MOHR: It’s the wage, not unemployment, which is the issue

It’s the increase of wage, not the unemployment which is the issue that we should be concerned about, says Minister of Human Resources Malaysia, Datuk. Dr. S. Subramaniam.

According to him, the unemployment rate in Malaysia is at 3.1%, which is as good as 100% employment, so the focus now is on the increase of wages.

“There are around 150,000 Malaysians who commute daily to Singapore to work there,” he said, adding that including those who live in Singapore, there could be around 200,000 Malaysians working in Singapore,” he said.

He noted that employment in Malaysia is good enough, and even quipped that there are enough opportunities for even foreigners.

Earlier in his speech, Dr. S. Subramaniam added that the current Economic Transformation Program embarked by the government is focussed on transforming Malaysia into a high income nation by 2020, whereby the country’s gross national income per capita will increase from RM23,700 in 2009 to more than RM48,000.

He was speaking to reporters after the launch of The People’s Edge Magazine.

Meanwhile, the minister lauded the magazine, published by Job Hunt Group, as it was devoted to the development of the nation’s human capital management. “I have had a quick look at the magazine and I can see that it is full of interesting information on the field of HR and human capital development where the latest trends, information, views and efforts in these fields taken by the government and its agencies and the private sector are showcased, discussed and analysed,” he said during the speech.

Job Hung’s Group Executive Director, Dato’ (Dr) Michael C.H. Wong, in his speech, noted that as a specialist in human capital solutions, the publisher saw a gap for a publication that addresses Human Capital management from a wholly Malaysian perspective.

“So, we took a proactive approach and invested in this direction to broaden our commitment, in ‘Developing Malaysia’s Human Capital’, which is our tagline for our Human Capital magazine, People’s Edge,” he said.

TalentCorp: Contributing from outside

When Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp) was announced, the buzz words were, “luring Malaysians from foreign country back to Malaysia”. Actually it’s more thant that.

According to The Sun newspaper report quoting TalentCorp’s chief executive officer (CEO) Johan Mahmood Merican, TalentCorp is poised to work towards optimising foreign talent and up-scaling Malaysian talent, instead of merely focusing on bringing Malaysians home to work.

Speaking to the media after participating in a panel discussion at the Government Linked Companies (GLC) open day, he said the corporation is also looking at ways how Malaysians abroad can contribute to the country from wherever they are.

"In looking at talent needs (in the country) it cannot just be (focused on) Malaysians abroad," he said.

"We need to also be aware of the opportunities (available) to utilise foreign talent and up-scale Malaysian talent," he was quoted as saying, adding that the organisation was looking into optimising foreign talent within Malaysia.

"We are working very closely with different key sectors of the economy, to find what can be done to address the critical skills gap, and how to forge public-private partnerships to address these shortages," said Johan.

Asked about an announcement in Parliament last June by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak that TalentCorp would lure about 700,000 Malaysians working abroad home, Johan said luring such a figure was impossible.

"What he articulated when he made the announcement was how many Malaysians were overseas. I do not think it was any attempt to say we'll bring everyone back. Clearly we cannot bring everyone back," said Johan.

Building Self-confidence In the Workplace

We secretly admire the doctors and medical practitioners who treats us for our many illnesses. He seems so sure of himself and is such a miracle because he can cure us of our tummy aches, influenzas and the occasional runny nose. There is a reason why we are so drawn to him and are able to connect with him. He has what we call "self confidence".

Confidence is a vital aspect of our day-to-day lives and is especially important in the workplace. After all, you would not be appreciative of a colleague who fumbles and trips over his words while doing a presentation. Unfortunately, not everyone was born with "built-in" self confidence. In fact, many of us had to work hard to achieve some semblance of confidence. People with low confidence and self-esteem often feel unappreciated and find it hard to succeed. The good thing is that it can be achieved with time and effort. Rome was not built in a day, so don't expect the same for yourself and do not push yourself to the limit.

You can easily distinguish a self-confident person from others. They stand tall and proud with their head held high and answer questions clearly but calmly. You will feel instinctively drawn to them because they inspire others around them. This automatically concludes that a self-confident person is often more successful than those who are not.

How confident are you to your colleagues? Take a breather and answer some of these questions to see if you need a crash course in building your confidence.

1. Do you always behave like how others expect you to?

2. Do you manage your behaviour based on what other people think?

3.Do you prefer to stay in your comfort zone and avoid taking up risks and challenging tasks?

4.Do you often find yourself scrambling to fix mistakes so that other people won't notice?

5.Do you feel yourself blushing in shame every time someone points out your mistakes?

If you answered "yes" to two or more of the above questions, then it's time you fix this. A person with low self-confidence is often self-destructive. Confidence is a mixture of courage, strength and the ability to pick yourself up when something fails.

Take pride in what you have achieved

Keep a log book or a diary and jot down all the achievements you have made. Perhaps you have closed a successful sales deal or have been recently promoted. Take note of praises and words of encouragement from your superior. For days when you feel down and demoted, flip through the pages and re-read some of your successes. They are a constant reminder that you can do it and are able to achieve more if you set your heart to it.

Be a go-getter

Set realistic goals for yourself and stick to it. Say "I will complete this project in a fortnight" and not "I think I can complete it in a fortnight". If you make a strong reinforcement to the statement, chances are your brain will register and you will be able to meet the deadline. Also, try to set goals that will highlight your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.

Receive a compliment graciously

It is a natural instinct for Asians to be overly humble when someone compliments them. Don't be. Acknowledge that you deserve the compliment because you have worked hard for it. Smile and say "Thank you. It was really nice of you to notice my work. I'm very proud of it as well" and not "Oh, it was nothing. Anyone could have done it." The former shows that you are capable of handling tough projects while the latter says that you are a pessimist, plus it also gives the impression that your job is an easy-peasy one!

