10 Most common resume mistakes that could cost you the job

that could cost you the job By Jessintha Nathan Jessintha.nathan@leaderonomics.com Source: myStarjob.com (Saturday 20 July 2013)                google image.www.classycareergirl.com (Wednesday 24 July 2013)                google image.www.raising-redheads.com (Wednesday 24 July 2013)           google image. http://fcsl.edu/blogs/gpi/2013 (Wednesday 24 July 2013)

            

                                                           

10.  Say no to odd fonts Cheesy fonts just scream “I don’t know what I’m doing” to your future employer. Jokerman, Papyrus and Comic Sans are not meant for a resume. These fonts are for festive purposes only. Use fonts like Times Roman and Arial instead. 9.  Overly-decorated resume When you display your resume in an unconventional manner, the employer may assume that the reason why you decorate your resume with ribbons, unnecessary binding and much more is that you are unprofessional. Sometimes being unconventional does not help you to land a job. 8.  Too many details Your resume should only be between one and two pages. The goal is to make your resume short, yet readable for the employer. List only your selling points that are applicable for the job. Leave out details that are not relevant to the job at hand. 7.  No structure A well-written resume leaves a good impression on the employer. It shows attention to detail and can powerfully show the value that you can bring to the company. Be sure that your resume is systematic and rational. 6.  Generic resume It may be easier to send the same resume for every job that you are applying for. But a generic resume won’t show the hiring manager that you are the perfect candidate for the company. Match your achievements with the job’s requirements. Avoid the one-size-fits-all resume. 5.  Weird hobbies Do not put strange hobbies or interests on your resume. There are better ways to show your individuality. You will not get hired if those hobbies have a negative impression to the employer. 4.  Incorrect contact details Be sure your contact details are written correctly. You may think you are not getting phone calls because you are not eligible, but there’s also a possibility that your contact information are wrongly written. Triple-check your resume to ensure that it is perfect. 3.  Immature email address Inappropriate or immature email addresses are a big turn off for employers. They indicate lack of maturity and discipline. Create an email address that is professional to put on your resume. First impressions are very crucial. 2.  Distracting information There is a difference between useful information and too much information. Including certain details may set you apart from other candidates but if it is not relevant to the job you’re applying for, it will become a distraction instead of a positive addition to your resume.

1.  Exaggeration and lies Exaggerating or lying in your resume would definitely bring short and long-term consequences to your career. You are at risk of losing honour and trust. It is never a choice to lie in your resume. The stakes are high when you do that.

You asked and we listened

So we brought the team to Labuan’s very own UMS international Campus

Presenting

DiGi Challenge for Change briefing session

What is it you ask?

 *A search for the best Malaysian ideas to be brought to life *

The theme this year :

"Harnessing the untapped imagination and creativitiy of the nation PLUS internet assisted mass-collaboration with experts and enablers TO bring Malaysians Together, one app at a time"

The areas highlighted are as follows :

1. Discovering together - discovering the diversity of Malaysia together eg transport, travel, holidays, historical and 'makan'
2. Healthier together - Creating ways to improve fitness and health levels together e.g gym locations, forming workout teams, and healthier eating habits
3. Sharing Together - sharing lifestyles tips and activities in our community e.p social & living, best deals, safer and sustainable communities
4. 'working' together - ideas of mobile apps that imporve productivity at work, at home and doing things faster and faster
5. learning together - applications that help learning and organising studies for students of all ages in Malaysia

The prizes : -

Top 5 Ideas

• RM 5,000.00 cash prize each
• Smartphone or tablet with DiGi Smartplan

Prime Minister's Innovation Award

• RM 25,000.00 cash prize
• Award and certificate

Mobile Application Development

• RM 25,000.00 cash prize for development of each top 5 ideas into Apps
• Further marketing and commercial support

Come and join the briefing session at the following :

Date                :           10^th December 2012 (Monday)

Time               :           1430 - 1730

Venue             :           Dewan Utama, Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan

For further information please contact :

1. SSIL                                        : Ms. Nooralisa Mohd. Tuah

2. SPKAL                                    : Mr. Shamsulbahri Mohd. Nasir

3. Pusat Hubungan Industri    : tel – 088320000 ext 1340/1382 emel : pejphi@ums.edu.my

Graduate Marketability Seminar 2012 

Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan

_____________________________

A program to enhance soft skills among students regardless of what year you are in. Don’t believe us? See the outline of the program:-

1. Upgrade Yourself Program

•   Tailored for first and second year to build your soft skills while studying.
•   Improve your communication skills.
•   The six jars to managing your money.
•   Believe in yourself.
•   Surviving skills in campus for a healthy mind pocket and grades.

2. Real Graduates Program

•    Tailored for the final years.
•    Basic guide to planning your career as you transition to working environment.
•    Discover the traits employers seek.
•    Personal grooming & body language.
•    Communicating effectively.

Come and join us, details of the program is as below:

Upgrade Yourself Program

Date                :           8 December 2012

Time               :           0830 – 1700

Venue                        :           Dewan Utama, Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan

Real Graduates Training

Date                :           9 December 2012

Time               :           0830 – 1700

Venue                        :           Dewan Utama, Kampus Antarabangsa Labuan

Any inquiries please contact us at 088-320000 ext. 1340/1382 or email at pejphi@ums.edu.my. 

