Learning opportunities. Spice up your December.

Christmas is just around the corner! We're excited, needless to say. Christmas is so special a holiday that it inspires us to do great things. We're not here to discuss what Christmas means to us though, so don't stop reading. We just want to let you know that we're not taking a break just yet for your learning and development. LearningDB.com has a couple of special seminars coming up.

Aside from what's pictured on the left, Effective Technical Writing Skills is set to be held tomorrow already. If 'improve in writing' is in your resolutions list for 2011, you definitely shouldn't miss joining Sandra Sandu-Reeves on this. For a price of S$330 (with course materials, light refreshments and lunch to be provided), attending is going to be a worthy investment for your career. Payment is to be made before the commencement of the workshop, so you can still sign up at www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/LE_Effective_Technical_Writing_Skills.htm.

The day after that, we'll be giving way to Shannon Colly's Microsoft Office Productivity Buffet. This is a unique, first-of-its-kind workshop that will take you on an excellent Microsoft Office journey. If you're planning to request for advancement opportunities from your boss next year, this is a must attend. Same goes for job seekers of office jobs like Admin Jobs, IT Jobs, Banking Jobs, Secretary Jobs, Receptionist Jobs, and Call Center Jobs in Singapore. SOP for payment is the same as above, so you can still sign up at www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/ST_Microsoft-Office.htm.

George Goh is going to have his last LearningDB.com seminar for 2010 via The Art of Collecting Debts Through the Telephone this coming Friday. Career professionals in the industries of sales and call center and job seekers of Customer Service Jobs and Sales Jobs in general shouldn't just let this chance to pass. Again, same SOP for payment, so please sign up now before it's already too late at www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/Art_Collecting.htm.

Our Microsoft Office courses and Adobe courses will go until December 22. If you're interested, please visit www.learningdb.com.sg/calendar.htm for the complete schedule.

So to speak, this will serve as a reminder to you if you've signed up to attend one or two from the roster or a last minute promotion if you haven't.

December is not really a busy month for us when it comes to career workshops and training opportunities (that we admit to), but wait until January of next year comes. LearningDB.com's 2011 training calendar is still being polished, but it's something to be really excited for, so stick with us until its grand unveiling. Career Events, on the other hand, has already finalised the seminars it'll be offering for the first quarter of next year.

At the forefront of all the plans is Unleash Your Image Power Through Dressing and Etiquette with Audrey Quek. In today's work world where impressions matter, this 3-hour seminar is a must attend for those looking to advance in their careers.

February will be about establishing rapport as well for Career Events. Present with Confidence with Jenson Siaw will teach you the fundamentals of being an engaging presenter, skills you'll definitely find useful when you put to action your career plans.

Think it's still too early to enlist your attendance? First 10 sign-ups will receive complimentary Flower Advisor vouchers and this applies for both seminars. So sign up now at www.jobsdb.com.sg/StaticContent/SG/CareerEvents/default.htm.

For March, well, think of this as a late Christmas gift from us. We're sprucing up JobsDB.com Career Expo 2011 with career talks from career experts. The topics we're eying include resume writing, job interviewing, and writing cover letters that sizzle, but no names are final yet. The dates for the Singapore job fair and location are already set, though. So you can already mark your calendar with assurance.

Some note: Complaints could have defined our whole week last week, had we mentioned this last December 6 instead of today.There we said it. We suppose, today's late enough to warrant its mentioning. Or is it not?

BTW, how is your job hunting going? Did it go well last weekend? We're hoping that the latest edition has helped you in some way. If not, please consider browsing Find Jobs for Engineer Jobs, Insurance Jobs, Hospitality Jobs, and Accountant Jobs in Singapore today. Allow us to make up for it.

Are you done reading the mechanics of our latest contests? They're too exciting to just let pass, right? We're waiting for your participation!

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

JobsDB.com Singapore is committed to helping every job seeker land a good job. Currently looking for a job? Browse our jobs database and see if anything is of interest to you. It doesn't matter what industry you're in -- our jobs portal caters to every industry there is in Singapore, from Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore to IT Jobs and Singapore Hospitality Jobs. Let us lead your way to rewarding jobs in Singapore, jump start you career with us.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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December stuff... jobs to consider applying for and contests to join.

"How's the job market?" It's a question we're often asked by job seekers and career builders. Our obsession on resume writing, job interviewing, and career building aside, we've grown to endear the tackiness of the job market as well like no one would believe.

Our guess is that it's probably because the news has been positive in describing the employment plane since the start of this year. And we won't argue because our parent website's database, Find Jobs, has done the same thing. With it being a good reference to the job market and all, you know... It's a claim we've been proving to be true since ages on this blog.

We've been giving you job prospects and industry news since early November. You should know, if you've been following this blog for quite some time now. And while reporting in behalf of Singapore's job market isn't exactly easy, we find it really satisfying to do and so we'll carry on until we ran out out of resources.

In line with the goal we've just recently imposed onto ourselves, we promise to make today more exciting than ever. We've got nothing to complain about, in the first place. Many of you guys, after all, are fond of this little tradition.

