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Career, Life After MBA, Useful Tools and Tips

5 Tips To Get You Geared Up For Your Sales Meeting

Meetings are a regular part of business. There are meetings with your team, meetings with your subordinates, meetings with your seniors, meetings with board members and so on. Another kind of meeting that requires different strategies and talent is the sales meeting. There is a special way to participate in business meetings with prospective clients and where you are trying to finalise a sale. So you could be a pro at meetings involving your own co-workers but not so confident at handling things outside.

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Here are 5 tips to get you ready for your next sales meeting:

  1. Gather background information: Whenever you make a sales call, it helps to know your prospect. Do your research with the help of the Internet, your network and anything else you can get your hands on. By the time you reach the meeting, you should be familiar with the person’s company and have an idea about his or her needs and wants so that you can address them. How can your product or service create a difference for the prospective client? Be prepared.
  2. Set a clear objective: When you walk into a sales meeting, you should ask yourself how your time spent there will increase your sales. To avoid frustration and a waste of time, have your detailed answer ready. The objective should be specific. For example, you could decide to use the meeting to teach sales representatives about Product X. And success could be attained if 90% of the representatives reach your target sales quota within the quarter. Your job is to let everybody at the meeting know exactly what the goal is. Awareness and understanding are important.
  3. Ask qualifying questions: There’s a difference between pitching to a prospect and holding a sales meeting with him. The meeting is supposed to be a conversation – so you shouldn’t be the only one talking. While you intelligently steer the discussion toward his/her organisation’s needs and possible solutions, you need to make sure that it brings results. Listen well and ask good questions. For instance, you should find out who will be making the final decision on the sale.
  4. Prepare high-quality material: The printed tools that you carry into your sales meeting should be of high quality. That means that the business cards, brochures, stationery and estimate sheets should all be immaculate. Check for writing quality. Is the grammar and spelling all fine? Do you see anything that could read better? Fix it. How about the colours, typeface and design? Pay attention to every detail because you do not want to lose out to fellow contenders because of unattractive, uninformative materials.
  5. Share case histories: Stories that demonstrate the ways that you and your team have successfully met client needs should be presented at the meeting. Whether you are employing the use of a long slide presentation or talking through most of it, keep more than two case histories at hand. Never directly criticise a competitor but tactfully point out how you can do things better in the case at hand. Tell the story with a focus on your company’s strengths and the benefits your clients enjoy.

Remember, the sales meeting is where you position yourself and your company in a field full of players. So let the conversation be your best.

Blog, Career, Useful Tools and Tips

10 Influencers To Follow During Your MBA Programme

As future business leaders, you are certainly keeping an eye out for motivation and examples that will drive you towards success. Thanks to the rise of social media, you can follow your role models on sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn and stay on top of things. Here are 10 influencers whom you should follow during your MBA programme and even when you are finished with your course.