Practise Values Learnt

THE Reader’s Digest publication placed Kuala Lumpur’s rudeness and inconsiderate behaviour level almost at the bottom of a list of least Courteous Cities – at number 34 out of 36 major cities in the world (The Star, July 24).

Six years ago the same publication placed Malaysia’s rudeness level at 33 out of the 35 countries ranked.
While we are not sure what was the criteria used to do the assessment, the fact that it comes from a reputable publication is a matter that cannot be ignored.

On the contrary, we should be concerned about the findings and address them in the best possible way.
Some of the issues highlighted related to lack of courtesy, smoking in toilets, ignoring signs against smoking, littering in public places, not giving up seats for pregnant women and the elderly, rushing into lifts, trains and buses before allowing passengers to exit.

Other problems include ugly driving habits, poor toilet etiquette, talking loudly on phones even in places where there is supposed to have privacy, not saying “thank you” when assistance is given, and leaving trolleys in parking lots.

Judging from the behaviour and attitude of a large number of Malaysians, I have serious reservations about the effectiveness of the ongoing campaign to promote courtesy among the people and make it a way of life.

Despite our technological progress we are confronted with the issue of decaying morality in our daily lives.

The time has come for all strata of Malaysian society to ask whether they have done enough to ensure the success of the national five-year campaign to promote courtesy and noble values among Malaysians.

Based on my observations, courtesy, politeness, patience, humility, tolerance and respect have yet to become our way of life. Courtesy is very much lacking in large sections of our community.

Emphasising on campaigns to inculcate public courtesy and noble values is very essential in view of the deterioration of such values and virtues particularly among young Malaysians.

Having a campaign to promote courtesy and noble values is important but what is even more essential is to put into practice the values we are helping to promote.

Leadership by example is essential for the success of the campaign. In this connection all ministries, government departments and agencies should instil noble values among their staff.

The civil service, for example, should promote courtesy among counter staff dealing with the public.

Basic civilities and courtesies such as responding to calls and replying to letters from the public must be adhered to by all those in authority.

This should be followed by the private sector and the Malaysian public at large.

The success of any courtesy campaign must start from schools.

In this connection, Moral Education or Pendidikan Moral should be reinforced to emphasise the importance of learning and practising the 36 noble values in schools.

Memorising the values for the sake of passing an exam is certainly not desirable. What we want is to put the noble values into practice in our daily life.

The attainment of vision 2020 will only be meaningful if we are able to inculcate a culture of courtesy and noble values among Malaysians.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Trustee
1Malaysia Foundation

Source: The Star, July 30, 2012

7 Deadly Interview Sins

By Alison Green

 

Alison Green

Having trouble getting job offers? You might be committing one of these seven deadly interview sins:

1. Being late. While occasional lateness may be excused in other situations, it's often a deal-breaker in a job interview. Hiring managers assume that you're on your best behavior while interviewing, so if you aren't on time for the interview, they'll assume you'll be unreliable if they hire you. Always allow more time than you'll need to travel so that you have a buffer in case something goes wrong.

2. Badmouthing a former employer. As tempting as it might be to explain that you left your last job because your boss was crazy or that your previous company was mismanaged and corrupt, sharing these feelings will reflect badly on you. Rightly or wrongly, the interviewing convention is that you don't badmouth a previous employer. Hiring managers are looking for evidence that you know what is and isn't appropriate to say in business situations.

3. Not being prepared with examples that illustrate why you'd excel at the job. If you claim that you excel at strategizing or that you're an innovative genius, but then aren't able to give specific examples of how you've used these skills, interviewers aren't going to give much credence to your claims. Make sure to come to the interview prepared with specific examples from your past that show how you've turned your skills into real accomplishments at work.

4. Telling an off-color joke. Interviewers are scrutinizing you for evidence of what kind of judgment you have. No matter how friendly your interviewer might seem, inappropriate jokes or off-color language have no place in a job interview. You'll call your judgment into question, and will make your interviewer wonder what you'll be like when your guard is down after you have the job.

5. Not asking any questions. You might be spending eight hours a day in this job, at this company, with this manager. Are you sure there's nothing you're wondering about? Interviewers want to know that you're interested in the details of the job, the department in which you'll be working, the supervisor's management style, and the culture of the organization. Otherwise, you're signaling that you're either not that interested or that you just haven't thought much about it. So come prepared with thoughtful, intelligent questions about the work you'd be doing.

6. Sounding bitter. Job-searching is tough, and it's easy to feel discouraged. But if you sound even the tiniest bit bitter or negative about your job search or a previous employer, you'll turn off potential employers and almost guarantee that you won't get offers. No one wants to hire someone who seems angry or resentful.

7. Not being likeable. Interviewers are human and want to work with pleasant people. If you're unfriendly, arrogant, or rude, it won't matter how qualified you are; interviewers won't want to hire you. So be friendly and open, and show genuine interest in the people with whom you're talking. Don't feel you have to hide your personality, or be so formal that you become stiff or impersonal.