We've been researching since Monday for this edition of Singapore Jobs update; surely, you'll find this really helpful for your job search. Not that we're being smug...it's just that we're very excited. JobsDB.com Singapore has never been this gallant. Aside from Jobs in Singapore, we've got new contest with great prizes to share. You have to understand or else...or else, nevermind.

There's been reports on slower economic growth in 2011, which will affect the job market indefinitely, but it's sustainable, according to NTUC and SNEF. So, there's no need to worry about getting caught up in vain with your job search, come next year. Rushing is a mistake.

No specific industries have been cited with positivism by our favourite news sources this week, but, we're sure that our staples of IT Jobs, Admin Jobs, HR Jobs, Engineer Jobs, Sales Jobs, and Banking Jobs in Singapore will not cause a headache to our job seeker members. So, yes...



There's extra assurance in the Accounting Jobs and Finance Jobs in Singapore parts. Darryl Wee, Country Head of ACCA has shared with News Watch his organisation's latest findings about the finance profession. Of course, it's good. Read and find how much motivating the changes can be for accounting professionals.

Then, there are also the integrated resorts, which has put Hospitality Jobs in the limelight since they opened early this year. Singapore Hotel Jobs, Casino Jobs, Travel Jobs and Tourism Jobs are to stay strong, so to speak. Restaurant Jobs and Food Jobs in particular are booming, we've read from The straights Times.

Another industry that's promising good things for next year is insurance. According to a report from Hays that they've shared with News Watch, many insurers are now looking for underwriters and agents. Underwriter Jobs and Insurance Agent Jobs, anyone?

Now, the announcements! Because December is the month of giving...


Double the festive joy with this new promo from sg.openrice.com! Write, Eat & Shop! Due to the overwhelming response in November, your ultimate dining guide will continue rewarding unlimited sure-win CapitaLand Shopping Couchers for every 6 reviews. On top of that, the top 10 reviewers of the month get to dine at 2 healthy and tasty restaurants, The Diet Butler and Soup Broth Asia for a total meal value of $100!


Wondering what our parent website's up to this December, giving prices-wise? Do you love us, err, we mean, JobsDB.com? First 300 members to complete the sentence "I love JobsDB.com because..." wins an exclusive 2011 calendar! Share your reason at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/StaticContentFullContainer/i-love-jobsdb/Santa-complete-sentence-form.html. Tell your friends too.


November's What's your dream job? was a big success. Wondering about who won? Want to read the best entries? We've devoted a special section for them at engage.sg.jobsdb.com/dream-job/.

FlowerAdvisor's still offering their early bird discount of 10%. Send your Christmas gifts via the website to anywhere in the world now! It's not everyday that you get to encounter such a great promo!

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

Looking for a job? JobsDB.com Singapore is the preferred jobs portal for Singapore Careers and Jobs in Singapore - From Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs to Beauty Careers and Entertainment Jobs. Jumpstart your career with us. Apply for jobs from our 20,000 job listings here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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All about work life balance. What Career Advice has to offer.

Everyone's talking about work life balance these days, probably because of the ongoing Let's Play Movement by the Singapore Sports Council. Since as career writers for JobsDB.com Singapore it's our duty to keep everyone in our network closely posted with things (no, seriously) , naturally, we feel the need to jump on the bandwagon. Twisted messengers we may be, but we haven't received hate mails regarding our updates so far. Which, heedless to say, makes us think that what we're doing is right. Feel free to correct us if you beg to disagree.

Not that we don't like talking about stress management or balancing work and life, though. Not so much as endeared as when it comes to resume writing, job interviewing or career planning, but we have enough interest to the topic. Something wide enough to accommodate this task's need to be attacked carefully, considering our lack of expertise on it...to come with original ideas and career tips like perhaps, our own stress tips for career professionals or advice on extra curricular modules for top employers.

And regarding our recent self imposed goal... no, we haven't broken it after choosing to talk about work life balance for today. Again, although in a warped sort of way, because its what the majority's talking about anyway, it's not totally out of the line. And again, this is the closest thing to a substitute. We do need your inputs in order for the goal to be successful, you know. Said with no sarcasm.

The goal is all about answering to suggestions but, as you can see, how can we possibly cook a dish without ingredients to work on?

Now, that has to be a new record in ranting. But don't worry, our gpoa for today doesn't include annoying you with too much useless stuff, and so we're starting with the real topic at hand in 3, 2, and 1...

As we say repeatedly throughout Jobs in Singapore, this blog (in case, you're not aware of what this little space on the internet is named) work life balance is a matter of willingness -- in order to have a balanced work and life, you need to be willing to make adjustments in your work habits. This is to ensure that work stays at work, if you know what we mean. The concept's that easy to understand (just forget that we've made a fool out of ourselves talking about this topic once).

You see, overtimes and giving yourself assignments to do at home are the biggest causes of fatigue due to stress. Eliminating the two in your career, or at least reducing their instances in your life, is a definite act of practising work life balance. Time management and task planning are essential factors in achieving such a state, so to speak.

