Saturday 28 September 2013

T: 03 7966 8388 F: 03 7955 3355

Do what you love

YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE

T: 03 7966 8388 F: 03 7955 3355

Do what you love

YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER& TALENT RESOURCE

Pg 10

THANK THE HOTWEATHERWhy your brainloves summertimeas much as you do

Pg 11

IS YOUR BOATSINKING?Embrace the ‘f’ wordand learn frommistakes

Pg 03

BELIEVE THEIMPOSSIBLEIs your belief systemstopping you fromachieving?

SuccessionplanningTalent management andleadership developmentcritical for companies tosafeguard their future.

Pg 04

meetING the taleNtNeedS of malaySIataleNtCorp partNerS employerS toNurture, attraCt aNd retaIN top taleNtpaGeS 6-9

Career Tips

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013�

EDITORIALAdviserRoshan ThiRanEditorLiLy Cheah

Assistant EditorevaChRisTodouLou

Contributing EditorPRemaJayaBaLan

Operations Leadhyma PiLLay

Sub EditorLee KaR yean

Layout, Art & DesignTung eng hwaZuLhaimi BahaRuddinahmad fadZuL yusofadZnam saBRimohd KhaiRuL

hafis idZLamuhd hafeeZRaZZiahshawn ng

Writers & Contributorsangie ngTaLenTCoRPmaJuRa PeRashoTnanCy s.y sim-LimemiLy wong

gReg smaLLeyTeRRy smaLL

Sales Managerian Lee

If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at mystarjob@leaderonomics.com.For advertising and advertorials, contact ian.lee@leaderonomics.com - 016 974 7087

LiLy says

The opinions expressed in this career guide are those of the writers orthe people they quoted and not necessarily those of Leaderonomics.

Want practical tips forsuccess on your way homefrom work? We’re on

every Tuesday from6pm to 7pm.

CapiTaL FM88.9FM

in theKlangValley

TUNe iNTUNe iN

JoiN Us!

TryThis!

CoNTroL The voLUMeMost of us plug in our headphones to listen to music while we’re at work. Be waryof volume levels. According to the CNN.com, MP3 players can play music as loud as120 decibels, which can cause hearing loss over the long-term. Lower the volume tonot only preserve your hearing, but enhance focus on work too.

IT DOEsN’T hurT TO bE rEmINDED TO...

sTay FoCUsed Be physically and mentally prepared for work. Leave out all distractions so you canfocus fully on your tasks.

MeeT peopLe Participate in social and networking events, not only to meet people who may help youalong in your career, but to learn more about different businesses and cultures.

Take risks Don’t be afraid of failure. With the right attitude, failure only pushes us forward. Be boldenough to take risks. Identify the people in your life who can provide valuable advice as you journey along.

BroadeN yoUr skiLLs Keep up with what’s going on in the working world. Keep yourselfupdated by reading, attending seminars, networking events and workshops.

do More Don’t just stick to doing tasks that are given to you. Ask for more opportunities. Volunteeryourself to head projects or to attend events on behalf of the company.

Sources: TalentCorp Calling Malaysian Talents, TalentCorp Graduate Employability Handbook

Entry Point Projects (EPPs) inthe Oil, Gas and Energysector are expected tocontribute RM141.1bil tothe Gross National Income (GNI)of Malaysia in 2020.

In Malaysia, talent is especiallyneeded in high value and highgrowth areas such as Oil, Gas andEnergy, Business Services, andHealthcare.

The goal of the EconomicTransformation Programme is tocreate 497,200 jobs in theTourism sector, and 74,000 inthe Agriculture sector by 2020 .

In the ICT sector, skills that are sought afterinclude creative multimedia, humanresource management, software development,enterprise resource planning, and businessintelligence and analytics.

The Returning ExpertProgramme (REP) facilitates thereturn of Malaysian professionals from

overseas to help overcome theshortage of expertise in

the country and to create aworld class workforce in

Malaysia, especiallyin the context of

the EconomicTransformation

Programme.

National Key Economic Areas(NKEAs) represent economic areasthat will drive the highestpossible income for Malaysiafor the next 10 years.

SINCE the conception of this Career Guide, our team hasworked closely with TalentCorp to provide you withindustry overviews and talent development content (seepage 11 for content from Ready4Work.my).

They have been strategic content partners for the pull-out, and it is a partnership that we value greatly. Both TalentCorpand the Leaderonomics team are aligned in our commitment toproviding readers with content that is useful not only for generalknowledge (to fuel your coffee shop discussions), but to help youmake more informed career/professional decisions.

But TalentCorp does much more than provide informationon industries and career advice. They are an organisation fullyfocused on helping Malaysian employers retain, attract and devel-op the best talent. In doing so, they work to implement structures.programmes and initiatives to help meet Malaysia’s talent needs.

The aim, at the end of the day, is to lend their forces to enableMalaysia to be a high-income, and global talent destination by2020. The goal ties in with Malaysia’s Economic TransformationProgramme, which targets to acheve a Gross National Income(GNI) per capita of US$15,000 by 2020. This can only be goodnews for us.

As of 2012, our GNI per capita (Atlas method) according to theWorld Bank stands at US$9,800. We’re currently US$5,200 off themark, or just over RM16,500. So we have a way to go.

Grooming, retaining and attracting talented individuals is anintegral part of the road towards this goal. As such, TalentCorphas planned its activities around three core areas: optimisingMalaysian talent, connecting with Malaysians abroad, and facili-tating foreign talent.

I’ve had prior coffee-table discussions with friends and relativesabout TalentCorp. The subject tends to crop up most when we’rediscussing a “friend of a friend” who is considering returning toMalaysia from abroad. Typically, the conversation veers towards“this programme lah, that apparently gives very good benefits” toreturning Malaysians.

While it’s encouraging to observe some awareness of pro-grammes like the Returning Expert Programme (REP) floatingabout, I encourage us all to deeply understand these initiativesthat have been established for the benefit of all of us. To get toknow these programmes more, TalentCorp has compiled a usefuloverview of its activities and its involvement in key industries onpages 6-9 of this week’s issue.

The content has big implications for employers, as it detailsdifferent ways in which TalentCorp can partner alongside you inmeeting your talent needs. Companies that already collaboratewith TalentCorp also lend their views.

For individual employees, there are initiatives like career fairs totake notice of. Even if these are not directly relevant to you in thecurrent stage of your career, it will help take us from “that pro-gramme lah” to “TalentCorp’s Returning Expert Programme thatapplies to Malaysians who have been abroad for more than threeyears”.

So I hope you enjoy this week’s centrespread, as well as ourother career and leadership development articles. Rememberto send your feedback and content suggestions to mystarjob@leaderonomics.com. You’ll find more articles at leaderonomics.com/articles.

Have a great week ahead and maybe catch you on the radio onTuesday,

LILy CHEaHEditor, myStarjob.com

kNowLedgeis eMpoweriNg

By ROSHAN THIRANroshan.thiran@leaderonomics.com

AT the 2012 Olympics in London, anold man named Sir Roger Bannisterwas one of the torch-bearers. Aged83, Bannister is one of Britain’s topneurologists, and regarded by many as

Britain’s finest athlete. He never won an Olympicmedal, but is credited as the man who helped theworld believe in achieving the impossible.

In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, a then 23-year-old British medical student, Bannister seta British record in the 1,500m. Unfortunatelyfor him, he finished fourth and did not win anymedal. This humiliation pushed him to attemptsomething never done before in human history– to run the mile under four minutes.

For centuries, people believed that it wasimpossible for a human being to run a mile inless than four minutes. In fact, many doctors andscientists concluded that the human body wouldbreak apart and that it could be fatal.

The world was in consensus that it was impos-sible to do. Everyone believed it was impossible,except Bannister. His belief system was not intandem with the world.

As a medical student, he was well aware of thephysiology and composition of the human body.He was also a good runner and knew his own lim-its. He knew planning and strategy were the keyto breaking the four-minute mile.

Bannister started training to achieve hisgoal but faced significant criticism. First, peo-ple mocked him for having an impossible goal.Everyone knew he was wasting his time. “Whywaste time on something impossible,” scoffed thecritics.

It did not deter him. In fact, he started usingunconventional training methods. This againresulted in heavy condemnation. In spite of the

barrage of disapproval, he kept focused onhis goal.

On a chilly May 6, 1954evening, Bannister’s date with

destiny arrived. He jour-neyed to the Iffley Road

track in Oxford, andcould not believe

the conditions thatgreeted him.

