Due to my poor command in English, I have always wanted to take this module to equip myself with the necessary skills to enter the work place. However, my packed timetable did not allow me to do so until this semester, which is my last year here in NUS.
Unlike the normal tutorial, the interactive learning experience in ES2007S is one of the main reasons I enjoyed the module. And it is also one of the reasons I could still stay awake(sometimes) after waking up at 6am. I had fun in most of the lessons, especially the mock interview. Surprisingly, I was more nervous when I was interviewing then when I was being interviewed. Angelina, Bei Ning and I were having a hard time putting up a 'serious face' and controlling our laughter.
Though I wasn't looking forward to the oral presentation, I was glad that it was one of the criteria for this module. The weaknesses that were highlighted during the oral presentations provides me with the areas that I have to improve on and hopefully, these mistakes would not be repeated in my final FYP presentation.
Besides all the fun and laughter, there is something I dread about this module too-- the blogposts we have to churn out every week. I did consult my friends who has previously took this module and was aware of the proposals and resumes that I will have to produce, but the blogposts were new to me. I had trouble writing most of my post and even though it is a simple post, I often have to spend one day on it.
Lastly, after looking at all the smiles in the class photo, I felt that I have gained more that just the resume and cover writing skills from this module. I am glad that I had the opportunity to know everyone in class and made new friends through this module. Good luck in all your future endeavours and see you guys around in school...=)
The whole challenging project officially ended with the oral presentation and I could finally take the load off my shoulder. It was relatively easier preparing for the oral presentation this time as we had our proposal as reference. Moreover, we had done both of the analysis/brain work when we were coming up with the proposal and would thus have a better idea about the points we should include in the presentation. However, my performance for the oral presentation was not up to my expectation.
Overall, I was still quite nervous and this led to a number of pauses and awkward moments. Even though I did came up with a script and did practice presenting at home, the presentation wasn't as smooth as I hope it would be. I was too concious about whether the points in the script I prepared beforehand were all mentioned. Because of this, when I came up with some improptu points which I remembered from the proposal itself, I was kind of stuck and did not know how to continue.
Having said the negative points, there are still some areas I am quite happy with. The intensive research that we had done for our proposal did paid off. My group was able to tackle all the questions asked during the 'Q and A' session due to the intensive background information we gathered. Even though I was quite nervous, I am quite happy that my group mates were there to present with me. I believe that i would have been even worse off without them.
The oral presentation was a good experience and practice for my final year project presentation. Hopefully, through this experience, I would be a more confident presenter for my upcoming progress presentation in January.
Globalization has caused the inevitability of inter-cultural communication. In fact, by looking at our immediate environment, NUS, which consist of students from all over the world, it is clear that there is no escape from inter-cultural communication in our everyday life.
When HSBC came up with a series of commercial on cultural differences, I was in love with them. The commercials greatly emphasis on cultural diversity. Different culture have their own unique values, beliefs, artifacts, way of behaving, and way of communicating. Knowledge of other cultures is fundamental to understnading how the world functions at the macro level. It is also essential to prevent unnecessary conflicts that would arise due to misunderstanding. A few days ago, my hairstylist, Peter, happen to tell me a cultural conflict he encountered in Japan.
Peter had always admire works produced by the creative Japanese hairstyling industry and it was like a dream come true when he was offered a place in a well known saloon in Japan. Peter is a delicate hairstylist who takes pride in his work. Having been exposed to the western culture all his life, he favors clarity and directness. When his clients insist that he cuts their hair in a certain style that brings out the worse off them, he would give his negative comments in a polite but direct manner. He felt that the customers should be given professional opinions instead of being given a false impression that their suggestions are good.
A few days into his new job, Peter was giving his usual comments to a Japanese lady politely, when suddenly, she demand an apology for his rudeness and told him that she did not ask for an opinion from him. His supervisor overheard the complaint and immediately told Peter to bow and ask for forgiveness. Although Peter felt that he did not do anything wrong, he apologized. However, the Japanese lady was not satisfied by the simple sorry and demand that he offer her a cup of tea with his head held low. He felt that the Japanese lady insulted him on purpose and was even disappointed with his supervisor who told him to do as he was told. It was too much for his ego to take and he chose to resign instead of budging in.