Overwhelming it may be, but there's no need to worry because help on work life balance is everywhere. Career articles on the topic can be found all over the internet, for one. And you don't have to look elsewhere as Career Advice has plenty about the topic. A favourite on the section, this article on time management by professional speaker, Donald Wetmore at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/time-management.htm?ID=311, discusses what you can and should not do to increase our daily results. He's got another on task management at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/crucial-vs-not.htm?ID=316, entitled Crucial vs. Non Crucial. Reading this one will give you insights on how you can make the most productive use of your time at the office.

There are specific articles on the topic, those which tackle work life balance directly, in the roster of Career Advice's newest uploads. We suggest you check them all out to gain better understanding. We highly recommend the following:

Work-Life Balance 101 (which comes in six parts)
Local Trends In Work Life Balance

Of course, you may argue, a balanced work and life isn't possible to achieve without the participation of one's employer. But it's not that Singapore employers aren't as interested to the concept as their counterparts in other countries. News Watch is a pretty good proof. It has articles on the Let's Play Movement, one of them has just been uploaded yesterday. Have you read our editors' feature on People’s Association's workplace health programmes? We'll give the article a proper feature (with our form of humor and all) sometime next week, but in the meantime, just read it in its original glory at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Caring-Community?ID=566.

If you want to reread the past ones, they're here:

Work And Play Makes A Great Day -- about RHB Bank Berhad Singapore
Work-Life Balance Success -- about Sony Electronics Group

Epilogue.
Another short one! It's just that we're very excited for tomorrow. Aside from the research we've been doing since Monday, we're also set to present findings from Hays Singapore and lots of other stuff from our editors. There are new contests for you to join! So, did we excite you? We sure hope we did.


We'll be presenting a lot of Singapore Jobs tomorrow, so we suggest you get all your preparations done today. If you're already a My JobsDB member, revise your resume. If not, well, you know what to do... Let the shiny icon above lead the way.

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

JobsDB.com Singapore is committed to helping every job seeker land a good job. Currently looking for a job? Browse our jobs database and see if anything is of interest to you. It doesn't matter what industry you're in -- our jobs portal caters to every industry there is in Singapore, from Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore to IT Jobs and Singapore Hospitality Jobs. Let us lead your way to rewarding jobs in Singapore, jump start you career with us.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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Short Commentary on Career Changing.

Though writing isn't the easiest thing to build a career out of, we'd rather be stressed than relaxed. And that's why we're always pleading for your suggestions. Asking for suggestions is our main way of keeping our calendar in the line with the latest buzz. Now that everything's clear, will you do us the favor of not stopping to comment?

Quite obviously, this is in line with our survey on interests, the one we've told you guys about yesterday. We're feeling rather disappointed at the moment and it has something to do with it. The pleadings didn't work, it seems. We were sort of expecting a massive flood to drown us once we open our email this morning, but well... Life's tricky.

Granted, we can always get reactions by instigating weird stuff, but our writing principles are more important and so, you can be sure we won't do that just to get what we want. Reactions to this revelation are very much welcome. But hell, we're not trying to spite you by sharing all these personal crap.

The goal has been laid out. Everything's up to you guys from this point on. What is it that you want us to write about the most? Do you enjoy our articles on job hunting? Or do you like reading us being paranoid over personalisation in resume writing? Perhaps, you like us talking about job interviewing the most with our humor and all? There's also the topic of career building that we've always held close in our hearts. Send us even a simple note and it'll mean a lot.

We haven't received anything yet...that's pretty obvious. So, we've decided to just talk about career change for today if only because its popular among career professionals. At least, although in a twisted sort of way, it's in the line with the goal. Plus, you can't discount the fact that the Singapore job market is now back to stability. Surely, career switching or asking for advancement opportunities are being thought of by many people now.

Anyway, we've always been pretty clear with our stand on career change, so this is going to be mainly about the new uploads on Career Advice about the topic. Nevertheless, we're hoping that this shouldn't discourage you to read on until the end or share the article with your friends.

If nothing else, career changing is something that should be thought of in all seriousness, what with the risks and all. It can struck an unprepared person hard, financially and emotionally. That's why our staple response to the question of 'Should I quit?" is "It depends on the situation". It's always been the case since...since we started writing about career.


We remember writing an article about the topic for Career Advice sometime before. And we've written the following questions as important factors to consider before making the move:

• Are you finished soul searching?
• Can you consider yourself "better" than most job hunters?
• Is your network enough to get you moving?
• Are you prepared for the stress?

It makes proper sense. Career switching is a cause and effect affair...which means in order to conquer it, one needs to be prepared. There's no telling what will happen to you if you throw yourself at the battle unprepared. An answer of yes to all four questions is what will indicate whether or not you will crack down in the middle due to the complications.

Wait, did we make you nervous with that? Don't be. Help is here. Career Advice is no stranger to this topic. Browsing the section's archives will lead you to a good number of articles concerning this career move. And they're from career experts and career coaches, no less.

Workplace exert, Tom Welch has an article on Career Advice, entitled 'WHEN TO SAY "I QUIT"'. Although the article is addressed to senior managers and team leads on how they can make their staff happier, there's also a bit that can help you weigh in your options: "when your job no longer allows you to do what you do best or when your needs and interests are not fulfilled, it's time to move on."