A horriblecross-wind,rain, cold tem-perature anda drenchedslippery cindertrack wouldbe the site he

had to break therecord.

According tosome sports physi-

ologists whom heconsulted, the only

way he could remotelyachieve his goal is if he

had “ideal conditions”. Thismeant having temperatures

around 20 degrees celcius, havingno discernible wind, and a track made of

hard dry clay. His conditions were completely theopposite of ideal.

The race began. Bannister ran the first lap in57.5 seconds. He continued running in blisteringfashion the next two laps clocking in at 1:58.2 andthen 3:00.7. He had another lap to go. Could he doit under four minutes? The crowd started shakingtheir heads. Impossible! No one could do it. Hewould fall in exhaustion.

In fact, the two runners who were keepingpace with him had collapsed out of breath in laptwo and lap three. Suddenly, with 300 yards togo, Bannister started running faster, tapping intoevery ounce of energy he had and hit the finishline, passing out momentarily as he broke thetape.

The crowd waited for an official announce-ment. Many believed he was not successful.Finally the announcement flared over the loud-speaker: “A time which is a new track record,and which, subject to ratification, will be a newEnglish native, a British national, a British all-com-ers, European, British Empire, and world record.The time was three minutes fifty-nine and four-tenth seconds.”

Bannister had done the impossible. Within

one year of him breaking the world record, 37other runners broke the four-minute mile barrier.And the following year saw 300 other runners gounder four minutes for the mile.

In 6,000 years of human history, no one wasable to break the four-minute mile, but onceBannister proved it was possible, so many othershave been able to do it. Why?

It had nothing to do with improved trainingor better tracks or more skilled athletes. It had allto do with the belief systems ingrained in theseathletes’ mind. The moment Bannister showedthe world it was possible, people believed it waspossible.

There is no other more dominant directingforce in human behaviour than belief. Your beliefshave the power to create and to destroy. Andthese beliefs are all stored up in your mind’s eye ina system I call your BS – Belief System!

Belief SyStemYour BS is shaped from childhood by your

upbringing and life experiences. It is the set ofprecepts which govern your thoughts, words, andactions. If you believe something is impossible,you will not attempt it.

Centuries ago, people held to the belief that theworld was flat. This belief curtailed exploration forfear of falling off the earth. Christopher Columbusbelieved otherwise and had a hard time trying toget funding to go to India with his ‘world is round’theory.

Even today, we have so many beliefs that curtailour progress. Many parents believe that successcan only be attained through certain “stable” jobssuch as a doctor, lawyer, engineer or accountant.They, then force their children to pursue suchcareers even when there is no interest or passion,resulting in mediocrity of performance.

Belief systems determine success in yourbusiness. Fortune’s manager of the century, JackWelch, claimed that “ the essence of competitive-ness is liberated when we make people believethat what they think and do is important – andthen get out of their way while they do it.”

By influencing the belief systems of his employ-ees that their work was so significant, he man-aged to draw out the best performance fromthem.

Are you A Victim of your BS?The British philosopher Stephen Law has

described some belief systems as “claptrap” asthey “draw people in and hold them captive sothey become willing slaves… if you get suckedin, it can be extremely difficult to think your wayclear again”.

Many times, we are trapped in our beliefsystem, not realising we are slaves to it. Thereare numerous examples of organisational beliefsystems that have trapped companies and stifledtheir growth.

For years, IBM and traditional computer hard-ware resellers believed that you could not sellcomputers online. Dell shattered that belief.Likewise, Netflix destroyed Blockbuster Videosby overcoming a traditional belief on how videosshould be rented.

For years, music producers believed that sell-ing music via CDs and DVDs was the only way toget value and profits. So, when P2P networks likee-Mule and e-Donkey, which allowed people todownload music for free popped up, they immedi-ately sued them and tried to get them closed.

Instead of succeeding, more of such sitessprouted. They continued to keep firm to theirbelief until Apple decided to leverage the P2P sitesand make money through iTunes.

BreAking tABooSLast year, I spoke at the East Asia Insurance

Conference where another speaker spoke aboutthe need for the insurance industry to innovateand create more game-changers. His clarion callfor change was really a call to break the “Four-

minute mile” in hisindustry. For many of us,we are stuck in our ways. Ourindustry is griped with fear ofchange.

When a ‘Bannister’appears and drives changein that industry, others willalmost immediately follow suit. For example,prior to Apple entering the telecommunicationand music industry, most players kept to industrynorms and beliefs.

The same happened with Southwest Airlinesin the aviation business, Nirvana in the “property”industry and Starbucks with the café business.They were all like Bannister, breaking belief sys-tems in their industry.

So often our beliefs hold us back and limit ourprogress. So, what are other limiting beliefs thatwe may have? Among them are:

l I don’t have the talent to do this.l I can’t change. This is just the way I am.l I am born with no talent.l I have to be realistic.l Being average is OK.l He has always been luckier than me.l Who am I kidding? I am a nobody.l They are successful because they’ve been

doing this for many years.l I don’t have the educational background

required for success.

Just as we have limiting beliefs about ourselves,we also may have beliefs about other people,which bind us in many ways. If we see someoneby himself, we may interpret that he is not friend-ly and may not ask him to help us. If we think oth-ers are more capable and superior, then we willnot challenge them.

About 15 years ago, I lived in London and usedto play for a small team in a park weekly. Ourteam was pretty decent and we used to win ourmatches against rather poor opponents. I alwaysbelieved that we would win every game as theopponents were weak.

One Saturday, the opposition team took a 3-0lead at half-time. I was extremely angry that wewere losing to a “lousy” team. So, I started takingthe ball and dribbling towards the goal. I scoreda goal, then another, and finally late in the gameanother goal.

The game ended 3-3 and I was upset we drewsuch a game. After the game, some of the otherteam members came to shake my hand and intro-duced themselves. I was shocked that many ofthem were part of a professional football set-upin Sweden.

If I had known I was playing against profes-sional players, I would never have dreamed ofdribbling pass them. But as my BS told me thatthese were just our usual “normal” opponents, Iplayed out of my skin.

oVercomingSelf-defeAting BeliefS

Here are a few steps to help you reframe yourbelief system:

> Identify those self-defeating beliefs in yourlife that are derailing you from your goal.Review this list of “derailing” beliefs and startnoticing when they pop up in your life.

> Identify specific situations which triggerthese beliefs.

> Begin the process of changing your belief sys-tem. This requires changes in three areas:1. Change your language – Stop say-

ing “I can’t do this” and say “yes, I can”2. Change your physIology – Get up

and move around whenever you feel abelief is constricting you. Jumping andmoving around is a powerful tool tointerrupt your thought patterns.

3. Change your foCus – Stop focusingon how great the opponent is or howunqualified you are but focus on yourend goal.

Keep reminding yourself that regardless of howchallenging the road ahead may be, you mustovercome these challenges to achieve your goal.Remember, the four-minute mile was not a physi-cal challenge, but a mental one.

Belief alone does not yield success. Great break-throughs can only be accomplished through hardwork, planning, leadership and practice, but with-out the fire of belief, most people quit.

Bannister practised hard, strategised andran hard. But if his belief system told him itwas impossible, he would probably have neverachieved his feat. We often compromise our goalsthrough our limiting and self-imposed BS whichcripples us with fear. Only you can change that.

What are the things in your life that you wantto do but everyone thinks are impossible? Maybeeven you believe they are impossible. Perhaps it isa goal you have given up on, or a target you thinkcan’t be achieved. Maybe you think it is impossi-ble to turn your business around or to inspire youremployees?

Whatever may be your ‘four-minute’ hurdle,you can only start planning and working toachieve it if your belief system is altered. So, startby re-framing your beliefs from “I can’t find a solu-tion” to the belief that “I can”.

Bannister was asked in a recent interview whathe thought from a standpoint of physiology wasthe limit to our ability to break records. His replywas “There is no absolute limit.”

The same applies to us. There are no limits towhat we can achieve, if only we believe.

n Roshan Thiran is CEO of Leaderonomics, a socialenterprise who helps organisations develop leadersby reframing their belief systems. To watch Roshaninteract and learn from great leaders from all overthe world, logon to www.leaderonomics.tv forsome amazing leadership TV shows.

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013 �

It’s all about bs!Is Your belIef sYstemcurtaIlIng Your growthand development?

In 6,000Years ofhuman hIstorY,no one wasable to breakthe four-mInute mIle, butonce bannIsterproved It waspossIble, manYpeople havebeen able todo It.whY?

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013�

MANAGING TALENTBy ANGIE NGangie@thestar.com.my

AMIDST theincreasinglycompetitive busi-ness environmentof today, the maxim

that “organisations exist to persist”is indeed serious business.

