To be honest, the “no exam” which appeared under the description for ES2007 was the deciding factor. My only other module apart from my FYP is non examinable as well. I did not have any expectations for this class at all. Nil. 4 Modular Credits. Nevertheless, after 12 weeks of lessons, I do somehow feel a little sense of belonging to our wonderful group 11. I hereby thank Shauna and Linling for the fun we had throughout our survey report. Gals, you have to agree with me that when we first saw the obscene grade, it was pretty funny eh.
I would prefer the resume and interview topics to be covered right at the start. As a graduating student, the final semester is a period of cover letter writings and interviews. Thus, acquiring interview skills as early as possible would be more beneficial. As a matter of fact, this course should be taken as early as your bid points allow. An interesting point to highlight, a friend of mine bid for the same time slot for this module, but at a different location, somewhere high up a certain slope in science instead of the new chic S16. What a great difference in the bid points!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Blogpost 6: Biodata
I am Siow Ji Qing, a 4th year mechanical engineering student studying in the National University of Singapore (NUS). My ambition is to embark on a career that produces positive impacts on people and as a result, changes lives.
Throughout my 4 years of tertiary education, I read and excelled in a diverse range of modules including sociology, biology, economics, statistics. I attended a semester of student exchange program in the petroleum engineering department at the University of Texas at Austin. This equipped me with knowledge and skills to supplement my offshore oil and gas technology specialization.
For exposure to the practicality of engineering research work, I underwent 3 months of internship at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) during summer of 2006. During my short stint, I interacted and worked with top researchers and managed to develop a material that is potentially patentable.
Throughout my 4 years of tertiary education, I read and excelled in a diverse range of modules including sociology, biology, economics, statistics. I attended a semester of student exchange program in the petroleum engineering department at the University of Texas at Austin. This equipped me with knowledge and skills to supplement my offshore oil and gas technology specialization.
For exposure to the practicality of engineering research work, I underwent 3 months of internship at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) during summer of 2006. During my short stint, I interacted and worked with top researchers and managed to develop a material that is potentially patentable.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Interview Dress Etiquette for Men
Having spent the past 6 months preparing and attending numerous interviews, banks’ “superdays”, I reckon its about time to write an article about dressing etiquette for interviews, Singapore styled. Although the web does provide an extensive amount of quality information, certain explicit details are always missing, and description on the web can sometimes be rather grey.
Starting off with the basics, a long sleeve simple shirt is a must. Most websites recommend a white shirt, but I personally feel any light colored shirt is fine, even simple strips are fine as well. Just remember to avoid the loud pinks, purples and etc. Nothing from the likes of Domanchi or P.O.A or basically nothing that you will wear for your junior college prom night.
Match the shirt off with a silk tie, and make sure the color of the shirt and tie are not too contrasting. For slimmer guys, get a 3 inch tie instead of the typical 3 and half inch tie. If you are wearing a blue shirt, wear a tie which is blue based. For French cuffed shirts, make sure u wear a cuff link. Never ever fold up your shirt.
For the bottoms, black is always the no. 1 choice, though there is absolutely nothing wrong with dark colors such as dark charcoal or navy. Avoid the strips for the bottoms. Always wear a belt! Keep the chunky rectangular buckles for Saturdays. Ensure your shirt and pants are well ironed.
Shoes should be dark brown or black lace ups or slip ons with round toes. Avoid the pointed toes! Never ever wear white socks with work shoes, unless you are performing a moon walk.. Dark plain socks match your work attire the best. Make sure you brush shine your shoes the night before the interview.
Short hair always score more points during an interview. Avoid excessive hair products. You are not Chow Yun Fatt in “God of Gamblers” nor are you part of a Gatsby commercial. Shave off all the facial hair the morning before the interview and avoid using after-shave or scents. Make sure your nails are short and buffed. Avoid accessories at all cost, except for the wedding ring.
Wear a metal or leather strapped watch with a face no larger than 30mm. No G-shocks™ please! If you do not have a suitable watch, do not wear one. If possible, carry a portfolio or briefcase instead of a haversack or a Crumpler™.