If it's stress, specifically, we're not with the 'throwing the towel' option. You see, stress is not really a difficult problem to solve and articles on stress management can be found all over the internet. Career Advice is pretty much abundant with such articles, if you wouldn't mind us promoting. Professional organiser, Carol Halsey has one about relieving every day stresses at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/CAREER-2?ID=541. There's another one by at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/How-To-Deal-With-Stress?ID=479.

Make sure to visit Career Advice for more articles. And wonder no more... we're just being true to our words. We titled this 'short', for a reason.

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

Looking for a job? JobsDB.com Singapore is the preferred jobs portal for Singapore Careers and Jobs in Singapore - From Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs to Beauty Careers and Entertainment Jobs. Jumpstart your career with us. Apply for jobs from our 20,000 job listings here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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All about advancement opportunities. Requesting for salary increase/work life balance/promotion/trainings

What's interesting to you?

Seriously now. 2011 is fast approaching and we're feeling rather anxious. Just a few days left until 2010 waves us goodbye...a few days left to prove our worth. Have our efforts helped? Whether your answer to that is a positive or a negative one, you should know that our goal is to make use of all the remaining days properly -- to write only relevant articles and go away with the rants.

Not that by asking the question, we're admitting to being incapable writers...ones that can't make uninteresting things sound interesting. Surely, our editors didn't entrust us this post without thorough evaluation of our competencies. Besides, you should have seen this one coming, considering our weird devotion to get all our readers moving for their career pursuits, may they be career builders or job hunters.

We're looking forward to using the results of the survey in revising our December calendar. After the rants and all, that's the least we can do for our readers, really.

The routines...are we thinking of suspending them? We probably will, but here's the thing: Updates on Singapore Jobs and training and development are important too. So, we're not guaranteeing anything. We understand that there are career questions that need to be answered right away and vice versa. In line with this, we'll really appreciate it if you drop us a comment below for your suggestion.

We're implementing this blogging protocol starting today. With the topic we've set, we're hoping that today's going to be intellectual and through-provoking.

As inspired by our mailbox, what we'll be doing today is answer and share our thoughts on a frequently asked question among career professionals. One reader has asked us to share our tips on requesting for advancement opportunities. Now that we think about, we haven't written anything about the topic since we featured Andree Mangels of Robert Walters through Ask an Expert (and we doubt, you still remember that instance). Now's a really good time to give the topic another shot. So...

Advancement opportunities come in many forms. We'll try to discuss as much forms as we can so, whatever your idea of the concept is, you'd find this helpful. Allow us to make it clear that our working definition includes the following: salary increase, training opportunities, promotion, work life balance. Do we have the same idea? If not, the comments section is open for your insights.

Shall we begin? Salary increase is a priority goal for many working professionals, so yes, we'll be discussing it first.


So...pay raise.
Material in nature it may be, but getting a pay raise is synonymous to being appreciated. It's quite understandable why many people impress for salary success. If you've been working hard and feel that you should be getting more than your current rate, then don't hesitate to talk to your boss regarding a pay raise. But plan for it carefully.

Career Advice is not new to this concern and keeps, in fact, a good number of articles about pay raises. There's this one from Andree that circles around the idea that more prepared and focused you are, the more likely it will be for you to achieve success in the negotiation process. Adecco Singapore's take, on the other hand, revolves around trusting your instincts during the negotiation. Makes a point because after all, there's no telling how the meeting will end. Some quotable quotes Andree and the experts at Adecco have left that you should take note of:

• You might find that you are worth more than you realise.
• When negotiating, play your cards close to the chest and be smart.
• look at the whole package and not just at a single factor.
• Justify your salary increase by basing it on your performance and contributions to the company
• Aim high but set reasonable limits so that your boss has a clear idea of your expectations.
• Depending on what motivates you, you can request for other perks that would satisfy you just as much as a pay raise.
• List down what you think would be the top five reasons your boss might not want to give you a raise, and prepare your responses to the anticipated objections.
• Keep a positive attitude through the process and let your boss know that you appreciate the time he took to at least consider your request.

Read Andree and Adecco's complete features at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/ask-an-expert.htm?ID=489 and www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/what-are-you-worth.htm?ID=175, respectively.

And now, the burning question: Is this season a good time to ask for a raise? Based on the results of Ambition's latest survey that you can read at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Salary%20Increments%20Bonuses?ID=562, it seems that it is. The job market has improved quite a lot since the recession. Plus the fact that the holidays are coming. Perfect setting for such a request.

For your training and development.
Training events and career seminars can be considered as side perks. But what makes them more appealing than a salary increase for us is the fact that they have something to do with long term goals. Receiving such benefits is very useful in the long term. One quite from Darryl Wee, Country Head of ACCA, that we make it a point to cite every time we write about training and development like right now: "How to develop - and keep talent - is a pressing issue for many employers around the world. It is also a matter for individuals to take on board too - how they develop and sustain their own talent. "

If this is your idea of advancement, please consider LearningDB.com as the foundation of your request. Employing only career experts, excellence is a standard for the regular seminars on communication skills, negotiating skills, writing skills, people skills, and computers skills by LearningDB.com. Visit the site for testimonials. We'll be waiting for your sign ups.

