LIVINGBLOSSOMS

Yesterday me and some colleagues were going through some application forms for entry into our masters and phd programs. There were also some who requested for job posts in the faculty. It was quite interesting to see all the resumes. However, there was this one guy who had good credentials and was more than qualified. The only problem was, his email...this 34 year old certified chemist asked us to contact him at dikcerdas@*****.com

OK. Me and my colleagues laughed so hard we could hardly stand up! After wiping his tears of mirth, the boss decided to just put the application in the k.i.v. box. He said that it portrayed the guy as immature and unprofessional.

So that got me thinking about the significance of e-mail addresses we put into our CV today. Where once e-mails were used primarily by geeks and techno wizards, it has now evolved to become the second most commonly used after snail mail and is extensively used today. It takes barely a minute to set up an e-mail account and its really rare today to find someone who doesn't have at least one email account.

Now, I don't think it matters what your e-mail is as its your right to create anything you fancy, be it adikmanja@yahoo.com or iluvtosleep@gmail.com. Its your e-mail and its your life. BUT, when it comes to job applications, I think that proper e-mails are very important. E-mails, like all the other personal information on your CV, will be scrutinized and judged. Your e-mail will give an impression on what type of person your are.

Takde kaitan but its funny!

For example, emails based on nicknames, which is probably the most common type of email today. However, one must be very careful when including it in the CV. if your e-mail is a nickname like ogy or fifi or ajai, this gives the employer a sense of informality, a sense that you are not afraid to divulge personal information to strangers. Some employers might like it, especially if you're applying for a job relating to arts. But in most cases, using a nickname for your e-mail may backfire and be seen as not professional.

Another example is the usage of cartoon or fictional characters. I knew a girl who used to love sailormoon. Her e-mail was something like sailormooncrazy@something.com. After years and years of using the same e-mail, she abruptly changed it. When I asked her about it, she confided in me that a company executive secretly told her that the ONLY reason she wasn't shortlisted for the company's job interview because her e-mail sounded too childish, compared to the other applicants. I've personally seen CVs which contains e-mails like supermanmelayu@&*&*.com, mashimarocute@*&*&.com and narutoforever@*&*&.com. Would you take in someone with these kinda emails? What picture does it convey? Certainly not professional.

Sailormoon..

Other examples of e-mails are those that depict a certain trait or hobby. These e-mails can give the employer a clear picture of you. Do you think they will be impressed with e-mails sounding like sayangabang@&*&.com, gadiscun@&*&.com, britneydiehardfan@&*&*.com or lawyerhappy@&*&.com. These traits are not the ones that employers are looking for. They will distract the one reading the CV and give the wrong impression. Even if you managed to obtain a first class degree in Oxford, got tons of relevant working experience and have awesome references, the sight of your babycuteypieluvsronaldo@somewhere.com e-mail would just ruin the perfect candidate image you're trying to convey through the CV.

And what about hobbies? warcraftforever@&*&.com would surely convey the message that this person loves playing warcraft, the most addictive MMORPG in the world, and might not be suitable for a job that demands maturity, leadership and commitment even after regular office hours. Even though the applicant is fully qualified and shows all these traits through other information in his CV, his e-mail can negate all this and convey a totally different picture.

People have turned into living zombies playing this.

The point is, a lot of people forget that people will judge you by your e-mail address. Its perfectly fine if you use it for informal purposes but when you include the e-mail in your CV, the e-mail will be a part of the total package you are trying to sell. An improper e-mail address will distract the future employer and convey an unwanted/unwarranted message.

You know it, Simon!

Then, whats the best e-mail address to use? I asked around and this is what I got:

1) If you have a job already, state the official e-mail. For example fatih@bankislam.com.

2) If you're using the normal sites like gmail, yahoo or hotmail, try using your full name. Using your common sense, try to make it look formal and professional, yet not too long or too stiff like professormadyadrwho@lala.com.

3) Try to avoid long numbers and weird spelling. Make it easy to type and remember.

Thus, I hope all of us can reflect back on our own e-mails, whether it conveys the right message to people when we use it to communicate. If not, then go ahead and create a new one. After all, its free and the two minutes you invest can save you from hours of future embarrassments.

Wouldn't want to end up like this guy, right?!

I'm back from Taiping and Balik Pulau (BP). Skin is definitely darker, muscles are aching (screaming with pain!) and I'm dead tired. I wanna sleep for a week and my brain needs time to recover from the intense washing it was put through. ha ha.

While I was gone, Kelantan and Terengganu apparently went scuba diving and my room has been transformed into a bachelor pad by my holiday-ing brothers. My phone, which has been dead to the world for 5 days due to the remoteness of BP, is going crazy, vibrating every minute with incoming messages. The inbox is full of unread mail and I'm not going to work tomorrow (EL).

Downstairs, my brothers are bickering and my dad is on the phone. I can hear Spongebob's sengau voice competing with the neighbours' cats, who are at it yet again.

Its good to be home.

Thats what I'm supposed to do right now. Tomorrow morning going to Taiping for the field trip. On Wednesday morning, from Taiping I'll be off to Penang by bus. Will be staying at Aunty Muni's house overnight. Then Friday to next Monday - BTN.

So basically I have to pack for one whole week. I've shopped for last minute stuff yesterday, like track bottoms and long-sleeved t-shirts. I've 3 white baju kurungs + three black kain kurungs, two white blouses + 2 black skirts all folded up nicely like a pile of cicak poo. I've put aside a gayung, some toiletries, an iron, hangers, socks, underthings, sunblock, insect repellent, scarves, anak scarves, an assortment of t-shirts and pants and a bit of this and that. All of it is in a huge heap on the floor, untouched. I've been staring at them for quite some time now. All this stuff reminds me of the good old days, when it was time to go back to tkc after a long holiday. Kinda depressing so decided to update the old blog.

I have mixed feelings about all this. The weather forecast for both Taiping and Penang states that thunderstorms will be the main menu for the week ahead. Hence, I'm already dreading all that rain and wetness (thank god for crocs!). And my feelings about btn? don't get me started. Fear, nervousness and excitement. I'm not a big fan of the wilderness. Its so...wild. Always hated going camping, getting bitten by bugs and getting dirty. I also intensely dislike being rushed, prodded, brainwashed and bullied (had enough of that at tkc, tqvm). But BTN is also the final 'procedural' step I have to take before I go to Kent so there is a sense of anticipation and excitement. Plus, I'm looking forward to meeting new friends and 'network'. As a final consolation note, as a government servant, I will have to go to BTN sooner or later so might as well be sooner.

Ok, I think that I'm finally ready to start packing. See you guys in a week!**

Yesterday I got the official letter from BTN. I was informed earlier that I was going to the Ulu Sepri Camp in Rembau. So I was happily thinking of driving there since its not that far. I had it all planned out, even memorizing the roads and stuff.

p/s- A big THANK YOU to dear Timmc who kindly helped out my sis in Melbourne. Thanks timmc :)

I can feel happy bubbles floating in my veins, lifting me up and dislodging most of the worries I've been carrying around these few months. I hope and continue to pray that it'll be smooth sailing from now on.

But first, Alhamdullilah.