What I Liked About My Internship With Adecco

By Jonathan Tiong 

My name is Jonathan Tiong, a Diploma in Psychology Studies student from Temasek Polytechnic. As part of my polytechnic diploma requirements, I underwent a 12-week internship with Adecco from September to December 2016. Being physically disabled, it was challenging for my school to find a suitable employer for me.

I met with the Adecco team and fortunately, Adecco is an inclusive employer and provided me with the opportunity to join them as a member of the team. 

Looking back on my time with Adecco, I realise that I am indeed fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in such a dynamic setting. Diversity is very much valued at Adecco as I’ve experienced. 

1. Diversity and inclusion 

Adecco has more than 200 full-time employees and is diverse in cultures, nationalities and gender. They welcomed me and made me feel at home at the company. I’ve also learnt that they are part of the Athlete Career Programme, which helps our Singapore athletes in life skills and also to help place them in jobs, in addition to bringing in athletes to be part of the Adecco family.

What I liked was that colleagues at Adecco did not treat me any different when it came to work-related matters – i was regarded an equal. 

2. Company culture

I guess there are different types of company cultures which appeal to different people. I like the culture at Adecco as it’s like a big family. Everyone in the company seem to know one another, even across the various departments. The general atmosphere in the office is friendly and informal. I found it to be a comfortable working environment. 

3. Mentorship 

I worked closely with my supervisor, Jenevie Tan. She was also my mentor and provided me with ample guidance without being too overbearing. She would guide me with what I needed to know and then let me get on with the job. This helped to develop my independence and confidence in myself. 

I could also sense that she saw me as a unique individual, and not just a subordinate. She made sure to look after my well-being, both inside and outside of the work setting.

4. Learning opportunities 

Of course, the main purpose of attending an internship is to learn. In that regard, Adecco excelled too. Besides picking up concrete job-related knowledge, such as the ins and outs of human resource processes, my soft skills were also enhanced as I participated in several social events and even delivered a company-wide presentation.

To sum up, Adecco gave me a fruitful and rewarding first taste of the working world. I forged treasured new relationships and gained valuable experiences.

The memories of my short stint with the company will last a lifetime, and I will definitely miss the friends that I made there.