Career Builder

Job Vacancies: Bank Jobs and Finance Jobs

2011-07-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

Bank Jobs and Finance Jobs

Management Accountant
Schlumberger

Finance Manager
Euro Chairs System Sdn Bhd

Accounts Clerk / Assistant
IFB Freightbridge (M) Sdn Bhd

Trading Executive
Southern Acids (M) Berhad

Job Tags:
Sales Jobs | Accounting Jobs | Public Relations Jobs | Admin Jobs

Doing Your Homework For Job Interviews

2011-06-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

Maybe you breezed through college and have been able to "wing it" better than most, but when it comes to job interviews, if you don’t spend time doing your homework, it could cost you the offer.

If you want to make a favorable impression, take time to research the organization, the industry in which it belongs, and even competitors. Doing a simple "Google" search on the organization, or looking at their corporate website to learn more about the staff, can provide you with valuable information and give you a ton of leverage.

Here are seven ways in which homework can help you in your job interview:

You can discover the vision and mission of the company, the company culture, and even the language they use.

You can read recent articles, press releases, and even financial reports to gain an in depth snapshot of the organization.

You can learn what is important to the organization and prepare answers to certain questions they are likely to ask.

You can read about the departments, the board of directors, and key members of the senior management team with whom you may be meeting.

You can look for things you might have in common with those interviewing you, in order to establish rapport and connect with your interviewer quickly and naturally.

You can impress your interviewer by demonstrating knowledge of their competitors and the challenges the industry is facing.

You can find out the types of salaries and benefits typical jobs in this field offer and increase your negotiating power when an offer is made.

And remember – This homework thing works both ways. Be aware that the organization has probably done their homework on you. In addition to reading your resume, they have probably "googled" you and maybe even looked at your credit score. These things are easily obtained and are a reflection of your values, ethics, and character.

Job Vacancies: Sales Jobs in Malaysia

2011-06-09T00:27:00.000-07:00

Sales Executive (Kuala Lumpur)
Upes (M) Sdn Bhd

Account Executive (Sales) (Selangor)
Bluelogic Enterprise Sdn Bhd

Sales Executive - Outdoor
Profitvision Sdn Bhd

Sales Executive
Our Workshop System (M) Sdn Bhd

Property Sales Negotiator
Pen Properties

View more Sales Jobs in Malaysia

How To Negotiate for A Better Salary

2011-06-08T01:09:00.000-07:00

Graduates these days find salary negotiations to being a very difficult aspect and experience during an interview with a prospective employer. Indeed it is uncommon for one to want the job yet also at the same time need more money. To make things worse, having little or no experience being a fresh graduate does not help either during negotiations for a higher salary or improved package of benefits from a prospective employer. These graduates simply lack the ability to being more assertive towards the employer.

The remedy for this lies with the graduate itself in accepting that they may not get what they want. But this does not mean that they should simply give up and settle for less. Graduates need to get a clearer picture on what and how the negotiating process really functions. Aligning themselves to being more active will serve to make the graduate feel more in control and maybe even negotiate for more money in the process.

What are "Negotiations"?

Negotiation according to the oxford dictionary means to confer in order to reach an agreement. In simpler words, it’s when one meets and discusses a subject with another person or party, in order to reach a conclusive agreement. It is to be noted that the art of negotiation is based upon mutual agreement of issues, not confrontation. The end result should be a win-win situation for both parties.

Contrary to popular believe, negotiations do not start towards the end of the interviewing process, but instead begin when the graduate tells the company about themselves, their accomplishments and what they can do for the employer given a chance to work. Using active words in the interview to describe one’s accomplishments such as: I oversaw, I developed, I took charge of, I initiated, I followed up on, I actively contributed to, and I created, will only serve to the graduate’s advantage as it will increase the graduate’s "value" when the time comes to offer them a job. The ability to handle details whether minor or major, multiple projects or excellent time management and follow up skills will also contribute to increase the graduate’s value.

To negotiate does not simply mean that the graduate asks for more money from the employer. Graduates need to ask themselves a few questions prior to discussing the issue of salary, in order to know if they have a chance to get more. The idea of a negotiation is basically to reach a common outcome. That is why, asking a few questions may be necessary to see if there might be a way to reach a similar outcome and or a compromise. Among the types of questions graduates need to ask themselves are:

What would be the lowest salary that I would consider accepting?
What the salary range is for the job in question?
What makes myself worth a higher salary?

