Sunil Jiwatram Dadlani

Senior Consultant,
Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd.
Bachelor of Science (IS Management)

Internship Rules
Overseas Internships
OnTRAC II Guide
Search Strategies
Resources


The Dato Kho Hui Meng
Career Centre (DKHMCC) is
committed to supporting you
through your educational journey
and strengthening your skills for
career success.

Ruth Chiang Outstanding Intern

Award

A suite of services tailored to your

needs are available to you for a
seamless transition from academic
life to the working world.
One of the best ways to
experience the world of work and to
build up your credentials is through
internships, which DKHMCC
administers.
One out of every five graduates
secured a position from the
company they interned at.

DATO KHO HUI MENG

CAREER CENTRE

Make full use of you time at SMU,

seek guidance from your dedicated
team of career counselors when you
are in doubt, and gain the most out
of your internship
experience.

SMU Administration Building

81 Victoria Street, Level 7
Singapore 188065

We wish you the very best.

MF: 8.30 am - 5.45 pm
placement@smu.edu.sg
6828 0177

- DKHMCC Team -

CONTENT PAGE
Throwing yourself into a job you enjoy is one of the lifes greatest pleasures! ~Richard Branson

GETTING STARTED
Preparing for your search 4
Resources to a successful job search & interview . 5
Who is your career counsellor .. 6
SECTION ONE: BEFORE YOU START
Eligibility, duration, when to apply 11
Rules of engagement . 13
Recording your internship with us 14
Applying for internship & self-proposals (flow charts) .. 15-16
Overseas internships . 17
Internship during term-time
Leave of absence 23
Part-time internships . 25
Internship exemption . 26
Other commitments during internship period (ICT, CCA, BSM, etc.). 27
Term 3 tuition fee waiver . 28
Degree specific school requirement (SoA, SoL, SIS) .. 29
SECTION TWO: ON THE INTERNSHIP
Rules of engagement 40
When things do not go as expected on your internship ..41
Super intern! (Qualities you will be appraised for).... 42
Ruth Chiang Award/Internship Certificate(Award of Excellence) .. 43
SECTION THREE: ENDING THE INTERNSHIP
Etiquette towards the end of your stint ..45
Submission of documents and internship grading . 46
OnTRAC II Guide 48
FAQ ...58
3

GETTING STARTED
PREPARING FOR YOUR SEARCH

What is an Internship?
Internships provide real-world experience to those looking to
explore or gain the relevant knowledge and skills required to
enter into a particular career field. Internships are relatively
short term in nature with the primary focus on getting some onthe-job training and taking whats learned in the classroom and
applying it to the real world. About.com

TOP 5
INTERNSHIP SEARCH TIPS

VALUE OF INTERNSHIPS

Provide insights into future

career path.

Gives you the opportunity to build

up your rsum relevant
experience gives you an edge above
the rest.

Gain transferrable skills outside your

classroom training (e.g. persuasion,
negotiation skills, etc.)

Build your network while you are on

the stint, it may be the opportunity
for you to clinch your full-time role.

Embark on an overseas internship,

ace on intercultural communication
and be a global citizen.

Start looking for internship opportunities on OnTRAC II after you pass the
e-Quiz! Theres a smart job matching
that matches your degree and majors.
Attend recruitment talks: it is the best
way to get to know the company
culture as well as internship openings
on the spot.
Attend networking events where
close to 80 companies get up close
and personal to talent scout SMU students.

Be proactive! Do your background

research, approach your target
companies for internships.

Familiarise yourself with the different

recruitment cycles of the various industries and dont miss the application period.
4

GETTING STARTED
RESOURCES TO A SUCCESSFUL JOB SEARCH & INTERVIEW

WetFeet, Vault, Going Global

As an SMU student, you have unrestricted privileges to
the most comprehensive online career resources
available.
On Vault: Find out about the companys history,
revenues and even first-hand accounts about the
companys practice .
On WetFeet: You will get personalised, insider
information that helps you get your dream job. Topics
such as 5 Mistakes You Already Make Before the Job
Interview .
On GoingGlobal: Packed with country-specific career
information, this research tool provides expert advice
and insider tips for finding employment opportunities
at home and abroad.
The links to the above can be found on OnTRAC II >
Home Tab > Shortcuts panel on the right

Finishing Touch Workshops 201205

The following FT workshops will polish you in your job search and clinching the internship role! To
be taken consecutively over the course of 5 weeks in Year Two (pre-requisites: FTW 101-102)
FTW 201Job Search Strategies
FTW 202Rsum and Cover Letter Writing
FTW 203Social Etiquette and Groom for Success
FTW 204 Personal Branding and Networking Skills
FTW 205Interviewing Skills

Practice your interview on InterviewStream on OnTRAC II > Home Tab > Shortcuts
panel on the right
5

WHO IS YOUR CAREER COUNSELLOR?

Career Counsellors are available to support career planning. They

are available to critique cover letters and rsums,
facilitate job search strategies, and hone interview skills
via 1 - 1 mock interview sessions.

SECTION ONE

BEFORE YOU START

THINGS YOU SHOUD KNOW BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON INTERNSHIPS

10

BEFORE YOU START

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON INTERNSHIPS

All students** can embark on internships after completion of

ELIGIBILITY

two semesters of course work.

