Just between you and me, do you know that on average, 90000 hours of your life will be dedicated to working? Finding a job you’re willing to stick to forever is never easy. Passion in your 20s can eventually lead to burnout in your 40s, and that is 25 years to go before retirement, sounds miserable, right? It’s never easy to make a huge decision, you might still be indecisive and think that you shall weather this, it’s just a phase… but what if it’s not? Here are a few common scenarios for career-changers, if you see yourself in them, then a midlife career change might do you good. Are rigid company policies barring your creativity?Is it a waste of time to do what you absolutely don’t like?Are your credits always taken away by some bootlickers?Do you want to escape from the dull and stagnated environment you’re in now?Are you always hypervigilant and stressed in your current 9-5 job and you can barely see the blurry line between work and life? In our previous article, we’ve listed out 3 tips for a successful career change. But what are the final determinants to switch jobs; how can one embark on a new career path? Finding a new career at 30, 40, or 50 is not easy, but life changes can often bring you unexpectedly great results, the prerequisite is to try. In this article, we’ll dive into different phases of a career change.You'll learn:3 surefire signs for a career change3 pieces of career-change adviceCareer change ideas for nurses, teachers, and accountantsHow to write a resume for a career change?How to write a cover letter for a career change? 3 signs showing you should plan for a career change 1. Frustration and Underperformance Every morning, day after day, you feel like you’re drained of energy despite slurping down fresh ground coffee. You don’t feel like you’re rebooted despite a long night’s sleep. The thought of going to that cubicle job wears you out. True, life is not a rosy bed, but sticking to a job where your feelings of apathy have skewed toward day-dreaming and operate on autopilot is TOO overwhelming and frustrating, it’s just impossible to reignite the spark. As if the work itself isn’t annoying and frustrating enough, the work doldrums are spilling over into other areas of your life, jeopardizing your relationships with friends and family. What’s worse, your health, mentally and physically, is hanging by the thread. It’s become a vicious cycle: frustration; resentment; underperformance, and again and again does the cycle repeat itself. 2. Lack of competence Competence and ambition constitute a fulfilling job. How do you commit to your job if neither of these exists? It’s especially hard to stay sharp when your mind is swirling somewhere else. Lack of competence not only undermines your performance but also makes you cynical. Worst case scenario? Self-loathing. It’s a lot of ambition and competence lost considering how many years have passed. 3. Stagnation (You have nothing more to learn!) One of the greatest things about working a 9-5 job is learning. You are in your early 20s when you have your first job. You are new to the field, a lot of things to grasp and absorb. After a while, you start to pick up and manage a project on your own. Boredom gradually creeps into you after a couple of years, and finally, here you are reading this career-change article. Obviously, you’re stagnated. When you first take on a position, the learning starts steep, and then it hits a plateau where you’ve been equipped with relevant knowledge to tackle almost all the problems. Your tasks at work have become daily routines that don't require you to think or experiment. Skills gradually become obsolete. You need to step on a new learning curve, and a career change can drag you out of boredom and stagnation. All the symptoms mentioned above are different dominos in the chain reaction, the cumulative pressure, depression, and suffocation can wear you out. Losing the momentum in your professional life manifests itself in many areas and may affect personal relationships and be exhibited in dysfunctional behavior. If you’ve been plagued with these negative thoughts for a while, it might be time to plan out to the T for a thorough career change. 3 Pieces of Career-Change Advice For a significant decision like a job change, you should know what are the options. Most importantly, what makes you consider a career shift? You have to think about what triggers you to change to a new career, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on your past experiences. The realization of spending time at a job that is not fulfilling presents the opportunity for soul-searching and contemplating purpose, happiness, and personal values. Aside from eyeing the right route, here are 3 reminders for you before starting a new career. Treat the cause, not the symptoms. It’s the first piece of advice that should be engraved in your mind. If you hastily go on a different track without much consideration, you might soon find yourself in the same dilemma which is endless resentment and depression. Think about what makes you suffer and how you would like to change that in a new environment. Incentives vary, including higher salary, ability to grow, a better work-life balance, sense of fulfillment, and caliber, your strengths and passion, etc... For example, if boredom is what you hate the most about your job, the expectation for your next job should be more dynamic than the current one where you can get exposed to new information or challenges. Or, if the stress is killing you, you need to change your career path for a job that you can strike a work-life balance. Have an emergency fund saved up for 3-6 months. There is no guarantee that you can find a new job right away. Job-seeking can be a tormenting process, and being tenacious should be your new motto to reach your dream job. There will be a time of turbulence in between jobs. For career-changes who have accumulated quite a few working experiences, it should not be that difficult to have an emergency fund set up. Be proactive, but don’t rush. Starting a whole new job is like starting from scratch. You’re closer to your ideal life, but before reaching the end, it’s a process of trial and error. Gearing toward a new position nevertheless entails higher stakes; therefore, you have to be more proactive in hunting down your next job. Besides, you should also think about the following two questions. What kinds of career change am I considering?Same position in a different industry; different position in the same industry; or a whole new track in an entirely different new industry, just to name a few. What’s your short-term and long-term career planning? Let’s say you aim to start a new job in a different industry in several years, then this should be your long-term goal. Short-term goals refer to the various phases in the career-changing journey. Little advice, don’t rush, focus on one step at a time. Beware, you’ll be bombarded with lots of questions from now on. You can start thinking about skills you have yet to acquire, and how you are going to bridge the gap. Have you taken relevant (online) classes before or received certification elsewhere? Is it possible that you settle for a job in between, and along the way, you can gradually pick up relevant skills needed to reach the long-term goal? If this is feasible, how long do you plan on staying in the in-between job? These questions are bound to swirl in your head when you lie awake in bed at night. It’s tough, but nothing worth having comes easy. Despite the bumpy road ahead, it’ll come a day that you enjoy the fruits. How to make a career change for Teachers/ Nurses/ Accountants? By now you should be ready to move on to the next step. What are the viable options for you?The last time we heard, we know that teachers, nurses, and accountants are more likely to consider a career change. Here are a few new career ideas for you folks. There are several jobs in all types of industries that benefit from the skills acquired as a teacher, a nurse, and an accountant. Knowing the types of positions where you can use your expertise can help maximize your potential in the next career path. Career Changes for Teachers Teachers have a wide range of transferable skills that they can use to their advantage. They are pros in learning and educational processes, skilled communicators catering to learners with very different needs, planners, and organizers. Career changes for teachers are relatively easy compared to others. Here are some most common ideas for new careers: an occupational therapist assistant, a life skills trainer, and a curator in the educational setting. Career Changes for Nurses Like teachers, nurses can capitalize on their skills in the new career path. Most common career changes for nurses include health educator, nutritionist, pharmaceutical sales, health educator, physical therapist, and clinical social worker. Career changes for nurses revolve around medicine. The good news is that career change can go smoothly for nurses. Career Changes for Accountants Accountants are savvy in numbers and familiar with pesky mountains of rules. The skillset can be utilized in other positions. The technical skills acquired as a CPA is valuable in the banking industry. Financial analysts and financial planning are also viable options. But remember, despite there are several transferable skills you have at hand, you always need to have a pragmatic reality check to make sure that the role you are after matches with your imagination. You might have surface-level visibility of some careers but there are so many fields and roles that are off your radar screen. Talk to someone in the industry or position you’re after. It helps to break some myths and clarify assumptions. Next, it’s time to draft a career change resume and cover letter. How to write a resume for a career change? Your resume is a snapshot of your employment history. But how to write a resume for a career change? A resume catered to a career change should focus on three things: objective, transferable skills, and education section. Moreover, nothing can interest recruiters like a resume packed with a PAR (Problem-Approach-Result) strategy, so make sure you include them in your resume.Objective You should state clearly why you choose to pursue a career different from your current one and what are your strengths compared to your counterparts, who have been in the field for quite a while. State your motivation and objective clearly. It should pave the way for other parts of your resume and cover letter. Transferable skills Namely, you should list the skills you acquired in other industries and capitalize on them. In a nutshell, it’s a tactic that lets you take the exact same experience and make it sound relevant to positions you’re interested in. Lack of direct industry-specific experience is not necessarily a barrier to a new job, you can complement it with fresh thoughts and experiences accumulated in other industries. What’s more, employers want someone with potential. Prove that you’re a great candidate with transferable skills. Education Section Your college diploma might be brittle and yellowed by the time you consider a career change, and that’s why the education section should be updated. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a formal certification or another master’s degree. Lifelong learning is good enough, it not only keeps dementia at bay but enhances employability and competitiveness. If you’ve taken online classes or training offered by either the government or the private sector, put them in this section! Online and offline learning both do magic. Don’t worry if you haven’t ventured out in these areas. It’s never too late to start investing in yourself. Never stop voluntarily to be a self-motivated and self-sustained person, and make sure the outside-of-work learning is relevant to the new job you’re after.Cake provides professional resume templates formats for career changers to build strong resumes. Considering starting a new career? Create acompelling Cake right now!Create a Resume How to write a cover letter for a career change? Now that you have a well-drafted resume, a career change cover letter can tell the intriguing story behind the bullet points. There are a few things a cover letter can do: you’re passionate; you’re a go-getter; you’ve walked the talk, just to name a few. Of course, one of the most important questions to be answered is what’s the motive to switch fields, and what unique skills you have. It’s especially invaluable to consider all the soft power and technical skills you’ve cultivated over time. For a career change cover letter, here are three reminders handed to you on a silver platter. With these, you can rise above your competitors. Skills (both soft and technical wise) These include the elaboration of transferable skills mentioned in the resume. Soft skills are indispensable in all industries, such as communication skills, leadership, adaptability, teamwork, resilience, etc. As for technical skills, research, data analysis, project management, etc. are all included. What’s more important, you have to put forward solid evidence that you’ve earned strong references and tangible achievements in your previous positions. It’ll grant you higher chances of being trusted in the new role. You’ve shown the recruiter that you did pretty well in the previous position, now tap on transferable skills. Elaborate on the linkage of how you can utilize skills you’ve acquired in the past and make a contribution to your new role. Relevancy Aside from transferable skills, you want the recruiter to know that the company culture is exactly the vision you want to see in a company. Look at the job description thoroughly and use the keywords in your cover letter, link it with the transferable skills we just talked about. It shows that you’ve looked up the company and have done your homework, recruiters like that. Passion Finally, in a world or ladder-climbers, this is the part where you can outshine other candidates. You’ve had a few trials and errors in the past, and now that you’ve sailed through some parts of the murky water. You’re yearning for something stimulating and dynamic, and thus you are more motivated than others since you’ve gone through enough to know where your passion lies. Here's the rule of thumb: develop a touching story, tell recruiters what drew you in this particular direction, and show your determination. Keep your story brisk and invigorating. Takeaways Finally, we’ve reached the last part of this detailed guide. I hope you’ve found the answer to “how to make a career change”, all the nitty-gritty you need to know for a career change is covered here. Let’s recap a few points. When you launch your job search, you have to know clearly what you want, why you want it, and what qualifies you. It’s terrifying for one to be in the depths of despair of their lifeless status quo. Not even Xanax’s antidepressants can save you from the excruciating and dire position you’re in. Bearing in mind that actions precede clarity, not the other way around. Actions are needed to truly make changes happen. Crossing off possibilities is a much better solution compared to leaving them as open questions. If you hastily trawl through job sites and go on a different trek without thinking about what values you hold close to your heart, you’ll be likely to experience the same conundrum even in a new position. As for a career change resume and cover letter, emphasize the transferable skills and your strong motivation. It takes a lot of courage to change careers, especially when you’ve passed 30 years old. Recruiters will appreciate that. With all the advice, you’ll cut through the clutter. Please bear with me, one more thing to say here. This too, like other obstacles you’ve encountered in the past, shall pass. Dear (potential) career changers, may all your Sunday night blues can metamorphose into joie de vivre for an aspiring new job. Remember, career change is probably just a blessing in disguise.

