This looks like in tandem with our deputy Prime Minister’s announcement, as Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it expects Malaysia’s economy to return to growth in 2010.
According to a report by The Star Newsapper, the international development finance institution has forecast Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 4.5% next year.
It said Malaysia was expected to contract 2.5% in 2009 after registering minus 5.1% in the first half of the year and minus 1.2% in the third quarter.
The newspaper also noted that in a separate Asian Economic Monitor report for December 2009, the Manila-based institution said all the Asean-4 economies were pummeled by the precipitous drop in external demand but in terms of overall economic impact, Thailand and Malaysia were hurt the most.
All is still not that well. Dell Malaysia is letting some 700 workers go via a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) exercise.
According to a report by The Star newspaper, the 700 include those in the operator, supervisory and managerial positions at its Bukit Minyak plant here.
Dell corporate communication senior manager Jasmine Begum said the VSS scheme was being implemented because Dell was transferring the division that manufactured notebooks for Latin America, Canada and US markets to the group’s global manufacturing network.
“This means that the Bukit Minyak plant will only manufacture notebooks, desktops and servers for the South Asian and Australian markets,” she said.
The move would enable Dell Malaysia to be more cost-effective in its operations, reduce delivery time and enhance the quality of the products manufactured, Begum said.
Love the sea? Fancy a maritime job? Fret not, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has 2,000 job vacancies nationwide, with various positions up for grabs.
Earlier Bernama report noted that pending the completion of its training centre in 2012, MMEA director-general Datuk Mohd Amdan Kurish hopes the various positions would be filled by that year.
He said the construction of the centre at Sungai Ular in Jerantut, Pahang, was ongoing, adding that it was expected to be fully operational by the end of next year.
"By 2011, the centre is expected to be able to train up to 600 staff and 200 officers at a time.
"The vacancies would be filled in stages to ensure that maritime enforcement activities could be intensified indefinitely," Mohd Amdan said.
Need construction workers? No problem, there are more than 32,000 available for choosing. According to The Star newspaper a force of 12,000 foreign workers and over 10,000 locals registered with the Construction Labour Exchange Centre Bhd (CLAB) can be deployed to any contractor short of manpower.
CLAB chief executive Azlan Mohd Isa said there was no reason for contractors not to make use of them.
He said the 22,000 workers were involved in construction projects throughout the country but were available when their jobs were done.
“We encourage contractors to come to us because it is cheaper to source labour through us than through agents.
“If contractors’ needs do not match our local work pool, we will look to the foreign workforce to fulfil their needs. The aim is to reduce the intake of new foreign workers,” he said.
“Workers registered with us get insurance and compensation benefits and we provide comprehensive welfare to our workers,” Azlan said.
Despite caution about income indequacy post-retirement, the withdrawal have increased last quarter. According to Bernama report, some RM1.97bil was withdrawn under the Employees Provident Fund Retirement Withdrawals in the third quarter of 2009, an increase from the RM1.64bil in the corresponding period last year.
Some RM1.41bil of the RM1.97bil, was withdrawn as Lump Sum Age 55 Withdrawal, up 14.2% from that in Q3 2008, EPF said in a statement on its unaudited results on Wednesday.
EPF chief executive officer Tan Sri Azlan Zainol said the remaining RM557.05mil was withdrawn under the Flexible Age 55 Withdrawal, up 38.05% from the RM403.51mil last year.
“Nonetheless, 72% of retirement withdrawals still consist of lump sum withdrawals. We hope to see this amount decrease over time as more members become increasingly aware that lump sum withdrawal will likely lead to income inadequacy during retirement,” he said.
The report also quoted Azlan as saying members had exercised greater prudence and care in making withdrawals for housing as showed by a more cautious behaviour due to the present economic conditions.
Few months back, reports of shortage of engineers surfaced. Well, it resurfaced again in form of an interview with Starbiz (The Stars Newspaper's business section).
The newpaper was quoting Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) chief executive officer Datuk Boonler Somchit who said that the country is not producing sufficient engineers to meet the needs of the technology sector, which will undermine the country’s competitive edge as a destination for foreign direct investments
He told StarBiz, citing data from the Education Ministry, that both public and private universities in the country produced over 13,700 first-degree graduates in engineering last year, which “is not adequate to meet the needs of the technology sector in the country.”
“Let us say if a multinational corporation (MNC) requires 50 engineers, 100 MNCs would need 5,000 engineers.
“The 13,700 fresh graduates that we produce is definitely not enough to go round to meet the needs of the MNCs and local technology companies,” he said.
In Penang, there are 760 companies in the free industrial zone and industrial estates, of which 20 are multinational corporations involved in designing and development work, according to Boonler.
Readers can go read the entire article in The Star's online portal.
DOCTORATE holders are among those who registered with JobsMalaysia, a government portal to help graduates get jobs.
Wired agency, Bernama quoted Deputy Human Resources Minis-ter Senator Datuk Maznah Mazlan as saying that from the 69,760 job hunters who registered with the portal, 18 held doctorates, 1,165 had Masters degrees, 36,985 were Bachelor degree holders while 31,592 had diplomas.
As of last Friday, she added Universiti Teknologi Mara graduates topped the list from public universities with 12,768 applications.
This was followed by Universiti Utara Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with 4,151 and 2,943 applicants respectively.
The report also noted that the majority majored in business administration, electric, electronics and telecommunications engineering, mechanical and mechatronics engineering, accounts and pure sciences.
“The number of job hunters, however, does not reflect fully on the unemployment rate among the graduates as some are already working but are hoping to get a better job or seeking to switch jobs,” she said.
Although get other similar applications in the market, but Microsoft PowerPoint is still widely used, especially in corporate business. Business people use it as doing presentation slide, sell product, business plan, marketing concept and more.
Is better you know to use Microsoft PowerPoint; this will make you easier to get job. You even can create a creative and attractive presentation slide to selling yourself during the interview.
Microsoft PowerPoint is not difficult to learn and use. But how to create an effective presentation is another issue. Here get 5 useful Microsoft PowerPoint resources for your reference:
Talk all about related professional presentation design. Don’t miss this blog, the article will encourages you to think differently and more creatively about the preparation, design, and delivery of your presentations.
