Qala

A cover letter can be the ultimate compliment to your resume. With an effective and well-written letter, you can impress future employers with details that cannot always be found in the resume. Also, a cover letter may just be the reason your resume is even read. Employers are likely to ignore resumes that are unaccompanied. A cover letter makes it stand out.

However, for a cover letter to work, it must follow certain rules and meet certain standards. Below, you will find tips to help you meet those standards. By following these suggestions, you can perfect the necessary art of writing a cover letter.

1. Take Your Time

A cover letter is essential to your job seeking process; however, many overlook it or, worse, devote all of the energy to their resume and then throw together the cover letter as an afterthought. This is not wise: Employers read the cover letter first. Do you want their first impression of you to be a messy and obviously strewn-together letter? Of course, not! You want it to be professional; so, take your time. Allow equal proportions of time to be spent on both the resume and cover letter; they are both important and deserve equal attention.

2. Be Concise

Potential employers want to read your cover letter; they do not, however, want to read a novel. You must keep your letter simple and to the point—within a one-page limit, you have little room to maneuver. Use your space wisely. Offer important and necessary details, things that cannot be found in the resume. You have to make an impression in a short amount of time so make it count. Brevity is best.

3. Find Your Style

Cover letters allow you to reveal your personality in a way that resumes cannot. While a resume is impersonal and factual, a cover letter can be laced with humor and style. When you write your letter, find a friendly, yet still-professional tone. Make the reader want to meet you. A cover letter is a first impression; make it an enticing one.

4. The Name Game

When possible, address your letter to the person who will be interviewing you. This will accomplish two things: 1. Give a sense of familiarity between you and the reader. 2. Show that you did your research on the company. Still, remember to keep it professional. Do not address the reader as “Sarah”; call her “Ms. Smith”. If it is not possible to determine who will be interviewing you, keep your titles more generic.

5. Turn The Focus On Them

Do not start all of your sentences with “I” or “My”. This creates a self-focused letter. Instead, try to begin your sentences with “You” or “Your”; this allows the employer to see that you are wanting to work for them, not yourself. With a little research to discover what the company is seeking for that position, you can focus on the needs of your employer. Explain what you can do for them; don’t ask what they can offer you.

6. Originality Counts

Show employers that you can step out of typical boundaries and create your own ideas. Try to keep away from standard formatting and see what best suits you. Include details that, while perhaps not always included in the usual letter, can showcase your strengths.

7. Proofread

The final step in writing a cover letter is to read and reread. Check for spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. While writing a cover letter gives you an advantage over those who do not, a poorly written one will make you seem worse by comparison.

These 7 steps may seem obvious, but many people ignore them; put yourself ahead of the competition. Follow these suggestions and create the perfect cover letter.

From http://sgjobsearch.50webs.com

1. Complaining about the parking or directions.
Don't think it doesn't happen! As cordial and happy-go-lucky as your interviewers may seem, they don't want to hear a job-seeker complain that the place was hard to find or that the parking is inconvenient. The best (that is, the worst) example of this I ever experienced as an HR person came from the candidate who said, "Seven handicapped parking spaces next to the front door? What, are you having a wheelchair convention or something?"

2. Bad-mouthing your previous job, manager, or company.
If you've been laid off or suffered some other unpleasant experience at your last job, it's easy to launch into a litany of everything the old employer did wrong. Don't do it! The interviewer is bound to wonder "Will this person be bashing me behind my back on some future interview, too?" Zip it.

3. Digging into details off the bat.
The typical selection process allows plenty of time for you to learn everything you need to know about the company's dental plan, its tuition-reimbursement policy, and the size of your cubicle. Don't ask about any of these items on a first interview, when you should be focusing the conversation on the role and the organization.

4. Groveling.
Employers want to hire people who can do the jobs and who are enthusiastic about the work. What's not so appealing is the candidate whose every word and gesture conveys the message, "Hire me, I beg you!" Joblessness is no fun, but you don't help your chances of getting the nod by presenting yourself as a candidate whose most notable attribute is desperation.