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  1. Richard Branson: Branson is a well-known businessman and investor. Everybody knows him as the founder of Virgin Group, a powerhouse of hundreds of companies. His business acumen was evident from a young age when he started his first venture – a magazine called Student. He opened a chain of record stores and ended up launching the major record label Virgin Records with Nik Powell. From then on, there were a plethora of brands including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Mobile. Reading Branson’s books is a great way to understand how he’s lead so many businesses and people without always following conventional norms like a stuck-in-a-cubicle environment.
  2. Mark Zuckerberg: Just around 30 years old, Zuckerberg is famous for bringing Facebook into our lives. He and his college roommates at Harvard University launched Facebook from their dorm rooms. At 23, he was declared a billionaire with the site’s success. And he isn’t sitting there complacently. Instead, he works on bringing constant innovation to his product like the popular Facebook ads programme. A 2010 movie called The Social Network even portrayed the rise of Facebook with an actor playing Zuckerberg.
  3. Evan Williams: Williams is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur who has founded several Internet companies. One of his companies led to the introduction of Twitter, the free micro-blogging site. Its popularity resulted in a new company in itself and Williams was appointed CEO in 2008. Although he stepped down as CEO a few years later, Twitter user statistics soared and he decided to try his hand at publishing too. And Medium (medium.com) was born.
  4. Arianna Huffington: She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and was listed as the 52nd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes last year. She began her career path hosting TV shows and public radio programmes and proceeded to host a website called Ariannaonline.com before launching the Huffington Post. You can follow her on LinkedIn where she writes about success and shares professional insights.
  5. Guy Kawasaki: Kawasaki was one of the employees responsible for marketing the Macintosh in the 1980s. His time at Apple was followed by entrepreneurial ventures and lots of writing and speaking engagements. One of his software companies lead to the creation of the email product called Emailer and a list server product called LetterRip. He’s worked as a special advisor to the CEO of Motorola and has several books to his credit as well. His love for design is being enforced in his new role at Canva in Australia.
  6. Tony Fernandes: He is a Malaysian entrepreneur who gave his people their first budget airline, Air Asia. When Fernandes had stepped in, it was an ailing government-linked commercial airline. He also convinced the then-Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to introduce the idea of an open skies agreement with the neighbouring countries. So now Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia have granted landing rights to Air Asia and other budget carriers.
  7. Anand Mahindra: The chairman and MD of the Mahindra Group in India, Mahindra is in charge of an empire that enjoys market leadership in several business verticals including utility vehicles, finance and IT. He joined Mahindra Ugine Steel Company after acquiring an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked his way up from his initial position as executive assistant to the finance director. He’s typically featured in all lists of Asia’s most powerful business leaders.
  8. Oki Matsumoto: In 1999, when the online finance boom was in full swing in the United States, Matsumoto decided that Japan should be a part of it too. He left his investment-banking job at Goldman Sachs and launched Monex Group with help from Sony in the form of capital. It is now one of Japan’s leading financial services firms and Matsumoto has successfully built a global customer base that is growing every day.
  9. Hendy Setiono: Indonesian Hendy Setiono’s business idea came from holiday visits to his father in the Middle East. He realised that kebab shops were very popular and started his business empire with a single pushcart. The number of carts increased and Kebab Turki Baba Rafi began operations with the help of his wife and one employee. Today, they have expanded to other Asian countries and can say that they made kebabs popular in the region.
  10. William Bao Bean: William began his technology investment career two decades ago as a technology analyst in Taiwan. He joined SOS Ventures from SingTel Innov8 where he was managing director. A whiz at investments, he lead investments in major entities during his time there and was once a partner at Softbank China & India Holdings, an early stage venture capital firm as well. While at Softbank, he took care of major investments too. His tweets give you a look into life as a venture capitalist in China. He also gives the lowdown on innovation taking place in the region.

Part of being an MBA candidate involves knowing what is going on around the world and its industries. So be sure to follow!

Anyone you’d like to add to this list? Don’t forget to share the names in the comments below.

Career, Networking, Useful Tools and Tips

Do Entrepreneurs Need An MBA?

So you have some great ideas and are ready to start your own business venture. The idea of being your own boss sounds promising. The opportunity to let your ideas translate into profitable business is appealing. So in a stage where you are attempting to get cash together for your start-up, how would an MBA come into the picture? The answer: An MBA can help you acquire the skills that you need to supplement your ideas and passion.

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Here’s what you’ll get.

  • Good Deadline Habits

Crazy deadlines are in. If you thought that your undergraduate professors were being too demanding or unreasonable, welcome to the real world. An intensive MBA programme like the one at Nanyang Business School will keep you motivated to achieve targets one after the other. Because that’s how things work in the real world! Long hours and seemingly impossible time frames will be of no worry to you once you complete the programme.

  • Networking Skills

You can’t like everybody and everyone can’t like you. Still, people do business with those who they know and trust. An MBA will push you into regular interaction with business experts, alumni, classmates, locals and other people around. With time, you will pick up the ability to create lasting relationships with them. Building powerful networks lays the foundation to success as an entrepreneur. Who knows? Maybe you will find future investors for your start-up.

