From Engineering to Strategy: Inside ISB’s Summer Internship Season

If I had to describe the Summer Intern Placement term at ISB in one word, it would be transformative. It was easily the most hectic phase of my journey here, yet it delivered the sharpest growth curve, both personally and professionally. The process tested resilience in ways I had not experienced before, from the highs of shortlists to the lows of missing out. Looking back, I am deeply grateful that this evolution unfolded within the ISB ecosystem.

My journey began with a clear, if ambitious, goal. I wanted to pivot from a software development background into consulting and move beyond executing code to solving technology-led problems at the heart of business strategy. The weight of that ambition truly landed the day McKinsey visited campus and spoke about the scale and complexity of their work. That session became the catalyst for an intense month of preparation, beginning with the pursuit of what felt like the perfect resume.

Power of Community

As a member of the student Career Advancement Council, I had a front-row view of what truly drives ISB. Community. Being part of the founding batch of the PGP YL programme meant navigating unfamiliar territory, but never in isolation. Alumni support was exceptional and deeply personal. They lived the school’s give-back philosophy, offering everything from one-on-one counselling to detailed resume reviews.

The Career Advancement Services team played an equally critical role. They did far more than review applications. They built relationships, managed morale and stood by us through the most stressful moments of Interview Day, ensuring we showed up prepared and confident.

The real differentiator, however, was the cohort. A diverse group of high achievers can be intimidating, but at ISB, competition and collaboration coexist naturally. Success was never individual. It was collective. Resume reviews and mock interviews often stretched past four in the morning. Interview notes were shared freely. Case discussions ran deep into the night. Running into familiar faces at Nescafe at two AM became a reassuring ritual of shared intent.

Academics Under Rigour

The interview stage brought with it a powerful realisation about the programme’s academic depth. Partner rounds demanded more than polish and communication. They required technical rigour. I found myself drawing directly from Marketing Management, Corporate Finance and Financial Accounting to break down real business problems. Those foundations allowed me to move beyond standard frameworks and offer solutions that were both creative and practical.

The outcome of this intense phase was an offer to join EY Parthenon as a Strategy Consulting Intern. The opportunity holds deep personal significance. It validates my transition from engineering to strategy. The interview process itself was a learning experience, with interactions with partners and mentors offering insights that confirmed this was the right path for my skills and aspirations.

Looking Ahead

As I prepare for the internship, I am eager to apply learnings from the Frontier Technologies course in Term 3. The course has reshaped how I view business models in technology-first organisations, and I hope to blend that perspective with my development background to bring fresh thinking to the table.

I look forward to sitting across from CXOs, where the stakes are far higher than classroom case studies. My aim is not just to learn, but to set a standard of discipline and excellence for the PGP YL programme in the industry. Dreams do come true at ISB, but they are built on relentless preparation and the strength of a truly supportive community.

Synopsis:

In this reflective account, Rahul Khatav of PGP YL Co ‘27 shares how the Summer Internship Placements at ISB became a turning point in his journey from software development to strategy consulting. Through intense preparation, peer collaboration, academic rigour and alumni support, he navigated uncertainty, sharpened his business thinking and secured a strategy consulting internship at EY Parthenon.