**School of Law students please see the SoL Internship Requirement Guideline
section on this guide (page 37).

Complete e-Internship Briefing = Read e-Internship Guide +

Pass e-Quiz.

! It is highly recommended that all students complete their

10-week internship requirement before their final semester.

DURATION

To fulfill graduation requirements, all students must complete a

minimum of 10-weeks approved internship, comprising of 400
hours during your course of study.
Students from School of Accountancy (SoA), Lee Kong Chian
School of Business (LKCSB), School of Economics (SoE), School of
Social Sciences (SoSS) and School of Law (SoL):
are able to combine multiple internships to meet the 10-week

internship requirement.
Note: If youve met the
degree specific, the other
degree will be satisfied

SCHOOL
SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENT

Students from School of Information Systems (SIS):

must embark on an internship that is full-time, have a
minimum and continuous duration of 10 weeks for fulfillment of
internship graduation requirement.
Students from degree specific programme: School of Accountancy
(SoA), School of Law (SoL), School of Information Systems Management (SIS):
Note: If youve met the degree specific, the other degree will be satisfied

Internships taken must meet degree-specific requirements and

adhere to the internship guideline set by your respective school.
Refer to Degree Specific Internship Requirement section of this
guide (page 29). Always Refer to your school website for updat11

BEFORE YOU START

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU EMBARK ON INTERNSHIPS

INTERNSHIP
PERIOD

Winter:
Summer:
Part-time internships:

6-month internship :

December to January
April to August
During term-time (max. 16 hours/
week for student pass holders)
Students are required to take a
leave of absence. Please refer to
Leave of Absence Section on this
Guide (page 23). Restrictions apply for
student pass holders

! Please refer to your Academic Calendar for specific dates and ensure that the
internship you will be embarking on ends before term starts.

STUDENTS ON
SCHOLARSHIPS

Should you be required to serve the sponsoring company to

fulfill your scholarship obligations during summer/winter
break for internship, it does not mean that this will automatically count towards your internship graduation requirement.
You should still submit a self-proposal via OnTRAC II for
DKHMCC approval before commencing the stint.

!
!

SUPERVISOR

Criteria for internship eligibility on page 11 applies

Please see Self-Proposal flow chart procedure on page 16

Your supervisors are to be on-site supervising you during your

internships. Internships will not be approved if your supervisor is not on-site, located in another country, or in another
branch of the same company whether local or overseas under
any circumstances.
Your immediate supervisor cannot be a family member and/or
a part of your family business.

OWNING YOUR
OWN BUSINESS

Owning your own business does not count towards your

graduation internship requirement.

! Exception applies to SIS students (please read page 34).

12

BEFORE YOU START

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
GUIDELINES
TO ABIDE BY
Attention!

1.

Maintain three active applications on OnTRAC II at any one time

(with the exception to Big Four internship recruitment exercise).
Do your research, customize your rsum and apply to targeted
companies.

2.

Provide accurate data on your Cumulative GPA to recruiters

(unless requested otherwise).

3.

After you have accepted the offer from the company (either by
signing the offer letter or giving a verbal acceptance), honor it.
Withdraw from all outstanding active applications and update the
organisations of your status accordingly.

4.

Adhere to the internship duration and arrangement agreed with

the organisation. Do not attempt to re-negotiate directly with line
managers or HR Personnel without informing DKHMCC.

5.

Any change of duration of internship will require prior approval by

DKHMCC (part-time/full-time). Please do the following especially if
the end date clashes with your class when term begins:

Seek permission from the academic/course instructor for ALL

classes you will miss due to the change. Please provide succinct
reason for the change; and

Produce documentary evidence from your employer indicating

HR/assigned supervisors approval of the extension period and
reasons for the extension.

Inform DKHMCC of the change (placement@smu.edu.sg) and

provide the above documents as proof.
6.

You are to check other commitments so they do not clash with

your internship (ICT, CCAs, BSM, family vacation, etc.)

Flouting any of the above will render you liable for an Incomplete or F grade on your
internship and will face disciplinary action meted out by DOS.
13

BEFORE YOU START

RECORDING YOUR INTERNSHIPS WITH US
Before you start your internships, please attempt the
e-Internship Briefing, pass the e-Quiz and
follow the steps below for your stints to be approved
and counted towards your graduation requirement.
Secured a role via OnTRAC II:

Inform us via placement@smu.edu.sg and provide us with the Job ID.

The approving account manager from DKHMCC will send you an Internship
Confirmation Email to you and the internship host organization0

Log into OnTRAC II to accept the role within 48 hours.

(Refer to OnTRAC II Guide section on how to accept a role on page 56)

Work and Travel USA does not qualify as an internship

Self-Sourced positions (local/overseas internships)

Submit a self-proposal after you have been offered and accepted the internship offer.
Log onto OnTRAC II > to submit a self-proposal 2 weeks prior to the start of internship
for DKHMCC review. This is to safeguard your interests and ensure that the internship
you have sourced for is relevant to your degree programme.

Email us at placement@smu.edu.sg quoting the Job ID (auto generated from system).

The approving account manager from DKHMCC will send you an Internship
Confirmation Email as well as the internship host organization.

Overseas Internships

We strongly advise you to contact us at placement@smu.edu.sg if you are planning to

embark on an internship as it involves detailed planning in advance.

DKHMCC does not backdate internships.

