Saturday, January 31, 2009

RUMOUR RUMOUR...(edited)

UPDATED INFO: In July 2010, I have moved to Kasturi School of Accountancy in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Thank you for your support and working so hard together in order to achieve your graduation goal. 
-I want this blog to be educational & constructive. I thank certain individuals' feedback on the this article's earlier 'uncut' version, thus the edited version here. The blog is a better contribution if contents are constructive and encouraging, if not motivating to ACCA candidates to never give up their goal to graduate! Never! Once again, thank you for mustering courage to inform me. Hey, I am perfectly imperfect - a human too. Cheers.



Excerpts from the Chat Corner:
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Guest: is it possible to take certain pprs [papers] at diff[erent] colleges? if yes, then if i were 2[to] complete acca at 2 diff places whr would i graduate from? Details 19:32 30/1/09
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Guest: nth[nothing] to do with college lah.. Details 23:26 30/1/09
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Kelvin: Lol, you don't graduate from 2 places or even any of those places. When you finish your ACCA exams, you simply graduate from ACCA.. the tuition provid Details 03:26 31/1/09
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Kelvin: the tuition providers would just throw a graduation ceremony to celebrate your day's end in ACCA classes. Thus, nobody really cares about whether you Details 03:27 31/1/09
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Kelvin: are ACCA grad from Sunway/INTi/TAR/etc.. Good luck then Details 03:28 31/1/09
#

TRUSTING TENDENCYThe above chat certainly reveals a thing or two about current ACCA & CAT undergraduates. Pardon my straight from the gut comment, in a word, "Naive!" But I don't blame you because its natural tendency for youths to have a trusting attitude. (That is not to say adults, above 25 years are without weaknesses. We have too! Umm... too many, in fact. Sighhh...)

Mr. Kelvin is absolutely right to mention that all ACCA candidates receive a certificate of professional qualification from ACCA, United Kingdom. Tuition providers merely provide, well, tuition.

I personally, assisted an ACCA Affliate to secure a job in Digi's parent company, Telenor Ltd as a trainee manager. She was seconded to Oslo, Norway on a 2 year contract. Does it make me having the right to ensure future candidates placement in Telenor Group? Europe? Humbly and truthfully : No! It is that affliate that matters who got the job. (see website on Telenor below)

HOW TO SECURE A JOB?
So the million dollar question, "How do I secure a job in the Big 5?"
1. QUALIFICATIONS - ACCA plus Oxford Brookes with 1st class or second upper will be added advantage.
2. APTITUDES - fluency in communication, knowledge of IT
3. ATTITUDES - willingness to learn, team player, cooperative.
4. GENERAL INTELLIGENCE – inter-personal skills, alertness, initiated
5. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES – are you willing to travel outstation? Overseas? Will you accept secondment assignment to client’s place of say 3 months stay?

All of the above is encapsulated in your cover letter and CV, in which I as in the past assisted many students in structuring their CV and am glad to continue to assist. Certainly for the Big 5 to source recruits from another tuition provider is most welcome.

CONCLUSIONWe live in a world where it is not the employer or tuition provider that gives you employment security. It is YOU, your employability skills as your security. Invest in your own future, don’t let threats and even blackmail derail you from your goals- which are BEAUTIFUL, MEANINGFUL & WONDERFUL!
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PS: Worthwhile for your attention is to consider alternative career paths such as consultancy services, managerial positions in MNC that gravitates toward overseas placements (USA, UK, Scandinavian, closer to home will be Singapore, Australia). The rationale is when you return, you have an 'expatriate status' that places your pay well above the average Joe in our Boleh Land.
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The above is not for the 'faint hearted' in which the usual recommendation is "external" audit as career path. I reiterate, "external" and not "internal audit positions" also known as the Accountants' graveyard. Of course, this is generalised perception for there are fantastic Internal Audit Positions in prestigious organisations such as ICAC (Hong Kong), FBI (USA), Morgan Stanley (USA) Forensic Audit Division.
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Cheers.
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INTERESTING SITE:
Telenor, 2008, About company, http://www.telenor.com/en/about-us/telenor-at-a-glance/ , Visited on : 31 January

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is the best thing I read in awhile. Can't stand CTPs holding students ransom and deliberately conning students (For those of you who are confused, see the CTPs' pamphlets, found under the bulls**t heading-pun intended).

