Final Reflections

To be honest, i chose this module not because i think that it will benefit me ( i had no idea what was the assessment/content/workload of this module when i was bidding for it) but because it cost only 1 point during bidding. OOPS! Haha. Of course i wasnt totally not interested but i was hesitant as there was OP - the thing that i dread most. However, since BN was taking it and i was really really short of modules to take i decided to have a go at it. After all, i can S/U this module :P

It was really an enriching module as it involves writing of resume and cover letters which are essential for job application and learning how to communicate effectively. The job application letter assignment really made me realise how a professional resume and cover letter should be written. My previous resumes and letter paled in comparision since there were some basic formatting of a resume that i have overlooked. Churning out a good cover letter was really difficult for me as i was actually writing one for a real job application at the same time. Luckily Christine was nice enough to help me take a look at it before i submit it to the company =)

The 'mock' job interview was fun! Though i was stumped and my mind blanked out after a while. Haha! Christine knew i was applying for a job thus she asked some 'tough' questions (which were really good) that had me stumped and blabbering. HAHA.

We had some scenario reenactment during class which was really fun and interesting. It was like watching a mini skit. Almost all our re-enactments became a joke as we try to inject some humour. This also allowed us to interact with other classmates, rather than always staying in our own clique =)

OP and peer teaching were good learning experiences. However, in the course of doing our proposal we were faced with some problems and that got us frustrated, especially the format of the proposal as the format on skill builder was different from the report style that we usually do.
As the 3 of us had different schedules, with my other 2 teammates doing their fyp at the same time, we had to adhere to tighter deadlines than the rest of our peers. We made use of the breaks we have after lesson to finish up, corresponding through email and trying our very best to finish our work way before the deadline so that we will not have to rush our work.

Having to write a blog every week was quite troublesome, especially for someone like me who doesnt have the habit of writing one. It was time consuming as i had to come up with the appropriate content on top of other assignments for other modules. Nevertheless, at least now i know how to create a blog =)

It was really an enjoyable experience though the workload was quite heavy. I did not regret taking this module, considering that the stuff i learnt had and will benefit me =)

Reflections on Oral Presentation

Finally, the most dreaded part of the module - OP. It was really a nerve wrecking experience but it was better than i expected =)

Though i prepared cue cards (ok.. my cue cards a bit big haha), i knew that i should only refer to it only when necessary and not throughout the presentation. I was freaking out when i was practising at home as i could not remember what i was supposed to say! I really really freaked out as this did not happen during our peer teaching session. I was more relaxed compared to OP. This may be because i was presenting a part that i was not very familiar with. Nonetheless, i kept practising till i could get the content flow right.

Monday morning came. We were supposed to be the last group to present so that calmed me down a little as there were butterflies in my stomach. I was afraid my mind would blank out during my turn to present thus i kept trying to refresh my memory. However, we became the 2nd group to present. Imagine how fast my heart was beating when Christine asked us to go first! I had to take long deep breaths to calm myself down while waiting for MJ to finish presenting her part.

My turn came. I was still very nervous and i skipped some content as i forgot to elaborate on the points. After my turn was over i heaved a huge sigh of relief. Christine said that i was less nervous than BN and MJ though i was a bit fast in my delivery. Little does she know that that was actually sign of my nervousness. HAHA!! When i am nervous i tend to speak faster.

During the QnA session, i think it was a little messy but other than that it was quite good as we managed to answer all the questions thrown at us =)

Whew! OP is finally over.. and this sort of marks the end of the ES2007s module. I was really happy that OP was over. It was like a huge load off my shoulders as the workload for this module is not that light. OP served as a good experience to me and a start to training me for the workplace in future as presentations are inevitable. OP has made me realise that speaking in front of the class is not that frightening after all! =)

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior

It was the end of the Hungry Ghost Festival (a.k.a. Feast for the Wandering Ghosts) and A goes to the void deck, carrying a red plastic bag full of offerings to pay his respects to his deceased ancestors. The void deck was crowded and the bins provided for the burning of paper offerings was full. He decided to settle for an empty space right in front of the houses that are on the first storey. He thought that since it will only be for a few minutes it will not bother the occupants that much.

Just as he was burning paper offerings, the weather turned windy and started blowing the ashes up into the sky. The smoke travelled towards the houses nearby, together with some of the ashes. Few minutes later, he heard someone yelling.

B: HEY! Can you stop burning all these stuff? I have a baby in my house you know! There are bins provided for you!

A: Sorry but the bins were full so I had no choice but to do without it.

B: You could have chosen a better place to burn these stuff you know! Every year these ashes will dirty my house and the smoke pollutes the air! I am able to tolerate but my baby cant! I don’t know why you all have to do these every year. It dirties the place!

A was furious as this meant an insult to his religion.

To the Chinese, they believe that the hell gates opened on the 1^st day of the 7^th lunar month and spirits in hell are free to roam the earth. This comes about due to the Taoist belief that when one dies, his spirits leaves his body and descends to hell. If his merits outweighed his demerits, he will be sent for reincarnation and for the others, the spirits get to eat only once a year.

During this month, Incense, joss paper and ‘hell money’ are burned for the ancestors as the Taoist believe the ‘material goods’ will bring comfort to the spirits. It is also meant to appease the other wandering spirits so they would not bring bad luck. Since this involves paying of respects to the ancestors, the Chinese usually will be quite particular about the place to place their offerings, especially food.