Record it with us prior to starting your stint.
Please refer to the following pages for flowcharts on

internships, self-proposals and overseas internships.

14

BEFORE YOU START

INTERNSHIP APPLICATION FLOW CHART

15

BEFORE YOU START

SELF-PROPOSAL FLOW CHART

16

OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS
Embarking on overseas internships is not only your
best path to learning about the world but also an
experience to reap intangible rewards that may
remain with you for the rest of your life.
Open yourself up to new challengesit will shape
your attitude and perspective in a way you never
thought possible and will give you an edge to your
rsum.
The Overseas Desk at DKHMCC will extend all
possible support to help you with overseas internship
applications. The Young Talent Programme (YTP)
grant defrays costs of an overseas internship for
eligible students to exciting destinations!

~ View the world differently ~

Be Excited. Be Enriched

17

BEFORE YOU START

OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS
Embarking on overseas internships carry a lot of intangible benefitstraits that employers
are highly seeking for in candidates.

But before you start on that exciting journey, especially if you are planning to combine your
overseas internship with Exchange Programme, BSM or Overseas Community Service Project,
please approach our Overseas Desk before you leave Singapore so they can guide you on the
additional procedure below.

ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES FOR OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS

1. To Submit to
DKHMCC: Mandatory
Travel Insurance

This is compulsory to purchase Travel Insurance Policy before departure from

Singapore.

2. To Submit to
DKHMCC: Risks & Undertaking Form

Submit Risks and Undertaking form in hard copy to DKHMCC.

Available on OnTRAC II > Document Library.

3. Embassies/
Consulates

It is important that you enquire from respective embassies/consulates in Singapore regarding the appropriate visa, work permit, training pass and other
relevant documentation required for internships/undergo training in that

4. Register on MFA
website

Students (Singaporeans and Permanent Residents) must register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) via online at
https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg furnishing information about your:

Please refer to next page for more information.

Confirmed date of departure & Tentative date of return

Country and location of the intended internship will take place
Duration of your stay
Personal contact
Office address, contact number, emergency contact, etc.
5. Emergency numbers Before departure, have on hand relevant emergency numbers. For example,
110 for Police in China, 100 for Police in India and relevant contact information of the Singapore Embassy in the country you will be stationed.
Should you need assistance from DKHMCC while you are overseas, our
EMERGENCY HOTLINE is 9008 7275 which will be active during internship
seasons.
18

BEFORE YOU START

Compulsory

Travel Insurance for

Overseas Internships
Applicable to all students embarking on
overseas internships.
Travel Insurance must cover the entire duration of your stay in the foreign country/
countries.
This is also applicable to international
students who are returning to their home
countries for internships.

Important Alert !!!

Almost all travel insurance policies available in Singapore do not cover international
students returning to their respective home countries. It is therefore, important
that international students who are going to pursue an internship in their home
country must first consult the Overseas Desk for advice on alternative insurance.
Besides, many insurance policies available in Singapore actually do not cover
internships. They are only good for overseas study, leisure and holidays.
Please note that insurance policies have varying plans/conditions for single and
multiple trips. Example: insurance policies under annual plan are only valid for
90 days per trip while allowing multiple trips. Students should not opt for such
annual plans if their travel exceeds 90 days. Do note that overseas trips for
internships (and often students combine it with exchange programmes, BSM) are
typically longer than 90 days. These annual plan policies do not cover such trips.

Please refer to next page on Travel Insurance Flow Chart.

19

BEFORE YOU START

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS FLOW CHART

20

BEFORE YOU START

OVERSEAS INTERNSHIPS

Financial Support
The organisation concerned could provide stipends for your
internships in their overseas operations. Stipends may help defray
some expenses. For many overseas markets such as China, India,
Middle East, Mexico and Latin America, ASEAN countries, the
Young Talent Programme (YTP) grant sponsored jointly by IE
Singapore and SMU is available, through DKHMCC, for
Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, subject to approval of
both IE Singapore and SMU.
This YTP grant is paid out after successful completion of the
overseas internship.

21

BEFORE YOU START

INTERNSHIP DURING
TERM-TIME

Leave of Absence
(LOA)
Part-time Internship

INTERNSHIP EXEMPTION
COMMITMENTS DURING YOUR
INTERNSHIP PERIOD
TERM 3 TUITION FEE WAIVER

22

BEFORE YOU START

LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA)

If you are embarking on full-time internships during term-time, you are

required to apply for Leave of Absence (LOA); restrictions however apply
to student-pass holders (please refer to page 24).

You need to initiate the application of LOA as the process is not automatic.

Please read up on LOA policies before you apply:

Read up the policy via OASIS > Study > Info on Leave of Absence
Read up the refund and cancellation policy on OASIS > Study > SMU
Undergraduate Regulations & Procedures > Leave of Absence

Procedures on applying for LOA:

1. Accept the internship offer from the company.
2. If you have applied for the job on OnTRAC II, inform DKHMCC.
(placement@smu.edu.sg) of the acceptance and the job ID. If you have self-sourced
the position, submit a self-proposal on OnTRAC II.
3. You will have to wait for an Internship Confirmation Email from DKHMCC for your
internship.
4. Log into OASIS > Study > Info on Leave of Absence > there is an online form you
have to complete.
5. Include the offer letter from the company and the Internship Confirmation Email
from DKHMCC as supporting documents for LOA application.

