What to wear at the workplace
Why is dressing so important for the internship?
Sophia Amoruso once said, “Clothing is ultimately the suit of armor in which we battle the world.” Even before you speak, your colleagues will be judging you based on how you are dressed when you first appear at the office.
Being in an internship is similar to the polytechnic scene, we dress to impress! Though there may not be any uniform guidelines that you need to adhere to, it is important to keep in mind that your dressing affects the perception that your colleagues will have of you. Of course, you are free to spice it up in a way that fits with your fashion and style! Every industry holds different regulations for dress codes, so it is always important to check in with your supervisor if you are unsure. (For example, jeans may work if you are working in a creative industry, but it will not be allowed if you are working in the aviation industry that requires you to be dressed smartly.)
Your internship should be a time for you to discover your work style, take on new challenges, and, most importantly, learn as much as possible. Dressing up for internships might help you have a good start on the day and give you the energy to go through it. All we have to say is that the power of a fantastic outfit should never be underestimated! So how should you dress for internship? Here are some recommendations that we suggest.
Recommended female dressing and attire
It isn’t all about the A-line skirts and the white blouse anymore, why not spice things up differently and be the girl boss that you are? Pants are all the rage these days, try them out! Dressing up for internships is a breeze with this adaptable piece. For a new style, mix & match tops with culottes or cigarette pants. You can also consider wide-leg pants, which are also increasing in popularity. To put it simply, have a pair in a neutral color, such as white, and mix and match your blouses and tops to create a variety of styles.
Other than pants, you can also consider dresses as well! Dresses are never out of style, and they are available at a majority of shops. We would recommend purchasing dresses that are at least of mid-length for work. Remember, you are looking to impress and leave a good impression on the people that you meet at work. You can spice it up by choosing and having dresses of different colours and necklines (of course, this should not be too low as it may be too casual) according to your tastes. With dresses, you don’t have to worry about changing out if you are going for a date after work! 😉
Another recommendation that we have would be co-ords. Ever seen pre-paired outfits in online/physical sites such as Shopee and Ezbuy? That’s right, those are known as co-ords, which are pre-coordinated outfits that match with each other to give off a professional look. With co-ords, you lose the worry of not knowing what outfit to pair. You also have the option of mixing and matching your sets to make new outfits that you can rock in!
Recommended male dressing and attire
It is NOT true that the only outfit that guys can rock in are suits. Especially in the humid Singapore climate, you definitely do not want to be in a suit all day under the sun. (But if this is what your company requires, then we wish you all the best.) Suits are especially applicable to those who are interning in the CBD district, as you would need to portray a professional image of yourself. We can only recommend to wear your suit indoors, and take it off when you leave the air-conditioned space. We also recommend investing in a suit that is tailored to you, so that it is not too oversized when you put it on. A well tailored suit will be your strong suit! (get it.) Suits also come useful for other events such as presentations and weddings, so it is an investment well spent! 😉
Men in black? Nah, that’s not the only colour that you can have for a suit. There are other colours that you can play with as well, such as dark blue and navy, which have been rising in popularity. You can also spice things up by having different coloured ties or shirts (under the suit). When matching colours, avoid having your shirt and pants of the same colour/shade. Without a difference in colour, there is no contrast and one might look a little bit out of place.
Another popular option is the collared shirt, which comes in a range of sizes and materials. Keeping the weather in mind, we always recommend going for lighter breathable material when choosing your shirts. If your company (such as startups, agencies; etc) is not strict about dress codes, you can always opt for short sleeved collared shirts. There are many different options for collared shirts, and there are different messages that you send out with the various prints and colours. For example, a hawaiian print gives people the impression and perception that you want to go for a holiday and not for work.
If you are unsure about your dressing and attire, it is always good to dress up one day before work, and get opinions from your family and social circle regarding the professionalism of how you are dressed.
Internship Supervisor is unresponsive and cold… What now?
