Recently, I came across an article on LinkedIn written by Mr Lionel Crottaz, one of the senior members of staff at Adecco Singapore, which was where I interned at for 12 weeks in 2016.
The article was also published on the Adecco Singapore website, so readers who don't have LinkedIn accounts can view it too: A pledge against GENeralisation XYZ.
Being a Director at the company, Mr Crottaz isn't exactly young, and I remember him possessing a sparse nest of grey hair. So I was pleasantly surprised by the contents of his article.
In short, he took a stand against the trend of lumping people together based on their year of birth. We've all heard it before, and some of us may even have done it ourselves. For example, millennials are commonly defined as those who are currently in early adulthood, and have a negative reputation for being "strawberries", meaning that they are mentally and physically fragile and don't take hardships very well.
Mr Crottaz pointed out that in making all these assumptions about people using their age as a yardstick, we run the risk of losing sight of "individual uniqueness". Every single person is different from every single other person. An extreme example given in Mr Crottaz's article compared a farmer in India with an IT professional in America. Both may be in the same generation, but how similar are they really? One "may walk 3 hours to get water and food every day" while the other "deliberat(es) between a Cappuccino and a Latte at Starbucks at Times Square NY". Assuming that they are both millennials by chronology, is the Indian farmer just as "strawberry-ish" as the American may be? Ludicrous.
Of course, not all cases are as cut-and-dried as this, but the point is that like every other stereotype, categorising people by the loosely developed concept of "generation" and then assigning characteristics to them using vague observations is inherently unfair. We are not okay with people who claim that all Muslims are terrorists. In the same vein, it's unacceptable to say that everyone between the ages of 15 and 35 years or whatever is a strawberry.
I found the article by Mr Crottaz very refreshing as the "strawberry
myth" seems to be a particular favourite among people in his age group.
This is common sense because millennials obviously aren't the ones
criticising themselves! I liked the fact that Mr Crottaz chose to stand
up for this cause instead of going along with the rest of the baby
boomers in staring down their long noses at everyone else.
The trouble with stereotypes is that they reinforce themselves through confirmatory biases and self-fulfilling prophecies, making them very difficult to stamp out.
Confirmatory biases: This is the tendency to regard everything that fits in with your beliefs as evidence for their veracity while disregarding conflicting observations. In the current context, someone who believes that millennials are strawberries takes notice every time a millennial demonstrates strawberry-like behaviour. For instance, if a news story shows a millennial complaining about stiff competition in the job market or the rising cost of living or being treated badly at work, the person will scoff and make a remark about how "spoilt and self-entitled these young ones are nowadays! Back in my day..." But reports of millennials overcoming challenges or acting stoically are ignored or dismissed out of hand. Fake news, anyone?
Self-fulfilling prophecies: In this phenomenon, the person holding the belief plays a more active role, interacting with the other party in a way which elicits a response which fits in with the belief. That was confusing, but an example should clear it up. Let's go back to the person who thinks all millennials are strawberries. One day, he meets a millennial face-to-face. Already he has preconceived notions of the hapless millennial. Perhaps he may even feel contempt toward the other person, before words have had the chance to be exchanged. Naturally, he will be more negative in his language and tone, and this would obviously put the millennial on the back foot. Under more pressure now, the millennial may exhibit signs of anxiety. This is quickly picked up by the belief-holder, who triumphantly sees the millennial's discomfort as a sign in support of his "theory".
Can you imagine the harm that could result? In a job interview, a recruiter who subscribes to the generation generalisation could influence the performance of candidates through the self-fulfilling prophecy. It's a double-edged sword too: a young recruiter with a dim view of baby boomers has the potential to do as much damage as an older recruiter who looks down on millennials.
It can be argued that when it comes to stereotypes, "there is no smoke without fire". I don't deny the fact that there exist certain cohort effects. For example, it is indisputable that millennials grew up in a relatively stable and prosperous environment as compared to baby boomers. This may, and I stress the word "may", result in millennials being less functional during adversity as they are not used to handling such situations. But it's unreasonable to brand them as strawberries and weaklings because of it. Most are able to cope with the vagaries of ordinary life just fine.
The people who make up the age group called millennials are not at fault here. Indeed, nobody is to blame. It just so happened that these people were lucky enough to be born at the time they were. Insulting millennials as being weak, incompetent, lazy, arrogant, or what-have-you, can easily lead to a slippery slope, and before you know it, millennials are suddenly the cause of the extinction of the human race!
To be fair, millennials are mean toward the older generation too. Oftentimes the young poke fun at the perceived ineptitude of the old in dealing with technology. I'll admit that I've indulged in it with my parents as the target. But this too should ideally be avoided before it becomes malicious. Too many older job applicants have been passed up in favour of younger candidates due to inaccurate assumptions arising out of ageist attitudes. It has to stop.
In summary, the "generation generalisation" is potentially quite harmful, and adds little value to our understanding of one another. As Mr Crottaz said, rather than shoehorning people into predetermined "buckets" and drawing spurious conclusions, we should focus on getting to know each individual as exactly that: an individual, with his or her own unique set of attributes, goals, dreams, aspirations, values, wants, needs, strengths, weaknesses, skills... Only then will we truly be able to develop mutual understanding, and achieve harmonious and fruitful relationships for everyone involved.
Thursday 29 June 2017
Tuesday 27 June 2017
Who knows what the future may bring?
This morning, I came across this article: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/strong-enough-to-venture-out-after-18-years-thanks-to-home-care-scheme
It frightened me a bit.
The woman in the article has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. That is exactly the same condition I have.
She is in her 30s now. Her mother is her full-time caregiver and is in her 60s. This is similar to what my situation with my parents will be when we reach that age.
I am 11 birthdays away from hitting the big "3 0" mark.
The trouble with SMA is that it worsens over time. Basically, sufferers get weaker as the days go by.
I used to be able to write fairly quickly without sacrificing on legibility, but now rely on a computer to produce anything that humans can read. Even then, I have to use a utility app called the On-Screen Keyboard to type as my arms are not strong enough to manoeuvre around the actual keyboard.
As I grow older it seems like I am losing my abilities more often. Nowadays I get fatigued very easily and can only drive my motorised wheelchair a short while before my arm and hand become too tired to continue.
In other words, SMA is slowly but surely robbing me of the little independence I do possess.
When I read the Straits Times article, what really struck me was that when I reach that age, I could very well end up like that woman: bedridden and homebound, completely helpless and unable to even sit up and use the computer properly, and drinking all my nutrients through a tube in my neck.
Imagine that. No video games (I know the article says she plays Facebook games, but those are not the type of "serious" games I like), no writing, no outings, and no delicious hawker food.
My parents will be old and will STILL be stuck with me, waiting on my every need, even more than they do today.
No. That is nothing like the future I want. I envision myself having a decent and stable job, earning an income so I can buy lots of nice things for my parents.
But none of us can defy the force of ageing. For me, though, the biological clock ticks by at warp speed.
