Cara Memohon Kerja Melalui Email

(From Aidan Blog, 2 November 2009)

Berikut merupakan email sebenar yang saya terima beberapa hari yang lalu, daripada seseorang yang ingin memohon kerja di syarikat kami:

Terdapat beberapa kesilapan asas yang telah dilakukan oleh pemohon tersebut. Berikut disenaraikan kesilapan-kesilapan tersebut.

Kesilapan Besar

1. Tidak menghantar apa-apa teks sebagai cover letter, atau sekurang-kurangnya cover letter dalam bentuk attachment. Keseluruhan teks email tersebut hanyalah: Get your new Email address! Grab the Email name you’ve always wanted before someone else does!
2. Tidak meletakkan tajuk yang sesuai pada email tersebut. Tajuk email tersebut hanyalah “resume”.
3. Tidak langsung memberitahu apa jawatan yang dikehendaki, sama ada di dalam cover letter atau resume. Yang ada cuma resume yang dibuat menggunakan template.
4. Tidak memanggil penerima menggunakan gelaran yang betul (i.e., Tuan / Puan).
5. Tidak memberi salam / salutation.
6. Tidak mengucapkan terima kasih.
7. Tidak meletakkan contact number di dalam email.

Kesilapan Kecil

1. Menggunakan alamat email kebudak-budakan seperti puteri_dangdut@yahoo.com atau hotprincezz060986@hotmail.com. Jika anda ingin memohon kerja melalui email, sila gunakan email yang mengandungi nama sebenar anda, seperti faridah.ali@gmail.com atau faridah_ipoh@streamyx.com. Jangan guna email peribadi yang menampakkan anda sebagai tidak serius, walaupun anda telah menggunakan email tersebut selama 10 tahun. Seboleh-bolehnya guna email provider yang dihormati (Gmail), dan elakkan email provider berreputasi rendah seperti MSN, hotmail, dsb.
2. Menggunakan nama email yang kebudak-budakan. Nama email ialah nama yang diletakkan sekali dengan email, seperti “NAMA <email@isp.com>”. Ini kerana nama ini akan muncul di dalam inbox email majikan tersebut. Sebaik-baiknya gunakan nama sebenar anda. Cuba bayangkan persepsi majikan tersebut jika menerima email bertajuk “Ingin Bekerja di Syarikat Tuan” daripada “Puteri Dangdut”?
3. Tidak meletakkan tajuk yang baik untuk attachment. Sebaik-baiknya, letakkan nama anda sebagai tajuk resume. Contoh: “Resume Suhaimi Ramly.doc”. Saya secara peribadi lebih menyukai dokumen dalam bentuk PDF.
4. Tidak memberitahu sumber pemohon mendapat tahu mengenai kerja tersebut.

Di sini saya ingin berkongsi beberapa tips untuk memohon kerja melalui email:

1. RESEARCH — sila gunakan Google untuk menyelidik mengenai syarikat tersebut. Jika syarikat itu tidak mempunyai apa-apa maklumat online, sekurang-kurangnya anda perlu tahu mengenai apa bisnes syarikat tersebut secara umum.
2. SET-UP — pergi ke Gmail dan buka akaun email seperti berikut: (nama) + (nama bapa) at gmail dot com. Contoh: faridah.ali@gmail.com. Jika nama anda panjang, pilih dua nama favorite anda dan buka akaun email (nama favorite 1) + (nama favorite 2) at gmail dot com. Contoh: tengku.fazillawati@gmail.com. Kelebihan cara ini ialah ia boleh menyusahkan majikan anda membuat “informal background search” di Facebook dan Friendster.
3. COMPOSE ATTACHMENT — tulis resume dan cover letter anda. Tips menulis resume dan cover letter akan dihuraikan dalam entry lain. Tukar file anda ke dalam format PDF.
4. COMPOSE EMAIL — cut & paste cover letter anda ke dalam teks email. Pastikan anda:
   1. meletakkan tajuk email yang lengkap dan jelas, contohnya “Permohonan Kerja Sebagai Kerani Akaun (Faridah Ali)”;
   2. memberi salam / salutations;
   3. merujuk majikan dengan gelaran yang betul;
   4. memberitahu dari mana anda dengar mengenai kerja kosong tersebut;
   5. menceritakan latar belakang ringkas (3 ayat maksimum);
   6. memberikan no. telefon anda;
   7. memberitahu harapan anda agar dipertimbangkan untuk temuduga;
   8. mengucapkan TERIMA KASIH (chettttt, ini pon kena bagitau ka).
5. FOLLOW-UP — jika anda tidak menerima apa-apa berita dalam masa satu minggu, email semula.

