How to maintain a work life balance

How to maintain a work life balance

by | Dec 5, 2017 | MSc Accountancy, Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC ACCOUNTANCY, NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA, NANYANG MBA

How To Maintain A Work Life Balance

In partnership with 

 

 

It is important to have a balance between your job and the other areas of your life so you can be productive, healthy and happy both at work and outside of it. To achieve this balance, plan your day around the most important projects, take regular breaks and make use of your annual work leave to successfully strike a balance between your job and the other areas of your life.

Prioritise your work tasks

It is important to determine the most urgent tasks for the day and allocate sufficient time to complete them. If you are unsure about what requires your direct attention, ask your manager for some advice and assistance. Other responsibilities that are not a high priority can be scheduled for a later date or delegated to another colleague. This will help keep you on top of your workload and limit the amount of hours that you spend at work.

Structure time at work

Once you have defined your priorities, structure your day around them. By grouping similar tasks together you can be more efficient in completing all your daily jobs. You will then be able to complete high priority tasks first, medium priority tasks next and so on. This will give you the freedom to allocate breaks during the day, once a segment of work is complete, as well as ensure you can comfortably meet deadlines for various activities.

Take breaks

You should take some personal time during the day for activities that are not related to your job. By taking your lunch break, you can go for a run or engage with colleagues on a social level. Also consider taking shorter breaks throughout the day to run personal errands if you don’t have the time to do them before or after work. This will allow you to achieve goals outside of your career, as well as daily jobs during the work day.

Make use of annual holidays

If you are unable to make time for yourself during the day, consider going on extended leave. You may take time for your hobbies, an overseas holiday or Christmas. Taking this time away from work allows you to dedicate it to your interests and spend some time relaxing and unwinding.
Source from: https://goo.gl/jVAfuE 

Career Advice

PMBA Year End Party 2017

by | Dec 5, 2017 | Nanyang Professional MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

PMBA Year End Party 2017

Written by Wong Woei Luen, PMBA Candidate, class of 2019
Photo Credit: Gan Pee Wei Keat, PMBA Candidate, Class of 2019

MBA students are “jack of all trades”                     —- (1)

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull Boy”.    —-(2)

(a) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

(b) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.

(c) BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.

(d) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.

(e) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are need

Answer: (C)

Reason? You can count on the PMBA students when it comes to having fun! (Pun intended)

After half a year of intense studying while managing our work and family, the inaugural Nanyang Professional MBA class of 2019 organized a year end party last Saturday (25th Nov 2017) at one our classmates’ house to bond, wind down and recharge before the start of new term in January 2018. The night was filled with fun and laughter for the whole night (literally).

The food menu for the night was Roti Prata buffet from the famous Springleaf Prata, as many of our foreign friends have not tried this famous Singaporean supper delicacy. The chef prepared the prata, the way you want it. Imagine mixing the fresh and crispy prata, with traditional Indian curry…. it was heavenly! Who could resist such savory and calories? I decided to leave dieting to other days. You can guess what came next.

Our Chef making the prata fresh

What is a party without booze? As mentioned earlier, you can certainly count on the MBA student to be creative and fun even when it comes to drinking. It was Men VS Women in a game of Beer Pong! The Team Captain of the Men’s team was Prof Lewis Lim while the ladies team had Yvonne at the helm. Despite being the minority in the class, the ladies displayed their unity and girl power and dominated the gentlemen by 3-0. The MVP award went to Yvonne as she made most of the gentlemen chugg all the beer by throwing in the ping-pong ball into the cups of the opposite side.

Since it was near the festive season, the party committee decided to have a gift exchange session but with a twist. Everyone was supposed to buy an item with a minimum value of $10 and we could either choose from the pool or snatch from other people. It was a game of strategy and risk. The hottest item was a Gold Coin from Chow Tai Fook as one of our classmate is working at Chow Tai Fook. Wei Keat was the final owner of the Gold Coin. “No! My Precious!! …. I lamented like Gollum. (Click to watch the video to find out more!).

Oh, and did I forget to mention? Some of us gamely accepted the challenge to dress in cultural costumes… that is right! As we came from various parts of the world, it was interesting to see different cultural dresses.

4From Left to Right: Class Rep Ritesh, Home Owner Veron, Our Academic Director Dr Douglas

All good things must come to an end and happy times pass quickly. Soon it was time to say goodbye to a night of fun. I must say, through this experience, I have formed closer connection with my classmates and this will forever be an unforgettable experience in my life.  I believe this is so, for the rest of the class too.

