How to Find A Mentor

Have you been hearing people saying that if you want to be successful in a certain field, it is important to find the right mentor in that field.

When we were kids, we looked to our parents for guidance. Similarly, a mentor at work can help ou journey to the top easier. Here's are my thoughts on how to find one:

A) Get the right mindset
A mentor is not a career fairy godmother or a babysitter. Your mentor helps you our by providing you with valuable knowledge such as sharing insights into the industry and the company (if you two happened to work in same company), and the politics involved. Armed with such information, it'll be easier for you to react appropriately when any issues arise.

B) Find the right person
Your mentor should be a person whose advice you respect. He or she must be supportive of your career goals and be willing to offer constructive criticism. It's not necessary for your mentor to be your direct boss. He or she can be someone who's more experienced. What's important is that you can communicate freely and both trust each other.

C) Set the right time
Once you have found your mentor, both of you must make the commitment to meet up regularly to assess your career. It does not have to be a weekly thing, it can even be once every two months. If your mentor is someone who works closely with you, then establish an understanding that he free to pull you aside to discuss work-elated matters whenever she sees a need to.

With the above points, i hope you can find the correct mentor to guide you towards your success. Remember not to rush into finding me thou - Find the Correct One!

Rgds
Sean

How to Formally get a Payrise!

Halo,

Been working long in your company? And working double hard to get your Payrise?

Here is some of my thoughts on how to get a Payrise from our boss:

A) Timing is Everything
If you know that the annual review is coming up, be sure to talk to your boss before your pay increases are awarded. If you have just completed a major project or closed an important deal, this will be a good time to strike.

B) Know what you want
Be clear about how much extra money you want - or if you would accept improved terms such as grander title. Do some research to see if your request is realistic for your job scope and experience. Most companies concede to market pressures on salaries so the more data you have on hand, the greater your chances of success. Try browsing the Internet for major recruitment firms (like Kelly Services, etc) which usually provides online salary information.

C) Sell Yourself
Obviously, you would need to prove to your boss why you're deserving a payrise. Make a list of your current responsibilities, Acheievements, Workload and all the positive aspects you've brought to the job. Simply doing your job diligently well is not good enough. That's just what your employer paid you to do so.

D) Confidence is Key
Ultimately, Success will come down to the way you approach your boss. Be confident without being cocky, and be sure to maintain eye contacts and not to fiddle your hair with fingers.

E) Be prepared
Just like all interviews and presentations, Remember to rehearse in your mind how you will open the discussion and be clear about your major points. The way you put foward your case, with logic and without sentiment, and will need to be prepared ahead of time.

Hope the above helps you in your Success.
Cos Your Succcess determines My Success
Sean Chua

Interviewing Skills 101 - Details

Here i am going to share with you on the details on maximizing your chances during a interview session:

A)Getting a Makeover:
You need to get yourself some proper working clothes that spell professionalism. Dont safe and borrrow your brother or sister's clothes unless he/she is the very same size as you. If you are re-entering the workforce, ndont assume that what you wore kast time fits or is in fashion. The same will go for your hair, make-up, shoes and bag. Make sure that they complement the professional look you want to achieve.

B)Come Prepared:
Before you go for the interview, do find out as much as you can about the company's history, organization chart structure, culture and future of the business. Prepare a list of answers to the most common int5erview questions mentally, so that you won't be at a complete loss when these questions pop out. Such questions can be easilly found in books in library. Do bring extra copies of your resume, references, original certificates and testimonials and sample of work you have done, if any.

C)Be Punctual
Give yourself extra time for getting lost, traffic jams, or bad weather. Arriving 10 minutes before your appointment will give you time to ctach your breath, freshen up and gather your thoughts.

D)Make a lasting first impression
The moment you step into the room, the interviewers will be silently evaluating how you can carry yourself, your body language and attire. Greet the interviewers with a hello and a firm handshake. Don't sit until your interviewers offer you a seat. Maintain a confident posture and minimize wild hand gestures and actions.

E)Listen
Keep your ears open during the interview. It can be frustrating for the interviewer to ask questions that are not answered properly. Some interviewers may drop hints about what they think about you in their conversation. If you liestenly attentively, the you can act on it and address their concerns.

