Quit Scheming, Get Ahead Without Stooping Low!

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. Be clear about what is expected of you in your job. Sit with your boss to discuss Key Performance Indicator. It is advisable to do a six-month review to share opinion and get feedback on your performance.

KNOW YOURSELF. You need to know yourself to manage yourself, and your career, better. A useful exercise is to define who you are as a brand. Do a reality check with a simple Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) analysis of yourself. See where you stand now and where you want to be. What do people think of you? All strong brands have a consistent, distinct image. What is yours?

KNOW YOUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE. Start with the people you work directly: your internal bosses, peers, subordinates and external partners. Extend this to others you work with indirectly - your boss's boss, your client's boss, your suppliers, etc. They all have a direct or indirect influence on your career. What is your relationship with them like? How are you perceived?

BE POSITIVE. Positive people tend to have more ideas and solutions. They are wired to be optimistic and forward-thinking, seeing opportunity rather than blocks. This optimism tends to be infectious and attracts others to you.

LESS TALK, MORE ACTION. In reverse, your credibility will be questioned. Act quickly and decisively. Make a stand when needed and help others carry the day. All these are signs of a good leader.

BE AGILE. Today's changing work environment requires you to adapt and be comfortable crossing boundaries. Don't wait to be instructed or settle for the normal path. Instead, show initiative and be nimble.

BEHAVE PROFESSIONALLY. In your daily dealings with clients and colleagues. Don't allow personal issues or grudges to creep into your work, e.g. preferential treatment or being difficult because you don't like the person. Getting ahead has a lot to do with managing your circle of influence - build credit and recognise the value of working with people. What goes around comes around!

LIFE IN THE OFFICE - New Kid On The Block

Great Ideas And Thoughts To Make That Job A Little Easier.

You landed that new job that's a step higher up the corporate ladder. It's the first day on the job. You're excited, but also a little anxious. Not surprising really. You'd be dealing with new surroundings, colleagues, and expectations. Here are the tips;

Be Aware. Get a feel of how the place works - the layout, the culture, the rules, the pecking order, etc. Is it the formal or informal? Find out the dress code before you start.

Get Comfortable. Bring momentos that put you at the ease. Personalise your working area, but take care not to break any rules.

Integrate. Be friendly and courteous to co-workers. Get on the office grapevine, but don't contribute to gossip.

Communicate. If you have doubts about your new task and assignments, ask. Make sure that you know what is expected of you so that you can deliver.

THE NEW CORPORATE GAMES - What's Going On In The Career World Today?

We're discovers how the corporate culture of companies isn't how it used to be. People forget that the higher you climb, the harder your job becomes. There'll be more people to deal with, more responsibilities to look into, and more challenges to face up to. To survive this would be by having to make more mistake and to trudge through more sticky situations, so you need to be brave.

1) Back in the 80s, successful career women were as stiff as the power suits they wore.

2) In fact, the mainstream attire pretty much personified how women are suppose to think, be and act.

3) Thankfully, over the years, thing have changed. Today, the challenge for women has little to do with how we project ourselves physically, rather it's more a mental feat - and it's not easy.

4) For one, success no longer means adding digits to your pay cheque, instead it's knowing how to balance your sanity and stress levels.

5) It's also making the decisions that are right for you , even if it means saying no to a promotion in exchange for a family or less stress.

6) The corporate culture has changed - and like it or not, you need to know the rules in order to cope.

MAKING IT WORK @ HOME - The Commom Pitfalls Of Going Solo

1) No Homework Done. It's essential to gather as much info as you can about your type of business to see if the idea will take off. Research similar businesses, unearth your competition, and figure out your target market. Visit conferences and trades shows, and surf the internet.

2) Ignorant of legalities. The legalities of starting a home business such as tax payments and exemptions can get complicated. Instead of stressing yourself, why not employ a tax consultant's service to offer you advice on managing your finances?

3) No Support System. Working and living under the same roof is going to interfere with your family's dynamics. Their support is important to your success. They need to help you juggle responsibilities and boost your confidence when your spirits are down.

4) Insufficient Saving. If you've always had a regular pay cheque, your income will take a steep nosedive when you first start out on your own. That's why you need to have at lease six month's pay for financial security.

5) Not Written A Mission Statement. Define your business and its goal in three months, six months and a year from now. Having a mission helps keep you on track when you might get lost sometimes in the madness of it all.

6) Failing To Organise. This is where years of meeting office deadlines come in handy. Being your own boss can be tricky when you're a procrastinator. Hang a production schedule on the wall to make sure you stick to set deadlines! Don't get backlogged in bookkeeping by sending out invoices promptly. Clients may take up to 90 days to pay, and you'll be out of the income even longer if you delay in billing them. Keep a logbook on expenses to make sure overheads are covered.

7) Being Too Timid About Negotiating. Don't sell yourself short, but don't price your products or service out of the market either. Check around and be competitive so you know you're being paid enough.

Money Stretchers

When paying off your debts, work with whatever amount you have right now and make it stretch as far as possible...

