CAREER : The Key Qualities Every Employer Looks For

The Key Qualities Every Employer Looks For

In most cases there is no such thing as the perfect candidate; we are all unique individuals and everyone comes with a different combination of skills, experience and qualities.

As a result it is very rare to find that perfect fit. Having said that, there are common characteristics that employers always look for when they are planning to take on new recruits. It doesn't matter what sector or business you are talking about - if people are able to show that they possess these key attributes then they will always be in demand.

Here are four key qualities that I always look out for when I am planning to take on new people in one of my businesses:

Ambition

It is one of the most obvious questions to ask in an interview but there is a reason why people want to know where candidates see themselves in the future. The point of asking the question is to assess just how ambitious an individual really is. It stands to reason that an ambitious company wants like-minded people working for them. As a manager or chief executive you want people alongside you who are going to share your hunger, otherwise it is impossible to build the successful company you envision.

Initiative

Ask the question and most people will tell you that they are a self starter, but it is actually quite tough to find people who have the right personal drive and can work under their own steam. The simple fact is that every manager wants workers who have the initiative to organize their workload and go about their business without the need for constant supervision. These people are a key component of any successful organisation, not just for their professionalism, but also because they set a good example for those around them.

Commitment

This is true for most employers but particularly those in a service based industry. Providing quality customer service is what sets these firms apart from their rivals so it is vital that the staff are totally committed to the cause. They need to have a real dedication to what they are doing. As somebody who has spent many years in recruitment, I can usually tell which people are going to be the top performers purely through their attitude. Someone who is prepared to stick at it even when times are tough, and who will go that extra mile for themselves and the company is a huge asset.

Personality

It is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out in the modern world so someone who has a little bit of personality can make a big difference to the atmosphere in the workplace. Of course they need to be a team player, and nobody wants to work with someone who rubs people up the wrong way, but there is nothing wrong with mavericks and strong characters. These are the people who stand out in a crowded room and can often push your business on to new heights. A good team always has a combination of many different character types and the most important thing is to get that blend right.

Things like qualifications and capabilities are always high on the agenda when recruiting – after all, you want somebody suited to the technical requirements of the role. But the four qualities mentioned above are character traits, and for me these are every bit as important. There have actually been times when I have brought people into my business purely because they had these qualities. They weren't necessarily the most qualified on paper, but they ticked the right boxes in terms of character.

Many candidates go into interviews and are keen to emphasise their skills. This is fine, but if you can also show potential employers you have most of the qualities listed above – preferably with examples – you will almost certainly become a more attractive candidate.

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WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : There’s Always Something To Worry About In The Market....!

 

There are a few events that are on the cards that may worry investors.

(1) The first is the possible strike on Syria by US;

(2) The second is the tapering of monetary stimulus by the US Federal reserve;

(3) The third is the reaching of the debt limit by the US in mid-October.

Then there is the nomination of the new Fed Chairman. Larry Summers, the favoured candidate to take over Ben Bernanke, has a preference towards rapid unwinding of the massive U.S. monetary stimulus that has supported the economy. To top it all off, the poorest US market performance occurs during the month of September according to the Stock Trader''s Almanac and October saw lots of market crashes such as Black Monday, the Great Depression and the crash of 1987.

What are investors to do with so many events that are set to happen that may spook the market?

To answer that, let's hear what Warren Buffett has to say. During the Berkshire Hathaway annual general meeting in 2012, when asked if systemic risk fears ever caused them to be afraid to buy stocks, he answered that in the past 53 years, he and Charlie Munger have never had a discussion about buying or selling in which they talked about macro-economic affairs. If they find a business that they like and can understand, they purchase it no matter what the Fed is doing or what is going on in Europe. There is always going to be bad news. He bought his first stock in June of 1942 when the US was losing the war. Stocks were also cheap and he wrote an article about it in October 2008, when the market was plunging. He knew that the panic would flow into the economy but that the US would not go away. Charlie and Buffett look at value of businesses but not at the macro-economy.

Mr Morgan Housel said that for the past 150 years, the US has had nine major wars, 33 recessions, a half dozen financial crises, and an uncountable number of really awful things happen to the economy. However, the S&P 500 index still delivered an average annual return of 6.6%, after inflation during the same period.

In Singapore, the Straits Times Index (SGX: ^STI) rose from 834 points at the start of the 1988 to around 3048.35 points on last Friday dated 6th September 2013, representing an annualised gain of 5.3% over the past 25 years. This was despite the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 2000 dot-com bust, the 2003 SARS outbreak and 2008/2009 Great Financial Crisis (GFC). Individual stocks like Super Group Limited (SGX: S10), Dairy Farm International Holdings (SGX: D01) and Jardine Strategic Holdings (SGX: J37) have given investors returns of 1000% or more for the past ten years. These stocks have gone past the peaks seen before the GFC, creating massive value for shareholders who had the discipline to hold on to them.

