Hi, just a short note to announce that I'm also blogging at Skorcareer. It's a site with loads of career information and besides Zul, the founder and principal contributor of the blog, they have an array of contributors that provide some great insights into the career world.
I started contributing beginning of this month. Here's a sample.
As Skorcareer exists earlier than The Working Gal, I'm sure you will find some great articles in their archives.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
My First 30 Seconds When Screening Resumes
Yes, 30 seconds is all it takes for a resume to make an impression. And I can tell you it can be less than 15 seconds to make up my mind if the first few things I am looking for in screening a resume are not found.
So, what exactly are the first few things that most recruiters look for so that your resume has more than the 30 seconds view time?
1. Overall layout – at one glance, it’s presentable to the eyes. Have the right headings at the right places. Use paragraphs and bullets to highlight facts. And you show your face - photograph indicates you are confident and serious.
2. Skills set – that’s the next thing I go for. I look for the heading "Professional Skills" or "Skills Set". Ok, the skills are clearly listed with proficiency stated as well as years of experience. I then checked these skills against your responsibilities and accomplishments section of current and past employment. Checked - bravo, you indeed possess these skills!
3. Writing skills. Now I would take a good look at your profile summary. No spelling mistake. Good grammar was employed. Well expressed. Now, I start to like you...
And there goes the 30 seconds…if your resume passed this point, I will then have a second round of scrutiny and explore other details such as your total years of experience, the companies you work with, and etc. so that a better picture of who you are as a candidate is now slowly unraveled.
Want to know more about resume writing:-
Simple Truths About Resume Writing
So, what exactly are the first few things that most recruiters look for so that your resume has more than the 30 seconds view time?
1. Overall layout – at one glance, it’s presentable to the eyes. Have the right headings at the right places. Use paragraphs and bullets to highlight facts. And you show your face - photograph indicates you are confident and serious.
2. Skills set – that’s the next thing I go for. I look for the heading "Professional Skills" or "Skills Set". Ok, the skills are clearly listed with proficiency stated as well as years of experience. I then checked these skills against your responsibilities and accomplishments section of current and past employment. Checked - bravo, you indeed possess these skills!
3. Writing skills. Now I would take a good look at your profile summary. No spelling mistake. Good grammar was employed. Well expressed. Now, I start to like you...
And there goes the 30 seconds…if your resume passed this point, I will then have a second round of scrutiny and explore other details such as your total years of experience, the companies you work with, and etc. so that a better picture of who you are as a candidate is now slowly unraveled.
Want to know more about resume writing:-
Simple Truths About Resume Writing
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Make Peace With Imperfection
Whatever I do is just not good enough for her...
Sounds familiar?
Probably you have just found yourself working with a perfectionist.
I personally had on many occasions worked with perfectionists. And when come to bosses, it can be a nightmare. I remember this perfectionist boss shouting at me on a beautiful morning to get a scratch from a staircase railing removed (he thought I was God) because he cannot tolerate even a scratch – for that little scratch irritates him, get on his nerves , it made him mad. From then on, I met a couple of more perfectionists and I like to compare them with this ex-boss of mine. How perfectionist is this perfectionist? ..I will start analyzing.
I concluded that an absolute perfectionist never get to enjoy inner peace. They always wore a frown on their faces, words that came out from their lips were always filled with complaints and when you hang around them long enough, you may even catch the perfectionist bug!
Do we need this type of people in the work place? Ironically, people who are very hard on others are usually very hard on themselves. They set high targets for themselves as their need of achievement is extremely high. Read about McCllelands’s three basic needs of employees. In other words, there are people that tend to be more perfectionist than others because of this need. The good news is that there are positions in the company that you would not mind a true perfectionist sitting on them such as Accountants and Engineers. Recruiters will spot for hints of perfectionist in these candidates and if they have it, we say they probably fit the job better than someone who does not.
