Ginson Lim from Malaysia, once studied journalism at the Communication University of China, is now pursuing a master's degree in Journalism and Communication at Peking University. Like other international students, he encountered problems when looking for internships, such as information gaps, complex procedures, and tight timelines.
Instead of waiting for opportunities, he created them.
Ask proactively and learn from other people's experience
As an international student in China without connections or referral channels, Lim had to find opportunities on his own. He started by asking and listening proactively, seeking advice from classmates and seniors and reading internship stories shared on social platforms to map out approaches.
Experiences shared online serve as a kind of "invisible network" for him. With willingness to communicate and the ability to ask specific questions, he finds useful takeaways in other people's experiences.
He pays attention to how he frames a question. Rather than asking "Do you have any advice?", he brings options to discuss: Should a resume highlight responsibilities or results? If neither option fits, people often propose a third, more practical approach.
These concrete questions make conversations more efficient and helped him gain more useful feedback.
Tools beat gaps
Lim has a wealth of experience in information gathering and analysis.
His first step is analyzing the job description, putting the content into AI tools to extract core skills, key responsibilities and typical tasks, and then comparing them with his own resume to see how he can improve it. This helps him understand the positions faster and prepare more effectively.
He also searches RedNote with keywords like "foreign student internship", "internship annotation", "company + post" and "interview experience". Through cross-checking positions to compare processes and tips, he organizes a clearer prep path.
Over time, he has learned to tell which companies and roles have smoother procedures, which information is unreliable, and which opportunities are worth a try.
Master the timeline
Once, Lim received an internship offer, but he was stopped at the final stage — the internship annotation process.
The company was concerned that the documents he had prepared on his own might lack legal validity. The HR team was unfamiliar with the procedure as it had never hired foreign interns before, so the company ultimately withdrew the offer.
He realized that not every employer understands the process for hiring international students, so it's important to allow enough time for paperwork, and to communicate clearly with HR about the expected start date, document preparation, and approval steps.
When applying for his next position, he targeted large internet companies that already had experience hiring foreign interns.
The new company was familiar with the annotation requirements. The HR team actively helped him to prepare the documents, making the entire on-boarding process much smoother.
Excellence is your referral
In both on- and off-campus activities, he remains committed and conscientious. He has been invited or recommended to other projects, because he works wholeheartedly, thinks clearly, and is willing to try new approaches.
He has found that steady, reliable output can impress others, and being trusted is one of the most valuable assets for international students in school and at work.
Passion over permission
He is passionate in journalism, and when saw a newly founded company recruiting volunteers to build charts, gather materials, and organize news, he applied immediately.
The founder interviewed him. After learning in detail about his research and the projects he was involved in, the founder was won over by his enthusiasm.
Lim found that many tasks at the newly founded company required learning by doing. He maintained an "empty-cup" mindset, started by observing colleagues, and gradually picked up data analysis and visualization skills.
Lim believes people shouldn't fear unfamiliar work—continuous learning and repeated attempts lead to growth in practice.
Through this volunteer experience, he realized that opportunities are often not found by waiting but by you being noticed while taking action.
Make reflection a habit
After each interview or work experience, he takes time to reflect on what he could have done better — such as improving his skills, refining how he presents himself, and communicating his ideas more clearly.
These, he believes, are the aspects within his control. In contrast, he avoids blaming others or external factors for outcomes, as he feels that mindset hinders personal growth. Through continuous reflection and review, he has gradually developed a more mature way of thinking and working.
Your internship, your case study
He is currently interning at a large internet company on business related to the Malaysian market. Through this, he hopes to understand the differences between Chinese and overseas teams and to accumulate cross-border collaboration experience.
In his view, the internship is not just a job; it's also a way to observe Chinese corporate culture and learn about project collaboration. He plans to connect what he has learned in China with the Malaysian market to lay a foundation for his future international career.
Thrive on fast-forward
Upon entering a big internet company, he experienced firsthand the high speed of China's workplace. Teammates own their projects, the division of labor is clear, and the pace is tight—everyone wants to move work to the next stage quickly. This ownership culture left a strong impression and pushed him to adjust his own rhythm.
He reviews materials and familiarizes himself with the next day's tasks after a day's work. This helps him get into gear faster and coordinate more smoothly with colleagues, and he gradually found a communication rhythm that worked in a cross-cultural workplace.
Along the way, he also noticed some everyday differences—for example, the company cafeteria's emphasis on staple foods took some getting used to, yet his mentor helped him with food choices.
Opportunities find the prepared
From uncertainty to joining a big-tech internship, his path is clear: ask, learn, do, and reflect. He treats "broad exposure, continuous learning, and steady accumulation" as guiding principles—and believes opportunities will eventually come after all the careful preparation.