Blame it on the economy or poor neglicience? About one hundred and ninety-three employers were slapped with fines totaling RM278,970 by the courts for failing to remit the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions of their employees during the third-quarter of this year.
According to Bernama report, during the same period, 1,913 criminal cases were filed by the EPF against errant employers for defaulting on their employees' contributions.
The EPF had also submitted the names of 234 errant company directors to the immigration department to prevent them from leaving the country without first settling their arrears, said the fund's general manager of public relations Nik Affendi Jaafar, in a statement.
"The rate of defaulting employers during this quarter has registered a drop of 1.73 per cent as compared to 1.81 per cent in the previous quarter," he said.
The report also quoted him as saying that the drop showed that more employers were aware of their role in their employees' retirement well-being.
Nevertheless, Nik Affendi said, members should check their statements to ensure the correct and timely remittance of their contributions. Point taken by all employers, we hope.
From the cyberspace (don't read if some words offend you):
LESSON 1 A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss are on their way to a meeting. On their way through a park, they come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears. The ghost says : " Normally, one is granted three wishes, but as you are three, I will allow one wish each. " So the eager senior manager shouted : " I want the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas , on a fast boat and have no worries." Pfufffff .... and he was gone. Now the junior manager could not keep quiet and shouted : " I want to be in Florida with beautiful girls, plenty of food and cocktails.. " Pfufffff .... And he was also gone. The boss calmly said : " I want these two idiots back in the office after lunch at 12.30 pm.. " MORAL OF THE STORY : ALWAYS LET THE BOSS SPEAK FIRST
LESSON 2 Standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand, " Listen," said the CEO, " this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?" " Certainly," said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. " Excellent, excellent! " said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the shredder machine. " I just need one copy. " MORAL OF THE STORY: NEVER, NEVER ASSUME THAT YOUR BOSS KNOWS EVERYTHING
LESSON 3 An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA When the American turned to the Japanese and asked " What kind of -ese are you ? " The Japanese, confused, replied : " Sorry, but I don't understand what you mean. " The American repeated : " What kind of -ese are you ? " Again, the Japanese was confused over the question. The American, now irritated, then yelled : " What kind of -ese are you .. Are you a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese !, etc......??? " The Japanese then replied : " Oh, I am a Japanese. " A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked what kind of 'key' was he. The American, frustrated, yelled : " What do you mean what kind of -kee' am I ?! " The Japanese said, " Are you a Yankee, donkee, or monkee ? " MORAL OF THE STORY: NEVER INSULT ANYONE
LESSON 4 There were these 4 guys --- a Russian, a German, an American and a French, who together found this small genie bottle. When they rubbed the bottle, a genie appeared.. Thankful that the 4 guys had released him out of the bottle, he said : " Next to you all are 4 swimming pools, I will give each of you a wish. When you run towards the pool and jump, you shout what you want the pool of water to become, then your wish will come true. " The French wanted to start. He ran towards the pool, jumped and shouted : " Wine ! " The pool immediately changed into a pool of wine. The Frenchman was very happy, swimming and drinking from the pool. Next is the Russian's turn. He did the same and shouted : " Vodka ! " and immersed himself into a pool of vodka. The German was next and he jumped and shouted : " Beer ! " He was likewise very contented with his beer-filled pool. The last is the American. He was running towards the pool when suddenly he steps on a banana peel. He slipped towards the pool and shouted, " Shit !!!!!!!........." MORAL OF THE STORY: ALWAYS THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING, BECAUSE SOMETIMES ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN !
Will there be global economic recover? Of course? Will be it soon? Not really. Or so says Malaysian Institute of Economic Research.
It’s executive director Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Ariff Abdul Kareem said economic recovery, both globally and locally, is expected to be sluggish till 2012.
In a report by The Star newspaper, he was quoted as saying that the road would be bumpy and rocky as countries around the world might not experience sustainable recovery.
“All indicators show that the world would face sluggish growth for the next three years, we would experience pre-crisis trajectory growth only by 2012,” he said
Countries, such as China, which had shown dynamic growth despite the global slowdown, were actually supported by massive stimulus packages, he said, adding: “Many of these countries have actually become very addicted to stimulus packages, hence recovery is unlikely to be sustainable.”
He said these countries would require further injection of fiscal stimulus in order to keep the growth momentum going but many were running out of resources.
It's becoming rampant and authorities are not going to be quiet about it. Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam has directed the Labour Department to coordinate with the authorities in prosecuting employers found to have abused their maids.
"We will do everything we can to support the authorities as they take legal action against those involved," he said in a media report.
The minister stressed that any case of abuse involving maids would not be tolerated in Malaysia.
He said his ministry would ensure the safety and health of workers and uphold social justice.
"The workplace rights and protection provided to our citizens are equally important to foreign workers in Malaysia, including those from Indonesia," he said.
Dr Subramaniam's statement comes in the wake of the death of Indonesian maid Mantik Hani, 36, from Surabaya, after alleged abuse by her employer, the report said.
"We are shocked by the allegations being made in the case of Mantik Hani. I have already said yesterday that the government viewed this matter very seriously," he said.
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Are able to stand out among the crowd and leave an indelible first impression on others? Are you worried about how others perceive you? Do you dress for the occasion? Do you feel awkward making new contacts? Would you like to start differentiating yourself from the rest to make others remember you?
In creating your personal branding, your appearance is one of your most powerful forms of communication and an effective strategic tool when used properly. It is not how you look but how you dress to look the part. Dressing in our culture and environment has often been synonymous with 'casual dressing' that most of us fail to dress appropriately for the occasion.
"It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference." - Bear Bryant
A Dressing and Business Etiquette Workshop:
Date : 24 October 2009, Saturday Time : 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Price : S$28 (incl. 7% GST) Venue : National Library Building, 100 Victoria Street Level 5, Possibility Room
Travel by Public Transport Nearest to EW12 Bugis MRT Station
The obvious answer to the above would be, "duh!". Well, to state the obvious, the transport ministry thinks so too.
It's minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat told the press that it want more folks to use the public transport, but at the same time "recognises that services first need to be improved".
Having hopped on a bus himself, Ong said he was willing to hear the concerns of consumers as well as players in the public transportation sector.
