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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Rambling about career issues...yet again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to excel in your career

Purposeful Action Leads to Success

The Key to Finding a New Career Direction

Prioritising Your Day To Accomplish More

Effective Communication

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Post-celebration suggestions. #backtowork

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

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

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

How to have job satisfaction at work

Resignation and Acceptance Letters

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

Remaining Relevant in The Workplace

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

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



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

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We interrupt the celebrations to bring you this short note

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

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



Enjoy your holiday!

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Think about it.

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

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

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

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Untitled.

Remember when we said we could get motivated even by the simplest of things? Sadly, we were unable to find a motivator (something!) to head today's discussion: We checked this morning and we found nothing interesting -- not even the recent decline of the manufacturing sector (we know, we should, but...) -- in our favourite newspaper, apparently. So what you will get today is a short feature, containing the most colorful advertisements at http://sg.jobsdb.com.

Hey, at least we are honest. Plus, we have not posted images over here since a long time ago. So we guess, this stance is perfectly reasonable and goes beyond us being lazy?

Okay, the true reason for us doing this is this: National Day Parade is just around the corner and we do not want to ruin the celebratory mood by bombarding you with too much Singapore Jobs and remind you of your current stresses--though, our DB has just received new accounting jobs, banking jobs, engineer jobs, IT jobs and admin jobs... just FYI-- nor do we want you to get worked up by rewriting another article from Career Advice. We want to warn our new followers of the fact that we have the habit of over-stuffing (check our Archives... last year circa December).





Another reason: We have completely ran out of topics to talk about. Care to suggest and relieve us of our problems?

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Reasons to stay COMPETITIVE

When you have a writer job, you feel crazy all the time. You have not slept for years because your brain is always working. In order to stay competitive, you have to constantly change your perspective.

That is why writers are arrogant and they refuse to admit defeat. Succumbing to writer's block even for a day feels like a big loss even when writers know it is not -- It is hard to shake that feeling that you could have tried better and might have been able to come up with at least 100 words. For your pride. For your readers.

We are pretty sure professionals from other industries -- specifically, those with medical jobs, manager jobs, engineer jobs, accounting jobs, and financial jobs -- have the same competitiveness. The Singapore job market has always been a rocky plain not only for jobseekers but also to career builders, to begin with. If you slack off, you will miss a number of great opportunities. There is not time for regrets.

Are you a professional in these industries or currently job hunting? These are the reasons for you to stay competitive.

ACCOUNTING: "My advice for those who wish to embark on a career in accounting is to really start early. This is because this is not a profession where you can start one day and expect to know a lot overnight. You will need to gain a lot of experience and knowledge from working with the people around you as well as developing your networks." ~Ms Elaine Chong of ICPAS.

FINANCE: "One shouldn’t be scared of rejection for it is part and parcel of life. When you become a Customer Service Representative or a Relationship Manager, I’m sure that you’ll face plenty of rejections and complaints from your customers. Working in this industry will quicken your maturity. At the end of two years with us, I’m sure you’ll emerge as a better person." ~Mr Philip Lim of DBS

ENGINEERING: "Innovative products – new gadgets and innovation really excites me. I love watching out for the next big thing to hit the market. Even if it’s just a fad – it just goes to show how easily people get bored and how limitless the human mind is at inventing." ~Loke Weng Yew of Dyson

Read more career tips at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Industry-Focus?ID=161

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Do you fit these job interview stereotypes?

We have only ourselves to blame for the lack of organisation on this blog. We didn't listen to our editor's pleas a year ago; now, we are -- no reason to sugarcoat it -- suffering from repetition, lack of innovation, and boredom with regards to our writing job. Granted, we are naturally weird so it is easy to motivate us, even things as simple as video games can get the job done. Still, the thought of being irresponsbile stings like citrus to an open wound and the fact that we cannot do anything about it just makes things worse. We have to admit, this is one of the reason why we are currently very stressed -- the realization got us on the rocks.

Anyway, those are not rants. Those are attempts of explaining why our posts these days lack humor -- something very uncharacteristic of us if you ask our long-time followers. At least, we know our responsibilities, right?

Nevertheless, before we pull out more rants, the plan for today is to feature the newly re-branded JobsDB Campus and its hardworking writers. Hey, it's not the first time we featured http://campus.sg.jobsdb.com/ over here since its re-branding, so you should already know how fun it has become.

We've talked about job interviewing many times, but we've never thought of tackling the task of writing about it in as humorous a manner as this one by Tan Pei Si at http://campus.sg.jobsdb.com/SG/2011/06/07/the-stereotypical-job-interviewee.html. We recommend those searching for fresh grad jobs and student jobs to read the article so to avoid falling into a stereotype that will weird out any interviewer and may lessen your chances for the job. Whether you are looking for an entry level accounting job or engineering job, this one's a good reference to prepare you.

