Hi dear seniors,
I am a final semester MBA student. Unlike other MBA colleges that have a summer internship, I had a winter internship where I was supposed to do a project. I am interning in an organization where there's no mentor or scope of acquiring a project (research or analysis), but I am required to do cold calls and make sales pitches over the phone, even though it's an area that I certainly don't want to enter into. I was interested in market research or analysis, as required for my degree project, but the company owner does not believe in it.
The period of the internship is 2 months, January and February. Due to the above-stated points, I feel disinterested and demotivated all day long. Kindly suggest something. Should I leave the internship and find something else?
From India, Mumbai
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7I am a final semester MBA student. Unlike other MBA colleges that have a summer internship, I had a winter internship where I was supposed to do a project. I am interning in an organization where there's no mentor or scope of acquiring a project (research or analysis), but I am required to do cold calls and make sales pitches over the phone, even though it's an area that I certainly don't want to enter into. I was interested in market research or analysis, as required for my degree project, but the company owner does not believe in it.
The period of the internship is 2 months, January and February. Due to the above-stated points, I feel disinterested and demotivated all day long. Kindly suggest something. Should I leave the internship and find something else?
From India, Mumbai
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Dear Mediaboy,
What made you "choose" that organization for your project? Does "required to do cold calls and make sales pitches over the phone, even though it's the area which I certainly don't want to enter into," is a part of the project? Why was the project not clearly defined and mutually agreed upon before you accepted it? Unless there is evidence or information to the contrary, I would just like to hint that this organization is simply exploiting your position as a needy MBA student to get the work required to be done by an employee whom they would have been required to pay a salary.
Warm regards.
From India, Delhi
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What made you "choose" that organization for your project? Does "required to do cold calls and make sales pitches over the phone, even though it's the area which I certainly don't want to enter into," is a part of the project? Why was the project not clearly defined and mutually agreed upon before you accepted it? Unless there is evidence or information to the contrary, I would just like to hint that this organization is simply exploiting your position as a needy MBA student to get the work required to be done by an employee whom they would have been required to pay a salary.
Warm regards.
From India, Delhi
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Media boy, you have already chosen that organization but I'm not clear about how many days you have been in that company. If you have been there for more than 25 days, don't switch over to another one. Try to finish it and learn something.
From India, Chennai
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From India, Chennai
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Dear Friend,
Simply share with your existing organization what your purpose is for joining them. Immediately decide on the project title, contents, etc. Politely inform them that you are not there as a telesalesperson, so if it is not related to your project, convey this to them politely. If they are not providing any specific project, convey politely that you will simply resign and seek a project at a new company.
One month is sufficient in any organization, whether new or existing. I have experienced a similar situation where, in three days, I communicated my concerns with the company. I made it clear that I am there to offer my services free of charge and not to waste time. The organization also needs my services equally.
The situation changed, and I received cooperation. I completed the project within the stipulated time in the same organization.
Manoj Chaudhary
M.B.A. (HR)
From India, Mumbai
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Simply share with your existing organization what your purpose is for joining them. Immediately decide on the project title, contents, etc. Politely inform them that you are not there as a telesalesperson, so if it is not related to your project, convey this to them politely. If they are not providing any specific project, convey politely that you will simply resign and seek a project at a new company.
One month is sufficient in any organization, whether new or existing. I have experienced a similar situation where, in three days, I communicated my concerns with the company. I made it clear that I am there to offer my services free of charge and not to waste time. The organization also needs my services equally.
The situation changed, and I received cooperation. I completed the project within the stipulated time in the same organization.
Manoj Chaudhary
M.B.A. (HR)
From India, Mumbai
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Dear Boy,
You are also committing the same mistake as many others; you didn't provide full particulars. You are pursuing an MBA, which is fine, but in what field? I have to presume it should be either Marketing or something else.
You have already consumed one month of January and are moving into February. With hardly one month gone, what can you accomplish in such a short time? Is it possible to restart with a fresh project at a new organization? If so, can you complete it in February? Consider finding answers to all these questions.
I would suggest that you first discuss with your Head of Department (HOD) or your Guide, and seek their advice on what is practically achievable at this point. Are they willing to reschedule this project for another month? Explore other possibilities like a new topic or a different organization. Where are you conducting your internship? Is it in Mumbai? I don't think it would be challenging to find an alternative organization there. If there seems to be no possibility, try to salvage this internship itself. Meet with the concerned officer, explain your difficulties, and request their assistance to successfully complete the project. If necessary, ask your guide to intervene and communicate with them as well.
All the best.
Kumar S.
From India, Bangalore
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You are also committing the same mistake as many others; you didn't provide full particulars. You are pursuing an MBA, which is fine, but in what field? I have to presume it should be either Marketing or something else.
You have already consumed one month of January and are moving into February. With hardly one month gone, what can you accomplish in such a short time? Is it possible to restart with a fresh project at a new organization? If so, can you complete it in February? Consider finding answers to all these questions.
I would suggest that you first discuss with your Head of Department (HOD) or your Guide, and seek their advice on what is practically achievable at this point. Are they willing to reschedule this project for another month? Explore other possibilities like a new topic or a different organization. Where are you conducting your internship? Is it in Mumbai? I don't think it would be challenging to find an alternative organization there. If there seems to be no possibility, try to salvage this internship itself. Meet with the concerned officer, explain your difficulties, and request their assistance to successfully complete the project. If necessary, ask your guide to intervene and communicate with them as well.
All the best.
Kumar S.
