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Special Video about Gen Z and time management with Zia Xin

gjc on November 10, 2023

Discussions about Gen Z (born in 1997 and 2012) have garnered attention, and most are somehow negative. Comments such as social media addicts, loud, overly emotional, lazy, and taking life too easy have been circling the internet and in the conversations of the older generation. These labels become identifiers to label Gen Z.

It takes acceptance, listening, and trying to find ways to encourage collaboration between multigenerational individuals. In this video interview, Zia Xin, a recruitment consultant of the Banking and Finance portfolio, shares her concept of time management as a young individual in the workplace. 

She offers three easy tips that she adopts daily to manage all her tasks effectively and efficiently. Despite comments and sayings about the younger generation not utilising their time well, give them a chance and see how they do it.

Take what resonates with you.

Special Video on Adapting with Keika Aoki

gjc on November 3, 2023

Adapting in an unknown environment is challenging. Change is part of life. Whether it’s a working environment or migrating to a new country, it will require one’s adaptability skill. For some adapting comes in naturally, but adaptability is a natural skill that anyone can develop and mastered overtime.

Meet Kay Aoki, who grew up in the US, UK and Sweden; over a decade later, she and her family moved back to Japan, where she completed her education. Then, off she moved to sunny Singapore to start her first career in Recruitment—talk about an adventurous spirit! All that happened 3.5 years ago; today, she’s a Business Development Team Leader, leading a team of her own in the service industry.

Next week, we will be releasing Keika’s full #VoicesOf… podcast, where she recounts her experiences as a foreigner navigating through the countries she has lived in and restarting life all over again. She also recalls the challenges she has faced and how she overcame them, how she still holds her Japanese roots close to her heart, and tips and advice on how to build on the skill of #adaptability.

#Voicesof…Keika-san: Adaptability in the unknown

gjc on October 27, 2023

Catch a sneak peek here:

or stream the full episode on:

YouTube | Spotify | Google Podcast

Japanese-born Keika Aoki, shares about moving and adapting in the unknown environment outside of her homeland.

Japanese version of the podcast transcript

Transcript of Podcast:

[00:00:00] Destiny: You’re listening to GJC’s podcast. I’m your host, Destiny Goh.

Getting out of your comfort zone can be both daunting and exciting. It’s the adrenaline rush and the fear of uncertainty of not knowing what awaits you.

Some might come up with a conclusion to say the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but despite that conclusion drawn, I think it’s what you’ve experienced, learned, and built through it all that makes it count.

[00:00:26] Destiny: I enjoy listening to the stories of people who’ve been to other corners of the world, whether it’s for education, the start of a new life, or even career.

I believe they have amazing stories to share, especially ones that have to do with adaptability— how they adapt into a new place so well, how they make new friends, how they fit in at their new workplaces, and how they overcome challenges and valuable life lessons that they carry with them.

[00:00:51] Destiny: Joining me on this podcast today is my guest, Keika Aoki. Keika has previously lived in the US, UK and Sweden.

Then after completing her tertiary education in Japan, she decided to move to Singapore to start a career in recruitment.

And it’s been three and a half years since she’s joined GJC and she’s here to share about her experience navigating through Singapore as a foreigner, how she adapted into a new country and career, the challenges and obstacles in and out of work, as well as some valuable life lessons she’s picked up throughout her life living abroad.

[00:01:24] Destiny: Hi, Keika. Thank you for joining me today on this podcast. How are you feeling today?

[00:01:28] Keika: Hi, Destiny. Yeah, I’m feeling great. Thank you.

[00:01:31] Destiny: Can you share with me more about your life back when you were living in the U. S., U.K., and Sweden? How would you describe your life there?

[00:01:41] Keika: Okay, so maybe just for context, before moving to Japan for high school, I grew up overseas, specifically US, UK, Sweden for close to 13 years, and the reason why I was there is due to my dad’s work.

[00:01:58] Keika: He was doing corporate strategy for a Japanese electronics company back then. So, my family and I would follow him wherever he was stationed.

And yeah, I’d say, as hectic as it was having to move maybe every two, three years growing up, it was definitely exciting. And yeah, it was never boring because obviously we were moving around different countries, being exposed to different cultures. It definitely taught me a lot of things growing up.

[00:02:37] Destiny: And out of these three countries, which one was your, by far, your favourite?

[00:02:42] Keika: I’d say UK. I lived in London for five years. Yeah, I have a lot of good memories from when I was there.

[00:02:53] Destiny: Was there anything that you miss most about those countries?

[00:02:57] Keika: Definitely. I miss the aesthetics of London. Everything is really beautiful there. The buildings, the way everything is structured.

And, because personally, I enjoy western food.  I do miss the food as much as everyone says that, you know, UK food is not good, I actually enjoyed it.

[00:03:21] Destiny: So, what was your favourite dish back then?

[00:03:23] Keika: See, there’s no dish. I just enjoy western food in general. So, when I moved back to Japan, because everything is mostly Japanese food. Um, it did take some time to get used to it.

[00:03:37] Destiny: And do you experience a culture shock back when you moved to Japan after living abroad for so many years?

So, moving back to your home country, was it exciting? Was it frightening? How was it like for you?

[00:03:50] Keika: Yeah, definitely. When I first, when my parents first told me that we were moving back to Japan, I cried, like I bawled my eyes out because of how much I didn’t want to move back to Japan.

Just because, growing up overseas as a Japanese, but having no experience living in Japan, it was like I was Japanese, but there was nothing in really Japanese about me that I personally resonated with.

[00:04:24] Keika: So, it was definitely frightening to have to move back or, you know, like move to a new place that was supposed to be my home.

And definitely when I moved to Japan, everything was a culture shock.

Like the way people behave, the values, even the lifestyle was very different. It was the first Asian country that I lived in. So, yeah, it was different.

Because I would go to Japan for summer or winter holiday, maybe every two years, but it was very different having to travel there and to live there. So, yeah, everything was different.

[00:05:07] Destiny: How was life like back in Japan for you? How long did it take you to settle down?

[00:05:16] Keika: Definitely the first, maybe two, three years, I’d say I was quite unstable. Maybe because I was a teenager or because I was still getting used to the environment.

But now that I think about it… not that I was lashing out at my parents but just looking back to like the way I was feeling back then and my behaviours, I think I was under a lot of stress.

[00:05:49] Destiny: How do you finally manage to overcome this stressful period and eventually fitting in and then meeting new friends

[00:06:02] Keika: Um, luckily, making friends was never something that I struggled with. I had friends, but really feeling comfortable in Japan took maybe three years for me. And the way I did it was, I think just be humble, like accept that I was in a different place.

And that everything that I knew until that point was going to be different naturally in a different country.

[00:06:33] Keika: And also, to try to see the good in each culture. So, I think in the first maybe two, three, I kept thinking, I kept looking at the bad part of Japan, like, you know, the cultural, there were just some things that I just couldn’t get used to in Japan that I didn’t have to experience back when I was overseas, so…

Yeah, I just kept looking at the bad things, but once I started to notice the good things about Japanese culture, Japanese history, it really helped me to really love the country.

[00:07:14] Destiny: Why do you choose a career in recruitment?

[00:07:16] Keika: Okay, so I chose recruitment as my career right out of university because I wanted to start somewhere that will allow me to have a real general understanding of the corporate world.

And in that sense, recruitment, in my opinion, was the best choice because it allowed me to be exposed to various industries as well as really allow me to have an understanding of how corporate organisations are structured.

[00:07:46] Destiny: And how do you find meaning in your job?

[00:07:48] Keika: Okay, so in my first couple of years, my role was very meaningful to me because it really allowed me to be in connection with so many different people, whether it be the HR of an organisation, top management to C-suite level people.

So, it really gave me opportunity to meet with many new people. And currently, for now, I’m leading a team of four members in the business development team.

So now I find meaning in my job by guiding junior members and yeah, just listening to their struggles, thinking of how to overcome those struggles together.