To survive in this competitive environment,organisations have to prepare themselves notonly to withstand any eventualities, but alsoto emerge triumphant vis-a-vis the competi-tion.

Besides offering exemplary products andservices, how well companies manage theirtalent pool is one of the critical factors thatwill decide the fate of how well they will fareat the end of the day.

Given the onslaught of changes underway,how important is talent management andsuccession planning to the survival of compa-nies, and how well are Malaysian companiesfaring in managing their talent responsibili-ties?

Stressing the importance of talent man-agement and leadership developmentto competitive organisations, AccentureMalaysia country managing director Goh AikMeng says having well thought out talent,leadership and culture initiatives which arealigned with real business needs, still remainsa key challenge for Malaysian companies.

“It is necessary to have a focused leader-ship development programme, which islinked to business growth imperatives andthe use of analytics to determine talentneeds, that is integrated with the successionplanning process,” Goh says.

He stresses that succession planningis a critical people management practicethat enables organisations to translate therealisation of business benefits as it requiresdynamic and effective leaders.

“Businesses that actively manage theirtalent pipeline and grow their existing talentare more likely to become high performingbusinesses. This process will ensure that theorganisations are systematically identifyingand preparing high-potential candidates forkey positions,” he shares with myStarjob.com.

Goh says succession planning initiativesshould be part of a broader managementdevelopment effort and must be integratedwith other human resources initiatives. Thisallows better decisions to be made and willbe able to identify internal potential succes-sors based on their skills and competencies.

Concurring with Goh, Dr JensBallendowitsch of international consulting

firm AonHewitt says

given the prevail-ing shortage of tal-

ents, the importance oftalent management and succes-

sion planning, especially among Malaysiancompanies, is becoming more critical.

Ballendowitsch, who is Aon Hewitt’spractice leader talent for Malaysia, says asthe economy continues to grow, employersshould explore methods besides the triedand tested practices because they wouldbe facing growing challenges to attract andretain critical talent to expand their busi-nesses.

“Attraction, engagement and retentionof high performers and high potentials arestrongly driven by career, as well as learningand development opportunities. Mentoring,coaching and regular exposure to senior lead-ership are important aspects a company canprovide to these high-in-demand employeegroup,” Ballendowitsch says.

GROOMING INTELLECTTalent management can be either a disci-

pline as big as the human resources functionitself, or a small bunch of initiatives aimed atpeople and organisation development.

Ballendowitsch says to attract and retainkey talent and to drive high performance,companies need to establish a robust andattractive talent management system – aninitiative that Malaysian organisations areincreasingly embarking on.

“A talent management system goes hand-in-hand with succession planning. Once thetalents are defined and managed, thoseoutstanding talents should enter a successionplanning programme. This is a logical stepbecause the objective of talent managementmust be to identify future senior leaderswho possess the right skills and competen-cies and exhibit the right behaviours thatensure the future success of the company,”Ballendowitsch elaborates.

Giving the thumbs up for talent manage-ment and succession planning, Aon Hewittsenior client partner, South-East Asia Na BoonChong says it is part of good corporate gov-ernance practice for boards to manage CEOand key officers’ succession plans.

Na says the increasing pressure for talentmanagement and succession planning is driv-en by the confluence of a number of factors:

1 Demographic shift – Maturing of thesenior management rank (baby boomers

and grey tops) and lower employment partici-pation rate due to declining birth rate;

2 Economic growth rate and an ever-changing skill and knowledge require-

ment;

3 Expectation on corporate boards tobroaden their oversight by including peo-

ple risks such as management succession andcapability development.

“A traditional replacement planningapproach, such as three candidates for eachmanagement position on the organisationalchart, is not practical anymore due to the fre-quent need to restructure. An approach aim-ing to increase the bench strength to meetfuture needs should be taken,” Na says.

He says an example of a good talent man-agement structure is one that is segmentedby the types of talent, such as entry levelrecruits (young leaders), high potential pool(emerging leaders), and potential successorsto the top (senior leaders).

Various approaches, investments and over-sights are provided to each segment in orderto ensure a continuous flow of talent pipeline.

BRIDGING THE GAPAon Hewitt’s Leadership practice leader,

Yong Kit San, says research by Top Companiesfor Leaders found that successful companiesdo several things better in building and sus-taining a strong leadership pipeline.

They build a strong and identifiable leader-ship brand that will set clear expectations,attract talent to join the company, and excitethem to aspire to lead.

Other practices include giving importanceto continued talent assessment, customiseddevelopment opportunities for identified tal-ents, developmentprocesses thattake top talents“outside” of theircomfort zones, andpromoting diversityof thought among thetop leadership team.

Given the impor-tance of talent manage-ment and successionplanning, a gnawingquestion is whetherorganisations should

groom their own people or cast their net farand wide to source for outside talent.

According to Ballendowitsch, if a talentmanagement programme is in place, it isadvisable for organisations to groom theirown people to become future leaders.

“Without being able to tell a success storyto their current and future talent in the formof actual talents who climbed the ranks andmade it into the C-suites, talent managementand success planning will be only perceived aslip service, which might impact the employerbrand in the long run,” he explains.

Yong says while it is good to groom inter-nal talents, there should be conscious andfocused efforts to ensure diversity of back-grounds and experiences at the top team.

“It sends a clear message, especially amongpublic listed companies, about the sustain-ability of the organisation, when there is aclear internal succession plan in place forthe top executive. So diversity (in terms ofin-company versus external executives) canbe built in one or two levels below the topexecutive to ensure diversity,” he says.

Na says research has shown that themarket is generally more favourable to anexternal CEO coming in to take over if thecompany requires a significantly new strategyand direction for its business.

However, if the expectation is that thecompany should stay the course and onlymake incremental changes, an internal CEOsuccessor would be preferred.

Whatever the strategy opted for, whatmatters ultimately will be the organisation’s

AND SUCCESSION PLANNING

“IT IS NECESSAryTO hAvE A fO-CUSED LEADErShIPDEvELOPMENTPrOGrAMME,whICh IS LINkED TObUSINESS GrOwThIMPErATIvES AND ThE USE Of ANALyT-ICS TO DETErMINE TALENT NEEDS, ThATIS INTEGrATED wITh ThE SUCCESSIONPLANNING PrOCESS.”- GOh AIk MENGCOUNTry MANAGING DIrECTOr;ACCENTUrE MALAySIA

“ATTrACTION,ENGAGEMENT ANDrETENTION Of hIGhPErfOrMErS ANDhIGh POTENTIALS ArESTrONGLy DrIvENby CArEEr, ASwELL AS LEArNING AND DEvELOPMENTOPPOrTUNITIES. MENTOrING, COACh-ING AND rEGULAr ExPOSUrE TO SENIOrLEADErShIP ArE IMPOrTANT ASPECTS ACOMPANy CAN PrOvIDE TO ThESE hIGh-IN-DEMAND EMPLOyEE GrOUP.”- Dr JENS bALLENDOwITSChPrACTICE LEADEr TALENT;AON hEwITT MALAySIA

“A TrADITIONALrEPLACEMENT PLAN-NING APPrOACh,SUCh AS ThrEECANDIDATES fOrEACh MANAGEMENTPOSITION ON ThEOrGANISATION ChArT, IS NOT PrACTICALANyMOrE DUE TO ThE frEqUENT NEED TOrESTrUCTUrE. AN APPrOACh AIMING TOINCrEASE ThE bENCh STrENGTh TO MEETfUTUrE NEEDS ShOULD bE TAkEN.”- NA bOON ChONGSENIOr CLIENT PArTNEr;AON hEwITT SOUTh-EAST ASIA

“wIThOUT bEINGAbLE TO TELL ASUCCESS STOryTO ThEIr CUrrENTAND fUTUrE TALENTIN ThE fOrM OfACTUAL TALENTSwhO CLIMbED ThE rANkS AND MADEIT INTO ThE C-SUITE, TALENT MANAGE-MENT AND SUCCESS PLANNING wILL bEONLy PErCEIvED AS LIP SErvICE, whIChMIGhT IMPACT ThE EMPLOyEr brAND INThE LONG rUN.”- yONG kIT SANPrACTICE LEADEr LEADErShIP;AON hEwITT MALAySIA

CrITICAL fOr MALAySIAN COMPANIESTO hAvE PrOGrAMMES IN PLACE

They build a strong and identifiable leader-ship brand that will set clear expectations,attract talent to join the company, and excitethem to aspire to lead.