In order to get information on salary, graduates could approach people who work in that particular industry or at that very company, libraries, trade associations and trade publications or even at job hunting web sites found on the Internet such as JobsDB.com

If already graduates have correct information or answers to the above questions, employers will most likely have some objections to request for more money. Some of the common objections are as follows:

That other employees in their company are not making more
That the graduates do not have enough experience
That their budget would not permit it

It would therefore be a good idea before the interview for the graduate to think about how they would respond to these objections in a way that continues the discussion on a positive note without backing themselves into a corner. It is important for graduates to keep in mind that they are only asking questions, and not delivering an ultimatum.

Secure your Job - Making a Powerful Impression

2011-06-07T00:27:00.000-07:00

Dressed to impress

Dress in any appropriate outfit that mirrors their professionalism. Just remember to keep it simple, but elegant--Men in business suits, or shirt and slacks; women in pant suit or blouse and knee-length skirts or long pants.

Mind the time

Avoid planning for an interview during your lunch breaks or during any short breaks in between in order not to rush over things. You may get all panicky and lose your focus should you need to dash here and there for the interview.

Be careful of what your body language speaks

Greet the interviewer with a strong, firm handshake as a start. Don't hunch and remember to look at the interviewer in the eyes. These small gestures leave a lot of obvious clues to the interviewer about you and your confidence.

Give me some energy!

Leave your monotonous speech behind and insert some energy and life into your words and expressions. Speak clearly and loud enough while answering all questions enthusiastically.

Behave professionally

You may find yourself striking up the right cords with the interviewer but always remember to keep your conversation professional. Just be pleasant throughout the interview.

Good riddance to all negativity

Keep your grudges with your ex-boss at bay and be careful with your answers. Do not condemn anything related to your current or previous management or company. Your answer will reflect your maturity and as someone who keeps hatred in mind.

Do your research

Run a search through the Internet on the company hiring to get some basic company background knowledge. Never pretend to know the answer to some questions posed if in fact you really don't.

Send a thank you note

Send your interviewers a short thank you note to carve a lasting impression of yourself. The thank you note may just prove to be your entry ticket to a second interview or even a job offer.

Learn How To Be A Good Listener

2011-06-06T22:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in a middle of an interview or even in a conversation in that matter, when the person you are talking to just gets up and walks away? Or fiddles in the chair? Or even looks everywhere but at you? How does this make you feel? Most people feel hurt. The listener acts as though he or she is absolutely not interest in what the speaker has to say or already said. And yet, when it is their turn to talk, they expect, if not demand, attention.

Have you ever been in a heated conversation and realize that your partner has no idea what you have been saying? It could very well be the manner that you are delivering the argument or speech, or it may even be that your partner is a poor listener. Poor listening skills seem to be the majority and not the minority of fresh graduates. Since Malaysia is so used to being fast paced in all matters, we often forget how to slow down and just listen.

So how can one learn to be a good listener? Below are some common tips that can help poor listeners work wonders in all situations not only during interviews.

Learn to listen by using lots of eye contact:
Let the speaker know that you are interested in what is being said
Be slow to speak:
Sometimes, people speak to think out loud. Sometimes, all they really want is a shoulder to lean on and a willing ear to listen. By being slow to speak, you are allowing the speaker to work out or solve problems themselves. Also, one must think before he/she speaks
Keep the secret:
People trust you with information because they believe that you will not gossip and spread slander. Keep their trust by keeping things private; between the two of you
Be Attentive:
Learn to actively listen. Let the speaker know that you are actually listening, although you are not speaking, by saying things like, "yeah, hmmm, I know, that's true, okay, that makes sense," and so forth. This shows that you are in tune with what they are saying and also following what they are saying
Show Gratitude:
Let the speaker know that you feel honored that they were able to open up to you. If nothing personal was said, than let the speaker know that you had a great time listening and that you learned a lot. In a society that forgets to show gratitude, a simple use of kind words, can make someone's day a little brighter. Showing kindness and appreciation will also help you with the interviewer
Stay in Tune:
Do not simply disappear in the middle of any conversation because your mind wandered. Whether you actually get up and walk away or let your mind wander elsewhere, it is just being plain rude. If you find that your attention span is small, actively repeat what is being said to you as the speaker is speaking