Approval of Leave of Absence is at the sole discretion

of your respective School

23

BEFORE YOU START

LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA)
INTERNSHIP LOA REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENT PASS HOLDERS
A work pass is not required for student pass holders who is a full-time matriculated or
registered student in one of the following institutions (please refer to the website below) if
he/she:
is under an industrial attachment programme conducted by his university or educational
institution. The industrial attachment must either be a compulsory or elective programme
which should contribute towards the students graduation from the course.

For student pass holders who have completed your internship degree requirement and
wish to take up additional full-time internships (beyond 16 hours/week) during term-time,
please take special note of the following:
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) requires you to apply for a relevant work pass for
ADDITIONAL work stint/internship (that is beyond 16 hours a week during term-time) that
you wish to undertake.
You are required to return your student's pass to the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore ("ICA") after collecting your work pass, and you will need to make a fresh
application for a student's pass to resume your studies at SMU, upon completion of the internship. It is illegal to hold two passes at any one point in time.
We would like to highlight that the continuation of your programme candidacy (and completion of your programme leading to graduation) is contingent on a students pass being granted to you. Re-instatement of your students pass is not guaranteed, as the granting of
students pass is at the sole discretion of ICA.
Please refer to OASIS > Study > Internship/Community Service > Conditions for Additional
Local Internships (for foreign students only) for more details including the students pass reapplication procedures.

Please refer to MOM website for latest policy on employment of foreign

students: http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/working-insingapore/Pages/employment-of-foreignstudents.aspx#ForeignStudsVacation

24

BEFORE YOU START

PART-TIME INTERNSHIPS
If you have secured a part-time internship during term-time and wish to have it approved
by us and recorded on OnTRAC II, please read up on Recording Your Internship with Us
section on this guide (page 14)
In addition:
1.

An approving account manager from DKHMCC will send you a soft copy time-sheet
form for you to record your working hours.

2.

Get the form endorsed and signed by your supervisor.

3.

At the end of the internship, submit the original copy to DKHMCC

Note for student pass holders:

In addition to the above steps, a work pass is not required if you are a full-time matriculated
or registered student in one of the following institutions (please refer to the website below)
if he/she works a maximum of 16 hours a week.

Please refer to MOM website for latest policy on employment of foreign

students: http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/working-insingapore/Pages/employment-of-foreignstudents.aspx#ForeignStudsVacation

25

BEFORE YOU START

INTERNSHIP EXEMPTION

Exemption for Internship partial or full may be granted to polytechnic

students (only) if they have completed a relevant business attachment
during their polytechnic study. Such exemptions are not automatically
granted. Polytechnic students should submit a copy of their internship
certificate as well as supporting documents on the job scope to the
Deans Office for evaluation.
(Note: SIS and SoL do NOT grant exemption for Internship).1

DKHMCC encourages students to embark on internships to gain

relevant experience. If you have been awarded an exemption, but are still
interested in pursuing an internship and have it on record with DKHMCC,
please attempt e-Internship Briefing and pass e-Quiz before applying on
OnTRAC II or self-proposing internship positions.

The information is accurate as of September 2013. Please refer to the

below website for updated information:
http://centres.smu.edu.sg/web/matriculation2013/exemption-criteria/

26

BEFORE YOU START

COMMITMENTS DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP PERIOD
You are to check other commitments so they do not clash
with your internship (ICT, CCAs, BSM, family vacation, etc.)

Local male students please check

your ICT dates before applying for internships to

prevent your ICT dates clashing with your
internship duration.
If you are called up for ICT after you have been
offered the internship, please check with your
employer on the possibility of extending the
internship to a later date and update DKHMCC
on the final confirmed duration.
DKHMCC does not accede to any request with
ICT deferment during blackout period as listed on
the Academic Calendar issued by the Office of
Registrar.
Exception:
DKHMCC will only assist with the issuance of a
letter for ICT deferment applicable to B.Acc
students who are called for ICT during accountancy modified term internship at Big Four.

SIS students, please take note your degree

requirement requires your internships to be ISMrelated, must be on a full-time basis, for a
minimum and continuous duration of 10 weeks.

27

BEFORE YOU START

TERM 3 TUITION FEE WAIVER
Successful applicants for internship
placement in the summer term
(Term 3) should obtain endorsement
of internship placement and waiver
of tuition fee penalty from DKHMCC.
These students will then not be subjected to the tuition fee penalty and
will receive a full refund of tuition fee when they drop Term 3A/B courses
during BOSS 2.
However, if a student drops the Term 3A/B courses after Boss 2, they will
get a W grade even though there is no tuition fee penalty.
Procedure:
In order for DKHMCC to provide an internship endorsement to support the fee waiver for Term 3,
please email Ms Debbie CHUA Wee Leng (debbiechua@smu.edu.sg) once the application for
internship placement in Term 3 has been confirmed successful.
Follow this format for your fee waiver email:
Email Subject: Term 3 Internship Endorsement for Fee Waiver_Your Name_ID
Content:
Students matriculated name and ID:
Company name:
The Start and End date of the internship:
The approval status of internship
Job Title:
Job ID:
Term Request

Request for internship endorsement for fee waiver has to reach DKHMCC by

Term 3A

By 2nd Friday of Term 3A

Term 3B

By 2nd Friday of Term 3B

Please note the timeline when you are requesting for fee waiver and
always check OASIS for updated deadline

Once the waiver is approved by DKHMCC:

1.