Here are other interview resources for you to consider:

Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions

How to excel at your job interview

Avoid the Top 10 Interview Mistakes

Your Voice can Make or Break Your Job Interview - So Speak Well!

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Let's start this month off with seminar offerings.

You know, it isn't only students (who are in danger of failing) who can write 500 words or more in less than 15 minutes. It's a form of magic that professionals with writing jobs -- whether a media job or technical writer job -- can do too. We do it a lot, you know.

Okay, enough with the "you knows". But seriously, much like how those with accounting jobs can mentally compute 4-digit numbers with ease or how those with civil engineer jobs or architect jobs can sketch structures even without a ruler, writers can still come up with coherent words despite being stressed . Today, we're very stressed, but we'd like to think we're currently phrasing our thoughts fine. Are we?

Anyway, we don't want to have this turn out like last Thursday when we barely made a point and just filled every nook and cranny with rants. Granted, we tend to be very enjoyable to read when ranting, but still, there is no discounting the fact that we have a job to keep: We have to keep you guys interested.

Since today is the very first day of August (Yay! A new month), the best route to take is to list down the upcoming training opportunities from JobsDB Learning. We've already emphasized far too many times how important career seminars are in the task of career building. Attending such events is essential if you want to achieve success, so to speak. Signing up for at least one of these can be beneficial for you career:

Build winning teams | 0.5day(s)

Microeconomics in the ASEAN Region | 2day(s)

Microsoft Word 2007 Advanced | 2day(s)

Microsoft Office Introduction 2007 | 1day(s)

Microsoft Excel 2007 Basic to Intermediate | 2day(s)

EQ Techniques - To Improve Personal Effectiveness At Work | 1day(s)

Inspire and build teams | 1day(s)

Microsoft Excel 2007 Power Functions 1 | 2day(s)

Photoshop CS5 Fundamentals | 3day(s)

Microsoft Access 2007 Basic to Intermediate | 2day(s)

How To Be An Inspiring & Motivating Manager | 0.5day(s)

PMET Career Skills Workshop (11-12 Aug) | 2day(s)

Conflict Resolution | 1day(s)

Letters of Credit– Understanding the Pitfalls | 2day(s)

Effective Business Writing | 2day(s)

Microsoft Excel 2007 Advanced | 2day(s)

Microsoft Excel 2010 Advanced | 2day(s)

How to be driven | 0.5day(s)

Cashflow success | 0.5day(s)

Building Relationships for Success in Sales | 1day(s)

Energise your E-mail Writing Skills | 1day(s)

Developing an Effective Employee Handbook Workshop | 1day(s)

Microsoft Outlook 2007 (Email Module) | 1day(s)

Details can be read at http://learning.sg.jobsdb.com/sg/course_by_month?month=08&year=2011. And oh, we'd like to hear your feedback.

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Stay motivated in your job (or job search). Here's how.

We find it an interesting activity to compare ourselves with the experts at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex. Not that we're seeing ourselves as equal in terms of writing capabilities, but whenever we do so, we get motivated. It shows in how we construct our sentences. We tend to be simplistic when not inspired (or just lazy), whereas, when we feel motivated, you can actually read through the effort. But don't get us wrong: This blog has held a special place in our hearts ever since the very beginning. It's just that being down and out of ideas can be overpowering for someone who's not yet used to the crisscrosses of the writing craft. You will know if you make a living out of a writing job like we do. It also happens to professionals with accounting jobs, engineer jobs, IT jobs, HR jobs...any kind of job, actually so we're not crazy.

If you haven't figured it out yet, today is "motivation in the workplace" day. Contrary to what hardcore career builders probably think (perhaps, like you?), it is not unhealthy to take a break. Says who?

How to Stay Motivated to Face Career Challenges

Fully Alive from 9 to 5!

Top Ten Tips for Improving the Quality of Your Work Life

The Carrot Factor

Avoiding the Autopilot Syndrome

YOUR WORK. A BLESSING OR A BURDEN?

It can be surprising how many articles about motivation and inspiration Career Advice keeps, really.

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Resources about networking

Compared with the topics of resume writing, job interviewing and Singapore jobs, there's not much love out there for networking, but we can't help being attached to it in some way. Call us weird or crazy, we won't get mad. Perhaps, we are attracted to it because we know that networking is essential whether or not you have a job to nurture -- therefore, discussing it is like multi-tasking. Whether or not you land your dream job or get a promotion is a matter that has something to do with connecting with people (or building relationships) properly, therefore networking as a topic can be said to cater to both our target markets: career professionals looking to switch jobs and jobseekers of accounting jobs, finance jobs, engineer jobs, IT jobs...ugh, all job industries.

