Final Reflection

Through ES2007S, I have gained deeper insights on good communication skills which include the verbal, non-verbal and written aspects of communication. Looking back at my first post, I see effective communication as a life-long ‘education’. I believe that we never stop learning and it takes experience and practice to improve our communication skills.

I feel that one of the most valuable takeaways from this course is learning to craft a successful resume and job application letter. The advice given by Brad and my classmates were really useful in improving my resume and job application letter. One of the activities that I enjoyed was the mock job interview, be it being the interviewer or the interviewee. It was really fun and I have learned so much on surviving a job interview from my classmates. Like my classmates, I feel that this was a good exposure and it definitely has better prepared me for a real job interview in the future.

As Brad has mentioned previously, the best way to improve one’s writing skills is to practice writing. And I totally agree with him! Initially, I found blogging a hassle due to my poor writing skills. However, I could see myself improving on my writing skills gradually through the blog assignments. Through blog writing, I also had a chance to discover that I tend to write minimal without much elaboration. Hence, I am grateful for the comments received from my classmates as they have helped me to identify my weaknesses and to further improve on my writing skills. In addition, I would like to thank my blogging buddy, Napalie, for her time and efforts to proofread my posts.

The project was an excellent opportunity for me to apply what I have learned during the course. I tried to adopt the 7Cs in writing the proposal and practice effective communication with my teammates. Besides this, I had a chance to write business correspondence, create a survey and carry out an interview together with my teammates. I believe all these experiences would be valuable to me when I step out into the working world in the near future.

I must say that the presentation was a nerve-wracking but rewarding experience for me. I have learned so much from listening to my classmates’ presentations. Big thanks to all who commented on my previous blog post! I really appreciate the encouragement and feedback on ways to improve my presentation skills.

Lastly, I would like to thank Brad for the wonderful learning experience and my classmates for making ES2007S a more enjoyable one.

Reflection on Oral Presentation

Firstly, I would like to thank my team members, Ruth and Yuanhua for the hard work during the past six weeks. It was a great experience working together with the girls and I truly enjoyed it.

For the preparation of slides, our team decided to use visual aids to enhance our presentation. In addition, we felt that the use of visual aids would better captivate the audience’s attention and hence making our presentation an interesting one.

However, I was extremely disappointed with my performance. I had a nervous breakdown and my mind went blank for a few seconds during the presentation. As a result, I was lost for words at some point of time and could not deliver my messages to the audience effectively. Thankfully, I became more relaxed halfway through the presentation but still, I felt that I had let my team down due to my bad performance.

From this incident, I have learnt that I should rehearse my speech well before the presentation. I could have done better if I am more prepared for the presentation. Overall, the oral presentation was a good learning experience for me as I have realised my mistakes and hopefully I can improve on my presentations in the future.

Lastly, I would also like to thank my classmates for their encouraging nods and smiles during the presentation. You guys (and girls) definitely made me felt much calmer after that. And thanks Brad for the big hug, I really appreciate it! =)

Evaluating Inter-cultural Behavior

The concept of culture has an immense range of meanings and so it is hard to find a single definition for culture. Cultures have provided people with different ways of thinking, seeing and interpreting the world. Hence, cultural conflicts can arise unconsciously if we are not aware or familiar with foreign cultures.

This particular incident took place when I was on my vacation trip to Thailand a few months ago. My family and I were making our way back to the hotel after a long day of travelling and shopping when, all of a sudden, we heard someone calling loudly behind us. Turning around, we saw a woman and a little boy waving in our direction. It turned out that the little boy found a shopping bag which we had dropped off carelessly. My sister took the bag from the little boy, thanked him for his help and gave him a pat on his head. To our surprise, the woman pushed my sister’s hand away from her son’s head and looked at us with annoyance. She then stomped off, holding her son’s hand, and left us shocked and puzzled at the same time. We wondered what we had done wrong but were not able to come up with any plausible answers.

It was only some time after the incident that we learnt the reason behind the woman’s harsh reaction. A friend of my father told us that the Thais regard the head as the most sacred part of the body and so they strictly do not allow anyone to touch their heads. If we touch someone’s head accidentally, we should make an immediate apology or else we will be perceived as being very rude. In our culture, a touch on someone’s head is not an offensive act. It is deemed an acceptable action, just like a hug or a wave of hand. My father even gave me a pat on my head when he walked past me just a while ago!

This incident has led me to be more aware of the importance of inter-cultural competence. Inter-cultural competence does not only relate to the multi-racial cultures in our country, but also to the cultures that are foreign to us. The situation would not have turned out to be an unpleasant one if we had gained some understanding of the Thai culture earlier. By doing so, we could have become more appreciative of the culture and sensitive to the people within it.

Personal Statement (edited)

I enjoy helping people and this is very much due to the influence of my parents. Ever since I was young, my parents taught me the virtues of care and kindness. They believe in finding joy through helping others in need. From repairing our neighbours’ electrical appliances to looking after friends’ children to participating in fund raising activities, my parents are always willing to give a helping hand no matter how busy they are.

The actions of my parents made me realized that I can help others through various ways. During my days in secondary school, I participated in food collection and distribution programmes for various beneficiaries. In NUS, I am a volunteer in the Students’ Community Service Club. I was involved in a project named “Grant A Wish” and my task was to encourage people to fulfil the wishes of the less fortunate children. All these experiences brought me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to derive a great sense of accomplishment.

