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Showing posts with label Career Sustainability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career Sustainability. Show all posts
Monday, January 18, 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016
A Dream Coming True
BestTop short film 《追梦》 tells an inspiring story about how a young student make every effort to pursue his dream. Audition has been held to recruit the most suitable casts for the film.
Special thanks to “花样年华” team, who specialize in making award-winning short films.
Friday, November 27, 2015
BestTop Activity:【Offer Guaranteed】 VIP Program
BestTop is now launching of an 【Offer Guaranteed】 VIP Program. Through a structured package and training, you will be trained in a period of 3 months to 2 years (depending on the background of individuals). By the end of this VIP Program, you will be equipped with all you need to know about landing a dream job in your desired industry.
In BestTop VIP Program, you will be matched with a lead career consultant to follow through on a regular basis. Below is the Overall Flow and Structure:

If you are interested, please fill in this form and BestTop will get in touch will you soon.
Last but not least, wish you all the best in your career!
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
[Career Sustainability]: The Smartest Ways to Network at a Party
Some people enter a room of strangers and glide along from one lively conversation to another, uncovering golden new business contacts.
How do they do it?
These people know how to read a room—a capacity that can be partly inborn, but also learned. From the barrage of sights, sounds and behavioral details, they extract clues about which people have the most to offer and which to avoid.
That energetic guy with the 1,000-watt smile, booming voice, ready handshake and a fistful of other people’s business cards might seem like fun, for example. But he’s moving too fast to connect with people in a meaningful way and is probably just trying to bag clients.
“You meet somebody at a business function, and five minutes later they’re slapping you on the back and calling you by a nickname, ‘Yo, Vic!’ Only my close friends call me Vic,” says Vickie J. Gray, chief marketing officer at Ober Kaler, a Baltimore law firm. Such glad-handers “give networking a bad name,” she says.
The cues to finding allies in a crowded room aren’t obvious. Those in groups talking all at once and laughing might look like great people to know. Often, however, they’re sharing a private joke or memories of past experiences, and “they’re having way too much fun” to welcome an outsider, says Anne Baber, co-owner of Contacts Count, a networking consultant from Newtown, Pa., that provides training for attorneys at Ober Kaler.
A tight circle of three to five people standing face-to-face in a closed O, maintaining eye contact and talking intently, might look intriguing, but they may be solving a pressing problem, making them too busy to greet someone new.
The most promising group may be lined up loosely, with gaps between participants, “just sort of muddling along, trying to have a conversation,” Ms. Baber says. They’re likely to welcome a newcomer, especially someone who can loosen them up.
Luiz Vieira networks often in his role as president of a Philadelphia technology and consumer-product materials company and a member of an association of CEOs. He looks for a group that isn’t clicking. “They look like they’re bored, and they need someone to jump-start their conversation,” he says.
Working with Philadelphia impression-management coach Karen Kaufman, he learned to come prepared to talk about a few interesting topics, such as the World Cup or the stock market, and to feel at ease approaching others, asking questions and starting a new discussion. “If you’re able to shift the mood of a group in a positive way, it’s very powerful” in forming bonds with others, he says.
Participants in groups that are welcoming often make eye contact as a newcomer approaches, raise their brows in a welcoming way and smile.
Two people facing outward, instead of directly facing each other, also signal a readiness to talk, says Michele Woodward, a Washington, D.C., executive coach.
Ms. Woodward met Liz Sears Smith a few months ago at a museum gathering after spotting her near a standing cocktail table, leaning against the rail shoulder-to-shoulder with a colleague, looking out at the crowd. “It was clear from their body language that they were open,” Ms. Woodward says. Ms. Woodward and Ms. Smith made eye contact and both smiled. Ms. Woodward introduced herself, and they talked for about five minutes and realized their work was similar in some ways, Ms. Woodward says.
“We decided we wanted to have coffee, and Michele took the first step of sending an email later. We’ve kept that relationship going,” says Ms. Smith, Washington-based reputation-management consultant.
Noticing subtle, nonverbal cues can help. Domineering people tend to talk most of the time and avoid eye contact with listeners, research shows.
People who are genuinely open to new relationships adopt an open stance, shoulders apart and hands at their sides, turning slightly toward newcomers to welcome them, says Kelly Decker, president of Decker Communications, a San Francisco consulting and training firm. Also, their gestures match their words. Saying you’re delighted to meet someone when your arms are crossed in front of you is confusing, suggesting you don’t mean what you say.
