Volunteering can help you find a job and advance your career

As we approach Thanksgiving, many people are wondering how to get involved in volunteering, with good reason: Now is the perfect time to commit energy to help others, get involved with something you feel passionate about, and often meet new people.

But volunteering can bring other benefits, too—one being a great boost for your career. Here’s how volunteering can help you thrive.

You expand your personal and professional networks

People already working in your target field are great sources of information about job openings, affinity organizations, and people you should meet. And if you have a good experience volunteering, your supervisor might serve as a reference when you’re applying to jobs.

You learn new and transferable skills

Volunteering will help you develop new job skills as well as apply current skills in new ways. For example, a mid-career professional who has worked in concert promotions could use her marketing skills to help an organization with their fundraising or other mission-based events. A college student accustomed to doing research for school assignments could volunteer to research an issue or demographic for a nonprofit.

It’s an opportunity for career exploration

Volunteering allows you to try on different organizations, roles, issues, etc., without job-hopping. Of course, volunteering isn’t the same as being on staff, but it can expose you to the work of an organization in a deeper way than becoming a member, following it on Twitter, or even conducting an informational interview with an employee.

Why You Should Revise Your Resume Regularly

When was the last time you updated your resume? If you are like most of us, it was the time you were applying for the job you are currently in. Right now, it is probably collecting virtual dust in your hard drive. However, it is always useful to keep your resume up to date because you never know when you will need it, or when an exciting job opportunity comes along.

We often think of our resume as the document that you send to your potential employers as a screenshot of your employment history. In fact, the resume can be more useful for you than your employer. Let me tell you why:

1. Always Ready For The Next Opportunity

Remember those nasty pop quizzes you had in school that always caught you off guard? And right after them you would wish you were more prepared? Now imagine that these are not pop quizzes, but actually surprise job offers!

Opportunities may come knocking at your door at the least expected moment, such as at a friend’s dinner party or at a corporate event for your company. Your potential employer or professional contact may tell you to “send me your resume tomorrow and I will refer you to Mr X.” In that case, wouldn’t you want to make sure that you are ready to dash out those resumes?

Trying to piece together a resume in a hurry is never a good idea, as with anything done hastily. Trying to write a resume after you lost your job can be even more stressful and you may risk leaving out several important points that best represent you.

Set aside time regularly to update your resume, such as every quarter or every month. Write down the successes and lessons learnt during that period and rephrase them into skills or attributes in your resume. It is best to start updating when you are still employed and in the best frame of mind.

2. Being An Expert About You

I know, we hate updating our resumes as much as we dread examinations. We procrastinate, we grumble about them, and we only get down to them a week before the deadline. Therefore, it is totally understandable why anyone would hate updating their resumes.

Well, think of updating your resume as revising your knowledge about you! We all know how we may claim to know a lot about our subject right before the exam, but after the exam, we forget everything! Now imagine forgetting half the skills and achievements you have gained in your job! It would be a great injustice to ourselves to leave out all that hard work that we put in right?

So start updating that resume! Have your latest achievements at your fingertips, so that you will always know what to pitch to your listeners when they ask about you.

3. It’s Like a Regular Check-Up, But For Your Career

Revising your resume is like going to the doctor for a check-up. What you do not want is to realise at the end of the year that you have not spent your time developing yourself either professionally or personally, or worse that you are doing things that are not useful to your career prospects.

Therefore, even if you are not actively looking for a job, your resume works like a career health report card for yourself to check if you are staying relevant. The process of evaluating your employment history lets you know whether you are on the right path and getting good results. More importantly, it will help you see if you are focusing your time and effort on matters that are important to both your career and you.

4. Stay Relevant And Concise

So perhaps you are the diligent type, and have always been keeping track of your career achievements. Good on you!

However, it is always good to do some “spring cleaning” on your resume once in a while. Every achievement may be important, but which ones are most relevant to your dream job and which ones demonstrate your capabilities best?

For example, saying that you were a medic in the army may be impressive and may click well with employers who appreciate employees with first aid skills, but this should not be included in your employment history if you have other more outstanding achievements.

