Monday, November 15, 2010

So this is it then, this is the end.

As I write this on my birthday, one can only imagine the mixed feelings and thoughts going through my head. For starters, shouldn’t I be doing something else, rather than penning (or typing as the case may be) out yet another blog post? But this in itself reflects the fundamental essence of ES2007S: this module is important.

A Stanford Research Institute and Carnegie Melon Foundation study found that 75 percent of long term job success depends on soft skills and only 25 percent on technical knowledge (Posthuma, 2002). Additionally, an overwhelming majority (93 %) of HR managers surveyed said technical skills were easier to teach than soft skills.

According to a Job Outlook survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) in 2008, the top characteristics employers look for in hiring are all soft skills: communication ability, a strong work ethic, written and oral communication, interpersonal skills, and teamwork (Klaus, 2008).

From the above, it’s pretty obvious that the demand for soft skills in the workplace is immense, and surpasses that of actual technical knowledge. But we already knew all that. That's why we're in this course. To put things into relative terms, the life skills taught in ES2007S are well worth the entire sum of my university tuition fees –maybe more.

But ES2007S has been more than just the-most-useful-module-offered-by-NUS; it has been a catalyst for inter-cultural exchanges, for open discussions on the most pertinent issues in society today, an avenue for peer-teaching and learning, plus the sharing of ideas and feedback, a conducive environment for the experiential learning of presentation, corporate writing, interview skills, and above all –a place where I have found real friends. At the end of the day, all I can say is that I have indeed gained immeasurable benefit from this course.

I would like to thank Brad for leading us along on this wonderful journey throughout the semester, conducting the classes with his unique brand of humour and unconventional teaching methods. I would also like to thank Alicia, Alvin, Billet, Elgin, Guo Chen, Nanhai, Shivam, Sylvester, Vinod, Wenlue, Wyhow, Xiaoshi, Xi Xi, Xing Quan and Yanling for being the most supportive, dynamic, cooperative and sincere classmates I’ve ever known here in NUS. In every single class discussion, project group, blog assignment and role-play activity, you guys have made this module truly unforgettable. It has been an honour to be your classmate. Thank you.




References:
1. Klaus Peggy (2008) The Hard Truth About Soft Skills – Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish They’d Learned Sooner. Collins.

2. Posthuma, R.A., F.P. Morgenson, and M.A. Campion (2002) Beyond Employment Interview Validity: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Recent Research and Trends. Personnel Psychology.

24 comments:

  1. Hi May!

    Oh this seriously looks like a report, with all the citations and all! And I could totally relate to this post, partly because it falls in line with my group's proposal. LOL.

    A very concise post of yours. You showed the overall effect and importance of having effective communication skills. I fully agree with your part on soft skills, which I briefly mentioned in my post as well. No regrets in this course, ever. :)

    This module is just so different from the rest. We are given many opportunities to interact and pair up with different people each time. Though I realised I wasn't part of your group at any stage! What a waste! But still, I would like to thank you for providing me with comments etc. Good luck for your exams! :D

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  2. HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ((:

    Hope you had a special day, my dear! Best wishes to you always and stay happy! ((:

    This is a really succinct post you have here, encompassing all your emotions that really shine through in this post. I can't help but agree more that this module has brought to us so many valuable friendships, which surpasses all the other benefits any day. Definitely, the soft skills we gained are essential, but I believe the ties forged are equally if not more important. It has been my honour being your classmate too, May! And once again, thank you so much for being a part of this class! All the best and I'll see you around! (:

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  3. Hi May,

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY..! I think you must have had a hard time replying all the birthday wishes that came flooding in your facebook... :X

    Anyway, this is really an interesting post I must admit. From the way how you made use of the above job statistics to show great emphasis of soft skills in today's working society, it is highly reflective of your realization of the importance of having soft skills. This is probably the reason why we chose ES2007S, as a platform to hone our soft skills, to prepare us for the working world..

    I am deeply flattered for the fact that you mentioned me as being a supportive and dynamic classmate. I am also appreciative for the fact that ES2007S has given me chance to make awesome friends like you to spice up our life in class.. :D

    Once again, thanks for the great interaction we had in class. It had been a pleasure knowing you. All the best and I hope to see you around..

    Cheers,
    Sylvester

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  4. Hi May!

    First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I was close to tears after reading your entry. It takes a minute to say hello, but forever to say goodbye. The friendship forged within the four walls of the class is priceless.

