Our Internship Experience at TeamAsia: Embarking on a New Journey
By Rachelle Wu and Trisha Raquid
As the final year of college draws to a close, a mix of excitement and apprehension engulfs us as we embark on a new chapter in our academic journey—an internship. While the prospect of gaining real-world experiences and applying the knowledge we have gained in university over the past few years excites us, there is also an undercurrent of nervousness and uncertainty. This blog explores the myriad of emotions we experienced before commencing our college internship, from excitement to self-doubt, and how these feelings shaped our mindset as we stepped into and got a good glimpse of the professional world.
Before we started to search for internship opportunities, we talked among ourselves and decided that interning in the same organization would be the most rationally sound choice. Perhaps it is because it allows us to collaborate while juggling between our internship and thesis for better time management. Soon enough, we realized that there was an even better outcome that came out of it, as it became beneficial in maintaining our strong and healthy friendship.
The Journey Begins: Moments of Uncertainty
During the process of searching for our internship destination, we encountered moments of uncertainty and worry about what lay ahead in our future. Being accustomed to the familiar routines as a college student, plus the prospect of transitioning into adulthood evokes fear, were most likely the culprits. These feelings of apprehension persisted as we embarked on the journey of internship applications.
However, everything changed during our interview with Ms. Candice for the digital intern position at TeamAsia (by the way, it was such a breeze, and each of us felt at ease during the process!). Ms. Candice was the first member of TeamAsia to reach out to us. Coming out of the different rounds of interviews, each of us felt the same thing: the organization exuded a sense of welcomeness and provided a supportive environment. By that time, we both knew that we were in the right place, and it would be a pity to let this opportunity slide away.
Given the opportunity of having to experience working from the rotation around the three Digital Creatives verticals, namely: Digital, Creatives, and Web/Tech Capabilities, it was such a fulfilling experience. It felt like we were given a different course of meals each week that were filled with learning and skill-building ingredients. Better yet, experiencing a full blast of growth and knowledge-building with professional individuals in the industry has been a highlight of our 200-hour stay in TeamAsia.
Our Internship Experience at TeamAsia
During our first two weeks at TeamAsia, we were initially assigned to the Digital team, where we had the opportunity to experience working as digital strategists. From actively participating in brainstorming sessions to contributing to various brand assignments, it felt as if we were already collaboratively employed with an amazing team. Surprisingly, we did not feel intimidated, and the team’s warm and welcoming working environment made us feel at home. The healthy exchange of constructive criticism in this environment contributed significantly to our growth.
Aside from this, we had the chance to utilize our artistic skills and express ourselves within the Creatives team. We managed to apply our creative skills and gain insight into the creative process behind the collaterals created by TeamAsia for its brand clients through the expertise and guidance of Ms. Gem and Zeke. Both of them allowed us to explore and express our creativity in a way that could be beneficial to the team.
In addition to our time with the Digital and Creatives Team, we were also honored to get the opportunity to attend learning sessions facilitated by Sir James. In these sessions, we surely gained a lot of knowledge, some new and some we had heard of before. Nonetheless, the topics covered and insights shared by Sir James were awe-inspiring and detail-oriented. To be honest, the sessions were something both of us always looked forward to learning because, not only is it nice to learn new perspectives from the marketing side, but we also knew that it would help strengthen our foundational knowledge in our field of expertise, such as handling digital content strategy and creating effective ads for the right audience.
Last Week of Internship
In our last week, we were assigned to the Web/Tech team, which proved to be the most challenging for us as it was not one of our strongest areas. Our coding skills had not been practiced since high school, so we had a bit of a rough start and needed some time to adjust. Fortunately, Mr. Da was there to guide us every step of the way and was always open to answering our questions.
Our journey with TeamAsia while doing our thesis would not have been bearable if our Digital supervisor, Ms. Candice, was not there. Once a week, she consistently made time for check-ins. She ensured to check how we are doing, listen to our insights, and discuss our overall progress. Her reflections and advice will undoubtedly benefit us as we embark on our professional careers.
In Conclusion
Despite our uncertainties on our journey, we found comfort in each other’s presence. The challenges we experienced together allowed us to become each other’s sources of support. We became familiar with one another’s strengths and weaknesses, and surprisingly, this understanding enhanced our ability to work together effectively.
Want to experience your internship journey with TeamAsia? Send your CV to hr@teamasia.com now!