[00:08:36] Destiny: Mm-hmm. Could you share with us what are some cultural differences you found to be different between Singapore and your home country, Japan?

[00:08:44] Keika: I’d say that my experience relocating to Singapore was much smoother than what other people would typically experience, just because I already had experience living overseas from a young age.

I’d say I’m relatively accustomed to adapting to different communities, but still having experience living in the, say, U.S., U.K., and Sweden was very different from living in Singapore, which was the first Southeast Asian country that I lived in.

And I’d say the main cultural difference between Singapore and Japan is just how friendly and open people in general are.

[00:09:26] Keika: So not saying that people in Japan are not friendly, but usually strangers are just, I mean, like polite or cordial to each other, but in Singapore, I noticed that regardless of whether you personally know each other or not, people are generally warmer and more accepting.

So, one example of this would be just when I, when I just joined this company, my colleagues would invite me over to their houses for holidays and special occasions, which doesn’t usually happen in Japan unless you’re really close to the person.

[00:10:06] Destiny: Well, that’s really, really nice of them. And what are the initial challenges after your relocation to Singapore? And how do you tackle them?

[00:10:14] Keika: Right, so the biggest challenge I faced right after I moved was definitely the COVID situation because I was in Singapore by myself with no relatives, no friends, just starting my career.

And yeah, with COVID, I couldn’t go out, I couldn’t make new friends, no community to help me. So yeah, the first couple of years was definitely lonely. But right after when COVID started to settle, I started to make some new friends.

And the way I did that, I say, is just to take it slow and to make it known that you’re looking for connections.

[00:10:54] Keika: So, what I mean here is you will meet one friend, and then just who will then introduce you to maybe one of their other friends that you just venture out from there.

So, you don’t need to think about it in a way that you need to make many, many new friends in one setting. Just yeah, just get to know each person one by one.

And if you make it known that, oh, I’m actually looking to make new friends, you know, people are generally quite nice here, so they will definitely help you.

[00:11:25] Destiny: And what about the people who are much shyer, uh, who are, you know, maybe they are not really vocal in expressing their needs to make new friends. So, what’s your advice for people who are typically on, you know, the quieter end?

[00:11:43] Keika: I’d say to take it slow because definitely, I myself am not a very extroverted person. I’m the type of person who will have maybe one, two, or three very close friends. And, you know, I won’t have like hundreds of friends

So, what I did also was just to maybe find one or two friends that really resonates with you and build your relationship there and not to rush into making more connection.

[00:12:22] Destiny: I think your idea here is to be very intentional with the kind of people that you mix around with and also, your advice to people who are slightly shyer is to make the first step to make an effort, probably with a little encouragement from others.

And I think it’s also important that to know what they intend to get out of these friendships because I think for people who are slightly shyer, they’re not really vocal with what they want.

[00:12:55] Destiny: But I think perhaps with a little encouragement from the people around them, you know, and also if when they see the blossoming of a fruitful friendship and what it may look like, I think that would greatly affect their decisions to do so as well.

And so, what are the kinds of support you received while working and living in Singapore from, say, your family?

 

[00:13:23] Keika: My family, I’d say we would have video calls every couple of months. So, we would just catch up on how each of us are doing.

And because I was just starting off my career back when I came here, I would share some of the struggles I was facing and get some advice from my parents.

[00:13:45] Destiny: Are your parents currently working now?

[00:13:46] Keika: Yes, my dad’s still working, so he will, yeah, give me advice as a senior in the workplace.

[00:13:56] Destiny: So, he’s back in Japan as well?

[00:13:58] Keika: Yes.

[00:13:58] Destiny: And what about your workplace at GJC? What kind of support have you received from your colleagues or even your managers, and your bosses?

[00:14:07] Keika: So, when I joined there were actually two other fresh grads that came with me, so it definitely helped that there were other people at the same level as I was who were going through similar things.

So, we would, yeah, just catch up on a regular basis, share how we were doing and our struggles, and yeah, just give each other advice.

[00:14:32] Destiny: And what about a local community in Singapore where, where it consists mostly of your friends and your social circle?

[00:14:40] Keika: I’d say this part was something that I struggled with in the first maybe one, two years moving to Singapore because I did struggle making new friends when I just came here.

But recently, now that the borders open and I’ve made many new friends compared to back then, my friends will definitely support me in a way that I can just detach myself from work whenever I’m with people who are outside of work.

So, we will just have fun over the weekend, and it’ll give me a nice, like, refresh session.

[00:15:17] Destiny: Could you share with me, like, what do you do with your friends over the weekend? What kind of activities that you guys, you know?

[00:15:26] Keika: Oh, I mean, it depends, but I do like to go out for, like, cafe hopping with my friends, go to nice restaurants. There are a lot of good food places in Singapore, so we will, like, try to go to those locations.

[00:15:43] Destiny: So how do you maintain a connection with your Japanese culture and roots despite being in a foreign country?

[00:15:50] Keika: I’d say that there are some parts of me that is typically set to be Japanese, so for example, typically people say that Japanese are quite modest and they’re polite, and I feel like those are qualities that I have, and I do take pride in that.

So, yeah, it’s something that I try to keep with me. But, of course, if there are other… say, like, different cultures that I resonate with, I will also incorporate that in my life.

[00:16:24] Destiny: And I also realised that before you and our other Japanese colleagues, before they leave the office to have a client visit, there’s a term that you would let everybody know that you’re going out?

[00:16:37] Keika: Oh, itte kimasu.

[00:16:38] Destiny: Yeah. And I feel that that’s really nice to let your colleagues know, like where you’re going and stuff.

So, I feel that that’s you basically still retaining that side of you that’s really Japanese and really courteous and polite.

[00:16:57] Destiny: And can you share with me your experience as a foreigner navigating through the workplace in Singapore? And what are some memorable experiences you’ve had being here?

[00:17:08] Keika: I say one main reason why I enjoy going to different places is because it allows me to travel to locations that I will usually not go.

And in Singapore, I feel like each location has its own unique vibe and atmosphere, which is something that I still to this day enjoy experiencing.

[00:17:31] Destiny: And you know, I think most people, at least from what I heard, you mentioned that Singapore there’s not much to explore, perhaps maybe for locals, but for foreigners like ourselves, do you think the same way?

[00:17:48] Keika: Um, well, definitely it is a small country. So, after maybe a few years, you kind of just get used to all the locations out there, but I am still interested in the difference between Japan and Singapore.

And I’m still amazed at how different, but similar some parts of some cultures are.

[00:18:14] Destiny: And, you know, aside from cafes, maybe there could be one or two places, a place that you would recommend to your friends who are visiting from Japan. Are there places as such?

[00:18:25] Destiny: For me, for example, I love Universal Studios. I know that it’s not the biggest place, but I just find it to be a really exciting getaway.

And because I just, you know, whenever I head over there, I just feel like I kind of forget the stress that’s behind me. And I thoroughly enjoy myself over the really thrilling, exciting rides. And I feel like I just can’t get enough of it.

[00:18:52] Keika: Okay, and in that sense, I always recommend East Coast Park to my friends coming to Singapore because I’m from Tokyo, a lot of my friends are also from Tokyo, which is the city area.

So East Coast Park is just a nice place, like, a place that you can see the ocean, and there’s the greens, and there’s also the hawker centres, which we don’t have in Japan, so it’s a different experience.

[00:19:24] Destiny: There is no hawker centres at all in Japan?

[00:19:25] Keika: No.

[00:19:27] Destiny: And, oh okay, that’s interesting. I didn’t know that.

[00:19:31] Destiny: Okay, so were there life lessons that you’ve learned while working here at GJC that have helped you become a better individual?

[00:19:40] Keika: Um, working in a multicultural environment has definitely taught me to be more open minded and patient with others. Because I say communication in general is a very complex thing, even within the same community.

So, interacting with colleagues and even clients of different backgrounds and nationalities is an even bigger challenge. And even more, for some people, English is their second or even third language, so there’s the language barrier as well.

