i finally got an interview. marketing communications exe of a local retail store. it din went well at all..

it was allocated at 1pm in bugis. so promptly reaching 12, i left my office and head down there in mrt. reaching the place, she gave me a application form to fill in.. then there is a grammer test and a comprehension test.. this was the worse part.. pple who have seen my writing knows that i dun spell well.. grammer.. lets jst say someone just corrected my nick..and said that its spelled GRAMMAR instead.. and i din realised.. i asked a collegue to double confirm.. and he fell off his chair.. haiz..

well.. back to the test.. i din really understand the comprehension.. it was abt some rental clause and the questions involved some calculation.. and i certainly think i failed.. and the grammar?.. dun even think abt it. i din do v well at all.. the lady.. whom i cant remember is hr or marcom said that the test was a simple one given to all candidates... to test our level of eng and comprehension.. cos sgreans are poor at grammar.. in short.. i saw many red crosses on the test paper.. and she looked at me more horrified than anthing..and wanted to look at my a level and o level results.. and murmured ' from arts'.. fine my eng aint so good for a arts student..
then she proceeded to ask my abt my exp.. and then my requested pay.. and said that if i were to go in now..its a 'hand holding period'.. and without my media contacts . i am prob not a v viable candidate.. and she gave me an assignemt.. to do..to be completed on friday.. wed give. friday must pass up.. i just felt horrible..

suddenly applying for marcom suddenly dun look like a good choice. cos they have to be able to communicate well.. good eng and all for press release.. and have media contact. and i have really.. nothing. haiz....gtg do my report not.. wish me luck..

I AM BORED.. sianz. is it just me .. or do i just s***..

ok let me be more positive.

i have a working laptop
i have a pair of running shoes that have not fallen apart
i have a job and do get paid. although miserably
i bought my cny clothes already
i earn the least, i sleep the most, i spend the most, i save the least
my current phone still works. so i should not keep looking at singtel.com or newspaper ads
i have pple who loves me and do not judge me by the amt of $$ i make
i should not keep sulking that i dun have a uni grad job and pay and no bonus at all
i should be contented, look for something better
i should be willing to accept change be more daring

ok let me be a little bit more positive.
wat i have learnt in the past year..
never judge a person too early.. then again.. try not to judge anyone at all..i aint that much better too
its not just about u
when u dun exercise u do get FAT
its possible that one can regret making things too easy for other
and then hate oneself when others dun appreciate u
and then wonder why u need pple to appreciate u so much
the lower the expectations, really the lower the disappointment
there is always pple worse of than u. but one should concentrate on the other end instead


wishes for the new year
save $500 a month
laptop dun break down
hope my seagate dun break down
phone dun break down
buy less clothes
eat more at home
find some meaningful( less self centered) activities to do..

extremely.. i find.. that i am becoming v negative.. as i would always tell myself. hope for the best.. expect the worst.. i always forget to do the stuff in front.. and just focus on the back.. and i am always v impaitent.. and thats getting on my nerves... see.. negative plus negative again.. haiz..

sometimes i wonder wat i am doing.. why i am here.. why are others there? why cant i be there? why am i comparing.. why do i want to be like them? how do i define my own sucess? is $$ the only thing i feel that is impt.. i know its shouldnt be.. but why does it affect me so much? its the real world.. i need to stop bluffing myself.. $$ is not important.. its VERY impt..
i have to die die remind myself.. i am just starting out.. what happened to the $$ is not impt.. experience is more impt..

i look at the jobstreet, jobsdb, jobcentral, recruit.. all i see.. is stuff i am not qualified for.. i have no idea whether i should be in this line. i have no confident to be in sales.. why is this happening.. i need answers.. pple say.. just apply.. go bullshit.. be confident. but i somehow dun see how that will work out in the end..

suddenly it become a chicken or egg issue..

problem: not enough $$
solutions: find a better job that has better pay

problem: dun have the correct skills set for the job i want
solutions:find out the correct skill sets in need and look in areas that will develop them. find a job that i can learn/develope them

mission: identify the skill sets u need to get the job u one
job i think i want: brand executive, marcom executive, marketing exe
skill sets i need: taken from xxx's website

Product Executive
Liaise with different internal departments on development of new consumer products and services, and enhancements to the existing products and services.
Provide updates to the relevant stakeholders on the new products and services developed.
Function as the project leader/driver on special projects to ensure timeline and deliverables are adhered to.
Document all product-related information and produce relevant reports.
Track and analyse performance of products and services throughout their entire product life cycle.
Review and propose changes to existing business processes and workflows to improve efficiency and productivity.
Provide regular statistical reports on subscriber base, usage patterns, revenue, etc