When reflecting upon their careers, more and more people are considering the idea of a “career change”. The thought of changing jobs might stem from several reasons, like You can no longer learn anything new in your current position.Your current job is no longer exciting and you just want to try another type of work.You simply hope for a pay raise. Whatever the reason, it all goes to the pursuit of a better life. Starting a new career should not be an impulsive decision. When considering altering your career path, you should reflect carefully on the three points below, which will not only help you assess your current career status, but also give you some directions before making the decision to quit. Ⅰ. Clarify Your Intention of Career ChangeFirst, ask yourself "Why do I want to change my career path?". Ask YourselfWhy do I want to change my career path? Is it because of difficult interpersonal relationships in the workplace? Or because you wish to acquire more experience and professional skills? Your motive for considering a career change will guide your decision making. Ask YourselfAre conflicts you experienced in the office or workplace simply the result of difficult interpersonal relationships, or do they arise from the nature of the work itself? When the idea of making a career shift comes to mind,is it simply because you want to escape from your current workplace predicament, or because you would like to pursue a better career goal? Ask YourselfDoes the thought of "career change" appear, simply because I want to escape from my current workplace predicament? Or is it because I want to pursue a better career goal? When someone’s focus is simply on escaping their current job, they can often be quick to compromise their principles which they otherwise would maintain. But after switching jobs on this impulse, they might end up in a even worse environment – with no guarantee that the problems of the previous job wouldn’t show up in the new one as well. Planning your career path shouldn’t be like making day-to-day decisions. Rather, it’s more like paving a road to guide you steadily toward your goals. This is the fundamental issue that you should focus on during your career planning. Don’t be misled by fleeting emotions. Instead, calm down and think twice about your reason of switching jobs, so that you can identify where the root problem lies and how you can appropriately react to the situation. Ⅱ. Utilize On-hand Resources After making the decision to start a new career, many quickly determine to resign. However, a hasty decision to resign may overlook the fact that there are often suitable resources available at their current jobs. As mentioned before, changing careers should be planned for the long run, so don't rush to resign right away. This not only gives you more options, but also allows you to experiment in your new field of interest and get your feet wet before diving in. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll be able to create your own portfolio which will make the process of career switch even smoother. There are usually two types of career changes. One is that the skills used remain the same, but the field or industry changes (for example, switching sales job from financial industry to technology industry). The other type requires obtaining new knowledge and skills, such as switching jobs from sales to PM or marketing. Two types of career changes● Same skill-sets, but different industries●New skill-sets required Regardless of the type of career change, before resigning, try to gradually incorporate more of your desired job content into your current job and steer your career direction toward this goal. This way, when applying and interviewing for a new job, your interviewer will be more convinced that you have a certain degree of knowledge and enthusiasm for this new position. Many people overlook the fact that the cost of a career switch isn’t just the absence of salary while in between jobs. In addition to giving up the previous job’s salary and the cost of time while seeking a new job, you need to also consider the transition time after eventually entering a new company and getting used to the new work environment. If your purpose of changing jobs is simply to improve your working environment or switch up your work content, then a job rotation at your current company might also be a viable option. Ⅲ. Research on the Labor Market and Develop a Learning Plan If you’ve made up your mind on a career switch, whether due to your working environment or your work content, don’t forget to research on the labor market of the new industry you desired to enter in advance. Is the current labor market saturated? What industries will have a more suitable corporate culture for you? What is the salary structure in this industry?Research on the New Market● Is the industry'scurrent labor market saturated?●What industries will have a more suitable corporate culture for you?●What is the salary structure in this industry? In addition to researching on the field you’re interested in, if you plan to enter a completely new industry, it’s also necessary to develop your own study plan. Apart from building up a work portfolio to better your resume, you should also review your strengths and weaknesses – maintain and develop your strengths while making up for your weaknesses. There are numerous lectures, forums and courses available these days. Participating in these activities will not only strengthen your abilities, but also provide you opportunities to meet different people and establish connections. In fact, information for many job vacancies often comes from 1st degree, 2nd degree and other degrees of contacts on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Facebook (that is, from your friends, friends’ friends, etc.). So, take advantage of relevant activities and courses to make connections, which might make your journey of starting a new career easier. Decide on a Suitable Career Change Plan After thinking thoroughly over these three aspects, eventually we will need to determine the most suitable career-change plan for ourselves to minimize the gaps we may face in our career. In addition to rotating positions internally or seeking job opportunities through your network (both of which we’ve discussed above), introducing yourself to new companies in a reasonable manner or letting friends know you’re considering job switch are some other feasible options. While these plans are quite similar, the key is to determine the most suitable solution for your situation. After all, in the lonely journey of job-change, the most important thing is to be determined. It's not an easy thing to start a new career. While we often see that others switch jobs seemingly easily, we can’t see how much time and effort they spent behind the scenes during the process of career switches.Ready to start a new career? You need a professional resume to impress your future employer! Cake is highly recognized by job seekers due tohandiness usefulness. Create your Cake and land your dream job!Create Resume

Getting a recommendation letter is common in many professional situations. If you are searching for employment, you’ll be asking for a recommendation letter at least once. You might also make a recommendation letter request for academic programs, promotions, department changes, and volunteer positions. Asking someone to write a letter of recommendation can help increase your chances of securing the position you want. It helps the hiring manager trust your application and get a better sense of you as a person. Don’t be afraid of asking for a recommendation letter since it’s an essential asset to your application.TABLEOFCONTENT What Is a Letter of Recommendation? Why Should You Ask for a Recommendation Letter? Who Will You Ask for a Letter of Recommendation? How to Ask for a Reference Letter Tips for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation Letter of Recommendation Request Email Template What Is a Letter of Recommendation? If it’s your first time getting a letter of recommendation, you might be wondering what it is. A recommendation letter is a document that the writer uses to appraise your qualities, skills, and abilities. Requesting a letter of recommendation is important because it can help you in your application for employment or for academic programs. Why Should You Ask for a Recommendation Letter? Asking for a letter of recommendation will indicate to your prospective employers your qualities like skills, achievements, personality, and attitude. It provides another perspective on you beyond what you might put in a resume or cover letter. Who will you ask for a letter of recommendation? You have many options to choose from when it comes to asking for a recommendation letter. Your previous or current employer, manager, or supervisor are all people to whom you could make a recommendation letter request. But you could also consider less obvious options, like asking for a recommendation letter from your teachers or professors. If it’s for first time employment, consider requesting a recommendation letter from a religious leader or neighbor. How to Ask for a Reference Letter If you’re not sure how to ask for a recommendation letter, you’re not alone. Asking for a recommendation letter can be intimidating, but the process is straightforward. Here are some simple steps to getting a letter of recommendation. Decide who to ask for letters of recommendation. You may be wondering, “Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation?” Think carefully about what you need in your application and who is the best to ask for a recommendation letter, with respect to your goals. Ideally, the person you ask to write your reference letter should be someone articulate, who will use the letter to paint you in a positive light. Prepare an up-to-date resume. If you’re wondering what to provide when asking for a letter of recommendation, don’t forget a current resume. Send your resume to the author along with your recommendation letter request, to summarize your skills and qualifications. Providing your resume will help them elaborate on your experience or abilities and will ultimately get a stronger reference letter from the writer. Ask in person first. A letter of recommendation request is best done in person first, if possible. Ultimately, whoever you’re asking for a recommendation letter from is helping you and talking to them directly is more professional. While requesting a letter of recommendation in person can be daunting, it could help to prepare what you will say in advance. Send an email. After asking for a recommendation letter in person, send a gentle recommendation letter request email to remind the writer and to reiterate your gratitude. Your email should include details like the position you are applying to and the relevant skills and experience you have. Including these details when asking for a letter of recommendation will give the writer a greater sense of direction. Follow up before the deadline. After asking someone to write a letter of recommendation, it’s possible they could forget their commitment or get busy with other tasks. If it’s getting close to the application deadline and they haven’t confirmed their submission, it might help you to follow up with your writer and send another letter of recommendation request email. Email to say thank you. After getting a letter of recommendation, don’t forget to say thank you! Expressing your gratitude is an important part of asking for a recommendation letter. The writer did you a favor and thanking them is the professional thing to do. Your thank you email to the writer can be short and sweet, but it’s important not to forget this step.Tips for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation Many people wonder how to request a letter of recommendation. Asking for a recommendation letter can be uncomfortable, but it’s a common part of any application, and it’s easy enough to get right. Follow these tips to help you with your recommendation letter request. Be polite. When you’re asking someone to write a letter of recommendation, the most important thing is to be polite. Your tone when asking for a recommendation letter should be professional and respectful, to leave a good impression. Otherwise, you may find getting a letter of recommendation is harder than you thought! Don’t be pushy. If you’re wondering how to ask someone for a letter of recommendation, another tip is to avoid being too demanding or impatient. Remember that everyone’s time is valuable, and you can’t expect an answer right away. Furthermore, your recommendation letter request may be turned down if you are too pushy, and it could make you seem unprofessional. Have more than one writer. You might need a few references, so don’t be afraid of asking for recommendation letters from more than one person. Try asking for a letter of recommendation from uniquely different sources, like an employer and a teacher. This will give your employer another perspective and further strengthen your application. Make it easy for the writer. Requesting a letter of recommendation is almost as hard as actually writing one. It can be intimidating for the writer as well, and they’ll want you to succeed. Thankfully there’s something you can do to make it easier on your writer when asking for a recommendation letter. Highlight relevant achievements and skills. When you consider how to request a letter of recommendation, keep in mind that the writer doesn’t know how to upsell you. When asking someone for a recommendation