    Indeed, soft skills such as communication ability, interpersonal skills, and teamwork are qualities that employers are looking out for. That is precisely why we took up ES2007S, hoping to learn the abovementioned soft skills through this module. I could still vividly remember the first day of lesson, whereby Brad got us moving around the class filling up the blanks on that piece of worksheet. Initially I couldn't exactly decipher his intention of doing so, but now I do! Instead of the usual hi my name is blahblah my hobby is blahblah, Brad let us run the ice breaker game ourselves. It was highly interactive and effective! I was in awe when I knew that you were a 4th year life science major back then, and your oral communication skills blew me off. Just one word, STUNNING!

    Like what I had told you previously, you are someone whom I look up to in class. Your confidence make you stand out from the crowd as you speak. There's a certain aura in you that grab people's attention almost effortlessly! It's a pity that we didn't have the opportunity to work together, sadly ):

    All in all, thank you for being such an inspiring figure in class! Trust me, ES2007S would not be the same without your presence (:

    ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR FYP!

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  5. Hmmm... is the proposal editing syndrome still affecting you? What's with the citations?? haha...

    Anyway, happy birthday gal!! SC6!!! Muahaha... hope you have a great time celebrating despite being so busy. We have certainly learnt a lot of soft skills in this class, and I'm glad to know you as a friend too. Even with the "deadlines" (but we are definitely still alive), it was very fun working together! Hang in there a bit longer, and definitely you can go for your long awaited break! Jia you and see you around! The best is yet to be =D

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  6. Hi Alvin!

    I saw your response to my comment on your blog-post (: Hmm, I’ll keep this blog active if you promise to help feed the fish in that tank on the right, deal? HAHA!

    And now that you mention it, yea I never formally worked with you on any of the group projects! No matter, your presence in class was always very strong and I heard your viewpoints frequently through open-class discussions. (Such that it didn’t even occur to me that I hadn’t worked with you!)

    Plus, this is where the wonders of blogging come in! You are one very responsible blog-commenter (: And even though I’m not in your blogging group, I benefitted greatly from your feedback on practically every post! Thank you (:

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  7. Hi ALICIA!!

    THANK YOU THANK YOU :D

    Your friendship is really one of the most valuable things I will be taking away from this class. Your feisty nature, constant pursuit of excellence, optimism under all circumstances and willingness to learn + improve are all traits which I really admire. Plus, you’re just so downright endearing (:

    ALL THE BEST FOR THE FINALS! (we really ought to meet-up after the exams)

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  8. Hi Sylvester!

    Thanks for the birthday wishes! (: Haha I’m getting used to doing ‘marathon replies’. The problem with Facebook is there are LITERALLY hundreds of posts to reply to. But its plus point is that a reply can be as short as a simple ‘thank you!’ (:

    You know I value you very highly as a classmate and blogging buddy too. (You do, right?) haha!

    Thanks for everything. And all the best for the finals!! See you around :D

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  9. Hi Xiaoshi! (:

    Like Yanling, you have a most beautiful way of phrasing your words, oftentimes creating enchanting imagery in the mind’s-eye of your readers.

    You know, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this to you before, but I really admire the fact that you’re an Applied Math major. To me, that is one of the HARDEST majors to be enrolled in. I’m not kidding here, neither am I ‘just saying it’. Particularly with the crazy competition in NUS and the very nature of the major’s requirements, Applied Math is just insanely difficult! It would thus automatically equate that you are one really brave, highly intelligent individual. (: And I take my hat off to you.

    ALL THE BEST FOR THE FINALS! PLUS EVERYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY, BEYOND THEM (:

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  10. Hi Elginnnnnn!

    I was typing out reasons WHY the soft-skills we learnt in ES2007S were socially relevant and important, when it hit me that MY words weren’t sufficient in truly proving that there was a NEED for soft skills to be taught in schools/universities. So yes, I promptly went to search for actual references which could solidly back up my points.

    You’re right. It DID feel a tad like the (nightmarish) Proposal Report editing all over again. Haha! Oh the memories...I was writing over the span of 2 days and didn’t sleep a wink the night before the final submission deadline; only just managed to send the full thing out to Nanhai for printing at 7am on the day of submission itself! (You already know the rest...about how I then got off my chair, washed my face, ironed my clothes, and traveled down to school for class :P) Good thing we’ve got youth on our side huh. Haha!

    I had fun working with you too. (: Despite the (occasional) stress. Thanks for being so supportive, innovative and encouraging! Looking back on everything, we really DID pull through a lot of stuff! And there were quite a few speed-bumps along the way, ranging from ridiculously packed schedules, negative/non-responses from various authorities, and the DEATH OF YOUR LAPTOP! :P

    I just realized you’ve got a lot of stuff to potentially blackmail me with. HAHA! Argh. Foolishness results when one is over-stressed and doing silly things during meetings. Ah well, keep your friends close, and keep those-who-can-blackmail-you CLOSER! (:

    All the best for the finals, fellow ACJC-mate! Our ‘The Best Is Yet To Be’ motto isn’t quite something I like to quote with regard to exams...because it sort of gives the impression that you’ll never ‘get there/achieve your goals’ in this context :P I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.