So, now that I’ve worked here for over three years, it’s, I feel like now I always try to understand the deeper context of what people are trying to tell me, even if it’s not stated clearly in their speech or message.

[00:20:30] Destiny: How do you make out the, the context of what people are saying? I know that, you know, communication is a skill, and it’s easily thrown around by everybody.

But I feel that sometimes all talk and no listen isn’t exactly communication. But maybe for you, it might be different. So, what efforts do you take to initiate to understand people on a on a deeper level?

[00:20:58] Keika: Like whenever I’m communicating with people I always try to think like, oh what is this person trying to tell me, what are their intentions behind their messages? Like I really try to read into the deeper meaning, and sometimes there’s no deep meaning- deeper meaning.

So, I don’t maybe necessarily need to do it all the time, but I’d say definitely it’s helped me to avoid miscommunication on various occasions.

[00:21:30] Destiny: Great. So, do you have any advice? You know, for fellow women who are thinking about or have plans to relocate to Singapore?

[00:21:39] Keika: Yeah. So as a woman living alone in a foreign country, it can definitely seem intimidating, especially if it’s far from your home country. But I can definitely say that Singapore would be one of the best options out there, just because how safe and convenient everything is here.

It is a small country, like for one, you don’t have to worry about traveling for hours just to get somewhere, and also the taxi here is very convenient.

So even if you’re out for dinner or you’re out late, you don’t have to worry about getting home safely, which is one of the most important things living by yourself in a foreign country.

[00:22:27] Destiny: Yeah. I feel like I can totally vouch for this because this is something that I think, especially women, we ourselves will never take this for granted. And I think Singapore is yes, indeed, definitely one of the safest places that I have personally been.

I don’t have to worry if my laptop will be stolen if I leave it on the table for too long. I guess people are generally more honest in being here.

I think I do appreciate the law and especially, you know, when, when laws are stricter, I feel that it also gives people a sense of security, I feel like to really keep the country together.

[00:23:12] Destiny: So, maybe you can share, you know, how do you build this skill of adaptability? Because hearing from what you’ve been telling me that you’ve lived in, I would say, various countries, how do you adapt from one country to another?

How do you fit in into the society and everything else?

[00:23:33] Keika: So, one is to be open minded. You need to understand that you are the one that is in a foreign environment. So just keep an open mind that most likely everything you know will be different.

And another thing will be to take interest in the local community, whether it be their culture, their background, their history. Understanding why some things are the way it is will definitely help you understand the way the modern, you know, the society that you are in at that time is the way it is.

[00:24:11] Destiny: So, I feel that I’ve learned greatly from you today on this podcast, Keika. Thank you so much for joining me.

[00:24:19] Keika: Thank you so much.

[00:24:22] Destiny: Uh, yeah, for joining me and, and, you know, telling me your stories, like what you’ve been doing in the past and how you have blossomed from, you know, from a fresh graduate into a full-blown working adult.

[00:24:32] Destiny: And it’s been three and a half years since you’ve been in Singapore. I hope you have been enjoying your time here.

[00:24:37] Keika: Yeah, definitely!

[00:24:39] Destiny: And I just wish you all the very best in everything that you do. To our audience, I hope that there will be huge takeaways for you through this podcast with Keika. Thank you so much, Keika!

[00:24:52] Keika: Thank you so much!

 

Podcast written and edited by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

Adaptability: a 3-step survival guide you needad

gjc on October 25, 2023

Getting out of your comfort zone can be daunting and exciting; it’s the adrenaline rush and the fear of uncertainty of not knowing what awaits you. Some might come up with a conclusion to say the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but the idea isn’t in the conclusion drawn. It’s what you have experienced, learned and built that makes it count. 

This article is inspired by the real-life experiences of our foreign team members here at GJC.

Transitions are hard but unavoidable in all life stages. It could be high schoolers transitioning into higher education, some moving from their home country to another for work or switching careers for a fresh start and growth.

Moving is the easy, physical aspect, but learning how to adapt yourself in the unknown is a mindset game. Adapting means working without boundaries, to find diverse and accidental solutions to tackle the challenges stacked against you. 

There’s many ways you can do this, but we’ve broken it down into just three simple steps so you can recite it like a mantra and keep moving forward. 

Step 1: Improvise

Improvisation encourages a mindset with the willingness to say ‘yes’, and to explore with ideas rather than denying the possibilities when things go south or need solving.  

Think about a time when you ran out of a particular ingredient while cooking a meal, and you’re not keen to go grocery shopping for just one item, so you get creative and replace it with a similar ingredient.

Or that big meeting you had with many important people, and suddenly the projector stops working, do you call it off or spontaneously grab a whiteboard, get some printouts and keep the meeting going?

The improvisation rules start with acceptance, receptivity, agreement, working with what you have and experimenting with divergent ways to make it work. Your spontaneity jolts a shift in mindset and yields new thinking that empowers you to try something new. The aim is to develop a creative mindset that expands how you view and understand problems. 

Ozgun Atasoy, the science writer of ‘Your thoughts can release abilities beyond normal limits’ wrote: ‘If mindsets can change us, maybe we can deliberately choose our mindsets to improve our abilities.’

The first simple step to bring out the improviser in you is through observation and imitation. While you watch the pros handle a situation that usually calls for panic, observe how they tackle and conquer, then build or adjust your tactics and practice.

Step 2: Adapt

Exercising regularly builds muscle strength, memory, and stamina–improving endurance for everyday activities. Cognitive fitness is exercising your brain to better reason, remember, plan, learn, generate, experiment, and adapt. 

Cognitively fit people make better decision-makers, problem solvers, and stress conquerors. Contrary to popular belief that a person’s adaptability skills can only be built through experience, you can also gain such skills through observation and indirect experience, made possible by mirror neurons. 

Identified by neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti and team, these neurons help explain how and why you ‘read’ other people’s minds and empathise with them—that watching an action and performing the action evoke the same feelings in people. 

For context, when you watch a certain leadership style fail from the sidelines, our brains pick up the mistakes and emotions of disappointment and come up with things you’d do differently, adapting so you’ll do it better.

Adaptability is a skill sewn together through the brain’s ability to scan through the surroundings, determine a structure, and create meaning from collected data to take accurate action.

How to build Adaptability, illustration by author

Having moved over four countries now, Business Development Team Leader Keika Aoki shared that keeping an open mind, acceptance and taking charge helped her build on adaptability. She recalled making the effort to study the foreign culture, history and values had allowed her to see things through a different lens, appreciate the beauty of it and ease into change.

Step 3: Overcome

‘Nana korobi ya oki, is a Japanese proverb that literally means ‘fall down seven, stand up eight’. To overcome means to prevail, defeat anything that causes any form of struggle and emerge victorious. 

Challenges can either make or break us and wholly depend on our reaction, choice of handling and the mindset you choose to adopt. A fighting, relentless spirit builds character and strengthens tenacity; label your struggles and never give them the satisfaction of bringing you down. 

Keika also shared how she overcame the challenge of making friends when she moved to Singapore. She made her intentions known that she intended to grow her circle and build connections. When you become intentional about solving a challenge, you’ll be driven to make it work.

Everyone’s built differently; there’s no one-size-fits-all solution on how to overcome the various challenges and problems you face, but here are your starting points:

How do you overcome anything, illustration by author

Adaptability is a survival skill built through rigorously exercising your mind’s resilience, filling your conceptual storehouse with knowledge, and intentionally creating learning opportunities. Make life in the unknown an adventure for you.

Written by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

Emotional Intelligence: it starts from within

gjc on September 14, 2023

Most would say emotional intelligence is being in tune with their emotions—recognising their strengths and weaknesses, what makes them tick—or think it’s simply being ‘nice’ to others.

Though not entirely wrong, what’s missing is the relationships with others and their social environment.  In any working institution, emotional intelligence is the foundation of all relationships, and it ripples into our emotional expression and interactions with others.

See the four aspects of your Emotional Intelligence you can improve on.

