JUMPSTART BULLETIN May 2007, VOL.

4
ACCELERATE

Fuel up:
How does PRePARE help?

...PREPARATORY PROGAMMES
...You will get the opportunity to experience the real process of Job Application and Job interview by a trained HR
...Consultant. You will not only be assessed at each level of the ‘Job Application and Interview’ but be given
...feedback on your performance so that you are better equipped and prepared for the actual Job Interview!

Rearview:
Testimony of An Ex-Student
A Quarterly Publication
Muhammad Ashraf Muhammad Amir – ACCA, graduated Dec 06. by PRePARE

Getting That 1st Job

Currently working as Business Analyst – ECM Libra Avenue Securities Investment Banking

...I have learnt that good results do not mean you'll be employed. It's how you perform during the interview that matters. The programme has
...has changed my perception on interviews as I used to believe that an interview was an easy task. I got to know how challenging it is and
...prepare myself for any job interviews.
...Your qualification does not indicate any specific scope of industry that you need to be in. Being an ACCA graduate does not mean I have to
...join audit firm. Keep your options open and be open to opportunities from other industries.
‘Be realistic in your expectations of the first job. Be willing to learn and take up challenges.’
Mr. Larry Yap advises all graduating students at a recent interview. The Executive Director of
...RESUME REVIEW/BRIEFING
Sunway Group Human Resource & Shared Services, shares his thoughts and experiences with us
Rearview: on Getting That First Job.
Testimony of An Ex-Student On Important Elements In Getting The First Job
Lim Pei Chin – AUP, graduating June 07. Interned at Deloitte. Explore various professions with an OPEN MIND and do not
restrict yourself to one industry. This can be achieved by
...The tips given were invaluable and it has transformed a simple summary of my background and experiences into a presentable resume. taking on employment in a discipline that may be unrelated to
...I believe this caught the attention of my potential employer. I think SSD has done a great job in creating opportunities for students. your academic degree, for instance. Many accounting,
engineering and social sciences students have become
successful entrepreneurs, politicians and corporate figures.
...EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Tun Mahathir was first a doctor!
...GET HIRED @ CAREER FAIR 2007 (25 - 26 APRIL 2007)
...This is Sun-U’s biggest campus recruitment event. Over 50 employers from various industries participated in the You should be REALISTIC about your expectations towards your
...booth exhibition to provide more info to students on career prospects and opportunities. first job as work may not necessarily be fun. Success often
comes only through hard work. But always try to understand
...Held in conjunction with the event were the pre-career fair workshops to prepare and equip students before the organisation you join: learn about its background and
...meeting potential employers. Also held were the Network Tea Session with participating Employers and Dialogue culture and what its future plans are. Then be prepared to
...with Employers events to provide a more personal sharing and networking platform for students. start from the bottom, HUMBLE and willing to learn becuase
what you learn in academia is just a small portion of what you
.. COMPANY PRESENTATIONS are about to learn in the world of work.
...One way to build contacts of your potential employers is by attending their company presentations. You will also
...be able to find out more about the company’s businesses, plans and career prospects. Be PROACTIVE and start exploring the various careers in the
...Keep a look out for upcoming company presentations! job market even while you are still studying for your degree.
This will help you identify what is in demand and target which
company you want to work in.
.. TRAININGS
...Build up/develop skills and enhance your employability through fun and experiential workshops. Keep a look out
On Job Hunting Skills
...for our upcoming workshops such as ‘From Campus to Corporate’, ‘Resume Writing/Job Interviewing’,
Apart from using the Online Portals and Newspapers,
...‘Leadership’, ‘Interpersonal Skills’ and many more! ... participate in recruitment events such as CAREER FAIRS, IN-
CAMPUS INTERVIEWS, and COMPANY PRESENTATIONS organized
by your institution. There is also no harm writing-in to
companies even if they have not advertised any vacancies.
This way, you can seek out opportunities ahead of any
CONTACT US advertisements and demonstrate your interest. Very
Adelene Goh / Elisa Dass / Ee Sarn / Vincent Hah importantly, read about the companies that interest you; visit
PRePARE - Career Development @ Training Unit their WEBSITES or talk to friends who work with them. Every
Student Services Department - Student Centre employer wants to know that you have done your “homework”
Call 03-7491 8622 Ext 8021/8069 OR Email prepare@sunway.edu.my and can say something intelligent about why you might want
to join their company.
Another important element is your
resume. With a proper and well written
resume, opportunities can also be created for you even
if they may not yet exist. I would strongly
advise you to build one well before you
graduate.
Employers look out for LEADERSHIP
qualities and an active interest in activities outside of the
academia. You can’t put together an impressive resume if you
cannot show all round interest in things. So start early. Join
CLUBS & SOCIETIES. Challenge yourselves to help organise
EVENTS & get involved with others in SPORTSand etc.
On Networking Skills
Through networking, you will GET NOTICED by employers. By
participating in recruitment events/activities such as Career
Fairs or Company Presentations, you can find out what your
potential employers have to offer and get their contacts. From
there, you build your network and getting a job would be an
easier task if you know who to contact.
On Career Opportunities @ the Sunway Group
There are ample opportunities at the Sunway Group as we are
a diversified conglomerate. In fact, we are constantly looking
for potential candidates to join the SMART Programme. This is
a 24-week programme where the candidates undergo rigorous
training to sharpen their thinking and be molded into future
managers. They will be prepared to assume important roles in
the business world and will be expected to consistently
perform to the highest standards.
For those who are still studying, you can consider joining an
Internship programme offered by the various
businesses/subsidiaries of the Sunway Group. Just send in your
applications through our website at www.sunway.com.my

