gradmalaysia Internship Guide

EDITOR

Jasmine Mun

EDITORIAL

Jasmine Mun, Benny Razali

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Anis Amsham

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Jason Ng, Simon Ang, Vivien Chai

CLIENT RELATIONS

Nor Fatihah Huzaimah, Farihah Wasfi

MARKETING & EVENTS

Alfred Leo, Izzaty Sabri

PUBLISHER

Isaac Hee

PUBLISHED BY GTI Media Sdn Bhd

P-7-12, Street Mall One South, Jalan OS, Taman Serdang Perdana, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

CORRESPONDENCE

PO Box 111, Pejabat Pos Seri Kembangan, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

Tel +(603) 8953 0055

Fax +(603) 8953 0066

Email admin@gtimedia.asia

© GTI Media Sdn Bhd

2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means including, but not limited to, photocopying or storage in a retrieval system in any form without the prior written consent of GTI. The views expressed in the articles are those of authors and their publication does not necessarily imply that such views are shared by GTI. Whilst every care has been taken in the completion of this publication, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, or for any loss, direct or consequential, arising in connection with information in this publication.

Internship Matters WHY DOING AN

I ntering the labour market can be a tough learning curve for graduates, and employers need to know whether a candidate is able to deliver. Recruiters will thus be looking out for evidence that a candidate has what it takes to do the job, and past work experience is typically what they’ll rely on to better gauge a candidate’s skills and suitability for the role. Therefore, internships are the perfect way for students to gain relevant work experience and become more employable in the process. It’s a good idea to plan ahead and apply early, that way you’ll secure the right one for you before slots run out!

Other than attaining valuable work experience, here are 4 reasons why completing internships is incredibly important.

TO ESTABLISH CRITICAL NETWORKING CONNECTIONS

There is no better time to build your professional network than during your internship. As an intern, you will meet with professionals in your chosen career fields, as well as other interns who share similar interests. So make the effort to socialize and put the best version of yourself forward – you’ll be surprised at how much the professional connections you make at the time can benefit you in the long run.

For some, it could be a stepping stone to other opportunities within the same organisation, including the chance of securing a full-time job after you graduate. In other cases, those connections might lead you down new career pathways you may never have thought of previously!

Also, different people have different skills. Hence, getting to know them and working with them can help you understand how to cooperate with different personalities and in various work environments.

The job market is competitive, and having just a good degree is no longer sufficient enough to secure you that all-important graduate job offer. This is where having an internship (or two) will benefit you!

TO GAIN RELEVANT SKILLS

With internships, you can accumulate work experiences that help you develop the skills necessary for the workplace, including transferable skills that cannot be learned from books. Here are some examples:

• Communication skills - From interacting with colleagues and clients

• Organisational and time management skillsFrom learning to prioritise and manage tasks to meet deadlines

• Teamwork - From experience working with team members and supervisors

• Commercial awareness – From being exposed to the reality of working day-to-day in a specific industry

With that said, it’s a good idea to outline your objectives and desired learning outcomes before you begin your internship. You should then reflect on the progress you are making on those objectives at various points of your internship. This will set your mind straight on what matters and help you make the most of your time there.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF

Doing an internship is akin to taking your future career on a test drive, in that it allows you to discover whether the field is truly something you wish to pursue in the future. It’s important to note that every industry has its ups and downs, and by working in a real-world environment, you gain an insider’s point-of-view on top of an understanding of the different roles and tasks within the industry.

Moreover, an internship will test your capabilities and ultimately encourage you to develop your strengths and face your weaknesses. It can be tough at times, but the benefits you gain from being pushed out of your comfort zone will help you tremendously in the future when you are presented with a difficult task or situation.

TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR

An internship is an experiential opportunity that allows you to get your foot in the door of the company and industry you want to work in. You may even be asked to return as a full-time hire after graduation if you perform well!

It is not uncommon for employers to offer exceptional interns permanent employment after they graduate. It saves them the hassle of training and familiarizing new hires with the work environment and culture of the organisation. Most importantly, employers are spared the trouble of figuring out whether he or she is a good fit for the company. Some employers even use internship conversions as their preferred recruitment channel for graduate hires!

However, regardless of whether or not your internship results in a full-time offer, just go in with no expectations other than to learn. Keep an open mind and be on the lookout for new opportunities to explore your desired field. You never know where they may lead!

Get an Internship HOW TO

I nternships are a great way to gain hands-on experience and insight into a field that you are considering working in. With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, internships can give you the work experience and skills needed to stand out from other candidates; creating an extra edge in your job applications.

Discovering, applying and landing an internship of your choice at your desired company can be stressful and competitive. However, with these simple tips, you are able to maximise your search and make the process easier for yourself!

BEFORE STARTING THE SEARCH

Do It Early

It goes without saying that preparing and planning in advance sets you up for success, especially when you want to secure a highly competitive internship. Many internship opportunities carry early deadlines and by applying early, the recruiter will more likely notice you first.

An early search can also mean extra lead time to properly understand the company and the culture. You can take the additional time to connect with professionals, alumni or friends that have or are currently working for the organisation. After all, what better way to know a company than to hear about it from their employees?

Identify Your Goals and Interests

Apart from getting into your internship search early, it’s crucial you have a clear purpose for your stint in mind. So instead of applying casually just to meet your course’s requirements, take into account the potential long-term benefits and apply for a position that is relevant to the industry you want to work in. Also, it would be helpful to consider particular areas within your chosen field that you wish to focus on.

For instance, a mechanical engineering student interested in a career in the FMCG industry in the future can consider looking for an internship in the manufacturing department of an FMCG company –where some elements of their course can be applied. By being thorough on your interests and aspirations, you can narrow down your search to the roles that suit your needs.

Prepare Your CV

Recruiters don’t expect an entry-level candidate’s CV to be rich with work experience, especially when it’s an internship they are applying for. However, this

You stand the best chance of finding the right internship if you employ several different strategies. Here are some ideas on how you can get started!

does not mean you can’t build a good CV to sell yourself for the position.

In your CV, you can include some modules or areas of study that are part of your current degree programme. A full list of subjects or modules is not advisable, as it will not say much about you. Instead, come up with a carefully curated list of subjects or modules that you excel in, are relevant to the role you want, or are just very specialised.

Pro Tip

Substitutes for work experience are information

such as your extra-curricular and volunteering activities. Don’t forget to include those!

STARTING THE SEARCH

Visit Your Campus Career Centre

Have you booked an appointment with your campus’s career services centre yet? If not, you should do so as soon as you can! When it comes to searching for internships and career advice, there’s no better place and people to turn for assistance than the experts you find there; it’s literally their job!

Because career advisors on campus can inform you what internship opportunities are floating around the job market, as well as how they operate, take the time to visit them to start prepping and planning ahead for yours. You can even book a consultation with them for a CV review so that you have the best chance to secure an internship moving forward.

Network

“It’s not what you know, but who you know.” Networking comes in handy during your search for an internship as well as any career-related endeavours in the future – be it for graduate job searching or moving up the career ladder.

Participate in networking events during your time in school, whether they are organised by the career centre or clubs and societies. Through these events, you can make important connections and discover internship opportunities. Even if the events are held virtually due to Covid-19 concerns, it should not discourage you from attending and meeting new people.

On the other hand, physical and virtual career fairs are perfect for students to talk to recruiters about internship openings and take the chance to get to know potential employers and vice versa. Also, it’s a good way to make a positive first impression, and

may even lead to employment opportunities in the future.