What is Emotional Intelligence, and why is there a need for it?

Psychologist and best-selling author Daniel Goleman says it’s the ability to recognise and manage our emotions with the capacity to understand and influence the feelings of others.

It stimulates compassion for others, effectively communicating with different types of people in various situations and being both self and socially aware of your response towards others.

Four attributes that make up Emotional Intelligence:

An excerpt taken from Emotional Intelligence by author, Daniel Goleman

How can I improve my Emotional Intelligence ?

1. Self-awareness:

Rash decisions are made if we allow emotions to influence our judgement, whether stressed or even when we feel good. Yes, even feeling elated won’t keep you from making a wrong decision. A relatable scenario would be the exorbitant spending in the guise of ‘treating yourself’, but regret follows when the bills come in later for that fleeting ‘feel good’ moment.

Consultant Gabriel Tan shared that we’re all emotional beings, and all kinds of emotions easily sway us. Taking hold of your emotions will not make you a more controlled person but a wise decision-maker.

Pro tip: make an effort to be emotionally present by taking a step back to consider the consequences of your actions and how they will impact you and those around you.

Pause to pinpoint your thoughts and emotions, ask for help if needed, and take heart that it isn’t a sign of weakness but rather your commitment and action taken to improve.

2. Self-management:

Self-management is what we do with the information gathered from being self-aware, and there are several key areas to build it on, such as:

  • Authenticity
  • Adaptability
  • Optimism

Be authentic about your emotions and stay true to your values—though it doesn’t mean sharing anything and everything—but being consciously transparent about your beliefs, priorities and boundaries in your decision-making allows people to see your motives or intentions in plain sight.

Adaptability means working without boundaries and finding diverse and accidental solutions to tackle challenges. Observe, learn, or ask for guidance from those who exhibit this quality; reset and reframe your focus to objectively view things or practice self-talk like, ‘Just because I’m in a bad mood doesn’t mean I’ll have a bad day.’

Optimism doesn’t mean closing a blind eye toward negativity, but reframing your mindset to filter out the good that comes from the situation—could be a valuable lesson or experience.  Putting your thoughts into perspective helps form realistic interpretations that give you a positive outlook toward situations and people.

3. Social awareness:

Ever been told to ‘read the room?’

As we get better at managing our feelings and emotions, we’ll need to know how to read the emotions of others, as this will significantly increase the effectiveness of our interpersonal relationships.

The simplest example of being socially aware is to pay attention to a person’s body language then plan our responses accordingly. Be slow to make assumptions and listen to understand.

Gabriel gathered from his experience that like-minded people often create a healthy social environment, and companies with a great working culture don’t happen overnight. To make that happen, it’s important to be socially aware of our surroundings; making small initiatives through understanding, observing and respecting one another’s differences is a great start.

4. Relationship management:

In any healthy relationship, what we want to get out of it is self-development and the opportunity to develop others. Developing others is an emotionally intelligent skill we can cultivate through asking and giving constructive feedback—this allows us to exchange and learn from others’ ideas, strengths, and knowledge.

Offering your expertise creates opportunities to collaborate with people who fill the gaps they seek to bridge.

Next, create better conversations.

Radio journalist and public speaker Celeste Headlee, shares in a podcast that talking and conversing are two different things. The goal isn’t constantly proving you’re better than everyone else but getting people to be good talkers.

If you desire better conversations, learn to ask questions that spark your curiosity and refrain from equating your experience with whom you’re speaking to because there’s a chance you’d turn the focus back to yourself, morphing into conversational narcissism.

Cultivating emotional intelligence encourages you to constantly reflect, manage, and process your emotions. Then, include others and make them feel important as you embark on your journey to success.

 

Written by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

Illustrations made with Canva

#VoicesOf… Gabriel Tan: Emotional Intelligence in the Marketplace

gjc on September 12, 2023

Catch a sneak peek here:

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An ex-banker turn Consultant, Tan Gabriel, shares the importance of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and why it matters in a people-first industry.

Destiny Goh: Welcome back to episode six of #VoicesOf. My name is Destiny, and joining me today is consultant Gabriel Tan, whose portfolio is in banking and finance. Hi Gabriel, please tell us about yourself and what it’s like being in a recruitment industry today.

Gabriel Tan: Hi Destiny. For me, I used to work in a bank, and of course, with being in the bank, I get to communicate with lots and lots of people.

Gabriel Tan: So, since joining Good Job Creations as a recruitment consultant, I still get to fulfil what I love to do, which is to communicate and have conversations with clients or even with candidates. Because to me I think the way for me to my happiness is to communicate with people.

Destiny Goh: Oh, that’s great. So, could you tell me about your previous career working in a bank? How would you describe yourself and your working style? And ever since joining Good Job Creations and still handling a similar portfolio as before, were there any significant changes that you’ve noticed about yourself?

Gabriel Tan: I think the main difference while working in a bank and working over here in Good Job Creations, I think the most important thing to take note is the corporate life, the difference, because the bank is all about numbers, and the working style that you have to bring to the bank, you need to crunch numbers and really perform well.

Gabriel Tan: Over here, I realise in Good Job Creations, yes, there is still expectations to be met, but I think for my working style, I think more on improvements to work much more smarter in terms of waking up early. You know, people say, the early bird catches the worm. I know it’s a very old-fashioned way of saying things.

Gabriel Tan: I believe, you know, the working style is still always having conversations with candidates or even with clients because I love to always have a conversation with someone to find out about their life, not only just what they want in their career.

Destiny Goh: So as most of your initial interviews are done through phone calls, what aspects do you look for in a candidate other than the qualifications stated on their resume? And what are your opinions of soft skills and transferable skills?

Gabriel Tan: So, Destiny, to answer your first question, what do I look for in a candidate? I think the most important thing I always see in a candidate is whether can this candidate communicate with me properly. What do I mean by communicate properly?

Gabriel Tan: Given a scenario, let’s say today I call you Destiny. So I ask you a question and ask Destiny, what do you like to do?

Destiny Goh: I think at the top of my head right now I, can think is, I like to eat. But that’s not really appropriate to say in an interview.

Gabriel Tan: So, of course, then again, if let’s say you just said, mentioned, I like to eat.

Destiny Goh: Yeah.

Gabriel Tan: Then the conversation ends. Because, you know, there’s nothing that I can add upon or at least act upon to drive the conversation. If given in my scenario, what I’ll do is, you know, I’ll maybe share with you destiny. Oh, I love to eat. I like to go down to McDonald’s to have a burger. And my favourite burger is cheeseburger. So, this allows communication threads. When you leave threads for people, this is how you actually can latch upon these threads and engage them.

Gabriel Tan: So, Destiny, if you feel that you like cheeseburgers, and then that is where you can communicate with someone and tell them, “Hey, my favourite is also cheeseburger. I love the pickles a lot”. Yeah, this is something that I feel is very important in a candidate when you even bring it towards the interview selection as well.

Destiny Goh: So, and your opinions of soft skills? What do you think about them? Is it applicable to jobs? How does it come into play, especially transferable skills, from one job to another?

Gabriel Tan: A lot of interviewers or hiring managers, they not only want someone to, of course, do their job, but to also think on the spot, or put you in a tough situation.

Gabriel Tan: So sometimes when I share with my candidates, let’s say, for example, given a scenario, what I do is, if a hiring manager offers you not the job, but another job within the role, how would you, if I throw this question back to you, how would you react? Would you want to take up the other job or the current job that you’re interviewing for?

Destiny Goh: I think for me, I’ll be quite taken aback, to be really honest, but I think I would take the initiative to ask the hiring manager. What does this other job entail? And what can I potentially bring to the table, and how can I use my skill sets?

Destiny Goh: And why does the hiring manager think I’m more suitable for this role?

Gabriel Tan: So, just to bring back to the example, when I hire for relationship managers, and of course, if the hiring manager does ask this question, the candidate has to be put on the spot, but you see the problem is you cannot say no, yet, if you say yes, it’s wrong.