Accelerate Ignite
 T h e P a p e r T h a t G e t s Yo u H I R E D
‘Chance favors only the prepared mind.’ - Louis Pasteur
Believe or not, resume is the first document an employer
sees to decide whether to call the candidate in for an
interview. It is not an easy task as some employers receive
more than 100 resumes per day!
So before you resort to copying an entire resume off the
internet or from your friends, here are some tips to make Work Experience
Work experiences shows that you have been exposed to the work
your resume more IMPRESSIVE and CUSTOMISED. environment and have gained some soft skills. Whether it is part-
DO’s
•sKeep your resume brief (1 to 2 pages)
•sUse white quality A4 paper
•sStructure the resume so it's pleasing to the eye
•sKeep it SHORT and CONCISE
•sThoroughly check through your resume for any spelling or
SSSgrammatical errors
•sEnsure all information provided is UP-TO-DATE
•sEmphasise SOFT SKILLS you have developed from work
SSSexperience or extra-curricular activities
•sHighlight your ACCOMPLISHMENTS - use numbers/figures
SSSwhere possible
•sCUSTOMISE your resume to suit the requirements of the
SSSemployer/vacancy
DON’Ts
•sUse fancy fonts, graphics and images
•sUse exotic colored or scented paper
•sUse INAPPROPRIATE email address (e.g. supergirl@xxxx.com)
•sWrite the story of your life
•sPut IRRELEVANT information (e.g. hobbies unless it is to your
SSSadvantage)
•sCOPY AND PASTE a resume off the internet
•sOVERSELL yourself / stretch the truth
IMPORTANT RESUME SECTIONS
Personal Particulars
Your name, telephone number(s) and email address are all
required personal data and should come first in your resume.
Other details to include are Age/Date of Birth, Nationality,
Marital Status and Gender.
Educational Background
List your qualification, name of school/institution and year in
reverse chronological order (most recent first and move
backwards). Do include any scholarships or academic awards you
have received to highlight your academic achievements.
Attend a Resume Briefing available every Friday from 12.30pm - 1.30pm @ the Student Services
Department - Student Centre
For appointment, email prepare@sunway.edu.my
Steer
Extra-Curricular Activities
Involvement in extra-curricular activities (ECA) is important as it
shows that you have been active in out-of-classroom activities.
highlight key accomplishments where you hold leadership
positions.
time work, internships, volunteering or helping out at you father’s
shop, list them down and state what you have learnt and highlight
your accomplishments.
Skills
If you have active involvement in ECA and have multiple working
experiences, it would be good to list the skills you have
learnt/developed from those areas. Also, if you are proficient in
languages other than your mother tongue it is important to list
them down into spoken and written ability.
References (optional)
If your resume exceeds 2 pages, you can exclude this section and
just mention ‘Available upon request’. There should be one or two
referees of professional/academic relationship.
You should note that referees should NEVER be your parents,
siblings or relatives. Always seek permission from the person first
before listing him/her as your referee.
Steps to Effective
Job Search
‘It's not what you've got;
it's what you use that makes a difference.’ - Zig Ziglar
Although no magic formula exists to guarantee you a STEP 4
dream job but you can try the following steps to ensure Start applying for jobs
that your job search strategies are on the right track.
STEP 1 STEP 5
Do a self-assessment & Define your Log
career goals Create a log to keep track of the jobs you
This will help you to narrow down your job applied for to avoid confusion
search and target which companies interest
you.
STEP 6
STEP 2 Follow Up
