Be A Manager

The media event that I attended was the 8Q at the Singapore Arts Musuem, located at Queen Street. The objective of the event is to engage a broad and diverse audience, create a sense of community and be a place for contemplation, stimulation, and discussion about temporary art and culture. It also serves as a forum especially for students.



The 8Q SAM is a contemporary art space with fresh, multi-disciplinary, interactive and community oriented programming. It serves as a place where the public can directly experience the work and ideas of local artists in relation to its aesthetic and social content. Visitors have the opportunity to experience the diversity of contemporary art practices ranging from painting and sculpture, to installation, new media, performance art & sound, photography and film & video.

The best part of the exhibition is that entry fee is only $1.50 for students and senior citizens and there is no particular target audience. The art pieces can relate to anyone.

The exhibition, which features works by artists such as Chong Li-chuan, Jahan Loh, Donna Ong, Grace Tan, Tan Kai Syng and Jason Wee, was mainly publicized through the Singapore Art Museum, which has posters and fliers of 8Q at its site and also hosted advertisements in their website. Fliers were also available at the Esplanade.

The event is publicized via the Life! section of The Straits Times and press releases by the National Heritage Board, SingArt and Youth.sg.
The links of the press releases are as follows http://www.nhb.gov.sg/WWW/pr/aug08/8Q%20sam.pdf, http://www.singart.com/8qsam/press_release_8q.html
http://www.youth.sg/content/view/5838/51/

The media, in terms of The Straits Times had a strong impact on the event coverage as newspapers are an expensive but sure way of reaching audiences. The second form of printed media was the 8 Days weekly magazine. The magazine has a loyal following and writes ups about the latest happenings in the local arts scene. The online press releases were also useful for art enthusiasts who get their daily updates via the net. Last but not least, advertisements were featured on the local television channels Arts Central and Channel News Asia. Channel News Asia also hosted the news on its website http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/368442/1/.html.
One way of further attracting media coverage is to get local celebrities to endorse the event.

If I were to take on the role of manager for 8Q, I would send fliers to schools so as to further inform the school children, and also to give them free passes as certain days. This is vital as the youths are the future of our arts scene hence it is important they are exposed to the 8Q exhibition. I would also put directional signs in the building so that audiences would not waste time on trying to find their way around, like the way i did. All in all, the event was still a success. I enjoyed every minute I spent in the exhibition, especially :phunkstudio’s adaptation of school life in the classroom.

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About The Company: Media Biz Singapore is a Singapore-based Advertising Agency that has been providing integrated advertising solutions for MNCs and brand owners since 1974.

Accounts Executive (Advertising)
Requirements:

-Driven, self-motivated individual with a passion for the advertising business
-Ability to plan and strategize
-Excellent written and spoken communication skills
-Able to work with clients and to understand their needs
-A good team player with leadership capabilities
-Candidates with advertising industry experience preferred

Job Scope:

-Maintain existing accounts
-Generate and source for new projects / accounts
-Client servicing / pitching
-Preparation of Business Proposals and Presentations
-Dynamic creatively-charged working environment, 5 day work week.

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Interview With Boards And Stuff Manager

I met up with the manager of the local Skateboarding shop, Boards And Stuff and got to find out what his job requires of him on a daily basis.

Manager Sharizat Ishes, 24, who holds a Diploma in Marine Engineering has been one of the key players that has contributed to the shops current success and has been there since the shop opened.

His main responsbilities are,
- Opening and closing the shop.
- Ensuring that the employees arrive to work on time.
- Checking that the products and shelves are neat and presentable.
- Topping up the stock and letting the boss know what needs to be ordered.

Sharizat practices the Classical School's Administrative style of management. As the shop sells both skateboarding components as well as fashion streetwear clothing, the staff are given work according to their specialization. For example, one of the staff who is better with skateboards will be in charge of fixing and changing skateboards while the other will help out with clothing sales. He is also responsible for the orders he gives to his employees. Lastly, he believes in equity. "I treat my workers as i would my friends, in that way it is easier to work with each other and that makes working all the more fun for everyone, this should apply to everything in life - you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours." Said Sharizat.

Grinning sheepishly when asked what were the difficulties he faces as the manager, this is what he had to say. "As all of us who work in the shop are young as well as skaters ourselves, we like to have a good time after work and that sometimes results in the workers showing up late for work. There was once even i was late in opening the shop. That aside, it can be quite a problem when there are many customers in the shop and once in awhile we get those that try to steal so i have to keep a close eye on them." To keep it simple, ensuring that the whole shop runs smoothly can be a feat to Sharizat.

To lessen the stress, Sharizat makes it a point to bond well with the staff. He constantly reminds them that it is not wrong to have fun and enjoy the time at the shop but they must also remember they are at work. He also pats them on the back and pays them a compliment when they deserve it. The staff in turn, help out Sharizat to the fullest of their abilities.

Before i concluded my interview, i posted Sharizat one last question; In his opinion, what makes a good manager?
After biting his lip while pausing to think, he said, "A good manager should be one who can carry out his duties well, maintain a friendly relationship with the staff yet command respect and last but not least, enjoy his job."


Manager Sharizat Ishes with celeb DJ, Steve Aoki at a product launch