Through the involvement of these activities, I have come to realise that a small gesture can make a huge impact on someone else's life. It warmed my heart strongly when I made the recipient smiled with my little act of kindness. The opportunities to work with people from all walks of life allowed me to enhance my interpersonal and communication skills. In addition, helping others by making a difference in their lives have definitely boosted my self-confidence and I feel that these factors are important in every aspect of our lives.

I truly believe that the journey to happiness starts with giving. Hence, I wish to continue to help others in need and spread the spirit of volunteerism to the general public.

Personal Statement

I am currently a third year student majoring in Chemistry at the National University of Singapore. I have previously obtained a diploma in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology at Nanyang Polytechnic. I have a strong desire to improve the health of humanity and a passion to help people lead a healthier life. With these, I aspire to work in the pharmaceutical industry.

I believe perseverance is the key to success. Hence, I work hard and give my best effort to accomplish any task assigned to me. I have proved to be a responsible and efficient team player through the team-related activities in school and workplace.

Apart from the academics, I am an active participant in co-curricular activities over the years. I was a member of the symphonic band during my years in secondary school and my role as a secretary has equipped me with valuable organizational skills. The experiences that I gained through the participation in school performance, outdoor events and competitions have certainly been enriching and memorable. In NUS, I am a volunteer in the Students’ Community Service Club. I am involved in a project named “Grant A Wish”, which seeks to fulfill the wishes of the less fortunate children. I truly believe that the journey to happiness starts with giving and I hope to spread the spirit of volunteerism among the general public.

Family has always been my main pillar of support and love and I believe that they are the ones who motivate me to go further in life.

Job Application Letter

Company: Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited

We now wish to recruit for the following key position:
Analytical Laboratory Analyst
(Singapore)

Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Senior Chemist, he or she will:
• Be responsible for ensuring safe testing of raw materials, in-process materials and finished products
• Provide prompt service and support production activities in a safe and productive environment
• Ensure the calibration and maintenance status of all laboratory equipment is kept updated

Requirements:
• Diploma in Chemistry / Chemical Engineering / Food Technology or equivalent discipline
• Fresh graduate from Chemistry or any related disciplines, with good learning attitude are welcome to apply
• Good analytical and problem solving skills
• Competent in laboratory instrumentation such as HPLC, GC, FTIR
• Knowledge of GMP/GLP in Food/Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Able to work in a fast-paced laboratory environment, meet tight deadlines and multi-task


My Job Application Letter:


Blk 606, Hougang Ave 4,
#10-175, Singapore 530606

September 3, 2009

Mr Ronald Ho
Human Resource Manager
Abbott Manufacturing
Singatac, 26 Tuas Ave 10,
Singapore 639147

Dear Mr Ho,

Application for post as Analytical Laboratory Analyst

I am writing in response to the recent post as advertised on Jobstreet for the position of analytical laboratory analyst. I have recently graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Chemistry and I am eager to start a full time profession in the health care sector. In addition to reviewing the enclosed resume, I that hope you will consider the value I bring to Abbott.

It has always been my interest to translate science into lasting contributions to the healthcare community. With my educational background and work experiences, I am confident that I will make an excellent candidate for this position. I am familiar with the knowledge and usage of laboratory instruments such as AAS, HPLC, GC, IR and UV-Vis. In addition, I possess the knowledge of GMP in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Through my internship with OMG Electronic Chemicals, I have enhanced my analytical skills and carried out various experiments successfully. The tasks that I have assisted include projects involving method validation and process improvement. I have proven my ability of multi-tasking and working in a fast-paced environment in these projects. Besides this, I have worked part-time as a sales assistant during my school holidays. In this position, I have received compliments on my excellent customer service. These have equipped me with good interpersonal and communication skills which will enable me to deliver my work with greater efficiency.

In review of Abbott’s mission and objectives, I believe that my qualifications is aligned with your reputable organization’s requirement for a laboratory analyst. I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss the job position further with you in person. If you wish to contact me, I can be reached at 9651 4892 and peiling.eng@gmail.com. I look forward to hear from you soon.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,



Eng Pui Leng

Enclosure: Resume


Note: I have problem underlining my title. I will edit again soon. =)

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

Claire worked in a chemical company during her internship a few months ago. She was placed in the Quality Assurance (QA) department and worked with her supervisor who had joined the company not long ago.

Her supervisor is a quiet man and Claire found that she had difficulty communicating with him. Hence, the instructions that the supervisor gave to Claire were often incomplete and this had led to numerous complaints on Claire’s poor performance from the QA department. This created a bad impression on Claire and her supervisor often put the blame on her when things went wrong in the QA laboratory. Claire was absolutely vexed by this issue.

It was one day when the supervisor came into the laboratory and reprimanded Claire for her poor work performance in front of everyone. Claire was sick of being maligned by her supervisor and she voiced out her displeasure to the people in the laboratory after he left. She began to spread rumors about her supervisor and made everyone believed that her supervisor was an incompetent person who kept pushing blames to her. It was not long when Claire’s supervisor found out what Claire had done to him. Ever since then, their relationship was even more strained.

How do you think Claire should handle the issue in the first place? What can be done to improve her relationship with her supervisor?