You know, we're just acting like our usual lazy selves. But seriously, networking needs more featuring over here and at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex because of its versatility. It's a common notion in marketing that you cannot satisfy two markets at the same time. So in order to make sales, sacrificing is necessary. That having said, there's nothing more satisfying than being able to see a loophole to this rule and taking advantage of that.

Okay so, what specific thing about networking are we set to talk about today? It's been so long since we last featured networking skills and how to hone such skills over here. We have every reason to push through with the plan, despite our inexperience in writing about it. Well, there's Career Advice to guide us, so why worry?

The Secrets of Effective Networking at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/CAREER-2?ID=558 is perhaps, the best article about networking in the section. Here are the most important points in the article, listed for your convenience (because we care):

If you find networking hard because you don't want to use your friends, or because you dislike asking for help, overcome this by genuinely caring about those you call.

Listen 80% and talk 20%. Personal meetings should be interactive, like tennis; but in general, others would rather talk than listen.

It's better to be subtle and indirect rather than blunt.

Tell people you value their suggestions and plan to take action on them.

Don't make the mistake of contacting people only once. Your search will never build momentum. As you meet technical experts and business leaders, become a friend to them, and they'll likely return the friendship.


Your contact network should always be growing, not shrinking.

Were you inspired to hone your networking skills? You might want to attend these training opportunities from JobsDB Learning:

Savvy Networking Skills
Communication: Your Key to Success
Communication Strategies

Or read more about networking:

Effective Communication

Master the Way You Use Your Voice

Have a comment? Let's talk!

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Of Missing Out and Catching Up

One good thing about this blog's layout -- aside from being simplistic and pleasing to the eye -- is that, it reminds us of our priorities. For a blog to become a community of minds, it needs -- aside from a talkative moderator -- many followers. That's it. There's a reason why our editors placed the "Fanpage" and "Followers" boxes at the top. We need more people to follow us. Also, we need to consistently entertain those 99 (so far) who have clicked the "Join this site" button so they won't unclick it.

Okay, we had to deal with important numbers for http://sg.jobsdb.com yesterday and ran out of time to share something for conversation. Really, you have every reason to feel mad or betrayed or whatever and we won't argue with you. But because we were absent yesterday, you can be sure we will do our best to come up with good write-ups for the rest of this week.

So what's our plan for today? Usually we only have two possible routes to take when writing articles and our options for today can be imagined as this: Discuss the news -- the SG National Day is just so near! -- or ramble about another FAQ in career. Given our tendency to become really off-topic when not featuring anything from our editors, we'd rather not talk about the SG National Day yet. Although we don't want to bore you out with our none-changing opinions on career issues as well. We're stuck. Sadly enough.

Geez, we've rambled long enough to make a stand-alone, senseless post. But really, we're lost. So, we ask you to suggest topics for tomorrow. For now, we are putting Find Jobs in the spotlight. Well, it's been so long since we last did so. Also, we can't believe the section gets more or less 30,000 unique job postings a day now, compared to when we were just starting. More options for our followers who are job hunting, then! And that's something to be happy about.

The latest jobs comprise mostly of Teacher Jobs, Manager Jobs, Accounting Jobs, and Customer Service Jobs. If you are currently hunting for options in these industries (or thinking of switching jobs into these fields of work), then consider yourself lucky today. How were we able to know the latest jobs in the DB? On the homepage there is a text-based "Latest 500 Jobs" button below the "Search Jobs" box; just click it and you'll get a summary of the latest jobs in Singapore.

More information about the industries of Education, Finance and Call Center here:
Banking & Finance
Education
Call Center

Help us to reorganize our goals. We hope to hear from you guys asap.

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Early National Day presents for sales and marketing professionals.

Have nothing else better to do? Reading our past blog entries more or less in order will make for an amazingly interesting experience, just saying. You can actually see us improving from post to post. It's pretty similar to the product cycle of introduction-growth-maturity-decline in the study of marketing, and you can see exactly when we started heading to the decline route. Right now, we're doing everything to resuscitate this blog and stabilize it in the maturity plane. Thank the heavens we haven't encountered a problem yet (or do you think we should have encountered a problem and just didn't notice it?)

Anyway, since our editors didn't request for a specific write-up today, we're free to ramble just about anything. Since we have the habit of going back to the contents of our archives every time we need motivation and inspiration, we ended up with the decision of following up "Securing business in Today's economy" the lone update for July 2009 for today. Obviously, we're not yet the ones moderating this blog, hence the lack of talkativeness during this time. But here's the thing: we resolved that we should also include 2008 and the 1st half of 2009 into our trackbacks, so there. We're control freaks like that, but we're sure you've grown to like that character of ours.

