The 1st one is the 41 year old who started his investing the moment he step out of University. Today, he is a multimillionaire with 13 units of property at high streets of Singapore. He reads indices like a biography. He sees trends & economies where others don’t. A very steady hand in investment & wealth creation. He has two children, the elder being a smart straight As student while the second just simply the opposite. That got his wife real worried. And his reassurance to his wife was, just chill, when the time is ripe, he will teach him to read & pick investment like a pro and provide him with the seed money. Wow. His advise to the day to day people who manage their own investment portfolio was do not be a slave to your investment but rather live life, smell the flowers !! Isn’t the whole reason you are getting out or got out of rat race ?

His partner is a young man in his late 20s who came from a poor family, struggled to finish university & his 1st job was only SGD1500 in the bank doing loan processing. However, his curiosity of how those illiterate Chinese man make money with their property. Today, he own a property of SGD 18mil property.

This two individuals, the many in the group, reminded me of an acquaintance whom I have blogged about here. The summary is this engineer, started investing the very day he stepped out of University and today at mid thirties, no debts (car & houses paid for), money stashed away in different countries. He worked because too free, too bored. Life eh ?!?!

1. when one is has no technical background, with no actually technical interest, it is best to stick with the ready user friendly to be productive.
2. when one is not an expert in social media marketing, it is best to utilize the ready platform.
3. when the above criteria are not met, it is foolish to continue paying for service which one can’t optimize while there are FOC platform

I can go on & on…

To cut the chase, I am to discontinue this URL & move this entire blog over to blogspot. So, please allow me to invite over to my new blog home at destinysteps.blogspot.com. See ya there !!

If only everyday’s traffic is such, I will love my day job in the city center.

Apparently latest research done in the UK shows flexible working hours, ie. employees have control over their work hours improves employees’ body & soul, the total well being. How true. It is probably time to rehink of our lifestyle & do some drastic but necessary adjustment to regain life. 19% of time investment a day on the road fighting traffic to earn a living is certainly not worth the sacrifice made in health, life & time.

Many nights we’ve prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopefull song
We barely understood

Now we are not afraid
Although we know there’s much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

In this time of fear
When prayers so often prove(s) in vain
Hope seems like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away

Yet now I’m standing here
My heart’s so full I can’t explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I’d say

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

They don’t (always happen) when you ask
(Oh)
And it’s easy to give in to your fears
(Oh…Ohhhh)
But when you’re blinded by your pain
Can’t see your way straight throught the rain
(A small but )still resilient voice
Says (hope is very near)
(Ohhh)

There can be miracles
(Miracles)
When you believe
(Lord, when you believe)
Though hope is frail
(Though hope is frail)
It’s hard to kill
(Hard to kill, Ohhh)
Who knows what miracles,you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will(somehow,somehow, somehow)
somehow you will
You will when you believe

You will when you
You will when you believe
Just believe…in your heart
Just believe
You will when you believe~

Stays foolish Stays hungry……I am sure it’s easily misinterpreted, so get the essence of it.

With the rapid growth of online social media networks, most people are drawn to share info / photos because it is convenient and kind of fun. Many even voice their strong opinion & make comment on matters & issues in there, good and/or nasty. It is either these people are truly ignorant of the fact that these portals are all being watched & monitored or one is just totally naive that this disclosure is permanently recorded, searchable & may come back to haunt them later.

Check it out, latest survey published by CareerBuilder.

Forty-five Percent of Employers Use Social Networking Sites to Research Job Candidates, CareerBuilder Survey Finds

Career Expert Provides DOs and DON’Ts for Job Seekers on Social Networking

As social networking grows increasingly pervasive, more employers are utilizing these sites to screen potential employees. Forty-five percent of employers reported in a recent CareerBuilder survey that they use social networking sites to research job candidates, a big jump from 22 percent last year. Another 11 percent plan to start using social networking sites for screening. More than 2,600 hiring managers participated in the survey, which was completed in June 2009.
Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn and 21 percent use MySpace. One-in-ten (11 percent) search blogs while 7 percent follow candidates on Twitter.

The top industries most likely to screen job candidates via social networking sites or online search engines include those that specialize in technology and sensitive information: Information Technology (63 percent) and Professional & Business Services (53 percent).

Why Employers Disregarded Candidates After Screening Online

Job seekers are cautioned to be mindful of the information they post online and how they communicate directly with employers. Thirty-five percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate. The top examples cited include:

• Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information - 53 percent
• Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs - 44 percent
• Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients - 35 percent
• Candidate showed poor communication skills - 29 percent
• Candidate made discriminatory comments - 26 percent
• Candidate lied about qualifications - 24 percent
• Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer - 20 percent

Fourteen percent of employers have disregarded a candidate because the candidate sent a message using an emoticon such as a smiley face while 16 percent dismissed a candidate for using text language such as GR8 (great) in an e-mail or job application.