Gabriel Tan: Why? Because they are looking for someone who is only interested in this role and no other role. So, if you give it a scenario. Because as relationship managers, you realise you can never say no to a client in a certain way. But you need to know how to answer it politically right. So, of course, what I share with my candidates is always to tell them to thank them for the offer.

Gabriel Tan: And of course, say that maybe after I do well in my current role, which I applied for as a relationship manager, in the next two to three years, then I can actually explore this different role. So, what I’m doing is I’m not rejecting you, yet at the same time, I’m motivated to do this current role.

Destiny Goh: I think that’s a very good perspective from what you’ve shared earlier.

Destiny Goh: So, having been an experienced relationship manager yourself, can you share with us what being a relationship manager in the banking and finance industry was like? And what are some crucial skills we can adopt into our respective careers?

Gabriel Tan: So, you know, Destiny, what I do as a relationship manager is to manage people’s wealth and, of course, try to make sure that they hit their financial objectives in life, you know, be it to earn a million dollars in retirement by the age of 65 and things like that. But I think what I have learned as a financial advisor and relationship manager is about asking questions sparking curiosity with the client itself.

Gabriel Tan: Because once the client is curious about the product and then, you know, or at least curious about something, they want to actually find out more. So given the scenario, you know, Destiny, in a networking session, what would you do if, let’s say, for example, you know, you are supposed to network with someone? How would you introduce yourself?

Destiny Goh: I feel like I would go up to them and try to make a conversation about the other person instead. Because I realised if I were given the time to talk about myself, I probably would never put a full stop to it. But, in this previous podcast that I heard from Celeste Headlee, she spoke about how to talk and how to listen.

Destiny Goh: So, practising active listening is a good way to start where we actually don’t only listen for the sake of listening, but listen to understand. By active listening, I’m able to understand more from their perspective and also formulate questions that revolve around what they do and try to make the conversation about them and not steer the conversation away and make it all about me.

Gabriel Tan: Yes. That is what I would answer as well. Because you see, if I give you an example, if I come up to you in a networking session, I would say, “Hi Destiny, how are you”? Full stop. Whereas, what I can do to, you know, to add on to your point is to share something interesting about yourself.

Gabriel Tan: This allows communication threads to be created so that I can tap upon. I think that’s very important in terms of skill sets that you can potentially adopt. But at the same time, to tap on your point, listening is also very important. Good communication skills also come with a good hearing ear.

Gabriel Tan: So what I mean is to actually listen and listen to understand the person’s feelings. Because once you understand the person’s emotions and feelings, you are able to address his needs. And once you address his needs, the person is more susceptible to listening to you as well.

Destiny Goh: That’s a really great approach that you’ve just shared.

Gabriel Tan: Oh, there’s this famous video advertisement that I always remember at the top of my head, and most Singaporeans always listen, or at least have seen this interview. [00:09:00] It’s with Go90FM. This is where only listen to the good stuff. But of course, you pick up because why? This is where you learn where is his main concerns.

Gabriel Tan: And then, you really address the situation because sometimes, in a conversation, you need to pick up what is his pain point rather than all the fillers. Sometimes, that is, in a way, a deflection or a defence wall that they put up as well.

Destiny Goh: So, earlier this year, you won a Top Contributor award. Congratulations once again for exhibiting the core values of Good Job Creations. Teamwork, lighting up the environment, the working environment especially, and going out of your comfort zone to offer help to your colleagues. And effectively practising social awareness. So, what is your purpose in doing so? And what did you want to achieve out of doing all these things?

Gabriel Tan: For me personally, I think, of course, no one wants to work in a toxic environment. [00:10:00] Correct. Yes. So, of course, I think work harmony is something that I always strive to achieve because happy people mean happy results. So, when I first joined Good Job Creations, they shared with me one of their key cultures: fun and enjoyment, practising teamwork and work harmony.

Gabriel Tan: And I realised while helping others, it may seem, you know, to me, I always love to help someone. Yeah, of course. I’m not any Gandhi or something, you know, I always want to help everybody, but I think with good work environment will allow you to be much happier.

Gabriel Tan: Here’s a little secret: For the past eight years, Monday is my most dreadful day to come to work.

Destiny Goh: Monday blues.

Gabriel Tan: Yes, but you know, after joining Good Job Creations, Monday is my most exciting day to start. I always look forward to Mondays, so I realised this is something that, for me, it’s not out of my comfort zone. But it’s more of my way, as mentioned in you know earlier, that I love to drive conversations, I love to always engage with people. So maybe that is why I feel what I always want to achieve in a company is to have a good environment to work with well-minded people like me.

Destiny Goh: Earlier, you mentioned about why Monday is your favourite day. Could you like, elaborate further on why, you know, how is your Monday different than every other one?

Gabriel Tan: Well, because firstly, if you realise Monday, I always, you know, whether it be in the bank, this is where your numbers come out. And it’s the most dreadful day of Monday. I will have to face not only myself, if I don’t do well, then second of all, I have to face my managers.

Gabriel Tan: And that is something that I never liked. You know, whether I’m doing well or I’m not doing well is something that, you know, nobody likes to be faced with this kind of situation. And of course, I think even in Good Job Creations, yes, we, we also still face these kinds of numbers. But it’s very [00:12:00] different because for me like I mentioned, if the work harmony is there, there’s fun in the work. And I love to do what I’m doing, which is to speak with people, speak with candidates. I actually thoroughly enjoy myself here. So, I think that is the main difference compared to the past.

Destiny Goh: That’s amazing, actually. So the next question will be, here at Good Job Creations, being emotionally intelligent is constantly emphasised because we aim to always put people first. So how, what are your takes, and how do you interpret this particular skill, and how do you incorporate it into your daily tasks?

Gabriel Tan: So, I think the most important thing when we say we put people first, I think the best word to use is empathy.

Gabriel Tan: I think empathy is something that, of course, it’s not sympathy, yeah, it’s empathy. So, of course, when I speak to a certain candidate or any candidates along the line, I always want to find out from the candidate. How are they feeling? Why do they want to leave their job?

Gabriel Tan: Considering that they have been in the job for maybe, there’s been five to six years. What has made the decision for them to leave their job? Because once you understand how they feel, it is so much easier to match them with a job that can provide them that.

Destiny Goh: So because most of your interviews are done via phone calls, so it’s impossible for a recruiter like yourself to read, let’s say, eye contact or even body language. So the best way of ‘reading’ these people is to actually ask, to literally ask them how they’re feeling, instead of playing the guessing game with them?

Gabriel Tan: I think the number one thing I always try to do; I know it’s not easy, but we always try to establish trust with someone. And, how you establish trust with someone is to put them first instead of yourself. Because, you know, in recruitment, it’s still a sales number. I need to close for the client, but I think when we put our candidates first and understand their problems.

Gabriel Tan: It will be much easier for them to know what they want in life or at least a job that can really fulfil their needs. And if you always hear me, it’s always about someone’s needs that need to be fulfilled before we put them in a role itself.

Destiny Goh: So, as a recruiter who has to deal with different people and their different personalities and even expectations, how can you adapt self-management strategies when faced with unexpected communication challenges to always ensure that it’s a pleasant experience for both parties, especially when you’re done when most of your interviews are done over a phone call?

Gabriel Tan: I think, firstly, thinking on the perspective of a candidate. For me… staying calm and composed is something that you need to always do—maintaining your composure when facing with unexpected challenges. You know, the number one thing I always do if I face a problem is to take a deep breath, three-second silence, before I answer.

Gabriel Tan: I think that is one strategy I always take. Be it dealing with people of all walks of life. Second of all is adapting your communication style. What I learned in my first ever job, before as a bank relationship manager, I was in a sales role, and I realised it’s all about mirroring someone’s style.

Gabriel Tan: Because once you know how to mirror someone’s style, you are on the same wavelength with the person. So, given a scenario, if you can sense that someone, this person is much more concise, he prefers short to one-word answers. I know, yes, of course, as mentioned in the previous conversation, it’s not to have that, but, at the same time, you need to reflect on what the person is doing, in order to, to feel that you’re on the same wavelength.

