By: Yun Srey Toch (International Business major)
5 years ago marked a great transition in my life; the transition from being a high school girl to becoming a college student. I was awarded a scholarship from the University of Cambodia, and I was also qualified enough to enroll in the Institute of Foreign Languages at RUPP as well. Four years later, I achieved another crucial benchmark in life; I graduated from the University of Cambodia with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business. At the same time, I also graduated from the Royal University of Phnom Penh with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies. Another thing which I consider even more crucial was the transition from being a student to an employee. The final year of university is a critical period for every student, as she has to do her best to achieve the best performance she can while, at the same time, thinking about future goals. It did happen to me in my final year at university, I was considering if I should seek for a Master’s Degree scholarship right away, or if I should start working first. I talked to many people: my peers, my lecturers, and my relatives. The answers I got were almost always in the form of a question, “What major do you want to pur-sue if you apply for a Master Degree? Do you think that major is what you really love and want to excel in?” and more questions as well. Those questions helped a lot in my decision making. I decided that I have to start with finding the right career path first; I have to explore the professional world first to find out my real passion- what I love and can do best- so that I can, later, choose the right major for a Master’s Degree.
Right away, after I finished all my assignments, final exams and exit exam, I started to apply for jobs. Jobs! That means I applied to many vacancies. However, I had specific criteria in mind regarding what kind of job and what kind of company I wanted to work for. As a student who majored in International Business and International Studies, I looked for a job that was related to my degrees. How-ever, I prioritized a business related job because I find the world of business fascinating and challenging. During my first few attempts, I was quite panicked and disappointed as I didn’t get hired. However, the quote, “Never give up,” was the key for me to continue working hard. “Never give up” doesn’t mean you blindly keep applying the same tactics you used when you failed again and again. It means looking back and learning from your failures - Why did you fail? What made you fail? How can you cope with those negative points and make them better? That was what I did. I reviewed my CV and cover letter, and I learnt about each position I applied to. With many attempts, I finally made it; I was offered a few posts, and I decided to settle down with the one, which I believed would be most effective in shaping my desired career. One good lesson-learnt during my job seeking attempts which I am glad to share is that the key to impress interviewers, and yourself, is to be genuinely interested in the position and the company you apply for. I would recommend that do not apply for any job that you dislike or else you have nothing to say about it.
Currently, I am a Management Trainee at a well-known, fast-moving, consumer goods company that helps people in many countries look good, feel good, and get more out of life. Being here marks a substantial move toward my career goals because ev-erything here is challenging, in a positive way, which I see as source of self-improvement and growth. I have been here for more than 6 months now. There have been both good and tough times. Going through tough times can be tiring and disappointing sometimes, yet I find a way to keep myself motivated and energetic so I am able to overcome the hard times. This does not mean I always successfully make it; in my worst-case scenario, I did not deliver great results, as was expected. However, I regarded that as experience, and I learned from it to ensure that that a scenario like that won’t be repeated. The journey of my life has me moving out of my comfort zone and dares me to take challenges. I hope to make the best moves I can by being on the right track and continuing to grow. It had been quite a long journey for me to get where I am now, and I am very thankful to the many awe-some, inspiring, and respectful people for supporting me along the way including my parents, lecturers, associate deans, friends, and family.
