21 Dec Shanghai – My Next Challenge!
Hi guys, my name is April and I am from Kangaroo Island, off the coast of South Australia. I grew up both in a small town and on a farm with both animals and crops and have always been blessed with fresh air, unlimited space and surroundings full of nature. I have just completed my bachelor degree in Commerce (Management) at the University of Adelaide. Moving to Adelaide was a considerable step for someone that grew up on a farm. However I really enjoyed getting my degree, and met some great people and now I’m looking for something new and exciting. When I traveled to France and Belgium to study I think I found what I was looking for, a challenge. In a city I didn’t know, with people I didn’t know, speaking a language I didn’t know and living within a culture I didn’t know – I think I realized I want to travel more and learn more about different people.
It was at Uni where I discovered my interest in Human Resources, and reflecting back on my decision to get into HR and my desire to travel I feel as if they are complimentary. I am interested in all parts of human resources and can’t wait to get some experience in the field to see where my greatest passion lies. That’s why I am so excited to be interning with a recruitment company for 3 months in Shanghai. In this job I expect that I will be given more opportunities for responsibility and autonomy in my job as the time progresses and I will be doing work such as searching for candidates, matching them to companies, sitting in on interviews and meeting with clients. I hope this experience will help me develop my skills in HR and also my networking skills, contacts and people skills. I also think this experience will help me learn about different industries, the way they operate and how they affect one another. I am excited to learn about the company I will work for, and I’m hoping that some of my colleagues will take me to a few good food places around work and show me where the best coffee in town is.
I think the Absolute Internship Program will be a great way to make my internship run smoothly, get comfortable quickly and see a lot of different kinds of things while in China. We already know of several trips outside of the city that we will make before our time is over and I am sure they will take us to lots of local places like markets, bars and eateries. I am glad that I have Absolute to look after me and do things like show me how to use the Metro in Shanghai, help resolve any issues that should come about when I am in Shanghai and even teach me a bit about the city and how to get around it best.
As for the city itself, I think there will be lots of opportunities to do and see amazing things. I am extremely excited to try all the local cuisine and also to get out of the city from time to time to places such as Nanjing. I have heard many great things about Shanghai and some of its attractions such as the Bund and the Yu Garden. I do however expect I will have some difficulty getting used to the much colder temperatures and crowded metro. Where I grew up there weren’t even taxis, let alone buses. I think I will miss the clean beaches, sunny days and my friends and family but I am looking forward to the change of pace, and I think I will adjust just fine.
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