I can only hope that I have enough juice left in the tank for me to achieve my life goals, before hopefully going quietly and peacefully into the darkness.
And if the plan falls apart? Well, that would suck. But no use thinking about it now. It would just be a depressing and futile waste of energy.
One day at a time...
It frightened me a bit.
The woman in the article has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. That is exactly the same condition I have.
She is in her 30s now. Her mother is her full-time caregiver and is in her 60s. This is similar to what my situation with my parents will be when we reach that age.
I am 11 birthdays away from hitting the big "3 0" mark.
The trouble with SMA is that it worsens over time. Basically, sufferers get weaker as the days go by.
I used to be able to write fairly quickly without sacrificing on legibility, but now rely on a computer to produce anything that humans can read. Even then, I have to use a utility app called the On-Screen Keyboard to type as my arms are not strong enough to manoeuvre around the actual keyboard.
As I grow older it seems like I am losing my abilities more often. Nowadays I get fatigued very easily and can only drive my motorised wheelchair a short while before my arm and hand become too tired to continue.
In other words, SMA is slowly but surely robbing me of the little independence I do possess.
When I read the Straits Times article, what really struck me was that when I reach that age, I could very well end up like that woman: bedridden and homebound, completely helpless and unable to even sit up and use the computer properly, and drinking all my nutrients through a tube in my neck.
Imagine that. No video games (I know the article says she plays Facebook games, but those are not the type of "serious" games I like), no writing, no outings, and no delicious hawker food.
My parents will be old and will STILL be stuck with me, waiting on my every need, even more than they do today.
No. That is nothing like the future I want. I envision myself having a decent and stable job, earning an income so I can buy lots of nice things for my parents.
But none of us can defy the force of ageing. For me, though, the biological clock ticks by at warp speed.
I can only hope that I have enough juice left in the tank for me to achieve my life goals, before hopefully going quietly and peacefully into the darkness.
And if the plan falls apart? Well, that would suck. But no use thinking about it now. It would just be a depressing and futile waste of energy.
One day at a time...
Sunday 25 June 2017
Game review: FoxOne Special Missions Free
The advent of smartphones has been a boon for casual users, who just want simple games to pass the time between other commitments.
Developers responded by creating games specially for phones. These games still need to make money though. Unfortunately, this resulted in the birth of the "freemium" model.
Under the "freemium" model, game apps are listed as free on the app stores such as Google Play or iTunes. This attracts people to download the game. However, in most cases, players quickly discover that their progress through the game is impeded by incredibly difficult levels which can only be overcome with special booster packs... which must be bought using real money.
Of course, some people do go on to purchase the boosts. But most people simply give up at this point, and uninstall the app. After all, there are so many other free games to try.
For consumers, the "freemium" model is annoying to say the least. I do understand that from the developers' point of view, the "freemium" model is a necessary evil in order for them to sustain themselves as a viable venture. However, surely there are other ways to achieve this aim without pulling what is essentially a bait-and-switch trick?
So imagine my delight when I found FoxOne Special Missions Free and tried it out. It does follow the "freemium" model but doesn't whack you over the head with it.
You can buy in-game cash using real money, but shouldn't need to. The game is quite generous in rewarding you with plenty of cash just for actually... you know, playing.
The game is an arcade-style warplane flight simulator. It puts you in control of a large variety of fighter jets and throws you into frenetic battles against diverse enemies on the ground and in the air.
Level one gives you the venerable F-5 and tasks you with destroying a radar station guarded by some helicopter gunships and MiG interceptors. The radar station is the primary objective and blowing it up constitutes an immediate mission success. This can be achieved by shooting it with an Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) or unguided rockets, dropping a GPS-guided smart bomb, or strafing it with your nose-mounted cannon. However, to maximise your rewards, you should kill all the supporting assets first. Look for the grey boxes which highlight the positions of the enemy helicopters and planes, point your nose as directly towards them as the situation allows, wait for the red outline to appear around the targets meaning that your guided missiles have locked onto them, and fire! For each kill, you are awarded cash. At the end of the mission, you will get ribbons depending on how well you did.
Cash is used to add more advanced aircraft to your hangar. For example, you can unlock the F-14 Tomcat, F-18 Super Hornet, or the MiG-29, and use them in missions! Later stages will definitely require better planes like these, as they can take more hits from enemies before crashing, fly faster, are more agile, and carry more weapons. Cash is also needed to replenish the missiles and bombs your plane uses up during battle, although these armaments are quite cheap and shouldn't bankrupt you. In the event you do run out of money, you can replay the first few easy levels as many times as you need, to stock up on cash again.
The beauty of FoxOne is that it doesn't try to be too realistic. Yes, I'm praising its lack of realism. Many simulators want to pack too many mechanics in, causing the whole game to become unplayable. Imagine having to juggle throttle, yoke, and weapons while keeping track of airspeed, virtual horizon, and locations of enemies, all on a tiny phone screen. Then you get blindsided by a missile and your plane immediately dies. How frustrating is that?
In FoxOne, the controls are delightfully simple. Your left thumb steers the plane, and your right fires the weapons and activates the speed boost as needed. The game is also quite forgiving when it comes to death. Missile hits will reduce your health but won't kill you instantly. Driving into the ground or a building will destroy you straight away obviously.
That's not to say the game is easy. The warbling tone warning of inbound missiles will turn your palms sweaty, and engaging in dogfights with fellow jets will make your heart race. You will need excellent hand-eye coordination and tactical sense to come out on top in air-to-air battles. Do you know why they are called dogfights? It's because they resemble a dog chasing its tail. The aircraft will go round and round, each trying to get behind the other until one succeeds in locking on with a missile and blowing the other out of the sky.
Some missions also pit you against the clock, so you'll need to get the job done fast while surviving everything else! And a few scenarios even take place in cities, with enemy vehicles and helicopters hiding in the streets. A cool and steady hand is indispensable here! You will have to guide your fighter in a high-speed cat-and-mouse thrill ride, swooping between skyscrapers with your wingtips inches away from their windows, to root out and get rid of those pesky bad guys.
FoxOne Special Missions Free is a joy to play. Simple and intuitive controls, addictive gameplay, and a willingness to let you just get on with the game instead of forcing you to part with your hard-earned money, combine to form a complete package of fun and excitement, ideal for making those dreary commutes or slow workdays disappear in a blaze of smoke and fire.
FoxOne Special Missions Free
Available for Android on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skyfox.foxoneSMFree&hl=en
(Version for Apple also available)
Genre: Wartime flight simulator
Average playtime: each mission can be completed within 15 to 30 minutes
File size: slightly under 100MB
Suitable for children: Yes, no depictions of gore or sex
Rating: 4/5
Developers responded by creating games specially for phones. These games still need to make money though. Unfortunately, this resulted in the birth of the "freemium" model.
Under the "freemium" model, game apps are listed as free on the app stores such as Google Play or iTunes. This attracts people to download the game. However, in most cases, players quickly discover that their progress through the game is impeded by incredibly difficult levels which can only be overcome with special booster packs... which must be bought using real money.