To help you along, you can refer to recommended resumes online by resume writing services, or request for informational interviews from people in the industry that you would like to work in, preferably those working in HR. Seek advice on what are the trends in the industry and how you can improve your resume.

5. Keywords Are Key

An often neglected portion of writing resumes is the keywords you use. As much as we want to flaunt our vocabulary skills, the truth is that people are generally straightforward when it comes to searching for things online.

Therefore, insert searchable keywords into your resume so that employers can find you easily. Glance through the latest job descriptions to find what are some commonly used terms and tailor your resume accordingly.

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The above is a guest post from Loy Xingqi of ResumeWriter.SG, Singapore’s leading résumé writing firm. Since 2009, they’ve assisted thousands of jobseekers get their dream jobs. Visit them on their website if you want to know how they can craft the best resumes for you!

What is your job actually doing to you?

You know that little voice in your head that says your job is killing you? It might be right: New research has found that workplace stress can be as toxic to your body as second-hand smoke.

There’s a particularly cold prickle of fear that pops up when work leaves you feeling overtired, overwhelmed and under siege. It might seep in during a meeting, when your left eyeball starts to throb, or it might hit you later, when it takes far too long to realize your work pass will not open the door to your house. It lurks in the back of your mind when you’re wondering where exactly your short-term memory went, and it most definitely trickles in during the loneliest moment of your third consecutive night of insomnia.

With this nagging sense of dread comes a question you don’t want to answer: What is your job actually doing to you? Most likely, you brush it off and get back to work. But as new research suggests, concerns that the modern workplace may be harmful to our health are well-founded. As dramatic as it may sound, work and the chronic stress that can come with it may be slowly killing us.

What do you think?

The importance of health insurance

MediShield Life began in November last year (2015), bringing compulsory health insurance to Singapore and marking the coming of age for health insurance here. Just 25 years ago, hardly anyone here had personal health insurance. They either depended on their employers for healthcare support, or paid the whole sum out of their own savings. And hospital bills can be very big, even with Government subsidy, sometimes posing a severe financial strain on the patient's family.

With the launch of MediShield Life, no Singaporean or permanent resident will ever have to face big hospital bills on their own again. Singaporeans were introduced to medical insurance in 1990 when the Government launched MediShield. While there were commercial health insurance available to the individual then, few took them up, largely because few understood the importance of health insurance.

Things changed with MediShield, largely because people were allowed to use their Medisave to pay the premiums, which essentially meant no out of pocket payments were needed. As a result, close to 1.5 million people signed on for the rather basic health insurance. Coverage then was limited to $15,000 a year, $50,000 in lifetime claims and only up till the age of 65 years. Between then and now, the health insurance scene has undergone many changes, as people here came to appreciate the benefits of such coverage.

One major change was the government allowing private companies to offer health insurance whose premiums could also be paid for with Medisave. As a result, there is now a plethora of health insurance coverage with different payouts and premiums - making it extremely confusing and difficult for the average person to decide what to get.

But opening it to the private sector to offer coverage for private sector bills also saw these bottom-line driven companies cherry pick only the healthiest people, leaving those at higher risk of needing hospital care to the goverment-run scheme. So another major change came a decade ago making it compulsory for everyone using Medisave to pay for premiums, to also be enrolled in the basic MediShield coverage. This is done through the private insurers, with no effort needed by the individual.

Meanwhile, the basic scheme also changed, offering higher annual and lifetime payouts, as well as coverage for older people, and recently, for life. As healthcare costs continue to rise faster than general inflation, and as the population ages, many of those who really needed the coverage found themselves left out in the cold, either because they had hit their limits, or because they could no longer afford the hefty premiums charged.

Although Medisave could be used to pay the premiums, the government had put a cap on the maximum that could be used each year. Also, there were many people who have pre-existing conditions that have been excluded from insurance coverage. This led to the creation of MediShield Life, a concept that had been raised many times over the years, but that is finally reaching fruition, where everyone, regardless of age, infirmity or ability to pay would enjoy coverage. But the difficulty in choosing the best insurance for them remains for the two in three people who are on the private plans integrated with MediShield. For more information on MediShield Life, go to the Ministry of Health's website. 

