By Winifred Tan If there is anything that Alvin Wang’s case has taught us, it is that people are oftentimes willing to go to creative, unexpected, even extreme lengths to achieve their goals.Last month, the IT Diploma graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic made headlines when he launched an online website to show off his credentials …

By Juliet SohKey performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives are usually set at the start of each year and it is common practice for companies to conduct a mid-year review between June to August before the year-end review in December. While year-end reviews aim to give feedback on an employee’s performance for the entire …

By Juliet SohAccording to a study by Michelle Marks, associate professor in Mason’s School of Management, and Crystal Harold, assistant professor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, corporate employees who choose to negotiate managed to increase their annual starting salaries by an average of $5000.And let’s …

By Melainne Chiew Looking for a change in environment while you take your education to the next level? Studying abroad might just be your answer. A culturally rich and rewarding experience awaits you, so long as the right mindset is adopted and the necessary work prepped beforehand. Before you jump on the overseas education …

By Jacelyn LimWith the recent release of the Labour Market Highlights 2011-2012 by the Ministry of Manpower, most would probably be clamouring to find out where they stand amongst their peers, and also which route of career advancement they should take to maximise their wages.We’ve done a short write up of the top 10 best …

By Farhan ShahFirst impressions are incredibly important, more so in job interviews. As you walk into the room, your interviewer (or interviewers) is already forming pre-conceived notions about you based on your appearance, even before the obligatory handshake.According to a study done by Princeton psychologists, people …

By Farhan ShahIn a lifetime, the average person will have held 10 different jobs. Assuming the average Singaporean starts working at the age of 22 and retires at 62, he or she would have stayed approximately 4 years in each position before moving on.According to the Ministry of Manpower, the average monthly resignation …

By Jacelyn LimOriginating from the land of bibimbap, Korean Pop, more popularly known as K-pop, has spread like wildfire across most Asian countries and is already eyeing the Western music industry with its intoxicating blend of infectious hooks and flashy dance moves.Characterised by multi-talented artistes with boundless …

By Farhan ShahOn average, 294 billion emails are sent every day. That’s 2.8 million emails whizzing electronically around the Earth every second. Discounting mysterious correspondences from rich and shady Nigerian financial advisers and electronic pharmacists touting magic pills, quite a large number of work-related emails …

By Farhan ShahIn an ideal corporate world, the one most deserving of a job promotion is the one who puts in the most hours at work or produces consistently outstanding work. Unfortunately, the corporate world that most of us work in is splattered with shades of grey.If you’ve ever been passed over for a promotion which …

By Farhan ShahMost people in their lives come to a point in their careers where they will want to resign from their current company. The reasons might be extremely varied, but the intentions are the same. However, this occurrence happens so rarely in one’s career that when you do reach that point, you’re stumped as to what …

By Juliet SohAre you hooked on Draw Something, a game application that many people can’t seem to get their fingers (or stylus) away from? Don’t worry, there are many more around the world suffering the same fate as you.However, don’t fret if you think you’re wasting your precious time away drawing your latest Lady Gaga …

By Farhan ShahMost people in their lives come to a point in their careers where they will want to resign from their current company. The reasons might be extremely varied, but the intentions are the same. However, this occurrence happens so rarely in one’s career that when you do reach that point, you’re stumped as to what …

By Farhan ShahIt’s that time of the year again.Newly-minted working professionals fret about how much they have to give and whether they will miss out on anything while those who are more experienced complain about the amount of paper work that they might have to potentially face. That’s right; it’s tax-filing season.Besides …

By Jacelyn LimIn just a couple of days, numerous people will peer around corners and look behind their backs every few minutes to make sure that no one is attempting to play a prank on them. No matter your age or gender, April Fools’ Day is always celebrated with enthusiasm as friends try to outwit and out-prank each other …

By Farhan ShahSingaporeans are a stressed lot.Numerous survey results have shown that Singaporeans work up to 45.9 hours a week, when the global average is 38.2 hours. Furthermore, with smartphones becoming a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, the line between our personal and corporate lives is slowly becoming smudged, …

By Juliet SohTo connect or not to connect? That is a question that would not have existed ten years ago. But with the increasing popularity of social networking platforms, employees now are likely to have to make a conscious decision about whether to include their bosses in their virtual social circle. According to a survey …

By Farhan ShahBesides interest and future career prospects, salaries are one of the, if not the most, important factors that influences most people’s degree major choices in university. The Ministry of Education Singapore recently released the results of the 2011 Graduate Employment Survey (GES), an annual survey that crunches …