  • A Platform or a Test Bed

Launching your own business involves risk. A lot of money and time goes into beginning each venture and there’s no better place to test the waters than your B-school. MBA candidates get the advantage of having a trusted space to share their ideas without really starting anything officially. So entrepreneurs can gain from feedback. It will be good to know if your business idea is leaning toward failure and the reasons behind it – before spending a fortune on it.

  • Analytical Proficiency

Just because you have a decent idea does not mean that you know how things work behind the scenes of a start-up. Reading and understanding financial statements and being proficient with spreadsheets is a must for any entrepreneur. If you don’t know it and think that hiring somebody would be good enough, think again. You need to know what is happening in your business instead of hearing a short summary about the reports. Thankfully, MBA students spend lots of time analysing balance sheets, profit and lost statements, and cash flow statements when they work on case studies.

  • Teambuilding Drive

Most entrepreneurs are confident individuals who love building on their own ideas and seeing the results. Sometimes they forget that a team works together to get things together. When you choose to attend an MBA programme, you’ll find yourself collaborating with fellow candidates who you may not like to be friends with. In other words, you learn to work in groups consisting of all kinds of people. Everyone will have their own objectives and skills, and you will need to learn how to work with their ideas without losing sight of your own.

When entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs invest in an MBA degree, they are bound to learn in one or two years, what they would have learned on the job in five years or more. Of course it isn’t cheap, but it gives you the power to avoid mistakes that could end up costing you more.

Blog, The NANYANG MBA, Useful Tools and Tips

When Is The Right Time To Do An MBA?

A few years into the workforce, and you’re bound to consider arming yourself with another qualification. Thoughts of applying for an MBA programme will fill your mind because it certainly seems like a stepping-stone to success. The trouble is indecisiveness, with factors like a weak economy, insufficient savings and anxiety about returning to school, that keeps people stuck in their jobs and away from the classroom. Still, you can’t put off that MBA forever.

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  • Map Your Goals

A lot of people make the mistake of applying to MBA programmes just because their jobs are getting a little tedious. It’s alright if that is one of your reasons for considering B-school, but you need a plan. Map out your career the way you see it and want it. Do you see yourself in sales or marketing? Does the finance industry appeal to you more than what you are doing now? What is the difference between what you are doing now and what you want to do in the future? Of course, you could change your mind later, but having clear goals will enable you to focus better. Plus, your interviewer for MBA programme admissions can get a good idea about your passion as a candidate and future leader.

  • Talk to People

If you know what you want to do after the MBA programme, start exploring your options. It is never too early. See what kinds of candidates are hired for the roles you aspire to fill. For instance, some organisations expect several years of work experience and an MBA for some positions. Other organisations may put more emphasis on candidates with an MBA degree rather than the number of years worked. Keep your eyes and ears open because you need to be aware of the typical expectations from your chosen field/industry.

  • Organise your Finances

Most MBA programmes run for a year or two. Tuition fees do not scare good candidates away, since they look at it as a worthwhile investment. Sit down with your family members and see if you have enough savings to give you a stress-free study break. Find out if you are eligible for any scholarships and apply in time. Do you have to move to attend the best programme? The important people in your life have a part to play in your choice. Most of all, you need to believe that an MBA can have a major positive impact on your career path.

  • Analyse Your Skills

One reason that an MBA seems attractive is the upgrade in skills that you’ll gain. A better salary and promotion are tempting. What skills do you have? And what skills are you lacking? Make a list. Be honest with yourself. The MBA can fill up the skills gap that is keeping you away from your dream job by making sure that you take advantage of the research facilities, real-world projects with corporations, and constantly updated theory.

So there is no right time. The best time to make your decision is now. Are you ready to make yourself a more attractive and relevant candidate for your next career move? The demand for efficient managers is increasing every day, and so is the demand for sharp, polished MBA graduates. You know yourself best; you’ll find the right time.

