Great Eastern Malaysia Trained Students on Professionalism & Employability at Recent Workshop​

With the current pandemic slowing down the market, the future becomes obscured for many including fresh graduates. Fresh graduates or new working adults have expressed their concerns -  Will they be able to accomplish what they have aimed and set out to achieve with their current qualifications? Will they ever have an opportunity to do what they love or the things that they are passionate about? Amidst the global recession, graduates are facing unprecedented challenges in securing their first job.

After a long battle with the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, we are glad that we finally organized our first face-to-face workshop, just before the CMCO, with Great Eastern Malaysia to guide students on how they should take advantage of this situation and stand out among prospective employers. The first session was warmly welcomed by Ms. Yeoh Zu Dian, the Learning and Development Specialist; she shared her experiences on the industry insights as well as some practical tips and guidelines to prepare students to be more career-ready.

The bubbly, lively personality of Ms. Yeoh has resulted in an interactive, fun & interesting session, which was conducted through various segments, including an ice-breaking session. She shared several tips with students on making a memorable first impression for an interview, as well as becoming an effective ambassador of their personal branding. The key takeaway was ‘dress to impress’ – as she encouraged students to dress professionally, to create a good first impression, which will help students to differentiate themselves from their peers.

In the second part of the workshop, she shared tips on establishing effective communication. Elements like eye contact, positive body language, appropriate facial expressions, and engaging conversations were covered, as keys to effective communication, which leads to a higher success rate for their first interview.

The workshop was a wholesome one; as Ms. Yeoh also shared tips on work etiquette, especially on the correct usage of e-mails and appropriate usage of social media platforms, which are helpful in displaying work professionalism and positive attitudes.

The workshop ended with a briefing session by Mr. Loke Shee Yan, The Head of Recruitment and Productivity, who gave a brief, educative session which also encouraged proper financial planning among fresh graduates to overcome unexpected life circumstances such as COVID-19.  This event, organized by the School of Foundation & School of Accounting & Finance, has definitely benefited students by providing them with proper guidance on equipping themselves with the necessary soft skills as they prepare for employment in the future.