Anyway (again), this post is simply promoting a seminar by JobsDB Learning (the older version, where it and Career Events haven't been merged yet), and for those with sales jobs and marketing jobs who are still interested, the good news is, you guys can still sign up to receive this seminar's brand of lessons in sales! This seminar happens to be a fruit of a lasting partnership and as such, is a regular offering at http://learning.sg.jobsdb.com/.

To be anchored by professional trainer, Sandra Sandu-Reeves, the latest installment of Winning and Retaining Clients is scheduled to be held on August 5. Sign your name to the attendance list now because all payments are expected to be made before the commencement of the workshop. For more information, please contact LearningDB.com at 6861 1000 or email to learning@jobsdb.com.sg.

Career Advice is also a good place to find resources for sales professionals. We specially recommend these articles:

How to Handle Difficult Customers?

Master the Way You Use Your Voice

BUILDING PEOPLE SKILLS

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A short note before you go "TGIF"

One thing's for sure: If you've been following us since a long time ago, you should know...you should know that we love resume writing and job interviewing as topics so much. We brought ourselves a lot of trouble because of this strange liking -- many complained of lack of variety over here. Anyway, we'd like to think that we've somehow improved on this aspect since the above described "dark ages", so our confidence level remains high.

Why, oh why, has this issue been pushed back into the spotlight? Not that we're complaining. It's just that the pressure can be exhausting and well, who wants to be stressed out, anyway?

Nevertheless, we're certainly not apathetic. Given this premise you've put us in, we definitely feel obliged to whip up something unique for today or we'll be doomed. Safest path to take? Take things uphill. How's salary increase for a topic?

Career Advice has plenty of resources about this topic, so yes, if you think that it's about time you receive a pay rise, read these:

How to Get that Pay Raise

Show Me The Money

Tips on How to Ask for a Raise

Use These Key Salary Negotiation Techniques to Write a Counter Proposal Letter

Double Your Salary

And we'll end it here. You see, we care for your social/family life.

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How to Choose a Boss. Wait... is that even possible?

The answer is yes and the process is very similar to choosing a lover, according to Jonathan Lederer, VP of Sales of Popkin Software. Reprinted by permission of Dale Kurow, a career and executive coach "How to Choose a Boss" at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/CAREER-1?ID=540 is a witty take on the importance of being targeted when job hunting -- carefully plot your moves so you won't have any regrets later, that's the focal idea. You will most probably spend more time doing things to please your boss -- and to push your career further -- than any other person, so the starting point is very, very crucial. Consider also your prospective boss' quirks and habits aside from the position's scope and the benefits offered on its side.

Accepting anything less than your career aspirations is not a good thing because it can only lead to job dissatisfaction. Then, this may or may not further into a desire to switch jobs. Obviously, the sad this is, you will again find yourself in the starting position, having just put your past efforts to waste. If you are currently looking for a job, please also consider these points:

• It is essential to recognize that you are interviewing your prospective Boss as much as he/she is interviewing you.
• You can love a job, but if you can't interact with your Boss positively, the job is not worth it.
• Watch the way in which your Boss responds to your questions. Body language is as important as verbal communication.
• Can you manage their expectations?
• Do your personalities clash?

In the job market of today where the competition is more cut-throat than ever before, being targeted is everything. Not that we're scolding you. It's just that we've been trying to establish this point over here since a long time ago, yet it doesn't seem like anything has worked. But rest assured, until our energy reserves have run out, we won't stop in reminding you the importance of working hard in resume writing and job interviewing.

And so, matter your specialty --whether you are looking to have a technical position and browsing accounting jobs, banking jobs, and engineer jobs or a creative one and browsing writing jobs, media jobs, and marketing jobs, it pays to be picky during the search. So, there.

Related articles you should read:

Troubleshooting Your Job Search

Face up to the Competition

Questions To Consider Before Applying For A Job

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All about engineering jobs

Okay, we admit it: We cheated yesterday. It's just that July 19 is a really special day for us; we couldn't trash the celebratory feeling at all, even for just an hour. Scrolling through our archives, we realised that we really only had two options: It was either we write the hoopla in or forget about posting altogether. While the latter would have been a more understandable selection from us-- you know we have the tendency to talk too much, we know you do -- the very thought of having to leave a day activity-less, well, we might as well pinch ourselves than do that.

It's pretty given that we owe you guys a drink. The sad thing is, we can't pay these debts which have arisen from our irresponsibility yet. Okay, reason. Uhm, you know the end result of any celebration, right? But ours is not the literal kind, mind you. AND be assured that we will not forget about this promise until it's been properly taken care of.

