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Here I share my journey at Schneider Electric Taiwan, the story of how I joined the company as a Talent Acquisition Intern, making an impact from Day 1 and ending up with an unexpected outcome!
Exploring my career options
As any university student who is about to graduate, I had to face the challenge of choosing a suitable and sustainable career path. I used internships as a way to explore my options. I kept a very open mind and tried different things, including digital marketing, business development, and even content creation at an online magazine.
During the second half of my senior year, I had time to do one final internship before I graduated. I envisioned this internship to be at a multinational company, exploring a realm I’ve never been exposed to before.
As I scrolled through the job listings on LinkedIn, Schneider Electric’s Talent Acquisition Internship caught my attention. At first, I was unfamiliar with the company and the role; after doing some research, I was surprised to find out that Schneider Electric is one of the fortune 500 companies, and it’s the leading brand in energy management solutions. As someone who deeply cares about our environment, Schneider Electric’s company values really resonated with me. I decided to apply for the internship and was happy to get an interview.
The interview took place in the Innovation Hub at the Schneider Electric Taiwan office. I was impressed with the beautiful layout, and the HR team who interviewed me made me feel very welcomed. Through the interview, I learned more about the company values, as well as the working environment. I loved how Schneider Electric offers open working space, as well as the interesting projects the Talent Acquisition intern would take on. It was the internship I wanted to experience before I graduated, so you could imagine how stoked I was when I heard I was accepted as the new Talent Acquisition Intern!
More than just an intern
As a part of the HR talent acquisition team, I got to work on many different exciting projects that aim to drive Schneider Electric’s employer branding in Taiwan. One of the projects was our annual global student competition Schneider Go Green, which provides students a global platform to be part of the solutions to create a new electric world and more sustainable world. I was empowered to take the lead in promoting the program in Taiwan, as well as coordinating the preparation leading up to the competition day. Through market research, targeted promotion, and consistent follow-up, I was able to improve Taiwan’s Go Green student submission numbers by 800%, while also holding a successful country finals event.
I was also trusted in initiating Taiwan’s first student ambassador program. It was an extraordinary experience to be able to connect Schneider Electric with university students by enabling them to learn more about our company, then sharing their experiences on social media as a storyteller. Their creative output lead to a significant increase in Schneider Electric Taiwan’s social media engagement, as well as sparked interest for Schneider Electric among university students. I even had the opportunity to collaborate with the Korean Talent Acquisition intern in hosting a Korea-Taiwan student ambassador marketing competition, which turned out to be one of the best networking experiences I’ve ever had.
During these projects, I encountered many challenges along the way. How do I market the program so that it appeals to students? How do I convince key stakeholders with a business rationale to secure a budget? How do I manage the many tasks on hand that were at times overwhelming? I was very lucky to have many mentors that helped me face these challenges head-on. I learned how to multitask, approach problems systematically, and to always, always ask questions. I felt surprised but grateful that I was able to take ownership of major projects. It made me feel like I was more than just an intern, and that I was capable of driving a positive, tangible impact on the company.
More than just an electric company
Before becoming an intern at Schneider Electric, what I saw was a successful multinational company focused on energy management and sustainability. I knew about the company’s employee value propositions but had no personal feelings attached to them as they were just on my computer screen. Throughout the seven months at Schneider Electric, I was surrounded by people enthusiastic about driving change, caring for our environment, and most importantly, helping other people. It was the great people at Schneider Electric that made it such a great company, and I felt so lucky to be able to know so many #SEGreatPeople.
An unexpected ending!
Towards the end of my internship, I was encouraged to explore full-time opportunities within the company. After several rounds of discussion, I was offered the full-time position as a Marketing Communications Specialist.
I can still remember the feeling of disbelief when I got the phone call extending the offer to me. Never have I thought that this internship would have led to landing a full-time job exploring yet another area, B2B marketing. As I write this, I sit at my favorite spot by the window at the office, excited about the new chapter ahead for me with Schneider Electric.
My little piece of advice
Internships are a great way to explore career paths, as well as get a sneak peek of what working full-time looks like. For those who are looking for internships, keep an open mind to different options, and don’t be afraid to try new things! Check out internship, graduate programs, or even full-time opportunities with Schneider Electric here! www.se.com.careers
About the Author
Ra
y Chang joined Schneider Electric as a full-time Marketing Communications Specialist in July 2021. He is based in Taipei and graduated from National Central University with a bachelor’s in Business Administration. In his free time, he enjoys making music, capturing moments in life with his camera, and exploring different corners of the world.
