Why did you decide to intern abroad with Absolute Internship?
My decision to intern with Absolute was based more or less on the fact that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for graduates to find employment. Employers are spoilt for choice now more than ever, and just simply having a degree is no longer sufficient to stand out from the crowd. With this at the forefront of my mind, I endeavoured at the beginning of this year to find myself an internship in my chosen industry, so that I could build a foundation for when I graduate at the end of next year.
I spent a lot of time researching and emailing companies all over Australia, for positions they may have available, but I had no such luck. I eventually came across Absolute’s link through my university’s careers and employment homepage and I thought I’d give it a quick look. I was impressed by the variety of the internships offered, and after a few weeks of calculated reasoning (weighing up the costs and the worth of potential benefits and experience gained) I figured it couldn’t hurt to apply. Next thing I knew, I was being asked if I would like to participate in a phone interview and things just escalated from there!
What made this experience unique and special?
There are so many things – for starters, I never dreamed I would be able to visit China. It never even crossed my mind to work in Shanghai, which seems naïve even it’s the world’s fastest growing economy. From a Western perspective, I think Shanghai is definitely the best way to dip your toes into this new culture because it’s a bit of an eclectic mix of the new, and the old and familiar. I was exposed to a whole new way of life, and since then I’ve opened my eyes to all the new possibilities of travel – if I can survive in China, surely I can survive anything!
Secondly, the people I met on this trip. From the organisers and program leaders, to the other interns who participated in the program, each one of them hold a special place in my heart for making this experience a truly rewarding one. There was something about being in a completely foreign country, where everyone was in the same boat as you and had the same goals and aspirations. We lived, explored, and learned through tackling new experiences all together, and through this, created new memories that won’t be forgotten any time soon.
How has this experience impacted your future?
I think interning internationally has broadened my horizons and given me that extra edge that I need to stand out from the crowd when I decide to look for jobs in my industry after graduation. Personally, I have opened my eyes to a new culture and gained a wealth of experience from having to tackle cultural and social barriers. I have learned so much about myself and what I am capable of, and I have also developed a whole new level of confidence and a bunch of new friends and connections all over the world!
Professionally and academically, I’ve had the opportunity to gain hands on, real-life experience with a company from my chosen industry. I was lucky enough to actually participate in and contribute to some of the projects my company was working on at the time – just knowing that I played even a small role feels like a huge accomplishment to me. In doing this I was also able to fine tune some of my computer software knowledge and skills required for my courses and future career.
What was the highlight of your experience?
There are too many to choose from! The social life in Shanghai is incredible. Guanxi (social networking) is a huge part of Chinese business culture – with such a huge variety of nightlife options and with such cheap cab fares, we always had the best excuses to go out for drinks!
I also very much enjoyed all the outings Absolute organised – both during the week and the weekend trips that took us outside of Shanghai and to cities like Suzhou and Nanjing. But like I mentioned before, it was mostly the people and the coordinators who are the highlight of my experience. We became like a huge family who did everything together.
What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering interning abroad in Shanghai?
For some silly reason, I spent a lot of my time before China worrying that I would regret it, that I would come home and question why I decided to go in the first place. Having now experienced it and returned home, I can confirm with absolute certainty that there is nothing to be afraid of. My strongest piece of advice is to not let the fear of the unknown stop you from going out to have a try. In the end, you will only regret not going.