Of course, some people do go on to purchase the boosts. But most people simply give up at this point, and uninstall the app. After all, there are so many other free games to try.
For consumers, the "freemium" model is annoying to say the least. I do understand that from the developers' point of view, the "freemium" model is a necessary evil in order for them to sustain themselves as a viable venture. However, surely there are other ways to achieve this aim without pulling what is essentially a bait-and-switch trick?
So imagine my delight when I found FoxOne Special Missions Free and tried it out. It does follow the "freemium" model but doesn't whack you over the head with it.
You can buy in-game cash using real money, but shouldn't need to. The game is quite generous in rewarding you with plenty of cash just for actually... you know, playing.
The game is an arcade-style warplane flight simulator. It puts you in control of a large variety of fighter jets and throws you into frenetic battles against diverse enemies on the ground and in the air.
Level one gives you the venerable F-5 and tasks you with destroying a radar station guarded by some helicopter gunships and MiG interceptors. The radar station is the primary objective and blowing it up constitutes an immediate mission success. This can be achieved by shooting it with an Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) or unguided rockets, dropping a GPS-guided smart bomb, or strafing it with your nose-mounted cannon. However, to maximise your rewards, you should kill all the supporting assets first. Look for the grey boxes which highlight the positions of the enemy helicopters and planes, point your nose as directly towards them as the situation allows, wait for the red outline to appear around the targets meaning that your guided missiles have locked onto them, and fire! For each kill, you are awarded cash. At the end of the mission, you will get ribbons depending on how well you did.
Cash is used to add more advanced aircraft to your hangar. For example, you can unlock the F-14 Tomcat, F-18 Super Hornet, or the MiG-29, and use them in missions! Later stages will definitely require better planes like these, as they can take more hits from enemies before crashing, fly faster, are more agile, and carry more weapons. Cash is also needed to replenish the missiles and bombs your plane uses up during battle, although these armaments are quite cheap and shouldn't bankrupt you. In the event you do run out of money, you can replay the first few easy levels as many times as you need, to stock up on cash again.
The beauty of FoxOne is that it doesn't try to be too realistic. Yes, I'm praising its lack of realism. Many simulators want to pack too many mechanics in, causing the whole game to become unplayable. Imagine having to juggle throttle, yoke, and weapons while keeping track of airspeed, virtual horizon, and locations of enemies, all on a tiny phone screen. Then you get blindsided by a missile and your plane immediately dies. How frustrating is that?
In FoxOne, the controls are delightfully simple. Your left thumb steers the plane, and your right fires the weapons and activates the speed boost as needed. The game is also quite forgiving when it comes to death. Missile hits will reduce your health but won't kill you instantly. Driving into the ground or a building will destroy you straight away obviously.
That's not to say the game is easy. The warbling tone warning of inbound missiles will turn your palms sweaty, and engaging in dogfights with fellow jets will make your heart race. You will need excellent hand-eye coordination and tactical sense to come out on top in air-to-air battles. Do you know why they are called dogfights? It's because they resemble a dog chasing its tail. The aircraft will go round and round, each trying to get behind the other until one succeeds in locking on with a missile and blowing the other out of the sky.
Some missions also pit you against the clock, so you'll need to get the job done fast while surviving everything else! And a few scenarios even take place in cities, with enemy vehicles and helicopters hiding in the streets. A cool and steady hand is indispensable here! You will have to guide your fighter in a high-speed cat-and-mouse thrill ride, swooping between skyscrapers with your wingtips inches away from their windows, to root out and get rid of those pesky bad guys.
FoxOne Special Missions Free is a joy to play. Simple and intuitive controls, addictive gameplay, and a willingness to let you just get on with the game instead of forcing you to part with your hard-earned money, combine to form a complete package of fun and excitement, ideal for making those dreary commutes or slow workdays disappear in a blaze of smoke and fire.
FoxOne Special Missions Free
Available for Android on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skyfox.foxoneSMFree&hl=en
(Version for Apple also available)
Genre: Wartime flight simulator
Average playtime: each mission can be completed within 15 to 30 minutes
File size: slightly under 100MB
Suitable for children: Yes, no depictions of gore or sex
Rating: 4/5
Wednesday 21 June 2017
Reorganising government agencies
I have a problem with how the division of labour among government agencies is done here in Singapore. I don't like it because it doesn't make sense.
The statutory boards I'm referring to are the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the National Parks Board (NParks).
Let's take a look at what each body is currently in charge of.
AVA:
There is quite a bit of overlap in terms of responsibilities. This leads to inefficiencies when multiple agencies have to get involved in a single project. It's a case of too many cooks.
For example, when there is a food safety lapse and a disease outbreak occurs, NEA steps in as it manages the food establishments, AVA has a role to play because it has to test samples of food and determine if it is fit for consumption, and the Ministry of Health also joins the fray due to the spread of disease and treatment of the infected.
Another example is the annual Operation No Release. PUB, the national water agency, and NParks appeal to the public not to release animals into the environment. NParks, being in charge of parks and nature reserves, strives to uphold the integrity of the ecosystem which is threatened by the introduction of invasive species. However, AVA is also involved as the issue at hand has to do with animals, which is under its jurisdiction.
See how complicated things can get? Wouldn't it be better to re-allocate some of the jobs to ensure a more streamlined workflow?
Here is the new structure I propose.
Animal Management Authority (AMA):
This new agency will be created and AVA scrapped. It will be in charge of all matters related to animals, including strays, wild animals, and domestic animals. Illegal wildlife trading and animal cruelty cases will also come under them. It WILL NOT have anything to do with the ecosystem or biodiversity, except for punishing people who release animals into the parks and nature reserves.
NParks to be renamed to National Plants Board (NPB):
All plant-related issues will be overseen by this agency. It will retain its current portfolio with the exception of management of wildlife inside the nature reserves, which will be handed over to AMA. It will also take over the plant-related area currently handled by AVA.
NEA:
It will be in charge of pollution control and waste disposal as well as weather and climate, as it is now. It will continue to deal with littering and illegal dumping, and administer the labelling scheme for energy-efficient electrical appliances. In addition, it will take on the planning and maintenance of a balanced ecosystem and biodiversity. Managing the dead and everything to do with diseases will be given to the Ministry of Health.
Public Facilities Management Group (PFMG):
Running the public toilets and swimming pools, which are currently the responsibility of NEA, will be handed over to PFMG, a new agency. PFMG may also take over the running of other public works such as roads, freeing up other agencies to focus on improving standards and quality instead of getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations.
Food Authority of Singapore (FAS):
This new body will look into food safety and ensure a reliable food supply through importation and locally based farms as AVA does currently, and take over managing food establishments and licensing food handlers from NEA.
Some inter-agency cooperation will still be involved, such as NEA requiring the help of AMA and NPB to manage the ecosystem. However, much of the bloatedness that exists in the current system has been pared away, leaving each agency to focus exclusively on one area.
