I got to know this module through the NUS email, though I did not pay much attention to that email, I remembered the module code ES2007S. After all my core modules and FYP topic were finalized, I searched for the information about this module by curiosity. It said that this module would teach students how to write resume and cover letter. Because of this, I bidded for ES2007S on the very last day of the final bidding round. Luckily, I got it.
Still remember the situation when I went to class for the first lesson, the class was not started yet, but I became a little bit panic at that time. I began to think more carefully about this module. As there are no exams for this module, the continuous work is important, and a lot of speaking and writings are expected. I was not sure whether I was prepared for all theses things, and I did not know anybody in the class. Just at that time, Dongfang walked into the class, the only person I know at that time. Though we did not know each other very well before this module, at least I know who she is. We smiled towards each other, and from her facial expression, I could tell that she was also happy to see me here. Naturally, we became the partners for the peer teaching, both of us were nervous to be teachers, as it was the very first time for us. Together, we searched the information, did the PowerPoint, argued about the activities, and did the rehearsals and presentation. Through the process, we learnt a lot and we got know each other better.
I did the proposal and presentation with Van and Dongfang. We had some problem regarding to the meetings, as all of us have very tight schedules, Van and I are final year students, and Dongfang got 7 modules. However, we still tried our best to do the project, and everyone put her effort in it. There are still numbers of emails in my NUS mail box, from the very first meeting to the preparation for the presentation. No matter what happened during the process, finally, we made it. I want to say thank you gals, and I am happy to work with you.
I like this module, and I really learnt a lot from the module itself, from my partner, from my group mates, and from the whole class as well. This module is quite different from the rest of modules that I have taken. It is the first time that I know the names of the whole class, and we can talk to each other to change ideas both in class and after class (through blogs). Now it comes to an end, I wish I could know this module earlier so that I could take it in the previous semesters instead of in my final year. I skipped classes for three times due to other modules, and I wish I would not...
Finally, I want to say thank you Brad, you are very nice and patient, and you are a great teacher. For other modules, I do not have chance to talk to teachers besides academic things. Thanks to the special curriculum of this module, I got the chance to share ideas in class and through blogs with you like friends did.
Best wishes to all of you.
P.S. I know I missed the deadline due to some personal reasons, and maybe nobody would read this post anymore. I still want to post it to make myself feel complete.
Nov 19, 2009
Nov 2, 2009
Post #6: Reflection on Oral Presentation
Preparation:
We made the PowerPoint slides separately and then combined them together. My part includes the introduction of the existing student lounges in NUS, the reasons for creating a student lounge in the Faculty of Science with some statistics from the survey, and the conclusion. Here are some strengths from my opinion. Firstly, I think that I used the appropriate pictures of student lounges to make the audience visualize the points I made. Moreover, I drew bar charts for the survey results, which were easier for the audience to read and remember the viewpoints I wanted to make. Finally, the words and phrases in each slide were kept as short as possible which made the slides clear and easy to read. At the same time, there are also some weaknesses. I think that I should have used a lager size to show the related figures in the graphs because the audience could not see the figures clearly from the back of the class. The last step in preparation is thinking about how to present. I wrote the delivery notes and practiced myself, and we also had a complete rehearsal before the formal presentation.
Delivery:
Though I had experience of doing presentations before, I still got nervous when it was my turn. I remember that I spoke too fast in the peer teaching last time, so this time I tried to speak more clearly and slowly. I think my whole organization was clear and logic, and I reemphasized the key points to make my presentation clearer. Furthermore, during the presentation, I also tried to have eye contact with the audience, and referred back to the slides as less as possible. However, I did not look systematically at different sections of the audience, and I looked at my left-hand side more than my right-hand side. In addition, I presented my ideas without referring to the delivery notes in my hand. The reason that I could speak without notes is because that I wrote the proposal and I knew my material very well, such that I could remember the points naturally. This is quite different from the peer teaching I did last time, as the ideas of how to write the resume and the cover letter are searched from internet instead of being developed by myself. However, at one time, my mind just went blank due to nervousness, and I did not remember what I should talk about next, luckily, I got PowerPoint slide to remember me. I am not sure about whether my gestures were appropriate perceived by the audience, but I felt a bit unnatural. Finally, I found my presentation was not fluent enough, so more practices are needed.
