Asia - Recruitment in China is soaring as 77 percent of companies indicated their need to hire in the coming quarter.
In a recent survey published by recruitment firm Hudson, it found that most multi-national companies across Singapore, Hong Kong and China are looking to add to their headcount. After surveying over 1,650 decision markets across three markets in March 2011, Hudson found that 61 percent of Singapore forecast an increase in headcount, while 69 percent of Hong Kong counterparts felt the same way.
The report, titled The Hudson Report - Asia Q2 2011, also found that nearly half (46 percent) of Singapore companies will look to increase the number of sales professionals this quarter. This is more than double the figure for any other role, suggesting that companies in all sectors are confident about the strength of the economy and certain that demand from their customers will remain high.
A little thank you goes a long way
US - If you're wondering why you didn't get the job despite the many rounds of interviews, it could be due to a little lack of appreciation on your end.
In a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, 86 percent of 2,800 hiring managers said that not sending a thank-you note after an interview showed a lack of follow-through. In fact, 56 percent of recruiters said it showed that the candidate was not really serious about the job.
So how should you send your thank-you note? Nearly nine out of 10 of the respondents said a thank-you email was just fine.
"While the job market has begun to move in the right direction, competition continues to remain high for open positions, and job seekers need to stay on their toes," said Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder's vice president of human resources. ''Employers not only expect thank-you notes, but cover letters as well."
How to network effortlessly
Global - If the thought of networking make you all tongue-tied, then fear not. With a little bit of practice, even introverts can learn to network like a pro.
Here are some tips on how you can better connect and network with people at a networking party.
1) Listen and find common interests: Networking isn't all about talking about yourself. Being a good listener is just as important when it comes to establishing strong relationships with people. It also helps to listen out for any common interests that you might share with the person speaking, as this helps foster a bond between new acquaintances.
2) Get yourself out there: To be good at networking, one needs to be comfortable with the idea of talking to strangers. The best way to do this is simply to keep practising. Try to attend as many networking events as your schedule will allow. Before going into the networking session, set yourself a goal, such as 'talking to three new faces'.
3) Remember to follow up: After meeting new people, always try to follow up with an email thanking them for their time or just to establish a line of contact. As people always like to be remembered, it would be even better if you could refer to specific conversation topics which you discussed.