A side benefit of the reshuffle is that two new agencies have been formed. This will create more jobs and reduce the unemployment rate.
Of course, my idea for the new agencies is just personal opinion and it may not even stand up to critical analysis. But I really do think that a shake-up is needed in these three agencies in particular. They're each putting their fingers into one another's respective pies, and getting in one another's way. As a result, their focus is diluted and they don't do their jobs properly.
A reorganisation is just what the doctor ordered.
The statutory boards I'm referring to are the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the National Parks Board (NParks).
Let's take a look at what each body is currently in charge of.
AVA:
- food safety such as random checks on imported consumables
- food supply and security such as importing food and regulating local farming industry
- animal control including managing stray and wild animals
- enforcement of animal-related laws such as illegal wildlife trading and cruelty towards animals
- licensing of pets and pet shops
- plant health and maintenance of balanced ecosystem
- weather forecasting
- climate change
- disease outbreaks such as dengue
- management of all food outlets
- food hygiene standards such as licensing of food handlers
- enforcement against littering and other forms of dirtying the surroundings
- oversee public facilities such as toilets and swimming pools
- issues pertaining to the dead such as crematoriums and cemeteries
- all types of pollution control including air, water, soil, noise, radioactive and chemical
- energy efficiency such as the labelling of electrical appliances
- take care of all the greenery
- manage parks including the wildlife within
- planning to achieve balanced ecosystem
- community gardening initiatives
There is quite a bit of overlap in terms of responsibilities. This leads to inefficiencies when multiple agencies have to get involved in a single project. It's a case of too many cooks.
For example, when there is a food safety lapse and a disease outbreak occurs, NEA steps in as it manages the food establishments, AVA has a role to play because it has to test samples of food and determine if it is fit for consumption, and the Ministry of Health also joins the fray due to the spread of disease and treatment of the infected.
Another example is the annual Operation No Release. PUB, the national water agency, and NParks appeal to the public not to release animals into the environment. NParks, being in charge of parks and nature reserves, strives to uphold the integrity of the ecosystem which is threatened by the introduction of invasive species. However, AVA is also involved as the issue at hand has to do with animals, which is under its jurisdiction.
See how complicated things can get? Wouldn't it be better to re-allocate some of the jobs to ensure a more streamlined workflow?
Here is the new structure I propose.
Animal Management Authority (AMA):
This new agency will be created and AVA scrapped. It will be in charge of all matters related to animals, including strays, wild animals, and domestic animals. Illegal wildlife trading and animal cruelty cases will also come under them. It WILL NOT have anything to do with the ecosystem or biodiversity, except for punishing people who release animals into the parks and nature reserves.
NParks to be renamed to National Plants Board (NPB):
All plant-related issues will be overseen by this agency. It will retain its current portfolio with the exception of management of wildlife inside the nature reserves, which will be handed over to AMA. It will also take over the plant-related area currently handled by AVA.
NEA:
It will be in charge of pollution control and waste disposal as well as weather and climate, as it is now. It will continue to deal with littering and illegal dumping, and administer the labelling scheme for energy-efficient electrical appliances. In addition, it will take on the planning and maintenance of a balanced ecosystem and biodiversity. Managing the dead and everything to do with diseases will be given to the Ministry of Health.
Public Facilities Management Group (PFMG):
Running the public toilets and swimming pools, which are currently the responsibility of NEA, will be handed over to PFMG, a new agency. PFMG may also take over the running of other public works such as roads, freeing up other agencies to focus on improving standards and quality instead of getting bogged down in the day-to-day operations.
Food Authority of Singapore (FAS):
This new body will look into food safety and ensure a reliable food supply through importation and locally based farms as AVA does currently, and take over managing food establishments and licensing food handlers from NEA.
Some inter-agency cooperation will still be involved, such as NEA requiring the help of AMA and NPB to manage the ecosystem. However, much of the bloatedness that exists in the current system has been pared away, leaving each agency to focus exclusively on one area.
A side benefit of the reshuffle is that two new agencies have been formed. This will create more jobs and reduce the unemployment rate.
Of course, my idea for the new agencies is just personal opinion and it may not even stand up to critical analysis. But I really do think that a shake-up is needed in these three agencies in particular. They're each putting their fingers into one another's respective pies, and getting in one another's way. As a result, their focus is diluted and they don't do their jobs properly.
A reorganisation is just what the doctor ordered.
Saturday 17 June 2017
Recipe for Jonathan's Refreshing Berry Blast Mocktail
The weather has been horrendously scorching recently. Sometimes I feel like I'm being cooked sous vide.
Wah, so atas (Singaporean language for high-class). What is sous vide? Basically, it's a style of cooking where food (usually meat) is placed into vacuum-sealed bags and immersed in a hot (but not boiling) water bath for a long period of time. This "low and slow" method results in meat which is more tender and juicy.
Or so the theory goes. I've never touched a hob in my life so I can't verify for myself. It works for most people though.
Anyway, I fancy myself an amateur cook, mixologist, critic, and recipe writer, so I came up with this brilliant idea to make a delicious and cooling drink to make the hot and sunny days a little more bearable.
Without further ado, please welcome my Refreshing Berry Blast Mocktail. Isn't it such a great name? "Berry Blast" is an alliteration so it's got a nice and catchy ring to it. Just like the name of this blog.
But I digress.
Jonathan's Refreshing Berry Blast Mocktail
Serves 3
Ingredients:
F&N Soda Water
Santisook Lime Juice
Giant Apple Cranberry Juice Drink
Honey
Ice
Method:
This drink is a little on the sweet side. If that's not quite your cup of tea, balance out the flavours a bit by introducing some mint, sea salt, or vodka into the mix. Alternatively, try replacing the normal honey with manuka, which has some earthy and herbal notes (you arrogant bugger, you!).
And there it is! My first attempt at writing a recipe. I must admit that it appears to be suffering from an identity crisis, like a science experiment had carnal relations with a Dave Barry column. But oh well, not bad for a maiden effort I think.
I hope you give this recipe a try! Please don't die. (Hey, it rhymes.)
Wah, so atas (Singaporean language for high-class). What is sous vide? Basically, it's a style of cooking where food (usually meat) is placed into vacuum-sealed bags and immersed in a hot (but not boiling) water bath for a long period of time. This "low and slow" method results in meat which is more tender and juicy.
Or so the theory goes. I've never touched a hob in my life so I can't verify for myself. It works for most people though.
Anyway, I fancy myself an amateur cook, mixologist, critic, and recipe writer, so I came up with this brilliant idea to make a delicious and cooling drink to make the hot and sunny days a little more bearable.
Without further ado, please welcome my Refreshing Berry Blast Mocktail. Isn't it such a great name? "Berry Blast" is an alliteration so it's got a nice and catchy ring to it. Just like the name of this blog.
But I digress.
Jonathan's Refreshing Berry Blast Mocktail
Serves 3
Ingredients:
F&N Soda Water
Santisook Lime Juice
Giant Apple Cranberry Juice Drink
Honey
Ice
Method:
- In a standard coffee mug (this is meant to be drunk by normal human beings, not people who put all liquids into puny glasses), add half a tablespoon of lime juice and one tablespoon of honey.
