Career On The Globe

Happy New Year UTP-ans!!!

2010-01-03T10:26:00.004+08:00

Hello There!!!

Happy New Year 2010!!

I like new year every year, because it give me an excuse to start everything new. Growth process (which is what life is) need constant renewal. That is how we can maintain the dynamic of life.

Soon when you graduate, do keep yourself abreast with the latest technology. Dont get stuck with the the knowledge you learn in during uni time.

Its what you start today will determine wheather you will smile or grip your teeth in regret on 31 Dec 2010.

Start fresh, start strong,start determined.Yourself need you!

Happy New Year,

Kak Sholihah

Jakarta

Work Performance

2009-10-18T23:33:00.010+08:00

How you will be measured?

You will be measured by results.

Strings of excuses why the objective is not achieved has no place in work place.

Let me share with you a secret; boss knows if what you tell him is merely an excuse eventhough he looks like he belives what you said!Trust me.

Keep your personal integrity intact by keeping your dicipline in life in control. Personal diciplines tie tightly to your work dicipline.

So from now, even you are still in uni, do train yourself good self dicipline. Simple example, doing things on time, avoid late nights and have good health habits. It will pay in long run.

Good luck and take care!

Kak Sholihah

Jakarta

Developing the Right Attitude in Working

2009-08-08T20:52:00.010+08:00

I was thrilled when Aishah from UTP invite me to contribute to CPW blog. As I passed the busy traffic of Jakarta on my way to work, my mind keep wandering what shall be the topic.

It was after a brisk walk this afternoon when a topic pops into my mind. Hmmm..I would like to start on sharing my ideas on developing the right attitude with your career.

Take work as a worship (ibadah). Work life is like a garden for us to play where we can have fun in learning, improving ourself and in return getting a reward (pay check la kan). In return, work enable us to contribute to larger ground ( family, our love ones, community and nation). Work is like an instrument for us to become a better person. So, take all the work challange, problem faced with a non-performing collegues for example or tough inquiry from client and other forms of challenge as part of the learning process. At the end of the day what we want is to be a better person. ..career wise and personal wise.

Career Chemistry: The Best Jobs for Six Personality Types

2009-07-27T07:59:00.002+08:00

By Marty Nemko

When seeking your true love, you had better look for someone with a compatible personality. The same thing is true when choosing your career. As part of its Best Careers guide, U.S. News has selected the top careers for each of six personality types. Sure, everybody's an individual, but researchers have observed that most people have certain characteristics that can be grouped into a small number of categories. We've used the methodology developed by respected career psychologist John Holland, who identifies six general types of people. For each, we've selected careers—both white-and blue-collar—with good job availability and respectable pay, in fields that offer psychological satisfaction and reasonable quality of life. Most people will recognize themselves in at least one of these categories:

Realistic, hands-on people tend to be practical and straightforward. They like to work with concrete objects. Careers compatible with this personality type: electrician, orthodontist, surgical technologist, biomedical engineer.

Investigative people are analytical, intellectual, and scientific. Typically, they like to gather a lot of information before making decisions. And they question ideas that aren't backed up by rational data. Compatible careers: professor, software developer, physician's assistant, veterinarian, librarian.

Artistic people are creative and imaginative, as you might expect. But they can also be strong problem solvers, since they bring an intuitive mindset that complements the more rational approach others might offer. Compatible careers: landscape architect, graphic designer, director or producer, interior designer, editor.

Social people often end up in "helping" professions where attributes like patience, empathy, and generosity make a difference. They're often strong team players good at achieving consensus. Compatible careers: school psychologist, mediator, nurse, physical therapist, social worker. Enterprising people are competitive, energetic extroverts. They often end up as entrepreneurs or group leaders, and prefer to delegate the pieces of a project while focusing on the big picture. Compatible careers: executive, financial manager, sales rep, sales manager.

Conventional people, also described as orderly, are somewhat misnamed. They're not necessarily bland, though they do tend to be reserved, careful, and efficient. These are the folks who handle all the details that keep the trains running on time. Compatible careers: accountant, actuary, financial planner, technical writer, building inspector.