Robinsons at Centrepoint is an excellent place to shop for your interview attire. For those not graduating soon, the great Singapore sale is a good time to purchase a set of interview wear.
Starting off with the basics, a long sleeve simple shirt is a must. Most websites recommend a white shirt, but I personally feel any light colored shirt is fine, even simple strips are fine as well. Just remember to avoid the loud pinks, purples and etc. Nothing from the likes of Domanchi or P.O.A or basically nothing that you will wear for your junior college prom night.
Match the shirt off with a silk tie, and make sure the color of the shirt and tie are not too contrasting. For slimmer guys, get a 3 inch tie instead of the typical 3 and half inch tie. If you are wearing a blue shirt, wear a tie which is blue based. For French cuffed shirts, make sure u wear a cuff link. Never ever fold up your shirt.
For the bottoms, black is always the no. 1 choice, though there is absolutely nothing wrong with dark colors such as dark charcoal or navy. Avoid the strips for the bottoms. Always wear a belt! Keep the chunky rectangular buckles for Saturdays. Ensure your shirt and pants are well ironed.
Shoes should be dark brown or black lace ups or slip ons with round toes. Avoid the pointed toes! Never ever wear white socks with work shoes, unless you are performing a moon walk.. Dark plain socks match your work attire the best. Make sure you brush shine your shoes the night before the interview.
Short hair always score more points during an interview. Avoid excessive hair products. You are not Chow Yun Fatt in “God of Gamblers” nor are you part of a Gatsby commercial. Shave off all the facial hair the morning before the interview and avoid using after-shave or scents. Make sure your nails are short and buffed. Avoid accessories at all cost, except for the wedding ring.
Wear a metal or leather strapped watch with a face no larger than 30mm. No G-shocks™ please! If you do not have a suitable watch, do not wear one. If possible, carry a portfolio or briefcase instead of a haversack or a Crumpler™.
Robinsons at Centrepoint is an excellent place to shop for your interview attire. For those not graduating soon, the great Singapore sale is a good time to purchase a set of interview wear.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Blogpost 4: Intercultural Differences
Having spent all my life in Singapore, the exchange program to Texas presented me with numerous cultural shocks and intercultural conflicts. I hereby share with you a light hearted intercultural conflict.
After the last day of spring semester, students from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) were required to move out of their respective dormitories. As I finished my exams early, I went over to Will and Tyler’s room to help them with their packing. Will is a fellow exchange student from NUS, whereas Tyler is a Texan who lives in El Paso, a few hundred miles east of UT.
Halfway through the packing, Tyler’s parents arrived to assist him in the transportation of his items. Tyler introduced them as David and Mary. I greeted them with “Hi, nice to meet you” and continued with the packing. Will, on the other hand greeted them with “ Hi uncle David, hi aunty Mary”. David and Mary appeared bemused and inquired about Will’s relationship with them. Will realized the cultural difference and cleared up the misunderstanding. However, he stood firm by his Asian roots and subsequently addressed them as “Mr and Mrs Williams” instead of “David and Mary”.
Growing up in an Asian society, we were taught to respect our elders when addressing them. Never were we allowed to address our elders by their first name only. We are required to either address them by their title followed by last name, or in more intimate instances, “uncle/aunty” followed by their first name. However, in the American society, it is not uncommon to address elders by solely their first name. During lectures in UT, I have heard fellow students address the lecturer by his first name.
In the case of Will and Tyler’s parents, the conflict was minor and the confusion was cleared swiftly. Deeper misunderstandings could occur in the event of a formal meeting between Americans and Asian elders. Thus, it is important to realize the intercultural differences and the potential conflicts that could result from them.
After the last day of spring semester, students from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) were required to move out of their respective dormitories. As I finished my exams early, I went over to Will and Tyler’s room to help them with their packing. Will is a fellow exchange student from NUS, whereas Tyler is a Texan who lives in El Paso, a few hundred miles east of UT.