- Pour in the apple cranberry juice until the level of liquid is just below half of the mug's full capacity.
- Top off the drink with the soda water, making sure to leave about one centimetre of space between the top of the liquid and the rim of the mug.
- Wrap a handful of ice cubes in a clean towel and smash them with a rolling pin, rubber mallet, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, or your mother-in-law.
- Congratulations! You now have some crushed ice. Sprinkle some over your drink.
- Stick a straw into the drink and swirl it around two times very slowly. The aim is to get the ingredients mixed together without driving out the bubbles and making the drink go flat.
- Repeat Steps 1 to 6 until you have emptied the entire can of soda water. Do not keep the remaining soda water in the open can otherwise it will simply become water and be wasted. You should be able to fill three standard coffee mugs.
- Find two friends to enjoy the drink with! Or drink all three portions by yourself. Be mindful that the drink goes flat after some time though.
This drink is a little on the sweet side. If that's not quite your cup of tea, balance out the flavours a bit by introducing some mint, sea salt, or vodka into the mix. Alternatively, try replacing the normal honey with manuka, which has some earthy and herbal notes (you arrogant bugger, you!).
And there it is! My first attempt at writing a recipe. I must admit that it appears to be suffering from an identity crisis, like a science experiment had carnal relations with a Dave Barry column. But oh well, not bad for a maiden effort I think.
I hope you give this recipe a try! Please don't die. (Hey, it rhymes.)
Tuesday 13 June 2017
A watery love affair
One of the questions I am asked quite often is: How did you get involved in the water cause?
The answer isn't very straightforward. Let me try to explain it as best as I can.
First, a bit of background. Since I was in primary school, I have been very proud of this invention we have in Singapore called NEWater. It's ultra-clean water made by subjecting wastewater to a process known as reverse osmosis. The end product is so pure that not only does it surpass guidelines set by the World Health Organisation on standards for drinking water, it is even used to manufacture wafers for computer chips, which won't work if the slightest impurity is present.
PUB, the national water agency, makes NEWater to supplement Singapore's water supply. They run lots of campaigns and even maintain the NEWater Visitor Centre to educate the public about NEWater. This is because many people still hold negative perceptions of it, thinking that because it is made from wastewater, it must be very disgusting. I visited the NEWater Visitor Centre on a field trip in primary school, and it left a very good impression on me. Far from being repulsed by the idea of drinking "sh*t water", I felt pride that my country had perfected such a useful technology and adopted it on a large scale.
Now that's out of the way, the story can begin proper.
It starts in the typical Singaporean way: with a freebie. We just love free stuff, don't we? Due to my liking for NEWater, I followed PUB on social media for years. They often run contests online, and the prizes are usually some kind of Water Wally merchandise. Water Wally is the adorable mascot of PUB, and I've always had a soft spot for him.
So it happens that I took part in a couple of such contests in 2014 and 2015. Back then, PUB didn't have as many followers as they do now, so winners were often by default and anyone who took part was almost guaranteed to get one of the prizes. I received a few Water Wally memorabilia in this manner, and this built my loyalty to PUB as a brand and as a cause.
But I'm not some cheap tart. You can't just buy my undying love by bribing me with material goods. As any marketing textbook will tell you, you need to establish that human connection with your audience. PUB's social media team did exactly that with me.
I make it a point to be polite online. Just because we're hiding behind a screen doesn't give us the right to do or say things we wouldn't face-to-face. There's always someone on the other end reading your messages, and they have feelings too. In the case of interacting with organisations on social media, we must remember that it is somebody's job to sit there and respond to messages, and that person is human like the rest of us. What right have we to abuse the fellow just because the organisation he works for screwed up? Heck, most of the time the guy has no power whatsoever over the situation! As the saying goes, "Don't shoot the messenger."
To sidetrack a little bit at this point... Seriously, do people have nothing better to do than to stalk the PUB Facebook page and stick angry reacts on every post? I get it. Everyone is upset over the increase in water prices. But that was announced so long ago. Get over it already. Stop complaining to PUB. The people who make the unpopular decisions don't work there. Not happy, use your vote at the appropriate time. And even worse are those netizens who pass snide remarks about how middle-ranking PUB employees are enjoying their fat salaries at the expense of the common people. How dumb. None of the extra revenue from the water price hike will go towards lining the pockets of the regular PUB workers. The support officers, executives, managers, and even directors are just normal people eking out a living as best as they can, just like everyone else. Get off their case. Buy yourself a fidget spinner so you have something to occupy your itchy hands.
Anyway, the online sphere is filled with negativity, so if I can make someone's day a little bit brighter with a simple gesture like wishing them a good day or complimenting them for doing a good job, I will. If I were in the shoes of the social media person-in-charge, I sure would appreciate it. So that's what I did one fine day. I was supposed to send a Private Message to PUB to arrange for my prize to be delivered to me. As I was busy during the week, I only got around to this task on Saturday morning. To my surprise, I got an acknowledgement within minutes. I was quite naive back then and thought that all public servants in office-based positions worked strictly Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. My interest was piqued. This person is actually working on a Saturday morning! I sent a reply expressing my admiration at the work ethic of my as-yet-unidentified conversation partner. They replied with a smiley and some niceties. We had a short chat.
The next few times I corresponded with PUB for prize collection, there was a certain familiarity and cordiality that made me like PUB even more. I became an advocate for their message, using my own social media to spread the word and even giving a talk in school about water issues in Singapore. At the same time, I became intrigued to discover the identity of the friendly soul behind the PUB social media account. A combination of determined Google searching, shameless stalking, and a generous helping of blind luck led me to uncover the person's real personal Instagram and Facebook accounts, and I was pleased when the person (who will read this sooner or later) accepted my friend request.
We became chat buddies over the subsequent weeks and months. I had never had an adult friend to talk to before, so it was really exciting to hear about the thoughts and experiences my new friend (hereafter referred to as X, because I respect privacy but can't be bothered to think up a better pseudonym) had to share. I'll admit that I broke quite a few of the rules of cyberwellness they taught us in primary school, but all turned out well in the end, and X gave me a broader view on issues that I would never have taken note of before, provided me a peek into working life, offered me mature companionship, and further encouraged my love for water.
X and I are friends to this day. A random jumble of factors brought our worlds together, and I'm glad for it. And I continue to help out with PUB matters from time to time, including volunteering at events and contributing to their WaterChatter blog.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
The answer isn't very straightforward. Let me try to explain it as best as I can.
First, a bit of background. Since I was in primary school, I have been very proud of this invention we have in Singapore called NEWater. It's ultra-clean water made by subjecting wastewater to a process known as reverse osmosis. The end product is so pure that not only does it surpass guidelines set by the World Health Organisation on standards for drinking water, it is even used to manufacture wafers for computer chips, which won't work if the slightest impurity is present.