Mr Warren Buffett once quipped that the time to be greedy is when everyone is fearful. To do that, investors should not be focused on what macro-economic event is about to happen next. They should instead be focused on the value of the company that they want to invest in and buy them when the price is beaten down relative to the value. The upcoming 'events' such as the imminent war on Syria, tapering of monetary stimulus and the reaching of the debt limit may cause huge market corrections. Are you ready to take advantage of it? 

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WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : Making Money From Day-Trading In the Stock Markets....!

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : Making Money From Day-Trading In the Stock Markets....!

 

Some experienced traders dogmatically assert that nobody makes money day trading. That is probably because they have tried, failed, and found some other trading style that suits them better. There is no doubt that day trading is a tough, competitive business, but the good news is that if it is your dream, it can be made to work for you. Successful traders specialize in a trading niche which suits their temperament. In the process of doing this they may try different vehicles and strategies which are unsuccessful (for them). This is usually because the strategy is unsuited to the trader, not because it is "bad". 

 

Do NOT decide on a market before you decide on your trading style. Find the style that suits you, then find the markets that respond best to that trading style. Successful day traders should:

 

* Learn the concept of support and resistance in a market.

* Develop a trading system based on tactics at support and resistance levels.

* Test the system on independent data to make sure it has a positive Expectancy.

* Learn money management techniques to prevent taking on to too much risk.

 

Day trading often involves regular repetition of a simple trading plan to place high probability trades. If you learn the principles outlined above, stick strictly to your plan, and learn to avoid mistakes made in the heat of the moment, you are well on the way to day trading success. Most day trading is done by professional traders who experience lower stress levels than you because they are using bank funds. You have to beat them at their own game despite the additional anxiety of having your own money at risk!

 

Two cardinal sins for a day trader are trading without a plan, and over-trading. You must have a plan which dictates your every move in the fast paced cut and thrust of a market session. Otherwise you will be a victim of bad decisions driven by emotions, the downfall of many a trader!

 

Over-trading often arises because you experience a loss and try to get it back by taking an unplanned trade. Very often, you end up making a bad day into a disastrous day. Sometimes people over-trade because they feel the more trades they take, the more money they make. In fact, all they are doing is building up huge trading costs which make it very difficult to make a profit.  

Are You In The Singapore Property Trap......?

The Singapore Property Trap

Some of you might wonder, how rich Singaporean are, every new condo launch, sold likes nobody business, and we thought salary has been stagnant over the years, so where their money comes from??

First, don't you feel down. They might make more than you, but not to a big gap. Secondly, NO, those buyer are not rich, it's just "kiasu" mentality.
It's easy to sign the dotted line at the showflat, but the next 30 years are the pain, and yet so many people falls into this trap, are you one of them? Don't be…..

Put it this way, 10 years back if your salary was $3k and an average condo cost $500k. Now, if the condo cost $1M, shouldn't be your salary $6k?
But no, with slightly increase of the salary to $4k, people start to feel rich, and they think they are superman.

Most people always look at current situation, they think they are making $4k now, so they simply calculate based on this amount for the next 30 years. But do they ever think, what if the 5th year you lose your jobs? Company close down? Demotion? Recession? Retrenchment? Interest Up?

 No. They think current situation will last forever. Company will hire you forever.  So they start to buy 1M condo, 100k car, 2k handbag, and 150k renovation. When they finally settle down, and the bills start to arrive, they will scream "Shit…"

Did you read recent news that Singapore Divorce rate is very high?? Well my friend, I can assure you it's nothing more than money woe problems. Couples start to blames each other that they work so hard to pay the bills and the other party doesn't appreciate it…… are you one of them?

Now, if at first place, these couples try to lives lower profiles, stay at HDB, take public transport, decent lifestyles, keep lots of cash……do you think they need to work so hard to pay the bills??  Just for the sake of staying at condo with swimming pool, you need to slog your life for the next 30 years????

Too many people made such mistakes, and if you are not one of them…..DON'T BE ONE !!!

It's better to have a good sleep at night in HDB, rather than worrying your 30 years commitments in Condo…..trust me !!!   

Should we blame Government for this? BIG NO, it's our own Singaporean kiasu mentality. But I can assure you, when money problem start to arrive, the Gov is the first party to get blamed.

PART 2 : THE CONDO ILLUSIONS, Your Dream Home Might Not Be – Singapore Property Story
Before you sign the dotted line, maybe I can tell you a little story about Singapore Property. After reading this article, you will not easily sway by Developer's gimmick…….enjoy…….
90% SOLD!!!
That's familiar sentence you sees in every project launch. These two numbers somehow carry a big meaning: THIS PROJECT IS HOT, HURRY BUY NOW, OR NO MORE !!! ….. REALLY?
Try to read or ask further……" 90% of what????"

