BLOG #3 PEER REVIEW OF MY APPLICATION LETTER

Hi all, I have put up my application letter as well as the advertisement. In my case, I am writing an application for internship programme at A*STAR. I appreciate your time in reviewing my application letter and welcome any critique from you. Thanks.

Corporate Internship Programme

Each year, A*STAR offers internship opportunities to select group of young undergraduates.  During the two-month internship program, you will work closely with a mentor on a project related to the development of Singapore's R&D landscape.

Examples of projects undertaken during the internship include organisation of symposiums and coordination of R&D surveys. Please note that this two-month internship programme is not a lab-based attachment.

At the end of the internship, you will be required to submit a project report and/or make a presentation to a management panel. We welcome internship applicants who meet the following criteria:

·         Undergraduates preferably pursuing a science or engineering degree

·         Strong academic track record

·         Self-motivated team player with good communication and leadership skills

·         Able to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment

·         Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident

Interns should be available for a continuous period of two months between June and August. You will receive a monthly allowance and participate in a professional development workshop during the internship stint.

If you are keen to be part of our dynamic organisation and the vibrant community at Biopolis, please complete the attached application form and send it to: a-star_recruit@a-star.edu.sg. Please indicate "Corporate Internship Programme" in the subject header of the email.

Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)
1 Fusionopolis Way,
#20-10 Connexis,
Singapore 138632
Att: HR Department (Corporate Internship Programme)

·         Download Application Form

Application letter


Ng Ting Ting

Blk 219 Serangoon Ave 4

#10-218 Singapore 550219

ngting2@gmail.com

97307141

February 8, 2011

HR Department (Corporate Internship Programme)

Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)
1 Fusionopolis Way
#20-10 Connexis
Singapore 138632

Dear Sir/Madam

Application for internship opportunities at A*STAR

I have learnt about your internship opportunities at the NUS Career Fair 2011 and am excited to join this coming vocational period, from May to August. I am currently a third year Life Sciences student at NUS and am intending to proceed to honours specialising in biomedical science. I am seeking internship opportunities to further enhance my knowledge learnt in school as well as to gain valuable scientific insights which will be useful for my final year project during my honours year.

Having researched that A*STAR has dedicated laboratories like P53 laboratory which investigates various signalling pathway in cancer, I am motivated to sign up as I believe I have the necessary credentials for the research work. As a Life Sciences undergraduate student, I have undergone various lab sessions at NUS which has helped me develop foundations in the laboratory work. Thus, I am well-equipped with practical skills like microbial and molecular techniques which will help me to perform my research during the course of internships.  Intrigued by the various Life Sciences modules during the year of specialisation, I have developed great interest in Pharmacology and have done well in these modules. Through a strong participation in my Co-Curriculum Activity (CCA), I have displayed good communication skills and a team player in the course of discharging my leadership duties.

I am highly aware of the superb reputation of your research company, and my conversations with several of your colleagues have indeed deepened my interest in attending. I know that, in addition to your well established faculty, the presence of many renowned researchers would certainly encourage a critical learning experience for me. It will be a privilege of continuing my interest at your fine institution. I can be contacted at above contacts and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Yours Faithfully

Ng Ting Ting

Enclosure: Resume and supporting academic documents

BLOG #2 UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT AND RESOLVING IT!

The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.”

-Joseph Joubert

Hello mates once again! Hope the above quote gives you some insight on what I’m going to blog today.

Most people feel that having conflict means the relationship is in jeopardy. However, conflict itself doesn’t necessarily damage a relationship.  It is more about how the conflict is being managed and resolved that will allow relationship to grow.

In any situation, there will be some form of inequality in communication, specifically superiority.

For example, mother and daughter who each want to have the final say in the daughter’s lifestyle. A seventeen year old daughter works at a pub as a part-time waitress and comes home late every night. Thinking that her daughter might have gone astray, the mother aggressively interrogated the daughter when she returned home. The daughter thinks her mother is being very cold towards her.

Very clearly, the parties have failed to recognize the content and relationship issues in an interpersonal communication. 

• The content in this conflict is the issue with coming home late at night.
• The daughter did not inform her mother of her new job and failed to let her know what time she will be back home and thus failed to acknowledge the relationship dimension. 

Therefore, the solution is to define both content and relationship issues. Define the content issue by compromising the time to come home as well as the underlying relationship issue to let each other know of their situations. Avoid mind-reading. Ask directly and politely. Empathize. Use a win-win approach as people are more likely to abide by the decisions reached in a win-win outcome than they are in win-lose resolutions.

Having said that, can we ever achieve a win- win approach in reality?