Final post!

In a blink of an eye, the semester is coming to an end. Looking back at all the activities and assignments we did for ES2007S, I think I have learnt more than what I expected when I bid for this module. I picked ES2007S hoping that I can learn how to write a good resume and I am proud to say I have learnt so much more than expected from Brad such as verbal and non-verbal communication, the 7Cs of writing, active listening, proposal writing, oral presentation and many other important skills such as interviewing, application letter writing etc. I have realized that resume writing is only a small aspect of the job searching process and there are so many areas that we need to improve on.

Initially, I was horrified that we have to blog often as I was apprehensive about posting my thoughts and feelings on a public blog for everyone to see. In addition, I felt that I am quite weak in English and would have difficulties phrasing my sentences. With the help of Geok Ting and my blogging buddy, Zikai, I am more confident of blogging now.

For the project, I learnt how to work in a team and how to communicate effectively with my project mates. Even though there were minor miscommunications, our group always manages to iron out the problems and work hand in hand to get the proposal done. The most interesting part of this project was the interviewing of the managers from the NUS Career Centre. As it was my first attempt at being the interviewer rather than the interviewee, I was nervous. In addition, the manager told us that they were in the process of developing the system that we were proposing. This threw us off guard and we had to come up with questions impromptu. At the beginning of the interview, we felt more like the interviewees. But as the interview progressed, we became more comfortable and they provided many suggestions and advice for both our proposal and our personal future job searches. They were interested in our proposal and requested us for a follow up session. It feels very rewarding that our work is being recognized.

In conclusion, I am glad that I took ES2007S as I have learnt many soft skills which cannot be found in other modules and made so many new friends. :D Last but not the least, thank you Brad, for making ES2007S a fun experience for us. :))

OP reflections

Yay! I’m so relieved that this tough week is over and it is now time to reflect on TinkyWiki’s presentation. When our group was preparing the slides, we were slightly torn between the idea of having a set of professional looking slides and a set of slides with more colours and pictures. Some of us felt that professional looking slides should have a uniform colour theme for the boxes containing each point while some felt that a colourful slide might better capture the audience’s attention. We even consulted Brad and asked him which theme is better. Thinking back, that question seems quite insignificant. Sorry Brad! :p

Sometimes, our group will have slightly different ideas on how we should present an idea but we always managed to compromise and objectively pick the idea that the majority felt was better. I am glad for those different ideas as I felt that our slides were refined after talking through the difficulties. In addition, everyone in the team was very helpful and we aided each other in completing the slides which we are responsible for.

I realized that I was less nervous for this presentation as compared to my peer teaching experience (Xiuling and Rebecca will know how nervous I was). One of the reasons might be the fact that we had more time to practise for the script. For the presentation, Hazel and I decided to bring our cue cards along to boost our confidence level. I feel that I looked down to flip my cards too often as I was scared that if I blanked out and I am not at the correct page, I will have to flip frantically. I should have the confidence to dump those cards!

Another point would be that Hazel and I were whispering to each other while Shin Ye was presenting. I did not realize that we were so distracting until Patrick commented. I have learnt that even though I am not presenting, as long as I am standing in front of the audience I should be aware of myactions as it might divert the attention away from the speaker.

Finally, I would like to thank both Shin Ye and Hazel. We had a lot of fun and laughter during discussions and they have been fabulous team mates. It was a great experience working with them! :D

Intercultural Scenario

I went to Taiwan for a short trip with my friends last year. We chose Taiwan as we felt that their culture is similar to ours and we would not have much trouble adapting. However, I realized that there are still differences.

In Singapore, we wait for the train behind the yellow lines. Those who are anxious to get into the train will stand right in front of the train doors. Taiwanese queue up in neat lines at the side of the train doors (within the boundaries of the white lines in the picture below) while waiting for the train to arrive.

An embarrassing incident happened at the train station during our trip. After we got off the train, we walked towards the escalator and joined the group of people who were waiting at the side (a common sight in Singapore) .We received a few stares from the people around us. Wondering what was wrong, we turned our heads and looked around. To our surprise, we discovered that the Taiwanese join the queue from the back instead of “cutting” queue from the sides!

The bus system is also more complicated when you compare to Singapore’s. Some buses only accept cash, while some offer the option of cash or Easycard, which is similar to Singapore’s ez-link. Then, some of the bus fares are paid when one boards the bus while some are paid when one alights.

Sign stating that payment is to be made before one alights from the bus.

In conclusion, I feel that we should try to read up on the cultural differences before travelling to a foreign country. For cultural conflicts that occur unexpectedly, we should make an effort to observe and imitate what people around us are doing. In this way, we will not offend the locals. Last but not the least, here is a picture of my friends and I at the destination after the travelling. :D

Personal Statement

In junior college, I was not interested in Chemistry. I always dozed off in Chemistry lectures and tutorials. Expectedly, I failed my mid terms. However, my teacher did not give up on me and gave me remedial lessons and tried his best to make them as interesting as possible. My love for Chemistry grew and I managed to get a good grade for A levels.