If you need to understand more about how you can get a better coverage for yourself and your family, do message me (Jacky Goh 吴锦南, Senior Financial Planner, representing AXA Life Insurance Singapore Pte Ltd) for an non-obligation consultant appointment on any of the financial services at +65 9151 9924 today.

Is it usual to get really sleepy a couple of hours after a ride?

This is actually very common among endurance athletes.  In fact, many Pro or Olympic level endurance athletes are known to sleep 10 hours a night PLUS 2-3 hours in a nap during the day.  Why?  Not sure exactly.  It hasn’t been determined in research, nor has it been well studied.  There are hypothesis, though.  Some experts think that the cytokines released during long, intense training causes sleepiness afterwards – this does not occur with shorter exercise.  

In fact, most shorter or easier training is invigorating…longer can cause sleepiness.  These are the same cytokines released by the body during a short illness such as a cold, which is why most people feel very sleepy when they are sick.  Bummer.

While I may not have a “magic bullet” to fix all of this, I can help you optimize your fuel to give you the best chance of recovering well and staying energized after training and throughout the day.  And, maybe we can lessen the effect of those cytokines.  Here are my recommendations:

1)      Hydration: More hydration during your ride: Aim for 20-24 oz. per hour (at a minimum, 16 oz. per hour).  Dehydration is detrimental in many ways as it can cause nausea, fatigue, headaches, cravings, etc.  Additionally, stay on top of hydration day to day, aiming for 64-80 oz. fluid per day (in addition to what’s needed for training).

2)      Carbohydrates: Aim for 40+ grams of carbs per hour on the bike.  For these rides that are longer than 60 minutes, I recommend sports drink + 15-25 grams of additional carbs from a gel, ½ energy bar, energy chews, etc.

3)      Recovery: Your recovery shake needs to contain 30-60 grams carbohydrates, 10-30 grams protein, and fluid.  I also strongly recommend adding Medium Chain Triglycerides, from organic extra-virgin coconut oil, as they are an efficient energy source that’s used directly by the mitochondria (energy powerhouses) of the cells.  As a bonus, antioxidants and probiotics are helpful in recovery – the probiotics increase the absorption of the antioxidants which fight the extra free radicals created by exercise.  For a recipe, try: http://lovingthebike.com/cycling-nurition/loving-the-bite-almond-butter-smoothie and use plain yogurt in place of milk.  Try to consume your recovery snack within 30 minutes of finishing your ride.

4)      Supplements: It’s beneficial to most endurance athletes to supplement with a high-quality multivitamin.  One brand I like is the Rainbow Light Brand, and they have a multivitamin specific for men.  Since it sounds like this is an issue after long rides, and not fatigue in general, it doesn’t sound like an iron issue to me.  Also, being a male cyclist (as opposed to a female runner), you’re not in a high-risk group.

5)      Healthy Fats: Since omega-3s from fish oils slow the release of cytokines and thereby reduce their affects, hypothetically it’s possible that omega-3s may reduce this endurance-exercise-sleepiness issue – and, they’re healthy for you anyway, so it’s worth a try.  I generally recommend 1000 mg of DHA/EPA per day from supplements + 6 oz. fatty fish 2 times per week for ~1500-2000 mg of DHA/EPA per day.  Vegetarian sources of omega-3s may also help, but most research has used fish oil.

I hope this helps!  Let me know after your next big ride!

Interest rates and you – how to make your money work harder

Most Singaporeans earn a measly 0.05% on their savings, while the inflation rate and cost of living continues to climb. If you’re not satisfied with your bank’s low interest rates, you’re not alone. Here are some other alternatives that can provide you with much higher returns.

Fixed Deposits (FDs)
FDs are quite popular among Singaporeans due to the attractive rates offered by the banks over a short holding period. For instance, if you commit $20,000 for a lock-up period of 2 years on a FD, a bank will likely pay you a much higher return. For example, some banks may pay promotional interest rates of above 1% p.a., which is at least 20 times higher than the current 0.05% p.a. bank interest rate.