But let’s get this right – imperfection is part of life. Whatever vocation we are in, we should not cease to do our best but it would turn out to be a problem when we are overly attached and focused on what’s wrong. I think it’s good to realize that while there’s always a better way of doing something, that does not mean we cannot enjoy and appreciate the way things already are.
I like one saying – as you begin to eliminate your need for perfection in all areas of your life, you’ll begin to discover the perfection in life itself. And you know what, that would really free many of us from taking ourselves too seriously. So, chill out, will ya...:)
Sounds familiar?
Probably you have just found yourself working with a perfectionist.
I personally had on many occasions worked with perfectionists. And when come to bosses, it can be a nightmare. I remember this perfectionist boss shouting at me on a beautiful morning to get a scratch from a staircase railing removed (he thought I was God) because he cannot tolerate even a scratch – for that little scratch irritates him, get on his nerves , it made him mad. From then on, I met a couple of more perfectionists and I like to compare them with this ex-boss of mine. How perfectionist is this perfectionist? ..I will start analyzing.
I concluded that an absolute perfectionist never get to enjoy inner peace. They always wore a frown on their faces, words that came out from their lips were always filled with complaints and when you hang around them long enough, you may even catch the perfectionist bug!
Do we need this type of people in the work place? Ironically, people who are very hard on others are usually very hard on themselves. They set high targets for themselves as their need of achievement is extremely high. Read about McCllelands’s three basic needs of employees. In other words, there are people that tend to be more perfectionist than others because of this need. The good news is that there are positions in the company that you would not mind a true perfectionist sitting on them such as Accountants and Engineers. Recruiters will spot for hints of perfectionist in these candidates and if they have it, we say they probably fit the job better than someone who does not.
But let’s get this right – imperfection is part of life. Whatever vocation we are in, we should not cease to do our best but it would turn out to be a problem when we are overly attached and focused on what’s wrong. I think it’s good to realize that while there’s always a better way of doing something, that does not mean we cannot enjoy and appreciate the way things already are.
I like one saying – as you begin to eliminate your need for perfection in all areas of your life, you’ll begin to discover the perfection in life itself. And you know what, that would really free many of us from taking ourselves too seriously. So, chill out, will ya...:)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Medical Detective Courses In Malaysia
UiTM has just announced that they are offering Medical Detective course. The course is open for application for its June/July intake this year.
Its vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Ir Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said, “I have informed the UiTM executive committee on the introduction of the courses during my first day as the vice-chancellor. Some lecturers and university staff members questioned whether such moves were too drastic. I said it wasn’t drastic, just accelerated,” he said in an interview with mStar Online.
I wonder what kind of syllabus is covered for this course. Apparently, they realized that foreign forensic experts are necessary to facilitate the course.
Of late, I’ve been reading Sherlock Holmes stories. I enjoyed the stories very much. It would be quite interesting to bump into people equipped with such knowledge and skills in Malaysian streets one of these days.
Its vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Ir Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said, “I have informed the UiTM executive committee on the introduction of the courses during my first day as the vice-chancellor. Some lecturers and university staff members questioned whether such moves were too drastic. I said it wasn’t drastic, just accelerated,” he said in an interview with mStar Online.
I wonder what kind of syllabus is covered for this course. Apparently, they realized that foreign forensic experts are necessary to facilitate the course.
Of late, I’ve been reading Sherlock Holmes stories. I enjoyed the stories very much. It would be quite interesting to bump into people equipped with such knowledge and skills in Malaysian streets one of these days.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Why employers are afraid to pay higher than the market rate for a young talent?
Hey, this guy has less than 1.5 years of experience and he’s already getting RM3200? What’s more? This guy has the guts to believe he’s ready for the project manager post?
Why not? I asked.
But he’s way too young and he should not be expecting anything more than RM3200 within such a short span of time.
So, what are you suggesting? I looked with dismay.
Well, can you get me someone older with more years of experience with income more in line with the current market?
