I was talking with advertising creative icon Bruce Matchett in Singapore about careers and making sure we don't waste the opportunity to do something every day we really love doing. Then he asked me a question that stunned me. I have been thinking about it ever since. Bet it's the toughest you've been asked in a while.

So you've just pressed send on your job application and the rest is now in the hands of the 'recruitment gods', right? Sure. But whether you've done everything you can to make it past the initial screening stage, well, that's a different story...

If you're thinking about making a career or job move, how are you positioning yourself to a recruiter or potential employer?

I remember a candidate once saying to me "Paul I am definitely looking for an opportunity and not just a vacancy". Let me tell you, I knew exactly what she was getting at, and it made it much easier for me to represent her since I really understood where she was coming from.