Before

1. CV & Cover Letter
   1. Make sure you prepare your cv & cover letter that fit to the post you applied for
   2. Put the reference from more than one institution. It is best if the referees are your direct supervisor or HR manager, it shows your good relationship within your institutions you have been working.
   3. If needed, put one recent photo, make sure it looks professional. You can google how to look professional in the photo.
2. Prepare for the interview
   1. Study about the institution you are applying for: what is unique about that institution? What is the vision? And programs? What make you personally like that institution? What made you think you add value to the role you applied for? What is unique about you? Your strength & weakness? What will your previous supervisor/colleagues said if they have been asked about you? Study the Job Description of the job you applied for and find one or two questions to ask during the interview.
   2. Write down the responses from above mentioned questions and summarize it into a shorter answer and read it all over again. If you think your position you applied for would be interviewed in Eng, it is best to try rehearsing your response in English. It is best to rehearse your questions in front of the mirror by having the eye contacts. This help you to reduce the nervous feeling during the interview and make yourself comfortable with your response.
   3. Face to face interview: Make sure you visit the office that you need to have the interview one day earlier to familiarize the location, don’t wait until the interviewing day, you might get lost or traffic might be bad and delay your arrival.
   4. Online interview: Make sure you ask for the link & password in advance and try to log in and check if you are familiar with the software or the meeting platform. If it is a new platform to you, it is best to try to study how to use it, so the panelists won’t underestimate your IT knowledge. Arrange the sound system, such as earphones and connections, computer, download the app…etc.
   5. Salary expectation: Check with friends or your network about the range of the salary in that institution or the post you applied for.

Sleep well, no big party before the interview, your brain might not work at its best after strong alcohol.

During

• Face to Face meeting

1. Dress up based on the role you applied for. Example: if you apply for field work position, dress up as such. Make your hair clean & neat. Dress up the way that give you confident, you know yourself.
2. Arrive at least 15 minutes to the venue, to relax, to familiarize with the place, go to the toilet, and make sure you already have light breakfast or lunch.
3. While waiting for the interview, NEVER play game or FB or any social media. It will distract you and ruin your reputation. Try to be calm, read the book that you brought along or review the books/posters/reports in the meeting area. It helps showing that you are eager to learn about their programs or their institutions.

 

• Online meeting
  1. Get the link ready, try the link if it is working,
  2. Log in at least 15 mn in advance, test the microphone, ensure the connection is stable, get the note ready in front of you, go to toilet, finish breakfast or lunch and dress up for the meeting.
  3. Always keep one or two questions to ask the panels back about the job & the responsibility or about the institutions.

 

After

If you were informed that they will check your reference, please make sure you call or write an email to those referees to inform about your reference check, if needed, share the job description and your updated CV to them for their info.

If you passed congratulation! If you are not, keep trying and please still keep in touch with the HR or person who wrote you the email inviting for the interview. If you didn’t win several interviews, it is best to ask for a small meeting with one of the HR and ask for his/her feedback/advise.

 

Good Luck!

 

Dear blog,

Today there was the sharing of 360 degree feedback from my colleagues toward several management team members. The result overall was okay, although there are always the cases of suggestion for improvement or some colleagues might feel disagree on this or that person’s ways of making decision or leading on things and so on. Myself also got some feedback to improve which was the great to hear. I am writing now to discuss about how we as the human should digest the critical or negative feedback about your blind spot or your personalities or your management style. It is normal that people may find you the best person or someone to improve in certain points; but it is always important to reflect that some comments/feedback are not always reflect the real you or your real blind spot. If those negative points and if it was not true about you, why bother? You know yourself better. They are those who didn’t understand you. Yet if those negative points were seems right, that is great, take it as your challenges and make an improvement as best as you can.

You might not agree, but sometimes, there are ego or personality involved. Some people don’t know how to see people in the bright side and/or can’t communicate the feedback in the construction way, not because they are not the good people, but they are being called Thinking and Sensing Type of people based on MBTI personality type. Thinking are those who see rule and common sense first before making decision, so if they see it is wrong, it is wrong.

The Sensing type are those who critical, detail oriented and see mostly the dark side of the issue. Sensing would see the dark side of you first before seeing anything else.