Student will have to drop the course via

OASIS > Study > BOSS > BOSS Bidding (Boss 2) or
OASIS > Study > Courses & Schedules > Class Drop (After the close of BOSS 2)

2.

Office of Finance will issue a credit note within a week via

OASIS > Personal & Finances > Account > Statement of Account

28

BEFORE YOU START

DEGREE SPECIFIC
INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENT

School of Accountancy
(SoA)
School of Information
Systems (SIS)
School of Law (SoL)

29

BEFORE YOU START

SoA Internship Requirement Guideline

Compulsory Component for all B.Acc Students:

10 week of accounting internship with professional accounting

firms (e.g. The Big 4 or other second-tier firms), or other industries
either during summer internship or modified term internship period.
All roles done in Big 4 satisfy the B.Acc internship requirement.

Combination of internships accumulating to 10 weeks of

accountancy related scope is permitted.

Key requirement of internships at non-Big 4 firm is that the

nature of the work must be accounting related.

Examples:
Previously approved accounting-related job scopes:

Credit analysis and control

Financial modeling, Fund Accountant and Equity Research
Preparation of trend analysis of key business drives of
product
Approvals:
For verification of job description for non traditional accounting
roles to meet the B.Acc requirement for your internship, please
contact DKHMCC. Your case will be escalated to SoA Associate
Dean (Curriculum and Teaching) for review on a case-by-case
basis

30

BEFORE YOU START

SoA Internship Requirement Guideline

Periods of Internships:

Modified Term Internship: 9 Dec 201316 February 2014

Only for those who enrolled in Modified Term 2 (MT2)

Summer (28 April 201417 August 2014)

Structured Summer Internship Programmes have fixed start and end dates, thus MT2
students are unlikely to commit to full summer internship term, and therefore, should clearly
indicate their availability in their application.

Winter (month of December)

Term-Time (6 months): Please refer to Leave of Absence (LOA) is required.
Please refer to LOA section of this guide. Restrictions apply to student pass
holders.

31

BEFORE YOU START

SIS Internship Requirement Guideline

Compulsory Component for all BSc (IS Management) students:

The internship must be Information Systems related

It must be of a minimum 10 continuous weeks (full-time)
duration

Visit the SIS website http://sis.smu.edu.sg/internships-overview-0

to find out more about industry sectors, internship roles, internships by
industries, and internship experience posters

You can find the ever growing list of companies that have
employed our BSc (IS Management) students as interns before
graduation by visiting: http://sis.smu.edu.sg/internship-host-organisations

Application Documents:

Cover Letter
Updated rsum
Updated Learning Outcomes Management System (LOMS) self-assessment
Updated LOMS one-page summary

32

BEFORE YOU START

SIS Internship Requirement Guideline

Types of internships that satisfy BSc (IS Management) internship requirements:

Internships related to any of the indicated skill areas

Note the highlighted items (indicated by) around the perimeter of the three pillars image shown below. You can do SIS internships related to any of the indicated skill areas.

Your internship should involve more in-depth tasks

instead of only creating a website.

33

BEFORE YOU START

SIS Internship Requirement Guideline

Can CCA activities be considered as SIS internships?

No.

Internship is a vehicle for you to get experience in an

external business organisation

Building a website for your CCA will not give you experience
of professional life though we certainly encourage you to use
your SIS skills to help CCA groups and other non-profit
organisations on a voluntary basis.
Does running own company count as an internship?

If you have already started your own company, you can do

your internship as part of your company if the SMU Institute of
Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) agrees to oversee your
internship.
- The IIE will then follow a rigorous structured process for
specifying the project and for evaluating your performance against the objective of the specified project.
- It will assign you a boss, an experienced entrepreneur
to supervise you and evaluate your performance.

The internship will be recognized for maximum two SMU

student co-founders in the team.

34

BEFORE YOU START

SIS Internship Requirement Guideline

At the end of your IS internship, submit the following:

Internship Report
e-Poster:
- Depict ones internship experience and must meet SIS e-Poster
Guideline

- e-Poster Guideline could be found at

https://intranet.smu.edu.sg/ro/oasis/stuportal/resources/SIS/
Internship Poster Guidelines.pdf

- Must be A3 size, zipped format, not exceeding 4MB

Performance Appraisal from your supervisor

Complete the Internship Closure Form:
https://docs.google.com/a/smu.edu.sg/spreadsheet/viewform?
fromEmail=true&formkey=dDRvcDhtQ1hOQkdXeXdyWmVDbXhxREE6MQ

e-Poster and Internship report are submitted via

OASIS > Career Services > Participation and grading

Submit the Internship Closure Form after you have uploaded your
e-poster and internship report on OASIS

SIS students will not be granted internship exemption

35

BEFORE YOU START

SIS Internship Requirement Guideline

A SAMPLE OF A GOOD E-POSTER

36

BEFORE YOU START

SoL Internship Requirement Guideline

Compulsory Component for all LL.B students:
Please refer to SoL website for guideline on:
http://law.smu.edu.sg/internships-career

Law related internships & List of Current Partner Firms/

Organisations.