Other practices include giving importanceto continued talent assessment, customiseddevelopment opportunities for identified tal-ents, development

comfort zones, andpromoting diversityof thought among thetop leadership team.

Given the impor-tance of talent manage-ment and successionplanning, a gnawingquestion is whetherorganisations should

matters ultimately will be the organisation’sability to stay relevant and persist on for thelong-haul.

Please send your complete curriculum vitae (including position applied for, complete academic record, description of workexperience and expected salary) to recruitment@padu.edu.my. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Education is the bedrock of development. As times evolve, so mustour education system, not only to keep up but also to keep ahead.PADU is a newly incorporated Delivery Unit set up to support theMinistry of Education to deliver deep transformational changeto our education system in line with the Malaysian EducationBlueprint released on September 6, 2013. PADU will be staffedwith exceptional talents from the private and public sectors. Weoffer market-competitive compensation, excellent networkingexposure, and the opportunity to shape the future of our nationthrough education reform.

Blueprint Delivery

Directors, Managers,and Executives

Corporate Functions

Directors, Managers and Executives

Change Management andStakeholder Engagement

� Responsible for internalcommunications within theMinistry, including executionof a comprehensive changemanagement strategy forthe delivery of the MalaysianEducation Blueprint

� Good interpersonal andcommunication skills, andstakeholder managementability

� Strong creative, strategic,and organizational skillsrequired

Finance

� Responsible for overseeing�������� ����������accounting and auditing,�������� ���������� �������and treasury services

� Establishing and managing�������� �������� ���process for procurement,contracting, and claims

� ���������� �� ������ ���accounting required

PerformanceManagement

� Oversight for program anddata management for allBlueprint initiatives andprojects

� Strong analytical andorganizational skills,technical knowledge

� Experience in performancemanagement, KPI settingand monitoring, initiativetracking required

TalentManagement

� Design and implementTalent Management process,including recruiting, on-boarding, professionaldevelopment and retention

� Responsible for workforceplanning and annual HRplans

� Strong interpersonal andcommunications skills,planning and organizationalabilities required

� Role requires supporting delivery of theMalaysian Education Blueprint initiatives

� Experience in Strategic and CorporatePlanning, large scale transformationprograms, organisation and performancemanagement required

� Distinctive problem solving and facilitationskills

� Strong planning, organisational andanalytical skills

� Good communication skills, Bahasa andEnglish required

� Strong drive and leadership with a passionand excitement for education

help shapeour NextgeNeratIoNWE’rE HIrING

myStarjob.com, SATURdAy 28 SepTembeR 2013 5

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013� mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013 �

talent needstalentCorp at workloCally and abroad

TALENTCORP was established on Jan 1, 2011 under the PrimeMinister’s Department to formulate and facilitate initiatives toaddress the availability of talent in line with the needs of thecountry’s economic transformation.

Collaborating with relevant government agencies andemployers in priority economic sectors, it develops demand-driveninitiatives focused on three strategic thrusts. Specifically, it aimsto:

1 OPTIMISE MALAYSIAN TALENT:TalentCorp’s work in this area focuses on the pipelineof young Malaysian talent, and seeks to channel them

towards opportunities in key sectors. By helping with theschool-to-work transition through initiatives like the StructuredInternship Programme, and upskilling to nurture talent in newareas, it works to ensure a steady flow of high quality talent intopriority areas within the public and private sectors.

2 ATTRACT AND FACILITATE GLOBAL TALENT:TalentCorp organises International Outreach andEngagement sessions to raise greater awareness of

job opportunities in Malaysia. It promotes opportunities forthose looking to return, as well as avenues for collaboration andcontribution back to the country for those who are still abroad.

Its initiatives include the Returning Expert Programme (REP),which facilitates the return of notable Malaysian professionalsfrom abroad.

To attract and retain top foreign talent, TalentCorp workstogether with the Home Affairs Ministry and the ImmigrationDepartment to oversee the Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T), anemployer-independent 10-year multiple entry visa to stayin Malaysia and contribute to the Economic TransformationProgramme in the longer term.

3 BUILD NETWORKS OF TOP TALENT:TalentCorp also focuses on building structured networksto create a talent pool, to better enable engagement and

leveraging of top talent as opportunities arise. This source pool isalso aimed to provide platforms for collaboration and contributionfrom talent abroad.

TalentCorp sees itself as the bridge between the public andprivate sectors in Malaysia. Whilst it lends an ear to the privatesector to better understand their talent needs, it partners with thepublic sector to introduce and implement policies and initiativesto nurture, attract and retain top talent for the country.

lai tak Ming :: direCtor,group HuMan resourCesand adMinistration ::gaMuda bHd“The MRT project is a key partof the country’s transformation.In driving this project, one keyobjective is to build a strong localtalent pool for the future. Gamudais able to leverage on the STARprogramme, in having access to topgovernment scholars to serve theirbond working for Gamuda. So farit’s working out very well indeed.”

lee soo Fern :: partner, people teaM :: ernst &young advisory serviCes sdn bHd“Ernst & Young strongly believes in investing in young Malaysiantalent. The Structured Internship Programme complementsour own initiatives to develop young talent. Interns in our firmhave the opportunity to do real client work, gain new skillsand be exposed to a variety of professional experiences. Theresponsibilities they are tasked with and the challenges theyencounter help prepare them for the real working world.”

CHua CHai ping :: CountryHuMan resourCe Head ::aCCenture solutions“As an employer, Accenturelooks for the best talent. As aMalaysian, I would like to seemore Malaysians make thecut. Ready4work.my providesa platform for employerslike Accenture to help youngMalaysians fulfil their potential,by sharing what it takes tosecure a career with a topemployer.”

kennetH Ho :: HuManresourCe direCtor oFMalaysia and brunei :: ibMMalaysia“We at IBM believe it is never awaste to invest in talent becausethe more we help our employees,the more committed and productivethey become. TalentCorp’s Life atWork award acknowledges IBM’sleadership in providing flexibilityto its employees, such as having18% of our staff on telecommuting.flexWorkLife.my is a great platformfor employers like us to share bestpractices and be even better atwork-life integration.”

nora ManaF :: senior exeCutiveviCe-president, Head groupHuMan Capital :: Maybank“With Maybank group fast realising ourregional leadership aspiration, we activelyattract top talent including Malaysiansabroad for our offices across 20 countries.TalentCorp’s REP fast-track applicationhas proved to work well in supporting ourefforts to bring back top talent.”

dr sundari aMpikaipakan:: Consultant respiratoryand general pHysiCian ::pantai Hospital“The healthcare outreach servesas an ideal platform for thecreation of structured globalnetworks which not only easethe search for professionalopportunities by returningMalaysians, but also enableleading Malaysian healthcareoperators to tap into a widertalent pool to meet the growingindustry needs. Additionally,these engagements help toestablish channels for Malaysianmedical practitioners tocontribute from abroad, andpotentially initiate conversationsthat lead to new ideas forcross-border professionalopportunities.”

iain lo :: CHairMan ::sHell Malaysia“Oil and Gas is a globalindustry and the competitionfor talent is intense across allgeographies. Shell Malaysianeeds top talent, whetherit is Malaysians in Malaysia,Malaysians who are abroad orforeign talent. We are pleasedthat TalentCorp is helpingus attract global talent toMalaysia with its ResidencePass – Talent programme,which provides top expatriateswith critical skillsets theopportunity to live and work inMalaysia on a longer term.”

FaCilitatingForeigntalent

optiMisingMalaysiantalent inMalaysia

ConneCtingMalaysians

abroad

partnering eMployers

to Make a diFFerenCe

we believe tHat Malaysia trulyHas talent and tHat talents oF allbaCkgrounds will be able to FindMeaningFul proFessional opportunitiesin tHis Country. towards tHis end, weCollaborate witH eMployers andengage witH talents at HoMe andabroad to proMote tHe dynaMiCand diverse proFessionalopportunities available inMalaysia.

Joha

nM

ahm

ood

Mer

ican

;CE

Oof

Tale

ntCo

rp.

FlexworkliFe.My> A platform for employers toshare and learn best practices,

promote flexible work arrangementsand family-friendly facilities to enhancewomen participation in the workforce.> Promotes hiring women after a

career break and provides double taxdeduction on training costs.> Employers can advertiseflexible jobs on the career

microsite.

Zainun nur abd rauF ::group HuMan resourCesand Corporate aFFairsdireCtor, nestle Malaysia“As the world’s leading nutri-tion, health and wellnesscompany and the largest FMCGcompany in Malayia, Nestléoffers young graduates excitingcareers as opposed to just a job,with great opportunities to getto the heart of our key businessareas in Malaysia as well asinternationally.