You want a good one. I get you a real good one – someone that his current employer quickly raised his salary and promoted him to an Acting Head post within a short period of time because they knew a gem when they saw one – and now you’re telling me you want someone else – in other words, someone “average” like everyone else! Of course, I didn’t blurt out my thoughts aloud. Your wish is my command, sir…
Why employers are afraid to pay higher than the market rate for a young talent? What are they afraid of?
1. Making the wrong decision (but hey, that’s what a probation period is for!)
2. Do not wish to disturb the company salary policy and get a lecture from the HR Department (you didn’t try, you never knew. Try a bit of persuasion and have a little bit more faith of the HR people, will ya?)
3. People like that that get paid so high so fast usually have a lot of ideas and they think they are very smart. I won’t want to deal with an inflated ego later (ahem, you’d rather be surrounded by yes men, don’t you?)
4. No way. We cannot spoil the market like that. (You think by refusing to make an offer, you are helping to maintain some balance in the salary market?)
5. Getting a smart fella in can be threatening to the hirer (that looks more like the real reason…)
We’ve heard adages, “HR is the most important asset in an organization” “Your people can either make or break you.” and so forth. Getting the right people is so crucial – how many times we walked into a restaurant and said we won’t come back again because of bad service – that’s a classic example of people “breaking” the company.
Why get an average guy when you can get a real talent – pay a little extra but the returns may be more than you can imagine?
Why not? I asked.
But he’s way too young and he should not be expecting anything more than RM3200 within such a short span of time.
So, what are you suggesting? I looked with dismay.
Well, can you get me someone older with more years of experience with income more in line with the current market?
You want a good one. I get you a real good one – someone that his current employer quickly raised his salary and promoted him to an Acting Head post within a short period of time because they knew a gem when they saw one – and now you’re telling me you want someone else – in other words, someone “average” like everyone else! Of course, I didn’t blurt out my thoughts aloud. Your wish is my command, sir…
Why employers are afraid to pay higher than the market rate for a young talent? What are they afraid of?
1. Making the wrong decision (but hey, that’s what a probation period is for!)
2. Do not wish to disturb the company salary policy and get a lecture from the HR Department (you didn’t try, you never knew. Try a bit of persuasion and have a little bit more faith of the HR people, will ya?)
3. People like that that get paid so high so fast usually have a lot of ideas and they think they are very smart. I won’t want to deal with an inflated ego later (ahem, you’d rather be surrounded by yes men, don’t you?)
4. No way. We cannot spoil the market like that. (You think by refusing to make an offer, you are helping to maintain some balance in the salary market?)
5. Getting a smart fella in can be threatening to the hirer (that looks more like the real reason…)
We’ve heard adages, “HR is the most important asset in an organization” “Your people can either make or break you.” and so forth. Getting the right people is so crucial – how many times we walked into a restaurant and said we won’t come back again because of bad service – that’s a classic example of people “breaking” the company.
Why get an average guy when you can get a real talent – pay a little extra but the returns may be more than you can imagine?
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
What Makes A Good Blog?
I started The Working Gal six months ago and as 2009 is drawing to a close, I can’t help but reflect the year that had passes me by – taking stock of what had transpired and whether the goals that I set for myself earlier are met or not. I must confess I’m not a good keeper of goals. I realized some time ago and since then, making new resolutions had never been my thing. But when I set out something new, I do make a mental note of what I hope to achieve. So, there you go…I’m now in a reflective mood.
So, this year is when I really started blogging. I had never put down my thots on writing that much in my entire life until this year - I still can’t believe it myself. I started The Working Gal more like an experiment because I wanted to see the difference between maintaining a blog within a corporate website and a personal blog, but on the same theme: careers (oh well, what else do I know, rite?) But wait a minute…I got carried away and decided to start another blog (oh yes, the blogging flu just got into me)
Seriously, I’m still learning the blogging ropes and I went scouting for clues on what makes a successful blog, specifically a career blog. No tips on good career blog (readers, if you found a real good article, let me know) but stumbled a good one on what makes for a good blog. Well, I hope this inspire you as much as it did to me…
1. Good blogs have a voice.
Who wrote this? What is their name? What can I figure out about who they are that they have never overtly told me? What’s their personality like and what do they have to contribute – even when it’s “just” curation. What tics and foibles fascinate make me about this blog and the person who makes it? Most importantly: what obsesses this person?