Akhir sekali, saya ingin bangkitkan satu soalan perbincangan: perlu tak letak gambar dalam resume? Sila beri pendapat anda di ruangan komen.

“Basics of Math Olympiad” Complete!

Today Fazdlee, Iznan and I went to CM Print to pick up the remaining volumes of the Basics of Math Olympiad series (volume 1 was out in June). We initially planned to get it all out on August, but some printing errors and major editing problems set our deadline back three months. Alhamdulillah, everything was finally completed today, and tomorrow we will send out hundreds of pre-orders for Volumes 2, 3, and 4. Again, apologies for people who have paid for the whole set back in June.

Fazdlee have more, with pictures: http://fazdleeisa.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/ardentedus-latest-babies/

Although I am the sole author and editor of this series (and also illustrator for the math diagrams — thanks WinGCLC!), the BOMO series is really a team effort. Fazdlee designed the elegant cover (he had to re-design the original cover when his laptop got kaput). He was also in charge of negotiating with our printer. He did a great job marketing the series; we were able to secure hundreds of pre-orders before the whole set came out. He also managed to get this book sold overseas. Iznan helped out with the legal matters (ISBN, registration with Perpustakaan Negara, consignment agreements, etc.) Thanks team!

At the rate we’re selling, I have no doubt we will have to go for second printing in 2010.

Now, on to my next projects. I have three or four titles in mind, but I’m in no rush. Four books a year is plenty.

Order yours now!

I AM NOT GOING

Yes. Please stop asking.

Iklan: Afdal Books dan Afdal Events

Siapa berminat untuk membeli buku-buku kartunis lagenda Ujang, silakan ke Afdal Books:

Afdal Events (001858921-D) merupakan satu syarikat yang menguruskan program-program berkaitan kartunis Ujang, termasuk menjual karya-karya Ujang, menganjurkan kursus-kursus senilukis bersama Ujang, dan menganjurkan pakej percutian sambil memancing bersama Ujang (anda pasti mengingati Ujang sebagai seorang kaki pancing, selain daripada kartunis lagenda di Malaysia). Anda juga boleh menjemput Ujang untuk memeriahkan majlis anda.

Hubungi Afdal Events untuk keterangan lanjut: email ke afdal.events [at] gmail.com atau telefon 019 3341912 (Hafiz).

Semoga memori lama zaman kegemilangan komik Malaysia berulang kembali dengan koleksi nostalgia Aku Budak Minang, Aca & Atuk, Jibam, Gila-Gila dan Intelligent Blues Club. Dapatkan koleksi anda sekarang!

Mudah sahaja untuk order, cuma isi borang pesanan di laman web Afdal Books, atau hantar mesej SMS atau Facebook. Cash on Delivery disediakan di kawasan-kawasan tertentu. Memori zaman kanak-kanak dan remaja dihantar terus ke pintu rumah anda!

Hakikat Bekerja Sendiri

Perkara yang selalu orang cakap kepada saya bila mereka dapat tahu saya bekerja sendiri ialah: “Wah bestnya kerja sendiri”.

Apakah hakikat bekerja sendiri? Adakah ia sesuatu yang rumit? Adakah ia lebih menguntungkan dari bekerja pejabat? Adakah seronok bekerja dengan waktu sendiri yang fleksibel?

Perkara pertama yang ingin saya tegaskan ialah bekerja sendiri ialah sesuatu yang amat, amat susah. Ianya bukan mudah seperti apa yang anda lihat. Untuk mendapatkan RM1 dari bekerja sendiri, ia memerlukan 10 kali ganda usaha untuk mendapatkan RM1 daripada kerja tetap.

Orang selalu beritahu saya betapa untungnya saya tak perlu tidur awal setiap malam, tak perlu bangun awal setiap pagi, tak perlu stress berurusan dengan bos dan rakan pekerja, tak perlu pakai tie, tak perlu minta cuti kalau nak ke mana-mana, tak ada jadual tetap setiap hari. Ramai orang mempunyai persepsi kerja sendiri ini ialah seperti extended vacation, boleh buat apa sahaja bila-bila masa sahaja. Memang betul, fleksibiliti bekerja sendiri merupakan anugerah yang paling bernilai bagi usahawan-usahawan, tetapi ramai orang tidak tahu seksa dan sengsara mereka. Kalau tak kerja, duit tak akan masuk. Kalau tak pergi jumpa orang, deal tak boleh close. Kalau tak turun naik pejabat, takkan boleh dapat contract. Kalau tak rajin menggilap buntut pelanggan, tak akan dapat payment.