Overall, it is a good experience for me to do this presentation, and I believe that I can do better next time.
We made the PowerPoint slides separately and then combined them together. My part includes the introduction of the existing student lounges in NUS, the reasons for creating a student lounge in the Faculty of Science with some statistics from the survey, and the conclusion. Here are some strengths from my opinion. Firstly, I think that I used the appropriate pictures of student lounges to make the audience visualize the points I made. Moreover, I drew bar charts for the survey results, which were easier for the audience to read and remember the viewpoints I wanted to make. Finally, the words and phrases in each slide were kept as short as possible which made the slides clear and easy to read. At the same time, there are also some weaknesses. I think that I should have used a lager size to show the related figures in the graphs because the audience could not see the figures clearly from the back of the class. The last step in preparation is thinking about how to present. I wrote the delivery notes and practiced myself, and we also had a complete rehearsal before the formal presentation.
Delivery:
Though I had experience of doing presentations before, I still got nervous when it was my turn. I remember that I spoke too fast in the peer teaching last time, so this time I tried to speak more clearly and slowly. I think my whole organization was clear and logic, and I reemphasized the key points to make my presentation clearer. Furthermore, during the presentation, I also tried to have eye contact with the audience, and referred back to the slides as less as possible. However, I did not look systematically at different sections of the audience, and I looked at my left-hand side more than my right-hand side. In addition, I presented my ideas without referring to the delivery notes in my hand. The reason that I could speak without notes is because that I wrote the proposal and I knew my material very well, such that I could remember the points naturally. This is quite different from the peer teaching I did last time, as the ideas of how to write the resume and the cover letter are searched from internet instead of being developed by myself. However, at one time, my mind just went blank due to nervousness, and I did not remember what I should talk about next, luckily, I got PowerPoint slide to remember me. I am not sure about whether my gestures were appropriate perceived by the audience, but I felt a bit unnatural. Finally, I found my presentation was not fluent enough, so more practices are needed.
Overall, it is a good experience for me to do this presentation, and I believe that I can do better next time.
Sep 22, 2009
Post #5: Evaluating Intercultural Behavior
Amy was a traveler from Japan, Bruce was an American, and Carl came from Tunisia. They were in an airport. Amy asked Bruce that whether the airport had baggage car service. Bruce looked at Amy and made an “OK” sign with his fingers (the thumb and the index finger form a circle and the rest three fingers are left upwards). Amy looked very surprised and disappointed, and she did not go for the baggage car service. Bruce got confused, and he thought that Amy was a strange person. At the same time, Carl passed through them and he saw the “OK” sign made by Bruce. He looked at Bruce with his brow closely knitted, he seemed very angry. Bruce was confused again, and he thought that Carl was crazy and might do something harmful to him, so Bruce walked away quickly. Carl saw Bruce ignore him, he got irritated and thought Bruce was very impolite.
Interpretation:
For Bruce, the “OK” sign means that there is baggage car service in the airport, and it is free.
For Amy, the “OK” sign means “money”, so Amy interprets it as the baggage car service is very expensive.
For Carl, he thinks that Bruce is making a signal to tell Amy that Carl is a mean and shameless thief.
What a mess here! Due to the different understandings of the “OK” sign, Amy, Bruce and Carl did not make an effective communication with each other, and misunderstanding happened. In this case, when Bruce felt that Amy’s behavior was strange after his answer, he should have talked to her to make the thing clear. Similarly, for Carl, he should have realized that there could be some misunderstanding, and he could ask Bruce to clarify it.