According to media report, currently, only 16% of the Klang Valley’s population uses public transport and the Government would like to increase this figure to 25%.
Ong was also quoted as saying that that among the main complaints were irregular service in certain areas, lack of service during non-peak hours, vehicle breakdown and poor maintenance of bus terminals and bus stops.
He added that he would also look at having unpopular residential roads being properly serviced by public transport.
As economy recovers from crisis, good news comes a calling and one positive announcement is RM2 billion project over the next 12 months from Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) that would mean more employement.
IIB is the devleloper of Iskandar Malaysia. According to its president and chief executive Arlida Ariff the tenders would comprise projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), of which RM1bil had been allocated, and those investment committed by IIB.
The tenders to be awarded under the 9MP allocations are mainly infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, 80% of the investment committed by IIB will be for infrastructure and the balance for mixed development,” Arlida was reported as saying.
She said the tenders would involve infrastucture in Medini and EduCity as well as accommodation units for students at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia.The duration of contracts ranged from six to 24 months, depending on the job scope.
Job hunting is fast becoming a survival battle of the fittest-both physically and mentally. With the job market now akin to a battlefield, job seekers are a suffering lot, with some having their pride and dignity wounded and some limping with pain and anguish in their minds.
We should all face up to the facts of the market. Like a marathon race, job hunting not only consumes time but energy as well. And only those who have the most determination and endurance will cross that ultimate finishing line.
Not many candidates have the stamina to finish the race, with some dropping out along the way. However, those who have fallen out cannot afford to stay wrapped up in a safety blanket at home to escape the harsh reality of the job market. You may only be hurting yourself deeper when the interviewer questions the gap or the long holiday you took while you were nursing your wounds.
So, how can you toughen yourself to rise out of the rejection blues and get back into the race? Here are some valuable points to keep in your mental first aid kit:
Rejection is perfectly normal Rejection is a part of daily life and everyone gets their fair share of rejection in every aspect of their lives every day. Therefore, job seekers need to understand that facing rejection while job hunting is normal. Rarely does a job seeker get hired through their first application. Think of job hunting as a learning process that aids you in your personal growth, because the more rejections you face, the more experience you gain, and the better you get at job hunting.
Being turned down for a job does not mean that you are a loser or that you are incompetent While you may have gotten rejected at the end of the day, it does not mean that your qualifications are lacking because you weren't offered employment with the hiring company. Even highly experienced senior executives have been rejected for jobs. Often, hiring managers look at many other factors that may be out of your control while deciding on the right candidate.
Everyone goes through the same process as you did--even rejection Understand that you are not that only one getting rejections for job applications. While you are out there flipping through the newspapers looking for a job, there are also others who may be doing the very same things at the same moment; the same people eyeing the job vacancy that you're interested in; the same people who get called up for the interview; but only one will eventually sign the letter of employment. And even the one who does may have gotten the job after ten rejections from other companies. Think about it.
Never give up You may be just an application away from landing that job you wanted. So don't quit after just a few attempts, or even after a string of applications and interviews. Nothing good comes easy in life; you have to fight for what you really want.
Once you are standing up again after the rejection, analyze why you were rejected For everything that happens, there must be a reason to it. Once you have gotten over the shock of rejection, sit down and start putting the entire jigsaw together. Did you not perform well enough during the interview? What could you have done to make it better? Or was it just the management's problem for not offering you the job? You may be qualified enough, but there may have been finer details of requirements that you did not know of. Try accepting the negative criticisms flung at you during interviews as constructive feedback.
Do not cut off all ties Even if the hiring company did not pick you for the job, it doesn't mean that you should sever all connections to the company, or its personnel in charge of human resources. Instead, maintain a good relationship with them because it is not uncommon to be called up for another round of interview even if you were been rejected in the first round. You could even send them a thank-you note for taking the time to interview you. By doing that, you are selling a good impression of yourself; and perhaps the company may just contact you again should there be any job vacancy in the future.
When you've been called up for an interview, you've already been selected from a whole lot of others. So, learn to handle rejection and you will soon reach the finishing line of the race.
It's fine galore at Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) when it noted that 4,173 employers have been slapped with RM500 compound notices since it launched its latest operation to identify those who fail to register with it.
The News Straits Times reported that they were among the 21,370 employers checked so far under the operation codenamed "Ops Kesan Perkeso 2009" which was launched last month.
Socso chief executive officer K. Selvarajah was quoted in the report as saying that the errant employers were given two weeks to settle the compound fine, failing which they would be charged in court.
If found guilty, they can be sentenced to two years' jail or a fine of RM10,000 or both under the Employees' Social Security Act 1969.
"The operation is also aimed at protecting employees under the Employment Injury Insurance Scheme (EIIS) and the Invalidity Pension Scheme (IPS)," he added.
The report also noted that many of the errant employers were identified through their employees who came to Socso offices to make claims under either the EIIS or IPS.
"Some employers deduct the money from the workers' pay for Socso but do not remit it to Socso," he said, adding many times employees lose out on their benefits due to their employers' failure to remit the contributions.
Our economy is set for full recovery and more resources are saying so. According to the media report, Malaysia’s central bank (Bank Negara) has become more confident the South-East Asian nation is recovering from the global recession
It was quoting Credit Suisse Group said citing a meeting with deputy governor Datuk Ooi Sang Kuang.
The central bank’s “view is that the signs of an economic recovery seem evident,” Danny Goh, an analyst at Credit Suisse was quoted in the report.
He added that it is only unsure on whether the economic rebound will be modest or sharp,
Malaysia’s economic contraction eased to 3.9% last quarter from a 6.2% decline in the first three months, and policy makers expect gross domestic product (GDP) to resume growth at the end of the year.
The report also noted that the country’s export and manufacturing slump has abated as economies from Singapore to China emerge from the world’s deepest recession since the Great Depression.
It is important to keep your job application free from typo or grammatical errors. You may ask what is the big deal anyway with keeping your resumé error-free?
By not bothering to keep your resumé "clean", you are telling the person who reads your resumé that you could not be bothered to make extra efforts to check your spelling and grammar, hence you would be seen as "not being interested enough" in your job application.