For now, we will continue our rediscovery of the little things that make Industry Focus a gem for both job seekers and career professionals. We have yet to document our entire archives section to be honest, but what's for sure is that we haven't written about engineering jobs in a while. Currently, the section has 4 engineering resources which are about careers in Dyson, Panasonic and Sanden, plus a glossary of different Engineering Disciplines.

Also, within our social networks, "Do engineer jobs in Singapore offer competitive salaries?" is a frequently asked question. Good thing there is this article at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/engineering-salary.htm?ID=308 to help us answer.

If you happen to have stumbled upon this post because you are looking for engineering roles, find what you're looking for at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Search/NewAdvanceSearch.

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Of celebrations and happy jobs

The truly sad thing about our writing is that, as far as sense and coherence are concerned, "the shorter it is, the better" rule applies like paint to a concrete wall. We're certainly not saying this in a bad way. Rather, this is our way of acknowledging our improvement since the "dark ages". New to this blog? During the dark ages, we were so obsessed with this blog, we felt obliged to post 700 words each time we logged in. Now, blog entries aren't supposed to be long -- heck, judging by how short the average attention span of humans has become, nothing's supposed to be long on the internet -- so, you get the drift.

Anyway, today is a very special day for the moderators of this blog. You don't need to know the specific reason, so why mention this? To help you to understand why our tone's slightly celebratory today and prevent you from freaking out. In line with this special holiday for us that you don't need to know the exact nature of, today's discussion will purely be good news. We ought to have fun; after all, we've been discussing purely serious stuff the past few months.

Hmmm, how about discussing happy jobs for today? We have yet to finish appreciating the little things that Industry Focus at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Industry-Focus?ID=161 has to offer. In order to motivate you guys, here are some inspiring quotes from past interviews.

No matter the nature of your job, if you really truly enjoy what you do, chances of getting dissatisfied are close to zero. Take it from these career professionals:

"Job Re-creators don’t just re-brand and re-image job positions, they also increase productivity and efficiency by professionalising existing standards." ~ Ms Lee Eer Ling of NTUC, representing HR Jobs.

"I love travelling, so I feel privileged to be able to work in an industry that allows me to travel all over the world. I am happy to be able to immerse in different cultures and savour the local delights in different countries and cities." ~ Ms Iris Mou of Singapore Airlines, representing Aviation Jobs.

"Working in this industry will quicken your maturity. At the end of two years with us, I’m sure you’ll emerge as a better person.” ~Mr Philip Lim of DBS, representing Banking Jobs.

"I enjoy interacting with guests, finding out about their trip and gathering feedback of the hotel and the service standards, including their dining experience." ~Ms Janice Chan of Pan Pacific Singapore, representing Hospitality Jobs.

"I really enjoy being able to plan for road shows and outdoor events for our readers to meet up, have lots of fun and connect with one another." ~Ms Jasmine Goh of Kids World Media Pte Ltd, representing Media Jobs.

"Overall, I am happy to be a nurse because it has molded me into a stronger person - both mentally and emotionally." ~Ms Serene Tan from the National Healthcare Group (NHG), representing Medical Jobs.

Let's keep in touch:

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A short note on job loss

It's a great Monday morning and what better way to get the ball rolling with a discussion on a happy career topic to suit the happy ambiance? Right. We don't like playing the Grinch at all, however, our scheduled topic for today is job loss.

Remember that we wrote an article about job loss for sg.jobsdb.com last year? Our plan is to re-promote that article today over here, for our new followers. 'Coping with Job Loss" has been well received since its posting date and our editors feel the need to feature it again here.

Anyway, we have no plans of extending this feature to 500 words, so old followers need not worry about getting bored. What are the highlights of this article?

Because a lot of us identify ourselves with the jobs we keep, job loss is widely perceived as a frightening affair. Have you recently lost your job? Battle non-productivity by doing worthwhile things that can benefit you and your family like getting contract jobs and volunteering. Learning opportunities are also a great way to stay productive after job loss. The catch is that any of these options can improve your CV and make you more valuable as a job seeker.

Also, don't rush to get a new job because employers may see this a sign of desperation. Plan your moves carefully and edit your resume to suit each of the job ads you're interested to apply for.

Blog features can only share so much. Do you want to learn more? You can read the complete article at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/coping-with-job-loss.htm?ID=364. But here's the thing: no matter what, My JobsDB and Job Alerts can lend you a hand. JobsDB Learning will assist you with your search for career seminars to attend.

Let's keep in touch:

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Your training and development

Now and again, our editors would post something intriguing at http://sg.jobsdb.com -- it's usually on the homepage but it could be anywhere else -- and automatically, we get inspired to do the same for this blog. Were you on Twitter yesterday? If yes, you should know what this is about...

