Ways to ruin a job interview

Of course, we're using reverse psychology here. And sarcasm. We've always been clear on our stand regarding job interviews; for those of you who are new to this blog, we can assure you, that stand is not the least bit related to the title of today's commentary. Our past commentaries on the subject matter, all of them, go along the ideas of preparation, punctuality, dressing to impress and the likes.

A successful job interview comes with preparation. But, there are some things that although unimportant in general essence, can blow up your chances of acing that interview. Take this a job interview advice to avoid those "things."

Be late and expect the interviewer to show a great deal of un-interest during the interview. That's one. This is kind of self explanatory. Companies put a great deal on punctuality.

Do not turn that cellphone off, distract your interviewer and you'll see him making negative notes on your resume. Job interviews are all about communication. Your goal is to communicate all your best qualities to the interviewer. Something ringing all of a sudden can be a great distraction to that affair.

Show off those piercings and tattoos and see your interviewer cringe upon meeting. You know, there's an unwritten rulebook for job interviews that companies expect their candidates to follow: one entry is to dress as professionally as you can. Even though the company you're applying for is semi-casual, you're expected to dress up professionally for the interview. Such fashion statements are not corporate at all so cover them for a while.

Share too much personal information and you'll have your interviewer cut you off in a not so nice way. It's true that job interviews are getting-to-know activities. But stories about your pet dog or how you got sunburned last summer wouldn't boost your professional qualification, would they? Do not cross the line.

More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Job hunting can be likened to a sales job...

Yes, job hunting can be likened to a sales job: there we said it. We do not believe that they are like twins, though, like most of those who are fond of using the comparison. For us, in job hunting, the odds to face are tougher. To conquer the world of sales, creative stunts are enough to get the limelight moving to your base, not to mention every day is an opportunity for you. In the world of job hunting on the other hand, everything depends on how you market yourself during the limited times you get a chance to do so.

The best salesman wins the game, that is what they always say. But since job hunting is tougher than a sales job, put some extras to your marketing strategies. For instance, even though you already have acquired enough experience to be qualified for the job, show the employer that that is not stopping you from seeking more knowledge.

Here is another strategy: selling is all about charm. To employers, there is nothing like an experienced candidate with charm. But since the idea here is aggressiveness, we want you to develop a personal brand that will further your appeal. A personal brand with foundations on politeness, for instance, can make you a price catch.

We hope you are already getting the idea. For conventional sales strategies to work with your job hunting pursuits, you have to make their application more aggressive. Nevertheless, if you need more help, we have more Career Advice articles @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. New job openings can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

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Singapore's finest resource for jobs
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Headlines that Matter | JobsDB Singapore

We remember posting something about the news being a great career resource in this blog of ours last month. JobsDB.com Singapore would like to ask you now, have you been reading the news?

Regardless of whether you agree with this advice of ours or not, here are some news bits that we have collected from the last couple of days that we think can help improve your plans, if you are seeking career advancement or give you good hints on which industries to look into next for faster results, if you are currently looking for a job.

"SINGAPORE'S decision to allow integrated resorts (IRs) with casinos to be built here has changed this country for ever - and it is already reaping the benefits." -- Singapore already reaping benefits from IRs: economist", April 24, The Business Times.

If you feel like your job search is going nowhere, why don't you give Resorts World Sentosa jobs a shot? The hospitality industry welcomes professionals from other fields. Resorts World Sentosa, for instance, is currently hiring people from the industries of Human Resource, Sales and Accounting.

"The Government plans to enact legislation based on the guidelines by 2012 to enable more Singaporeans to keep working beyond the statutory retirement age." -- "Not rehired? Payouts to help", April 25, asiaone Business.

"EFFORTS to convince companies to keep workers beyond the age of 62 are bearing fruit, a new survey has shown." -- "S'pore firms keeping workers beyond age 62 ", April 25, The Straights Times.

Just a note: The article had cited Food & Beverage jobs and Hospitality careers as those that were keeping such employees moving.

These articles have reminded us of the working principle of Mr. Ong Teong Wan, Consulting Partner for Corporate Training at SIM and Honorary Advisor to STADA -- staying productive regardless of age. Are you hitting 50 soon? Well, you can still expect a lot more good things to happen to your career.

"More than half of those who were laid off in the third quarter of last year found jobs by the end of the year, according to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) report." -- "Redundancies fall back to pre-recession levels", April 27, Today.

"The Republic's economic recovery flowed through to its labour market by the end of 2009, as job losses shrank to pre-recession levels in the last quarter, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said" -- S'pore job losses shrink to pre-recession levels in Q4, April 27, The Business Times.

Government and private workforce surveys are displaying the same"positive" results. This only means one thing: the economy is really on its way to stability. Good news for, job seekers. Remember, the April - June 2010 edition of the Hays Quarterly Report?