Some additional quote from the participants:

Associate Prof Lewis:

“Thanks to Veron the host and the organizing committee, I had a great time catching up with everyone at the party. It was a very nice party to end the year with. Playing pong beer was an unforgettable experience, and the tequila shots afterwards did not affect my fond memories of the event. I wish everyone a joyous Christmas season ahead and a splendid countdown to year 2018!

Dr. Joeri Coppens (PMBA Candidate, Class of 2019, Year End Party Organising Committee):

“The year-end party was a great success. You could tell how, after five months of intense work together, we have evolved from a group of MBA classmates to friends.  The atmosphere at the party was therefore very relaxed, lively and entertaining. It was great to see everyone outside of the usual MBA class environment having fun together. I am already looking forward to our next party!”

 

How to negotiate the salary you want.

How to negotiate the salary you want.

by | Nov 28, 2017 | MSc Accountancy, Nanyang MBA, Nanyang Professional MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC ACCOUNTANCY, NANYANG MBA, NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

How To Negotiate The Salary You Want.

In partnership with Michael Page. 

 

 

Many people don’t realise that the salary they’re offered along with a new role isn’t necessarily the final offer, but a starting point to negotiating the salary you want. The idea of asking for a higher figure is daunting, but it’s an expected part of the hiring process.

However, to negotiate your new salary from a position of strength, preparation is crucial. You must have clear and realistic expectations of what your skills and experience are worth and be prepared to ask your potential employer for what you want – graciously.

Use the tips below to help negotiate your new salary with confidence:

Know your worth

It is critical to research what your role is worth before you begin negotiating your salary. Visit the Michael Page Salary Centre to find out the average range for your sector, location and experience. Scan similar jobs on job boards and LinkedIn, and talk to your Michael Page recruitment consultant and industry colleagues for advice on what people are earning in similar positions.

Remember that your role isn’t a ‘cost’ to the business so much as a means of creating value. What value will you bring to your role? How can you prove that you create this value? Consider your unique skillset and why it’s crucial to your new employer’s business objectives.

Research conditions

Make sure you also research the financial performance of the company, its recent staff movements and industry conditions. This will help you to better understand the company’s position and anticipate potential objections when negotiating your salary.

If you can speak to someone who works within the business already, they’ll be a great source of information. For a broader look at the industry, look to press coverage of economic drivers and outlook.

Determine your needs

Balance your research with your personal needs to determine a realistic salary range for negotiation. Decide on a figure that:

·         You need to live on

·         Allows you to save for the future or for a particular goal

·         You would be satisfied with (the minimum you would accept)

·         You would be delighted with (your ultimate goal)

The last two figures comprise the salary range for which you should aim. You should always start negotiations at the higher end to allow room for negotiation.

Watch your timing

Always wait for the potential employer to raise the topic of salary negotiation first, rather than bringing it up during the interview. If you wait until an offer has been made, you are then in the ideal position to negotiate salary when the employer has offered you the role, is hopeful of employing you and has suggested a figure first.

If you are asked about your salary expectations, tell the interviewer you would like to know more about the role first. Avoid divulging your previous salary – your new salary shouldn’t be based on a previous one but on the value that you can bring to the business. Instead, tell them what you believe you are realistically worth based on your research, skills and experience. This may be a different figure to what you were earning in your last job – one of the benefits of moving jobs is to increase your salary package beyond what’s available in your current role.

Consider other options

Think about non-pay alternatives if the opportunity to negotiate salary is limited. Good negotiators will enter a meeting with a range of options.

Support for education and training, a car allowance, more annual leave or flexible working arrangements are potential alternatives to financial incentives. The job might offer a clear promotion path or the opportunity to review pay in three to six months, so make sure you consider these alternatives as part of your salary negotiation.

Increasing your take-home pay may be your ultimate goal, but it helps to be prepared to accept a compromise.

Get the best deal

Employers respect applicants who are hard but fair negotiators. Having the confidence to negotiate well for yourself shows the employer that you could bring these skills to the role, and strengthens their belief that you would be a valuable addition to the team.

However, if the budget simply doesn’t exist to increase the package on offer, it’s important to either gracefully decline the job offer, or to accept – but not to begrudge the lower amount. If the offer doesn’t meet expectations, you should either re-evaluate your expectations or continue your job search.

 

Source from: https://goo.gl/rNmqAX  

Career Advice

The Nanyang PMBA experience from a participant’s perspective

by | Nov 24, 2017 | Nanyang Professional MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

The NANYANG PMBA Experience From A Participant’s Perspective

Article contributed by Aung Lwin Lwin, PMBA class of 2019

I have been considering an MBA from NTU since 3 years ago.   I reckon  that an MBA will not only be a step but a leap in the pursuit of my career goals – enhancing my business knowledge in adding to stakeholders’ value   as a finance professional, and equipping myself with the essential skills and knowledge to fulfill my ultimate aim  of managing my own organisation in the future. I wanted a programme that offers a rigourous yet structured learning experience that would bridge me closer to my goal.