90% of Phase 1……that's the answer
How to define Phase 1? How many units in phase one???
Why don't they just put "100 out of 700" units sold, instead, using the words 90% ???

Unspoken Rules?
Singapore has it's "Anti Competition Law", that discourage price fixing among major industry players. Several industries have been punished recently, like the pest-control company or the coffee supplier companies. However, we never heard any problems among Property Developers.

REALLY???
Like big oils, property developers also have their own "unspoken rules" among themselves.   
Do you ever sees SHELL or CALTEX or Mobil having gas price wars?? If one increases, the other follows, in minutes. It's their Gentlemen rules : "Let's earn together"….."I support you this time, you support me next time"…..
Your property price always relies on your nearby project. Surrounding area is the gauge, that's the first formula in calculating property price.
This is exactly how developers are helping each other, to jack up the price, helping each other, make sure PSF always increase, never drop. "Today you launch at $700psf, I will launch mine $750psf after, yours automatically will becomes $750. We are the developers, we have powers to set whatever price we want, there are buyer no matter what price we set……"

Power to Squeeze
When I first visited a "mickey mouse" flat around 465sqft, I ask the agent…. REALLY  This is home....??
They gave a good name for such unit, "SOHO" or "STUDIO" or "SHOE BOX" apartment… sound hip and modish…..i rather like "Mickey Mouse" or "MATCH BOX"……because it's true….like a rat living in a box…..
Do you feel that newer flat are getting smaller and getting higher in psf???
Because of low supply and high demand????

REALLY????
It's up to them to say !!!!

Yes, it's up to developers to say how much the psf are. Let me give you example, if you go to China, a retailers will open the price at example $30, then you bargain till $10, you are very satisfied because you can haggle up to 60%off….…but next time, the retailer start at $80, and you bargain till $20, you still satisfied,  because you can haggle up to 60%off…..for same product different final price, but you still satisfied because you can get 60% off…….meaning of this story??

It's about how you price your product at first time, it's not about the haggling part……the PSF is the gauge that move the market…..Developers will try to squeeze the land and to get highest PSF……because once you set a PSF higher than before, you are TRENDSETTER….soon the rest will follows…..and so on……

Record Sale !!!
You will read such headlines once in a while…..especially when market is rather quiet. When suddenly a unit of property sold at a very high PSF to someone …..Really???

I would not say this was faked sales, but rather strange. Such record sale always appears in timely manners. Majority of such "record sales" buyer are foreigner….. I m not against foreigner, but such "Record Sales" tactic need to be investigated. Was the buyer a real buyer????
Of course it will be hard to investigate such transaction….but such "record sales" will surely bring up the price of surrounding property significantly.
Tactic of Fears / Discount???

* If you don't buy now, I m afraid tomorrow good units are gone……
* This 15+3+5 discount only this week, next week developers are going to increase the price
* You better buy now, because next month another new project will launch at 1200psf…that's why we hold two towers……
* If I'm you, I will grab whoever offer 900psf, because the market will not fall beyond that level…..
* Gov will tear down those factories in front and this area will soon be the greenest ever…
* We got 150 booking already before we even open the showroom….
* One guy bough 5 units together……

Sound familiar???
Let me tell you about "discount" part……I visited one of new lunch in Sengkang during CNY, the agent told me that the 19% discount only during CNY, and only for those stay nearby……I almost cut my cheque, thinking of good deal I got…..but alas, I was too busy to follow up…..one months later, the agent called me, and ask me if I'm still interested, because if yes, bring cheque and offer the developer….might get even BIGGER discount…..
So what happened to those "CNY Only" and "Stay Nearby Only" discount???? All fake???
I think those bought a unit based on such "Discount" tactic can sue them……the discounts are basically a ploy to get your cheque out…everybody get the same discount if you bargain hard enough…

"Kiasu" Mentality
This is the worse cause of why developers are Kings. The very weakness of human being.
Being Singaporean, I m also considered kiasu.
When comes to property launch, the hype and crowded people in the showroom somehow push up my "kiasu" adrenaline, plus all the good things the agents said about the projects.
All the sandals and shoes outside the showroom just simply shows that this is hotter than Brad Pitt in town….REALLY???

