dREam
Alumni Magazine
Issue 21 | December 2011
Everything starts from a dream
YES!
to RP Start-ups Brand New Look for RP’s 10th Birthday Laptop Tailors
Contents 4
6 12
2
Editor’s Note
3
Lessons from a First-class Honours Graduate
4
Reflections 2011 - Snapshots
6
Brand New Look for RP’s 10th Birthday
8
RP Says YES! to Start-ups
9
An Actual Author
10
Full House at Mendaki Club Graduates’ Tea
11
5 Ways to Stay Connected!
12
Laptop Tailors
14
Acing Different Types of Interviews
15
alumni@RP Email
16
Calendar of Events
Publisher Office of Student and Graduate Affairs Republic Polytechnic 9 Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore 738964 Editorial Editor Graduate Services Team Artwork Zhang Miao Contributors Dex Wong Dr Jasmine Heng Kenneth Ong Lilynne Seah Maya Murni Nurhadi Khan
Nurul Shadrina Bte Jumain Ruzanna Bte Abdul Rahman Tan Fong Ling Teo Xing Zhi Yap Pei Ying Yap Peng Kee, Garrett
General Enquires Email dream@rp.edu.sg URL www.rp.edu.sg/grad dREam. An RP Alumni Magazine. Everything starts from a dream. dREam is a quarterly publication to keep graduates informed about the happenings in RP, continual education, career opportunities, networking sessions and more, in the hope of achieving their aspirations. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed or implied in dREam are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
Editorial | dREam
2
Keep your profile current! Just drop us an email at help-graduate@rp.edu.sg with your NRIC/FIN, and your most up-to-date personal particulars; we promise not to send you Nigerian bank transfer requests, lame forwarded jokes or chain letters.
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Editor’s Note A
s 2011 draws to a close, it is a time for celebrations and reflections. And what better event to capture all this than at RP’s annual arts festival “Reflections 2011”! It is a spectacle of music, dance and cultural performances held throughout the month of November as can be seen from the vibrant photographs on Page 4. It is always heartening when we get to know about our alumni who have done well after their graduation. Read all about Arun Shankar from RP’s pioneer batch of School of Engineering graduates who has done us proud by earning a first-class honours degree from NUS as well as winning the HP Book Prize award. Graduates, such as Arun, help us to dream big and give us hope that if we work hard, we will be able to achieve success in life. Noticed the change in RP’s logo? Learn about RP’s rebranding efforts as we mark our 10th year. Make it your New Year’s resolution to join us as an alumni ambassador for Open House 2012; we promise you lots of fun-filled activities during OH2012 as we celebrate a decade of quality education. Interested in obtaining funds for your start-up company? Why not take part in Yes! Start-ups? Read about how two RP alumni have benefited from this scheme when starting up their own enterprises. We understand that all of you are busy graduates with lots of events lined up in the coming year. To help you out in organising your events, we have included a complimentary Alumni Calendar with this issue of dREam! Now there’s no excuse for you not to book your dates to come down and join in the activities at RP. Display the calendar boldly in your house or office to let everyone know that we are celebrating our 10th anniversary. From all of us at dREam, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
W ith nts lime comp RP! from
3
Article by Nurul Shadrina Bte Jumain Diploma in Communication and Information Design
A
run Shankar N, one of the students from Republic Polytechnic’s School of Engineering (SEG) pioneer batch, has recently completed his four-year part-time degree with the National University of Singapore (NUS). Arun, who graduated from RP in 2006 with a diploma in Wireless Communication, is a foreign student from India. When he first came to Singapore to study in 2003, he faced many obstacles such as language and culture barriers but managed to adapt to the new surroundings over time. According to Arun, being part of an Interest Group definitely helped him in adapting to the culture of Singapore.
“Being in the cricket team was a good experience in getting to know the importance of team work. That is essential in life at RP and of course, it helped me gain many friends,” said the shy 25-year-old. Arun graduated from NUS with a first-class honours degree in BTech Electronic Engineering and is also a HP Book Prize winner. He attributed part of his success to RP’s problem-based learning system. The bright scholar emphasised that knowledge gained from his time at RP was very valuable as self-study, especially in university, is of great importance. He also added that the facilitators in RP helped to make lessons more enjoyable as most of them are able to create a good rapport with their students, ensuring that they do not have any reservations in asking questions. Some of the facilitators who left a lasting impression on Arun were David Lee (Culture and Communication) and Koh Cheek Keat (Digital/Wireless modules).
