The goal was to match the students’ skills with job opportunities at Thailand’s leading cement producer. Siam Cement is planning an expansion that is expected to create 300 jobs.

Two of the company’s young employees spoke about their careers and gave students advice at the seminar.

Komain “Oom” Sadabpod, 24

Mechanical engineer

Oom designs machinery and supervises petrochemical plant construction for Siam Cement’s Engineering & Plant Service in Rayong province. He has held the job for two years.

Here’s Oom’s advice to engineering graduates:

“First, brush up on your English. Engineering students often aren’t proficient in English, but it’s a major communication tool in today’s market.”

Oom uses English when dealing the clients from other Asian countries, and he notices that English skills still are a shortcoming among many people in the region.

He adds that recent graduates shouldn’t place too much emphasis on an employer’s reputation. Finding the right job – one that matches the person’s skills and interests – is more important than a firm’s status.

“Graduates should avoid changing jobs the first year out of school,” he says, “so you must know what you like to do and whether the job matches your abilities.”

Vontamol “June” Chaiyapatranun, 24

Marketing executive

June has spent the past two years organising promotional activities for Siam Cement. She travels extensively, visiting clients in neighbouring countries. English is her primary mode of communication. Before being named to her post, she attended Cement Thai Career Choice Camp to learn problem solving, communication and presentational skills.

She is a graduate of ABAC University with a major in international business administration.

June’s advice to university students preparing for a job interview:

“Don’t be nervous. Just be your yourself. You can freely say what you want to do. I told my interviewers that I love to communicate in English.

June says that it’s best to be open and honest.

“It’s okay to be frank. If you’re the right candidate, today’s leading companies don’t object to your being outspoken.”

AREE CHAISATIEN

The Nation

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Help wanted

For job opportunities at Siam Cement or more information about Cement Thai Career Choice Camp, call (02) 586 3428-9 or log on to www.siamcement.com.

Siam Cement is looking for engineers, marketing executives, accountants, internal auditors, IT auditors, public relations executives and human resource personnel.

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Learning your ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ self

Actor and television host Asdavut Leungsoonthorn recently held a personality workshop for third- and fourth-year students at the “Drawing Your Career” open house.

During the programme, Asdavut discussed “inner” and “outer” personality traits. Inner qualities include your ideas, attitudes and outlook. Outer qualities include the way you carry yourself and the way you talk and dress.

“Some people have the best both and are considered charming as a result,” says Asdavut, who holds a degree in art education from Chulalongkorn University and won a male model award from Praew magazine in 1992.

Inner personalities are evident during job interviews, the actor said, citing a friend’s example: The wife of a factory owner was insulted by a group of job candidates who failed to wai her because they didn’t know who she was. They didn’t show respect and missed an opportunity to make an impression on a woman who had influence within the company, Asdavut says.

Showing respect to people, specially elderly ones, does you no harm, he says. “The old bloke wearing a faded shirt at the front door of a big company may be the company owner’s father, who knows? You don’t have to pay for a wai.”

But sometimes people going into an interview focus only on the meeting and the interviewers, forgetting to notice what is happening around them. “The point is to take it easy and be polite to everyone,” Asdavut said.

– Aree Chaisatien