Sunday, November 11, 2012

Final Reflection

As the semester draws to a close, a mental review of my past 12 weeks in this course showed that I've learned a great deal of useful skills. From the first lesson on communication models and active listening techniques to the last lessons on crafting business proposals and oral presentations, all of them have been immensely engaging, informative and relevant.

I want to give special mention of my experience of the lessons on job interview techniques. When I first took this module, I was aware that my interview skills were sorely lacking for various reasons, not least of all the lack of practice and the lack of heart. My resume and cover letter were amateur efforts, and I never gave much thought to my repertoire of cliche question responses. After all the peer teaching sessions, lessons, blog posts, submissions and peer reviews of my cover letter and resume, I am glad to have emerged with  respectable application documents. The mock interview sessions put me in the hot-seat and let me see the interview from HR's point of view.

After this series of lessons, I am more prepared than ever for future interviews, and what helped me the most was the peer feedback process. Having multiple people critiquing your work and giving honest feedback is an amazingly effective filter. When it was my turn to take a critical eye to the work of others, often that review process also gave me unexpected insights. My greatest difficulty was moving beyond the basic 7 'C's in my writing and expressing my personal branding. I also had to do a lot of backpedaling and rationalizing during my mock interview, because my diverse experiences are not relevant to the sector I applied for. I'm not sure if I put my best foot forward during the mock interview, but at least I learned my lesson and now I am more prepared to face a real HR panel.

That was merely my experience of the job interview series of lessons. A thorough treatment and reflection of my experience with the other parts of the module will not fit in a blog post. This has really been the most useful course in my academic life. Having said that, I need to remind myself of the importance of continual revision and improvement. These last 12 weeks, while productive, could only bring me so far. Now, the rest is up to me. Brad told us at the very beginning that how much we took out of this module depended on how much we put in; this actually rings true for any life skill. Now that I've been given these communication tools, I owe it to myself to continuously maintain and refine them.

I am really grateful
to my classmates, whose contributions in-class and out-of-class have spurred my learning,
and to Brad, for the dedicated guidance and heartwarming encouragement along the way.

Everyone in the class is an industrious and illustrious character, and I look forward to the day when our paths cross again in the future(hopefully not in front of the same interview panel nor across an interview table).

Thank you for reading and for being with me through my learning journey, I am glad to have been part of yours.

EDIT: This remains the most value-for-money course I have ever bidded for, 1 Programme point for an amazing experience. I don't understand why the rest of you all spent so many points! Wasn't it underbidded in 1A?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Reflection on Oral Presentation

EDIT: Last Tuesday, I gave a sales pitch to the class together with Sai, Shi Ying and Sumea. Through our presentation, we hoped to convince our classmates and our instructor about the severity of the problem we identified and the merits of our proposed solution.  It was a chance for us to give voice to our type-written proposal, which we had painstakingly prepared a week earlier, and to showcase what we learned from our respective peer-teaching sessions about a month ago.

My most immediate impression about my oral presentation was that I had a great time. I felt in control, and the immediate feedback from my classmates was very encouraging.

I was very confident content-wise. The entire team was intimately familiar with the content of the presentation before preparations for the presentation even began; after all, we crafted the entire proposal from scratch. Being the authors of the presented content definitely helped. It hastened our preparations, boosted our confidence and made the presentation that much smoother. Our experience from the ‘elevator pitch’ lesson and mock presentation session helped to boil our proposal down to its most essential and convincing elements, allowing us to have a clear and logical structure that we can easily organize our content around and effectively present. This brings me to our use of visual cues, because we understood that Prezi, however impressive, was just the medium for our message. If the original message was muddled, a tool by itself could not carry the presentation, and would only hinder, not help.
It was my first time using Prezi, and I was excited to explore the new tool. It took a lot of careful thought, but our parts were carefully structured so that the content was memorable, the flow was logical and the visual cues were clean and efficient. I felt proud and vindicated when my classmates responded positively to the group’s use of Prezi. With this experience, I am confident of using Prezi proficiently in future presentations.

