Career 02 (Apr 10 - Apr 12)

[winston]

Ten ways to score that job offer By Beth Braccio Hering,CareerBuilder.com

When linterviewing for a new job, it's important to be consistent and ask positive, intelligent questions.

Make sure before you get into an interview that you're prepared to get the job

Make sure your résumé has key words and achievements that are relevant

Weave real examples of past success into your answers

Ask positive, intelligent questions about the company

(CareerBuilder.com) -- You don't want just a nibble or an interview -- you want an actual job offer! Get your foot in the door and kick it wide open with these expert tips:


1. Be a great match on paper

"Getting the job offer is often a function of the quality of match between you and the job requirements. That's why your résumé needs to have key words and achievements that are relevant to the specific job," says Catherine Jewell, author of "New Résumé New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have."

Scrutinize the job ad for tips on what might be most important to the employer. Ditch the generic résumé in favor of a document tailored to the position at hand, and consider cutting out details that don't contribute to your suitability.


2. Keep your references up to speed

Send a quick e-mail alerting references to the position for which you are applying. "Let them know the specific skills sought after for this job and the strengths you are stressing in your own positioning for this opening so they can support you," says Harvey Mackay, author of "Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You."


3. Do your homework

Candidates who are unable to hold a basic conversation about the company they would like to join appear unprepared and disinterested.

"Do your research on the employer," stresses Julie Rulis, a senior recruiter for Western Union's talent acquisition team. "This goes beyond just looking at the company's website. Review the company's financial statements. Google the company and look for recent news -- and bring it up during your interview. Use social networking to your advantage. Lots of companies these days have Facebook pages or a following on Twitter."


4. Be consistent in multiple interviews

"A foremost reason why companies conduct multiple interviews is to make sure that candidates present a credible and consistent picture of themselves to various members of the team," Mackay says.

While the interviewers' questions may or may not differ greatly, be sure that you are accurate in presenting your history (which should match your résumé) and that you continue to play up your relevant strengths throughout the whole hiring process.


5. Ask positive, intelligent questions in the interview

"Candidates appropriately spend the bulk of their time preparing to answer questions they anticipate being asked," Mackay says. "Always be ready to ask two or three questions yourself that show you have studied the company and that you are thinking about the top-of-mind issues that the company is considering."


6. Translate your past into future success

Show your capabilities. Weave real examples from your past into your interview, and quantify production whenever possible ("Sales went up 10 percent after my team implemented ...").

"We find that those professionals who successfully secure employment fully understand the value of their previous contributions and can communicate this from the employer's perspective. They are also able to anticipate and communicate how their proven history of achievement can positively impact a prospective employer," says Jennifer Dunleavy, president of The Accuro Group, a professional services organization based in Cary, North Carolina.


7. Be specific about the contribution you can make now

You may be dying to know the salary scale or how fast new hires move up. Remember, though, that you need to prove your worth before worrying about these issues. Focus on the position at hand and why you are the candidate best-suited to fill it.

"Companies want a short-term boost from almost everyone they hire. Research and probe in your interview conversations for things the company needs now to ratchet up its performance. Show how you are part of the solution," Mackay says.


8. Be likable

Get the interview off to a good start by being on time. Smile at people you pass. "When it's all said and done, people hire people they like," Jewell says. "Try to relax in the interview and show that you are a likable, fun person. Don't be afraid to laugh."


9. Ask for the job

Leave no doubt in the interviewer's mind about your enthusiasm. Jewell recommends ending the meeting by saying, "I would really like to contribute to this company. I am hoping you select me."


10. Follow up

Finally, don't sit around thinking an employer will call if interested. Keep your name in the forefront by taking a few minutes to convey gratitude for the opportunity and excitement for the company.

"Don't underestimate the power of a thank-you note," Rulis says. "It can really set you apart from the competition."


http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/09/2 ... index.html

[millionairemind]

China's elite suffer from job burn-out

Mon, Sep 27, 2010
China Daily/Asia News Network


AS ANOTHER fat file lands on her desk, Ms Wang Yan takes a deep breath and tries to calm her growing agitation.

An attorney in an American law firm in Shanghai, Ms Wang, 28, works approximately 3,000 hours a year, which translates into 375 days on the job if it is averaged out to eight-hour days.

She is among the many elite members of China's new class of upwardly mobile who are feeling the strain. Even as they strive to clamber up the corporate ladder, many are so drained by the effort that they are experiencing burn-out.


Said Ms Wang, who graduated with a law degree from the United States: "I can never catch up. Before one case is completed, my boss loads me with three more. I wake up every morning, thinking about quitting."

The Fujian native complains to her friends, who are also highly educated.

They belong to the generation most people believe is reaping the benefits of three decades of rapid economic growth.

There are more depressed professionals than it appears on the surface, and they make themselves heard on online forums and bulletin boards such as douban.com, where dozens of groups have been created to talk about giving up jobs in pursuit of "freedom".

The most popular has nearly 40,000 members.

Statistics show a shockingly high proportion of employees suffering job burnout, a term coined in the 1960s from the Graham Greene novel A Burnt-Out Case. It is now defined as a "psychological condition of emotional exhaustion and reduced sense of personal accomplishment".

Website peixunz.com did an online survey on career development last year.

Out of 1,697 office workers polled, 74.6 per cent said they were suffering from burn-out. About 10.8 per cent described their conditions as "serious".

Mr Yan Zhengwei, a therapist at the Wales Psychological Clinic based in Shanghai, has seen more and more exhausted professionals coming to him in recent years. While losing interest in their work, they also face the dilemma of not knowing what else can interest them, said Mr Yan.

Mr Li Xu, medical director of Beijing Psychen-Chestnut Global Partners, believed that fierce competition in today's business environment is turning the screws on mid-level employees.

