Day 2: Feb 13 09
“Take a Reality Check with NUS Career Centre”
10:00 Ms Wong Sing Chee, Assistant Director, Career Center, takes the stage to address the current employment market
10:09 What are your expectations? multiple job offers? high salary?
10:10: Reality Check No.1: Global economy goes down including Singapore’s partners. In Singapore, more than 30,000 jobs may be lost in 2009.
10:12: Reality Check No.2: Limited number of openings. Salary to decrease by 15% to 20% to around S$2,000 to S$2,300
10:15 Advice No.1: Adjust your expectations: Expect to wait longer and keep positive.
10:15 Employers’ expectations: passion and commitment; Eagerness to learn and contribute; Talent; Initiative and creativity; flexibility and adaptability; interpersonal skills and communication; spirit
10:19 Advice No.2: How to tackle fewer job openings? Simple, send more applications! Tap on your network to source for openings! Acquire new skills and consider relocating！( Jurong Island? Middle East? )! Array of possibilities out there.
10:28 Look out for industries that are hiring: Public service, service, construction and research & development
10:31 Shall I accept a contract job? Yes. It gives your the salary！It also gives you an opportunity to learn and acquire more skills. It leads to the possibility of conversion to a permanent job
10:35 Approach Career Center for assistance! Skills development, more job opportunitys, career talks, eJob Center, etc
10:36 visit our website: www.nus.edu.sg/osa/careers for more information!
Next! “Against All Odds in 2009″
11:00 Steven Chong from Next Transition Pte Ltd offers strategies to beat the crowd
11:11 Strategy No. 1: plan carefully for your future but the key for now is to get experience
11:15 story sharing: how to become a Swatch designer?
11:16 Strategy No. 2: not necessary to take any job offer. It all depends on what you need exactly
11:18 Strategy No.3 : Be less choosy, give yourself more options- Prepare for the future
11:19 Strategy No.4 : Assess options conservatively
11:21 Strategy No.5 : Take calculated risks and be Creative
11:22 Strategy No.6: If you have to take a detour, do not divert. For example, you should only pursue a higher degree if it helps your career
11:25 Strategy No.7: Network more! It is about building relationships! Be proactive and find more information.
11:28 Strategy No.8: Stay healthy and positive! Keep normal working hours
11:31 Strategy No.9: Be prepared to seize the limited opportunities available in the marketo
11:32 So now you have employment, what to do next ? Remain employment-savvy always. The iron rice bowl lies within yourself
11:40 Steven shares his contact. If you have questions, email him and cite NUS Career Fair!
Coming up! “Research As Your Foremost Career Choice”
12:04 Hands up! Wow lots of science and engineering students in the House
12:05 Prof Ng How Yong from Environmental Engineering and Sciences addresses, “ Are you born for research?” Do you get the satisfaction in problem solving? Can you handle routine tasks? Find out from the list below!
12:14 How to become a PHD? Get good references and add a personal touch. The affable Prof Ng shared with us the pros and cons for overseas positions
12:18 Job opportunities: research in companies, A*Star or becoming a Professor in universities
12:20 We have another speaker taking the floor…Dr Chew Fook Tim gives an overview of the Singapore economy in 2009. It will be Knowledge Intensive; Your ability to continuously acquire knowledge will bring you to the top
12:24 “ Critical Thinking”: know how to obtain knowledge and link them up
12:27 Lab Culture: Are you really passionate about your work? Be the best that you can be! Do something that you really love!
12:32 Research- What does it take ? Most importantly, you need to have the integrity. You will have to build a track record, work with the right people and build a network of contacts. More on the list below:
12:38 His personal experience: “Sweat is beautiful!”
12:41 Rem’ to go check out all the schemes for graduate schools!
12:43 Becoming a Global Citizen for your career!
“How about a Career in the Retail & Services Industry?”
13:10 Megan Ong from the Singapore Institute of Retail Studies takes the stages and opens with an overview of the retail industry
13: 14 “Why a retail career?” Global exposure, fast paced and challenging; RSI has around 4,000 job vacancies, including supervisory and management appointments
13: 22 Check out all the career opportunities in the Retail Industry!
13:25 Are you made for retail? Check out the qualities below!
13:28 Check out different programs developed by SIRS! This is how SIRS can help you: Certified Service Professional, Retail WSQ Diploma Programme/ Modules
13:36 From an insider’s perspective: Jay Gee: Management Trainee (Sales & Operations)
13:39 More details about the job: salary, career path etc
“Spring Singapore: Molding Companies!”
14:07 Mr Simon Lim from SPRING Singapore starts by giving an overview of SPRING
14:26 So why should we join an SME?