Procedures for internships not posted via OnTRAC II.

Eligibility for SoL students to embark on internships:

For dougle degree students, internships can be undertaken

after Year 2, Term 1

For single degree LL.B students, internships can be undertaken after Year 2, Term 2

Duration of internships:

You may intern at multiple law firms (max. 5 firms totaling a

min. of 10 weeks).
You are encouraged to consider internships with firms that allow
at least a period of four weeks as it allows continuity and opportunity to understand the workings of the firm and practice.

Application Documents:

Cover Letter
Updated rsum

37

BEFORE YOU START

SoL Internship Requirement Guideline

The compulsory internships must be with:

Law Firms
Legal Department of government/government-linked corporations

Legal Department at MNCs

If the law firm is not listed as an internship partner on SoL

website:

You need to seek written approval from the Associate Dean

(External Relations) School of Law. Provide the following to
them:
- Name of Law Firm:
- Supervisor:
- Job Description:
- Website of the firm/company:
Once approved, please submit a self-proposal on OnTRAC II and
attach the email thread / approval from the Associate Dean on
the attachment Portion on your self-proposal.

SoL students will not be granted internship exemption

38

SECTION TWO

ON THE INTERNSHIP
Things you should abide by at the work place

39

ON THE INTERNSHIP

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
1.

Abide by the working hours. Interns are strongly advice, when taking
medical leave, to provide supporting relevant documentation (e.g.
Medical Certificate).

2.

Any change of duration of internship, you will require prior approval

by DKHMCC (part-time/full-time). Please do the following especially if
the end date clashes with your class when term begins:
Seek permission from the academic/course instructor for ALL
classes you will miss due to the change. Please provide succinct
reason of the change; and
Produce documentary evidence from your employer indicating
HR/assigned supervisors approval of the extension period and
reasons or the extension
Inform DKHMCC of the change (placement@smu.edu.sg) and
provide the above documents as proof.

3.

Refrain from using SMU students privileges to carry out activities

(such as using SMU email addresses) to send out emails on behalf of
the host organisations students are interning with or utilising
privileged restricted materials from the library for research.

4.

For any leave beyond your contractual agreement, please be mindful

and seek your supervisors approval and propose to make up for days
you are absent.

5.

If you are required to travel overseas during your stint (for business
trips/training sessions), please inform DKHMCC via
placement@smu.edu.sg and submit a Risks and Undertaking
Form (available on OnTRAC II> Documents).

Attention!

Flouting any of the above will render you liable for an Incomplete or F grade on your
internship and will face disciplinary action meted out by DOS.

40

ON THE INTERNSHIP
WHEN THINGS DO NOT GO AS
EXPECTED ON YOUR INTERNSHIP
1.
Internship Job Duties not as expected at the host
organisation?
Contact your internship supervisor assigned to you at
the host organisation or your DKHMCC Career Counsellor
immediately.
DKHMCC prides itself to do proper checks prior all
internships to ensure there is rigor and relevance of job
duties offered by host organisations. Therefore, if the job
duties advertised on OnTRAC II is off tangent from what is
assigned to you during the internship, we will contact the
host organisation in situations where there is divergent job
duties to press for alignment, and we would not hesitate
to withdraw students from companies who have not been
consistent with their obligations as an Internship Host and
Programme Partner.
2. Experiencing difficulties at the host work environment during your internship?
What is there is :
Physical abuse (e.g. an employee man handles or assaults you)
Mental abuse (e.g. an employee persistently resorts to unpleasant name-calling or hurls
vulgarities at you)
Unwelcomed requests that is atypical at a work place environment (e.g. an employee is
attracted to you and persistently asks you to go out on a date AND you are uncomfortable
about it
Contact your internship supervisor assigned to you at the host organisation or your DKHMCC
Career Counsellor immediately.
The above are incidences that can be cited as work place harassment. As a student you must say an
unequivocal NO! to the above actions. SMU does NOT tolerate such behaviours towards our
students.

41

ON THE INTERNSHIP

NO.

1
NO.

4
NO.

7
NO.

10
NO.

12

Take your
internship
seriously.

NO.

Initiative/
be proactive

NO.

Demonstration of understanding & critical

ability

NO.

Organisation of
work

NO.

2
5
8

Watch your Conduct (dress code,

punctuality, mannerism, etc.)

NO.

Be responsible
(claim ownership
over your task)

NO.

Constructive
power

Team work

11

Communication
Skill & Enthusiasm
42

3
6
NO.

Relations with
other officers

React well under

pressure

Be professional
and develop trust
(esp. dealing with
confidential
matters/
information on
company asset)

ON THE INTERNSHIP
2013 2014

Gear up for the

Ruth Chiang Outstanding

Intern of the year Award !

DKHMCC recognizes your effort in

contribution substantially during
your stint both locally and
overseas.
The Ruth Chiang Outstanding Intern of the Year Award will be given out
to outstanding interns who have completed an excellent internship, exhibited the SMU CIRCLE values and have received an excellent performance
appraisal from supervisors in the host organisation. Awarded students
will receive a monetary reward. Gear up for that exciting internship and
excel in it!

