Category: Hints & Tips

ABCs of hiring in Asia

[framed_box]A) My contrarian position that there is no ‘shortage of talent’ continues. There is plenty of talent, and thus plenty of potential. No new hire is a ‘finished work of art’, ‘ready made’, and knows the job to be done at the outset. Yet many internal stakeholders are too busy or seldom in the office…
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The CV of interest

I look at many CVs, rewrite a fair number, and often tell people that under “Interests” there should be something beyond the anodyne ‘reading, hiking, traveling, listening to music’ line. This is important–not because of any blather of ‘work-life balance’, but because it distinguishes the person as having a passion, another type of innate intelligence…
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The more I see you

The more I want you Somehow this feeling Just grows and grows As the old song goes, so it is true in business. If you want to be known and have a profile that counts, you must be visible. If you want to be courted, you must be compelling. If you want to be seen,…
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8 steps to (interviewing) heaven

When I receive mandates for a search, clients often remind me of urgency and completion by a certain time. All well understood and expected. The fast time frame, however, is often not adhered to, sliding into a “hurry up and wait” cadence. Why is that, given such urgency and need? I have observed that many…
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Sideline savvy skills

On the sidelines of the soccer pitch, speaking to another soccer dad I have not seen in a while; “How’s business?” “Not bad, travelling a lot, company’s going through some restructuring, looks like the boss here (a S. African) is now reporting to Sydney instead of the US [and the dad I’m speaking to is…
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The mechanics of manners; 10 points

My children were on school break last week, doing the things teens do; hanging with friends, sleeping late, Facebook, Skype, videos, and sleepovers. My son had two of his friends sleep over, and were up until 2 AM or so. When they finally headed out the following afternoon, one of the boys said to me,…
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The interview addict

I wrote this last year for the Straits Times, and have gotten a number of requests for it, so here it is again.. [framed_box]Use your time to search for the right job, don’t squander it on attending as many interviews as possible. People panic when looking for a new job. This creates a mindset of…
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Hit them where it hurts

A coffee conversation last week with someone who asked to meet me, almost always an indication they’re looking for a job, which is fine by me. Senior professional with nearly 30 years work experience, and in his current role for nearly 4, he was indeed looking to make a move soon, ideally to a similar…
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Words to work with in 2010

Do what you have to do first, and then do what you like to do. Adjust your goals to fit your talents and limitations so that reduced goals don’t frustrate you. Know how to proportion the means to an end, so that you don’t fire a cannon to kill a caterpillar, or wave a rod…
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