5. Answering a question before you understand it.
The absolute worst answer to any interview question is the response that shows you weren't really listening. When an interviewer asks a question that requires thought, like, "Tell me about a time when you had to convince a team of people to change gears," you don't want to blurt out, "Oh, I've done that a million times!" Any "tell me about a time when" question is a question that the interviewer has chosen to elicit a specific problem/solution story from you. Take the time to think through the question and compose a thoughtful answer. A few minutes of silence in the room won't kill anybody.

6. Spacing out.
Any interviewer worth her salt will be able tell when you've zoned out. If you're wondering whether the 5:40 train will get you home in time to watch the playoff game, the interviewer will spot it in your eyes. If you're really out of it, he may throw you a curve ball like, "So, who would you say was the most effective member of Teddy Roosevelt's cabinet, and why?" Stay in the room, with your eyes either meeting the interviewer's or looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. Or your shoes.

7. Slouching.
We'll throw in tipping the chair back off its front legs, resting your head on your hand, and lacing your fingers together behind your head.

8. Cursing.
Interviewers love to put job candidates at ease. When you reach the state of ease that lets an "f-bomb" escape your lips, you've gone too far.

9. "Opening the kimono."
It's tempting to share with a sympathetic interviewer the news that this job search has been really hard, that you're not getting callbacks, and that you've already sent out 150 resumes. Don't do it. Smart job candidates put out a vibe that says, "I'm glad to be here with you and this job might be fun, but I'm a capable person who's aware of his value on the job market."

10. Doing anything disgusting.
The long list of personal gross factors includes picking one's teeth or nose, spitting, and other unmentionables that are best left to the imagination. Any of these is a sure-fire interview-killer (and can we really blame the employer for that?). One candidate asked me for a cup of water, took a sip, swished it around in his mouth, and spat into a potted plant. Niiiiiice!

Source

Helpless from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

O'Neil’s investment style, combining both qualitative and quantitative techniques, is focused on finding growth stocks with the highest probability for rapid price
appreciation. In his book, How to Make Money in Stocks, O'Neil introduces the C-A-
N-S-L-I-M system for individual investors searching for potential stock winners.

The premise behind the C-A-N-S-L-I-M system was driven by in-depth analysis of
every big stock market winner over a 40-year period. Each letter in C-A-N-S-L-I-M
represents one of the seven key factors that O'Neil found was prevalent in the stocks that showed the biggest price moves. The meaning behind each letter is as follows:

C = Current Quarterly Earnings Per Share

Seek those stocks that report a major percentage increase in earnings per share
(EPS) in the most recent quarter from the comparative quarter in the previous year.
O'Neil suggests that the most successful money managers have a bottom limit of
25% to 30% EPS growth. In a bull market, stocks showing earnings growth of 40%
to 500% should be the norm.

A = Annual Earnings Increases

Look for stocks that report an increase in annual EPS for the last five years over the comparative year. O'Neil suggests as a minimum, screen for stocks in which the
annual compounded earnings growth rate is at least in the 25% to 50% range over
the last four or five years. Do not short stocks showing high P/E ratios.

N = New Products, New Management, New Highs

In a study conducted by O'Neil of the biggest stock market winners in the period
from 1953 to 1993, over 95% of the winners were shown to have introduced a major
new product or service, have new management, or were trading at new highs.

S = Supply and Demand

The concept of supply and demand in economics is that price will move up when
demand rises and/or supply falls. O'Neil suggests looking for stocks with fewer
shares outstanding as buying and upside price moves in these stocks could be
amplified. Stocks with around 10 million to 25 million issued shares are preferred.
Also, look for stocks that have high insider ownership by the company’s top
management.

L = Leaders and Laggards

Look for the stocks that display the top relative strength in their industries, as these stocks show strong price acceleration following a high relative strength. O'Neil advises against laggard stocks and stocking with the leaders. Avoid stocks that show a decline in the relative strength line for seven months or more.

I = Institutional Sponsorship

Finding out which institutions own which stock is key to stock selection. Search for
the top three to 10 institutional investors and screen what they are buying.

M = Market Direction

You need to analyze the price and volume moves of stock market indices on a daily
basis and understand what direction the market is heading.

When to Sell

Regarding when to sell a stock, O'Neil suggests investors adhere to a strict stop-loss strategy, including selling stocks that have declined 7% to 8% below the entry price. Also, stocks that have not appreciated by 20%–plus after 13 weeks may be candidates for selling. Keep stocks that have increased by 20% in four to five weeks.

