Engineering and IT Jobs

Thursday, November 17, 2011

What fresh graduates need.


Everyone looks forward to college graduation. But it's a sign that you need to be more mature in your actions from that point on. Considering how difficult it is to Search Jobs in Singapore, due to the tight competition for Accountancy Jobs, HR Positions, Educator Jobs, Jobs in Hospitality, and Singapore Banking Jobs, maturity is most-definitely needed.

Support is what fresh graduates need during this transition. Not that what you've learned from school won't help you fight off the stresses of job search, but oftentimes, 'just' career tips aren't enough to get you moving amid insecurities.

Are you graduating soon? What you probably need are career articles based on experiences. Statements tested by time and the erratic Singapore jobs market. What you probably need are fool-proof career tips that won't put you in too much risky situations.

Regardless of your choice of industry, you'll find what you need on Industry Focus. Articles are FAQ-type for easy reference and spot-on learning. Wondering about the professional life of a private banker? Do you want to know if there is room for work life balance in engineering jobs? Thinking of pursuing a career in HR but don't know how and where to start? Confused about marketing jobs? You'd find all the answers there.

Friday, November 11, 2011

The festive season is nearing. Naturally, we are giving away attractive gifts and prizes.

When was the last time you visited http://sg.jobsdb.com? Have you heard that we're giving away prizes this festive season?

Winning is easy! Just take a snapshot of our advertisement panels on SMRT trains islandwide and upload it at http://engage.sg.jobsdb.com/SG/festive-season-giveaway/?page_id=5. Next, log on to our Fanpage at http://www.facebook.com/jobsdb.com.sg and share your snapshot with a I <3 JobsDB! comment. Rally for the most number of likes!

>>>Singapore jobs here.
>>>Career Advice? We're also trustworthy in this aspect.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Aidiladha Greetings


Coming next week...
~new Career Advice
~new Singapore Jobs to make your dream Singapore Career come true!
~more updates.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Deepavali Greetings

When Serangoon Road transforms into a world of shines and sparkles, it only means one thing: Deepavali has come. We at http://www.sg.jobsdb.com would like to extend our Deepavali greetings.




If you must continue your job search despite the festivities, please browse the latest Accountant Jobs, Education Jobs, Engineering Jobs, Media Jobs, Telecommunications Jobs and Admin Jobs in Singapore that our database has just received.

If what you need is career advice, please visit http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

"Working on schedule" will help you with your success pursuits.

Organised people usually find that their jobs are easier to do. Organisation is one benefit of following a work schedule -- keeping a work formula will provide work life balance, it goes without saying. With organisation comes better decision making. It'll take you less energy to complete tasks because you're relaxed -- you know what to prioritise and what can be moved for the next day. Important jobs will get the attention that they require because the less important ones have been broken into routines.

How do we suggest you divide your tasks for this purpose? The easiest way to an organised work life is this: Start with listing down all your job responsibilities, from the biggest to the smallest. This applies whether you have an Accounting Job or Engineer Job or Admin Job or IT Job. Schedule your top priorities the soonest. Break down your small tasks and put them on a stand by; if your time allows you, go ahead and work on some of them. Professional Speaker Dr. Donald Wetmore believes in task management to increase productivity and he's shared with us one great tip. He's written this in his Crucial vs. Not Crucial article that we've featured on Career Advice: "I divide our responsibilities into two categories: "Crucial" and "Not Crucial". Crucial items give us the "biggest bang for the buck" for the time spent and is the most productive use of our time. "Not Crucial" gives us emotional relief." Among all your job responsibilities, which items carry the most weight career-wise? Consider them Crucial. Not Crucial refers to little office tasks like email organization and desk cleaning.



The easiest way to please your boss is to meet his expectations. What can routines do to you in this regard? Your boss will grow to appreciate your increased efficiency and may entrust you with more challenging tasks, in which case may lead you to a promotion. In relation to this, by working on schedule, you'll be able to keep up with what's happening around, from inside the confines of your office building to the market in general and thus, have better things to share during meetings. Chris Mead, General Manager of Hays in Singapore has shared with us once, "In meetings make sure everyone knows what you’re working on and what the outcomes are for the business."

Contrary to common notion, multi-tasking is a big no especially for starters. You'll just end up with more things to problematise -- just think of the mistakes! We understand that it's tempting to juggle two or three tasks at the same time when you have task overload, but here's the thing: a schedule will keep you in proper perspective -- you'll see yourself thinking less about multitasking by enacting one.

Everyone needs a break; keeping a schedule is the best way to make such a thing happen. A waste of time? Not really. Use this idea as a motivation -- like think of it as a reward for finishing something. You'll be revived and be much more efficient in attacking the next job in hand. Career management expert Kamal Kant has shared this with us through an article. We hope it'll inspire you to take a break. "There is power in permission! Give yourself permission to take a break, to over-succeed, or whatever else you want. Permission liberates, energises, inspires and empowers. You can give yourself permission to reach for the stars!"

However, don't over-schedule yourself. Your manager will not just judge you by your efficiency in working but also by your ability to handle emergencies and unexpected situations. If you want to be successful you need to be resourceful when the situation calls for it. There isn't any other way around it. Flexibility, in managers' point of view, is a big plus point.

Being a person of schedule calls for commitment. A strong dose of. Try very hard to honor your schedule. At the end of the day, it all depends on whether or not you'll allow this work protocol to help you path your way to success.

Let JobsDB.com Singapore end this article with these two points:

"One needs to take charge of one's own career as if it was a business and not rely on others to insure security in the hectic job market of today and into the future", says Clinincal counselor David P. Helfand .

Dr Sattar Bawany, Head of Transition Coaching Practice with DBM Asia Pacific follows that up with "career management is now YOUR responsibility, with your employer facilitating it. "

You have to move in order to succeed. Following these tips takes hardwork, but think of it this way: it can harvest you good results in the long run.


Resources:

How To Manage Your Career & Stay Relevant

Knowing yourself & knowing how to create your own good luck and keys to career planning

Reach Out for the Stars

Crucial vs. Not Crucial

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Office Politics Know-how


Life in an Accounting Job, Banking Job, Admin Job, HR Job, IT Job, Call Center Job, and Writing Job can be summarized in one sentence: sitting down and staring at a computer monitor for eight straight hours. That’s it. It’s not surprising that more office professionals get burned out than workers in other environments -- albeit not physically exhausting, this kind of (in)activity is not the most enjoyable as it brings forth mental stress. Good thing, there is office politics that adds thrill to an otherwise boring routine that conventional offices follow.

