Skills Needed for Working Abroad
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The document discusses the skills needed for working abroad based on research conducted by students. Through surveys, interviews, and online research, the students identified both soft skills and hard skills as important. Key soft skills included independence, social skills/networking, flexibility, adaptation, self-determination, initiative, and etiquette. Important hard skills were the ability to speak a foreign language and balancing family and work life. The research highlighted that soft skills, such as collaboration and networking, were generally more important for working abroad than hard skills.
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Skills Needed for Working Abroad
- 1. EPM- Assignment 1 Skills for Working Abroad WHO ARE WE?
- 2. Keen on working abroad Reasons: • Earn Money On The Road • Learn New Skills • Prove Our Independence • Make Lasting Friendships • Experience Real Freedom WHO ARE WE?
- 3. Keen on working abroad Reasons: • Earn Money On The Road • Learn New Skills • Prove Our Independence • Make Lasting Friendships • Experience Real Freedom WHO ARE WE?
- 4. EPM- Assignment 1 Skills for Working Abroad GROUP KHAKIS
- 5. • Investigate and find out the essential skills needed by Ngee Ann Polytehnic students to work abroad • Help these students be aware of the various skills that are required of them to work abroad.
- 6. Market Research (5 surveyors) Written Interviews (3 interviewees) “Live” Interviews (1 NP lecturer) Online Research Online Questionnaire (25 respondents) All chosen regardless of GENDER, RACE and SOCIAL BACKGROUND!
- 7. 1) Lacked of focus Might not get an honest enough answer. 2) Results may differ with different people who have worked in different countries. 3) “Live” interview session (lecturer who has worked in Australia) Skills needed by NP students may differ if they will be going to work in another country (e.g. eastern country).
- 8. FINDINGS What are soft and hard skills? What have we learnt? What are the basic skills needed for working abroad? Importance of soft skills (with comparison to hard skills)
- 9. But before we start… MRS TEOH Lecturer School of Business & Accountancy
- 10. Key Points (“Live” Interview) 1) Adaptation skills 2) Social skills 3) Flexibility 4) Networking skills 5) Independence 6) Ability to balance family and work life 7) Ability to speak foreign language
- 11. Key Points (Online interviews) Here are some of the difficulties faced by the 3 person whom we have interview: Communication Climate Cultural Shock Inconveniences from the lack of hygiene facilities Adaptation skills Social skills, Ability to speak foreign language
- 12. SKILLS SOFT HARD Personal attributes that enhance an individual's interactions, job performance and career prospects. Specific, teachable abilities that may be required in a given context. (E.g. a job or university application.)
- 13. SKILLS SOFT HARD 1) Independence 2) Social skills Networking 3) Flexibility 4) Adaptation 5) Self- determination 6) Initiative 7) Etiquette at work 1) Ability to speak foreign language 2) Balancing family and work
- 14. Q1) Which country/place were you attached to while working abroad ? 1. Eastern Region 2. Western Region 3. Neither Analysis: Majority of students or lecturers from NP (that we‟ve surveyed) does not have experience working in either of the region. On the other hand, this would make our research useful as this group of respondents can provide us with information of what they would expect when they go overseas. Q2) What kind of preparation/expected preparation do you have to make prior to the overseas attachment ? Rank them from 1 being the most important and 4 the least important 1. Gathering Information about the country 2. Practicing the communicational aspects of it 3. Prepare the mental aspects of the trip 4. Stocking up on the necessities Analysis: 1. Most Important: A large number of people would want to be familiarize with the surrounding of the country before settling in. 2. Being mentally prepared and practicing communication aspects are important skills that should not be neglected while working abroad. 3. Least important: The need to stock up necessities is another important factor that is considered by one while working abroad. Key Points (Questionnaire) Western Region Eastern Region Neither
- 15. Q3) In your opinion, what are the skills/expected skills required for working overseas? Rank them with 1 being the most important and 8 being the least important 1st: Independent 2nd: Ability to speak foreign language 3rd: Social skills/Networking skills 4th: Flexibility 5th: Adaptation 6th:Self-determination 7th: Initiative 8th: Etiquette at work 9th: Ability to balance work and family life Q4) Hard/Soft skills: Which is more important ? 1. Hard Skills 2. Soft Skills Analysis: 1. A large number of people would want to be familiarize with the surrounding of the country before settling in. 2. Being mentally prepared and practicing communication aspects are important skills that should not be neglected while working abroad. 3. The need to stock up necessities is another important factor that is considered by one while working abroad. Key Points (Questionnaire- Con‟t) Soft Skills Hard Skills
- 16. Q5) How long have you been attached to work in that country ? 1. 1-6 months 2. 6-12 months 3. >12 months 4. Others Analysis: This question illustrates one of the limitations of our study. The importance of each skill differs with the period of time one works abroad. The respondent who has worked abroad for more than a year ranked finds adaptation skills more important whereas the respondents who has worked abroad for 1-6 months think otherwise. Key Points (Questionnaire- Con‟t)
- 17. Soft Skills
- 18. • Having the right attitude at the right time is very important. • Being in a new environment will allow one to learn how to be accustomed & learn (social aspects, culture, way of doing things) how to get along with different people. • Being independent when working abroad will allow one to acquire interpersonal skills. 1. Independence Ability to work alone without depending on others (E.g. Singaporeans usually are in group, however, in the western countries, they do things independently more than in a group.)