The 15 factors that an investor needs to examine in detail are:

1. The market size and growth prospects for a company’s product or services
needs to be large enough to allow for strong sales growth over several years.
This makes sense as markets lacking size and/or potential could ultimately
result in stagnant or flat growth, which would cap the growth of the company.

2. There needs to be an emphasis on research and development to make sure
innovation is at the forefront, to stay ahead of the competition. In this way,
new products are introduced to replace or expand existing product lines.

3. The scope of the research and development should bear relation to the size of
the company. This makes sense as growing companies should see a
corresponding growth in research and development expenditures to stay
ahead.

4. As far as the sales channels, the company should have an above-average
sales presence.

5. The company should have a worthwhile profit margin.

6. There should be an effort on the part of the company to maintain or
strengthen the profit margins.

7. On the human resources front, there should be excellent labor and personnel
relations between the company and its workers.

8. The company needs to have excellent executive relations.

9. The management structure should be strong.

10. The company’s cost analysis and accounting controls need to be good.

11. Does the company have anything related to its business that gives it an
advantage over its competitors?

12. The company should have both a short-term and long-term earnings
outlook.

13. Management should communicate with investors regardless of whether the
company is doing well or poorly. Watch out for companies that fail to
communicate when times are bad.

14. Management should have integrity.

15. If the company should ever require the need for equity financing to grow its
business, would there be a dilution impact to current shareholders?

As far as selling, Fisher suggested there are only three reasons to sell a stock:

1. A major mistake was made in the evaluation of the company.

2. The company fails to satisfy the 15 points to the same degree as previously.

3. There is a superior company to reinvest capital but you need to be certain.

1. The business must be simple in nature and understandable, have a steady
operating history and good long-term potential.

2. The business should have excellent “economic goodwill” or reputation, which
are generally well-respected and large companies.

3. Management should be rational and honest with shareholders.

4. Concentrate on the company’s “return on equity” instead of earnings per
share, since earnings can be manipulated by accounting. Companies with high
profit margins and cash flow are preferred as it allows for growth.

5. Determine the intrinsic value of a business and try to pay less for it. By doing
so, you create a “margin of safety” just in case you pay too much.

6. Disregard what is happening in the stock markets as it has no impact on the
business of the company.

7. Sell a company when (1) its intrinsic value is not appreciating at a
satisfactory rate; (2) market value of company is much greater than the
estimated intrinsic value; and (3) cash is needed for a superior investment.

Came across this article and found it interesting. Enjoy...

1. Research keywords people in your business are looking for that have very little competition
2. Include that keyword in your headline, ad body, and display url (if possible)
3. Write a catchy headline, a second line that is a feature, and the last line a benefit
4. Base each ad group on one keyword
5. Make sure every keyword in your ad group contains the keyword for that group
6. Start with fewer keywords and build on that
7. Split test every ad and drop the poor performer
8. Set your daily budget as high as possible to give your ad the most exposure (reduce cost per click if needed)
9. Deliver your ads using the accelerated method
10. Show your ads in industrialized countries as they will spend money (USA, Australia, UK, Canada)

Source: http://adamevesearch.wordpress.com/

1. Building niche websites work better with adsense. As your ads targeting is much better.

2. When you’re building a new site don’t put adsense on it until it’s finished.

3. Always create channels for each ad. So that you know which ads aren't working.

4. Always blend your ads together with the content.

5. Always use 1 text ad and at least 2 ad units.

1. “Is that your real hair color?” Even if you think that her current hair color is not her natural color or that her hair extensions stick out, don’t make the mistake of letting her know that you suspect that what she has on her hair may not be all hers. She’ll spend time worrying about her looks and less time concentrating on you.

2. “How much do you weigh?” Why would you need to know that? A woman’s weight is a sensitive area to nearly everyone. It is not particularly memorable or appropriate to talk about pounds or kilos over dinner. Once you get to know her a little better and she feels more comfortable around you, then you might not care what she weighs.

3. “Do you want to have sex?” This one question has the potential to get your face slapped. Even if that’s the only thing on your mind, have some class. She’s going to see you as a very direct person (best outcome) or a prick (probable outcome). Women in general do not feel comfortable answering questions that have to do with sex on a first date. If you don’t want her to think that you are a jerk, then stay away from this question. Wait for the appropriate time. Be patient. You just might get what you have been asking when you least expect it. Human nature being what it is, a man and a woman who like each other, usually end up becoming intimate at some point.

