Making it at work

IF you want to be hired, be an interesting person! McKinsey & Company (McKinsey) director Hsieh Tsun-yan says one of the important qualities to impressing a prospective employer is to have an engaging personality.  

This is also the mark of a successful leader, adds Hsieh, who was one of the speakers at the GE-McKinsey Leadership Workshop 2005 held at HELP University College recently.  

The 42 final-year students who attended the workshop learnt that when it comes to securing a job, personality and mindset are as important, if not more so, as academic qualifications and skills. This is especially the case with multinational corporations, which are placing increasing emphasis on “soft skills”.  

Facilitator Adele (in black) leading one of the sessions at the workshop.

The workshop, which was held by top global companies General Electric (GE) and McKinsey, aimed at developing leadership qualities in Malaysian students.  

Speakers from both companies shared success stories and personal anecdotes, which gave students insight into the working world.  

“A good leader has to be able to have conversations; the right conversations with the right people at the right time. And for that, he has to have lived life interestingly and acquired experience,” says Hsieh.  

The same applies to a job candidate, he continues. “I would hire anyone who has done engaging things and is an interesting person. Parents sometimes do children a disservice by engineering such a grooved upbringing for them. Children should be encouraged to experience life, as these experiences really show in many different ways.”  

Stumbling blocks to success 

With the issue of unemployed graduates fast becoming a national concern, there is no doubt that workshops such as these are invaluable to tertiary students. Besides offering the opportunity for networking, they also show students exactly what prospective employers are looking for.  

GE human resources director for finance (Asia Pacific) Roshan Thiran, who was the other speaker, says qualities many local graduates tend to lack are self-confidence and being proactive.  

HSIEH: I would hire anyone who has done engaging things and is an interesting person.

“Overseas graduates have been taught to ask questions and take initiative, and they are also much more likely to break boundaries and try new things. Local grads, on the other hand, usually stick to their job scope and don’t move beyond that. They need to work on their communication skills as well,” he says.  

Hsieh agrees, adding that graduates should be able to express who they are.  

“Currently, especially among Asian graduates, there is much emphasis on knowledge, less on skills and almost none at all on qualities. Personal attributes such as courage, judgement and creativity are a big part of what employers look for,” he says.  

Another shortcoming of many local graduates seems to be a lack of experience and awareness.  

Roshan says overseas grads tend to have more practical experience, especially since most of the courses include industrial experience.  

“Many Asian students lack connectivity to the wider world out there. Although doing well academically is important, it’s also important to be aware of issues and current situations,” adds Hsieh. “General knowledge is not about studying but about being interested in things and events happening around us.”  

In his talk to the students, Roshan stressed that a good employee and leader is someone who continually improves and grows. 

He ended by saying career growth was a continuous process, which required input before it could yield successful outcomes.  

Adapting to the work environment  

Besides the talks, workshop participants were put through various exercises that simulated the workplace environment. This included working with different personalities, problem solving and effective communication.  

CAROLINE: It helps to learn what employers want.

One aspect of the workshop that really piqued the participants’ interest was the session on personality types. They were first taught to identify their personality type using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, which classifies people based on their preferences for dealing with the outside world, taking in information, making decisions and lifestyle.  

“Once you identify the personalities of the people you work with, you will be able to adapt your working style to theirs,” said facilitator Adele Lim to the participants. “This will lead to more effective teamwork and better results.” 

The students were then separated according to personality type and given various tasks. They were also given the opportunity to question each other about preferences, work habits and so on.  

This allowed them to understand what it would be like to work in teams of many people with different characteristics and methods.  

University of Nottingham Malaysia student Richard Raj Sebastian, 24, says attending the workshop helped him evaluate himself for the job market.  

“The talks as well as the activities gave us a glimpse into what working life is like. It also increases our self-awareness, so that we can take into account our strengths and weaknesses,” he says.  

Learning what employers want is a big advantage, says Universiti Tenaga Nasional student Caroline Anushya, 23.  

“I gained a whole new perspective on leadership today. The workshop also helps us gauge the working world better, so we know how to apply ourselves and become more marketable.” 

The workshop was attended by 12 higher education institutions, which included Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Monash University, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Multimedia University.