Executive buy in.
Asking for a promotion is technically a bigger request than asking for a pay raise. So if requesting for the latter will need a considerable amount of research in order to be granted, this one will need a research as thick as a thesis. Kidding aside, you shouldn't do this one on a rush. We admit that Career Advice doesn't have enough articles about this topic of career advancement yet. In the meantime, focus your preparations on these tips by career expert, Dawn Brown about gaining senior executive buy-in. We assure you it'll help. The article's pretty long, so we've summarised the key points for you:

• After learning the executive's views on the business, think about how to present your initiative in a manner that the executive is most receptive to.
• Gain insight into the executive's preferences for obtaining information and learning about initiatives.
• No matter what the executive's particular 'style' is, you don't want to say things that will trigger thoughts of negativity.
• Put it all together and create your "sales pitch."

Complete text can be viewed at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Executive-Buy-in?ID=499 Take note of the salary negotiation tips above as well, to end up with an even better request!

A balanced work and life.
To request for work life balance is to ask for recreational perks to be added in your work routine. You will be surprised at how many professionals long to have this added in their work lives. Is this what's missing in your life? This is probably the easiest to request for from the four, so don't get yourself too worked up! Plus the fact that Career Advice has plenty of career articles from career experts about the topic! Our suggestions:

How To Deal With Stress
Work-Life Balance 101 Part 1
Local Trends In Work Life Balance
The Truth Behind Attaining Work/Life Balance
Work And Play Makes A Great Day
Work-Life Balance Success: Sony Electronics Group

Are you thinking of job hunting during the holidays as well? We'd like you to pay close attention to the staple 'tops' in our database. Accounting Jobs, Marketing Jobs, Engineer Jobs, IT Jobs, Call Center Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore are always aplenty. Take advantage...



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

JobsDB.com Singapore is committed to helping every job seeker land a good job. Currently looking for a job? Browse our jobs database and see if anything is of interest to you. It doesn't matter what industry you're in -- our jobs portal caters to every industry there is in Singapore, from Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore to IT Jobs and Singapore Hospitality Jobs. Let us lead your way to rewarding jobs in Singapore, jump start you career with us.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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Training and development for career professionals.

Training and development. These words have held special positions in our hearts since... since... well, ages. Writing about the learning aspect of career may be difficult (heck, anything about career really), but we don't mind. Everything's for our readers. That's how devoted we are in keeping them satisfied and their careers, well kept. Aside from providing tips on resume writing and job interviewing and commenting on common career building notions, offering seminars is a part of the package.

As a matter of fact, although we've already spent a lot of Mondays featuring LearningDB.com and Career Events on this blog, we're not yet tired. Our readers seem to like this tradition, what with the lack of violent reactions to this date. We'd like to think of that as a strong reason to continue for many more Mondays despite the stress.

Today's another Monday, and so...yes, this is going to be another discussion on training opportunities and career workshops. Get your notepads handy, so you can take note of everything that we'll be offering here.

Admittedly, our editors haven't scheduled a lot for December. Not really a very busy month, but that's not enough for a reason to postpone the tradition. We might as well use the Mondays of this Month promoting in advance those in store for January 2010. As the saying goes, the earlier the better. The freebies for early sign ups are there and well, you probably get the drift.

So before your boss takes his leave for the holidays (or you do), please consider signing up for these seminars from Career Events:

To be held on January 22, Unleash Your Image Power Through Dressing and Etiquette with Audrey Quek will empower you with skills to stand out among your competitors and be remembered!

February is also a month of business etiquette and professional image for Career Events. Set to take place on February 19, Present with Confidence with master coach, Jenson Siaw will impart you useful and effective tactics and share secrets of professional speakers and presenters.

As you may already be aware (we're as excited about it as you are, hence our constant mentioning of it), JobsDB.com Career Expo 2011 will be held on March. Part of its tradition is to offer career talks for attendees as well. The fact that Career Events will be sponsoring those proposed career talks should be enough to get you to participate.

First 20 sign ups will receive complimentary Flower Advisor vouchers for all these seminars, so you may enlist as early as now! For more information, please call Pei Yan or Linc at 6861 1000 or email us at marketinginfo@jobsdb.com.s.

But well, this month's not a total zero for JobsDB.com Singapore in terms of learning. Allow us to layout what's been scheduled before Christmas. Although there's only a few, these events are worth the time attending. Career Events right now is focusing on polishing its schedule for next year, but LearningDB.com still has something to offer for restless career professionals, both career builders or job hunters.

Give us a minute to look back at the calendar. Oh, this December, LearningDB.com actually has something for your communication skills, negotiation skills, writing skills, logic skills, and computer skills. A very versatile month, indeed. An opportunity you shouldn't miss! It's not every month that LearningDB.com is this broad in its offerings... that you should know if you're a regular participant of its sessions or a reader of this blog.

Anyway, leading experts in communication skills, Shirley Taylor and Alison Lester are set to facilitate another session of Successful Business Communication Skills this coming December 10. For a fee of S$455, With a course outline so broad, attending is definitely worth it. All participants will receive Shirley & Alison's brand new book 'Communication: Your Key to Success' worth S$20.