Destiny Goh: Have you ever encountered a person who was extremely rude over a phone call? Or perhaps not giving you the answers that you need because it’s quite difficult to proceed with this particular candidate if they do not give you enough information about their past experience, their skills, and so on and so forth.

Destiny Goh: So how, how do you manage? Because not many people can remember to count from one to three like you do. Personally, for me, I think I will need to step away from a bit of a conflict and then cool my head before I come back. So, how’s it for you?

Gabriel Tan: Okay, so I mean, I have definitely engaged difficult clients or difficult customers in the bank as well. So, for me, the number one thing is always first, like I mentioned to you, keep calm and composed on your end, because we can get easily triggered by this kind of situation for most people. But second of all is to always mention it to them in a very professional tone or even in a much more lighter tone.

Gabriel Tan: Because if you fight fire with fire, you only get fire. Okay. So for me, as much as, of course, you must learn how to manage his expectations and tell him that, you know, if he doesn’t like, for example, he doesn’t share things, then it is actually very difficult for us to bring to the hiring manager, unless, he mentioned he’s uncomfortable with sharing with us, but then that comes to another can of worms because that means there was no trust that was built between you and the candidate itself.

Gabriel Tan: So, I think, of course, there will always be one out of a hundred people that will, you know, react to this kind of situation. But the most important thing I always realise is as long as we do not get triggered, we keep calm and composed and, of course, manage his expectations.

Gabriel Tan: I think we should not shortchange someone just because maybe that day he was having a bad day. And that’s why he’s reacting that way.

Destiny Goh: Alright, yeah. So, last question. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone struggling to navigate challenging situations? With someone whose emotional state is slightly different than theirs?

Gabriel Tan: This is something I feel, of course, not everyone does it. It’s actually to validate their emotions. What I mean by validating their emotions is to acknowledge and understand, even if I don’t share the same feelings with that person. So, try to always understand what they’re going through.

Gabriel Tan: But I realised that validation can help diffuse tension. And once tension is down, that is when the person is more open to listening from your own perspective, because you realise that, that means you’re actually allowing them to agree with them to a certain extent, even though if you don’t.

Destiny Goh: Alright, so what about this? If the person still rejects to see things through your approach, then how else will you diffuse the situation?

Gabriel Tan: I think, for me, it’s always to remain 100 percent first professional, even though, of course, people have certain perspectives that they would like to put in front.

Gabriel Tan: I believe the individual also has his own perspective as well. So, the most important thing is if we can’t achieve what we want to do, sometimes we need to learn how to step away from the situation and acknowledge that maybe this is a foregone matter altogether.

Gabriel Tan: You know, the saying of you can’t change a leopard’s spots—same thing.

Destiny Goh: Thank you very much for your sharing, Gabriel. I really appreciate it. And I also hope the audience will have huge key takeaways from this piece of interview with you, to hopefully apply it in their careers as well.

Destiny Goh: So, thank you for your time, Gabriel.

Gabriel Tan: Thank you, Destiny.

Podcast written and edited by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

#Voicesof…Elaine Lim: Redefining Sales & Managing People

gjc on August 8, 2023

Despite a thriving decade-long career at the bank, Elaine Lim made a bold career switch into Recruitment with a passion for helping people find meaning in their jobs. Seventeen years later, now in a Managerial post handling three different portfolios, she’s still actively impacting the lives of those she encounters.

1. Why did you leave your career in Banking (non-sales role) for recruitment (sales role)? For context, some people have formulated negative impressions of salespeople: they’re only focused on closing a sale regardless of the method. As a sales-experienced individual, how can you help them see a recruiter differently?

When I left Banking to join the Recruitment industry, I thought the role was about helping people find jobs, without knowing it was a sales job—to say it took me by surprise was an understatement. However, salespeople are viewed negatively because they’re perceived as aggressive and pushy, trying to sell products or services people don’t need or want. Some might even resort to unethical means, even if it involves stretching the truth or outright lying about a product or service, further fuelling ill perceptions towards them.

Recruitment revolves around more than just sales. What’s crucial here is to understand the needs of our clients and candidates, whether it is finding the ‘right’ talent that potentially aligns with what clients are looking for and jobs for candidates they can find meaning and growth in. Being authentic in all my conversations with both parties builds trust and fosters respect that results in lasting connections. The goal of making a sale should ultimately be a transformation you create in the buyer’s life.

"The goal of making a sale should ultimately be a transformation you create in the buyer's life

2. Can you elaborate on ‘finding the right talent that potentially aligns with what clients are looking for’? What is this significance, and does it give people better lives and opportunities?

Every company that desires growth has a vision, mission, and goals. Our role as recruiters is to find talents willing to align with a company’s directions and values and those who desire to contribute to the company’s success and expansion. But this can only be done when talents understand what is expected of them; knowing and understanding makes it easier to contribute through their skills and experience with the right mindset.

Recruitment is essential as it ensures a proper fit; it contributes to societal well-being and economic growth by creating job opportunities and enhancing people’s lives.  Recruiters are driven by the impact of their role in shaping individuals’ careers and companies’ success, making recruitment a rewarding profession.

3. How do you manage your client relationships and team members over the phone and face-to-face to provide exceptional recruitment service?

I take pride in effectively communicating and facilitating productive interactions between my team, clients, and candidates. My role involves connecting with clients and candidates and keeping them updated on the progress of recruitment or interview. Understanding the needs of each stakeholder and fostering positive relationships for each required me to build a strong foundation through mutual understanding, showing interest and responding appropriately without unnecessary jargon or lengthy explanations.

I cannot stress how important it is to harness and build on people skills; it has helped me positively interact with stakeholders, promote more robust relationships, and significantly improve its dynamics. People skills involve interpersonal and social aspects, cultural and emotional intelligence; respecting and understanding that we all have differences in character and values and seeing and doing things differently, but ultimately honouring every relationship that comes my way.

4. Statements like ‘people are now pickier with the kind of work they do now’ seem to be louder since the pandemic, especially when more people are about work-life balance, and some prefer to work remotely. What are your thoughts on this?

The pandemic has indefinitely rewired the traditional work model, and working remotely is time, energy, and even cost-saving. It allowed people to structure their day-to-day life, be more productive and supposedly enjoy a better work-life balance, but such an arrangement has drawbacks.

Some might encounter more considerable interruptions: missing lunch hours, never-ending work piles and meeting calls, and longer hours of working compared to office hours. The lack of discipline could also result in poor time management and efficacy. Personally, I prefer to work in the office as it provides a better environment for face-to-face communication, collaboration, and overall productivity and efficiency, whereas working remotely lacks the personal touch most of us need as colleagues. Of course, this can’t be the same for all; some might find it a blessing, and some might think otherwise.

5. As the manager handling three portfolios, how do you approach and manage your team’s key performance indicators (KPI), target achievements and mentorship?

Firstly, to manage my teams’ KPI and target achievements, I set clear expectations and directions that make sure we’re always on the same page. Throughout my leadership journey, I emphasise and prioritise essentially on open communication—communicating what’s expected and required of my team gets them one step closer to their goals. Next, I encourage my team to manage their time effectively by completing important and urgent tasks to make time for productive work.

I firmly believe in leading by example by demonstrating to my team how to resolve an issue and making helpful suggestions to cultivate confidence and independence within everyone while also listening to their needs and concerns. This creates trust, respect, and accountability within our team.

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

6. What traits should people learn and adapt to keep up with the evolving cultural and business landscape?

The constantly evolving culture and business landscape is a cry for continuous self-improvement and professional development. Technological changes, globalisation, societal norms, and market dynamics should be enough to drive people to stay curious and be updated with the times.