Sharing feedback of your blindspot with ego is also another issue from getting feedback from those who don’t really understand you, won’t spend much time to understand you, less exposed or low education to different level or style of management or being jealous. If you get the feedback from those who is with ego, the feedback won’t help you to improve yourself but just want to pull you down, so you will never become better than that person.

Therefore, my best strategy to cope with negative feedback are reflecting in following two quotes:

“If negative feedback on your personality or blind spot were really true, challenges them that you can do better or improve for betterment. But if it is not true, never mind them. They are just being jealous.”

 

“Being a leader, you can’t make everyone happy. There are always issues/complaints. If you want to make everyone happy, be an ice-cream seller.”

When you able to digest negative comments in a very positive way, you will welcome more open feedback from others; therefore, you will become more open-heart leader who welcome everyone’s feedback and as a result, the ego will gradually gone from those who are not truthful with their comments.

 

Have a great evening :).

 

 

Dear blog,

A quote i mentioned in my title sound so theoretical title if you read it and you can hear many people say it but it is now so related to my life that i wanted to share with you.

I am a married woman, having good degree and stable job. He owns a farm and has to spend most of his time supervise his workers at the farm. He became very busy these days since the farm is more successful than before. He can’t come home as often as we wish to avoid transmission of diseases into his farm since there is a pig disease outbreak in the area. Recently, both of my daughters are sick, i am not feeling well as well form the sleepless from taking care of my daughters many nights and still have to come to work due to many responsibilities at work.

There is one time that my husband said to me through phone that how could he implement his tasks well when there are so many issues at home and always need his attention and time. I was feeling very upset and heart broken. I spent many days without having a conversation with him but struggling myself to look after my own kids and myself. Until few days later, I decided to let him know my upset feeling.

Though he apologies, I told him to start understanding the burden I have in handling both at works and home in order to make sure that everything runs as smooth as it is supposed to be. I told him to understand that we, this small families, are not his burdens but his responsibilities as well, though like it or not he can’t complain and he must acknowledge all the efforts that I and others including my parents have put in order to make this whole family functions.

Dear reader, if you are a man, please don’t get me wrong that I am blackmailing my man. My message from this post is to remind you to appreciate your woman or your beloved one at home who are doing all the chores so you can keep yourself focusing at your work. Please do not take this for granted, please show respects and appreciate to your woman and your beloved one at home either your parents or baby sitters who watch your kids and do all of your housework.

If you are a woman and if you are now doing all of this, without knowing that you are doing too much and forget to tell your man to appreciate you in different ways. Appreciations can be in different forms: a thankful words, gifts and times and it can be everything.

Thanks,

 

 

ពេលទទួលបានសំនួរថាធ្វើម៉េចដឹងថាកូនរបស់អ្នកត្រូវបានគេបៀតបៀនផ្លូវកាយ ឬផ្លូវភេទ ជាសំនួរដ៏សែនរសើប ប៉ុនែ្តវារឹតតែរសើបជាងនេះទៅទៀតបើអ្នកស្ថិតក្នុងស្ថានភាពនោះ។ ពិភពលោកមានការផ្លាស់ប្តូរច្រើនណាស់  បច្ចុប្បន្នមនុស្សអាចទទួលបាននូវព័ត៌មានគ្រប់បែបយ៉ាង យ៉ាងលឿនដោយប្រើប្រពន្ធ័បច្ចេកវិទ្យា ។តែការទទួលបានសេវាទាំងនេះក៏មិនសុទ្ធតែផ្តល់ផលល្អទាំងស្រុងដែរ ព្រោះពួកគេក៏ទទួលបាននូវចំណេះដឹងមិនល្អមួយចំនួនតាមរយៈបច្ចេកវិទ្យានោះដែរដូចជារឿងអាសអាភាស  រឿងឬរូបភាពបែបរន្ធត់វាយបាញ់សំលាប់ជាដើម។ នៅសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិច តាមការស្រាវជ្រាវរបស់មហាវិទ្យាល័យដើម្បីស្រ្តី (AAUW)​​មានសិស្សានុសិស្សចំនួន៤៨ភាគរយដែលកំពុងសិក្សាថ្នាក់មធ្យម និងវិទ្យាល័យរាយការណ៏ថាធ្លាប់ទទួលរងនូវការបៀតបៀនផ្លូវភេទយ៉ាងហោចណាស់ម្តងពីសំណាក់មិត្តរួមថ្នាក់ ។នៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជា តាមការស្រាវជ្រាវរបស់អង្គការយូនីសេហ្វឆ្នាំ២០១៥ ស្តីពីអំពើហឹង្សាលើកុមាររកឃើញថា  លើសពីពាក់កណ្តាលនៃកុមារកម្ពុជាបានរាយការណ៌ថាធ្លាប់ទទួលរងអំពើហឹង្សាផ្លូវកាយមុនអាយុ១៨ឆ្នាំពីដៃគូរួមភេទ  ឳពុកម្តាយ សាច់ញាតិក្នុងគ្រួសារ ឬសហគមន៏។ ក្នុងនោះមានកុមារកម្ពុជា១ក្នុងចំណោម៣នាក់ទទួលការបៀតបៀនផ្លូវអារម្មណ៏នៅពេលដែលខ្លួនធំធាត់ ។​កុមារី២២ភាគរយ និងកុមារា២៦ភាគរយចាប់ពីអាយុ១៣ដល់២៤ឆ្នាំរាយការណ៌ថាខ្លួនធ្លាប់ទទួលអំពើហឹង្សាផ្លូវអារម្មណ៌ពីឳពុកម្តាយ អ្នកមើលថែ ឬសាច់ញាតិចាស់ទុំ​មុនឈានដល់អាយុ១៨ឆ្នាំ។ ក្នុងនោះ៥ភាគរយទាំងកុមារានិងកុមារីលើកឡើងថាធ្លាប់ទទួលការបៀតបៀនផ្លូវភេទ។

