About Rakshanda Vartak:

I have done my Bachelors in Accounting and Finance from the University of Mumbai and currently pursuing MBA in Marketing and Finance from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, Pune. I am from Mumbai and look forward to work in the same city. Food Blogging is my passion and so far I have collaborated with 11 Restaurants and 2 Brands for Tasting and Review program. I am the Senior Co-ordinator of Infrastructure Cell at SIMS and the member of the Student Council 2019. I am also the only female student member of the Grievance Committee at my Institute.


About the Internship

  • Company - HDFC Bank
  • Industry - Banking
  • Role - Sales Intern
  • Location - Pune
  • Duration - 2 Months

How was your overall experience?

I interned for two months from 1st April to 31st May 2019. All the tasks that were given to me during this internship taught me a great deal. My Branch Manager was a dynamic and powerful lady. I think working under her guidance was the best part of my internship. She made sure we learn something from what we do in the Bank daily. Our work was more of practical experience with customers daily. So overall it was great working with HDFC.

How was the selection process conducted? 

The selection process was a two steps process.
  •  Online Exam that was conducted by Aspiring Minds (AMCAT)
  •  Group Discussion

What was your project and how did you execute it?

My project was DIGITALIZATION. For this, I first studied all the digital platforms and products of HDFC bank. Then I compared those with the digital products of other Private and Public Sector Banks. Accordingly, I pitched the products to prospective customers. I basically promoted Digital Banking at the branch by educating the customers about the benefits of Net Banking and Mobile Banking. Through this, I also helped Bank to achieve its digital targets. There were many customers who were reluctant to go digital, I also studied such customers and their reasons.

How was the work culture at HDFC Bank?

To be frank, very stressful. We being interns and temporary staff were not under any pressure, but the permanent staff surely was. This affected the overall health and atmosphere of the workplace.

What were the key challenges that you faced during your internship?

Since I was a new and temporary staff, customers took time to connect with me. Many of them had 'Trust Issues' as well. This was the major challenge.

What were the key learnings of your internship?

Hard work earns you a lot of money, but it's worth nothing if you don't love the job that you're doing. So take up a job that you love and put your 100% into it. Also, the BFSI sector is not everyone's cup of tea.

Any memorable moments from the internship?

Yes, once an angry customer broke the Main Glass Door of the Bank during the working hours. It was quite a scene and we had to call the police and ring the emergency alarm. That day I learned how important is Customer Grievance Management 😄

Any tips you would like to share with our juniors?

Don't overthink, just go for it! Every job teaches you something and gives you valuable experience. Moreover, it will give you a clarity of what you can and cannot go through in life.

For any other queries, you can reach out to Rakshanda @Linkedin and @Instagram