The job market is brutal. Graduates are collecting internships like Pokémon cards, hoping volume turns into a full-time offer. But without purpose, those stints blur together—and rarely convert. The lever that moves careers isn’t the number of internships you rack up; it’s whether you create unmistakable value where you land.
A Project That Opened a Door
In 2008, I finished my diploma at Singapore Polytechnic. Our final year module partnered with Community Chest—we designed a year-long marketing campaign, submitted a multi-page plan, and pitched a presentation to their leadership. My team earned a distinction for the module, and I was named Best Speaker for the cohort.
The chief judge was Mr Liak Teng Lit—then CEO of Alexandra Hospital and a Community Chest volunteer.
With six months before National Service, I faced the usual choice: part-time work for cash, or something different. Even then, I saw myself through an entrepreneurial lens. I wanted to understand how an organization is led—up close. And what better way than to shadow a CEO?
So I emailed Mr Liak, introduced my skills, and asked to work with him—even without pay if necessary. I just wanted to learn what a CEO does and would gladly take on any assignment.
From Cold Email to Real Responsibility
Mr Liak replied quickly and arranged an interview with Yen Tan, Director of Corporate Communications. I passed, and was given two options:
- Produce a coffee-table book for the hospital’s 70th anniversary, or
- Lead a full revamp of the hospital website
I chose the website.
Onboarding was immediate. Besides helping with day-to-day comms—designing posters, supporting events—I focused on rebuilding the site from the ground up.
Building Something That Mattered
We benchmarked best-in-class hospital sites (Mayo Clinic, Bumrungrad Hospital). We interviewed customer service officers and clinical staff to map friction points and understand how a better website could help educate the public. Then we scoped the work, drafted a pre-tender budget, gathered rough quotes, and ran a vendor briefing. At that time, there was even a focus on monetization with medical tourism, but that seems to be discouraged now in MOHH hospitals.
The Adventus Consultants (TAC) won the bid—its founder, Ang Yuit, would become a lifelong friend.
From there, we iterated: wireframes → design (including elements that mattered to the hospital, like restorative gardens) → content population. When my NS enlistment came, I had to hand the project to my full-time colleagues as it did not complete in time.
Think about this: I was a fresh poly grad—no NS yet, no university degree—and I’d been trusted with real ownership. Near the end, Yen even asked whether I needed financial help for university or would consider a scholarship to return to Alexandra Hospital after NTU. We eventually discovered there wasn’t a non-medical scholarship track, but the offer itself spoke volumes. They were impressed enough to try creating a path to keep me.
What Actually Converts to Full-Time
It wasn’t “an internship.” It was responsibility, outcomes, and relationships. I wasn’t there to pad a CV; I was there to solve problems. That’s what organizations hire for.
Recently, I watched AMD CEO Lisa Su share the best advice she ever received: “Run toward the hardest problems.” That line underpins my career. It did in 2008, and it still does today—I’m still solving hard problems in the economy.
And Mr Yuit? Eventually he would become my next boss, in a place and position I did not expect. That’s a story for another day.
How to Stand Out (Even in a Brutal Market)
- Pick purpose over volume. One meaty project beats five forgettable internships.
- Ask for real problems. Volunteer to take ownership, not just tasks. If it doesn’t cost money or require additional staff, do a quick prototype and present to leadership.
- Do the unglamorous work. Scoping, budgeting, vendor briefings—these are force multipliers that set you apart.
- Talk to the operators. CSOs, nurses, coordinators—people closest to the user know where value leaks.
- Leave a trail of outcomes. A before/after story converts far better than job titles on a resume.
- Write the brave email. Thoughtful outreach, with a clear value proposition, still opens doors.
If you’re wondering how to turn an internship into a job, stop counting placements. Start creating undeniable value. Run to the hardest problem—and make sure you leave it better than you found it.
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