Friday, October 29, 2010

WANTED: The World’s Coolest Intern

Through a conversation with my dad, I discovered the best way to revamp my blog: by starting with this entry. He told me that Standard Charted in Singapore is looking for what they call the ‘World’s Coolest Intern’. In order to ‘apply’ for this position, candidates would need to create a blog post, video or any item in the social media category which could demonstrate why they deserve it.

My reason for choosing to write a blog post is simple: I would like the judges to see, in plain words, what I have to say and not be affected by sounds, colours or images which may confuse or distract. Later, perhaps, a meeting in person would be the perfect opportunity for me to display my capabilities.

Presented below are four aspects of my life, which will tell you in a nutshell who Carol Teoh, the business graduate, is.

1. Family
I have always joked that my family represents the United Nations (UN). Being born of mixed parentage in Malaysia, I was exposed to a potpourri of races, cultures and religions. I have grown up not caring about skin colour and am the fortunate beneficiary of a few languages—I am trilingual (English, Mandarin & Malay) with a knowledge of a few other dialects and a sprinkling of French & Kristang (a Malaccan variant of Portuguese).

2. AIESEC
During my university days I joined the world’s largest student run organization called AIESEC, which focuses on people development & student exchange. This has instilled in me the importance of cultural interaction. As part of my development as an AIESECer, I was given the chance to head an environmental awareness project on a national scale, through which I could put my planning, marketing and promoting skills into practice. My awareness on environmental issues has also increased and it was extremely rewarding to see many youths being inspired to embrace conservation and preservation of mother earth.

3. Social Networking
The idea that social networking transcends physical boundaries has always fascinated me. As a child of the Gen-X generation, technology affects a large part of my life; I love exploring new ways to connect and develop relationships with others. Being constantly exposed to what is new and current has also enabled me to be flexible and open to change. I should probably also mention that my Facebook account is always open on my laptop.

4. Personal Interests
The diversity of my personal interests reflects that of my genetic code. Music is my biggest passion; singing, dancing, and performing give me a rush like no other. In my free time I love to travel and enjoy meeting people and visiting foreign countries. So far, I have been to various places in the United States, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore… I also write when I have quiet time to myself. I have never experienced a dull moment as my pet dog, snakes and mice are an integral part of my life.

I have been blessed with many experiences which color the canvas that is my life; and it has molded me into the person that I am today. Being declared the coolest intern in the world would be icing on the cake, and I will do my best to apply what I know and learn what I do not, throughout the duration of my internship.

All you IT and business students, or fresh grads out there with an interest in social media, you are also welcome to take up the challenge and convince Standard Charted -in English- that you are the coolest on the planet. You can log on to http://breeze.standardchartered.com/blog for more information. Hurry though; you only have two days left as the closing date is on 31st October 2010. Happy social networking!