I visited a newly launch project in Pasir Ris, it was bloody crowded, but when I look around carefully, majority are agents, very active agents…and their numbers are tremendously a lot….but it create a very "hot" sensations for the project….that lot of people are very interested at the project…
Remember one launch they ask STUDENTS to queue?? To make it looks like it's a very hot project???
Kiasu mentality is the worse kind of mentality we all have. We all afraid we don't get a good unit, we afraid price will increase, we afraid we don't get discount, we afraid we miss the ship…..
Let me tell you…..the sellers will psycho you till you think this is the ONE & ONLY. Let me tell you, after this project, there are 100 more projects coming up……there is no such things as ONE & ONLY…..
If you can just wait, you will open your eyes and you will know how fake the property market is…..that one day everything are just bubble building up….
Drop your kiasu mentality…..

Impulse Buy
How many people regretted after signed the dotted line?
Did you visit the showroom TWICE before cut the cheque?

I visit the showroom twice in two weeks, the second visit gave me lesser impression….than I realize it's all "IMPULSE" at the first visit…..the marketing psychology works very well through BEAUTIFUL BROCHURES, CROWDED PEOPLE, DISCOUNTS, IMPRESSIVE SHOWROOM & TERRIFIC MODELS…..

Fake Showroom
It's the BIGGEST and MOST IMPORTANT part to lure you to buy the units. Developers setup "state of the art" show flat unit with the best materials and best design……are they for real?  It's human weaknesses, when you see something so nice, it stored image in your brain, and you keep thinking that YOUR unit will looks like that ……

REALLY???
Government in fact already lies some new rules that obliged the developers to build the show flat exactly according to the real unit…..do they follow these rules????

NOT EXACTLY
The show flat I visited in recently, they have a show flat so beautiful, but when the agent explained to us, she told me that, this glass door is not there, that wall is not knocked up like that, that part is not there…..WOWWWWW! Everything is different……..they knocked up the wall in the showflat to make it looks big, they put glass door to replace concrete wall…..they tore down the bedroom wall overlook the huge patio outside….to make it super big and spacious….

I CALL THAT CHEATING !!!!
Will you later knock off your wall and replace with glass? Or knock off part of the wall to join two room??? NOOOOOO…… the day you collect you key, you will try to save money to buy furnitures after all money you paid for the unit…..those fancy demolition works will not in your schedule…..
Worse, all show flat built using GROUND FLOOR unit plan….means have a huge patio around….it give you a very spacious impressions…..and most show flat never draws proper line of where is the balcony/patio ends, all joins with the entire showflat floor.
If there is a rule that show flat MUST BUILT EXACTLY like the real unit without fancy renovations, wallpaper, furnitures…….in other words, exactly what you will get when you get your keys…..i say THAT'S FAIR !!!
Majority showrooms nowadays are too fake and too misleading. Do you know that to achieve exactly the showroom state, you need to spent 100k or more???

Your Dream Home???
You purchase your home 3-5 years before it completed….in your mind you always imagine the looks like what you saw in the brochure or the show flat…..but when you collected your keys 3-5 years later, then you realize…..it's not as fanciful as you thought…..
It's empty like HDB flat, you need to spend lots of more money and effort to renovate all. Almost 90% of owner will never renovate as nice as the showflat because they realize the cost is just damd too high….
And when you want to use the facilities, it's so crowded you need to wait for months? Do you know that to use the BBQ area, you need to book with management 2-3 month back? And when you jump into the pools, you realize you need to share with 700 families???
At first, all facilities seems yours alone….but when you move in, it's another story…..
In some condos, the pools are so crowded that looks like sentosa beach during holiday seasons. Imagine from 700 families, if 20% bring in their friends of other family to swim also…..what will happened???

Developer Cutting Cost???
After all the money you sink in into your so called "DREAM" home, you finally get your keys, and don't be surprise that your units or entire projects are so much different from what you dream of.
I give you example, a newly TOP project, the entire compound FENCE was built using MASH WIRE, not even concrete wall…..the entire project looks like workers dorms than "DREAM" home….
Did they told you during SALES period that the fence will be like that??? You also can't sue the developers because the brochures didn't draw the fences….
The owners of the project get shock they even setup a Facebook page to gather voice. And many of them even get shock further that their units are poorly done, bad workmanship, unbalance tiles, and terrible alignment.
All of that for 1.5M???? I think they can sue the developer (if they have enough voice)
One buyer even give up the unit straight away after seeing it, he posted in the facebook that he never thought it will be that SMALL……
That project my friend, is by a well known developers…..
Those Developers squeeze and lie to you during sales period, and after collecting your money, they still want to earn more by cutting cost in every materials or manpower they use……

Sqft
When you bought the unit, the price is based on psf (price per sqft), means every single sqft is money…your hard earn money….but do you ever measure your property??? Is it exactly 1000 sqft like they said at first place????
My suggestion, try to measure yourself one day, you will be surprise, that you pay for something you never have.
To be fair, the project brochure MUST have dimensions. Now, all brochures just drawing without dimensions and scaling, it's up to the developers to say and to draw.
If everybody really goes to measure their sqft to the last inch, I think there will be lots of lawsuit.
Never Believe Them. See Yourself. Do Your Homework.
I visited a new project that almost TOP ….when I visited the half completed project, I was really surprise when saw it…..one tower to another tower are sooo close that I think they can shake hand by standing out of the windows….