Usually during an internship, you will be attached to a mentor who would be guiding you throughout the course of the programme. Sometimes, they can also be referred to as a supervisor or in-charge. These mentors are usually a senior or an executive in the position that you are applying for. For example, if you are interning as an Account Servicing intern, your mentor is highly likely to be working as an Account Servicing manager.
Hence as they are the people that you would be working most closely with, your mentor will have a big influence on how much you learn from your internships. Your internship might be really fruitful if your mentor takes you seriously and helps you learn. But what happens if they are not active in replying because of their work schedule or seem to give you the cold shoulder? Here are some tips on what you can do:
Asking questions
If your mentor isn’t interested in sharing their information, you’ll have to coax it out of them. Make a list of your questions and concerns and ask them all at once, as nagging them regularly can alter their perception of you. You can also make use of lunch and dinner hours to ask them more questions that you are unsure of.
Communicating with colleagues
Do also note that while you may be communicating the closest with your supervisor, they are not the only ones that you can reach out for help from. Other colleagues within the same department can also give you insight and knowledge about the job and the industry. It is important to reach out and make connections within the department, so that you can learn various methods and ways of how things are done in the company.
Seeking help from school
Of course if it doesn’t work out, you should not be afraid to raise this issue to your school lecturer in charge of your internship. They should be able to step in to help you communicate with the company. After all, it is your grades and welfare at stake. Do not waste time at an internship with a mentor that is not willing to guide you, as you would not be learning as much as your peers in other companies.
At the end of it all, it is important to remember that the most valuable type of learning is self-learning. As much as possible, try to support yourself. This is the working world, and it is common that there would be little to none hand holding from your mentors. Seek assistance from other interns and older colleagues; many will gladly teach you if you approach them. Don’t make the mistake of confining and restricting yourself to a single mentor for advice and learning.
How to deal with office politics
Office politics are quite common no matter which workplace you decide to intern at. The best way to deal with office politics is just to not partake in it. After all, you are only there to intern for three to six months, and getting involved with any office politics would mostly be detrimental to your learning and internship experience. Staying neutral would be the best method – do not take sides in petty issues.
What to do if someone gossips to me?
The best thing to do is listen and forget. If you were to continue spreading the rumors, it would only tarnish your reputation and you would typically end up taking sides in whatever issue or conflict there is. While it seems easier to make friends in the workplace through such methods, we would highly discourage it as it does not lead to any firm friendships and opens you up to gossip too.
When should I report this to the school?
Most of the time such politics do not really concern you and should not really matter. However, should you feel that you are being targeted, harassed or unfairly treated by your supervisor or colleagues you may wish to talk to your lecturer who is in charge of your internship. Your lecturers will at least be able to advise you on how you should deal with such situations.
How to deal with disappointment
Sometimes, you may feel a sort of sadness and rejection when your work is not approved on the first round, or utilised by your supervisor for the project. Or perhaps you may feel disappointment towards the programme, that you are not achieving what you had in mind. Don’t despair, many interns face this sort of disappointment during their internship programme. Here are some ways that you can deal with disappointment in an internship, and how you can bounce back as a stronger intern!
Talking to someone/Ranting your heart out
Perhaps you find comfort in typing a long string of sentences on your Instagram Story (Close Friends, of course.) or perhaps you feel better when you rant to someone close. Either way, ranting and venting helps to process your ideas about the situation, whilst improving your mood about the situation. Releasing the anger is better than keeping it cooped up inside of you. Like a volcano, you may just explode from all the anger within, and that is not a good sight for yourself and to your company as an intern. Find someone who is willing to listen, while offering solid advice at the same time, and you may discover different insights to the situation that you are facing.
Mirror Mirror on the Wall, What did I do wrong?
