{"id":18013,"date":"2019-02-26T11:59:04","date_gmt":"2019-02-26T06:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internshala.com\/blog\/?p=18013"},"modified":"2019-02-26T12:06:36","modified_gmt":"2019-02-26T06:36:36","slug":"fighting-all-odds-and-pushing-boundaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internshala.com\/blog\/fighting-all-odds-and-pushing-boundaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighting all odds and pushing boundaries!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fighting-all-odds-and-pushing-boundaries\"<\/p>\n

About the Author:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Sapna Shukla, a student of RGVP, Bhopal, reminisces how she began her journey at Internshala and tells us about the long way she has come.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I joined Internshala on 12th October 2015 as a student counselling and support intern. With mixed emotions of nervousness and eagerness, I entered the office. The first week was all about me being quiet and working on my tasks. Soon enough, I became comfortable at the office, made friends, and started enjoying my job. But what preceded this is a different story altogether!<\/span><\/p>\n

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Fighting-all-odds-and-pushing-boundaries-metro\"<\/b><\/p>\n

Gurgaon was a new city and finding a place close to the office was a must. Until I found a cozy little room nearby, I commuted for 5 hours a day. Reaching home at 9 didn\u2019t leave much time for me to do anything else. I swear I even had nightmares about commuting and the rush in the metro.
\n<\/span>On top of this, my deteriorating health kept making it difficult for me to take care of my work. This was taking a toll on me, so I decided to quit my internship. Next day, I came prepared to talk to Shekhar, my mentor, about this decision. Before I could have the ‘talk\u2019 with him, we left for a team lunch to celebrate the first stipend of all the new interns. And when I came back to the office, tears rolled down my eyes because I had fallen in love with Internshala and the team. I was certain that I was going to continue with my internship.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
\n<\/b>I found it utterly difficult to work in the beginning. I worked on a laptop for 8-9 hours continuously. I was neither acquainted with typing with both hands simultaneously nor quick at typing. Shekhar introduced me to typing tutor so that I could learn to type fast and took my sessions regularly. I used to practice typing for half an hour daily and send a report to Shekhar. Gradually, I got a hang of typing and started replying to 100+ queries a day.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Fight till the last gasp.”
\n<\/b>One thing I profoundly admire about Internshala is that we are given constant feedback on the job we do. Among many, one of the feedback that I received was to improve my email-writing skills. I started reading a lot of articles and rewrote them in my own words to enhance my command over the language. I made every possible effort to improve my writing skills, and the feedback I received from Shekhar and Sarvesh from time to time helped me overcome this weakness. In the beginning, I was also a bit hesitant in responding to users\u2019 calls. As time passed, I started interacting with students, employers, and training and placement heads, resolving their queries and helping them have a smooth journey on the platform. In less than 3 months, I took complete ownership of my work and gave a new structure to Internshala\u2019s student support. I resolved students\u2019 complaints over emails and calls, took live chat sessions, handled queries received on Facebook and blog. I also spent time understanding the pain points of users and suggested various product changes. I was getting better each day, and I could feel that I was doing justice to the role of a student counsellor. <\/span><\/p>\n

“The sun himself is weak when he first rises and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on.”
\n<\/b>Time flew and I completed my 6-month internship. Owing to my sense of ownership and the growth I had undergone in this period, I was offered a pre-placement offer and a position of business manager. This was my first job ever, and my happiness knew no bounds. The fact that I fought all the odds and made it happen made me even happier. <\/span><\/p>\n

“I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into better shape.”<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Fighting-all-odds-and-pushing-boundaries-flight\"<\/b><\/p>\n

After a span of 8 long months, I went home, booking my first flight tickets from my first salary. It was an emotional experience which I will always cherish. I bought lots of gifts for my family members; this gave me a feeling of immense self-pride and financial independence.
\n<\/span>Fighting all roadblocks, I have completed 3+ years at Internshala. I began my journey as an intern and am currently working as the senior manager of student support. I still fall ill (a lot) but I manage the work diligently. After all, that\u2019s what this amazing journey has taught me – to keep going! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stay tuned to know my journey from a manager to a senior manager and how I manage my team!<\/span><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note \u2013 If you feel inspired by Sapna\u2019s journey and wish to be a part of the team where you are constantly encouraged to do better, visit\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to apply.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n