Suggestions
This edition of intern in the spotlight takes us to the professional sales department in Calcutta, India with Shruti, an energetic and proactive sales intern. Her time at Signify was her first corporate experience and involved learning the ins and out of the lighting industry and even picking up a new language! Read on for her story.
So Shruti, why did you apply to Signify for your first internship?
S: Well I knew that a reputable company like this would have a lot of opportunities, to learn and to grow, and I consider myself a very outgoing, active and ambitious person, so I thought that the sales and marketing department would be the perfect place for me to put forth my skills to use in the corporate sector. I’m glad that I took this decision as it proved to be right in every aspect.
What kind of projects were you working on?
S: Well to start off there was some training required to actually understand the company and business before I could begin working on my project. Once I passed this initial training phase I shadowed my mentor on a few sales visits to the specifier accounts, and once I got a hold of that, I started on my own individual client visits. I would produce weekly reports on my visits and use the constructive feedback I got to really understand the opportunities that lied in my projects and how I could grab them. Relationship building with the specifiers was my key aim in order to bring in more customers and revenue for the company.
What were some of your best experiences during your internship?
S: Well it was all very exciting and new, we had one-week introduction program in the beginning to really understand what is going on within Signify and later I had to go to Kolkata, my project location. We also took a trip to Noida where we were shown all the backend process involved in lighting, and it was really amazing to see how everything worked. I also really enjoyed the team bonding and especially bonding with my mentor, who inspired me through her strength, compassion and leadership ability. It was also really easy to seek help from all the managers and they were very eager to help me out in any way possible. Seeing as I was a fresher(freshman) this was my debut corporate experience, I had to make the most out of it. The work culture was also very important for me, and I felt very comfortable and learned a lot from everyone. Working in a new city and with some very wonderful people helped me grow both on personal and professional fronts. And I think I got the right guidance, the right project and the right company to have my first professional experience.
November 14, 2023
How lighting technology can help reduce risks to migrating birds