Arun explained that both facilitators were great in instilling self-confidence in their students. He added that they conscientiously highlighted their students’ strengths and gave them tips on areas which they needed to improve on. However, Arun’s scholastic journey was not without trials and tribulations. He revealed that it was a big challenge working part-time while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. He found it difficult to concentrate in class after working 12-hour shifts, which at times resulted in him not being able to attend lectures. He asserted that time management is critical in undergraduate studies, especially when juggling both work and studies simultaneously. Despite these challenges, Arun persevered and the results were worth it. His advice to students who wish to continue their studies after graduating from RP? “Enjoy life but study hard - the results will come. There are many opportunities for those who do well in their studies,” Arun concluded.
dREam | Graduates’ Spotlight
Lessons from a First-class Honours Graduate
Snapshots | dREam 4
Reflections 2011
Happenings | dREam
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Brand New Look for RP’s 10th Birthday Article by Teo Xing Zhi, Graduate of 2011
O
nce we were “Learning with a difference”. Now the new generation of Republic Polytechnic students will “Discover Transform Achieve” instead.
BEFORE
We’ve moved far from the times when, being the newest polytechnic around, we were the least obvious academic choice. But we’ve now grown into a school that people desire to study at, and we’ve got the image to match our growth down to a pat. With information deriving from an extended period of research, the Office of Corporate Communications (OCC) has conceptualised an entirely new branding for the school. “We don’t want to be just about problem-based learning, understanding tests, or being the youngest polytechnic,” shared OCC Manager Benjamin Chow in his presentation. “Those are things that other schools can start up with. We want make it more special; make it more ‘us’.” Sure enough, OCC has come up with something that is uniquely RP. The most obvious changes are those that have been made to the logo as well as the tagline (as mentioned earlier). Remember how parts of our logo used to blend into certain backgrounds? That won’t happen now – not with the solidifying line around the shield and the change in colour and typeface for the word “Polytechnic”. Scroll through our website: the typical photos of smiling students are being phased out and in place are images that now have a signature background flare. In an attempt to connect better with our audience, our copywriting style has also gotten much more personal. Check out the design for our ads especially those pertaining to the open house next year. Did you notice that unique typeface applied to the words “OPEN HOUSE 2012”? It’s a customised font made up of quadrants from our logo and filled with the colours of our schools as well as institute. Speaking of quadrants, did you also notice the pretty ones adorning the corners of our products and presentations? Less visible changes are those that are more contextual. The OCC has adjusted the brand positioning of RP so that it’s much more aligned to the organisation’s mission and vision. We don’t just focus on certain students; we have potential, existing and graduated students all within our radar. We won’t be disregarding what we’ve achieved so far just because we’re
AFTER
rebranding. Instead, the past projects will be improved on so as to generate continuous growth. Now, if you’ve made it all the way to this point of the article, you’re probably thinking: “Why am I being told all this?” It’s simple: 1. You’re an alumni of the school; what happens here will affect you, so 2. we thought you’d like an update, and 3. we need YOU for our Open House 2012. We’re turning 10! Come join us next year; we’ve got exciting surprises lined up that will make it worth the trip down! For more information, check out our Graduates’ Portal at www.rp.edu.sg/grad
Reminiscing about your wonderful days in Republic Polytechnic? Thinking of contributing back to Republic Polytechnic? You can give back in many ways. We are not looking for a big amount of money. Your gift, at any amount, will be equally significant and appreciated.
Helping Those in Need
Your gift will make a difference to the well-being of financially-needy students. It frees the students from financial worries and allows them to concentrate on pursuing academic excellence in Republic Polytechnic.
Supporting a Worthy Cause NOTICE TO ALUMNI:
WE NEED YOU! The Alumni Association Pro-Tem Committee cordially invites you to support Republic Polytechnic’s Open House 2012. We’ve prepared goodies for each alumnus who comes for a visit! In return, all we ask is for you to stroll around the Open House and answer whatever questions pertaining to RP thrown your way. We hope to see you! From Alumni Association Pro-Tem Committee Members
Now that you are independent enough, why not give back to Republic Polytechnic and join us in transforming it into a world-class institution. You will be proud to be associated with Republic Polytechnic too, because your ties with us will always remain long-lasting.
