A Marketing Internship Done Right – Raghav Arora, IITM
About the Author: Raghav Arora, a student of Institute of Information Technology and Management (IITM), shares quirky details of his marketing internship at INSINEW Ventures.
As part of the curriculum, it was compulsory for me to do a two-month internship. After exploring numerous internet portals, an opening at INSINEW caught my eye on LinkedIn. INSINEW Ventures primarily deals with providing software solutions to real estate companies. After applying for the post of ‘marketing intern’, I was called for an interview on 10th June. After waiting for 10 minutes in the office, my interview with both the co-founders, Ankush & Pranay, started. After they went through my CV and asked a few basic questions, this happened –
Ankush: “Raghav, I don’t believe in long interviews, so I give you 30 seconds to sell yourself to us.”
*a couple of seconds passed*
Me: “Sir, if you invest in me as a liability, I will prove to be an asset before I leave INSINEW.”
With some more answers, I was finally selected as an intern. They went on to tell me about CREDAI’s NATCON Event in 2016 that was to be held in Shanghai, China. If I performed well during my internship, I would get a chance to fly with them to Shanghai, as a part of the delegation. This gave me the extra push and motivation to work harder for the company.
Excited, I entered office at about 10:00 am on my first day. After the briefing, I was escorted to my work area. Surprisingly, Ankush and Pranay came to my workplace to ask if I would like to have a cup of coffee with them! (the aroma of my first coffee in office will always be remembered) Before going back, Pranay announced, “Raghav wind up your work by 1:00 pm; we need to go somewhere.” At 1’o clock, I was taken to one of the most happening places in Gurgaon for a welcome lunch.
Slowly, after learning about the market and software which was to be used, it was time for my internship Project, titled “Domissile – A Customer Engagement Solution for Real Estate Buyers in India.” The company had introduced an excellent mobile application which could solve a number of problems which its current buyers were facing. I was to assist the marketing campaign for the same. The initiative was more important to them than the results. Everything gave me a rich and nurturing experience – whether it was the cold sales calls from my desk or the meetings with top builders of India. I was never considered as an intern. Working in an industry like real estate wasn’t easy but my mentors’ constant support gave me the strength to surpass all challenges. It was a normal working day when I was asked to come to the conference area where Ankush and Pranay were waiting for me. After discussing the progress, it was time for the big surprise! “Congratulations Raghav! You will be flying to Shanghai with us for the NATCON Event,” they said. For a moment, I just couldn’t believe it. But yes, it was true. The next few days were totally packed with some important meetings that were lined up.
Finally, the D-day arrived. I was excited about my first international trip. During the flight, I was briefed about the tasks I had to perform there. The Conference was absolutely amazing. Interacting with people and telling them about the products wasn’t easy but there was no time or room for nervousness. It was necessary for me to tell the people what exactly the domissile product was! To some extent, I was able to perform my duties as per the company’s expectations. Discussions on similarities between the policies of India and China, and the informative sessions on the upcoming RERA bills were enlightening. Being able to see personalities like Shashi Tharoor and Sanjay Dutt magically transformed the moments into everlasting memories. Those three days in Shanghai were the best days of my life.
After coming back, I had a few appointments to finish and an internship report that was to be submitted. Days passed by and my last day arrived. After receiving my certificate and stipend, it was time for my farewell lunch. I went back home with a bunch of beautiful memories and life lessons.
Editor’s Note – You never know the kind of opportunities that an internship might open up for you; apply for these marketing internships right away!