Call to FOLLOW UP on your job applications
Prepare your marketing tools (Cover
and obtain an JOB INTERVIEW.
letters & Resumes)
Make them impressive. How?
Participate in EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES This will come in handy when the employer
and get some WORK EXPERIENCE. You may also calls you for an job interview.
be given some responsibilities like being team
captain. It shows LEADERSHIP skills.
Attend WORKSHOPS to develop and enhance your soft skills
and improving your marketing tools.
STEP 7
Excel at the Job Interview
To prepare yourself, find out and research on COMMONLY
STEP 3 ASKED QUESTIONS in a job interview.
Conduct Job Hunting
RESEARCH THE COMPANY – find out what the company does
Scan through NEWSPAPERS/ONLINE PORTALS/WEBSITES for
and their PLANS/DIRECTION in the next 5 years
vacancies and highlight those that matches you skills &
qualifications.
DRESS to impress!
Develop a targeted list of employers you wish to apply to.
RESEARCH the company and seek out the contact person.
STEP 8
BUILD YOUR NETWORK – participate in CAREER FAIRS,
Appreciation
NETWROK TEA SESSIONS and COMPANY PRESENTATIONS to get Send THANK YOU notes/cards to your employer
employers’ contacts.
PRePARE Job Centre (http://jobcentre.sunway.edy.my)
This is an online recruitment portal especially catered to Sun-U’s students and alumni! Get part-time and full-time jobs at anywhere and anytime. You can
also keep track of your applications and be notified when you are shortlisted! Simply activate your account by following the steps below:
1.Log in to your Izone Account @ http://izone.sunway.edu.my
2.Activate your Job Centre Account (Goto ‘Interactive’ > Prepare Job Centre > click on ‘Activate My Account’)
3.Log on to PRePARE Job Centre @ http://jobcentre.sunway.edu.my
4.Log in using your Izone Id and Password
5.Complete your resume
6.Start applying for jobs!
Steer
 T h e P a p e r T h a t G e t s Yo u H I R E D
‘Chance favors only the prepared mind.’ - Louis Pasteur
Believe or not, resume is the first document an employer
sees to decide whether to call the candidate in for an
interview. It is not an easy task as some employers receive
more than 100 resumes per day!
So before you resort to copying an entire resume off the
internet or from your friends, here are some tips to make Work Experience
Work experiences shows that you have been exposed to the work
your resume more IMPRESSIVE and CUSTOMISED. environment and have gained some soft skills. Whether it is part-
DO’s
•sKeep your resume brief (1 to 2 pages)
•sUse white quality A4 paper
•sStructure the resume so it's pleasing to the eye
•sKeep it SHORT and CONCISE
•sThoroughly check through your resume for any spelling or
SSSgrammatical errors
•sEnsure all information provided is UP-TO-DATE
•sEmphasise SOFT SKILLS you have developed from work
SSSexperience or extra-curricular activities
•sHighlight your ACCOMPLISHMENTS - use numbers/figures
SSSwhere possible
•sCUSTOMISE your resume to suit the requirements of the
SSSemployer/vacancy
DON’Ts
•sUse fancy fonts, graphics and images
•sUse exotic colored or scented paper
•sUse INAPPROPRIATE email address (e.g. supergirl@xxxx.com)
•sWrite the story of your life
•sPut IRRELEVANT information (e.g. hobbies unless it is to your
SSSadvantage)
•sCOPY AND PASTE a resume off the internet
•sOVERSELL yourself / stretch the truth
IMPORTANT RESUME SECTIONS
Personal Particulars
Your name, telephone number(s) and email address are all
required personal data and should come first in your resume.
Other details to include are Age/Date of Birth, Nationality,
Marital Status and Gender.
Educational Background
List your qualification, name of school/institution and year in
reverse chronological order (most recent first and move
backwards). Do include any scholarships or academic awards you