• Make a list of all outstanding bills.
• Note due dates and grace periods.
• Pay your bills only at the end of their grace periods A computer won't care that you paid on the last possible day.
• Pay only the minimum due, but pay something on all of your bills.
• Don't pay all of one bill and only some of the others.
• Don't charge anything on a due-in-30-days basis. Try to arrange credit over a longer period.
• If it looks like your money problems will last a while, send a note to the people you owe when you make part-payment. Keep it brief and to the point; "I'm experiencing problems that should be resolved soon. Here is part-payment. I will pay the full amount as soon as I can.
  

Need specific self, career or relationship advice?

Here are some tips from the experts.

Self: Reaching our potential is something we should all strive towards - and, in reality, it's a lifelong project. Aim high and remember that this can be measured in variety of ways, including health, happiness, financial security, purpose and quality relationships. We all need to look after ourselves, but we don't want to be selfish. Similarly we want to love and care for others, but not at the expense of our own health and happiness. Real contentment can be achieved by balancing the two.

Career: Be realistic; as there may not be as many opportunities available at the moment. rather than abandon all your goals , focus on you career values. Identify what's important to you: Money? Helping people? Flexibility? Feeling challenged? Then look at your current circumstances to find ways of working towards these mini-targets. If assisting people is important, investigate a mentoring programmed; if you you want to feel more challenged in your job, ask for more complex work. Being proactive pays off!

Relationships: The most successful people in life will have better-quality relationships and more of them. They actively focus on developing, fostering and maintaining those relationships in their life that are important. They do this by do this: focusing more on the positives in others; being clear about the nature and purpose of each relationship; frequently praising others; and communicating more effectively. So brush up on these skills and you'll reap the rewards.

Managing your money can be a breeze

Expert tips to help you feel secure and money-confident about your future.

Are you debts mounting each month? Are you finding it harder to juggle the bills? Do you find yourself relying on cash advances on your credit cards to get you through till pay day?

Fretting over unpaid bills is a terrible energy-sapper. Money worries hang over your head, undermining your self-confidence and sense of security. Things usually aren't as bad as they seem and the worst thing any woman can do is accept the situation and continue living hand-to-mouth, day-to-day.

Every woman, regardless of age or income, has the potential to be financially secure and enjoy the self-confidence and personal power that comes with it. It is not a matter of earning higher wages, but of working smarter with what you've got.

Tips suggestion during a credit crunch:

1.STAY CALM
If it looks like there is no way out of the maze of bills, stay calm. After all, it's just money. Many people and businesses face a credit squeeze at some stage and most work their way out of it. The key is to have a plan - and to follow it.

2.IS THE CRISIS TEMPORARY OR CRITICAL?
Work out if your difficulties are short-term or long-term problems, such as illness, loss of job or even bankruptcy. If it is a major crisis, you may need professional help. Seek advice from an accountant or bank officer immediately.

3.WILL YOUR CREDIT RATING BE AFFECTED?
Do your best to protect your credit rating. A downgrade could jeopardise your future chances of obtaining a loan.

4.PRIORITISE YOUR BILLS
When cash is tight, prioritise which bills to pay first. Check which unpaid bills are likely to affect your credit rating. For example, a landlord may allow you to pay the rent a week late, but a default on the electricity bill will put you in darkness - and leave a black mark on your record.

5.WATCH YOUR EXPENSES
Until you work out your way out of debt, you need to spend wisely. Put off buying clothing or household items until you are on firmer financial footing. Work out how much you can afford to put aside each week towards paying off your debts, then work out how long it will take until you are debt-free. Now you have a personal goal to work for - that marvellous day when you won't owe anyone anything.

6.DON'T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF
Financial fitness takes discipline but don't impose too strict a budget on yourself. Chances are you won't be able to stick to it and will end up depressed.

7.BUILD YOUR CASH RESERVE
Just $40 a week could get you started on building a fat nest egg for the future. The best way to begin a plan is by learning how investments work. This bring the knowledge and confidence you need to win. Many financial planning firms run seminars that are useful starting point.

Are you caught in a career "cul de sac"?

You drag yourself into the office each morning and count the minutes till the day is OVER. Should you stay in your job or is time to GO?

How to go-Gracefully
So you've decided to resign; here's how to make the break without being booed out of the office:

1.Don't use your resignation as an opportunity to tell your colleagues what you really think of them. You never know when you may work with, or for them again.

2.Do thank your boss for her/his help and guidance during your at the company. It's a small gesture that she/he will remember when it's time to write your reference.
3.Do volunteer to help find your replacement and to train her/his up before you leave.
4.Don't slack off. Sure, your heart may not be in it, but you're still getting paid to do the best job possible. What a better way to leave a position lasting impression?
5.Don't suddenly come down with a mysterious illness during your last few days on the job.
6.Do remember that a bad attitude before your departure can undo years of good work.

How to Budget & Save

As a consumer, you face many choices on how to manage your money.

Knowing how to manage money can help you make smart choices. Your money will work harder for you. You'll be more likely to avoid traps that can undermine your ability to attain your financial goals. You'll be in a better position to pay off debt and build savings.

