Welcome to the latest edition of ST HeadSTart, bringing you the best of The Straits Times’ career and personal finance coverage every Tuesday noon. Sign up here to get weekly tips right into your inbox.
The necessity of cover letters and investing in friendships are among the other topics we look at this week.
Hi there! It’s Prisca again. Travel seems to take up most of my conversations with others these days as the new year gives people fresh energy to make vacation plans.
I’ll be visiting Japan in April and I’m trying to cut costs by opting for a budget airline and business hotels. Even so, my travel expenses have already come up to more than $2,000.
Wise financial planning means you should “save consciously” for a trip so it does not eat into monthly expenses, writes my colleague Sue-Ann Tan in her latest column. She shares tips for you to get better bang for your buck. For example, Tuesdays appear to be the best time to book flights, while red-eye flights are generally cheaper.
In any case, travel is undeniably costly but Sue-Ann shares some helpful advice: “I find that defining the purpose of travel beyond just wanting to say I have been somewhere makes it more worth the cost.”
How are you budgeting for your next trip? Tell me more at headstart@sph.com.sg and have a great week ahead!
Do you still need a cover letter for your job application?
Such letters may have become less important due to the rise of online application portals, but there are situations where they might increase your chances of getting the job, say experts.
Employees of the future need a new superpower – agility
Agility is the “hidden talent” that could prove to be far more critical than many of the standard metrics by which employers rate job applicants and employees today.
Gen Zers do not want to just study overseas, but also work and live abroad
There was a drop in Singapore student numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, but latest figures show that demand is climbing back to pre-pandemic levels and likely to exceed them.
To strengthen romantic relationships, invest more in your friends
Just as in finance, in our social life, it’s wise to diversify our portfolio, says the writer.
Work from home if you want but don’t expect a pay rise
Lower wage growth and higher productivity might be why bosses like remote working more than we think.
When your technical skills are eclipsed, your soft skills will matter more than ever
New categories of jobs will likely emerge as a result of AI’s capabilities, and those jobs will probably be anchored increasingly around people skills.
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