What's in store for your negotiation skills? Expert in credit management, George Goh will be having The Art of Collecting Debts Through the Telephone again on December 10. Those with Sales Executive Jobs, Call Centre Jobs, Retail Jobs, Insurance Jobs and Banking Jobs are specially encouraged to join.

Troubled with your Technical Writing Job? If it's your goal to improve your writing skills before the year ends, writer for an IT Job or not, you should definitely join Sandra Sandu-Reeves on December 14. She'll be having Effective Technical Writing Skills again on that date.

Here's what's been set for those who are looking to improve their thinking skills. Scenario Planning is a two-day programme for those with Manager Jobs and Team Lead Jobs. It'll provide participants with the ability to calculate the Return On Investment (ROI) for Scenario Planning projects. Don't dare miss it.

Those with Office Jobs, e.g. HR Jobs, Accounting Jobs, Sales Jobs, and IT Jobs in Singapore are encouraged to join IT skills trainer, Sharon Connolly on December 15 for Microsoft Office Productivity Buffet. The workshop will take you on an intensive shortcut-filled Microsoft Office productivity journey.

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

We'll be waiting for your sign ups! Have suggestions for us with regards to seminars? Please feel free to use the comments section!


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

Looking for a job? JobsDB.com Singapore is the preferred jobs portal for Singapore Careers and Jobs in Singapore - From Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs to Beauty Careers and Entertainment Jobs. Jumpstart your career with us. Apply for jobs from our 20,000 job listings here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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Singapore Jobs.

Writing is not an easy task. Much more so if you're into the complicated realm of career. We know very well how complicated the job can get. We understand why career writers are described as different by most people, because we're career writers ourselves and we also suffer from weird tendencies. Having written for this blog for many months now and counting, we just know all these things...

The rants...of course, we're still very much capable of self control. But really, it's complicated. We've been answering career questions for as long as we can remember; ranting has already become a part of us. Something that's difficult to hush down, given that it's our primary way of coping with the stress that comes with the job.

But what's important is we try. We try to answer to your requests of professionalism. Are you satisfied with our explanation?

Wait, you don't have to answer that now. Today's reserved for updates on Singapore Jobs, not our personal issues. But really, we'll try some more. In the meantime, just cope.

Now, off to the REAL topic at hand. About Jobs in Singapore, yes?

Our updates have been inadequate these past few months. That, we admit to. Actually, what we're waiting for is the release of Hays Singapore's quarterly report for the period of October to December. In case you haven't noticed yet, our editors have just published a copy of said report on News Watch. It's going to be the heart of today's discussion, hence our uncharacteristic excitement.

But first, allow us to lay out what we've found out from our favourite news sources, the results of our vigorous research for this edition. We have to say that they're very in line with Hays' latest findings about the Singapore job market.

Let's start off the discussion with something really good. We've read that employment is at its highest level since 1991. More women and older workers are joining the workforce and salary levels have risen too.

In line with that...

The manufacturing sector is rebounding well from the cutback it has experienced last quarter. The news reports we've read make it seem that there will be a stable increase of Manufacturing Jobs in the coming months, particularly electronics related. We dare say, job hunters of Production Jobs, Printing Jobs, ISO Jobs, Garment Jobs, and QA Jobs don't have to worry about staying in a rut for more months.

Something good is going to happen in the public service sector, come 2011. The new re-employment guidelines will already be implemented in July 2011, something that will give public service professionals opportunity to work up to age 65 years in the first instance and later, up to 667 as long as they meet the criteria shared.

Now, off to Hays' findings. Hiring activities in many sectors are back to being high, with the industries of Accounting, Banking, Construction, IT, Pharma, Property, Oil & Gas, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain at the forefront, covering both permanent positions and temp jobs. Job seekers of Accountant Jobs, Finance Jobs, Bank Jobs, Pharmaceutical Jobs, Property Jobs, Sales Jobs, Marketing Jobs, Supply Chain Jobs, and IT Jobs in Singapore are in for a very productive job search this quarter really, particularly those with experience.

Some specific positions are more in demand than others for each sector, we want you to take note. For instance, job seekers of Private Banking Jobs may experience more ease with their lookout for a career than their counterparts in fund management or taxation work. That's because many major players have announced growth and development plans in this sector. Check out the report at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/tight-jobs-market?ID=532 for the complete prospects.

Of course, an edition will not be complete without our undying announcements.

Alongside the quarterly report, this has also been published on News Watch. Something about work life balance.... The results of a recent survey by Hays regarding the topic. What do majority of working professionals here think of stress management and living a balanced work and life? Find out at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/behind-attaining?ID=531.

Before you take your leave for the holidays, we suggest you join this 2-day training programme about management by LearningDB.com. Scenario Planning with expert Wilson Fyffe will provide participants with the ability to calculate the Return On Investment (ROI) for Scenario Planning projects. More info at www.learningdb.com.sg/programmes/oaks-scenario-planning.htm.

The survey on working preference is still on going. If you haven't voted yet, do so now at www.jobsdb.com.sg/Singapore. For those curious about the results, salary is leading by a mile, taking on more than 50% of the votes. We'd like to hear your thoughts on this as well. Feel free to use the comments section below to communicate them.