From this case, we can see that even a small gesture has different meanings in different cultures. Hence, we can never assume that people with different cultural backgrounds would have the same knowledge regarding to the same thing. During the communication, if we feel some gestures or words that are strange in our own understanding, we may talk to the person to make it clear. Furthermore, since nowadays there are more and more intercultural communications, we need to enlarge our knowledge about different cultures to minimize misunderstandings.
Interpretation:
For Bruce, the “OK” sign means that there is baggage car service in the airport, and it is free.
For Amy, the “OK” sign means “money”, so Amy interprets it as the baggage car service is very expensive.
For Carl, he thinks that Bruce is making a signal to tell Amy that Carl is a mean and shameless thief.
What a mess here! Due to the different understandings of the “OK” sign, Amy, Bruce and Carl did not make an effective communication with each other, and misunderstanding happened. In this case, when Bruce felt that Amy’s behavior was strange after his answer, he should have talked to her to make the thing clear. Similarly, for Carl, he should have realized that there could be some misunderstanding, and he could ask Bruce to clarify it.
From this case, we can see that even a small gesture has different meanings in different cultures. Hence, we can never assume that people with different cultural backgrounds would have the same knowledge regarding to the same thing. During the communication, if we feel some gestures or words that are strange in our own understanding, we may talk to the person to make it clear. Furthermore, since nowadays there are more and more intercultural communications, we need to enlarge our knowledge about different cultures to minimize misunderstandings.
Sep 13, 2009
Post #4: Personal Statement
I am a person who is responsible and trustworthy.
My parents are the first and most important people who directed me to become such a person. When I was very young, my parents told me that other people would respect you if you were responsible and trustworthy, and they set a good example for me with their own conduct. Not like some other parents that make empty promises just in order to coax and comfort their children, my parents always keep their word to me, they never say something that they cannot do. I believe that this is also one reason that I respect them so much and we have such a good relationship with each other. Moreover, my parents encouraged me to be a responsible person through daily life when I was a kid. For instance, they told me to throw garbage into the trash bin as being a member of society I should responsible for the environment. They also encouraged me to take responsibilities to admit any mistakes I made and to try my best to fix it.
Due to these two characteristics, both the teachers and the classmates trusted me, and I successfully became a squad leader from primary school to high school. I felt very proud that on the reelection campaign of squad leader in the secondary school, I passed by unanimous vote. The experience of being squad leader for 11 years further developed these two characters in me.
As an adult now, being responsible and keeping my word become the cardinal principle of my life.
P.S. Edited
My parents are the first and most important people who directed me to become such a person. When I was very young, my parents told me that other people would respect you if you were responsible and trustworthy, and they set a good example for me with their own conduct. Not like some other parents that make empty promises just in order to coax and comfort their children, my parents always keep their word to me, they never say something that they cannot do. I believe that this is also one reason that I respect them so much and we have such a good relationship with each other. Moreover, my parents encouraged me to be a responsible person through daily life when I was a kid. For instance, they told me to throw garbage into the trash bin as being a member of society I should responsible for the environment. They also encouraged me to take responsibilities to admit any mistakes I made and to try my best to fix it.
Due to these two characteristics, both the teachers and the classmates trusted me, and I successfully became a squad leader from primary school to high school. I felt very proud that on the reelection campaign of squad leader in the secondary school, I passed by unanimous vote. The experience of being squad leader for 11 years further developed these two characters in me.
As an adult now, being responsible and keeping my word become the cardinal principle of my life.
P.S. Edited
Sep 7, 2009
Post #3: Job Application Letter
Company's Name: Credit Suisse
Position: APAC Summer Analyst – Investment Banking Department with Credit Suisse, in Singapore
Job Description:
Our ten-week Summer Analyst Program for penultimate year students gives you outstanding exposure to business and the financial services industry.
Whether you’re working alongside a Full-Time Analyst or staffed as the only Analyst on a deal team, our summer program gives you the tools you’ll need to jump start your career in finance and investment banking.