letter, it’s appropriate to remind them of your abilities and guide them on what to highlight. Your recommendation letter request email is your opportunity to make it clear what achievements and skills you have that apply to this new position. You can also send them a copy of the job posting or program requirements to further showcase your applicable skills. Ask the writer early. When asking for a recommendation letter, it’s best to do so as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the application deadline is close to make a recommendation letter request. This might not leave enough time for the author to write it.Letter of Recommendation Request Email Template If you’re not sure of how to request a letter of recommendation, try looking at what others have written. You may need to follow an example of asking for a letter of recommendation if you’re looking for what to say. A recommendation letter request sample helps you with the writing by providing a guide to follow and space to include your own information. Use the following template to assist you in getting a letter of recommendation. Dear [Writer Name], I hope this email finds you well. Currently, I’m applying to [Position or Program Title] at [Company or School Name] and I wanted to know if you would consider writing a letter of recommendation on my behalf. I valued my time as [your relationship to the writer], and your recommendation would mean a lot to me. I’m confident you could attest to my [list of skills and qualifications], which I demonstrated during our time together. I appreciate your consideration of my request. The deadline for my application is [date]. I’ve attached a copy of my resume and the [job posting or program requirements], as well as directions for submitting the letter. If you need any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, [Your Name] Conclusion Asking someone to write a letter of recommendation can be intimidating, but most professionals will do so at least once during their career. If you’re not sure how to ask for a reference letter, there are some basic tips and steps you can follow to make requesting a letter of recommendation easier. If you’re not sure where to start writing, try using a letter of recommendation request email template. Above all, when asking for a recommendation letter, be polite and professional. Found this article helpful?Follow our blogfor more interesting articles.Cake is the best resume builder that you can find on the market and one of the thriving talent community. Our purpose is to help job seekers all over the world to land their dream job. Start your job search today! Create Resume

Singapore is a bustling and vibrant Asian city-state that has become a hotspot for expats looking for a long-term country to settle in. The selling points of living in Singapore are non-exhaustive: a world-class education system, extreme levels of safety, and a competitive job market are just a few of the biggest attractions that the country has to offer. TABLEOFCONTENTSCost of Living in SingaporeFinding Accommodations in SingaporeHealthcare and EducationWork and Business OpportunitiesLifestyle and CultureCommon FAQs Cost of Living in Singapore Singapore, over the decades, has transformed into a city-state on the cutting edge of modernization and socio-economic development milestones. This modernity comes at a cost- Singapore ranks amongst the most expensive cities to live in throughout the world, with an average monthly cost of living in the range of 3000-4000 SGD. Despite a high cost of living, Singapore's economy supports one of the world's technology and financial hubs. The country’s economy is highly specialized, given the fact that its small geographical area does not allow for domestic agricultural and unspecialized production. Many opportunities exist for expats seeking to relocate to Singapore. These include jobs in the business, medical, financial, and legal fields. Taking a closer look, the average cost of living in Singapore is highly dependent on several factors, including your typical lifestyle, your number of dependents, and your accommodation location. That said, we have provided a breakdown of a modest lifestyle for a single person living in an average-priced apartment. Here is a breakdown of the average cost of living in Singapore. Rent: 1,500 SGDTransportation: 150 SGDDaily expenses (food, entertainment): 1,100 SGD Bear in mind that this cost of living increases per dependent person and child in school. The cost of living in Singapore for an American or Westerner as opposed to one coming from an ASEAN country can vary, as education centers can charge substantially more for non-ASEAN international students. Living in Singapore also means converting to their national currency, the Singaporean Dollar (SGD). Here is a small conversion table for the average going rate of the SGD compared to other popular expat currencies. 1 SGD0.74 USD23.62 NTD1.02 CAN0.6 Pound Sterling Finding Accommodation in Singapore Due to its size relative to the population, the average cost of living in Singapore is quite high. The majority of Singapore’s residents live in apartments built and owned by the National Housing and Development Board (HDB). These apartments are the most popular form of accommodation in Singapore and are often the most reasonably priced. If you are planning for a modest cost of living in Singapore, prioritizing these apartments may be the best option for you. For those with more freedom in their monthly costs or who are looking for more luxurious accommodation in Singapore, there is a wide range of high-rise condos and flats for you to rent or purchase. It should be mentioned that buying property in Singapore comes at a steep price, although the rising demand for real estate in the country may make for a lucrative and worthwhile investment. Living away from home is never an easy task, and many expats moving to Singapore seek out foreigner-dense hotspots to settle down in to get a sense of a home away from home. Several areas have a higher concentration of expats living in Singapore. Some popular areas include: Holland Village: highly sought after due to its central locationTanglin: a highly affluent neighborhood located close to Holland VillageWoodlands: located outside of the city center, and highly favored by American expats living in Singapore for its proximity to the International American School.Tiong Bahru: uniquely styled low-rise apartments, perfect for expats seeking accommodation in Singapore that is not located in high-rise buildings. Many expats, when considering the cost of living and types of accommodation in Singapore, struggle to decide between renting or buying property. While compelling arguments can be made for either case, the final decision comes down to one’s budget and long-term plans in the country. Here is some quick information about renting and buying accommodation property in Singapore: Renting: the average cost of rent for a single studio apartment in Singapore can go from as much as 2000 SGD/month to over 8000 SGD/month for a 3-bedroom flat. While the law does not stipulate a standard in setting a security deposit, the going rate is one month of rent per year of the lease.Buying: HDB properties are subsidized by the government and are the cheapest form of accommodation in Singapore for those looking to purchase a property. These apartments can range between 500,000 and 900,000 SGD. For non-HDB subsidized properties, the price for a 3-bedroom flat can go for over 3.1 million SGD. Healthcare and Education The Singaporean healthcare system has consistently ranked amongst the best in the world. It should be mentioned that healthcare in Singapore is not free. In fact, healthcare in Singapore can become pricey for expats, who are excluded from the National Healthcare Plan (NHP) that covers all Singaporeans and permanent residents. That said, there are international health insurance plans for expats in Singapore, including MSIG Prestige Healthcare Elite, Liberty MyHealth International, and FWD International Health Insurance, to name a few. In addition, plans can be purchased from the Singapore Central Provident Fund Board. Permanent residents who have healthcare insurance in Singapore can enjoy access to all A-B1 healthcare centers and are covered for medical and dental expenses and maternity expenses, amongst others. In terms of education opportunities for expats living in Singapore with children, parents can have peace of mind knowing that they are living in a country with one of the highest-ranked education systems in the world. Depending on where you are expatriating from, education will come at a different cost. Expats from Asia pay less than those coming from farther international locations, like the United States and the United Kingdom. Here is the average cost of education in Singapore: Primary school: 885 SGD/monthHigh school: 1770 SGD/monthUniversity: depends on major, can range between 40,000 and 200,000 SGD per academic year Work and Business Opportunities Singapore is a hub for global minds, and many of the world’s largest companies have headquarters in the city. Singapore is a prime location for companies seeking to expand into the Asian market, and technically skilled expats looking for employment opportunities should have no problem landing a lucrative and competitive position within the country. This section will explain the top professional sectors in Singapore and the entry requirements needed to be met when coming into the country for work. The manufacturing sector is one of Singapore’s largest and most competitive fields. The production of biomedical supplies, chemicals, and electronics makes up a large percentage of the country’s GDP. Expats specializing in these fields will find the job hunt relatively straightforward. By virtue of being one of the fintech hubs of Asia, the job markets for positions in the finance and corporate fields are both intensely competitive and extremely rewarding. Many of the world’s largest corporate finance institutions have branches in Singapore. The entrepreneur scene in Singapore is equally competitive. As one of Asia’s major commerce centers, entrepreneurs in Singapore are under constant foreign and domestic competition. In addition, competitive tax rates and exemptions make Singapore an attractive destination for people starting their own businesses. While all these factors work in favor of the entrepreneur in terms of exposure and growth, it can become an untenable environment for many and is represented through a 30% business start-up failure within 2-5 years of opening a business within Singapore. Taking a closer look at the administrative procedures of engaging in professional work, professionals must consider the work permit and visa requirements of their respective countries when coming to work and live in Singapore. Most countries require a travel visa when coming to Singapore, and every foreign national seeking employment within the country requires a work permit. The work permit process is straightforward and takes up to 10 business days following the application submission to receive a response. Interested parties should refer to the Singapore national website for an explicit, step-by-step guide to this process.Lifestyle and Culture Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures and customs, with heavy influence from Chinese, Malay, and other Southeast Asian cultures. Singapore boasts four official languages (English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil), and Singaporeans are mostly fluent in English, the vast majority converse in “Singlish”, a hodge podge of the four official languages blended into one.Singapore also observes festivals and holidays that span the cultures of its citizens, ranging from the Western Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays to the Buddhist Vesak Day and the Islamic Eid al-Fitr. Essentially, living in Singapore means experiencing a taste of hundreds of unique cultures, each with its own traditions, foods, cultural experiences, and languages.Common FAQs What are the emergency contacts I need to know? For expats living in Singapore, it is essential to be aware of all emergency contacts in the event of a disaster. Here is the most important emergency contact information for any expat living in Singapore. Police: 999Emergency ambulance and fire: 995Police hotline: 1800 255 0000Non-emergency ambulance service: 1777 What is important tax information I should know in Singapore? As an expat living in Singapore, it is important to be aware of the relevant tax information. Taxes in Singapore are relatively straightforward; here is some of the most essential information: Residents can benefit from a progressive tax system, ranging from 0%-22%, and are also eligible for various tax relief and deduction schemes. Non-residents have a flat tax rate of 22% and are not eligible for tax reduction schemes.Singapore’s “Global Investor Program” offers lucrative tax rates for high-income individuals looking to invest in the country.Singapore’s Employment Pass considers professionals as tax residents if they meet certain salary requirements and stay in Singapore for a minimum of 183 calendar days in a year.Singapore’s EntrePass is a program geared towards inviting entrepreneurs into Singapore. Qualified entrepreneurs can enjoy resident-level benefits if they meet a certain criterion at the end of 183 days in the country.Singapore does not have a Capital Gains Tax.General Sales Tax is currently 8% and will become 9% on January 1, 2024.Property tax falls under three groups