Sunday, February 7, 2010

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Cover letter draft #1

Dear Sir of Madam,

I would like to apply for the position of design assistant intern in your firm.

At present, I am an exchange student in National University of Singapore and I have been studying architecture for 4 years in University of Seoul, Korea. I am a punctual, focused and enthusiastic person. I have an extensive knowledge of various computer programs.

I think I would be a suitable candidate for the position, because I have experienced in working at architecture firms in Korea and abroad as well. Also, I took part in several competitions and won awards which include 2008 Wood Structure Competition 3rd runner-up and 2009 Seoul Public Facility Design 3rd runner-up(bus shelter and public bathroom).

I would welcome an opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you and how I could be of service to the company. I can be reached at the number and e-mail address indicated below.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.




Yours Faithfully,

Bae Sanghyun
mobile phone : 84070388
e-mail : tiny_dolphin@naver.com

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Resolve interpersonal conflict

Almost everyone experiences interpersonal conflict. Conflicts usually arise when people do not meet expectations that others have of them, and they end up getting disappointed, upset and start blaming each other. Failure to resolve conflicts can bring dire consequences, such as the collapse of partnership in a project and the destruction of relationships. However, If one succeeds in resolving conflicts, one can not only achieve one’s goals in a project but also emerge from the conflict with an even stronger relationship.

One of the most important thins that one needs in resolving conflict is a sincere attitude. Your colleague my or may not recognize your issue of concern. In any case, you need to talk to them with a genuine heart. Tell them honestly how you reel, instead of blaming them for making you feel that way. After all, no one is able to make you feel angry; you choose to respond in that way. If you need to clarify matters, do not throw vague questions. Ask specifically, but NOT in an offensive manner. Once you show your sincerity, they will respond in the same way.

Even if both parties recognize the problem, the opposite party may now know nor understand the situation that you are in, and vice versa, Once again, good communication skills are vital for resolving the conflict. Through proper communication, both parties are able to view the problem clearly and deal with it effectively. Eventually, as the saying gees, “there is a rainbow after the storm”, your relationship will be strengthened after the conflict is worked out.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Why are communication skills important to me?

When my studies progressed to university level, I felt that everthing changed. To be honest, before I entered university, in school I simply followed whatever the teacher instructed, and only aimed to get higher scores on tests even though I had no idea where I could apply my newly gained knowledge.
In university, as I started to learn architecture, I realized that studying was not only about gaining knowledge from the tutor; the process of interaction was equally important. When I asked him more questions, I could understand better and get even more information. Besides, I had to describe my design accurately in order to obtain more useful feedback from my tutor. Eventually I learnt that throwing the question 'Why?' was so much more important than just listening and memorizing.
Now here is the question, why are communication skills important to me?
Interestingly, this question also starts with 'why'. The reason why it is important is that through good communication, we can share more information and also our feelings as well. I have come to realize that I am not adept at conveying my thoughts to others and need more practice, especially in English. I am not a talkative person, and when I am required to convers in English, I tend to speak even less. Therefore I hope to work on my communication skills.