This semester has zoomed past so quickly, partly thanks to ES2007S and the deadlines that come flying in each week. Even though this has been a somewhat demanding module in terms of workload, I think it was really worth the time and effort put in. I've gained so many important skills and insights from this course.
For one, I can proudly say that my presentation skills have improved! From verbal to non verbal aspects, I'm now more aware of myself and audience, thanks to the practice that we received during the peer teaching and the oral presentation. The comments that Ms Lim and all our classmates gave during class presentations really helped a lot. I think this critical feedback was a really important aspect of this course because it was very useful and I managed to improve from reading through the comments given.
Secondly, I feel that I have somewhat become more observant of my surroundings and the people around me. Believe it or not, I used to be quite oblivious to my surroundings. Ever since I learnt about the various parts of communication skills, and participated in those activities where I had to observe people, I realised that I've unknowingly applied these skills to my daily life. And life suddenly becomes so much more interesting! Haha.
Thirdly, I found out to my horror, how inadequate my job application package was. It was quite scary to realise that my resume was lacking a lot in terms of content. But it was a blessing in disguise I guess. Now I know what I have to work on to beef up my resume. Getting an internship would be a good start (:
As I've shared with the class, I'm really thankful for all my classmates for their participation and preparedness for class. Without them, this module wouldn't have been so rewarding. Thank you everybody! (: (:
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Reflection on Oral Presentation
I can't believe that we're nearing the end of the module. Time files so quickly! For the oral presentation, in terms of preparation, my group met up on the two days leading up to the presentation to edit the slides and rehearse. In the process, we made changes to the slides so that the flow was more logical. Previously it seemed somewhat disjointed. I'm glad we managed to iron that out.
Delivery wise, I thought that it was not smooth as I fumbled quite a little and had to refer to my script often, making my part of the presentation seem less persuasive as it suggests that I was unable to internalise the content of the presentation. That was quite terrible!
However, my classmates were very encouraging during the presentation. There were times when I spoke a little too quickly, and I could see shiyun and rina gesturing me to slow down. Also, at times when I couldn't remember what I was supposed to say, I would look up and see my classmates smiling in an encouraging manner. That really helped to calm my nerves down and allowed me to compose myself.
Coming to the question and answer session, I thought that our group anticipated questions quite well as a few of the questions that we prepared for were asked during the session. However, the answers given could have been better in terms of clarity and substantiation.
Overall, I felt that I lacked practice. Nevertheless, it was a good experience as I was able to pick out several mistakes which I will bear in mind when I make presentations in the future.
Delivery wise, I thought that it was not smooth as I fumbled quite a little and had to refer to my script often, making my part of the presentation seem less persuasive as it suggests that I was unable to internalise the content of the presentation. That was quite terrible!
However, my classmates were very encouraging during the presentation. There were times when I spoke a little too quickly, and I could see shiyun and rina gesturing me to slow down. Also, at times when I couldn't remember what I was supposed to say, I would look up and see my classmates smiling in an encouraging manner. That really helped to calm my nerves down and allowed me to compose myself.
Coming to the question and answer session, I thought that our group anticipated questions quite well as a few of the questions that we prepared for were asked during the session. However, the answers given could have been better in terms of clarity and substantiation.
Overall, I felt that I lacked practice. Nevertheless, it was a good experience as I was able to pick out several mistakes which I will bear in mind when I make presentations in the future.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour
The incident that I'm going to share with you occured when my friend, Regina went to China for a holiday last summer. We were chatting one day and she happened to tell me about her bad dinner experience in Beijing.
On the first evening after arriving in Beijing, Regina went to a local restaurant for dinner with her friends, Charlotte and Ronald. The three of them are chinese Singaporeans. After getting seated at a table, they browsed through the menus and made their dinner choices. Wanting to place the order for the table, Ronald signalled to the waitress nearby and called out, "xiao jie! (which translates to 'Miss' in english)". The waitress stared at him and then walked away, pretending not to hear him. He called out to another waitress and got ignored once again. By then, he was feeling quite annoyed at the restaurant's poor service. Subsequently, he managed to catch the attention of a waiter who took his orders.
