Summer Training is the first brush of an MBA with the corporate world. It is an integral component of MBA curriculum at all business schools which has been effectively grooming future managers.

The objective of summer training from academic learning point of view is to provide an interaction with real world and understand the problems, issues and challenges being faced by corporate world, and to give an opportunity to the student to apply the learning at campus. This is the time when we get an opportunity that tell us where do we stand when it comes to a fast moving corporate world.

During the summer project, the trainee is expected to work on live projects and work out a feasible solution for the same.

Summer projects in one way or the other helps you gain confidence and prepares you for corporate world that is eagerly waiting for smart and energetic intelligent professionals.

For trainees, it is an opportunity to understand what are the various fucctions in an organization and at broader level, understanding and experiencing what to expect after joining the corporate world. Summer project should be taken as an

Stipend or No Stipend

Most organizations pay stipend for summer training and also bear the expenses borne while doing the project. Certain organizations might pay less while certain organizations pay more. This will depend on the organization policy. However, payment is not the right yard-stick to judge whether the project is worthwhile or not.

Look many times you are not paid but still you get a good project to handle. Make a wise choice among the projects you plan to take. Our personal opinion is giving a good project much value than the money associated.

Project Vs. Brand Name

What is more important - the project or the organization?

The vote goes in favour of the project. If the project is done well, it can be a very strong learning platform for you. It does not matter whether the organization has small brand name or a big banner. A good summer project which is relevant to the industry and contributes to the body of knowledge can be a strong selling and talking point during final placements.

Again personal contacts, alumni and professional pitch to the organizations can help you get that; however, not at the cost of upsetting your organization.

What if you are not able to make any headway in your project?

• Go back to your mentor/guide for the project - ask relevant questions.
• Speak to your peers who might be doing similar projects.
• Speak to your alumni who are working in the same area.
• It makes sense to even go back to the faculty at the institute to seek guidance on the subject.

If you have done your summer training in the field of marketing, can you actually get a job in finance?

Well, summer training is just a two-month stop-over in your career. Therefore, saying that if you have done your summer training in one specialization area, you can't look out for job in other specialization domains, is completely wrong. One can land up with a marketing project even if one is more interested in finance depending on opportunities available on campus, dearth of quality projects in your chosen area of specialization. There could be many reasons for this, and at the end of the day, it is only a two-month project before the start of your career. However, you should be prepared with a convincing answer on the reason for switch from one area to another. The reasons could vary from interest to opportunity available to realization. Whatever you say, be sure and convincing.

One needs to understand, at this phase of your 2 year MBA you are not expected to know all the management concepts but you should be strong with your fundaments. Trust me, if you don’t know exactly what’s difference between marketing and selling you are in trouble.

Brush up your conceptual knowledge; we have added a marketing section that has a collection of marketing theories which should be on your tips.

Get online and read about the company before you go for an interview. It’s a personal suggestion; don’t go into every single detail about the company. You are expected to know what the company is into its products and services. What is the market share? Who all are the competitors, etc.

When I say that, I do not mean that one should exchange business cards and start sending out CVs immediately after you go back to college. Things like thanking all the corporate you have met and who have helped you during your summer training by sending out an e-mail is considered a good gesture and starting point of future relationships. In fact if your organization permits, sending a synopsis of your project is also not a bad idea.

Therefore, plan for at least 7-10 days of your training period for preparing the report. Check out the standard formats for report writing.

Make sure that the language of your report is simple it is; organized in a logical fashion and covers the entire scope of the project.

Make use of your marketing learning’s while you are making your summer report. Different theories could be used to have a sound analysis and same can be mentioned in the report.

Every individual has a different way of presenting report. One has to make sure that his report reflects theoretical implementation of marketing principles,Don’t worry even if you are placed for a summer project where you are not able to contribute much with your knowledge. Remember its better to make initiatives and work forward so that your report reflects some thing that is more relevant.

Remember, numbers speak more than the theoretical lines. Try to show what effect your recommendations can make in the organization in terms of numbers. Some thing like this …

“After the analysis of call center activities of my company, I realized that lot of time was wasted. My recommendations will reduce this wastage by 31%.”

Your report should be more graphical. Rather than writing down observations in the form of points, try to make use of graphs. This will depict the results at a glance and have better impact.

Final Tips

SUMMER REPORT STRUCTURE (MBA): 

Every MBA Institute has a differnet way / representation of summer internship report. This article provides a standard report structure with reference to MBA in Marketing fied. This will give a brief idea of how a summer internship report for MBA grads. is structured.

1. Cover and Title page

• Certificate
• Acknowledgement
• Declaration given by the student
• Table of contents
• Executive summary

2. Intorduction  to the  project.

• Introduction
• Objective of the study
• Methodology
• The chapter would contain the following things.
• 5.Sources of data
• Sample size, if any
• 7.Methods of data collection
• 8.Instrument used
• 9.Tools and techniques of analysis
  

3. Literature review: 

 This section for the summer training report would mean writing about the ways in which the organizational realities are similar or different from theory. The management theory dealt with in the report must be written in detail.

• The Background
• The Promoters
• The Company and its Product line
• Features of the Product
• Marketing strategies
• Competitors
• Government Policies
• Taxation aspects
• Major problems
• Achievements
• Share Market position
• National and International Image
• Future Prospects
• Conclusion

4.    About the project (assignment or topic) taken in the organisation

5.   Surveys, Feedback and Data Analysis

6.   Suggestion/ Recommendation

7. Conclusion

8. Bibliography

9.  Appendix/ Annexure

If you use any table/graph/ Figure, then it is to be numbered and source of information from which it is collected, is to be mentioned under each.