First-Job Success Stories
by Graduan.com.my
Graduating from university is a giant step for many young people. But landing that dream job is even more significant. What does it take to make the transition from university life to working life? Here, four graduates share what they have learned so far and why they are enjoying every minute of working life!
Always have a drive and thirst for knowledge,” says 29-year-old Ben Ibrahim, a TV host and emcee. He has hosted TV programmes like the rugby-dedicated Scrum Time and The Breakfast Show.
Success for him is pretty much defined by getting paid for something that you love doing. “I know it sounds like a cliche but it’s true,” he says. “People who do what I do are not in this for the money; we are in it because we enjoy it.”
Ben has worked hard to be where he is today. A Masters degree holder in Human
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| Ben Ibrahim |
Resources Management (HRM) from Monash University, Australia, he started out as an intern with British American Tobacco before moving to his current position. While he completed his education in a completely different field, he feels his education is not wasted. “I fell into this line by accident, but my Masters degree did prepare me for the research and presentation element for this role,” he says. For Navin Ramudaram, 25, a Management Trainee at luxury car manufacturer Daimler Chrysler, a university education is only a foundation. “You’d be lucky if you use 20 percent of that knowledge at work,” he says.
A Masters degree holder in Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Navin’s recipe for working life is to continuously strive for improvement and being willing to learn from others. “You should also have people skills, which is becoming increasingly important these days. You need to learn how to handle and deal with different situations and people,” he adds.
His colleague Norzarina Harris couldn’t agree more.
| “You should also have people skills, which is becoming increasingly important these days. You need to learn how to handle and deal with different situations and people.” |
“Interpersonal skills are very important and something you can learn along the way,” she adds. “Some people are born with them but those others who don’t have very good interpersonal skills can still learn them.”
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| Navin Ramudaram |
Norzarina is also a Management Trainee and holds an Honours degree in Engineering (Automotive). She graduated in 2005 and has been working with the company for about a year. Another Daimler-Chrysler Management Trainee, Hismul Azzam Mohamad Hatta, says, “Success is a blend of positive attitudes, determination, guts and hard work.”
For Ben, the surprise was how competitive the broadcasting industry is. “It is not an easy line to get into. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time.”
Despite the challenges so far, all say they have learned much about themselves and working life.
“I’m learning so many new things, whether it is sports, business or current affairs,” adds Ben. “And, I get a chance to share that information with a whole audience! It is great fun, but it is also tough and a lot of hard work. But I love it.”
| “I’ve learnt so much about co-operating and understanding different parties.” |
For Hismul, the sense of accomplishment when a task or project is completed is priceless, “especially when I deliver good results.”
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| Hismul Azzam Mohamad Hatta |
Norzarina’s take on the key of success is this: “Life is about technical and non-technical aspects. The non-technical part, we have to experience it and make adjustments. But technical values we have to learn to know and master.”
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