    STAY CLOSE, FRIEND! (:

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  11. Thank you, May, for the very fine post. I appreciate the way you use secondary source info to support the requirements of the workplace and the clear need for a course like ES2007S, and the manner by which you review so concisely the various class assignments and the degree to which you have benefitted. You also tip your hat to your classmates, which is nice. Oh yes --- I always appreciate accolades as well.

    You've done a superior job with the blogging this term, May, and throughout the course you've been a key member of class discussions and work teams. That's all testament to the effort you have put into honing your skills.

    All the best as you continue your learning journey!

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  12. Hey May,

    I am really impressed by this blog post. It is very concise, organized, complete, concrete and convincing. The 7Cs of writing has been integrated into your blood and your writing ability is awesome!

    Those references at the end of this post remind me of our research proposal. I really want to thank you for making the final editing of the proposal, which you stayed up the whole night. And I would say you have the strongest writing ability I have ever seen and I know I have a long way to catch up :)

    ~Happy Birthday~ It is a bit embarrassing to celebrate birthday during reading week but it also reminded us how fast time flies by. You are Year 4 already and I am Year 3, and we don’t have much time left in the university. The only thing we can do is to maximize the time NOW and hopefully we have no regrets when we look back later.

    The end is also the beginning and I wish you all the best in the future!

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  13. Hi May,

    Firstly, Happy Birthday! I really like the way you write all the post. Your posts are always concise and to the point. I think through the course, the 7Cs have been applied and you really have honed your skill to do just that.

    I agree with you that this course is very useful in real life and it's something that cannot be learned elsewhere. NUS should highly promote this course. :)

    Anyways, It's nice working with you and being in the same class with you. All the best for exam. See you around.

    Cheers,
    Billet

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  14. Hi May,

    Wish we could have worked together if the course was extended over 2 semesters...

    This is the first blog post I've seen in our class with external references, other than the application letters post. How was your birthday?

    $W?h0w$

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  15. Hi May,

    I agree with you that the soft skills are of great importance today, not only for a job, but for all aspects of our life. However, the university has not paid enough attention to this aspect of personal development, most of our courses are for the technical stuff. However, we are lucky to choose this course and learn some key skills for life.

    As your blog buddy, I really think you did quite a good job. All your blog posts are well organized and your language is quite concise and clear. I really learnt a lot from you!

    It is a pity that we have not worked together for team projects. I think your shows very good communication skill through class discussion and presentation.

    All the best to your coming exams!

    Cheers
    Guo Chen

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  16. Dear May,

    Just a random fact, studies show that watching swimming fishes may help in preventing onset of dementia (sorry no references yet)! It always comes to mind when feeding your fish. They always seem to be in perpetual hunger, it's a wonder why they don't grow fatter and how I've grown attached to them!

    Anyway, as I've said on Facebook about how you were a blessing, I meant it. You have a flair for words that seem to come so easily, as seen from a certain wisdom in dishing advice for written contents in blogposts and in lessons as well. It's amazing to see how fast you're able to comment. It just seems so natural to you.

    Finally, remember what Guo Chen mentioned in her initial entries about how emotional intelligence is related to communications. Somehow or other, you always have the ability to identify and address the pertinent issues, and give positive affirmation to everyone in class.

    It has always been a pleasure to read your posts and receive your comments too. Can't express how glad I am to learn from you in this aspect!

    Hope your birthday was well spent! Thanks once again for the wonderful learning journey.

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  17. Hi Brad!

    Thank you so much for the encouraging feedback! It’s always particularly exciting to read your take on any one of my blog-posts. Sort of feels like the anticipation on Christmas morning you know. (:

    Indeed I am still on a learning journey, just that thanks to ES2007S, my eyes have been opened to all the aspects one ought to be conscious of when delivering presentations/writing application letters/ going for interviews/handling conflicts, etc. and this knowledge will allow me to specifically target my various weaknesses. Not only that, the module has effectively taught me HOW to go about implementing change. And the confidence I’ve gained from this is priceless.

    Once again, thank you very much Brad!

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  18. Hi Nanhai!