But don't get us wrong, we're not saying that office politics is a joy nor are we suggesting you to play by its rules to achieve career success. You will be stepping on other people's dreams in the process by doing that. We have to admit though, that there are times that doing so is the only way out. So, should you embrace its influences in your career or resist them? Think of the situation you're currently in. JobsDB.com Singapore hopes to help you find your answer in this article.

First things first, what is office politics? The office is an ecosystem that follows the rules of politics -- that's not debatable. The ones with the most number of contacts get to be on top. Quite obviously, the ones who see this office set-up as a career threat are either too good to be able to stomach any activity that involves self indulging or shy. Yes, shy. Either way, you should be aware that positioning yourself as a “commoner” in this kind of setting isn't the smartest of ideas. Office politics is crappy -- JobsDB.com Singapore knows that, but if you believe that you are being deprived of privileges in an awfully wrong way, it won't hurt to resist bits of this concept's influences in your career as a professional.

Now, how do you resist these influences? To be able to resist influences of office politics in your career, identify its elements that affect you firsthand.

Let's start with your boss. Is he a power tripper? Does he inhumanely exhaust you? Not all power tripper bosses can be considered a sign of office politics infliction, though a boss that doesn't respect your personal life borders to being such.

Although bosses like to be stoic most of the time, they will talk to you if you ask them to. So, instigate a conversation with yours. Ask him his goals and tell him how you are planning to go about those goals. See if your working policy matches his. If not, suggest ways to make them correlate. Sounds too pushy? Not really, if it's your career that you're trying to save, this is not something to be afraid of. Your boss might even adore your honesty.

Commotion among coworkers is another common element of office politics. Self indulgent coworkers will embrace every means possible to set the odds into their favor. But every office in existence houses such beings so don't pity yourself for having to deal with people like that every working day. How do you deal with this career threat? It's best to ignore them and just do your thing. Pretend that their bantering don't exist, unless necessary. And no, we don't want you to be like them either, please. There are ways in which you can show your boss that you are a good employee without transforming yourself into another office politics element. Let their childish actions be your drive to improve your performance. Enough said.

We’d like to think that you’re already getting the point. Any form of inequality stemming from someone assuming the role of an authority is an office politics element. If you believe that such an element is slowing eating your career prospects up, don’t be afraid to serve justice.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Did you get your job through JobsDB.com?

Chris has been a jobseeker member since 2009 and counting. He finds his membership satisfying because of the constantly updated database of Singapore jobs.

On the other hand, the thing that Mavis likes the most about sg.jobsdb.com is its user-friendly interface. She got a writer job though the database at ease.

A marketing professional, Chermaine thinks that sg.jobsdb.com is all greatness. She's thankful that the website has found a way to make the job application process less complicated.

Chis, Mavis, and Chermaine are just three of the many career professionals in Singapore that are attached to sg.jobsdb.com in one way or another. Did you also get your job through our database like them? Tell us and you could win attractive prizes!



After Spot and Win, we bring you the 'Your Job Through JobsDB.com Contest'. Just narrate to us your story (but not more than 200 words) at http://engage.sg.jobsdb.com/SG/jobs-through-jobsdb/ and your entry could be recognised! These are just some of the many prizes to be given away:

  • 16 GB IPAD 2
  • $350 Marina Bay Sands Gift Vouchers
  • $200 Gift Vouchers
  • 12 x $50 Gift Vouchers

Thursday, September 29, 2011

What to do after job loss. It takes more than just coping.

Open letter:

We are currently working on a big project. So, expect this blog to have more idle moments than usual. But one thing's for sure: We'll make up for the lack of updates. THIS post marks the start of our revised blogging agenda.

We hope to get your support.