Kami bekerja lebih keras dari orang yang kerja tetap, tapi kerja-kerja kami tak nampak — kadang kala nak dapatkan duit / kontrak kena naik turun ofis yang sama 20 kali, sampai kerani pun dah naik muak. Ingat, kerja sendiri ni bukan relaks sahaja, anda perlu kerja jauh lebih keras dari orang lain, membuat benda-benda yang tak tentu berhasil atau tidak. Masa yang fleksibel adalah anugerah, tapi pada masa yang sama, masa yang fleksibel ini adalah suatu yang merbahaya. Jika kita tak pandai menguruskan masa, atau banyak membuang masa dengan perkara tak berfaedah (perkara yang tidak membawa kepada income), bisnes anda akan merosot, dan duit anda akan habis.

Kerja sendiri ini bukan untuk semua orang. Anda perlu mempunyai ciri-ciri berikut: kental, bijak dan berhati kering.

Kental bermaksud tidak cepat menyerah kalah, dan tidak cepat berputus asa. Ramai orang bisnes separuh masak rasa bersemangat bila mula-mula bisnes, tapi sampai kali pertama kena uji (biasanya bila kompeni melalui tahun rugi, atau tahun “kemarau” — tak ada projek masuk), terus dia rasa panik macam lembu nak kena sembelih. Orang-orang ini cuma layak kerja pejabat sahaja. Untuk masuk bisnes anda perlu mempunyai hati kental, rasa tak ada apa-apa walaupun bisnes anda rugi, dan projek tak ada, dan duit hampir habis. Bagi orang bisnes, peluang ada di mana-mana, anda cuma perlu bersemangat kental — apa jua masalah pun, terus bangun dan kerja. Siapa cepat panik, cepat putus asa, cepat rasa hopeless, cepat menangis, cepat menggelabah, cepat cuak, tidak sesuai buat bisnes. Anda perlu hati yang kental dan muka yang tebal untuk membuat bisnes.

Bijak bermaksud cepat cari peluang, dan pandai berusaha sehingga deal boleh close. Ada banyak skill yang diperlukan untuk buat bisnes, tapi skill-skill tersebut tak berguna jika anda tidak bijak merangkul peluang. Kadang-kadang ada peluang datang sekelip mata, ada yang datang bergolek, ada yang perlu usaha keras, ada yang nampak mustahil. Orang yang bijak akan menilai peluang yang ada dan terus mencuba untuk menukar peluang kepada wang ringgit. Bijak tidak semestinya mempunyai IQ yang tinggi, atau berkelayakan akademik yang hebat. Bijak merupakan kebolehan yang diperolehi daripada pengalaman di dunia sebenar (real world).

Berhati kering (cold-hearted) bermaksud jika anda berurusan dengan duit, anda bersikap dingin (cold) dan rasional, tidak dipengaruhi perasaan dan emosi. Anda mestilah “drive a sharp bargain” tanpa rasa kasihan atau menimbang perasaan orang pada anda. Siapa kuat rasa kesian atau terlalu conscious mengenai persepsi orang lain pada diri anda bukanlah orang bisnes yang baik. Anda lebih sesuai bekerja di badan-badan kebajikan / NGO. Untuk maju dalam bisnes, anda mesti bersikap ruthless, dan mempunyai naluri membunuh yang tajam. Biar anda banyak senyum di hadapan khalayak, tapi bila berurusan dalam perniagaan anda bersikap seperti burung helang yang ingin menyerang mangsa.

Piring Terbang!

Candle Cove (continued)

This is the special episode of Candle Cove mentioned in the previous post:

Candle Cove

NetNostalgia Forum – Television (local)

Skyshale033
Subject: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Does anyone remember this kid’s show? It was called Candle Cove and I must have been 6 or 7. I never found reference to it anywhere so I think it was on a local station around 1971 or 1972. I lived in Ironton at the time. I don’t remember which station, but I do remember it was on at a weird time, like 4:00 PM.

mike_painter65
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
it seems really familiar to me…i grew up outside of ashland and was 9 yrs old in 72. candle cove…was it about pirates? i remember a pirate marionete at the mouth of a cave talking to a little girl

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
YES! Okay I’m not crazy! I remember Pirate Percy. I was always kind of scared of him. He looked like he was built from parts of other dolls, real low-budget. His head was an old porcelain baby doll, looked like an antique that didn’t belong on the body. I don’t remember what station this was! I don’t think it was WTSF though.

Jaren_2005
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Sorry to ressurect this old thread but I know exactly what show you mean, Skyshale. I think Candle Cove ran for only a couple months in ‘71, not ‘72. I was 12 and I watched it a few times with my brother. It was channel 58, whatever station that was. My mom would let me switch to it after the news. Let me see what I remember.

