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Experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition advises if you should interview for a job you don’t want

Times are hard these days, we understand. We’re also on the lookout for jobs and internships for you guys from time to time. Even more so for the desperate, it’s easy to mass send your resume out to companies, including job openings you don’t particularly take an interest to.

Last week, we wrote about some valuable tips for job seekers by recruitment experts from LinkedIn, Robert Walters, and Michael Page. Hop over to read if you’re currently on the lookout for a new job opportunity.

Today, we will put our focus on whether you should interview for a job you don’t want. We will be hearing from the wise words of Kevin Matthews, an experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition. He is also the managing director of KR Partners and founder & CEO of Candid-Intel.

#1: I mass sent out many applications during my job search and now I’m being called in for jobs that may not be the most suitable. Is it still worth taking the interview?

Firstly, it’s probably not a good idea to mass apply to jobs during your job search. I would advise you to get into the habit of being targeted as you will achieve better results that way. Now that you have gotten yourself in a bit of a bind with so many requests, don’t panic – go through each job that requested an interview and analyze three things before declining to attend:

Does the company or position match your current needs or aspirations? If your answer is no, skip the interview.
Are you sure you’re overqualified or not suitable for the position? For example, if the job description says they are looking for two years’ experience and you have seven, then you should probably skip it.
Is there anything you can learn from the interview? Interviewing, even if you’re unsure about the position or the company, can provide opportunities to practice your interpersonal and interviewing skills.

If you’re still convinced that attending the interview won’t be right for you, please respectfully decline with a short email.

#2: Is it alright to take an interview just to practice my interview skills even if I may not want the job?

“Well, I would advise if you’re unsure on the job or company that it’s still OK to attend and practice. However, if you’re 100% convinced that this opportunity is not right for you, don’t waste your time or the interviewer’s – conduct mock interviews with your friends to practice. That would be a better use of your time.”

#3: I was given a job offer and accepted it just before I was about to attend another interview. This interview was set up prior to the offer. Should I still take the meeting? Or should I decline to save everyone’s time?

Image Credits: Stocksy United

“My advice after spending many years in recruitment is to decline the interview and move on.

We all love to be wanted, but sometimes you have to know when it’s time to focus on the wonderful opportunity you have at hand. Running around the city and interviewing without a purpose is exhausting. Save everyone’s time and move on.”

#4: I’ve been offered several offers during my job hunt. Is this something I need to let a hiring manager know? Or is it better to keep this to myself?

“You are under no obligation to disclose whether you have been offered other job opportunities, its best to keep the information to yourself until you can gauge interest or compare offers – the hiring process is a bit like poker, so remember not to reveal your hand too early.”

#5: I’ve decided that the position is not the right fit for me. How do I politely decline the interview?

“Email is the preferable choice as many people are not comfortable declining an offer via the phone or face to face.

It’s important to remember to remain courteous in the email. Don’t be arrogant, remember you may have declined this opportunity but there could be future opportunities with the company or hiring manager that you want to be considered for. It’s advisable to remain professional and polite in your correspondence as it will leave a lasting impression.”

56 year old Hawker Brand, Koung’s Wanton Mee Opens New Outlet in JEM, only $4.80 for Singapore-style Wanton Mee

He seeks to preserve his family’s time-honoured wanton mee recipe by making the award-winning dish available islandwide #KoungWTM

Humble beginnings: from pushcart to humble stall in Geylang and now an outlet in a shopping mall
Enjoy the wanton mee in an air-conditioned environment
All the ingredients, from wanton to noodles and char siu, are homemade

Koung’s Wanton Mee, which has 56 years of presence in Singapore, is proud to announce the launch of its new outlet at JEM on 25 August 2020. This opening marks the brand’s first-ever foray into a shopping mall. Koung’s Wanton Mee was founded in 1964, just one year before Singapore gained independence. Its humble beginnings took root when it was just a pushcart; then, in late 1960s, it expanded and became a stall at Geylang Lorong 12. The stall operated for over 36 years before it moved to Geylang Lorong 13, where it stayed for 12 years. Then, it moved to its current location at 205 Sims Avenue circa 2013.

Bernard Koung, 39 year old second generation, began working at his family’s business at the age of 21, will be managing the new outlet opening at JEM. His parents have passed down their recipes to him, and he seeks to continue the 50-plus years of his family recipe. Recognising that many of the brand’s loyal fans have to travel from one end of Singapore to the another just to savour the wanton mee, Bernard has decided to launch a new outlet in JEM. Westies can now enjoy the dish with greater convenience, and in the comfort of an air-conditioned environment. Plans are in the pipeline to open more outlets in all regions of Singapore.

