career Archives | Page 39 of 45

4 Work Emails That Can Cost You Your Job

For majority of us, a significant amount of time we spent at work is placed on sending and receiving several emails throughout the day. Because we send and receive hundreds of messages a day, some end up making embarrassing or shameful mistakes that can be harmful in the profession. Yes! Some of your corporate emails may send a bad tone to the receiver. If the receiver decides to forward that said email to your boss then, you might lose your job. Prevent that from happening by knowing the 4 Work Emails That Can Cost You Your Job:

1. “I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB!”

Do I even need to explain why this is inappropriate? If you are sick of your current workplace, looking for another job is one thing but admitting it through a work email is another! You might as well have an “I Hate This Place” sign on your chest!

Do not use your corporate or work email to relay this kind of message even to your most trusted colleagues. You may think that if people know you are seeking for another job then, they will do anything to keep you around. Perhaps you are expecting a raise or a promotion…but that rarely happens! Most likely, you are the first candidate in mind during layoffs.

2. “I AM PASSING AN MC TOMORROW.”

This is not a work email that you want to circulate around unless you really feel sick and you cannot make it tomorrow. Although many people have done this before, it is not professional and it sends a message that you are tired of your job. Not only does the company pay for your MC but they also need to cover for you. If the HR gets this email, you will have some explaining to do!

3. “PLEASE DELETE AFTER READING.”

Having a disclaimer like this is a sign that something shady or something highly sensitive is coming next. If someone outside of your circle reads this, you are going to be in big trouble. The truth is, nothing is ever completely deleted. Take Hillary Clinton for example, whose emails to non-government accounts were out in the public because it was maintained on the Federal government’s servers. So, if it is a sensitive matter, use your personal email or meet up your colleague and talk about it in closed doors.

4. “LET’S ALL PARTY TONIGHT!”

We spend most of our time at work so, it comes as no surprise that parties and get-togethers happen all the time. But, this is a personal event that you must organize and send through your personal email. If anything bad happens in the party, evidence might bring down the company too. Unless it is a workplace party, organize your parties via personal Gmail invites or personal Whatsapp conversations.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Oh one more thing! Please avoid sending drunken emails or sending a message that you got really wasted last night using a corporate email. No explanations needed!

Sources: 1 & 2

Prevent High Turnover Rate By Knowing 4 Common Reasons Why Singaporean Employees Quit

I do not have to throw statistics to claim that some Singaporean companies are experiencing trouble in retaining their employees. Losing money to hire a new talent over and over again seems to be inevitable because of the perceived dissatisfaction in the workplace. Last year, the aspects of work of 5,000 Singaporean employees were studied by Singapore Human Resources Institute. They found that on average, the employees were considered “Under Happy” at work.

Prevent the high turnover rate by instilling alterations in the working conditions. Often times, employees are just hungry for change. Start with these 4 issues that you can juggle on:

1. HORRIBLE BOSS

The competitive cost of living in the country affected the demand for faster output. In return, this can create a toxic workplace wherein employees suffer from burnout or depression. Adding a horrible boss into the mix will only worsen the situation.

Image Credits: Vocab Ninja via Flickr

In 2012, JobsCentral conducted a survey including the responses of 3,299 employees and 256 hiring managers. A whopping 31% of the respondents said that they do not have satisfying boss-worker relationship. This is because of the following reasons: lack of advancement opportunities (87.5%), lack of autonomy (80.6%), and work demands (71.1%). So, if you want your priced employee to stay, warn the boss against these poor practices.

2. LOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER GROWTH

Career growth does not only help the employee personally but also financially. An employee maybe happy at his or her current position but in need of bonuses to cover the rising costs. A limit in growth can decrease the motivation and purpose of the employee to strive for more. For some the limit is unacknowledged and it is famously called as the “glass ceiling”. Therefore, companies shall create tangible career paths.

3. LOW SALARY

I cannot deny the fact that salary is a common factor for an employee to draft his or her resignation. In fact, 61% of Singaporean employees felt that were underpaid and overworked compared to the existing market rates. CPF deductions and domestic expenses will be deducted to the baseline salary afterwards. This leaves no room for retirement funds or any type of savings.

Solution! Companies: make room for increments no matter how small it may seem. Individuals: do not hesitate to ask for a raise.

4. OFF-BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND LEISURE

When we work as hard as we do, we only deserve to play hard too! According to a survey, 57% of Singaporeans said they would rather have a work-life balance over higher pay. Take notes from the CEO of I-Search Worldwide – Mr. Richard Hoon who sets aside the Friday evenings for the staff to gather and chat with complementary food and beverage. It is his way to help the employees ease into the relaxing weekends ahead.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Wanna Be Self-Employed? Here’s 5 Realistic Jobs That Can Transform You Into Boss

If you give yourself an opportunity to freelance or by being your own boss, you may be able to do the things you love and get paid for it. Also, you can have the freedom to design a schedule that works for you and still be able to nurture your loving children!

Yes! Sometimes, stepping out of the cubicle to be a self-determining entrepreneur or a freelance worker gives you the opportunity to find yourself while bringing money in the bank. Nonetheless, it will give you self-benefiting outcomes. Start with these 5 jobs that take purposeful risks…

1. OWN AN ONLINE SHOP

Do you love to make cupcakes, jewelry, or essence oils? Turn your hobby into your own business. Be your own boss by thinking about your skill set and hobbies then, start making an online business out of it. Popular platforms for selling or making your own online shop such as: Carousell and Tictail, are available for free. Furthermore, these platforms have a growing following of audience or customers already.

2. BE A SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Sales representatives or brand ambassadors sell household, beauty, or health products in their own ways. Join millions of independent ambassadors of Herbalife or MaryKay worldwide by visiting their respective websites. Here are added information that you can benefit from:

a. Herbalife : website here!

b. Mary Kay: website here!