Initially, I felt that he was being treated unfairly and the client was just being unreasonable. Even though we are paying for the service, respect should still be given to the individuals serving us and there is a limit to the humidity one should receive. Furthermore, it was just a small misunderstanding and even if Peter was at wrong, a sincere apology would be enough. However, after talking to my Japanese friend, I gained a new insight into the culture of the Japanese service industry. Japanese believes that the customers are always right and it is a value that should be uphold under all circumstances. The Japanese lady wasn't picking on Peter, instead she was asking for what she deserves. In the Chinese culture, it is a crush on one's ego to bow while offering tea to the other party and this way of asking for forgiveness is only when one had committed an unforgivable sin. But in Japan, it is a common way to ask for forgiveness, especially in the service industry. In fact, customers should be treated like royalties and one should ask for their permission before giving any suggestions.
The incident made me realize that our sense of efficacy in interaction depends to a large extent upon our knowledge and willingness to be open to other cultures. The more you build your capacity to engage in different cultures, the greater your opportunity to succeed in this ever changing global village.
How I manage to recover after being given that small little pill has always fascinates me. The seek for the answers to my childhood queries led me to Chemistry, and my choice of major, Bachelor of Applied Science with Honors in Applied Chemistry (Drug option), in the National University of Singapore (NUS). To fuel my passion for drug designing, I took up related modules and did my internship in Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical giants in the world.
My involvement in the research of chiral compounds separation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS), during my 2nd year of study, gave me an opportunity to brush up on the various analytical skills required in the research field. The relevant skills learnt during the course of this research proved useful during my internship in Pfizer. The entire duration of my internship was memorable and enriching as I was given ample opportunity by the company. Despite being only an attachment student, I was being extensively trained on different laboratory equipments and skills and the good manufacturing practice (GMP) of the pharmaceutical industry. On top of that, I also had a chance to work on a project which aims to improve the documentation of chemical release time. Having been attached to two teams in the company, the raw material and finish good teams, I had a clear understanding of the various process of the drug production and the materials needed and produced at these steps. The trainings and tasks given during the attachment sharpened my problem solving and analytical skills, and in the meantime, taught me the importance of being meticulous and initiative.
To explore a different stage of drug production, I focused on the computational method of designing a drug for cyclin-dependent kinase 5, which is a protein related to Alzehimer and Parkinson disease during my honors year. My honors project allows me to explore the different computer software and programs used in drug designing, such as BLAST, CLUSTERW, Modeller and Swiss Model. The skills learnt and satisfaction gained from the project further propelled my interest in this area.
Besides having the relevant technical skills, through the leadership roles I have taken up in the various co-curricular activities I was actively involved in, I have developed leadership skills that will help me work in a team efficiently. The process of coming up with a new drug involves professionals from different fields, thus, having good interpersonal communications skills and the being able to work in a team is essential. My term as a vice-president in the cultural activity club (CAC) in NUS, where I act as an coordinator between external organizations, the standing committee of CAC and the substituent clubs of CAC, sharpened my communication and public relation skills. I was also given a taste of how things should be done in a corporate world when I held the position of Project Director in NUSSU Video Photography Club 2006/2007 bazaar. As all the positions in the bazaar committee were not entirely filled, I had to take charge of finding vendors, finance issues as well as the smooth running of the whole bazaar. I believe that the soft skills that I gained from my experience would contribute to my adaptability to the culture of your company.
The various activities that I joined gave me a good understanding of team dynamics and how to work as a team. I believe that the experience and knowledge gained in my undergraduate years would prove useful if I have an opportunity to work in your esteem pharmaceutical company.
Lee Ming Jing Blk123 #11-234 Apple Road Singapore 123456 Email: mingjing87@hotmail.com
4 September 2009
Ms Angelina Tan HR Manager HR department XXXXXXXXX 12 Pine Drive Singapore 234567
Dear Ms Tan,
Application for the post of QC Chemist
My experience in various analytical procedures and internship in Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical giants in the world, makes me an ideal candidate for the QC chemist job opening listed through sg.jobstreet.com.