A faultless job application will give no reason for the prospective employer to mull over petty mistakes that could have been easily avoided by clicking on the spell-check button.
By dotting all your I's and crossing all your T's, the recruiter will be focused only on your cover letter and resumé, allowing your application to be given due consideration.
Always make sure that you get your addresses right.
Get the proper address, i.e. the title of the recipient in your cover letter. Find out who will be the recipient of your job application. If you only know that your application should be sent to the Senior Manager or the Human Resource Manager, go the extra mile and find out who that person is. Call the company up or surf their website for more information. Personal touches never fail to touch, literally.
However, never ever spell the title wrongly or worse, to misspell the name.
A Ms Elisa Jon will not be amused if you spell her name: Mr Eliza John. If you want to do things right, do it right the first time. Never think that it does not matter. All the small things will add up to a lot and a job application tattered with minor errors all over will be regarded as messy and disorganised, jeopardising your chances of getting the interview.
Get the mailing address right too. The last thing you want is for the application to be sent back to you. Even if your application gets to the recruiter, getting the address wrong or misspelling some words in the address underlines the fact that you are careless and could not even copy a simple address onto the envelop and your cover letter.
Also avoid simple grammatical mistakes. By writing `I are' instead of `I am' you are only exposing your poor command of English. Get your subject and verb agreement correct too. Relearn the basic grammar that you learnt way back in primary school and avoid the mistakes when writing your cover letter or resumé.
Remember, some extra efforts to ensure that your resumé is "clean" will not guarantee you the job but will help to increase your chances of being shortlisted.
Normally 1 job vacancy can attract a lot job seekers apply, the HR department or related Head of department may not have time 1 by 1 go through the entire resume. And using the traditional way to apply job and submit resume and cover letter, the problem is you need to wait for the reply. Wait and wait and wait.
So how to make your resume stand out from other is very important.
Best use the social media, it will added value for your resume. If you build your social media resume properly, you’ll have more job opportunities increases. People cross by your social media site, if they find you are suitable candidate, they will contact you directly. Not necessary must be job vacancy, it can be some freelance works too (can earn some extra income).
By the way, don’t make me wrong, I’m not meant the traditional way is not good. It will be good if combine with the social media; it will make your resume more stand out from crowd.
Apparently the World Bank and the International Finance Corp think so. The belief is based on a report titled Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times, where Malaysia dropped two places to 23rd from 21st this year.
This is especially depressing when our neighbour, Singapore was ranked top in ease of doing business.
However, according to media report, it is still an achievement for the country which manages to retain its place in the top 30 of 183 countries or economies surveyed, owing to its transparent and efficient regulatory environment for businesses.
The report said Malaysia, alongside China, South Korea and Russia, had included reforms of regulations in economic recovery plans due to the global financial crisis.
This is because these governments recognise the importance of companies, especially small and medium enterprises, for creating jobs and revenue
Regulatory environment for businesses can influence how well companies cope with the crisis and are able to seize opportunities when recovery begins.
"Where business regulation is transparent and efficient, it is easier for companies to re-orient themselves and for new companies to start up," it said.
Date : 26 September 2009, Saturday Time : 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Price: S$28 (incl. 7% GST) Venue: Level 5, Possibility Room, National Library Building, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore
Well, you can hold your day job and still become a soldier, the reserve type.
A call was made by the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, for private and foreign companies nationside to allow their employees to join the Territorial Army (TA), as part of their social responsibility to the nation's security.
"The support from private companies is seen as a commitment to the overall security for all races in the nation," he was quoted by the wired news agency, Bernama.
He hoped that heads of department, and district and state government agencies would encourage employees in the public sector to join the TA to boost the number of reserved soldiers in the Armed Forces, the report said.
Ahmad Zahid said, TA would also be given training to handle natural disasters.
"The ministry targets to have a ratio of one soldier to five reserve soldiers, thus allowing more people to join the military service," he added.
A noble effort indeed if the private companies are willing to participate.
Still using traditional way to post your resume and search for jobs? Thanks for the Internet and Web2.0 era. Now job seekers can build their resume online, with more creative and interactive way.
ResumeSocial
ResumeSocial is the first social resume community where you can post your resume online and get real feedback from others just like you!
With ResumeSocial, you give your resume access to years of collective knowledge and insight about what it takes to make a great resume. You can also help others by leaving feedback and sharing your experience on what has worked for you.
ResumePark is a resume hosting and discovery service. It allows you to easily publish your resume online and get your own custom URL (eg. www.resumepark.com/resume/yourname), for free.
Upload your resume (support format: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt). After upload, you can share with friends and contacts via. social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc) or your personal blog.
ResumePark will track how often your resume is viewed online plus other useful stats. This data is great for determining which companies are viewing your resume. ResumePark allows visitors to comment on your resume and provide recommendations. Personal recommendations will help you stand out to potential employers / recruiters.
TwitRes lets you share resume/cv on Twitter. With using Twitres, you can publish your resume on twitter in seconds. Log-in with your Twitter account, upload your resume and tweet your resume link.
Why are people willing to spend thousands on Coach bags, Apple iPods, Motorola handphones, and other such "branded" goods? That is the power of branding. Branded goods are in demand, and people will pay a premium for them, because they carry with them a promise of consistently high quality and value – and keep that promise.
However, branding isn't just for products anymore. Cultivating your personal career brand – your reputation - can help to make you a more attractive and sought-after employee or job candidate. Explore some key tactics of building your own personal brand to achieve success in your chosen career.
Maximize your experience Your experience and accomplishments form the basis of your brand. Start by taking some time to plan and focus on what you want your brand to be. Then review your past accomplishments and determine how they fit into your personal brand. Find out if there are areas where you need to improve, and take up new and challenging assignments at work – or consider freelancing and consulting - to gain the required experience. Students can pursue internships in related fields.
Fill in any knowledge gaps Education is necessary for success in many careers. You may find that in order to get your brand to where you want it, you need more training or education. Although it may initially make demands on your time and money, education definitely pays off in the long run. Find out if your company provides any benefits that will at least partially pay for you to further your education. Also, seek out opportunities around your company to attend seminars and other career-enhancing training courses.
