Finding Jobs Through Employment Agents

With many employment agents around, you don't really know which ones are actually good and which one will really provide results to you when you are in need of searching a new job prospect. Then, there is the clause you have bind with when comes to using the employment service. You have to be really careful with what you agreed with when you sign the terms with them.

Below are the few employment agents I would really like to share my opinions.

Recruit Express - known to be fast in finding jobs for you as they have many lobangs. However,
they aren't really that good enough to convince their potential client that they
have good candidates on hand. So the chance of getting a job through them is
not very promising. I have personally used their service several times but
ended up finding the job myself.

Their clause is that you will have to pay them S$50.00 for recommendation
fees once you signed the appointment letter with their client. In
addition, correct me if I am wrong, you will have to stick to the job for 90 days
or else you will have to pay them 1 month of your salary.

BGC Group - This one I would recommend. They are fast in service and willing to convince
their client that you are a good candidate for them and they try to get you a
salary that beyond your expectation. They don't make you go down to their office
for interview unless they have a client that wants to meet up with you. You
have better luck in landing a job with this employment agent. Not sure
about their clause.

ST Recruitment Centre - Been there only once and wouldn't want to go there again. Not very
good in matching you up with their clients. Can't recall what their
clause is. However, I do remember that their service ain't all that
great.

Personal Link JobHub - This I must say strongly recommend. For one thing, they are the ones
that sucessfully match me with their client. And I do say that their stuff
take very good messages to ensure that follow up being done after an
interview.

Ok.. their clause is you have to stay with their client for 2 months.
Otherwise, you have to pay them 1 month salary.

JAC - This employment agent I must say that I am speechless after looking and signing their
clause. 30% of the salary offered + GST will be paid to employment agent if you do not
turn up for work. 50% of the salary offered + GST if you have not fufill the 3 months
contract with them and this also applies if you are unable to perform.

So becareful when you use the employment agent service and ask them again what is the clause before you sign the appointment letter. If you are not able to accept the terms, DON'T SIGN! By not signing it, you will not have to pay anything but just raise your chance to be blacklisted by this employment agent only.

PEEVED!

I recently applied for the 2 miserable days of child care leave in the company in which I have resigned. I wanted to clear this since there isn't any claim back.

Waiting .. and waiting for approval.. 3 days later.. he came to me and say 'Do you really need to take that child care leave?' So I say yeah... , coz I need to send my child for injection. Then came the second question ' Do you have to take the whole day?' What the HELL... one day also cannot har! Why this child care leave is taking from your pay to give me har? If yes, then I can understand that I shouldn't take lah!

Besides, I deserve this! Guess this is their way of saying NO THANKS for all I have done for this company! Not forgetting, this is also a way of saying THIS IS YOUR J O B anyway! So much for dedication! So much for helping a JERK like him! GOD where is JUSTICE? I want to see this JERK punished!

2nd Treatment - CITISPA

Just went for the second treatment today. Next time never to make appointment on Sundays. They seem to be short handed and no one was outside to entertain me. Wow.. so much for a service. Our records are lying on the frontdesk and no one is around? Har? Can anyone even pick this up?

This time round, I have an option to either to take the steam bath or the sauna. This time I tried the steam bath. Good Choice! As I didn't suffer from a giddy sickness after the steam. The last time I took the Sauna, almost fainted before the time was up.

After the steam bath, I thought I'd be given a towel to change as the current one was soaking wet. Then someone moved me into a room with air-condition blowing directly at me with a soaking wet towel on me. I like har! You want me to catch a demonia?

Then they told me to use the BIG towel which was really really BIG to wrap myself up. So I did! Feel like I am in a wedding gown made of towel.

After the massage, they again move me into another room to do the postnatal massage. They start gossiping in Cantonese.. I understand what they were talking about.

After complete with another steam bath, they never weigh me :-\.. and then I never gave me drink either. WOW..totally poor service leh! Then again that manager ask me to take the full body package again :( I say NO again.. then the black face came!.. Can't they just put a NO with a period and stop asking? This is a bit annoying!

Final results of 2nd trimming

lost 2kg which is 62kg now

lost 1 inch from waist

New Job Place

Next year I will be working at The Linear. Not sure what they have in store for me and I am looking forward for a good year in the Year 2008. I am also praying very hard that things will run smoothly for me and I'd work well with colleagues there too.