Subsequently, I revisited Garr Reynolds’ website to more objectively and holistically self-assess my presentation against his list of presentation tips. Reading through the articles brought me back to Earth. I realized that my presentation still had ample room for improvement.
I should engage my audience further with a personal anecdote instead of plainly narrating all the benefits like a grocery list. While my original approach is tidy and logical, it lacks the panache, enthusiasm and charm that can infect an audience, that can turn a good presentation into an awesome one. I think this will come about more naturally if I let my enthusiasm for my topic run freely. This is something I still need to work on, as I am very used to projecting neutral emotions, and speaking in a monotonous and slow-paced fashion. I used to think that this was always the professional thing to do, but now I understand that different times call for different measures. A sales pitch is not a normal presentation, and should convey more raw urge.

I remember distinctly my instructor's comment during my mock presentation, that I would be a perfect fit for Singapore's corporate environment. I know he meant it as praise, but I take it as a backhanded compliment. I dislike the stifled corporate style in Singapore and I am trying my best to break that mold, to exude a unique personal charm that, I think, Singapore workers generally lack. I am trying to break off from my current style of presenting, but his comment shows me that I still have a long way to go before reaching my ultimate aim.


To conclude, I feel that while I did give a polished delivery, I fell short of my ultimate long-term goal and I still have lots of room for improvement. Nonetheless, I must thank my group mates, Sai, Shi Ying and Sumea for all the hard work, the long meetings and the sleepless nights. Also, many thanks to our classmates, who gave us so much useful peer feedback during the mock presentation and the elevator pitch. Thanks for reading!

EDIT: After replaying my presentation a few times, I just realized that I use "alright" and "right" very frequently, to conveniently link phrases and sentences. This is something I will have to work on.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour

EDIT: Please help me judge if this post is actually relevant to intercultural behaviour. I really want to talk about it, but I'm not very sure if it's relevant to the subject matter, actually.

In this post, I will write about my observations about the culture of poverty in Philippines, taken when I went to Calumbang, Philippines for my overseas community project last summer. Before that, my only experience with real, rural poverty was on televised news and the occasional beggar-sighting along underpasses in Singapore. It was a real learning experience for me as I began seriously observing the causes and effects of poverty first-hand, for the first time.

When we arrived at the village of 'GK Jose Rizal" (village A), we were greeted enthusiastically by a horde of children. We weren't the first team of foreigners to have ever arrived there and we definitely wouldn't be the last; the villagers of village A were no strangers to teams of foreigners staying over in their village for weeks, trying to make a difference.

Nearby village A, there was a village B, which was significantly more affluent than village A. And there was also a nearby village C, which was for all intents and purposes, a slum. A was the only village that was open to foreign help; B and C wanted to be left alone to their own devices.

From anecdotes and first-hand observation, my team realised that the villagers from B and C were significantly more unfriendly and territorial. They didn't respond to greeting, smiling or waving, they simply stared passively. It felt strange because my team had grown accustomed to the warm enthusiasm that was so prevalent in A. When we brought children from village A to a local, upscale shopping mall, people kept staring at us as well.

My team's native guide explained that the population of Philippines is separated by a huge cultural divide. On one side are the affluent, on the other are the poor, and both sides resent each other for reasons as old as they are irrational. However, most importantly, some of the poor have resigned themselves to a culture of self-defeating negativity, selfishness and hostility towards all outsiders. They live in isolation because they believe that nothing good can come from strangers, a self propagating myth that is reinforced by the behaviours created by that very belief. It makes it nearly impossible to extend a helping hand when they might bite. Combined with a strong attachment for the status quo, a self-defeatist mentality and a self-centered outlook on life, the guide explained that this was why efforts to reduce poverty in Philippines are taking so long.