On Another
Note

43

SECTION THREE

ENDING THE INTERNSHIP

Submission of items for internship grading

44

ENDING THE INTERNSHIP

Etiquette to observe towards the end of
your stint
Handling Over
Be sure to notify your co-workers about the date of your last
day at work. A professional hand over will speak a great deal
about you as a person and a potential future hire, as word does
get around in the industry.
Please remember to return all company assets (laptop, access
pass, etc.) on your last day of work.

TO KEEP IN MIND

Confidentiality
Please be mindful of non-disclosure and confidentiality
agreements that host organisation require of you. Only when
written permission is granted, you may compile copies of the
work you have completed, e.g. articles, reports, portfolio, etc.

Review the skills you have acquired on your internships, and

consider how these can be aligned to the skills set required for
your prospective careers, in a company or industry of your
choice.

Politeness and
consideration for
others is like
investing pennies
and getting
dollars back.

Evaluating your Performance

~ Thomas Sowell

Review your Skills

Try to schedule a meeting with your supervisor before the end

of your internship for a candid appraisal for your performance.
Remember to request for a testimonial/evaluation from your
supervisor to help you make future improvements. This is also
the appropriate time to remind your supervisor to submit the
performance appraisal to DKHMCC.

45

ENDING THE INTERNSHIP

Submission of
Documents and
Internship
Grading
IN A NUTSHELL
Performance Appraisal
Towards the end of your internship, remind your supervisor to submit
the performance appraisal form. Your grade hinges on this report.

! If you score below average or very poor on your Overall Grading,

your internship stint cannot be recognised towards the fulfillment of the
10-week internship requirement. The adverse report will be escalated
to the Dean for review and evaluation. Thus, you will have to re-do
your internship.

It is your responsibility to remind your supervisor and ensure that

the form is completed and submitted to DKHMCC.

Performance
Appraisal

Internship
Report

e-Poster
(SIS ONLY)

Internship

Closure Form
(SIS ONLY)

Internship Report
Submit your internship report via OASIS > Career Services > Participation
and Grading,
An internship report is a summary of what you executed, challenges you
have resolved, and achievements you have made during your stint.

Only upon receiving both the internship report and performance

appraisal, can DKHMCC proceed to grade your internship.

For SIS students, in addition to the above, you are required to

submit an e-Poster and complete Internship Closure Form.

For SoL students, internships carried out at multiple firms totaling a

min. of 10 weeks require you to submit both performance appraisal and

internship report for each internship completed.

46

ALL DUE WITHIN

1 MONTH AFTER
THE LAST DAY OF
YOUR
INTERNSHIP

ENDING THE INTERNSHIP(CONTD)

Submission of
Documents and
Internship
Grading
IN A NUTSHELL
For Graduating Students
Students in their final term who have yet to complete their
internship requirement, do take into account the two to three
week duration for internship grading and factor the end date
of your stint for completion of your internship requirement
ahead of graduation. Check with DKHMCC regarding the
deadlines.
For Subsequent internships

For subsequent
internships:

Record your
stint with
DKHMCC

Performance

If you have completed the min. 10 weeks of approved

internship and are embarking on subsequent internships, you
are highly encourage to:
record your internship with DKHMCC
submit your internship report and
remind your supervisor to submit the performance
appraisal

This is to ensure completeness of internship record with

us and DKHMCC is able to verify your internship participation
should future employers request for verification checks.

SIS students: No need for e-Poster/Internship Closure

Form for subsequent internships)

47

Appraisal

Internship
Report

ONTRAC II GUIDE

APPLYING FOR

INTERNSHIP POSITIONS
ON ONTRAC II
CREATING AND SUBMIT-

TING SELF-PROPOSAL
ACCEPTING AN INTERNSHIP POSITION ON
ONTRAC II

CHECKING
APPLICATION STATUS

48

ONTRAC II GUIDE

ACCESSING OnTRAC II
Background
OnTRAC II allows you to manage your profile, search and apply for job/internship postings,
conduct research on employers, view announcements and respond to events/workshops organised by DKHMCC.

Login
Login to the SMU Oasis portal (oasis.smu.edu.sg)
Click on the Career Services tab at the top
Click on the OnTRAC II link on the left to access the new career management system

49

ONTRAC II GUIDE

Upon successful login, you will be directed to the student home page as follows:

50

ONTRAC II GUIDE

SEARCHING FOR AVAILABLE POSITIONS POSTED ON OnTRAC II

a. View job/internship postings by clicking on Opportunities tab at the top
navigation bar.
b. Sort the job list by Position Type such as internship and full-time employment.
c. Find a specific job by inputting details into the Keywords box on the top left, then click
the Search button.
d. From the Advanced Search tab, refine the job list by utilising Keywords such as
Industry, Locations, Positions Types, etc., and click the Submit button.
e. View all submitted job applications by clicking on the Applications tab.

a
d
e
c

51

ONTRAC II GUIDE

REVIEW AVAILABLE POSITIONS

a. View information such as the description, important dates, and location by hovering over
the Quick View (binocular) icon.
b. Add a job to the Favourite list by clicking the star icon.
c. Click Apply to proceed with the application of the position.

52

ONTRAC II GUIDE

POSITION DETAILS
a. Review the Posted On date and rsum submission deadline by utilising the Important
Dates feature on the right.
b. Review information about the employer by clicking the Employer Information on the
right.
c. Apply for the position by clicking the Apply button.

a
b

53

ONTRAC II GUIDE

APPLY FOR A POSITION

a. Select the documents that are required for the application.
b. Click on the Submit button when you are ready to make the application.
c. There s a check mark that indicate you have Applied for the position.