F)Ask Questions
Lots of interviewees did not pat attention to this factor. An interview is a fact-finding mission for both you and the interviewers, so dont be afraid to ask questions. It's your chance to fill in any gaps in information and issues that have not been adequeately answered to date. It's also a chance to show off the homeowrk you have done with questions about the company's future and strategies.

G)Say "THANK YOU"
Thank the interviewers for the time spent talking to you with a smile and hand-shake. It's basic courtesy. Ask when they will be making their decisions and if yiu should follow up. Send a thank-you note or email when you get back home.

Hope this helps those that are going for interview soon.

Rgds
Sean Chua

Interviewing Skills 101

You might be fresh out of school or returining back to the workforce after taking a break for your family. Getting the first interview is going to land you into a state of excitement, followed by a period of worry and anxiety.

It is important not to mess up your first interview.
You aim to shine as the most outstanding candidate, but you need to convince the interviewers to hire you.

Here are some things you should do to maximize your chances during interview time:

A) Get a makeover
B) Be Punctual
C) Make a lasting first impression
D) Come prepared
E) Listen
F) Ask questions
G) Say "Thank you"

Above are some of the points that interviewees should take note of.
I will elaborate more of the points in the next few days..
Stay Tuned

Strategic Career Planning 3 - Knowing Yourself

Always Know Yourself first before you find a new job, advancing your current one or even setting specific career goals. Be true to yourself and spend some time making sure that you are very clear about what you really want. You might have to consider the following 4 factors as you go through your inner thoughts:

A) Self-Discovery:
Do reflect your purpose in life. Ask yourself questions like: Why are you here? What do you want your life to be? The best way to achieve fulfillment is to ensure that your career choices reflect your purpose in life.

B) Talents, Interests and Passions:
Identify your talents and abilities. Go list down your skills sets. Think about your specialized knowledge that you have, or include all the things you are good at.

Identify your interests. List down your interests. What stirs up your curiosity? What things do you find fascinating? What other areas would you die to explore if given the opportunity?

Identify your passions. Make a list of all your passions and loves. What gets you excited and passionate about. What have you always wanted to try to do?

C)Identify your Driving Values
Your dricing values will determine what aspects of a jo provide the most motivation and fulfilling. Understanding your driving values can help you make career choices based on what is most important to you. Go list down and prioritise those values. Use the list to assist you to make future career decisions.

D)Strategic Career Plan
Lots of people tends to miss out on this part which is so impt. A strategic plan is essentially a document that combines all the elements of your career goals and it will includes:
- Your purpose statement
- Your vision for the next 3-5 years
- Your values
- Your guiding principles

With these, i hope you will be able to set your effective career goals.

Sean

Presentation Skills - Using Powerpoint

Have you been using Microsoft Powerpoint to help you with your presentations all this while?
Ever wondered how to better make use of powerpoint to make your presentations more interesting, intriguing and your message to be more convincing.

There are actually rules or points that we should observe in order to be effective in our powerpoint presentations. I chance upon a very interesting video that shows Comedian Don McMillan showing "How Not to Use Powerpoint". You can certianly learn something about effective use of powerpoint by observing some of the DO NOTs in powerpoint presentations.

Don McMillan gives a short comedy sketch around Powerpoint presentations and the common mistakes that people make.

Strategic Career Planning 2 - Goal Setting

In order to plan our career, we need to do 2 things i felt. Today i am going to cover the 1st Step.

A) Set you Goals

We spend most of our waking hours working. We go through school preparing for the workforce. But at critical moments, we are stumped! Questions like "Can i spend my time doing thr things I love most? Will i truly feel fulfilled in my careers? Will i realise my dreams? How do i get there?" cross your minds. It certainly crossed mine constantly.

Career goal-setting and work-life balance are not usually taught in school, yet if we don't know our goals and plans the steps we must take to reach them , we could end up somewhere completely different. Setting carrer goals charts a focused plan towards that dream job. It's a powerful motivational process for turning the vision of your ideal career into reality!


If you set clearly-defined short -term and long-term goals, you will be able to measure your progress and eventually achieve personal satisfaction. Your self-confidence will grow as you see your progess - which certainly would be hard to measure if you have not formulated your goals properly. You will become more aware of your abilities, which also boosts your self-esteem.

Tomorrow, then i will share with you on the 2nd thing to do - Knowing Yourself!