That's crazy. It's worse than Hong Kong. They squeeze every inch to crush 600 families into one plot…..unbelievable…..

And during sales period they said the MRT is within walking distance, I didn't saw that in the real place. It's so bloody far, at least 20 minutes walks….never believe what the seller said, always do your own homework…..
When I looked around, on the right is another condo, another project, on the left is another coming projects, each projects at least 500-700 families……all connected by a small road……I wonder when all settle in, HOW CROWDED THAT AREA WILL BE????

Did they told you during sales that other projects will surround you???? NOOOOO
The brochures always looks as the project sit in the middle of FORREST with birds flying over and serene surrounding…..and now you find out that all your views are BLOCKED by other projects….

I CALL THAT CHEATING !!!!
The developer must inform buyers what will happen to surrounding area, must inform buyers what will be built in near future……THAT'S FAIR !!!!
Worth The Money?
My answer to you is NO.

Let me give you an example.
In KL, a big 7000sqft 3 stories freehold house in elite area cost around S$300k. A bigger bungalow of 10,000sqft with swimming pool stayed by tycoon cost maybe S$700k- 1M. And you paying 1M to get 1,000sqft flat ? Yet sharing all facilities with 700 families????

Of course you might argue that I m wrong to compare KL to Singapore, Yes I m wrong, however, I purposely compare with Jakarta to let you do some deep thinking……what is my intention to compare with KL…….
We have been played by Developers my friends. We are the last part of the food chain, the one that pay everything. Same case with Hong Kong. Developers are Kings, and HK people are fed up with the way they control the economy. It might not be the FT or Gov problem that we always argues about. It's the Developers that set the rules here. They have becomes too powerful that Gov need to control them.
If you know that we are in their games, why should we join them? Drop your kiasu mentality !!!!!
You save every penny, you bargain with auntie for the cloth you buy, you eat less more expensive chicken rice, but those developers are just anyhow "rob" your HARD EARN money ….
Do you ever think that it's better for you save the cash to travel around the world rather than having a swimming pool to share with 700 families??
Do you ever think that it's better for you save the cash so one day you grow old and get a big bungalow and stay in JB instead? Why not, in JB you got everything you need in Singapore….

Why don't we just happy to stay in what we have now?? Forget about to have "FACE" to tell your relative that you stay in condo???
Let me tell you my own experience.  Everynight I never lose sleep, because I m holding cash, I never worry about anything for now. Imagine, if last month I bought the unit because of the impulse buy, now I will have difficulties to sleep, as I worry that I need to clear my 1 million dollar debts……what if I lose my jobs??? The worry never ends…. 

Live within your means. Even if you have extra money, don't make big decision, especially in Singapore property. Because the dotted line you signed, that's NO TURNING BACK !!!! 

I have a millionaire friends that until today still live in HDB, he never worry a single bit, he never want to show off his wealth, but he and his family is the happiest, because they are DEBT FREE…..CASH RICH….  

Foreigners always jokes that Singaporean never have cash on hand, some blame CPF, but I blame our own mistakes….to sink all the money in property and cars…..after all, it's our own fault…..not others…. 

What is your level?
You are earning $5,000 every month now, and the banks will tell you that you are eligible for 1M purchase……REALLY???
The correct way to calculate your eligibility is based on "WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY"…
Yes, check your cash, how much you have…..not your "Future" cash…but today cash…..that's your gauge…
 

Closing Conclusion 
You own your DREAM HOME….but end up in DEBT FOR LIFE…..worth it???
The answer is NO my friend….NO
Keep Cash, stay happily in HDB, our HDB is already a condo standard in other countries….visit Malaysia estates and you know it…..
You spent 700k to get a swimming pool that shared with 700 families, let me tell you, for 700k, it's enough for you to TRAVEL around the world 3x + Retirement Home in other countries……

Be Wise and heed my 2 cent worth of advice.....

 

 

 

 

 

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : Making Your Children And Grandchildren Millionaires....!

Many of us work hard in order to provide a comfortable life for our children. We also try and give them a head start in life but giving them the best education possible, and in some instances, paying through the nose for private tuition, piano lessons etc. Instead of just giving them money or paying for tuition, one of the best things you can do for your kids is to show them how money works: how to make money, how to manage it, and how to make it work for them. The best way to do this is to invest for them while they are young, slowly building a solid financial foundation for them to stand on. A lot of people are quick to dismiss this as indulgent behaviour guaranteed to turn out spoilt-rotten children who will sponge off their parents for the rest of their lives, but I urge you to think a little more broadly.

