by Caleb | Apr 13, 2017 | Career and Education
Seeking a job in Malaysia is challenging, especially now when the unemployment rate keeps increasing. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just apply for all job vacancies you see. Please don’t let desperation lead you into settling for any job, even for the one you dislike. Bear in mind that happiness is the key, which leads to less stress, and then brings positive impact to your career growth. So what do you need to do first? Simply read on and ask these questions to yourself before you start sending in your job application:
1) Does it challenge you to grow as a person?
Get some information about the role, team, organization, and the company. Do some research whether they seize opportunities for you to reach your dream and success in your career. Look at your skills if they meet the job qualifications because, without skills, you will find it hard for you to go ahead and move forward.
2) Does the job environment suit your personality?
Apparently, humans have unique personalities. It is important to understand that extroverts and introverts react differently with environments. Most extroverts feel comfortable to work in a crowded environment such as the busy cities of Kuala Lumpur and Melaka. Meanwhile, introverts prefer to do their job with fewer people around, so maybe searching for job vacancies in Ipoh or Taiping is a good idea. Which one is your specific personality? Extrovert or introvert? Take a personality test if you are not sure.
3) Does the job meet your work-life balance?
Your high income means nothing if the job doesn’t meet your work-life balance. Find out if the job offers flexible working hours. Do you have to work on weekends or until midnight? Do you have to travel most of the time? Will you still have free time for your hobbies or beloved family? You have to take all these into consideration as it will give effects to your life outside of work.
Someone once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Now all you have to do is to follow your heart and intuition. Start applying for the job you love and good luck!
by Caleb | Apr 11, 2017 | Finance
Almost everyone wants to earn as much interest as possible with their savings account. The amount of interest you earn on your savings much depend on a variety of factors—tax paid, interest charges, economic growth, inflation rate and so on. Although many times, when these savings are adjusted for inflation, the actual rate of return accrued by today’s savings accounts is usually negative. The average return yield by many savings account is between 0.06%-1.0% APY (annual percentage yield). This puts many people in a dilemma of having to substantiate between losing purchasing power or losing liquid and security with their savings.
How Savings Account Rates are Determined
Based on principle, banks are not supposed to provide a higher rate on their deposit accounts than they charge people on their loans. This protects the bank from losing money and allow it to compete effectively in the market. In fact, many savings account rates are typically below 1% APY because the Federal Reserve choose to give cash to banks through its discount window. Banks are also supposed to lend to each other at the interest percentage stipulated by the federal funds’ rates as well. This means, when both the discount rate and federal funds rate are set below 1%, banks shouldn’t raise this rate to get cash from its depositors.
Real Rate of Return
As a rule of thumb, it’s wise not to focus much on the actual interest rate offered on your savings account to determine its returns. Sometimes the interest rate fluctuates due to the level of inflation rate rise experienced in that same particular year. Instead, stay focused on the real rate of return to substantiate how the purchasing power of your personal savings is behaving over time. A savings account nominal rate can fluctuate anytime, hence can’t be depended upon.
In summary, it’s evident that yields acquired on savings accounts are disturbingly very low. This is because the interest earned on savings depend on several factors such as tax charges, economic growth of a country, inflation rate and so on. However, it’s still possible to get a higher interest rate than that provided in a typical savings account. Simply visit your local bank and and watch your money grow big every year. If you experience any problems or have any questions, talk to your bank, and they’ll be happy to assist you with any query you may have.
by Caleb | Mar 30, 2017 | Hotels & Accomodation, Travel
If you are planning a trip to Malaysia for your next excursion, you should definitely consider going to Penang. What makes this state unique is that half of it is an island off the coast, while the other half is on the mainland. This means you have a lot of activities that you can put on your itinerary. Below is a quick overview of some of the main reasons why Penang should be your next travel destination:
- The food scene is among the best in Southeast Asia
In fact, a lot of travelers visit the region simply to get a taste of its street food and diverse cuisine. What makes the region’s cuisine great is that it’s often a combination of recipes from the different ethnicities who live there. Keep in mind that Penang has Chinese, Indian, and Bumiputera populations.
- The region is rich with architectural marvels
If you are an enthusiast of design, architecture, and ancient engineering, you will be amazed by the buildings and other structures in the region. Penang has a lot of impressive structures like Chinese temples and colonial buildings.
- The place is perfect for cultural immersion
The good thing is that there are three common cultures in Penang: Indian culture, Chinese culture, and Bumiputera culture. It’s kind of interesting to see these different cultures thriving together in the same place.
- Access to hotels with premium services but very affordable prices, It’s really not that difficult to find a hotel in Penang
The place is a tourist magnet, so there are hotels, inns, and lodges in almost every corner. If you want to experience luxurious accommodation, you should check out Lexis Suites Penang.