Why Employers Hired Candidates After Screening Online

Job seekers are also encouraged to leverage social media whenadvertising their skills and experience.Eighteen percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them to hire the candidate. The top examples include:

• Profile provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit - 50 percent
• Profile supported candidate’s professional qualifications - 39 percent
• Candidate was creative - 38 percent
• Candidate showed solid communication skills - 35 percent
• Candidate was well-rounded - 33 percent
• Other people posted good references about the candidate - 19 percent
• Candidate received awards and accolades - 15 percent

“Social networking is a great way to make connections with potential job opportunities and promote your personal brand across the Internet,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “Make sure you are using this resource to your advantage by conveying a professional image and underscoring your qualifications.”

Haefner recommends the following DOs and DON’Ts to keep a positive image online:

1)DO clean up digital dirt BEFORE you begin your job search. Remove any photos, content and links that can work against you in an employer’s eyes.

2)DO consider creating your own professional group on sites like Facebook or BrightFuse.com to establish relationships with thought leaders, recruiters and potential referrals.

3)DO keep gripes offline. Keep the content focused on the positive, whether that relates to professional or personal information. Makes sure to highlight specific accomplishments inside and outside of work.

4)DON’T forget others can see your friends, so be selective about who you accept as friends. Monitor comments made by others. Consider using the “block comments” feature or setting your profile to “private” so only designated friends can view it.

5)DON’T mention your job search if you’re still employed.

It must be done NOW, doesn’t matter if it’s urgent or important;

You cannot laugh at what I do no matter how silly else I sue you;

It’s ok to take from you but you cannot take from me;

It’s my road, I want to move first;

It’s my right to demand even it’s only my privileged;

I can do better than anyone;

You must help me, else I will throw my tantrum & hate you for life;

It is a matter of you or me, yes or no, right or wrong, there is no in between;

It is sbsolute, there is no room for fluidity & change;

There is no middle ground;………

Haven’t we seen these notion every day, if not every minute & second, in our life ? Didn’t  we see it very apparently especially on the road ? How people will use emergency lane and cut queue instead for the queue ? How we will cut in front of others instead of give way ? Didn’t we all attempt to jump queue instead of lining up & respecting other people’s turn ?  How we insist on our opinion ? How we claim to be advocate of a certain good course yet taking to the street in the name of that course which ended up in violent ?

Wait become quite a taboo attitude & word. Patient is no long a virtue. Secretly but obviously, we become people who admire material gain & achievement despite how it is obtained. It’s no long about reach depth & width.

As a result we drive ourselves nuts with all the stress created through it. Then we drives our love ones nuts in turn. We become a shallow people who act upon impulse, easily enraged, we react instead of response, we forgot to be courteou &  smile. We forgot it is a journey, not a destiny, we missed the scenary, we forgot to smell the flowers along the way.

Gawd, what has world development, improved knowledge & technology, advanced society done to us & our soul ?

As I was screening candidates to add to my team, I had this particular dude’s CV came through to me. He has been interviewed by my fellow colleagues of other divisions. Their recommendation was : “good candidate but too junior for the position we have but we thought he may be good for you. Check him out.”

Picking up his CV, I gave this dude a call with an intention to qualify him for the various positions I have. 1st off from the tele-conversation, this dude’s spoken English needs some improvement. Common in most of my interview, I like to see what a candidate is made off in terms of holistic substance & maturity, apart from his formal education. One good way is to size what he / she has in mind for his career in the medium term. Straight up, this dude is lack of it. Despite my colleague having explained to him my division’s business, he has no grasp of it. With the wide availability of information on the internet today, he didn’t take the initiative to research himself. Instead, he waited for me to call & explain. After my lengthy explanation, instead of taking that & go on to do his own research, he still say, “if there is any more information you have that can help me to make my decision ?” Duhhh…..It is one’s own responsibility & accountability to seek & learn. It is not another person’s responsibility to provide the info / to educate. This is where the skill of asking questions comes in.

After 2 days, the dude came back & requested for an exploring meet. I usually do not accomodate such request. It’s going to take away my productive time without serving any of my objectives. However, I knew this dude will not satisfy or rest if I do not grant his wish as he was pretty persistent in following up with my colleagues, back ground checking with some of the people I know with regards to the positions I have in hand. For that plus point, I decided to have 2 hours of my Christmas eve for him.

Eager as he is, he came with a notebook, ready to take note. LOL. What is there to take notes in point form ?

Well, the conversation went off by me asking him to really explain why he’s so eager to leave his current employment which he has just been there for just over 3 months. What I collected was the reason was nothing more than an impatient young man who wants to get it quick, do not understand the need to invest in the foundational substance of his career but want to earn more earn big soon & quick,  think what he has in the limited 2+  working experience in a segment of the industry defines the industry, a single track factual mind lack of ability to grasp multi matrix big picture, also lack the EQ tenacious capacity  to manage & maneuver coz he see thing as destiny instead of journey, absolute instead of fluidity and constant change, able only to pick & receipt the selective words known to him instead of digesting complex total meaning. Hungry & driven indeed but still very much lack of what it takes to be where he wish he would be.

2 hours, if I were to be any productive & achieving any of my objective is he helps me to see very clearly how unsuitable he is for the role because a different intelligent needed in the job.