Become an expert in your field Expertise lends credibility to your career brand. Write articles that showcase your knowledge and contribute to trade journals within your industry as well as the mass media. Volunteer to give presentations and speeches at meetings and conferences to make yourself a familiar face around your company and industry.
As more and more people are turning to the Internet to find information, maintaining a professional blog to publish your writings and presentations online is a good way to build credibiltiy that can extend offline as well.
Promote yourself How have companies like Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Nike built world-class brands that rise above their many competitors? Advertising. You can have the most amazing brand, but if no one knows about it, you won't get very far. You are your own best promoter, so make the most of yourself.
The most important self-promotion item you have is your resume. Make sure your resume reflects your most current accomplishments, skills and education, as well as any awards and accolades that you've earned. Consider creating a Facebook or Myspace to post your resume, mission statement, and achievements online and create an Internet presence for yourself; don't overlook this valuable opportunity to reach a worldwide audience.
Word of mouth is one of the most important keys to building your personal brand. Maintain good contact with your network of friends, colleagues, clients, and former bosses, and keep them informed of your recent successes. Don't forget to seek out network-building opportunities as well - join professional associations and reputable online communities to expand your network of contacts.
Also, don't forget to promote yourself at work by being a star performer. However, never depend solely on your boss to keep track of your accomplishments. Make sure you keep your own records of your achievements and have the up-to-date list ready at every performance review. Also, look out for opportunities throughout the year to remind your boss - and his or her boss(es) - of your successes.
Conclusion Once you have built your brand, make sure to keep working on strengthening it. As management guru Tom Peters states in his book The Brand You 50: Or: Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an "Employee" into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!: “We are the CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc.” Everyone is a "Me, Inc." in the making, so you'll always need to stay ahead of the competition. The stronger you make your brand, the more success you'll gain in your current and future career.
Good news for those who are disabled due to occupational injuries.The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will soon launch a programme called "Return To Work"
A form of rehabilitation training, Socso members would be retrained for new employment opportunities apart from being provided with other support.
“This way we will also be able to change their mindset to not depend solely on their Socso disability pension,” said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam according to the media report.
Dr Subramaniam said participants of the programme would receive a monthly allowance of RM500 for bachelors, and RM800 for those with families and dependants.
The report also noted taht Socso has appointed 10 case managers to carry out the programme and to study each participant’s case.
Career fairs all have one common theme: it's a chance for companies to meet and screen a large volume of potential job candidates. Whether you're a fresh graduate new to the job-search process or a seasoned professional, you would want to strategically position yourself above many of the other job-seekers attending the fair. Keep in mind that career fairs are only just one small part of your entire job search process. However, if managed well, they can actually get you on route to your dream job. By following these strategies, you can improve your odds of not being screened out and should lead to increase your chances of obtaining a second interview. Here is some advice on how to maximize your time at the career fair.
5 Things to Take to the Career Fair
Copies of your resume (20 to 30 depending on the size of the event). Be sure it represents your knowledge, skills, and abilities effectively. Bring at least two for each company for which you have an interest in. If you have multiple interests or job objectives, make sure you bring enough of each version of your resume. You should also bring versions of your resumes that can be scanned.
A smile, a strong handshake, and a positive attitude. First impressions are vital. Approach an employer, smile, and offer your hand when you introduce yourself.
A 30-second promo line. Hand the recruiter a copy of your resume and be prepared to expand on it real quick! Share basic information about yourself and your career interests and it should go something like this: "Hello, I'm Shirley. I'm a senior here at Genius University and I'm majoring in English. I'm very interested in a marketing career. As you can see on my resume, I've just completed an internship in the Marketing Division of the DB Company in KL. I've also taken some courses in business marketing and I'm very interested to talk to you about marketing opportunities with your organization."
Information about the participating organizations. Gather all necessary information about the company and the job you desire. To maximize the brief time you have with each employer, you need to know how your skills and interests match their needs. And don't just concentrate on the heavyweights. There are often great opportunities with companies which you are not familiar with.
Energy and strategy! Career fairs require you to be on your feet moving from table to table for an hour or so. Each time you meet someone, be at your best, as refreshed as possible. You also need to devise a strategy or plan of attack for the fair. We suggest meeting with your top choices first thing in the morning, interviewing with your other choices in the middle of the day, and returning to your top choices at the end of the day to thank them again for their time.
5 Things Not to Do at the Career Fair
Don't cruise the booths with a group of friends. Interact with the recruiters on your own. Make your own positive impression!
Don't carry your backpack, large purse, or other belongings with you. Carry your resume in a professional-looking folder or in a small briefcase. It will keep your resume neat and handy, and give you a place to file business cards of recruiters you meet.
Don't under dress. Conservative business attire is essential. Know what the expected attire of your profession is and dress accordingly because a career fair is a professional activity--perhaps your first contact with a future employer.
Don't wing it with employers. Do your homework! Research the companies just as you would for an interview. You'll be able to tell on why you want to work for the organization and what you can do for them.
Don't turn up late, especially during the last half hour of the event. Some employers may have come a long distance to attend the fair and may need to leave early. If you come late, you may miss the organizations you wanted to contact!
5 Things to Take Home From the Career Fair
Business cards from the recruiters you have met. Use the cards to write follow-up notes to those organizations which interest you the most because career fairs are all about networking. You can also network with your fellow job-seekers in terms of sharing information about job leads.
Notes about contacts you made. Take paper and pen with you to write down important details about particular organizations, including names of people who may not have business cards. Take a few minutes after you leave each table to jot down these notes.
Information about organizations you have contacted. Most recruiters will have information for you to pick up, including company brochures, CDs, position descriptions, and other data. You won't have time to deal with these at the fair!
A better sense of your career options. If you have used the event correctly, you will have made contact with several organizations that hire people with your skills and interests. In thinking about their needs and your background, evaluate whether each company might be a match for you.
Self-confidence in interacting with employer representatives. A career fair should have given you ample opportunity to practice your interview skills in a less formidable environment rather than a formal interview.
So gear yourselves up and come to the fair -- prepared! Your dream job may just be right there.
The Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (Liam) said today that all the 16 life insurance companies under its association will pay claims arising from deaths and hospitalisation due to influenza A (H1N1), The Sun newspaper reported.
