Welcome to the latest edition of ST HeadSTart, bringing you the best of The Straits Times’ career and personal finance coverage every Monday morning. Sign up here to get weekly tips right into your inbox.
Now that we’re well into the second half of the year, some of us might be reconsidering our career paths or making fresh goals. Today’s newsletter offers some insights into how we can thrive in new environments and seize opportunities.
Making a drastic career switch can be scary, more so when switching from being your own boss to having a boss. What does it take to transition well from being self-employed to working for others? A senior career coach says that the toughest adjustments include those pertaining to work flexibility, control over decision-making and engaging with co-workers. The learning curve might be steep but employees moving from self-employment bring valuable skills – for example, agility that translates well to a traditional work environment.
We might also face challenges if we decide to make a snappy career switch and try to do so by picking up new skills in a short span of time. Get some insights into this by listening to the latest podcast episode of Career Talk (Tip: Listen in while on your commute to make better use of your travel time).
Manpower reporter Tay Hong Yi speaks to a journalist-turned-data analyst about boot camps that impart key skills in technology, especially software engineering and data science. They discuss whether these intensive short courses are worthwhile, and how we can weigh the opportunity cost of a career move in the first place.
Enjoy the stories, and happy planning.
Going from self-employment to working for others
Here are several tips for making the transition from running your own business to being a salaried worker.
Podcast: Are tech bootcamps the way to go?
Looking to pick up key skills in just weeks or months? A journalist-turned-data analyst gives his take on intensive full-time courses that allow participants to do so.
Crypto VC funding dries up as AI steals the show
Tech heavyweights need to cater to a large and general user base, which is why there are still opportunities for AI start-ups to create industry-specific use cases. Reporter Timothy Goh tells us more.
Me & My Money: Managing investments in good and bad times
When investing feels great and you’re making money, it’s time to consider your position, says finance executive Christopher Forbes. Find out why.
Where the hot resale condos are
If you are considering buying a resale condo, read this to find out how prices and demand will change.
Want a career in fintech? You need empathy and ability to withstand adversity
The majority of fintech companies expect that the sector’s growth will continue, increasing the demand for talent.
Should CEOs get paid a few hundred times more than us?
What should we make of high compensation levels, year after year? New York Times columnist Jeff Sommer seeks some answers.
Don't count on “I owe you” notes
These documents, which are usually informal, might not hold up in court and could also land us in trouble for illegal moneylending. Invest editor Tan Ooi Boon draws lessons from a recent case.
Thank you for reading this week’s round-up of ST’s career and personal finance coverage. Have a great work week ahead.
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