Spend time reflecting on how you ended up disappointed. There will be days when you don’t receive as good feedback as you thought you would, and you cannot let it continuously stop you from doing better. Think about it, and replay things from the perspective of your supervisor or even your colleagues. Read through and understand the feedback that they have given. They do not mean harm, and with the experience that they have in the industry, they are able to give advice that you can use to work on making your work better. When you look back with a reflection, you are able to spot the things that you have missed in a clearer state of mind, and can make improvements on similar projects in the future. Without industry experience, it is normal for interns to miss out certain details, so don’t take it too hard on yourself! After all, the working world is very different from what is within the school walls.
Manage Expectations
An internship is not a storybook that you can control. Hence, it is important to understand that it is unrealistic to think that everything would happen the way you want it to. Want a cool supervisor to share memes with? Nope, you get an old boomer. Want to have a ton of work that you can use to add into your portfolio? Nope, you get work like copying paper or clearing desktops. An expectation that expects perfect scenarios will just make the experience difficult and painful for you. But this should not mean that you should expect bad things to happen, or think about the worst situations. Instead of thinking about the good or bad things that have yet to happen, it is a good practice to stay in the mindset that doing your best is the best thing that you can do. Whether good or bad, if you have done your best (and you know that you have done your best), then you can leave the internship knowing that you are leaving with no regrets. If the outcome that you face is not favourable, then take it as a learning opportunity that you can apply to other internships. It is always believed that everything happens for a reason, and so if this internship is not up to expectations, work with what you have and use the learning here to make sure that this does not happen again for the next internship.
Let it go
Alas, all angry and disappointing things must come to an end. Choose the higher route: Let it go and move on. Workplace disappointments are unavoidable. The best method to deal with them is to be aware that they will arise and to have a strategy in place to deal with them when they do. It will not be easy, but as you experience disappointment, you can either take it personally, or take it as a learning lesson and move on with life. Focus on the good, and not so much on the bad. It is a bad day, not a bad internship! See the cup half full instead of half empty, and you’ll have a more pleasant journey for yourself during the internship programme.
How to deal with imposter syndrome
No, we’re not referring to the imposters from Among Us. We’re talking about Imposter Syndrome, defined loosely as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Read more here to find out more about Talisa Lavarry and her journey with Imposter Syndrome. To put it short, it means that you find it difficult to accept that you have achieved something. Much like an imposter, you feel like you are faking it to achieve this result that you have given, and it is not something real.
Why does Imposter Syndrome happen?
In a new situation and environment, career counselor Valerie Young says it’s common to feel like an imposter. “If there is some new transitional experience, new career, new promotion, it can trigger those feelings.” The reason why is because we want to appear experienced and knowledgeable in front of our colleagues and peers, and we fear that we are not doing enough to show that. People who are affected by this are prone to perfectionism, which is unhealthy since it leads to high expectations that can’t be satisfied and hence a perpetual fear of failure. Because of the fear of not reaching those perfect goals, or the inability to ever stop working on something that’s already good enough, this fixation on perfection can lead to procrastination as more work piles up while you spend time worrying about not reaching the goals.
The Impact of Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome has also been linked to poor performance at work, maybe as a result of these bad working patterns. According to a study of over 200 professionals conducted by the University of Salzburg, those who experience imposter syndrome get paid less, are less likely to be promoted, and are less devoted and fulfilled at work. With its damaging impact, it is important to understand and learn methods that we as interns can use to cope.
Methods to tackle and face Imposter Syndrome
- Recognize the root of the issue
Failure is perhaps one of the parts of life that most people fear. However, the truth is that everyone has failed and will fail again. We often forget that all successful people had failed in the past, but they did not give up after their setbacks. There is no need to be afraid of failure and criticism, as we are here on an internship to learn and make mistakes. Do not waste learning opportunities by worrying if you are doing enough or if you are disappointing people. Much like the previous advice given, it is important to keep in mind that the most important thing is to do the item well and to do your best, rather than to be worried if you are doing it perfectly. Brooding over past mistakes is an unhealthy sign of perfectionism. Learning to celebrate every milestone and progress is important to help you recognise your hard work and efforts, beating and putting Imposter Syndrome at bay.
