Welcome to Two Sides of the Desk, a blog series where we share the unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs of interns and their mentors. This blog explores the dynamic relationship between mentor and mentee, offering insights from both sides of the desk. Whether you’re a seasoned mentor, a budding intern, or simply curious about the mentorship journey, our stories and reflections aim to inspire, educate, and foster a deeper understanding of this transformative partnership.

 Mentor:

Smriti Singhal

Designation: HR- Mercari India

• How do you approach balancing guidance and autonomy for your interns to ensure they’re both learning and contributing meaningfully to projects?
  
  My approach has always been to create a balance between structure and space. I made sure she had clarity on expectations, but I didn’t micromanage. I allowed her to explore, make mistakes, and come back with questions even if it was the same question twice. I believe real learning happens when someone feels safe enough to try, fail, and ask again. That space helped her grow, and over time, she not only delivered with consistency and confidence, but also began taking full ownership of her work with remarkable attention to detail and accountability

At the same time, I also make it clear that the freedom I offer shouldn’t be taken for granted. With autonomy comes responsibility. I try to instill that balance of being self-driven but also accountable so she understands that trust is something we build and maintain together. The goal for me is always to make someone confident in their own voice, not just efficient in a task.

• Can you provide an example of a particularly challenging situation you’ve encountered while mentoring an intern, and how you navigated it to ensure their growth and success?

When Jesuine first joined, she came across as quite introverted and found it a bit challenging to navigate the highly collaborative nature of HR. Her work was consistently solid, accurate, timely, and dependable but she wasn’t yet tapping into the relational side of the role or showing much curiosity beyond her immediate tasks.

I gave her feedback with honesty and care, acknowledging the many things she was already doing well, while gently helping her see how important collaboration, curiosity, and cultural connection are in an HR role. Over the next few weeks, she completely transformed the way she worked. She began proactively engaging with the team, showed genuine interest in people and processes, and even started contributing thoughtful ideas to improve things. 

Watching that transformation was rewarding. It reminded me that the right feedback, when delivered with kindness and trust, can unlock real change.

• If you could swap roles with each other for a day, what’s one thing you think you’d learn or experience from each other’s perspectives?
  
  If I swapped roles with Jesuine for a day, I think I’d be reminded of the power of being deeply receptive to feedback without defensiveness, without overthinking, just listening, reflecting, and applying it. Despite being early in her career, she takes feedback with such grace and turns it into action almost immediately. That kind of mindset being a true learner and adapting quickly is rare, and honestly, it’s something I admire in her. While I also value and practice adaptability in my own journey, there’s something refreshing about the way she embraces feedback with such openness.

It’s that quiet confidence in being a learner, the ability to course correct without resistance, that I’d want to carry forward. It’s a quality I know will take her far, and even as a mentor, it’s something I respect and learn from.

Intern:

Name: Jesuine J

Designation: TA/HR Associate Intern – Mercari India

College name: CHRIST University (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India

• What specific skills or knowledge did you gain from this internship, and how did you leverage your mentor’s expertise to achieve your learning goals?
  
  During this internship, I have become proficient in using a range of new tools, including Slack, Atlassian, Workable, Workday, and have also learnt to make effective use of Google Workspace. In addition to developing my technical skills, I have gained valuable exposure to core HR functions such as onboarding, recruitment coordination, stakeholder communication, and enhancing the overall candidate experience. This internship has also taught me how to streamline processes, manage my time effectively, and handle stakeholder interactions more professionally. Acquiring expertise in these tools and HR practices would have been far more difficult without the spontaneous and consistent support of my mentor. Her clear, simple, and effective way of explaining things has enabled me to quickly grasp concepts and gain a solid understanding of what needs to be done. Her mentorship has played a crucial role in shaping my understanding of HR operations, accelerating my learning and boosting my confidence in handling various day-to-day tasks independently.
• Can you describe a time when you encountered a problem or obstacle during a project, and how you collaborated with your mentor to overcome it?
  
  During one of my projects, I was tasked with updating the hiring process and interview panelist details in Atlassian. Initially, I wasn’t fully familiar with the existing workflows or where to find the relevant information. To overcome this, I reached out to my mentor and requested access to the existing documentation as well as the Slack channels that had been used during previous hiring cycles for those specific roles. Her quick support in sharing the necessary resources and adding me to the appropriate channels made a significant difference. It gave me valuable context and helped me understand the process more clearly. Without her guidance and prompt assistance, it would have been challenging to complete the task efficiently and accurately. This experience highlighted the importance of open communication and collaboration, especially when navigating unfamiliar system
• If you could swap roles with each other for a day, what’s one thing you think you’d learn or experience from each other’s perspectives?
  
  If I could swap roles with my mentor for a day, I think I would gain a deeper appreciation for her remarkable ability to juggle multiple tasks and keep everything organised simultaneously. 

It’s truly impressive how she manages a packed workload, yet she always finds a moment to assist me with any questions I have, immediately. Despite her busy schedule, she is always patient and provides clear, thoughtful guidance whenever needed. If I had the chance to experience her role firsthand, I’d love to understand how she maintains such a high level of efficiency and expertise in what she does. It would be invaluable to witness how she handles the complexities of her work, while still being able to support others, provide answers to employee queries, manage internal and external stakeholder communication etc. I’m sure I’d learn a great deal about managing time and responsibilities with such precision, building strong working relationships both within and outside the organisation.

And if you are inspired to be part of an organization that values growth, learning, and collaboration, we encourage you to look out for more opportunities on our careers website.

Stay tuned for more stories, lessons, and reflections as we continue to learn and grow together.
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