LORD I pray that you continue to watch over me like you have when I was here at Chartered. Thank you for blessing me with good friends and making me stay here for the longest time. I am sad to say I have to go but I have completed the assignment you have assigned to me here. Sorry that I am not able to work with the girl next door who is small minded and self centered.

Check this out! It is a cool place! HERE

Exit Interview

Went to chase HR this morning for my clearance form and she arranged an exit interview for me later afternoon.

Ok.. the usual question "Why you want to leave this company?"

Again I have to have my list read out (prepared that in advance). I don't really care if they look into my listed problems or not but at least I make an effort to bring it out in the open in a professional way and not bottle inside and bug me for the remainder of my life as to 'what if'.

Once I am done with that, somehow I feel a sense of relief.

So time to tell those people who are not in my department. I am OUT OF HERE! Get the girl next door to help you!

So much for Confidentiality

Being a Secretary is no JOKE. For one thing, you need to keep confidential items C O N F I D E N T I A L! Guess the person sitting next door kind of missing this part! & totally GROSS .. she makes coffee for her BOSS in her own cup. PUKE ... lucky I not her BOSS coz double PUKE if I do drink it. Come on lah ... have some hygiene.. Oooppss sorry I forgot .. she don't have any knowledge of hygiene .. if she does... she won't be what she is today... haahhhahha to that.


Ok.. coming to that part where she has already announced that she will be Senior Secretary in April Yr 2008! 2 promotions in one year? What kind of management decisions is this place running? Slacker like her can promote! SO GO SLACK EVERYONE and you will get your promotion faster then ever! So much of CONFIDENTIALITY! Har :-\... then good lor.. she can take my job too... now the IT Budget can save even more! Sorry this is jealousy speaking - God forgive me for this sin coz I am unable to take it :((! For all the hardwork and dedication to the department, this is the return I have THANK U SO MUCH! ... Since they treasure her so much... let her do lor.. Even if they can meet up with my pay I won't want to continue working with people like her who play P O L I T I C S!

First Tummy Treatment - CITISPA

Have signed up the tummy treatment with CITISPA as they happen to have an offer of per treatment for tummy is @ $38.00. I took the 20 treatments as usual coz they recommend so.

Went there today for my first treatment. As usual, they will always try to convince you to take other treatments coz it is cheap - so be careful and persistent in saying 'NO'. Guess as much the manager use this strategy, but didn't work on me.

Before they start the treatment, they weigh me and measure my tummy size. Give me a break I gave to recently ok? Of course my tummy looks fat if not I wouldn't be seeking CITISPA for help.

Weigh : 64.08kg

Tummy: 89cm ~ 35 inches

Ok.. you'd think after this the treatment starts. Again, manager try another tactic on me - Postnatal massage. She recommend me to do it coz this will avoid the ovarian cancer and having any future problems. I can say no but thinking after having two children and never did this, may be I may be prone to this coz I do feel some pain sometimes... ok so I took the package. Besides, outside price is also about the same. Since no diff just that I don't have a stranger in my house doing for me so might as well do it here now and get over with it.

They start with the Postnatal massage on me. Painful and I do mean painful but it not that kind of scream for pain. Afterwhich is the massage the tummy using some form of equipment. That is pain and almost want to puke. Lucky never ate anything before I head there if not, really will puke.

Next, put me in the SUANA.. BOY... was it really hot. I told her to turn on the air-con high so that I will offset the hotness through my face. Lucky I told them to do that. Many times I have to release myself from that SUANA box... HOT HOT HOT... almost 4 mins left... and almost passed out! I am dehydrating... lucky a cup of hot ginger tea came after that... Phew.. sweat like a PIG! Again .. fainting spell come on.. drink another cup of ginger tea... sit down and rest.. ok.. feel much better... after that change and left... went to buy some green apples and yogurt for dinner.

Phew ... what a treatment and I have 19 more to go... next time I would bring some sweets and plenty of water.

Million Dollar Question from my Boss

Ok.. submitted my resignation letter on Wednesday and here comes the question "Why you want to resign?"

Here is what I have said. INJUSTICE! The woman who came in later, got the perm headcount and then follow by a promotion. So what am I to the department?

Promised converting me in progress... when? Can't even see it coming through. If it were to come in early, I may consider not leaving. Psyche! No way! I am still leaving! I am getting much more besides budget constrain here would not be able to increase my pay by 20% more.

I also mentioned about the title here which was indicated in the ePBA for last year too. Not forgetting the backup tapes which I have to handle, why I am still handling it when AS can have it pass to Helpdesk?

