My Internship Story as an Indonesian Student at CakeResume
Getting an internship in Taiwan never even crossed my mind.
Four years ago, just as I was about to start my life as a university student in Taiwan, I could not imagine that I would work as an intern at a Taiwanese company.
My pessimistic self would tell me my application wouldn’t pass because there was no way I could compete with the locals and secure a position.
Fast forward to today, it’s been one year since I joined as a Content Marketing Intern at CakeResume, one of the fastest-growing startup companies in Taiwan.
Hey, I’m Steffie from Indonesia, a fresh graduate of Chung Yuan Christian University. If you’re interested in knowing how I applied for CakeResume’s internship opening, the interview process, as well as my reflection on this one-year ride working with cool people, keep on reading! ✨
How I came to the decision to apply to CakeResume
It was in my junior year when I started worrying about the uncertainty of my future (career-wise). My friends back in Indonesia would start doing internships at prestigious companies, learning practical skills in a real working environment.
Refusing to be left behind, I started looking for internship opportunities and landed on CakeResume’s job-seeking portal. The app has a clean and modern UI design and provides an English language interface, making it handy for foreigners (like me) to find jobs.
As I browsed the job vacancies available, I ran into the opening for the Indonesian Marketing Intern position at CakeResume. I was ecstatic because I don’t often find any Taiwanese company opening recruitment for Indonesian people. Even if it does, I bet the competition is high.
I read the job description countless times and knew this was a great opportunity for me to dive into Digital Marketing.
But, after seeing the requirements, I wasn’t very confident with the skills I possess.
- Familiarity with SEO and Digital Marketing tools: Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs
- Ability to use design software: Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, etc.
Nevertheless, I believed no university would teach students how to operate those tools so I thought I should at least try and have faith in myself.
I submitted my resume with a cover letter, hoping to receive a notification email anytime soon. The next day, I received an interview invitation.
Indonesian Marketing Intern Interview Process
The interview consists of three phases: the first phone call, a take-home assignment, and an on-site interview.
What was the interview like?
The first phone call was quick. The operations manager confirmed my current status, my past experiences, and whether or not I will be able to commute to Taipei every day (because I had to commute from Taoyuan and it takes 4 hours to travel back and forth). Of course, I said yes! This was too great an opportunity to miss.
The second phase was a one-week take-home assignment. There were two assignments in total, both related to Content Marketing.
1st task: Write an SEO-friendly article. There are some guidelines provided and a list of keywords to be inserted. If you’d like to get a clear idea of what the article was supposed to look like, feel free to refer to CakeResume’s resource area.
2nd task: Create 2 Instagram posts to grow CakeResume’s social media presence. Get a glimpse of CakeResume’s Instagram (ID) to look at how far we’ve come.
Since the assignments are highly-related to what I’ll be doing in the future, I put a lot of effort into the process. I began to surf the internet, learn basic SEO knowledge and taught myself how to operate Photoshop in a span of one week.
I was overjoyed when I received an invitation for the on-site interview (third and last phase). This was where the challenge lay. I was required to make a presentation about myself (background, motivation, future plans), an explanation of the take-home assignment, and share my ideas or marketing strategy for growing CakeResume in Indonesia.
Interview afterthoughts
The interview went very well although there are several challenging questions that I’m not very confident about. After all, challenging questions test our ability to improvise and reflect quickly.
If I could give some tips, it would be:
- Be confident because you want to convince the hiring manager of your abilities.
- Be active and communicative, don’t let the hiring manager talk in a one-way conversation.
- Clarify your “selling points” and the reasons you want the job.
I had a pretty good feeling towards the end of the interview because the question gets more and more personal. To job seekers out there, if you are really the one they’re looking for, you’ll feel it. Trust me :)
After a one-month-long selection process, the restlessness, dread, and excitement all came to an end. In June 2021, I successfully passed the test and became a true Caker!
