Looking for an internship? Start with passion, purpose, and a can-do spirit

In my earlier article, I mentioned “passion and purpose”. Without this, life would be meaningless.

Passion is an intense feeling or emotion towards something, often a strong desire or enthusiasm for a particular activity or idea. Purpose, on the other hand, is a deeper sense of meaning and direction in life, often involving a contribution to something larger than oneself. Passion fuels your energy and motivation, while purpose provides a sense of direction and meaning.

In this follow-up article about internships, I’d like to share what I look for in an intern. When I interview applicants, I look for passion and purpose. I look for enthusiasm and a can-do attitude. Straight As alone do not impress me.

1. The first email

Work-related emails are formal communication. As such, the style should be formal business writing. The email could serve as the cover letter, or just a note to explain the attached official cover letter and other attachments – it could be a letter from the university, a short profile, exam results, certificates of participation in extra-curricular activities, etc.

2. The official application letter

It should be personalised to the addressee and to the specific organisation or industry – not a template. Use simple, sincere language. If you use AI, I’ll know, and the verbosity of it will not be in your favour.

3. The profile/resume/CV (whatever you want to call it)

It should be interesting and provide a sense of who you are, what your strengths and interests are, what your ambition is, and of course, your accomplishments. Some part-time work experience is certainly something that catches my eye.

So, best-case scenario – you get called for an interview. It may be online or in person. The same basic rules apply for both.

4. Prepare before the interview

Research the company, the industry, latest developments, and the impact of AI on the business or industry. Also research competitors. Have some opinions which you could discuss with the interviewer.

5. Punctuality

Be a few minutes early.

6. Dress code

Business attire. Neat and tidy.

During the interview, this is what I’m looking for:

7. Hard skills

Hard skills are the technical, measurable abilities required to perform specific tasks, often learned through education or training.i. In PR, we look for good command of language (be it English, Bahasa Malaysia, or Mandarin).ii. Ability to research and comprehend a diverse range of topics. Consultancies handle a diverse portfolio of clients, and we have to learn about those industries very quickly. Also, the pitching process begins with research.iii. Good writing skills. In addition to the basic news releases, speeches and Q&A documents, today PR drafts scripts for fireside chats, podcasts, videos, influencer campaigns, etc. A great deal of PR work is centred on writing.

8. Soft skills

i. Attitude is everything – this is the most important soft skill I look for in a candidate. “Hire for attitude, train for skill” is a saying I believe in. It suggests prioritising a candidate’s work ethic, personality, and willingness to learn over their specific technical skills.

ii. Creativity – to be effective, PR needs to be creative. Good creative ideas are important in content creation.

iii. Ability to multi-task – the PR profession requires a high degree of multi-tasking, particularly in consultancy because we’re usually juggling at least four balls at any one time.

iv. Good communication skills – this goes beyond writing; it’s how we interact with people – colleagues, clients, the media, suppliers, NGOs, etc. Things go smoothly when we communicate well.

v. Resourcefulness – people who can think on their feet and find solutions to problems are a big asset to any team.

vi. KPI-oriented – the saying “What gets measured gets done” emphasises that when something is tracked or evaluated, it’s more likely to be prioritised and completed. Measurement provides visibility, accountability, and a basis for improvement. Setting and meeting targets is crucial in business, even PR. We always need to agree (with the client) on measurements.

I hope these tips are helpful to all intern candidates. It may seem like a lot, but this is the reality. If you want to be successful and have a good, fulfilling career, you have to bring your A-game to the table.