PUB, the national water agency, makes NEWater to supplement Singapore's water supply. They run lots of campaigns and even maintain the NEWater Visitor Centre to educate the public about NEWater. This is because many people still hold negative perceptions of it, thinking that because it is made from wastewater, it must be very disgusting. I visited the NEWater Visitor Centre on a field trip in primary school, and it left a very good impression on me. Far from being repulsed by the idea of drinking "sh*t water", I felt pride that my country had perfected such a useful technology and adopted it on a large scale.
Now that's out of the way, the story can begin proper.
It starts in the typical Singaporean way: with a freebie. We just love free stuff, don't we? Due to my liking for NEWater, I followed PUB on social media for years. They often run contests online, and the prizes are usually some kind of Water Wally merchandise. Water Wally is the adorable mascot of PUB, and I've always had a soft spot for him.
So it happens that I took part in a couple of such contests in 2014 and 2015. Back then, PUB didn't have as many followers as they do now, so winners were often by default and anyone who took part was almost guaranteed to get one of the prizes. I received a few Water Wally memorabilia in this manner, and this built my loyalty to PUB as a brand and as a cause.
But I'm not some cheap tart. You can't just buy my undying love by bribing me with material goods. As any marketing textbook will tell you, you need to establish that human connection with your audience. PUB's social media team did exactly that with me.
I make it a point to be polite online. Just because we're hiding behind a screen doesn't give us the right to do or say things we wouldn't face-to-face. There's always someone on the other end reading your messages, and they have feelings too. In the case of interacting with organisations on social media, we must remember that it is somebody's job to sit there and respond to messages, and that person is human like the rest of us. What right have we to abuse the fellow just because the organisation he works for screwed up? Heck, most of the time the guy has no power whatsoever over the situation! As the saying goes, "Don't shoot the messenger."
To sidetrack a little bit at this point... Seriously, do people have nothing better to do than to stalk the PUB Facebook page and stick angry reacts on every post? I get it. Everyone is upset over the increase in water prices. But that was announced so long ago. Get over it already. Stop complaining to PUB. The people who make the unpopular decisions don't work there. Not happy, use your vote at the appropriate time. And even worse are those netizens who pass snide remarks about how middle-ranking PUB employees are enjoying their fat salaries at the expense of the common people. How dumb. None of the extra revenue from the water price hike will go towards lining the pockets of the regular PUB workers. The support officers, executives, managers, and even directors are just normal people eking out a living as best as they can, just like everyone else. Get off their case. Buy yourself a fidget spinner so you have something to occupy your itchy hands.
Anyway, the online sphere is filled with negativity, so if I can make someone's day a little bit brighter with a simple gesture like wishing them a good day or complimenting them for doing a good job, I will. If I were in the shoes of the social media person-in-charge, I sure would appreciate it. So that's what I did one fine day. I was supposed to send a Private Message to PUB to arrange for my prize to be delivered to me. As I was busy during the week, I only got around to this task on Saturday morning. To my surprise, I got an acknowledgement within minutes. I was quite naive back then and thought that all public servants in office-based positions worked strictly Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. My interest was piqued. This person is actually working on a Saturday morning! I sent a reply expressing my admiration at the work ethic of my as-yet-unidentified conversation partner. They replied with a smiley and some niceties. We had a short chat.
The next few times I corresponded with PUB for prize collection, there was a certain familiarity and cordiality that made me like PUB even more. I became an advocate for their message, using my own social media to spread the word and even giving a talk in school about water issues in Singapore. At the same time, I became intrigued to discover the identity of the friendly soul behind the PUB social media account. A combination of determined Google searching, shameless stalking, and a generous helping of blind luck led me to uncover the person's real personal Instagram and Facebook accounts, and I was pleased when the person (who will read this sooner or later) accepted my friend request.
We became chat buddies over the subsequent weeks and months. I had never had an adult friend to talk to before, so it was really exciting to hear about the thoughts and experiences my new friend (hereafter referred to as X, because I respect privacy but can't be bothered to think up a better pseudonym) had to share. I'll admit that I broke quite a few of the rules of cyberwellness they taught us in primary school, but all turned out well in the end, and X gave me a broader view on issues that I would never have taken note of before, provided me a peek into working life, offered me mature companionship, and further encouraged my love for water.
X and I are friends to this day. A random jumble of factors brought our worlds together, and I'm glad for it. And I continue to help out with PUB matters from time to time, including volunteering at events and contributing to their WaterChatter blog.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thursday 8 June 2017
Fantasy football shopping list
Real Madrid have done it! They have made history by becoming the first team to win back-to-back Champions League trophies.
No time to rest on their laurels, though! They need to strengthen their squad in preparation for next season, which will be even tougher because all their rivals will be gunning for them.
Here is my wishlist of players for Real Madrid to buy.
Real Madrid struggled with a leaky defence this season. I even coined the phrase "colander protocol" which I shout whenever they concede a goal, an all-too-common occurrence unfortunately. Bringing in a top-quality defender like Azpilicueta, who has consistently been one of the best players at Chelsea, should be top priority for Zidane and Perez this summer, even if it means breaking the bank. In return for a possibly inflated transfer fee, Real Madrid will bolster their defence and get a versatile player who can fill any role across the back four.
Real Madrid are almost certain to lose Pepe during this transfer window. Hummels would be a good direct replacement for him. He is defensively solid and, unlike the notoriously volatile Pepe, has a relatively clean disciplinary record too.
Benzema is aging and his performances are no longer up to the standard befitting of a Real Madrid player. It might be time to offload him to a China club for a grossly inflated sum and reinvest the proceeds into getting one of these two young strikers. Both were in red-hot form for their respective clubs and neck-and-neck in the race to be top scorer. Kane is under contract to Tottenham until 2022 but Lukaku's expires in 2019, so it might be easier to get Everton to come to terms.
It looks increasingly likely that Morata will be sold, so Real Madrid will need a backup striker. Son had good statistics for Tottenham this season and is hardworking to boot. Another advantage of buying him is that he is Asian. Real Madrid have no Asian player currently so signing him will allow them to reach out to the Asian market and hopefully gain more fans from that part of the world. If Tottenham can be convinced to agree to a package deal involving both Kane and Son, it would be a bonus as they have played together before and share an understanding of each other that Real Madrid can benefit immediately from.
Poor Tottenham. Their role in life is to be a feeder club for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have been heavily linked with David de Gea but I really have no idea why Perez is so obsessed with him. Real Madrid already has one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Keylor Navas and a capable understudy in Kiko Casilla. Money can be saved by not buying de Gea, and better spent reinforcing the weak areas in the team.
They should also stay clear of Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe for now. Hazard is broken goods after his ankle fracture and buying him now runs the risk of him never returning to form and wasting the investment. Mbappe is unproven in my opinion. He might just be a flash in the pan. If he is still a consistent top dog in a few seasons, then Real Madrid can consider buying him. For now though, we only need to look as far as Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Barcelona's Neymar for cautionary tales against paying through the nose for one-hit wonders.