An offering well loved by Singaporeans and critics

The brand’s Singapore-style wanton mee is a hit amongst local gourmands, tourists and food critics. It is little wonder – all its ingredients are painstakingly made from scratch. The charcoal-grilled char siu is made with fresh quality pork, then marinated with its own homemade sauce. The springy egg noodles are made following a traditional recipe. The wantons are wrapped by hand, its generous filling a mix of fresh lean and fatty minced pork. Drenching all the ingredients are a fragrant blend of fried chilli paste and premium dark as well as light soya sauces. The dish is then topped with Koung’s Wanton Mee’s very own fried pork lard and oil, which lend an extra fragrance and a savoury punch. Both the dry and soup versions go at S$4.80 each.

The wanton mee has been featured in The Business Times’s CEOs’ Hawker Guide, and has also received numerous accolades such as the Certificate of Award for the Fine Culinary Skill, Encounter of the Kings and The Green Book’s Best Food Awards. Koung’s Wanton Mee is also a favourite haunt for many popular food bloggers such as Dr Leslie Tay.

About Koung’s Wanton Mee

Began as a pushcart in 1964, Koung’s Wanton Mee has over the years cultivated a loyal following of fans, winning over hearts with its delicious rendition of wanton mee. All the ingredients, from wanton to char siu and noodles, are homemade. Enjoy other accompaniments such as fried wanton, fried dumpling, fried wanton, dumpling soup and wanton soup as well. Its outlet at JEM marks its first-ever foray into a shopping mall.

Koung’s Wanton Mee JEM Details
Seating capacity: 35 seats
Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Rd, #B1-K14, Jem, Singapore 608549
Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm

Socials:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KoungWTM
Instagram – https://instagram.com/KoungWTM/

Ant shop in Singapore sells a handful of ants in a test-tube kit for about S$12 for ant hobbyists

While the average person will press their fingers against ants to get rid of them once they come to sight, a 41-year-old started an ant shop in Singapore. Just Ants is the name of the shop with about 30 to 35 species of ants.

“It started from a hobby, a small hobby,” Mr John Ye said. “And then when I actually learned more about ants, I was mind-blown. I ventured deeper and deeper. So I thought to myself, why not start an ant shop in Singapore?”

Prices

A starter test-tube kit with a handful of ants for a beginner ant hobbyist is priced at about S$12. For an established colony of 20 to 30 ants, it’s selling at S$20. While for rare ants, it can go for up to S$60.

The owner’s love for ants

Image Credits: CNA

Don’t underestimate Mr Ye’s love for ants. It is that which prompted him to quit his job of distributing wholesale electronics to set up his shop in early 2019.

He even has a poem written about ants that’s framed up in his shop. “Why keep ants they say. They are not entirely pests I say,” it read. “Ant keeping can be a joy. A lot more fun than that boring toy.”

Image Credits: CNA

“It’s very therapeutic. My favourite part about keeping ants will be just looking at them, gazing at them… It calms my mind after a hard day at work. They really soothe my stress,” said Mr Ye.

“They are so adorable crawling around, grooming themselves, it just tickles me. Doing their daily stuff, their strategies, the characteristics, how they organise themselves so uniquely,” he added.

His interest started randomly

“I was watching some videos online. In Singapore, it’s fairly new, but in Canada, the United States, it’s quite a hobby. So there’s a very popular ant channel in Canada – he’s also a comedian – Mikey Bustos.”

“He started the trend back then, and he did a storyline for each ant colony. So every time you will (be like) – wah, what’s the second episode like?”

The public’s reaction

“We have more curious people – not ant-keepers – but (they’re) curious as to what we are doing.”

“We even have an uncle (who started with us). He’s 79-years-old. He bought a few colonies and he said he will spend hours observing them, taking pictures… He’s very cute because he will keep asking me, ‘you have any new ants?’ I say, ‘no more, all you have already’,” Mr Ye said.

In fact, schools and the Singapore Science Centre have approached him to talk about ants.

But it’s not always a pretty picture for the ant lover. He was doubted by friends and relatives with many wondering if he was in the right state of mind. When he first started, his wife even threatened to spray his ants with Baygon if they escaped from their enclosures.

Passion over profits

Image Credits: CNA

“I know it will not be very profitable like a full-time job as in the workforce, but as time goes by, we thought of, well, passion would be ultimately over profit. Of course, we are not earning as much (as) back then in the workforce, but slowly we found really little happiness in what we’re doing,” he said.