Being smart about money can help you buy a house, finance higher education or start a retirement fund. A money management game plan can help you get started and stay with it until you achieve the goals you set for yourself.

A game plan for learning about money management

A few simple steps can make a big difference in making your money work harder for you.

* Establish goals. Where do you want to be?
* Create a budget. Determine your current situation. Where are you today?
* Save your way to a more secure future.
* Conserve - spend sensibly; pay wisely.
* Act - implement your plan/assess/adjust.
* Select a financial institution.

Establish goals. Where do you want to be?

Use the work sheets directly below to help you identify your goals. Print them and fill them in.

Without goals, it's difficult to accomplish anything. When you think about your future and what you want to achieve, it's helpful to establish a timeframe.

* Short-term: such as paying off credit card debt, saving for a vacation or buying new clothes
* Intermediate: such as saving to buy a car
* Long-term: such as saving for education or for retirement.

Estimate the cost of each goal and the date you want to achieve it. Then figure out how much you need to save each month. Try to set realistic goals and saving requirements.


Create a budget. Determine your current situation. Where are you today?

Now that you've figured out your financial goals, you are ready to create a budget that will help you attain them. Print the budget work sheets below and write in your budget figures. Start by writing down your expenses (under Current Monthly Expenses).

Monthly fixed expenses
Start with monthly fixed expenses such as regular savings, housing, groceries, utilities, and car payments. Put these continuing obligations under the heading: Fixed.

Use checking account statements, credit card statements, receipts and other records to help you complete this estimate. Be realistic - it's better to estimate high than low.

Remember that savings is considered an expense even though you keep the money. You work hard. You deserve to keep some of what you earn every month. Savings is the key to meeting your financial goals.

Make estimates for all money spent - regardless of how you pay: cash, check, credit card, debit card, automatic checking account withdrawals or savings through work plans such as 401K or 403B plans.

Monthly variable expenses
Once you have noted all your fixed expenses, write down your expenses that vary each month such as clothing, vacations, gifts and personal spending money. Put these expenses under the heading: Variable. You might have these expenses every month, but the amount you spend could change.

Get a handle on variable expenses by writing down every expense for a month - even small purchases. Use a small note book or other informal method to track your spending. This is very important because it's the best way to understand your current spending behavior. Get receipts for all purchases - especially those you make with cash. Record and categorize each transaction. You may be surprised at how much you spend in certain categories.

Use a notebook to write down every purchase you make for one month. This is the best way to understand your current spending behavior.

List your monthly income
Now that you have figured out your expenses, write down your monthly income after all taxes and deductions. Write this under the heading: Monthly Income. Make sure this figure reflects the total take-home pay for your household after all taxes and deductions.



Now compare expenses to income
One of the advantages of doing a comparison of expenses to income is that it provides a quick reality check. If you are spending more than you're bringing home every month in income, you have a deficit. If you're spending less than you're bringing home, you have a surplus. In either case, it's time to step back and consider some options.
If you have a deficit: Spending more than you're bringing home, ask yourself:

* Can I spend less in some of my variable expenses?
* How much interest am I paying with credit card and other loans?
* Where did my money go? (Consider writing down everything you spend for a month.

If you have a surplus: Spending less than you're bringing home, ask yourself:
* Am I saving enough to meet my goals?
* Are my spending estimates accurate?
* Have I included all my fixed and variable expenses?

Save your way to a more secure future.

An estimated seventy-five percent of families will experience a major financial setback in any given ten-year period. The economy and the job market are good now, but that could change. It's smart to be prepared for financial thunderstorms.
Save early, save often
A consistent, long-term saving program can help you achieve your goals. It also can help you build a financial safety net. Experts recommend that you save from three to six months worth of living expenses for emergencies.

Savings grow beyond what you contribute because of compound interest. Over time, the value of compound interest works to every saver's advantage.

For example, if you save $75 a month for five years and earn five-percent interest, the $4,500 you contributed would grow to $5,122 because of the compounding interest.

It's easy to figure out how long it will take you to double the money you save. It's called the Rule of 72. You take the interest you're earning on your money and divide that number into 72. The result is roughly the number of years it will take your principal to double.
For example, if you're earning 5 percent on your money, you divide 72 by 5 and you get 14.4. Your principal will double in 14.4 years without further contributions.
Keep in mind, however, that inflation reduces the return on your money.

For example, five percent-interest, adjusted for three-percent inflation, only nets a two-percent real return.

What you don't see, you don't spend
Saving means giving up something now, so you will have more in the future. It's not easy deferring or eliminating purchasing things you want today.

It helps to pay yourself first. Take a portion of savings from every paycheck before you pay any bills. Use your company's payroll deduction plan if available. Arrange for a fixed amount to be taken out so that you never see it. What you don't see, you don't spend. You also can direct automatic checking account withdrawals into a savings account or money market.

Join the company's retirement-savings plan (such as a 401K or 403B). Your contribution avoids current taxes and accumulates tax deferred. Also, companies sometimes match some of your contributions.

