AIM MM 1990 Alumnus Shares Management Insights to MM and MDM Students

The AIM students in Master in Management (MM) and the Master in Development Management (MDM) had the privilege to learn strategic management lessons from the newly appointed Philippine Air Force Commanding Major General Oscar H. Rabena at the ABS-CBN caseroom last February 3, 2009. His talk focused on the importance of different leadership styles, as well as mentoring and coaching.

He is a well respected AIM MM 1990 alumnus. For the past years, he earned citations including a Distinguished Star, a Philippine Legion of Honor, a Gawad sa Kaunlaran Award, a Distinguished Aviation Cross, a Bronze Cross Medal and two Military Merit Medals.

His firm resolute is to inculcate a planning mindset in the Philippine Air Force. “We could dream up the best systems but unless we know how to organize resources, we will fail. This is particularly important given our meager resources and opportunities,” he said.

AIM Moves On!

Today at 10.30 a.m. the AIM staff gathered for a General Assembly at the Soriano Hall. The environment at the Soriano Hall had a positive vibe. The general atmosphere was light and informal, complete with flowing coffee and some snacks.

Everyone was curious about the meeting agenda. Executive Managing Director Carmela Chupungco opened the session, explaining that it was the venue where AIM President Francis Estrada wanted to formally and officially inform the staff of his decision not to renew his contract with AIM. President Estrada said that he enjoyed the responsibility as AIM President and thanked the staff for the consistent positive support. He also expressed that it was an honor to lead the first management school in the Far East, especially at this strategic time when Asia is becoming the center of global economic activity.

President Estrada cited that the positive financial conditions and increased enrollment levels in the Institute were the result of the collective work among the AIM staff. One of the key policies he initiated was the merit based performance reward system, a move that President Estrada believes was instrumental in strengthening AIM's situation. This means that performance of each staff will be evaluated, and will be given due reward. He promised to implement this before his term ends.

Further, he called for a renewal of leadership and passion across the entire AIM community, faculty and staff to re-strengthen the position of AIM as the leading management school of Asia even after his term as AIM President. He reiterated that the staff should continue working as a team, towards the shared goal, moving without an inch of mediocrity, but towards excellence and market leadership.

The staff expressed their respect and gratitude for the service President Estrada rendered to the Institute. The policies and reforms he implemented will be a precedent towards more positive changes in the Institution.

Top 10% of MBA Students

While all AIM students undergo rigorous training to develop them into great thinkers and movers in society, a select number of them stand out during the process. The Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business announced the following top 10% of the MBA Cohort 3 for term 1. The Dean's List for the term include:

1. Abalajen, Sheila Grace (Filipino)


2. Chhazed, Rohan (India)


3. Diaz, Johan (Filipino)


4. Echevarria, Joseph Patrick (Filipino)


5. Khandelwal, Mohit Santosh (India)


6. Kumar, Abhishek (India)


7. Lachhani, Rajesh (India)


8. Lau, Lee Leng Kerry (Malaysian)


9. Lim, Jan Clarence (Filipino)


10. Shah, Nirav Shaileh (India)


11. Susarla, Shiva Prasad (India)


12. Walia, Moksh (India)


13. Warren, Carlos Virgilio (Filipino)

East or West, AIM is Still the Best

Every year, selected MBA students of AIM get a chance to cross enroll in a university abroad under the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) of the Institute. Kishore Daswani, Cohort 1 of MBA 16, shares his ISEP experience at a European Business School from September to December 2008.
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I paced through the cold winds with a pannini in hand and excitement in my heart. I entered a museum guarded by 2 lions, and decorated with paintings of unknown pizza makers. Distracted by the beautiful scenery, I finally found my way to the classroom conducted by Imhotep from ‘The Mummy’ series.

In line with the museum like beauty of the building itself, the classrooms were no less similar. There were numerous seats with the capacity of a 100 people, surround sound speakers, flat screen computer on the teachers desk, retractable canvas screen and a ceiling mounted projector. Very advanced, quite complete … with the exception of basic features, namely that of distributed outlets for our laptops. Considering the school has a good network of Internet services (I will get to this later on), and the professors provide us beforehand the PowerPoint materials before classes. It would be very productive if we could follow the lectures with our laptops and notes we have made therein prior to the class, well this was not the case as everyone’s laptop were on the brink of shutting down due to exertion.