Indonesian Content Marketing Intern — A Day in the Office
Unlike what you see in movies, being an intern at CakeResume is not at all close to coffee-making. Instead, my mentor Sindy entrusts me to take on the responsibility of an SEO project manager where I could manage a team of 10+ freelance writers and publishers to produce SEO-friendly articles on CakeResume’s blog.
Being naturally skeptical, I often questioned myself, “Am I really good enough?”, but these thoughts were always quickly overridden by new knowledge and fulfilling experiences.
What I do as an Indonesian Content Marketing Intern
By the time I joined, CakeResume was at the early stages of penetrating the Indonesian market, and I was the only Indonesian intern. Thus, I get to try executing different marketing strategies, including:
- SEO Content Production and Management
- Social Media Marketing
- Influencer Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Youtube Video Production
The Indonesian marketing team has grown since then. Now each of us is responsible for a specific field: mine being SEO Content Production and Youtube Video Production.
I manage a team of freelance writers and publishers for SEO Content Production to produce SEO-friendly articles for CakeResume’s blog. Some of the main tasks include doing keyword research, writing article outlines, editing, and optimizing content.
For Youtube Video Production, I assist in writing video scripts and filming.
What I like about working at CakeResume
I think loving what we do is important when finding jobs and I’m fortunate enough to land one.
Aside from enjoying my work, what I treasure the most about working at CakeResume is the amount of trust and authority given to me. I felt my actions made an impact in the process of growing CakeResume to one of the largest talent matching platforms in APAC.
CakeResume’s company culture also values transparency in our work. We have a 15-minute standup meeting every noon to report what we’ve done in the morning and what we plan to do in the afternoon. This ensures what we’re doing aligns with the goals of the team.
We’re also only required to work 7 hours a day, pushing us to be efficient in the office and have more time to spend outside of work. Plus, since it’s a co-working space, we’re allowed to work anywhere in the office!
Fun times outside of work
Days in CakeResume are not always long hours of work and meetings. Here are several moments of celebrations and fun times captured on camera. I am so grateful to share a lot of my first-time experiences with CakeResume.
Year-End Banquet experience at a 5-star hotel
Rock climbing experience
Attending our CEO’s wedding
Speaking for NTUISA’s event (one of the largest Indonesian student clubs in Taiwan)
Reflection on my one-year ride
Weeks and months flew by, then a year passed in a blink of an eye. My internship at CakeResume is coming to an end. I came to realize how lucky I am to witness the tremendous growth of the company. From 25 employees to nearly 70 now, a team of outstanding, young individuals fueled with passion and energy.
What type of person suits CakeResume marketing team?
I would say CakeResume’s marketing team is agile, innovative, and warm. If you are:
- Passionate about CakeResume’s products and services,
- Initiative and a self-starter who is determined to make an impact,
- Creative and loves testing out new ideas to reach a goal,
you can try applying as an intern in CakeResume!
My greatest achievement
My mentor Sindy once told me that working in a startup, you have to wear many hats. From teaching myself how to utilize digital marketing tools, and working with well-known influencers, to recruiting, training, and managing writers and publishers. I felt my work mattered and is valued.
What’s even more incredible is since we are entering a new market, you get the opportunity to try things out instead of following a template. We’re making our own SOPs, writing new contract agreements, solving new problems, and juggling our way through uncertainties. I guess my greatest gain is the immeasurable skills and knowledge I am taking away to build a foundation for my career.
An expression of gratitude
Looking back on my past year, I cannot believe how much I have grown, technically and professionally. I want to express my greatest gratitude to my mentor, Sindy, for allowing me the opportunity to expand my skills and explore my potential through this internship. Thank you for placing your trust and confidence in my abilities from day one.
Also, to all of my CakeResume colleagues, especially my fellow global market team, thank you for all of the support given and the laughs shared. It’s a pleasure growing CakeResume alongside you guys!
And finally, I got a chance to work as a full-time employee at CakeResume in October 2022! It’s no doubt the waves will be higher and the challenges tougher. Nonetheless, I am excited about the ride.