You can expect JobsDB.com Singapore to post news updates like this for the days to come, so stay tuned. Our News Watch section is also a good way to be in the know when it comes to the recent improvements in the Singapore job market. Bookmark www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/NewsWatch?ID=430 to be updated always.

For more career resources, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

The latest jobs in Singapore can be found here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Advice for Doctors-to-be

It's a fact: Medicine is one of the most respected professional fields there are. That's why it's very appealing to kids. You can ask a bunch of children the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and you'll get "Doctor" as the answer of the majority. The latest results of Adecco Singapore's annual survey of children living in Singapore, back that up.

JobsDB.com Singapore's latest Campus article features second year medical student at Duke-NUS, Andrew Green. Learn about the challenges and joys of being a medical student, as Andrew shares with us his story. If you are planning to pursue medicine in the future, reading the article can help with your preparations.


"The medical and healthcare industry will always have lots of great opportunities for people who are keen to pursue a meaningful and rewarding career", Andrew tells us. His advice for young people who want to pursue a career in medicine like you? "Be truthful to yourself and explore your motivation for studying medicine. If you feel that this is your passion and you want to help people, then go for it".

Our complete interview with Andrew is available @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/JobsDB Campus?ID=301. For more Campus articles, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Campus?ID=151. New job openings can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

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Singapore's finest resource for jobs
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Looking to work at NCR? Know what NCR looks for in a candidate

JobsDB.com Singapore wants job seekers, fresh graduate or otherwise, to get their dream jobs. In our recent interview with four professionals from NCR Singapore, we have asked a question that can benefit our job seeker readers specializing in the field of Information Technology. To all job seekers looking to join NCR's dynamic family of IT professionals, here are tips that can help you with your goals of joining the company.

Morakot Choomgrant is an Account Manager. She likes working for NCR because the company motivates its staff very well. There is coordination among staff and bosses, according to her. Her tip for job seekers wanting to join NCR? "Someone who is friendly, confident and hardworking will excel here", she have told us.


Sean Daryani enjoys his job as a Professional Service Consultant because it gives him the opportunity to work with IT professionals from other countries. He commends NCR for its strategy and vision and commits to making them happen. According to him, a person, "able to create a positive working environment, share success, be self motivated and to continue learning in order to be able to excel in their career goals" is a good fit at NCR.

What Julianah likes about her job as an Incident Management Agent is that she is given the opportunity to talk to NCR's big number of clients and contacts. NCR makes her feel a sense of belongingness. She believes that "someone who enjoys taking new challenges" is be a good fit at NCR.

Toh Hong Wei is a Customer Engineer. He says that he enjoys his job because he gets to be on the move always. He likes working at NCR because it gives him the chance to make people's lives more convenient. "People who are energetic and love taking on challenges to improve themselves will excel at NCR", he believes.

Our complete interview with these professionals is available @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/industry focus?ID=292. For more Information Technology articles, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Industry-Focus/Information-Technology?ID=171. New job openings can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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News Update: Balance of power swinging back to job seekers

JobsDB.com Singapore shares the latest press release from Hays Singapore

Financial Planners, HR Managers, Geotechnical Design Engineers and Sales Executives are some of the skills in high demand reports Hays, the leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

The April – June 2010 edition of the Hays Quarterly Report reveals the balance of power is swinging back to today’s top candidates.

“Jobseekers today have more choice and the surplus of candidates that employers experienced for much of 2009 has, in most industries, been absorbed back into the workforce,” said Chris Mead, General Manager of Hays in Singapore.

“In the post-global financial crisis (GFC) workplace, employers now have less choice, and are even taking steps to minimise the impact of future skills shortages. For candidates, particularly top talent, this means they have some power back.”

“Candidates are starting to objectively examine job vacancies in far more detail than they did during the GFC. They are now more focused on their career and will evaluate a vacancy to make sure it will provide the progression they want. They are asking for more information about a job’s responsibilities to work out if it is a step up, or at least a step in the right direction. They want to know if clear career paths are offered. They’re also utilising their networks to see what others say about the company.

“In addition, with the first cases of multiple offers again taking place for top talent, these candidates can potentially leverage an improvement in salary for the first time in well over 18 months. Some employers are starting to enter into such salary negotiations once again for top talent, although this trend will take time to be evident across the board.”

According to the Hays Quarterly Report, the following skills are currently in demand:


Accountancy & Finance: Financial Planners and Analysts as companies are looking to the future, making more strategic investments and implementing more projects.

Banking: With the heightened state of the regulatory and controls environment, Operational Risk Management (ORM) and Compliance professionals with solid relevant experience in the region are in continued demand.