Making your child a millionaire is about ensuring your child is able to enter adulthood without serious financial worries, and with the advantages money can buy, and the kind of financial sense – instilled in them by you – that ensures a healthy relationship with their dollars and cents for a long time to come. Granted, with inflation and without guaranteed rates of growth, you may not reach a million dollars by the time your children become adults. No matter – by then, they'll be finance-savvy savers and investors themselves, building on the foundation you began.

How to invest for your children

Stock market, stock market, stock market! Let's assume a conservative return of 10% a year over the lifetime of your child. Take a look at what might happen if you invest just $25 each month on your child's behalf, and what might happen if you leave it up to them to start on their own:

Investing for your children
Child's age	Invest $25 per month until 21 then stop	Start investing $100 per month from age 21
0-21	$19,200	$0
21-62	$955,912	$645,164
Total invested:	$6,300	$46,800

If you put $25 a month into a stock, REIT, ETF or tracker fund that generate a returns of 10% per annum until your child's twenty-first, it would then be worth about $24,064. If you hand the fund over and it continues to accrue compound interest, then by the time they reach 60, a total outlay of $6,300 would be worth around $955,912. However, if you invest $100 a month from age 21 to 60, you'd only end up with $645,164, despite having invested considerably more.

For simplicity, we've ignored the impact charges and inflation here, all of which would take a hefty chunk from these sums. But, even allowing for these, the basic message remains the same and that is the earlier you invest, the easier it is to build a significant pot of wealth. The easiest way to teach your children about finance is to get them involved. Investing money on their behalf is a great place to start, but that's just the beginning. Teach them how money invested sensibly will grow, and how, when the growth is added in, that will also start to grow. Show them how to save by opening a savings account for them, and get them to pay the money in themselves. You could even introduce the idea of buying shares in individual companies by opening an online POEMS trading with Phillip Securities once they have reached the qualifying age of 21 years.

Happy saving, investing, and living fruitfully; You only have 1 life, live it to the fullest and have no regrets......!

10 most in-demand jobs in Singapore revealed | Singapore Business Review

http://sbr.com.sg/economy/in-focus/10-most-in-demand-jobs-in-singapore-revealed

10 most in-demand jobs in Singapore revealed

Office support, supervisors topped 2013 survey.

Manpower Singapore has released the results of 8th Talent Shortage Survey, which found that as the global talent shortage continues to intensify, 47% of employers in Singapore are experiencing difficulty finding staff with the right skills.

Global results of ManpowerGroup's Talent Shortage Survey reveal 35% of employers worldwide are reporting shortages, the highest level since prior to the global economic crisis. Employers in Singapore are having the most difficulty filling jobs in Office support, Supervisors and Labourers this year in comparison to 2012's jobs in Production Operations, Accounting & Finance and Engineers.

Here are the most in demand jobs in Singapore this year:

1. Secretaries, Pas, Administrative Assistants & Office Support

2. Supervisors

3. Labourers

4. Drivers

5. Sales Representatives

6. Engineers

7. IT Staff

8. Skilled Trades

9. Accounting & Finance

10. Teachers

"Over time as the education and skill profile of the local workforce improve. HRs will need to consider a successful workforce strategy that will identify and solve current talent acquisition challenges, anticipate future challenges and put in place solutions to address them effectively," said Manpower.

"54% of Singaporean employers surveyed have indicated they will relook into their work models while 41% will increase their focus on improving their talent pipeline such as building a succession management approach," it added.

Manpower said that a closer look at the global survey results reveals the talent shortage is endemic across the world – but most acute in Japan (85 percent of employers), Brazil (68 percent) India (61 percent), Turkey (58 percent) and Hong Kong (58 percent). Employers in Ireland (three percent), Spain (three percent), South Africa (six percent), the Netherlands (nine percent) and Czech Republic (nine percent) are the least likely to face shortages.

The research shows that globally the roles most difficult to fill are Skilled Trades Workers, Engineers and Sales Representatives – unchanged from last year.

"Employers are reporting Accounting and Finance and Management/Executive positions are also increasingly hard to fill. Despite acknowledging the impact talent shortages have on their business, a staggering 22 percent of employers are not changing course to identify new ways to address these shortages." said Manpower. 

Trading method...

The Most Important Reason(s)Individual Investors Lose Money....!

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : 

 

If there is a single line of demarcation between consistently successful investors and everyone else, it seems to be captured by a simple idea well known on the stock market: Bad investors think of ways to make money. Good investors think of ways to not lose money.

