IFMR GSB MBA-Internship Stories

IFMR GSB MBA-Internship Stories are a series of interviews with the students of IFMR GSB, who have recently completed their Summer Internships. Here, Nandan AS, MBA 2021 shares his internship experience and learnings at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Could you tell us about the organization you have completed/are doing your internship from?

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the world’s most valuable bank by market capitalization.

Did you focus on a specific domain while participating in summer placements? How did you approach the whole process? 

Being an engineer and having worked in Fintech and Data startups, I was looking for a role where I could use my existing expertise and also learn more from an industry that is new to me. Corporate and Investment Banking is very new to me and the CADP program of JPMorgan Chase & Co. was perfect for my skill sets.

Now that the internship has successfully concluded, could you reflect on your experience through the same?

My internship with JPMorgan Chase & Co. started, when the uncertainty in businesses across the globe was building up. However, none of that affected the work or the interactions between the firm and the interns. We had 3-4 online sessions per week which included learning series, ‘virtually humane’ sessions, sessions on good work and volunteering etc. They always kept us engaged and ensured that we learnt and understood what it meant, to be part of this great organization.

How was the environment of the company, the resources, employees and work culture?

The culture is very welcoming and open. We were encouraged to ask questions about anything relevant to our internships, to our peers in the team, to our manager or the recruitment team and they never left any of them unanswered. Every intern was assigned a buddy, who was previously an intern like us and later got hired by the firm, to help us get our access details and support in any queries we had.

What were the key challenges you faced during your internship and how did you overcome them?

The concept of a completely virtual internship was new to me. Again, the great team, the continuous engagement, and the sessions imparted the constant feeling that we were in real working for a great organization.

How about the learnings you garnered from this internship? Are there any milestones you would like to share?

For someone who is from an Engineering background, this internship increased my interest in finance and financial products which was previously a whole new topic of study for me. I am pretty sure this learning will make a huge impact on my career going forward.

Do you think it’s important for an MBA student to do an internship? What values/skills can a student gain from a summer placement?

Yes. More than the skills, it is the excitement that builds in every student’s mind that drives the second year of MBA forward. To get a hint of what one may achieve in their career after college is a big morale boost, pushing one to perform better and reach the peak of productivity.  

During your internship, how were you connected with your academic mentor(s) at the institute?

My academic mentor for the internship was Prof.Suresh Venkatraman. There was a particular conversation when he explained to me different scenarios in the organizations he previously worked for, and how he used to handle such situations. That learning from real-life experiences is the biggest learning any student can get from his/her academic mentor, and it has done wonders to my internship experience.

Would you prefer to return to the organization for a job opportunity in the future?

Yes, definitely.

With due consideration to COVID-19, all internships were moved to the virtual mode- how was that navigating through this new experience?

As mentioned earlier, the concept of a completely virtual internship was new for me but the organization ensured that it was seamless. Multiple platforms were used in the engagement process.

Could you tell us how the remote working experience was, with respect to building team rapport, internal communication and work as a whole?

We had 3-4 online sessions per week. Fun team activities were also conducted, where interns from different colleges were grouped into different teams and given weekly tasks with a scoreboard. This built a rapport and a sense of healthy competition among the interns, and also helped in forming new friendships.

Could you share a memorable incident from your internship days?

I cannot explain the feeling, the day I got appreciated for my work. For all the hard work we do, the gesture of appreciation is a big achievement and that is the most memorable incident for me, through this internship.