Construction: There has been a surge in Government funding to improve civil infrastructure which is generating a range of jobs with Engineering Consultancies and Construction Contractors, particularly those with local experience.

Finance Technology: Candidates with strong object oriented skill sets (C++/Java based) combined with specific Greek or options based risk-trading experience. There is more demand across the System and Development space in general as the move to online trading systems continues.

Human Resources: Regional HR Managers as large multinational companies establish Regional HR functions in Singapore. Candidates with international experience particularly from Asia Pacific and South East Asia are very much in demand

Information Technology: There is a rise in demand for contract candidates experienced in SAP and development including JAVA, C# and .Net. Infrastructure and sales professionals at all levels are also in high demand.

Pharma: Companies in the region are starting to restructure their commercial teams which is creating opportunities within sales and marketing. This is having a positive effect on Clinical Research Organisations as outsourcing also sees an increase from 2009 figures.

Property: Developers, real estate companies and end users are all seeking Project Managers and Facilities Managers, particularly those who have delivered commercial interior or data centre projects for large corporations in banking or the IT space.

Sales & Marketing: Singapore’s traditionally strong markets of IT&T and Financial Services are leading the charge for talent. Sales Executives with relevant industry knowledge and a good base of contacts are currently at the top of the recruitment list.

More news updates can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/NewsWatch?ID=430. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

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Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Resume writing guidelines, job interview tips, our thoughts on career change, and more...

We believe that books can improve your job hunting if you're a job seeker or how you manage your career, if you're already working. We have to admit though that some of the books we've listed down in this blog and back @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore are on the semi-expensive side. And so, in an effort to give you quality information to improve your career, we've decided to share here bits of what we've learned from these books.

Sandra Sandu-Reeves gives some of the most effective resume writing tips out there. In her book, Getting Ahead in Your Career, she explained why a resume should be written in the best possible way and shared her tips to be able to do so. Personalisation is the key to resume writing, according to her. A resume should speak clearly who you are; a run-of-the-mill approach will lead you to nothing. She wants you to highlight your strengths and competencies and to include your career goals and inspirations to your resume's brood of information.

If you're an avid follower of this blog, you should know that we love talking about job interviews. And our book-research for the topic so far has led us to formulate these job interview tips: A good job interview comes with preparation. Not just in the wardrobe department but also in terms of answers. Expect common interview questions to pop up in your interview. Answer them well by researching.

What about in terms of career change? As far as we can remember, we've already featured a bunch of career change books in here. And after reading them all, we've come to have a firm stand regarding the issue: It depends. To quote from our latest article, "we don't entirely discourage a career move on, but if you still have options on hand, we suggest that you give your current job another shot."

References
10 Steps in Creating an Outstanding Online Resume
Planning a career change? Find out if you're ready for such a big move
The right answers to the most common interview questions

More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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How to Excel in Your Career

JobsDB.com Singapore also aims to help professionals experiencing career mishaps. That's why we also produce content about career change, working smarter, stress management and the likes.

Yesterday's post was addressed to such professionals. We remember saying there that we're not totally against the idea of switching jobs, however, if the condition can still be fixed, it should be fixed.

If you are considering to fix your problematic career, we suggest you attend this.

JobsDB.com Career Events brings to you this workshop on career management and job satisfaction. Understanding yourself, environmental awareness and trend forecasting will guide you to make sound career choices which will be a perfect fit to your personality and values.

To be facilitated by career counseling specialist, Wong Kok Wah, How to Excel in Your Career aims to teach effective career planning techniques to its participants. It will be following this course:

Reasons for career Management
The key factors in planning a career
P3 Drake Self Assessment Exercise
Developing one's career plan

Details

Date: 22 May 2010, Saturday
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Price: S$28 (incl. 7% GST)
Venue: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
Level 5, The Auditorium
55 Newton Road, Revenue House,
Singapore 307987
Website: http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/StaticContent/SG/CareerEvents/events/How-to-excel-in-your-career.htm

For more information, please call Pei Yan or Linc at 6861 1000 or email us at marketinginfo@jobsdb.com.sg

Brought to you by
JobsDB Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

Career Events
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A little something about career change

They say that happiness is all about being surrounded by things that define your liking. That means, if your job does nothing but stress you out, the thing to do is to replace it with a better one. Everyone you know would agree, of course... that's the common understanding of happiness.

Or maybe not...

Times have changed. And while the definition of happiness remains the same, in today's challenging economy, its underlying principles aren't practical to patronize anymore, as is the case with career change. When we get frustrated with our job, we don't get enough support from the people surrounding us. But we cannot blame them, really. They're just being, well, reasonable.

So what now?

