Question

 

YOU ARE AN INTERN AT A BUSINESS FIRM. You are now becoming more familiar with your role and responsibilities. You are learning about where you fit in the organization and building a general understanding of how the organization works. You might be gaining some insight into the cultural values that drive the company. You might have the opportunity to witness the core values of the company, seeing them in problem-solving, decision- making and day to- to-day activities. Your comfort level with your co-workers may be growing as you build confidence in yourself and your abilities. For your second reflection journal, please share your experience by responding to the following statements/questions. Your reflection summary must be a minimum of three (3) FULL pages typed, Times New Roman, 12 size font. The paper can NOT be a Q&A paper, but must be written in summary format. Now that you have spent time at the company, do you look forward to coming to work? Explain. Do you feel like a member and/or part of the company?Why?Why not? How are you learning to do your job?ls there training?ls it effective? Do you understand the organization of the company and/or the department you work in? Is therea reporting structure (e.g., an organization chart)? Is your reporting relationship clearly defined? Explain Can you identify all the stakeholders of the company? Who are they? If not, why? Do you understand the company's mission, values objectives and goals? What do you see as the core company values? Do you see these values in problem-solving and decision-making? Explain. How is your work load? Are you being asked to work more time than you thought? As an intern, are you being asked to work more additional time than other employees in the company?lf so, why?

 

 

Answer 1

This is a very subjective answer. I can help you out with my thoughts. My humble suggestion will be to go through my thoughts, think through them and prepare your answer.

Now that you have spent time at the company, do you look forward to coming to work? Explain.

I have spent some quality time in the company and have the flavor of the business this company is into. This is also my first corporate exposure. I am part of a team which has got well defined role in the organization at large. There is so much to do and achieve here. I am definitely very motivated to come to work in the morning. There are new challenges to look forward to and new assignments to take care of. The variety of the task given to me keeps me motivated.

Do you feel like a member and/or part of the company?Why?Why not?

I am a part of Corporate Finance team that takes care of external funding for the company. The team takes care investor and lender management. The activities encompass right from term sheet negotiation, term sheet closure, coordination of due diligence activities, definitive documentation and finally the investment. I have been assigned the task to ensure "Conditions Precedents" compliance on two transactions. These are live transactions and the fact that i had been staffed on live transactions, make me feel very much a part of the team here.

How are you learning to do your job?ls there training?ls it effective? Do you understand the organization of the company and/or the department you work in? Is there a reporting structure (e.g., an organization chart)? Is your reporting relationship clearly defined?

I have done relevant courses in MBA programs. The courses have definitely given me the much needed theoretical background. However, my on the job and practical learning is taking place here only. I had been through some hundreds of pages of transaction documents in last 5 - 6 days to really understand a corporate funding transaction. I admit there are many things that i don't understand. However, I have gained a lots of understanding in last few days. I have understood the entire chain of activities in corporate funding transaction. I have also learnt from my senior colleagues in the department. There are some other interns with me here. Even they had been instrumental in helping me and learning the job.

There was an initial in house training of two days. The training was more of an orientation program giving an overview of the company business, mission, vision, values of the company. The training definitely acted as an ice breaker. it was effective in helping me quickly understand the strengths and weaknesses of the organization.

The department I am part of is the Corporate Finance Department. The primary objective of this department is to make sure that the company as well as its individual projects are sufficiently well funded throughout. Given the critical nature of the department, there is a very well laid down department organization structure here. The team is headed by a Vice President. There are a total of 10 members at various levels. I am reporting to the "Compliance Manager" in the team. My reporting structure is clearly defined. Each of us have a well defined job description, but on a typical day we all keep aside our job description and come together to make things happen.

Explain Can you identify all the stakeholders of the company? Who are they? If not, why?

There are six stakeholders of the company:

• Customers
• Suppliers, service providers
• Employees
• Lenders
• Government
• Equity investors, shareholders

These are the six sets of people whose lives are impacted by the performance of the company.

Do you understand the company's mission, values objectives and goals? What do you see as the core company values? Do you see these values in problem-solving and decision-making? Explain.

I have understood the mission, vision, values, objectives and goals of the company. It will be wrong to say I have understood them deeply and completely but yeah, I have broad understanding.

The core company value is commitment to the customers and integrity. Honesty is highly valued here. The team and organization derives the basis of their strong commitment to customers from the core value. Every problem solving and decision making is directly and indirectly made keeping this core value in mind. Questions, issues that help customers are paid attention to immediately and the decision is made quickly. There is a high level of importance given to the customer.

How is your work load? Are you being asked to work more time than you thought? As an intern, are you being asked to work more additional time than other employees in the company? lf so, why?

The work load is good. I remain busy throughout the day. I get to leave not necessarily at the time I am supposed to but, it's fine. Currently some funding transactions are going on so the work load is quite high but bearable and enjoyable. All the employees do work along with me. It's not that I am made to work additional hours because I am the intern.