I am an undergraduate of National University of Singapore majoring in Applied Chemistry, specializing in drugs. The course has given me a solid foundation in industrial skills which prepares me for the jobs I will be tasked in the future. My involvement in the research of chiral compounds separation using capillary electrophoresis and GC-MS, and my internship at the Quality Operation department in Pfizer, have given me a solid foundation in the usage of all instruments mentioned in the recruitment advertisement. Besides being well-trained in the analytical instruments, my experience in working in a company, which emphasis greatly on cGMP and GLP, would benefit my development of new test methods that would be in accordance to these practices.
Besides having the relevant skills, through the leadership roles I have taken up in the various co-curricular activities I am actively involved in, I have developed leadership skills that will help me work in a team efficiently. My cheerful and friendly character would also contribute to my adaptability to the culture of your company.
The enclosed resume will provide more information about my skills and academic achievements. I could be contacted at 97929771 and I deeply appreciate if we could arrange an interview at your convenience.
I look forward in gaining a job opportunity in your acclaimed company. Thank you.
Louis Nizer once said "When there is no difference, there is only indifference". Conflict is a part of every interpersonal relationship, between family members, friends, lovers and coworkers. People often think that experiencing conflict in their relationship means that the relationship is in jeopardy, or that the relationship would be damaged if these differences are brought to discussion. In my opinion, conflict does not necessarily damage a relationship. In fact, the way we manage or resolve the conflict would determine how the relationship would eventually end up. In many cases, a simple 'sorry' or a little heart to heart talk is all you need to end that cold war you are in.
Conflict does not only produce negative effects. Sometimes, it allows you to examine the problem and work towards a potential solution. For example, if you are annoyed with that your partner is not spending enough time with you and he/she is always working on the computer, it is always advisable to sit down and talk it out rather than let your annoyance grow to a stage where things get ugly. If you bottle up your unhappiness, it is likely that you will flare up one day saying things that you don’t mean. However, if you take some time and talk to him/her you might realize that he/she is actually working on a project and is currently stressed out. Understanding the situation and putting yourself in their shoes would allow both of you to come out with a win-win situation that might enhance the relationship. In a lot of cases, I actually get to know myeself and people around me better through mini conflicts. It is through these conflicts that you get to reflect on your own actions and learn to accommodate to others.
In this present world, communication is inevitable. For example, you might be staring into space expressionlessly during lessons, but to the lecturer, he or she would already be wondering whether the lesson was too boring or you are simply uninterested. Communication need not be verbal nor must it be conducted face to face. Message could be sent by any form of behaviours through carious form of channels. In my opinion, it is important that we develop effective communication skills so that signals or ideas we sent would not cause unnecessary conflicts due to misinterpretation.
Many a times, conflicts arise due to our inability to communicate to the other party clearly. I feel strongly for this point as I had encountered this situation. I often jeer my friends or make sarcastic comments jokingly. Most of my friends do not take it seriously as they know that it was just my way of spicing up conversations. Eventually, I started adopt this style in my SMSs and online conservations. However, in written communications, the tone of my voice could not be clearly illustrated by words and the ‘joking jeer’ would sometimes be viewed as harsh and insensitive comments. Because of this, it strained the relationship between me and a few of my friends. Once the tension built up, I would be after sometime before the misunderstanding could be cleared. Thus, it is crucial that the intended message got through to the recipient.
Effective communication skills are not only crucial to a relationship but also professional success. In 2004, a survey conducted by USA Today found that it was the “soft skills” such as communication skills, instead of the employee’s analytical and problem solving skills that distinguished successful from unsuccessful employees. In fact, I feel that the happiness that I would derive from my future job would very much depends on how well I can relate to my future colleagues. Currently, I still have a long way to go before I could fully master the skill of effective communication. Hope that this module would help me in the progression in this area... =)