Loners who stand in a corner, hunched over their cellphone or a plate of food, are sending a negative signal, Ms. Woodward says. Other singletons, facing the room with an open stance and a smile, however, may be happy to greet you. “For some people, a networking event is the seventh level of hell. If I can reach out and make it a little easier, I’m going to try,” she says.
Influential people often lead the conversation, but good networkers leave plenty of time to show interest in what others say. An influential speaker has listeners who are nodding and leaning forward, raising their eyebrows or murmuring brief responses such as “Really?” or “I see,” research shows. Listeners who stand close signal a desire to please. So do those who mirror a speaker’s gestures, tilting their heads at the same angle or simultaneously shifting their weight onto one foot.
Carl Arnold reads the overall energy level of a room in deciding how to approach people. At a cocktail reception in a restaurant bar three years ago, people were talking loudly, telling stories and laughing boisterously. So he asserted himself by puffing up his chest, standing tall and catching the eye of a man who appeared to be the most influential one there. Mr. Arnold, who chairs leadership groups for Vistage, a San Diego-based executive-coaching organization, introduced himself and made a joke, sparking a lively conversation.
A recent gathering of musicians he attended was quiet and laid-back, with people talking softly in twos and threes and “sipping a little Chardonnay, as opposed to vodka rocks,” Mr. Arnold says. “I kept it more on the down-low” and sought out the host, who introduced him to others. He met a valuable new business contact at the first gathering and made a new friend, a fellow musician, at the second.
People who try to impress strangers by reciting their résumé are missing the mark, Ms. Decker says. Others are more attracted initially to a person’s warmth, as conveyed by eye contact, a warm expression and a smile, rather than to their competence.
Pamela J. Bradley says networking used to be difficult for her as a shy, introverted person. With training from Ms. Baber’s firm, she says she’s learned to enter the room thinking, “I’m here to help people, with resources or introductions.”
Ms. Bradley, a human-resources manager for Keiter, a Glen Allen, Va., accounting and consulting firm, prepares by thinking up a list of things she can offer in a conversation, such as a tip about a new restaurant, and things she wants to learn. Then, she says, she listens closely to others for opportunities.
Written by SUE SHELLENBARGER
Monday, August 3, 2015
Event - REGISTER YOUR INTEREST for 2015 Credit Suisse, Singapore - Summer Coffee Chats
Event - REGISTER YOUR INTEREST for 2015 Credit Suisse, Singapore - Summer Coffee Chats
Event Description
If you will be in Singapore in August and are interested in meeting our recruiters in our Singapore office to learn more about the 2016 Summer Internship Programs we offer in Investment Banking Department, please register your interest here. As part of the event registration, you'll be asked to submit a CV and a short paragraph about what attracts you to pursue a long-term career in Asia Pacific – both professional and personal reasons are fine (word limit: 150 words).
Event date/time TBC.
We will confirm the event by mid-August and provide further details via email.
Details
Date/Time: TBC
Venue: Credit Suisse Office, Singapore
Further Information
This event is open to undergraduate, Master’s and MBA students graduating between December 2016 and June 2017. We encourage students from all degree disciplines to register.
2016 Summer Internship Application Deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2015. Please apply online at www.credit-suisse.com/careers. We encourage you to apply early as all applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
For further enquiries, please contact campus.recruitment-ap@credit-suisse.com
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Click here to join
Event Description
If you will be in Singapore in August and are interested in meeting our recruiters in our Singapore office to learn more about the 2016 Summer Internship Programs we offer in Investment Banking Department, please register your interest here. As part of the event registration, you'll be asked to submit a CV and a short paragraph about what attracts you to pursue a long-term career in Asia Pacific – both professional and personal reasons are fine (word limit: 150 words).
Event date/time TBC.
We will confirm the event by mid-August and provide further details via email.
Details
Date/Time: TBC
Venue: Credit Suisse Office, Singapore
Further Information
This event is open to undergraduate, Master’s and MBA students graduating between December 2016 and June 2017. We encourage students from all degree disciplines to register.
2016 Summer Internship Application Deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2015. Please apply online at www.credit-suisse.com/careers. We encourage you to apply early as all applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
For further enquiries, please contact campus.recruitment-ap@credit-suisse.com
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Click here to join
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Interview Preparation:Are You Ready For An Unexpected Job Interview?
