This article was written by Akmal Adnan, Public Affairs Intern.
One common question that might arise in a fresh graduate’s mind is, “Am I qualified enough for this role?” There is no denying that now, even amidst this post-pandemic phenomenon of the Great Resignation and the Great Reshuffle, jobseekers still face a challenging time in the pursuit of job opportunities fresh out of university. Sure, it’s a great honor that our universities are being recognized and included in the list of world university rankings but on the flipside, many graduates are dealing with unemployment.
As of 2021, Malaysia’s graduate employability rate only stands at 85.5%. The majority of students are very much concerned about their future. Relying only on paper qualifications is not enough, and it has been established that academic performance is not the sole determinant of whether a graduate lands a full-time job upon graduation. It’s a balance of both soft and hard skills that is found to be positively linked to employability. Every one of us is desperate and hungry for an experience, even just a smidgeon of it – that might set them apart from other candidates. And yes, I am no different.
Following my first internship last year at a mobile platform company, I believed I needed to do another internship to really prepare myself and hone my skills before embarking on my first real job. I have always been interested in the world of communication and all its nooks and crannies. Forest Interactive gave me just that. I saw this as an opportunity for me to gain more exposure and knowledge, and I intended for this opportunity to contribute to my personal growth, confidence, and professionalism. Working as a Public Affairs Intern under Corporate PR department between March and May 2022 really opened up my eyes and see in real time how to practice good communication skills all around.
Interning at Forest Interactive is like working with people that feel like family. Sharing ideas is a very vulnerable exercise but when you surround yourself with people who care about your well-being, it’s refreshing. That’s what it’s like. With more than 250 talents all around the globe, 24 nationalities worldwide, I received hands-on experience in terms of communicating and working directly with them.
Going back to the subject of doing multiple internships, some students are pursuing an internship just for the sake of fulfilling their university course requirement. If you’re thinking of doing a second or third internship, go for it! Along with building a strong portfolio, pursuing second or third internships helps broaden your knowledge and experience, deepen your connections, and strengthen your marketability.
Widen Your Horizons
Internships are relatively short-term in nature — three or six months — with concentration on applying some of what’s learned in the classroom and applying it to the real world. This also means internships are one of the opportunities for students to explore possibilities. In my view, more internships equal more exploration.
Ashley Montagu, a British-American anthropologist and the rapporteur for UNESCO in 1950, said, “One goes through school, college, medical school, and one’s internship learning little or nothing about goodness but a good deal about success.” The statement resonates with how decades of generations were taught the importance of success and how it can build confidence, hope, a sense of well-being, as well as the ability to contribute.
By examining the similarities and variations between two or more workplaces, you will begin to acknowledge what’s industry standard and what’s company specific, which then gives insight and to keep always exploring.
Discover Your Passion
One of many valuable things I’ve discovered through interning is to not settle (just yet). When I landed my first internship last October, I was thrilled and thought, “This is my dream job!”. Yes, I was feeling good about pursuing it, but that’s not the case. I learned that it had not been the right fit, and by the time I finished the internship, I convinced myself that I’d need to pursue a second internship, to give myself another opportunity to learn as an intern.
Pushing myself to diverge, really just think about my future, and find what interests me. I took that opportunity, and immersed myself in a different environment, and hey, it paid off!
If you’re on your semester break and thinking about doing an internship, go ahead! I guarantee you the long-term results can help you more than you’d expected.
Strengthen Your Preparation
On top of strengthening my confidence, skills, and knowledge, multiple internships provide opportunities to boost a range of hard skills, as well as interviewing and networking attributes. Going for several interviews will definitely help your communication, speaking and listening skills.
Having a great portfolio shows employers that you’re not just capable of one skill only. Pursuing multiple internships will help increase and build both hard and soft skills as well as your inner quality as an employee.
Forge Your Own Path
Taking an alternative route is always a good decision. Malala Yousafzai puts it brilliantly, “Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow.” I very much resonate with the statement, learn everything and gain as many experiences as you can then make up your mind. There’s no problem with that!
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