1. A Better Understanding through Stories of Experience
- BY AMIRAH

I was really looking forward to the talk by the Material World team today. Being interested in both writing and business, it was really interesting for me to hear the experience of the team. Having little experience in the working field, I was quite frightened of the upcoming internship.

As the internship for the third years is just in a few months, I was really grateful for the tips and stories that the team shared with us. With three out of four starting out as interns, it provides a deeper understanding to what the life of an intern is like. First of all, an internship is not just a desk job. There are other aspects that the intern has to learn and new skills to pick up. Perks of internship is that you may get hired permanently afterwards; if the employer is satisfied with the way you work. Internship is also a way for us to gain and build up a network of contacts.

The acronym “HIRE” which stands for Hyper, Initiative, Reliable and Enthusiasm was especially memorable for me. It shows the requirements that most employers would want to see in an intern. Another acronym, “TIRED”, shows what an employer would not want. Throughout the presentation, there is the emphasis that an intern has to be willing to learn in order to gain experience.

The Material World team spoke of their jobs with so much passion and fervor. It made me think of the things that I am passionate about and the way to achieve it. They are up for any challenges and are willing to take a gamble, in order to find and achieve their goals in life. I hope that when I enter the workforce, I will be able to be do what I want and enjoy myself while doing it.



2. A Valuable Lesson
- BY CHERYL PIAY

I came to school feeling extremely lethargic, but the talk by the Material World team was an instant refresher.

Internship is just round the corner for all of us, and this talk really helped equipped me with some basic knowledge of how I should act and what I should expect during the course on internship. Sure, I've had some part time jobs here and there, but mostly in the retail industry. Just the thought of working in a proper office makes me nervous because I don't really know what is expected of me. Internship is all about gaining industry experience. It helps determine if one is suited in the industry and we can also use it to build up a network of contacts. It is up to you to leave either a good or bad impression on your employers. I've learnt today that employers seek people who are hyper, takes initiative, are reliable and have enthusiasm for whatever they do.

Passion is crucial to determining if you will land a job in the industry you love. When you have passion, you are driven. When you are driven, you will take initiative to learn whatever you can from your employers, do your given task with enthusiasm and will be responsible because you cherish the opportunity. The way the Material World team spoke about their jobs really encouraged me to pursue a career that I will enjoy working for. They are so passionate about their jobs and are willing to take on challenges because they have a passion for journalism.

I hope that one day, I would be able to speak of my career with as much joy and love for. Today's talk and interview session also made me pledge to myself that once internship begins, I will constantly seek opportunities to learn, be enthused with any job tasks given and treasure any learning experiences the internship will provide me with.



3. Confirming My Insights
- BY NERISSA TAN

The talk as well as the Q&A segment with Material World’s feature writers and editors confirmed my expectations in what the publishing world looks for in their interns. The acronym “HIRE” which stands for Hyper, Initiative, Reliable and Enthusiasm, helped me better identify what employers would look for in their interns. They also expanded my views in regards to what interns were expected to do as interns.

Previously, I was not sure what the job scope was for interns in the publishing world. I now have a better understanding that we, as interns, would be expected to do the unglamourous side of journalism. Example, running to get coffee or to collect and deposit miscellaneous items and products. I also understand that if I wanted to take part in the writing process, I would have to take the initiative to ask and not wait and expect the writers or editors to give the job to me.

I also discovered that to survive in the journalism world, I would have to have passion for my job. As being in the journalism world I would face plenty of challenges, if I do not have the passion for my job, I would not be driven to do it well or be willing to learn, be it from my mistakes or new things. The talk helped to give me a better understanding as well as confirm my belief of an intern’s job scope. This helps me to be better prepared for my own internship that I am very appreciative for, as I was quite worried that I might not be well-suited for it. I was also afraid that I would be ill-prepared for the job, but now I am rest assured that I should be able to do well, and hopefully, better than expected.



4. A Guide to Internship
- BY SHERMAINE NG

Materials are really needed in every aspect of our everyday lives. Today we had a session with the Material World team, and they took us through a little guide on what to aspect for our upcoming internship.

Deborah Tan, founder of Material World and former intern at CLEO, shared that she was unsure about the writing field because she had always wanted to be a lawyer. She explained that the perks of being an intern is to find out if you are suited for the industry as well as building of contacts for future references. In Deborah's case, she was definitely suited for the field and she definitely made any contacts to have came so far.