and is each subject to different rates. These groups are Owner-Occupied Residential Property, Non-Owner Occupied Residential Property, and Land and Non-Residential Properties What are some networks and/or groups for expats in Singapore? There are a multitude of online groups for expats living in Singapore. Some popular Facebook groups are: Expats in SingaporeSingapore ExpatsYou can check out Cake’s Facebook page for job positions available in Singapore! Is it easy to live in Singapore as a foreigner? Yes! Living in Singapore can be an incredibly invigorating experience for expats. A vibrant and bustling city that is both safe and foreigner-friendly awaits those who decide to make the move! How much money do you need to live in Singapore? The amount of money needed to live in Singapore depends highly on your lifestyle choices. That said, a salary of around 6000-8000 SGD is more than enough for a single person living in Singapore. What is a good expat salary in Singapore? The average salary in Singapore is around 8400 SGD a month. Expats can earn this and much more, depending on educational qualifications, professional experience, and the field of work they engage in. Is Singapore a good place to live in? Singapore is regarded as one of the safest and most modern countries on Earth and is a global hub for Asia and the world. Living in Singapore can be an unforgettable experience for expats willing to make the move, and your time there will be as good as you make it out to be!Conclusion Living in Singapore has its pros and cons. As Singapore is a global center for innovation and investment, living in Singapore as an expat can be an enriching personal and professional experience. Those willing to make the move should be aware of the administrative procedures involved with relocating to the city-state and should be prepared to dive deep into a country rich with culture and history. Singapore is incredibly diverse and foreigner-friendly, and there are plenty of expat hotspots to visit for that reminder of home! Are you considering making the move to Singapore and require a job to seal the deal? Check out Cake for all the information you will need to make the move to this bustling and vibrant city-state! Our curated selection of articles takes deep dives into life in Singapore and other Asian countries, as well as tips and tricks to maximize your professional career. Give us a follow so that you never miss our next upload!Cake is an all-in-one talent platform that helps job seekers on their career journey, from building resumes to searching for jobs. With an intuitivefree resume builder providing 15+ ATS-friendly resume templates, 50+ resume snippets, and an AI-powered job search portal, job seekers can now find any job, anywhere.Start My Journey Now — Originally written by Alex Coye —

APractical Guide for Global Job SeekersWorking abroad can be an exciting and rewarding experience for anyone who wants to broaden their horizons, learn new skills, and explore different cultures. However, working in a foreign country also comes with its own set of challenges, such as visa and legal issues, language barriers, cultural differences, and homesickness. In this article, we will share some tips on how to work abroad, tips that will help you prepare and plan for your international career, from choosing the right country, visa and legal considerations, cultural and language preparation, global job search, networking, and overcoming homesickness and culture shock. TABLE OF CONTENTSChoosing the Right Country for Your International Career​​Visa and Legal Requirements for Working AbroadHow to Learn and Adapt to the Culture and Language of Your Host CountryFinding and Applying for Jobs in the Global MarketConnect and Network with Expatriates and Global ProfessionalsHow to Cope with Homesickness and Culture Shock When Working AbroadConclusion Choosing the Right Country for Your International Career One of the first steps to working abroad is choosing the right country for your career goals, personal preferences, and lifestyle. There are many factors to consider when selecting a country for work.Choosing another country to work abroad requires consideration based on many factors such as:Demand and availability of jobs in your field of expertiseCost of living and quality of life in the countrySafety and security situation in the countryClimate and weather conditions in the countryCulture and values of the country and its peopleLanguage and communication skills required in the country You should also consider your own motivations and expectations for working abroad, such as: Duration and type of work you want to do: short-term or long-term, full-time or part-time, freelance or contract, etc.The level of challenge and adventure you are looking forThe degree of flexibility and independence you needYour career planning: the opportunities for personal and professional growth and development Working abroad can also mean digitally working for a foreign country, without having to physically relocate. This is an option for those who want to enjoy the benefits of working in a global market, while staying in their home country or traveling the world as a digital nomad. However, this also requires a high level of self-discipline, time management, and communication skills, as well as reliable internet access and equipment. Nowadays, you can easily find pages or groups sharing Digital Nomads experiences on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. One of the first simple steps for you to become a global citizen in your job search journey is to "transform yourself" into a person working according to the "digital nomad" trend. In this way, you can somehow experience the working style, working methods, cultural exchange as well as have the first stepping stones in finding and working abroad.Visa and Legal Requirements for Working Abroad Another important step to working abroad is looking at the visa requirements and legal preparations you need to make if you want to move to another country. Depending on the country and the type of work you want to do, you may need to apply for a specific visa, such as a work visa, a business visa, a student visa, a tourist visa, or a working holiday visa. You should also check the eligibility criteria, the application process, the fees, and the validity period of the visa you need.You should also be aware of the legal implications of working abroad, such as:The tax laws and regulations in both your home country and the host countryThe labor laws and employment rights in the host countryThe health insurance and social security coverage in the host countryThe currency exchange and banking options in the host country The case might be different for those who work remotely, but you should still understand the legal considerations for your home country, such as the tax issues, the registration of your business, and the contracts and invoices you need to issue. Each type of Visa in each country will correspond to different purposes, so the corresponding issuance time will also be different. As in Taiwan, you can apply for a visa based on your intention to work, short-term visit for work purposes or long-term stay and work. For instance, if you want to work in Taiwan, you will need to obtain a work permit and a resident visa, which are issued by the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, respectively. You will also need to apply for an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and a National Health Insurance (NHI) card, which are issued by the National Immigration Agency and the National Health Insurance Administration, if you have plans and intentions to work long-term in Taiwan. For more information, you can find more information about the visa and legal requirements for working in Taiwan here.How to Learn and Adapt to the Culture and Language of Your Host Country Working abroad also requires a high level of cultural and language proficiency and communication skills. You will need to understand and adapt to the culture and language of the country you are working in, as well as the work culture and etiquette of your employer and colleagues. This will help you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and frustrations, and build trust and rapport with your co-workers and clients. Some tips for cultural and language preparation 1. Learn the basics of the language of the country Greetings, introductions, numbers, dates, directions, and common phrases.💡Pro tips: Online courses, apps, books, podcasts, or videos to learn the language, or enroll in a language school or find a language partner in the country. 2. Research the culture and history of the country The values, beliefs, customs, traditions, norms, and taboos.💡Pro tips: You can use online resources, books, documentaries, or blogs to learn about the culture, or ask your local friends, co-workers, or mentors for advice and insights. 3. Observe and respect the cultural differences and similarities between your home country and the host country Communication styles, the work ethics, the dress codes, the social norms, and the etiquette.💡Pro tips: You can also learn from your own mistakes and experiences, and be open-minded and curious about the culture, rather than judgmental or critical. Finding and Applying for Jobs in the Global Market Finding a job abroad can be challenging, but not impossible, if you know how to utilize the international job search platforms and resources available to you. Some of the ways you can find a job abroad are: Use online job boards and websites Online platforms that specialize in global or regional job opportunities, such as Cake, Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Jobbatical. You can also use niche job boards that cater to specific industries, fields, or skills, such as Stack Overflow, AngelList, or Remote.co. Social media and professional networks An ideal way to connect with potential employers, recruiters, or referrals, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Meetup! You can also join online communities and groups that are relevant to your industry, field, or skill, such as Reddit, Quora, or Slack.📚Further reading: How to Find Recruiters on LinkedIn - Unlocking Your Career Connections [+ Tips] Take advantage of good references Use personal contacts and referrals to get introduced to or recommended by someone who works or knows someone who works in the country or company you are interested in. You can also attend events, workshops, seminars, or conferences that are related to your industry, field, or skill, and network with the attendees, speakers, or organizers.📚Further reading: How to Ask for a Job Referral: Guide, Tips and Examples Appreciate each small project or opportunity Use freelance platforms and websites to find short-term or project-based work opportunities, such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, or Toptal. You can also use online marketplaces and websites that offer services or products that are in demand in the country you are interested in. When applying for a job abroad, you will also need to tailor your application materials for a global audience, such as your resume, cover letter, portfolio, or website. You can visit here for more tips for preparing your application documents.Connect and Network with Expatriates and Global Professionals Working abroad also means building connections with foreign expatriate communities and global professionals, who can offer you support, guidance, and opportunities for your international career. Networking in international communities can help you learn more about the culture, language, and work environment of the country you are working in, and get tips and advice from people who have been in your situation before. Besides, it also helps you find potential mentors who can help you grow and develop yourself. By this way, you can discover new job opportunities just through expanding your professional network and exposure. Make new friends and socialize with people who can relate to your experiences, challenges, and aspirations, and provide you with emotional support, companionship, and fun. Some tips for networking in international communities 1. Join online or offline groups, clubs, or organizations Take the chance to join the community that are relevant to your industry, field, or skill, or that cater to expatriates, foreigners, or travelers in the country you are working in. For instance, some online platforms that can help you are: Meetup, InterNations, or Couchsurfing. 2. The more the merrier Reach out to people who work or have worked in the country or company you are interested in, or who have similar backgrounds, interests, or goals as you, and introduce yourself, express your interest, or ask for advice. 3. Maintain your relationships with your connections Follow up and maintain your relationships with the people you meet or connect with, and show your appreciation, interest, or support. You can use online platforms such as email, Skype, or Zoom, to communicate and keep in touch with these people, or send them thank-you notes, feedback, or recommendations. 📚Further reading: Looking to Become a Networking Expert? 