JUMPSTART BULLETIN April 2008, VOL.

8
ACCELERATE
A Quarterly Publication
by PRePARE
Career Development & Training Unit

Upcoming Events

WORK EXPERIENCE
Sunway Apprentice Challenge 2008 (on going)
16-18 April – AUSMAT Career Exploration Event
19 April – Soft Skills Training (for Australian University Programme(Year 2))

26 April – Soft Skills Training (for Australian University Programme(Year 3))
9 May – GE Job Shadow Day
13-14 May – Get HIRED! - Opportunities @ Your Fingertips (Sunway eCareer Fair)
Do you know?...
   
Here are some tips to give your learning experience a headstart!
  
- Give compliments and appreciation but avoid complaining and gossiping about others
- Avoid taking calls during meetings or excuse yourself if it is an urgent call
- In tense situations, try to calm down and focus on the issue and not the person. Avoid swearing to
make a point whether you are in the right or wrong
- Do not spam your colleagues’ inboxes with forwarded messages
- Do not talk loudly in the office whether with your colleagues or on the phone
   
Speak up when...
- You need help or advice on a task or assignment
- You are in a meeting. Share your ideas and thoughts
- You are overloaded with assignments. Let your supervisor know about your situation
Hush-hush when…
- You over heard a complaint or gossip from your colleagues. Avoid spreading rumours
    
Aim to always project professionalism by:
- Being punctual when reporting to work, attending meetings or meeting clients
- Having a firm handshake, smile and greet everyone with vibrancy
- Wearing appropriate attires – collared shirts, pants or knee length skirts
- Avoiding tattoos and body piercings. If you do have any, cover them up or not wear them while at work
THROUGH INTERNSHIP
‘You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience.
You must undergo it.’ - Albert Camus
One of the best ways to get a glimpse of the working world and get work experience while study-
ing is through Internships. Here, we spoke to Yew June - Assistant Marketing Manager of
Apex-Pal (M) Sdn Bhd (the holding company of Sakae Sushi outlets) who shares her thoughts
on internships.
Why internship and what are the benefits?
A good internship programme provides an in-depth knowledge and Take the internship experience as an opportunity to test your
understanding of the company and industry. Not only will you be skills & abilities and put theory to good practice. It is an
able to develop/improve your soft skills such as interpersonal skills & invaluable learning experience with the possibility of develop-
positive work attitudes but also enhance your employability. ing and discovering one’s interest, talent and capabilities. It
may even help you determine and give you an early start to
Internship programme prepares you for the challenges ahead in your career path. I
adjusting from student life to working life and boost your competi-
tiveness amongst your peers. Remember to give your best and most effective performance so
that at the end of the internship you will leave the organization
Also, the transfer of knowledge from theory to practice requires a with a good and lasting impression.
systematic approach which is achieved through internship.
Internship @ Apex-Pal
What are employers’ expectations toward interns? Sakae Sushi, a quality brand by Apex-Pal (The Innovative Food
The most vital traits of an intern are punctuality, sense of responsi- People) offers internships to bring value to the company in the
bility and commitment. You are expected to take the initiative to ask short term as well as provide employability skills particularly in
whenever you are in doubt or face problems or challenges as they the F&B industry to students upon graduation in the long
arise. term.
Sense of commitment during the internship should not be any lesser We strive to play a significant role in the development of
than the full time employees as you will also be treated like one. This human capital in this country and globally+ through internal
includes complying with all our company policies and adopting good and external training programmes in order to better prepare
work attitudes. our employees for a knowledge-based economy.
You should also to be pro-active, willing to learn and contribute as a In the long run, we hope to be the first choice for student
team member of our company. Apart from this, we hope that you seeking quality internship as well as top of the mind company
adop a good working attitude as a reliable and trustworthy employee. for those seeking a great career path upon graduation.

Part of our company philosophy is that we recognise employees as

the most important asset of the company and we believe that our
employees should ‘Work with us but not for us’.

