What does an interviewer look for

As I remember, my days at a firm, where I was handed the task of recruiting individuals. It involved interviewing set of candidates, and then deciding who to choose, and whom to leave out.  It requires interview skills training. I always thought interviews to be extremely formal. But my stint as the one who was recruiting candidates for the job changed my perception.

Guide to Job interview answers

Candidates who appear for the interviews take this preconceived notion that they should be dressed formal, which they should, but appearing formal is just the beginning, and not everything. The process of interview starts with interview skills training, it begins with the right mental preparation that a person carries to the interview table. It starts long before the candidate sits on the interview table. A candidate, who has been picked in the initial screening, often believes that he will get the hot job. Little did he realize that he has to sit on the interview table, and face questions at the hands of the interviewer.

Tips on moving a house

Moving a house is a difficult task. In big cities, people may find moving a house very expensive. It can be a risky proposition as well. Since, everyone knows that it is expensive many want to do the relocation on their own. But, it could be a very tedious process. In the present era, when people don’t have enough hours to spend quality time with their family due to busy schedule, moving a house on their own can be an extremely difficult step.

Still, if one insists to move a house on his own, here are few tips to follow.

• Always start packing with unplugging of all the electronic appliances at least 18-24 hours before the schedule. Unplugging of electronic appliances such as fridge will help it to defrost, so that when one finally packs the fridge, it will be completely dry.

• Pack small kitchen utensils in boxes. Always buy boxes of various sizes, to pack all the smaller items. It’s important to begin the packing process from the kitchen, as it is the most complicated part of any home. Carefully dismantle kitchen cabinet and drawers. Cover them with cardboards to protect the stuff from scratch. 

• After packing the kitchen stuff, he should now move towards his bedroom and sitting room. Dismantle bedroom cots and carefully pack them separately. Dismantle all the furniture placed inside a bedroom and in sitting room and pack them properly.

•  Hire a van and load all the stuff, and relocate to the desired location. One should be very careful while loading the belongings. Get friends and load household belongings carefully. 

If a person cannot follow the above tips, he should hire a moving service. When a person hires a moving service, it becomes easier. He will save a lot of time and effort. Though, moving a house on his own can be very cheap, yet, a person will miss the professional edge. Remember, not been able to pack the household stuff properly will lead to damage. A moving service will eradicate any kind of risk to the packed stuff. Though, a person may have to pay a higher price to move a house, he will be guaranteed a high quality service.

How to gain visibility in the workplace

Once a candidate gets a job in the office, his first reaction is to impress his employer or his boss. He tries to find ways to make an impression, so that he falls in the good books of his new office immediately. Every employee seeks a chance to impress his boss, or the bosses at various levels. However, some can do it, while some may not. It is how exactly a person carries his intentions matters a lot. Being visible in office is very important. In majority of the cases, success begins its journey by the visibility that a person can extract in his office. That does not mean that he needs to do something utterly magical, or something very stupid to gain attention. He doesn’t need to be very talkative to get everyone’s attention. There are ways, and a person should stick to those and gain visibility in his workplace. 

It is important that a new employee slowly starts to know his colleagues, colleagues not just in his department, but also those who work in other departments or branches in the same company. He should be familiar with all the important hierarchy position in his company. Lunch breaks are very important period in a day, try and engage into conversation with few people and begin to expand the reach. Company functions are the best times a new employer should utilize to gain considerable visibility in the workplace.

Every company has many co-curricular events, such as social functions or committees set up for a particular assignment. Become a member of such groups and show an involvement in making events better. Make sure the ideas one give should be heard by the bosses, and counted. A person should have a very cooperative attitude and be counted as someone who is interested in the company affairs. His activity should give an impression that he is responsible and others will then always run over to him to seek even a small advice.

Never be introvert in a workplace. Introverts never rise; rather they stay in one level for ever, even if they have sufficient quality to make it to the top. Mingle with others, and always create an opportunity to let others know of any contacts that one has. Keep track of all contact lists, and gather more information on travel deals or new arrivals on the market. Try to get information on the latest technology being used in the business sector, or anything of relative importance. 