This system for categorizing personality types obviously isn't perfect. Many people, for instance, are an amalgam of two or three different types. A few people might feel they don't fit into any of these categories. But whatever your attributes and idiosyncrasies, the odds of finding a fulfilling career are greater if you match your job to your personality. That's why, under each entry, we've also included additional resources for folks who want to do more research. It may not be as easy as jumping at the first opportunity that comes along. But most people probably wouldn't marry their first dates, either.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/070719/19careers.intro.htm

FORTUNE 500

2009-07-19T18:20:00.004+08:00

Entering career world in tough enough, but to survive in it is tougher. Effective and proactive employee must really work hard and most importantly smart! One most important aspect is keep update about the changes in the industry around them especially during the economic depression recently. This current economic depression forces every company to be cautions and changes is vital to survive. World had witness few financial incident in the last few months and this much effects on companies ranking and reputation. This various changes had much affected the ranking of companies in the world ranking. One of the most popular is ranking by FORTUNE magazine.

FORTUNE is managed by CNNMoney.com which brought the world the latest news in business area. FORTUNE is most popular by its FORTUNE 500 which is an annual ranking of companies around the world. The ranking varies from Top Industries, CEOs, Most Profitable, Biggest Employees, Fastest Growing and many more which are supported with financial data and evidence. This ranking is vital in determining company’s reputation besides one of most important elements in building corporate images. Good reputation can bring many benefits towards companies such as give a clear indication of company performance to investors and give a good impression towards customers. The full list of FORTUNE ranking is available on their website >>click on the image above<<

As a students and new employee, the information is very beneficial for us to understand the industry and keep update about the changes in the business world. You also can include some of information you gained from the sites during your job interview. This will show the interviewer that you are well informed and alert about the industry. Certainly it will bring a good impression for you!!

What is Resume/Curicular Vitae (CV) ?

2009-07-14T13:20:00.000+08:00

A resume/CV is a brief, concise document that presents, and effectively sells, your most relevant and positive credentials for employment, admission to graduate school, consideration for a scholarship or fellowship, or other professional purpose. It is more too extensive document used by those with graduate education who are pursuing positions in academia or research.

An employer will usually spend 15 to 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so the content of your resume must be clear, concise, and targeted to the type of job for which you are applying. If your resume has a typo or grammatical error, it will probably jump off the page to an employer, and this is a way to weed you out of a candidate pool. Your resume may be the only chance you get to make an impression, so make it a good one.

Resume Writing Tips

2009-07-14T13:19:00.000+08:00

Having a solid and effective resume can greatly improve your chances of landing that dream job. That is beyond discussion. How does one make sure that his resume is top notch and bullet proof, however? There are several websites with tips around the web, but most bring just a handful of them. We wanted to put them all together in a single place, and that is what you will find below

1. Know the purpose of your resume

Some people write a resume as if the purpose of the document was to land a job. As a result they end up with a really long and boring piece that makes them look like desperate job hunters. The objective of your resume is to land an interview, and the interview will land you the job (hopefully!).

2. Back up your qualities and strengths

Instead of creating a long (and boring) list with all your qualities (e.g., disciplined, creative, problem solver) try to connect them with real life and work experiences. In other words, you need to back these qualities and strengths up, else it will appear that you are just trying to inflate things.

3. Make sure to use the right keywords

Most companies (even smaller ones) are already using digital databases to search for candidates. This means that the HR department will run search queries based on specific keywords. Guess what, if your resume doesn’t have the keywords related to the job you are applying for, you will be out even before the game starts.

These keywords will usually be nouns. Check the job description and related job ads for a clue on what the employer might be looking for. You can read more about resume keywords on the article Tapping the Power of Keywords to Enhance Your Resume’s Effectiveness.