Throughout my days in NUS, I picked up various analytical methods in laboratory work such as the usage of UV-VIS and IR spectroscopy, HPLC and LC-MS. Other than chemical knowledge, working in the laboratory has taught me how to think on my feet. Things can go wrong in an experiment and it is important to think of solutions quickly.

During my school holidays, I took up jobs in different fields. As an accounting assistant, I categorized and sorted out documents, which helped to hone my organization ability. In addition, my experience as a sale associate developed my communication and interpersonal skills through constant interaction with customers and colleagues.

I also helped in organising the NUS Science Club's charity run From the event, I learnt how to work in a dynamic team comprising of people from various backgrounds and to resolve conflicts. In addition, I was part of the marketing and publicity team in my hall's concert and Dinner and Dance respectively. I have learnt the importance of good communication skills from all my school activities and I believe that they will be useful for a career as a laboratory officer.

Application Letter

Job title: Lab Officer

Company: Institute of Bioengineering & Nanotechnology

Responsibilities

• Organise and and maintain integrity of laboratory information in print and on file server
• Responsible for lab safety and smooth running of routine activities in the lab
• Participate in research projects by contributing technical competence in biological assays, molecular and cell biology, or analytical methods such as HPLC, LC-MS and CE

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Science or Engineering
• 2 or more years of working experience preferred
• Good communication, interpersonal and organization skills
• Hand-on experience with biological assays, molecular/cell biology, micro-array and real-time PCR or analytical chemistry preferred.

_______________________________________________________

122D Rivervale Drive
#13-462
Singapore 544122
+6591465595
ohjiamin@gmail.com

September 3, 2009

Human Resource Manager
Institute of Bioengineering & Nanotechnology
31 Biopolis Way
The Nanos, #04-01
Singapore 138669
Tel: +65 6824 7000

Dear Sir/Mdm,

Application for Lab Officer/Senior Lab Officer (Cell and Tissue Engineering)

I read a post from NUS ejob centre of your need for a lab officer for the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. I believe that my education and work experience will make a contribution to A.Star in this position.

In May, I will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from National University of Singapore. As you may know, NUS is one of the leading universities in Singapore that offers a dynamic science education. The various analytical methods which I learnt hands-on will be useful for this post. In addition, I have worked at various companies in areas such as sales and accounting which helped to broaden my perspectives and equipped me with good communication and organization skills.

From my resume, you would have seen that I have helped to organise events such as a charity run for the NUS science club. From the event, I learnt how to work in a dynamic team comprising of people from various backgrounds and how to resolve conflicts when the need arises. In addition, I was part of the marketing and publicity team in my hall's concert and Dinner and Dance respectively. I have learnt the importance of good communication skills from all my school activities and I hope I can apply them for this job post.

I believe that the combination of my working experience and laboratory training in NUS is well-suited to the lab officer position described. I have enclosed a copy of my resume with additional information about my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to receiving your reply.

Sincerely,




Oh Jia Min

Enclosure

An interpersonal conflict situation

This is a story about three of my ex-classmates, named John, Mary and Jane. They were good friends and often hang out after classes either to study or play together. As time went by, both Mary and Jane fell for John. However, they did not know that they liked the same person. After a few months, John and Mary got together but they decided to keep it a secret as they were afraid that the classmates will tease them. Jane was sad but she still decided to give them her blessings and helped them to keep it a secret.

The class thought that John and Jane liked each other. During recess on a particular day, one classmate decided to cheer when Jane walked towards John. The rest of the class followed suit. Naturally, Jane was very embarrassed. She looked towards Mary for help, hoping that she will stand up to clarify or even just to convince the class to lower their volume. However, Mary was just clapping and laughing along together with the rest of the class. Jane was hurt as she felt that Mary had used her as a shield against all those teasing. She thought that Mary was her good friend. Aren’t good friends supposed to help each other when one is in need? On the other hand, Mary did not know that her actions caused Jane to feel troubled. She was unsure of the reason behind the sudden change in Jane’s attitude after that day. The lack of communication caused Mary and Jane to slowly drift apart.

Do you think there is still any hope for them to find their friendship back?

What would you do if you were Mary, Jane or their friend?

Why effective communication skills are important for me.

Have you ever had any miscommunication with anyone, be it your friends, family members or even acquaintances? I am sure everyone has encountered this uncomfortable situation at some point in their lives. Misunderstandings and confusions arise and relationships might be affected. We should try our best to prevent any communication breakdown and this is where effective communication skills come into play.

Having effective communication skills are important to me as I will need them to interact with people all the time. In the family, the exchanging of thoughts and feelings among all the family members is very important to keep the family bonded. In the workforce, I need to share ideas and opinions regarding work issues with my fellow colleagues in a competitive environment. The usage of correct channels to pass the message and the proper way of presenting what we intend to say can help to keep communication easy and error free.

I believe that the thoughts which we want to convey to others are an expression of ourselves. With effective communication skills, I can better understand what others want to express and put across what i want to say more successfully as well.

I shall end off with a quote,
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.
Rudyard Kipling