Career change is an affair that should be dealt with in all seriousness. While it promises great happiness, it's very risky. JobsDB.com Singapore's stand on career change is very simple: it depends on your situation. If it can be fixed, do so. If your situation is really miserable -- you have a toxic boss and you are surrounded by over self indulgent coworkers, just mentioning -- don't hesitate to pursue your plan even if all the people you love disagree with the idea. It's your career that you are saving here. Only you can save your career.

But before passing that resignation letter, you have to condition yourself for the consequences. Think about the industry that you want to be in next and then research. Find out if the industry's job market is favoring your plan. If not, find another one that offers better job opportunities. You cannot put yourself into an industry that doesn't offer jobs. Also, update your network. The more people, the better. Networking is a great way to be able to tap hidden jobs.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

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JobsDB.com Singapore wants YOU. We are hiring.

The leading job website in Singapore is looking for talented individuals to join its family of professionals. We are currently looking for:


Telesurveyors (Temp) X 20 *
Responsibilities:

* Conduct market research online and make telephone calls
* Fill out information received in spreadsheet
* No SALES experience required


Support Administrator
Responsibilities:

* Provide 1st level support (phone and email support) for our e-Recruitment solution, serving our corporate clients and candidates.
* Coordinates between various stakeholders regarding issues and requests.
* Performs project administration duties and coordinates project tasks.
* Setup systems and configure backend for clients.
* Reviews clients' functional requirements as and when required.
* Maintains and review support processes periodically.
* Conducts client trainings quarterly.
* Perform other ad-hoc support duties as required.

Sales Executives
Responsibilities:

Prospect and sell job ads to companies and service existing paying customers. Successful candidate will be assigned to a Client Servicing or a New Business Development team. The candidate will work closely with other existing sales dept and report to a dept manager.


Admin Assistant
Responsibilities:

* Perform general accounting duties and admin/data entry
* Assist in document filing
* Others ad hoc duties as assigned

Web Programmer
Responsibilities:

* Design and develop web applications in C#, ASP.NET, Web Services, XML, HTML/CSS/Javascript
* Perform user-acceptance tests
* Assist in system documentation

Creative Web Designer
Responsibilities:

* Design both web and non-web based promotional collaterals
* Create web graphics, animations, layouts for use on website
* Convert PSD Design/Image to HTML code
* Creating and maintaining ad campaigns, banner ads, flash animations
* Updating and Maintaining Website Content
* Ensure tasks are delivered on schedule

Administrative Assistant (3 months contract)
Responsibilities:

* Upload photos and verify information
* Co-ordinate with part-timers and consolidate data
* Conduct phone interviews
* Assist with other ad-hoc duties for project

Senior Sales Executive
Responsibilities:

* Prospect, promote and sell advertising space to new companies
* Liaising with customers on their enquiries and service existing clients.
* Prepare presentation materials and contracts for clients.
* Require to do presentation with corporate clients on company products and services.

Assistant Account Manager
Responsibilities:

* Sell advertising space to clients
* Fix appointments for sales.
* Prepare & follow up on sale presentation.
* Provide after sale service to clients
* Achieve sales quota
* Sales planning and reporting
* Mentor, guide and work with a team of Account Executives

Account Manager
Responsibilities:

* Be responsible for selling advertising space to our clients.
* Engage with potential clients to strategize and demonstrate how our database and online products can generate sales leads for their businesses.
* Able to pitch businesses/collaborations to advertising agencies/direct clients understand and identify key trends within client markets and industries to meet given sales target.
* Understand and be able to articulate the overall business objectives of the sales organization, and its value proposition to the advertising community.
* Accountable for achieving team sales target
* Sales planning and reporting
* Coach and supervise a sales team

Assistant Web Editor
Responsibilities:

* Manage day-to-day editorials, sub-editing and writing of daily web contents
* Conduct editorial interviews and write up features
* Handle contents' positioning variable, enhance website offerings
* Implement e-marketing strategies to drive up web traffic
* Liaise with outside partners to source content

Business Development Executive (Temp) X 20
Responsibilities:

* Conduct market research online and make telephone calls
* Fill out information received in spreadsheet

Interested candidates are expected to e-mail their detailed resume with enclosed photograph, stating current salary to: hr@jobsdb.com.sg.

* Interested candidates for the telesurveyor position: please walk-in for interview or e-mail your detailed resume with enclosed photograph to:

ash@jobsdb.com.sg
8 Jurong Town Hall Road
#30-01 The JTC Summit
Singapore 609434
Contact Person: Wan Ting @ 6578 8123


Requirements for qualification vary per position. To check what your position of interest requires, please proceed to http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/FindJobs?JSRV=1&Key=%22Jobs+DB+Singapore+Pte+Ltd%22&KeyOpt=ALL&SearchFields=Companies. We regret that only short listed candidates will be notified.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Of Grabbing Opportunities and ASSAP 2010

It's not everyday that great opportunities present themselves holding a "grab me, I'm good as free" sign right in front of you. That's why we believe that great opportunities mean compliance. There's no saying no when such things come your way.