Alison Green writes the popular Ask a Manager blog, where she dispenses advice on career, job search, and management issues. She's also the co-author of Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager's Guide to Getting Results, and former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management, hiring, firing, and employee development.

Source: money.usnews

The Art of the Interview

Talking HR with Reza Ghazali

 

IN my last article, I wrote about how executives need to take stock of their career. In this article, I thought I would focus on mastering the art of the interview. I get asked for tips all the time from nervous candidates, and here's what I tell them.

The personal qualities that make you influential inside an organisation, such as social skills, energy, intelligence and the ability to think on your feet, are the same ones that will make you a skilled interviewee.

No matter your level, proving that you have what it takes to handle a job, or develop it into an even bigger one, is a primary goal of the interview. In addition, getting your questions answered, such as how senior leadership sees the role and what worked, and didn't, with the predecessor is equally important.

Research shows that interviewers form an impression of a candidate within the first eight seconds of meeting him or her. The remainder of the interview is spent confirming or turning their opinion around. When managed properly, interviews should include three distinct parts:

1) Establishing trust and rapport with the interviewer,

2) Selling yourself while the interviewer sells the role and company culture, and

 

3) Wrapping up, soliciting real-time feedback, and identifying next steps.

Before an interview, it is advisable to learn as much as possible about the hiring organisation's business, corporate DNA, and key issues. If you are working with an executive recruiter, the pre-interview discussion should be taken very seriously and can provide an early reality check about the hiring organisation. Based on your research, think about what the company is looking for outside the published job specification and how your skills fit.

Anticipate questions you may be asked and practise talking about various experiences both positive and negative in less than three minutes.

Review your own work history for specific situations that might apply to the new role, the action you took, and the results you delivered.

The interview will also probe your strategic and operating skills, personal and interpersonal skills, and what is known as your “learning agility” the ability to apply your experiences in new ways.

Do not be surprised if a company or recruiter asks you to complete an assessment, usually online. 

Assessments enable recruiters to understand how candidates are motivated, make decisions and lead groups. Recruiters will then look for gaps between the results and what's on a candidates resume.

Once the interview is over, send personalised thank you letters to everyone you met: include any information you promised to deliver and a call to action, perhaps clarifying when a decision might be made. Even if you have been told you did not get the job, use a thank you letter to handle it gracefully in case another, and even better post in the organisation comes along for which you would be ideal.

Reza Ghazali, managing director of Korn/Ferry International in Malaysia believes career is nothing more than just calculative and conscious pitstops we make throughout our life journey, so enjoy the ride!

Source: The Star Online - June 12, 2012

Cut Mutia flies off to her dream course

CYBERJAYA: For five years, Cut Mutia Teuku Iskandar had to put her dream to study at the renowned Vancouver Film School in Canada on hold due to financial constraints.

(From left) Syed Zulkifli Syed Masir, Catt Lim Liang Jiuan and Cut Mutia Teuku Iskandar sharing their experiences at the MDeC office in Cyberjaya.

She had secured a place to study 3D animation and visual effects at the school in 2008, but the steep one-year course fees at C$46,000 (RM141,800) forced her to defer her studies.

However, the 26-year-old can now finally realise her dream thanks to Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). She is set to fly off to Canada in October.

"I never thought that my dreams would finally come true," said the freelance production assistant, who is among the 25 recipients of MDeC's Creative Industry Lifelong Learning (CILL) programme, which offers three types of training schemes to those in the creative content industry -- up-skilling and re-skilling, attachment and scholastic.

Looking forward to immerse herself in the latest know-how of 3D visual effects, Cut Mutia said what she gained would be put to good use in the local film industry.

"I really like 3D visual effects as it can improve on a film's story line. 3D effects is the future," she said.

Another recipient, director/writer Syed Zulkifli Syed Masir said he was thankful to be chosen as one of the recipients under the scholastic scheme.

He will be taking up a six-month course at the London Film Academy in United Kingdom next month to enhance his writing and directing skills.

At the academy, Syed Zulkifli, 50, aims to bring his historical fiction script to life and produce a five-minute trailer of the adventures of Malay explorer Panglima Awang who sailed with famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan around the world.

"Without MDeC, I would have to fork out RM200,000 for the course, including STG20,000 (RM98,700) to produce the trailer alone."

He said the trailer would be shown to the relevant people to get further funding to produce a movie, which will consist of animation and CGI (computer-generated imagery) elements.

Syed Zulkifli also aimed to further develop his script with the help of the international community.

For Catt Lim Liang Jiuan, 31, MDeC's attachment scheme will enable her to have a three-month stint with Dream Link Entertainment, a Tokyo-based animation and entertainment company in June.

"Japan is a master when it comes to animation and my first love has always been that," said the producer with a digital animation studio.

She said she was encouraged by her employer to apply for the attachment scheme as she had always wanted to sharpen her skills in animation.

"I was very surprised to be among one of the recipients. I am looking forward to spreading what I learn back in Malaysia."

Read more: Cut Mutia flies off to her dream course - General - New Straits Times