Endowment Funds
Offered by many insurance companies, endowment funds have traditionally been used by parents to save for their child’s university education. The average rate of return is about 2-4% p.a. among the different plans, with some insurers providing a certain guaranteed amount regardless of the market’s performance. The catch is that your money is typically locked up over an extended period (like 15 years or longer) and there will be a penalty if you wish to terminate the plan before its maturity.

The Singapore Saving Bonds (SSB)
If you have a low appetite for risk, government bonds offer a secure alternative for you to park your cash in, while earning interest higher than your bank rate. For instance, if you had put aside $20,000 in the February 2016 SSB placement and did nothing for 10 years, you’ll be rewarded with a generous $5,124 of interest by the end of that decade. Simply put, that’s a whopping 25% return!

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
For those wanting to get in on the stock market action, there’s a no-brainer method of putting your money into a stock market index, usually known as ETFs. These are broad, diversified indexes that track market returns, typically comprising the largest companies on the market, or a series of companies within a certain industry. In Singapore, the STI ETF is a popular option, which can give you between somewhere 5% to 8% in returns over the long haul. 

Stocks
If you're willing to work a little harder by doing some research, investing in equities or stocks can be quite rewarding when you invest in companies that grow and flourish over time. For instance, if you had bought shares of Google during its IPO in 2004, you would have made a total of 1,081% in returns today (as of June 2016)! Of course there are also other stocks that can crash and you don’t get anything back. Finding the right stocks and diversifying into different stocks will help to reduce the risk to your stock portfolio.

As you can see, there are plenty of other financial instruments available in the market, which can offer you more bang for your buck (or in this case, more returns on your money). The only question is, which tool will be more suitable for your needs and risk appetite?

About the Author:

Budget Babe is Singapore’s top female financial blogger, who enjoys sharing what she knows on personal finance, savings, insurance, investments, and other issues close to the Singaporean core. Having been featured on various media interviews including The Straits Times, Her World and 938 Live, her blog continues to inspire both men and women alike. 

Source: https://goo.gl/1pHW5r

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If you wish to request for an non-obligation and free financial assessment, do contact me (Jacky Goh) at +65 9151 9924 for an appointment. I will be glad to provide you with my services as AXA financial planner. 

Just an update for May and June 2016

Been busy for past one month and getting ready to embark my journey with one established insurance agency in Singapore soon. But before that, not forgetting I have to continue spreading kindness around whenever I can, as this is something very meaningful to share. Do support my awareness group Happy People (HERE) and also volunteer at Project Awareness (HERE). 

I think I fall in love with my home cook curry chicken by my mother! The smell is so appetising that it just makes me want to eat as much as possible! Thank to my lovely mother for the wonderful curry chicken. 

Oh, forget to mention that I was featured in June 2016 issue GOLF newspaper with my brother Elson Soh. Thank you to Sister Charlene for writing this wonderful article and Sister Lisa for the great photography and make-up styling. Thank you Flipside Productions and Marketing (HERE) for this branding exercise. 

I also involved in a interview session with the emerging artiste from my company Royal Entertainment. Her name is Yuna Chew and do follow her blog (HERE) and Facebook (周慧玲 Yuna Chew) too! Remember to give her your support by watching and sharing the video around.

Watch video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlROpbN6UDk

Why do people talk about others

Why do people talk about others in their absence?
Why would a person talk about his close friend in a bad way as soon as he leaves?
Why would a person talk about the bad way his friend is treating him in front of everyone but his friend?

We can never make conclusions about someone's intentions before we get to know more about his personality for it will be the reference we are going to use to interpret his behaviour. In this article I will tell you about the reasons people talk about others and tell you how to understand those people even more.