10 Pro Tips How to Cope with Homesickness and Culture Shock When Working Abroad Working abroad can also cause homesickness and culture shock, which are common emotional challenges that many expatriates face when moving to a new country. Homesickness is the feeling of missing one’s home, family, friends, or familiar environment, while culture shock is the feeling of confusion, stress, or anxiety that results from encountering a different culture, language, or way of life. Some of the symptoms of homesickness and culture shock are: Feeling lonely, isolated, or depressedBeing nostalgic, sentimental, or regretfulEasy to become frustrated, angry, or resentfulFeeling bored, restless, or dissatisfiedPhysical problems: having difficulty sleeping, eating, or concentrating and headaches, stomachaches, or allergies To deal with homesickness and culture shock, you can learn from some coping strategies as: Stay connected Keep in touch with your friends and family, and share your feelings and experiences with them. Create a familiar environment in your living space Surround yourself with things that remind you of home, such as photos, souvenirs, or music. You can also cook or order familiar foods, or watch or read familiar media, such as movies, shows, or books. Healthy routines help It gives you a sense of structure and normalcy, and helps you cope with stress and uncertainty. You can also set goals and plans that motivate you and keep you focused, such as learning a new skill, taking a course, or traveling to a new place. Professional guidance Seeking professional help if you feel that your homesickness or culture shock is affecting your mental or physical health, or interfering with your work or personal life. Anyone else who can provide you with emotional support, guidance, or treatment.Conclusion Working abroad can be a life-changing and rewarding experience, but it also requires careful preparation and planning, as well as adaptation and resilience. By following the how to work abroad tips we shared in this article, you can choose the right country, visa and legal issues, cultural and language preparation, job search, networking, and coping strategies for your international career. If you are ready to take the leap and work abroad, visit Cake’s job search portal and follow our blog for more insightful career advice. Wish you all the best in your global journey!Cake is afree resume makerandportfolio builderthat provides hundreds ofresume templates (free download)and variousjob resume examplesto help showcase the best you. Landing your dream job will be a piece of cake!Create Resume --- Originally Written by Andrea Do ---

A Short Guide to Tax in Malaysia: Tax Rates Filling DatesThe tax system in Malaysia is composed of different taxes at the state and federal levels. Whether you’re an expat or a resident, it’s important to understand the different tax regulations to avoid mistakes and get the most out of tax time. If you’re considering moving to Malaysia or about to enter the workforce, in this article, we’ll cover the basic regulations governing tax in Malaysia, including taxes for expatriates. TABLEOFCONTENTS:Types of Taxes in MalaysiaHow to fill taxes in MalaysiaKey Takeaway Types of Taxes in Malaysia Income Tax Taxes in Malaysia are applied to any income from employment, business, rent, interest, or pension. What is the minimum salary to pay income tax in Malaysia? Anyone earning more than RM 34,000 with a monthly tax deduction can be taxed. These can be salaries, wages, bonuses, and allowances received by anyone from their employment. The tax rate is progressive and ranges from 0% to 30%. Your tax rate in Malaysia is based on your income level. The median Malaysian salary, at RM 70,000, is taxed at 11%, while non-residents and those making over 2,000,000 pay 30% tax. You may be entitled to a tax refund in Malaysia if you have monthly tax deductions but a low final payable tax. Some of the deductions available to taxpayers include medical expenses, charitable contributions, fees for childcare, and education. Exemptions are similar to deductions in reducing taxable income and include things like household appliances, maternity expenses and even gardeners. There are many more, so it’s important to check Malaysia's official website for tax to find out exactly what you qualify for. Goods and Services Tax (GST) / Sales and Service Tax (SST) GST was a consumption tax in Malaysia placed on taxable goods or services. Services like childcare and healthcare were exempt from GST, along with residential property and public transport. However, GST was replaced by SST in 2018. Sales Tax is placed on manufactured or imported goods, between 5 and 10%, while Service Tax is for services like hospitality, accounting, insurance, advertising, and more. Services are taxed at 6%. While the SST was meant to relieve some of the burdens that the flat rate of GST introduced, it nonetheless has impacted individuals and businesses. Consumers pay a hidden price as businesses adjust their fees to accommodate for taxes paid. Service Tax in Malaysia may increase to 8% soon, compounding existing issues. Corporate Tax The corporate tax rate in Malaysia is less flexible than personal income tax, at 24%. Some companies qualify for a lower tax rate in Malaysia, depending on their paid-up capital and whether they control or are controlled by another organisation. There are many incentives and exemptions for businesses paying tax in Malaysia. Companies working in green technology, in research and development, and in promoted activities in special zones qualify for tax incentives. The same is true for export and venture capital companies and many more. These exemptions can change, so be sure to check out the official tax website for detailed information. Tax planning for corporations in Malaysia should be done thoughtfully. Consider your business structure, maximize deductions, and always comply with SST. Tax in Malaysia for Expats An expat is a resident for tax purposes if they have been present in Malaysia for 182 days of the calendar year. Short-term absences due to illness or social visits of less than 2 weeks still count towards this time as a resident. If you are in Malaysia for less than 182 days, you are still considered a resident if you were present for the final 6 consecutive months of the previous year or the first 6 months of the next year. You are also considered a Malaysian tax resident if you have been present for the last three years and will be present next year. Hence, your intention to stay is an important factor in determining residency. Although there are some special cases, in general, foreigner’s tax in Malaysia is 30%, while Malaysian residents have progressive rates based on their income. You can check this article for a detailed breakdown of the tax rate in Malaysia for non-residents by income type. Employment income, rent, and dividends are taxed at 30% for expats. Your income from interest or as a public entertainer is taxed at 15%, and for royalties and payments for services, tax in Malaysia is 10%.How to fill taxes in Malaysia There are several important dates for filing taxes in Malaysia. For residents and non-residents without business income, the filing date for tax in Malaysia is April 30th. For those with business income, it’s June 30th. Not filing your taxes before the deadline could lead to a fine between RM 200 and RM 20,000 and even prison time, so it’s essential to understand your tax obligations and know your filing date. The filing date for corporate tax in Malaysia is less straightforward. Corporate taxes should be filed within 7 months of closing the accounting year. To file taxes in Malaysia, you must self-assess your income and taxes and submit one of the forms available on the Malaysian tax website. The form you choose is based on your status as a resident and whether you have employment income or operate a business. You can use the e-filing system or mail your forms manually. For help filling out Malaysian tax forms you can visit an Inland Revenue Board branch. How to fill taxes in MalaysiaRegistration for E-filing: Taxpayers must register for e-filing through the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) portal. Step-by-step instructions are provided for creating an e-filing account and accessing the online tax filing system.Completing Tax Forms: Taxpayers must accurately complete relevant tax forms based on their individual or business circumstances. Instructions are provided for documenting various types of income and deductions.Submission Procedures: Tax forms can be submitted electronically via the e-filing system or by mail. Important deadlines, payment methods, and penalties for late filing or non-compliance are outlined to ensure compliance with tax regulations. Tax filing can be overwhelming, so getting your information straight from the source on the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia website is important.Key Takeaway The Malaysian tax website indicates that the tax rate in Malaysia is progressive and based on income. In contrast, the foreigner tax in Malaysia is a flat 30%, so it’s important to understand whether you are a resident for tax purposes. If you own a business, corporate tax planning is essential to make the most of available deductions. If you are filing taxes in Malaysia, professional advice is valuable, especially when it comes to tax planning. It’s important to check the Malaysian tax website for all official tax updates to avoid misinformation.With Cake, an online resume builder, we provide you with hundreds of professional resume templates (free download) and various great resume examples that help showcase the best you. Landing your dream job will be a piece of cake!Create Resume--- Originally Written by Tiffany Quinn ---

Contents5 Steps to Become a Software EngineerWays to Become a Software Engineer without a DegreeTop 5 Software Engineer Resume Tips The opportunities brought by the ongoing technological evolution led to a constant high demand for software engineer jobs. Unfilled vacancies call for software development talent with high adaptability and attracted job seekers who aspire to higher salaries. According to U.S. News, the median software engineer salary lies around $107,510. Remote software engineer jobs also increased, bringing flexible working modes that allow software engineers to work from home or freelance. More consider a career change as a response to this new era, or find online software development jobs to live more freely. However, before making dramatic decisions, one should probably conduct research to understand the fundamentals and requirements of working as a software engineer or a software developer. This article walks you through the basics you need to know on how to get into software development. Follow the steps to become a software engineer and make a plan using the resources below.5 Steps to Become a Software Engineer Step 1: Learn about different coding career paths.First and foremost, clarify and learn about different coding career paths. Software engineering is the general terms of the following roles, including differences in job duties, qualifications, and talents. You should understand the specific details or inquire others to know what their work is really like, their software engineer salary, or what fits your personality to know what to learn to become a software developer. 8 common coding career paths:Front-End Engineers are often called web developers. They often work with UI UX designers to realize visible, tangible interactive elements using HTML, CSS, and Javascript.Back-End Engineers use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to deal with the undergoing databases and infrastructure, logging systems, and caching systems. Responsibilities include creating and maintaining the structure of server-side information, debug, and realize cross-department demands.Full Stack Engineer is a combination of front-end and back-end engineering. They are able to develop a project from start to finish, tackle databases, build user-facing websites, or communicate with clients during different phases of software development.QA Engineers, or quality assurance engineers, create and run comprehensive or automated test plans to improve the software. They identify quality issues to bring out feedback or meaningful resolutions.DevOps Engineer reduces the gap between developers and IT operations. It aims to shorten the system development life-cycle by bringing out quick change of an application as well as maintaining its reliability.Security Engineers identify possible security threats by pinpointing, documenting, reporting system weaknesses. They ensure sensitive or valuable information is kept confidential and plan strategies to prevent malware or hackers’ attacks.Mobile Application Developers, like its title, work on installable mobile applications. Installable software bundles include coding, binaries, assets, back-end services (data access with an API), and testing on targeted hardware devices.Data Scientists collect data from various sources to analyze valuable insight. They proactively fetch and create data structures, creating machine learning-based tools, and present information by visualizing data. Knowledge of R, SQL, and Python is a must. Be clear with your end goal, so you know what to study to become a software engineer. There will be changes, but planning ahead would make you more adaptable to them and less hesitant in decision-making. Understanding what you’ll have to do will make your career change to software engineer smoother.Step 2: Choose the paths based on your interest and goals.After deciding on the software engineering role that best suits you, coding language knowledge is the next thing you’ll learn about how to become a software engineer and what do you need to be a software engineer.10 trending programming languages:Python aimed for better readability and clear structure. It is the dominant coding