What is your advice to students who are considering an

internship?
The experience obtained during an internship programme is essential
as it gives you an insight to working life and its impending
challenges.
 MAXIMISE YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
“ Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. "
Vincent Van Gogh
Set Goals! company and therefore, you are expected to be present yourself professionally at all times.
Think about what you want to achieve through the internship. Whether it is to Always show up on time and have the courtesy to inform your supervisors if you are sick or
enhance a particular skill or experience real work practices of a particular indus- delayed.
try, setting goals will give you a greater sense of accomplishment and a more
focused internship experience. Take Initiative!
Exceed your supervisor’s expectations by doing the best you can in every task assigned to you.
Learn & Relearn! Never be afraid to ask questions and seek advice when in doubt. Remember, there’s no such
No matter how menial the task maybe, avoid thinking ‘it’s not my job’. It is your chance to learn thing as a dumb question. It is safer than diving head on into a problem and create a bigger
and develop new skills that will benefit you later in life as you progress in your career. Take every mess.
opportunity available to learn about the company. Attend meetings, seminars or workshops. This
is a good way to increase your knowledge and meet people. Network & Build Relationships!
Although not everyone is a good talker, nobody likes to work with a loner!
Stay Positive! Be friendly and interact with your colleagues. Always maintain a good
Avoid complaining about having to do menial tasks, being rude to others and talking ill about working relationship with them. Remember, this internship may open up
your colleagues. The most important thing about the internship experience is to complete all more opportunities for you in future than you can imagine.
work assignments with enthusi-
REARVIEW:
asm and learn as much from it Testimony of an Ex-Student Evaluate Consistently!
as pos- sible. Remember the
Remember, your internship is to provide
best way to kill the
Rupini Deepa Rajagopalan you with practical working experience.
internship experience
Australian University Programme, Graduated - December 2007 Therefore, try to evaluate your experi-
is being arrogant and
Now working as Banking Apprentice at Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad ence periodically by discussing with your
narrow-minded.
supervisor on your performance and tasks
ON taking an Internship assigned to you. Keeping a journal is a
My dream was to have a successful career. I knew that a degree alone might not be enough. EXPERIENCE counts too. So, my first step was to gain
good way to help you remember and
valuable experience and the best way to do so was through an internship.
Be Responsible! The internship was a stepping stone for me to EXPERIENCE document the things you have accom-
Although you will only be ON the Internship experience corporate life and to learn how organizations work. plished and work on your improvements.
attached to the company for 2-3 I was accepted into a business consultancy firm in Chicago, USA. The whole idea of
working let alone working overseas was exhilarating. This was a chance for me to ENHANCE my academic study and try out what I have learnt in the
months, keep in mind that you classroom in a “real world” context.
are actually WORKING
for the company. You will be I have learnt to be INDEPENDENT which helped me build my CONFIDENCE as I took on new challenging assignments at work. Apart from
invaluable knowledge, my soft skills such as COMMUNICATION and INTERPERSONAL skills were greatly enhanced by the diversity of culture
treated as an employee of that and working in TEAMS. However, to me the best part was that my superior became
my mentor who until today advises me on my career.
It has broaden my horizon and EXPOSURE that gave me valuable
insights of the business world.

This experience has an enormous impact on my CV which has helped me secured a job in Standard Chartered Bank. I am more CONFIDENT in
performing the tasks assigned to me and am definitely more accustomed to the rhythm of corporate life.

ON advice to juniors
Do consider internship experience as it is a way to EXPLORE a career without making a long term commitment. Internship is a good way to
NETWORK/ESTABLISH contacts in a field that you may be job hunting for after graduation.
 MAXIMISE YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE
“ Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. "
Vincent Van Gogh
Set Goals! company and therefore, you are expected to be present yourself professionally at all times.
Think about what you want to achieve through the internship. Whether it is to Always show up on time and have the courtesy to inform your supervisors if you are sick or
enhance a particular skill or experience real work practices of a particular indus- delayed.
try, setting goals will give you a greater sense of accomplishment and a more
focused internship experience. Take Initiative!
Exceed your supervisor’s expectations by doing the best you can in every task assigned to you.
Learn & Relearn! Never be afraid to ask questions and seek advice when in doubt. Remember, there’s no such
No matter how menial the task maybe, avoid thinking ‘it’s not my job’. It is your chance to learn thing as a dumb question. It is safer than diving head on into a problem and create a bigger
and develop new skills that will benefit you later in life as you progress in your career. Take every mess.
opportunity available to learn about the company. Attend meetings, seminars or workshops. This
is a good way to increase your knowledge and meet people. Network & Build Relationships!
Although not everyone is a good talker, nobody likes to work with a loner!
Stay Positive! Be friendly and interact with your colleagues. Always maintain a good
Avoid complaining about having to do menial tasks, being rude to others and talking ill about working relationship with them. Remember, this internship may open up
your colleagues. The most important thing about the internship experience is to complete all more opportunities for you in future than you can imagine.
work assignments with enthusi-
REARVIEW:
asm and learn as much from it Testimony of an Ex-Student Evaluate Consistently!
as pos- sible. Remember the
Remember, your internship is to provide
best way to kill the
Rupini Deepa Rajagopalan you with practical working experience.
internship experience
Australian University Programme, Graduated - December 2007 Therefore, try to evaluate your experi-
is being arrogant and
Now working as Banking Apprentice at Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad ence periodically by discussing with your
narrow-minded.
supervisor on your performance and tasks
ON taking an Internship assigned to you. Keeping a journal is a
My dream was to have a successful career. I knew that a degree alone might not be enough. EXPERIENCE counts too. So, my first step was to gain
good way to help you remember and
valuable experience and the best way to do so was through an internship.
Be Responsible! The internship was a stepping stone for me to EXPERIENCE document the things you have accom-
Although you will only be ON the Internship experience corporate life and to learn how organizations work. plished and work on your improvements.
attached to the company for 2-3 I was accepted into a business consultancy firm in Chicago, USA. The whole idea of
working let alone working overseas was exhilarating. This was a chance for me to ENHANCE my academic study and try out what I have learnt in the
months, keep in mind that you classroom in a “real world” context.
are actually WORKING
for the company. You will be I have learnt to be INDEPENDENT which helped me build my CONFIDENCE as I took on new challenging assignments at work. Apart from
invaluable knowledge, my soft skills such as COMMUNICATION and INTERPERSONAL skills were greatly enhanced by the diversity of culture
treated as an employee of that and working in TEAMS. However, to me the best part was that my superior became
my mentor who until today advises me on my career.
It has broaden my horizon and EXPOSURE that gave me valuable
insights of the business world.