For example, for every dollar you contribute, the company could contribute 25 cents. That would be a 25-percent return on your money.

Other saving tips:

* When you get a raise, save all or most of it.
* Pay off your credit card balances and save the money you're no longer spending on interest.
* Shift credit card balances to a card with a lower interest rate and use the savings to pay off the balance.
* Keep your car a year or two longer. Do routine maintenance and make regular repairs. Save the money you would have spent on a new car.
* Stop smoking.
* Take $5 from your wallet everyday and put it in a safe place. That will add up to $1,825 in a year.
* Shop with a list and stick to it.
* Don't buy any new clothes until you've paid off your current wardrobe.
Eat more meals at home.
Look for inexpensive entertainment: zoos, museums, parks, walks, biking, library books, concerts, movies and picnics.
Shop for less expensive insurance.
* Save any tax refund.
* Drop subscriptions to publications you don't read.
* Postpone purchases or consider fewer features on the items you plan to purchase.
The less you spend, the more you can save. And the longer you can consistently save, the faster your savings will grow.
Conserve - spend sensibly; pay wisely.

Experts recommend paying with cash whenever possible. This helps you spend less than you otherwise would have spent if you had charged the purchase. You'll also avoid credit card interest charges and check-cashing fees.

Applying for a credit card
When you choose to apply for a credit card, shop carefully. There is a wide range of annual fees, interest rates, grace periods for which you do not pay interest, late fee charges, cash advance charges and other fees. Watch out for "teaser" rates that offer low rates initially but increase dramatically soon after.

To get a card with a low interest rate, you'll first need to pay down your current debt. Second, let a year go by without applying for any new cards or loans, or accepting a higher credit limit on your current cards. Third, cancel cards you're not currently using. As a rule, limit yourself to two credit cards. Fourth, get a copy of your credit report and check it for accuracy.

Credit cards
Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are revolving-credit cards. You can charge up to a certain limit and carry most of the balance forward from month to month. Be careful about only paying the minimum amount due. This is a very expensive form of credit because of interest charges. The best rule is to charge only what you can afford to pay off in full every month. Then actually pay the entire balance when you get the bill.

When you are paying down credit card debt, start with the card with the highest interest rate. Pay your bills as quickly as possible.

Charge cards
Some cards require that you pay the balance every month. They provide the convenience of not using cash and the discipline of requiring that you pay what you owe every thirty days.
Charge cards also provide the additional benefit of not charging interest, although you may pay an annual fee and other transaction fees.
Debit cards
A debit card looks like a credit card, but it works like the electronic equivalent of a check. You use it when you want to pay cash instead of using credit. When you pay with a debit card, your checking account will be debited for the amount of the purchase.

ATM cards (Automated Teller Machine) are debit cards. They automatically withdraw money from your account.
Some consumers prefer to use debit cards rather than credit cards because debit cards don't incur interest charges.

Paying off debt versus saving
If you have credit card or other debt, it usually makes sense to pay off this debt first before contributing to savings. The interest rate you'll get on savings is likely to be far less than the amount of credit interest you're paying.

Act - implement your plan/assess/adjust.

Once you have set goals, estimated your fixed and variable expenses and identified monthly savings targets, it's time to put your plan to work.

Give it some time. Then see how you're doing. Were you able to meet your savings goals? If so, stick with it. If not, look at your variable expenses for opportunity areas to cut back spending and increase savings.

Evaluate your plan every three months and make adjustments as needed. If you're not saving enough to meet your monthly goals, you may need to spend less.

Saving is the key to successful financial plans. Use payroll deductions or automatic transfers to checking, savings or money market accounts. It's easier to save if you never see the money.

Use budget plans for paying utilities if they're available. Use cash for purchases rather than charging if you can.

Enter each check you write in a check register. Balance the account every month. If you use a debit card, enter those amounts in your check register.

Select a financial institution.

Creating a safety net is easier if you work with a good financial institution such as a credit union, a bank or a thrift.

Interview employees at several locations. Look for people who are willing and able to answer your questions. Be ready to talk about the services and the advice you need.

For example, if it's important to you to conduct transactions face-to-face rather than by Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), ask if the financial institution charges for the services of a person at the counter. If you prefer to use ATMs, make sure they're readily accessible and don't charge transaction fees.

Once you select a financial institution, consider opening a checking account if you don't have one. A checking account can save you fees you may now be paying for cashing your paycheck and paying your bills.



Start now and stick with it. You'll find that being smart about money is well worth it.

CAREER COACH: Business Babble

Understanding corporate-speak can feel a little like learning a foreign language. Here are some common phrase you should know:

Core competency: The thing or the organization are good at.

Disconnect: A misunderstanding or breakdown in communication.

Drill down: Get more information and elaborate on the details.

Smell test: Looking into an idea or product to see it really does have good potential.



I'm crashing and burning: I'm busy

We need more headcount: More people are needed to get the job done.

Brain dump: Getting down information that's in your head - whether to handover a job to someone or brainstorm for new ideas.

Value-add: The idea or product or person is a good thing for the company.