Halfway through the packing, Tyler’s parents arrived to assist him in the transportation of his items. Tyler introduced them as David and Mary. I greeted them with “Hi, nice to meet you” and continued with the packing. Will, on the other hand greeted them with “ Hi uncle David, hi aunty Mary”. David and Mary appeared bemused and inquired about Will’s relationship with them. Will realized the cultural difference and cleared up the misunderstanding. However, he stood firm by his Asian roots and subsequently addressed them as “Mr and Mrs Williams” instead of “David and Mary”.
Growing up in an Asian society, we were taught to respect our elders when addressing them. Never were we allowed to address our elders by their first name only. We are required to either address them by their title followed by last name, or in more intimate instances, “uncle/aunty” followed by their first name. However, in the American society, it is not uncommon to address elders by solely their first name. During lectures in UT, I have heard fellow students address the lecturer by his first name.
In the case of Will and Tyler’s parents, the conflict was minor and the confusion was cleared swiftly. Deeper misunderstandings could occur in the event of a formal meeting between Americans and Asian elders. Thus, it is important to realize the intercultural differences and the potential conflicts that could result from them.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Letter Critique
From:
Credit Suisse (donotreply@gtios.com) on behalf of graduate.recruitment@credit-suisse.com
Sent:17 November 2008 14: 04PM
Subject:Your Application
To: Berbetov84@hotmail.com
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you for taking the time to participate in the Credit Suisse Superday Assessment for an Analyst position within the Operations Division.
I am sure you can appreciate that the competition across our assessment days was strong and this always make these decisions very difficult. After further discussion of your application, we regrettably must confirm that we will not be extending you an offer to join the Operations Analyst Program.. We hope you will not be too disappointed and that you still found the experience worthwhile and enjoyable. This decision should in no way be viewed as a reflection on your own undoubted abilities and skills
If you would like to obtain some high level feedback on your performance at the assessment, then please call Carolyne Phillips at 6214 8767 for a short discussion. Leave a voicemail for her on this number if she is not available at the time you call and she will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please monitor our positions on our careers website at: http://www.credit-suisse.com/careers.
We wish you every personal and professional success with your job search and in the future. Thank you for your interest in Credit Suisse.
Kind regards
Campus RecruitingCredit Suisse
Your personal data will be retained by Credit Suisse for future recruitment and administrative purposes.
We will not disclose this information to any other external organization without obtaining your prior consent. If you do not wish for your personal data to be retained or would like it to be updated, please inform us by sending an e-mail to graduate.recruitment@credit-suisse.
Critique:
I would like to start off by highlighting the positives of this letter. Firstly, an appropriate tone coupled with the usage of subjunctive mood enhanced the image of the company. The message was concise without any spelling nor grammatical errors. More importantly, an appropriate indirect approach for rejection was used.
The letter started off with a buffer by explaining the situation before stating the bad news in a positive way. It closed off with a positive tone by mentioning that the decision was in no way a reflection of the recipient’s undoubted abilities. This would ensure that the recipient remains positive about seeking employment in other similar companies within the industry. Suggestions that the recipient might want to undertake were also highlighted.
With regards to the negative, firstly, the subject title was vague as it did not contain the company’s name. It could be improved by a simple alteration of the subject to “Your Credit Suisse Analyst Application” instead of a mere “Your Application”. Also, the statement “ Please monitor our positions….” had a tinge of bluntness tagged to it. A more appropriate way to start the sentence would be “We encourage you to monitor our positions…”
It would also be more appropriate to invite the recipient to email Ms Phillips instead of calling her for feedback so as to avoid awkwardness.
Credit Suisse (donotreply@gtios.com) on behalf of graduate.recruitment@credit-suisse.com
Sent:17 November 2008 14: 04PM
Subject:Your Application
To: Berbetov84@hotmail.com
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you for taking the time to participate in the Credit Suisse Superday Assessment for an Analyst position within the Operations Division.
I am sure you can appreciate that the competition across our assessment days was strong and this always make these decisions very difficult. After further discussion of your application, we regrettably must confirm that we will not be extending you an offer to join the Operations Analyst Program.. We hope you will not be too disappointed and that you still found the experience worthwhile and enjoyable. This decision should in no way be viewed as a reflection on your own undoubted abilities and skills
If you would like to obtain some high level feedback on your performance at the assessment, then please call Carolyne Phillips at 6214 8767 for a short discussion. Leave a voicemail for her on this number if she is not available at the time you call and she will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please monitor our positions on our careers website at: http://www.credit-suisse.com/careers.