What A could have done is to avoid burning the offerings near households as it will bring discomfort to the occupants. He could have bought a portable bin specially for the burning of offerings. This way, even though the metal bins provided by the relevant authorities are insufficient, he will also have a place to pay his respects. He could have put himself in B’s shoes and spared a thought for his fellow block-mate, especially since there is a baby present in the house.

B should have known that this burning of offerings is important to A as the tradition has been around for a long time. He should have anticipated that the smoke from the ashes will travel and thus closed his main door to prevent the smoke from coming in. That way, his baby will not be breathing in poisonous air and his flat will not be dirtied. He should not have insulted A’s religion when he knows that this practice is intrinsic in this particular time of the year.

This situation can be avoided if A put himself in B’s shoes and B practicing higher level of tolerance for A’s culture.

Here are some comic strips to enjoy=)

My Personal Statement

I am a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics in the National University of Singapore. Although I do not possess a banking related degree, I have always been interested in the banking financial services. Thus, I took modules such as Financial Mathematics and Economics to gain a better insight to the industry. Financial Mathematics deals with the quantitative side of Finance, which I believe will be essential in the financial services industry. Economics allowed me to have a better idea how the economy will affect banking decisions and the various strategies taken to try to correct the stimulus. In addition, I was fortunate to be able to deal with trade bills and drafting of Letter of Credit, although I had no prior experience or knowledge of it. Initially, I was recruited into Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) as an administrative assistant whose job is to deal with mainly the administrative demands of the department. However, I proved myself to be a keen learner and efficient worker thus I was given the chance to process and settle trade bills documents on top of my administrative duties and assisted the Assistant Manager in drafting Letter of Credit.

Throughout my academic career, I have always been a resolute and dependable individual. I was appointed a leader in various stages in my academic career which shows that I am a dependable and responsible person among my peers. Being a leader has trained me to be more decisive and disciplined and allowed me to have better interactive skills with my peers without compromising the fact that I am responsible for leading them and honed my skills in planning and organizing events.

I have also contributed to campus life by participating in voluntary events such as Paint-A-Home to redecorate the children’s home in hope of bringing colors of joy and adding new perspectives of lives to the residents of the home, besides refurbishing and improving the aesthetic outlook of the welfare home. I participated in this meaningful activity as I believe that there are many other unfortunate kids out there whose welfare has been neglected and us, being more affluent than them, should try to make a difference in their life and let them have a more enjoyable childhood. In addition, I was appointed the Orientation Group Leader and office bearers for committees in my faculty which further honed my leadership skills. Being part of the program committee of TalentQuest , a nationwide talent competition, I have gained valuable skills such as liaising and management skills.

I have also represented my school in Basketball and attained 4^th in the A division and was thus awarded for outstanding contribution in 2006. Representing school in basketball has its demands as it involves several trainings during the season period thus I had to juggle between studies and the trainings. This had made me a well-rounded individual and able to better cope with stress. I was also an active member in the basketball club during university. In addition, i was involved in the organization of the basketball 3-on-3 tournament as an office bearer. Having organized similar events before, I helped in making the event a smoother and successful one.

Therefore, as an Analyst in Operations, I believe that I am able to excel in the Program given my qualities and capabilities. As Credit Suisse is a highly regarded global financial services industry, Operations department is the utmost important as it manages and executes millions of transactions on top of engaging with people worldwide. Thus, it will require individuals who are efficient in their work and display good teamwork. Credit Suisse is also involved in corporate philanthropic events to improve the lives of the poor and sponsorship that promotes young talent in sports. I believe I will be able to contribute to Credit Suisse in these areas as I have the passion and the capabilities for it. I hope to be able to part of your company and be involved in the unique vibrant culture.

Application Letter Critique

Teo Jie Ying Angelina

Blk 206 #04-00

Compassvale View

Singapore 500206

Email: coverletter@hotmail.com

6 September 2009

Person-in-charge

Campus Recruiting

Credit Suisse

One Raffles Link #05-02

Singapore 039393

Dear Sir/Madam

Application for Full Time Analyst in Operations

I refer to your notice for recruitment put up in the career section of your company’s website. With my academic qualifications, capabilities and interest in the financial services industry, I believe I am a suitable candidate for this position.

I am a fresh graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics. I have taken modules such as Financial Mathematics and Economics to gain a better insight into the financial sector. I had the opportunity to deal with trade bills settlement and drafting of Letter of Credit and the experience sparked my interest in financial services.

Besides having an eye for detail, I am a meticulous, dependable, responsible, organized and efficient individual. I believe these qualities will aid me as an analyst in addition to possessing analytical and quantitative skills. I am also a strong team player and able to perform under tight deadlines.

I chose Operations as I believe it will allow me to gain a better overview of the workings in Credit Suisse and with my qualities and experience, I am able to cope with the demands and operations of the department. Having partaken in the organization and implementation of nationwide event and my ability to adapt fast, I believe I will be able to excel in the Analyst Program. Being a leading and highly regarded global financial services company where it offers me opportunities to work in variety of businesses around the world, I would therefore like to be part of your esteemed company and its unique vibrant culture and participate and contribute to the growth and success.

Enclosed is my resume for your consideration and would appreciate if you would grant me an interview. I can be contacted at 91234567 throughout the day.

I look forward to a favorable reply from you. Thank you.

Yours faithfully

Angelina Teo

credit-suisse.com/careers