Tailor your rsum and cover letter to the position you are applying for (look
through your FTW 202 notes on Rsum and Cover Letter Writing.
Please do a double check on the companys name you are applying to.

54

ONTRAC II GUIDE

APPLY FOR A POSITION ...contd

d. To review the documents you have submitted, you may click on the Applied button.

55

ONTRAC II GUIDE

ACCEPTING AN INTERNSHIP OFFER TO HAVE IT RECORDED ON

ONTRAC II
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Accept the offer from the company and honor it.

Please inform us at placement@smu.edu.sg if you have been shot-listed and chosen
for the role you have applied on OnTRAC II, quoting the Job Title and Job ID.
You will receive an Internship Confirmation email from an account manager at
DKHMCC confirming your internship at the company you applied at.
Log onto OnTRAC II to accept the role within 2 working days > OnTRAC II > on home
tab, click Applications Submitted.
Click on the Accept Offer role button.

56

ONTRAC II GUIDE

CHECKING THE STATUS OF YOUR INTERNSHIP APPLICATIONS

(INCLUDING SELF-PROPOSAL APPLICATIONS)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Click on the Applications Submitted on the home page

Search for the companys name you have applied for.
The Offer Status will reflect as Offer Accepted if your application is approved
You will receive an Internship Confirmation Email from an account manager at
DKHMCC.
Should you have any query regarding your self-proposal, please email
placement@smu.edu.sg

57

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Qn 1. I ended my internship, but I forgot to record it with DKHMCC. I have the performance
appraisal filled out by my supervisor. Can DKHMCC recognize this?
No. We strictly do not back date internship. If you did not report your internship with us before
you start your internship, you have to embark on another one and report it to us prior to starting
it.
Qn 2. I have made a self-proposal on OnTRAC II but did not hear back from DKHMCC. Why is
this?
Upon clicking the Submit button, students are required to drop us an email at
placement@smu.edu.sg notifying you have made a self-proposal, quoting us the Job ID. Give us 2
weeks lead time to get back to you with regard to the approval.
Qn 3. Why is my internship not graded yet despite me submitting my internship report on time?
The Career Center can only grade your internship when we receive both your internship report
and performance appraisal from your supervisor. Kindly note it is your duty to ensure the performance appraisal is submitted by your supervisor to us. (IS Management students: you need ePoster and Internship Closure form only for the first internship).
Qn 4. I have completed a total of 8 weeks of internship. However, on my degree status report,
my internship is not graded. Why is this so?
Your internship will only be graded upon completion of a min. of 10-week internship, with all the
submission documents required (internship report, performance appraisal form) and for SIS students, the additional e-Poster and Internship Closure Form.

Qn 5 . I am a student from LKCSB, and I have completed two internships, one for 4 weeks and
the other for 6 weeks. How many internship reports and performance appraisals form from my
supervisor do I have to submit?
You are required to submit a complete set of documents (internship report and performance appraisals) for each internship.
Qn 6. I have completed the min. 10 weeks internship requirement. For subsequent internships,
do I have to submit internship report and performance appraisals still?
The Career Centre highly recommends the submission of the above to ensure completeness of
your internship record and DKHMCC is able to verify your internship participation should future
employers request for verification checks.
58

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Qn 7i. Can I still apply for internship even though I am exempted? Will it be graded and shown
on my transcript?
Yes, you can still embark on internships. DKHMCC highly encourages you to do so to gain relevant
experience even though you have been awarded the exemption. Kindly remember to do the following should you wish to embark on an internship:

Attempt the e-Internship Briefing and pass the e-Quiz

Submit internship report on OASIS and remind your supervisor to submit the performance appraisal form
Qn 7ii. Following the above question, will my internship be graded and shown on my transcript?
Your transcript will still show that you are internship exempted and your internship will not be
graded. Hence, should you wish to reflect the internship on your transcript, kindly approach the
General Office of your School for assistance to lift up your exemption.
Qn 8. What is the criteria for the Internship CertificateAwards of Excellence. How do I collect
it?
You will receive an Internship CertificateAward of Excellence when your internship is:

The first internship undertaken by you either in Singapore or overseas

Registered and approved by DKHMCC

Excellent grade on the performance appraisal submitted by your supervisor

** Please note this Internship Certificate will be issued once a year in the month of December to all
eligible students. You will be informed to collect the Internship Certificate within a given period.

59

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SIS-related FAQ
Qn 9. I am a student from SIS. I am aware that my internship requirement is a full-time 10-week
duration on a continuous basis. I got called up for ICT after I accepted the offer and this causes a
break in my internship. What should I do?
Please inform your supervisor/HR Personnel, and extend the duration of your internship to make
up for the time you are away for ICT. Kindly remember to inform DKHMCC of this matter.

Qn 10. I cant seem to upload my e-Poster on OASIS. The Add button doesnt work.
Please write in to placement@smu.edu.sg to get an account manager to recognise your weeks
done for your stint before you upload your e-Poster.

60

All the best

for your
internship!

61

Dato Kho Hui Meng Career Center

SMU Administration Building
81 Victoria Street, Level 7
Singapore 188065
6828 0177
placement@smu.edu.sg

62