4. Use effective titles

Like it or not, employers will usually make a judgment about your resume in 5 seconds. Under this time frame the most important aspect will be the titles that you listed on the resume, so make sure they grab the attention. Try to be as descriptive as possible, giving the employer a good idea about the nature of your past work experiences. For example:

· Bad title: Accounting

· Good title: Management of A/R and A/P and Recordkeeping

5. Proofread it twice

It would be difficult to emphasize the importance of proofreading your resume. One small typo and your chances of getting hired could slip. Proofreading it once is not enough, so do it twice, three times or as many as necessary. If you don’t know how to proofread effectively, here are 8 tips that you can use.

6. Use bullet points

No employer will have the time (or patience) to read long paragraphs of text. Make sure, therefore, to use bullet points and short sentences to describe your experiences, educational background and professional objectives.

7. Where are you going?

Including professional goals can help you by giving employers an idea of where you are going, and how you want to arrive there. You don’t need to have a special section devoted to your professional objectives, but overall the resume must communicate it. The question of whether or not to highlight your career objectives on the resume is a polemic one among HR managers, so go with your feeling. If you decide to list them, make sure they are not generic.

8. Put the most important information first

This point is valid both to the overall order of your resume, as well as to the individual sections. Most of the times your previous work experience will be the most important part of the resume, so put it at the top. When describing your experiences or skills, list the most important ones first.

9. Attention to the typography

First of all make sure that your fonts are big enough. The smaller you should go is 11 points, but 12 is probably safer. Do not use capital letters all over the place, remember that your goal is to communicate a message as fast and as clearly as possible. Arial and Times are good choices.

10. Do not include “no kidding” information

There are many people that like to include statements like “Available for interview” or “References available upon request.” If you are sending a resume to a company, it should be a given that you are available for an interview and that you will provide references if requested. Just avoid items that will make the employer think “no kidding!”

11. Explain the benefits of your skills

Merely stating that you can do something will not catch the attention of the employer. If you manage to explain how it will benefit his company, and to connect it to tangible results, then you will greatly improve your chances.

12. Avoid negativity

Do not include information that might sound negative in the eyes of the employer. This is valid both to your resume and to interviews. You don’t need to include, for instance, things that you hated about your last company.

13. Achievements instead of responsibilities

Resumes that include a long list of “responsibilities included…” are plain boring, and not efficient in selling yourself. Instead of listing responsibilities, therefore, describe your professional achievements.

14. Go with what you got

If you never had any real working experience, just include your part time jobs or volunteer work. If you don’t have a degree yet, mention the title and the estimated date for completion. As long as those points are relevant to the job in question, it does not matter if they are official or not.

15. Sell your fish

Remember that you are trying to sell yourself. As long as you don’t go over the edge, all the marketing efforts that you can put in your resume (in its content, design, delivery method and so on) will give you an advantage over the other candidates.

16. Don’t include irrelevant information

Irrelevant information such as political affiliation, religion and sexual preference will not help you. In fact it might even hurt your chances of landing an interview. Just skip it.

17. Get someone else to review your resume

Even if you think you resume is looking kinky, it would be a good idea to get a second and third opinion about it. We usually become blind to our own mistakes or way of reasoning, so another people will be in a good position to evaluate the overall quality of your resume and make appropriate suggestions.

18. Use action verbs

A very common advice to job seekers is to use action verbs. But what are they? Action verbs are basically verbs that will get noticed more easily, and that will clearly communicate what your experience or achievement were. Examples include managed, coached, enforced and planned. Here you can find a complete list of action verbs divided by skill category.

19. Update your resume regularly

It is a good idea to update your resume on a regular basis. Add all the new information that you think is relevant, as well as courses, training programs and other academic qualifications that you might receive along the way. This is the best way to keep track of everything and to make sure that you will not end up sending an obsolete document to the employer.

20. Mention who you worked with

If you have reported or worked with someone that is well known in your industry, it could be a good idea to mention it on the resume. The same thing applies to presidents and CEOs. If you reported to or worked directly with highly ranked executives, add it to the resume.

21. No scattered information

Your resume must have a clear focus. If would cause a negative impression if you mentioned that one year you were studying drama, and the next you were working as an accountant. Make sure that all the information you will include will work towards a unified image. Employers like decided people.