Tax Deduction
As an Institution of Public Charter (IPC), your gift will qualify for tax deduction from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).
today! g n i v i g Start og on to L ing du.sg/giv .e p .r w w w
Lifestyle Tidbits | dREam
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RP Says
YES! to Start-ups Article by Kenneth Ong, Academic Staff, Centre of Innovation and Enterprise
Y
es! Start-ups is a scheme providing support up to S$50,000 for youths to setup their innovative startups. SPRING matches S$4 for every S$1 that you raise through self-funding, schools or third-party sources. Contact Leslie Sim at leslie_sim@rp.edu.sg if you are interested to work with RP to get funding for your business.
O SAVORY PTE LIMITED 20 September 2011: Derek Ong graduated from the School of Applied Sciences in 2007 with a diploma in Biotechnology. As RP’s first YES! Startups Funding recipient, he founded O Savory Pte Ltd which was featured in the Business Times. O Savory aims to bring to Singaporeans the first bak kwa made with fish meat such as marlin, swordfish, tuna and salmon. Visit www.osavory.com for more details.
SEEKSQUARE PTE LIMITED 07 September 2011: Damian Sia, RP’s second YES! Start-ups Funding recipient, founded Seeksquare Pte Ltd that is now officially up and running. Seeksquare provides a unique system - one which turns the roles of consumer and service provider around. Instead of having to search for the best quotation for a service, different service providers are invited to quote for the service required by the consumer. Visit www.seeksquare.com to experience this new concept for yourself!
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Article by Teo Xing Zhi, Graduate of 2011
W
ho says studying a different course means you won’t get your dream job? Luke Robert graduated with a diploma in Sports and Leisure Management but has recently founded a publishing company Heaven and Hell Studios (www. heavenandhellstudios.com) as well as published his very own series of novels. We catch up with him to find out more!
dREam: So what have you been doing since graduation? Luke: Well, of course, like any other loyal Singaporean son I had to do my mandatory military conscription – 1 year 10 months. After that I enrolled in SMU to study Business Management! dREam: Why Business Management and not something related to writing? Luke: Well, I’ve always wanted to do my own thing and be my own boss. Since I already developed my love for writing over the years, it made more sense to learn the ropes of the business so that I could run my own company. dREam: You’ve started your own publishing company. How’s that going so far? Luke: We’ve just published our first book Genesis in July this year, and it hit the stores in September. Our second book Apocalypse was released in November, so it’s all really recent. From a purely business point of view, I’ve probably made a bad decision to do this. Many feel print publishing is a sunset industry. But I’m doing this out of passion – purely that. dREam: So tell us about your books! What are they about? Luke: The Of Heaven & Hell series explores a world where angels and demons fight an everlasting battle for control over the souls of mankind. Genesis explores the origins of our world and Apocalypse looks towards the future. Apocalypse is the first of a three-book series I’m working on concerning the end of the world. Work on its sequel Revelations has already begun. dREam: So why this topic? Luke: The idea of a spiritual world where angels and demons battle for the souls of mankind has always intrigued me. How their battles influence our physical world and the dynamics of such an environment opens up a plethora of possibilities into the realm of fiction. dREam: Do you ever get writer’s block? Luke: (Laughs) Hardly! But even if I do, I’ve found a way to beat it! It’s all about getting into the zone – that place where you’re in the “flow”. I can be in the zone for days. If you’re out of it, it’s best to go take a break from writing for a few days, weeks even. Then wait for it to come back; it will come back. And I don’t suggest taking drugs in case anybody reading this has any other ideas. dREam: How do you prepare? Luke: I spent months researching my stuff. Then I lay out a general structure and outline how I want to write it. I leave about 40% of the plot to a spur of the moment, make-it-up-as-
you-go-along kind of thing. The other 50% has already been deliberately thought out and planned and the remaining 10% comprises edits based on afterthought. It’s quite technical. dREam: So what comes after this series? Luke: We’ve already planned for four books so far, two of which are already out (Genesis & Apocalypse) and the third (Revelations) which I’m currently working on with a launch set for December 2012. The fourth book, Armageddon, will come after that so I really don’t see myself doing anything else at least till 2013! dREam: Have you ever thought of writing any other types of stories? Maybe mythology-based since it’s somewhat related to your current series? Luke: (Laughs) Actually, it’s funny that you ask because I had plans to write a separate book in the ‘Of Heaven and Hell’ series called Legends… but the idea’s still very premature. I have to start work on Revelations in December already! dREam: Oh... if you’re so busy, how do you balance work, life, writing and school? Luke: Nice question! 0% work, 0% writing, 0% school, 100% life! I don’t see work as work when you’re doing what you love. And to be honest, school is just a place for me where grades are secondary. What’s more important for me is to meet people and be a blessing to them because when I die, my grades are the last thing God will look at when He defines my life. dREam: I see… so do you feel that RP has helped in achieving your goals? Luke: Well they gave me this interview… dREam: (Laughs) So what do you think RP can help you with? And would you like to contribute back? Luke: Buy some of my books! (Laughs) I could also be invited to give talks on the books, politics, global trends, setting up a business, what have you not... dREam: Alright! Anything else you’d like to say? Luke: Yes! I’d like to make a shout-out to some of my facilitators – Grain Baysa Pee, Clive Fernandez, Dennis Yim and Wahid Dawood. Just wanna say thanks for being wonderful facilitators and moulding me during my time at RP! Thank you!
