Application Letter Critique

2/13/2011 11:17:00 PM / Posted by Jeremy / comments (0)

Unsolicited Application Letter for an internship position with Singapore Technologies Kinetics Limited:

Apt Blk XXX
XXX St XX #XX-XX
Singapore XXXXXX

9 February 2011

The Officer in Charge
Singapore Technologies Kinetics Limited (ST Kinetics)
XXX Jalan XXXX XXX
Singapore XXXXXX

Dear Sir/Madam,

Application for the Position of Materials Science and Engineering Intern

I wish to be considered for an internship opportunity with your company. I hope that in considering my unique mix of technical skills and working experiences, the firm may see me as a suitable candidate for an internship. Enclosed is my resume for your perusal.             

I am currently a third year Materials Science and Engineering major with the National University of Singapore, specializing in nanostructured materials and nanotechnology. Through my course, I have developed a wide and dynamic range of transferable skills, such as perseverance and leadership, which allow me to work effectively and ethically under any stressful condition. My experience in handling state-of-the-art equipment such as the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the Powder X-ray Diffractometer have provided me with immense technical handling skills that boost both my level of confidence and proficiency in my field of study.

My previous designation as a laboratory technician for Technochem Environmental Complex Pte Ltd has helped me develop a high degree of research independence on top of an acute attention to detail, in order to successfully execute various critical evaluations and analyses. These experiences have sharpened my skills in problem solving and technical competency, both of which I feel are vital qualities as a scientist and an engineer.

Your company attracts me for the myriad of opportunities offered within your training schemes. The chance to work with various engagement teams and managements is one which I have much to gain from. I strongly believe that as an intern, I will be able to acquire the breadth of opportunities and experiences I need to develop as an individual, at the same time make an immediate and direct contribution to your organization.

With passion and an articulated vision, mutual development can be fostered, and I personally would like to be a part of that process. I look forward to your favorable reply. Thank you for your time.


Yours faithfully,

Jeremy Koh
 _________________________________________________________________________________

© Koh Siang Hui Jeremy

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

2/06/2011 05:58:00 PM / Posted by Jeremy / comments (2)


“If you understood everything I said, you’d be me.”
– Miles Davis

I begin this post with the above quote above in order to establish one simple point – that no two minds think alike. Therefore, it follows with this notion that conflict, in all of its salient and obscure aspects, is a perennial question in managing interpersonal relationships. The key, however, lies not in how we circumvent it. Rather, often it is how we reconcile these conflicts that determine the way any relationship develops. In essence, whether a relationship learns and flourishes, or spirals out of control, is rooted in the way each conflict experienced is handled.

Below is a personal anecdote that I wish to share. In sharing this scenario, I hope to highlight a very common cause for conflicts at the workplace:


During my 12-month stint as a chemist at a multi-national chemical waste-treatment facility, I had the rare opportunity to be actively involved in the drafting of numerous policies regarding chemical processing and safety. There were only three chemists in the laboratory, each with his/her designated role. My task was to ensure that each incoming waste complied with the safety requirements of the company. This was done so via a series of tests, compiled within a detailed report for each incoming product. The duration of testing depends on the specifications of each sample.

The problem came when the sales department began pushing for results in order to expedite the client requests. At times where the requests became urgent, the sales department would seek a once-off collection prior to the release of the laboratory report. However, this could only be done at the discretion of the laboratory manager. Otherwise, protocol had to be followed.

On one particular occasion, a sample was sent to the laboratory seeking immediate testing. However, prior to the laboratory’s knowledge, a collection was already approved by the sales-director. This was done in view of the collection’s worth, as well as the high competition the company was pit against.

As our laboratory manager was away on an overseas conference, the head-chemist took over the matter immediately. She issued a certificate of non-compliance and requested that the collection be halted immediately on the basis of safety. The sales-director, upon getting wind of this, ordered the certificate to be removed, citing her lack of jurisdiction. He even threatened her position, should she continue to interfere with the collection.

To make things difficult for the head-chemist, the sales-director banded with the other managers of the company. They claimed she lacked the experience and ‘seniority’ to make such a decision. In the end, the collection came through, with the laboratory having to work overtime in order to produce the treatment process and clearances required.


I believe the above situation does happen in many industrial contexts. Possibly the main cause for such conflicts at the workplace is the persistent, sometimes ridiculous and often perverse, need to establish dominance among co-workers. The idea of dominance is not something that is simply rooted in the hierarchical structure of an establishment. It transcends various systems, from ranks and positions, time spent within the firm, ‘seniority’, to sometimes even age, race, and religion.

In the light of the above issue, how then, should one of a lower statute seek an amicable compromise, if not agreement, from another of greater ‘seniority’? 

image from cartoonstock.com


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