could be a good stipend range for students to expect?
Summer internships at Big 4s are generally unpaid as they add a lot of brand value to your CV, which obviously is intangible. Sitting in an office with people who have several years of work experience has taught me more than a paid internship. The corporate exposure has been tremendous, so I didn’t mind doing an unpaid internship here. But definitely, it would be great if these companies remunerated us for the time and efforts that we invest, and they should. I would also like to mention that doing an unpaid internship or not is a very personal choice, as you should weigh your pros and cons and decide accordingly. Some investments repay in the long run, and that is just how I feel.
How do college societies help you in your development?
Everyone in college should be a part of society since it gives you many opportunities to learn leadership, communication, teamwork, networking, and other skills. It will help you forge some friendships, connections, and priceless experiences that you will cherish throughout your life. Things you learn while working in a society can never be learnt in a classroom. I’ve experienced immense growth and overall holistic development.
Can you provide us with a few suggestions that might help others who are looking for such internships?
I’m no genius here, as I’m still figuring things out. If the job description matches what you want to learn and do, then I'll advise doing those internships. When you're in an interview, be confident about your abilities. Try to avoid experiencing FOMO and move at your own pace. Also, always remember that what might feel like a long shot is worth a chance. Maybe you will not get selected, but what you will learn throughout that selection process is something you will always remember and it will be of great help in the future. I continuously tell myself, "I'm only getting started, and I never want to allow anything that I do get to my head because then the motivation to keep doing better would eventually be lost and I still have a long way to go." You should do the same. In addition, someone will always be performing better than you, but just know the key is to keep doing better than yourself. All of us have a different timeline, so don’t worry, you will also get there.