But keep in mind that networking does not immediately lead to landing a job or an internship! Follow up with the contacts you have made by dropping them well-crafted emails to ask if they can connect you with any opportunities.

Tip

Keep in touch with people in your network regularly, even if it’s just a brief email to say hello and to ask how they’re doing. People are more willing to help when they know who you are.

Pro

Hidden Internships DISCOVERING

For hidden internships, out of sight doesn’t mean out of mind! Not all of these opportunities are advertised publicly, so apply speculatively, and you may just get what you seek.

N

ot all internship opportunities are published on job portals by employers. In fact, many smaller employers may not have the budget to advertise internships or can’t take on large numbers of interns.

Nevertheless, neither of these mean that employers will reject the idea of having interns on board, especially if they require manpower. Hence, they may just hire one or two interns for a short period or for specific projects or campaigns.

As these internships are hidden, the responsibility is on you to proactively research and approach employers and submit speculative applications. “Hidden” internships like these are harder to find, but this does not mean that it is a total impossibility. Here’s how to get started.

BUT FIRST, WHAT ARE SPECULATIVE APPLICATIONS?

A speculative application involves writing to or contacting an employer to inquire about potential job or internship openings even if they have none publicly advertised. You’ll need to research their business thoroughly, make direct contact with them, and tailor your cover letter and CV to the employer’s needs.

By successfully catching their attention, you’ll obtain information about potentially unadvertised internship positions. In a way, you are essentially creating an internship opportunity for yourself.

STEP 1 – IDENTIFY PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS

Before you build your speculative application, identify and shortlist employers in the area of work you are interested in. Google and LinkedIn are probably your best friends here. Also, you can rely on your social network – friends, family and lecturers – for recommendations.

LinkedIn is a great tool to look up department heads working in the companies you have shortlisted as it contains their professional contact information. You can connect with them to ask about possible internship opportunities.

On the other hand, you can approach seniors and alumni who are currently hustling in the field you are aiming for and find out if their employers are open to hiring interns. Don’t bother applying speculatively to employers that already offer formal internship opportunities, as they will expect you to apply through established channels.

STEP 2 – CRAFT YOUR SPECULATIVE APPLICATION

Ideally, on LinkedIn, you’ll want to connect with someone who makes hiring decisions in your company of interest. However, if you are unsure whether the person you connected with is doing so, you can always drop him or her a message to ask for the hiring manager’s email address.

Before you go about emailing the hiring manager, you should update your CV and customise your cover letter to fit the employer. It’s crucial that you construct a personalised message in the email, not just send a standard one.

Here’s an idea of what to include:

• Address the recipient by name, instead of using “Dear Sir/Madam”. If you were asked to send your CV to an email address, make sure to ask for the name of the person to address your application to;

• Briefly explain that you are interested in working in their sector, how long you are able to commit and when you can start;

• Show that you are passionate about the company and have done some research by highlighting why you chose to apply to them.

• You can showcase your knowledge on what the organisation does in its specific market, and what about its business that interest you;

• Include the skills and knowledge you can offer to them, and how you can contribute.

Pro Tip

Don’t forget to attach your CV and cover letter to your email!

STEP 3 – FOLLOW UP ON YOUR APPLICATION

If you haven’t heard back from the employer about a week after your application submission, you could send a follow-up email or give them a call (we recommend calling, if possible). Considering that speculative applications are made for internship opportunities that are not advertised, the employers you applied for may not need interns at the moment.

You can start by introducing yourself and asking whether they had a chance to look at your application. If they have not reached a hiring decision, this will remind them to expedite the decision-making process. Also, some employers may just ignore speculative applications when they are not hiring. Calling them thus draws their attention to your application specifically and saves you from playing the waiting game.

Right Internship CHOOSING THE

Your coursework internship is a key stepping stone for your future career, so picking the right one matters! Here are some tips on deciding on the right company to complete your internship with.

S o you’ve just been informed by your lecturer that you will need to start your internship next semester and that you have to start applying to companies soon. Time to get cracking!

At the final lap of your degree or diploma, you are often needed to complete a professional internship that counts towards the credits for your course. You will be spending anywhere from three months up to half a year with an employer, so make the best use of your time there – gain the most out of your experience by discovering the right placement for yourself.

FIND A COMPANY THAT HELPS YOU GROW

Ideally, your internship experience will aid you later on your career path, so it’s important to find one that allows you to pick up and apply skills in your desired area of work.

• Identify the key skill sets or areas of interest that you wish to focus on, then pick a company that is strong in these areas. For example, you are a psychology student interested in clinical psychology. Internships at counselling centres or local mental health hospitals will expose you to the relevant skills and experiences. You’ll also get to connect with clinical psychologists that work there!

When you have secured the internship, make a conscious effort to keep improving your skills, build connections and apply active learning throughout your time there.

• Keep track of your progres s and the tasks that you completed so that, by the end, you can see where you are in terms of mastering these skills as well as have a clear list of accomplishments to add to your CV.

SEEK ADVICE FROM YOUR SENIORS

There is no better person to ask than your senior who has walked the path that you’re about to embark on; they are the best people to ask about coursework internship experiences. Not only can they recommend the types of companies suitable for your interests, but they can also offer insights into the firms they interned at.

After all, a former intern’s point of view will definitely help you in terms of knowing what you can expect and what is expected of you!

RESEARCH AND APPLY TO MULTIPLE COMPANIES

The golden rule is to not put all your eggs into one basket. Instead, list out possible companies to apply to increase your chances of getting hired. Read up on relevant employers and organise your shortlist during the initial application process so that you are keeping track of the applications you sent out.

Pro Tip

You wouldn’t want to be completely clueless when an employer reaches out to you; that’s just embarrassing!

Rejections and employers ghosting you are common when it comes to internship applications. Keep in mind that there are many other students applying at the same time, and firms have limited internship openings. So, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t secure an internship immediately.

CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY

There’s nothing like receiving first-hand, behind-thescene stories from professionals in the industry you are

interested in. It does not matter if they are from your personal network or someone you met on LinkedIn, speaking to anyone with a certain level of knowledge or expertise in their fields will be beneficial to you as a student seeking to gain experience through an internship.

ATTEND CAREER FAIRS

Career fairs, be it physical or virtual, are a great way for you to be exposed to a wide range of employers in various industries. There, you will get to talk with as many employers as you wish on internship placements, even as you scout for opportunities.

Before you attend a career fair, make sure you have questions in mind to ask recruiters about their company and internship opportunities, and do not forget to bring copies of your CV to give to them too!

If it’s a virtual career fair, oftentimes employers will have a customised link to sign up for a sharing session at a specific time and day. So pay close attention to these details on the organiser’s social media if you wish to participate to ask questions about internships. Don’t forget to keep your CV updated and send soft copies to the employers you meet.

It is never too late to start planning where you wish to do your internship, be it locally or abroad. It could be your best chance to get your foot into a dream company or an area of work you are passionate about – so give it some thought, and then act on it!

Graduate Intern? SHOULD YOU BE A

If you haven’t done an internship during your studies, jumping straight into the corporate world might be a little tough, as employers may prefer candidates with at least some experience in the industry. It isn’t always the best idea to enter any industry without prior exposure to it as well. What if the role is not actually what you imagined it to be?

You might be thinking, “What about graduate programmes? Aren’t they just longer internships but for graduates?” Not quite. A graduate programme carries more weight than an internship and is intended to fast-track qualified candidates for leadership and management roles. You might not even be able to get into one if you don’t have any relevant work experience in the first place.

So if you’re a fresh graduate in need of more relevant work experience, it may be a good idea to take a bit of time off to try out more internships instead of trying to rush into a full-time job. That said, there are certainly pros and cons to consider when making such a decision.

