Job Search Skills Workshop
Exploring mid career switch and Upgrading your skills through professional conversion programmes
In the present economic crisis there are many people who have lost their jobs and many more in search of a better career. There have been several adverse effects of the economic crisis in the job sector. This phenomenon has been felt highly by the people of Singapore too. According to the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore, the economy of Singapore has suffered some heavy losses. For this reason there might be instances of more job cuts and unemployment in the year 2009. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has also reiterated the fact that the GDP growth for the fiscal year 2009 is lagging behind by 2% to 1%. The crisis has hit every sector including the tourism sector which is one of the most profitable sectors in Singapore. Professional, Managers and Technicians (PMETs) are now planning for mid-career switch with the help of Graduate conversion program such as Executive Master Programs and Postgraduate Diploma programs.
Singapore being the hub for professional courses, there are many professional conversion programs and SPURs oriented for the professionals. There are large numbers of PMETs employed in the labor force of Singapore. As these people draw high salaries so the government feels that they might face the crux of the financial crisis. Though there are many PMETs who have the skills to cope up with the changing job scenario there are professional conversion programs (PMP) and SPURs courses which assist in job search and training.
There are many government and non-governmental agencies that have come up with professional conversion programs (PMP) and SPURs courses. The courses mainly focus on enabling the PMETs to grab the job opportunities and thus make a wise career switch. The Workforce Development Agencies in association with the economic agencies in Singapore are trying to introduce professional conversion programs especially designed keeping in mind the requirements of different sectors. There are many programs that have been launched in the last few months for pre-school education, pharmaceutical manufacturing, health care and workplace safety. There are many SPURs (Skills Program for Upgrading and Resilience) that have been planed keeping in mind the needs of Digital animation artists and stage managers. These programs are direct initiatives by the government and the Universities in Singapore. There are other private organizations that are creating innovative programs for the overall development of the professionals.
The professional conversion programs (PMP) and SPURs include creating workshops, skills achievement tests, acquiring some key computer skills (including learning the new software and upgrades in the computer world). There are some organizations that also offer stipend to the students. The students also get the opportunities to work as apprentice in some of the top companies. Master Programs in Singapore can be taken up while you are pursuing a job too. The Singapore MBA School will make sure that you get a payroll leave from your job during the course.
About the Author
Mark Jonathon teaches, coaches executive master programs and master programs Singapore. The author is an expert in MBA courses offered in Singapore. He has an in-depth knowledge on different types of MBA courses on offer. The author provides recommendations and effective advice to the MBA aspirants who are opting for MBA in Singapore. Find out more Visit - http://www.aventis.edu.sg/
Why do Employment Agencies assume everyone is OUTGOING?
Sure they teach how to do good at Interviews, they have this workshops for resumes and so on.. But they are missing the point on some of us job seekers. Some of us don't have any social skill and are really terrible with speaking.
So you askk them if they have any career counseling. And they don't.. All they have is workshops which only help talkative people. And you also have computers to look for jobs. That's all. Luckly today i found out the elocal college has A career counseling center... But in all the employement centers and temp agencies, it's like they seee a shy/iintrovert person.. and they don't know what advice to give at all. They don't even offer counseling..just "You can use the computers to search" If you're shy/not very social..that not goonna help in any way cause most jobs in ads are geared toward the outgoing people. We OTHERs need some kind of direction on where to look for jobs that will accept us.
To assume We are ready to be 'utilized' within the work force/ condition. Outgoing (corporate/business term): ready to be a tool amongst life_ people. Some 'agencies' use certain terms to minipulate people. Children need truth (sunshines), the people will wise uP.
Job Search Skills Workshop
Job Search Workshop 10th Anniversary
5 Keys to Job Satisfaction in Uncertain Times
Do you spring up in the morning looking forward to another day at work, or do you hit the snooze button at least three times and secretly look forward to scanning the Monster and Craig's List for a new job? If your snooze button is getting a work out, you're not alone. A recent Gallup poll found that fifty percent of working Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs. Hmmm….that's starting to sound like a familiar divorce statistic.
When I started working right out of college for eight bucks an hour as a customer service rep at America Online (AOL) I had only one thing in mind: Get a job to pay the bills. I never thought I would stay for ten and a half years, moving up and around the company with five positions of increasing responsibility and pay. This was in the ‘90s when AOL went from a speck on the internet map to a huge online giant. It was an exciting ride for sure, but it came with a price. The price was frequent layoffs (I survived six!), constant change (who is my boss now?), and pressure to perform (are these deadlines normal?).
Yet, year after year, I wanted to keep working in this crazy, uncertain environment. Why? Because with experience I realized there were five keys to my job satisfaction. Like a marriage, some of these were things were dependent upon my behavior and some were directly affected by someone else. Whenever I started to wonder if this relationship was working for me, I reviewed my "Job Satisfaction Checklist." You can use it to determine if your current job is worth keeping or if it's time for a change.
Job Satisfaction Checklist
Do you believe in the company's mission and vision?
A friend who was recently looking for a new job said she wanted to work for a company whose mission included giving back to the local community. Ask yourself: Do you like what the company is about and stands for? Are you proud to be associated with it, or do you avoid mentioning their name?
Do you enjoy your role and feel you're making a valuable contribution?
I always found that enjoying my current role was important, but I also wanted to understand how my role fit into a bigger picture. By knowing both it added so much more meaning to my daily tasks. Ask yourself: Do I like my day-to-day tasks and activities? Do I know how what I do fits into the bigger picture of the department or company?
Do you have the opportunity to do more?
If others recognize that you're making a valuable contribution in your current role, it's amazing how much easier it is to get more opportunities. Ask yourself: Is the company growing? Are new jobs opening up or being created in areas that interest me? Is the company supportive of promoting people within?
Do you enjoy people you work with – INCLUDING your boss?
There's a reason why they do workshops on "Dealing with Difficult People." It's a big drain to constantly interact with people who are critical, negative, or disrespectful. Ask yourself: Are the people I interact with on a daily basis friendly and easy to work with? Do I feel comfortable with my boss?
Do you feel you're being fairly paid?
If you're working hard and find out that someone doing in a similar role is being paid more for the same work, you will feel taken advantage of and won't continue to perform at your highest caliber – which is not beneficial for you OR the company. Ask yourself: Do I know what is considered fair pay for my skills? (If you're not sure, check out www.salary.com.) Have I considered the value of my entire compensation package, including salary, bonuses, and benefits?
By using this quick checklist and asking yourself these questions, you can start to understand just how satisfied – or dissatisfied – you are with your current job. If you find yourself coming up short, like I did in my last position at AOL, only you can determine if it's worth trying to work things out. No matter what you decided, the important thing is to understand why you are dissatisfied with your current job so that you can take that into account when you are looking for a new one. Or, you can do what I did and use this reflection to start a whole new career!
About the Author
Mary is the author of three books, a popular national speaker, and former co-host of the Girlfriend We Gotta Talk! radio show. Her latest book, Live Like Your Nail Color, Even If You Have Naked Nails became an instant Amazon bestseller. Now, instead of solving engineering problems Mary inspires women with practical advice to create sanity for their lives and confidence for their careers - all while having a bit of fun!
Mary is an active member of many local and national organizations including the National Speaker's Association (NSA) and the American Business Women's Association (ABWA). In 2010, she was honored as the ABWA Richmond Business Woman of the Year. Mary has appeared on the cover of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and spoofed on the E! Entertainment TV Show The Soup.
Spoofed or not, Mary takes life in stride, declaring "Wearing red nail polish really helps!"