Up-selling: Selling something to a client or customer that they don't really need.


Take it off-line: Talk amongst yourself about it later.

Low-hanging fruits: Easy openings or opportunities for new business.

Cubicled: To get demoted

Circle back: Get back to me.

Drink from the fire-host: To learn as much as possible about the subject in only a short period of time (this used to be called "getting up to speed")

Cash$Career: Super Saver!

If your check-out sum at the grocery takes too big a bite out of your pocket, try these cost-effective shopping list.

NEVER SHOP WHEN STARVE! A hungry shopper is greedy shopper, dashing through supermarket food isles grabbing anything in sight that looks good enough to pacify their hunger at the moment. More often then not, you end up buying things you end up not eating. So shop when your tum not growling.


MAKE A LIST. The tried-and-true practice of coming up with a shopping list is never overrated. Here's how to go about it: Decide on a realistic budget and make a list, a long one if you will. Go through it again, then slash out whatever you can do without.

LEARNS TO COOK QUICK AND EASY MEALS. Cooking at home is definitely cheaper, but most of us don't have the time to do it. If your definition of a home-cooked meal is instant noodles or sachet soup, it's time you learned to whip up easy-to-prepare proper meals. Just browse the shelves of a bookstore and you'll find plenty of cookbooks to inspire you.

BUY EGGS. Eggs last longer than veggies, are cheaper than meat and packed with vitamins, Plus they're versatile enough to make great meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert!

5 Ways To Save On Campus

1. Create a budget. To be fiscally fit track your expenses and income. Set aside something for emergencies and if you know you need some money for entertainment, be it a CD or the occasional movie, factor in it to avoid nasty surprise.

2. Buy in bulk. If you're sharing a place with friends, try buying household items such as detergent, dish-washing liquid or rice in bulk from low-price hypermarkets.

3. Buy used book. If you can get used books from seniors who've completed the course so much the better! Alternatively, check out book prices online, it could be lower than what the bookstores offer. If you divvy up the freight charges with a group of friends, it could be worth your while.

4. Don't drive. A car is no doubt convenient but maintaining a vehicle is expensive. Besides petrol and parking, you need to set aside funds for insurance, road tax, regular service appointments as well as repairs should it become necessary.

5. Smart spending equals savings. Stock your wardrobe with basic and update them with key items from the latest trends or hit the boutiques during end-of-session sales. Do your research to see what or when certain cafes, cinemas or even restaurants offer student discounts and patronise this outlets to save.

SMART REPORT- Instant Career Makeover

Have absolutely no idea what job you should do, or where your career's headed? Don't stress, everyone had a "What the hell am I going to do with my life?" freak out. "What you enjoy doing is what you should be doing for a living," says Sally O'Keefe, author of Career Girl: Get The Job You Love. You should want to do your job even if you weren't getting paid for it. You have all the skills you need to have a successful and fantastic career, you just need to work out what jobs suit your personal attributes best," How? It's all about this five-steps plan:

1. Keep a career diary and write down all the things that interest you. If a magazine story about charities jumps out, jot that down. If you see an ad on TV that you can relate to, make a not of it.

2. Do your quiz and start thinking about your best qualities, skills and strengths. Which ones can you utilize in your career? There are heaps of personality test on the Net-Try www.quintcareers.com or www.monster.com.

3. Check out www.jobsdb.com for a full lists of careers. There are a ton of jobs you may never have heard of, but one of them could be totally perfect for you. Like what, you ask? Let's say you enjoy working with food and people. Have you considered a career as a dietitian? Perhaps you like kids and reading. How about children's book editing? Creative and addicted to the Web? Maybe a career in website design is the way to go.

4. Research, research, research. Talk to people in your desired industry. Find out what training you need and whether any of your experience is an asset. And click on www.careerpress.com - it offers books on all kinds of industries, from finance to teaching to accounting with stacks of info to help you embark on a career in that field.

5. Do work experience. Volunteering your time (and being prepared to do anything, from opening mail to coffee runs), will provide knowledge about the industry, and could even help you land a job.


HELLO, dream job? Where are you?
If job hunting is in your too-hard basket, you'd better get it out again. Here's how to find a top job, fast...

>>>Work hurdle 1:
" I don't have any experience"
Get Over it: Companies say they're often prepared to sacrifice formal formal qualifications for a positives, can-do attitude," says Christina Bucci, a career consultant. "So while some job ads may specify tertiary education, if candidate can demonstrate transferable skills, then they should submit their application."

>>> Work hurdle 2:
"There are no jobs out there for me."
Get over it: Career web have more than 100,000 position advertised. "With the unemployment rate on the decrease, it's definitely a job seeker's market," says one headhunter. "If you're thinking about changing jobs o starting a career, there's never been a better time."

>>> Work hurdle 3:
"I don't have time to look"
Get over it: Most career websites have a "job mail" facility. This allows you to get daily updates of available jobs via email. Perfect the time-deprived!

Interview Tips!

