Part-time work, full-time study

A recipe for disaster?
(Photo credits: Google Images)

     Coming from a middle-class-income family of four siblings including myself, I had to start working part-time right after graduating from high school to pay for further education in order to lessen my parents’ burden. There are always pros and cons of working while completing your studies. Here are the basic rules to follow in order to avoid the disaster of juggling both your job and studies.
      The golden rule to a healthy balance between working and studying is, to have strong time management skills. Setting up daily plan is highly recommended to help you get your schedule properly organized. Choose your commitments wisely. It is also crucial to select the right employer who understands your situation and also able to accommodate to your college’s schedule. Places like Starbucks or music stores are known to be suitable for students to work part-time.
(Photo credit: Google Images)
     Be sure to keep in touch with your classmates and lecturers to be updated with your studies and also, arrange a way to share ideas and brainstorm for assignments through emails. 
     Learn to multi-task. If you have to miss classes because of work (which is highly not recommended to do so), consult your lecturer to clarify things and explain your situation. Other than that, it is always a good thing to politely ask your family and friends to be understanding. Bear in mind that you are going to take a lot of time due to your heavy commitments and they may not see much of you at times. They might be upset because of this therefore, learn to inform them. 
     Enjoy the crossover between work and study. Full-time students may appear enviable to you but they are missing out on the key ingredient that is pushing you - working experience. Although your work and studies are completely unrelated, your work provides you with the valuable skills of prioritizing, managing, balancing tasks, time-management, dealing with colleagues/customers and so much more.
     All of these experiences are priceless and very helpful for you to be one step ahead of your other classmates who have not get in touch with the working world just yet. 

The brink of success


Pull yourself out of the rut and keep your graduate blues at bay. Cross over the bridge and start your walk on this bumpy-career-path.


           

          You are a fresh graduate happily walk home with an honors certificate on your left while waving to bid your old school times on your right. This ultimate feeling of graduating from college/university is totally different from secondary, primary or fun-learning centre. As a high-spirited fresh soul who is new to the labor market you are feeling exhilarated yet anxious, insecure and lost. Worrying about getting a job? Fret not, as there are plenty of job hunting sites & ways to assist eager applicants like you. Below are the 8 ways of helping you to get a job.


1. Spread the word to everyone.
      Tell your families, relatives, friends, neighbors, colleagues, employers or anyone you know that you're seeking for a job! A freshly made cookie from the oven is ready to serve! Make sure your message is delivered to those who are hiring, not your competitors.
2. Career Fair
     Visit any job fairs in the city to look up for opportunities. Spruce up yourself with a formal look and pay a visit to each booth as there might be employers looking for talented, bright and young people like you. Collect information and do research on the company that you're interested in before you meet them upfront. 
     While fully immersing yourself with this bustling atmosphere where everyone is hungry for a job, remember to flaunt your resume to attract top companies, both local and international, from the career fair.
3. Scour through the Big Job Sites
     You don't need to go out and knock on every door, there are numerous websites available just by a click away. To name a few, Jobs DB Malaysia, Job Street Malaysia, Monster Malaysia, My Star Job or Jen Jobs. Visit these websites daily to keep you informed with their latest updates. They offer all kinds of jobs like freelance, part time and full time jobs. They cater to all your needs and preferences.
4. Sign up as a Member
     Register yourself in any career community and be a part of them. Always be actively involved and join their events and activities like job search/job readiness activities, career talks, seminars or classes, personnel agencies, college alumni, career centre, or job clubs. 
     Online services like LinkedIn or Branchout are always the best platforms to interact and they also work as a hub for employers to search for employees and job seekers. You can always find business or job opportunities through these sites while expanding your working network. So, make sure you feed the hungry employers with your truly scrumptious resume there.
5. Approach your desired company
     You can always buzz them by a phone call, email or pay them your first visit. It is recommended to give a call to the company you are interested in beforehand and request for an appointment. Otherwise, your sudden presence in the company might not be entertained.      
     The better way to approach the particular company is to call up and ask if they have any available positions or job openings. Mind your tone and language when conversing with the personnel or you might screw up on your first impression.
6. Buy a community paper.
     Get yourself a newspaper and flick to classifieds section. Look through it one by one to see if there is any position that fits you. By doing this, you will be able to get to know company names and categorize them. You can always put tick/checks down on the teeny job column like what past generations did in the old days.
7. Talk to your professor!
     Be grateful and always remember who your lecturers or professors were during your college/university years. They are specialists and career experts in their field. Contact them now and let them know your concern! They will not be reluctant to greet you with their fruitful experiences, practical suggestions, job recommendations or relevant tips on the current job market. Who knows if they can help you with a good post or a job offer.
8. Be a volunteer.
     To you, work without pay is absolutely unacceptable. Fear not, it might be one of the best ways of exposure for you. Hard work never kills. Be a volunteer in the workplace of your interest and enrich your skills & experience at the mean time.