"Even though a majority of the medical policies carry exclusion on communicable diseases requiring quarantine by law, life insurers are responding to an immediate need of the nation in light of the increasing number of people who have been infected," the paper quoted a statement.
It said, however, that insurers would continue to monitor the situation and would inform policy holders of any change in decision.
The General Insurance Association of Malaysia (Piam) said the health coverage and policies varied among insurance companies.
"It depends on the companies whether to include Influenza A(H1N1) in their policy. We cannot force them to change their policies," Piam technical advisor Tan Eng Leong said.
According to the Piam website, health policies generally do not exclude hospitalisation treatment for infections or communicable diseases like H1N1.
"However, some policies do expressly exclude cover for communicable diseases requiring quarantine by law. This means that if H1N1 is classified as a communicable disease requiring quarantine by law in Malaysia, then the policy would not cover such medical expenses," he said.
Malaysian Medical Association president Dr David Quek Kwang Leng urged insurers to be more magnanimous and empathetic under such crises.
If you are disabled and if you have registered with online Disabled Placement System (SPOKU), chances of getting a job is good.
This was based on the announcement by Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan who said 78 percent of 10,802 disabled registered SPOKU have found jobs with the government and private sector.
"Some RM12.5 million of the RM22 million allocated to help the disabled under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) had been given to 328 recipients since 2007," she told reporters after opening a study and work-from-home programme here Thursday, according to the Bernama news agency.
Maznah said the business encouragement aid scheme for the disabled was a strategy by the government to help develop their business.
According to the report, the aid was given to those with five types of disability namely physical handicap, blind, deaf, mental and also midgets.
The Welfare Services Department would give RM2,700 to the disabled just starting their business before the aid arrived.
She said those who had proven their business ability would be given grants of RM10,000-RM100,000.
Good trend amongst companies in Malaysia, its more about retaining staff than retrenchment. The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) said 66% of the 306 companies it surveyed were willing to retain their workers during the current challenging economic situation, reported Sinchew Daily.
According to ACCCIM’s 2009 Malaysia First Half Year Economy Report, this shows a 14% increase in companies willing to keep their workers compared with the second half of last year.
The daily quoted its economic survey panel head Datuk Chua Tia Guan as saying that the economy continued to decline due to government policies, operating costs, higher prices of raw materials and lower local and global demand in the first half of the year.
ACCCIM, which received 306 replies from the 699 questionnaires sent out said 85% of the respondents were small and medium enterprises specialising in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, business services and construction.
Calling all the jobless graduates there, or at least those who are interested to wear blue uniform and fight crime.
According to newsreports, the Home Ministry is calling on all unemployed graduates to become auxiliary cops to combat crime.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the Government was willing to consider special allowances for jobless graduates to serve as law enforcers until they secured better jobs.
The report noted that those who had served would be offered positions in the police force if they felt it was their calling to become law enforcer.
Hishammuddin was also quoted as sayin that the ministry was willing to listen to suggestions from the graduates on the types of policing task that they preferred to focus on.
He added that the ministry would increase the presence of tourist police in popular destinations throughout the country.
Just when we thought women are now on par with men competing in the upper league when it comes to career, in comes a less pleasant news.
Yes, it seems the number of women in top posts is falling. And this news came from none other than our Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who said women were under-represented at the decision-making levels of public-listed companies.
“The percentage of women who are members of boards of directors declined from 9.9% in 2004 to 6.1% in 2008,” he said in his keynote address at the Women’s Summit 2009 yesterday, according to The Star newspaper..
He said that women only held 12% of top positions in government-linked companies.
The report also quoted him as saying that it was important for women to continue to play a role in the country’s socio-economic development.
“The cost of women’s exclusion is too high for us to bear. Gender justice and women em powerment are not only essential to our economic development but also a great leap forward in nation building,” he said.
Not especially a nice sounding news when H1N1 is raging everywhere. The health ministry is looking to hire private doctors in government hospital as apparently they are experiencing shortage.
The Star newspaper quoted Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican as saying that the ministry would ensure private doctors were given deserving salaries and promised that their admission into public hospitals would take as fast as two weeks.
“The private doctors can work based on contract or sessions. They can work two weeks in a private hospital and spend the rest of the month in a government hospital. It would be like putting one leg in the public hospital and the other in a private hospital,” he said.
He added that the ministry had started advertising since last week to rope in more private medical practitioners.
Social Security Organisation (Socso) has been around for so long and even then there are empoyers who seemed to be in denial about their existence. Or at least about RM100,000 worth of denial last month.
As a matter of fact, that was the amount the organisation collected in compounds last month from employers who failed to register their employees with the organisation.
Socso senior general manager Dr Mohamed Azman Aziz Mohamed was quoted in the media reports as saying that during the nationwide operation against errant employers, 431 out of 1,455 employers screened did not register their eligible employees. He said they were compounded RM500 for each unregistered employee.
“We want to raise awareness among employers on the importance of registering their workers with us to ensure that their welfare is taken care of,” he said.
Good. Let's hope there will be more such operations.
Even in these days where we communication mainly by e-mail or SMS, the first contact a customer has with your company is often through the good old telephone.
Make sure it's not the last with these eight simple etiquette tips.
Answer the phone within 3 rings Answer on the first ring if possible. If you don't answer fast enough, your caller may hang up in disgust and call your competitor.
Calm down before you answer the phone This is particularly important if you're having a heated discussion with a colleague or dealing with looming deadlines. Take a deep breath to regain your composure before you pick up the phone.
When you answer the phone, begin with a greeting (Hello/Good morning/Good afternoon) followed by your company name and then identify yourself. E.g. "Good morning, Widgets Inc. Mary Lee speaking."
Starting with "Good morning" or "Hello" starts your conversation on a cordial note, and allows the caller to hear your company name and your name clearly.
Smile when you speak on the phone This may seem odd when the caller can't see you, but it really does make a difference in your tone of voice and your attitude.
If you need to transfer a call, tell the caller who you are transferring them to before putting them on hold Tell the caller the name of the person to whom he or she will be transferred, or at least the name of the department. E.g. "I'll transfer you to Zahara / Sales." If possible, give them that other party's direct number before putting them on hold. Don't just say "Hold on please" and leave them to wonder what's going to happen. Also, accidents do happen and you might get cut off. When they call back they will be able to dial or ask for that other person directly.