language used for general purposes but ideal for crunching heavy data and text analysis. Big technology companies like Wikipedia, Google, Pinterest, Instagram, and Reddit were all built using Python.Java, which is different from Javascript, is famous for cross-platform compatibility, meaning that a code written for a PC would encounter fewer problems while functioning on a mobile (“Write once, run anywhere”). Java is the basis for most Android operating application systems.Kotlin is a relatively new coding language for Android app development that is designed to interoperate with Java. On 7 May 2019, Google announced that Kotlin programming language is now its preferred language for Android app developers. Many Android software developers turn to Kotlin as a result.Swift is a programming language designed specifically for iOS and OSX systems. It is based on Objective-C but has simpler syntax, meaning more developer-friendly and easier to debug.C#, or C “sharp”, is introduced by Windows to replace Java for writing Windows programs, as part of its .NET initiative. It is used for general purpose, but also known for its object-oriented design.C++ and C are related, as C++ is an improvement on the C language in the way it stored and organized information and object-oriented characteristics. C is a more basic machine language that works across operating systems, like Mac, Windows and Linux.Go or Golang is an open-source, statically typed coding language initially developed by Google. It combines the advantages of multiple languages like C’s performance and readability like Python. Go focus on simplicity, speed, cross-platform, and multi-processing.PHP was the first language designed for dynamic web development. WordPress is written in PHP, and is used for server-side back-end engineering.JavaScript is a front-end web-developing coding language that works on client-side. It runs almost on all browsers, and makes websites interactive. It has no relation to Java, and is more related to HTML or CSS.Ruby is similar with Python for the same belief to make coding more similar to human linguistics. Lately it has been popular due to the web-building framework, Ruby on Rails’ growing market share. ✨ Cake offers Online Coding Tests to certify your skills. Attract interview invitations by passing the test and winning a certificate badge! Step 3: Gather online offline resources for learning how to code.There are endless resources to assist your career change to a software engineer. Collect available resources to keep them handy at all times. Making good use of resources ensures more solid progress.Top 5 waysto learn codingonline offline:Online coding courses ranged from general to specialization for you to choose from. First consider your needs or time limits, and pick the one that suits you best.Books may be less up-to-date than online sources, but they are solid theories that would lay your fundamentals. Books clarify the logistic mechanics behind the result and coding must-knows.Joining a community network is another way to approach software engineering responsibilities. Their experiences might dispel your uncertainties about what to learn to become a software developer, how to become a software engineer without a degree, or how to get into software development.Join or start offline coding activities in your city to find supportive friends. The benefits of face-to-face discussion are that you can always stop when having a question in mind.The governments also hold out regular coding programs or financial subsidies for the cooperating agencies.Even if you don’t meet the software engineer education requirements, you can include these experiences in your entry-level or senior software engineer resume. Remember, a fixed path does not exist, but knowing where the helpers are makes your career change to software engineer easier.Step 4: Work on coding side projects and build an online portfolio. A portfolio best demonstrates proof of software engineer qualifications. For those without a relevant degree, combining your hobbies with software engineering can fill the gap of lacking software engineer education requirements. Suppose you have unique expertise or interests. Integrate them with coding to develop side projects. On your career change to software engineer, you’ll definitely write one or two projects.How to build a portfolio for asoftware engineer:Start with choosing an interesting topic and decide the coding languages. The coding language should align with the job niche you aspire and wish to apply for. Read job requirements to define associated libraries and tools that are common to your niche.The next step is to determine the size of your project. Two weeks or a month of intensive and continuous work is sufficient to get a functional project completed early. You can add new features or refine your project afterward.Document the problems you’ve solved and reasons for using a particular approach. Emphasize the process in your portfolio rather than showing off fancy functions without explanation.This medium article by Filipe Silva might inspire you if you haven’t thought of one. A major software engineer qualification is a good portfolio. Listing side-projects in your portfolio collection showcases your ability and passion for the industry. Step 5: Sharpen your programming skills for the job hunt.Besides your software proficiency, you should also notice practical experience related to the software engineer industry. There are channels to gain working experience before landing a job. You can practice essential software engineering soft skills like communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, or scheduling, through various activities. These experiences are supplementing coding exercises to list as software engineer qualifications.4 ways to beef up a software engineer resume:Hackathon is a design-sprint-like intensive event that gathers software engineers, UI designers, industrial designers, or other experts to develop functioning hardware or software. It focuses on team-working and problem-solving skills.Volunteering to work as a software developer for non-profits is also a great coding practice to improve your coding mastery and bring real changes for the world. There are remote code-teaching or software-developing volunteer vacancies available on movingworlds.com or corporates’ websites.Open Source Projects are projects that are free to use, study, modify and distribute for any purpose and anyone. By lowering the barrier to adopt and collaborate, a project can be spread and improved more widely and quickly. An open-source project allows other software engineers or users to provide feedback, advice, functional problems, and solutions. You can look through Github and examine others’ open-source projects as programming practice.Internships and entry-level jobs offer opportunities to work on real projects
. The benefit of an internship is the advantage of getting right to work without extensive training and onboarding. An entry-level job is another way to quickly adapt to the industry working environment and absorb like a sponge.Online Coding Course ExercisesDo you need a degree to be a software engineer? Not necessarily! Most software engineers or computer programmers start their careers with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Luckily, there’s no need to panic or give up if you don’t have one. Online coding practice or computer programming courses provide abundant resources to learn the basic coding for beginners. More often than not, you can request certificates that are recognized or acknowledged by most companies. There are also coding practices and assessments for self-learn-beginners like you. Cake Coding Tests might act as a quality guarantee if applicants don’t have a computer science diploma. Here are some best websites to learn coding for you to check out. How long does it take to become a software engineer? Most computer programming courses have overviews and the amount of learning hours for students to follow through. It varies widely depending on personal devotion, but you’ll never run out of materials to learn programming online.Here is a list of best websites to learn coding programming online below.▪CodecademyAn online interactive platform that sets out to “create a world where anyone can build something meaningful with technology, and everyone has the learning tools, resources, and opportunities to learn programming online.” It has helped millions of people learn to code and provides an enjoyable learning experience.▪ Code.orgA non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools. They focus on increasing students from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups to engage in computer science coding for beginners’ lessons. They offer courses in over 45 languages such as Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, and more.▪ Khan AcademyIt offers a wide range of free introductory online coding courses, mainly built on Youtube. Their coding courses include JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and SQL.▪ BitDegreeA career-oriented online coding courses website that teaches not only coding programming but also subjects like business and marketing. Indonesian, Vietnamese, and 8 other languages are available on their website.▪ edX It features open courses held by prestigious US universities. You can find credit-eligible, advanced, or master-level computer science programmes on their website to learn programming online.▪ CodewarIt offers various programming practices known commonly as “kata” to power up your programming proficiency. They form a software engineering community with gamified rankings and honor through completing, contributing, or proposing quality kata solutions.▪ Free Code Camp An interactive learning platform with online community forums, chat rooms, publications, and local organizations to make learning web development accessible to anyone. Their curriculum intends to use “pair programming” to overcome students’ doubt about their adequacy of skills.▪ CourseraUdemyThese two are popular platforms that provide a wide range of selections. Anyone can teach Udemy courses, so it’s cheaper compared to Coursera. You can find all sorts of topics with a shorter learning time. Coursera, on the other hand, is more academic and accredited but also more costly if you need a certificate from a reputable university.There might not be a best way to learn coding, but try out these online coding practice platforms and stick to the coding practice sites that match your language needs, learning habits, or financial concerns. Challenging yourself might just be THE BEST way to learn coding. Top 5 Software Engineer Resume TipsFinally, you have reached the stage of writing an entry-level software engineer resume. Here are five professional tips from Cake on how to write a software engineer resume. Take notice of these tips to avoid common mistakes and write an impressive software engineer resume.💡 Tip 1 - Use Quantify results in software engineer resume. Always use quantified results to substantiate your accomplishments. Hiring managers are more sensitive to numbers. Use data and metrics to quantify and back up your previous effort. Calculated results are easier to interpret than job duties descriptions. 💡 Tip 2 - List programming skills by categories. Similarly, categorize your skills to create a concise and HR-friendly resume. Use job roles such as front-end or machine learning as categories, then bullet point programming languages below. 💡 Tip 3 - Highlight soft skills. When considering what kind of skills to put in a software engineer resume, remember that soft skills are as equally valued as coding skills. Soft skills like collaboration, problem-solving mindset, scheduling, or conflict resolution are big helpers in the practical workspace. Having an engineer who’s an awful communicator is probably more harmful than not having one. 💡 Tip 4 - Include side projects online portfolio. Portfolios are hard-proof if you are unsure what kind of skills to put in a software engineer resume. Developing a personal portfolio website that includes your side projects is a way to stand out. An ideal portfolio website should reflect your personality and explicitly present the process of your work. 💡 Tip 5 - Tailor your resume to a specific job. Suppose there are several companies you are applying to. Highlight each of their differences to tailor your software engineer resumes. Learn common phrases in the company's culture and use exact terms in the job description to make the resume ATS (Applicant Tracking System) compliant. Submit different resume versions with different keywords, even if responsibilities are similar. Overview For Your Career Change PlanNow you have the idea of how to get into software development! Let’s recap on the key takeaways.Research and understand the software engineering role you are targeting.Choose the language that suits the position, understand its positioning and orientation.List available resources to map out your path and learn in depth.Take online coding courses or coding tests to earn certificates.Prepare a portfolio and update regularly to document new projects.Challenge yourself by participating in coding activities or entry-level jobs.Learn how to write a software engineer resume using tips or free resume templates from Cake. Your career change to a software engineer might not be easy, and there will be frustrations ahead. Luckily, you are not alone. Establish your software engineer networks of support to make your career transition more successful.