dREam | Success Stories
An Actual Author
Happenings | dREam
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Full House at the Mendaki Club Graduates’ Tea! Article from Ruzanna Bte Abdul Rahman, Year 3 Diploma in Communication and Information Design
T
he Mendaki Club Graduates’ Tea was held at the Marina Mandarin Hotel on 30 July 2011. This annual event celebrates the achievements of Malay/Muslim University and Polytechnic graduates from Class 2010 - 2011. Not only that, it aims to engage graduates on the spirit of entrepreneurship, continuing education and self-improvement. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, graced the occasion, which had the theme “Mastering Fundamentals, Conquering Pinnacles”. Congratulating the graduates, he urged the future leaders on how they can develop themselves and, most importantly, how to be an asset to the community.
“Education has remained and will always remain important to our community, and your success is something that we will celebrate. Contribution is no longer about helping out the nearest mosque but what more you can contribute for the benefit of the community,” Dr Ibrahim said. Guest speaker Sharon Ismail, a media personality and polytechnic lecturer, was also there to share her success story with the crowd. She emphasised that learning blooms from a culture of reading, and that she wants to play her part in the community and play it forward to the future generation of Singapore. “All it took was someone to put an idea into my head that I could do it. When someone believes in you and tells you that, subsequently you believe it too. I did. I always tell my students: I can make it, you can too because nothing about me is extraordinary; I come from an average family. But somehow, it happened,” Miss Ismail said.
Marinah Bte Mohamed Zali, 20, graduated from Republic Polytechnic with a diploma in Communication and Information Design. Currently working part-time as a cosmetic salesperson, she is planning to further her studies at the National Institute of Education in the hopes of becoming a teacher. “I have an interest in teaching kids. Although I’m just a cosmetic salesperson right now, I’m able to interact with them (customers) and understand them better. I make full use of the knowledge I’ve gained in my studies. My facilitators at Republic Polytechnic have helped me a lot in communication skills,” Marinah commented. Nur Amirah Bte Saparman, 20, is also a graduate from Republic Polytechnic. She had pursued a diploma in Biomedical Science and hopes to become an important individual in the Malay community one day.
Another guest speaker at the ceremony was Anisa Hassan, former TV journalist and current managing director of It’s Just Lunch Asia (IJL). Despite coming from an average working-class family, she found success from her stellar work at IJL Singapore, which earned her the Singapore Women Malay Entrepreneur Award.
“This is cliché but it’s true; most Malays are not as successful, but I want to be ‘someone’ out there. Being the eldest, I should be a role model so that my siblings will follow my footsteps,” Amirah enthused.
With such inspiring stories from ordinary people with outstanding achievements, it certainly motivated the participants that they too can find their own success.
With this in mind, we hope that they achieve their burning dreams and be a role model to our potential graduates!
11 dREam | Editorial
5 ways to stay connected with your alma mater during the festive season!
1. Let your alma mater organise your Christmas gathering Have your professional, social and personal needs met through our diverse range of alumni programmes. 2. Use your Club Republic Card to get Christmas gifts for your loved ones This card identifies you as an alumnus and offers you exclusive benefits and discounts. Apply for your Club Republic Card at www.rp.edu.sg/grad
3. Read dREam Magazine Be updated on campus activities through this complimentary quarterly publication. Also available online at www.rp.edu.sg/grad 4. Give a shout-out to your alma mater Stay connected with your alma mater through the official RP alumni Facebook fanpage at www.facebook.com/alumniRP 5. Make a donation - bank in your karma credit Your gift will make a difference to the well-being of financiallyneedy students. It frees them from financial worries and allows them to concentrate on pursuing academic excellence at RP. Logon to www.rp.edu.sg/giving
E M O C L E ! W K
C A B
Visit us
at the Graduate Services Booth during RP Open House on 5 - 7 Jan 2012 Sure-win mystery prizes such as RP jackets, Bears and Movie tickets up for grabs!!
