Have you ever felt that you are a working zombie. Working for a long time already and you can predict you will be doing the same thing in 10 years. I read in a book about how to give yourself some motivation and direction to working. First I apologize for not being able to give the reference to that book, read it long time ago.

It basically says that there are three levels for monthly-paid workers.

• level 1 – Salary below 5K

• level 2 – Salary between 5k to 10k

• level 3 – salary above 10 k

1) First identify which level you are in

2) For example you are in level 1, search through the newspaper for any job paying at level 2. you can search via other ways too such as internet, chat with clients etc.

3) Once you found the job, do research on the job requirement. for example the job may require 5 years experience in project management, or must posses steam certification or an MBA

4) The most important thing is that now that you know how to get there, plan your way. If that level of job requires you to have 5 years experience in project management, volunteer yourself for the experience. If they need you to have steam certificate or an MBA. invest on that. Dedicate all your energy now to achieve that goal. 

Once there, you know what to do.

in short, if you want things to change… change it. However you can always choose not to do anything and get the increment slowly year by year. It’s totally your choice. This is more like an advice to me than to you. So help me Allah. What do you guys think?

I read about this a long time ago in Variasari (a mini magazine very much like the current ones). It was under the column “Petua Nenek Kebayan” (Tips from the ancient).

It’s written that we can know how long it will rain just by looking at the behavior of the roaming chicken. Don’t laugh just yet.. well you can smile. it’s true though 🙂

If the chicken stop roaming and rest under the shade (pretty much like the picture attached), there’s a high possibility that the rain will be very brief even though it is a storm.

And vice versa, if the chicken still continue searching for food, minding their own business, the rain will not be stopping any time soon

I wouldn’t dare to put it up here if I didn’t test it myself. Try it, and tell me how it goes. You will be amaze with the result. I guess animals just know some things we don’t.

1) You need money to get money

Im not talking about MLM or investment. I’m referring to the money needed during your job hunting process. You will need some money to attend interviews sometimes as far as in other states. Printing your resume, phone bills, stamps and not to forget those photograph will definitely burn a hole in your pocket.

What to do

• Do part time job, preferrably with shift so that you can schedule your work and go to interviews
• Start saving money from your part time job. Don’t start your shopping spree just yet. I know all those years eating only maggi mee are haunting you. yes, you deserve to be pampered after all that. But just not yet.
• Only after you secured a well paid job and stabilised, you can start on those dream to-do and to-have list.

2) You need to speak English to get a job

Regardless of what people say, as a graduate you are expected to have at least good spoken english. You don’t need to know exactly the difference of past present tense etc. You just need to be able to listen, understand and respond comfortably. You don’t even need to sound convincing to secure a job. 🙂

What to do

• Believe it or not, i learnt most of my english from tv shows. I love to watch sitcoms especially those without the subtitles. I guess subconciously the funny scene wil be replayed in my mind over and over again and the phrase become very familiar to be used.
• Read books
• Speak to your friends. Try to use proper sentence. There’s no shame in doing so.

3) You don’t need a credit card to show you are working

Simply put, credit card has no use except to be used for emergency. By emergency, I mean “you don’t have the money, you die.”

Credit card is being boast as the sign of stability and class. May be this is true at some level. But in my opinion, you are just borrowing money from your future self 
and in doing so, you pay the bank for letting you do this. 

Avoid credit card application at all cost. If you really need to have one, be sure you are ready to take the responsibility.

p.s. What other things do you guys think graduates should be told before they finish their study? At least they will not repeat the same mistake we did.

I got this story from one forwarded email. Enjoy

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Conclusion – Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!