- Assess and understand yourself
We are not perfect humans. There is no such thing as a “perfect” human. So it is important to understand that we all have flaws and strengths within ourselves. When you take the step to self-evaluate yourself, you are taking the opportunity to understand yourself a little better and know where exactly your strengths lie. Try writing down the things that you are good at and the areas that you need to work on. By doing so, it helps you recognise and identify areas of improvement and areas where you may be overlooking your success and abilities. You can also get a close friend to add onto this list for you, and who knows, you might discover a new strength you didn’t know you have.
- Talk and engage with the people around you
It is not easy trying to reframe the way that you think, and it is hence important to start small instead of jumping into it. To achieve this, it is also recommended that you seek help and engage with those around you. Small steps can help you to change your mindset over time about yourself. For example, you can let someone take a look at your work while it is still in its WIP (Work in Progress) stage. Do not wait till it is perfect. Opening your work while it is not perfect to others are small steps that you can take to overcome perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome.
Talking to other individuals about their problems can help you realize that you aren’t alone, and that everyone makes mistakes. When we’re having trouble embracing our accomplishments and worry that we’re just lucky, it can be helpful to observe how others have overcome difficulties, and talk it out with them.
As Oliver Burkeman has said, “the truth, deep down, is that we all feel as though we’re just winging it.” Don’t worry, you got this!
How to have a productive WFH internship experience
With the epidemic raging on in our cities, it is not uncommon to experience an internship from home. Work From Home (WFH) has become a common term that everyone is familiar with. Though this may not be how a typical internship is, you can still make it a productive internship for yourself during this period. Psst, for more information on WFH/HBL, you can check out our other articles on our website, where we cover each in a little more detail. 😉
The pains of Work From Home
No more waking up at 8am for breakfast and heading down to the office. No more waiting for the clock to strike 6pm before packing up and travelling home on the jammed packed MRT. The concept of “normal business hours” changed with effect when you started working from home. There are now grey lines where there used to be defined business hours, and this can be big trouble for many. Procrastination and workaholism kicks in, and the structure of work is destroyed. And that’s not all!
With WFH, there is no longer a clearly defined line of workspace and personal space. What used to be a place of security, peace and rest is now a place where your mind associates with work and business. You cannot fully “rest” when you see your computer/laptop in front of you – egging you on to continue working on the things that you have yet to complete. Working from home punches a hole right through that neat mental divide between work and rest. Many telecommuters express their dissatisfaction with the feeling that they are never truly off the clock. They are always compelled to check email or complete “just one more thing.”
The ABCDs to combatting the pains of WFH
- Avoid blurred lines in the work-life household
This means to create a space of difference for work and for rest in the household, literally. This could mean a home office (you can use spare rooms that you do not use in the house and convert it to a temporary office for the time being), or maybe a coworking space that you can locate outside of your home. It is important to keep this space only for work, so that you can build a separation in your mind that this is work, and the rest are… rest. (get it.) By creating a clear line between work and personal life, it can help you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
The clearer the lines you establish between your business and personal lives — both in terms of place and time — the easier it will be to keep them separate.
- Building timetables
A timetable? What for? Are we back in school? Nope, but your best friend being a timetable can really help in terms of a productive WFH experience. You can create a timetable for your workdays and commit to it throughout the week. This means that when it is not lunch break, you do not leave the desk for your lunch. With a set schedule that you stick to, this can mean that you have a clear distinct sense of when work ends and when the rest begins. When you close your laptop for the day, you can also use the time to spend more time with your loved ones, and this builds a healthy work-life balance for everyone.