Yes, you're right, we're writing our wisdom on opportunities here because we're about to present one that can be your way to career success. You know, we like doing that. And we suggest that you just give in to the offer. Ignoring it will be your loss.

Whether you are a job seeker looking to increase your chances of landing a job asap or a professional wanting to improve his qualifications, ASSAP® 2010 is an event that you shouldn't pass up on.

ASSAP® 2010 is specially designed for all the men and women who work so hard in today's changing offices. It's created for all the 'support staff' whose contributions to their teams and their organisations are of supreme importance. ASSAP® 2010 is particularly suitable for:

* Administrative Managers, Office Managers, Co-ordinators, Supervisors
* Secretaries, PAs and Executive Assistants
* Customer Service Executives
* Sales, Marketing, Accounts staff
* Clerical and Support Executives
* All other admin and support staff wishing to develop their skills

Top executives and job seekers are welcome to attend too.

ASSAP® 2010 will be giving tips on effective communication, time management, stress management, working smarter and more.

For more information, please contact LearningDB.com at 6861 1000 or email to learning@jobsdb.com.sg

JobsDB.com Singapore is all about opportunities. Great jobs are being added to our database on a daily basis. Let us take this chance to announce the industries that just received new jobs back @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore:

Banking & Financial Services
Advertising/Public relations/Marketing Services
Medical/Pharmaceutical
Tourism/Travel Agency
Education
Information Technology

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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News Update: Half of Singapore employees believe in changing organisations as job opportunities arise

JobsDB.com Singapore has received a press release from global professional services company Tower Watson reporting the latest findings on their Global Workforce Study. Majority of the respondents in Singapore (a good 51%) say that they are willing to switch organisations when suitable job opportunities arise.

The Towers Watson 2010 Global Workforce Study is a biennial survey of employee attitudes and workplace trends. It evaluates how organisations address their employees' expectation in terms of career advancement.

The key highlights of the press release are:

1. Degree of mobility among Singapore workers higher than global average
only 25% of employees say that they have no plans to leave their organisations, compared to the global figure of 42%.

2. Career development a key factor to retaining employees
traditional notion of career advancement, such as increased compensation and landing a senior leadership position, is taking a back seat.

3. Wanted – Leaders with stronger interpersonal sensitivities
slight disconnect between what employees desire in their leaders and what their leaders actually demonstrate, possibly due to a post-recession climate that has made employees prefer leaders who demonstrate stronger interpersonal sensitivities.


About Towers Watson
Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW) is a leading global professional services company that helps organisations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. The company offers solutions in the areas of employee benefits, talent management, rewards, and risk and capital management. Towers Watson has 14,000 associates around the world and is located on the Web at towerswatson.com.

More news updates can be found @ http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Newswatch?ID=202

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http;//www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Three Steps to Becoming a Super-Employee // Part 2 of 3

There are no secrets to career success. Contrary to common notion, "super-employees", a.k.a career idols, just have three mottos.


Motto no. 2
I am confident about my writing.

To be a super-employee, you have to know how to put your words into paper properly. Today, e-mails are a principal way of communication; it is crucial to learn techniques that will help you to become a better writer.

You need a tremendous amount of will power in order to be a competitive business writer, however. But of course, if you're really serious about advancing your career into an unspeakable level, you won't find it hard to get motivated. Plus, there are lots of organizations that offer business writing seminars -- you have lots of resources to choose from. You don't have anything to complain about, really.

The best advice we can give you regarding this matter is to be patient. But You'll be able to learn business writing techniques much faster by scheduling your seminars based on this outline:

- the basics of business writing
- grammar
- sentence construction
- writing styles
- proofreading

LearningDB.com offers seminars that can help you improve your technical writing skills, you might want to attend one:
Powerful Business Writing Skills
Report Writing Essentials
Energise Your E-mail Writing Skills
Writing Effective Minutes
Writing in Response to Complaints
Writing Proposals & Reports
Effective Technical Writing Skills

More career resources about business writing can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Industry Focus and Choosing a Career

JobsDB.com Singapore is not just about providing job updates to job seekers. We've come to consider developing career resources as one of our main goals as a "public service" website. For some people, choosing a career can be a difficult task and so, even though interviewing professionals from different fields can be hard work, we're committed to updating our Industry Focus as often as possible. Right now, we've more or less 100 articles for said section.

THAT, needless to say, was what went on in our heads when were still planning our Career Advice section. We hope that said section had been a great help with your career endeavors in one way or another at some point.