Save or invest? 3 questions to ask yourself as advised by certified financial planners

So you’re currently at the crossroads between saving and investing? CNBC Select spoke to a couple of certified financial planners regarding this issue.

According to Gordon Achtermann, a Virginia-based certified financial planner, you have to ask yourself these three questions and give a solid yes before you decide to start investing.

#1: Do I have an adequate emergency fund?

Take a good look at the amount of cash you can fall back on if the need arises. According to experts, it’s generally wise to build short-term savings and then invest with the extra cash you have left.

You have to also be aware that your money can fluctuate depending on the daily changes in the market. So, there is much more risk to bear than compared to a savings plan.

Adequate emergency fund varies from person to person but Achtermann provides these guidelines to determine the amount you should have:

3 months of expenses: For couples with two incomes and very secure employment
6 months of expenses: For couples with two incomes but less secure employment or one partner not working
1 year of expenses: 1 year of expenses for one income that is less than very secure

#2: Am I committed to leaving the money in place for 2 to 5 years or longer?

“Investing the cash in a diversified portfolio will usually yield a higher average return than leaving it in a savings account,” says Sebastian Rollén, a senior investing researcher at Betterment.

But to do so, you should be prepared for some shifts in your balance and expect your money to remain invested for more than a couple of years before you withdraw.

#3: Can I weather the ups and downs of the market?

Here, we’re talking about risks. You must be confident enough to handle the rapid and unpredictable changes in the market.

According to Scott Cole, an Alabama-based certified financial planner, what you want to avoid is having your money subject to risk when you actually need the money.

If you think you will need the money within less than two to three years, then avoid investing it. Instead, use whatever you have to build up savings that offer more security. But if you do not require the current funds in the next 10 years, then put that money in the market.

What were your answers?

At the start of this article, we mentioned that you have to give a solid yes before venturing into investments. If you’re sitting on the fence for even one of the questions stated above, then you’re clearly not 100% ready to get your head into the whole investment game.

But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. First and foremost, focus on your savings. Without it, you will never ever get to invest. Maybe a year or two later, you can recheck your financial status and take a step into low-risk investment portfolios.

Travel to Brunei: 5 top-rated Airbnb rentals from S$35 you can book for your upcoming trip

Unless you live in a cave or away from social media, it’s impossible to not know the updates to Singapore’s travel advisory. Yesterday (Aug 21), we wrote about how the current travel advisory to defer all travel abroad will be updated to allow general travel to Brunei and New Zealand.

But a spokesman for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Saturday (Aug 22) that although it is aware of Singapore’s plans to ease travel restrictions for selected countries, it will not change its travel advisory to residents.

So, we are keeping our fingers crossed for Brunei. As we await good news from the authorities in Brunei, let’s take a look at some top-rated Airbnbs you can book for your upcoming trip.

#1: Room at The Maison Hotel And Serviced Apartments

Price: S$35/night

We’re starting our list off with the cheapest option! At only S$35/night, you get a double bed good for two guests. There is one bathroom with a shower area. The Maison Hotel And Serviced Apartments is situated in the Sungai Liang area, approximately an hour drive from Brunei International Airport.

#2: Two-bedroom house at Bunut Perpindahan

Price: S$38/night

For those travelling with your family and friends, you can book this entire house located at Bunut Perpindahan. Looking just at the price, we are honestly speechless. Recent guests have given this place a thumbs up for cleanliness! There are two bedrooms – one with a queen-size bed and the other with a bunk bed. This accommodation is a mere 20-minute drive from Brunei International Airport.

#3: Homey bungalow for six persons

Price: S$72/night

For the price you pay for an average boutique hotel room in Singapore, you get a whole bungalow space to yourself. There are two bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. You can request for extra floor mattresses if necessary. Similar to our previous listing, you will be situated in the Bunut Perpindahan area, about 20 minutes away from the airport.

#4: Studio flat close to Gadong Night Market

Price: S$74/night

This studio flat is an open-concept living space. There is one king-size bed and a single bed right next to each other. You also get a two-desk workstation by a corner of the apartment. You may request for a baby cot from the host if required. It’s on the second floor of a building with plenty of options for dining and entertainment within the vicinity.

#5: Spacious apartment at Berangan

Price: S$75/night

This spacious apartment comes with two bedrooms and four super single beds! Sounds like the perfect accommodation for friends travelling together. The lovely host will also pick you up from the airport if you’re arriving between 9am to 10pm. There is also a laundry machine available, suitable for long stays. You will find this apartment in the Berangan area, a 15-minute drive from the airport.