- Communication and coordination
With a lack of communication and interaction with your colleagues, you can end up at a stale point where you don’t really know what direction you are supposed to be working in. This is especially so for an intern, as it is a new experience for you in the company. Hence, you can consider reaching out and staying in close contact with your supervisor. If you are handling multiple projects, ask them for guidance in terms of which one you should prioritise first, and what they expect of you in each project. This gives you a sense of direction that you can work towards. Though this may be a little too much for some, you can consider reaching out after each week to connect with your supervisor and discuss your progress and challenges. With continuous connection, you are keeping them in the loop about your progress and work, and in turn they can provide better feedback and encouragement as well.
If your supervisors are busy, you can also start by setting goals for yourself. Every morning, you can set high-priority tasks that you have to complete by the end of the day. You can also add in smaller tasks on the side (like clearing out your email) to encourage yourself within the spare pockets of time (cough, procrastination), but keep in mind that you would still need to complete the tasks that you set for yourself in the morning.
Make your day productive and ask yourself: What is the best/most work that I can complete today?
- Distractions must go
Work from Home should be no different from Work from Office – there should be minimal to none distractions when you are doing work. This means that your family members and those around you should not be disturbing you during work hours. You can consider investing in noise cancelling headphones or even a “Do Not Disturb” sign to hang outside your office door. This is to keep you firmly invested in your work and not on other distractions around the household. Of course, this would also mean that the Xbox, Wii and Playstations stay in their respective locations until your work hours have ended.
Work From Home doesn’t have to be all that bad – make the right distinctions and you can work happily and rest happily… all within the comfort of your own home.
Protecting yourself from sexual harassment in the workplace
If you are facing any form of sexual harassment in the workplace, please do not keep it quiet. You can voice out to the Helpline support at The Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) – call 6779 0282
What is sexual harassment?
https://www.aware.org.sg/training/wsh-site/3-characteristics/ Sexual harassment is defined as offensive, unwanted and unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature. Harmless flirting between consensual parties is NOT sexual harassment. However, when the feelings are no longer mutual and one party persists even though the other party makes it clear that he or she is no longer interested, the other party may be deemed to have crossed the line.
Workplace sexual harassment is not limited to the confines of an office environment. Any misconduct during a work-related activity such as a company function, corporate event, team-building exercise, or out-of-town business trip can constitute sexual harassment.
The harassers need not necessarily be colleagues at work; they can be clients, suppliers, or peers from outside the company. Association of Women for Action & Research (AWARE)’s 2008 Research Study on Workplace Sexual Harassment found that 20% of sexual harassment incidents occurred outside the office but during work-related businesses activities like office parties, lunch outings, client entertainment or team-building events.
AWARE has also reported that in 2008, at least 54.4 per cent of 500 respondents reported experiencing some form of workplace sexual harassment – indicating that workplace sexual harassment is fairly prevalent in Singapore.
Myths and Misconceptions of sexual harassment
“Most sexual harassment is just harmless flirting.”
Flirting is mutually consensual behaviour in which both parties willingly engage in sexual interaction. If one party finds the other’s sexual behaviour offensive, but the other party persists it, THIS constitutes sexual harassment. This bullying behaviour is used by harassers to intimidate and humiliate their victims.
“Only women are sexually harassed, this does not happen to men. All harassers are male.”
While most sexual harassment is perpetrated by men against women, there are also cases of harassment by women against men and cases of same sex harassment.
“Successful and respected men do not harass women.”
Sexual harassment often happens when there is a power disparity between the two individuals involved. The harasser could be anybody – older or younger, single or married, of the same or from a different ethnic background, and of the same or different gender.
“All harassers hold senior positions to their victims.”
While sexual harassers are often in a position of power, cases of harassment by co-workers are very common. There are also instances of subordinates sexually harassing superiors, as well as harassment by clients perpetrated during work-related activities.
“People harass others because they are sexually attracted to them.”
Sexual harassment is NOT about sex. In many cases, it is largely about control and domination. Hence, in most cases, not being intimidated by the harassment and telling the harasser to stop is the most effective response.