Right. Isn't "How do you say what you want to say and have the other person understand it?" a very smart way of introducing a Communication Skills Seminar from JobsDB Learning? Charming!

Hopefully, you signed up. Anyway, Influential Communication Skills, to be facilitated by professional trainer Jensen Siaw will not take place until August 20, so you still have time to decide (or save up for the fee). Nevertheless, we're waiting for your name. Come on, don't miss this great opportunity!

...or just consider these other seminars at http://learning.sg.jobsdb.com:

18 Jul	Speak Right With EQ
18 Jul	Microsoft Excel 2007 Power Functions 1
18 Jul	International Shipping and Logistics Contracts
18 Jul	Microsoft Excel 2007 Advanced
18 Jul	Photoshop CS5 Fundamentals
18 Jul	Microsoft Word 2007 Basic to Intermediate

No matter your current standing in the workworld, whether you are a job hunter or career builder, we advise that you enroll in at least one. The purpose of training opportunities is to improve credentials. If you have high credentials, your chances of being considered for the best Singapore finance jobs or accounting jobs or engineering jobs are higher than if you don't, of course. Same goes for career professionals -- you know that salary increments and bonuses are back, right?

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Cut-throat competition in the job market (and uneager job seekers?)

Many thanks to the person who pointed this out. We needed the call... badly. Now, we feel really, really obliged to make today's conversation comprehensive. The challenge is to extend this to a length that's expected of entries from blogs with naturally talkative moderators.

Okay, we admit to the fact that we haven't written anything longer than 500 words in a long while. Granted, running out of ideas is a common problem among career professionals with writing jobs, but our fault is that we actually stopped bugging you guys with requests for suggestions. Do you have an idea when exactly we stopped?

Nevertheless, be assured that we've waked up from our long slumber (and hopefully, stay awake for more than a month). That having said, we invite you to help us to keep this blog interactive; we're keeping the comments section open for your suggestions. Wondering where have all the good accounting jobs and finance jobs in Singapore gone? Is it possible to find fresh graduate jobs and student jobs and career tips for this bunch at sg.jobsdb.com? We'll answer any kind of question as long as it's about career. We're afraid we can't be as knowledgeable when the concern is about love...you get the drift. Keep the suggestions coming, alright?

So, what's our plan? Until we get actual suggestions, for now, we are resolving to follow up/correct/comment on old entries. There's a reason why we consider this blog's archives section a great tool, really.

Anyway, until a year ago, before the major revamp, polls were a commonplace on the homepage of sg.jobsdb.com. Our entry for July 14th of 2010 was about the results of a job market survey not being in sync with what the news was reporting that time. While the headlines were all about hiring expections going up and balance of power swinging back to job seekers, My JobsDB users had a different opinion.

What resolution did we end up with? We chose to remain in the middle of it all by saying that job hunting was also about luck. In short, we chose to play it safe.

Reopening the same survey today will probably yield the same results. We're pretty sure because our Fanpage is still a regular recipient of job market-related questions. And to think that it appears that the job market has remained in the same stable position.

Will we change our stand? Perhaps, not. Visit the Fanpage in question and you'll understand why.

But yes, this is still our say: It's not that there's a scarcity of jobs in Singapore. The competition is just cut-throat, which means that you have to have patience too aside from a marketable resume as part of your entourage.

Oh, if ever we're still the moderators of this blog next year, stay tuned for our third follow up. See whether or not we'd have a change of mind on the issue.

Let's talk:

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Job hunting? The news is your ally.

Before anything else, we'd like to apologize for being missing in action yesterday. We were very sick and had to take a day off. We still feel dizzy actually, but what's important is we're back now! Hopefully, you guys are still interested to listen. Yes?

Okay. Today, we're going to answer a question sent to us by a Linkedin follower through email. It's not something you've never heard of, but it has caught us dumbfounded, nevertheless. We bet you've never asked yourself this question before too: What's the most difficult part of a job search?

Our say? It depends on how you view things, really. And whether or not your chosen industry is doing well. Perhaps, it's networking that's the most difficult part of looking for a job for you? Others may disagree and say that it's the job interviewing part that's the most stressful.

Whatever is your answer, you can survive the difficulty by reading industry news. The news is, perhaps, the best ally you could ever have when trying to land a job. Specially in industries with seasonal demands, being updated will get rid of the pressure and focus you on the goal, resulting to a more organized job search.

That's why we have News Watch at http://sg.jobsdb.com/. We invite everyone to visit the section once in a while and be in the loop.

So whether you are currently looking for accounting jobs or engineer jobs in Singapore, or perhaps design jobs and media jobs, you will benefit a lot by reading the news.

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Confucius and stereotypes.