have received to highlight your academic achievements.
Attend a Resume Briefing available every Friday from 12.30pm - 1.30pm @ the Student Services
Department - Student Centre
For appointment, email prepare@sunway.edu.my
Steer
Extra-Curricular Activities
Involvement in extra-curricular activities (ECA) is important as it
shows that you have been active in out-of-classroom activities.
highlight key accomplishments where you hold leadership
positions.
time work, internships, volunteering or helping out at you father’s
shop, list them down and state what you have learnt and highlight
your accomplishments.
Skills
If you have active involvement in ECA and have multiple working
experiences, it would be good to list the skills you have
learnt/developed from those areas. Also, if you are proficient in
languages other than your mother tongue it is important to list
them down into spoken and written ability.
References (optional)
If your resume exceeds 2 pages, you can exclude this section and
just mention ‘Available upon request’. There should be one or two
referees of professional/academic relationship.
You should note that referees should NEVER be your parents,
siblings or relatives. Always seek permission from the person first
before listing him/her as your referee.
Steps to Effective
Job Search
‘It's not what you've got;
it's what you use that makes a difference.’ - Zig Ziglar
Although no magic formula exists to guarantee you a STEP 4
dream job but you can try the following steps to ensure Start applying for jobs
that your job search strategies are on the right track.
STEP 1 STEP 5
Do a self-assessment & Define your Log
career goals Create a log to keep track of the jobs you
This will help you to narrow down your job applied for to avoid confusion
search and target which companies interest
you.
STEP 6
STEP 2 Follow Up
Call to FOLLOW UP on your job applications
Prepare your marketing tools (Cover
and obtain an JOB INTERVIEW.
letters & Resumes)
Make them impressive. How?
Participate in EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES This will come in handy when the employer
and get some WORK EXPERIENCE. You may also calls you for an job interview.
be given some responsibilities like being team
captain. It shows LEADERSHIP skills.
Attend WORKSHOPS to develop and enhance your soft skills
and improving your marketing tools.
STEP 7
Excel at the Job Interview
To prepare yourself, find out and research on COMMONLY
STEP 3 ASKED QUESTIONS in a job interview.
Conduct Job Hunting
RESEARCH THE COMPANY – find out what the company does
Scan through NEWSPAPERS/ONLINE PORTALS/WEBSITES for
and their PLANS/DIRECTION in the next 5 years
vacancies and highlight those that matches you skills &
qualifications.
DRESS to impress!
Develop a targeted list of employers you wish to apply to.
RESEARCH the company and seek out the contact person.
STEP 8
BUILD YOUR NETWORK – participate in CAREER FAIRS,
Appreciation
NETWROK TEA SESSIONS and COMPANY PRESENTATIONS to get Send THANK YOU notes/cards to your employer
employers’ contacts.
PRePARE Job Centre (http://jobcentre.sunway.edy.my)
This is an online recruitment portal especially catered to Sun-U’s students and alumni! Get part-time and full-time jobs at anywhere and anytime. You can
also keep track of your applications and be notified when you are shortlisted! Simply activate your account by following the steps below:
1.Log in to your Izone Account @ http://izone.sunway.edu.my
2.Activate your Job Centre Account (Goto ‘Interactive’ > Prepare Job Centre > click on ‘Activate My Account’)
3.Log on to PRePARE Job Centre @ http://jobcentre.sunway.edu.my
4.Log in using your Izone Id and Password
5.Complete your resume
6.Start applying for jobs!
Steer
 JUMPSTART BULLETIN May 2007, VOL. 4
ACCELERATE