Sincerely,
The moderators of http://jobsdbsingapore.blogspot.com


~~~

One thing that's been bothering us since the periodicals have started to publish clips on renewed optimism is that the hype seems to be evading the paths of our followers. Nothing's changed in our inbox -- the situation is still as gloomy as ever. Granted, competition is never out of the picture in the Singapore job market (and our jobs portal caters to millions of job seekers), but it just doesn't seem fair, right?

Having a hard time with your job hunt? Perhaps it will help if we say that in today's job market the average job hunting takes more than a month. That’s a safe assumption. David Perry, co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0' has shared with us through Career Advice that the average job search in America right now is, in fact, 33 weeks. Too much time right? That's why we thought of featuring you alternatives -- things to do to make proper use of the extra time after job loss. Take the time to ponder on these suggestions.

The first alternative that we want you to consider is contracting. Call it what you will: unstable; not advisable to those with long term goals; or a classic example of a tricky choice for career -- it's still something that can keep your financial needs taken care of while you're seeking for a rebound. We'll say this for contracting: do it. Contract jobs have evolved into jobs of great promise in recent years -- the underlying benefits of today's contract jobs can compete with those of stable posts actually. Taking on a contract job will not only keep your finances secured but also give a push up to your credentials, thus improving your chances for landing a job as well. If anyone here is acting questionably, take these points from Niharika Chaturvedi, a Senior Consultant (IT Banking Contract division) at Robert Walters with a grain of salt. She’s shared these with us through Career Advice just like David. Her main reasons for encouraging job seekers to consider contract jobs are as follows: extra/bonus income, stopgap arrangement in between jobs, practice for long term positions, exposure to new technologies, add value to your CV, opportunity to prove yourself in MNC, lower risk of losing your job, opportunity for salary increments, and more freedom.

Another silver lining to job loss is it gives you ample time for career seminars. There are many reasons why training programs are important for working professionals, but what matters the most has something to do with your relevance in the work world. Designed to cater to every employee skill there is, classes on career not only offer a chance for professionals to hone their professional expertise but also give them networking opportunities. The only stain on this suggestion is that it involves expenses. If you have money to spare, don't hesitate. It's for your career, anyway.

Now that we've raised this point, we feel compelled to give you suggestions on "how" and "where.” Periodicals are a great resource when it comes to looking for workshop opportunities to attend. Can we interest you in some servings from LearningDB.com too? Established in their chosen fields, from finance to personal development, an excellent job is a standard for LearningDB.com regulars George Goh, John Ho, Ricky Lien, David Goldwich, Shirley Taylor, Alison Lester, and Sandra Sandu-Reeves. LearningDB.com's seminars may be on the hefty side, but it's all up their on the webpages. It's impossible for people with such qualifications and ideas for development to disappoint you.

Though this doesn't offer as much benefits as the other strategies in this list, exploring the cyberspace for career portals like sg.jobsdb.com is a notable one. The internet is a place of the unexpected -- one link may give you more than your expected premise. An opportunity for learning in discount, perhaps, or even a Singapore job.

There’s no harm in trying. So don’t be afraid to give one or two of these suggestions a shot. Don’t hesitate to give us feedback.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

I am not getting interview invites.

Yo, it's been a while. If you've been a blog follower since a long time ago, you're probably wondering what has happened to us.

Well, we're doing just fine. Busy but fine. Actually, we have a perfectly acceptable reason for not updating or writing or sharing anything (not even a ramble) this long. Thing is, many things are going on right now at our end (which is not surprising because the people behind sg.jobsdb.com are eternally workaholic and motivated). Rest assured, the skips have been committed for a good reason. You guys just have to wait to know what this reason actually is.

And no, we haven't forgotten our recent survey pursuit. Don't even go there. We know our commitments and it's not like us to forget them just because we've gotten ourselves in a little too much work tangles. Actually, from 14, the number of responses to our survey has increased to 25, making our last declaration a little bit faulty now. Although the crown of having the biggest number of ticks still belongs to the 'Identifying Suitable Job Opportunities' (as declared in the last update) option, the fact that the "I am not getting interview invites" under the "Job Interviewing" subcategory displays a very long orange bar can't just be ignored.



Yup, that bar just can't be ignored. Much like the new accounting jobs, engineer jobs, banking jobs, IT jobs, HR jobs, and telecom jobs in our database. Anyway, what exactly is our advice to those people that have made that orange bar this long (and those others who can relate to their problems)?

Here's the thing: We haven't changed our definition of a perfect job search: A perfect job search is targeted. The jobseeker chooses carefully the job ads he/she applies to and edits his/her resume based on the specific requirements of each of those job ads in his/her roster. Simple as that. Now, look back at your approach. Is this scenario familiar or very different?

We'll leave it there.

For those of you who have friends who haven't participated in the survey yet, just lead them to the post below this one.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Identifying Suitable Job Opportunities

You may be wondering what has begotten our little survey pursuit after three days. The truth is, it seems to be stuck at 14. Of course, you can help us to improve this measly number by telling your Singapore jobseeker friends to take part as well. Nevertheless, even though (again-- we're getting tired of writing these types of disclaimers, really) 14 is very far from being a 'professional sample', for the sake of giving you updates, we're doing this. Rather unsurprisingly, the aspect of job hunting that so far has the most response count is 'Identifying Suitable Job Opportunities'. Because we're in a country whose job market is a wonderland for all nationalities, we kind of expected this kind of trend.

The sub-category of "Are you a member of sg.jobsdb.com? If yes, how do you make use of its database?" so far has the most responses. Of course, this surprised us. We'd like to think that the jobs database of sg.jobsdb.com is the most user-friendly there is; thus, jobseekers shouldn't find it hard to navigate through the website's pages of Singapore jobs at all. Could it be that this commotion is due to the fact that, admittedly, most of the job postings only ask for Singaporean/PR applications?

Well, this 'problem' isn't exclusive only to sg.jobsdb.com. It 's natural because by setting this restriction, employers can skip the paper processing step and make their hiring processes faster. But well, this doesn't mean that expatriates are at a big disadvantage against locals/PRs with regards to the accounting jobs, banking jobs, engineering jobs, design jobs, telecom jobs, public service jobs, among others, in our database.

The key is patience (Plus, hard work). It's no good for them to apply to ads with PR restrictions, though. Those specifications are there for a reason. If you really truly want to succeed in your job search in Singapore, you won't want to communicate a 'desperate' image.

We'll update you as soon as we get more responses.

Reposting this for the 'possible' extras:
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.


Alternatively, you may Click here to take survey

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

A short note on career stress

