20 Jul My #AbsoluteHongKong Internship: First Days at Work
Hinahere Chailly from HEC Montreal shares her experience doing a Hong Kong Communications internship as one of Absolute’s Intern Heroes of Summer 2017.
First Steps With Absolute Internship
To be honest, I was very nervous long before coming to Hong Kong: from the very first interview I had with Absolute Internship to determine what kind of internship I was seeking to the first day of work – I was nervous for six months!
The thing is that I am very open to many things. I’m always ready for new experiences and opportunities and I’m interested in a variety of industries. Having so many interests is great, it’s much better than having no inspiration in life, no dreams, no yearnings… but sometimes I find it even more difficult not to have a definite purpose and not knowing exactly what I want. However, even though I might seem like an indecisive person, I know I can perform well in every kind of job once I’ve put my mind to it.
I ended up in working at a Communications firm in Hong Kong. I was very anxious about the idea of interning in a company where I had no idea of what kind of work they would make me do, or what kind of people I would have to work with. Is it highly hierarchical like you always hear when talking about the Asian working environment? Is it a big company? Would my colleagues mainly speak English or Chinese? Would there be other interns with me? There were so many questions I would only be able to answer when on my first day of work.
A snapshot from my daily commute
First Days At The Company
When I finally arrived and got settled in Hong Kong, I went on my first day at work. I was too nervous and excited to have a full night’s sleep and woke up much earlier than I needed to. I dressed in full business attire, hair on point, and squeezed my feet into newly-bought classy shoes. I was sweating like crazy because I couldn’t find my way to the office right away. After all that stress, I ended up being the first one to arrive at the office.
More people started arriving, so I officially met my supervisor and co-workers. I also briefly greeted the director and the CEO, but everyone was quite busy on that first day. Days passed and I would feel better at the company as I grew more familiar with the people and with my surroundings.
One thing I love about the office is this little lady that welcomes us every morning, bringing us water, coffee or tea, cutting up apples around 11:30 for us to snack on, bringing us food when the office is too busy to go out for lunch, and always refilling the fridge with fruits and treats for everyone. In addition, the surroundings of the office near Central station are very nice. There are shops and restaurants everywhere, so many that I don’t think I’ve eaten meals from the same place in two weeks. Also, every Friday lunch is the company’s treat… what more could I ask for?
First Assessment Of My Internship
I couldn’t have asked for a better first working experience. I’m working at a boutique reputation management agency which bases its activities on strategic communications in Hong Kong and Shanghai, but also the rest of Asia and worldwide. Their clients come from many industries (fashion, jewelry, beauty and cosmetics, tourism, luxury, etc.) and they have to deal with many other industries relating to their clients (retail, trends, technology, competitors and more).
I have to say that my internship is very interesting as it covers a wide range of industries, a permanent awareness of the latest news and events concerning the clients and related fields, a sincere concern from my supervisors about my ideas and work progress, and a very nice working environment.
I have absolutely no regrets concerning my internship because I am truly satisfied with what I am doing. I’m learning even more about many different business sectors and truly understanding the importance of media and the potential of business in Asia. I can also put my creativity into action with personal ideas that I am freely permitted to share.
A peaceful view after my workday!
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