Fuel up:
How does PRePARE help?

...PREPARATORY PROGAMMES
...You will get the opportunity to experience the real process of Job Application and Job interview by a trained HR
...Consultant. You will not only be assessed at each level of the ‘Job Application and Interview’ but be given
...feedback on your performance so that you are better equipped and prepared for the actual Job Interview!

Rearview:
Testimony of An Ex-Student
A Quarterly Publication
Muhammad Ashraf Muhammad Amir – ACCA, graduated Dec 06. by PRePARE

Getting That 1st Job

Currently working as Business Analyst – ECM Libra Avenue Securities Investment Banking

...I have learnt that good results do not mean you'll be employed. It's how you perform during the interview that matters. The programme has
...has changed my perception on interviews as I used to believe that an interview was an easy task. I got to know how challenging it is and
...prepare myself for any job interviews.
...Your qualification does not indicate any specific scope of industry that you need to be in. Being an ACCA graduate does not mean I have to
...join audit firm. Keep your options open and be open to opportunities from other industries.
‘Be realistic in your expectations of the first job. Be willing to learn and take up challenges.’
Mr. Larry Yap advises all graduating students at a recent interview. The Executive Director of
...RESUME REVIEW/BRIEFING
Sunway Group Human Resource & Shared Services, shares his thoughts and experiences with us
Rearview: on Getting That First Job.
Testimony of An Ex-Student On Important Elements In Getting The First Job
Lim Pei Chin – AUP, graduating June 07. Interned at Deloitte. Explore various professions with an OPEN MIND and do not
restrict yourself to one industry. This can be achieved by
...The tips given were invaluable and it has transformed a simple summary of my background and experiences into a presentable resume. taking on employment in a discipline that may be unrelated to
...I believe this caught the attention of my potential employer. I think SSD has done a great job in creating opportunities for students. your academic degree, for instance. Many accounting,
engineering and social sciences students have become
successful entrepreneurs, politicians and corporate figures.
...EVENTS/ACTIVITIES Tun Mahathir was first a doctor!
...GET HIRED @ CAREER FAIR 2007 (25 - 26 APRIL 2007)
...This is Sun-U’s biggest campus recruitment event. Over 50 employers from various industries participated in the You should be REALISTIC about your expectations towards your
...booth exhibition to provide more info to students on career prospects and opportunities. first job as work may not necessarily be fun. Success often
comes only through hard work. But always try to understand
...Held in conjunction with the event were the pre-career fair workshops to prepare and equip students before the organisation you join: learn about its background and
...meeting potential employers. Also held were the Network Tea Session with participating Employers and Dialogue culture and what its future plans are. Then be prepared to
...with Employers events to provide a more personal sharing and networking platform for students. start from the bottom, HUMBLE and willing to learn becuase
what you learn in academia is just a small portion of what you
.. COMPANY PRESENTATIONS are about to learn in the world of work.
...One way to build contacts of your potential employers is by attending their company presentations. You will also
...be able to find out more about the company’s businesses, plans and career prospects. Be PROACTIVE and start exploring the various careers in the
...Keep a look out for upcoming company presentations! job market even while you are still studying for your degree.
This will help you identify what is in demand and target which
company you want to work in.
.. TRAININGS
...Build up/develop skills and enhance your employability through fun and experiential workshops. Keep a look out
On Job Hunting Skills
...for our upcoming workshops such as ‘From Campus to Corporate’, ‘Resume Writing/Job Interviewing’,
Apart from using the Online Portals and Newspapers,
...‘Leadership’, ‘Interpersonal Skills’ and many more! ... participate in recruitment events such as CAREER FAIRS, IN-
CAMPUS INTERVIEWS, and COMPANY PRESENTATIONS organized
by your institution. There is also no harm writing-in to
companies even if they have not advertised any vacancies.
This way, you can seek out opportunities ahead of any
CONTACT US advertisements and demonstrate your interest. Very
Adelene Goh / Elisa Dass / Ee Sarn / Vincent Hah importantly, read about the companies that interest you; visit
PRePARE - Career Development @ Training Unit their WEBSITES or talk to friends who work with them. Every
Student Services Department - Student Centre employer wants to know that you have done your “homework”
Call 03-7491 8622 Ext 8021/8069 OR Email prepare@sunway.edu.my and can say something intelligent about why you might want
to join their company.
Another important element is your
resume. With a proper and well written
resume, opportunities can also be created for you even
if they may not yet exist. I would strongly
advise you to build one well before you
graduate.
Employers look out for LEADERSHIP
qualities and an active interest in activities outside of the
academia. You can’t put together an impressive resume if you
cannot show all round interest in things. So start early. Join
CLUBS & SOCIETIES. Challenge yourselves to help organise
EVENTS & get involved with others in SPORTSand etc.
On Networking Skills
Through networking, you will GET NOTICED by employers. By
participating in recruitment events/activities such as Career
Fairs or Company Presentations, you can find out what your
potential employers have to offer and get their contacts. From
there, you build your network and getting a job would be an
easier task if you know who to contact.
On Career Opportunities @ the Sunway Group
There are ample opportunities at the Sunway Group as we are
a diversified conglomerate. In fact, we are constantly looking
for potential candidates to join the SMART Programme. This is
a 24-week programme where the candidates undergo rigorous
training to sharpen their thinking and be molded into future
managers. They will be prepared to assume important roles in
the business world and will be expected to consistently
perform to the highest standards.
For those who are still studying, you can consider joining an
Internship programme offered by the various
businesses/subsidiaries of the Sunway Group. Just send in your
applications through our website at www.sunway.com.my

Accelerate Ignite