“At Nestlé we believe in grow-ing our people to manage andlead the business as we con-tinue to bring ‘Good Food GoodLife’ into the lives and homes ofmillions. We are happy to haveGEMS graduates build enrichingcareers with us.

“The GEMS programme sup-ports the national agenda ofimproving graduate employabil-ity by helping graduates learnexperientially to build theircareers with leading employers.”

graduateeMployability

ManageMent sCHeMe (geMs)>Upskilling programmes co-

funded with employers to developindustry-ready graduates.

>Gems incorporates classroomtraining with a six month

attachment with host companies.>3,000 local

graduates trained andplaced in 2012

struCturedinternsHipprograMMe

>Offers tax deductionsto companies providing

quality internships.>12,000 places

in 2012

returning expertprograMMe (rep)

> The programme targets Malaysiancitizens residing abroad for at least

three years and able to contribute to theeconomy. It is crucial that the applicant

applies while still residing andemployed abroad.

> Supports employers through incentives(15% income tax rate for five years) forreturning top global Malaysian talent.

>2,000 Malaysiansapproved since 2011

globalMalaysian network

Platform to connect globalMalaysians to contribute

to Malaysia throughcollaborationswith leadingemployers.

overseasoutreaCH

Reaching out withemployers to connect

with Malaysiansabroad on professional

opportunitiesat home.

Career FairinCentives

Tax incentives for employersparticipating in career fairs

to recruit Malaysians abroad,both graduates and working

professionals. Companiesthat participate are eligible

to claim double taxdeductions.

sCHolarsHiptalent attraCtion and

retention (star)> Enables governmentscholars to serve their

scholarship bond with privatesector employers.

>500 scholarssince 2011

witH eMployers to Meetjoining ForCes

Career awareness>Works with employers toeducate undergraduates on

Malaysia’s leading job opportunitiesthrough sector-focused career fairs

and competitions.> Sector-focused career fairs giveindividuals exposure to relevant

career opportunities and potentialemployees. For employers, this is an

opportunity to recruit candidateswith skills in specific

subject areas.

ready4work.My> A self-directed online portal

that serves as a one-stop centreto address the skills gap among

graduates and connect them withpotential employers.

> The portal provides careerawareness, industry insights, and

information on necessary skillsto increase the employability of

young individualsin Malaysia.

residenCepass-talent

> Allows high achieving foreigntalent with a capacity to drive

business results to live and workin Malaysia for up to 10 years.> Spouse will be entitled to

similar pass and hence beable to work.

>2,000 expats approvedsince 2011

eMployMentpass ii

Enables companiesto employ top foreigngraduates studying in

Malaysia.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013�

LIm KwEE KEoNg ::SENIoR VICE-pRESIdENt ::tEChNIp ASIA pACIFIC

“Investing in Malaysia is more thanjust about hiring talent. Technip bringsnew technology to Malaysia andinvests in human capital developmentprogrammes. Training people andupgrading their skills makes themwant to stay with us. We collaboratewith TalentCorp on graduate upskillingprogrammes, where for example agroup of graduates are put throughtwo months of technical knowledgetraining followed by six months ofpractical training to become pipingand structural engineers.

“In addition, Technip has been ableto tap on the pool of governmentscholars through the ScholarshipTalent Attraction and Retention(STAR) programme. In the spaceof experienced talent, Technip hasalso leveraged on initiatives like theReturning Expert Programme (REP) toattract Malaysian professionals fromabroad and also the Residence Pass –Talent (RP-T) for top expatriate talent.

“Technip has been able to bringtechnologically challenging jobs toMalaysia, including deepwater fielddevelopments and the world’s firsttwo floating LNG projects. Hence, wehave great career opportunities forboth fresh and experienced globaltalent right here in Malaysia.”

RAIhA AzNI AbduL RAhmAN:: VICE-pRESIdENt, humANRESouRCE mANAgEmENt ::pEtRoNAS

“We believe in ‘growing our owntimber’, not just for Petronas, butfor the industry. Petronas leverageson the strengths of the industryplayers, by getting the industry toplay a role in nurturing students andmaking an impact on the universityin terms of its curriculum.

“We also wanted bettercollaboration between academiciansand the industry. Petronas is one ofthe participating companies of theUTP Student Industrial InternshipProgramme endorsed by Talentcorpunder its Structured InternshipProgramme placing final yearstudents in various companies for aperiod of seven months.

“This way, students will be able toexperience the work environmentand industry requirements, aswell as develop their soft skills.Furthermore, this internship alsoserves as a recruitment platform forcompanies like Petronas.

“Apart from that, we are alsoworking closely with Talentcorpin the area of retaining andattracting JPA scholars fromoverseas universities to contributeback to the country via the STARprogramme.”

tALENtCoRp BY 2020, Malaysia aspires to be a highincome, advanced nation and emerge as aglobal talent destination.

TalentCorp was established to be a focalpoint in addressing the need for top tal-ent to drive the Economic TransformationProgramme (ETP), which is the catalyst foreconomic growth and investments neededfor Malaysia to achieve high-income statusin the next seven years.

While the Government will prioritise itspolicies and spending for the ETP, the bulk ofinvestments, targeted at 92% by 2020, are tobe financed by the private sector. The privatesector, therefore, has been placed in the driv-

er’s seat in the implementation of the ETP.Delivering on talent is integral to the successof the ETP.

As a result, TalentCorp is focusing onbuilding effective partnerships betweenpublic and private sectors to ensure theavailability of top talent, especially for thekey sectors of the economy. These sectorsinclude:

l Oil, gas and energyl Financial services/accountingl Fast moving consumer goodsl Electrical and electronicsl ICT and shared servicesl Healthcare

hAmIdAh NAzIAdIN :: hEAd oFCoRpoRAtE RESouRCES :: CImb gRoup

“We see the wonderful work thatTalentCorp is doing, and are privileged topartner with TalentCorp on many projects.Certainly, we see many areas where there issynergy. If you like, both CIMB and TalentCorpare obsessed with talent development. Wehave been collaborating with TalentCorp onmany fronts, including taking part in careerfairs that Talentcorp endorses, both in andoutside Malaysia.

“TalentCorp as the one-stop-centre forthe 10-year Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T)since April 2011 has also facilitated theprocessing of these passes for our topforeign talent at CIMB. Such initiativesincrease the attractiveness of Malaysia as

a career destination. We also fully supportTalentCorp’s initiatives that bring togetherleading employers to help young graduatesmake the transition from school to workthrough career awareness programmes,outreaches and its Ready4Work.my website.

“TalentCorp on its part recognises CIMB’sinnovation in talent development and showsits support in tangible ways. For instance, thisyear, TalentCorp is sponsoring our CIMB AseanStock Challenge, the only regional virtualstock trading competition for universitystudents. TalentCorp has also repeatedlyshown its appreciation for our CIMB Fusion,the only graduate management programmethat offers dual employment opportunities.”

SRIdhARAN NAIR ::mANAgINgpARtNER :: pwC“PwC has always been a strong proponentof developing and promoting talent inMalaysia. We believe that in advancingthe national talent agenda further,collaboration with key enablers is the wayforward which is why we’ve supportedTalentCorp’s initiatives from its early days.

“This collaboration has strengthenedover time with a number of initiatives:outreach to Malaysian talent abroad;improving employability of graduatesthrough TalentCorp’s Ready4Work.myportal by providing content; participating

in the Structured Internship Programme;promoting flexibility in the workplaceto help the retention of women in theworkforce; and sharing of best practices onwork-life integration on the flexWorkLife.my portal.

“Working together with TalentCorp hasundoubtedly also helped improve PwC’sown employee value proposition andgiven us more insights into the humancapital innovation taking place in thiscountry. So it makes business sense formore employers in Malaysia to collaboratewith TalentCorp as part of their talentinvestment initiatives.”

oIL, gAS ANd ENERgY

ACCouNtINg

KEY pRIoRItY SECtoRSSuppoRtINg tRANSFoRmAtIoN

AgENdA FoCuSINg oN

Sector Focused Career Fair Universiti Teknologi Petronas: Oil and Gas, Mid ValleyExhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

CIMB Fusion signing ceremony at theMandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Interns at PwC under the Structured Internship Programme.

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013 9

Ling Ming Choo :: huMan resourCedireCtor :: uniLever MaLaysia“Unilever is passionate about attractingoverseas-based Malaysians. By leveragingon TalentCorp’s extensive networks in theglobal market, we are able to reach out tomore Malaysian students abroad, with theaim of bringing them back to undertake arewarding career at Unilever.