Don't make the mistake of judging a person without knowing more about his beliefs, values and past experiences. If you know the person well then most likely you will be able to pick up the correct reason that is motivating him to talk about others from the ones below:

1) Jealousy: People talk about others when they feel jealous. A person who feels jealous will try to put the one he is talking about down so that he feels good about himself. If the person has really bad intentions then he will talk about the person he is jealous of in a bad way that makes others hate him

2) Inferiority: People talk about others in a bad way in their absence in order to appear better than them. If a person feels inferior to someone then he might talk about him in a bad way in order to appear superior to him in front of others

3) Lack of courage: Some people hate to confront others directly and as a result they prefer to talk about them in their absence after they do something bad to them rather then face them directly. If a person talks in a bad way about someone all the time because he did something bad to him then know that he lacks courage (see How to be brave in life)

4) He Likes the person he is talking about: One of the signs that shows that a person is interested in someone else is talking about him a lot. In such a case the talk will be positive or at least his mood will be positive while talking about that person even if he was saying negative things (see Signs that shows that someone likes you).

5) Weakness: People talk about others in a bad way in their absence when they believe that they can't get their rights back from them. If a large muscular person punched you in the face then you kept talking about him in his absence then know that you are doing so because you believe that you can't knock him down and that you are trying to release this energy of revenge by talking about him

Talking about others is a sign of weakness

As you can see in most cases people who talk about others are the ones who are in the weak position.

Gossiping or talking about others in a bad way in their absence is most cases a sign that shows that you have a certain personal flaw.

If you found yourself gossiping then you must find out the reason behind it and then work on fixing the personal flaw that resulted in this bad habit.

On the other hand if you knew that someone was talking about you in your absence then just send him this article :)

Retirement

Ever wondered what you want to do when you retire..say 55 years old? Continue working? Or enjoying the sun at the beach every single day?

Many people have no choice but to choose option number 1, which is to continue working. Here's why.

Assuming at age 30 till age 55:

Monthly Salary: $3,000

Monthly Spending: $2,000 (All in expenses including housing loans)

Monthly Savings: $1,000

Yearly you save: $12,000

Over 25 years (55 - 30) you save: $300,000

At age 55, you stop working and your spending remains the same

$300,000 / $2,000 per month = 150 months (12 Years and 6 Months)

Meaning to say at age 67, you have to start working again to maintain your monthly spending of $2,000!

According to World Bank, Singaporean Life Expectancy is up to 82 years old! Which means if we plan to have enough money to retire with $2,000 per month, you have to work till 65. But what if you have unexpected expenses along these years, such as, holiday trips, marriage plans, medical issues, housing, economic downturn, etc etc, how are you going to withstand from all these unexpected stuffs?

The answer is planning the right way as early as possible. If along the way, we have things that would prepare us for such unexpected stuffs, we don't have to worry about any financial issues. If we put our savings in the right area and at the right time, we can have guaranteed monthly income of $2,000 even when we stop working at 55.

End of the day, it doesn't matter how much you earn a month, but how much you spend in a month, and spend in the right way! If you need my service on any insurance products, do feel free to sms/whatsapp me (Jacky Goh)  at +65 9151 9924 for more information. 

About Zrii and Zrii Amalaki

Zrii is a liquid nutritional supplement manufacturer that makes a variety of products using natural herbs and fruits. Zrii was established in the summer of 2007 by the famous and successful business man Bill Farley. Bill has been a business icon in his entire adult life, mentor and financial advisor of U.S. Presidents, chairman and CEO of well known multi billion dollar companies like: Fruit Of The Loom.

​Bill Farley also plays an active role in national and community organizations. He is a member of the World Presidents' Organization, the Chicago Club and the Executives' Club of Chicago, and he sits on various educational, corporate, civic and cultural boards, including the Horatio Alger Association, the Big Shoulders Fund, the Rush Hospital Heart Institute and Adamant Media Corporation.
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Zrii Products: What Does Zrii Sell?

Zrii Amalaki is its flagship product. Amalaki is a nutritional beverage that promises to “promote energy” and “enhance cellular rejuvenation.” It’s made primarily from the amalaki fruit, which Zrii claims has been used for over 5,000 years for its health properties.

In addition to amalaki, Zrii Amalaki has a number of other natural ingredients, including schizandra, ginger, jujube, haritaki, turmeric, and tulsi.