The food arrived shortly and the three of them were trying their hardest to maintain a conversation as they found difficulty conversing with each other. The local chinese sitting at the tables around them were speaking very loudly, thus drowning out their voices. They were quite shocked at how loudly the locals were conversing in public as speaking loudly in public areas is deemed as rude behaviour in Singapore. Unhappy with their terrible dinner experience, they quickly finished up their food and left the restaurant promptly.
Eventually, they found out from a local friend that it is actually rude to call a waitress 'xiao jie' because while this translates to 'Miss' in our local Singapore culture, in China, 'xiao jie' actually refers to a lady who works at nightclubs. Therefore, the right way to address a waitress in China is to call her 'fu wu yuan', which translates to waitress in english.
Also, they found out that while speaking loudly in public is deemed rude in Singapore, in china, to speak loudly demonstrates one's good health. Hence, the louder a person speaks during a conversation, the healthier he seems to other people.
Overall, this incident proved to be somewhat of a culture shock for the Regina and her friends. Although they were all chinese, they still found intercultural differences in behaviour on their trip to China. It was indeed a learning experience for them.
On the first evening after arriving in Beijing, Regina went to a local restaurant for dinner with her friends, Charlotte and Ronald. The three of them are chinese Singaporeans. After getting seated at a table, they browsed through the menus and made their dinner choices. Wanting to place the order for the table, Ronald signalled to the waitress nearby and called out, "xiao jie! (which translates to 'Miss' in english)". The waitress stared at him and then walked away, pretending not to hear him. He called out to another waitress and got ignored once again. By then, he was feeling quite annoyed at the restaurant's poor service. Subsequently, he managed to catch the attention of a waiter who took his orders.
The food arrived shortly and the three of them were trying their hardest to maintain a conversation as they found difficulty conversing with each other. The local chinese sitting at the tables around them were speaking very loudly, thus drowning out their voices. They were quite shocked at how loudly the locals were conversing in public as speaking loudly in public areas is deemed as rude behaviour in Singapore. Unhappy with their terrible dinner experience, they quickly finished up their food and left the restaurant promptly.
Eventually, they found out from a local friend that it is actually rude to call a waitress 'xiao jie' because while this translates to 'Miss' in our local Singapore culture, in China, 'xiao jie' actually refers to a lady who works at nightclubs. Therefore, the right way to address a waitress in China is to call her 'fu wu yuan', which translates to waitress in english.
Also, they found out that while speaking loudly in public is deemed rude in Singapore, in china, to speak loudly demonstrates one's good health. Hence, the louder a person speaks during a conversation, the healthier he seems to other people.
Overall, this incident proved to be somewhat of a culture shock for the Regina and her friends. Although they were all chinese, they still found intercultural differences in behaviour on their trip to China. It was indeed a learning experience for them.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Application Letter
Application Letter
[Sender's Address]
1st September 2010
Human Resources Department
Shimizu Corporation
78 Shenton Way #11-01
Singapore 079120
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing in to apply for the position of engineer, in response to your advertisement which appeared on www.st701.com on 1st September 2010. I have enclosed my resume and academic transcript for your perusal. Being extremely interested in the field of building and construction, I believe that my passion and working capabilities will allow me to contribute greatly to your corporation.
I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Civil Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and will expect to graduate in May 2012. During the course of study, I have been equipped with the research skills and technical expertise on various civil engineering disciplines.
It would definitely be an honour to start my engineering career in an established and renowned organisation like Shimizu Corporation, a leading construction company in the world. Although I do not have the 3 years of experience as required by your corporation, I am extremely eager to learn from the experienced engineers in your organisation. Being a quick learner, I believe that my focused yet open-minded attitude towards learning will aid me greatly in my endeavour to serve your corporation.
Having been in various leadership positions during my school days, such as being House Captain, Senior Peer Support Leader and member of the Student Leaders’ Network in secondary school, as well as being part of the Civil Engineering Club committee in university, working in a team comes as second nature to me. The good interpersonal skills which I have been able to develop over this period of time will allow me to coordinate and work well with my colleagues.
I am also able to work well independently. My experience as a member of the Singapore Youth Flying Club during my JC days has trained me well to operate with an alert mind under stressful situations. In addition, I have been in competitive javelin throwing for 8 years and I strongly believe that my personal values of determination and pursuit for excellence will be put to good use if I receive the opportunity to work in your corporation.