 

Trading coaches and psychologists are particularly apt to speculate as to the major reasons traders and investors lose money. Among the usual suspects are: failure to plan trades or operate from a trading plan; loss of discipline with respect to risk management; impulsive (over)trading; and failure to trade reliable, tested ideas.

 

The main reason that most retail investors will lose money is because they make their decisions on emotion. When it comes to investing, your emotions will always tell you to do the opposite of what you should do. When stocks are down, you panic, and you sell. When stocks are high, you buy into the euphoria, and buy. The result is often losing money. Successful investors have a strategy and they stick to it.

Greed is your enemy, most people tend to buy more when they have made money but this is exactly opposite of what you should do. When a trade has moved your way there is often a higher degree of risk, using your paper profits to buy more is a prescription for disaster.

The market is not a free market - As an individual investor, you don't have the same advantages of big institution traders/funds. There is definitely some level of manipulation in the stock market and even if it's not blatant manipulation, with the majority of the daily volume being driven by super computers, it's hardly a normal market. In order to succeed as an investor, you need to understand how the market really works. Know that it doesn't work in the manner that we think or naively hope it works. Because of these manipulative or computer-driven forces on the market, the market is prone to excessive volatility.

How to Avoid Getting Apple’d

In a world obsessed with picking winners, the dirty truth is many investors under-perform because they don't know what to do with gains once they have them. The temptation to sell too fast is a problem but even worse is the tendency to stick around too long after a stock's run to the upside has ended. Bad stock pickers can muddle along for years, but the true believers get carried out in a box.

Greg Troccoli, co-founder of ChartLabPro.com has three tips for folks looking to hold on to their profits by keeping a grip on their emotions. In honor of those who have been buying the Dip on what was once the largest company by market cap in the world since it hit all time highs $250 ago, we'll call these tips "How to Avoid Getting Apple'd" (name subject to change given Apple's (AAPL) 10% run over the last three weeks).

1) Keep a trailing stop on your winners

A trailing stop is just what it sounds like: If your stock drops below a certain level you automatically sell, which is to say you "stop" owning it. If you watch your portfolio closely you don't need to enter a physical order, but keeping a firm level in mind at which you'd sell an entire position is a key discipline.

2) Take partial gains

"When I reach a certain level of above 10 or 20%, I will take 50% off the books," says Troccoli. Doing so gives him a little more patience with the balance of his position. He compares it to putting a few chips in your pocket when you get lucky in Vegas; people playing with House money are less likely to panic than those who let a profit turn into a beating.

3) Don't call tops or bottoms

"Wait until it rolls over a little bit," says Troccoli. Trading isn't a game of capturing every penny of a move. Taking profits on the way up and in stages rather than in one giant "TOP" call helps active traders capture a move without sitting on the sidelines watching a stock they once owned blast-off without them.

Ultimately it's up to each trader to understand their own emotions and protect themselves against making costly decisions. Trading is a game of grinding and building good practices, not making off the cuff decisions without discipline. Following Troccoli's strategies or, better still, developing your own can often make the difference between booking a big gain or "getting Apple'd" by staying at the table too long.

Fwd: Latest Daily Market Report - Friday 15th March 2013-[STI Now OVERSOLD By 727 Pts (+97):BUY On Weakness FarEast Orchard,STXOSV,Midas,Del Monte Pacific,Ezra Hldgs;Chart Comment On DBS,GuocoLeisure,UPP,BousteadS'pore,YHM,GenS'pore,STIndex]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Andrew Joo Boon Liang (Phillip Securities) (YI)" <ajandrew@phillip.com.sg>
Date: March 15, 2013, 10:53:18 AM GMT+08:00
Subject: Latest Daily Market Report - Friday 15th March 2013-[STI Now OVERSOLD By 727 Pts (+97):BUY On Weakness FarEast Orchard,STXOSV,Midas,Del Monte Pacific,Ezra Hldgs;Chart Comment On DBS,GuocoLeisure,UPP,BousteadS'pore,YHM,GenS'pore,STIndex]

LATEST WARNING: Marking of Short Sell Orders in POEMS For Shares Not Own In Your CDP A/C

Effective 11th March 2013, SGX will require the marking of sell orders on its securities markets to further enhance transparency of market activities. For more info on short sell, please click here. Please be informed that the marking of short sell orders is already available in POEMS internet from 5th March 2013. For more details, please refer to our FAQ.

Note: If you Short-sell the shares which you do not own in your CDP account, and fail to buy back the shares within the same market day, you will be subjected to the following:

1) If you do not have the required shares in your account on the due date (the third market day following the trade day), CDP will buy-in shares on the market to satisfy the delivery obligation. If the buying-in is completed by SGX at the end of Trade Date +3, no penalty will be imposed. However, if the buying-in by SGX is unsuccessful on Trade Date +3, SGX will continue on Trade Date +4 and Trade Date +5. A penalty, of the higher of S$1000 or 5% of the value of the failed trade not bought in will be imposed. SGX imposes a processing fee of S$75 + GST for each failed contract and charges a brokerage fee for buying-in contract at 0.75% + GST of contract value.

