career Archives | Page 25 of 47

5 Dollar-Worthy Personal Transformations

The year 2017’s closure is upon us! There is always something about the turn of the calendar that makes people itch for a dramatic change. Dramatic life change begins in personal transformations. Reinventing yourself can be the most profitable investment that you will make.

The unwavering effort that you put into investing in yourself plays a significant role in determining your quality of life at present and in the future.

TO THE FIERCELY BOLD

One of the quickest transformations that you can employ is wearing a red lipstick. Its classic and feminine shade is universally wearable for all skin tones. It makes your teeth look whiter too! Furthermore, it can leaves a lasting impact on job interviews or first dates.

Choosing the perfect red lipstick is similar to choosing the perfect jewelry. You must go for the piece that attracts you the most. I, for one, recommend MAC’s Ruby Woo or Smashbox Bawse by Lilly Singh.

LEAN TOWARDS SELF-CARE

Even at a young age, my father imparted the importance of fitness. Fitness is more than just a hobby for him – it is his way of life. He makes an effort to choose healthier options as much as possible. Awareness of your physical health is a crucial part of self-care. Improve your holistic health by getting sufficient sleep, having a balanced diet, and taking a break.

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You do not have to spend too much to recharge yourself. You can either eat out with your workmates, briskwalk at the nearby park, or binge watch on Netflix. Unloading your stress every once in a while reduces the damage in your “overloading system”.

POLISH YOUR BRAND

Recruitment officers typically receive a volume of video and PowerPoint resumes. These methods shape one’s professional brand. You know that you live in the 21st century when you have to think of your online and offline branding.

Our dependence to the Internet paved way for the emergence of social media. Use social media to your advantage by keeping your online profiles relevant or current. Ensure that your pages carry the same profile picture, contact details, and writing style. Headhunters or recruiters can easily reach you when you reguarly update the essentials.

IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

One of the core values that my alma mater embedded on us was the importance of lifelong learning. Investing in the expansion of your knowledge and skills can take various forms. The common route is to take a graduate degree. You can also advance by taking extra classes, relevant certifications, or online courses.

Other forms of skill investment avenues include creative workshops such as painting and pottery workshops. It is no secret that the scope of your education and the variety of your skills increase your employability.

TO THE GLOBETROTTER

Who says that personal transformation and endless entertainment do not go hand in hand? Roaming the globe entails immersing into someone else’s culture while having a relaxing getaway.

Traveling enables you to taste different cuisines, to smell different aromas, to listen to different types of music, and to observe other people’s opinions. Engaging in conversations with people from various ethnic backgrounds opens your mind to new perspectives. That mental transformation contributes to your maturity.

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Personal transformation begins with cultivating a newfound thought. Whether or not you are open to change, it is inevitable that it will happen. You can either experience minute changes such as cutting your hair or widescale adjustments such as starting a family.

Once you have committed yourself to a decision, take confident action. Remember what the Latin proverb once highlighted: “Fortune favors the bold!”

Sources: 1 & 2

Helpful Tips For Hiring Employees As A Startup

One of the most stressful tasks that business owners ought to face is the hiring process. In particular, each new hire for a startup causes a significant impact on the work culture. Why is this so? Cultivating a business from scratch entails that the stakes are high. The owner is diving into the market with an innovative business model. Thus, he or she needs to ensure that the recruits are creative, passionate, and committed.

Considering all these factors as well as the limited resources makes the hiring process more complicated. On that note, here are 5 helpful tips to ease the stress of recruitment.

1. FAIR PAYMENT

Whether you are aware of it or not, many startup owners undermine the worth of a position. These owners offer salaries based on the company’s size instead of the market’s competitive rate. As a result, the recruitment efforts seem to be unsuccessful. Who can blame the candidates?

If the going rate for administrative officers or receptionists is S$12 per hour, why would you settle for S$7 per hour? You would receive better response by offering a salary that matches the market or at least a dollar off it.

2. NOWHERE BUT UP

Let’s face it! Millennials crave dynamism in all areas of life – including the workplace. Said generation has shifted away the traditional view of holding a position for 20 years and beyond. Millennials are looking for jobs that will fulfill their present purpose. So, consider luring them in by offering opportunities for advancement.

What can the position offer aside from monetary gains? Is this position a stepping stone for more responsibilities within the company? Highlight the skills and knowledge that they cannot learn elsewhere. Self-enhancement through experience is a priceless and valueable incentive.

3. EMBRACE CHANGE

Another way to attract the Millennial employees is to know where they lurk. Millennials frequent social media pages and popular recruitment sites. Advertise on these platforms to widen your search. For instance, you may set up a public Facebook page for your startup. Regularly post the vacancies on your feed (i.e., at different time-slots). You may also post a job advertisement on JobsCentral or Gumtree. You need the nationwide traffic that these online classifieds receive.