THE PROS: WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT

You Could Get One Foot in the Door

Many recruiters may think twice before providing you with full-time employment if they have yet to see your potential. An internship is a different story, though. Internships offer recruiters the chance to get an accurate assessment of your capabilities and suitability for longer-term roles within their organisation, without having to commit as much time and resources as they might have to for a full-time graduate hire.

It is actually quite common for graduate interns to be converted into full-time hires if they perform well. In fact, many employers find former interns to be a “safer bet” compared to fresh hires, since they already have a firsthand demonstration of your capabilities and fit with their company culture. Even if you are not converted to a full-time staff member, the experience will still look great on your CV, and you can use the experience as a stepping stone to explore opportunities with other employers.

You Get to Know More About an Industry

Not sure if being a Talent Acquisition Executive in HR is right for you? Try doing an internship in that role! While you’re at it, you can also poke your nose into other roles within HR, such as Payroll or Industrial Relations, to understand how they work, what is expected of them, and if that’s something you may like more.

An internship allows you to explore a field and have a clearer picture of your career goals. However, it is still your responsibility to be proactive and make full use of the time and resources available to learn as much as you can about the industry and any potential roles within it.

If you are unsure of what to do after graduation or need more work experience, doing an internship may be the best course of action. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of being a graduate intern.

In terms of expert advice, you may not always be assigned a dedicated mentor as an intern. However, you can always ask someone friendly in the organisation to answer any burning questions you may have about the industry and what it means to work within it.

You Can Expand Your Professional Network

As you work and learn from colleagues and managers during your internship, you will slowly build your professional network. This can be very helpful for your future job search.

Try to network as much as possible during your internship, and make an effort to put your best self out there. For all you know, you may encounter someone who’s looking for candidates to fill a fulltime position in their department.

Remember to connect with your immediate coworkers and managers on LinkedIn as well. Do a great job with your internship, and you can ask them to provide recommendations and testimonials for you to use there too!

THE CONS: WHAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND

Anticipate Lower Pay

It is no secret that as an intern, you will be paid significantly less than your peers who hold permanent jobs. If you are living independently and supporting your own expenses, an internship may not sit well for you financially.

Take some time in advance to think about the commitments you have. Did you take up a student loan that requires immediate repayment upon graduation? Do you have a family that needs your financial support? These are some questions you need to ask yourself if you are considering doing internships even after graduation.

Be Prepared to Face Questions

Organisations often reserve internship opportunities specifically for current students. So as a fresh graduate, you need to be prepared to explain to recruiters why you were looking for an internship at this stage.

While some universities require their students to complete internships as part of their courses, not all do. If the latter is the case for you, then be ready to explain that to recruiters during your internship

interview – especially if you had no prior internships before graduation, whatever your reasons for that may be.

That said, don’t try to cover up your lack of experience or pretend to be someone you’re not. Be honest with recruiters about why you are seeking an internship as a fresh graduate, and what you hope to get out of this experience in exchange.

You Need to Keep Track of Your Own Learning

As a graduate intern, you may not have to report the outcomes of your internship to your university anymore. However, this means that you and only you can be accountable for the learning outcomes of your internship. It’s important to be transparent with your manager/supervisor about what you hope to get out of your internship and the skills you want to pick up. For example, as an HR intern, rather than just brewing coffee for meetings and arranging interview appointments, you’ll want to be screening potential candidates or doing some form of recruitment marketing work.

Showing initiative, requesting more responsibilities, and constantly keeping track of your own learning progress will help you grow professionally as an intern. Don’t be content to just spin your wheels while being treated as cheap labour.

BUILDING YOUR Internship Résumé

No relevant work experience? Fret not! Here are some suggestions on how to beef up your résumé as an aspiring intern.

C rafting an internship résumé can be challenging, especially for first-time applicants who have no relevant experience under their belts to refer to. If you are one such applicant, there’s no need to panic –employers who offer internships are generally accepting of candidates who possess no prior work experience. After all, you’re still a student and we all need to start somewhere!

However, this does not mean you can put in minimal effort or just skip the résumé entirely! There are a couple of things you can include in your résumé other than relevant work experience to demonstrate your suitability for the internship you want.

OUTLINE YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVE

Start by introducing yourself and your professional goals. Briefly describe what you wish to achieve in your career and with the organisation you are applying for. Here’s an example of a brief and effective introduction: “Self-motivated journalism student seeking internship opportunities in content writing. Interested in developing professional writing and critical thinking skills to contribute to an organisation’s business objectives while gaining valuable copywriting experience in the media industry.”

By highlighting your motivation, employers are able to see if the position or industry you applied for is the right fit for both of you. It’ll also demonstrate your selfawareness, in that you show what you’re looking for out of this internship in order to fuel your future career.

INCLUDE RELEVANT SKILLS

Use this opportunity to talk about the skills you gained through your years in university, whether it be from holding positions in clubs and societies or volunteering work.

Start by scanning the description of the internship posting you are applying for. Look for keywords that indicate the relevant skills needed for the task and utilize them when choosing which ones to focus on most.

State your skills most relevant to the role, and don’t forget to demonstrate how you gained these skills through real-life experiences. One way to do so is to make use of quantification (facts, figures, numbers, percentages, etc.) when drafting your skills section.

For example, if you write for the school newspaper, give a rough estimate of how many articles you have written over a period of time, or how many people read your published work. You can also mention specific scenarios where you felt like you overcame unique challenges or used creative problem-solving in order to get the story.

LIST EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

These include academic awards, scholarships and other recognitions worth mentioning:

List in bullet points your active participation in club and society activities and school events

Highlight leadership roles that showcase skills that are highly sought-after by employers Include brief descriptions of your contributions and quantify them to make them clearer and more persuasive.

It’s important not to exaggerate or fabricate details about your achievements. Recruiters are experienced in detecting falsehoods and are able to tell whether an applicant is truthful through interviews and assessment centres.

HIGHLIGHT RELATED PROJECTS

Think about the projects and assignments you have done and how they reflect your career interests – which should align with the internship you are applying for. This could be your final year project, a portfolio of your work, or even a blog you’ve started to write about issues that you’re passionate about.

List and describe any noteworthy projects and assignments in your résumé. This section will demonstrate to recruiters your dedication and interest, as well as knowledge of the industry in question.

Should you proceed to the interview round in the recruitment process, be prepared to answer questions regarding the projects you’ve described and link them back to how the experiences you gained there make you a suitable candidate for the internship.

ESSENTIAL WRITING Rules for Your CV

Use Headers and Bullet Points

Format your CV in a way that it’s easier to read, organised and direct.

E.g. Tasks as a team leader included:

• Led a team of 20 members

• Managed 3 projects at the same time

• Prioritised urgent and overlapping tasks

• Curated strategies to drive teamwork

• Wrote reports for the Student Council office

Keep It Short

Format your CV in a way that it’s easier to read, organised and direct.

• Write short sentences.

• If it’s possible to cut a word out, do it.

E.g. I enjoy working with and leading a team. My experience as a team leader allowed me to hone my leadership and interpersonal skills. With that, I get along well with my teammates.

Be Active

Sentences in the active voice have a strong, direct, and clear tone.

E.g. As a team leader, I managed many documents and chat groups.

Be Direct

Replace unnecessarily long phrases and fancy sentences with direct words.

E.g.