Author: Ngeow Yeok Meng
Date: 10-May-2004

In most interviews, knowing what the interviewer is looking for means you have won half of the battle. The other half of the battle: be prepared to show your knowledge about the organisation, ask tactful questions about the job, and give a good impression that you can do better than others, if you are offered the job.

The interviewer has two methods of judging your suitability for the job. First, by questioning you and evaluating the things about you and your experience, based on what you tell him. Second, by observing person-to-person how you handle the interview.

If you have obviously planned your interview well, for example by showing that you are knowledgeable about the organisation, the interviewer will assume that you are also capable of planning and making a good job of your tasks. The converse is also true – a bad performance at interview could mean an unsatisfactory performance at the job.

If you have the experience and ability to do the job, make sure that you do not let your interview performance let you down. Since in most cases, the interviewer has no prior knowledge of the candidates except their letter of application, the first impression you give is extremely important. If you are of average intelligence or have few qualifications, do not despair. The most important factor is your actual achievements and the positive way in which you put these over to the interviewer.

Here are five areas that help the interviewer select the right person for the right job: intelligence, qualification, adjustment, impact on others, motivation and achievements.

Intelligence means your cognitive powers to take in and interpret information. You should be quick in understanding all questions posed by the interviewer, and providing simple and concise answers to them. Nevertheless, a person who is too intelligent, by giving complicated answers to simple questions, may give an impression that he is a thinker not a doer.

Qualifications is necessary for certain professional jobs. So make sure you possess the formal qualifications required or the experience needed when applying for that particular position. It is important to show your knowledge and interest of the relevant professional institution in your field of work, as this will also reflect your enthusiasm towards the profession.

Adjustment means adaptation to life in general and work in particular. The interviewer would like to know whether you have a good capacity to withstand stress, whether you are always in control even in the most unfavourable situations, whether you are emotionally stable, and whether you can do things on your own initiative. Most important of all, your friendly or hostile relationship with the people around you. Impact on others means anything from the use of simple language, the way you speak, the way you dress, to your physical appearance throughout the interview. If you can talk from your own personal experience using real life situations, make sense of things happen around you, think in terms of things and not people, you are more likely to give an impression of a mature person and a problem-solver much in demand by any employer.

Motivation and achievement are two important indicators of your general attitudes toward work and career. Assessment will be based on the following:

- Can you motivate yourself and work on your own initiative?
- Do you set yourself goals and achievements?
- Can you get things done even when faced with difficulties?
- Are you a dreamer or an action-driven person?
- Have you long term career objectives?
- Have you reached the level one would expect for your age or qualifications?
- Which kind of work or activity has given you the most satisfaction?
- Are you a person who can deliver on time and meet deadlines?
- Do you present your boss with problems or solutions?
- Do you have initiative to finish work?
- Do you pay attention to detail?
- Do you perform well when the going get tough?
- Are you good at problem solving?

The interviewer will not ask the above questions directly as the answers should come from what you have accomplished, not what you plan to do in future. The interviewer will skillfully find out the answers by asking what you have been involved in, your interests, your strengths, your weaknesses, the challenges in your pursuit of knowledge or previous work, your perception of yourself, your dreams and objectives in life.

If you are honest with yourself in the interview, you can avoid being worried about inconsistency in your answers. Never mind if the first impression you give is imperfect to the interviewer. The worst thing that could happen is when you lie about yourself, and have the
interviewer sense it before the end of the interview session.

How to ace a tele-interview when it counts
Author: Koon Mei Ching
Date: 10-May-2004

Trying to prove your mettle during a 30-minute interview is hard enough as we well know. Trying to achieve the same effect over a 30 minute telephone interview is another ballgame altogether.

The advantages you can leverage through a freshly pressed suit, a brilliant Colgate smile or a firm handshake are no longer available. You are now challenged to convey the very same effects via the tone of your voice, content of your speech and the cadence of your answers. No mean feat.

Having the opportunity to carry out a considerable number of tele-interviews over the past few weeks, a number of glaring interview mistakes came to my attention as I attempted to screen for successful candidates. This is my advice…

Loud and clear
Nearly a forgone conclusion, but here we go: speak up! Pronounce your words clearly and speak confidently. The qualities of an impressive candidate must be conveyed through verbal aptitude. If you mess up this first criterion, it will adversely affect the praises detailed in your resume. In the end, the interview is about verifying your lofty claims made out in the CV - unless you speak up, we might never get that far.

Remember your interview appointment
Being greeted by an “erm…who is this again, ah?” response to my introduction is most definitely an impression-breaker. Your aim is to impress us…not to make us cringe.

Grab a quiet corner somewhere
We don’t care where you find it, just do it. I just held an interview this afternoon where the candidate told us that he was not free to take the call at the moment (a scheduled one at that), and suggested we call back later. Upon granting him that grace, he proceeded to conduct the interview whilst taking the time to have casual chats with passing friends or stifle a guffaw at what was perceived to be a joke whispered to him. If the recruiters don’t get to enjoy the joke, it certainly won’t help you.