We have to admit though, that we're yet to become the "perfect" place for career resources. There are some things that job seekers are asking for that we are yet to develop, but for the meantime, here are three suggestions can help you decide the perfect path for your career:

- attending career workshops is a great way to meet people from different fields.

- online self assessment tests, while not 100% accurate, can give you hints on what you really want to do in life.

- talking to a councilor will help you realize your ultimate goal in life. They will provide you with a list of suitable careers to choose from after a series of tests.

We also suggest you to do more research. Aside from our articles, take the time to read other websites that cater to your field of interest to get news and other updates. This is to find out if your targeted field is hiring and if you can progress in that field.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

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Of Supervisors and Getting Recognized

JobsDB.com Singapore talks about job advancement in terms of getting moral and financial recognition.

Lack of proper recognition is one reason for job dissatisfaction. You think you have a healthy career but you're not getting the proper recognition for every of your job well done; you enjoy your work yet you feel a strong sense of discontent. If you believe you carry the symptoms of this corporate illness, you can raise your profile without being too pushy by gathering feedback, from your boss to your co-workers.

Many times supervisors do not state their expectations flat out. Now is the time to ask yours about his goals and principles to see if they match with your own. They say that opposites attract; but the case is not the least bit like that in the corporate world. What is good for you may not even be close to a satisfactory for him. You need to be the one to adjust. And you won't get any valuable information unless you initiate a conversation to clear things out.

Supervisors like to be stoic, but they will give hints about what type of work makes them happy when you ask them to. For feedbacks, the best thing to do is to start asking around your office. This is also an excellent way to get yourself known within the company.

Also, keep your eyes open. This will help you be the among first ones to react for changes if such are needed. Supervisors like suggestions whether they are positive or not.

If you want, LearningDB.com has something that can help you. Attend Successful Business Communication with popular trainer Shirley Taylor this coming May 4 to get tips.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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What to Wear on an Interview

There's something about job interviews that inspires us. But whatever that something is, it's not the least bit threatening, so don't worry. It tickles our fancy, hence improves our writing prowess. We know, we've already written tons of commentaries on job interviews (body language, self confidence, punctuality, anyone?) but we don't want to stop. Think we've already explained our take on every tip there is to improve job seekers' performance on job interviews? Apparently, we haven't yet. That'll probably happen next year, but not this year so expect more commentaries like this from Jobsdb.com Singapore for the months to come. Nevertheless, what are we discussing today? What to wear on such appointments.

Great performance comes with preparation -- that saying fits job interviews to a T. Prepare for what? Naturally, job seekers would choose to spend most of their preparation time researching about the company that invited them (and cheats for generic interview questions). We're not saying "don't do that", but we also want you to allot some time to think about what to wear at the event. You want to look "professional" enough for the company, more than anything else.

But of course, don't overdo. Remember, you are dressing to impress not to catch attention in a bad way. You want the interviewer to focus on what you have to say, not on your fashion statement (or the lack thereof). Here's our suggestions in bullet form for your convenience:

• for both men and women: wear something you're comfortable with. a top that makes you feelm itchy or pants that are too tight will only pose as a distraction.
• men should never overdress. go for a minimalist attire. the basic shirt and tie combo will do.
• no to bright colors. you want to look as professional as possible. enough said.
• for women: drop your favorite pair of big earrings for this. go for simple a simple pair on this event. pearls will be great.

For more career resources, please visit our Career Advice section. For Singapore job openings, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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We're going all out: great reads, job updates, career workshops and more.

First order of business:

The last economic quarter was all about improvements. But despite that, many are still experiencing tough times in their job search -- even those specializing in Accounting, Banking & Finance, Call Center, Engineering, and Information Technology (which can be considered the stablest industries in the country). But don't get us wrong, we're not giving up with providing career resources e.g. job updates, career articles, etc to those who need such services just because there seems to be no way out for the situation. That's just not us. We see the silver lining in every dark cloud and we're very active in producing materials to spark some hope. JobsDB.com Singapore is all about exposing every possible resource there is for job seekers to help them achieve their own versions of career success.

The original plan was to post our newest books suggestions for today. We'll still be doing that here, but we're going to offer more, hence our "going all out" title. LearningDB.com has great seminars in store for the coming days -- We were just reminded by our ever reliable calendar. we'll be revealing what this seminar is here. Plus, we've just received new job postings that are so exciting they ought to be seen in another place other than our already popular database.

Great, right? We're not planing to extend these introductory words anymore. Here it goes:

BOOKS!
From time to time, we recommend good books in this blog of ours. Not that we're requiring you to have these, but here are some more that we think could do wonders to your job search.

1) “Building Character: Strengthening the Heart of Good Leadership”. We know, we've already mentioned this book before, in a post about career development. Why mention it again? The book is also something job seekers could benefit from. Building character has loads of tips on building your personal brand. Having a personal brand is an advantage, right?