• Within the workplace -> at work

• At this point in time -> now/currently

• In addition to the aforementioned -> also

I f you think recruiters would be impressed by bombastic words and jargons, think again! Being simple and direct is the best way to draft a CV, cover letter, or even fill in an application form. However, being simple does not mean you can be casual with your words. It’s still crucial to maintain formality and be professional in your writing, but you can do so without fancy flourishes and “impressive” figures of speech.

Recruiters go through tons of application documents every day. Let’s not make their job any harder than it already is. Make it a habit to use simple English so they can understand your message in an instant.

Write Long Paragraphs and Sentences

Refrain from cramming too much information in it which is hard to read.

E.g. My tasks as a team leader included leading a team of 20 members, overseeing three projects that happened at the same time, prioritising urgent and overlapping tasks, thinking of strategies to drive teamwork, and reporting to the student council office.

Be Long-Winded

Format your CV in a way that it’s easier to read, organised and direct.

• Avoid overusing conjunctions like “and”, “that”, “as”, “so”, etc.

• Exclude unnecessary descriptions and adjectives.

E.g. I enjoy working with and leading a team, and my experience as a team leader allowed me to hone my leadership and interpersonal skills that allowed me to work alongside inspiring, hardworking as well as cooperative teammates.

Use Passive Voice

Sentences in passive voice sounds subtler, weaker and robot-like.

E.g. As a team leader, I had many documents and chat groups to be managed.

Ramble

Here are more examples on replacing fancy phrases with single words.

E.g.

• During the time that -> while

• For the reason that -> because

• Subsequent to -> after

Adopting and applying good, concise English is the key to getting your message across to recruiters perfectly.

MANAGING YOUR LinkedIn Profile in your Internship Hunt

Your LinkedIn profile is the foundation for your personal branding; neglecting it means selling yourself short of an opportunity to display your skills and motivations to employers as you search for internships.

DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE ON LINKEDIN

Before you start filling out your LinkedIn profile, you need to have at least some idea of what you’re hoping to achieve through it. Are you looking to join a particular sector? Or are you aiming to clinch a certain type of internship role?

It’s a good idea to check out profiles of working professionals in your preferred industries or roles to find out what skills are in demand, and get an idea of what tone to apply to your LinkedIn profile.

What are you trying to market yourself as? What roles do you want to be shortlisted for? Let these questions guide you to pick and choose information for your LinkedIn profile.

EXHIBIT DESIRED SKILL SETS

Similar to how an applicant tracking system (ATS) filters online job applications, graduate recruiters search for industry-related keywords, core skills, strengths, talents and interests on candidates’ LinkedIn profiles to meet their hiring needs. Identify your current skill sets so that you can highlight them in your LinkedIn, much the same way as you would on your CV.

Show your motivations and your capabilities. For example, if a job posting for a marketing intern calls for skills in collaboration, visual communication, copywriting, and analysing data, you can write “I am a team player looking to deliver data-driven engagement with impactful designs and sharp copywriting” as a headline in your profile.

HIGHLIGHT WHAT MAKES YOU AN ASSET

Demonstrate your experiences with concrete examples and details in a concise manner. For example, you could mention the exact number of sponsors you brought onboard for your student society events so as to demonstrate your negotiation and partnership management skills.

Show how you stand out for the sector and job role you are applying for. For instance, if you are looking at a commercial research role for a specific target market or demographic group, state your familiarity with trends within a particular market segment.

TRANSLATE YOUR SKILLS INTO VALUE

It’s always a good idea to take that extra step to show the value of your knowledge in a real-world setting and demonstrate how you used it to achieve actual outcomes. For example, do not leave out that you used search engine marketing (SEM) in a digital marketing plan to boost traffic to your online side business, which resulted in a 10 per cent growth in revenue.

Make it a habit to record down the tasks and projects you did as a student as well as the impact you generated with your efforts, no matter how small it is.

This makes it easier for you to include accurate information in your LinkedIn and refresh your memory to answer internship questions during your job interview.

Go beyond merely listing your mastery of skills, software and languages. Show how you applied the knowledge in a professional setting, such as how you used your command of a second or third language to negotiate with companies for fundraising activities in your student club.

TAKE A SKILLS ASSESSMENT

LinkedIn offers online tests (designed by LinkedIn Learning and subject matter experts) that enable you to demonstrate the level of your skills, and display a Verified Skills badge on your profile. This strengthens your personal brand by helping employers quickly identify who has the specific skills they’re looking for.

So if you’re looking to get hired as a graphic design intern, for example, taking a design skill assessment for Adobe Illustrator or InDesign can boost your chances for the role.

Don’t worry if you need more time to develop your skills before taking the test. Displaying the results of your skills assessments is entirely voluntary, and you can retake the tests as often as you like before showing that you’ve passed.

RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IMPORTANT

Don’t be shy to request for recommendations from your lecturers, seniors and previous internship employers. Recommendations are personal testimonials written to illustrate the experience of working with you, and these statements give employers viewing your profile a sense of what you’re valued for.

With that, take the time to think about who you would most value a recommendation from – and personalise your request to them.

EFFECTIVE WAYS TO Manage Your Digital Presence

Did you know that your social media presence can either make or break your chances of securing an internship? Check out these useful tips to help you make your digital-self more presentable to recruiters.

I t goes without saying that employers are no stranger to social media usage. In fact, it is one of their most important tools used to screen job- or internship- seeking candidates, and this is why the content on your social media profiles might be the make-or-break it point for your chance at employment.

At the end of the day, we’re all creators of our own personal brands, and it’s wise to take a few extra steps to manage your online reputation and find a balance between displaying a professional online presence, while still having fun on social media. Here are some tips on how you can pull that off.

DRAW A LINE BETWEEN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL

Keeping your personal and professional lives on social media separate is a good first step to managing your online reputation and avoiding any awkward crossovers.

Should you allow people in your professional network to be friends with you on Facebook and Instagram?

If you do or decide to make your accounts public, are you still keen on sharing the content you would casually post?

What about sharing career-related content on your personal feed that is accessible to your friends and family?

How would you feel if they were publicly commenting on it?

Start by categorising your social media platforms between those for professional and private use. LinkedIn is a social media platform built for career-related functions, so it is more suitable for your job hunting while keeping your other social media platforms purely for socialising and entertainment.

You can also set up two different accounts on one social media platform, especially if you plan on engaging with employers online. For example, you could have two Twitter accounts – with one following employers and job trends, and the other to keep up with your social circle and favourite content. Just don’t forget to always check which account you’re signed in with at any time!

MAKE USE OF YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS

Most social media sites allow you to set your profile to “Private”, meaning your content is available only to your existing followers and friends, and you’ll need to approve or accept new requests for them to view your content.

It’s crucial to note that this privacy option will direct any messages from outsiders to a different inbox than your regular one. So be sure to check these special inboxes to not miss any messages from potential employers.

E.g.

Message Request

Friend 1

Friend 2

Instagram directs them to a ‘Requests’ page other than your primary and general inboxes.

Facebook puts these in ‘Message Requests’

There’s also the option to reduce the content that people can see on your profiles, customising your settings to allow your audience to view selected content only. E.g.

Instagram allows you to create a list of close friends to only share your ‘story’ with or hide it from specific accounts.

Facebook allows you to display a reduced profile to people you aren’t friends with and review posts that you’re tagged in before the post appears on your profile.

AUDIT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Aside from using privacy settings to your advantage, if you plan to have your profiles fully public, it’s worth going through them to check and filter out any content that you’d rather hide from the public eye.

It’s worth remembering that social media can often be a very toxic place, so make sure you don’t get caught up in it. Here are some pointers to look out for:

Avoid sharing or reposting fake news or unfounded conspiracy theories.