We wish you every personal and professional success with your job search and in the future. Thank you for your interest in Credit Suisse.
Kind regards
Campus RecruitingCredit Suisse
Your personal data will be retained by Credit Suisse for future recruitment and administrative purposes.
We will not disclose this information to any other external organization without obtaining your prior consent. If you do not wish for your personal data to be retained or would like it to be updated, please inform us by sending an e-mail to graduate.recruitment@credit-suisse.
Critique:
I would like to start off by highlighting the positives of this letter. Firstly, an appropriate tone coupled with the usage of subjunctive mood enhanced the image of the company. The message was concise without any spelling nor grammatical errors. More importantly, an appropriate indirect approach for rejection was used.
The letter started off with a buffer by explaining the situation before stating the bad news in a positive way. It closed off with a positive tone by mentioning that the decision was in no way a reflection of the recipient’s undoubted abilities. This would ensure that the recipient remains positive about seeking employment in other similar companies within the industry. Suggestions that the recipient might want to undertake were also highlighted.
With regards to the negative, firstly, the subject title was vague as it did not contain the company’s name. It could be improved by a simple alteration of the subject to “Your Credit Suisse Analyst Application” instead of a mere “Your Application”. Also, the statement “ Please monitor our positions….” had a tinge of bluntness tagged to it. A more appropriate way to start the sentence would be “We encourage you to monitor our positions…”
It would also be more appropriate to invite the recipient to email Ms Phillips instead of calling her for feedback so as to avoid awkwardness.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Blog 2: Resolving Interpersonal Conflict
For the module ME3102, your group of 5 was required to manufacture a robot designed earlier last semester. There was a peer assessment at the middle and the end of the semester, and individual grades were assigned by your group’s professor in charge. Your group was further divided into two subgroups. Fiona, Alex and Jessica were assigned to tackle the electronics whereas Charles and yourself were assigned to handle the mechanics of the robot.
Charles and yourself are good friends who have known each other since junior college. You met him twice a week in the manufacturing lab in school while group meetings took place fortnightly. During the course of the module, Charles became attached to Lydia, the senior whom he had admired since junior college days. Charles began to skip the lab sessions with the excuse that he had to keep Lydia company, but continued attending the group meetings.
You confronted Charles and he assured you that everything was on track. 1 week after the confrontation, Charles produced an assembled chassis with fully working mechanisms. He had engaged the help of his father, who owns an engineering firm. You know this was solely the work of his father’s employees.
You also found out that the rest were having problems with the electronics due to the tedium of programming and circuiting. You suggested to Charles to inform the rest that your part had been completed and Charles and yourself could help them out. However, Charles warned you not to tell the rest about the outsourced completed job so that he could continue spending time with Lydia without being labeled as a free rider. At this stage, the project was due in 3 weeks time.
What would you have done so that the robot would be completed on time and each individual’s grade was a true reflection of his/her effort?
Charles and yourself are good friends who have known each other since junior college. You met him twice a week in the manufacturing lab in school while group meetings took place fortnightly. During the course of the module, Charles became attached to Lydia, the senior whom he had admired since junior college days. Charles began to skip the lab sessions with the excuse that he had to keep Lydia company, but continued attending the group meetings.
You confronted Charles and he assured you that everything was on track. 1 week after the confrontation, Charles produced an assembled chassis with fully working mechanisms. He had engaged the help of his father, who owns an engineering firm. You know this was solely the work of his father’s employees.
You also found out that the rest were having problems with the electronics due to the tedium of programming and circuiting. You suggested to Charles to inform the rest that your part had been completed and Charles and yourself could help them out. However, Charles warned you not to tell the rest about the outsourced completed job so that he could continue spending time with Lydia without being labeled as a free rider. At this stage, the project was due in 3 weeks time.
What would you have done so that the robot would be completed on time and each individual’s grade was a true reflection of his/her effort?
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