If nothing else, stress is destructive to jobseekers and career builders. If they want to succeed in their job search, it goes without saying that jobseekers have to religiously follow Singapore jobs trends. However, they should do this without compromising on the overall quality of their lives outside the corporate world. Career builders are faced with the same task. And although it can be considered that their brand of stress carries a lighter weight than that of the jobseekers, balance remains an important part of the equation.

It may seem difficult to fight off stress, but something as simple as drinking coffee can already do the job well, depending on your definition of relaxation and peace. It all starts with your recognision of this definition, followed by the development of possible counterplans against stress in relation to the it.

How about getting ideas from 15 Ways to Beat Stress at Work?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Untitled.

"JobsDB is the No.1 jobsite in Asia Pacific, offering over tens of thousands of job opportunities every day."

We couldn't have said it better. By now, it should be glaringly obvious to you that everyone at JobsDB is workaholic, from the admin to the sales and marketing departments. All of this is to help Singapore employers with their hiring processes. For jobseekers, good work is ensured so that they'd not have a hard time landing a job even though the competition in the Singapore jobs market is impossibly tight.

Why the sudden advertorial? This actually should have gone with our announcement concerning the recent facelift of sg.jobsdb.com. To call this blogging effort sudden is outright wrong. No important backlogs, whatsoever. And anyway, we're still gathering responses from our recent survey pursuit.

Speaking of that survey, it isn't actually doing very good. And so, we ask you to ask your friends who are also job hunting to take part in it. Although there are no prizes involved, you can be sure that we'll give all we've got with our replies.

Leave the prize-giving to Spot and Win by spotting taxis with JobsDB stickers wrapped around them on the road. Contest's still ongoing, just go here for more information: http://engage.sg.jobsdb.com/SG/spot-and-win/


P.S.
Our database has just received new Accounting Jobs, Admin Jobs, Engineering Jobs, Education Jobs, and Telecom Jobs. Be sure to check them out.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Is there something wrong with your job search? We might be able to help.

Bad news: We have officially lost our touch. But here's the thing: You can help to get it back. If you miss our long ramblings about Singapore jobs and career advice (In other words, our talkative selves), you should take part in this...uhm...activity.

One thing's for sure: we need your inputs badly. And although our survey skills are far from being at par with professional standards, at the very least, we get people talking through such means. At the very least, we know what to talk about (and there is an assurance that our efforts will pay off because we will be read). There.

It seems that our last survey isn't getting anymore responses, but really, the number 24 is enough to encourage us to create another one. This time, we are addressing the survey to our jobseeker readers: In what aspect of job hunting are you the most confused? We want to know, so we could give our best for help.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.


Alternatively, you may Click here to take survey

Friday, September 9, 2011

The young and hip

Young writers are anything but boring. Unlike their older counterparts *cough, cough*, they do not shy away from the Avant-garde, resulting to witty pieces of prose.

If you haven't noticed it yet, JobsDB Campus is no longer the grumpy webpage where there are only pictures of students in toga and links to student jobs, fresh graduate jobs, and part time jobs. It was, actually, re-branded with youth and vibe in mind. What better way to induce these elements into a webpage than setting up a blog and hiring young writers to moderate that blog?

Thus, http://campus.sg.jobsdb.com/ is born to entertain and inform. Our hip moderators never fail to amaze us with their witty takes on career issues. How about you check their writing skills out yourself? These are their best and most popular articles:

Adding your personal touch to Valentine Day
The Value of Facebook status to a campus student
The Stereotypical Job Interviewee
Guide to Mugging in Town
Passion Reads of Summer

P.S. The moderators of this blog aren't really 'that' old, but we bow down to the creativity of these people.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Singapore jobs update

It has been a while since we last made an update about the Singapore jobs market. We may be messy writers, but we know (and admit to) our shortcomings.

You have to understand that making updates about Singapore jobs is our main task on Facebook and Twitter everyday. Since we are all about achieving variety over here, the news naturally doesn't come up as a possible source of topic whenever we brainstorm for this blog.

Of course this won't happen if only we keep a schedule for this blog (given our many job responsibilities) or at least, a list of what to and what not to write. Then again, we're messy and you know it.

Shame on the ramblings, but it's only necessary to do. And before you get more frustrated on us, the thing is, there is talent shortage in the industries of Finance and Accounting. What we have now is a jobseeker market where Singapore employers find hiring skilled accounting and finance professionals a big challenge. With this, the experts predict that there will be enough Singapore banking jobs and accounting jobs for everyone for the next 6 months.

If you're job hunting in the sector of finance or accounting but having a hard time landing a job, something is definitely wrong with what you're doing. Maybe you aren't highlighting your technical skills enough? Do you make sure that your resume is spotless and highlights your very best skills before sending it?

Organisations hiring in the Asia-Pacific continue to face talent shortage

How to get on the board: Five skills you need for a successful finance career

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Interactive sg.jobsdb.com

With a fast-changing world as a backdrop, you have to admit that the task of achieving success isn't a very easy thing to do. And so, companies keep up with trends like a broker does to the stock market. Similarly, jobseekers and career builders do everything to improve their chances of succeeding in their individual pursuits. What we have here is a busy discourse of "mind your own businesses" yet, nobody gets offended because that's simply the things have become.

Needless to say, JobsDB is always seeking ways to improve the services it provides to its jobseeker members and employer clients. How so is it devoted to the task?

It goes without saying that social media websites have become a relevant part of our lives. With that in mind, sg.jobsdb.com immediately set up profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and even joined the blogging scene in hopes of reaching a wider audience and delivering our Singapore banking jobs, accounting jobs, engineer jobs, admin jobs, and telecom jobs better. We spend time answering the concerns you've posted on our Facebook wall or via mentioning @JobsDBSingapore in your tweet daily.

Not that we're testing your ability to feel grateful (we're well aware that our efforts are recognised). All the repetitions are for potential followers who've been lurking around our social media empires for a while -- We want them to stay connected with us like you do.

If you've been keeping up with our rambles and rants for quite some time now, you should be familiar with these icons:

Join our Fanpage on Facebook!Follow us on Twitter!Watch our YouTuBe Videos!Read our blog!Please write a review on Alexa.com!

It's our gateway to the social media scene. If you're not yet a follower, a friend or a member, you know what to do. Click! Click! Click!

Also, JobsDB Singapore jobs are available as RSS feeds... all 30,000 of them. Just one click can lead you to opportunities and chances of joining Singapore's top employers. This button right here will hand you the convenience:


RSS



Speaking of convenience, the 'need' for it has never been this strong -- These days, cellphones are no longer considered luxuries. It is for this reason that JobsDB has developed an IPhone App. If you're an IPhone user, you might be interested to check this out:

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Tapping the hidden jobs market