Next season will be incredibly competitive and exciting as everyone and their mother will be trying to claim Real Madrid's scalp. August cannot come soon enough for me!
No time to rest on their laurels, though! They need to strengthen their squad in preparation for next season, which will be even tougher because all their rivals will be gunning for them.
Here is my wishlist of players for Real Madrid to buy.
Cesar Azpilicueta
Maximum bid: 60 million Euros
Real Madrid struggled with a leaky defence this season. I even coined the phrase "colander protocol" which I shout whenever they concede a goal, an all-too-common occurrence unfortunately. Bringing in a top-quality defender like Azpilicueta, who has consistently been one of the best players at Chelsea, should be top priority for Zidane and Perez this summer, even if it means breaking the bank. In return for a possibly inflated transfer fee, Real Madrid will bolster their defence and get a versatile player who can fill any role across the back four.
Mats Hummels
Maximum bid: 60 million Euros
Real Madrid are almost certain to lose Pepe during this transfer window. Hummels would be a good direct replacement for him. He is defensively solid and, unlike the notoriously volatile Pepe, has a relatively clean disciplinary record too.
Harry Kane OR Romelu Lukaku
Maximum bid: 80 million Euros
Benzema is aging and his performances are no longer up to the standard befitting of a Real Madrid player. It might be time to offload him to a China club for a grossly inflated sum and reinvest the proceeds into getting one of these two young strikers. Both were in red-hot form for their respective clubs and neck-and-neck in the race to be top scorer. Kane is under contract to Tottenham until 2022 but Lukaku's expires in 2019, so it might be easier to get Everton to come to terms.
Heung-Min Son
Maximum bid: 50 million Euros
It looks increasingly likely that Morata will be sold, so Real Madrid will need a backup striker. Son had good statistics for Tottenham this season and is hardworking to boot. Another advantage of buying him is that he is Asian. Real Madrid have no Asian player currently so signing him will allow them to reach out to the Asian market and hopefully gain more fans from that part of the world. If Tottenham can be convinced to agree to a package deal involving both Kane and Son, it would be a bonus as they have played together before and share an understanding of each other that Real Madrid can benefit immediately from.
Poor Tottenham. Their role in life is to be a feeder club for Real Madrid.
DO NOT BUY
Real Madrid have been heavily linked with David de Gea but I really have no idea why Perez is so obsessed with him. Real Madrid already has one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Keylor Navas and a capable understudy in Kiko Casilla. Money can be saved by not buying de Gea, and better spent reinforcing the weak areas in the team.
They should also stay clear of Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe for now. Hazard is broken goods after his ankle fracture and buying him now runs the risk of him never returning to form and wasting the investment. Mbappe is unproven in my opinion. He might just be a flash in the pan. If he is still a consistent top dog in a few seasons, then Real Madrid can consider buying him. For now though, we only need to look as far as Manchester United's Paul Pogba and Barcelona's Neymar for cautionary tales against paying through the nose for one-hit wonders.
Next season will be incredibly competitive and exciting as everyone and their mother will be trying to claim Real Madrid's scalp. August cannot come soon enough for me!
Tuesday 6 June 2017
Internships
DISCLAIMER: Everything in this post is honest and unadulterated. I am not getting paid by Adecco or any other entity to write this! Although if anyone is reading this and wants to pay me, you're welcome to do so...
All poly students go through a compulsory Student Internship Programme (SIP) as part of graduation requirements. I did mine at Adecco, a recruitment firm.
It wasn't easy for my school to find an employer for me due to accessibility and mindset restrictions, but when they roped in SG Enable to help, they managed to secure a place in Adecco, which, being a European-based multinational corporation, is a progressive and inclusive workplace. Adecco gamely agreed to take me in and design a job scope that I could manage. They also made a few other arrangements to accommodate my needs.
To land the job, I first had to pass two interviews with the Director of Human Resources (HR) and what I would later discover was two-thirds of the entire HR department, along with some from the marketing team. It was very stressful and intimidating for someone who hadn't seen so many powerful adults in the same room. The first interview consisted of the usual job interview questions, which I answered reasonably comfortably as we had been trained to do so during a module on Professional Communication Skills in school. However, at the end of that session, the director gave me a mini-project to complete. I was to return for a second session to present it.
At that time I was juggling school assignments and projects, and test and exam preparation, but I successfully carried out the project and presented it. To my delight, I was hired.
On my first day, I was a bag of nerves. Never before had I been in an office as a worker. And I had never had a boss. I'll admit, I was terrified of my boss! She was stern and had a serious face.
Or so I thought.
She turned out to be a doting, maternal supervisor. I was showered with gifts including my favourite soft drink Pepsi, plenty of chocolate, cakes and pastries, and even a postcard from her Icelandic getaway which hilariously arrived weeks after she had returned.
The HR department, which I was attached to, consisted of three people plus the director (one more joined later), all of whom were extremely fun-loving and a little bit crazy but in a good way. Thanks to them, I learned how to attend office parties, stuff my face, and even enjoy different flavours of cake which I never quite fancied before. They also gave me my first lot of alcoholic gifts of Somersby cider and threw me a surprise birthday party! I really grew up fast under their tutelage.
I also had a wonderful neighbour. I was given a corner seat near the door so I only had one colleague from another department sitting on my left. She was (and still is!) like the big sister I never had. She also gave me lots of gifts, and helped to pass the time with her incessant chatter. One of my fondest memories of my time there was when all the recruitment consultants in her department would gather around her table and try to cobble together a complete set of title deeds to win a prize during the McDonald's Monopoly promotion. We must have looked like some kind of illegal mahjong operation! I blame them for my newfound addiction to fast food...
Speaking of recruitment consultants, of course I wasn't just there for fun and games. My school would never allow that! I also had a job to do. My role was to assist the HR department in hiring more recruitment consultants to replace losses and help the company grow. This was also the focus of the mini-project I did during my interview stage. I think I did okay. Not to boast or anything (okay, maybe a little bit), but I did receive a Pass with Commendation, the best possible grade, for the SIP.
I greatly enjoyed my first taste of the working world. I'm under no illusions of course. It was a 12-week honeymoon, and not a realistic representation of the real harsh world out there. I was protected and sheltered from all the bad bits due to my status as an intern, a "child". Nonetheless, I can say with confidence that I now am better equipped to adapt and survive in future internships during my university studies, and beyond that, when I get a full-time job.
My university course would probably involve me having to complete a compulsory internship too. I am interested in the field of communications and plan to major in it at NUS. The Communications and New Media major stipulates that students do a stint in a relevant job to gain work experience and apply their classroom knowledge to the real world. This makes a lot of sense as communications is a hands-on industry and knowing abstract theories will only get you so far. It's still a ways off into the future but I'm actually quite excited to find out what's in store for me.