2. Good blogs reflect focused obsessions.
People start real blogs because they think about something a lot. Maybe even five things. But, their brain so overflows with curiosity about a family of topics that they can’t stop reading and writing about it. They make and consume smart forebrain porn. So: where do this person’s obsessions take them?
3. Good blogs are the product of “Attention times Interest.”
A blog shows me where someone’s attention tends to go. Then, on some level, they encourage me to follow the evolution of their interest through a day or a year. There’s a story here. Ethical “via” links make it easy for me to follow their specific trail of attention, then join them for a walk made out of words.
4. Good blog posts are made of paragraphs.
Blog posts are written, not defecated. They show some level of craft, thinking, and continuity beyond the word count mandated by the Owner of Your Plantation. If a blog has fixed limits on post minimums and maximums? It’s not a blog: it’s a website that hires writers. Which is fine. But, it’s not really a blog.
5. Good “non-post” blogs have style and curation.
Some of the best blogs use unusual formats, employ only photos and video, or utilize the list format to artistic effect. I regret there are not more blogs that see format as the container for creativity – rather than an excuse to write less or link without context more.
6. Good blogs are weird.
Blogs make fart noises and occasionally vex readers with the degree to which the blogger’s obsession will inevitably diverge from the reader’s. If this isn’t happening every few weeks, the blogger is either bored, half-assing, or taking new medication.
7. Good blogs make you want to start your own blog.
At some point, everyone wants to kill the Buddha and make their own obsessions the focus. This is good. It means you care.
8. Good blogs try.
I’ve come to believe that creative life in the first-world comes down to those who try just a little bit harder. Then, there’s the other 98%. They’re still eating the free continental breakfast over at FriendFeed. A good blog is written by a blogger who thinks longer, works harder, and obsesses more. Ultimately, a good blogger tries. That’s why “good” is getting rare.
9. Good blogs know when to break their own rules. Duh. I made a list, didn’t I? Yes. I did. Big fan.
Me meeting all that? No, far from it. A good blogger I’ll be in the long run I'm not sure but I know one thing for certain though – the more I blog, the more I learn – not just the subject matter alone but also more about myself. And I think that’s worth it! So 2010, here I come and bloggers out there, I'm still AROUND.
So, this year is when I really started blogging. I had never put down my thots on writing that much in my entire life until this year - I still can’t believe it myself. I started The Working Gal more like an experiment because I wanted to see the difference between maintaining a blog within a corporate website and a personal blog, but on the same theme: careers (oh well, what else do I know, rite?) But wait a minute…I got carried away and decided to start another blog (oh yes, the blogging flu just got into me)
Seriously, I’m still learning the blogging ropes and I went scouting for clues on what makes a successful blog, specifically a career blog. No tips on good career blog (readers, if you found a real good article, let me know) but stumbled a good one on what makes for a good blog. Well, I hope this inspire you as much as it did to me…
1. Good blogs have a voice.
Who wrote this? What is their name? What can I figure out about who they are that they have never overtly told me? What’s their personality like and what do they have to contribute – even when it’s “just” curation. What tics and foibles fascinate make me about this blog and the person who makes it? Most importantly: what obsesses this person?
2. Good blogs reflect focused obsessions.
People start real blogs because they think about something a lot. Maybe even five things. But, their brain so overflows with curiosity about a family of topics that they can’t stop reading and writing about it. They make and consume smart forebrain porn. So: where do this person’s obsessions take them?
3. Good blogs are the product of “Attention times Interest.”
A blog shows me where someone’s attention tends to go. Then, on some level, they encourage me to follow the evolution of their interest through a day or a year. There’s a story here. Ethical “via” links make it easy for me to follow their specific trail of attention, then join them for a walk made out of words.