My skills and interests, together with the confidence and enthusiasm which I am able contribute to your organisation, make me the right person for the position you are looking to fill. I look forward to meeting you for an interview to learn more about the job requirements. You may contact me at [Sender's HP number] or hjuen_sun@hotmail.com.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Yours faithfully,
[Sender's Name]
Enclosed: Resume & Academic Transcript
Job Advertisement
Construction - Senior Engineers / Engineers
• Company:SHIMIZU CORPORATION
• Industry:Building / Construction / Engineering Services
• Job Function:Engineering / Technical
• Website:http://www.shimz.com.sg
• Location:#11-1, SHENTON WAY
• Job Type:Permanent / Full Time
• Date Posted:Monday, 30 August 2010
Company:
Shimizu''s lines of business: • Contracting for building, civil engineering and other construction works. • Investigation, planning, research, evaluation, diagnosis, soil investigation, surveying, design, supervision, management and consulting in connection with construction works. We invite independent, dedicated and hardworking individuals full of drive and enthusiasm to join us in building some of the most acclaimed architecture around the world. History of Shimizu Corporation Singapore (International Division HQ) • The Singapore Office of Shimizu Corporation launched its operations in 1973 • Consistently answered the demands of a vibrant economy for quality buildable design and construction • High profile achievement - Ngee Ann City, Republic Plaza and Heeren Building • Winning numerous BCA awards for construction excellence and best buildable design • Attained ISO 9002 recognition in November 1995 for our exceptional standards of quality • Attained ISO 14000 and ISO 18000 recognition in November 2002 for our exceptional standards of safety and environmental protection awareness • Upgraded to the new ISO 9001:2000 recognition in June 2003 for consistently providing exceptional standards of quality to meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements and aiming for customer satisfaction
Job Description:
(We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.)
For fresh graduates, please enclose your degree certificate & transcript copies together with your resume.
[Sender's Address]
1st September 2010
Human Resources Department
Shimizu Corporation
78 Shenton Way #11-01
Singapore 079120
Dear Sir/Madam,
Application for the Position of Engineer
I am writing in to apply for the position of engineer, in response to your advertisement which appeared on www.st701.com on 1st September 2010. I have enclosed my resume and academic transcript for your perusal. Being extremely interested in the field of building and construction, I believe that my passion and working capabilities will allow me to contribute greatly to your corporation.
I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in Civil Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and will expect to graduate in May 2012. During the course of study, I have been equipped with the research skills and technical expertise on various civil engineering disciplines.
It would definitely be an honour to start my engineering career in an established and renowned organisation like Shimizu Corporation, a leading construction company in the world. Although I do not have the 3 years of experience as required by your corporation, I am extremely eager to learn from the experienced engineers in your organisation. Being a quick learner, I believe that my focused yet open-minded attitude towards learning will aid me greatly in my endeavour to serve your corporation.
Having been in various leadership positions during my school days, such as being House Captain, Senior Peer Support Leader and member of the Student Leaders’ Network in secondary school, as well as being part of the Civil Engineering Club committee in university, working in a team comes as second nature to me. The good interpersonal skills which I have been able to develop over this period of time will allow me to coordinate and work well with my colleagues.
I am also able to work well independently. My experience as a member of the Singapore Youth Flying Club during my JC days has trained me well to operate with an alert mind under stressful situations. In addition, I have been in competitive javelin throwing for 8 years and I strongly believe that my personal values of determination and pursuit for excellence will be put to good use if I receive the opportunity to work in your corporation.