For any enquiries, email us at help-graduate@rp.edu.sg Like us at www.facebook.com/AlumniRP Visit the Graduates’ Portal at
www.rp.edu.sg/grad
Success Stories | dREam
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RP Success Stories: Laptop Tailors Article by Teo Xing Zhi, Graduate of 2011
Q
uick, what’s the one thing you must have when studying at RP? That’s right, it’s a laptop. Everyone owns laptops even after they’ve graduated. Now, laptops need to be protected. Childhood friends and RP graduates Darcy Li and Bryan Lee have discovered an entirely unique style in creating skins that both protect and glamourise. Their online shop Snupped has a fan base of more than 26,000. We pop by for a quick interview to find out more! dREam: Tell us about yourself. Snupped: Before we start, hello and thank you for this interview. Well we’re humans and bear the names Bryan and Darcy. We’ve been close friends for more than a decade since primary school and always had a strong interest in entrepreneurship. Looking back, it’s not much of a surprise that both of us started Snupped.
Bryan was from Business Computing and Darcy’s from Sports and Exercise Sciences. Bryan is in charge of all things technical-related. Darcy is responsible for the day-to-day operations and external matters. dREam: Did you want to come to RP? Snupped: Yes, of course! We were very attracted to RP because of the Problem-based Learning (PBL) concept. It’s an independent way of learning, which means that as students we are given the freedom to use the learning method we prefer most. We love the
small classes too as we find that it is a more conducive environment for learning to take place. dREam: Tell us about your business. Why did you start it up? Snupped: We really disliked mass manufactured laptop cases that we had to buy from bookstores; they were boring, poorly made and designed to fit everyone. In fact, those cases often disintegrate over time and leave tiny black heads all over our laptops. Gross! We wanted our notebooks to travel alongside us in style. We wanted them to wear something that’s personal, comfortable, fun and unique - a little appreciation to the hard work they put in for us. We also thought that being in RP where each student owns a laptop, it would be easy to get the word out on Snupped. dREam: Did anyone help you? Snupped: Our parents were very supportive of our project. When we ran out of time, they were always there to help us - always! They would chip in… be it in packing or even the production of the sleeves. We’ve since come a long way, and we really owe it to them. dREam: Why ‘Snupped’? Snupped: No particular reason. It just came up in one of our discussions, and it’s quite a cool and catchy word, so why not?
dREam: How do you come up with all your designs? Snupped: We constantly work with designers all around the world. It’s really fun to be able to engage and see the type of work that they can produce. Each designer has his or her own style and taste. It creates a very unique experience when you browse through the wide variety of designs. dREam: Were there any challenges faced when opening up this business? Snupped: Definitely! As entrepreneurs, the thrill in a business is that you never know what comes next. The road ahead is never predictable. At the beginning, we found it really difficult to have the products handmade in Singapore. We did not know who to approach and how we could start. It hit us that the whole idea of personalisation means that we should not mass manufacture. Every case that is ordered has to be tailored specifically to the way you designed your gadget case, which is a lot of micromanagement work. At the heart of all these, we also had to juggle Snupped with schoolwork and then serving the nation after we graduated. There were times when we question why we put ourselves through all that stress instead of getting a regular job. However, the feeling of seeing a Snupped sleeve on the streets is what makes going through all the stress worth it. dREam: Did being in RP help in any way? Snupped: We did not really make Snupped known to RP while we were studying there, but we found new ideas amongst certain modules that were related to what we were doing. Some Creative Engagement activities also gave us new insights, especially those from other entrepreneurs. We shared with our facilitators about Snupped too, and many of them were supportive and gave us suggestions and ideas. dREam: How would you like RP to help in the future? Snupped: Definitely by keeping laptops as the primary mode of learning so that every RP student is a potential Snupped customer! Jokes aside, it will be fun if we can collaborate with RP to design a ‘RP’ laptop case. We would also love to be around during open houses and the laptop fairs. We will definitely benefit with more support from RP, such as pushcarts, SUI! Also, shop sales and advertising in the various school newsletters and magazines. dREam: Would you like to contribute to RP? Snupped: We will definitely want to contribute back to RP. It could be as direct as being a gift sponsor for events. If given a chance, we would also be delighted to share our experiences with other students. We have intern positions in our company for students to get a little bit of real world experience in business, marketing, design and web development. We’re also looking at how we can contribute back as alumni. dREam: Anything else you’d like to share? Snupped: The independent learning style of RP means that you are directly responsible for your own learning. The PBL method also guarantees at least one problem every day. Likewise, the road of entrepreneurship is filled with obstacles but from every problem, there are always lessons to be learnt. RP honed our critical thinking skills and certainly our presentation skills. We were also given a lot of invaluable freedom to express ourselves. We are grateful that we’ve been able to graduate with more than a diploma.
