Insight

The past two to three years have been good to the high tech industry in Singapore. The job market for IT talent is especially strong, salaries going up and opportunities for career growth reasonably good.  

We all would like this to continue but are we ignoring the global forces in place at our own peril. Global inflation, a weak US economy, soaring oil prices, tumbling stock markets. Do you need more?

It’s been said that writing a resume brings as much delight as filing an income tax form. Most people write one because its part of the process in seeking out a job with a prospective employer or in working with a headhunter. Having said that, a great resume is the first step to being surfaced as a candidate in a short list, or to get into the headhunters level 1 cache – the top candidates that’s always fresh in the mind.

Why do you recruit? If you are a recruiter in your company, do you recruit because the hiring manager told you he needs 4 more salespersons or 3 more technicians this quarter? Have you wondered why or where these figures come about? Well you may know these numbers come from a grand plan done every year called a manpower planning. But why do you do these plans?

Lawrence works as a marketer for a US IT multinational but he has not held a permanent job for years. Several years ago, he switched from being a professional holding a permanent job to become a contract worker. He wanted to spend more time with his working wife and three children.

Jaclyn too left a regular job as a medical practitioner to become a contract locum. She felt it was more lucrative as her earnings were about 30% higher than what she used to get.

In the last 3 months, I heard of several companies that are having some trouble acquiring talent. Potential candidates who are looking out for better opportunities, decline attractive career offers  - sometimes even before they are told of the details.

I like to offer an additional but often over-looked reason why this could or has happened – and its not something that happens overnight.

“Does age matter?” is a question extremely close to the hearts of mature candidates who are 40 years old and above. This is especially true if they have lost their jobs or feel that their career advancement has come to a stand still. The cost of living is running higher and life expectancy is getting longer, many people are not sure if they can stay employed until they reach the retirement age of 62. 

The three telcos in Singapore have reported good results for the past year, largely on the back of a booming local, and in the case of Singtel - booming local, Australian and Indian economies. 

It is an admirable achievement. None the less, I feel the need to reiterate the global trends that are affecting the competitiveness of the carriers.

The current tight job market makes it a challenge for employers to attract and retain critical staff. Effective employer barnding is a crucial weapon in the war for talent.

The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies has brought new ideas and possibilities to a company's recruiting and employer branding efforts.

The current job market in the Asia-Pacific region remains positive with unemployment rates the lowest it has been in a decade. However, even in the current tight labour market, there are those among us who are in the unfortunate position of having to deal with being retrenched from long-held, often senior-level jobs.

How should one deal with job offers that are a step down from a previous position that was made redundant?

Recruiting critical-skills talent is tough in the current tight labour market. Norman examines the various recruitment methods at a company's disposal and describes how the right search partner can be an invaluable strategic partner.

Kenneth Leow discusses the ins and outs of successful channels partner engagement

In the past, most MNCs could count on there
being a long line of potential partners eager to represent their
brand. However, with the booming economies of China and India, this is
no longer true as foreign companies fall over each other to access
these promising markets.

Thus,
attracting the best partners and keeping them motivated has become more
critical than ever before. Effectively managing your channel partners
is, of course, a complex topic, but listed here are a few main points
that a principal needs to carefully consider.

Diana Cheong ruminates on the key attributes of a good manager

In my 20 years of career life, I have worked with bosses of different nationalities and background. I do not know if I am lucky or unlucky, but there was a period where I reported to a new manager every year. On hindsight, it was good training and enabled me to adjust to different styles of management and working demands quite easily. Over these years I have made some observations on what qualities a good manager should have and would like to share my views.

Tan Soon Kiat examines the importance of a nurturing relationship with your subordinates

There are enough studies that point to the many reasons why people move jobs -  from poor working conditions, to compensation packages. The major reason that invariably stands out across all levels is the employee’s workplace relationship with their manager. 

Norman Miranda examines the potential of a community-driven wireless initiative

FON is well on its way to building the largest
WiFi network in the world through an innovative, community-driven
model. Does such a model have a role to play in Singapore?

John Phillip explores Singapore's emerging alternative energy sector

The Singapore government has identified the
Clean Energy industry as a potential source of investment and job
growth. While it's early days yet, the sector has already seen some
pioneering developments that bode well for its future.

Theresa Goh examines networking practices in Asia

I wrote previously about the need for Westerners in Asia to understand the concept of Asian-style networking, whilst Asians working for Western companies need to deepen their skills in evolving and communicating their strategic vision and empowerment. Let me discuss Asian-style networking in more detail ...

Kenneth Leow describes how to navigate your career options

MM Lee said recently that Singaporeans are
currently living in a Golden Age. Property prices are rising, stock
portfolios have appreciated exponentially and job opportunities seem to
be aplenty. Is it really that good for job seekers today?