“We believe strongly in the importanceof building Malaysia’s talent pipeline andwe’re delighted that TalentCorp shares thissame vision.”

raj PurushothaMan :: ManagingdireCtor :: nationaL instruMents“Being a relatively new investment inMalaysia, building and growing a sustainablepipeline of industry relevant talents remains akey goal for us.

“At National Instruments, we providescientists and engineers with tools toaccelerate innovation and believe inpromoting an innovative culture withuniversity graduates early on. TalentCorp’sInnovation Malaysia Design Competition isaligned to our beliefs on talent developmentand promotes industry and universitycollaboration.

“We are delighted that the team onNational Instruments’ track emerged as thewinner for the 2013 competition for their‘Oil Palm Fruit Ripeness Detection Kit forHarvesting Decision’. The partnership withTalentCorp has been encouraging and we lookforward to doing more together!”

shankar nagaLingaM :: hr direCtor, south asia andanZ :: deLL MaLaysia“Dell is actively collaborating with TalentCorp on building a diversesustainable talent pipeline for the nation. We are working togetheron communicating the vibrant job opportunities in the sharedservices sector to young graduates through participation in localcareer fairs and providing content for collaterals on the sector. Wealso believe that an engaged and diverse workforce is a competitiveadvantage to Dell.

“Being a diversity advocate, I work closely with TalentCorpon gender diversity initiatives with the aim to increase theparticipation of women in the workforce and in decision-makingpositions. My role includes advocacy on gender diversity throughvarious media channels and networking sessions, as well as sharingexperiences and guiding employers who are keen to implementwork-life practices.”

datuk dr Mohd sofiosMan :: viCe-PresidentaPaC region, worLdwideoPerations andengineering :: aLtera CorP“We see great synergy in workingwith TalentCorp in the realm ofoptimising Malaysian talent.We have embarked on a driveto build a sustainable talentpipeline for high value addedjobs at Altera Corp.

“Through various TalentCorpinitiatives like the ScholarshipTalent Attraction and Retention(STAR) programme, the upskillingprogramme FasTrack, the HighIncome Talent Research ScientistEngineer programme (HIT-RSE)and Structured Internships for

undergraduates, we are confidentof attracting bright Malaysianengineers to high value-addedcareers in the Electrical andElectronics sector.

“FasTrack is a great example ofcompanies collaborating for thelarger good; to make graduatesindustry ready and build a R&Dtalent pool for the nation with along-term goal of embedding thiscontent in the education system.

“The FasTrack Mastersprogramme, introduced in 2013,encourages graduates of highcaliber to pursue their educationin high-end design and processtechnology.

It’s been great working withTalentCorp and we look forwardto more exciting times together!”

fast Moving ConsuMer goods

eLeCtriCaL and eLeCtroniCs

iCt and sharedserviCes

The graduation ceremony of FasTrack, a 12-month programme targeted at high-achieving Malaysianengineering graduates.

Innovate Malaysia Design Competition 2013 event,Penang.

“An IndustryInside: FastMovingConsumerGoods” visitto Unilever.

Winners of the Life at Work Award at the 11th WomenSummit in August this year.

Winners of the Innovate Malaysia Design Competition 2013 Grand Finale, Penang.

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 201310

By DR GREG SMALLEYmystarjob@leaderonomics.com

MARRIAGE is an amaz-ing adventure that hasthe potential for great-er joy than any otherhuman relationship.

However, the daily responsibilities andstresses of having a career, home, chil-dren, debt, friends and other activitiescreate a unique challenge for couples.

The health of our marriage canhave a profound effect on how wefunction at work. Ever had a heatedconversation with your spouse andgone to work angry? Emotions cancarry through from the home life intothe office.

The challenge usually surroundsthe issue of priorities and time. Often,we build our careers at the expenseof investing time into this crucialrelationship that lies at the core of ourfamily life.

Sadly, many couples buy into thefalse notion that they simply don’thave enough time, energy or money todate their spouse. The hustle and bus-tle of our fast-paced life often reducesour “dating” to a quick peck on thecheek and cordial “I love you” as werun out the door or drift off to sleep.

Yet, we cannot allow our hecticschedules, low energy or financialchallenges to become excuses for

neglecting our marriages.We need to guard against the daily

“grind” of life and develop the regularhabit of separating ourselves fromwork, children and other responsi-bilities and focusing on our spousein order to keep our marriages aliveand growing. So while you’re thinkingabout your career development, here’sa tip on how to strengthen your mar-riage even as you continue growing onthe work front.

TIP: DATE YOUR MATEPlanning dinner appointments with

clients? What about planning dateswith your mate again? Think about it.Remember what it was like before youwere married? Wasn’t that the mostinteresting time in your relationship?

You and your spouse were justgetting to know one another and eve-rything was fresh, exciting and new.You took time to learn more about

each other, about your past and yourdreams for the future.

Now that you’re married, however,it’s even more important to date. Youneed to get away alone and continueto talk, laugh, and have fun together.You need to learn more about eachother.

That’s why dating shouldn’t stopwith marriage; ideally it shouldincrease! But it’s not just going tohappen on its own. It’s going to taketime, effort, and planning. It meansthat as much as your career mattersto you, you’re going to have to makeyour marriage and your spouse a toppriority.

TAKE THE DATENIGHT CHALLENGE!

Experts and happy couples agreethat the trick to making marriagework is to commit to spend regulartime together and to be sure that this

time together is focusedon each other and full offun. Research shows that dat-ing at least once a month signifi-cantly improves marriages.

Date night is a fantastic idea tomake sure you and your spouse areconnecting positively and enjoyingeach other’s company on a regularbasis. It doesn’t have to be expensiveor elaborate. The important thing is tomake spending time alone together apriority for the both of you.

Spouses can easily become distantroommates under the stress of work,household duties and childrearing.We need to feel that the adrenalin inus is still pumping and is in abundantsupply.

Don’t ever get tricked into believingthat your marriage feels like a “recy-

cled” union of two tired and boredsouls. I strongly encourage you todiligently pursue “fun, adventure, playand laughter” in your marriage – startdating again!

n Dr Greg Smalley is executive direc-tor of marriage and family formationat Focus on the Family in ColoradoSprings, US. He will be in Malaysiafrom Oct 11 to Oct 12 to speak attwo events; Date night and Marriageconference. You can register online atwww.family.org.my

MAke A

Why yourBrAin Loves

suMMer

MAte dAte

Why yourBrAin Loves

suMMer

7reAs

ons

By TERRY SMALL

mystarjob@leaderonomics.com

YOUR brain loves summer. Here are seven reasons

why this is probably true:

1You eat differently. Portions usually get

smaller. No one wants to feel heavy in the

summer. Calorie restriction turns out to

be good for your brain and prolongs your life. You

probably eat differently, too.

Fruits and vegetables are fresh and abundant

during the summer. Eat lots of them. Try replac-

ing one meal a day with a smoothie. My favour-

ite: yogurt, frozen field berries, frozen banana,

orange juice, protein powder, pure vanilla, and

cinnamon.

2You exercise more. Walks and bike rides

are easier when the days are longer.

The benefits are many. Your brain grows

new neurons (neurogenesis). Blood circulation

increases – this provides your brain with more

oxygen and glucose.

You learn better and remember more. Your

brain also produces dopamine, serotonin, and

noradrenaline which simply make you feel good.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for

your brain. Try setting aside 20 minutes every day

to get moving.

3 You drink more water. Summeris hot. When it’s hot you drinkmore water. Your brain is 85%

water. When you are well hydratedyou learn better and you have moreenergy. Water is needed to efficientlymanufacture neurotransmitters inthe brain, including serotonin andmelatonin.

Hydration also improves yourattention span. Water can preventmemory loss as we age, reducing therisk of degenerative diseases such asAlzheimer’s. Getting enough water maybe the single most important thing youcan do to live a healthier life.

Make sure you drink water before youare thirsty. By the time you are thirstyyour brain is dehydrated. Try followingthis formula one cup (240 ml) of waterfor every 11 kg of body mass. Carry awater bottle with you.

4 You are more social. In thesummer you spend more timewith family and friends. Your

brain needs social connections. Spendingtime with people is a fundamental tenetof cognitive health.

The Journal of Public Health reportsthat having a larger social network canreduce your risk of dementia and cog-nitive impairment. Try to arrange andattend a few more social events thanyou normally do.