Product Marketing Executive
To support Marketing Managers in the launch of new products as well as support existing products.
Responsible for creating, amending and tracking the product Ids, and product tariffs for new services, new packages, existing products, new promotions, etc.
To coordinate with various internal departments on the creation and maintenance of product offerings e.g. work with web teams to create and update info on the websites for new services, promotions, extensions etc.
To monitor and tracking performance of the products after launch. This includes liasing with internal departments to collate monthly reports and compiling weekly statistics on product performance.
To liaise with internal Depts for monthly campaigns, new product launches and necessary POS materials for Roadshows, and events.
To work with various external parties to promote services e.g. conduct briefings to front liners, conduct service testing to provide marketing inputs.

Market Analyst
To support the marketing activities of Business Marketing to meet the needs of corporate customers. These include identifying needs, conducting market research, forecasting, budgeting, monitoring of performance, analyzing trends and competitive actions and developing market/pricing models.
To tap in-house and overseas business units, as well as research agencies/publications to collect competitive information, analyze trends and develop a competitive intelligence database.
To be the centre of knowledge for all matters and information relating to market and competition, and to work with the appropriate channels in applying this knowledge to winning customers.
The Market Analyst will also work closely with the Data Management Team, to ensure the integrity of in-house data, in order to generate accurate reporting and analysis.
To prepare regular reports for Management Reporting.
Identify customers’ needs, usage patterns, behavioral segmentation and high growth areas or trends. Analyze customer information from external research publication and internal customer databases.
Gather and analyze competitors’ intelligence. Provide accurate and timely analysis of intelligence, benchmarks and business trends.
Manage market research agencies and consultants.
Develop and maintain, a credible, and up-to-date market information base. This includes taking ownership, and assuming responsibility for data integrity and accuracy.
Work closely with Marketing Managers to support them with information in the development of their marketing programs.

thats a lot of things to know.. and learn.. where am i going to start.. how do i get them??...thats a hope new story.. i need to recognise opportunites.. i need to be postive!!

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5561682

Here are 20 ways to improve your life. I challenge you to act on each one. Adopt one a day. You will be done with the list in 20 days, but in 3 months time, your life will have changed beyond recognition!

1. Make a definite plan for success. Fix a time limit to this plan. Determine the benefits of your goal.

2. Hold on to a positive attitude. See the best in any situation. Positive thinking heals your body and vitalizes your mind. A negative outlook is self-destructive.

3. Give your employer your best service. Even if you’re underpaid, you’ll create a twofold bonus. First, you’ll increase your level of skill, and this can taranslate to a higher income later on. Second, you’ll win sufficient goodwill to attact the favor of your boss or a competitor. The more you give, the more you receive.

4. Continue to learn more about your job. Knowledge is power, and power creates increased income.

5. Work on being calm and even-tempered. An angry or bitter person is hard to get along with. Along with your positive mental attitude comes positive emotions. This enhances both your relationships and your health.

6. Share your goals with others. It is easier to achieve something when you’re working on it with someone else. If your goal is too individualistic to share with others, at least get some moral support, some people to cheer you on your way.

7. Put your faith in a higher power. Such faith removes many fears, like fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of liberty, old age, and death.

8. Avoid bad habits, especially those offensive to other people. For example, criticizing others, gossiping, slandering. Also avoid taking in toxic material, like alcohol and cigarettes. Why would you want to ruin your liver and lungs?

9. Plan your work and complete each day’s work. Include in your plan, ways to work more effieciently. Don’t leave for tomorrow what can be done today. Tomorrow will have its own demands. Progress means moving forward.

10. Enjoy your work. If you don’t feel enthused, it’s time for a change.

11. Concentrate on your work. And stay at the same task until you finish it. Being easily influenced by other options and abandoning your plans when things go awry can be discouraging, and creates a sense of frustration and failure. .

12. Work in harmony with others. Help people when they ask for it. Avoid arguing, gossiping, judging. Each of us is doing our best to survive as we know how.

13. Learn from your defeats. Use your mistakes to learn what not to do. Convert your liabilities into assets. Consistently learning from errors and improving, enduring the learning curve, is necessary for success. Remember, temporary failure is only feedback. Creative work requires patience and committment. It takes time to be great.

14. Imagination is a two-edged sword. On one hand, you can create thoughts that expand your personal vision and empower you. On the other hand, you can create visions of doom that limit and frighten you. Choose to imagine your best possible outcomes. Be open to your many possibilities.