2) "The Secret Language of Business". How can a business book improve your job search? This book is not just about finance strategies, FYI. It contains great explanations on body language and other aspects of communication. Need we say more?

3) “The Levity Effect: Why it pays to lighten up” . Something to draw inspiration from. This is a book for managers in general terms, but reading it can inspire you to continue with your search even though it's "getting" nowhere. Remember, "it pays to lighten up".

SEMINARS!
LearningDB.com is all about helping professionals improve even more -- at this point, you should already know this fact by heart. Here's the newest from JobsDB.com Singapore's training arm that you can add to your resume. While you're on the lookout for a stable post, attend ASSAP 2010 this coming April 20-23 . ASSAP 2010 will arm you with a complete package to help you gain the professional edge. Schedule is as follows:

20 Apr >> ASSAP 2010 : One-Day Conference - Gaining the Professional Edge
21 Apr >> ASSAP 2010 - Workshop A: Personal Excellence in the Workplace
22 Apr >> ASSAP 2010 - Workshop B: Think Smart, Work Smarter
23 Apr >> ASSAP 2010 - Workshop C: Time and Stress Management

For more information, please contact LearningDB.com at 6861 1000 or email to learning@jobsdb.com.sg

JOB OPENINGS!
We know, we've started this article dull. So we might as well end it with something really good. Good news? Yes. New jobs have just been added to our database.

Mortgage Jobs
Jobs in Financial Services
Equities Jobs
Call Center Agents
Career in Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering Jobs
General Management Jobs
Jobs in IT
Lawyer Jobs
Biomedical Career
Retail Jobs
COO Jobs
Regional Manager Jobs



JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Perks: the perks of being a Qiagen employee || reward yourself with these perks from JobsDB SG's Industry Focus

The purpose of Industry Focus is to give job seekers information on the different fields in the country -- it is to help them find the field that fits their preferences and lifestyle to a T. JobsDB.com Singapore aims to lessen instances of job dissatisfaction with that. And we think, the section is doing its job well so far. Although interviewing professionals from different fields can be hard work, we strive to come up with quality industry focus articles week per week for that noble purpose. As of present, we've already published articles for 27 different industries, including Admin & HR, Banking & Finance, Engineering, Government, Information Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Sport and Recreation, and Tourism.

Back at www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore, a new article has just been added to the Medical & Life Sciences section. Looking to build your career in the field of medicine? Reading this article about QIAGEN, one of the world's leading providers of molecular diagnostic solutions for human and veterinary disease detection can help you formulate good strategies for career success. Michael Koenig, the Director Life Science, East Asia & General Manager, South East Asia at Qiagen shared with JobsDB SG some of the perks of being a Qiagen employee. Here's the interview's highlight:

Our Question: How does QIAGEN invest in staff development and welfare?

Michael's Answer: Technical and skills training is an important component of the QIAGEN culture - we call it "investing in you". Providing opportunities and leaving enough personal freedom for development and ongoing coaching and mentoring are key to successfully bringing an organization to the next level. Any organization is only as good as its people. As a global company we also offer a wide range of global training and development opportunities. These include leadership and Executive MBA programs.

In terms of welfare, enabling a healthy work/life balance is important. We also believe that prevention is better than a cure (we are after all a diagnostics company). We take our mandate of providing life saving and improving technologies to all people all over the world very seriously. This, of course, includes our employees. For example, QIAGEN facilitates regular health screening to all employees as well as free flu vaccinations.

You can read the complete interview @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Qiagen?ID=277. More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. For new job openings in Singapore, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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5 Golden Rules of Good Office Etiquette

They say that every dark cloud has a silver lining; office politics, no matter how irritating, isn't really all bad. The set-up makes working a lot more colorful actually. We in JobsDB.com Singapore, are aware of how bothering office politics can get, don't get us wrong. We publish articles on this working concept from time to time, right? Our point is, office politics is not as toxic to your mentality as you think -- it's very tolerable given the right "instructions" on workplace etiquette. It's not like office politics is a maze with no way out.

The way out? This one.

Back at www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore (if you haven't been on our site lately), an article on office politics has just been published. But this is not just an article consisting one or two of our clumsy tips on proper office behavior. This time, we're showcasing advice from a professional -- an expert in the business. We recently interviewed Agnes Koh, Director of Etiquette & Image International. Agnes shared with us etiquette practices that guarantee better coping with office politics. Here's the highlight of the interview:

Our Question: What are some ways to practice good office etiquette?