Get rewarded for reading dREam
Congratulations
to the winners from the September 2011 issue!
• CHENG HUI YI SXXXX048C • LI LIKAI NORMAN SXXXX336G • SEE SIOK YING SXXXX018F
dREam is giving away 3 pairs of
movie passes All you have to do is read the magazine and answer the following question correctly.
How many graduates did we feature in this issue of dREam? To participate, simply email your answer to dREam@rp.edu.sg with your name, NRIC and Club Republic membership number. Closing date for the contest is 15 January 2012. All winners will be notified by email. Terms and Conditions: • Only Club Republic members qualify to participate in this contest • The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence or claim in relation to the judges’ decision will be entertained
Lifestyle Tidbits | dREam
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Acing Different Types of Interviews Article by RP Student Career Services and JobsCentral BrightMinds
You may already hear a lot about how to do well for one-on-one interviews but there are more interview formats than one. CEO of JobsCentral Group, Lim Der Shing, shares tips on how to handle some of them. for candidates to make the trip down for the face-to-face interview. It is also used if there are a large volume of candidates, and the employer wishes to use the phone to screen away some of them.
Lunch/Cafe Job Interview
An interview over food and drinks may sound more relaxed, but it is in reality a tough one. The employers are testing to see how well you hold up in an informal, semi-formal or formal outside setting. There are many things that could go wrong for an interviewee during this type of interview including bad table manners, poor etiquette or even behaving too formally for the setting. Tip: Always order food that is easy to eat with a fork and knife. Avoid over-ordering or ordering large portions of food that cannot be finished. Ask the interviewer what is good in the café or restaurant and if he or she does recommend something, take it. Comment on the interesting style of interviewing and ask the interviewer why they choose to do it this way. You may be able to learn a bit more about them this way. Thank your host for the meal and very importantly, remember your basic table manners!
Telephone Job Interview
This technique is sometimes used if it is not possible or impractical
The drawback of this interview is that you have no visual cues to work on. This means that you will not be able to know if you are impressing the interviewer. The way to overcome this problem is to listen very carefully and if you are unsure of certain questions, repeat it and ask the interviewer for confirmation. Do not let the interviewer lead the conversation; if it is appropriate, push for a face-to-face meeting saying something like: “I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you in person, so we can both better evaluate each other. I am free either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. Which would be better for you?” Tip: Speak clearly and try to answer directly to the point. Do not attempt to make jokes or small talk as they may backfire since you cannot gauge the interviewer’s reaction. Try to angle for a faceto-face interview. Express interest in the position at the end of the phone call and ask for contact information of the interviewer so that you can follow up.
Group Job Interview
Often, group interviews are used to
introduce the company and describe the job to an assembled audience of candidates. As this form of interview is not one-on-one, there is not so much pressure on an individual candidate. However, remember that the aim is to stand out from the crowd and be noticed. There are some employers in Singapore that employ this technique as a first round screening tool for entry-level positions. What you want to do here is to make yourself stand out yet not appear to be attention-seeking or desperate. There is usually a fear among Singaporeans of speaking up first, so take advantage of this fact and be the first to answer the questions from the interviewer. Be articulate and confident. Never attempt to put down or argue with your fellow interviewees or end up in conversation with your fellow interviewees. Tip: Take the initiative to answer the very first question. Keep your voice steady, clear and be confident when speaking.
Committee or Panel Interview Singaporean employers use this method when hiring for advanced positions or for scholarship awards. During committee interviews, candidates are questioned by several company personnel which can be daunting. Keep your cool and be sure to impress all of the interviewers - not just one or two of them.