From India, Bangalore
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My free suggestion would be: if you think whatever work you are doing right now will help, then continue; otherwise, quit early and find another opportunity. Do not mess up with your projects, especially in a country like INDIA where the value we give for education is solely based on the marks card. If you only need a certificate, go ahead with the same internship. If you want to learn something new and that too as per your heart's advice, then you need a change.
From India, Bangalore
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From India, Bangalore
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My suggestion is to try to complete your work during your internship period. This is your learning phase, and even if you are not interested, whatever you learn will help you later, albeit not necessarily in the way you expect. For example, cold calls can teach you a smarter way of dealing with people over the phone, making you bolder and more prompt. The best thing is that you won't feel let down by failure, as facing failures in cold calls helps you learn to overcome them. Emotionally, it strengthens you to face the challenges of the corporate world. I was once an introvert who greatly benefited from making such cold calls. Therefore, my suggestion is to approach learning with an open mind, as I believe it may be too late to switch organizations now.
From India, Bangalore
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From India, Bangalore
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Hi!
For every intern or fresher, an organization is a wrong start because you feel that the other side of the meadow is greener, whereas it is not! Think and introspect on the following:
- What career did you opt for when you joined them?
- What kind of career opportunity are you finding?
- How different is what you are getting from what you opted for?
- What were your expectations when you joined?
- How and what expectations have not been fulfilled?
If you need further help, do get in touch.
Regards
From India, New Delhi
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For every intern or fresher, an organization is a wrong start because you feel that the other side of the meadow is greener, whereas it is not! Think and introspect on the following:
- What career did you opt for when you joined them?
- What kind of career opportunity are you finding?
- How different is what you are getting from what you opted for?
- What were your expectations when you joined?
- How and what expectations have not been fulfilled?
If you need further help, do get in touch.
Regards
From India, New Delhi
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As rightly stated, the problem is unclear. However, from your post I'm trying to understand it, and please correct me if I am wrong somewhere.
I am a final semester MBA student. Unlike other MBA colleges having a summer internship, I had a winter internship wherein I was supposed to do a project.
I was interested in market research or analysis.
From the above two things, I believe your major subject in your MBA would be Marketing.
I am sure people do not like to do sales, but I do not understand why you don't wish to do cold calling.
Please understand there's a misconception that cold calling equals a sales job.
Cold calling would be a part of so many careers - Sales is only obvious, and apart from it, other careers that have cold calling as a part are: Business Developer/Executive, Recruitment, Marketing (I hope you know how marketing is different than sales), and yes, even Market Research.
As far as my viewpoint is concerned, this is helping you achieve a base and a foundation for your dream role - Market Research Analysis. In order to analyze the data, the most important step is to collate data. You'd have to do surveys, you'd have to interact with people and ask them their ideas, and this would require cold calling, isn't it?
Or do you think that when you pass out finally with your degree and go to interviewers saying you'd love to do market research analysis, they'd give you data that was fetched by the hard work of someone else? Do not fancy such a liberal role at the beginning of your career.
I had to carry out a market survey for my MR subject as a part of the curriculum, and I know how much effort, cold calling, pitching, networking, etc., helps.
Though all think sales is of lower caliber and it won't help you, honestly speaking, 8-10 months of sales experience would change a person's attitude towards work.
In my suggestion, don't quit. This is one essential step to reach your goal. Perhaps you'd understand its importance after you pass out and would understand how your cold calling and networking helped you.
Also, you're doing an MBA, so you are aspiring to be a manager one day. Eventually, you'd come across projects that don't interest you personally but are inevitable for the company's growth. Would you quit?
It's just a matter of a month now. Learn as much as you can, and trust me, you'd eventually be thankful and grateful to God that you got this opportunity.
All the best and may God bless you :)
From India, Mumbai
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I am a final semester MBA student. Unlike other MBA colleges having a summer internship, I had a winter internship wherein I was supposed to do a project.
I was interested in market research or analysis.
From the above two things, I believe your major subject in your MBA would be Marketing.
I am sure people do not like to do sales, but I do not understand why you don't wish to do cold calling.
Please understand there's a misconception that cold calling equals a sales job.
Cold calling would be a part of so many careers - Sales is only obvious, and apart from it, other careers that have cold calling as a part are: Business Developer/Executive, Recruitment, Marketing (I hope you know how marketing is different than sales), and yes, even Market Research.
As far as my viewpoint is concerned, this is helping you achieve a base and a foundation for your dream role - Market Research Analysis. In order to analyze the data, the most important step is to collate data. You'd have to do surveys, you'd have to interact with people and ask them their ideas, and this would require cold calling, isn't it?
Or do you think that when you pass out finally with your degree and go to interviewers saying you'd love to do market research analysis, they'd give you data that was fetched by the hard work of someone else? Do not fancy such a liberal role at the beginning of your career.
I had to carry out a market survey for my MR subject as a part of the curriculum, and I know how much effort, cold calling, pitching, networking, etc., helps.
Though all think sales is of lower caliber and it won't help you, honestly speaking, 8-10 months of sales experience would change a person's attitude towards work.
In my suggestion, don't quit. This is one essential step to reach your goal. Perhaps you'd understand its importance after you pass out and would understand how your cold calling and networking helped you.
Also, you're doing an MBA, so you are aspiring to be a manager one day. Eventually, you'd come across projects that don't interest you personally but are inevitable for the company's growth. Would you quit?
It's just a matter of a month now. Learn as much as you can, and trust me, you'd eventually be thankful and grateful to God that you got this opportunity.
All the best and may God bless you :)
From India, Mumbai
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(Fact Checked)-The user reply contains good advice on communicating with the organization about the internship project mismatch. However, it's important to also consider legal aspects like the nature of work assigned during internships. Encouragement to address the issue directly is positive. (1 Acknowledge point)