In addition, I also took the opportunity to tell him. Don't let all these people step all over you. Also that part about telling me that I don't have bonus, don't have to go there! What's more, please do stand by the person who reports to you. Nobody likes working for someone who always have to fight their own battles!

I guess that is as much coolness I can give him without loosing my professional part. All and all.. this feels DAMN GOOD coz I have waited so long to tell him that!

My Final Resolution for Yr 2007

The Year 2007 is coming to an end soon!

And for a moment I thought that I would not be able to meet my last list of resolution for Year 2007 which is to get out of here in the current company. With after several interviews and many rejected offers, I have turn very low morale. Suddenly, my prayers have been answered.

Where am I going you may ask? Its a secret and only those who know me will know where I am heading.. Sorry ;) ... For one thing I most happy is now that I have a permanent job and most of all [YELLING] I am a S E C R E T A R Y! No thanks to my current job in an CSM.. who is unfair and unjustice... No thanks to my superior for helping me ... No thanks for promising me the PERM HEADCOUNT in which I never see.. & HERE is my last LAUGH to you! HEARTY HA!

And there goes the million dollar question coming from the Human Resource when I gave a copy of my Resignation Letter to her. "So why you want to resign?" So I went on to say... here I am IT SUPPORT EXECUTIVE... now I have a proper title SECRETARY...anyway she is not done yet with the many questions and we got interupted... but I am sure this will come back gain.. hahhahha to that!

What I am going to miss here?

My colleagues - this does not include all the Management Level & not all.

- Lee
- Don
- Hor Pek
- Wu Guang
- Kok Keong
- Vincent Teh
- Oi Cin
- Yet Ping
- Paul Wee (ok ok lah ... although he annoying .. but he also has a forgiving heart .. and still nice back to you. For that, I take my hat off him)

Hey I suddenly notice that there isn't much colleagues left ... coz most of them also left...hahhaa..Sorry X-colleagues don't count coz this topic is talking about my current job..but yeah lah I still miss you all

Ok.. let me see.. on Management Level who am I really going to miss? Hmmmm... thinking.. thinking.. don't seem to can find one I really miss... hahhhhhaa.. ok here goes

Teo is a good person to learn things from especially on management things. He really knows his work well. For that I do respect him. He also shows his ropes to people who reports to him directly. He also treats me well... yeah well as in he goes out eat expensive food.. he will packet leftovers for me... hahhahhha.... Somehow his decisions sometimes I don't really agree with him. Still, he is not careful with what he says - coz I am there to hear it.

AS - I would miss him for the helpfulness he is. Although I must say that he sometimes may be overboard until he didn't notice it. Childish & also annoying at times. No matter at least he understands the word "merciful". He does really help me a lot and I always can depend on him. If you need someone to spread news, go tell him... needless to tell you why... guess it yourself. What I like most he has done for me is that he helps me to punish the evil one. THANKS AS!

AH- not much to say about him but at least for one thing. He is not as annoying like others.

and that is all on my list.

I don't know what is ahead of me but at least I make the first move and pray that God will guide me through as he always have.

Busy Saturday

It was a fruitful yet busy Saturday. No time to slow down even on weekends :(

First in the list is as usual cook and feed my two kids breakfast of the day - more important to start the day.

Next, have to head to my child's Primary School to pick up some more exercise books coz it is not listed in the School Book List. Thanks for making me walk so many times down to school X(

Followed by hit the food centre for lunch.

After lunch done, head to buy school shoes for my child.

Finished off with the list is to send my child for tuition. And I am all shack out after that !

On the Roads

I have a driving license but do not drive on the roads of the country I reside. Why you may ask? Well, it is too stressful to be on the roads. And the story begins with aggressive drivers and numbers of bicycle on the roads, also not forgetting dangerous jaywalkers.

Many times I have traveled in cars to see things I do wish the other party do put into consideration for those who drive and also for themselves. Below are some scenario I came across in which I find very dangerous especially on the roads.