- 19. 2. Social Skills The ability to link with the society. In this context are the people in your company. You have to learn their way of speaking/hanging out in order to stay “connected” with them. Do YOU KNOW?! It is estimated that more than 80 percent of the people gets fired because of their lack of social skills. While instances of employee immaturity or lack of appropriate social skills are not difficult to locate, suggestions from seniors as to where or how to enhance work ethics and/ or maturity levels (often discussed as social skills or getting along with others) in their subordinates are not as easy to find. In spite of the lessons we learn at home, in the playground or at college, the corporate jungle is another game altogether. If one is not equipped with all the necessary social skills by now, things can be tough. In the corporate world, the small fish have to learn to live with the sharks and survive. More important, they have to learn to perform.
- 20. Having social skill is an advantage! She had excellent people or social skills and she knew six to seven languages with native fluency. "Different strokes for different folks," was her favourite one-liner. She spoke with grace and confidence to everyone from the watchman to the director, customising her technique to suit whoever she was dealing with. Everybody knew who Lisa was. She commanded awe and respect in the organisation. She also had a good dress sense, smiled a lot and looked into peoples' eyes while speaking. Her tone was soft, yet confident. She was poised and no crisis was big enough to ruffle her feathers. She was able to handle the most trying and seemingly impossible situations with a kind of ease most people would kill to have. She knew what she wanted and got it. A real life account taken from: http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2005/nov/08skill.htm Lisa (name changed) an ex-colleague of mine, joined the organization months before I did, at the same level, along with a team of five trainers. Her qualifications and experience were similar to what all of us had. Surprisingly, within a span of a year, she moved from the post of senior trainer to assistant manager and had bypassed three levels. How did she do it?
- 21. Awareness of body language Able to present yourself positively Able to build rapport Ability to adapt your approach according to the person and situation Willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone Cont‟ Networking „a process where you develop long term relationships with others for mutual benefit.‟ •Identify new possible career paths •Find out about jobs and other opportunities that may not be advertised •Create a pool of relevant contacts who know, trust and respect you •Explore or market self employed business opportunities you are developing •Develop your soft skills (e.g. communication, listening) ADVANTAGES: How to become an efficient networker?
- 22. To be able to adapt when external change occurs. One must be able to react differently at different situations. 3. Flexibility Advantages of being FLEXIBLE at work reduce costs, increase productivity, hedge against change, meet supply needs. Being flexible at work allows you to be able to maintain your employment. An employer usually would prefer an employee who is flexible at the way/things how he/she does their work.
- 23. People are different! • The way human organize their lives is vary in significant ways. • Discovering the unfamiliar, confusing new ways of living. • Understanding different points of view • Readiness to adjust to a foreign culture. 4. Adaptation
- 24. 5 principles of self-determination. These principles relate to employment in the following ways: Freedom Job seekers must understand that the freedom to pursue meaningful employment exists. Authority Job seekers should have some degree of authority and control over how financial resources are spent on their behalf, including employment service dollars. Support Job seekers should be able to select their support systems. Responsibility Job seekers have the obligation to spend public employment funding and resources wisely, and to contribute to the community and the employment process. Confirmation Job seekers should help improve the human services system. 5. Self-determination Choices people make with their own free will and full sense of choice, without any external influence and interference.