3. VENTURE INTO BLOGGING

If you enjoy writing or sharing your ideas then, becoming a blogger might just be for you. There are many ways to monetize a blog such as advertising, memberships, selling books, product affiliations, becoming speakers, and so on.

A blog may lead to success with a combination of hard-work (e.g., countless hours of writing articles and editing videos), networking during events, media affiliations, luck, and building a fan base. A job as a full-time blogger can be so persistent in your life that you can be working everyday without noticing it!

4. BE A FINANCIAL CONSULTANT OR ADVISOR

In general, Financial Consultants or Financial Advisors are professionals who guide their clients to manage their money, investment options, and asset relocation. But, what they do is far more complex than that. A career as a Financial Consultant gets to enjoy the flexible working hours and the privilege to get the job incentives.

It involves a lot of paperwork, preparation, and building relationships. It can not only be challenging as they face a lot of rejection but also rewarding as they see their clients improving their monetary lifestyle. There is a job growth in this field as long as you go through continuous training with determination and openness.

5. PURSUE AS A PROPERTY AGENT

Early this year, a young property agent by the name of Shirley Seng sold a penthouse in Le Nouvel Ardmore for S$51 million. With that, she gained a commission of a whopping S$1.5 million! It’s like winning the jackpot!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Truly, the top richest people in Singapore have been involved in either the property business or the property development. But, what is a property agent exactly? A property or a real-estate agent is someone who arranges the selling, renting, and management of properties. So, be prepared to be creative in your marketing strategies and to be able to build a good network of people to aid in financial crises.

Sources: 1,2, 3, & 4

Which degree suits me best in Singapore?

Most bachelor’s degrees take a substantial period of between 3 and 4 years to complete while the steep cost of higher education is enough to wipe out 1 to 2 years’ worth of income (if you decide to take a local degree). Therefore, pursuing a bachelor’s degree is in reality both a time-consuming and financially taxing affair.

To make things worse, some students may realise that they have lost the passion midway through college or could not sustain their enthusiasm for long after graduation. Consequently, they do not find the jobs that are relevant to the skills and knowledge they have painstakingly acquired in the university. This results in a significant wastage of useful resources at the societal level.

From a rational point of view, it is thus in the best interests of both the society and the individual to assess the compatibility between oneself and the particular programme. Specifically, undergraduates can maximise their economic gains from such a hefty investment by patently understanding their likes and dislikes before committing to a particular course of study.

Click to enlarge:

Disclaimer: This is merely used as a quick reference guide.

When to Ask Your Boss for your First Raise

Asking for a raise is like breaking up. There really isn’t a “best time” for it, and a lot of awkwardness will be involved. Unfortunately, our success in life corresponds to the number of awkward conversations we’re willing to have. So if you want to climb out of that low income rut, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and ask–but do it the right way:

The Three Rules of Asking for Money from Your Boss

The first thing you have to do is make sure you don’t break any of these. If you do, the chances of failure are not only exponentially higher, but the consequences will also be steep. Even if you do win your raise while breaking these rules, you will incur the resentment of your employer and could pay for it throughout your career.

Always signal your intentions. Always give your boss forewarning. Drop a polite note saying you would like to set a time to discuss how you’re being compensated. If you corner your boss at the water cooler and ask for a raise, 99% of the time the answer will be “no”, or a polite brush-off.

Prepare justifications based on results, not on how hard you worked. You will need to make a list of achievements before negotiating. “Achievements” are not the number of hours you worked, or the personal time you’ve given up (we hate to tell you this, but most employers don’t care). Achievements are how much money you’ve made for the company, how you improved a product or service.

Always have help. Find a team or department leader whose schedule would be badly affected by your departure, and tell them about it first. If someone relies on you for budget reports, for example, tell them your plans to leave if you can’t get a raise. And then ask them to back your credentials when you negotiate with your boss. Here’s a secret: whether you get a raise is often dependent on how hard team leaders fight for you, not just how hard you fight for yourself.

Timing the Moment

Obviously, the best times should be just after a good performance review, or after a successful project. But things are seldom so convenient, so look for the following times instead:

Wait About Three Working Days after Informing Your Boss of Your Intentions

As mentioned above, never corner your boss and discuss your raise on the spot. Send a short e-mail or, even better, meet her face to face and ask if you can talk about your compensation “later this week”.

Three days is a good interval, which will also give you time to prepare what you need. It will also give your boss time to reflect on your contributions.

Ask about Two Weeks after a Big Win

Use the “halo effect”. When your department or you have performed well, you are in a good position to negotiate a raise. However, don’t do it immediately, as it will be too obvious that you are trying to capitalise on it.

You’ve Just Heard the Report on Your Employer’s Financial Health

If you just heard a rah-rah report about your company doing better, try to time your request close to date you heard it. You can also obtain this information from a prospectus or annual report.

It is better if you make the request after it has been announced however, since it’s harder for your employer to use lack of money as an excuse.

You’ve Checked and Compared Your Earnings

Use sites like Payscale to check your earnings compared to your peers. You might even want to go so far as interview for positions in other companies, to see how much they are willing to offer. In general, you are right to ask for a raise if you are on the low end of the pay scale (bottom 50%). If you are already on the high end of the scale, you had better have some kind of massive achievement of late to justify the request.

If the timing is right and you’ve prepared the right details, then go ahead and make your move.

Just remember though, if you do get a raise, don’t go crazy with it. Your first priority should be to pay down any credit card debts that you have. Your credit card should be saving you money, not costing you money. If that’s not the case, drop by SingSaver.com.sg to compare and find the best credit card for your needs.

(This article is brought to you by Singsaver.com.sg)

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