At ZS, we believe our people are our strongest asset. Every year, our India offices host a unique campus engagement program, Campus Beats, to find the best and brightest upcoming talent and give them a glimpse into life at ZS. Pune ZSers Dylan, Sakshi and Varad started out as classmates and friends before participating in the Campus Beats case challenge together, joining as interns and ultimately deciding to pursue their careers at our firm. Learn more about their experiences below.
Company culture seals the deal for Dylan
Without a gentle reminder from his friend, Pune ZSer Dylan may have missed the opportunity to sign up for the ZS Campus Beats case challenge, which his team went on to win. He connected with his college alumni to learn more about ZS and decided to join as an intern. Coming from an engineering background, the first two months of his internship were demanding as he learned the ropes of consulting, but his perseverance paid off in the end.
What made you choose ZS over the other companies that must have visited your college for recruitment?
My team was invited to visit the Pune office after winning the Campus Beats case challenge. When I saw the company culture, my decision to join ZS was an easy one. By the end of our visit, we were familiar with the typical day in the life of a ZSer and were enthralled with how openly we could connect with the leaders.
During my internship, I saw that ZS lived up to its claim of being a caring meritocracy built on strong values and an open culture. I realized early on that the people make ZS a unique place to work and that feeling continues to this day.
Internship jumpstarts Sakshi’s successful ZS career
Sakshi heard of ZS through campus recruiting but didn’t know what type of work the firm did. After winning the 2018 case challenge, she joined ZS as an intern and left with a thorough understanding of the firm, including the opportunities to explore new roles at ZS beyond the pharmaceutical industry.
“Not only did we interact and learn directly from senior leaders at ZS, but we also connected with the smartest people across colleges throughout the country,” said Sakshi.
How has your ZS journey been so far? Where did you start compared to where you are now in terms of the expectations you had?
My classmates and I used to discuss our internship experiences, and many talked about their laid-back work environments. I, on the other hand, had a demanding role with real responsibilities. Though it was initially challenging, I had a supportive team I could turn to with even the smallest of doubts and queries. I am extremely grateful for the responsibilities given to me during my internship because they enabled me to grow early in my career and gave me a head start as compared to my classmates.
Varad’s opportunity to contribute to the big picture
Varad was interested in pursuing a career in consulting and was intrigued by ZS’s work. Campus Beats gave him a deep understanding of what ZS does and now, as a full-time ZSer, he’s contributing to the big picture he learned about as a student.
What advice would you offer to other students who would undergo campus recruitment this year?
Try to learn more about the work ZS does through the frequent campus events, which will guide your efforts while preparing for the interview. During the interview, be genuine. It is perfectly fine if you don’t know the answer to every question, but make sure to show sincere effort. Your interviewer wants to see you succeed and will jump in if you’re stuck (and no, it won’t affect your chances of getting in!).