Internships are an indispensable part of modern education, in my opinion. There's a lot of talk about the changing face of the economy, how jobs are evolving, the impact of digital disruption, and so on. Furthermore, increasing globalisation coupled with Singapore's relaxed immigration policy means that local jobseekers face stiff competition from foreigners. As a result, it seems to be getting harder for fresh graduates to find jobs quickly. Unless your degree is in a hot industry, gone are the days when almost everyone started work straight after their commencement ceremony. Nowadays, horror stories abound online about going jobless for months.
Although internships are not the complete answer, they can cushion the blow somewhat. Of course there are the fairytale endings where interns impressed their employers so much that they were offered a job immediately after graduation. I myself know of one of my coursemates in this situation, but this is rare. However, internships help in other ways too. A good internship record demonstrates to potential employers that the applicant has the skills to perform at work and isn't just a paper tiger. By skills, I refer both to job-related skills (like coding if the job is in technology) as well as soft skills like how to get along with colleagues.
Additionally, internships contribute to the strength of the applicant's resume, giving him valuable work experience that he can list on that all-important document. One of the gripes that fresh graduates have with recruiting companies is that even entry-level positions require applicants to have a couple of years of experience. This is a valid complaint. I always wonder why companies and even public sector organisations label their job advertisements as being for entry-level openings and then ask for experienced candidates. It makes no sense at all. If no one wants to hire the guy who has zero experience, how is he supposed to accumulate that experience? This is where internships come in. They do count as experience so students should try to do as many internships as possible, even if their course of study doesn't require it, to give themselves a leg up over their peers who don't do internships at all. It may not make a significant difference but every bit helps, I suppose.
So this is why I have an open mind towards internships and other forms of part-time/temporary work like volunteering. Anything that can add value to your curriculum vitae should be embraced. Many factors are working against us when it comes to career, but we just have to keep swimming and hope.
All poly students go through a compulsory Student Internship Programme (SIP) as part of graduation requirements. I did mine at Adecco, a recruitment firm.
It wasn't easy for my school to find an employer for me due to accessibility and mindset restrictions, but when they roped in SG Enable to help, they managed to secure a place in Adecco, which, being a European-based multinational corporation, is a progressive and inclusive workplace. Adecco gamely agreed to take me in and design a job scope that I could manage. They also made a few other arrangements to accommodate my needs.
To land the job, I first had to pass two interviews with the Director of Human Resources (HR) and what I would later discover was two-thirds of the entire HR department, along with some from the marketing team. It was very stressful and intimidating for someone who hadn't seen so many powerful adults in the same room. The first interview consisted of the usual job interview questions, which I answered reasonably comfortably as we had been trained to do so during a module on Professional Communication Skills in school. However, at the end of that session, the director gave me a mini-project to complete. I was to return for a second session to present it.
At that time I was juggling school assignments and projects, and test and exam preparation, but I successfully carried out the project and presented it. To my delight, I was hired.
On my first day, I was a bag of nerves. Never before had I been in an office as a worker. And I had never had a boss. I'll admit, I was terrified of my boss! She was stern and had a serious face.
Or so I thought.
She turned out to be a doting, maternal supervisor. I was showered with gifts including my favourite soft drink Pepsi, plenty of chocolate, cakes and pastries, and even a postcard from her Icelandic getaway which hilariously arrived weeks after she had returned.
The HR department, which I was attached to, consisted of three people plus the director (one more joined later), all of whom were extremely fun-loving and a little bit crazy but in a good way. Thanks to them, I learned how to attend office parties, stuff my face, and even enjoy different flavours of cake which I never quite fancied before. They also gave me my first lot of alcoholic gifts of Somersby cider and threw me a surprise birthday party! I really grew up fast under their tutelage.
I also had a wonderful neighbour. I was given a corner seat near the door so I only had one colleague from another department sitting on my left. She was (and still is!) like the big sister I never had. She also gave me lots of gifts, and helped to pass the time with her incessant chatter. One of my fondest memories of my time there was when all the recruitment consultants in her department would gather around her table and try to cobble together a complete set of title deeds to win a prize during the McDonald's Monopoly promotion. We must have looked like some kind of illegal mahjong operation! I blame them for my newfound addiction to fast food...
Speaking of recruitment consultants, of course I wasn't just there for fun and games. My school would never allow that! I also had a job to do. My role was to assist the HR department in hiring more recruitment consultants to replace losses and help the company grow. This was also the focus of the mini-project I did during my interview stage. I think I did okay. Not to boast or anything (okay, maybe a little bit), but I did receive a Pass with Commendation, the best possible grade, for the SIP.
I greatly enjoyed my first taste of the working world. I'm under no illusions of course. It was a 12-week honeymoon, and not a realistic representation of the real harsh world out there. I was protected and sheltered from all the bad bits due to my status as an intern, a "child". Nonetheless, I can say with confidence that I now am better equipped to adapt and survive in future internships during my university studies, and beyond that, when I get a full-time job.
My university course would probably involve me having to complete a compulsory internship too. I am interested in the field of communications and plan to major in it at NUS. The Communications and New Media major stipulates that students do a stint in a relevant job to gain work experience and apply their classroom knowledge to the real world. This makes a lot of sense as communications is a hands-on industry and knowing abstract theories will only get you so far. It's still a ways off into the future but I'm actually quite excited to find out what's in store for me.
Internships are an indispensable part of modern education, in my opinion. There's a lot of talk about the changing face of the economy, how jobs are evolving, the impact of digital disruption, and so on. Furthermore, increasing globalisation coupled with Singapore's relaxed immigration policy means that local jobseekers face stiff competition from foreigners. As a result, it seems to be getting harder for fresh graduates to find jobs quickly. Unless your degree is in a hot industry, gone are the days when almost everyone started work straight after their commencement ceremony. Nowadays, horror stories abound online about going jobless for months.
Although internships are not the complete answer, they can cushion the blow somewhat. Of course there are the fairytale endings where interns impressed their employers so much that they were offered a job immediately after graduation. I myself know of one of my coursemates in this situation, but this is rare. However, internships help in other ways too. A good internship record demonstrates to potential employers that the applicant has the skills to perform at work and isn't just a paper tiger. By skills, I refer both to job-related skills (like coding if the job is in technology) as well as soft skills like how to get along with colleagues.
Additionally, internships contribute to the strength of the applicant's resume, giving him valuable work experience that he can list on that all-important document. One of the gripes that fresh graduates have with recruiting companies is that even entry-level positions require applicants to have a couple of years of experience. This is a valid complaint. I always wonder why companies and even public sector organisations label their job advertisements as being for entry-level openings and then ask for experienced candidates. It makes no sense at all. If no one wants to hire the guy who has zero experience, how is he supposed to accumulate that experience? This is where internships come in. They do count as experience so students should try to do as many internships as possible, even if their course of study doesn't require it, to give themselves a leg up over their peers who don't do internships at all. It may not make a significant difference but every bit helps, I suppose.
So this is why I have an open mind towards internships and other forms of part-time/temporary work like volunteering. Anything that can add value to your curriculum vitae should be embraced. Many factors are working against us when it comes to career, but we just have to keep swimming and hope.
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