22. Make the design flow with white space

Do not jam your resume with text. Sure we said that you should make your resume as short and concise as possible, but that refers to the overall amount of information and not to how much text you can pack in a single sheet of paper. White space between the words, lines and paragraphs can improve the legibility of your resume.

23. Lists all your positions

If you have worked a long time for the same company (over 10 years) it could be a good idea to list all the different positions and roles that you had during this time separately. You probably had different responsibilities and developed different skills on each role, so the employer will like to know it.

24. No jargon or slang

It should be common sense, but believe me, it is not. Slang should never be present in a resume. As for technical jargon, do not assume that the employer will know what you are talking about. Even if you are sending your resume to a company in the same segment, the person who will read it for the first time might not have any technical expertise.

25. Careful with sample resume templates

There are many websites that offer free resume templates. While they can help you to get an idea of what you are looking for, do not just copy and paste one of the most used ones. You certainly don’t want to look just like any other candidate, do you?

26. Remove your older work experiences

If you have been working for 20 years or more, there is no need to have 2 pages of your resume listing all your work experiences, starting with the job at the local coffee shop at the age of 17! Most experts agree that the last 15 years of your career are enough.

27. No fancy design details

Do not use a colored background, fancy fonts or images on your resume. Sure, you might think that the little flowers will cheer up the document, but other people might just throw it away at the sight.

28. No pronouns

You resume should not contain the pronouns “I” or “me.” That is how we normally structure sentences, but since your resume is a document about your person, using these pronouns is actually redundant.

29. Don’t forget the basics

The first thing on your resume should be your name. It should be bold and with a larger font than the rest of the text. Make sure that your contact details are clearly listed. Secondly, both the name and contact details should be included on all the pages of the resume (if you have more than one).

30. Consider getting professional help

If you are having a hard time to create your resume, or if you are receiving no response whatsoever from companies, you could consider hiring a professional resume writing service. There are both local and online options are available, and usually the investment will be worth the money.

Source : http://www.dailywritingtips.com/resume-writing-tips/

Tips to Help Make Your Job Interview Successful

2009-07-14T12:37:00.007+08:00

1. Research

Do some homework about the company.Visit the location and company’s website and talk to anyone you might know who works there. What kinds of products or services does the company make or sell? What types of people work there? What are the typical hours this position requires? What are some of the day-to-day tasks that the job involves? These question will help you to determine the general overview about the company.

2. Practice makes Perfect

Practicing out loud for your interview will help you sound more confident and concise and less nervous in the actual interview. List a few key things you want the employer to know about you, and review common interview questions. Find out the answers to those questions and answer them out loud while looking at yourself in the mirror. This will prevent you from rambling in the interview and sounding funny and unsure. It also helps you discover what really does make you the best candidate for the job!

3. Good First Impression.

In any meeting or even dating, first impressions do matter. The best way to ensure a good first impression of the interviewers is to dress smart. If you are interviewing for a job in an office, it is usually best to wear a dark-colored, conservative suit (for both men and women). If you are interviewing for a job where the dress code is more casual (at a factory or a construction site, for example), nice slacks and a collared button-down shirt with a tie for men and a nice dress or blouse and slacks or skirt for women are usually appropriate. Avoid wearing excessive jewelry, perfume, and too fashion clothes.

4. Be prepared of yourself!

Always bear in mind of “dos” and “don’ts” for an interview and not everyone agrees on every aspect of that list. There are, however, some basic “interview etiquette” tips that are important to remember:

- Be on time

- Be aware of your body language

- Keep the interview positive

5. Be prepared to Ask the Interviewer Questions

Employers want to know if you’re truly interested in the position. They also want to know that you have all the information you need to make a decision, if offered the job. It isn’t a good idea to turn the tables and “interview” the interviewer, but it is a good idea to go into the interview with a few questions in mind. This is your chance to ask additional questions about the business, the position, the requirements, and the expectations of the person who will fill the position.

Reference : http://www.employmentguide.com/careeradvice/Interview_Tips.html