1. The Red Man is showing on the traffic lights and the bicyclist instead of stopping, try to beat the traffic by crossing the road. Poor drivers who are trying to make that turn sometimes don't see them coming. Whose fault? bicyclist or the Driver in the car?
2. Again bicycles on the roads (have nothing against bicycles), you wish they would be more considerate towards drivers on the road and also to think of the danger they are putting themselves in. Please don't ride your bicycle side by side with your friends.
3. I am not a professional driver myself but I do know that when you drive slow on the road, don't keep to the outer lanes. This will not only endanger your life but also the driver that over take you.
4. Be a considerate driver ... please do signal in advance and I do mean in advance and not switch on the signal to switch lane and then start switch lane. The other driver might be speeding up and didn't see you coming and bump you out the road.
5. Motorcyclist, please be careful on the road as to not to travel too slow especially on the expressway as you will get bump out of the road by big vehicles coming your way.
6. Mothers out there, please do be careful with your child on the stroller and not put them in danger by placing them too near to the road especially it is a corner turn for drivers on the road when you are crossing the road at a traffic light. The driver may have pass his driving license and may not accurate make a turn and your kid in the stroller end up paying for it.
7. While crossing the road, may your child be big enough or young, hold their hands while crossing the road and don't let go until you are safe on the other side. You never know some crazy drivers out there who may be drunk driving.

All these can help to avoid accidents and be sorry later. It can also help avoiding the 'what if I have done it differently' question. Please do ponder when you are in any one of the above mentioned situation. What you could have done differently to avoid accidents.

3GP videos

I had a gathering that day and took some videos using my phone to capture the happy moments of x-colleagues coming together to have dinner together and have fun, also to update each other about working lives.


Now I would like to have that moment save onto my computer hard disk but I need to convert it into other friendlier formats as not many software are able to play the 3GP video formats on your computer unless you use the QuickTime Player. This will require you to download it from QuickTime. The downside is, if you are not willing to pay for software like I do, you won't be able to do any edits to your video eg. rotate it.


After some searching of available software that are free, I have arrived with only one that which is acceptable but not perfect. This is the Prism Video Converter. This will allow you to convert the current 3GP format to other formats like avi, mpeg, wmv etc. Ok .. like any other free software, there is one slight problem, which is after convert it, it doesn't seem to have the voice part - meaning no sound :(.. I can settle with no sound like the olden days of black and white flim but this is with color.

Then there is also another problem. Ooopppsss... upside down as I have taken the video by flipping my phone to a landscape mode. So how do I rotate it? Again.. have to find another free software available to do that trick. Finally found something that works for me. This software rotates the converted format of the file. Its called the Free Video Flip and Rotate by DVDVideoSoft.com. With a click of the buttons available, walah ... I manage to flip it.. bu argh ... noticed something wrong. I click the flip vertical button instead of the 90 degree flip. Looks funny ... everybody become sitting at the wrong side ... hahhhahh... anyway I adjusted that.

Gathering with X-Colleagues

Yesterday evening was a great one!

I have a gathering with some x-colleagues and current colleagues too. We actually planned to have it at Seoul Garden at Causeway Point but ended up at Jack's place.

Look what we all order.

I have Seafood in the Basket. As it was worth eating as I was hungry :). Besides it has three tasty clamps ... hahhhaaaa.. And all were jealous that I have big portion.... See lah .. I told you all it is worth ordering but no one listen X(

For those who ordered the set meal, we had the below for desert. Exactly what I like, chocoloate mouse... yum...yum..

It was full of laughter and having fun updating one another our current lives. We end our gathering at about 10, I think as all the stores were closed - depart with one taking the MRT alone ... hahhahha.... and then we went down to the bus inter-change where my bus was waiting for me to board... and there I rush off with a bye-bye (sob sob sniff sniff).. Sorry guys.. gotta rush back home to see my children are well taken care of by my husband.

Last words to all my friends, WE NEED TO DO THIS AGAIN! But can we pick some other place besides having to eat fried food? I am having sore throat again :( from all the fried food.

Bata Shoes

No one really knows about the real history behind the Bata shoes.

Bata was first brought in the year 1894 by someone named Thomas Bata in a country called CZECHOSLOVAKIA. I am no geography expert and I do not know where that is exactly but according to Trivia-Library.com, it is " Landlocked in eastern Europe, south of Poland, southeast of Germany, and north of Austria and Hungary". Wow, that is definitely far. And it has come a long way. Until now it has many branches around the country and especially in Singapore. That is why they have been making good shoes.

I, for one is a fan of Bata shoes. Why you may ask? There may be many fancy shoes out there in which Bata doesn't really have. However, for one thing I believe Bata have, it is the quality of their shoes and that is their plus point, Bata shoes doesn't really cost all that much compared to the branded and fancy shoes you get out from malls.

In any case you can't really find any good shoes to your taste, and the quality you want, perhaps you might want to Bata :)

If you haven't visit Bata website online, below is the link.

http://www.bata.com.sg/page.php?kon=4_4