As a summer program participant, you will have the opportunity to work on deals in your group, gaining hands-on experience and working on all aspects of advising and transacting business for our clients. Our smaller class size allows for broader responsibilities hence giving Summer Analysts wider exposure. Summer Analysts are formally reviewed at the mid and end points of the summer, and offers are made on the last day of the program, enabling you to return to school with a full-time position secured.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities may include analyzing companies using financial modeling and valuation techniques, examining the impact of a transaction on a client’s capital structure and analyzing the consequences of a merger or acquisition.
Requirements:
Interested candidates must be a penultimate year student from a Bachelor or Master’s degree program and have a strong interest in building a career in Asia. Credit Suisse is noted for the diversity of its employees but seeks candidates with a common set of abilities – highly motivated, creative individuals who have demonstrated academic achievement and have the ability to work independently while still operating as a member of a team. Strength in verbal and written communication as well as computer literacy is essential. In addition, we look for intelligent, driven and hardworking candidates with consistent leadership skills shown through involvement in school activities. Business mandarin skills are essential for all HK IBD positions.
#4A - 401, KUOK FOUNDATION HOUSE,
21 Kent Ridge Crescent,
Singapore 119280
Ph: +65-90923924
E-mail: u0602666@nus.edu.sg
September 5, 2009
Human Resources Manager, Credit Suisse,
1 Raffles Link, #03-01 South Lobby,
Singapore 039393
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to introduce myself and express my keen interest in doing Internship at Credit Suisse as an APAC Summer Analyst. I came to know about the position through the NUS Career Center website and the job description attracted me immensely. In addition, I strongly believe that I am a good match for this job, and here are the reasons.
I am an honors year student at the National University of Singapore. Being a full scholarship holder from China, I am able to adapt to a new environment very quickly and strive under pressure. Furthermore, I went to the University of British Columbia, Canada last semester under the student exchange program with another scholarship. The experience of studying abroad makes me become a fast learner and forges me to be a highly self-motivated person.
Majoring in Quantitative Finance, I have learnt quite a number of modules which are relevant to the position I am applying for. For example, I learnt Corporate Finance which included a real case study on analyzing Californian Plat Protection’s acquisition of Pinkerton’s. Our project turned out to be very successful, and I had done the major part of the acquisition valuation. Moreover, financial modeling is an essential component of my course curriculum, and the topic of my Honors Project is Pricing Mortgage-backed Securities, though it is not directly do valuations on companies, the basic valuation techniques are similar. Hence, I believe that I have the abilities to meet the job responsibilities. At the same time, being an earnest learner, I am willing to pick up any additional skills during the job.
Moreover, I am a person that can work independently while still operating as a member of a team. My experience in NUS Chinese Debate Team let me have a full understanding of the importance of both the individual’s effort and teamwork. Only adequate self-preparation plus the great efforts and good communications of the whole team can lead us to the success of a debate match. In addition, I have done a lot of group projects in various modules so far, and I can always finish my parts with high quality, and cooperate with the team mates efficiently to achieve good results for the projects.
Last but not least, as mentioned in the resume, I got leadership training as a volunteer in the QQS2007. Also, being an assistant of the vice president in the debate team, I also got the chance to improve my leadership skills in practice.
In conclusion, my skills and qualifications are exactly what are required for this job. The opportunity to be a member of this Summer Analyst Program will be a fulfilling experience and great treasure for me. I would greatly appreciate having the chance to further discuss my skills and qualifications with you and how I could be of service to the company. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
____________
Zheng, Rui
Enclosure: Resume
Position: APAC Summer Analyst – Investment Banking Department with Credit Suisse, in Singapore
Job Description:
Our ten-week Summer Analyst Program for penultimate year students gives you outstanding exposure to business and the financial services industry.
Whether you’re working alongside a Full-Time Analyst or staffed as the only Analyst on a deal team, our summer program gives you the tools you’ll need to jump start your career in finance and investment banking.