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

JobsDB.com Singapore is committed to helping every job seeker land a good job. Currently looking for a job? Browse our jobs database and see if anything is of interest to you. It doesn't matter what industry you're in -- our jobs portal caters to every industry there is in Singapore, from Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore to IT Jobs and Singapore Hospitality Jobs. Let us lead your way to rewarding jobs in Singapore, jump start you career with us.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

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Writing an effective resume. A checklist.

Usually, career writers favor checklists than traditional paragraphs in presenting complicated facts. And no, we're not about to take a stand on a quantity over quality matter in writing... There's no issue to make a stand on to begin with. Do we make it sound like there's one?

The thing is, although we favor the latter more in terms of attacking topics (You should know, considering that we rant like crazy sometimes.), we do acknowledge the promise of using bullet points in explaining things. We have no qualms on doing checklists if it's for our readers' satisfaction.

Why are we talking about checklists, anyway? Yesterday was a success, really. There have been requests for a repeat performance and checklists about other career topics since last night.

Although the enthusiasm in getting us to do this is just, too creepy (Oh crap, here's another request.), there's probably a good reason behind this phenomenon. But to give them credit, when it came to which idea would click and which wouldn’t, our watchers usually knew which buttons to push.

And so, the topic was decided. The new updates on Career Advice also comprise of checklists about resume writing, anyway. Might as well use this time to promote.

Just in case you're getting to the idea, no there's no hesitation on our parts. After all, this blog caters to a topic that's continuously evolving and is viewed by most people as an important aspect of life. Career builders and job hunters are always on a rush; checklists will catch their attention more than bulks of paragraphs, we know. We've conversed with such people long enough to know and be quite sure of that claim.

And so, we present our resume checklist. We're taking a break from career building, career management, job interviewing, and career training today to make way for the resume writing aspect of career.

If you're a regular visitor of this blog, you should know why we're crazy over the strategy of personalisation in resume writing. It will make you stand out for real; among all resume writing tactics, it's probably the one that hands out the highest probability for a job hunter to be eyed. And so, don't be surprised that this will be circling around that idea. Just a word of caution before you accuse us of being biased.

Today’s job market is healthy but tight (We'll be discussing that tomorrow as a part of our latest update on Singapore jobs.) and that has been the case since late last year. A job hunter who wants to get noticed in a sea of competition should therefore effort in writing his resume, given that it'll decide whether he gets an interview or not.

It goes without saying that recruiters are trained in the aspect of picking good candidates based on what they see in paper. Getting their attention takes special effort, so to speak. Not that we're suggesting you print your resume in fancy paper or do anything similar, though. The content is where you should focus your efforts on. It's been proven many times that recruiters get annoyed at over-the-top resumes. Ergo, let your experience, qualifications, and credentials do the talking.


As inspired by the experts on Career Advice, here's our take on writing an effective resume. Catch the employer's attention by taking note of these tips:

1) You. Start from scratch. From basic details to your qualification, write down your career milestones to make a draft. This will serve as your template, where you'll apply the edits later. Career expert Katherine Hansen has listed the following as important resume info in one of her articles:

• Name, address, contact telephone number and e-mail address
• Personal data
• A summary of your work history, roles, experiences, and achievements
• Summary of your professional qualifications and memberships
• Summary of your educational history

Make sure you have all those in your draft before you proceed to number two.

2) Fishing for job ads. Although satisfying, a run of the mill approach isn't going to hand you anything good. Read job ads from the beginning to end. Make a list of all those that you think you're qualified for. Use this as a reference for the edits.

3) Making the edits. Like what we've been saying since ages on this blog, personalise your resume based on what the job position asks for. See the requirements against your qualifications in order to do so. Do that for each entry. The actions will take time, we know, but are worth the effort.

You can also add a cover letter to the entourage if you like. Just remember to synchronise its content with the edits you've done for your resume.

4) Sending applications. No one's limiting you to submit only 5 or so applications a day. The purpose of this entry is to clear that out. You can send as many as you like, as long as the resume has been edited appropriately.

5) Make a log book for the applications you've sent. So you'd know which of your edits worked and which didn't.

More resources.
This classic list by Sandra Sandu-Reeves is also a good reference. Another favourite on Job Hunt Tips, we want you to take note of Sandra's points at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Career%20Guide?ID=267 as well to improve your edits.

For those who’ve built their credentials from temp jobs, Katherine Hansen has an article on building a temping resume at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/How-to-build-a-resume?ID=488. The writing can be tricky if this is your case so, do read.

How can you check for errors? We suggest you consult this article from Adecco Singapore at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/284.htm?ID=176. They've listed down the most common of all resume faux pas.

The new uploads on Career Advice that you should definitely read:

Are Headhunters Calling You . . . Or Ignoring You? Ex-Recruiter Reveals Secrets to Gaining Headhunter's Attention
Preparing Your Resume
Resume Checklist
Aggressively Written Resumes

We just have to...
Can't wait for tomorrow? We can't too. Tomorrow's definitely going to be informative. We're including bits from Hays Singapore, so don't forget to visit!

