The new 精英

Last Wed was filled with interesting activities - first the sharing session with potential Management Associates (MAs); then the lunch with Group Head HG and a scholar candidate. Met this guy from another department who went with me to Capital Towers, The China Club (wah, a high-class exclusive Chinese restaurant) to address this young batch of MA candidates. Happened that this colleague was from VJC too and though we were 6 batches apart, there were many things and events in college to reminiscent on （like the Muslim stall's fried chicken wing). It's like 酒逢之子千杯少。

This group of 7 potential MAs were eager, young and almost ready to venture out to see the world. Some came prepared with questions; most were concerned about their progression, career paths and the company's adaptability to changes. Hope my answers to their questions didn't turn them away from my company. Haha.

Lunch was at Lingzhi vegetarian restaurant with my Group Head and this scholar candidate, an Indian lady who graduated from RJC and was going to start uni life at NTU. My initial impression of her through her CV wasn't good - you know, the kind who wrote long paragraphs and rather braggy statements in their CVs just leave somewhat a little distaste in you. But the meet-up proved she's worthy of the scholarship as she was confident and displayed sincerity and her true self. But still, as HG mentioned, they will have to go through 3-4 years of work and through trying periods before they are proven solid.

From these interactions with the younger batches, I can tell what's up ahead for the rest of us more seasoned employees in the market and that we should all find our niches. There'll be tough and competitive times ahead, with those who always dress and speak vocally to impress, those that have the flair of the tongue to cut sharp during meetings and who would go out more to get an edge over others. This sounds scary, but somewhat is true. Just look around at the foreign students coming over to join our local cohort and giving the latter a really hard time to fight to outscore them.

In one way, we're lucky to have avoided the influx of these foreign students (that might have secured me my seat in VJC and subsequently in NUS). But going forward, we'll have to focus on what we do best and to excel in them - then can we beat the rest.