ប៉ុន្តែសំនួរសួរថាហេតុអ្វីយើងត្រូវយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ពីបញ្ហានេះ? តើកុមារដែលជាជនរងគ្រោះនៃអំពើហឹង្សា ឬការបៀតបៀនប្រឈមមុខនឹងបព្ហាអ្វីខ្លះនាថ្ងៃអនាគត?កុមារទាំងនោះនឹងធំធាត់ឡើងដោយភាពបាក់ស្បាតរួមជាមួយបញ្ហាដូចជា៖គេងមិនលក់ លែងមានសមាធិក្នុងការរៀនសូត្រឬអភិវឌ្ឍន៏ខ្លួនឯង លែងចង់ចូលរួមឬមានទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយអ្នកដទៃ មានភាពតក់ស្លុតខ្លាំងនៅពេលមានការប៉ះពាល់រាងកាយ លែងទុកចិត្តអ្នកដទៃឬមនុស្សជុំវិញខ្លួប បង្ហាញអាការៈធ្វើទណ្ឌកម្មលើខ្លួនឯង ចង់សម្លាប់ខ្លួន ប្រើអាកប្បកិរិយាមិនគប្បីដែលខ្លួនធ្លាប់ទទួលទៅក្មេងដទៃជាដើម។បញ្ហាដែលរៀបរាប់ខាងលើជាហេតុផលសមល្មមដែលអាចអោយមាតាបិតាឬអាណាព្យាបាលផ្តោតការយកចិត្តទុកដាក់បន្ថែមទៀតដល់កូនចៅរបស់ខ្លួន។ ខាងក្រោមនេះជាគន្លឹះមួយចំនួនដើម្បីអនុវត្ត៖