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Aside from refining your job search, you may assess a potential employee by scanning his or her online profile. A standard background check may provide a supplement to your initial interview. The candidate’s social media profiles can give you a better picture of his or her personality and working experience. The latter can be achieved by examining one’s professional blog or online portfolio.

4. MORE BENEFITS

Given that you are nurturing the crucial years of your company, it may not be a wise idea to exhaust all your efforts and funding to the employees’ wages. It is acceptable if you are not able to shell out the monetary incentives right away. Consider adding the surrounding lifestyle as an incentive. Attract a potential quality employee by selling the non-monetary benefits of working in the startup.

If you are fortunate enough to be located in a place where there are various dining options, sell that too. If your business includes a health facility (e.g., a meditation spot) or is near the town park, sell that too. If there is a possibility to work from home, sell that too. Other enticing workplace features can play a part when the candidate decides to take your offer.

5. PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY

More and more employees in Singapore are opening up to the idea of deviating from the 9-to-5 jobs. Top talents desire to have the choice of accomplish their tasks at the coffee shops or at home (while in their pajamas). I, for one, am one of these people. I am certainly guilty of wearing my slippers and comfortable clothes as I wrote this. With its convenience, flexibility is a strong selling point.

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As long as your humble team can meet the goals and collaborate well, you may consider putting the flexible schedules on the table. Think about the amount of electricity and water consumption you can save by minimizing the “office” costs. If it is doable, allow remote once in a while.

Sources: 1 & 2

Beat The Rushed Deadlines With These 4 Tips

Singapore’s highly competitive society values the ability to work at a faster rate. The problem with focusing on urgency is the maintenance of quality. You may question whether there are smarter ways to get things done quickly without sacrificing premium standards. For starters, you can consider adding these four tips to your work or academic routine.

#1: THE ENERGIZING HOUR

Be honest with yourself! Are you an early bird or a nocturnal owl? The good news is, either of these personas can work to your favor. Determine the specific time of the day when you are most productive. Exhaust your creative juices to the important tasks and use your “low-energy hours” to fulfill less essential tasks such as household chores.

#2: TIME IS GOLD

Parkinson’s Law is among the most relevant concepts in business. It highlights that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion”. In other words, the effort you exert on a task stretches to suit the allotted time. Work at a quicker pace by setting a clear schedule. Doing this will motivate you to beat the clock!

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#3: CRUSH THE DISTRACTIONS

It goes without saying that procrastination is an enemy during crunch time. It is best to eliminate all the possible distractions that are within your reach. Please toss your handphone and other electronics on the side. To power through a long period of concentration, you may increase the volume of your preferred music. Jazz and classical tracks may soothe your mood to focus better on the tasks.

#4: ONE STEP DOWN

No matter what you are working on, you can always breakdown the process into smaller chunks. Examining each step aims to make an efficient progress. Furthermore, your “mini victories” will motivate you along the way.

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Imagine that you have to write an essay as a Poly student. The first step is to choose an interesting topic. Secondly, you need to do an extensive research and make a rough outline. Thirdly, you must accomplish a draft. The fourth step is to edit and review your draft. Lastly, you must proofread and print your assignment. Tackle the task…one step at a time!

Sources: 1 & 2

4 Time Management Tips To Help You Work Smart

We all posses a set of (or at least one) positive traits useful in the workplace. Mine just happens to surround time management. Time is a finite commodity that you cannot take back! Thus, I make it a point to strategically exhaust it.

Managing time is not about squeezing as many tasks as you can within 24 hours. Instead, it is about carefully choosing which tasks you can fulfill to alleviate stress and which tasks you can leave behind. Simplify your operations in order to accomplish your tasks at a faster pace. Consider these tips to work smarter:

FIRST THINGS FIRST

As much as I want to discuss about the catchy Iggy Azalea song, I am going to expound on the seemingly unfamiliar territory of prioritizing. Prioritizing focuses on determining the order of the items in your to-do list. Stephen Covey, the co-author of “First Things First”, introduced four categorizations for one’s tasks. The categories are:

a. Important and Urgent,
b. Important and Not Urgent,
c. Urgent and Not Important, as well as
d. Not Urgent and Not Important.

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Write down at least three “Important and Urgent” tasks that you must accomplish by today. Waste no time in addressing each one. Reap the sense of accomplishment as you fulfill each one of them. Use this motivation to tackle the less vital items.

USE SPARE TIME WISELY

No matter how busy your weekday can get, you still have a decent amount of down-time. Use your waiting time wisely by completing simple tasks such as calling possible sponsors for your company event. While you are waiting to board the next bus, you can answer important emails with your mobile applications.

