Rainy Season

Well, it is that time of the year again - the monsoon/rain season, where it will rain just about every other day or so.

The best thing is waking up in the morning after the rain has come during the night. Everything is so fresh and nice. The other plus point is that you get to go to sleep to the pitter-patter of the rain falling.

*yay*

Of course there are massive traffic jams, the trouble of being caught in the rain and running up and down in it as well as waking up to the sound of rain knowing that you have got to work.

*sigh*

I find myself lying awake at 7am hoping that it is actually 6am and that I have another hour to lie in bed.

Whoops now!

Whoops, analyst job has been given to somebody better qualified - understandable and no hard feelings there.

So, I am back to square one - my current job. You know, it could be a worse job than what it is. I guess personally, maybe because there is an element of sales in my job that I feel uncomfortable with it.

I have never really liked the whole idea of "selling" yourself and what you stood for to somebody. Yes, of course it happens everyday and without it, everybody would be out of a job. Selling yourself and your company's products is a daily occurence.

Nevertheless. I do not like the sales aspect. Sitting down and doing the risk management part, writing up the proposals - yup, that is all fine and dandy with me. Even meeting the client to discuss on the structuring of his trade facilities, no problem. Enjoyable even. But selling myself via a cold call, that is definitely not on my top 100 list of things to do.

My greatest fear of being too sales oriented is that, 10 years down the road, that is all I will be doing - sales. Because all my experience would have been in selling stuff. Is that fear valid? I think it is absolutely valid, I mean, ask a lawyer, or an engineer or a teacher or an accountant what they are likely to be doing 10 years down the road.

But then, my job is not all sales, and covers the nice stuff that I want to learn more off - like risk management, trade banking, etc.

And there are pretty decent benefits, but those are secondary for the time being.

But one day, I am going to move away from sales, if that is possible. And move to a knowledge centric/focused occupation.

SMS/Text your answer Yes or No to 123-Wannabe

I got a call, from somebody who is interested to knowing whether I would like to change jobs. To a knowledge based job (I am currently in a business based job).

I guess it is more of character fit than anything else.


If I were a TV show -

Should Wannabe become an analyst? SMS/Text your answer*! Yes or No to 123-Wannabe!
*Charges may apply. $0.50 per sms/text received.


If I were a Radio program -

Should Wannabe become an analyst? What is your opinion? We are interested in hearing your opinion, call now and let us know what you think!


If I were a Nestle -

Should Wannabe become an analyst? Send in your answer before 22 October 2005! Entry forms can be found on hopefulwannabe.blogspot.com, each entry form must be accompanied by a screenshot of Wannabe's blog.


If I were a Loyalty card program -

Should Wannabe become an analyst? Use your MagicCard points to redeem the answer! 100 points per answer (Yes/No)!


If I were a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -

Should Wannabe become an analyst? There are FIVE, yes, F I V E golden tickets with the answer printed on the back of them! They have been inserted into our chocolates. Help Wannabe find the golden tickets and the answer!


Answer needs to be given by tomorrow, else they are expecting my resume on Monday (17/10/05).

One Year

One year ago, I was in a foreign land, wishing to come home. Now I am at home wishing to go overseas.

One year ago, I was struggling with myself - to complete my studies while having anxiety attacks and depression. Now I am starting my career, struggling to learn and perform fast enough, well enough.

One year ago, I did not know whether I had a relationship, whether what I had would be strong enough to build it up again. Now I am on the verge of being engaged to somebody that I love; that loves me in return.

One year ago, my friends and I, said things would never change, that we would all keep in touch. Now all have moved on with life, forgetting the friends that once were.

One year ago, I lived with 11 other people, sharing their life - their companionship. Now I am living with my family, in my own little world by myself.

One year ago, I never saw beyond 6 months - never planned for the future. Now I am planning 3 years, 5 years in advance, plotting out my life.

One year ago, I worried about whether there was enough money to buy food with. Now I am worried to whether I am eating to much.

One year ago, I never gave a thought to what I would be doing in a year's time. Now I am thinking about what I was doing one year ago....

I wonder what I will be doing one year from now....

Schools to be applied for

After much thought, I have narrowed down the schools that I will be applying for

i) INSEAD (Singapore)
ii) Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (Belgium)
iii) Melbourne Business School (Australia)
iv) Australian Graduate School of Management (Australia)
v) Instituto de Empresa (Spain)
iv) SDA Bocconi (Italy)

I have ruled out American and British due to the cost, and all 2-year programs as time is a factor for me. However, this list is work in progress and not a definitive and final list, but it is pretty close.

Sources used for the listing

Economist Intelligence Unit
Financial Times
and all the respective schools' websites

So next on the list - GMAT preparations.

Moving on

Should you approach a job by striving to be the best at your job?

Or should you approach a job as part of the process of achieving something greater?

The former seems to be micro-management and focus, whereas the latter allows your greater vision and long term strategy. Are they both mutually exclusive? Do you strive to be the best at your job without thinking of what you want to achieve/be at the end of it all?

Surely there can be a balance, where you take a macro view of work and decide what you want to be at the end of the day, and then you work towards it by being the best you can on a day to day basis. And yes, if you have a long term goal, you make sacrifices and take risks that would possibly allow you to achieve that final goal.

So what's so bad about taking risks? If nobody took risks, we would be anything today... and sometimes, mad insane risks should be taken. Not just risks that can be mitigated.

my 2 1/2 cents.