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

If you're also a follower on Facebook, this should ring a bell. Right, Confucius. We posted this on our Fanpage wall last July 7. It's implications are a no-brainer, really: It's simply encouraging job seekers to choose their career directions carefully and avoid job dissatisfaction.

The reason why personality profiling and job matching have gained popularity is this. Over at Career Advice, for instance, these articles can give hints to job seekers on where should they lead their job search so they won't feel regrets later on.

PERSONALITY AND CAREERS (Part 1)

Psychometric Tests

These stereotypes summarize the points somehow:

• Do you like numbers? Then accounting jobs and banking jobs are the most promising careers for you.
• If you enjoy dealing with different kinds of people and have passion for people development, hr jobs, receptionist jobs, and teacher jobs are perfect for you.
• Having the knack for arts means that you're more like to achieve success in a media job or a design job.

Still confused? Take the quiz below and don't forget to share with us the results. We're more than willing to give you a hand on this topic.

Oh, are you a My JobsDB member? The Job Alerts option is designed to do the same kind of matching job. Try it.

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Quiz time!

We're quite a fan of quizzes. In fact, we used to publish ones for our friends on Facebook. Which jobs suit your personality best? remains to be our favourite. A quick Google search has told us that the quiz still exists, but it's no longer takeable for some reason.

So we suggest our new friends to just take it here. But no cheating! Answer all questions before you scroll down.

Which jobs suit your personality best?

Career satisfaction depends on how your personality fits your job. Are you currently looking for a job? Well, are you searching for the right jobs? Let this quiz help you find the job that will make you want to wake up early every day.

You are most convinced by:

1. Rational arguments.
2. Statements that come from the heart.
3. It depends on which holds true on the given situation.

You get motivated by:

1. Appreciation.
2. Achievements.
3. Both.

Before you make a decision:

1. You think things first.
2. You follow your intuition.
3. I contemplate long enough to end up with the right answer.

Plans:

1. I want them firm.
2. I keep mine flexible.
3. …should be firm, but not too restricting.

Schedules:

1. I like my freedom and so I dislike following schedules.
2. I'm comfortable with them.
3. I find it hard to follow schedules.

Which do you value more:

1. Fairness
2. Compassion
3. Truth.

I focus more on:

1. The details.
2. The possibilities.
3. The goal.

When it comes to roles, I prefer to be:

1. The leader, the one who makes the decision.
2. The follower. I prefer to work behind the scenes.
3. I can function both as a leader and a follower.

Working alone.

1. Is good. I prefer that.
2. Is okay.
3. I will be much better if I have people who I can share my ideas with.

Debates…

1. …are fun.
2. Such are great thinking exercises.
3. I avoid conflicts as much as possible.

On being the center of attention:

1. Hate it.
2. Love it.
3. Okay with it.

___________________

________________

__________

_____

Results:

Mostly No. 1

You are more of a thinker than a feeler. You value facts and like to be in-charge. The jobs that fit you best are those that require precision and independence.

You will be at your best working in these fields: Medicine & Healthcare, Accounting, Banking & Finance, Engineering, Education and Information Technology. The following are some job titles that fit your personality: Doctor, Accountant, Banker, Treasurer, Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Application Specialist, Professor

Mostly No. 2

You are more of a feeler than a thinker. You are very level-headed and you like your freedom very much. You also have the ability to read others and so, you’ll be at your best in a job that will allow you to communicate with people.

You will be at your best working in these fields: Marketing, Law, Public Relations, Sales, Human Resource, Hospitality, and Design. The following are some job titles that fit your personality:

• Hotel Manager
• HR Officer
• Copywriter
• Event Manager
• Editor
• Director
• Designer
• Lawyer

Mostly No.3

You know how to balance your heart and mind.

Call yourself blessed. With your ability to balance what you feel with what you think, you will find satisfaction in many industries. These fields, in particular, are where you will be at your best: Management, Civil Service and Professional Services.

Feel free to proceed to JobsDB.com Singapore to look for job prospects.

Disclaimer: This quiz is a generalization. If the result rings true for you, then you’ve found your career path. If not, you can re-take the quiz. We also suggest you to start evaluating your career goals to see what job really suits you. Career Advice can help you.

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Comparing apples and oranges...

To say that science jobs are harder than 'artsy jobs' is incorrect. Heck, it's like pitting apples against oranges in a deathmatch of taste. Just because media jobs, journalist jobs and marketing jobs have nothing to do with numbers and most of us fear math doesn't mean these jobs are easier to keep.

No two job responsibilities are the same. And our belief is that there is stress in all job functions; getting burnt out is an end-result of one's work habits (or the lack thereof), not the industry itself. So, work life balance is a concept that doesn't just exist within the realms of it jobs and engineering jobs. Similarly, it's wrong to say that only career professionals with design jobs and advertising jobs are able to have fun while also enjoying a healthy career.