Agnes' Answer:

1. Don't talk about any health issues that you face as it could negatively affect your promotion chances. The only person you should share about any health problems if it will affect your work is the HR Manager.
2. Avoid gossip and do not talk about your colleagues behind their back as this can create conflict and is not good for your reputation - only share what is meant for sharing.
3. Avoid talking about your holidays and non-work related things during office hours. Personal sharing is ok during after work drinks or during office recreation activities though.
4. Don't offer unsolicited advice to your colleagues as it's best to stay out of people's personal lives.
5. Be aware of what you post on your social networks - facebook and blogs are fine, but you should be aware of the things you write and the photos you upload (avoid work topics), as they could have and adverse effect on your career.

You can read the complete interview @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Career%20Guide?ID=278. More career resources can be found @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex

JobsDB.com Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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Three Steps to Becoming a Super-Employee // Part 1 of 3

There are no secrets to career success. Contrary to common notion, "super-employees", a.k.a career idols, just have three mottos.

Motto no. 1:
Speaking in public? I'm good at that!

Despite the fact that public speaking is one of the most common phobias that employees suffer from, it's easy to overcome. You just have to have the will!

What to do:
... realize that the audience is not expecting you to mess up-- they actually want you succeed in your endeavors.

... by preparing. The more you tailor your speech, the more likely it is that people will listen to you despite your naiveté in the craft and nervousness.

Just so you know, learningDB.com offers seminars on public speaking. If you want to see fast improvements on your part when it comes to this aspect, we advice that you check these out:

Professional People Skills
Speaking Without Fear
Successful Business Communication Skills

Just a note:
JobsDB.com Singapore has something good for job seekers and, well, employees needing some advice that they can look forward to for the coming months. It's also our business to provide career resources to those who need them, hence the Career Advice section @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore. We have lots of articles lined up for said section and we want to shame bits of them in this blog of ours starting today. The little JDB logo is your signal for exclusive career tips from us.

Don't be left out, bookmark us now!

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New seminars from LearningDB.com! A chance to improve your negotiation skills, opportunities to enhance your career prospects, and more...

Looking to update your qualifications? Consider yourself lucky. Rejoice as LearningDB.com has lots in store for this week.

Seminar 1

Leaders are well-rounded individuals. To get your boss to consider you for promotion, you have to show him that you already have your professionals skills developed to the prime. Good presentation skills and writing skills aren't enough. What about your listening skills?

The most-overlooked area of communication, effective listening, is actually something that you have to be good at in order to function great as a leader. But listening is more than the awareness of sound, mind you. Let David Goldwich, professional speaker, teach you how to listen not just with your ears but with all your senses combined. LearningDB.com will be having "Activate your Listening Skills" this coming April 8.

• Understanding the listening process
• Different kings of listening
• Improving your listening skills

Details are as follows:
Date: 8 April 2010
Duration: 1 day, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Fee: S$445
Venue: 4-star Hotel, located in Central Singapore(TBA)

- Fees are subjected to prevailing GST of 7%
- Includes course materials, light refreshments and lunch
Website: http://www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/st_activate_your_listening_skills.htm

Seminar 2

While the mouth is the principal means of communication in the professional world, you should master writing as well in order to achieve career success. In this day and age of technology, the email is considered as an important tool in business. LearningDB.com knows this too well. December last year, it offered "Effective Technical Writing Skills" with popular trainer, Sandra Sandu-Reeves. Did you miss the event? Now is your chance to catch up! JobsDB.com Singapore's professional training arm is bringing back Sandra for another session of technical writing. Now you can polish up your technical writing skills. Mark your calendar!

Details are as follows:
Date: 9 April 2010
Duration: 1 day, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Fee: S$330
Venue: Grand Park Hotel City Hall

- Fees are subjected to prevailing GST of 7%
- Includes course materials, light refreshments and lunch
Website: http://www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/LE_Effective_Technical_Writing_Skills.htm

Seminar 3

For those who were able to attend Sandra's technical writing skills seminar last December, we recommend this seminar.

We negotiate everyday. Yet many of us are not familiar with the art of negotiation -- the proper way of negotiating, that is. Let David Goldwich teach you how to negotiate without the losses. Is that even possible? Yes, with the win-win negotiation approach.

• The fundamentals of negotiation
• Characteristics of Win-win negotiators
• A seven step negotiation checklist

Details are as follows:
Date: 9 April 2010
Duration: 1 day, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Fee: S$445
Venue: 4-star Hotel, located in Central Singapore(TBA)

- Fees are subjected to prevailing GST of 7%
- Includes course materials, light refreshments and lunch
Website: http://www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/ST-Win-Win-Negotiation-Skills.htm

Enquiries:

For more information, please contact Lynn at 6861 1000 or email to learning@jobsdb.com.sg


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JobsDB Singapore
Singapore's finest resource for jobs
http://www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore

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