Author: Absolute Internship

04 Aug

The first thing I loved about this program was my internship. I think I got really lucky and had the opportunity to work for an interesting company. So far, I have learned a lot and am continuing to be given more responsibilities as time goes on. The work environment is really enjoyable too because it’s very relaxed which is nice because this is my first job in the business field. This program has exposed me to many professional insights that I might not have gotten at home. For example, learning to work with people on an international level.

08:46 / Madrid Internships
04 Aug

Just do it. Intern abroad because I haven’t a good enough reason not to. An internship in another country not only gives insight in an entirely different culture, but also the added benefit of “real world” working experience. Without question, I learn at a much faster pace when everything is hands on rather than taught conceptually and written in a textbook. For something as difficult and complex as laser-cutting I went from completely clueless to being able operate it without much of a problem within the first week. That extra time gave me the opportunity to branch out to other machines where I was taught to grind and polish and “tap” metals. As an intern, I’m curious about everything about my work. I’m encouraged to ask questions there and that gives me my motivation to learn more. When I started work in programming and 3D modeling, my supervisor was initially skeptical because I knew nothing about it and interns usually have some experience before coming here. But I was determined to learn it and asked if I could read the manual and would read it for hours on my own time. Eventually, he saw my progress and decided to give me actual work. In the end, I was given the opportunity to model for a large scale project and he was impressed that I was able to finish the framework for it by the end of the week.

08:26 / Singapore Internships
25 Jul

Before I left my home in Melbourne, Australia; almost everyone I talked to reminded me to pack warmer clothes. Because even though I was technically going in summer, London summertime is lightyears different to Melbourne’s. or so they thought. London is currently experiencing a heatwave that is so very reminiscent of home, any homesickness has evaporated. I am regretting listening to their advice as most of my clothes are too warm to comfortable wear. Good thing there is Primark; an amazing store where you can get a whole new summer wardrobe for around 50 pounds (shoes included). I highly recommend visiting the one near Tottenham Court Rd Tube Station.

09:00 / London Internships
22 Jul

In the investment banking industry, there is no normal day at work. There cannot be any expectations going to the office everyday because every day presents new challenges and new projects to tackle and solve. The part of the day that is the most routine is the commute too and from work. One of my co-workers and I leave our hotel at around 8:15am each morning and walk to the nearest metro station. After riding the metro 4 stops we get off and walk to our tower in downtown Pudong. The scenery and cityscape is absolutely amazing. Its still seems unreal working across the street from some of the tallest buildings in the world.

05:55 / Shanghai Internships
22 Jul

shanghaiBefore my departure, everyone who had been to China explained to me that the difference was compared to “night and day.” That there would be people everywhere all the time and that most people knew English so not knowing mandarin would be alright. After a week I was able to quickly realize that Shanghai is a western city, far more than any other city or town in China. For that reason, I’ve eaten at a multitude of different places. These restaurants are run by people all over the world. Even though Shanghai is a western city, not many people speak English. It makes it rather difficult to complete simple tasks, but it enhances the authentic experience. Whether it is ordering food or interacting with locals in a social manner, it is always an interesting time. It has caused me to enhance my interpersonal and communication skills.

02:41 / Shanghai Internships
22 Jul

shanghaiWalking into Standard Chartered Tower, I did not know what to expect. This was my first internship working for an investment bank. Before my departure, my professors described the lifestyle as rigorous and high paced. Walking in with that mentality had me eager to begin this new experience. My supervisor, is as intense as I imagined. The work done on a daily basis is often time pressured, but engaging. I have learned more about finance working for my supervisor in three weeks than my previous three years at Butler University.

02:31 / Shanghai Internships
20 Jul

china transportWorking at my company in China has been an eye opening experience to say the least. Working in the luxury goods industry is a unique field in which I never would have thought I would experience. Dealing with exclusive products and high net worth individuals is an invaluable learning experience, which I will take with me to my next chapter in life. The individuals in which I work with are very intelligent and successful people. They provide unique insights and alternatives to difficult situations. Although the workplace is an serious environment, my colleagues also like to have a good time. We frequent dinner specials and happy hours as a group, getting a better understanding of each other along the way.

07:40 / Shanghai Internships
20 Jul

housing in chinaBeing a confident individual, I was tremendously more excited than nervous for my adventure to Shanghai. After restlessly arriving to the Pudong International airport, our group and I were greeted by a member of the Absolute Internship team. From that moment, I knew that my experience would be extremely well accommodated. After arriving to the hotel, I was thoroughly impressed by the living conditions that we were afforded. I could not be happier to have my own bedroom, bathroom, and balcony, eighteen floors above a beautiful city setting. After a fabulous traditional style Chinese meal with our group, my roommate August and I were so eager to explore Shanghai, that we took a cab to a nearby bar. The taxi experience was as unique as the city. It was my first time interacting with a Chinese-speaking individual, so using hand gestures to describe where we wanted to go was crucial. The following morning at orientation, I got to know the rest of the Absolute Internship team, and gained some basic knowledge about Shanghai and the Chinese culture.