How can CTPs claim such things, when it clearly isn't true. Isn't it now false advertising?

Kudos sir,for telling it as it is.

Marcus Ong said...

Dear Stan,

Thank you for your kind words. I believe information is Power!

However, as I learnt in Company Law now known as F4: Ignorance is a handicap, not a privilege, neither an excuse for our [poor] decision.Hence,the objective of this article. If only more candidates will know and be empowered by it...

Best wishes,
Marcus

Chris said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris said...

Gong Xi Fa Cai Happy cow year
Drop by to ask for an ang pow. Lol


No comments about the post above..

Have fun in your new 'home' :D
Take care

Anonymous said...

Yes, the problem is ignorance on the students' part. But the CTPs shouldn't be taking advantage of this fact. Students, especially those educated in Malaysia are too naive. I think this stems out from the fact that we are spoon fed too much, tend to believe everything "they" tell us to believe. Making money is one thing, but making money at the expense of others is downright wrong.

Another thing I wish to add is the fact that CTPs are very good at oppressing students. What is the point teaching ethics when they don't practice what they preach.

That gives me an idea...STUDENT UNION....Don't know of it is allowed by the government though.

"A person is a person because he recognizes others as persons"...Bishop Desmond Tutu...

Marcus Ong said...

Voicing out frustration is understandable, but is extremely rare and pratically difficult. This requires time and effort. The time is better invested in preparation for the exams.

DO what customers-students would do - vote with their feet. Just as you would switch from a Proton to a Toyota,hair salons, restaurants, hotels, shoes, clothes - switch to alternative tuition provider(s).

Purpose is you want to pass and secure a good job. A thousand candidates graduate every year in Malaysia. Note, a majority completed their studies in the various tuition providers ex-CTP.

You have many alternative tuition providers, dare I venture,INTI provides the right fit for it gives you:
+ The BEST Manuals & Revision Kits BPP
+ experienced lecturers,
+ good study environment/campus facilities

Remember in study life, you are only responsible for yourself.

Warm regards,
Marcus

Anonymous said...

Wow, after reading the failure of the silver medalist in securing a job in Big5, im really surprised.

Some normal degree student with a mere 2nd upper could get to the Big5. I wonder what those from HR were thinking.

If in the interview he wasn't that good, as in talking, so what? Its just first impression. Maybe he was nervous? Oh well, I guess interviewers are looking for those who are not honest, and mention things that is so "from the book".

Talking skills are easy to adapt in a socially packed environment. but techinical skills are not hard to obtained. Just frustrated to see these hardworking and maybe smart students fail to get their well-deserved job.

Just my 2 cents.

Marcus Ong said...

Share with you an experience. An ACCA affliate opted to go to Corporate Finance of consultancy in Big 3. Unusual as he will not meet the required experience. After 3 years he went to Merchant Banking which suprised all my former class mates. He got 24 months bonus on a basic pay of 3800 pm salary. that was then. the amount is equivalent to 5500 today as an Assistant Manager. Book a condo in KL with the bonus.

Then he went on as a CFO in a listed KLSE company selling e-locks.

Lesson 1: For the brave, its pays to be contrarian. Going against the trend.

Lesson 2 for ACCA affliates: YOu are already very bright students of ACCA. Join the smaller firm, fewer ACCA colleagues, you will easily outshine others. Promotion and exposure is thus better. Join a Big 4, your uniqueness is neutralised by other ACCA qualified colleagues.

Dare to do it? Take a different route?

Of course it must be related to your discipline, don't be too daring by deciding to be say an air stewardess or modelling or something...

URGENT: SBL Exam Guidance for Dec 2018 Exams

EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR DECEMBER 2018 EXAMS Change is the only constant. Kasturi Core lecturing team has now moved to 2 new locations. ...