2) Failure to indicate "short sell" in your order submittion and failure to inform your stockbroker to amend the next trading day will result in a fine or imprisionment term or both. Section 330(1) of the Securities Financial Act (SFA) states that any person who, with intent to deceive, makes or furnishes, or knowingly and wilfully authorises or permits the making or furnishing of, any false or misleading statement or report to a securities exchange, futures exchange, designated clearing house or any officers thereof relating to dealing in securities shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or both.

WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : Give Your Investments Time To Mature. Be Patient For The World To Discover Your

Gems....!  

 

The unwavering courage is the hallmark of serious wealth and lack of conviction and courage is the root cause for mediocrity. If you see an opportunity, grab it today! A lot of people say: "Wow, I could have become really rich if I had loaded up on that stock 10 years ago…" And that's a big ' if ". It is important to identify the opportunity. But that's not enough. you have to be decisive. This is especially true of value investors who often get stuck in a trap where they are perpetually seeking extra information to validate their idea. The biggest challenges for value investors are hesitation, procrastination and questioning their own judgments.

 

This is especially so during market crashes. This is because things always look bloody terrible at the bottom. People's hands usually shake uncontrollably when the prices are hit new lows every day. Value Investors say to themselves things like: "Well did I make a mistake? Should I wait a little and maybe the price will drop a little more?" If it's cheap, it's best to buy it. There is no point in passing up something cheap today in the hope that it will get cheaper tomorrow. In this matter traders find things easier than value investors .They ride the downward wave and seize the opportunity to make money.

 

Personally I see many successful investors buy shares with a great deal of conviction when the stock market are in extremely OVERSOLD period. Many of these investors have a large amount of money invested in a few companies and their portfolios shows a great deal of concentration. Patience and conviction are both important for these successful investors too. If you have both, while your patience may be tested, your conviction will be rewarded. Having done your hard work, you must wait for the market to do its work and reward you. Also a person needs to have the patience to give things a chance to work. Give your investments time to mature. Be patient for the world to discover your gems. So I see these smart investors hold on to their winner stocks for a long time while they achieve their full potential.

 

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WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE DAY : Markets Are Like Women - Always Commanding, Mysterious, Unpredictable & Volatile...!

 

Plunge! Rebound! Crash! Rally! Plunge again! That's been the depressing story line of the stock market the past few trading days, a gut-wrenching, confidence-testing, wealth-destroying bout of volatility that has put investors on edge. To the outsider, the stock market appears random and erratic. What makes a stock go up or down? Experts can't seem to predict the market, so why should I even try? This uncertainty scares many potential investors away from the market and its high rate of returns. People are missing out on good money! This is sad, because the stock market is more predictable than it appears. While they may look similar, stocks are not gambling.

 

First, I have to concede one thing. The stock market is very unpredictable in the short-term. The market severely overreacts to news, whether it's company earnings, economic factors or something silly like which team won the quarter-final of the Champion League soccer match between Real Madrid & Manchester United. Nobody can predict all the news, which makes the stock market unpredictable in the short-term. But in the long-term (6-months to a few years or more), the stock market is very predictable. If the company makes a lot of money, the stock's price will go up. If the company doesn't make money, the stock price will go down.

 

Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. Although sounding very elementary, I quickly realized that this statement is deeper than what many human beings can comprehend without a second or third look. In my opinion, what Mr. Buffett is saying closely correlates to a statement made by Sun Tzu in The Art of War, that states when the enemy attacks; retreat and when the enemy retreat; attack.

 

Generally when the stock market is having a great year (or week for that matter), many amateur investors become greedy and are lured by the possibilities of great gains, then of course come to the conclusion that it is now the perfect time to invest. When the rest of the world starts investing at this high point in the market, the seasoned investors generally retreat, as it can be said that the amateurs are now attacking. Although they attack with no real substance and can be defeated at any time, it is always better (easier) to destroy the enemy once they are in your territory, and thus out of their element. Whenever there is a massive sell-off in the market one will see the smart investors begin to gobble up as many of these undervalued shares as possible.  

 

Believe it or not, this happens all the time and is one of the many reasons why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is one of the main reasons for the need for education in the fields of business and investing. In Proverbs 4:7, the Word of God states " Wisdom is the principle thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding". The sad part is that amateur investors often have neither and think that God is speaking for his own health; But He's not. He's speaking for ours. Stock trading has its own specialized vocabulary but once you have the basics under your belt you can understand better how the market works - more importantly you can work the market to your advantage.