An overview of the most promising jobs in 2020 The first job right out of college is one of the major life decisions that freshers have to carefully ponder on before going all in. After all, finding a job that justifies all those all-nighters back in university is not that easy. With an ever-changing work landscape, jobs that exist today may become obsolete in 20 years, so it's nearly impossible to future-proof your career when change seems to be the only thing constant—just think about how talks on disruptive tech innovations and AI have made its way into our daily conversations. Navigating the future can be quite a daunting task, so let me first help you understand what the current landscape is: Data scientists have emerged as one of the fastest-growing professions, having recorded the highest growth rate over the past five years. Other technical roles such as artificial intelligence specialists, Python developers, and DevOps engineers also ranked high. The predominance of tech roles reflects the world’s speed of digitization. However, to my non-engineering background friends, fret not—positions ranging from business intelligence analyst to graphic designers have also found places on this list, as soft skills like creativity and customer retention abilities have begun to gain traction, underscoring the importance of human intervention at every level of digitization. Further reading :For Freshers: Tips to Land Your Coveted Job So which opportunities have presented themselves in our tech-dominated world? In this article, I've listed down 10 promising jobs in 2020 (and possibly beyond) to give you an overview of the highly sought-after industries along with the median salary of the positions being offered, irrespective of your work experience. So for the entry-level folks out there, fear not, you'll be able to find new paths to help you prepare for an unpredictable future.Top 10 in demand jobs in 2020 for freshers 1. Data scientist The emergence of big data and artificial intelligence led to the creation of this lucrative job that only began to gain traction during the dotcom bubble. As the name implies, data scientists manage and analyze massive amounts of data then glean insights from the gathered data to drive effective business decisions that help companies reach their targets. It has already proven to be highly effective and indispensable in the retail, telecom, marketing, healthcare, and educational industries. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), there were 31,700 data scientist job openings last 2018. The median salary is $118,370 and the job outlook from 2018 to 2028 is expected to spike at least 40%. Technological skills needed include Python, R, and SQL, but business acumen is also mandatory considering data scientists need to know which decisions best drive businesses forward. 2. Machine learning engineer Data science and machine learning often go hand in hand in taking the world by storm, and has woven into every aspect of our lives, from the facial recognition software on your iPhone to your homie Alexa. Not only do machine learning engineers keep all sorts of nerve-wracking problems at bay but also brighten our lives by alleviating our inconveniences. Every industry needs machine learning engineers. According to LinkedIn’s 2019 report, job openings for machine learning have grown 96% with $182,000 being the median salary. In India alone, there are over 78,000 job vacancies in the machine learning and data science fields. Skills such as data mining, artificial intelligence, and python are needed for this post. Further reading :5 Tips to Build a Strong Machine Learning Resume 3. Full-stack developer The 21st-century human does everything online, therefore well-functioning websites have become basic necessities. That being said, full-stack developers have the crucial roles in developing both the front-end and the back-end of websites, aligning the interface with the customers' needs. From JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and basic visual design skills to back-end languages for databases such as Node.js, Python, Ruby, these are the basic job requirements for a full-stack developer. Companies providing information technology, marketing, advertising and financial services are always on the lookout for full-stack developers. Their average salary in the US is $113,285. 4. DevOps engineer Like full-stack developers, DevOps engineers have a huge impact on how technology can be utilized and applied in an organization. Both aim to make applications flexible, agile and scalable. DevOps is a combination of skillset including development, operation, and quality assurance. For DevOps engineers, they have to improve communication and collaboration efficiency between different teams such as software development, IT operations, and quality assurance. DevOps is, in fact, a beneficial culture that should be integrated in companies’ everyday operations for it efficiently diminishes barriers between operation and development, reduce risk and increase competitiveness. It lays the groundwork for any company’s further development. According to Indeed, the average salary of DevOps engineers is around $127,000 per year. 5. Python developer According to TIOBE Index, Python is ranked as the world’s 3rd most popular programming language among software developers. In fact, lots of tech juggernauts prefer to use Python in writing their systems. Take Google for example, it uses Python for everything from its AI algorithms to its App Engine Cloud. Numerous machine learning libraries are also written in Python. Python developers usually create the back-end components, linking web applications to other web services. Companies in the following industries are constantly looking for Python developers: information technology and services, computer software, marketing, and advertising, and financial services. Skills such as Django, Flask, MySQL, and Javascript are mandatory requirements. According to Indeed, the average annual salary in the U.S. is $120,000.Top 10 in demand jobs in 2020 for freshers 6. Desktop support engineer Indispensable to most companies, these engineers help individuals troubleshoot and solve computer-related problems as well as help set up new equipment. The job outlook is expected to grow 10% according to the BLS, and the median salary in 2018 was around $53,470. It’s often regarded as a transitional job as most people tend to pivot to network administrators or information technology directors after a couple of years because the latter positions offer a higher salary. 7. UI developer Compared to other web-related professions, user interface (UI) development is regarded as more comprehensive and shapes the way we interact with the digital world. It’s a profession that combines programming, psychology and creative design, allowing users to have a seamless and efficient digital experience. Through 2020 and beyond, countless businesses will launch new computer systems and web-based applications so demand for talented user interface developers will continue to rise. UI developers must be adept in domains such as web, software and mobile application development. According to the BLS, the job outlook for this field is expected to increase 21% from 2018 to 2028. Not only do UI developers have to be fluent in front-end web development languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; knowledge of design programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator is also a must. Based on data provided by Indeed and Glassdoor, the average starting salary for UI developers in the U.S. is $91,000. 8. Graphic designer Graphic design encompasses a wide range of disciplines including iconography, web design, and identity design. Designers take on the responsibility of creating visually impactful concepts and materials that are able to attract certain audiences or target markets. It’s a profession that's highly sought-after by side-hustlers as the gig economy continues to gain traction. Graphic design mercenaries can sell their services to the highest bidder on a per contract basis. Based on a survey that has been conducted 5 years in a row, graphic design still remains as one of the fields that people aim to get into even by those who are looking for the stability of a full-time desk job. According to the BLS, the job outlook of graphic designers is expected to grow 24 to 26%. The median salary in 2018 was around $50,370. 9. Business intelligence analyst Business intelligence analysts use data collected by the company to maximize profits and boost efficiency. By querying databases effectively, they produce reports and identify trends in order to generate actionable business insights. A strong business acumen with solid problem-solving, critical thinking and presentation skills are the minimum job requirements. When it comes to technical skills, database design and data mining are necessary as analysts have to handle all variants of SQL. Job outlook is expected to grow 14% through 2024 according to the BLS. The average salary of a business intelligence analyst is around $71,049. 10. Physical therapist Have you or any of your acquaintances recently experienced stiff neck or back pain? Yes? That's because using computers almost 24/7 is the new norm in today’s world. This is where physical therapists come into the picture: they help people improve their mobility, flexibility and pain management. Aside from helping people deal with their functional back and neck problems, injuries related to sports, and other chronic conditions, therapists also provide rehabilitation services, and advise people on how to prevent injuries. As populations age, this job continues to stay relevant. It’s a profession spanning across many domains of learning: medicine, psychology (knowledge of human behavior to treat physical disorders), anatomy, therapy and counseling. According to the BLS, physical therapists earned around $87,390 in 2018 and the job outlook looks positive with a projected growth of 22% from 2018 to 2028.Further reading ; 5 Useful Resume Tips to Help You Get a Foreign Job from India Final words This detailed guide has listed the 10 most promising jobs in 2020. If you are a keen observer, you must've realized that many of the jobs listed here are relatively new and tech-related. Many of today’s jobs stem from scientific and technological advances; because this is a continuing trend, it means that there are many new jobs that don’t exist yet. You can never be certain what the future holds. That’s why as freshers, you have to keep grinding and always be prepared to face the uncertainties. As long as you are aware of your goal and know which path to take, you’ll do just fine.Further reading :Cover Letter (cover letter samples, cover letter templates, application letters) - All-in-One Tutorial

It’s cliche to think that freelancing is only for stay-at-home parents who aren't able to commit to a full-time job; or introverted individuals, who’d rather sit at home alone without expending effort to build camaraderie with their colleagues. In fact, freelancing has now become a lifestyle by choice, ushering in a new life of mobility and versatility. In the previous Freelancing 101, Cake covered a series of freelancing pros and cons. By now you already probably know that it’s not easy to break into this industry; some of the qualities you should embody before jumping in this industry can be later accumulated through experience, but the rest are closely tied with your personality. If you still want to give freelancing a go, here is a comprehensive list of traits and tips you should focus on. 3 Qualities of a Successful Freelancer 1. Strong Self-Discipline and Time-Management are needed Self-discipline and strong time-management skills should be second nature to you. Basically, freelancing entails managing each aspect of your work: from your schedules and deadlines, the occasional clients from hell, and an insurmountable amount of work (or few and far between, it depends). That's why Cake puts self-discipline on the top of the list; it’d be hard for you to succeed as a freelancer without it. I admit it’s hard to resist temptations, it’s natural to do what your heart desires when an opportunity presents itself. Working at home requires detailed time management. Here's a fun fact: sometimes a 15-minute break can turn into a 4-hour Ricky and Morty binge. Brewing coffee, walking your dog and soaking in the sun sound incredibly pleasant, but your work is probably at stake.Chances are you’ll miss deadlines, anger clients, and ruin your own reputation. You aren't punching a clock, and you don't have a boss looking over your shoulder, so living as fully as you wish could spiral into a full-blown disaster if you don't have everything planned out to the T. Having a fixed working schedule makes your clients happy since they know when they can hear back from you. It also becomes a habit, that may help make you become more efficient and productive in the future. 2. As a freelancer, You Should Always Keep Learning and Keep Grinding As was mentioned in Freelancing 101, you have to wear many hats, such as marketing or advertising to name a few. No doubt in the future, we’ll be seeing newer, cooler, and possibly weirder jobs that are currently still impossible for us to imagine. With the ever-changing industry landscapes, you have to always be on your toes and expose yourself to different ideas and methodologies.For example, becoming more tech-savvy would be a great option since people are becoming more and more reliant on technology. Learning and optimizing more skills can help make you more competitive in your career. Everything is in flux and once a change takes effect, it will ripple out to the wider economy, of which you’re but a small part of. Bear in mind that enriching yourself with new information and skills now will help you greatly in times of uncertainties later on in your career. 3. Strong work ethic To attract more clients, you have to act professionally. Once you’ve built a solid clientele, referrals and word-of-mouth advertising from your existing clients can further pave the way for a successful career in freelancing. How? It's as simple as responding to emails within 24 hours and taking the initiative to ask the right questions. For example, figure out the budget and objective of the project, as well as who the stakeholders are—identify the real decision-maker lest you be micromanaged by tons of irrelevant people. All these will help you solidify your reputation because you're able to understand and communicate clearly what's needed to be done, and provide effective solutions for your clients. It’s what kickass freelancers do—letting their work speak for themselves. Clients don’t care if you’re working in your pajamas or if you haven’t stepped out of the door for three consecutive days as long as you can uphold your end of the bargain and deliver quality work on time. Further reading：Working from Home Starter Pack: Freelancing 101 3 Tips for Freelancers-to-be Now, you’ve tapped into the three critical qualities needed for a successful freelancer, to be more specific, Cake also offers some tips for you. There’s actually no strict boundary between qualities and tips for a successful freelancer, they’re all equally important and we want nothing else but providing you with real constructive and solid advice. These tips can help you be more mentally prepared to embrace what life is going to be like as a freelancer. 