4. Good blog posts are made of paragraphs.
Blog posts are written, not defecated. They show some level of craft, thinking, and continuity beyond the word count mandated by the Owner of Your Plantation. If a blog has fixed limits on post minimums and maximums? It’s not a blog: it’s a website that hires writers. Which is fine. But, it’s not really a blog.
5. Good “non-post” blogs have style and curation.
Some of the best blogs use unusual formats, employ only photos and video, or utilize the list format to artistic effect. I regret there are not more blogs that see format as the container for creativity – rather than an excuse to write less or link without context more.
6. Good blogs are weird.
Blogs make fart noises and occasionally vex readers with the degree to which the blogger’s obsession will inevitably diverge from the reader’s. If this isn’t happening every few weeks, the blogger is either bored, half-assing, or taking new medication.
7. Good blogs make you want to start your own blog.
At some point, everyone wants to kill the Buddha and make their own obsessions the focus. This is good. It means you care.
8. Good blogs try.
I’ve come to believe that creative life in the first-world comes down to those who try just a little bit harder. Then, there’s the other 98%. They’re still eating the free continental breakfast over at FriendFeed. A good blog is written by a blogger who thinks longer, works harder, and obsesses more. Ultimately, a good blogger tries. That’s why “good” is getting rare.
9. Good blogs know when to break their own rules. Duh. I made a list, didn’t I? Yes. I did. Big fan.
Me meeting all that? No, far from it. A good blogger I’ll be in the long run I'm not sure but I know one thing for certain though – the more I blog, the more I learn – not just the subject matter alone but also more about myself. And I think that’s worth it! So 2010, here I come and bloggers out there, I'm still AROUND.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Top 10 Work Stressors
Why do you plan to leave your job?
The working hours are very long..
I bet if you are an interviewer, this is one of the common replies you would have heard many times before. This is also a sign that the person is undergoing a lot of stress and when the person has reached the stage of putting himself right in front of you, it’s just short of telling you he had enough and it’s time to move on.
Some time ago, writer David R. Butcher, from a study of more than 3,000 people, reports the top 10 work stresses:
1. Workload
2. Feeling undervalued
3. Deadlines
4. Type of work people have to do
5. Having to take on other people’s work
6. Lack of job satisfaction
7. Lack of control over the working day
8. Having to work long hours
9. Frustration with the working environment
10. Targets
Are you facing any of the above right now?
If yes, it’s not a good idea to let that stress prolong for we all know what stress can do to our health – it hurts us physically and mentally. Therefore, it’s important to recognize it as a work stress and the next step is to see whether there is anything you can do to prevent it from getting worse. If the nature of it is going to be temporary, i..e, heavy workload due to some extra projects that came on board and they will be over soon, then the best way is to learn to manage your stress.
Otherwise, the best way out to save your health or overall well-being is probably a change of working environment.
The working hours are very long..
I bet if you are an interviewer, this is one of the common replies you would have heard many times before. This is also a sign that the person is undergoing a lot of stress and when the person has reached the stage of putting himself right in front of you, it’s just short of telling you he had enough and it’s time to move on.
Some time ago, writer David R. Butcher, from a study of more than 3,000 people, reports the top 10 work stresses:
1. Workload
2. Feeling undervalued
3. Deadlines
4. Type of work people have to do
5. Having to take on other people’s work
6. Lack of job satisfaction
7. Lack of control over the working day
8. Having to work long hours
9. Frustration with the working environment
10. Targets
Are you facing any of the above right now?
If yes, it’s not a good idea to let that stress prolong for we all know what stress can do to our health – it hurts us physically and mentally. Therefore, it’s important to recognize it as a work stress and the next step is to see whether there is anything you can do to prevent it from getting worse. If the nature of it is going to be temporary, i..e, heavy workload due to some extra projects that came on board and they will be over soon, then the best way is to learn to manage your stress.
Otherwise, the best way out to save your health or overall well-being is probably a change of working environment.
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