Latest news with #TiffanyAng
CNA
08-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Work It Podcast: Spot the red flags in job listings
Unrealistic job postings, misleading jargon and inflated demands may deter qualified job seekers. Han Lee, director at executive search firm Lico Resources, offers tips on identifying genuine opportunities and how to apply confidently, without ticking every box. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: (They ask for) things like five or seven plus years of experience. Tell me ... Do I really need exactly what they say? Han Lee, director at Lico Resources: The short answer is no. You don't really have to be a 100 per cent (candidate). And if you talk to any headhunters out there, the first thing that we do when we talk to the (recruiting) client is to take the job description and then strip it bare. My question to my clients would be: 'What is absolutely necessary here? What is good to have?' … Because everybody knows that the job description is a wish list. There is no 100 per cent perfect candidate. If you look at the job description and you see that you have about 60 or 70 per cent that can fit into this job ... just apply. Go ahead. Chances are the rest of the 30 per cent or 40 per cent that you don't have, it's just a "good to have". And I can say, for most of the companies, they will be willing to train and guide certain people … But I also think most of the clients are not ready to just take on anyone without the essential skill set that they need for that particular job. So the short answer is yes, just go and apply if you think that you are 70 per cent or 60 per cent matching the job description. You are fine to go. Gerald Tan, host: What about job descriptions that aren't sincere about hiring? The ones that are just there to collect information. I've heard this from many individuals and clients - they apply for a job and they don't even know if it's real. They say: 'I applied, but there was no reply.' And they keep seeing the same job posted over and over again. So there's a possibility that they haven't found the perfect candidate or that they're just collecting information, right? Tiffany: I don't understand this - collecting resumes. What does that mean? Why do companies do that? Han: Well, I think there are many reasons why the company would want to collect resumes. One, it's probably because the headcount is not there yet, but they want to start collecting now, and when the headcount is ready, they can start interviewing.
CNA
01-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Work It Podcast: How to write a standout resume
It is possible that your job application may be buried in a sea of others. So how do you catch the hiring manager's eye. Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, walks us through the dos and don'ts to get you to the top of the pile. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: I read that it takes a hiring manager, on average, 10 seconds to decide if the resume is in the accept pile or the reject stash. What would you first look at if I were to put an eye tracking software into your eyes? Which content would take up most of your eye time? Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals: I will say your last two recent jobs and your time in the role. But first of all, it depends on the hiring company and the nature of the industry. If you're a startup looking to hire, you probably wouldn't be so obsessed with the staying power of an individual. Rather, you'd be more obsessed (if the candidate has) the ability to do something from scratch and scale it up. On the other hand, if you are applying for a more traditional company, the recruiter might value things like: Did you spend four years in your most recent gig? And was your second most recent gig at least three years? So, I wouldn't say this is what I look for, but depending on the nature of the industry, recruiters may look at it this way. Tiffany: They will still look at the first two jobs, it's just that maybe someone from a startup company might look at what you have achieved, whereas somebody who is in a bigger company, a legacy company, might value longevity, so they might be looking at the duration. Zhirong: Anyway, the first page is usually your last two gigs. Tiffany: Exactly. But there's always the top part where you write a short little bio of yourself. Zhirong: Personally, I don't think it is necessary, but if you still want to include it, I recommend keeping it to two to three sentences. I've seen resumes where the personal bio was almost one third of the first page, and this personal bio is just a self-description of the individual, not substantiated by your achievements or impact at work. Depending on the interviewer or screener who picks up your resume, they may or may not believe it, right? Gerald Tan, host: I think Zhirong mentioned a very important principle, which is that you need to create a resume that is reader-friendly. You need to put yourself in the shoes of the reader: What are they looking for? What will appeal to them in terms of keywords and important information about you? That way, it makes the whole reading, the whole 10 seconds, more worthwhile.
CNA
25-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Work It Podcast: Why unfinished tasks at work linger in your mind – and what to do about them
Unresolved tasks can quietly build up, creating mental clutter that affects focus and well-being. CNA TODAY journalist Amanda Yeap shares what she has learnt about the science behind the Zeigarnik Effect and practical tips on how to regain control over your work life. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: We talked about writing lists. I think that has been very helpful for me, because I almost 'list-dump" my thoughts out of my head. I have an ideas list, I have a task list. Basically, the idea is that I just want my brain to be as free as possible. Besides lists, are there any other ways that we can use to cope with the Zeigarnik Effect? Amanda Yeap, CNA TODAY journalist: One expert broke it down like this. Once you have your list, you can decide what you want to do with each item. You either throw it out if it's no longer relevant, (or keep it) because you realise that after listing it out, not everything actually needs to be done straight away. When it's all in your mind, you just feel, 'Oh no, there are so many things.' Tiffany: Yeah, that is good point. I always thought that if it's on the list, it needs to be done. But it doesn't have to be ... Amanda: So throwing it out, outsourcing, asking for help or delegating (tasks), or even just doing it. At least you've already kickstarted the process. Maybe some tasks are so huge that it's impossible to get them done in a single step. Tiffany: That's why breaking it down into different steps helps, right? Because you know, 'Okay, at least I have completed two out of three steps, and the last step is just this.' And I can maybe move (other tasks) to the next month, or I can do this tomorrow. I don't have to do it today, but at least you kind of break it down and set goals. Otherwise, you get caught in this incessant loop of, 'Oh my goodness, am I in a matrix? It's coming back!' Amanda: Yeah, it's actually quite common that some tabs are just there in your mind, but you don't act on them, or you just procrastinate, even though it would do you some good to get the task done. To trick yourself into doing that, really, is to just start that first step ... You can also assign a timeline to yourself. Because sometimes if the to-do item is not specific, in the sense of (having a) deadline, then saying something like 'I'll do this by Friday,' is definitely more effective than, 'I need to do this sometime.'