The beauty of the classroom did not amaze me really, nor did the diversity of women in the classroom (Spanish, Serbian, French, Moldovan … need I go on?). What truly amazed me was the learning method in the university itself. I was informed that this was by far one of the most interactive teaching methods in Italy. For their standards probably it is, however coming from the Asian teaching method it fails in comparison. Let me elaborate… in class the teachers are well prepared and are open to discussions regarding the lesson, the PowerPoint materials are complete and you learn thoroughly … however the students themselves don’t question the teachers (unless they are ISEP and come from a CP based learning system like I was accustomed to) I remember one instance where an Italian classmate of mine answered a question poised by the professor, and I quickly rebutted proving his argument wrong, rather than try to prove my argument wrong, he just looked at me in a stern way (kind of hinting that any further transgressions would result in me sleeping with the fishes if you know what I mean!).

This kind of behavior in the learning process baffled me, they only study for the last 2 weeks prior to the examination, they have different options in the studying method (basically if you attend class or not, at the end of the day it all boils down on the final examination anyways). The competitive spirit was boiled down on your exam grades and your grades were based on a ranking wherein your rank in relation to the class curve would determine your grades rather than your absolute performance … it was difficult to determine where you stood throughout the whole process.

This teaching result was further exemplified when we had to present a final group project for a branding class. I noticed that all the groups worked hard on their presentation, with fancy animations and short movies (that looked professionally done) aimed at dazzling the audience. The problem is that they don’t know how to present it, they had their papers in front of them, reciting a script as they went along. The group that I was in just had a very basic PowerPoint presentation with key imagery highlighting what we had to say. I presented of course (being the only one in that class representing Asia in a truly varied form) my presentation was the normal presentation I would perform in my time in AIM. However what was to happen when I ended the presentation I would have never expected. The whole class stood in an uproar, clapping their hands until they were red, a standing ovation! I would have never expected that in a hundred years at that point (considering other presentations looked nicer than ours)

It then dawned upon me that the learning style that they were accustomed to was directed by the paper in front of their eyes, and that despite their ability to be very sociable outside the classroom they have not experienced a self directed learning wherein they enhance their soft skills. The fact that they relied everything on their exams was the reason for it all. I was glad that I studied in AIM where I was exposed to a different learning method. Because this method allowed me to develop skills that are beneficial for a manager, skills such as public speaking (casing point of the presentation), listening (I listened attentively to class as my basis for studying the examinations), communication, and most importantly I learned to be quick on my feet and come up with answers on the spot.

The education system was of course complemented by a very comprehensive IT network. You can do practically anything on their IT network, from registering your classes to registering for your examinations (different exams, different dates). Every student is given an ID card with this card they can access terminals where they can check various information or even get certification from the university for different reasons such as permit of stay or even a monthly public transportation pass. These cards are also used to gain access to the numerous computer rooms in the university, you can access the Internet and print, and you are provided by the university to print up to 20 pages a day per student, which is good because the only reason you need to print is to submit an assignment since everything is provided via the IT network. The best part of the network however is the individual student portal, in this portal you have your class schedules, exam schedules, materials for the classes, links to different departments, your webmail and even an online organizer which helps you schedule yourself in line with your activities in the university.

My experience in the European Business School was a good one, I grew up a lot in those 4 months that I lived on my own. At that time I lived in my own apartment, and did not experience the dorm life in the European Business School (although they did convert a hotel into a dormitory so I think the facilities were nice). I learned to fend for myself, I learned to assimilate myself into a completely different culture, most importantly I learned to appreciate what I had. My experience in AIM is irreplaceable, although the European Business School may have several advanced features in their portfolio, the sheer human touch, the basic elements in the classroom and the high value education (I was pushed, pulled and mashed into the ground in AIM, the WAC nights, the CP, the AC and the oh so dreadful MRR! you cannot get the same valuable education experience anywhere) that I received in AIM is what I hold in high regard over the museum like facilities, over the comprehensive Internet facilities (sorry but this does not go over the diversity in women!)