Thirty per cent of his 100,000-strong client base across China complain about work-related stress and burn-out - an unusually high rate, given that the same comparative segment in the US is only around 6 per cent.

Mr Yan observed that professionals such as teachers, nurses, lawyers and journalists experience the highest burnout rates.

"My clients include some of the best lawyers and journalists in Shanghai, who tell me they simply want to leave everything behind to travel the world," he said.

[winston]

True Tales From Work: I Fell Into This Career but I Love It By Kaitlin Madden

Advanced Search >> "The best laid plans of mice and men ..."

No matter how much we plan, practice and prepare for our lives, things don't always (or even often) go as planned. Take our careers, for example. Most of us start dreaming about "what we want to be when we grow up" when we're in elementary school, prompted by teachers who tell us it's never too early to start thinking about the future.

We might decide at age 10 that we want to be a teacher, a doctor or a business person.

Then, reality sets in. Your hopes of becoming a doctor are dashed when you faint at the sight of blood on the first day of med school.

You get that dream job, and six months later, you get a pink slip. You have three kids in five years and become a stay-at-home parent. You take on a serendipitous part-time job for extra money and accidentally discover your passion.

Somehow, you wind up in a completely different career than you'd ever imagined.

That's what happened for these five people, who never expected to be in their current careers, but somehow wound up with a perfect fit.

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MS ... &gt1=23000

[kennynah]

IMO, earning a living or living to earn aren't ideal..
Ideally, we simply do where our passion lies, and still make money doing so, but that takes time to discover..

Some us of us are luckier to pursue this course of living passionate but for most of us mortals, this is a luxury ill affordable

So it brings me to the subject of money chasing.. more of this on another day

[winston]

Respect at Work: If You Want It... Be Prepared to Give It! By Peter Fogel

According to Karen Burn, author of The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, there are seven things you should never say at work:


1. "This is easy! Anyone could do it!" A statement like this could be taken the wrong way. Perhaps your boss had the responsibility to do the exact same task before he was promoted. See where I am going with this? If it's easy, just say, "Hey, no problem. I'll get on it right now!"


2. "That's not my job." That might have gotten a big laugh for Freddie Prinze on the old "Chico and the Man" show. But it won't cut in today's workplace.

If you don't understand why you've been asked to do a certain task, do a little investigating to find out why your boss wants you to do it. Chances are, he has a good reason.

3. "It's not my fault." If there's a problem, fix it -- no matter whose fault it is.

If you did, in fact, screw up... own up to it and then come up with a solution as quickly as you can.


4. "It's not my problem." If a crisis is brewing, pitch in and help. If you don't have anything constructive to say, silence is golden at a time like this.


5. "I can only do one thing at a time." Yes, sometimes we all get overwhelmed at work -- so learn to multi-task.

Snapping that you "can't handle the pressure" says to all within earshot that you can't handle your job.


6. "It can't be done." I worked for a company where the IT guy was like Scotty in Star Trek, always lamenting, "It just can't be done."

Maybe what he was asked to do really couldn't be done... or maybe this guy just didn't want to be bothered. But one thing's for sure: He hardly ever came up with a solution to a problem.

Even if what you're asked to do seems impossible, search for ways to make it happen... and then boldly go where no man has gone before. (No more Star Trek references, I promise!)


7. "I am way overqualified for this job." Hey, maybe you are. Good for you. But the fact is, this is the job you have. You agreed to take it on.

And while you may now regret that decision, it's still your job. Complaining that you're too good for it only makes you look bad.

And guess what? You're not going to make your boss think, "Oh, this is a superior person. I need to promote him." Nope. He'll think, "What a jerk!"


Source: ETR

[iam802]

For those who are interested in getting a job in GS

--
Goldman Sachs Video Offers Updated Interview Advice

http://www.fins.com/Finance/Articles/SB ... ice?Type=4

[winston]

How to Change Your Work Habits and Become a Success Machine
by Michael Masterson


Becoming top dog takes a lot of extra time, so you'll have to make significant sacrifices. You'll have to:

1. Get up early, and give your day a jumpstart by doing something meaningful... first thing.

2. Work late sometimes.

3. Do at least 50 percent more than what is asked of you.

4. Volunteer for challenging assignments.

5. Educate yourself on the side.

6. Become better than anyone else at the essential skills you need to accomplish your goal.

[millionairemind]

Lazy weekend so tot I post some amusing and disturbing anecdotes.

A friend of mine heads up the engineering department of a semicon fab.

He has hired a few Singaporean engineers fresh out of school.

Guess what, the start time is 830am and most of them are late, REPEATEDLY.

When he holds a meeting at 8:30am which is the usual time for morning meetings, the engineers tell him that they cannot make it, cos' they cannot wake up in time as their maid (or parents) cannot wake them up in time for work.

When work is not finished by 530pm, instead of staying over to finish it cos' it is urgent, the engineers just leave cos' they have something personal to do (almost every day).

When he points out their mistakes and berates them, the fresh engineers just walk up and leave.

When they don't get promoted in 2 years, they KPKB and leave.

He is so frustrated that he decides to hire more foreign born engineers (from Malaysia) when this batch of Singaporean engineers resigns...

What the heck! No wonder the foreigners are eating our lunch.

We deserve it for being so un-competitive.

If we lose our job and can't find another, we deserve it!

[Cheng]

Going to start work either March or April next year. I'll read the whole thread hehe..

MM, wow..that is bad man, those sg engineers have bad attitude.

[winston]

Hi Cheng,

All the best to you !

This thread is the second one on "Career". There's also a first thread on "Career", located in the Archive section.

Take care,
Winston