I want to stress how important it is to nurture the ability and willingness to adapt and demonstrate flexibility in learning new processes, knowledge, and skills, use tools and resources and improvise methodologies to keep up with these changes. Take every opportunity to share and exchange ideas, insights, and knowledge; collaborate and build on relationships that spur and encourage continuous growth.

7. As a recruiting expert, what is your definition of a ‘top talent’, and what strategies and methods do you utilise to attract and identify them?

Recognising top talent during a candidate search involves assessing a combination of factors. This includes candidates’ skills and experiences, the presentation and content of their resumes, and their personality traits. Talents as such are identified through their interview performance, problem-solving abilities, cultural fit within the company, commitment to ongoing learning and potential for leadership. However, the emphasis on each factor varies depending on the specific role and organisation.

Some of my strategies and methods to attract talent includes (but are not limited to):

  • Building a strong employer branding strategy helps to create awareness and stand out from the competition.
  • Employee referral program that allows employees/candidates to refer their friends or connections and at the same time be rewarded. This motivates them to refer qualified candidates.
  • Using social media platforms to attract talent and crafting targeted job posts.
  • Sharing about the benefits or perks of companies: unlimited GP consultation, shorter core working hours, culture, and team environment; elaborate on the opportunity for career growth, progression, and incentives.

Interview by Destiny Goh

Marketing Communications Executive

The Greatest Salesman

gjc on August 8, 2023

Salespeople are the kind of people everyone wants to avoid. It’s almost as if you can smell their intentions from a mile away. It’s so easy to stereotype them but think about it, aren’t we all salespeople in our way? Whether you work in education, labs, entertainment and so on, you’re selling ideas and suggestions to get yourself heard, supported, and agreed with daily.

The concept of sales is often misunderstood as pure selling, but there’s more to it. Here are some scenarios: you’re a parent trying to get your child to read a book, and you’d be selling reasons for how reading helps their brain development. Or, when pitching a project to your bosses, you’re selling profitable ideas in return for approval and funding.

How to be better at selling?

1. Be real

Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not—you heard this a thousand times, yet don’t follow through because you’re afraid of rejection or lack self-esteem. Great sellers are hyperauthentic; they relentlessly preach and fight for what they believe, regardless of what people might perceive of them.

Most salespeople start by giving themselves this persona of what they should be or fake it till they make it. However, to build trust is to be authentic. Be honest; keep an open mind as you hear your customers’ opinions and feel comfortable expressing your views. Nurturing healthy self-esteem will make you less likely to seek validation or feel intimidated when faced with rejection.

Manager Elaine Lim of Good Job Creation shares, “Being real isn’t just a trait; it’s a strategy. It builds trust, fosters respect, and nurtures lasting connections.”

2. Deliberate ignorance

‘To be successful, you need to do these ten things, be like this person and do what he does.’ While taking ideas from successful salespeople is excellent, you shouldn’t feel burdened to replicate their way to greatness. Deliberate ignorance breaks stereotypes of success and achievements.

Computer scientist and co-founder of Pixar Edwin Catmull never needed to be the smartest person in the room; he wasn’t afraid to embrace his ignorance. He brought life into Pixar (originally a tech company) and began shooting short films to demonstrate its animation software product. They realised they were concurrently experimenting with tech and storytelling, and those same experiments led them to be one of the most highly acclaimed studios in history. Catmull says, ‘There is nothing quite like ignorance combined with a drive to succeed to force rapid learning.’

Being ignorant opens us up to new information, ideas, and opportunities. You don’t have to be a know-it-all to feel secure.

3.Transform, not transact

Ka-ching—the sweet sound of a sale closing, and then you move on to your next target. You do this on repeat only to realise there’s no other purpose than scoring transaction deals. When you sell a product, service, or idea, what are your intentions and why? Most importantly, what do your customers get in return? Often, people don’t get back to you because they’re limited by transactional thinking or don’t know or see how what you’re selling benefits them.

Elaine was unsold on the idea that her role in recruitment should only revolve around making sales and signing clients. But she also saw the significance of transforming a person’s life and career. Her idea wasn’t to force an unsuitable role or talent on her clients; she just showed them her authenticity and willingness to help through her conversations and dealings.

‘Focus on impact, not just what a sale brings in.’ Elaine always reminds her team members, ‘The power of sales lies in the transformation it brings, not just the transactions it completes.’

4. Set intentional goals and get inspired

A goal should tie to a purpose; when you know why you got started in the first place, everything else you do to achieve it will never be a chore for you. The difficulty of selling is that most of our goals are set by other people, usually revenue targets. For salespeople, these financial goals can feel like a be-all and end-all of selling.

In their book, The Unsold Mindset, Coggins and Brown explain that the problem is when financial goals loom so large that it overwhelms our true purpose for selling. It makes us anxious and causes us to act like the salesperson we don’t want to be. While financial goals are essential, they should never be what drives you. Instead, view selling as a catalyst for achieving goals purposeful to ourselves and the customers we’re serving.

Being intentional with your sales goals allows you to maintain a positive mindset, appreciate the process and be more present and in touch with your progress. You can keep track of your progress, dogear areas for improvement and celebrate small wins.

There’s no right way to do anything but use these ideas in your way. A great seller draws people to their authenticity, permit themselves to be imperfect, and knows it’s okay not to have all the answers. They strive to make a difference in the lives of others in whatever they sell, keep an open mind, stay eager to learn and celebrate the process.

Written by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

Illustrations made with Canva

Make Time for Productive Work

gjc on July 18, 2023

The hustle culture has sparked quite a debate among people who need to slot in activities throughout their day to feel productive—that doing more makes them one step ahead of the rest. And then, some people think a work-life balance ought to be a priority, calling hustling culture toxic.

There’s beauty in working hard but finding time to rest; constantly going on the go will deprive you of rest, recharge, and, eventually, burnout. 

What is Productivity?

Economics defines productivity as the output per unit of input, whether it’s labour, capital, or other resources—it’s how much work is done because of the investment of any of the above.

Being productive alone doesn’t guarantee you get everything done. When you’re in the ‘zone’, time often goes unaccounted for, and your only concern is finishing as much as possible, regardless of your work quality. As a result, you might even miss out on the most important thing you have to do and feel overwhelmed even before the day ends.

Making time for productive work

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to complete more in a day, especially when you have an overflowing work pile, but constantly racing against time makes you lose focus.

Instead of bulldozing through your work and whining about not having enough time, you can change how you do it by making time. Authors of Make Time, Knapp and Zeratsky explains by doing so allows you to choose what you want to focus on based on priority and channel your energy toward it. This approach helps you to be more intentional with how you spend your time.

How do you make time?

1. Prioritise, not compromise.

Everything on your list screams equal importance, but must it be urgently completed? Former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower once said: “I have two kinds of problems; the urgent and the important. The urgent aren’t important, and the important are never urgent.” To simplify this, excellent time management equates to being effective and efficient. We should spend time on important things, not just urgent ones—because the consequences of not dealing with them are immediate.

First, write down all your tasks and then categorise them based on urgency and importance. This will help you be intentional and proactive as you navigate your day instead of multitasking.

2. A man with a plan

With planning, you won’t have to decide what you need to do next or what you should or could do. Before you start a new day, make it a habit to write down all your tasks and label them according to their priority and importance. Next, create time blocks for your task, breaks and a goal you want to achieve that same day—this will allow you to keep track of your progress.

Now that you’ve already defined your day’s parameters, you can focus on how you want to do it and get things done. Make time for breaks by taking a walk, or grabbing a healthy snack; sometimes, a change of scenery would also do wonders.

There may be scenarios when an unplanned task demands immediate attention; if it’s urgent and important, be flexible and rearrange accordingly.

3. Practice digital minimalism

We’re either heavily addicted or reliant on our mobile devices for convenience, information, and entertainment. Addiction often leads to distraction, yet it’s a no-brainer to throw away all your gadgets and live like a caveman.

Instead, redesign how you use technology; rather than having it control you, it’s time to take back control. Simplicity is key; a pen and paper might be all you need to plan your day instead of spending a half-hour moving tasks around for aesthetics on your computer.