Industry Focus is a proof for these claims. Reading these articles, we don't sense any kind of dissatisfaction from Toh Hong Wei, Customer Engineer at NCR and Marc Drysdale, Senior Service Consultant at Scania at all. Do you?

"I like my job very much as I get to communicate with our customers and get their feedback on how we can develop better vehicles and products to serve them." ~Marc

"I’ve been withNCR for 5 years now, and I feel a sense of pride to work for a company that supplies ATMS which are efficient and that help to make people’s lives more convenient in the process. " ~Toh Hong Wei

Let's talk:

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Writing jobs vis-a-vis teaching jobs.

Okay. Where were we yesterday? If you've been following this blog since the very beginning of our reign, you should know the reason for our absence. We're very, very busy during the first week of every month, the thing is; we have too much reports and analyses to do in such a short time. Not that this blog isn't important (and you, our followers, aren't important), it's just...work. And well, routine. You get the drill. We have to take care of our writing jobs because we'd like to keep them for two or three more years, you know.

We know that Lady Gaga's coming to Singapore, yes, but we can't do anything about our personal endeavors until this week ends, really. Job responsibilities are our priority. And it's not like our editor jobs demand that we totally forget about work life balance, anyway. There's still time to have fun, but not during the first week.

So, what do we have in store for today? We're not yet done rediscovering with you guys everything Industry Focus has to offer. Why don't we talk about the interviews in relation to education jobs and teacher jobs over there today? Yes?

We know many writers who are also teachers. Likewise, we're pretty sure there are many teachers in Singapore who contribute articles to magazines and newspapers regularly. These are closely related job functions, but we have to admit that it's much more satisfying to nurture minds than to keep a blog and pretend that many people are reading you (do you sense the bitterness?). Anyway, if you're looking to join the education industry in Singapore, fresh graduate or with experience, you should definitely read these career articles:

Mastereign Enrichment at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/industry%20focus?ID=448
Interview with Terry Lee, education consultant.

Highlight:

Being able to impact the lives of the younger generation and seeing the fruits of labour for instance, when the students we train put up a performance never fails to put a smile on my face.

High Achievers at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerArticle/industry%20focus?ID=388
Interviews with JULIAN YANG, Learning Solutions Consultant; YVONNE KONG, Lifeskills Trainer; HAJAR ALI, Admin Assistant; MICHELLE MANESE, Accounts Assistant

Highlight:

High Achievers is about Changing Lives. I'm here because of the passion of seeing lives transform for the better as we prime youths for success. ~Julian

NTUC First Campus - Inspiring Young Lives at http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/EN/Resources/JobSeekerIndex/Industry-Focus?ID=161
Interviews with Eunice Tong, Principal at The Little Skool-House At-Thomson; Mabeline Chia, Acting Principal at My First Skool; Sukuna Suppiah, Senior Training Specialist at RTRC Asia; Ng Xueting, teacher at The Caterpillar’s Cove

Highlights:

I’m glad that I have played a significant role in the learning processes and lives of my students, and I enjoy the beautiful friendships that I have with my colleagues and the parents. ~Eunice

I consider it very rewarding to be a part of a child’s life – playing an important and meaningful role in nurturing the child, and witnessing and celebrating every milestone of their development with them. ~Mabeline

Have questions? Please use the comments section below or communicate with us on our other social media profiles:

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Hey, let's talk about sales jobs.

Writers aren't known for being warm. The work may be interpreted as friendly, but you probably wouldn't want to have breakfast with its writer in a sunny Sunday morning. More often than not, that's the case. That's why you can't compare sales jobs with writing jobs without sounding so biased -- these two fields are just too different from each other.

Unlike those with writer jobs, sales executives can be generalized as an energetic bunch. PR skills run the sales industry in the first place. Writers work by themselves most of the time and without the need to open their mouths; whereas, sales executives talk with people from nine to five. The negotiations also extend after office hours. Personality profiling and job matching have gained popularity among career professionals for this reason.

Do you think that the sales arena is where you belong? Do you have what it takes to succeed in a sales position? Attending these seminars courtesy of JobsDB Learning can help to you achieve the dream.

Communication Strategies
Customer Service Tool Kit : Perfect Phrases in Practice
Selling Smarter
How To Spoil The Market
Business is Blooming

Consider them an investment. Hey, sales roles pay well, don' t they? Not as much as what those with legal jobs and medical jobs in Singapore get every month, but the numbers definitely make for a good price.

It's safe to talk your boss into signing up for the training and development arm of sg.jobsdb.com. Little drawbacks, lots of potential benefits.

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