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Higher education is a very academic and professional working environment, I really like it, thus, I applied for the role of International Development Intern at the University’s International Office.
As an intern at the International office, my main role is to monitor and respond to queries on the International Office shared email and provide administrative support for other staff for marketing and recruitment activities.
During the last 6 months of my placement, I’ve learned many things and had some valuable experiences. Honestly, at first, I found it difficult because I needed to get my work done to a high standard. I was stressed at first but realized that making mistakes is just a natural part of improvement.
I had to learn some of the smallest things such as the University’s departments, the entry requirements for courses, the features of each market region as well as the scholarships. I think that I’m so lucky because my colleagues are very friendly and kind to me. I’m really grateful for their valuable time helping me out.
I had a mentor - my manager, who guided me step by step to develop my personal brand. He suggested to me that I create a professional LinkedIn profile, designed a personal blog, and participated in recruitment events. With each assigned task, I learned new skills to improve myself. I also took advantage of the one-to-one meetings with him to ask about my inquiries and get feedback from him for further improvement.
The placement was a good opportunity for me to apply the knowledge I'd learned into practice.
When I learned about leadership, I could distinguish between a manager and a leader, and I wanted to become a leader in the future. However, that's just the theory, I was still confused about how to become a leader. While working in the International Office, I observed my manager and colleagues and I realize that in order to lead a team effectively, the team leader needs to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and give them opportunities to develop their strengths and make them feel good.
I also learn a lot from my colleagues, how they communicate, behave with others, and respond to emails.
I took advantage of my time on placement to learn about the marketing strategies that the University has applied, such as organizing recruitment events, sending communications to students, managing social networks, and websites, which are really useful for my research.
For me, my placement was an amazing opportunity that helped me grow both professionally and personally and experience things that I wouldn’t be able to when studying at University. Also, it is the first step for me in my career path. I am very grateful to my colleagues and mentor who gave me the opportunity to work with, guide, and help me to become a better version of myself.
Thi Thu Phuong (Amy)
MBA
Topic: Course