     Pick any of the ways above to assist you in getting your dream job. Fill your mind with brimming confidence, determination and be ready to conquer! Start the engine and let the heart drive you to your road of success. Threshold to working days are awaiting you, feel free to explore them today! 

Money for a better future

List of financial aids available for higher education in Malaysia


Can you have both?
(Photo credit: as tagged)


Education is all about money. Be it government or private institution, there is no free education in this world. Both colleges and universities require long-term savings to pay course fees in order to get quality education.
For students who study far from home and have no free accommodation provided by their colleges, the amount of money to spend is not a joke. Living cost including food, accommodation and transportation are in the checklist. Even though Malaysia has yet to be a high-income country to afford free higher education for its citizens, there are always other alternatives.  Here are some of the possibilities of financial aids available:

Government Loans @ PTPTN
The Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) Education Loan Scheme is the most popular among students and parents. Unfortunately, some students misuse the money to buy all the latest gadgets or games instead of using it for something that can enhance their studies. The PTPTN loan facility is open to students who wish to pursue diploma, degree, masters, doctorate or professional courses. It is also available for students who are taking long distance or part-time courses. (For more information: PTPTN'official site)


MARA Loans
An agency under Malaysia’s Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) is responsible for encouraging and facilitating social and economic development in rural areas. To sustain this loan, applicants must maintain their CGPA of 2.5 and above. An interesting fact about the MARA loan; if the applicants manage to maintain their pointers of 3.5 and above throughout all semesters, the loan will turn into scholarship as reward for their hard work. Don’t you think this is a real good deal? (For more information: Mara's official site)

Bank Loans
Education loans are possible so, don’t be scared to step into any bank and ask about it. A number of loans are available by banks in Malaysia for unfortunate students who want to get higher education. Bank Rakyat Berhad (AL-FALAK) for example, provides Al-Rajhi loan which does not require any guarantors. The loan amount can be five times the amount of salary and, the minimum salary required is only RM1, 500. That is what a bank is for, right?

Let’s graduate with a happy pocket!
(Photo credit: Google Images)


  
Government Scholarships @ JPA
The Public Service Department of Malaysia, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) basically develops policies, strategies and manages public agencies and human resources. Prior to this year, JPA offered the PILN scholarship to SPM students. However, an announcement was made last year (2011) that their policies may change and the scholarship may only be offered to pre-university applicants, instead of SPM. JPA scholars not only have to be excellent in studies but also to be active in co-curricular activities. (For more information: JPA's official site)

Company Scholarships
Nowadays, there are quite a number of companies that offer funding for academic fees and some, full scholarships which also cover living expenses. Different companies have their own terms and conditions. There are a few scholarships in particular that stand out and seem to be popular choices among students: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), Securities Commission (SC), UEM Group Berhad and Sime Darby (Source: News Straits Times Malaysia)

Distance learning @ PJJ (Program Jarak Jauh)
This is neither a loan nor a scholarship but, a program that enables you to get your degree while working full time. This project is proposed to utilize the current information technology available in Malaysia. The use of internet to replace the current paper-printed module materials will enhance features like security, bulletin-board, module content and exercises on Web. (Source: On-Line Distance Learning, Masters thesis @ Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).


So dear students, can you see your source of money now? What loan and when to apply? Or are you currently aiming for a scholarship? Just give it a shot simply because there is no harm trying, right? If you succeed, congrats! If you do not make it, take it as a part of life experience. It’s easy as that. Somehow, your exam results doesn't show the real you but your confidence will definitely influence your life as well.

Imagine this, what if we have no source to obtain money to pursue our studies at all? Will Malaysia become a third world country and be filled with criminals that kill each other to survive? Phewww, thank God for all of the loans and scholarships available, Malaysia can now be proud to be an independent country that consists of well educated-citizens. Malaysia Boleh! 


Save for your own good. Why say no?
(Photo credit: Google Images)

THE TEAM!!


Editor's note