Have your resume ready
The interviewer will most likely be basing the interview upon your submitted resume, so it would help to have the same materials ready before you for reference should questions be raised about its content. Hesitating or saying, “I don’t think I remember,” is not an option you should use.

When taking the time to think, share it with us
There may come moments of “blank canvas” when you need some time to unearth an appropriate answer from the recesses of your mind. If you were at a physical interview, we would be able to read your body language and understand that you are thinking. When you do the same thing on the other end of a phone line, it just translates into silence … usually a strange atmosphere for the “blind” interviewer. Hence, take the time to share with him/her that you need some time to think about it, so they patiently know what to expect.

Don’t assume anything and no exclamations of “What?!”
Although the advances in telephony have been great, the clarity of a speakerphone can be distorted. When you are unclear of what was said, you should neither pretend you heard the question, nor make reflex exclamations of “ha?” or “what?” This certainly jolted me at a recent interview and made a very bad impression on the professional etiquette of the candidate. Manners have never been more important than on the telephone. Use them.

Ask intelligent questions
Okay, so this applies whether or not you sit in a physical interview or in the comforts of your own home. Nonetheless, the interviewer will use any opportunity gauge your intelligence, thought process and potential for success. Usually, well thought out questions aimed at the interviewer shows preparation, research, interest in the company and ultimately, a brain. Ask about the company, graduate programmes, development opportunities, the economic impact on the company etc. Even surprise questions can work to your benefit if they display intelligent inquisitiveness. I was asked today why the company was hiring external consultants to conduct the screening interviews. That question threw me, but we liked being thrown.

Always bow out gracefully
With no eye contact and a good grip to seal the end of the interview, your last impression will hinge upon the end of the phone call. Be courteous, thank the interviewers and express your gratitude for the opportunity.

Although not entirely common, the tele-interview may occur especially if you are applying for a position in another city or country. In some ways, it is less nerve wracking than the physical event, but its importance to your application is not diminished by any degree. Make the effort … even if you are sitting there in your pajamas. Ultimately, the interviewers want to grab you as much as you want to convince them. So, help them and you help yourself.

Confession of a Hollywood publicist.

Think your boss is hell to work with? Working as a Tinseltown publicist gives new meaning to the word “slave”.

By Georgia Cassimatis

Getting into business

About six years ago I was working as a television publicist for a major network when one of the television hosts I worked for asked me to be her personal publicist. I was looking forward to dealing with just one person’s demands rather than the huge egos of television actors who are always screaming, yelling and crying as to why other cast members get more press than they were, or better treatment. Soon after, the television star I worked for started getting work in the US, which is how I ended up working in Hollywood.

It’s not what you know

Being a publicist in Tinseltown means you’re always out on the partycircuit and hanging out with A-listers. Because I started cultivating a huge social circle of top celebs, companies and magazines from around the world contacted me to try and get access to the stars. That’s when I decided to open my own publicity company. Almost immediately stars were calling me because they heard about all the deals I was able to make. Without a shadow of doubt, the old Hollywood adage is true: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. Many a good business deal can be done over a bottle of vodka. The beauty about my job also is that I can pick, choose and dump who I want to represent, and who I don’t.

Dirty diva antics

No matter how rich they are, they’re all greedy for clothes; I’ve had A-listers spit the dummy because the stylist hasn’t bought them enough clothes, or if they won’t let them keep it. I’ve seen them stash their bags and run out the door and of course I’m left explain that I really have no idea where the clothes went, knowing full well my client has done a “Wynona Rider” and done a runner.

They hit people

The worst diva behaviour I’ve seen was when we were in Australia and the star’s assistant hadn’t deposited money into her account. She screamed at the top of her lungs, slapped her across her face, and the poor girl had a red handprint on her check for the rest of the day. Its clichéd but true: They spit the dummy if the don’t have the “right” mineral water. I was slapped once for only having Fuji water, and not Evian.

They’re spoilt brats

They always complain about their five-star hotel rooms not smelling right, not being vacuumed properly, not being big enough, the windows not opening, not having a piano – even though they don’t know the first music. A lot of the time my jaw just drops thinking some people would kill just to spend time in a beautiful hotel.

I’ve also seen them clear shelves in clothes shops because they didn’t like the sale assistant. They just pull the clothes off the racks and say, “well now you have something to do.”

Another horrible scenario I witnessed was when an actress I worked with for just seven days treated her family with complete disdain. I won’t say what show she’s on now, but I will say she was on Ally McBeal. She’s really wealthy and her family is dirt poor. Because she gets so many freebies, she was going to throw them out. Her family asked if they could have some. She said they could have it, but only if they paid the shipping cost. When they couldn’t afford it. I was so horrified I couldn’t represent her any longer.

The downside to fame

The sad part is I always notice that the higher up the ladder a celebrity goes the lonelier they become, purely because there are more users around them. If they haven’t worked through their issues, they start on a downward spiral. Poor Lindsay Lohan; she’s resorted to using her troubled childhood to publicise her album. There’s also a reason Mary-Kate Olsen dresses like a bag lady; she’s hiding a lot of unresolved issues. I think it’s slave labour when parents put them in the entertainment industry at such a young age.