    Your posts have this tendency to leave me speechless for quite a while! And I do believe the magic lies in your most beautiful (and tremendously flattering) use of words. (:

    It comes as a great compliment from someone who is extremely clear and concise in his writing (and speech) that I have managed to adopt those elements in this blog-post too. (: If I haven’t told you already, I’d like you to know that I really look up to you. Not only are you focussed and driven, striving for excellence in everything you do, you are also very sensitive and courteous towards others which makes working with you such a joy. In addition to being the master of quotes, you’re the ultimate walking encyclopedia of all things related to the NUS Career Centre too. Plus, you’re always looking out for others and handing out advice on planning ahead for one’s future. I have really learnt a lot from you this semester, and I feel extremely fortunate to have been your research project group-mate.

    I wish you all the best in your future as well! With full confidence that it will be a very bright one. (:

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  19. Hi Billet!

    Thank you for the birthday wishes! (:

    I wish you all the best for the coming exams too, fellow ACJC-alumnus! I’m really glad I got to know you through this class. You’ve got high standards, both for yourself and for others, and what’s really great about you is that you are genuine and sincere. I have indeed identified many of my own weaknesses through your constructive feedback throughout the course. (: Much thanks!!

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  20. Hi Wyhow,

    My birthday was spent indulging in one of my favourite activities: swimming! I had a really nice long one (: Thanks for asking!

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  21. Hi May,

    It took me awhile but finally got there in the end - reading and commenting on your post that is. As I mentioned in your earlier posts your blog is one that I find most entertaining and at times a comic relief of sorts. You really have excellent writing and language skills which must be admired.

    For this post, I see you've taken the route of citations which seem to parallel our experience with the proposal. And that in itself is an apt reflection of 1 of the key components of this module. You've also highlighted clearly the importance of soft skills over technical skills, surely something that many of us would have found attractive prior to joining this class.

    Besides that though we may not have had the chance to interact in any of the main projects, I've seen enough promise in you as an effective communicator through your excellent delivery skills in presentations and insightful comments to the thought provoking questions that Brad posed in class. It has indeed been a pleasure to have taken this module alongside you and I wish you all the best or your exams. Cheers!

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  22. Hi Guo Chen!

    Though we did not formally work together on group projects, I was fortunate enough to have had many small-group discussions with you during our weekly classes. And you never failed to impress me with your clarity of thought and novel solutions to problems. Plus, you’re been a most wonderful blogging buddy! (: Thanks for making ES2007S that extra special.

    All the best for the exams as well! See you around campus (:

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  23. Hi Yanling! (:

    All the more reason for EVERYONE to own a FISHTANK! (: Don’t you just love pets that never get full? (Just as long as one’s got an unlimited supply of food, that is.) Feeding them is so therapeutic. I particularly love how they will ‘follow’ your cursor around till you click, and the food magically appears. Haha yay, thanks for feeding my fish! (: Do you own any fish (in real life)? (: I used to have forty of them (5 different species) in tanks, buckets and pails all over my balcony when I was fifteen/sixteen. Haha! Yup, you read that right. Forty fishes, one balcony. Thinking back now, I’m rather amazed at how my parents actually allowed that. (Plus how I managed to change all the dirty water, keep those fishes infection-free, etc.) Had to give them all away during the O-level period when I got too busy to handle my ‘fish farm’ though. But my fascination with fishes has never died (though I would say I’m currently not passionate/crazy enough to re-establish my fish farm) :P

    And Yanling, you’re honestly one person who’s incredibly kind with your words! (: But really, I CANNOT take credit for 'the wonderful learning journey'! Your learning was all your own, dear! (: It is testament to your ability to pick up tips from others' feedback, and from simply watching them. All your improvements have resulted from your own diligence! (:

    With regard to positively affirming our classmates, well, I can only write about traits (and improvements) that they’ve displayed in class (whether consciously or unconsciously) right? So quite frankly, everyone absolutely deserves the recognition, purely based on their own merit. (:

    It’s probably the umpteenth time I’m saying this, but really it has been an awesome semester here in ES2007S. And the experience was MADE awesome by the people here. (: Thank you, Yanling for being a big part of the ‘awesomeness’ :D

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  24. Hi Vinod!

    Phew! It’s taken me quite a while to get to this reply too! (And trust me, I was reading your post with a great sense of relief.)

    Thank you for the succinct analysis of my final post, and for your very kind compliments! (: IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE TAKEN THIS MODULE WITH YOU TOO!! :D

    All the best for the finals, and all that you do in future! You honestly have everything it takes to go far and be all that you aspire to be. I really mean it. Never let inner fears and doubts hold you back, alright?

    Vinod, just truly believe that you’re good enough. Because you are.

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