You may be, and you may not be aware of it. I’m keeping this as simple as possible.

1. Keep track of your accomplishments. Don’t take it for granted.

2. Don’t leave your previous job on a bad note. Karma’s a bitch.

3. Network yourself. Tell everyone you know that you’re on the lookout for a job.

4. Don’t just stick to internet search. Newspaper (especially Saturdays) helps bigtime!

5. Don’t search for the perfect job. You’ll forever be jobless. Lower your expectations. Give and take.

6. Boring cover letter. Edit it EVERYTIME you apply for a new job. Match your words with the job roles.

7. Typos - again, taken for granted. Use spell-checker, or grammar-checks. Get someone to proof-read it.

8. Don’t give your current work contact as the best place to reach you. It’ll backfire.

9. Focus the cover letter on the new company, not on yourself.

10. Adapt your resume for specific positions. Word it each time to veer towards the job requirements.

11. NEVER EVER show up late.

12. Don’t dress like a clown. I interviewed a dope once. He wore torn jeans. I sent him home.

13. Ask questions - good ones. Not, “Can I got back home sharp everyday?”.

14. Bitching about a former boss or company. BIG mistake.

15. PAY attention. Switch off your mobile phone.

16. Read about the job position and company. Learn and understand, not memorize.

17. Forgetting etiquette. Don’t cross your arms, or put it on your head and lean back. Don’t be a jerkoff.

18. NEVER ask for salary during the first interview. Let the interviewer bring it up, if not bring it up at the end of the interview, one of your last questions.

19. Don’t follow up aggressively. I interviewed this dude last week and he’s been calling me ever since.

20. Keep track of your job applications. Don’t forget what you applied for.

21. Even after a few interviews, don’t stop your job hunt. Keep it going, another opportunity might knock.

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Don’t you just find it bothersome sometimes when your e-mails are not replied? Sometimes, I wonder, don’t they have the time, or can’t they help or just simply don’t know what to say? I think it all boils down to being lazy ass. Come on - it only takes seconds just to reply to an e-mail, even if to say that you got the e-mail and will get back to it. It’s much better than ignoring. Please, don’t be an imbecile.

I know, not all of us are grammar kings, I can accept the casual errors, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect proper e-mail language. Here’s some common sense for you if you feel that your brain is located in your arse - the first word in a sentence should start with a capital letter and try singling out ideas/points into different sentences or paragraphs.

Why do some people dismiss the use of paragraphs? Do you know how important they are? As a rule of thumb, perhaps 4 to 5 sentences in a paragraph. If you feel that one sentence is enough for a paragraph, please smack yourself silly. I’m sure at some point, the smacking would re-awaken your brain (if you have any).

Sometimes, if you think that you’re trying to be funny, the other person reading your e-mail may not know it. E-mails do not channel the tone of your voice. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid jokes and get straight to the point.

Remember, the point of email is to communicate.

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With almost 7 years experience in managing people, these are the remarks from my staff in my previous job that I find deplorable!

“It can’t be done” - don’t be bloody short-sighted, put in some effort and come up with a solution.

“That isn’t in my job description.” - so is “facebooking”, chatting on messenger, or surfing the web. If you’re asked to do something not related to your job, just bloody do it.

“Add me on Facebook boss” - social interactions with your boss, is highly discouraged. I mean, you can mingle at office-related outings, but there’s a reason why a boss never likes to cross the boundary. It’s because he’s your boss and not your bloody friend.

“I got pissed drunk last night” - that means you’re trying to earn your right to be a lazy bum today.

“Sigh!” - this is so bloody annoying. I hated it when one of my staff uttered that. Think before you speak. A sigh is as good as having a “kick-me-i’m-a-dumbass” sign posted up your butt.

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Persistence. The only way to succeed in life.

Some of us throw in the towel early because we have the wrong expectation - we thought it would be easy peasy and then reality hits us in the bum bum. Our enthusiasm crumbles. Always expect the hard way so you’d be mentally groomed when you confront reality.

Don’t underestimate the length of being persistent as there is no such thing as instant success. Remember, you’re running a marathon, not a sprint.

Another key factor is motivation. It comes from our purpose and it catapults us to keep on trying even there is the inevitability of failure on the route to success.

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This is extremely crucial because it eliminates miscommunication. Always get to the point. State the intention first then corroborate it. Skip the long-winded details.Always remember to keep your reader in mind. What would they ask you? Don’t just presume everyone’s priorities are the same as yours.

Subject line is also significant , it distinguishes itself from junk. Take a moment to think about the subject line - the purpose of the e-mail. Also, when you’re forwarding or replying to a previous e-mail, and introduce a new topic which departs from the original subject, rescript the subject line.

What you see as direct can be absolute contemptuous to the reader. It can be interpreted as cockiness. Read your e-mail again. Using “please”, “thanks”, “appreciate” would help. But when the need arises for you to carry a heavier tone, do it face to face.

Write like an adult, drop the short-forms, smileys, LOLs aside. It’ll make you look like Kurt Cobain, the person everyone takes for granted.

And please don’t CC the entire universe, think about who really needs to see this message.

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Staying focus at work can be herculean at times. But, you CAN do it. The most important point is to wipe out distractions. How? Well, it’s easy. Just plan your day before you start, clear up your desk and close all useless computer programs.

Have visible reminders of your daily routine. I use a yellow sticky note and a note book to keep track and what to follow up the next day. Most of the time we have to work on things that we’re not energized about. Look at it positively, concentrate on the gains of finishing your work. You’ll get it out of the way much sooner.

Mini breaks are crucial! Get up and walk away from your workstation. Stretch, make yourself a drink, or go for a toilet break. It helps me clear my mind whenever I feel thwarted and I come back renewed.

Another important thing is NOT to be too critical on yourself. It will stymie productivity and creativity. Be relaxed in your overture, it’s okay if it’s not perfect, as long as you keep trying to make progress.

Good luck.

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Humans. We always continue to want to fight for every idea. Wait, let me re-word - MOST humans. Before you throw the gauntlet, think about the idea - will it TRULY make the company more successful? Does it affect or live up to the goals? Will you be supported by influential colleagues with this idea? Will it make your superior look bad?

Look at the stakes involved and decide whether it’s worth it, you need to pick your battles wisely. Ask for guidance from another colleague who managed to get his/her idea implemented.

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The first thing when you embark on a new career, is to make a positive impression, on your new colleagues, and especially your superior. The first and foremost thing to do is to show your initiative - you don’t want your superior to constantly tell you what to do, it’s time consuming for one, and your abilities is questioned. Don’t wait to be told what to do, seek advice perhaps, but always be initiative.

Don’t just surf the web when the day is slow, do something else, perhaps administrative duties. You need to be affectionate about your job. However, don’t show too much initiative, you’ll come up as being a suck up, because it looks like that you’re born to please. Keep things efficient, don’t colorize your output - it shows disrespect and sometimes it may come off as stepping on toes.

The most annoying thing that I hated during my reign as a manager of some 20 odd people, is when staff make excuses. I hate that. No one ones to listen to excuses. KNOW the difference between an excuse and a reasoning. Look at addressing the main point here, your mistake, by acknowledging it and taking steps to correct it. Don’t be a taichi master.

Stop complaining all the time if you want to impress your superior. Stop being so negative and do something about it. Your superior is in the same situation too but you’re too blind to see it because you feel it’s your God-given right to moan and groan. Instead of complaining, look at constructive criticism - propose solutions.

Another annoying thing is asking TOO much stupid questions, is a waste of time and makes you look like Homer Simpson. Stop being a kid that you need someone to hold your hand and change your diapers every time. Figure it out yourself!

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