Written by Tony Jacowski
Stay calm and follow these steps: -Get your interview clothes organized. -Refresh your technical skills. -Make copies of your resume and references -Find the directions to the interview site. A last minute interview call can arise from any of the following sources: Internal job openings - If you are good at your current job and your boss also appreciates you, then don't be surprised if you get a sudden job interview from your current employer. Your boss might have recommended you, so be ready to present and showcase your skills. Recruiting agency - You can expect a call from a recruiting agency if you are looking for a position with more responsibility in another company. So try to say appropriate things to win the job or you might just miss the chance. Through a colleague - Your colleagues may find you quite enterprising and suitable for a job that they applied for but were rejected. So don't be surprised if you get a call from that company. Always try to prepare yourself by seeking help from your colleague. If you want to grow in your career, then you should always be prepared to handle different situations. Interview skills include the confidence to handle unexpected job interviews. You can try and polish your skills by answering some questions: State your value in 30 seconds - Value proposals are meant to captivate the listener. So try to practice your take on your skills, proficiency and industry knowledge in 30 seconds. If you are able to offer a summary within this time, then you can probably expect to land the job. A short and precise value proposition can win you a new position. List your top five achievements - List your top achievements to enable the prospective employer to think about your potential contributions to the organization. Achievements give the employer a clear picture as to what you can do for the company and also provide reason to keep your information on file. Prepare yourself for the interview - Prepare yourself for the most obvious questions like "If you are doing well in your present job then why do you want to change?" Don't ever sweat or squirm, as a good employer will be quick to see that you are losing confidence. Think about frequently asked questions and prepare yourself well. Understand the interviewer's motivation- Try and judge your interviewer's purpose for asking specific questions and answer appropriately. You need to judge what the interviewer is looking for in a suitable candidate. Conduct thorough research and understand the company's needs, before you target your answers. Even though you may have a short amount of time to prepare for an unexpected job interview, it can be done. Follow the tips above and your next interview will be a breeze! |
Thursday, July 2, 2015
[BestTop Inspiration]: How Career-Minded Are You?
(Written by Dave Berry)
One of the tools I use for college counseling is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). In a nutshell, the MBTI gives high schoolers (and adults of all ages) a look at their preferences about life, which can lead to pointing them in the right direction for a college major and life’s work. It helped me to finally understand some of my own behaviors, about which I was puzzled. (Don’t worry; I haven’t completely figured out myself yet.)
The publisher of the MBTI is CPP. They have just done a survey of high school and community college students that had some interesting results. The study showed that career is high on students’ priority lists. An overwhelming majority of participants (81%) said they either “constantly” or “frequently” think about their future career, and 42% (the largest group of respondents for the category) reported that career is “top of mind.”
Here’s a recap of this interesting survey that shows students are . . .
Career-minded:
o 81% are “constantly” or “frequently” thinking about their future career
o 12% think about their career only “occasionally”
o Not a single respondent reported “rarely” or “never” thinking about it
Feel careers should be personally fulfilling:
o 80% believe a career should be something that brings enjoyment and fulfillment to their life
o 72% want a career that aligns with their passion
o 53% believe their career will play a role in defining them as an individual
Don’t believe their parents have this privilege:
o 57% said their parents either “like what they do, but suspect they’d rather do something else” or “don’t like what they do, but feel they need to do it for the money” (as compared to 25% who believe their parents “love what they do”)
Connect career success with enjoyment of work:
o 78% believe they will achieve the most success in a career for which they have a passion
o When identifying specific motivators for successful people, the largest group of respondents (58%) believe “enjoyment of the work itself” as the primary motivator for career success over money and a desire for power, influence, and respect among other choices
See their studies as steps to career fulfillment and success:
See their studies as steps to career fulfillment and success:
o The majority (55%) believe that knowing their ideal career path will improve their college performance
o For specifics on what motivates them to study, the largest group of respondents (27%) cited “interest in the subject” as their primary motivator compared to only 9% who cited “getting into a good college”
Gain clarity about their career direction from assessments:
Gain clarity about their career direction from assessments:
- 72% reported they were more enthusiastic about their future career after taking CPP’s Strong Interest Inventory assessment
- 85% said they became aware of more appealing career options after reviewing their assessment results
- 50% reported that knowing their results made them more likely to study
Bottom line, as cited in the report: “For many of today’s career seekers, the size of their potential paycheck is not all-important. Above all, they want a career that offers opportunities for both professional and personal fulfillment. Career satisfaction now affects everything from individual happiness and family stability to company profits and national economic competitiveness. It contributes to motivation and plays a crucial role in people’s performance of and commitment to their work. Simply put, the more people like what they’re doing for a living, the more motivated they are to put forth the effort and focus that success demands and organizations need.”