My skills and interests, together with the confidence and enthusiasm which I am able contribute to your organisation, make me the right person for the position you are looking to fill. I look forward to meeting you for an interview to learn more about the job requirements. You may contact me at [Sender's HP number] or hjuen_sun@hotmail.com.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Yours faithfully,
[Sender's Name]
Enclosed: Resume & Academic Transcript
Job Advertisement
Construction - Senior Engineers / Engineers
• Company:SHIMIZU CORPORATION
• Industry:Building / Construction / Engineering Services
• Job Function:Engineering / Technical
• Website:http://www.shimz.com.sg
• Location:#11-1, SHENTON WAY
• Job Type:Permanent / Full Time
• Date Posted:Monday, 30 August 2010
Shimizu''s lines of business: • Contracting for building, civil engineering and other construction works. • Investigation, planning, research, evaluation, diagnosis, soil investigation, surveying, design, supervision, management and consulting in connection with construction works. We invite independent, dedicated and hardworking individuals full of drive and enthusiasm to join us in building some of the most acclaimed architecture around the world. History of Shimizu Corporation Singapore (International Division HQ) • The Singapore Office of Shimizu Corporation launched its operations in 1973 • Consistently answered the demands of a vibrant economy for quality buildable design and construction • High profile achievement - Ngee Ann City, Republic Plaza and Heeren Building • Winning numerous BCA awards for construction excellence and best buildable design • Attained ISO 9002 recognition in November 1995 for our exceptional standards of quality • Attained ISO 14000 and ISO 18000 recognition in November 2002 for our exceptional standards of safety and environmental protection awareness • Upgraded to the new ISO 9001:2000 recognition in June 2003 for consistently providing exceptional standards of quality to meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements and aiming for customer satisfaction
Job Description:
Requirements:
- Degree/Diploma in Architecture or Civil/Structural Engineering or its equivalent
- Minimum 3 years’ relevant experience
- Able to coordinate with consultants and sub-contractors
- Good interpersonal skills so as to be able to work in a team
- Fresh graduates are welcome to apply
(We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.)
For fresh graduates, please enclose your degree certificate & transcript copies together with your resume.
Pre-requisites:
- Min. Education Level : Diploma
- Field of Study : Architecture / Civil Engineering
- Year of Exp Required : 3
- Skills : Organisational skills / Project management
- Language : English
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Resolving Interpersonal Conflict
In this story, we have Edmund, a happily married man with 3 young children. He holds a managerial position in his company. Over the years, he had developed a good working relationship with his boss, Jamie, the director of the department. She was an approachable and understanding lady who treated her colleagues and subordinates like her family.
About half a year ago, there were some staff changes in the department and Edmund had a new boss, Sally. After working under her for a period of 6 months, he was starting to feel very stressed as Sally's working style was significantly different from Jamie's. Sally was a result-oriented person and had a more authoritarian leadership style as compared to Jamie's participative style. In addition, she was a workaholic. This was manifested in the numerous times Edmund was made to stay back to do overtime (OT) work in order to complete his work on the same day.
Initially, he took it in his stride. However, after an extended period of time, he realised that he had less time to spend with his family. By the time he reached home, he would only be able to spend an hour or two with his family before the children went to bed. Often, he would be so drained of his energy after a long day's work that all he wanted to do after reaching home was to sleep.
Additionally, he felt that his boss made unreasonable demands very frequently. An example would be calling up the managers in the department for a meeting just before he was about to get off work. Interestingly, the company has a flexible working hours system which allows the workers to choose their working hours. Edmund's working hours are officially from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. while Sally's are from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
On many occasions, Sally would call for a meeting after 5 pm, just as Edmund was about to leave the office. There were times he tried to reflect his opinion that the meetings could be held eariler during the day, or postponed to the next day since not everyone officially ends work at the same time. However, Sally ignored his comments and left him with no choice but to comply. He felt that Sally was being too demanding and insensitive to his feelings. Also, he found it difficult to communicate with Sally as she always spoke in a condescending and curt manner. Overall, he became very unhappy at work and has even thought of resigning from his job.
What should Edmund do to get himself out of this situation and improve his working relationship with his boss?
About half a year ago, there were some staff changes in the department and Edmund had a new boss, Sally. After working under her for a period of 6 months, he was starting to feel very stressed as Sally's working style was significantly different from Jamie's. Sally was a result-oriented person and had a more authoritarian leadership style as compared to Jamie's participative style. In addition, she was a workaholic. This was manifested in the numerous times Edmund was made to stay back to do overtime (OT) work in order to complete his work on the same day.
Initially, he took it in his stride. However, after an extended period of time, he realised that he had less time to spend with his family. By the time he reached home, he would only be able to spend an hour or two with his family before the children went to bed. Often, he would be so drained of his energy after a long day's work that all he wanted to do after reaching home was to sleep.