07:33 / Shanghai Internships
18 Jul

marketing internAs my first day of work was approaching, I really didn’t know what to expect. While I have Interned at other companies, I have never interned abroad. Yes, I have always dreamed of working in Shanghai, but this would really be the moment of truth. I never got to experience what Chinese Business Culture was really like. I had many questions running through my head on my commute to my first day of work. “Will I fit into the business culture here?” “Will I clash with my coworkers?” “Am I ready for what this internship has to offer me?” Thankfully, now I can say that I have overcome all of these insecurities. Starting my fourth week of working at my company, I can say that I’ve been able to grow as a professional.

09:11 / Shanghai Internships
14 Jul

office in londonAt around nine thirty every morning I walk into the upstairs office of the company and plop down in my chair at my desk situated right next to my supervisor's, the senior editor. The majority of days I have been there I have worked on an ongoing project focusing on converting hard copy books currently out of print into a type of e-book format on their upcoming website. The books are mainly encyclopedias and what I have worked on primarily focuses on music and musicians in general. The idea is to turn certain parts of each book, such as specific chapters in books discussing a singular artist or sections discoursing particular decades of music in more wide range works, into their own individual articles. That way when you search the subject on the website it will bring you to a coherent and independent piece that can stand on its own without connections to the book. That make sense? You awake? It’ll be much more interesting than I make it sound, I promise.
As someone more interested in creative writing I sadly don’t get to contribute any part of my imagination to this as the text already, well, exists. We’re just moving it from paper to a computer screen. My job here is to format. I work on a program called Quark because apparently it’s more reliable than Microsoft Word with all its ‘tricksy habits’ (that is seriously what the boss man called them). I won’t comment on that. I mostly focus on changing headings and the style of album and film names to italics…and that is exactly as boring as it sounds.

03:42 / London Internships
14 Jul

After a looong flight of about eight hours and an overall travel time of twelve hours (though I suppose those hailing from Australia would scoff at that with at least one fellow intern putting in a whopping fourteen hours of flying-cue my eyes falling out of my head) I finally landed in London Heathrow airport on Friday July first at about 7:40 am for my July/ August internship in the city. That didn’t necessarily mean I met our group coordinator, Vedant or the rest of my arrived group at that point since the customs line took about two or three hours to slog through-urf.

03:10 / London Internships
06 Jul

It feels like just yesterday I was calling my mom from my apartment at the University of Pittsburgh to let her know I would be going to Spain in five months. Now, I am sitting in Madrid writing about the last three days spent in this wonderful new city. So, to take advantage of this downtime, I suppose it is time I allow myself to do some reminiscing over the past 72 jet-lagged filled hours.

04:36 / Madrid Internships
06 Jul

“Inside a building on Paseo de la Castellana, you will find cheery people who are eager to get into their offices and start their day. With over 10 offices in a communal building, you can find my company. It is an office with 7 hardworking individuals who want nothing but success for the travel and event agency. It is a fun, cool environment where lots of laughs are shared and I have the opportunity to work there for 2 whole months.
Just to give some background information, the company assists people in planning bachelor, bachelorette and college trips across Europe. The focus on their planning in countries of Spain and Portugal.

03:36 / Madrid Internships
17 May

We all know the job market can be extremely competitive. While hundreds of applicants are all vying for just a handful of positions, a strong CV can mean the difference between landing a job and simply being skipped over the pile. Your CV is the opportunity to display your skills, prior work experience and give the impression you are the best candidate for the role. Sounds pretty straight-forward, right? But actually, there is a fine line between providing valuable information and actually hindering your chances. Whether you’re just getting started, or fine-tuning your CV, have a look at a few simple tips.

02:43 / No Category
21 Apr

An internship is an ideal way for a student or recent graduate to gain experience in their desired sector. Not only is it the opportunity to grow professionally, but also personally. However, the key to success in the workplace is maintaining strong workplace relationships and understanding your essential role in your team.
14:54 / Beijing Internships / Hong Kong Internships / London Internships / Madrid Internships / Shanghai Internships / Singapore Internships
21 Apr

The complete must-read Singapore Guide


Prior to 1963, Singapore was a British colony and as such, still maintains a unique variety of cultures, people and languages. In fact, there are even four official languages: English, Malay, Tamil and Mandarin. Discover more about the “Lion City” with these 10 fascinating facts:

14:29 / Singapore Internships
Get 800€ off by enrolling before August 15