I read this article “Couples hold back from starting families due to job security, costs” by Shermaine Ang from the Straits Times recently and my heart went heavy for various reasons. The story interviewed couples who had put their plans for starting families on hold because of inflation, increasing competition and concerns about job security. Amidst the already […]
So…Family or Career First? Read More »
“I feel cheated.” Ms Edna Chan (not her real name), a 45-year-old Events Manager confided. “I had signed up for this 3-month ‘’Data Science” course but when I got my certificates, nobody would even interview me, let alone offer me a job as a Data Scientist!” “What’s the point of Skills Upgrading?” She lamented. As
Skills Upgrading : Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong Read More »
Leaving a job is never easy and is always fraught with risk – the known and the unknown ones. Many of us come to this crossroad at some point in our lives and it gets scarier when we have been in the company for so many years that moving out of our ‘comfort zone’ may
Should I Leave My Job? Read More »
Dear Adrian, My company conducted a huge retrenchment exercise and the job I have is no longer around. I have been with my company for 18 years and really love my work and friends. The company is offering me a generous retrenchment benefit of about 2 years’ salary. Yesterday, HR just informed me that they
Retrenchment Package vs Another Role in My Company – Which do I choose? Read More »
Congratulations! You’ve decided to join the new company and have signed the Offer Letter. Some thoughts will now run through your mind. “What do I do next? How do I inform my boss and how will he react?” These are all valid questions at the “Offer/Acceptance” stage. The anxiety is heightened for those who have
Resigning Your Job – With Grace & Dignity Read More »
There has been a lot of noise lately about “Quiet Quitting”. It was coined lately by some disgruntled Gen Z who apparently, had enough of working too hard and decided to do the ‘bare minimum’ to get by. That meant that he would not put in any extra effort, decline any work that is not
Quiet Quitting and All that Jazz Read More »
Over the weekend, I was bingeing on Netflix and being a diehard Star Trek Fan (or Trekkie, as we Geeks call ourselves), I re-watched one of my favourite episodes in Season 2. This is the one where Commander Data, an Android, was competing in a fictional game called Strategema with the Galaxy’s Top Player, Kolrami,
Playing The ‘Infinite’ Career Game Read More »
That’s what Mr B, the Global CEO of a Fortune 500 company joked to me back in 2008 during the Great Financial Crisis as he laughed across the table from me, at the Courtyard Restaurant at the Fullerton Hotel. You see, his company was doing very well amidst the banking turmoil left in the wake
“Never Let a Good Economic Downturn go to Waste, Let’s Retrench more Staff!” Read More »
After The Release of the A-Level Results last month, I wonder…Do Students Who Get Good Grades Do Better In Life? Last month, I overheard a frustrated Junior College girl say to her father at a restaurant, “Dad, if I don’t get above 80 points, I’m going to retake the entire d*** exams”. I was surprised
Let’s Cut The BS – School Grades Do Matter Read More »
Earlier this year, I spoke to a Senior Business Leader who approached us because he was feeling burnt out. Being at his company for 21 years, he made a lot of money for his employers, and in return, he was also very highly remunerated. He said his company was acquired last year and his new
Learned Helplessness – Life’s Biggest Folly Read More »
