Latest news with #TiffanyAng
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Work It Podcast: How to write a standout resume
It is possible that your job application may be buried in a sea of others. So how do you catch the hiring manager's eye. Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, walks us through the dos and don'ts to get you to the top of the pile. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: I read that it takes a hiring manager, on average, 10 seconds to decide if the resume is in the accept pile or the reject stash. What would you first look at if I were to put an eye tracking software into your eyes? Which content would take up most of your eye time? Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals: I will say your last two recent jobs and your time in the role. But first of all, it depends on the hiring company and the nature of the industry. If you're a startup looking to hire, you probably wouldn't be so obsessed with the staying power of an individual. Rather, you'd be more obsessed (if the candidate has) the ability to do something from scratch and scale it up. On the other hand, if you are applying for a more traditional company, the recruiter might value things like: Did you spend four years in your most recent gig? And was your second most recent gig at least three years? So, I wouldn't say this is what I look for, but depending on the nature of the industry, recruiters may look at it this way. Tiffany: They will still look at the first two jobs, it's just that maybe someone from a startup company might look at what you have achieved, whereas somebody who is in a bigger company, a legacy company, might value longevity, so they might be looking at the duration. Zhirong: Anyway, the first page is usually your last two gigs. Tiffany: Exactly. But there's always the top part where you write a short little bio of yourself. Zhirong: Personally, I don't think it is necessary, but if you still want to include it, I recommend keeping it to two to three sentences. I've seen resumes where the personal bio was almost one third of the first page, and this personal bio is just a self-description of the individual, not substantiated by your achievements or impact at work. Depending on the interviewer or screener who picks up your resume, they may or may not believe it, right? Gerald Tan, host: I think Zhirong mentioned a very important principle, which is that you need to create a resume that is reader-friendly. You need to put yourself in the shoes of the reader: What are they looking for? What will appeal to them in terms of keywords and important information about you? That way, it makes the whole reading, the whole 10 seconds, more worthwhile.
CNA
25-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Work It Podcast: Why unfinished tasks at work linger in your mind – and what to do about them
Unresolved tasks can quietly build up, creating mental clutter that affects focus and well-being. CNA TODAY journalist Amanda Yeap shares what she has learnt about the science behind the Zeigarnik Effect and practical tips on how to regain control over your work life. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: We talked about writing lists. I think that has been very helpful for me, because I almost 'list-dump" my thoughts out of my head. I have an ideas list, I have a task list. Basically, the idea is that I just want my brain to be as free as possible. Besides lists, are there any other ways that we can use to cope with the Zeigarnik Effect? Amanda Yeap, CNA TODAY journalist: One expert broke it down like this. Once you have your list, you can decide what you want to do with each item. You either throw it out if it's no longer relevant, (or keep it) because you realise that after listing it out, not everything actually needs to be done straight away. When it's all in your mind, you just feel, 'Oh no, there are so many things.' Tiffany: Yeah, that is good point. I always thought that if it's on the list, it needs to be done. But it doesn't have to be ... Amanda: So throwing it out, outsourcing, asking for help or delegating (tasks), or even just doing it. At least you've already kickstarted the process. Maybe some tasks are so huge that it's impossible to get them done in a single step. Tiffany: That's why breaking it down into different steps helps, right? Because you know, 'Okay, at least I have completed two out of three steps, and the last step is just this.' And I can maybe move (other tasks) to the next month, or I can do this tomorrow. I don't have to do it today, but at least you kind of break it down and set goals. Otherwise, you get caught in this incessant loop of, 'Oh my goodness, am I in a matrix? It's coming back!' Amanda: Yeah, it's actually quite common that some tabs are just there in your mind, but you don't act on them, or you just procrastinate, even though it would do you some good to get the task done. To trick yourself into doing that, really, is to just start that first step ... You can also assign a timeline to yourself. Because sometimes if the to-do item is not specific, in the sense of (having a) deadline, then saying something like 'I'll do this by Friday,' is definitely more effective than, 'I need to do this sometime.'