- 25. 5 principles of self-determination. These principles relate to employment in the following ways: Freedom Job seekers must understand that the freedom to pursue meaningful employment exists. Authority Job seekers should have some degree of authority and control over how financial resources are spent on their behalf, including employment service dollars. Support Job seekers should be able to select their support systems. Responsibility Job seekers have the obligation to spend public employment funding and resources wisely, and to contribute to the community and the employment process. Confirmation Job seekers should help improve the human services system. Focus on self- determination principles Increases the job seeker's independence 5. Self-determination
- 26. set aside a leader from being follower. Organisation needs employees who practice and take up personal responsibility to take initiative to create a positive impact. – 4 categories • The 1st category for personal initiative is the Self • The 2nd category for personal initiative is People • The 3rd category for personal initiative is with Ideas • The 4th category for personal initiative is with Organisation Structure 6. Initiative Practices to help you take initiative and demonstrate courage: 1) Reflect 2) Home skilful communication 3) Know yourself and gain insight into others 4) Recognize your role and opportunities to enhance your contribution 5) Vision 6) Identify instances of courage, then use them as a guide.
- 27. 7. Etiquette at work A code that governs the expectations of social behavior in a workplace, in a group or a society. Tells the individual how to behave when dealing with situations in a working environment however trivial the situation is. Office etiquette in particular applies to co-worker interaction and communication with fellow colleagues. Etiquette at work would mean to follow and conduct yourself in a certain code while you are working. 1) Greeting your bosses when you see them. 2) Dressing up appropriately for work. 3) (Different countries have different way of dressing for work.) 4) Refrain from showing all your bad habits at office. 5) Talk politely. Do not raise your voice. 6) DO NOT BE LATE. 7) Always face the day with a smile. EXAMPLE?!
- 28. Hard Skills
- 29. "In our increasingly global society, speaking an additional language has never been more vital for a successful career trajectory," "Language has become more of a 'hard' skill, truly a necessary expertise, comparable to leadership and management skills. -Darryl Simsovic, President of Berlitz Canada. 1. Ability to speak foreign language It is business that places the greatest emphasis on both foreign language capability and knowledge of specific subject areas like management, tourism, or finance. Advantages 1) An employee possessing a solid combination of language and business/managerial skills can have a competitive edge over others without language capability. 2) Bilingual individuals, often those for whom English is a second language, are in great demand. 3) In a few cases, proficiency in a foreign language may result in a pay differential of up to 10%
- 30. 2. Balancing Family and Work • Prioritize your own time is a key success factor. • Money is only a temporary justification for not being there for your family. • Consider the implications of each decision and how you plan to integrate the decision into your current schedule. • With proper planning, balancing work and family is a challenge that can be overcome. Drawing a line between your family and work life
- 31. Soft skills, especially collaboration and networking, is generally more important than hard skills. Most of the employers have always focused more on attitude because they know specific skill-set (hard skills) such as a lack of skills and knowledge can be trained. The soft skills require time, mentoring, informal learning and other environmental supports. Once you have the soft skills to perform in a networked workplace, you’ll have foundational competencies. Soft Skills VS Hard Skills
- 32. But before we end… MRS TEOH Lecturer School of Business & Accountancy
- 33. • What are the basic skills needed for working abroad?Basic skills needed for working abroad 1) Independence 2) Social skills Networking 3) Flexibility 4) Adaptation 5) Self-determination 6) Initiative 7) Etiquette at work 8) Ability to speak foreign language 9) Balancing family and work Soft and Hard skills Importance of soft skills Reasons for people working abroad
- 34. Beneficial and knowledgeable experience. Hard and soft skills both benefits us in different ways. Enable us to be well-prepared to anticipate all the likely obstacles that might come in our way and overcome it with ease. Gain opportunities to work overseas with much ease after building up the fundamentals. Allows us to get the most out of the experience gain while working abroad without the need to worry any further (E.g. the disability to communicate well) Allow one to enjoy an active social life as the confidence to communicate and speak to others is built up.
- 35. Shows us what a typical job overseas will entails Skills that seems trivial actually plays a very big role in ones success, be it in their home country or overseas. Through interviews and also surveys with fellow friends and lecturers that has went overseas, we learnt from them the lifestyle one can expect overseas. Skills that may seem useless when we’re working in Singapore, are actually essential when we work abroad. One’s success is dependent on how well one prepares before going abroad to work.
- 39. Lecturers/Student from School of Business & Accountancy Mrs Teoh Miss Koh-Jolin Mrs Linda Ng Ms. Martha Ng Ms. Ezrynn Ms. Noor Haseena Mr. Joel Han Ms. Jean Mr. Kok Soon
- 40. THANK YOU for your kind attention - The End - Any Questions? Ruishan Geng Bee Shu Hua Eugene Sebastian