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

Looking for a job? JobsDB.com Singapore is the preferred jobs portal for Singapore Careers and Jobs in Singapore - From Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs to Beauty Careers and Entertainment Jobs. Jumpstart your career with us. Apply for jobs from our 20,000 job listings here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

Read More

Job Interviewing. Preparation Checklist.

Job interviewing is perhaps the trickiest part of job hunting, it being a popular topic among career experts notwithstanding.

Don't give us that frown. We're not playing oblivious to the contents of our very own parent website (under Job Hunt Tips, we know) just for the sake of style. We're true to our words. Perhaps we can convince you if we mention that it's the stage of the unexpected in the recruitment process. There are many career resources that can prepare you, yes, but even the most comprehensive of career articles cannot dictate everything that will come out of the interviewer's mouth during the interview itself.

At least in resume writing, you can be sure that randomness will not throw itself at you and mess up your personal brand. The fact that job interviewing is a two process should be enough to lay out our reasoning.

Expecting the unexpected and preparing...
That's why it's SOP for us to start an article about job interviewing with a description on the importance of preparation, like today. Nothing can be expected in this stage of job search really. Conversations can get to anywhere, and so even though you can expect common interview questions to be asked, you'll still have to edit your prepared answers based on however the interview has progressed. Otherwise, you'll sound weird and robotic.

Those little things...
Prepare so you'd have something to hold on to come the appointment, lessening your nervousness. Preparing will also help you ace the little factors of job interview that may not seem important, but can affect your personal brand if blatantly ignored. For instance, get your wardrobe ready and if you’re not familiar with the location of the office, find your way the day before. It's for your punctuality.

The secrets remain untold.
It doesn't all depend on how many articles you've read and memorised, though. It's interesting to note that no matter how popular this topic is among career professionals, the secrets remain untold. We're not even sure if they can be told in the first place. The key is using the knowledge to turn every question into an opportunity to sell yourself. It's a combination of preparation and tact, so to speak.

Our checklist.
Have interviews coming up? We've generated this five-point checklist for your reference. We're all for our readers' convenience...you know that for sure. As inspired by the experts on Career Advice, here's our take on preparing for an interview. Excel at your next interview by taking note of these tips:

1) Basic details. Your very first task is to research about the company. How's their industry doing? What products or services do they offer? How can you be an asset to their pursuits? Their office is located at?

The point: The next pointers in the list will require your knowledge on these. Do not mark finished unless you're really done answering all the questions.

2) Interview skills. Job interviewing is tricky, yes, but practising with frequently asked questions will make it easier for you to adjust your answers to suit however the conversation has progressed during the interview. Take note of what you've researched regarding the company and then, try to answer common interview questions. You can find many samples on the internet. Career Advice is particularly rich on this aspect. We recommend:

The Ten Toughest Questions You Will Face In A Job Interview
Don't Get Stumped by Off-the-Wall Job Interview Questions
The Top 10 Questions Most Often Asked
Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions

The point: What's the point of preparing if nothing's certain? It'll boost your confidence and lessen your fidgeting. Do not mark unless you've checked all the articles above.

3) Menial work. Sometimes, punctuality draws the line. So after you've accomplished the first two tasks in this list, at least a day before, prepare your wardrobe already and find your way to the location.

The point: You won't want to be late.

4) Bio kit. Your resume, photocopies of your achievements, and similar things ... they're all important. Make sure you have everything secured in a clear envelope for the interview.

The point: You never know...

5) Execution. All your preparations will be put to waste if you don't present them with conviction and confidence, come the showdown. Think this: You've prepared and you're most definitely ready.

The point: This will be rating your interview skills. Make sure to ace it.

Related resources.
Aimee Young, a consultant at Robert Walters has a more in-depth checklist on Career Advice. Hers include pointers not only on preparing for what to wear but also on answering odd questions. A favourite on Job Hunt Tips, you can check out her checklist at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Career%20Guide?ID=424.

Kelly Services has checklists on job interview at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex as well. Check them out for better understanding. Here's one: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/CAREER-2?ID=553. Another here: www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/CAREER-2?ID=554.

If you're willing to go the extra mile, we suggest you prepare questions to ask for the interviewer as well. It's a tip that's been gaining popularity among career writers for quite some time now. As for what to ask...we suggest you take on the advice of expert recruiter Jonathan Kwan which you can read at www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/Ask%20An%20Expert?ID=402.

In case you haven’t noticed yet, our editors have just uploaded new articles on Career Advice. A lot of them are about job interview. Please also read the following:

The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Preparation (part 1)
The Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Preparation (part 2)
Behavioural Interviewing Strategies

We’ll have them properly featured on this blog in the near future… In the meantime, enjoy them in their original forms.

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

JobsDB.com Singapore is committed to helping every job seeker land a good job. Currently looking for a job? Browse our jobs database and see if anything is of interest to you. It doesn't matter what industry you're in -- our jobs portal caters to every industry there is in Singapore, from Accounting Jobs and Banking Jobs in Singapore to IT Jobs and Singapore Hospitality Jobs. Let us lead your way to rewarding jobs in Singapore, jump start you career with us.

For career tips, we recommend Career Advice. From job hunting tips to career development guidelines, get advice from experts @ www.jobsdb.com.sg/SG/en/Resources/JobSeekerIndex.

Read More