Okay. So far, our little survey has garnered 24 responses. Although this number is still far from being acceptable by professional polling standards, we cannot help but feel ready to already declare a winner among our choices. 41.7% said that the best option to take when one's job search was having troubles was *surprise, surprise* "tapping the hidden jobs market through networks". Far from the second place was the option of "considering temp jobs and contract jobs", with 29.2% approval. The third placer was the option of "considering another industry with similar demands" with 16.7% approval, followed by "trying harder" with 12.5%. Still, no one agreed to considering the option of "returning to school for MBA or attending career seminars".

If we were to answer this survey, we'd probably zero in our contemplation on the options of "tapping the hidden jobs market" and"considering returning to school". Eventually, after much musing, we'd probably end up choosing the latter . Ergo, we're quite disappointed that nobody -- not even one -- has the same views as ours. Not that we're implying that our industry insights are superior, but we probably just need assurances that people are finally recognising the "new trend", the one implying that human capital development is the most effective route to success in this day and age. Singapore employers should be the ones most mindful of this, but jobseekers of Singapore banking jobs, accounting jobs, engineer jobs, marketing jobs...everything should recognise its presence as well at the very least, so expectations could be met if you get what we mean.

Nevertheless, since it doesn't seem like we're still going to get additional responses, we might as well share already what we have to say concerning the discourse of the hidden jobs market and how to tap into its resources. Actually, the hidden jobs market could be tapped in many ways, both conventionally and unconventionally. Focus was given to networking because it seemed to be the most effective way, judging from our own experiences and past conversations with jobseekers.

It is a given fact that more than 50% of job openings in Singapore aren't advertised. There are still companies that believe in the referrals method of filling in vacant positions, the thing is. The only way to have yourself considered for these positions, given these circumstances, is knowing someone 'from the inside'. Frequenting networking events and joining professional clubs are both a good way to meet potential contacts. If you haven't considered these options for career advancement yet, you should do so asap.

Returning to school can also lead you to people who will make great contacts. Okay, that's one biased statement, but we guess you understand the point, right?

Do you beg to disagree? Speak out. We'll listen.

Monday, September 5, 2011

We interrupt your regular programming for a brief announcement.

Unsurprisingly since everyone at sg.jobsdb.com is workaholic, there's a lot of things going on right now on our end. If you haven't visited our website in a while, you should do so ASAP to see our new look.



So how do you find it? Since this change is a first time in a long while, we are in a dire need of comments and suggestions. If you have something in mind regarding our new interface, whether it is positive or negative, just send it out.

To those who are curious about what this change implies, only the interface has changed actually. It's the same brand of convenience when searching for Accounting Jobs, Finance Jobs, Engineer Jobs, Admin Jobs, etc. Similarly, JobsDB, Job Alerts, Learning and all the other JobsDB services you've grown to love will still work to provide you convenience in your job search or career building.

So yes, we need your inputs.

Aside from this, we also have an ongoing contest. This time, it's very easy to win. You just have to spot taxis with JobsDB stickers wrapped around them and take note of their registration numbers. Prizes to be given away include MacBook Air, 8GB iPod Touch, Shopping Vouches worth $200, and Pairs of Movie Tickets worth $170. Visit engage.sg.jobsdb.com/SG/spot-and-win/ for more details.



Of course, we're still inviting Singapore employers to sign their staff up for Onboarding Workshop, a first time in Asia! Get them to speed up in half the time!



Thursday, September 1, 2011

What's up with the new 'Career Positioning' campaign?

We've been talking a lot about 'career positioning' lately, urging jobseekers to be targeted in their applications. Similarly, we've been busy asking career builders to get their goals straight once and for all. If you've been with us since the very beginning, you should know that this is being done with intent. And we're going to keep up with it for as long as it takes to get satisfying results.

Although we give as much importance to the virtue of variability as interactivity as far as this blog is concerned, we've come into a (rather delayed) conclusion that repetition is a good teacher. If you want to make people remember something, gentle reminders are the way to go.

But of course, we're aware that overdoing it could potentially lead to a decrease in the number of our followers. That's why we think of different ways to get the point across. Last Friday, we did a survey (Which is still open, BTW). The other day, we listed questions that some of our followers might be confused about. It's all about pre-suppositions... and hoping that your wild guess applies to some of the people within your social circles. And then, a conversation of some sort is born.

By principle, this is not the least bit easy. And there's no assurance that the conversation you've successfully instigated will go on for more than a week. So, there. Our writing jobs are not easy and we can only hope for your undying participation.

Nevertheless, we don't intend on bumming you with a complicated discussion today, so don't worry. Actually, we're only tasked to inform you about the 'latests' from our editors at sg.jobsdb.com, in case you haven't visited in a while. Just recently, our editors uploaded press releases from Hays Singapore and Robert Half concerning their recent findings in the Singapore jobs market and the overall standing of Singapore jobs. In particular, banking jobs and financial jobs are those in the spotlight. If you're job hunting in this industry, you shouldn't be having a hard time.

The links:

Organisations hiring in the Asia-Pacific continue to face talent shortage

How to get on the board: Five skills you need for a successful finance career

Money and lifestyle issues driving career change for Singapore’s workers

More hiring at the top this financial year


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Options for jobseekers

Last Friday, we posted a poll about how one could improve his/her job search. The catch was, what if you had excellent qualifications and the skills to booth? You'd wonder... has the competition in the Singapore jobs market tightened so much that even 'price-catch' candidates (just to lay out the idea) feel ignored?

So far, we've garnered 12 responses. This number is a little bit short of quota, yes, but we're very grateful for the people who've participated. And so, the results are that most people agree to the option of tapping the hidden jobs market (through networks) and considering temp jobs and contract roles. Both got 33.3% response rates.

Somehow, we expected to end up with this kind of result. The hidden jobs market is a very good place to look into, and this is common knowledge. The advantage is that you'd be applying as a 'referred' person; when it comes to job search in Singapore, a back up is always welcome. On the other hand, with contract jobs, additional experience will be gained and there is the chance of getting absorbed in the company as a regular employee for a job well done.

Garnering a favorable 25% response rate is the option of considering another industry with similar skills demands. People probably know that there is difficulty in this option. Effort must be exerted to market yourself to the top companies in this 'new' industry. Describing your transferable skills can be quite tiring especially if you haven't done this kind of an exercise before.

Perhaps, the reason why the option of returning to school or attending some career seminars didn't get any response is because it comes with a price. Anyway, education is a form of investment no matter what angle you look at it. If you have the budget, then attend training opportunities and career seminars. If not, we don't want you to completely drop the idea, though.