១.ធ្វើជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដ៏ល្អ៖ដើម្បីអោយក្លាយជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដ៏ល្អ អ្នកត្រូវតែធ្វើខ្លួនអោយក្លាយជាមិត្តដ៏ល្អរបស់កូនៗលោកអ្នក តែនេះជាចំណុចដ៏សែនលំបាកព្រោះឳពុកម្តាយភាគច្រើនតែងដើរតួជាអ្នកគ្រប់គ្រងដើម្បីអោយកូនៗស្តាប់បង្គាប់ និងស្តាប់តាមការណែនាំឬគោលការណ៏មួយចំនួនដែលខ្លួនបានរៀបចំ។ក៏ប៉ុន្តែការទទួលបានព័ត៌មានពីកូនជាមធ្យោបាយដែលល្អបំផុត ដូច្នេះអ្នកត្រូវចេះបង្កើនយន្តការទាំងឡាយដែលជម្រុញអោយពួកគេប្រាប់អ្នកនូវរាល់ព័ត៌មានទាំងឡាយដែលពួកគេដឹង និងដែលបានកើតឡើង ហើយយន្តការនោះគឺការធ្វើខ្លួនជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដ៏ល្អ។ដើម្បីធ្វើជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដ៏ល្អ អ្នកត្រូវតែធ្វើជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដែលគ្មានប្រតិកម្មភ្លាមៗទៅនឹងអ្វីដែលអ្នកលឺគ្រប់បែបយ៉ាង ហើយក៏មិនត្រូវធ្វើការសម្រេចចិត្តភ្លាមៗដែរ ។អ្នកត្រូវធ្វើខ្លួនជាអ្នកស្តាប់ដែលគាំទ្រនូវរាល់ការសម្រេចចិត្តទាំងឡាយរបស់កូនៗលោកអ្នក។ អ្នកត្រូវផ្តល់ពេលគ្រប់គ្រាន់ដើម្បីស្តាប់ពីក្តីបារម្មណ៌ ឬភាពសប្បាយរីករាយទាំងឡាយដែលកូនរបស់លោកអ្នកចង់និយាយប្រាប់។ទាំងនេះគឺជាសំនួរគន្លឹះមួយចំនួនសម្រាប់សួរ៖តើទៅរៀនថ្ងៃនេះយ៉ាងម៉េចដែរ?កូនបានរៀនអ្វីខ្លះ?មានរឿងអីសប្បាយចិត្តចង់ប្រាប់ម៉ាក់/ប៉ាអត់?បានទទួលការសរសើរឬ Starសរសើរពីអ្នកគ្រូ/លោកគ្រូអត់ថ្ងៃនេះ?ញាំបាយនៅសាលាថ្ងៃនេះឆ្ងាញ់អត់?បានម្ហូបអ្វីខ្លះ? នៅសាលាមានអ្នកណាចូលចិត្តធ្វើអោយកូនខឹងអត់?លេងជាមួយមិត្តភក្តិសប្បាយអត់ថ្ងៃនេះ?លេងអ្វីខ្លះ? មានកិច្ចការសាលាអោយប៉ាម៉ាក់ជួយពន្យល់អត់?ធ្វើកិច្ចការសាលាហើយឬនៅ?

២.ត្រួតពិនិត្យ ៖​ ពេលមុជទឹកអោយគេរួចពិនិត្យមើលប្រដាប់ភេទ(ក្នុងករណីកុមារនៅតូច មានអាយុប្រហែល៣ទៅ៥ឆ្នាំ)៖ទៅបីជាអ្នករវល់នឹងការងារប៉ុណ្ណា អ្នកត្រូវចំណាយពេលខ្លះដើម្បីមុជទឹកអោយគេ ដើម្បីឆ្លៀតលួចមើលរកស្លាកស្នាមដែលអាចបន្សល់ទុកដូចជាស្នាមក្តិច ជាំ  ខាំ ឈាម​ជាដើម។ អ្នកក៏អាចឆ្លៀតសួរតើមានអ្នកណាប៉ះពាល់ឬលេងប្រដាប់ភេទរបស់កូនឬទេ?ខាងក្រោមនេះជាសំនួរមួយចំនួនដែលអ្នកអាចសួរពួកគេ៖ តើមានអ្នកណាក្រៅពីប៉ា/ម៉ាក់ប៉ះឬលេងប្រដាប់ភេទរបស់កូនឬទេ?ពេលទៅសាលាពេលកូនចង់ចូលបន្ទប់ទឹកតើមានគ្រូជូនទៅឬទេ?ហើយគាត់ធ្វើម៉េចខ្លះ?កូនដែលទៅណាមកណាឬនៅជាមួយគ្រូតែពីរនាក់ដែរឬទេ?ហើយបើមានតើទៅទីណា?ធ្វើអ្វីខ្លះ?