Village A was already largely reformed after years of effort by the native aid organization, and they can only hope that B and C will take notice and follow suit.

2 weeks later, the team left the village for Singapore. I hope that the work we did made some difference, but I know that we definitely matured and learnt a lot from the people and experiences there.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Cover Letter Update

Hey everyone! I've taken all the comments into consideration and I've tried to substantially turn on the charm with this edition of my cover letter! Thanks for reading and for the really helpful feedback, I hope to keep hearing more from everyone! For this post/update, I will just start from the salutation, because the address blocks are the same.



Dear Sir/Madam,

ICAP Internship Programme

I am enclosing my resume in response to your advertisement for the above internship programme which appeared on National University of Singapore’s eJobCentre website on 7th September 2012.

I am currently an undergraduate in the National University of Singapore, studying for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in quantitative finance, and expecting to graduate in 2015 with first-class honours. My multi-disciplinary major equips me with a wide academic base in mathematics, statistics, finance, and computer programming. Besides my core courses, I have taken a diverse range of electives which honed my ability to communicate effectively in a professional environment. I am confident that I am well-equipped for work in the dynamic, ever-evolving finance sector.    

My experience in fast-paced work environments began before I enrolled into university, when I worked part-time as a real estate telemarketer and as a nightclub waiter. Persuasion and dealing with customer frustration became essential working tools that had to be sharpened everyday. It was sink or swim, whether in the bustling realtor office or in the crowded nightclub. The break-in period was short and I quickly learned that looking out for my colleagues paid dividends and helped to boost morale. When the going got tough, I simply put my nose to the grindstone and took it with a grin.

These character-building experiences in the service sector allowed me to pick up many soft skills that are useful and relevant for an internship at ICAP. These stints have developed my ability to multi-task in a fast-paced job environment, to work unsupervised, and to maintain a calm professionalism under immense pressure.

During my enrolment in university, I have been heavily involved in organizing and facilitating co-curricular activities. These include an overseas community service project and freshman orientation projects, where I demonstrated my communication skills and sense of teamwork.

I work effectively in multinational environments, I interact well with strangers and colleagues, and I am a perceptive, motivated team player. I have an objective-oriented work personality, and I have a strong, personal, desire to continuously explore, improve and learn. I am fascinated by finance and I have a particularly keen interest for the workings in your research division.

An internship with ICAP would be an amazing opportunity for me, and I hope to learn by observing and contributing to the company’s operations. I hope you will look favourably at my application and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,




Han Kunyang

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Cover Letter


Han Kunyang
21 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Singapore 119077
(+65)9…
a0002882@nus.edu.sg

10th September 2012

Graduate Recruitment
ICAP
10 Marina Boulevard #21-01
Marina Bay Financial Tower 2
Singapore 018983

Dear Sir/Madam,

ICAP Internship Programme

I am enclosing my resume in response to your advertisement for the above internship programme which appeared on National University of Singapore’s eJobCentre website on 7th September 2012.

I am currently an undergraduate in the National University of Singapore, studying for a Bachelor of Science, with Major in Quantitative Finance. Besides my core courses, I have taken a diverse range of electives that have honed my ability to listen, comprehend and compose coherent arguments, and to be comfortable communicating in a professional environment.

Before my enrollment into university, I worked part-time as a real estate telemarketer and as a nightclub waiter. My diverse job experience in the service sector had allowed me to pick up many skills that are useful and relevant for an internship at ICAP. These stints trained my ability to multi-task in a fast-paced job environment, to maintain a calm professionalism, and to work unsupervised even under immense pressure.

During my enrolment in university, I was heavily involved in organizing and facilitating co-curricular activities such as an overseas community service project and freshman orientation projects. These experiences trained my communication skills and sense of teamwork. Therefore, I am comfortable around foreign environments, I can interact well with strangers and colleagues, and I am a perceptive, motivated team player.