'Try harder and wait' was included as an option because it has been proven many times that having patience pays when looking for a job in Singapore. Not a lot of people, it appears, believes in this though. Do you? We do.

We've decided to leave this survey open until a 100 people has answered it. If you haven't voted for an option yet, do so. Please also incline your friends and acquaintances to share their thoughts with us. Those votes would help a lot.



Alternatively, you may Click here to take survey




Friday, August 26, 2011

What more could a qualified candidate do to improve his/her chances for a job?

There are few things sadder in this life than hearing from a jobseeker who has been having a hard time landing a job despite having excellent qualifications. A few weeks ago, we chatted with one on Facebook.

You know our ideals:

  • A run-of-the-mill approach is a big NO, given the cut-throat competition for Singapore jobs. Writing a 'personalised' resume and cover letter for every job ad is possibly, the only way to get interview invites.
  • You cannot get away victorious from an interview without preparing answers before-hand. Nor would you be able to impress by being late.
  • It takes courage to follow up for the status of a job application, but if you do, you'd one up your chances. It would communicate your sincerity for the job.

All these... this jobseeker had already tried doing. And despite the efforts, nothing good had reached his/her end. Even this didn't do the trick:

10 Questions to ask if you still haven't found a job

Our formula for a perfect job search has been challenged the first time in almost two years.

Not that we're complaining. There's both a good and a bad in this scenario. On a positive note, this goes to prove that our efforts for achieving interactivity is working. On the other hand, much as we'd want to solve this jobseeker's problem once and for all, we don't know how to...yet.

The reason why we'd opened this up is we want to ask for your opinions. It is given that competition for jobs in Singapore is so cut-throat it can even challenge the belief systems of the most optimistic. Much more so when you happen to be searching for bank jobs, accounting jobs, engineer jobs, and hr jobs. And so, we ask you to take part in a short survey we made.



Can't see the survey? Alternatively, you may Click here to take survey

We promise to share with you the results. For now, please help us to decide what to advice the jobseeker.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

career advice for the pessimistic (and for everyone else)

There are many possibilities in career and this is both a good and a bad thing. We all know that downward slopes in career are some of the most depressing in life and it happens that not all career professionals are as optimistic as sunshine. Browse through job boards and forums and you'll understand what we mean.

This realisation gave us a shake, needless to say. What's the best possible way to address this issue to help our readers who get easily depressed? This is a challenge we won't back out of, given that we can relate personally.

Okay. After a good hours of thinking, we've resolved that an average career professional can encounter at least 7 career issues in his/her life; namely (feel free to add, this is a 'career forum' after all):


Regarding the issue of 'job search', we stand by our belief that a run-of-the-mill approach will not do you any good. Competition for Singapore jobs has been pretty cut-throat since the last decade and to stand out from a sea of equally competitive jobseekers is to EFFORT. Each job ad deserves a 'personalised' cover letter and resume from you. You won't get a job anytime soon if you think this is too troublesome.

Regarding the issue of 'work productivity', the key is scheduling your tasks and this is somehow related to 'Job Dissatisfaction'. Routines can be tiring, so in order to survive in 'heavily' office-based positions like accounting jobs, hr jobs, admin jobs, it jobs, and telecom jobs, a special scheduling of tasks is advised to be done. Which part of the day/week are you usually most active/alive? Schedule your most tiresome tasks during those times/days and set yourself to do the easiest during your slowest hours/days.

The reason why we're so much into 'Networking' is that it is useful in many ways. First, it can provide you extra access to jobs in case of a sudden job loss. Second, networking is a good way to get free career advice. So, sharpen your networking skills.

'Job Loss' and 'Career Change' are related to job search, but the catch is, you have to give the most focus on your experience -- so, experience as an advantage is the idea.

For the issue of 'Salary Increase'...actually, we only have two things to say: Research and Develop guts. The combination is a killer.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

All in one.

By the middle of 2010, we were at our prime, to an extent that saw us obsessing over word limits -- that we wouldn't call it a write up until it reached 600 or so words. In order to feed that desire for public service (and well, in an attempt to build a name in the blogging industry as well), we'd written with so much intensity. Everything was well: our followers were equally as happy as we were.

Nothing much has change since that time. The only thing about this blog that has gone into a critical decline is the level of interactivity. What was once a common place over here is now a rarity that we strive to get back every day. Yesterday's post is a testament to this desire and we just hope to attract more answers.

One proof to our 'alleged' hyperactivity during 2010 is the blog, http://accounting-jobs-singapore.blogspot.com/. It hasn't been updated for so long and of course, we acknowledge our faults. But here's the thing: if you are currently looking for accounting jobs in Singapore (and still find our DB complicated or troublesome), this is the website to bookmark.

We plan to make a blog like this for engineer jobs and banking jobs and finance jobs as well. Do you want us to pursue with the plan? Just drop a note and we'll tell you what we think right away.

And that's it. We're actually still straightening things out. Your feedback is going to be treated important.

RE the questions we posted yesterday, the answers are here:

1) 10 Questions to ask if you still haven't found a job
2) Foreign employment concerns and 'citizens come first'.
3) 10 Steps in Creating an Outstanding Online Resume
4) 5 Golden Rules of Good Office Etiquette
5)





6) Planning a career change? Find out if you're ready for such a big move
7) Coping with Job Loss
8) How to Ask Good Questions? It’s Not About You, It’s About Them

Monday, August 22, 2011

Straightening things out. Please take part in our little survey...

We call this web space a 'career forum' rather than an 'ezine' chiefly because our moderation approach is experiential. We speak in layman's terms. We don't shy away from inviting everyone to talk back. We effort in connecting with our followers. We don't just talk about the nature of Singapore jobs, rather we invite you guys to go to our DB and apply. Intense interactivity is what we're after and although our little blog is still far from being a stomp or sgclub incarnate, we'd like to think that we're doing just fine. We hope to be as busy as those forums someday soon, so can you help us?

Not that we're forcing you to comment or promote our articles via your Twitter or what. But if you can, your efforts will help a lot. If you don't find our posts interesting anymore and you don't think they deserve re-posts and re-promotions, please help us to improve. Your questions can be an excellent source of ideas for discussion and who knows, we might be able to write something good about it. These ideas imply great possibilities that we can achieve together.

Perhaps, we should do it in reverse this time around. We have tons of questions in career bottled up that can probably spark healthy conversations. If it happens that some of you guys can relate, feel free to elaborate via the comments section and we'll reply right away. Here they are:

  1. I haven't received an interview invite in a while although I'm active in sending out my resume. What could possibly be wrong?
  2. What is EPEC and why do I need to read about it if I'm a foreigner and wish to apply for Singapore positions?
  3. Is your resume error-free? What is your idea of a perfect resume?