Use the mute button wisely Most modern telephone systems have a mute button. Make sure you know how to use it. When you need to transfer a call or if you need to put the caller on hold to look up something, make sure to push that mute button; don't just put your hand over the mouthpiece. You never know what might happen that you won't want a caller to overhear.
Don't keep them on hold forever Never keep a caller on hold for longer than 20 seconds. Even if you haven't found the answer for them, check every 15 seconds or so to make sure they're still on the line – and to let them know that you're still on the line. Nothing turns off a potential customer faster than thinking that they've been forgotten.
Hang up last When winding up a call, make sure the caller hangs up before you hang up. He or she may think of something to ask at the last moment, and you don't want to risk leaving them talking to a dial tone!
Still very cautious, that’s the attitude out there in US, though the economy is showing some ease.
U.S. employers who have cut jobs over the past year are in no hurry to start hiring again just because the recession is tapering off, reports wired news service AP.
It noted that from a North Carolina machine maker to an Oregon heating-and-cooling company, small business owners say they need to see several months of rising sales before they start adding staff.
“Because labor is the biggest expense for most companies, that kind of caution is typical at the end of recessions.
“After the last one, in 2001, unemployment kept rising and didn't peak until June 2003 - 19 months into the economic recovery,” the report said.
It also noted that some economists say unemployment may not return to healthy levels until 2013.
“Companies have been slashing workers' hours, squeezing more work out of the employees who are left and relying on cheaper temporary staffers to fill the gaps,” AP reported.
A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits (phone numbers).
The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:
Boy: "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): "I already have someone to cut my lawn."
Boy: "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." Woman: I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.
Boy: (with more perseverance): "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida." Woman: No, thank you.
With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.
Store Owner: "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job." Boy: "No thanks,
Store Owner: But you were really pleading for one. Boy: No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to!"
It's heartening to note that companies is doing a humane favour when cutting cost, but not letting the people go.
A media report quoted SMI Association of Malaysia as saying that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) spending on the information communication technology (ICT) is expected to drop this year.
The organisation's ICT bureau chairman Lee Hwee Hsiung said ICT spending was expected to fall this year due to the current economic crisis; SMEs might choose to cut down their ICT spending as a way to reduce their operating cost.
“However, SMEs will continue to spend on ICT as they need it to enhance their business operation. They will do so in a more cautious way,” he told the Star newspaper.
The report also quoted him saying that the ICT spending was expected to grow gradually from next year onwards when the market started to pick up.
“ICT is important in enhancing companies’ operations but a lot of companies do not emphasise this area due to the capital problem as the prices of some ICT products are really high,” he said
What more satisfying way to retain workers than increasing the wages. This was exactly the message from the Human Resources Ministry.
Its minister urged the industry players to do just that, mainly to retain the local workforce.
In a report by The Star newspaper, he said the reason why many Malaysians sought jobs outside the country was because of the low wages being offered.
“How can we expect people to want to work for eight hours for only RM500?” he was quoted in the reports today.
Dr Subramaniam said even with overtime payments, the monthly wages would come up to between RM800 and RM900.
“We have to understand that our workers have responsibilities such as a family to take care of and house and car loans to pay,” he said.
In the report, Dr Subramaniam said local industries should realise that the Government was trying to reduce the number of foreign workers and should help by paying fair wages.
The "Tell me about yourself" question is probably as old as dinosaurs but it is also one of the toughest questions to be asked as well. There is no one absolutely right answer to the question, because being an open-ended question, no one could say that you've answered wrongly.
However, in the context of an interview, it would be wiser to conform to the expected answers to the question, as required by the interviewers. All questions are asked with an underlying purpose, because in an interview, time is of essence. No one wants to be wasting time asking silly questions or questions that do not give them any vital information about yourself, unless it's intended for ice-breaking.
"Tell me about yourself" is designed to let you reveal information about your personal achievements, your strong points, your character and how you can actually contribute to the company. This question actually lets you preview your best side to the interviewer, as you will subsequently go on to expand on your answer in the following questions asked by the interviewer.
When asking that question, interviewers are not expecting you to tell them a long-winded story about your life. They need you to tell them the highlights of your career, be it academic or working life. Being extremely interested in singing, and explaining that you often spend your free time unwinding at the karaoke stations in town with a bunch of your friends is not going to help the prospective employer analyse any strong positive points about you that could be converted for the benefits of the company.
Give them the milestones in your life whereby you have managed to overcome some huge obstacles in your life, or have accomplished some major project that could have changed the lives of people around you. Give them something stunning and outstanding about you that would make them want to rope you in to work with them. Tie your achievements to the needs of the company hiring because that would ultimately be what interviewers are looking for-how you could fit in into his team of people and what you could contribute for the company.
But please be prepared to expand on your answers because you are not helping things if you merely slap the interviewer with just a one-sentence answer, such as, "I'm really good with my words.". The next thing that would inevitably pop out in the interviewer's mind would be, "And.?". You need to justify your answers and not leave the interviewer with more question marks concerning you. You could probably say, "I'm really good with my words because I'm really passionate about language and linguistics. I could come up with write-ups or stories really fast, and I could even adjust the tone of my writings to the client's needs, which makes me really versatile with my words."
At times, interviewers may also help you along the way, after having asked this question. But don't be too dependent on it because it may leave the interviewer with the impression that you are not well-prepared.
This, being one of the first questions usually asked during interviews is definitely your best shot at marketing yourself to the prospective employers, because it is the time when you have full control of what comes out of your mouth. Use the opportunity wisely and you may have just talked your way to employment with the company.
That's a big number and its not impossible says our prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Why? He just lauched the country'sfirst Special Economic Zone (SEZ),
The new economic zone is expected to generate investments worth RM90bil and create 220,000 new jobs by 2020, says media reports today.
The Prime Minister was quoted in the report as saying the SEZ was expected to contribute more job opportunities and yields compared with the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).
The SEZ covers an area of 3,875 sq km from Kerteh in Terengganu to Pekan and Gambang in Pahang.