It's quite upsetting, in my opinion, that some internships may provide allowance, and some do not. Even though it is legal in Singapore, and most "bosses" would feel that "if you really want to learn, money shouldn't be an issue", I believe that basic meal and travel allowances should be provided. Well, maybe it's just me being "Cheapskate" but I really believe that basic needs should be provided for.

Being an intern may seem like an easy job, where you'd come in to your office, sit at your desk and wait for an assignment to be passed to you. However, that's not what any boss would want to see from their interns.

The acronym "HIRE" was used in describing the best qualities wanted in an intern
Hyper, because no one wants to face a zombie in the morning at work.
Initiative, because an intern's gotta do what an intern's gotta do.
Reliable, because bosses need extra help and they would appreciate it if you were able to pull it off.
Enthusiastic/ enthusiasm, because if you are interested in your job, you should be passionate and enthusiastic about it.

On the other side, the acronym "TIRED" was used in describing the worst qualities of an intern
Tardy, because no one wants a worker that's always late and coming up with excuses.
Irresponsible, because being irresponsible just doesn't cut out for any job.
Retarded, because some times you just need to know what you need to do and not be retarded.
Self-Entitled, because you're an intern. Don't think too highly of yourself, please.
Diva, because your bosses are not going to pamper you just because you're in heels and an overly tight bodycon dress. You still have to move fast, and get your work done.

So based on what i've learnt today, I hope internship wouldn't be too hard on me. Or maybe I should start taking note of my punctuality. I really don't want to be fired for being late all the time.



5. Give & Take
- BY KHAIRI

An intern is defined as a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.

Based on that definition and what Deborah Tan of Material World Singapore has shared with us today, I feel that being an intern means having to reassess what we are willing to give, and subsequently take.

I always hear seniors and friends talking about how they don't like the things they had to do during their internship, mainly having to do the legwork or not being able to do what they actually want. But I feel that it is fruitful to start from the bottom.

I believe that there are skills and insights we can learn when we are doing the tasks that support the things that we actually set out to do.

Take for example a photo shoot for a magazine article. Sure, it would be nice if we could direct the shoot as the writer, but being the one who has to get the clothes ready, the make-up, model, lighting etc., wouldn't I discover various parts needed to make a successful shoot? I wouldn't have known that if all I did was just come in and just sit there telling the photographer the shots I want.

Some of us may feel that what they are doing is a waste of time but I feel that every moment we spent during our internship counts as work experience gained. It is like what Deborah said, someone has to do it, if not interns then even full-time staff would have done that job. It is not like these kinds of tasks involving legwork were specially created to torture interns.

I would definitely hope to be a reliable intern with a sense of humility and eager to learn this October.



6. Key Takeaways
- BY MAE CHU

The talk by Material girls today was definitely an eye opener. I’ve heard many stories on internship, both good and bad, and I wasn’t very sure on which to believe. Having shared their experience as an intern with us today, I would say I’m better prepared on what to expect from my internship.

What really grasped my attention was Deborah’s enthusiasm throughout the talk. She mentioned about HIRE - Hyper, Initiative, Reliable, Enthusiasm, the qualities that would make a company want to hire the intern. And I was thinking to myself, how does she maintain that level of enthusiasm every day?

Through the talk, I came to realize that Deborah and her team were really passionate about their work. And that was when I found the answer to my question. Their passion fueled their enthusiasm. There is definitely a price to pay when you’re doing something you’re really passionate about. In the case of Material girls, they sacrificed their financial stability for their passion.

Deborah mentioned that starting a business model is somewhat akin to raising a child. You give it your love, resources and effort but it might not love you back. I feel that there are many risks to take when embarking on a career; internship would be the first step.

I have learnt that it is definitely not going to be easy when I’m doing my internship. I might not be paid and I would be asked to do trivial tasks that might not be related to my job. But as the Material girls team have said, it’s all about gaining experience. I would not say I am entirely prepared to be the “perfect intern” at this point in time but I’m definitely willing to try.


xx,
FIESTA!

Labels: Amirah, Cheryl Piay, Khairi, Mae Chu, Material World, Nerissa Tan, Shermaine Ng, Writing Lab