  4. I am being troubled by office politics? With this hindrance, how do you think I can continue going upward in my career?
  5. Where can I find good training opportunities and career seminars?
  6. Is it possible to switch careers to another field without getting stuck with facing consequences? Say from an accounting job to an IT job? Or an engineer job to an architect job?
  7. How do you deal with job loss in a positive note? How can you make productive use of the excessive free time? Is social work a viable option?
  8. Is there a 'correct' way of answering the "Is there anything else you would like to ask us?" question from a job interviewer?

You may also interact with us via our other social media accounts:
Join our Fanpage on Facebook!Follow us on Twitter!Watch our YouTuBe Videos!Read our blog!Please write a review on Alexa.com!

We'll be waiting for your response.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

No formulas. No boundaries.


Unlike in statistics, there are no ‘fixed equations’ in career. This is because we have different skills, interests and goals; no two career professionals are the same. So yes, do whatever it takes to succeed as long as it won’t hurt anyone.

Your career development plan doesn't have to follow a formula in order for it to be 'functional'. Whether you’re currently aiming for a promotion or a job seeker, let sg.jobsdb.com help you develop a good plan.

Here’s the thing: The more personal your approach, the better results you will get. Let’s start with the most basic aspect of career planning: think about the demands of the field or the industry you’re eying for job prospects. What difference will this make to your job hunting? Think along these lines:

Sales jobs = negotiation skills
Public relations jobs = presentation skills
IT jobs = computer skills.
Engineer jobs = precision skills
Design jobs/ writer jobs = creativity
Accounting jobs = expertise in dealing with numbers.

You'll know which among your skills you need to market more to land a job the soonest – that’s the thought. If you're already working, the benefit of doing this is it’ll pinpoint which from your skills you should prioritize in developing for faster career advancement and promotion.

Goals vary per individual. Listing down your goals will help you go further with your career pursuits. Having a clear goal in mind will keep you organized and thus, increase your productivity a lot. This is also a plus point for job hunters. Just imagine if your goals correlate with the pursuits of the company you’re applying to -- that's a match made in heaven.

Your small working preferences also matter so take the time to write them down and then see them against the overall demands of where you're looking for openings. These things may seem unimportant, but job seekers, truth is, they are in some way. A mismatch in interest can be toxic. Do you find a cubicle environment too constrained? Perhaps you prefer a laissez faire working environment over a corporate one? Or maybe you’re more into freelance work? Writing jobs, for instance, have plenty of dimension -- many industries offer such job posts. If you prefer freelancing, we suggest you consider writing jobs in the industries of IT, Media or Journalism as you might feel constrained under Banking or Medical Services. If you’re already working, doing this little exercise will help you decide on whether you need a career change or not to move forward.

We all want to achieve career success the soonest time possible, but we don’t suggest total ignoring of fun-causing elements just for this. When it comes to career development talks, work-life balance is out of the question. Career building is never easy and can be very tricky so be good to yourself. Whether you’re a job hunter or an employee, it’s for your good to include elements of fun in your schedule like an interest class or a regular bonding time with your family. Doing this will motivate and make you function better. Although they usually come with a hefty price tag, there are many benefits to attending interest classes. These events are an excellent terrain for networking, for one. Our families, on the other hand, are the best therapists for career stress, admit it or not.

Job dissatisfaction is the number one cause of career change. This can be avoided with proper planning at the beginning or for career changers, the second time around. We may not be career counselors by profession, but these are time tested tips that can point you to the right direction. Career planning for success is tricky so try to weigh in all these factors before making anything final. There's no harm in trying after all.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

desk managerment, part 2

To achieve career success, you will need your desk. And so, it is absolutely necessary for you to keep your desk as work-efficient as possible or spotless. It may seem unimportant but, a dirty desk can keep you from excelling in your accounting job or banking job or engineer job or telecom job.

Here's part 2 of our 'desk management' appreciation:

Replace your figurines with items that induce productivity. Pictures of your children or role models will inspire you just by seeing them and so, they are totally worth the space on your desk. We also suggest that you set up a bulletin board where you can post your goals and some items that carry good vibes with them like inspirational cards and flyers.

We also want you to organize the electronics items on your desk. Place your telephone on your left side if you are right handed or vice versa. This will make it easier to write notes. As for your computer, set the monitor right in front of you, but not too close, of course. A properly positioned monitor will eliminate stress on your muscles. It is more convenient to be looking at the monitor straight versus needing to tilt your neck to adjust.

And speaking of telephone notes, keep a planner! This will prevent you from jotting down important notes on multiple sheets of paper which can be quite messy.

You need more desk management tips? We have featured a book entitled "Detox your Desk" by Theo Theobald and Cary Coopin in our Good Reading section. For more information on the book, please proceed to www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/career-coaching-on-effect?ID=45. You can see the book's cover below. Our post yesterday has it.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Yes, we're interested in desk management.


While desk management is not as popular a topic as office politics, the fact of the matter is, the fate of an important aspect in your life lies on your desk. You cannot excel in your accounting job or engineer job or admin job or it job (whatever is your job!) in a dirty workspace! You are supposed to treat the space an altar and so, do not let clutter take over it. Here is our take on desk management.

Your goal is to create a clear area right in front of you for increased productivity and peace of mind. Is it possible to achieve such a thing? Yes. So, the next time you find some free time, try following these:

To prevent paper clutter, employ a filing system. Start with choosing a drawer that is within your arm's reach; use that to house projects that need your immediate action. Do not leave papers on your desk, please. How about your old files? Plan a day to assess completed projects and then decide which files you need to keep and which you do not. As for magazines and mails, do the same thing. Find another drawer where you can place important ones for filing. Just a friendly suggestion: stop collecting magazines as they can eat a lot of space. If this cannot be avoided, keep your stash at home.

Frequently used items such as staplers, paper clips, and pens, deserve spots on your desk. Place them within your reach, so you do not have to stand up or bend. For organization's sake, we suggest you use a small box to keep these items.

To be continued.

About the image: Written by Theo Theobald & Cary Cooper, ’Detox Your Desk’ helps you fight back by purging your system of office toxins, so you can take control of the everyday stuff and calmly field whatever lands in your in-tray. Read more about it at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/career-coaching-on-effect?ID=45

Monday, August 15, 2011

Rambling about career issues...yet again.