A Tribute to Retired AIM Faculty

On the evening of January 27, 2009 at the SGV Hall of the AIM Conference Center Manila, AIM gave honor to mentors who contributed meaningful years of service and commitment to the Institute. Dean Licuanan opened the evening with warm welcome remarks, highlighting the seven professors as part of the AIM family. Professor Richard Cruz introduced each of the distinguished league of educators.

Here is how the AIM community remembers the retired professors:

Prof. Soledad A. Hernando, PhD

Professor Sol, as she is commonly known, was a core faculty of the Center for Development Management. Greatly loved by the AIM community, Professor Sol is a respected educator, a committed development expert, and a very devoted wife and a loving mother.

Prof. Jose M. Faustino

“I want the students to become the best that they can be!" Professor Joe Faustino shared in the last AIM Blog interview. This has been his motivation for teaching at AIM. Being the Program Director for years, he is known as the proponent of the Strategic Marketing Course. Before his retirement, he was a core faculty of the MBA program. He also became core faculty of EXCELL. Apart from his marketing expertise, his colleagues and students will always remember his candor and sense of humor.

Prof. Teodoro Ma. P. Dizon

Professor Dizon was EXCELL’s Program Director for the Basic Management Program. His colleagues consider him as an expert on financial and managerial accounting, including control systems. While he is known as a master in the numbers game, he also is a force to beat when it comes to billiards and card games.

Prof. Victor S. Limlingan

Professor Limlingan has devoted his years of service at AIM being a core faculty of the Center for Development Management. He taught courses on development finance and strategy management. He is also managing a business with his supportive wife, Marita.

Prof. Errol B. Perez, DBA

Professor Perez was a member of the MBA core faculty. He taught courses on finance and quantitative analysis. He had recently supervised cases on finance and money markets, and in 2008, gamely did a brownbag presentation on the Sub-prime meltdown. One will not fail to recognize Professor Perez in AIM, as he is probably the only faculty member who wears a bowtie and a bowler’s hat.

Prof. Rafael J. Azanza

Professor Azanza served as a GSB faculty for years at AIM. He taught courses on finance, and also supervised cases on strategic finance for the Case Research Group. Not a lot of people know that aside from having a star appeal, he also had a chance to showcase talent in the movie industry decades ago.

Prof. Purba H. Rao, PhD

Professor Purba Rao was a core faculty of the MBA Program. She taught courses on predictive modeling, quantitative management and was extensively publishing researches on her areas of expertise and advocacies. She is most-loved by her students and members of the AIM staff, with whom she shares her unforgettable Indian cooking.

AIM Welcomes the Year of the Ox

Heavy rains did not stop the AIM community from celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year. As early as 5pm, students, faculty and staff converged last January 23, 2009 at the Zen Garden. It was a night of dragon dancing and film viewing for those in the campus.

The Chinese New Year is considered as the longest, most important celebration among Chinese. Traditionally, festivities start on the first day of the lunar month and lasts for 15 days. Dragon and lion dances are common. It is said that the loud drum beats and the sound of cymbals, together with the face of the dragon or lion dancing aggressively can drive away bad or evil spirits.

How to Write a Resume - The Art of Selling Yourself

The following is the first in a series of mini-work shops intended to enhance AIM’s MBA graduate employability during and after their program of study.

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Module 1

Learning Objectives:

1. The difference between a resume and a CV

2. Different types of resume

3. What a covering letter is and how to write a good letter

4. Format and style tips for writing a resume

What is a resume and a CV – what is the difference?

“Resume is a document containing a summary highlighting the experiences and credentials and education usually written for the purpose of gaining an interview while seeking an employment. Since resume is the first thing that a potential employer encounters regarding the applicant, it carries a great significance.”

A good resume is about self-promotion, but unlike the traditional CV, it is about raising questions rather than trying to answer them.

Occasionally you will see a job advertisement asking for a resume. Although these are more commonly requested in the US, it is useful to learn the techniques of resume.

A resume is short, snappy and to the point. It is a door opener, a piece of personal PR with all the same qualities as any good piece of advertising.