Next, log out and remove all social media apps that get your fingers itching to pick up your phone, turn off notifications to prevent you from glancing at your screen every time it lights up and remove all open tabs on your computer from the day before.

Simple, effective tools that work from beginner to productivity expert.

#1: The Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro technique is widely known as a time management system that encourages people to work within the time set and not against it; it’s an excellent, easy-to-use tool for beginners. Choose a single, important task to focus on, set a timer for 25 minutes, and then take a five-minute break after.

#2: The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix is used to organise tasks by urgency and importance, to name your priorities and determine what will potentially distract you. This powerful tool is known for its ability to minimise the stress of deadlines and help you be more intentional and efficient with your time.

#3 The Trident Method, template courtesy of Ali Abdaal

The Trident, a three-pronged time management method created by Ali Abdaal, doctor-turned-YouTuber productivity expert. You can break down your planning for the year, month, and day with a calendar. In a year’s plan, you get a bird’s eye view at first glance—what you want to achieve and complete throughout, such as a goal, new side project or even plan a trip.

Weekly plans let you plan your days systematically instead of having everything everywhere. Planning for the week keeps you from being overwhelmed.

Lastly, daily planning shows you what you’ll be focused on throughout the day. Make space for interruptible activities and personal life, then do your best to stick to it.

If you’re already doing a great job in managing your time and getting things done, keep it up. But if you think there’s still room for improvement, choose and experiment with tools that work best for you; there’s no one size fits all productivity system or tool, and if you need more time, make time.

Written by Destiny Goh
Marketing Communications Executive

Illustrations made with Canva

#Voicesof… Liu San Li: An Ex-Private Banker & Investment Specialist’ Perspective

gjc on July 4, 2023

Previously a banker of 10 years, San Li has held positions such as a private banker, investment advisor and stockbroker at Coutts, Citibank, DBS and more. He left banking in 2005 and pursued a career as a specialist recruiter for the Banking and Finance sector. Having direct banking and recruitment experiences allowed him to see and analyse both worlds from a vantage point of view.

Recently in March 2023, he joined Good Job Creations as the Banking and Finance Team Lead.

1. Your colleagues have known you to be passionate about your job, and every career has ups and downs. What keeps you going, especially in the face of challenges?

I was fortunate to have turned my passion into my career. At a young age, my relatives exposed me to topics and discussions about the financial market and stocks— I was intrigued and curious about its complexity. I joined the Banking and Finance industry in my early 20’s, stayed for about ten years, ventured into the recruitment industry, and still took on the Banking and Finance portfolio, and the rest is history.

Even the best careers have ups and downs; I understand that the Banking and Finance industry is ever-changing, yet it still piques my interest. I make it a point to stay on track and keep myself updated with the latest trends, educating myself with new knowledge and information about the industry. My passion is the foundation of why I love doing what I’m doing, but I’ve also invested a consistent effort and time, it makes what I do worthwhile, and it’s been a rewarding learning journey for me.

 2. If someone decides to do a mid-career switch into Banking and Finance, with its stringent acceptance rate, is it possible? Some may argue that they have transferable skillsets as their advantage. 

It is possible, but it’s extremely rare; let me explain. The Banking and Finance industry requires candidates to have had a certain level of exposure in the sector. It is also the most regulated sector in Singapore by Monetary Authority Singapore (MAS). Most key players in the industry find it challenging to train an individual from scratch if the individual doesn’t have the required hard skills. They need plug-and-play candidates with at least 70% Banking and Finance knowledge and hands-on experience.

However, for individuals already in financial institutions such as insurance and securities firms, there’s a slight chance that banks might consider them. Although some might argue that skillsets are transferable, the skills all banks require are hard skills such as head knowledge, hands-on experience, and technical skills.

I can’t guarantee you’ll like the loophole I’m about to give but look at the interviews that feature some of the biggest, most successful bankers. Most of them rose from humble beginnings, whether it was a sales role, admin, etc. They all made their way up through years of hard work, which they all claimed was worth it. So, if you do desire a mid-career switch, you must be willing to start from ground zero.

3.What trends and changes in the Banking and Finance industry should professionals be aware of?What can they do to prevent it?

Professionals should be aware of changes such as Fintech (financial technology), Robo platforms and Artificial Intelligence. Times are changing. With the introduction of highly advanced tech and equipment, what once required the hands of many is replaced with automation. Before Covid-19, the banks were bustling with people who worked at the front desks and booths, and two years later, you realise there’s an increase of more advanced technology; plenty of banking services are now automated.

I advise joining the game because these machines will still require human expertise to improve their technology. Pick up Fintech, Robo and AI and learn to evolve with them, get certified. There’s new knowledge to be learned every day, but don’t be left behind thinking you know everything just because you got certified by a piece of paper.

“There’s new knowledge to be learned every day, but don’t be left behind thinking you know everything just because you got certified by a piece of paper.”

 4.As an experienced recruiter, what’s the procedure like for fresh graduates and what’s your advice for those seeking a career in Banking and Finance?

Fresh graduates looking to do so can apply for the Management Associate programs launched by most banks. The new graduates hired are groomed to specialise in a specific area. In the first two years, they will be rotated around the departments, learning about the specialisations of each and getting a ‘taste’ of what each role entails. And after two years, these candidates will be evaluated on their suitability and interest, and from there, they will get a clearer picture of what they will pursue.

My advice is simple: constantly develop yourself, whether it’s your character, knowledge tank, or even your skillset and make sure you’re progressing as you go. Build a strong network with your peers, colleagues, managers, and bosses and get to know them. If you genuinely desire a fulfilling career, you’ve got to grow as you go. Don’t assume you know it all, be humble and teachable.

 5.Why did you leave your career in Banking and Finance, and what have you learned after you made a career switch into the recruitment industry?

There was a time when I thought my banking career couldn’t provide me with the organic growth I wanted, and I’m not implying I was right about my perspective then. Nevertheless, I have grown tremendously in the recruitment industry and don’t regret switching careers.

Since joining recruitment, I’ve developed a strong network of professionals from junior to C-level in the Banking and Finance sector. This sparked the development of deep knowledge with my analytical capability beyond private wealth management, such as corporate banking, investment banking, private equity and asset management. I’ve also developed a knowledge of the intertwined dynamics and relationships among all the sub-sectors mentioned above.

6.What are the three most crucial soft skills a Banking and Finance professional should harness? 

The first soft skill to adopt is effectively managing your internal stakeholders, from juniors to seniors; this skill helps you communicate and listen effectively to understand the needs and concerns of your team, creates room for mentoring, coaching and builds trust to ensure the result is a job well done.

Next, cultural intelligence and acceptance. It’s essential to learn and respect the culture of others; it breaks the habit of stereotyping when you try to observe their mannerisms, patterns, and how they react to a situation and be flexible around it. Remember this, what we consider normal might be alien to others.

Effective communication is critical, it means being clear and concise and making your intentions known. Avoid beating around the bush or expect people to read your thoughts. By doing so, you can avoid unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings, increase teamwork and productivity among members.

Photo by Towfiqu on Unsplash

7.Why is it so important to be financially literate, and how can we learn more about it?

It’s essential to know the basics of managing your finances, apportion how much funds you’ll need from short, mid, and long-term, and setting aside a portion for emergency funds.

With such knowledge, you’ll understand the risk and return of investments better, and you’d be able to discern the motives of bankers and advisors, whether they have your best interest at heart or are merely pushing products that make you fork out money unnecessarily.

Learn from friends who work in the financial and investment advisory field or acquainted professionals. I recommend Stock Investing & Stock Market Research to learn more about investments and then supplement it with Motley Fool’s competitors.

As for financial planning, I would recommend the Singaporean website Money Sense, as I feel its information isn’t attuned to the agenda of product selling, then, I would supplement it with advice from other financial institutions.

Do exercise discernment on every piece of information you receive or absorb.

Interview by Destiny Goh

Marketing Communications Executive

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