This experience has an enormous impact on my CV which has helped me secured a job in Standard Chartered Bank. I am more CONFIDENT in
performing the tasks assigned to me and am definitely more accustomed to the rhythm of corporate life.

ON advice to juniors
Do consider internship experience as it is a way to EXPLORE a career without making a long term commitment. Internship is a good way to
NETWORK/ESTABLISH contacts in a field that you may be job hunting for after graduation.
 JUMPSTART BULLETIN April 2008, VOL. 8
ACCELERATE
A Quarterly Publication
by PRePARE
Career Development & Training Unit

Upcoming Events

WORK EXPERIENCE
Sunway Apprentice Challenge 2008 (on going)
16-18 April – AUSMAT Career Exploration Event
19 April – Soft Skills Training (for Australian University Programme(Year 2))

26 April – Soft Skills Training (for Australian University Programme(Year 3))
9 May – GE Job Shadow Day
13-14 May – Get HIRED! - Opportunities @ Your Fingertips (Sunway eCareer Fair)
Do you know?...
   
Here are some tips to give your learning experience a headstart!
  
- Give compliments and appreciation but avoid complaining and gossiping about others
- Avoid taking calls during meetings or excuse yourself if it is an urgent call
- In tense situations, try to calm down and focus on the issue and not the person. Avoid swearing to
make a point whether you are in the right or wrong
- Do not spam your colleagues’ inboxes with forwarded messages
- Do not talk loudly in the office whether with your colleagues or on the phone
   
Speak up when...
- You need help or advice on a task or assignment
- You are in a meeting. Share your ideas and thoughts
- You are overloaded with assignments. Let your supervisor know about your situation
Hush-hush when…
- You over heard a complaint or gossip from your colleagues. Avoid spreading rumours
    
Aim to always project professionalism by:
- Being punctual when reporting to work, attending meetings or meeting clients
- Having a firm handshake, smile and greet everyone with vibrancy
- Wearing appropriate attires – collared shirts, pants or knee length skirts
- Avoiding tattoos and body piercings. If you do have any, cover them up or not wear them while at work
THROUGH INTERNSHIP
‘You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience.
You must undergo it.’ - Albert Camus
One of the best ways to get a glimpse of the working world and get work experience while study-
ing is through Internships. Here, we spoke to Yew June - Assistant Marketing Manager of
Apex-Pal (M) Sdn Bhd (the holding company of Sakae Sushi outlets) who shares her thoughts
on internships.
Why internship and what are the benefits?
A good internship programme provides an in-depth knowledge and Take the internship experience as an opportunity to test your
understanding of the company and industry. Not only will you be skills & abilities and put theory to good practice. It is an
able to develop/improve your soft skills such as interpersonal skills & invaluable learning experience with the possibility of develop-
positive work attitudes but also enhance your employability. ing and discovering one’s interest, talent and capabilities. It
may even help you determine and give you an early start to
Internship programme prepares you for the challenges ahead in your career path. I
adjusting from student life to working life and boost your competi-
tiveness amongst your peers. Remember to give your best and most effective performance so
that at the end of the internship you will leave the organization
Also, the transfer of knowledge from theory to practice requires a with a good and lasting impression.
systematic approach which is achieved through internship.
Internship @ Apex-Pal
What are employers’ expectations toward interns? Sakae Sushi, a quality brand by Apex-Pal (The Innovative Food
The most vital traits of an intern are punctuality, sense of responsi- People) offers internships to bring value to the company in the
bility and commitment. You are expected to take the initiative to ask short term as well as provide employability skills particularly in
whenever you are in doubt or face problems or challenges as they the F&B industry to students upon graduation in the long
arise. term.
Sense of commitment during the internship should not be any lesser We strive to play a significant role in the development of
than the full time employees as you will also be treated like one. This human capital in this country and globally+ through internal
includes complying with all our company policies and adopting good and external training programmes in order to better prepare
work attitudes. our employees for a knowledge-based economy.
You should also to be pro-active, willing to learn and contribute as a In the long run, we hope to be the first choice for student
team member of our company. Apart from this, we hope that you seeking quality internship as well as top of the mind company
adop a good working attitude as a reliable and trustworthy employee. for those seeking a great career path upon graduation.

Part of our company philosophy is that we recognise employees as

the most important asset of the company and we believe that our
employees should ‘Work with us but not for us’.

What is your advice to students who are considering an

internship?
The experience obtained during an internship programme is essential
as it gives you an insight to working life and its impending
challenges.