Blog, International Exposure, Living in Singapore, Useful Tools and Tips

20 Singlish Words & Phrases To Get You Started

When Singapore became independent 50 years ago, English was chosen as the official language of the city-state. That didn’t stop the various ethnic groups from creating their own dialect or Singlish, as it is called. Its grammar and vocabulary is borrowed from Malay, Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil, Mandarin and other Chinese languages.

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Studying in a new country is no fun if you don’t immerse yourself into the local culture, so knowing some common Singlish phrases can help you begin.

  • Lah: Native Singaporeans love adding this word to the end of sentences. There are many ways to use it. For example, Ok lah translates to Okie dokie. No lah! means No, and you are clearly wrong to suggest that. Basically, lah is used to change the tone of a sentence and doesn’t really have a definition itself. Don’t confuse it with OK lor, which means Alright then and is said with a tone of resignation.
  • Leh: Leh can be used interchangeably with lah. For example, you could say, She did not tell me about that leh. Or somebody could tell you, No leh. He isn’t like that.
  • Why you so like that: This Singlish phrase means Why are you behaving this way? It is used to show frustration at somebody who is annoying you. Think of your friend making you wait for her for thirty minutes. Then you would ask her this. A Singapore group Kopi Kat Klan has a song called ‘Why you so like dat’. Check it out.
  • Talk cock: This term means joking around. If you had a relaxed evening laughing and talking with your friends, you could say, Today nothing to do. We all just talk cock all day long.
  • Wah lao!/Wah piang: These terms are interchangeable. Singaporeans express shock using them. For example, if you find out that the currency exchange rate with your home currency has increased a lot, you could say, Wah lao! So expensive!
  • Stylo Milo: This fun phrase can come to use when you are describing a classmate or somebody else. It describes someone as trying too hard to be stylish. Someone could point at a guy and say, Eh that guy so stylo milo.
  • Alamak!: This term translates to Oh my gosh! When a person is shocked or surprised, they may use this word.
  • Blur like sotong: These words describe a person who has no idea of what he or she is doing. For instance, it could be said to describe a fellow student who struggles to solve a problem. Or it could talk about a person who always seems to get lost. You could say, he is so old and still gets lost all the time, really blur like sotong!
  • Pai-seh: This term comes from the Hokkien dialect and means embarrassed or shy. You could employ it to express your discomfort about a mistake you made by saying, I forgot his book again. So pai seh. It is pronounced pie-say.
  • Ya ya papaya: This funny sounding term is used to describe a person as boastful or arrogant. If somebody in class always seems too full of herself and keeps on talking about her accomplishments, you could say, She’s so ya ya. 
  • Eat already anot?: This phrase means Have you already eaten/Have you eaten yet? Anot is a common Singlish word that translates to or not.
  • Corright: This Singlish word combines the English words correct and right. It can be defined as righter than right. Imagine having a light-hearted argument with your classmate when he thinks what is right is obvious; then he could say Corright to emphasise how very correct he is.
  • Ah bu then?: This Singlish phrase can be used in instances where you’d say duh or of course in normal English. So if somebody sees you sleeping with your head on the desk and asks you if you are sleepy, this would be the answer.
  • Dun anyhow touch here touch there leh: If your roommate says this to you, you are in trouble. It means, Please don’t mess with my things. 
  • Oi! Wake up your idea!: A person you are discussing a project with may say, Oi! Wake up your idea! The phrase translates to Can you start thinking straight! The speaker is asking you to wake up from your sleepy state and is being sarcastic.
  • Siao: This word is very common. It literally means crazy. If somebody asks you something absurd or does something stupid like burn his clothes with the iron, you could say: You siao ah? It’s sarcastic.
  • Shiong: Shiong is defined as very tired or tiring. Wah today damn shiong, the lecturer asked us to write so many articles, is one example of its usage. In other words, somebody is exhausted and is complaining about his workload.
  • I don’t know you / How I know you: When a friend does something stupid and realises it, you could utter the words: How I know you? No reply is expected. It is a sarcastic comment.
  • Han nah / Yah lah: This one comes in handy if you are being nagged. Say somebody keeps on asking you if you have finished reading the book that you borrowed yesterday; you can say han nah han nah han nah (as many times as you want to). Some people like to say Yah lah yah lah instead. If anybody uses this one on you, it means you are annoying him or her a lot. 
  • Catch No Ball: When a local person says this to you, he is telling you that he didn’t understand you. You could picture a ball in his court, which he cannot grasp to remember what it means, “Eh, what talking you? I catch no ball!”