Golly gee. Before anything else, we'd like to thank those who helped to promote our last post on Twitter. Yes, the post below this one. It's just that... it's been so long since a post of ours got 10+ RTs. Goes to show we're still (actually) capable of sprouting smart career messages and that we haven't thoroughly bummed our followers with nonsense and rants.

Granted, we knew we weren't going to be able to come to work that Friday. And so, we gave this article everything, presupposing that it could stand as a discussion instigator for two days. Guess, it worked. Conclusion: We have to make sense more often.

Anyway, here's a little follow-up on some of the points we've established there:

POINT no. 1: Learning. We think we've already worded our thoughts on continuous education very well and a follow-up isn't necessary. But here's the thing, we're doing this for those who haven't been informed of JobsDB Learning's re-branding yet, to make them realise how it has become so comprehensive now.

And well, we want to make a segway (sub-promotion) about OnBOARDING WORKSHOP. This is a first time in Asia and those with HR Manager Jobs and Recruitment Jobs are greatly encouraged to consider availing seats in it for their employees. The tagline "How to get your new employees up to speed in half the time" should be enough as an encouragement as it speaks volumes about what this seminar is going to be about -- employee productivity and working smarter not JUST harder. Just imagine your savings if the seminar actually worked and made a mark to your employees.

POINT no. 2: Improving on your networking skills. There are many benefits to keeping a healthy career network and its handiness when a need for a career change arises is just one. If you have career friends, your need for career advice will always be met and that's without a price. See why you should network?

POINT no. 3: Going the extra mile. Now, this is where we MUST make some clearings. Are we asking you guys to forget about vacations and devote all your time and energy to work? Not really; the idea of our point no. 3 is making the most out of your time at work, not ALL your time. Showing up on time always and doing your job properly will give you a reliable brand, which in turn, can aid you to a promotion.

We guess we need not elaborate on points 4 and 5? Do tell us if you have questions.

Again, thanks for the overwhelming feedback last Thursday! Some related articles for you to read:

How to excel in your career

Purposeful Action Leads to Success

The Key to Finding a New Career Direction

Prioritising Your Day To Accomplish More

Effective Communication



Thursday, August 11, 2011

Random thoughts... training and development, networking, relationship building, planning.

Continuing education is essential to career advancement. Acquiring new skills and updating your old ones are necessary so you can perform at a high level in your career. These new skills will prepare you to move to the next level or qualify you to better job opportunities, should a career change come to your mind. Good career seminars and trainings come with a price, but their benefits make every cent worth it.

Building a career network is another entry to add in your career development plan. Keep in touch with your former coworkers and professors. Provide them information on how you are planning to progress in your career and offer them help with theirs too. Keeping a career network can be quite handy for career change -- your contacts will be an excellent source of motivation when you embark on another search for Singapore jobs and some of them can point you to hidden jobs too, from accounting jobs in Singapore to telecom jobs.

Keeping an alpha-employee status is the surest way to career progress. How can you achieve such a status? Simple. By making adjustments. Go the extra mile. Take on additional assignments to impress your boss, for instance. The best employees are the most dedicated ones; doing your job to the best of your ability and showing up on time always will prove to your boss that you are reliable and thus, an asset to the company. As you develop alpha points in your office, your worth also increases.

You should also focus on relationship building. Be friendly and professional with your coworkers. We also suggest you socialize more so you can add more entry to your contacts list.

Speaking of your boss, another thing that you should add to your career development plan is how you can improve your communication with him. Do not hesitate to let him hear your ideas and concerns. The additional benefit of doing this is, your boss may know of a better opportunity within the company that you can transfer to for better future.

If you are unsure whether you can do all of these on your own or not, you can always consult a professional. sg.jobsdb.com is here to lend you a hand too.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Post-celebration suggestions. #backtowork

As tough as wanting something can be, there's nothing worse than being confused or undecided in today's work world, given how fast trends come and go nowadays. This career advice is most relevant to jobseekers but career builders are greatly encouraged to already put a dot on those career issues that they've held for the longest time as well. The more solid your ideals, the less you will suffer the consequences of job dissatisfaction, lack of work life balance, and other similar career problems.

Jobseekers who are not yet members of My JobsDB are advised to sign up for the service now at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/MyJobsDB. Receiving access to Job Alerts is a major benefit of doing so-- imagine having the privilege of getting Singapore jobs delivered to your mailbox. And although Career Advice is available for viewing to anyone on the web, My JobsDB will inform you of its updates. It's similar to having a secretary, although this one doesn't come with a price.

Our message for career builders? One thing's for sure -- these day aren't the best for career change or any other move of similar depth. There have been news reports that the Singapore economy will experience downs in the coming quarters. But if you really must switch jobs (or do something drastic in your career amid the warnings of instability), we suggest that you read these career articles:

How to have job satisfaction at work

Resignation and Acceptance Letters

Changing Careers? How to Get Around the Three Major Mental Roadblocks to Success

Remaining Relevant in The Workplace

Planning a career change? Find out if you're ready for such a big move



WE still have a hang-over. Yesterday was a blast.



GIF courtesy of http://www.ndp.org.sg

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

We interrupt the celebrations to bring you this short note

So it's Singapore's birthday today. While everyone's at home with their families and relaxing (or preparing to watch the National Day Parade together later, either way), we are, unsurprisingly and sadly, in the office. The reason? It's so we can continue with our brand of public service. Not that we're complaining -- hey, at least the internet's faster here and we can be better connected with the goings-on -- it's just that we don't want to ruin the celebratory mood for you.

Okay, we won't. There won't be any mention of Singapore jobs today nor are we planning to ramble yet again about a career issue. The mere mention of accounting jobs, banking jobs and engineer jobs over here could stress you out and we know that. This post is just to let everyone know that we are -- however cynical we may be -- as static about the National Day as you. So, let's all say this together:



Enjoy your holiday!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Think about it.

Carefully examine your current job and career situation. Are you unhappy and burdened by job related problems? Are your progressing?

Accounting jobs, banking jobs, engineer jobs, design jobs, sales jobs, medical jobs -- all jobs can answer to financial needs, but only some can promise to you genuine career advancement. Does yours offer a future? If yes, devise a plan to conquer its criss and crosses. If yours is a dead end job, we suggest you find a way to get your feet moving on a track with future ASAP. Are we suggesting career change? It depends on your situation.

Once you get yourself familiarized with career development, you will learn that it is not just about schooling and training. Education will allow you to fine tune your career development plan but that is it. You will also need to do some adjustments on how you perceive your job, how you deal with your co-workers and how often you communicate with your boss.