My Internship with Star Anise - insights from degree undergraduate, Anthony Lung

Photo credit: Trent Erwin

University degree student, Anthony Lung, gives some insights into his 4-week summer internship with Star Anise legal recruitment.  

I am currently an undergraduate student at The University of Birmingham, England, studying a three year BSc. in Economics. After having completed my first year of studies, I was unsure about what area of business I wanted to focus on and which career direction I wanted to go in. So, I decided to seek real work experience over the summer holiday on my return to Hong Kong, a first ‘real’ job in an office.

When I received the news, I was delighted with the opportunity to join Star Anise as a summer intern. During my internship, I carried out organisational tasks such as data management and cleansing, sourcing and screening of profiles. I also supported consultants on their recruitment assignments, and attended some meetings. Everyone in the office is really welcoming and nice, and there is a genuine sense of collaboration and team work among everybody. It was such a relaxing environment to work in, which made the work easier and more enjoyable.

"It’s been a real eye opener to acquire the practical knowledge of different roles and duties in the legal industry."

Handling data sometimes required the use of spreadsheets, which was a challenge for me because I am not familiar with Excel. However, my colleagues would give me demonstrations and guidance, and I searched online to supplement my knowledge. Having gained knowledge and practical use of this really useful tool can only help me in the future.

The experience gained has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of the recruitment industry and the processes involved, which definitely helps my own personal career planning. It’s been a real eye opener to acquire the practical knowledge of different roles and duties in the legal industry. I feel I developed my interpersonal skills by building relationships with colleagues, and by expanding my personal network, having more business contacts is definitely an advantage for me.

My advice for upcoming interns:

• Take the initiative on what you do during your internship – offer to help in any way
• Use this opportunity to learn: ask colleagues if you don’t understand or if there is anything you want to know, they are more than happy to help you
• Make connections with colleagues, keep their contact because they may come in handy in the future.

I truly enjoyed and appreciated my internship experience at Star Anise. I would like to thank everyone here for welcoming me into the company and allowing me to have such an interesting and invaluable experience.