Take a restaurant flyer, for example. A quick glance tells you what is on offer, what the specials are and how to get there. The first person sifting through job applications typically spends only a minute with each resume. Anything you can do to quickly identify yourself as a strong candidate is going to help.

"A good resume raises questions; a CV tries to answer them, there is a fine balance between telling too much and too little".

Types of Resume

A resume may be limited to one or two pages and can be organized in several ways.
Chronological Resume

Highlights a candidate's job experience in reverse chronological order, that is, the main body of the document shows the professional experience beginning from the most recent experience going chronologically backwards through a succession of previous experience. The main aim of a chronological resume is to give an impact of credibility through experience gained.

This type of resume is the most common resume in use.

Functional Resume

A functional resume highlights work experience and skills classified by skill area or job function. The objective of a functional resume is to focus on the skills particular to the kind of position being sought which directly gives weightage to professional capabilities and experiences as a backup. In contrast to chronological resume, functional resume will highlight these competencies and is most suited for jobs that require a particular skill or clearly defined personality traits.

Combination Resume

A combination resume balances both the chronological and functional resumes, which typically leads with a functional list of job skills and then the chronological list of employers.

The Language and style of a Good Resume

A resume is quite short and therefore contains experience directly relevant to the position and many resumes use precise keywords and action words that the employer is seeking for.

A resume should be accomplishment-centered regardless of the format you use - showing not the milestones of your personal history but how you "added value" to each of the situations you were in.

Instead of saying: "spent six months working as database research assistant", you might say, "researched and executed a data management project".

Leaving out pronouns sounds punchier and saves space.

There should be more space for what you did yesterday than what you did two years ago, and you may leave out altogether what you did ten years ago. The most recent events always come first on a resume.

Do not include any of your interests unless they are directly related to the job: the time for this kind of detail is at an interview. As for your life objectives, this should be in a covering letter.

You should not put references on your resume. If an organization wants references they will ask, and this will be a good indication that they are interested in you. When this happens you will find it useful to tailor the referees you offer to the job you are applying for.

At the end of the day, both CVs and resumes are about selling oneself - something that that should server you well as you take the next step in your career.

The Covering Letter – what is it?

The cover letter accompanies each resume and it is sensible to devote the needed time and effort to write effective cover letters because the cover letter may either assist in obtaining a job interview or result in having the resume rejected.

A cover letter should complement the resume. Its main objective is to interpret the data-oriented details and add a personal touch. A cover letter creates the first impression, which is the earliest written contact with a potential employer.

Generally there are three types of cover letters.

1. The application letter that responds to a known job opening

2. The prospecting letter that inquires about possible positions

3. The networking letter that requests information and help in job search

The cover letter to be written should be drafted based on the purpose and also the position sought.

A cover letter need not be sent to every potential employer.

An ideal cover letter explains the reasons for the interest in the company and highlights the relevant skills or experience. Cover letters express a high level of interest and knowledge about the position. In a cover letter:

* The first paragraph should explain why a cover letter is written
* Middle paragraph should explain what the applicant has to offer
* The concluding paragraph details how the candidate would follow up

The language and style of the covering letter

In the case of a prospective letter, which is an unsolicited letter, it is important to capture the attention of the reader and the objective of the job should be stated very clearly.

In a networking letter, the request should be made very clearly.

The cover letter should be like a preview to the resume which is dynamic and attention grabbing. A cover letter is the summary of the most important and relevant information in the resume. Since the cover letter should contain information in an accessible manner, it should be clear, concise and to the point, personalized, catching the attention at first sight, linking the skills and experience and call for an action.

Summary

1. A resume is a selling tool – selling you!
2. It should be short, accurate, concise and above all relevant
3. It can be chronological, function based or combination of both
4. It should be accomplishment centered – making you stand out from the crowd
5. It should have a clean legible font, simple bullets such as Arial, printed on good paper if required
6. A covering letter should add a personal touch – creates the first impression
7. Should fit on one page and have approximately 3 – 4 paragraphs maximum

Always remember what you write in a covering letter and resume in case you get called to an interview.