As a summer program participant, you will have the opportunity to work on deals in your group, gaining hands-on experience and working on all aspects of advising and transacting business for our clients. Our smaller class size allows for broader responsibilities hence giving Summer Analysts wider exposure. Summer Analysts are formally reviewed at the mid and end points of the summer, and offers are made on the last day of the program, enabling you to return to school with a full-time position secured.
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities may include analyzing companies using financial modeling and valuation techniques, examining the impact of a transaction on a client’s capital structure and analyzing the consequences of a merger or acquisition.
Requirements:
Interested candidates must be a penultimate year student from a Bachelor or Master’s degree program and have a strong interest in building a career in Asia. Credit Suisse is noted for the diversity of its employees but seeks candidates with a common set of abilities – highly motivated, creative individuals who have demonstrated academic achievement and have the ability to work independently while still operating as a member of a team. Strength in verbal and written communication as well as computer literacy is essential. In addition, we look for intelligent, driven and hardworking candidates with consistent leadership skills shown through involvement in school activities. Business mandarin skills are essential for all HK IBD positions.
#4A - 401, KUOK FOUNDATION HOUSE,
21 Kent Ridge Crescent,
Singapore 119280
Ph: +65-90923924
E-mail: u0602666@nus.edu.sg
September 5, 2009
Human Resources Manager, Credit Suisse,
1 Raffles Link, #03-01 South Lobby,
Singapore 039393
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to introduce myself and express my keen interest in doing Internship at Credit Suisse as an APAC Summer Analyst. I came to know about the position through the NUS Career Center website and the job description attracted me immensely. In addition, I strongly believe that I am a good match for this job, and here are the reasons.
I am an honors year student at the National University of Singapore. Being a full scholarship holder from China, I am able to adapt to a new environment very quickly and strive under pressure. Furthermore, I went to the University of British Columbia, Canada last semester under the student exchange program with another scholarship. The experience of studying abroad makes me become a fast learner and forges me to be a highly self-motivated person.
Majoring in Quantitative Finance, I have learnt quite a number of modules which are relevant to the position I am applying for. For example, I learnt Corporate Finance which included a real case study on analyzing Californian Plat Protection’s acquisition of Pinkerton’s. Our project turned out to be very successful, and I had done the major part of the acquisition valuation. Moreover, financial modeling is an essential component of my course curriculum, and the topic of my Honors Project is Pricing Mortgage-backed Securities, though it is not directly do valuations on companies, the basic valuation techniques are similar. Hence, I believe that I have the abilities to meet the job responsibilities. At the same time, being an earnest learner, I am willing to pick up any additional skills during the job.
Moreover, I am a person that can work independently while still operating as a member of a team. My experience in NUS Chinese Debate Team let me have a full understanding of the importance of both the individual’s effort and teamwork. Only adequate self-preparation plus the great efforts and good communications of the whole team can lead us to the success of a debate match. In addition, I have done a lot of group projects in various modules so far, and I can always finish my parts with high quality, and cooperate with the team mates efficiently to achieve good results for the projects.
Last but not least, as mentioned in the resume, I got leadership training as a volunteer in the QQS2007. Also, being an assistant of the vice president in the debate team, I also got the chance to improve my leadership skills in practice.
In conclusion, my skills and qualifications are exactly what are required for this job. The opportunity to be a member of this Summer Analyst Program will be a fulfilling experience and great treasure for me. I would greatly appreciate having the chance to further discuss my skills and qualifications with you and how I could be of service to the company. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
____________
Zheng, Rui
Enclosure: Resume
Aug 30, 2009
Post #2: Vacation Trip
Amy, Nancy, Emily, and Emma are good friends, and they decided to go on a summer trip to America.