“Some women ‘ask’ to be harassed by dressing or acting provocatively.”
This is an attempt to shift the blame to the victim, which is neither acceptable nor accurate. Women do NOT ask for unwanted attention. Studies have shown that women who dress conservatively are just as likely to be sexually harassed.
“Talking about one’s sexual exploits at work in a graphic way is not sexual harassment.”
Sharing one’s sexual exploits at work may be offensive and unwelcome by co-workers, and could constitute sexual harassment, even though it may not be directed at a particular individual.
“Sexual harassment charges are usually false in many instances.”
Making untrue accusations of sexual harassment and filing false charges provides no real benefits for people. Filing sexual harassment charges can be a difficult process, fraught with hostility. In fact, what tends to happen more often is that sexual harassment goes unreported because victims do not want to be subject to the difficulties and trauma of an investigation. Also, it is not uncommon for victims to experience retaliation and backlash in the aftermath.
Dos in the face of sexual harassment
- Indicate CLEARLY that you are uncomfortable with the behaviour. Say NO effectively and emphatically. It is more important to be firm than polite. If you are more comfortable not speaking to the perpetrator face to face, send an SMS or email. This message and the perpetrator’s reply may also be used as evidence.
- Collect evidence – Start a log and note down dates, times, places and who was present at the time of the incidents and give detailed accounts of the unwelcomed sexual behaviour.
- Keep any email or SMS correspondence with the harasser as evidence. Taped evidence is also useful.
- Alert or inform someone whom you trust at the workplace of the harassment. Talk to friends or family members that you trust about the incident. Even if they were not present at the harassment scene, they may be able to support your case as witnesses.
Don’ts in the face of sexual harassment
- Don’t be unclear about your discomfort.
- Don’t be timid. It will just fuel the perpetrator’s ego. If you find it hard to be assertive to the perpetrator, it might help for you to think about an appropriate assertive response, visualise how you can say this, practise doing this in front of a mirror or a trusted buddy. If you need to speak to someone about this, send an email at sacc@aware.org.sg.
- Don’t make excuses for not complying (‘Sorry I have a boyfriend’). It is not as effective as saying NO.
- Don’t ignore it. It is unlikely to stop if this is all you do.
Find out more information on sexual harassment here: https://www.aware.org.sg/training/wsh-site/6-what-to-do/
If you are facing any form of sexual harassment in the workplace, please do not keep it quiet. You can voice out to the Helpline support at The Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) – call 6779 0282
What to do with your internship money
Most internships usually pay an allowance, now how should I use my allowance? Allowances from Internships usually do not count as a salary, thus no contributions to your CPF will be made from your allowance.
While it may be tempting to blow your paycheck when you first get it, here is a quick guide to help you manage your internship allowance! (Disclaimer: We are not financial professionals and this is from our own experiences. )
Most of us may be familiar with the 20-30-50 rule, which is to save 20%, spend 30% on wants and spend 50% on needs. This is a good rule to follow if you are unsure how to budget the use of your allowance.
Try not to consistently splurge your allowance as you may need money in the future for emergencies. Buying expensive items or eating out constantly may be tempting, especially if your colleagues ask you to join them for meals. However, do remember to spend within your means!
What if my internship does not pay me an allowance?
You should know this beforehand, either before applying for the internship or it should be mentioned in the interview. While it’s preferable that you have a sum of money saved beforehand for your daily needs and usage, if you do not have such a sum, you can consider working part time.
However, you should seriously consider working part time as an internship is usually a full time job on its own. Thus, should you want to take up an extra part time job, you would have less free time to do other things such as unwind and socialise.
At the end of the day, it is your internship. You want to enjoy it while making the best of your time spent there with the company. Without the hand-holding from lecturers, it is important to have discipline and the independence to take care of yourself and your safety in the working world. We wish you all the best in your internship, and catch us on our last part of the series: The end of the internship, What now?