Stay away from heated online arguments or debates on potentially controversial topics. Make sure you avoid posting anything endorsing any form of discrimination against another group of people.

Always read, research and fact-check a post, article or project before sharing it

Remember to check your profile picture, usernames and bios to make sure they’re not raising any eyebrows. Those are some of the first things that everyone –especially employers - can see from your accounts.

After you’ve given your accounts a thorough audit, go ahead and pop your name into a search engine (use an incognito window to prevent your search history from affecting the search results) and see what appears. That way, you’re putting yourself in the shoes of an outsider and seeing what they would see on your profile.

Twitter allows you to control the visibility of your tweets and limit others to retweet or share your content.

A COVER LETTER for Your Internship

Along with your CV, your cover letter provides employers with their first impression of you, and it shouldn’t be longer than one side of A4. Here are some tips to help structure this part of your job application.

A convincing cover letter would usually accompany a CV for a graduate application. It’s not strictly required for all applications, but it’s a good-to-have document, especially for fresh graduate positions. It’s your opportunity to show recruiters your most relevant skills and demonstrate your motivation and enthusiasm for the internship role.

BE CONCISE AND SPECIFIC

Be clear on the specific position you applied for and explain why you’re interested in it, and convince recruiters that you’re suited for the role

In your introduction, include relevant experiences that fit the role applied as well as your highest educational qualification

Avoid describing yourself as “passionate” or “ambitious” as these qualities are too subjective to explain in papers, and are better exuded in person during the interview stage

DO NOT…

Describe excessively about your personality, detailed academic background and skills as these are already on your CV. Remember, it’s only a page long so keep it straight to the point.

SHOW YOUR COMPETENCE; WHY YOU?

Use the advertised job description to guide you in highlighting your strengths for the internship

Address the selection criteria and show how your current experience ‘transfers’ into the role you applied for

Don’t worry if you lack work experience. Put forward your soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, organisation, and time management which are highly sought-after

DO NOT…

Copy sentences direct from your CV. Think about how you can rephrase the information and elaborate on particular skills and achievements you have that are right for the role.

SHOW YOUR ENTHUSIASM; WHY THEM?

Do a thorough research into the organisation and jot down specific aspects of their operations, missions and culture that appeal to you

With the information gathered, elaborate on what attracts you to working for them and be specific about it

This helps target your cover letter to the employer and it shows your passion to want to know more about them

DO NOT…

Waste space by mentioning general statements that could be said about pretty much any employer, such as ‘… because you’re a prestigious and global employer’.

CHECK, CHECK, AND MORE CHECKING!

It’s good to take a break from your cover letter and check it again later with a freshen pair of eyes and mind

Have a physical copy of it and pour over it with a red pen – you’ll be surprised with how many mistakes you can catch

Acquire help from someone with a strong command of English to help with proofreading or use spellcheckers; you need your cover letter to be errorfree!

23rd February 2022

Dear Mr Alfred,

I am writing to apply for the Marketing Internship with GTI Media. My conversations with current employees at your networking session in Jan this year have reinforced my interest in your company and cemented my belief that I have the expertise and skills that you are looking for.

I am applying for this internship because your company has adopted the most modern marketing campaign methods. Through my three years of study at the School of Business and Marketing at INTI University, I have developed an understanding of creating impactful social media content and product portfolios for campaigns and advertorials.

In my previous part-time role during university, I was involved in department communications related to marketing for all types of customers. I am a strong candidate for the marketing internship position because I have an analytical mind and a willingness to learn.

Thank you for your consideration of my application. My attached resume will describe my most significant accomplishments, community work, and involvement in marketing projects. I am looking forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at my email address, rayeong97@gmail.com

Yours sincerely,

Raye Ong

EMAILING RECRUITERS The Right Way

Once you’ve made that stellar CV, you’ll want to make sure it ends up in the right person’s inbox and that your email piques the hiring manager’s interest enough to review your application. Here’s a simple guide to help you email recruiters with elegance!

EMAIL ATTACHMENTS

Remember to check that you’ve attached your CV and cover letter before hitting the send button! Nothing’s worse than forgetting to attach your CV to your email to recruiters

Save your documents in PDF format and rename your file with your name so that recruiters can easily find your CV after they’ve downloaded it

If your attachments are too large, consider placing them in a zip folder or creating links for easy downloads.

ADDRESSING THE RECIPIENT

Make an effort to discover the hiring manager’s name online at the hiring notice or company website rather than stating “Dear Sir/Madam”. Save the general greetings for the last resort

SUBJECT TITLE

A good subject line states the purpose of the email with the recipient in mind. Pick a title that’s informative and clear; the key is to stand out in a full inbox. If you are applying for a specific job, make sure to state your intention, name, position applied and, if applicable, the location for the job.

E.g. Job Application, Jasmine Mun, Applying for Editorial Intern Position, Selangor

However, if you are emailing out your resume in general without a specific position in mind, you can always have a little fun in creating your subject line.

E.g. I’m your next star intern – allow me to show you why; or

If you are looking for a team player, that would be me. No matter how you decided to write your subject title, invest a little of your time in creating them so that you leave a lasting impression on your recruiters.

EMAIL ADDRESS

It should contain your surname or full name, and be free from crazy words or phrases; keep it professional.

E.g. Avoid email addresses like pinkymylittlepony@gmail. com

Start your greeting with a “Dear” followed by the recruiter’s name. Using “Hi” is fine, but only if the recruiter uses it first, that way you know they are cool with the casual greeting.

EMAIL BODY TEXT

State how you found out about the job vacancy and your interest in applying for it

Mention the files you’ve attached and provide contact details such as your phone number

Avoid using emojis in your emails, even though you may be excited about applying for your dream job. Keep the note brief, respectful and professional. Be sure to avoid using acronyms like “btw” and “fyi” as well.

SIGNING OFF & FOLLOW UPS

End your email as you would in a proper cover letter by thanking the recruiter for their time

If you have an email signature, be sure to include details like your LinkedIn profile link and contact number

Send them a follow-up note if you have not heard from them within the stated period in which you are expecting a reply.

01. SUBJECT

Use an informative title that looks suitably professional like in the example shown. The key is to stand out in a full inbox. 02.

EMAIL ADDRESS

Keep your email address professional:

Your initials and surname (E.g a.amsham@gmail. com), or Your full name (E.g anis.amsham@gmail.com) 03. ATTACHMENT

Your résumé and cover letter should be saved with your name, and saved as a PDF file

Remember to check that you’ve actually attached your documents before sending the email

04.

PERSONAL GREETINGS

Start your greeting with ‘Dear’ followed by the recruiter’s name

If the recruiter replies with a ‘Hi’ and your first name, then take their lead and do likewise in all your future correspondence

Nonetheless, always be sure to maintain a professional tone

05.

EMAIL BODY TEXT

State how you found out about the job vacancy and your interest in applying for the job advertised Mention each file you have attached; namely your résumé and cover letter

Provide your contact details, such as your phone number

End the message with polite closing remarks. Other remarks include ‘Thank you for your consideration’ or ‘Thank you for your time’

06.

SIGNING OFF

End your email as you would a ‘proper’ cover letter

You should make the effort to get a contact person for your application and address that person directly—so you may sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ and use your full name

Application for Graduate Surveyors at Malaysia University

Add label

Your Name...

to Employer’s Name

Your Name • your.email@emailprovider.com

Jasmine Mun • jasmine.mun@emailprovider.com

20 Apr 2022, 10:36 am

Hi Jasmine Mun,

I saw your corporate pamphlet for graduate surveyors at the Malaysia University career services office and I am interested in applying. I have attached my resume and a cover letter for your consideration.