What are your favourite words and phrases? Don’t forget to share in the comments below.

Blog, Career, Networking

Answers: Why Should We Hire You?

So you got the call; the company of your dreams wants to interview you. It is time for you to sit down and prepare for the conversation between you and your prospective employer. It isn’t an easy job because you never know what exactly they will ask you, but most interviews include some basic questions such as your educational and work background and interests. One question that you will certainly be asked is, “Why should we hire you?”

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Here’s how you can get the perfect answer ready.

  • Pitch Yourself Again

When interviewers ask you why they should hire you, they are asking you to tell them what you can do for them. They also want to know how you can make a difference in their organisation – compared to the other candidates. So this is your opportunity to pitch yourself again. Don’t give them a list of your accomplishments at work or in school. Instead, spend time on research so that you know what they expect from the role you are interviewing for. Ask yourself how your skills and background match up to those needs. Keep your answer positive. Do not mention what other applicants may or may not be able to do. Focus on yourself.

  • Be Enthusiastic

Show them your enthusiasm. Let them see that you are excited about the possibility of working with them. Motivation and a keen interest will add to their interest in you. But don’t let them think that you desperately need the job. There is a thin line between showing interest and seeming like you need something badly. So work on the tone of your voice. Practice with a friend. Body language matters as well. Sit straight but lean forward once in a while. Smile, but don’t force yourself to smile throughout the interview. The key is to be polite and friendly without overdoing it.

  • Keep it To The Point

Why should we hire you? It is a broad question that can draw you into a long look back at your previous accomplishments. Still, you should not start talking about the essay competition you won in elementary school or the interschool spelling bee that you won back in 5th grade. Stick to what is relevant to the job in question. What skills, interests and experience do you have that can make you succeed in THIS role and at THIS organisation? And beware of the dangers of exaggeration. Answer with the truth because a background check or reference check could ruin things for you.

  • Share Your Uniqueness

Are you the person who colleagues approach when they need help with certain kinds of tasks? Or perhaps, you excel in a certain area like sales analysis or trend mapping. Tell the interviewer about this and give a couple of examples to demonstrate. This will let the prospective employer picture you at their setting, doing similar work.

  • Showcase Your Qualifications

Most job descriptions mention what education qualifications applicants must have. That basically means that you will not be the only aspirant with an MBA. You need to figure out how to make your degree stand out. Just mentioning the top ranked B-school will not be enough. You’ll have to share examples of how you applied your newly learnt knowledge and skills to the business world. This is the chance to discuss your internship or that special project during the MBA programme. Highlight any prior work experience as well. Mention any role and organisation/s where your actions lead to results. Explain how you achieved it.

Here’s an example:

You should hire me because I am a self-motivated person who likes to create an impact wherever he goes. In fact, in my role as (DESIGNATION) at (COMPANY), I was voted the most promising team player after my supervisor noticed my effort on the (PRODUCT) launch. And my internship supervisor at (COMPANY) appreciated my ideas so much that he asked me to present them to the senior executives there.

Being prepared for the Why should we hire you question, and it will save you from the surprise and discomfort. Keep specific examples in mind and your abilities and background. Then link them to the interviewer’s company and its goals.

Good luck!

Blog, Networking, Useful Tools and Tips

How do you define your brand online?

The last few years have seen a drastic change in the field of marketing. The physical form of marketing (including one-on-one consultations, display boards and signs) has not died out, but has a new companion – digital marketing. The evolution of informational technology has put the digital space in the spotlight, with organisations devoting significant resources to digital marketing. The term ‘digital marketing’ covers marketing processes that largely depend on the use of technologies. Social networking websites, apps and blogs are examples.