It took place in Candle cove, and it was about a little girl who imagined herself to be friends with pirates. The pirate ship was called the Laughingstock, and Pirate Percy wasn’t a very good pirate because he got scared too easily. And there was calliope music constantly playing. Don’t remember the girl’s name. Janice or Jade or something. Think it was Janice.

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Thank you Jaren!!! Memories flooded back when you mentioned the Laughingstock and channel 58. I remember the bow of the ship was a wooden smiling face, with the lower jaw submerged. It looked like it was swallowing the sea and it had that awful Ed Wynn voice and laugh. I especially remember how jarring it was when they switched from the wooden/plastic model, to the foam puppet version of the head that talked.

mike_painter65
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
ha ha i remember now too. do you remember this part skyshale: “you have…to go…INSIDE.”

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Ugh mike, I got a chill reading that. Yes I remember. That’s what the ship always told Percy when there was a spooky place he had to go in, like a cave or a dark room where the treasure was. And the camera would push in on Laughingstock’s face with each pause. YOU HAVE… TO GO… INSIDE. With his two eyes askew and that flopping foam jaw and the fishing line that opened and closed it. Ugh. It just looked so cheap and awful.

You guys remember the villain? He had a face that was just a handlebar mustache above really tall, narrow teeth.

kevin_hart
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
i honestly, honestly thought the villain was pirate percy. i was about 5 when this show was on. nightmare fuel.

Jaren_2005
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
That wasn’t the villain, the puppet with the mustache. That was the villain’s sidekick, Horace Horrible. He had a monocle too, but it was on top of the mustache. I used to think that meant he had only one eye.

But yeah, the villain was another marionette. The Skin-Taker. I can’t believe what they let us watch back then.

kevin_hart
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
jesus h. christ, the skin taker. what kind of a kids show were we watching? i seriously could not look at the screen when the skin taker showed up. he just descended out of nowhere on his strings, just a dirty skeleton wearing that brown top hat and cape. and his glass eyes that were too big for his skull. christ almighty.

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Wasn’t his top hat and cloak all sewn up crazily? Was that supposed to be children’s skin??

mike_painter65
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
yeah i think so. rememer his mouth didn’t open and close, his jaw just slid back and foth. i remember the little girl said “why does your mouth move like that” and the skin-taker didn’t look at the girl but at the camera and said “TO GRIND YOUR SKIN”

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
I’m so relieved that other people remember this terrible show!

I used to have this awful memory, a bad dream I had where the opening jingle ended, the show faded in from black, and all the characters were there, but the camera was just cutting to each of their faces, and they were just screaming, and the puppets and marionettes were flailing spastically, and just all screaming, screaming. The girl was just moaning and crying like she had been through hours of this. I woke up many times from that nightmare. I used to wet the bed when I had it.

kevin_hart
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
i don’t think that was a dream. i remember that. i remember that was an episode.

Skyshale033
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
No no no, not possible. There was no plot or anything, I mean literally just standing in place crying and screaming for the whole show.

kevin_hart
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
maybe i’m manufacturing the memory because you said that, but i swear to god i remember seeing what you described. they just screamed.

Jaren_2005
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
Oh God. Yes. The little girl, Janice, I remember seeing her shake. And the Skin-Taker screaming through his gnashing teeth, his jaw careening so wildly I thought it would come off its wire hinges. I turned it off and it was the last time I watched. I ran to tell my brother and we didn’t have the courage to turn it back on.

mike_painter65
Subject: Re: Candle Cove local kid’s show?
i visited my mom today at the nursing home. i asked her about when i was littel in the early 70s, when i was 8 or 9 and if she remebered a kid’s show, candle cove. she said she was suprised i could remember that and i asked why, and she said “because i used to think it was so strange that you said ‘i’m gona go watch candle cove now mom’ and then you would tune the tv to static and juts watch dead air for 30 minutes. you had a big imagination with your little pirate show.”

(from Ichor Falls)

math trolling 5 years ago

http://www.mathkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/math/11335/I-found-a-great-FORMULA-pls-check-if-corect

from the sci.math archive in Usenet, the original internet bulletin board.

Funny, how?

I haven’t written about films for a while; in fact my one and only entry about film prior to this is the one about Paper Moon.

I don’t think I will write long entries about individual films any more. Instead, from now on I’m going to share some favorite scenes from films I like, with the accompanying Youtube video.

For the first instalment, this is the “Funny, how?” scene from Goodfellas:

That “funny how” guy is Joe Pesci. He was in several gangster films with Robert DeNiro (Goodfellas, Casino, Raging Bull).