By Melainne Chiew“Friends” – it seems harmless enough. Usually, it’s two (or more) individuals searching for that quaint connection, or some company to while away another lonely, loveless Friday night.But what if that “friend” is your boss?While statistics show a considerable amount of reservation that an office worker …

By Jacelyn LimStudies have shown that a heavy lunch will induce sleepiness, leading to lower concentration and productivity levels. The sugar and carbohydrates that come packaged with your meal causes insulin levels in the blood to rise, signalling the brain to take a “break” and cease activities.This explains that post-lunch …

By Melainne ChiewOriginally beginning life in the 1950s as a way of determining whether one had a higher chance of developing coronary heart disease, the Jacob Goldsmith theory (or the Type A and Type B personality theory) has evolved to include two more alphabets, Type C and Type D, as a way of segmenting 7 billion people …

By Farhan ShahWhat do goodnight kisses at the end of a date and being the last candidate in job interviews have in common? Much more than you think, according to Ed O’Brien, a psychologist from the University of Michigan says. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when it comes to last experiences, be it your final dinner …

By Winifred TanIf there is one thing people commonly regret on their deathbed, it was their failure to live life true to themselves and not conform to the lifestyle others expect of them. So says Bronnie Ware, an Australian palliative care nurse who spent several years counselling patients in their last 12 weeks and helping …

By Winifred Tan(Article updated on 29 February, 3pm, with additional information)It is barely a quarter through 2012 and you’re already dying to catch a breather from all the drama and stress at work. What better way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life than grabbing a travel bag and packing for a short …

By Winifred TanIt is barely a quarter through 2012 and you’re already dying to catch a breather from all the drama and stress at work. What better way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life than grabbing a travel bag and packing for a short jaunt somewhere?We list down 5 exotic destinations that you can …

By Farhan ShahThe downtime after lunch is quite possibly one of the slowest periods in the entire work day. Your productivity level dips, you start browsing Facebook and Twitter, and you Instant Message your closest colleague to start speculating who would make the best pairing in the office. If all these sound familiar, …

By Farhan ShahYou’ve just been given a dressing down by your boss. You walk back to your desk, still smarting from your metaphorical wounds, and launch your office communication software to rant to your closest office colleague.On other days, you go out for lunch with said colleague and talk shop about work, life, and anything …

By Winifred Tan & Jacelyn LimWhen it comes to the game of love, there is no such thing as “playing by the rules”. Or is there? According to a recent survey by JobsCentral, it would appear that most office workers in Singapore do have one rule when it comes to dating: never find your honey where you get your money.Of the …

By Juliet Soh44% of men are open to dating someone from the office, according a survey conducted by Singapore’s leading online job portal, JobsCentral. Although this means that the majority are against office romances, the percentage is higher than women. Nearly two-thirds (63.9%) of female respondents say they would not …

By Farhan ShahYou’ve heard stories of the amazing perks that Google employees in America enjoy. If work has worn them down, they can grab a short break to enjoy a spot of bowling or have a friendly ping-pong match with their colleague-turned-temporary adversary.PricewaterhouseCoopers associates get to take a whopping 5 …

By Winifred Tan[Information and photos courtesy of National Museum of Singapore and National Heritage Board]The last living vestiges of yesteryear, traditional peddlers are now slowly but surely disappearing from our streets as we continue the relentless march towards commercialism and modernity. Despite the humble and …

By Winifred TanHow would you describe your current workplace?Is it a young, vibrant environment bubbling with creative ideas and employee-led initiatives? Is everyone’s opinion heard and taken into account? Do you work independently, in small project groups, or in an organization so extensive you bump into new faces every …

By Winifred TanIf constant stress at work has you feeling exhausted, helpless, unappreciated, resentful, and disillusioned, you may be suffering from career burnout. Similar to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), burnout occurs when you undergo a prolonged period of stress and feel increasingly overwhelmed and unable to keep …

Seven people. Four different jobs. One incredible life. We meet a group of people who are making a living by living out their dreams. By Eliza Hamizah

Professional Poker Player: Bryan Huang

By Winifred TanChinese custom decrees that the arrival of the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, marks a brand new start. Preparations must be made to welcome a prosperous year ahead and to send the old and bad away. This is when many of us embark on our annual spring-cleaning exercise for our homes and offices. Beyond …

By Juliet Soh The top three worst savers in Singapore are event managers, public relations practitioners and salespeople, according to a survey by JobsCentral, …