5 You read more. You have more timeoff in the summer and probably pickup a book or two. Reading wakesyour brain up. Learning new things growsconnections between your brain cells.Scientists call this neural reserve. The moreof it the better. Try reading something younormally wouldn’t pick up. If you always readnovels, try a non-fiction book and vice versa.

6 You spend more time outdoors.Being outside is good for your brain.Richard Louv just wrote a book calledThe Nature Principle.Essentially, he feels many of us suffer froma nature-deficit disorder. Getting outdoorsseems to boost mental acuity and creativity.Your brain also appreciates the extra VitaminD. Try taking up a hobby or activity that canonly be done outdoors.

7 You relax. Things slow down in thesummer. A little stress can helpyour brain focus. However, toomuch stress can literally make you stupid.Prolonged stress can be toxic to nerve cells inyour hippocampus – impairing memory.Relaxing makes your brain feel in control.In fact, deep relaxation can actually changeyour brain structure. Try blocking out a littlemore “white space” in your calendar just foryou and your brain.

Congratulations on learning somethingabout your brain today. The Brain Bulletin iscommitted to help to do just that.

Always remember: “You are a genius!”

n Terry Small is a brain expert who resides inCanada and believes that anyone can learnhow to learn easier, better, faster, and thatlearning to learn is the most important skilla person can acquire. To interact with Small,email mystarjob@leaderonomics.com. Thegood news for Malaysians is that it is likesummer all year round with our tropicalclimate, so embrace the heat and keep yourbrain happy!

By MAJURA PERASHOTmajura.perashot@leaderonomics.com

IT has been nearly 10 years sinceI left school, but the memoriesof it are still fresh in my mind.I remember how nervous I wasand how my stomach churned

at the thought of failing one of myexams.

It was just an exam, but the fearof failing was so strong that I wouldhave preferred to curl up into a balland hide in the garbage room foreverrather than face the embarrassment ifI were to flunk that paper.

Being brought up in a competitiveenvironment where failure was notan option, I felt as if I had lost theability to function like a normal being.

I kept myself busy with “Plan B”– how to turn myself into a ball, treeor plastic bag (as Katy Perry has sug-gested) and never be heard of again.And again I repeat, it was just anexam.

It was then, that I noticed howunprepared I was to face failures inmy life. I also wondered if everyonefelt the same as I did.

It has always been a struggle forme to face failure. However, I havebeen lucky to be constantly surround-ed by a great group of people whohave never ceased to help me get overmany failures in life.

As years have gone by, I havelearned ways to cope with suchcircumstances. I have also learnedthrough failure that no one is truly anisland, because there will always besomeone willing to guide us out fromthe deep pit if we only seek them.

The BeauTy of failureAs much as we may hate it, we

have to learn to accept the fact thatfailure is part of being human. Wemake mistakes and we learn fromthem. Without failures and the painsthat come with them, we would neverunderstand or perhaps remembervaluable lessons.

We may not be able to comprehend

the lessons that failure is trying toteach us the very moment we fall, butI believe when the time is right, wewill be able to look back, see the big-ger picture, understand why we failedand see how it has affected our life,perhaps even in a positive way.

Of course I am not trying to implythat we must always fail first in orderto learn, but it is important to learnhow to embrace failure and see it asan essential part of our learning curve.

Failure is like a mother who wakesus up from our ‘dream’ and pushesus to get out of our comfortable bed,

sending us to school for a good educa-tion.

Failure exposes to us the mistakesthat we have been doing, and opensup more doors of opportunity toexplore different ways of doing things,and to start new things.

My favourite example of how fail-ure can create new prospects is fromthe woman of style who has changedthe world of bridal fashion, Vera EllenWang (particularly because I adore herdresses!).

Wang failed to get a place in the USOlympic figure skating team. She was

also rejected for the position of theeditor-in-chief at Vogue magazine. Asa result, she decided to join the fash-ion design industry.

Today, she is a prominent figure inthe multi-billion dollar industry andwomen all over the world continue toadmire her creations.

Failure is like a good gym instruc-tor who trains us to get fitter andstronger. It is hard work at first, butonce we see the results of our train-ing, we will be able to proudly standin front of the mirror and say “Hey,this is worth it!”

In the process, we will face all kindsof challenges which will perhaps stallour efforts and frustrate us, but if weare able to look beyond the obstaclesand set our eyes on the goal, itcan be a strong booster to push usforward.

Like a loyal friend, failure isalways on our side. It helps us togrow and encourages us to moveout of our comfort zone.

Until we experience failure, wewill never see how far our talentscan go and what great things wecan achieve.

Never cease to seek advice whenfacing failure. With the right guid-ance from the right people, we canlearn a lot about how to get upfrom a fall.

When you feellike a failure

Always remember that you arenot alone and never ever punishyourself for your failures.

I used to feel like I was drown-ing whenever I was on the vergeof a failure. I hated that feeling,but I used it to push me to recoverquickly from that failure.

Remember that each failureis leading us towards a greatermoment.Whenever failure comesand visits, greet it with a smile andthank it for helping you move on tothe next step towards success.

Don’t rob yourself from theaccomplishments that are await-ing you at the other end, and neverlet the high price of failure stopyou from overcoming it.

n Majura Perashot is a part of theyouth division of Leaderonomics.She constantly seeks for fun newways to help youth discover theirleadership potential. When sheis not throwing frisbees around,she organises camps for youths.If you are interested in exploringyour leadership potential, visitleaderonomics.com/diodecamps ordrop her an e-mail at majura.per-ashot@leaderonomics.com

YOU’VE arrived at the officeand are shown to the waitingroom. What if we told youthat what you did in the nextfew minutes could be a decid-ing factor of whether or notyou are employed?

First impressions are gener-ally formed while the appli-cant is waiting in the lobby,and they become relevant tothe hiring decision between5% and 10% of the time.Here are some dos and don’tswhen playing the waitinggame.

Do SiT CalMlyanD QuieTlyYour nerves may be get-ting to you but the most

important thingis to stay

calm.

Don’t try to make small talkwith the receptionist. She orhe may not appreciate theinterference during workhours.

Do look oVer yournoTeS anD reSuMeTake this precious time togather your material andyour thoughts one last timeto make sure everything is inorder.

Do aSk forreleVanT CoMPanyMaTerialS To reaDThis will definitely get youpoints when your interviewershows up in the room. Itshows that you are seriousabout the job and the com-pany.

Don’T Play WiThyour PhoneLeave the Candy Crushrequests alone. Don’t text ormake phone calls. Whateveryou want to do with yourphone, just don’t. It only

shows disrespect if the inter-viewer comes into the roomand you’re busy tapping away.

Don’T STarTliSTeninG To MuSiCOK, so it is taking a littlelonger than expected. Thatdoesn’t give you the greenlight to take out your MP3player and plug in your music.This is disrespectful to yourinterviewer. If you need musicto calm you down, listen toit on your way over to theinterview.

Don’T look BoreDResist doodling, yawning orjust looking bored. Appearalert, focused and eager.This earns you easy browniepoints when the interviewerwalks in.

n Adapted from Ready4work.my. Driven by content fromtop employers, Ready4Work.my is a portal to enhanceemployability of young talentsentering the job market.

The WaiTinggame

failureThe beauTy of

resisT doodling,yaWning or jusT lookingbored. appear alerT,focused and eager.

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 2013 11

mystarjob.com, saturday 28 september 201312

Dear ravi,First and foremost, I must

congratulate you on obtaining adegree in English Literature. In doingso, you have taken the road lesstravelled and pursued a degree of yourchoice.

It is only natural for parents to beconcerned as they hope that theiroffspring would have less worry andmore financial freedom than they have.

Today, many Malaysian high schoolstudents who are in governmentschools or pursuing A-levels have theoption to take up English Literature.

Students who score well in physicsand mathematics take up this subjecttoo as it offers them an opportunityto read history, autobiographies,sociology, and gives them a greatsense of how man and society haveevolved and how man behaves invarious cultures.

Does this have value in workplace?Yes, it does. Broadly, there are easilyeight main areas in which you canattempt to find a role. Here are somesuggestions, some of which mayappear bold and untraditional:

1. Civil Service: Language is alwaysuseful and you can apply to become acivil servant, a diplomat or a presssecretary/liaison officer. Manysuccessful careers start in theinformation section.2. Journalism: Journalism is a widearea, and you could join a newspaper,publication, radio or TV station andspecialise in a specific type of news.

Within this grouping, you can alsojoin broadcasting and be a produceror scriptwriter. Depending on yourinterest, you could even head for thebusiness news section or produce edu-cational segments.3. Communications andconsultancy: Public relations inMalaysia has come of age and you canconsider a role in public relations andstart off as a junior PR consultant.