4. “Do you think you and I have a future together?” Unless you can tell within the first 20 minutes that this person is the one for you, why would you expect that they’d be able to decide about you? Sure, most women want long term relationships, but they only want it when they have determined for themselves that you are the one. Asking this question on your first date can put pressure on your date. It can even cause a little panic. Don’t let your date come to a screeching halt by asking relationship related questions.

5. “How much money do you earn or have?” This is none of your business on the first date. Don’t be a jerk by asking this question as she’s sure to think that you are a gold digger. Avoid asking any questions about money, property or other financial matters. You are on the date because you want to know the person, inside and out-not just for how much money she has in her bank account. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t tell her all of your assets on the first date.

6. “What is your bra size?” Even if you are a “boobs man”, don’t make a boob of yourself by asking a question that will make you seem only interested in her boobs. Women want to know that you like them for they way they are on the inside instead of what they look like on the outside. A woman’s bra or cup size is not a determinant of who she is as a person. Try to rise above your shallowness. Don’t try to judge the book by her cover!

7. “Will you pay for your meal?” Asking this question when you are in a restaurant makes you looks very cheap. If you were the one who asked the woman out, then you are expected to pay for the date unless there was a previous agreement that the bill will be divided between the two of you. If you want your date to pay for her half, arrange that when you make the date. Anything else makes you look like the cheapskate you probably are.

Source: http://www.feelingflirty.com/the-seven-questions-you-should-never-ask/

1. "Your dad must be a thief because he stole the stars and put them in your eyes"

2. "If I were to rearrange the alphabet I would put U and I together"

3. "I must be in heaven because I can see an angel"

4."Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

5. "Here's 10p - go phone your mum and tell her you won't be coming home tonight"

6. "You're under arrest. The charge - trespassing in my dreams"

7. "Is that a ladder in your tights or a stairway to heaven?"

8. "You must be tired because you've been running through my mind all day"

9. "If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me?"

10. "Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes"

1. Never buy or sell stocks without checking the chart.

2. Never buy stocks when good news come out, especially if the chart shows a significant advance prior to the news release.

3. Never buy stocks because it appears cheap after getting smashed. When it sells off further, you'll find out that cheap can become far cheaper!

4. Never buy stocks in a downtrend on the chart.

5. Never hold stocks that is in a downtrend no matter how low the price/earnings ration. Many weeks later and several points lower, you'll find out why the stock was going down.

6. Always be consistent. If you find that you're sometimes buying, sometimes selling in practically identical situations, then there is something terribly wrong with your discipline.

1. Lack of Confidence
Have you ever woke up early in the morning, looked at yourself in the mirror and wonder, “Who will ever love me?” Low self-esteem and fear of rejection can cause such episodes to cripple anyone’s love life! As long as such thoughts are foremost in the mind, singles will be unable to take the all important step to initiate a date or accept a date.

2. Clueless In Love
Gone out with a date who looks like he just woke up, hasn’t brushed his teeth, doesn’t open the door for you and picks his nose at the table? You’re probably not alone. Lack of grooming, communication skills, social and dating etiquette can spell disaster for any potential social opportunities. Want to network, impress someone on a date or connect with anyone in a relationship? Better pick up a copy of Grooming and Etiquette for Dummies.

3. Denying the Coming of Age
Mommy’s Boy and Daddy’s Princess. These big kids can’t face up to the fact that they are adult and of marriageable age. They prefer to remain pampered as mummy’s boys and daddy’s princesses. Either too spoilt or too sheltered to take the next big step, better go buy a lottery ticket if they actually
decide to settle down.

4. Wa Bo-Chap! (I Can’t Be Bothered)
They think it is cool to “act cool” about their marital status. When their motto is “Singles have more fun!”, there really isn’t any impetus to get out of this single’s comfort zone. And even if they do want to get attached, they really expect their other half to accept all their bad habits wholesale. Don't expect them to change or compromise anything.