Drugs, boyfriends and the lazy Diva Diet

Bulimia is and always will be an issue: I’ve seen many a girl throw up. It’s not the majority of celebs, but the lazy ones who don’t want to work out. I can always spot it when I walk into their hotel suite first thing in the morning and there’s every item on the breakfast menu that’s been half eaten. What amazes me is they think you don’t know. They go to the bathroom after eating, and if you’re close enough to the bathroom door you can hear the silence of the two fingers down the backs of their throat. I always think, “Damm, and I’ve just paid for all that!”

Drugs play a huge part in Hollywood circles too. It’s common knowledge that everyone’s on the “C” diet. The whole Kate Moss thing was just unlucky because she wasn’t doing anything different to what the majority of stars and celebs do, she was just betrayed by someone.

Pot is huge; a couple of my clients smoke it all day, and I’m always going through my client’s luggage to make sure they not carrying any illegal paraphernalia. I had one client who was so comatose all the time I never bothered asking her what drugs or pills she was taking.

Boyfriends too are almost always a problem. Whenever any of my clients get involved with a man I cringe because they always seem to be getting done over. At the same time they always go for the pretty boys just so they look good on the red carpet.

But it’s usually a total nightmare for me: I play the scenario out in my head all the time: He’s going to get sick of being her handbag and then he starts getting possessive, then he hates me because I spend more time with them, then they start hating the fact that woman makes more money than he does, or he’s the opposite to all of that and just becomes a parasitical loser who doesn’t do anything, but just annoy me.

One of the worst conversations I ever heard between a client and her boyfriend was when she said to him, “Don’t you know who I am! I can do whatever I like. I’m more famous than you. What have you done in the last three years anyway? You’d be nothing without me!” Then she wondered why that person ended up punching her. I’m not endorsing domestic violence, but it’s not the nicest way to be spoken to is it?

They’re uneducated

The level of education some of these Hollywood brat packers have is really horrifying. Then they’re supposed to know how to deal with the media on the red carpet. For me it’s often bad business when I take them to an event and they’re so rude that everyone ends up hating them; the photographer, the sons and daughters of the rich and famous who think they can be this way, but they don’t realize the reason people get treated well by the media is because you have to court them. I’ve had a client make a writer wait five hours, so of course that writer isn’t going to say anything nice, and why would they?

Dishing some more dirt

Because I don’t represent the following celebs, I’ll just go hell for leather and dish the dirt: Everyone knows Whitney Houston has a huge coke addiction and has been in rehab more times than you can imagine. She’s always out screaming at her husband and wiping her nose from all the coke.

Recently I saw Tori Spelling out in a three day night-clubbing binge with a boyfriend, still wearing the same clothes.

I’m pretty sure Tom Cruise isn’t gay because if he was, he’d be done for perjury for suing all those mags.

Celebs never sue otherwise; or if you notice, a lot of them “threaten” to sue, and actually don’t because a lot of the time, what they print is true.

Madonna is notorious for making his men pay for everything. She never treats her guys to anything. One of her exes is a friend of mine and he nearly went broke, running up thousands of dollars in debt keeping up with her, and then she just dumped him for Guy Ritchie. But he still gets laid because he lives off this story and women love it.

It’s common knowledge that Brad Pitt’s just a tart. It’s crap that he left Jennifer because she didn’t want to have a kids; it’s the other way around. He just wanted to play around, which is a shame.

They slag each other

Loads of slagging, bitching, back-stabbing and hate emails go around about each other. I’ve been in trailer with an ensemble cast of women on a famous show who all deliberately talk at the top of their voices on the phone to their agents saying, “Oh great, so I’ll get $500,00 for that commercial and $300,000 for that deal” and of course a lot of screaming starts. One of them yelled out, “I’m not letting that bitch get it all!”

They love the paparazzi

I really loathe the annoying myth that celebrities “hate” the paparazzi. Are you kidding? AQ struggling star would happily pay paparazzi to appear in the in front of their house. Then, when they get really big, they pretend that the paparazzi are such a headache. How do you think Hilton become such a well-known person? She direct-dials the paps! Everyone does!

I always let the paps know where my clients are. That’s why clients hire me; they want as much exposure as possible. More exposure means more photos in the tabloids, which means more freebies. And let me tell you, they are all freebies-obsessed.

Money talks

I’ve since represented over 100 A-listers. To be honest though I don’t think they really like working with me, but it’s not about that. It’s all about knowing I can get them deals, money and exposure. Regardless what any actor or actress tells you; if they say they’re in the business for the love of it, it’s crap. They don’t really care who makes them the money as long as someone is making it. I laugh when I hear a publicist say “I really care about my client’s career”. Yeah, right.

Profile equals dollars

I do get tired of all the antics, but the motto is “profile equals dollars”. The higher your profile, the more money there is to be made, so you have to keep yourself in the magazines. If celebs weren’t out partying constantly and being pictured in mags, no one would know who they are. Hollywood is definitely seedy, but I actually really like that.