After spending a few years focusing on my career I believed it was the right time to embark on an MBA and decided to join the Professional MBA programme offered by Nanyang Business School, NTU Singapore. I wanted to upgrade my skill sets, at the same time expand my network and exchange ideas with like-minded people from diverse industries and backgrounds. The alternate weekend format was ideal for me, as it allowed me to pursue my studies with minimal disruption to my career and personal commitments.

The PMBA courses are very practical and highly applicable. I am responsible for the overall financial affairs in my organisation – my current role not only includes financial reporting, tax planning, internal control, risk assessment, compliance and investor relationships, it also involves business expansion including mergers and acquisitions.  As such, I am required to be involved in business negotiations.   Prior to the “Leading People Globally” (LPG) module, I often focus on attaining a desirable outcome for my organisation, sometimes at the expense of the other organisation. However, going through the LPG class by Professors Valerie Du-Toit Low and Lim-Lum Kit-Wye greatly influenced my approach towards negotiations. The most powerful tool taught to us was “The Principled Negotiation”. The classroom discussions and study materials provided were very insightful and it stressed the importance of working towards a win-win solution that will mutually benefit both parties.

Our organisation was in the midst of negotiating a complicated business deal and we expected the success rate to be very slim. I immediately applied the principles taught and not only did we manage to close the deal smoothly, my CEO was so impressed that he appointed me to be  in charge of the organisation’s major projects! Although I’m only a few months into the course, I am already reaping the benefits and I believe I will only gain more as I continue my journey with the programme. I am thankful to Professor Douglas Streeter Rolph, Academic Director of the Nanyang PMBA, the remarkable faculty and my cohort that have made my experience wonderful so far.

I believe that anyone who wants to be ready for today’s dynamic and ever-changing business environment should be a part of the Nanyang Professional MBA.

Visit our page to learn more about the programme!

 

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A morning well spent at the NBS CEO Breakfast Series

A morning well spent at the NBS CEO Breakfast Series

by | Oct 6, 2017 | MSc Accountancy, Nanyang Fellows MBA, Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC ACCOUNTANCY, NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA, NANYANG FELLOWS MBA, NANYANG MBA

A Morning Well Spent At The NBS Ceo Breakfast Series

Article contributed by: Maria Clara, MBA Class of 2018. 

On 19th of September 2017, MBA participants, faculty and alumni met again for the NBS CEO Breakfast Series. The event was held at The Fullerton Hotel and the topic of the morning was Women in Leadership.

The panel of speakers was integrated by Diana The, Chief Counsel at AON Hewitt APAC for the Middle East & Africa; Elaine Yeo, Managing Director – ASEAN for Laerdal Singapore Pte Ltd; Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, Chargé d’affaires, a.i. at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore; and Yuko Nakamura, R&D Director for Procter & Gamble. The session was moderated by Prof. Ravinder Agarwal, and our Dean for Postgraduate Studies Prof. Nilanjan Sen introduced the event to the audience.

I was very surprised –and satisfied- by the significant attendance from our male classmates. As the topic of the event was Women in Leadership I expected most of the audience to be women.  Thank you guys for the great support!

The session started with Prof. Agarwal asking the panelists about their path to leadership and success. Each of them gave a short introduction of the remarkable moments on their way to leadership positions. When it came the time for Yuko Nakamura, she took some household and skin care products out of a bag and said she preferred to tell her story illustrating it with some of the products she has helped to develop at P&G. She mentioned how proud it made her to know that those products are present in the house of her friends or neighbors.

The speakers were also asked about what they considered to be successful and Diana The mentioned that to be successful is not a state, it’s what is lived on the way. She emphasized that we need to question who defines success and that it is different for every person.

Elaine Yeo mentioned the importance of the family support she got to develop her career, and how help from family is crucial for working women in Asia.  She commented how grandparents play an active role in the upbringing of children of working women in Asia, compared to North America or other European countries.

Millennials were also a topic of discussion and Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath commented on the effort us as millennials should do to be perceived as serious and less informal. She mentioned how our executive presence matters as not everybody will end up working in a start-up. Other panelists agreed on how we need to be less fragile, not take things personally as we cannot spend our careers feeling hurt by others.

It was a very interesting morning, an opportunity to learn from and share with leaders in different areas of society.  Looking forward to the next NBS CEO Breakfast event!

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