- Penang has a fascinating art and music scene
Concerts and music festivals are a regular occurrence in the region, especially in George Town. The city is also known for its artists.
In conclusion, a trip to Penang is something you will truly enjoy. The region is perfect for both solo backpackers and family travelers. You will leave the state with memorable experiences that will have you craving to return.
by Caleb | Mar 26, 2017 | Food
Since the food safety regulations are strict in Malaysia, you’ll want your industrial food-producing factory to run within compliance. Maintenance, therefore, is necessary and that means you must take meticulous care to ensure quality to consumers who buy your food products. In the effort of carefully maintaining a food-producing company, you should take into consideration every aspect. Read on for a maintenance checklist for an industrial food factory.
- Know Every Machine and Equipment
Have a list of all machine and equipment on site, so that you are fully aware of what types of machinery and equipment need to be routinely inspected. The goal is to make sure everything is continually running up to par and with ultra excellence. Routine inspections will ensure the quality of your products and the safety of your employees.
- Instruct Your Employees
Educate your employees about how to use all equipment and machinery. This will make things in the industrial factory flow smoothly, production progress well, and workers work safely due to the thorough knowledge of using the equipment and machinery correctly.
- Implement Protocol on Reporting Issues
No matter how meticulous you get, bad things happen. Equipment and machinery malfunction unexpectedly from time to time. Therefore it is imperative to put in place a protocol of how employees are to report these types of incidents and to whom they must address the issue. This includes providing phone numbers, email addresses, and the proper forms to be filled out.
- Inspect Building Thermography
Building Thermography is the process of producing an image of how a building keeps and releases heat. The procedure should be done by professionals trained in this area of expertise. It’s an important step that should be done at least monthly to make sure that the building is a safe and conducive environment for food production. The reality is that if the thermography of a factory that produces food is not correct, food may get spoiled or become unsafe for human consumption. Plants who experience this type of problem could be legally shut down if they do not comply with regulations regarding the right temperatures of their food production environment.
With these tips for good maintenance as part of your checklist, you should be well on your way to seeing your factory run smoothly. It gives you real peace of mind when things at the factory run smoothly since you know that you’re providing consumers with safe and good food.
by Caleb | Mar 24, 2017 | safe plastic food containers
Can plastic food containers be poisonous to our food? Many people ask this question every time they’re about to take away foods packed in plastic containers. Even though the risk is quite low, there’s growing evidence that food can risk contamination from harmful chemicals from various plastics. Some of the foods mostly packed in these risky plastics include gourmet, cheese, fresh meat and other different kinds of foods. Below are some of the various ways in which food stored in plastic containers can pose certain health risks to humans.
- Chemicals
All plastic is devised from chemicals that can otherwise harm a person’s health. DEHA and BPA are the primary chemicals used in the making of most plastic food containers. Research shows when food is stored in such bags, these chemicals can easily leach into the food and hence become ingested in the body. Over time these chemicals have been found to cause tissue changes, miscarriage, chromosomal errors, genetic and hormonal changes, congenital disabilities and more. Among children, chemical leaching can potentially alter their developing immune system, which can likely result in behavioral pattern problems and disrupted hormones.
- Pests
Different studies show that food should be stored in airtight containers to stop pests, rodents, and bugs from getting inside. Don’t use plastic grocery bags to store foods because they’re not airtight and can, therefore, end up being attacked by pests. Use glass jars instead, as this will ensure no disturbing bugs and harmful chemicals get inside when storing food.
- Bacteria
When food isn’t stored properly, it can more likely grow harmful bacteria in it that can endanger your health. Food experts recommend food to be stored in airtight containers in refrigerators all the time to prevent breed of bacteria. Food that’s not wrapped well can become infected with bacteria from other foods nearby which have already spoiled. Make sure you always check any signs of plastic breakage when storing foods to ensure no potential leaks are within to minimize the spread of bacteria.
In summary, above are different ways in which foods packed in plastic containers or bags affect human health. Proper food storage habits are essential to keeping food safe for human consumption. Food that’s improperly stored carries the potential risk of making you sick, particularly those foods packed in plastic containers nowadays. Certain plastic containers have harmful chemicals, which contaminate food and end up making a person ill.
Avoid buying foods wrapped with 3 (PVC) and symbol seven labels, as such plastics have harmful chemicals like Bisphenol A and Phthalates that may cause complications to health. Both of these chemicals attack animal and human hormones, causing one to become sick in the end. Instead, stick to safe plastic food containers labeled “BPA-free” all the time to maximize the safety of your health.