Najib said the ECER SEZ was part of a new economic model designed by the Government that promises a fairer distribution of wealth and growth to be enjoyed by all.
“One of the projects identified is the Kuantan Port which will get a massive face-lift. Its current annual cargo bulk is expected to increase from 16.8 million metric tonnes to 30 million metric tonnes by 2020.
“It will involve construction of additional berths and wave breakers that will see the port becoming the main entry and exit point for the export and import of goods,” he was quoted as saying.
How have the year been so far? How has the economic uncertainties affected you and your career?
JobsDB is conducting monthly surveys and we will be very pleased if you can spare a few minutes to participate in this month’s survey on the economic certainty and how it has affected the job seekers. Thanks for your co-operation. Click the link below to start!
According to reports today, The global economy is expected to be back on track by early next year, said former World Bank economist and bond market expert Ismail Dalla.
“The world economy is in a recovery mode,” he said, adding that his outlook analysis was based primarily on the World Bank’s latest forecast for a positive growth of 2.8% in the world economy by the last quarter of 2010.
In the report, he cautioned that “despite some signs of recovery due largely to the amount of money being pumped into the US economy, interest rates will remain low and unemployment will remain high for some time to come.”
"Commenting on the development of the domestic bond market, Dalla, now a visiting professor at the School of Business, George Washington University in the US, noted that Malaysia had the largest corporate bond market as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in the world last year, surpassing that of the US and South Korea," the report said.
He also applauded Malaysia’s efforts in developing a healthy and robust local currency bond market and the recent proposal to create a private pension fund as an alternative to the Employees Provision Fund (EPF).
Or at least that's what Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the prime minister wants. She said Local authorities and those in the flower business need to play a bigger role in instilling a love for flowers and garden.
“Local authorities and other related agencies should come up with programmes and activities to promote an interest among the public to seek business opportunities in the field,” she said during the launch of the Putrajaya Flower and Garden Fiesta 2009 (Floria 09) here, according to media reports.
This is the second time Putrajaya Corporation is organising the biennial event themed “A Celebration of Colours”. It will be held until Aug 10.
The nine-day fiesta boasts of over 400,000 exhibits including flowers and vegetables. So, go on there and you may find yourself ideas for business ventures.
With so much going on in the country, we forgot some of pertinent issues like one concerning Indonesian maid. As readers might know, Indonesia temporarily banned its citizens from coming to wrok here as maids.
Well, the Human Resource ministry announced that it is pushing to resolve the Indonesian maid issue by the end of next month.
Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam was quoted in reports as saying that the Malaysia-Indonesia joint working group on maids was expected to meet next month to discuss lifting the temporary maid ban imposed by Indonesia on June 26.
“We will try to resolve the maid issue by the end of August. We want a fair solution for both maids and employers,” he told reporters yesterday.
According to the reports, the upcoming meeting is also expected to review the memorandum of understanding between the two countries on maids to ensure better protection and wage structure.
A meeting was supposed to be held on July 15 but was postponed by Indonesia, he said.
Most of the time, potential job candidates are not aware of the mistakes they make before and during the interview. These small mistakes that might cost them a job.
Running Late Without Notice Turning up late for the interview and never calling to say you are running late will not give a good impression to your potential employer. If you are running late, do inform your interviewer and apologize that you are running late and ask if it is possible for you to attend the interview a little bit late or just request for the interview to be rescheduled if that is not possible.
Of course, the worst that could happen which could quash your employment chances is your attitude when you do not even bother to turn up at an interview without calling.
Lack of Preparation Preparation for an interview includes:
Research on the background of the company
Bring along an extra copy of your resumé and relevant supporting documents, just in case
Be prepared with the answers for possible common interview questions
Rehearse on your speech, clarity, confidence, etc. prior to the interview
In the event that you are required to attend an interview at short notice and you applied for a job with no company description stated in the ad, keep your cool and ask questions during the interview to know more about the company.
It is recommended that you carry an extra copy of your resumé in your working bag just in case you are called for a job interview during your lunch/tea break at short notice.
Lack of Confidence/Over Confidence Lack of confidence could be perceived by potential employers as your lack of preparation; being nervous could also be giving the impression that you are trying to cover something or is lying. Being over confident may turn interviewers off as you may be viewed as being too big-headed or you may be viewed as a braggart who talks more than you deliver.
Talking Too Much It is not wise to talk too much and fail to listen and understand the questions asked. Listen carefully to answer the questions asked, be clear and concise in your answers to show that you understood the question and are not just rambling for the sake of talking. Be specific and respond directly to the questions asked. Be careful with your selection of words and think before you say anything to decide if what you are going to say is necessary or appropriate.
Inappropriate Dressing Avoid revealing clothes or being underdressed - stick to conventional dressing, i.e. mono colours and minimal accessories.
Body Language Avoid weak or too strong handshakes, minimal or almost no eye contact with the interviewer and slouching when seated. Keep a straight back when seated and refrain from fidgeting or shaking your legs, twitching your nose, biting your nails or other signs that showed your nervousness. Take a deep breath to remain calm and be aware of your body language. Your body language tells your interviewers more about you than your speech.
Criticising or Slating Your Previous Employers/Company/Colleagues or Complaining About Your Day No one likes a person who complains, keep in mind that it is not a recommended icebreaker. You are being interviewed to promote yourself as the best possible candidate for the post, not to criticise others or complain about the train/car that broke down on your way to the interview.
Lying or Concealing Information Never attempt to lie or cover up any vital information, no matter how important you thought it was for you to conceal the information. You may land the job but how long it will be before you are found out?
Failing to Ask Questions Ask questions to show that you are interested in the job, lack of enthusiasm is a killer of your chances of employment.
Money Talk Never bring up talk on salary at the beginning of the interview. Only talk about salary or your employment package, i.e. remuneration, benefits, etc. when the interviewer asks you or the matter has not been brought up and the interview is near its end.
32% of employees who have a cold try to look busy but don't get much work done.
More than 80% of college students admit that they would cheat to get a job.
An employee who spends just one hour a day surfing the Internet when they should be working could cost the employer RM3,300 a year in lost working time.
More than 95% of professional career networks have a complete listing of the best jobs in Malaysia.
