Armed with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Christ University in Bangalore, Saksham joined the ESSEC Master in Management (MiM) program to hone his business skills.
His plan is to start a career in FMCG and eventually be able to launch his own product.
These dreams and his family business in the spirits industry make his internship at Beam Suntory a perfect fit.
Why did you choose the ESSEC MIM program, and what aspect appealed to you the most?
Although my background is in business management, I have many hobbies ranging from theater to debate, social work, and cooking.
So, when I considered which program to join, I wanted one that would be compatible with my multiple interests and offer me flexibility.
I’ve not been disappointed yet!
What have you learned about international business from your experience working at Beam Suntory?
It is a privilege to see how a global MNC integrates operations from all around the world.
I’ve learned skills in SAP and PowerBI—and most importantly, perhaps, also seen how the smooth running of an organization depends on a sound communication and conflict resolution system.
How do you apply the knowledge you gained from the ESSEC MIM program in your daily work?
A module I did on Asian culture and the Junior Consultant Experience have helped me understand people’s expectations of me at work.
A class on computing skills refreshed my knowledge of Microsoft Excel—which I use regularly for one of my current projects.
Also, thanks to a module on financial accounting, I can understand the technical details of the economic reports I read daily.
What aspect of the work culture surprised you the most when you started your current job?
Cracking jokes are common. There are options to work from home and regular events at the Suntory Bar space for colleagues to connect.
Options for mental health leave have also been integrated into the company’s policies.
In fact, I’ve started a monthly newsletter for my department and am working in a focus group to help manage the team’s work-life balance.
Can you share your experience of the welcome party your colleagues held for interns during your first week at work?
My fellow intern came and told me to “drop everything and go right away.” I reached there to find colleagues from different departments throwing a small welcome party for us interns.
We shared about our lives and laughed at silly jokes—it was nice that people who were not even from our teams made such an effort to make us feel welcome and get to know us better.
What advice would you give to current students about the job application process?
There may be hundreds of internships in Singapore, but there are also thousands of students applying for positions, so it is to your advantage to have a head start.
I’d also recommend applying for a wide range of roles and industries. For example, marketing roles aren’t only found in marketing agencies.
You can look for a marketing role in a finance firm or even a finance role in a marketing firm—either way, you’ll learn more about the industry you eventually choose to join.
How can ESSEC resources be utilized effectively to aid in a job search?
I found workshops that ESSEC’s Career Services team holds are extremely useful for the internship search.
I benefited the most from a workshop on writing a good resume. I’ve also discovered career fairs to be a great place to network with companies looking for interns and that many professors also have industry contacts and may be willing to offer an introduction.
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