tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post7375321458395985585..comments2024-03-19T18:44:15.041+08:00Comments on Little Stories: On Life, Work & StudyGilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-86894885045935945382007-03-21T18:04:00.000+08:002007-03-21T18:04:00.000+08:00Hi, what's your views on the issue that foreign la...Hi, <BR/><BR/>what's your views on the issue that foreign law graduates who cannot qualify to practise law in singapore?<BR/><BR/>some of us really want to practise, at least before we decide to switch profession, if we do. and many of us end up staying overseas so to fulfill our wish. <BR/><BR/>for those who wants to go back to singapore badly, they are forced to not practise or be sandwiched as "foreign lawyers" or more crudely, paralegals. what's the point of then, to do a law degree when we can do a diploma?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-58311566766184516332007-03-19T12:16:00.000+08:002007-03-19T12:16:00.000+08:00Strange why the students, or their parents do not ...Strange why the students, or their parents do not think of the supply of Business graduates 4 years later when they graduate. And the demand for business grads 4 years later.<BR/><BR/>Gives me a feeling we will have another one of those "structural unemployment" like the life science sector in 4 years time. Sigh, whatever happened to MoM's manpower planning?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-22527232624694229472007-03-17T21:41:00.000+08:002007-03-17T21:41:00.000+08:00Hi mr wang. Its me again. Congrats on the job move...Hi mr wang. Its me again. Congrats on the job move. I wish you the best of luck in managing a good work and life balance. For me, having lots of money is to avert the problems that a lack of money will cause so that i may spend time on more meaningful things in life like family =)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-89550382037099682452007-03-17T07:47:00.000+08:002007-03-17T07:47:00.000+08:00Thanks for the thought.I work in the derivatives s...Thanks for the thought.<BR/><BR/>I work in the derivatives sphere, so that is some comfort. Market volatility ---> more people want to hedge risks ---> good for my business.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-88604302074852514622007-03-17T01:25:00.000+08:002007-03-17T01:25:00.000+08:00Dear Mr. Wang,Investment Banking, compared to most...Dear Mr. Wang,<BR/><BR/>Investment Banking, compared to most other industries, is far more exposed to an economic / market downturn. <BR/><BR/>With the consecutive number of years of growth in equity markets, some believe that the recent market correction is an indication of the times ahead. <BR/><BR/>Just a thought.<BR/><BR/>Jack RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-62246101517305217212007-03-17T01:13:00.000+08:002007-03-17T01:13:00.000+08:00hey...but sometimes...life sometimes is also about...hey...but sometimes...life sometimes is also about learning to do something which u hate. To appreciate something, sometimes requires to learn to love what u are doing...(which means u didn't like it in the first place)<BR/><BR/>I hated studying. But i'm forced to study anyway. But i love doing it now. Something in the course of my life must have change my perception.<BR/><BR/>No?<BR/><BR/>The ironies of life... ;)<BR/><BR/>TeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-70608542250872398292007-03-16T11:10:00.000+08:002007-03-16T11:10:00.000+08:00Mr Wang,I highly recommend this video for your rea...Mr Wang,<BR/><BR/>I highly recommend this video for your readers. Its' quite aptly on-topic:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=r_stjohn" REL="nofollow">Watch Online</A><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_stjohn_r_2005.zip" REL="nofollow">Download Video</A> (better, but requires QuickTime)<BR/><BR/>Other talks from TED are available <A HREF="http://ted.com/tedtalks/" REL="nofollow">here</A>. Oh, what a wonderful resource!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-3720237901413086542007-03-16T10:25:00.000+08:002007-03-16T10:25:00.000+08:00I think one of the points Mr Wang is trying to mak...I think one of the points Mr Wang is trying to make is that Singaporeans are always following the herd, that each one of us should really try to do something different, to stand out from the pack. <BR/><BR/>I live overseas and I can't help but anecdotally note that a large proportion of students at the commerce school of my former uni are Asians and probably a lot of Singaporeans. <BR/><BR/>Why, you may ask? Is is because we are naturally better at commerce and accounting or is it because of the lifetime earnings that such careers promise?<BR/><BR/>Ask a Singapore student why he is doing an MBA and I'm pretty certain the answer is likely to be I want to be an investment banker or a management consultant (for McKinsey no less). <BR/><BR/>I'm also guilty myself of following the beaten path, doing an MBA at a top-ranked school. But I'm happy my classmates have taken quite non-traditional MBA paths, like one becoming the Head of Friends of the Earth. As for me, I'm no investment banker or management consultant. Far from it. <BR/><BR/>My advice is don't OVERplan your life. Make at least one irrational life-changing decision in your life. You'll be surprised where it takes you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-65418824429616827852007-03-16T08:25:00.000+08:002007-03-16T08:25:00.000+08:00Thank you, Dr Huang.My job will require creativity...Thank you, Dr Huang.<BR/><BR/>My job will require creativity. My responsibility is to keep inventing new types of "<A HREF="http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2531" REL="nofollow">financial weapons of mass destruction</A>", haha.