15. Allocate a fixed percentage of your income to savings. A part of all you earn should be yours to keep. Its a source of great comfort to have extra cash. Life is full of surprises. Things are going to break down unexpectedly. Opportunities are going to arise out of nowhere. Be prepared.

16. Contribute. Allocate some of what you earn to help others. The money may come back multiplied or it may give a deep sense of satisfaction.

17. Observe sound principles of health. You are not just a mind, but a body, too. Your body needs exercise, healthy food, deep relaxation, a sense of pleasure, and sufficient sleep.

18. Seek sound advice when you’re confused. Refer to people, books, and the internet, or other sources of information to get a wide spectrum of ideas and then decide for yourself what will best resolve your question.

19. Live with integrity. Create a reputation of reliability. When people can trust you, you open up a whole new world of opportunities. Your handshake should be as good as a written contract.

20. Listen to your dreams. Those you have at night, and those which whisper in your heart during the day. They may reveal to you a path of great joy.

As you read through this list, all the information will sound familiar. However, act on this information and you will shift your life to a whole new level of quality.

post no 2 today.. just have a lot of things to get out.. so just be paitent arh!

was at the lib today.. looking for tons of mkt books.. dunnoe whether they are useful.. but just borrowed them:

ALL MARKETERS ARE LIARS by Seth Godin
EMAIL MARKETING BY THE NUM8ERS by Chris Baggot
PURPLE COW by Seth Godin
GUERRILLA TELESELLEING by Jay Conrad Levinson...
THE BRAND MANAGMENT CHECKLIST by Brad Vanauken
TRADE SHOW AND EVENT MARKETING by Ruth P. Stevens

THE CLUELESS BAKER by Evelyn Raab ----lol >.< i am so not giving up~

there are tons of things to do this year.. i am grateful for the payrise.. tiny nonetheless. but better than nothing.. just hope to do better in my new job scope.. wish me luck! :)

in 2007 in believed i bought a whole lot of books. its was the prefered way for me to spend $$. especially when i got my paychecks.. books were better than clothes.. books can be shared ( i love the fact that its value is maximised).. reread( though i dun often do that) and they look gd on the shelves..lol.. and when there was book sales, i was excitied. although some disappointed me, i still love going there.. like a treasure hunt, u never know wat u could walk away with.. and there is always something for every one.. differnt topics would remind me different pple, events...

i remember when i was young, my mom made it a habit to bring me and my bro to the public lib at bedok almost twice a week. i remeber that nostelgic well in the middle of the children's section that (stinked and) had children running around their parent's bags, booked all spread around to mark ur territory, silly gals gooing over baby sitters club,, me trying to find that asterix book which i have not read b4, and looking behind shelves for books hidden by other kids.. like squirrels.. i too try and hide some books..and yes. always forget where i hide them each visit..lol
one thing abt the well. is that .. there is always space for everyone.. at the edge, in the middle, along the steps.. or u can simple wait a min for pple to move home..
and in between the younger years, my parents would bring us on annual trips to book fairs.. which we always leave empty handed with..lol we just look.. and see.. no buy..lol but those was the times...

then when we got older and more involved with sch and internet, those lib trips become lesser.. and with my mom working in the lib.. we went there for differnt reasons.. lol.. to help or just to hang around.. and we never go book fairs anymore.. cos she is sick of books.. having to look at them everyday..

then in pri , sec and jc, i joined the sch's lib club, and as wat everyone noes.. its the slacker's club..but the pple there are fun still.. and slack of coures.. u just need the commitment..and geting 80 hr of cip at the local lib is easy as shit if u noe the right pple..lol and if u are bored after school...

and back to 2007 i bought more than $200 worth of books.. and last night was i was doing some research on marketing issues...i came across a few books.. which i went online to www.nlb.gov.sg 's categlog and foound that most books had most of them.. most bestsellers.. even ulu titles,, u name it.. prob its lieing in the sg library somewhere.. better than brasbasah :) and today i went to the library.. and borrowed 7 books! haha..

love books.. love lib.. love to smug up in bed and read till my eyes close.. wish i could learn speed reading.. then again.. i prob wouldn take so long to finish the boook.. well have to enjoy the process meantime! :)

Branding is all about differentiation. Differentiating cows was the reason branding came about 4,000 years ago. Differentiating cows is still the reason branding is around today, except cows now come in the form of companies, products and services. If you are not differentiated, then the only competitive strategy you can use is to sell cheap.
As long as you can be cheaper, you have a business. The day you lose your low price advantage, you lose your business.