Please let me know if you require any additional information. I am contactable via this e-mail address or on my mobile at 019-876 5432. I look forward to meeting you in person to further discuss what I can offer to your company.

Yours sincerely,

Your Full Name

Your Full Name_Rèsumè.pdf

Dear Mr/Mrs, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie

Your Full Name_Cover Letter.pdf

HOW TO ACE YOUR Internship Interviews

Going for your first interview? Make sure you know what to expect and what is expected of you before walking through that door.

C ongratulations on landing that interview for your internship! It’s the last hurdle that will make or break your employer’s decision to bring you onboard the team. It’s important that you do not underestimate the interview process by thinking that recruiters expect less of you because the position you applied for is only for the short term. And hey, this is the right time for you to practice for the real working world, after all!

Let’s break down the run-up to the interview into a series of manageable chunks and actions, including some tips on how to ace common interview questions.

BEFORE D-DAY:

Preparing for your interview a few days before sets you up for a stress-free big day. It’s a good idea to curate a checklist of items that you’ll need for the internship, so here’s an example:

Clean Outfit and Appearance

First thing’s first, you need to look the part of an impressive candidate. Your interview is a chance to show how you would fit in, and this includes your appearance. Check with the recruiter about the dress code and start planning your wardrobe – some shopping might be needed.

Your clothes should be clean, fitted and pressed. Be sure to cover up any tattoos. If you smoke or drink a lot of coffee, make sure your teeth are stain-free. For males, it’s best to rock the clean-shaven look and make sure

to keep your hair neat. For the ladies, keep your looks simple, this includes neutral nails, jewellery and makeup. You want your personality to stand out, not your accessories!

Bag, documents, a go od night’s sleep

The night before, pick a suitable bag to store your documents, such as extra copies of your résumé, and make sure to organise everything for easy access.

Don’t forget to pack your daily necessities such as your wallet, water bottle, comb, snacks and some makeup for touch-up purposes. Double-check if your Touch N Go card has enough money in case you need to go through tolls on your way to the venue – nothing is worse than getting stuck there with insufficient funds!

We understand you might be nervous before the interview day, but try your best to get a good night’s sleep to ensure that you will be well-rested when the morning comes. You will want to be as sharp and alert as possible in the interview room.

Set up your alarm and check ETA on Waze/Google Ma ps

Wake up at least two hours before the interview, that way you will arrive there with time to spare. Also, you know how traffic generally has a way of working against you when you need to get somewhere in a hurry? This is not a good day to test that theory!

In case you take a wrong turn, can’t find the parking lot or get stuck in unexpected traffic, leaving your home early will (almost certainly) save you from being late from all these factors.

Remember that when it comes to interviews, arriving “on time” is the same as arriving late. Always arrive at least 15 minutes before your session starts, that way you have enough time to run through your interview notes and be mentally ready.

COMMON INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

• Read up on the company’s history, values and press releases

• Follow their social media accounts to get the latest news and activities

• Look up employees on LinkedIn and read their experiences; connect to chat if you want to know more.

“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

The objective is for your recruiter to learn more about your abilities and motivation to improve on your weaker qualities rather than judging your flaws. Think about the skills and experience you possess that are relevant to the company and role. Use examples from school projects, activities or student clubs to back up your strengths.

When talking about your weaknesses, don’t just state them and leave it at that. Instead, follow your statements by describing what you are doing to improve yourself. For instance, “I don’t remember things well especially when I’m busy, so I make it a habit to carry a notebook around with me to jot down anything important.”

A typical warm-up question to get the engines rolling, but avoid getting too relaxed and give basic information that your recruiter already knows, such as your name and age. Your answer should sell your strengths and show your personality concerning the internship role offered. Here are four pointers:

• Your course of study and what you’ve learnt from it

• Your career aim or the career path you are interested in

• Your interest or passion

• Your reason for applying to the internship

“Why an internship with our company?”

The recruiter is trying to test your knowledge of the company; this is where your research efforts pay off. With sufficient knowledge, you should be able to connect the dots by aligning your work goals, style and personality to what the company stands for, or how you can relate to its business.

Think about the company’s areas of specialisation and how they relate to your career aims and interests. What are their vision and mission, and how do they relate to your values? Here are a few things you could do to know a company better:

Avoid using “self-blame” when talking about your weaknesses. Recruiters want to know how much you understand yourself and if you’re practising self-improvement.

“Tell me about yourself” or “Why should we hire you?”

TACKLING ONLINE Applications

Online application forms allow employers to sift through candidates by using specific criteria. Here’s how you can make them work for you!

A n online application form can be time-consuming, but they are employers’ preferred method of processing internship applications in this digital age. Apart from just uploading your CV and cover letter, these online applications require you to answer questions about your skills and motivations. Each company often has its own customised form, so make sure you don’t just copy and paste! Here are some tips on how to tackle online applications effectively.

SHOW, DON’T TELL

• Back up your statements with further elaboration or include examples to prove your point.

• Don’t just put unsubstantiated one-liners like “I gained commercial awareness through my university course”. You want to give recruiters enough information to be able to assess you.

• Talk about how you gained this knowledge and use a specific example for illustration. (e.g. “Learned customer service skills while working as a café barista.”)

• When it comes to stating your motivations for applying for that particular role, elaborate on the aspects of the job that appeal to you and state any related academic or work experience.

STAR: SITUATION, TASK, ACTION, RESULT

The STAR technique helps keep your answers concise and to-the-point without sounding boastful. Especially with competency-focused questions, this technique is useful when writing about previous experiences and demonstrating your skill sets to show your fit for the role. Here’s an example – “Tell me about a time you showed initiative as a club member.”

• Situation – Describe the event that you were in I was the lead performer in the Music Society and the secretary of the group faced an accident and was sidelined two weeks before an in-house performance.

• Task – Describe your responsibility in that situation

I volunteered to fill in the position and compiled the required documents needed for the venue booking, instrument repairs and ticket sales while working on my performance.

• Action – Describe how you completed the task or endeavoured to meet the challenge

I submitted all the documents in time for the performance to run with minor hiccups and with an attendance of 250 people.

• Result – Explain the outcomes or results generated by the action taken

The university liked our performance and requested us to perform again at another upcoming event.

WRITE EACH ANSWER AFRESH

As much as we desperately want to copy and paste answers across multiple application forms, it’s still best to tweak your answers strategically despite how similar the questions may seem.

• Be careful not to leave any mention of the previous companies you applied for if you reuse the same answers across a few different potential employers.

• Do not copy and paste information directly from the employer’s – or their competitors’ – websites!

• If you want to include information from the company website or social media in your application, always digest and process the information at your own pace and in your own words so that you develop an understanding of the employer from your own unique perspective.

CHECK, CHECK AND CHECK AGAIN

• Make sure you’re familiar with the app that runs the application forms. Not all forms allow you to save your responses so you can take a break and check later. You may lose all your answers if you close the form midway.

• Always draft your answers on a Word document before keying them into the form. If you’re not confident with writing, you can use a grammarchecking programme that checks your grammar as you go.

• You can also let your university career advisor check your responses before the official submission.

• Ensure that you have listed your contact information correctly, especially your email address and mobile number.

• Lastly, keep a copy of each online application sent out for your own reference so that you know what to speak or elaborate on during interviews.

First Day as an Intern SURVIVING YOUR

Congratulations on landing your dream internship! Here are some ways to seize the opportunity to make a good impression on your first day there.