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-66939345049441579572007-03-16T05:59:00.000+08:002007-03-16T05:59:00.000+08:00Hi Mr. Wang,Congrats!Start printing the money! ha ...Hi Mr. Wang,<BR/>Congrats!<BR/>Start printing the money! ha ha<BR/>best wishes<BR/><BR/>Dr.HuangnofearSingaporehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10292932144525733468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-29579820474259427302007-03-16T00:37:00.000+08:002007-03-16T00:37:00.000+08:00Investment banker? I have friends who are investme...Investment banker? I have friends who are investment bankers at various firms(morgan stanley, goldman) and it's a crap job. No creativity, very long hours and little job gratification. The only thing going for that job is the pay. Have you read Monkey Business? That's the real world of investment banking... a bunch of excel and powerpoint monkeys. There are way more interesting and intellectual jobs out there.jychonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13280448099107069775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-26016634968543600702007-03-15T23:03:00.000+08:002007-03-15T23:03:00.000+08:00Can anyone give some examples of distinctive compe...Can anyone give some examples of distinctive competencies?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-32593354656674669712007-03-15T21:19:00.000+08:002007-03-15T21:19:00.000+08:00Oh, I will just to learn to work more and more eff...Oh, I will just to learn to work more and more efficiently.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-11105419403690472612007-03-15T17:53:00.000+08:002007-03-15T17:53:00.000+08:00Why does Mr Wang want to become an investment bank...Why does Mr Wang want to become an investment banker?<BR/><BR/>Is it because of the higher pay? But the flip side is less time to spend with the family and didn't Mr Wang say that he is considering nurturing a third child?darrnothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16448642210175970087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-36260474174609547382007-03-15T16:50:00.000+08:002007-03-15T16:50:00.000+08:00One should work to live, not live to work. But tha...One should work to live, not live to work. But that shouldn't detract anyone from deriving satisfaction out of it. So work out an acceptable list of tradeoffs and find your fit. For misfits seldom get very far...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-77135964300007858932007-03-15T16:36:00.000+08:002007-03-15T16:36:00.000+08:00I'm a third year student in NTUstudying some engin...I'm a third year student in NTUstudying some engineering. Now...let's see what homework I have. <BR/><BR/>1. Project (Design) - <BR/>Deadline 21 March<BR/>2. Project (about rust) -<BR/>Deadline 28 March<BR/>3. Project (about change) -<BR/>Deadline (forgot, but completed)<BR/>4. Project (about introduction of technology) -<BR/>Deadline 21 March<BR/>5. Homework submission (about silicon) <BR/>- friday, 10 pages <BR/><BR/>Add to that our tutorials and lesson. <BR/><BR/>I'm working around 1 day/week (but it's flexible since I saved enough for spending til graduation - no need for pocket money or anything from my father).<BR/><BR/>Attending a drawing course, lessons on saturday and sunday. Practicing 2 hours/day. If I miss one day, I'll try to make up for it.<BR/><BR/>Now tell me, do I have a life outside school? Please don't tell me about any other learning outside school life. I would like to do so, but THOSE IDIOTS gave us too much damn things to do. No time.<BR/><BR/>Now if you please, my rest is over, I need to go back to completing my project. <BR/><BR/>Did I mention that because of my studying and drawing, I've overslept three days and missed SIX BLOODY HOURS of lectures? Will have to go back and listen to the online tomorrow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-21615316515067228882007-03-15T16:33:00.000+08:002007-03-15T16:33:00.000+08:00Congrats, Mr Wang. It's quite a major move, I will...Congrats, Mr Wang. It's quite a major move, I will say. May I ask ~ are you going in as the associate director or the senior associate of the team? Just curious.Strifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02938896397708525531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-38012107073658699832007-03-15T15:20:00.000+08:002007-03-15T15:20:00.000+08:00Ah yes, the bankers do earn more, but their hours ...Ah yes, the bankers do <A HREF="http://derivatives2007.blogspot.com/2007/02/salaries-bonuses.html" REL="nofollow">earn more</A>, but their hours are long too ....Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-68530004219428278602007-03-15T14:22:00.000+08:002007-03-15T14:22:00.000+08:00Congrats, Mr Wang. I heard investment bankers earn...Congrats, Mr Wang. I heard investment bankers earn more than lawyers while working less stressful hours. Is that true?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-43663889306731834092007-03-15T14:10:00.000+08:002007-03-15T14:10:00.000+08:00Mr Wang thanks for the thought provoking article.T...Mr Wang thanks for the thought provoking article.<BR/><BR/>Though I agree in principle with the article and your view point, the reality check is one has to be above the survival mode to make such plans/options for the future.<BR/><BR/>Yes in Singapore there are those who rise above their situation. However for the majority in survival mode, they tend to be pragmatic and just follow the government "law".<BR/><BR/>IMHO, it is about encouraging independent thought tempered by personal responsibility. And when the Singapore society (including the government) matures such that it is willing to accept differences will the barriers to (paraphasing your last point) develop truly distinctive competencies be low. In such an environment we will see more individuals pursuing their own interests.Meng Chonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07041318597462076922noreply@blogger.com