How to get an internship at Pepsico
Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Quaker, Tropicana – the brands we grew up with – have something in common. Yes, Pepsico! PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
What are the types of internships at Pepsico and who are eligible to apply?
Pepsico has dedicated internships for engineering, MBA, law, and food technology students across its offices in Gurgaon, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, etc. These internships typically last over a period of 6-8 weeks. Students pursuing mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation engineering can look for internships in engineering domain which mainly constitutes maintenance for process equipment. Students pursuing B.Tech or M.Sc in food technology can look for opportunities in the manufacturing department. MBA students are offered internships in marketing, operations, finance, sales, and human resources. Pepsico also does limited hiring in corporate strategy and global procurement.
How to apply for Pepsico internships?
1. Apply online – Internships: Pepsico Careers
You can apply to Pepsico internships through their official careers page.
2. Email the HR – You can contact the HR manager of Pepsico and share your cover letter along with your resume with her.
3. Employee referral – You can connect with Pepsico employees via LinkedIn and ask them to refer you for an internship.
4. Campus placement – The major Pepsico hiring occurs through campus placements. Pepsico hires from many colleges like IITs, NITs, IIMs, XLRI, etc.
What after applying to an internship in Pepsico?
If you’re applying via your campus placement cell, the Pepsico hiring goes like this –
Psychometric test → Group discussion → Field-specific interview → HR interview
If you apply to Pepsico internships online, the process that generally follows is –
Resume shortlisting → Field-specific interview → HR interview
The Pepsico psychometric test contains around 50 questions which aim to test various behavioral skills. The students qualifying the test move to the group discussion wherein they present their views on a given topic. A few sample topics are – ‘Should India battle to become a developed country?’, ‘The role of social media’, and ‘Smart devices are inversely proportional to smart people’.
For management profiles, the questions asked in a Pepsico interview are –
1. If you had to add a product to the Pepsico line, what product would it be and why?
2. What are your views on Mountain Dew?
3. What do you think about Pepsi’s competitors?
4. How would you ensure quality packaging?
5. What changes would you make in the given advertisement to make it more attractive?
They may also ask you questions related to Pepsico and its campaigns such as –
1. Which Pepsico ad do you find the most hilarious?
2. Who are the founders of Pepsico?
For the profile of a graduate engineer trainee, the questions are majorly based on your curriculum. Few sample questions are –
1. What are the different types of boilers?
2. What kind of furnaces have you seen?
3. What is cathodic protection?
4. What is the difference between enthalpy and entropy?
5. How does a tube light work?
6. How does a hydraulic turbine work?
HR interview questions are almost similar for all profiles –
1. What are your career goals?
2. Why do you want to work with Pepsico?
3. Have you had to deal with a tough situation?
4. What are your expectations from this internship?
What to expect once your internship at Pepsico starts?
A 6-day induction program: Yes, no kidding! For a week, Pepsico pampers its interns to the fullest. The internship begins at the Pepsico office in Gurgaon, and you’re accommodated in a guest house. The first day sees a royal treatment with cabs waiting to take you to Pepsico office. As you enter the office, you are taken into a meeting room and given some free goodies! On the second day, the interns are taken to a government school to paint the walls with Pepsico slogans. In the latter half of the day, interns go back to the guest house where interviews with the talent acquisition manager take place. The next two days are followed by leadership sessions and pep talks by the heads of various departments so as to familiarise the interns with the business of Pepsico. Amid these sessions, a treasure hunt activity and assignment of your projects and mentors take place. The 5th day is a market visit wherein you understand the nuances of the sales vertical. The last day is a plant visit to Varun Beverages where you discover how beverages are filled in bottles on a large scale.
To gain a closer insight into the induction program, you can read Pranathi Amula’s induction experience.
Work culture: The ambiance of the Pepsico office is as cool as your Pepsi bottle back at home. The employees are called by their first names and all interns are treated like full-time employees! Every intern is usually given two projects to work on. You can see healthy debates and discussions going on in the office. As a Pepsico intern, you’ll be spoilt with unlimited free Pepsi and Frito Lays. Oh, and you can avail free massages to ease yourself!
What after the internship?
1. Pre-placement offer – Interns who demonstrate ability, persistence, and the right attitude are offered a full-time position as an employee at Pepsico.
2. Pre-placement interview – If you have performed decently in your internship in Pepsico, you’ll get a chance to interview.
3. Rejection – If your manager doesn’t find you competent enough to match the standards of Pepsico, you won’t be asked to continue.
A couple of pro-tips –
1. Follow Pepsico’s Twitter and LinkedIn handles for all the latest opportunities and events happening there.
2. Be curious – Pepsico looks for curious students who can change the status quo and bring a different dimension to the table.
3. During the interview, display passion to work at Pepsico and ask relevant questions about Pepsico’s mission and vision. This would express your analytical rigor and give you an edge.
4. Read up! Pepsico is a huge consumer products company and expects you to know about its business. Read the annual reports of Pepsico and learn about their products and campaigns.
To get a closer view of Pepsico internships, you may read Shruthi’s experience of a sales internship and Ravi’s exhilarating summer diary.
Now that you have an insight into Pepsico recruitment, apply for summer internships at Pepsico. You can also look for similar internships on Internshala; just register here and launch your career.
Pic credits: hqcorporateoffice.com
