From application to interview: how to score a GovTech internship

Three Things GovTech Looks For in Candidates

1. Technical Competency

We are looking for candidates with relevant technical skills, such as programming languages, software development, data science, or cybersecurity. Showcase your technical expertise through various means such as

Education and coursework: Highlight relevant courses or certifications you have completed to indicate your skills and knowledge.
Personal projects: Whether it’s developing a mobile app, creating a website, or designing a prototype, these projects can help highlight your initiative and proficiency.
Portfolio: Especially for roles like UX design, a portfolio can significantly enhance your application by demonstrating your design process, creativity, and technical skills.

2. Problem-Solving Abilities

We want people who can approach complex problems creatively and offer unique solutions. Here’s how you can highlight these abilities:

Analytical thinking: Share examples of how you've resolved complex problems, whether in academic projects, personal initiatives, or previous internships.
Innovative solutions: Highlight instances where you've come up with innovative solutions to challenges.
Critical thinking: Showcase your ability to evaluate situations and make informed decisions.

3. Cultural fit

GovTech seeks candidates who align with the agency's core values of being Agile, Bold, and Collaborative:

Teamwork: Share examples of successful team projects and how you contributed to them while working collaboratively.
Passion for technology and public service: Share experiences where you’ve used technology to make a positive impact. Think about why you are interested in tech’s potential to serve the public good.
Leadership and CCA: Taking on leadership roles in tech clubs, societies, or volunteer organisations can showcase your ability to lead and collaborate.

Preparation Before Applying

1. Industry research

Before applying, it's essential to stay informed about the latest developments, trends, and challenges in the tech industry. This research will not only prepare you for potential interview questions but also demonstrate your genuine interest in the field:

Follow tech news: Subscribe to tech news websites, blogs, and podcasts to stay updated on industry trends and innovations. Participate in online forums, webinars, and tech meetups to engage with professionals and enthusiasts in the field.
Understand GovTech’s mission: Familiarise yourself with GovTech’s vision, mission, and ongoing projects. This knowledge will help you tailor your application and demonstrate your alignment with the agency's goals.
Learn about and leverage GovTech’s products: Use GovTech’s products to aid with your industry research! Career Kaki (opens in new tab), an GenAI chatbot is one such tool that can help as it is backed by a Singapore dataset. One suggested prompt can be “How should I prepare myself to be a software engineer intern?”

2. Professional Online Presence

A strong, professional online presence can differentiate you from other candidates and highlight your commitment to the tech industry:

LinkedIn profile: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your skills and accomplishments. Connect with tech professionals and engage with relevant content.
Personal website or portfolio: While not a must, creating a personal website or online portfolio can be an effective way to showcase your projects, skills, and achievements. This can even be a GitHub account with various repositories.

How to Craft an Eye-Catching Application

1. Tailored resume

Customise your resume to highlight experiences, skills, and projects relevant to the specific role you're applying for:

Use keywords: Incorporate keywords from the internship description to align your resume with the job requirements.
Highlight relevant skills: Emphasise technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and experiences that demonstrate your aptitude for the role.
Quantify achievements: Whenever possible, use numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements and impact.

Tip: Try ResumeBoost (opens in new tab), a GovTech product in beta, to help you craft impactful descriptions of your accomplishments, and download a version of your resume that’s optimized for application tracking systems (ATS) to ensure safe and accurate parsing!

2. Clear and concise application documents

Ensure that your application materials are well-organised, error-free, and effectively communicate your strengths and experiences:

Professional formatting: Use a clean, professional layout that is easy to read.
Proofread: Double-check your application for grammatical and spelling errors.
Structured content: Organise your content logically, with clear headings and bullet points to emphasise key information.

Acing the Interview

1. Showcase communication skills

During the interview, highlight your ability to communicate effectively in team settings:

Precise and concise messaging: Elaborate on any points in your resume and documents succinctly while not losing the essence of what you want to say.
Active listening: Demonstrate your ability to listen actively and engage with others' perspectives. Show your willingness to receive and act on feedback during the conversation.

2. Be authentic

We want candidates who can share their perspectives openly:

Open dialogue: Be honest about your experiences, strengths, and areas for improvement. Authenticity can help build trust with interviewers.

Bonus question: Can students from non-tech courses of study get a tech internship?

The short answer is: yes! We welcome candidates from diverse academic backgrounds as they enrich our teams with unique perspectives. Generally, the skills and profile we seek remain the same, but non-tech students can enhance their chances by emphasising the following:

Transferable skills: Highlight transferable skills that are common to various academic disciplines like problem-solving, analytical thinking, and a strong aptitude for learning.
Relevant projects: Showcase your ability to apply skills in practical settings through projects, internships, or extracurricular activities that are relevant to the tech industry.
Passion for tech: Articulate why you have a genuine passion for technology and a proactive approach to acquiring tech-related skills even though you come from a non-tech background.

Join us in shaping the future

If you're excited about using your tech skills to make a real impact and eager to explore the world of public service, why not give it a shot and apply for an internship with GovTech?

We look forward to meeting passionate, driven individuals like you and seeing how you can help us shape a better tomorrow. Take the first step towards an exciting and fulfilling career. Find out more information about our internship programme at go.gov.sg/govtechinternship (opens in new tab)