14:28 numerous learning opportunities available , lots of exposure to business, enhanced flexibility for decision making
14:30 No fear! SPRING provides direct measures to help local companies get access to financing
14:33 Strengths and capabilities of SMEs are crucial. Over-leveraging ie excess borrowing not recommended
14:38 they also have Executive Development scholarships for students studying in local Unis &
Management development scholarships: selected employees to go for MBA training to advance their career opportunities
14:41 Working with Chamber of Commerce, Industry Association of Singapore, gain actual experience by working with industries before blazing out a trail on your own
14:45 Important! – An ability to convince potential investors that you can execute
“Being a Recruit Once More: What Matters After Graduation”
15:05 Taking the floor this moment is Ms Sylvia Lee, ACTSYS Process Management Consultant
15:07 Sylvia was recruited by Shell & CapitaLand respectively. Interesting fact: She went from a budding engineer to a seasoned HR practitioner
15:10 Studying akin to the first 9 months of pregnancy while the period after childbirth marks the start of an amazing & exciting journey. That’s when the real work begins!
15:20 Every MNC is different; it’s important to rewire after retiring. That’s why Sylvia is able to share her insights & experiences with you now
15:21 TIP 1: It doesn’t matter if the company is advertising for jobs or otherwise, just APPLY!
15:22 No proactive advertising but mindset of “I will recruit candidates who are of the right caliber if they pop along”
15:25 yupps. The only constant is You; the experience once you step out of uni will be different from what you initially envisioned
15:25 Frightening- no routine no structure but nevertheless it’s exciting! Rely on your senses!
15:25 TIP 2: Put up your antenna, talk to people when there are no sense of expectations
15:26 TIP 3: Internships are important!
15:28 Don’t be afraid of what they give to you. Prepare for a lot of anxiety but don’t worry, brain & mouth work wonders. A willingness to put in the hours matters
15:28 Challenges and difficulties build our character!
15:29 Food for thought: How do we arm ourselves? What sort of attitude we need?
15: 33 Acknowledge the power of empathy! Knowing how to handle people is half the battle won
15:37 Analyze the situation, carve it into bite-sized pieces to manage your emotions better
15: 38 It’s possible to move across industries. Functional competencies matter but that’s not all there is to a job
15:40 Attitude and applied skills are what employers look for; basic skills can be learnt but not your personality
15:41 Your attitude defines you! Turning ideas into solutions is what matters to employers
15:42 Your personality and character cut across all jobs; they are the first things employers look at
15:44 Have a convincing story to tell if you want to switch industry. A “try-it-out” attitude is discouraged
15:47 Think: Who are you? What are you? Build a brand name for yourself. Build you own success story!
15:48 “Treat unequals equally” Respect all!
15:49 Office politics?! If you don’t play, you’re out?! Playing politics is not wrong. It’s a matter of one’s preference
15:50 Or, is there another way about it? Think for yourself what matters
15:55 Last piece of advice: Chin up, smile, make sure to have no worries rumbling through your mind when you walk into that interview room! Ask good questions!
Rounding up! “Managing Yourself Amidst the Turbulence!”
16:01 Our last speaker- Ms Lilian Ing contemplating the best way to bring the message across to you
16:05 She’s up! – Lilian, Senior Clinical Psychologist with the NUS Counseling Centre, she has lived in Africa, Europe, the US and now Singapore
16:10 Skills, behavior, passion take you anywhere you want to go
16:11 Process of transition- Cycle of emotions- After sending out 52 resumes, will I make it?
16:15 Ask: Do I know myself? The self management matrix: Are you a crazy maker, a micromanger or a responder?
16:17 Victim! Responder? Reframe: be anything you want to to gain back control
16:18 Do what it takes to keep the ship afloat. Put your pride in your pocket
16:20 I’ve been studying skills all the while BUT she says skills are not all that matter. The Passion. The Energy. To make it happen.
16:26 Micromanager? Broaden your mindset. Focus on vision. Ask yourself what kind of skills have you got?
16:28 Or, are you a crazy maker whom chases but do not achieve? Are you distracted with your own ideas?
16:29 Get a balance- what’s out there and what you want? Derive a natural fit between youself and what you want to do
16:30 Do you know what the market wants? Go for any job. Crave the Experience. Managing change and dealing with conflict – Can you do it?
16:35 Get your elevator pitch ready! Align your Discoveries with your Dreams! Design & Deliver it!
16:38 Good news! Talents still needed!
16: 44 What’s your USP? Them versus me? Why you? What’s the difference without you? Is there any difference?
16:50 Be positive, proactive, persistent, talk to anyone who would talk to you. Do not take rejections personally
16:55 Yes the market may be crazy. But..
- end of talks -