You’re supposed to take 2 fluid ounces of the beverage daily to support general wellness. Zrii doesn’t list the specific amount of each ingredient inside the juice. Instead, it hides all of these ingredient amounts inside a proprietary blend. One serving is 1 fluid ounce, but we don’t know how much of each serving is made from this proprietary blend.

Other ingredients include purified water, white grape juice concentrate, pear puree concentrate, and a number of other natural juice concentrates.

Become one of the Zrii premium members

Join the Zrii opportunity today! Become one of the Zrii premium members and explore why Zrii is one of the hottest home based businesses in the USA and other countries.

To understand how you can create good money opportunity for yourself or your company, you may contact us accordingly for an appointment:

Whatsapp/SMS: +65 9877 0340
Email: zrii@iasiastar.sg / zrii@jconsultancygroup.sg
Website: http://www.justclick.sg/zrii-singapore

I-Asia Star Pte Ltd and J Consultancy Group Pte Ltd are both registered members of Zrii Singapore and all the products' information are shared and retrieved from online. ​

A great Monkey year celebrated with good food

First of all, let me wish all my friends, colleagues, clients and sponsors a very Happy Chinese New Year by sending you all the loves and joyousness from my new company Royal Entertainment (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Started my Monkey Year with lot of good food and put on 1.5kg weight, but I'm still "slim". Think my girlfriend will be jealous of me again. :)

Going to kick start with a new working environment soon. But still need to place the focus on my business and hope to get more support from new clients and existing sponsors. 

祝大家在这新年里，生体健康，万事如意，吉星高照，合家欢乐! 猴年行大运!發呀! Wishing all a prosperous Chinese New Year and may you huat in everything you do! 猴年行大运!

Reminiscing childhood memories with Uncle Ringo

Throwback to my visit to Uncle Ringo Fun Fair last week at Serangoon North Fair!

When I heard that there’s an Uncle Ringo Fun Fair just minutes away from my house, I was super excited like a young kid who just bought a new toy, and I just have to make a trip down no matter what!

Upon reaching the fun fair, I was greeted by sweet smells of pasar malam food like sweet corn, tu tu kueh, kebabs and many many more. Next, I heard the screams and cheers from the excitement of the kids playing the Uncle Ringo rides like Pirate Ship, Pong Pong Che (Bumper Cars), Carousel, and many game stalls. It’s like all your five senses are being activated as you experience the fair.

Look at the crowd queuing up at the bumper cars!

Different kinds of game stalls that is especially enticing to the young children

Children having bouncing fun at bouncing castles

“I’m gonna be a future sniper!”

“Riding a real train!”

Personally, I would prefer the younger generation to play traditional games like this and interact with other young children, rather than being stuck at home playing with game consoles, iPads, or TV, as it will limit their learning abilities and social skills. Sometimes, having high technology may not be a good thing, so remember to go out and have fun!

Looking forward to his next fair with all the Chinese New Year Theme Celebration with big fun rides, game attractions, pasar malam food stall, CNY deco items, and many other at TAMPINES HONGBAO next to Tampines MRT from 23 January to 21 February 2016! 

Get your tickets now at http://www.justclick.sg/store/p100/%2430_worth_of_Rides_and_Attraction_Games_at_Uncle_Ringo_Tampines_HONGBAO_Fun_Fair.html

Do you know sleep is important?

It seems that the more we advance as a society, the more something important gets shoved aside. Whether it’s taking time to be with family, finding time to be outdoors every day, cooking our own food, our desire to make more money, or “live life to the fullest” we’re willing to shortchange one area of life to make room for another. And it just so happens that one of our most important needs has likewise gone by the wayside, and it’s affecting more of us than we think.

The fact is: less and less of us are getting enough sleep.

While we know inherently that sleep is essential for our well being, there are still millions of people not getting enough of it. The American Psychological Association revealed a study by the National Sleep Foundation that “at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more.”

That is more than just a few people suffering the many effects of poor sleep, and more often than not, these kinds of problems go undiagnosed and untreated. Even still, unsatisfactory sleep habits cause more issues than what might have us reach for another, stronger morning latté.

Hope this piece of information is good for those of my friends that do not like to sleep.