3 Tips for Freelancer-to-be 1. Flexibility is the Synonym of Freelancing On top of new skills, learning to become more flexible and adaptable to the changes increases your value and makes you indispensable. We all know that adapting to change is hard; it’s different from being spontaneous or doing whatever you want. However, it helps with decision-making, skills diversification and understanding freelance trends (coming soon, wait for it!) so that adjustments can be made accordingly. You have to be comfortable with changes, and good at compromising while safeguarding your principles!Highlight this one: You have to get in front of people’s noses and be super proactive because projects don’t magically land in front of you; sometimes a project you’ve been eagerly anticipating falls through; sometimes a client screws you over; sometimes last-minute work is offered (of course you can turn it down, but if you do well, you gain a recurring client); and yes, occasionally you're the one who commits the blunder. I can go on and on about different scenarios but the bottomline is that adaptability is crucial. Flexibility also comes to play when you have no financial stability starting out; you might have to sacrifice certain luxuries, and that’s why an emergency fund for at least six months is crucial. (Here's a quick refresher on Freelancing 101) Overall, you have to always prepare for the best and hope for the worst, and try not to let uncertainties cloud your judgment. 2. Self-love, really? You’d think it’s second nature, but as advanced as we are, 21st-century humans have little capacity to love oneself. It’s a luxury, really, especially in the freelancing industry. You’re constantly reminded of the negatives each time you come into contact with a client who doubts you. There is some good news though: you have a lifetime to learn how to love yourself and develop a philosophical outlook while you're working in this competitive industry. So yes, freelancing gives you room to nourish both your secular and spiritual self at the same time. No irony here.What’s true though, is that if you lack a positive image of yourself—from your self-confidence, self-image, to your self-esteem—you’re bound to second guess or doubt yourself when no one is validating your worth, especially since your friends and family might not understand the value of freelancing as a career choice. Imposter syndrome starts to creep in, and by then the damage would've already been done and would take a lot of work to beat and undo. 3. Live by your principles, motto of a freelancer You need to understand your value so that you can persuade others of your worth. Being assertive with your principles will help you filter out the difficult clients. As a freelancer, you need to be firm when you negotiate with your clients, standing your ground when you encounter those who want quality work for little money. You have to figure out how to keep your reputation intact, and one way is being firm with lines you won’t cross!AssertivenessMake sure you’re being paid fairly. Price your work in a way that's proportional to your level of talent and the time you'll invest in the project. Don’t join the “race to the bottom,” it’ll only compromise your integrity and cause you trouble later on.FreedomDon't allow yourself to be micromanaged by your clients, it can make you feel like you have no control over aspect of your work. It’s a pet peeve of many freelancers.Effective Communicationit’s the minimum threshold of a successful collaboration. You have to make sure you understand the client’s needs and at the same time get the client to understand your terms (with pricing, deadlines, contract terms, etc.). Clear communication is beneficial to both parties. Further reading：How to Boost Your CV with Freelance Work Moral of this story Congratulations on sticking with me up to this part, I can see how determined you are to become a freelancer. I'm glad I didn’t scare you away as the things I mentioned aren't easily achieved. Honestly, I can go on and on about all the qualities you need to have as a successful freelancer, but I believe these are the essentials that will aid you in wading through the murky waters of the freelance industry. If you get cold feet after reading this, I recommend that you rethink what made you consider becoming a freelancer in the first place. Ask yourself, "Will becoming a freelancer help me reach my ultimate goal?"In an upcoming article you’ll get to know the most up-to-date freelancing trends and how to utilize them for your benefit! So, stick with me as there’s still a long way to go. HANG IN THERE! Further reading：Secrets of How to Become a Freelance Writer in College

Quitting your job smoothly is an art. You don’t need a smoking gun reason for resigning your job, it could be a combination of worries weighing on your minds for too long: the disconnection with personal or professional life; the stagnated and uninspiring working atmosphere; not being appreciated or underutilized. Compounded together, these reasons serve as a huge eureka moment. You realize you need more stimulation outside this environment, and it’s time to embark on another journey to accommodate the career planning you have for yourself. Therefore, there comes a time in life that you’ll encounter the question of “how do I leave my job gracefully?” This article focuses mainly on the US job market considering the relevant perks you should receive before resignation. In this ultimate resignation guide, we’ll delve into three parts: A reality check to see if you're prepared to leave What to do if you're not ready to quit? 6 Tips for a Successful Resignation Hope these nuggets of wisdom can either help you with your future planning or assist you to skedaddle out of your job.A Resignation Checklist: Are you Ready to Move on? Quitting can be nerve-wracking, if not handled appropriately. It’s too big a decision to make mistakes without realizing it. Therefore, a resignation checklist or a gut checklist is a must before you hand over the resignation letter. What prompts you to leave the current job?Have you weighed the pros and cons of leaving this current job?Do you have Plan B?Is there enough support after you quit your job?Don’t be overwhelmed with these questions. Let’s chew over one by one.Financial WiseYou want to be able to sustain yourself for at least three to six months, this is for folks who want to lay back a bit without rushing to another job directly. An ideal gap between jobs is around 3 months, or else your next employer might be suspicious of the long gap.Skills WiseYou should look objectively in terms of your skillset. Is it sufficient to advance to another job? For rookies, abilities have yet to be accumulated, and you might want to stay for a while to learn skills that can advance you to another job; but for veterans, it’s hard to tell the difference between whether you've reached professionalism or the learning curve simply is stagnant. If your current skill set can’t meet the JD of another specialized job, it might be better to remain the status quo.If not… What to do? After going through the aforementioned questions and put things into perspective, you realize that there are other options other than quitting your job. It could be you want to extend your tenure in a company and accumulate more experiences. Or, you figure a couple of good nights’ sleep can restore your energy. No matter what, here are pieces of advice for you to change the situation you’re in now.1. Seek Help from Inside or Outside the Company Talk to your supervisor and discuss the conundrum you’re stuck in might be a good start, he or she might be able to make adjustments that suit you. Besides, you can always talk to your teammates and ask them to give you a fair and objective overview; this way, you might be able to identify some problems you weren’t aware of. No one wants to be vulnerable in the workplace for fear that they might be regarded as incompetent employees, but generally speaking, if you pluck up the courage to ask, you might receive some rewarding feedback. If that’s too intimate, ask someone you deeply respect outside the company. There might be some alternatives to solve the dilemma, resignation is after all, not always a panacea.2. Career Change Within the Company If cumulating cross-disciplinary expertise is the reason you want to leave, you don’t necessarily need to resign and start all over. Career change within the company is a tad bit easier, especially when you have good records, proving that you are capable of overcoming obstacles encountered. It’s more secure to invest in yourself in a fairly stable safety net. We also have a detailed career change guide that you might find useful.3. A Long Vacation, maybe? The easiest solution of all is to take a couple of days off. It’s hardly feasible to take a ten-day vacation and whisk away to a tranquilizing and secluded beach, but a few days off might be exactly what you need to reboot. It’s hard to think clearly when you’re engrossed in the same environment day after day. Tap on this small vacation and objectively analyze the root cause of your problem, perhaps some solutions might magically present themselves. What’s more, a long vacation can clear your mind. Ask yourself the following questions. Are there any adjustments that can be made? What are your career goals, long-term and short-term? What are your priorities and is the position you’re in now hindering you from fulfilling them?6 Tips for a Successful Resignation If you’ve firmly decided that you want to resign, here are the six tips for you to fulfill a graceful transition. Even though you plan to leave a company, it doesn’t mean that you can start bad-mouthing your co-workers or the company. You still count on the references given by your superior; therefore you want to leave them a good impression. Burning the bridge is the least you want. Remember to solidify positive perceptions about your professionalism before leaving the company. It’s easy to ruffle some feathers during the resignation process, and these tips are here to precipitate a smooth departure. Engraving them in your mind for tainted reputation can travel fast in professional networks, carelessness can leave a wake of ashes out of your old office!#1. When to quit?It’s a common question asked by many pondering over when is the good time to depart. Usually, employees quit their jobs after receiving a bonus or profit-sharing payout after a fiscal year ends. The majority of American companies distribute Christmas bonuses in late December. As a result, a substantial number of employees quit their jobs in January or February. More positions become available during this time of year as employers attempt to fill newly vacant positions. On the other hand, employees shouldn’t quit their jobs in June, July, or August due to the sudden influx of university graduates flooding the job market. Besides, the time frame for leaving your current job can be industry-specific. If you leave a job in the middle of a large project or before the fiscal year-end can blemish your professional prowess. #2. Take the High RoadYou should take the high road with both your mentors and colleagues. Let’s talk about the relationship with mentors first. They might have invested quite a lot of time and effort in your growth, quitting in-person shows your respect and gratitude. Don’t tell your colleagues about your plans before you tell your manager about your plan to leave. Resignation through the grapevine will leave you a damaged reputation, which can weaken your recommendations in the future. Not to mention you won’t be likely to get letters of reference. Moreover, to avoid a bolt out of the blue, before you randomly set up a meeting and tell your mentor the unfortunate news, you should first write an email to discuss your future direction with her. This way, it’ll give your mentor some time to digest the news. You should also be aware of your relationship with your colleagues. No matter how many past grudges you hold against your annoying teammates, lashing out to them isn’t wise. A nicely-written farewell letter to colleagues would be a more favorable gesture to say goodbye to them.#3. Two Weeks NoticeTwo week’s notice is the minimum requirement. A three to four-week notice is more sensible. Employers can’t find and train your replacement overnight, what you can do at least is to give them two weeks or longer notice. 💡 Tips: If you’re not sure the optimal amount of notice you should give, take a look at the company’s policies about resigning, a specific amount of time that you should notify beforehand should be listed. If you’re a manager, it takes longer for the company to find a suitable fit for your position, a four to six week’s notice is mandatory in most cases. If you fail to follow the rules set either by the company or general norms, you’ll be likely to bear the brunt of the hiring mishap on your short notice, and again, taint your professional prowess.#4. A Formal Regisnation Letter It’s a formality you can’t skip. This letter should be submitted to both the HR department and your mentor. It’s an official document solidifying the date of your last day and other information. There will be a more comprehensive guide telling you what and what not to include in a formal resignation letter. Here are a few heads-up for you to remember when crafting the resignation letter. A statement that you’re resigning. The date on which your resignation is official Show a brief appreciation for the company Signature And now you’re almost good to go.Further reading: Resignation Letter Writing Guide [+Templates, Samples, Tips]#5. Finish StrongJust because you’re leaving your current position doesn’t mean that you can slack off. Your working attitude in the last couple of workdays tends to strike the most memorable impression on your soon-not-to-be coworkers and employer. From the moment you submit your two weeks' notice letter, there are a few things that can be done before leaving for good.Few things that can be done before leaving for good:1. Train your replacementThink of it as a wrap-up, you can first list all the unfinished projects you have at hand. I’d suggest a clean slate before turning your duties to your replacement, but if there are long-term projects, then write a detailed memo about your responsibilities and what needs to be done after your departure.2. Notifiy stakeholders who will be taking over your positionHelp your replacement learn the ropes of your old role and accelerate the transition is good for your reputation, and might even boost some productivity within your team.Besides, it’s also a good way to show gratitude. Even if you can’t directly help your replacement become savvy about all your businesses, write him/her a comprehensive guide that covers key processes, contacts, and tips. Consider it karma. Treat your replacement the same way you want to walk into your new job. #6. Eligibility for Your BenefitsThis part addresses the needs of job-seekers in the US. There are some benefits you’re entitled to receive by law, companies may opt to provide additional benefits other than those mandated by the state or federal law. Secure information about compensation for vacation, a continuation of health coverage(COBRA or Obamacare), severance package(ordinarily it isn’t available in resignations, but you can always ask), sick pay, and if you have a 401(k) or other retirement benefits with your existing employer, find out how to roll them over into a new plan if necessary. If you have any questions on what is offered, check with your State Department of Labor for clarification, or just ask HR. Aside from benefits, you should also double-check whether there’s a non-compete agreement in the contract you signed when you were hired. There might be a time or geographical constraint in which you can’t work for a competitor or engage in activities that could potentially compete with the company. Be careful, or you might cost yourself a fortune when you carelessly overstep the laws.ConclusionAfter reading this guide, you should have known that your last few weeks at the company may be the busiest you’ve ever been. There’s a lot left to do in the last two or four weeks in the company. If you’re not careful enough, you could ruffle some feathers. With this guide, I hope you’ve nailed resignation with grace. A smooth departure is crucial for maintaining the health of your professional relationships, and being meticulous during the resignation process helps to leave a good last impression on your former employers and teammates. Good luck, no matter where you choose to go next.