5. Consistently “Not Ready for Relationship”
The most commonly heard “default” reason for the “un-dating” singles. These singles are “Not Ready for a Relationship” and they are reluctant to do anything constructive to get themselves ready. The thing is, as long as you’re not ready for a relationship, you’ll never find yourself in one!

6. Kia Pai-Seh lah (Scared to be Embarrassed)
Another addition to the popular Singaporean syndromes of being Kia-Su and Kia-Si is Kia Pai-Seh - the fear of “losing face”. Sufferers of such a syndrome won’t be caught dead dating someone or attending any singles events or courses on dating etiquette. To them, it is like announcing to the whole world that they are desperate to get out of single hood. Grow up! There is nothing wrong with wanting to get hitched. Human beings are born to procreate. Be proactive about our dating lives! It is more practical to attend social events to get to know more singles friends then sitting around waiting for a life-partner to drop from heaven!

7. Being Commitment Phobic
This phobia is the inability or unwillingness to share their life with someone else or absolve themselves of past hurts. While it can be a valid and emotionally debilitating phobia, a lot depends on whether the single in question recognises the phobia for what it is. Once the phobia is recognised, there are life coaches, counsellors, self-help books, forums and informative websites that singles can turn to. The trick, as always, is to first recognise that you do have that problem!

8. No Money
For the financially insecure, we can understand when men lament “No money to buy expensive dinners, how to date?” or when a girl said “No money to buy little black dress, how to impress any date?” Well, the good news is dating is about fun. There are many ways to create fun without having to spend lots of money. Fun is all about looking into each other’s eyes and laughing together!

9. Too Busy
Drained after a hard day’s work and other commitments, is there no more room for romance? Find the well-spring of strength and stamina that is inside everyone. The youth in Hong Kong work as hard as Singaporeans, and their lifestyle is as stressful than ours. But they adopt a work hard, play harder mentality which makes them such a vibrant population. Their singles are still able to make time and
effort to date. How much is companionship worth to you?

10. Haven’t met someone suitable yet…
There are 600,000 singles out there in Singapore! If I had a dollar for every single out there, I’d consider myself rich! 600,000 singles and not one suitable? I am sure you can find one that can clique well with you. The question really ought to be “Are you making the effort to meet them?”

11. Am I a Homosexual?
You mean you’re still unsure?! Well, for those who are still unsure of their sexual orientation (even now!), I would suggest they see a counsellor first… I definitely wouldn’t want to date someone who is still wondering if he is a gay!

Source: http://wow-her.com

Cambridge
Long Term Growth %: 1.5
P/E Ratio: 2.35

CDL HTrust
Long Term Growth %: 10.51
P/E Ratio: 1.59

Frasers Comm
Long Term Growth %: -4.7
P/E Ratio: 1.09

AscottREIT
Long Term Growth %: 8.75
P/E Ratio: 2.17

First REIT
Long Term Growth %: 2.35
P/E Ratio: 1.85

Fortune
Long Term Growth %: 2.00
P/E Ratio: 3.08

LMIR
Long Term Growth %: -3.10
P/E Ratio: No Data

Suntec
Long Term Growth %: 8.28
P/E Ratio: 17.20

CapitaRChina
Long Term Growth %: 5.15
P/E Ratio: No Data

FrasersCT
Long Term Growth %: 5.85
P/E Ratio: No Data

MP REIT
Long Term Growth %: 5.31
P/E Ratio: 1.43

A-REIT
Long Term Growth %: 5.06
P/E Ratio: 11.60

K-REIT
Long Term Growth %: 6.03
P/E Ratio: 0.45

MapleTree
Long Term Growth %: 2.46
P/E Ratio: 3.64

CCT
Long Term Growth %: 12.60
P/E Ratio: 1.14

PLife
Long Term Growth %: 6.00
P/E Ratio: No Data

CMT
Long Term Growth %: 6.75
P/E Ratio: 4.72

Disclamier

All information in this post are from POEMS Research as of post date. They do not represent the opinions of Qala on whether to buy, sell or hold shares of a particular stock.
Investors should be cautious about any and all stock recommendations and should consider the source of any advice on stock selection. Various factors, including personal or corporate ownership, may influence or factor into an expert's stock analysis or opinion.
All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into individual stocks before making a purchase decision. In addition, investors are advised that past stock performance is no guarantee of future price appreciation.