Ideally, you should join with someexposure to writing editorials in anewspaper or publishing house anddemonstrate that you can produce agood and clean copy.4. Advertising: Another area whichattracts many English Literaturegraduates is advertising. You couldstart off as a copywriter or an accountsmanagement staff. There are manyrecruitment and online agencies todayand some recruit copywriters thatspecialise in writing recruitmentcopies. This is also a good field to startin, as it will bring you closer to learningthe human resources function.

Social media is also booming anddemand for good writers in this fieldisgrowing. My company hires EnglishLiterature graduates for communica-tions and also digital marketing.5. Human resources: EnglishLiterature graduates also do well inhuman resources and a strategic placeto start is in recruitment or in training

and development. Both of thesefunctions would demand stronganalytical abilities and writing skills. Ifyou present well, this would be abonus.6. Market research: If you havestrong command of the language,another area which demands well-spoken individuals, is that of marketresearch. Activities like focus groupsand also qualitative surveys are a goodarea to go into as they demandresearchers who can speak andfacilitate well. Many organisations useresearch today and it is very relevantto business.7. Academician: There is a hugedemand for English Literaturegraduates now especially at the localteachers training college, schools andalso universities. You can commence toteach and after a few years, sign up fora Masters in English Literature or ineducation and this can also help pavethe way for a rewarding career inacademia.8. Blogger: In the interim if you haveloads of time to spare, set up your ownblog and start writing in an area ofyour interest. Do proper research, andyou can add this on to your resumewhile applying for a permanent role. Aprofessional blog will showcase yourwriting abilities.

Many organisations tend to attractthose who come from the sciences andthose who are strong quantitatively.

However, more and moreorganisations today also need thosewho graduate from the humanitiesso that there is a better appreciationof not only the business aspects of anorganisation, but also of the peoplewho work in them.

If I were you, I would start job-hunting by putting together an up-to-date resume with well-polishedcontent. Use a persuasive copy andsell to your potential employer thebenefits of hiring you.

There are many famous peoplewho have taken up English Literatureor English and Literature and doneextremely well. Boris Johnson readClassics at Oxford; Andrea Jungbecame CEO for Avon, actors DavidDuchovny, James Franco, BrookeShields and also Kate Beckinsale all

studied literature.Remember many of these

jobs require client contacttime and are market-facingin nature. Thus, it is vital topresent yourself professionally.

Happy job hunting,

NaNcy Sy Sim-Lim

Hi ravi,It is normal to start having

doubts and feel nervous at thisjuncture of your life. Transitioningfrom life as a student to a workingadult can be challenging andfrightening. Questions like “whatshould I do with this degree that Ihave?” are quite common amongstany new graduates.

Whilst there may not be manystraight-out English Literaturerequirements in many jobs available inthe market, it doesn’t mean that youryears of training have gone to waste.

Majoring in English and EnglishLiterature develops you to thinkrigorously in understanding andanalysing a wide range of themeslike sequence, character motivation,critical analysis of a plot as well asvisualisation of all possible actions andresponses to a story.

Former Walt Disney CEO MichaelEisner once commented that“Literature is unbelievably helpful,because no matter what businessyou are in, you are dealing withinterpersonal relationships… It givesyou an appreciation of what makespeople tick.”

Eisner himself has a doublemajor in English and theater. TheCEO of Logitech Bracken Darrellcomplimented liberal art studies andits effectiveness in enhancing one’sability to connect and communicate,noticing that “the older I get, the moreI realise the power of words and thepower of words in making you think…”His organisation, which specialises inIT accessories, started hiring graduatesfrom non-IT background.

Why did he do this? As the abilityto innovate becomes more and morecritical for an organisation to stayahead of the game, CEOs realise thatgraduates with similar training and

qualifications practiseidentical theories and thinking skills– and this curbs innovation.

Students from non-IT backgroundslike graduates of liberal arts cancontribute here as they are trainedto challenge, analyse and responddifferently.

Many have started to hire graduateswith specialisation outside of theircore businesses. My team membersin Organisational Development &Learning comprise of graduates inactuarial science, psychology, businessadministration, English and socialsciences.

Your parents may be right inthinking that no organisation wouldbe excited with a 50-page thesis onthe works of Shakespeare. However,employers would be interested in theskills applied to writing the thesis,as it projects the ability to analysecomplex material comprehensivelyand imaginatively, and decipheringand articulating it persuasively andfluently.

Too often, we are guilty of expectingthat a particular degree will fit intoa specific job. And too often, we failto recognise that with the dynamicnature of businesses today, we needto be agile and continuously gainknowledge and skills to stay relevant.

Bracken Darrell recognises that “themost successful people are the oneswho have learned to broaden theirskills with traits that will give them anedge”.

In short, there are many areaswithin the business world where youcan apply your skills and knowledge.Nevertheless, here are somesuggestions that may be directlyrelated to your present training:

> Corporate communicationa) In-house publications and

annual reports: companies usemultiple channels to connect withtheir employees, customers andshareholders.

In-house publications likenewsletters require good written

prose to reflect a company’sactivities and strategic agenda.Annual reports updatecustomers and shareholderson the achievements andinitiatives of a company.

b) Social media specialist:Many companies haveFacebook and Twitter asan alternative form ofcommunication with today’syounger generation.

Gen-Y authors likeyou would be integral inmanaging content and

creating a bond with thereading public.

c) On-line website management:This too is another channel to connectwith customers in relating theproducts and services a company hasto offer.

> Public relations and brandingIn today’s world, perception and

branding is a key component tomarket a company. Public relationsinvolve official communication via thecompany’s spokespersons with themedia. This would require meticulousscripting and writing by the people inthis department.

> Advertising agenciesCopywriting for advertisements

(print, radio or television), productbrochures and other points of salematerial require communicationspecialists.

There is a universe of possibility outthere, you just need to identify whatyou really like to do. I would like toend by sharing this piece from EmilyDickinson with you:

“I dwell in Possibility - A fairerHouse than Prose - More numerousof Windows - Superior - for Doors - OfChambers as the Cedars - Impregnableof Eye - And for an Everlasting RoofThe Gambrels of the Sky - Of Visitors- the fairest - For Occupation –This -The spreading wide my narrow Hands- To gather Paradise.”

Best wishes,

emiLy WoNg Hie LiNg

n The opinions expressed are those ofthe authors and not necessarily thoseof Leaderonomics or myStarjob.com

The bestleaders inthe world arerelentless

Bill Rancicdishes out wordsof wisdom foraspiring entrepreneurs

Opportunitiesabound in the EastCoast EconomicRegion

If you have any suggestions or feedback on our content, get in touch with the Leaderonomics team at mystarjob@leaderonomics.com.For advertising and advertorials, contact ian.lee@leaderonomics.com - 016 974 7087

Summary of ShawnAchor’s book:TheHappinessAdvantage

Also next week

WE have experts on career management,HR and office issues who will address yourquestions weekly. We refer to them ascareernomers – experts in career matterswho will help you in your career journey.So If you have burning questions, writeto dearcareernomers@leaderonomics.comand we will get the panel to answer them.

This week, we have Datin Nancy SYSim-Lim, senior vice-president and headof human capital, Great Eastern LifeAssurance (M) Bhd, and Emily WongHie Ling, vice-president, and head oforganisational development and learning,Alliance Bank to answer Ravi’s question.

Dear careerNomerS,I am an English Literature gradu-

ate, and am about to start apply-ing for jobs. Now that the timehas come to look for a job, I havestarted having second thoughtsregarding the value of my degree.

My parents were against metaking up this degree, arguing thatthe only thing that I can do withsuch a degree is to be a teacher/professor of English Literature.

I took it up because of mystrong passion for English classi-cal literature. Yet now that I have

graduated I fear that my parents’reasoning will prove right.

Do you also feel that a degree inliberal arts, and more specifically,English Literature is a waste?

What sort of careers do youthink would value my qualifica-tion? It would be great if you couldprovide me with your view on this,as having an HR expert’s opinionon the matter will help me under-stand the industries’ side of thestory too.

Warm regards,

ravi

juncture of your life. Transitioning qualifications practise

prose to reflect a company’sactivities and strategic agenda.Annual reports updatecustomers and shareholderson the achievements andinitiatives of a company.

Many companies haveFacebook and Twitter asan alternative form ofcommunication with today’syounger generation.

you would be integral inmanaging content and

creating a bond with thereading public.

cal literature. Yet now that I have ravi