15
it’ll last you a lifetime! alumni@rp email Your complimentary, lifelong email account that immediately identifies you as a member of the Republic Polytechnic community!
Tip: When an interviewer addresses you with a question, respond to the person that asked that question, while being conscious of how the others will interpret what you are saying.
Deliberately Unnerving or Aggressive Interviews
Interviewers may try to test your nerve to see how you handle yourself under pressure. The interview may start out in a relaxed fashion with standard questions being posed, then the interviewer may change tack to launch into a hostile assault, for example, “So you failed your A-levels, what makes you think you can handle the pace at our company?” You should be prepared for this and don’t take it personally. Calmly answer each question as it comes. Few employers use this approach in Singapore and in the few rare cases that do, it is usually because the job involves a lot of stressful situations. Such interviews are usually accompanied by personality tests.
Evoke your sense of pride and belonging to Republic Polytechnic by using an alumni@rp email account. alumni@rp uses the email address format userid@alumni.myrp.edu.sg and helps you stay connected with your friends long after you have graduated. It is your gateway to maintain strong bonds with other alumni and also serves as a lifelong connection between you and your alma mater. • Large storage size for email (10GB for Outlook Live) • Password-protected 25GB online storage through Windows Live SkyDrive • Office Live Workspace - room for more than 1000 files
Tip: The key here is to be calm at all times. Remember that it is an interview and that you have nothing to gain from losing your cool. The interviewer is merely role-playing and does not have anything personal against you. So use this type of interview as a chance to show your collectedness and ability to be on top of the situation. JobsCentral BrightMinds is a special section of JobsCentral that offers entrylevel positions and internships to students and alumni from Singapore’s tertiary institutions such as Republic Polytechnic. Organisations listed in BrightMinds are made up of premium employers from MNCs, government agencies and established SMEs looking specifically to hire entry-level graduates. Visit http://brightminds.jobscentral.com.sg for more information.
Check Email
3 easy steps to start using your alumni@rp email account! Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:
Go to URL www.rp.edu.sg/grad Click on the Check Email button found on the flash banner Login using the same method you logged in with when you were a student.
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Calendar of Events | dREam
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Calendar of Events December 2011 9 December Recycling Urban Biomass* Venue: Republic Polytechnic Campus
13 December Alumni Association Pro Tem Committee Meeting Venue: Graduates’ Lounge, Republic Polytechnic Campus
16 December Financial X-Ray - Diagnosing Your Company’s Health* Venue: Republic Polytechnic Campus
19 - 20 December Warehouse Security Management*
25 December Christmas 28 December Productivity with Warehouse Technologies* Venue: Republic Polytechnic Campus
Venue: Republic Polytechnic Campus
January 2012 1 January New Year 5 - 7 January Republic Polytechnic Open House 2012
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
12 January Alumni Association Pro Tem Committee Meeting
Venue: NTU Sports Hall 2
IVP Badminton Tournament Male - RP vs SMU
Management & Communications - Managing the Media*
Venue: Singapore Badminton Hall
IVP Soccer Male - SMU vs RP
14 January IVP Badminton Tournament Female - NUS vs RP
Venue: Singapore Badminton Hall
Venue: Temasek Polytechnic Soccer Field
9 February Alumni Association Pro Tem Committee Meeting
Venue: technic Graduates’ Lounge, Republic Poly
Toolkit for Effective Presentations*
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
18 January Managing the Media*
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Communicating in a Crisis*
23 & 24 January
Management & Communications - Citizen Journalism for You*
31 January
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
February 2011 2 February IVP Soccer Male TP vs RP
IVP Basketball Championship Female - NP vs RP
Venue: Graduates’ Lounge, Republic Polytechnic
Venue: Republic Polytechnic Soccer Field
11 January
17 January
10 February Toolkit for Effective Presentations* Venue: Republic Polytechnic
13 February Customer Service with EQ* Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Pro-Tools 101*
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Chinese New Year Career Fair 2011
Venue: South Agora, Republic Polytechnic
14 February Valentine Day! Customer Service with EQ* Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Pro-Tools 101*
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
15 February Customer Service with EQ* Venue: Republic Polytechnic
Pro-Tools 101*
Venue: Republic Polytechnic
*For more information on CPD programmes, please visit www.rp.edu.sg/cpd. Club Republic members would get to enjoy the CPD programmes at a discounted rate. For more information on other RP events, please email us at help-graduate@rp.edu.sg
Information is correct at time of print.