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Earlier, customers would touch and feel the product, see some advertisements on TV or in the newspaper, buy the product and leave. These days, digital marketing has expanded the customer-brand relationship by bringing them closer and allowing interaction. Nevertheless, merely opening a Facebook page or a Twitter account doesn’t build your brand.

Here is how you can define your brand online:

  • Define Your Target Audience

Every brand has a target group of customers. You need to understand who your customers are and what kind of lives they lead. Are they men or women? What about age and marital status? Household income and location are other factors that are important. What kind of people can afford your product or service? Once that is done, find out which social media websites this group uses. Maybe they are not too Twitter savvy? Similarly, a very young audience may not like spending time reading long blog posts. You need to find out your target group’s online habits.

  • Be Consistent

Since your brand has a unique persona, let that persona reflect in your brand goals as well. This means that the design of your website must reflect the brand’s personality. This is why brands for the youth use brighter colours and fun designs with lots of opportunity for interaction. Even your tweets and Facebook posts need to be tailored to fit your brand. Like a brand whose USP is no animal testing, should keep that in mind and never post anything that could question their value – such as posting ads for a company that sells leather products.

  • Deliver Great Content

Content drives the customer experience. Your brand could be present on every social media and web platform but not make an impact if the information you are sharing is not appealing. Details about products, prices and promotional offers, all need to be conveyed with the target audience in mind. What type of customers do you have and what kind do you want to attract to your brand? Educate your customers on the industry and not just your brand. For instance, leading health magazines share interesting articles about nutrition and psychology trends that are not from their product.

  • Develop the Voice

Along with a personality, a brand needs a voice. When you are tweeting or posting online, you are speaking as the brand. All digital content should stick to a single tone and pace. If your brand is targeting young working women who love to use makeup, then fun may be an important part of your brand’s definition. If it is, keep it fun. If a compassionate, serious voice matches your brand, then stick to that. For instance, a healthcare facility will probably have the latter.

Even if the brand in question has existed for a while, the digital marketing space requires a completely different approach from traditional marketing. Both forms of marketing can affect a brand. The online category helps a brand develop a wider customer base and enables customers to communicate with the company. That in turn, contributes to the brand’s growth with constant feedback. Not a bad thing at all!

Useful Tools and Tips

10 Books To Read Before Your MBA Programme

What you get out of your MBA depends a lot on how well you have prepared yourself for the study. While brushing up on the basic concepts of business, talking to the alumni and researching the professors that you would be studying under would definitely help; you could also prep for B-school by reading a bunch of business books.

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Here’s our set of recommended reads before you embark on an MBA programme.

  1. Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Robert Kiyosaki

Rich_DadOne of the bestselling books on finance, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki is a must-read for anyone who dreams of building wealth and achieving financial freedom. The book recommends various means to secure financial independence: investing in real estate, starting up and owning businesses, etc. The book is based on Kiyosaki’s childhood upbringing and how the differences in the attitudes of two men (his “rich dad” and his “poor dad”) towards money, work and life, influenced his decisions in life.

  1. Permission Marketing – Seth Godin

Permission_MarketingTraditional methods of marketing such as TV advertisements and online pop-up ads often involve attracting the customer’s attention away from whatever they are doing – watching television or viewing a website. Marketing guru Seth Godin reveals that the traditional ‘interruption marketing’ have become less effective in the modern world, where consumers are overloaded with information. For brands to attract their consumers, they must adopt ‘permission marketing’, which involves selling goods and services only when the consumer has given his/her consent in advance to receive the marketing information.

  1. Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

OutliersNot a typical business book, but Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of professional and business success. Pondering over – ‘what makes high-achievers different’, Gladwell sheds light on the fact that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from – their culture, family, generation, and other factors that may have contributed to their success.

  1. Crossing the Chasm – Geoffrey Moore

Crossing_the_ChasmCrossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customersis a bible for marketing in high-tech industries. According to Moore, there is a gap that exists between the early adopters of high-tech products (the technology enthusiasts and visionaries) and the early majority (the pragmatists). The visionaries and pragmatists have different expectations, he adds, and this book aims to explore that set of differences and suggest techniques to successfully cross the chasm.