Positive self-talk

At this point, you have to start managing what goes in and out of your brain. Yes, you might have had a terrible experience at your last job and it has sucked out all of your self esteem and confidence. It is now time to let go and move on. Eliminate all negative self-talk and replace them with positive ones. One good tip that I've learnt is to stick colourful pictures on your wall, in your car, or any other places that are convenient to you. Stick a smiley face to remind you to smile. Put phrases of encouragement and frame them up.

Celebrate

Last but not least, celebrate to rejoice in the fact you have worked diligently to bring your self-confidence to another level. Allow yourself some fun. After this, stretch yourself a little bit more. Make your goals bigger and challenge yourself more. Take it one step at a time at a pace that's comfortable to you. Some people take three months; others may take up to six months or more. You will slowly notice a difference in yourself.

How To Overcome Procrastination

Does this sound familiar?

Each and every day you go into your office prepared to take on the tasks you have been or will be assigned. As the day goes by you find yourself looking for every possible excuse to do something other than work on some of the tasks. You have made a considerable effort to remain focused during the day however you cannot seem to fight procrastination. Are you the only one with this problem? What can you do to break this bad habit?”

You are certainly not alone in experiencing this; unfortunately for us all procrastination is something that everyone deals with. There is no way to completely eliminate it from our lives. If we build time into our schedules for procrastination we’ll be in a better position to handle it right off the bat. Here are some tips to overcome procrastination:

1. Work on tasks promptly
Complete task as soon as practical, while you know you have enough time to do it correctly.

2. Change negative thoughts
Do not agonize over tasks. Instead, think of the enjoyment and the relief in getting the job done.

3. Break large tasks down
Make tasks more manageable and work on “getting started”. Try just tackling five minutes of the project and you might find you’ve worked longer than planned.

4. Become Enthusiastic
Muster up the motivation and enthusiasm about the job or task. Talk to the right people and get you reenergized.

Job-hopping - A Leap Forward for Your Career Prospect or A Giant Step Back?

We live in an age when the one-company individual no longer exists. Your father, mother or grandparents may have worked for one company their entire lives, but it is becoming commonplace to be employed by three, four or more companies during one's lifetime.

Up to a decade ago, interviewers frowned upon a resume that betrayed you as a "job hopper". However, this attitude has started to shift with industries such as technology, advertising and PR firms who have elevated Job-hopping to a lifestyle and a necessity to keep up with industry changes. Because of this, the tables are turning in the more traditional industries also and the once negative image of job-hopping is now being seen as ambition. In fact, according to one recruiter, in some industries, if you stayed at the same job for five years, you'd have some explaining to do.

However, this doesn't mean the job-hopper stigma has completely vanished. If you've got too many jobs on your resume, you could end up getting pegged as unstable, disloyal, or unable to work as part of a team, especially if these jobs are typically for terms of six months or less. Lou Adler - author of 'Hire with your head down' says " when you look at a candidate who can't get promoted and who keeps moving in and out of lateral positions from company to company, you can't help but think 'what's wrong'?

Thinking about a change?
When it comes down to it, if you must job-hop, make it constructive. Sometimes the best time to switch jobs is when you're feeling good about your career - and that means moving out to move up. You don't want to completely shut yourself off from opportunities to change jobs, however, take your time and consider the effect the change will have on your career. It is important to take a step back, reassess your work habits and to make sure your next move is the right one for you.

Constructive job-hopping takes thought and planning to achieve the goals of moving forward and strengthening a career. Do it badly and you'll move laterally or even backward.

It is also a good idea to thoroughly research any new company prospects. What sounds good on paper doesn't always mean that it will be any better than where you are now especially if it is a lateral move and isn't a career advance. Things to look for are: company background; what the company culture is like; will you fit into the team and how has the company performed financially over the past year?

Why switch?
There are many reasons why you switch jobs, some more positive than others. And the key is to articulate to a prospective employer why you left and eliminate any negative association with your frequent job changes. Some more positive reasons are:

• I followed the best and brightest: companies want people who bring varied experience to the table. For that reason alone, job-hopping makes you more of an asset to a company.
  
• I followed the money: no one will argue with a move that gave you a salary boost-as long as money is not the only reason why you left.
  
• I followed the promotion: a promotion shows that you are both valued and that your managing your career aggressively.
  
• I followed my spouse: employers are typically understanding of this type of move, but also want to know that your career matters too.
• These are completely feasible reasons for job change, but if you're constantly moving because you feel like you've exhausted your opportunities in a short period of time, hiring professionals will question your decision-making ability.

An individual with a job history showing several job experiences can be very attractive to an employer. It says that you have vast experience and shows your value having worked under different systems, structures and management styles. The key is to communicate what you accomplished at each job and how your contributions at each company made a difference.

Once you've decided it's time to move, keep these points in mind:

• Avoid frequent lateral moves. If you're repeatedly switching industries and you constantly feel underemployed or unfulfilled, there's probably something deeper going on. Try temping for a while, take some time to assess your skills, and figure out what you like and really want to do.
  
• Don't burn bridges. Even if you dislike your boss, your job, your office, leave on good terms. If you're moving within an industry - and in one geographic area - there's a good chance your old boss has some sort of connection to your new one. Keep in touch with other people you worked closely with. You never know when you'll need a reference.
  
• Leave a positive lasting impression: When resigning, start off with a carefully thought out resignation letter, explaining the reasons why you're leaving and thanking your boss for the opportunity to learn with the company. Then make an effort to stay on for a mutually agreed time frame and train your replacement. This may take longer than the traditional two weeks but will be appreciated that you are still interested in the success of your replacement and any projects on which you are currently working. These actions will send a positive message to the recruitment marketplace that you are responsible, reliable and career-focused.