Check out the MBTI, if you would like to learn more about yourself, your preferences about life, and how all that can lead to a rewarding career and life’s work.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
[Career Preparation Tips]: Is Consulting Right For You?
(Written by Shelly Palmer)
During a time of transition (forced or otherwise), many of my very successful corporate executive friends ponder the merits of starting a consulting practice. It seems like a logical career path. It may be. But the transition from corporate executive to successful consultant has more to do with self-knowledge than subject matter expertise or skill. If you have been successful in business, you probably have the skills to become a successful consultant. That said, here are seven things to consider before you start your new, new thing.
1. Your Identity
You have been John Smith, EVP, Widgets & Strategic Initiatives for Gigantic Corp. for years. In fact, you did 8 years at Big Corp. before you got your dream job at Gigantic Corp. Your business card has always had a household name on it. Everyone has always immediately returned your phone calls and emails. After all, who in their right mind would not respond to an executive from Gigantic Corp.?
That was then. In your new life, you are going to be John Smith from John Smith Consulting. No one will know what you do or why they should call you back. Your business card will say something like, “John Smith, President, John Smith Consulting.” Even if you make up a cool corporate-sounding name, you are still going to be just some person who is consulting.
This simple fact will have a dramatic impact on your presentation of self in everyday life. You will go from “Jeff … he runs a division of Disney” to “Jeff … he’s a _____ consultant.” You may not think this is going to matter. Trust me – it will make a huge difference. Be sure you’re ready for the psychological change. It can be severe.
2. Getting Work
Just because you’re an expert in doing work does not mean that you are an expert in getting work. These are two very different skills. You’ve had a few jobs in your life and been on a few job interviews. Now, you’re going to be going on a job interview or job interviews every single day. Selling your services will be a constant requirement. Work does not fall from the sky. The world is a very competitive place and people who do what you do spend all of their waking moments thinking about how to take food directly off your table. If you’re not the aggressive sales type, you will need a plan to fill your sales pipeline.
3. When You’re Working You Can’t Be Selling. When You’re Selling You Can’t Be Working
Even if you are an awesome sales person (and most consultants are), there is an immutable law of consulting life: When you’re working you can’t be selling, and when you’re selling you can’t be working. We all live in a time-constrained world, but if you’re building a solo consulting practice, be ready to spend your days selling and your nights working. You’ve never worked harder or longer. And while you have developed expertise managing one boss, you will now be managing many. These are not trivial issues.
If you’re unlucky enough to have a client that wants you on-premises during the day, you’re going to have to learn to manage your sales process. It is very difficult to work 8- to 10-hour days for a client and be an efficient manager of your own sales pipeline. How will it play out? You may be technologically sophisticated enough to handle it, or your career may start to look more like that of a freelancer than a consultant. Not bad, but not ideal.
There are several good solutions to this problem, but they all require you to build a small business infrastructure. Be prepared: consulting is not a job; it’s a business.
4. Lumpy Income vs. Steady Paycheck
One of the biggest shocks for every corporate executive turned consultant is the transition from a steady paycheck to lumpy income. Are you ready to get paid 45 to 90 days after you send a bill? That’s the best of it. Consulting sales cycles can be pretty long. You might go six months without a sale or a job, then do four weeks of work for half a year’s wages. It all comes out in the wash, but it is anything but steady. Do you believe in yourself? Will you have enough confidence in your abilities to keep your head in the game when you just aren’t winning bids or getting paid? Consulting is a rollercoaster. If you don’t like rollercoasters, you might want to consider another line of work.
5. What Specific Problem Do You Solve?
Why does consulting look so easy for some and so difficult for others? Consultants who solve specific problems make it look easy. In a perfect world your prospective client will say, “I need ____. Call Joe!” If your consulting practice solves a specific problem, you will always be on the short list for ____. Get this right and everything else will take care of itself.