Always come across as the one who knows a lot, and has the answers to solutions. Even though, it is not possible to have answers to everything, but a person should be able to know the place where the answer is available. It is this attitude, which will make a person acceptable, and he will soon turn out to be very important in his workplace. This is where his rise will begin, if the opportunity exists. More responsibilities will come his way, and he may soon get in a very important position. Remember, being responsible counts, it is the single most important trait in any corporate sector.

Why shopping in Kualalumpur is so expensive

It is hard to understand why shopping in Kualalumpur is so expensive. On one hand, where Thailand is cheaper, Malaysia is too hard on shoppers. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok has some very sweet spots for tourists, with the likes of Chatuchak weekend market, which has incredible range of goods for tourists and the prices are also very cheap.

 Surya KLCC in Kualalumpur
Now look at the city of Kualalumpur, the capital of Malaysia, the shopping malls are stacked with branded stores, such as Jimmy Choo leather hand bags, and Versace. If a person hopes to get stuffs cheaper, he is mistaken. I have tried shopping at Surya KLCC, and Lot10 Plaza. Both are incredibly expensive. The leather hand bag store selling exclusive branded Jimmy Choo bags starts at RM 2500, which can make a tourist berserk.

Chatuchak Market in Bangkok

When the government is trying to project Malaysia as a tourist hot spot, then it is hard to imagine, why the government has allowed its products to be priced increasingly higher, when the same goods are priced elsewhere much cheaper. Every shopping Mall in the city of Kualalumpur is incredibly expensive. Whether it is Pavilion, or any other shopping Mall in the city, the story is same in every mall. The only exception is Central market near Masjid Jamek, and China Town. Both are cheap places, and China Town in particular, for buying fake items. Nevertheless, the quality of the product is not bad. Surely, the government should make some reforms on the pricing front to make the city attractive for tourists.

China Town's Petaling Street in Kualalumpur at night

Though, the government of Malaysia has abolished the import tax in the current year, still, the prices of goods have remained much higher. One reason, which has made an impact on the prices, is the shipping cost. Most of the goods imported from overseas carry high shipping costs, which has definitely affected the prices of goods in the market. The rising oil prices have made it all the more difficult for business houses to control the price of goods. Tourists, in particular, have suffered due to the increasing cost of goods.

The question remains as why anyone would prefer to shop in Kualalumpur, when prices are skyrocketing with each passing day. The only cheap stuff, I encountered during my stay at Kualalumpur is cheap LCD Television. Even prices for SD cards and USB drive are lower. Apart from few items, the majority of the products in the city are just too expensive. Those who stay in Kualalumpur rather prefer to buy goods from Europe, or other countries. Many locals even use online stores to buy goods, instead of buying at many of these expensive shopping malls.

The best marketing strategies for a business

A business house is based on a marketing plan. The better the marketing plan, the better the business can become. Marketing is the most important element of a business. Even for a production house, marketing is the most important facet of a business house. A production house can produce goods worth billions, but it is only the better marketing strategies that lead to profits. A good marketing plan is the difference between successful firms and not so successful firms. 

It is important for companies to understand the impact a good marketing initiative can do for a company. Unless a firm understands the value of these special marketing and promotional factors in the success of any firm, such firms will not be able to succeed in the present tough economic scenario. 

Why a marketing plan is necessary for a firm

A marketing plan creates a product according to the demand that exists in the market. Such initiatives will include advertising a product, and then promoting a product. The main motto of marketing is to make a product get across the length and breadth of the market. A production department is only responsible for creating a raw product. But the marketing department of a company ensures that the product reaches the market. A good marketing plan will result in good sale of a product, and that is what companies look for eventually.

Marketing strategies will include designing a product. A product should be designed appropriately to evoke response from the market. It is not just the design alone, but it should also be backed up by good advertisement and promotional strategies. This is what marketing strategies is all about. The aim of a marketing plan is ultimately to increase sales, and make inroads into untapped market. Therefore, business firms should give more priority to good marketing plans.