As a pre-school teacher, I envision my lesson plans whenever I have idle moments. My finest thoughts spark when I am relaxing in the shower or when I am running a mile in the town stadium. Maximizing my spare time allows me to push my creativity beyond limits.

ELIMINATE THE UNNECESSARY

Taking a series of commitments can be detrimental to your schedule. Whenever you agree to help out a co-worker, you are increasing your personal workload. You may not be able to immediately tackle the tasks assigned to you!

It is hard to refuse to friendly requests from colleagues especially if you are the type of person who loves lending a hand. However, if you want to jump-start your productivity, it is important to learn to say “NO” or “not at this moment”.

ABSORB FUTURE’S ESSENCE

It is no secret that I am an avid people watcher! Not to sound creepy, but it comes from my background in Psychology. Let us move on to the anecdote. As I was sipping my hot mocha, I overheard two women talking about their careers. One seems to be the other’s mentor. I realized that they were both dancing instructors as the discussion went on. The “mentor” shared valuable tips such as preparing an overall timeline and strict goals for each day. She said that it was better to record one’s routine to record any flaws, before the presentation comes. She made some valid points!

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Having a realistic plan eases the tension of the coming days. You know your glistening target and the corresponding moves to achieve it. Now, you do not have to be prudent to absorb the future’s essence. Start by sparing at least 10 minutes before your shift ends to clear out your desk and to prepare your task for tomorrow. Alternatively, you may clear your desk as you arrive to the office. Allot the first 10 minutes to prioritizing your to-do list.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

6 Annoying Things That People Put In Their CV

Crafting a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume urges you to select the type of information that you need to put in or throw behind. You are in luck! You live in an era where vast career articles can readily be pull out for you to use at any time. You may even ask your parents, co-workers, and other people surrounding you to help you with your CV.

Mistakes can be made in the actual writing of your CV,. While it is impossible to pick the brain of every hiring manager in Singapore, you can still avoid causing irritation!

KILL THE BUZZWORDS

As a budding candidate, your top priority is to impress your potential employer. I completely understand that you want to display your grammar proficiency and vocabulary prowess. However, you do not need to throw a bunch of buzzwords to shine. Do you really know the meaning of synergy and “best of bread”?

This type of words or terms will make hiring managers roll their eyes! Opt for words that highlight what you actually did such as created, managed, achieved, negotiated, and launched. Action words will show off your skills and provide weight to your profile.

STEER AWAY FROM CLICHES

Catch the recruiter’s attention without sounding too annoying by avoiding unimpressive cliches. These are either too vague or repetitive. Using flowery phrases such as “people person” and “hard worker” are difficult to prove. It is better to provide concrete examples to present your accomplishments.

Remember, much like in courtship, it is better to get creative and straight to the point!

BE CAREFUL WITH THE LABELS

I know how efficient it is to send a generic CV to all the possible employers. As an unemployed fresh graduate, this is one of the strategies that I used to partake on. If you are as guilty as I was, you must ensure that you edit the company or institution to which you are addressing the document to.

Attention to the slightest details goes beyond proofreading. It sends out a message that you are customizing your CV to the right companies. Start by labelling the file with your surname and the company’s name (e.g., Wee_Google.pdf).

REVAMP YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

You can learn a lot from a person by merely checking out his or her email handle. Well, when was the last time you’ve changed yours? Answering “while in secondary school” may not be good. Chances are, your email may be something along the lines of [email protected] or [email protected]. You do not want to get flagged by tech-savvy companies just because of your humorous email address!

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Upgrade your profile by setting up a separate email for work. Choose a handle that is as similar to your name as possible. Gmail is highly recommended as it includes document sharing and group chat applications, which are helpful in the workplace.

TONE DOWN THE FONTS

Outward appearance or “face value” shapes the first impression. Recruiters and potential employers are bound to notice the document’s font and formatting before they read the contents of your CV. Thus, it is essential to keep things neat and professional.

The most acceptable fonts include Times New Roman and Arial, in font size 12 and color black. You may also apply Tahoma, Goudy Old Style, Lucida Sans, Garamond, and Century Gothic. It goes without saying that Comic Sans MS and Chiller are not welcomed in this club!

DO NOT INCLUDE EVERYTHING

The rise of modern technology urged us to evolve our technical skills. It is a common thing for recruiters to browse through a list of software that the candidate is familiar with. At this point, all of us are expected to be familiar with the Microsoft Office products (i.e., particularly Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). Including other programs can boost your job profile. However, you do not have to add every piece of technology that you came in contact with!

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You need to be confident with your experience and skills in that area before adding it in. For instance, it is best to write “Final Cut Pro” to your CV after editing videos extensively. The same idea applies for the languages that you speak. Being part Mexican does not guarantee your proficiency in Español!

Sources: 1 & 2

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