Y ou’ve got the call-back after the interview, and the voice over the phone told you to come and report for your first day as an intern next week. You’re excited, obviously, but you’re also nervous at the same time. How would you adapt to this new experience for the first time in your life?

DRESS WELL

What you wear on the first day of your internship is important as it contributes to the image your colleagues will form of you. Be it business casual or formal, dress neatly so feel confident and comfortable at work. It also inadvertently reveals the attitude you are bringing to your work tasks and assignments.

One useful tip though:

It’s always safe to dress more formally on your first day at work. Remember to clarify your dress code with your recruiter in advance.

PAY ATTENTION TO BRIEFINGS

Briefings are usually done during your orientation –office tour, company policies and procedures will be explained to you during this process. Listen carefully and jot down important notes, especially contact details and other relevant information for yourself.

GET TO KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES

Surviving the workplace requires you to be on good terms with your colleagues, so knowing them by their names and identifying those whom you’ll be working closely with is a rule of thumb. Usually, they will want to engage with you more during lunch breaks, so take advantage of those times to get to know your coworkers!

LEARN THE SYSTEMS

Your employer will have their own database systems or applications for day-to-day work, so do your best to learn how to navigate through those as quickly as possible. Be alert and take notes for future reference while your colleagues are showing you the ropes, and make sure you find out whom to turn to if you run into issues later on.

One useful tip though:

No one expects you to know everything on your first day at work and asking questions is perfectly acceptable; it is also the best and fastest way to learn.

While you should do your best to think on your feet and learn new things fast, it’s always important to also be your true self at work so that you can create a genuine and memorable impression on others. Keep in mind your strengths and establish your own personal brand in order to stand out from the rest!

Also, don’t forget to observe the workplace etiquette such as arriving to work on time and eliminating distractions at work. Good luck, and put your best foot forward as an intern!

Issues As An Intern OVERCOMING WORKPLACE

Internships may be your first taste of the working world, but it may not be sunshine and roses. A pragmatic reality of gaining work experience is that you might end up experiencing some of the problems that are common in the working world as well. So it’s best to know how to handle some of those just in case.

Y ou may think that it isn’t your place to talk back as an intern in the face of workplace problems, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As an intern, you are considered a contract employee, and that comes with the right to be treated like a member of the workplace as well. Besides, knowing how to handle workplace disputes professionally is an important part of gaining real work experience too!

WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION 101 Setting Boundaries

It’s important to establish healthy boundaries with your colleagues and supervisors at work. With constant conference calls, messages, and emails; flexible working hours, and ever-changing workplaces, it can seem difficult at times to figure out where to draw your boundaries. But being able to do so is crucial to maintaining a good work-life balance and ensuring you aren’t being taken advantage of.

Setting clear boundaries also ensures that your relationships at work don’t become all-consuming. This enables you to protect your happiness and well-being, while feeling respected.

It’s a good idea to talk through boundaries in a thoughtful but clear way to help set a standard for mutual trust and respect. For example, if your co-worker constantly calls you on weekends for work – even though you’re not contractually obligated to work on weekends, let them know politely that it’s not office hours and you’ll attend to their requests first thing on Monday.

Workplace Harassment

When clear boundaries are set but a co-worker will not leave you alone and it’s making you uncomfortable, it’s time to talk to HR about his or her behaviour because what you’re experiencing could be workplace harassment.

Workplace harassment takes many forms, from indirect discrimination to outright bullying. It may also be sexually motivated, which happens more frequently to female staff. Keep in mind that all types of workplace harassment are illegal! And not only will it affect an employee’s productivity, comfort, and safety at work, it could also put the organisation in legal jeopardy.

So, if you witness a crime or experience harassment in the workplace, even as an intern, do consider reporting it if you feel like you can do it safely. Here’s what you can do:

• Try to resolve the issue with the harasser in a calm manner by speaking to them in a private setting. However, if the abuse is physical, do not approach your harasser!

• Consider escalating the issue to your immediate manager – unless, of course, your manager is the perpetrator.

• If your attempts to resolve the issue with the harasser fail, bring the issue to the attention of HR. If you can, provide evidence such as screenshots, texts, messages and eyewitness accounts.

• If the above three attempts fail, you can file a complaint to Industrial Court Malaysia, which can investigate the incident impartially. As an intern, you are protected by the Employment Act 1955.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR EMPLOYER

Internship Remuneration

There’s been plenty of debate regarding paid internships and how much interns should get paid in Malaysia. The sad reality is that interns are not covered by employment law in Malaysia for minimum wage requirements. This means that technically, companies don’t need to pay the minimum monthly wage to interns – up to RM1,500 per month as of 2022.

Nevertheless, internships are still a great opportunity for you to be exposed to your role in your preferred industry. To avoid settling for an unpaid internship, remember to ask about your remuneration with the company’s HR during your internship interview. The company may also offer interns other forms of compensation, such as meal or transport allowances.

However, remember that nothing counts unless it is in black and white. Read your internship contract very carefully to make sure the amount of your pay and other forms of benefits are stated clearly before signing up for your internship placement.

Internship Contracts/Agreements

An internship contract is a legally binding agreement between an organisation and a student to define the terms of your employment and ensure that both parties are on the same page.

Be sure to file this document somewhere safe because it shows what you’re entitled to. If anything happens to you in terms of work,

this agreement serves as proof to back you up in your argument – given that the relevant terms are stated in it. Here’s what to look out for in an effective contract:

• Duties and responsibilities

Check if there’s a list of the core responsibilities expected from you during your programme, and see that the responsibilities are related to your internship role as conveyed to you during the application and hiring process.

• Remuneration

As discussed earlier, if you’re doing a paid internship, the amount of the pay must be reflected in your contract. If HR mentions that interns are entitled to meal or transport allowance apart from your monthly pay, make sure that is also stated either in your contract or in an appended document/memo to it.

• Length of Internship

See that your contract includes the start and end date of your internship. It’s not uncommon for interns to get confused as to when their placement ends.

• Working Hours

In your internship contract, ensure that your expected working hours are clearly stated, whether it’s a full-time or part-time internship.

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST

IMPRESSION

During a Virtual Internship

Discover these simple yet highly effective strategies to build positive relationships, demonstrate your impact and make the best impression at your virtual internship.

C reating a positive first impression in a virtual internship can be a challenge, especially when so many of us are used to standing out and interacting with others physically. A virtual internship may also appear less exciting than a physical one without the in-person workplace connections, i.e. luncheons, meetings and team-bonding activities.

Nevertheless, there are multiple ways to shine from afar and make a lasting, positive impression as a virtual intern.

BRUSH UP ON YOUR PROFESSIONALISM

You may be “just an intern” hustling out of a corner of your bedroom instead of from a cubicle, but that doesn’t mean you can let loose on acting professionally and responsibly. An internship is a time for you to demonstrate your worth and show that you are taking your role seriously. Your employer may even offer you a spot with the company if you perform well.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Dress Appropriately: Virtual internships mean meetings and appraisals will happen online. Make sure you’re not lounging around in your pajamas, because you never know when you may need to switch on your camera! It’s important to showcase your best to the attendees who’ll be watching you.

• Be Punctual: Virtual meetings may seem casual but that doesn’t mean you can arrive late! Once you know which online platform the meeting will be held on, promptly create an account for it and set up your profile. On the day of the meeting, make sure to log in a few minutes earlier and join the meeting on time.

• Be Responsive: Your attendance will be largely based on your responsiveness through video calls, emails, or texts. So it’s more important than ever to demonstrate that you’re present and engaged by replying to your colleagues promptly. If you’ll be away from your keyboard, notify your team and supervisor in advance.