  1. Change by Design – Tim Brown

Change_by_DesignDesign thinking is not just applicable to so-called creative industries or people who work in the design field. It′s a methodology that can be used by organisations to improve the quality of their service and rethink their business strategy, according to Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO. In this book, Brown introduces a human−centric approach to problem solving that helps people and organisations get more innovative and creative.

  1. The Art of the Start – Guy Kawasaki

Art_of_the_StartThe Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki is an essential guide for anyone starting anything, be it a home-based business, a multinational corporation or a community group. The book provides insights into the various aspects of starting up such as raising money from investors, hiring the right people in the team, defining the brand and building a community around it.

 

  1. Never Eat Alone – Keith Ferrazzi

Never_Eat_AloneIn this bestselling book on business networking, master networker Keith Ferrazzi provides insights into the role of relationships in the success of a business. Ferrazzi shares the specific steps and the inner mindset he uses to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his contacts list, people he has helped and those who have helped him. In the new age of digital media and online connections, Ferrazzi’s advice is even more essential for those wanting to get ahead in business.

  1. The Goal – Eliyahu M. Goldratt

The_GoalA gripping business novel by business consultant Eliyahu M. Goldratt, The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement is about the Theory of Constraints, and overcoming the barriers to making money. The book features key insights on identifying and solving the problems created by constraints.

 

 

  1. Getting to Yes – Roger Fisher and William L. Ury

Getting_to_YesOne of the best books on negotiation, Getting to Yes is based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project, a group that deals with all levels of negotiation and conflict resolution. The book offers proven, step-by-step techniques to arrive at mutually acceptable agreements in every kind of conflict.

 

 

  1. Warren Buffet’s Management Secrets – Mary Buffet

Management_SecretsWritten by Mary Buffet, after having gained insights into Warren Buffett’s philosophies for management, while being married to his son Peter for twelve years, Warren Buffet’s Management Secrets looks closely into Warren Buffett’s life and career, shedding light on his decision-making processes, leadership qualities and strategies that made him the most successful investor of the 20th century.

What are your favourite business books? Don’t forget to share your recommendations in the comments below.

Blog, International Exposure, Life After MBA, Life at Nanyang, Networking, The NANYANG MBA

5 Reasons to Get an International MBA Degree

The decision of pursuing an MBA degree is a critical one, requiring a great deal of thinking and planning. An MBA can help boost your career, there’s no doubt about it. But, as a potential MBA candidate you must also evaluate the different MBA programmes, to see which one can provide you with the maximum benefits, in terms of the learning, exposure and opportunities.

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Doing an MBA degree abroad, as opposed to doing it in your own country, can be beneficial in many ways. Here, are a few reasons why your must choose to pursue an international MBA degree:

Exposure to New Culture

The job of a business professional involves interacting with a wide range of people, and building a rapport with clients and co-workers who may belong to other countries and cultures. Doing your MBA overseas automatically trains you on this aspect of the job. By studying and collaborating with a culturally diverse mix of students, you acquire the essential social skills needed to survive and flourish in a global market.

The Opportunity to Learn New Languages

With companies going global and expanding their operations in non-English speaking countries, recruiters are often looking for candidates who are bilingual, and able to fluently communicate in languages other than English. Doing an MBA from business schools located in countries such as France, Germany and Singapore, provides you with an opportunity to be trained in a foreign language, thereby boosting your CV in a big way, and opening up newer job avenues for you in numerous global destinations.

A Competitive Edge

Doing an international MBA degree puts you in a high-pressure environment, where you would be competing with students from diverse nationalities, with a wide range of academic and professional experience. This prepares you well for challenging jobs, and gives you a competitive edge over other MBA grads, who have had a less intensive course at a local business school.