Amy is very eager to go travelling around the U.S.A, and she has been Planning for this trip for a long time. She plans to go to New York, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia. Those are the cities that she always dreamt of going, especially New York. Amy is keen to spend a nice night watching a Broadway show. Also, she wants to go to a lot of other famous places in New York, such as the Wall Street which is the financial centre of the world. Since New York is such a dynamic city, Amy plans to spend 4 days there to have a whole view of the city.
However, during the discussion, Amy finds out that Nancy prefers to go to the western side of America. Nancy believes that cities like Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles are more interesting, and she is yearning to take a look at the Hollywood and Grand Canyon.
Since Emily and Emma do not have strong preferences, Amy feels that the discussion is going on Nancy’s way. Amy is not happy about the discussion. Though she really wants to travel with her friends instead of going alone, she still doesn’t want to lose the chance of going to her favourite places. Moreover, going to both of the western and eastern sides of America is not realistic due to the budget constraint.
So how are you going to resolve this conflict? (You can give your opinion as an outsider, or what will you do if you are one of them?)
Amy is very eager to go travelling around the U.S.A, and she has been Planning for this trip for a long time. She plans to go to New York, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia. Those are the cities that she always dreamt of going, especially New York. Amy is keen to spend a nice night watching a Broadway show. Also, she wants to go to a lot of other famous places in New York, such as the Wall Street which is the financial centre of the world. Since New York is such a dynamic city, Amy plans to spend 4 days there to have a whole view of the city.
However, during the discussion, Amy finds out that Nancy prefers to go to the western side of America. Nancy believes that cities like Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles are more interesting, and she is yearning to take a look at the Hollywood and Grand Canyon.
Since Emily and Emma do not have strong preferences, Amy feels that the discussion is going on Nancy’s way. Amy is not happy about the discussion. Though she really wants to travel with her friends instead of going alone, she still doesn’t want to lose the chance of going to her favourite places. Moreover, going to both of the western and eastern sides of America is not realistic due to the budget constraint.
So how are you going to resolve this conflict? (You can give your opinion as an outsider, or what will you do if you are one of them?)
Aug 22, 2009
Post #1: Effective Communication Skills
As the old cliché goes, "no man is an island." This means that we need to communicate with other people, and I am no exception. In daily life, I need to communicate with my parents and friends, and as an undergraduate student, I also need to communicate with my lecturers, tutors, and classmates. Therefore, effective communication skills are definitely very important for me.
First of all, good relationships with family members and friends require effective communication skills. For instance, I call my parents every week to share the recent developments of each other, and sometimes we have video chat. The supports from them make me to have the strength and courage to overcome difficulties and challenges. Similarly, good communication between friends makes our friendship to last long.
At the same time, effective communication skills can also help me to learn better. For example, during classes, active listening enables me to understand what the lecturers are talking about, and what the key points are. Another example is group projects which require several people to work together. Hence, how to communicate with the group mates becomes crucial in this case, as I can never do a good job only by myself. I always need to discuss and cooperate with my group mates, and sometimes I also need to consult lecturers and tutors on the projects. Obviously, effective communication skills can improve the team’s productiveness, so that a good project can be achieved.
In a nutshell, effective communication skills are essential in the daily life. Hence, I hope that I can improve my communication skills through this course.
First of all, good relationships with family members and friends require effective communication skills. For instance, I call my parents every week to share the recent developments of each other, and sometimes we have video chat. The supports from them make me to have the strength and courage to overcome difficulties and challenges. Similarly, good communication between friends makes our friendship to last long.
At the same time, effective communication skills can also help me to learn better. For example, during classes, active listening enables me to understand what the lecturers are talking about, and what the key points are. Another example is group projects which require several people to work together. Hence, how to communicate with the group mates becomes crucial in this case, as I can never do a good job only by myself. I always need to discuss and cooperate with my group mates, and sometimes I also need to consult lecturers and tutors on the projects. Obviously, effective communication skills can improve the team’s productiveness, so that a good project can be achieved.
In a nutshell, effective communication skills are essential in the daily life. Hence, I hope that I can improve my communication skills through this course.
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