Success
In success, you are going to have two soul-searching issues. They are rich people’s problems, but they are worth mentioning.
6. Your First $10,000 Round of Golf
When your consulting fees hit $10,000/day (or any big number; it’s a relative scale), a friend or client is going to ask you to play golf on a Wednesday. This is awesome! Except that Wednesday is a work day and even though you are playing as a guest, the round is going to cost you $10,000. Will you go play or go work? You may think you know your answer right now. Trust me – you don’t!
7. O&OBC
This is an abbreviation for “One and Only Biggest Client.” This is the dream client that books 80 percent of your time and is responsible for 80 percent of your income. Having an O&OBC is the worst possible thing that can happen to you. Don’t let it. Do you have the ability to restrict a client to no more than 20 percent of your income so you can risk-manage your business? Lose your O&OBC and you’re back to square one. Lose a client that represents only 20 percent of your business and it’s another day at the office. You may think you know how you’ll answer this question now. You don’t. Saying no to additional work from a good client is very, very hard. If you want to run a strong, sustainable consulting practice, it’s a requirement.
Good Luck
Is consulting right for you? Hopefully, these seven thought-starters will help you arrive at your decision.
Friday, June 26, 2015
[Industry News]: Six Singapore companies make it to Forbes Asia's 'Best Under a Billion' list
[Reported by The Business Time on 26 June 2015]
SIX Singapore companies have made it to Forbes Asia's "Best Under a Billion" list this year, three more than in 2014.
The six companies are Cordlife Group, Hock Lian Seng, Pacific Century Regional Developments, Q&M Dental Group, Silverlake Axis and Wee Hur.
The "Best Under A Billion" list honours 200 leading public companies in the Asia-Pacific region with annual revenue of between US$5 million and US$1 billion, having positive net income and having been publicly traded for at least a year. From a universe of 17,000 companies, the candidates are screened on sales growth and earnings growth in the past 12 months and over three years, and for the strongest five-year return on equity. Of the 200 companies, 123 are new to the list.
This year, China and Hong Kong topped the list with a total of 84 companies, one down from last year. The second largest group of companies on the list came from Taiwan - this year, five more companies made it to the list, bringing the total to 36.
Elsewhere in the region, South Korea is third on the list with 17 companies, up from 12 last year. India and Malaysia both have 11 companies on the list while Australia has nine companies. This year, Japan dropped out of the top five countries, with only eight companies compared to 15 last year.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
BestTop - Career Sustainability & Inspirational Article Sharing
3 More Career Lessons From Obie, the Formerly Obese Dachshund
Obie, the dachshund who used to weigh 77 pounds? Well, he's still going strong, having lost over 50 pounds. His journey is inspirational, not just for pet lovers, but for anyone who's ever had to struggle through tough times. In short, there's a lot we can learn from this little dog. Here are three more reasons why Obie should be your career spirit animal.
1. You can change your life.
How often have you daydreamed about a different job or even a whole different career, only to shake yourself awake after a few minutes and think, "Well, I made a different choice."As the old saying goes, it's never too late to be what you might have been. Changing careers isn't easy. You might need to invest time and money, and you'll certainly have to do your research to determine the best path for you. But if you're willing to make both the big leap and the hundreds of tiny steps necessary to make a change, you can make it happen.
2. It's all about good fit.
Obie's original owners were elderly, and couldn't stand to "say 'no' to those big brown eyes." They clearly loved him, but they couldn't take care of him. Turning him over to his current owner, veterinary technician Nora Vanatta, was probably unbelievably difficult for them -- but it seems to have the best thing that could have happened for Obie, who's thrived under Vanatta's care, and benefited from her ability to connect with other medical professionals who could help Obie get healthy.
Sometimes, it's not that your job is terrible, it's that it's a terrible job for you. Career counselors sometimes describe this lack of fit as trying to write with your left hand, when you're right-handed. If your career or company is a bad fit for your personality, you'll need to make a change in order to be happy.
3. What you do every day matters the most.
To get healthier or change your working life, you need to do a little bit every day. No one loses 50 pounds overnight; neither do they forge a new career path in a day, or a week, or a month.
Persistence is the key, if you want to succeed like Obie.
Written by Jen Hubley Luckwaldt on 06 May 2014
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