Unpacking the job description for first-time internships
What exactly are employers looking for?
You might have read about my summer scramble back in 2017 when I fired over 100 applications to find an internship. It was dreary reading job descriptions after job descriptions trying to second guess what was needed. A few years on and the tables have turned and being in a position of hiring now, I find myself appreciating both sides of the recruitment process a little more. Some internships can be just as or even more competitive than job applications. In this article, I will unpack some concerns that I personally had to entertain, and hopefully, it resonates with you as well:
1. Minimum Qualifications are often /really/ binding requirements
Unless your portfolio is exceptional, these minimal qualifications are an easy first cut for super popular internships. There will be someone else with a masters degree or PhD to signal their skills so do respect your own time and the recruiters’ time and check if you fulfil all requirements:
“Trying your luck” without checking against the minimum qualifications is likely to be an inefficient strategy. Try to focus on those within the bounds of your educational qualifications before applying to those with minimal expectations.
2. The job description you are applying for should inform the order of your portfolio elements
In this particular job description — Customer Support Specialist — CN&EN for Amazon in Singapore, the title specifies fluent Mandarin and English as a given. This should map neatly to the “languages” section of your CV and any relevant certifications e.g. HSK or IELTS, equivalent academic qualification or work experience to demonstrate mastery of the language.
If we take a look at the summary of responsibilities:
- Demonstrates effective, clear, and professional written and oral communication
- Provides prompt and efficient service to Amazon Sellers, including the appropriate escalation of Sellers’ issues
- Maintains a positive and professional demeanour always portraying the company in a positive light while effectively managing sensitive issues
- Demonstrates excellent time-management skills and the ability to work independently while using departmental resources, policies, and procedures
- Contributes to a positive team environment and proactively aids team members with difficult contacts as needed
- Maintains acceptable performance metrics such as quality, productivity, first contact resolution, and attendance
- Actively seeks solutions through logical reasoning and data interpretation skills and identifies trends to appropriate channels including improvement suggestions
- Liaises with other departments as required to resolve Seller’s issues and questions.
I would prioritize featuring work experiences that show teamwork, data analysis, comms or being service-oriented. This may include working in a customer services role, call or support centre.
Further evidence of written and oral communication may include academic prizes for good writing or being part of the school’s toastmasters club or the debate team.
3. Informing content of your cover letter
Using the same example from Amazon, the job description begins with:
Are you a self-starter with a passion for e-commerce, looking to expand your retail skillset and help shape the way third-party Sellers work with Amazon?
The job description typically details both the soft skills and the hard skills expected of you to perform the job well. Relevant experiences will serve as evidence of a good fit for the role.
In this case, if you have any encounters with e-commerce, even as a seller/ buyer on Carousell, you might want to frame these experiences in your cover letter to show that you do possess some understanding and passion for e-commerce.
In our next article, we will take a deeper dive into common terms seen in various roles, starting with unpacking the job description of Social Media Marketing.
CareerContact is an ed-tech platform designed to bridge the gap between school and work. We help students develop digital skills and connect them with SMEs in Southeast Asia. Feel free to reach out to us at CareerContact.cc or join us at CareerContact.app.