TAKE INITIATIVE

It goes without saying that employers value interns that volunteer and take initiative. Demonstrate your responsibility by taking the initiative to request projects rather than just wait for assignments. That way, you’ll not only create a good impression by showing them your sense of ownership, but you’ll also maximise your learning outcomes as an intern.

During online discussions, do your best to keep up on what your colleagues are working on, and ask questions about their tasks and targets if you need clarification. This will help give you a fuller picture of the company and its goals, but may also help you discover additional areas of work that may possibly be of interest to you.

Make a point of asking your supervisor for regular feedback and potential points of improvement as well. This shows your commitment to continuous improvement as well as your willingness to learn. You can also try talking to them about other areas of work that you’re interested in trying out if it is within their capacity to assign you to those.

SPEAK UP

Be proactive, not passive. Don’t be shy about sharing your ideas and opinions or asking questions when you’re in doubt. As an intern, remember that you play a key role in bringing a fresh perspective to the table.

That said, be mindful of when is the right time to speak up. For instance, during meetings, it’s better to listen more than you speak (unless what you have to say is really important).

But during discussions, then that’s when you want to make yourself heard! Also, it’s better to speak up in the midst of a topic of discussion when it’s still fresh in everyone’s minds, rather than leave it till the end when the attendees are signing off.

Similarly, if you have questions or are confused about how something works, during a team-wide meeting, chat with or text a colleague or your supervisor individually after the meeting.

If you’re a virtual intern, you may find it tough to establish familiarity with your colleagues. Online communication is always going to be slightly awkward, after all. (Rest assured, everyone else feels this way too.) Learn to embrace the awkwardness, and give yourself a week or two to get used to communicating online. But don’t stay idle for too long!

a Star Intern HOW TO BECOME

Life as an intern is not a bed of roses – you have to prove yourself despite your inexperience. Here are some tips on how you can shine during your internship!

As you know, your internship may be the start of a long-standing career in your preferred industry. You’ll want to use this opportunity to develop yourself as a professional who delivers quality work with a great attitude, that way you’ll make the most out of your experience and increase your chances of getting hired upon graduation. Here are 6 ways in which you can stand out during your internship period.

PUT IN THE EFFORT

• Demonstrate to your supervisors that you can handle your responsibilities by working hard and smart in completing the tasks assigned to you

• At times this may mean you have to hustle overtime unpaid, or even odd hours. As long as it’s not a daily occurrence, sailing through extra hours shows you’re dedicated to your role.

• Although an intern’s pay is usually meagre, the experience gained helps you learn a lot more about yourself professionally and puts you in better stead for future work stints, including a potential conversion to a full-time hire.

EMBRACE CHALLENGES

• Set out to accomplish all the tasks assigned to you and more. It’s important to not rest on your laurels, but instead look for work to do – that’s if you don’t already have a lot on your plate.

• Keep a lookout for areas where you can contribute and take the initiative to propose new ideas and assignments with your manager.

• If you find your tasks at hand a little too easy, don’t be afraid to request for more challenging ones. You want to show your co-workers and supervisor that you’re able to handle bigger projects which makes you a high-level intern.

SOLVE AND MINIMISE PROBLEMS

• If you’re faced with an issue at your task, try to solve them on your own before approaching anyone as this shows your ability to be selfsufficient, independent and have problem-solving skills.

• However, never feel embarrassed to request help from your co-workers or supervisors when you are in doubt or need any clarification.

• If you encounter a roadblock, rather than just presenting questions, come up with a few solutions to allow your supervisor or colleague to decide on the best course of action. For example, “I am having difficulty contacting candidate A for an interview. What should I do?

I’d suggest dropping them an email to notify them of their interview time and date, and if there’s no reply within 5 days, I will consider the candidate a no-show. What do you think?”

LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND SEEK FEEDBACK

• Don’t expect to sail through your internship without making any mistakes. In fact, you should be worried if there are zero comments made by your supervisor on your work – if this happens, remember to ask for feedback.

• Learn to face your mistakes and not brush them under the carpet. Accepting your errors and learning from them are crucial and commendable skills to have in the workforce.

• Asking for feedback from your supervisor and colleagues is the easiest way to find out if you’re doing well in your role, and how else you can improve yourself professionally.

• Weekly feedback sessions will help you monitor your progress and development as an intern, and will come in handy when you have to write a report to summarise your experience.

BOND WELL WITH YOUR TEAM

• Make sure to learn something from your network of professional contacts.

• Develop good relationships with your colleagues so that you can work on projects together with efficiency and enjoyment; companies want interns who are team players and can bond well with their existing employees.

• The ability to mingle and interact with people of different dynamics across a team is key to your professional growth.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROJECTS

• Start a list of all of the projects you have worked on so that you can discuss your progress with your supervisor.

• It will also help you remember everything you’ve worked on to update your résumé, add to a portfolio, or talk about in future job interviews.

• Ask if you can keep examples of projects you have worked on for a portfolio. Remember that some of this information will be confidential, so always get approval before making and taking any copies of work with you.

It should be obvious by now that a star intern is one who takes charge of his or her own learning, takes the initiative in getting things done, and actively seeks to solve problems. This intern is also a valued contributor on the team, instead of someone who needs hand-holding.

Go the extra mile to prove yourself, and if you are the right fit for the role, you might just get converted after your internship to a full-time hire!

ENDING YOUR INTERNSHIP

with a Bang!

T

he end of your internship is arguably even more important than the beginning of your internship – you want to manage a graceful exit, make the most of what you’ve learnt and the contacts you made, as well as position yourself to land that post-grad gig with the company. So how do you go about accomplishing all that? Here are four things you can do to ensure you milk the most out of your internship in the long run, even beyond your last day.

REFLECT ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT

If you had to summarise your most significant learnings and accomplishments during your internship into a statement, what would that be? This information is crucial for both your self-awareness and future job applications.

Think about your milestones and what you have done throughout your internship. Write them down in detail before your internship ends so you can still check with your co-workers or fellow interns if there is anything that slipped your mind. Here are some pointers to help you:

• What you worked on

• Who you worked with

• Training received

• Skills learnt

Also, aim to make your descriptions as detailed as possible by including names of people, projects, products, cases, or training courses – whichever is applicable – and any relevant numbers, as they will help you to make your achievements and experience quantifiable in the resume. Don’t forget to take note of any feedback or praise received as they earn brownie points for your future job applications.

UPDATE YOUR CV AND LINKEDIN PROFILE

Make things official by updating your CV and LinkedIn profile. Try to do this while everything is still fresh in your mind so you can accurately transfer your notes.

When updating your LinkedIn profile, make your updates public so that you can increase your visibility online, making recruiters on LinkedIn aware of your experience.

CONFIRM YOUR INTERNSHIP EMPLOYER AS A REFEREE

Check if your employer is willing to provide a reference for you when you apply to future jobs. You can confirm with your supervisor if you can add them to your CV as a referee along with their contact details. To be safe, you can also ask for a letter of recommendation or if they can leave a recommendation for you on your LinkedIn profile. However, do request in advance as they need to find time to write it.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Before you leave, think about who you would want to stay in touch with – they may be colleagues who have helped you, or might be willing to do so in the future. Ask them if they would like to stay in contact. If they are, you can exchange email addresses or connect via LinkedIn.

You might be busy with job-hunting or school right after your internship, so to make things easier, create an email list of the people you requested to stay in touch with. Make an effort to check in on them from time to time as it shows your sincerity.