៣.ត្រូវសួរនាំពេលកូនប្រកែក៖ ត្រូវយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ភ្លាមនៅពេលកូនប្រកែកមិនទៅសាលាឬទៅទីណាមួយ។ នៅពេលកូនប្រកែកមិនទៅសាលា ឬមិនទៅទីកន្លែងណាមួយ សូមកុំព្រងើយ។អ្នកត្រូវសាកសួររកមូលហេតុ និងរកអោយឃើញនូវបញ្ហានោះ។អ្នកក៏អាចស្វែងរកព័ត៌មានបន្ថែមពីគ្រូ ឬអ្នកពាក់ពន្ធ័ពីសកម្មភាពរបស់កូនរបស់អ្នកនៅសាលាដែរ។​សំនួរដែលគួរសួរមានដូចជា៖ហេតុអ្វីកូនមិនចង់ទៅសាលា?មានអីដែលធ្វើអោយកូនមិនសប្បាយចិត្តពេលទៅទីនោះ?មានអីដែលប៉ា/ម៉ាក់អាចជួយបានអត់?

សូមរង់ចាំអានអត្ថបទបន្តទៀតរបស់ខ្ញុំពីវិធីដោះស្រាយនៅពេលរកឃើញថាកូនរបស់លោកអ្នកជួយបញ្ហារំលោភបំពាន។

សូមអរគុណ!

ពីស្ត្រីខ្មែរ

www.streikhmer.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Harassment at working place is common in Cambodia. There are many types of harassment that you sometimes ignored or didn’t think it is actually women rights abuse. Some bitter story happened to me during my second pregnancy. I was working in an organization where almost all senior management are male. I was in the middle management position by that time. I didn’t realize my pregnancy until I am about to catch a flight for international conference. I kept it secret because it shocked me too. My first baby was just about one year and few months, I didn’t expect to have another baby this soon.

During my stay for about a week there, I decided to announce my 2^nd pregnancy news during dinner. The first comment from one of the board of director was: “Congratulation! You are very productive.” The Executive Director was quiet for few minute like he was shock or something and then said to me with a very no exciting voice: “well, congratulation then”.

In that institution, the health insurance was provided and an annual-lumpsum-health budget line were given to every individual staff. Though, that amount of health budget was not able to cover the pregnancy medical checkup. I could truly understand the funding circumstances, though, it would be very helpful if that budget line would have been specifically addressed for the pregnant staffs as monthly check-up is crucial. The health insurance should also have considered the un-expected c-section as it costs quite a lot.

After leaving that organization for another better place where I could get my medical cost covered, I had to struggle another issue. The interview panel did not get a chance to know my pregnancy until they offered me the post because I was about 3 months pregnant during the writing test and the oral interview was made through skype.  Finally, they got me on board while I was almost 6 months pregnant. The male panelist and the HR person from the head office said positively about my pregnancy after I informed them. They said I was selected because of your capability; my pregnancy was nothing to be judged during the process. I was so happy hearing that. I was feeling like I was in the heaven. I was feeling that I came to the right place. But when I get to the job, I found out that one colleague who held the position of HR within that organization blamed to the male panelist of selecting me. She complained that I will deliver after 3 or 4 months of working, who is going to carry out my tasks? This made me realized that this was probably one of the reasons she kept giving me a hard time.

“Why do women have to suffer? We are the mother of the earth but we are suffering. Why can’t you treat us the same way you treat the men?”

I had a chance to visit a project supporting entertainment women on HIV and STD test in Kampot province in Cambodia. I interviewed some girls about the test she had every three months. She mentioned of having pregnancy test every month by the KTV’s owner or leader. She needed to be tested and get the abortion if she was accidentally pregnant with clients or with her partner. She said she had to choose between keeping the job and the baby. She also wanted the real family but she won’t be employed and would have no more income. Some garment factory workers also being refused to get employed if the factory owner found out that she is pregnant because they don’t want to spend that 3 month of maternity leave payment. Some workers were insulted or were given a hard time until she resigns if they found out that she is pregnant.

With this article, I would like to shout out to everyone to mind your words whenever you comment to women about her pregnancy. If you are a man, please kindly put yourself into her shoes. You don’t get pregnant, so you don’t get that responsibility. You have absolutely NO IDEA how much women sacrifice during her pregnancy and why does she have to choose between personal life and professional life? You are the man; you don’t get pregnant and carry that big belly along to work and to pretend like you are super energetic. You don’t need to get sleepless from your pregnancy and keep coming to work like nothing had happened last night. You are not worried in every job interviews that you will be judged of being pregnant and will need maternity leave.

Why do women have to suffer? We are the mother of the earth but we are suffering. Why can’t you treat us the same way you treat the man?