A Wider Professional Network

More than the degree itself, the professional connections you make and the peers and mentors whose support you gain at the business school add more value to your professional career, taking you further ahead in your professional journey. An international MBA would provide you with a wider network, and open up myriad opportunities, that might not be accessible to someone who has done MBA in his/her own country.

Personal Growth

By studying overseas you are not just growing as a professional but also as an individual. Stepping out of your comfort zone, finding your way in a new country, interacting with people belonging to other cultures – these things equip you with the courage, flexibility and open mindedness needed to succeed in your professional and personal life.

The Economist, in its list of the world’s top MBA programmes, ranks the Nanyang Business School in the 66th position and as one of the best business schools in Asia. The affordability of education in Singapore and its cultural diversity are some of the factors that attract students to NBS. For more information on Nanyang business degree, visit http://www.nanyangmba.ntu.edu.sg.

Clubs, Cultural Events, Happenings, International Exposure, Life at Nanyang, Living in Singapore, Useful Tools and Tips

5 Ways to Live Like a Local in Singapore

A metropolitan city-state known for its towering skyscrapers and cosmopolitan culture, Singapore is an amazing place to live and explore. Ranked as Asia’s most liveable city and the world’s third best, it is one of the safest in the world. Being a global financial centre, with a consistently stable government, and a burgeoning technology hub, the city is a much sought after educational destination for international students.

If you are a student living in Singapore, or someone who is considering the idea of pursuing your studies there, then here are a few ways that you can soak in the Singaporean lifestyle and experience the city like a local.

Local in Singapore

Ride the MRT

You haven’t lived the true Singaporean life, if you haven’t been on a commute in the city’s popular subway, also known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). Spanning 152.9 kilometres and connecting more than 113 stations, the Singapore MRT is the fastest, easiest and the safest way to get around the city. While there are always taxis to cater to your travel needs, a ride in the MRT is something that lets you feel the pulse of the city and experience the breath-taking views of Singapore’s major landmarks. MRT stations are also known for their remarkable architecture and art installations. The fact that ticketing is done via contactless stored value smartcards, known as the EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay cards, also makes commuting in MRT quite convenient for students, professionals and other regular commuters.

Work and Lounge in Cafes

Whether it’s hanging out with friends in the evening, grabbing your breakfast in the morning or completing your class assignments during the day, Singapore has a slew of cafes that not only offer lively ambience and mouth-watering snacks and beverages, but also provide free Wifi, making them a go-to place for students and professionals to work and relax. Afterglow on Keong Saik Road, Habitat Coffee on Upper Thomson Road, Group Therapy Cafe on Duxton Road, Club Street Social on Gemmill Lane, and Bridge Cafe on Seah Street – these are some of the Singaporean cafes offering free Wifi.

Dance Away the Blues

What makes Singapore such an attractive destination for students and young professionals? It’s got to be the city’s scintillating nightlife. Singapore’s bars, pubs and clubs let you unwind and party hard after a busy day at work. Clarke Quay, Orchard Road, Zouk Club, Chijmes, and Boat Quay – there are endless places to indulge your inner party animal in Singapore.

Go on a Shopping Spree

Think of Singapore and the word ‘shopping’ comes to your mind. From shopping malls to outlet stores, international brands to local products, Singapore has something for every kind of shopper, something for every purse size. Apart from the glitzy malls featuring a wide range of international brands on Orchard Road and Marina Bay Sands, there are also the Mustafa Centre, Bugis Junction and Far East Plaza where you can shop till you drop, without making a big dent in your wallet. Don’t skip the neighbourhood malls like Jurong Point, Bishan Junction 8 and West Mall.

Get Adventurous

Singaporeans love to participate in sports and adventure activities. As a sports enthusiast and thrill-seeker, you’ll have myriad places to get your adrenaline fix. Being an island destination, Singapore is well known for its wide range of water sports such sailing, snorkelling, kayaking and water-skiing. Reverse bungee jumping, indoor skydiving and Formula One racing are a few other unique outdoor experiences worth having in Singapore.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to explore Singapore’s vibrant culture. Share this post with your friends and help them make the most of their stay in the Lion City.