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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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:



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:





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:

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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.

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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!

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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

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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

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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.

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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):

• Job Search (including Resume Writing and Job Interviewing)
• Work Productivity
• Career Networking
• Job Dissatisfaction
• Career Change
• Salary Raise
• Job Loss

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.

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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

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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:


We'll be waiting for your response.

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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.

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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.

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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

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