Additionally, he felt that his boss made unreasonable demands very frequently. An example would be calling up the managers in the department for a meeting just before he was about to get off work. Interestingly, the company has a flexible working hours system which allows the workers to choose their working hours. Edmund's working hours are officially from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. while Sally's are from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
On many occasions, Sally would call for a meeting after 5 pm, just as Edmund was about to leave the office. There were times he tried to reflect his opinion that the meetings could be held eariler during the day, or postponed to the next day since not everyone officially ends work at the same time. However, Sally ignored his comments and left him with no choice but to comply. He felt that Sally was being too demanding and insensitive to his feelings. Also, he found it difficult to communicate with Sally as she always spoke in a condescending and curt manner. Overall, he became very unhappy at work and has even thought of resigning from his job.
What should Edmund do to get himself out of this situation and improve his working relationship with his boss?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Why Effective Communication is Important to Me
Effective communication is important to me because it facilitates the sharing of ideas. Without it, the most invaluable idea loses its worth. Also, it allows for quality interaction between people. As a two way process, its is equally important to be understood as it is to send out the right message. In the future when I go out to work, it will be of utmost importance to be a good communicator in order to develop a good working relationship with my bosses and clients. When time is a constraint, effective communication can save precious minutes. In the working world, that translates to saving money as well.
Of course, there are many parts to verbal communication. Besides the content, the paralanguage and body language play important roles too. Without these, communication is just like a film without colour or sound, something that might be difficult to understand.
I must admit that I’m not a fast thinker, or a good speaker. So when I have to speak to somebody in person or over the telephone, I tend to get distracted easily by the events that are going on around me, or by the other party’s reaction. What I want to say usually comes out wrong, or gets phrased weirdly.
A good and simple example would be a few weeks back when I was watching an athletics event with my friends. We were all sitting at the main stand. They were talking about one of the competitors. Let’s call her B. One of my friends didn’t know who B was, and asked me. Clearly, B was standing to the left of the official. I was deciding between saying “B is to the right of the official from our view.” and “B is on the official’s left.” But in a hurry to express my thoughts, I bungled it up with “B is on the official’s... er... our... her... right side.” Of course, this was totally wrong and absurd sounding, and everyone laughed at me.
This is just one of the many examples I can find in my daily life. It can really get frustrating at times, because it’s not that I don’t know what to say, but my inability to communicate clearly prevents my intentions from getting across to the other party successfully.
Hence, whenever I say something that comes out just the way I had prepared it in my mind, I am secretly very happy with a huge “YES!” resounding in my head. I really treasure such moments, and this is why effective communication is important to me.
To end off, Here's a short comic strip depicting poor communication (in my opinion). Enjoy!
Of course, there are many parts to verbal communication. Besides the content, the paralanguage and body language play important roles too. Without these, communication is just like a film without colour or sound, something that might be difficult to understand.
I must admit that I’m not a fast thinker, or a good speaker. So when I have to speak to somebody in person or over the telephone, I tend to get distracted easily by the events that are going on around me, or by the other party’s reaction. What I want to say usually comes out wrong, or gets phrased weirdly.
A good and simple example would be a few weeks back when I was watching an athletics event with my friends. We were all sitting at the main stand. They were talking about one of the competitors. Let’s call her B. One of my friends didn’t know who B was, and asked me. Clearly, B was standing to the left of the official. I was deciding between saying “B is to the right of the official from our view.” and “B is on the official’s left.” But in a hurry to express my thoughts, I bungled it up with “B is on the official’s... er... our... her... right side.” Of course, this was totally wrong and absurd sounding, and everyone laughed at me.
This is just one of the many examples I can find in my daily life. It can really get frustrating at times, because it’s not that I don’t know what to say, but my inability to communicate clearly prevents my intentions from getting across to the other party successfully.
Hence, whenever I say something that comes out just the way I had prepared it in my mind, I am secretly very happy with a huge “YES!” resounding in my head. I really treasure such moments, and this is why effective communication is important to me.
To end off, Here's a short comic strip depicting poor communication (in my opinion). Enjoy!
Taken from http://www.explosm.net/comics/489/
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