I have an objective-oriented work personality, and I have a strong, personal, desire to continuously explore, improve and learn. I am interested in finance and I have a particularly keen interest for the workings in your Research division. An internship with ICAP would be an amazing opportunity for me, and I hope to learn by observing and contributing to the company’s operations.

I hope you will look favourably at my application. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

 

Han Kunyang

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

This happened when I was serving my full-time conscription, while I was in an 18-day outdoor leadership training course. Nearing the final week, I was thoroughly strung out, homesick and fatigued. Making matters worse, my course mates and I had just spent the last 3 days out at sea, kayaking around Singapore, rain or shine. For many of us, it was our first time witnessing and surmounting waves that were taller than a grown man, with an uncanny similarity to scenes from the movie ‘The Perfect Storm’.
 
Understandably, the sense of relief and achievement was palpable when we neared the final stretch of the sea expedition, a strait crossing*. The air was thick with anticipation and excitement for one, last, mad dash for the finishing point.

As luck would have it, I was assigned to lead the group that day with a fellow course mate, whom I was on good terms with, in another kayak. We knew that the adrenaline-driven, reckless overzealousness would string out the kayaks over a large area, making strait crossings very dangerous. We had agreed from the night before that we would make the extra effort to keep the group in a tight bunch.

Imagine my horror when my co-leader rushed out ahead of the pack, signalled for the group to follow him, and proceeded to string out the expedition group as they tried to follow his pace. This wasn’t in the plan!

Fortunately the team reached the checkpoint safely. Upon catching up, I ranted out at my fellow co-leader loudly, which was witnessed by a few other kayaks. Do note that technically the two of us had hierarchially equal roles that day. Looking back, I feel like I was driven by a combination of a bruised ego, misplaced sense of injustice and frustration. Naturally, the two of us were fuming mad all the way back to home port and we didn’t exchange a single word afterwards, ending the sea expedition on a very bitter note.

After the damage was done, what could I do to salvage the situation and the friendship? How could I have handled the original incident better?

Thank you for reading!

 

*In nautical terms, a strait is a designated sea expressway. Heavy cargo ships travel very quickly along straits and take very long to make an emergency stop. Small boats trying to cross a strait must move fast or risk becoming sitting ducks.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Importance of Effective Communication


In the first lesson, the class was tasked to fill up a form with information about other people’s experiences, hobbies and habits. It was an effective icebreaker and sparked a lively atmosphere in the classroom, setting the tone for the rest of the module. More importantly, I believe the exercise was an idealized demonstration of the purpose of effective communication.

Everyone held different nuggets of information and it became an open market where information was quickly exchanged to see who had what I wanted, what I had that he needed and how we could have a mutually beneficial trade.. I say ‘idealized’ because in reality we do not get the luxury of bartering in a conducive classroom environment, we cannot assume the other parties come in peace and we do not always hold onto the same questions. However, that did not detract from my key takeaway one of the main points of communication is the response you get from others. However, I also have a sneaking suspicion that if I merely sat down in the middle of the classroom and merely eavesdropped on all the conversations around me, I would quickly garner all the information needed, which also explains why I believe listening to, empathizing with and understanding others are the most crucial skills of communication.

No man is an island. Civilization progressed because our forefathers shared their expertise and their experiences as they too rode on the experiences of others before them. Even in the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union and United States of America took pains to create the infamous “red phone” to allow direct communication between the leaders of the two nuclear powers. Communication is therefore important because one’s survival and wellbeing is contingent on the mutually beneficial sharing of information and resources.


ADDED ON 9 SEPT: I decided to take this course as a follow-up from my previous ES module, Evaluating Academic Arguments. My limited work experience in F&B outlets and in office environments have taught me, if nothing else, that I am sorely lacking in professional argumentative and communication skills. "Office politics" would be the layman term. My casual communication skills still need some polishing too, but I don't expect that to be the focus of this module. Can communication even be divided into "casual" and "professional"? Thanks for creating such a lively comment page, please continue sharing your thoughts.