What do you do after graduating? What dreams do you have? How to get there? I asked myself these questions 10 years ago. I’ve always wanted to live and work overseas, to prove the world that Vietnamese people are capable and talented. To do that, I had to be able to speak and use English fluently because English is and has always been the universal language. My decision to pursue my bachelor’s degree in UTE, FFL was a key step in making that dream come true. I felt grateful for all of the lessons I learned and the friendships I made during 4 years in UTE.
I am Tham Nguyen, class of 2007 from FFL, UTE, currently living and working in Toronto, Canada. I am the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist for a Canadian software company called Fiix Software (fiixsoftware.com), one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Canada. Not only did I survive but I thrived here (fact: I landed a job after 2 weeks moving to this new country). All of these successes, I would not have been able to accomplish if I had not had a strong foundation in English and fundamental interpersonal skills that I learned from my professors and friends in UTE.
My first job was being an Assistant to Supply Director for a joint-company where they needed an employee who was strong in English and other soft skills such as client-focus, planning and teamwork skills. Gradually I was given more responsibilities including being the HR Generalist for them. I realized that recruitment and selection played an essential part in achieving business goals. In any organization, you need the right people for the right jobs. With 8 years of experience in Human Resources coupled with my master’s degree in Human Resource Management, I had more confidence and a competitive edge in landing my current role as a Talent Acquisition business partner. What is exciting in my job? Besides having a say in hiring decision, I also counsel hiring managers how to attract and select the right talents for business needs. Via reading and networking, I continue to learn and keep myself updated with job market information in tech industry, with insights of talent gaps and talent movement; which is important for me to gain my ground as a trusted talent advisor.
It still bothers me when I read something on the news like “Invest in Vietnam, the labour is cheap there”. We are better than “just cheap labour”. I invite you to join me in rebranding Vietnamese labor force. Let’s show the world that we are not only hard working and responsible, but we are also passionate and capable in our expertise!
Dream big and Best of luck!
Tham
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