WHAT IS LIFE IN A DOT COM LIKE?

I would like to say that life is an experience like no other. The work environment is fast-paced and dynamic. For those who have been trapped in the corporate circus for quite some time, working a Dot Com might seem as a great relief. For those 9-to-5 types, they might actually find the pace a wee bit too daunting and the hours occasionally irregular. For those who like to be in-touch with the latest technology and gadgets, this is the industry for you. You don't necessarily have to be a Web guru before joining. For example, content writers and editors simply need to be top wordsmiths and provide eyeball-drawing articles. Web developers and designers would then spice up the content by dressing it for an online audience.
Daniel, 26 - Content Editor, Lycos Asia, Singapore

Sometimes it can be bloody difficult! Life turns topsy-turvy, emotions swing at extremes. The thought of making your million bucks before the age of 30 sends your spirits soaring high with your venture...but when you realize that a bunch of other millionaire wannabes are also embarking on the same venture, your ethereal self takes a tumble down to Earth! And this roller coaster can happen every hour of the day.

May not seem like fun but it is a quest - the dot com quest - of being a pioneer in a field you are responsible for creating. Of course, the money is good too, if it succeeds!
John, 27 - Business Development Manager, Malaysia

As in many new industries, working for a Dot Com seems glamorous but in reality its more like you're a mouse chasing its tail. Just when you think you've achieved something, the game changes and you've got to be ready to start all over again. Its a constant learning curve - and that's why its an exciting, invigorating but also incredibly demanding business to be in. I am referring to your creativity, physical energy and time - as well as your overall willingness to be flexible and to cope with change in a mature and positive way.

I love being paid to learn - its an unusual and exciting time to be in the workforce. No one expects you to know everything - but you are expected to learn something new every day - and then teach others.
Julie-Anne O'Hagan, 30 - Editor - ZingAsia, Australia

WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO SOMEONE WISHING TO ENTER THE DOT COM INDUSTRY TODAY?

If they already have the requisite web skills (eg. PERL, Javascripting, HTML etc.), go for it. I know of Arts or Business graduates with online-ready knowledge who use them as ancillary skills to supplement their degrees. This is definitely the way to get a job. A degree is isn't enough these days. Get yourself some part-time experience doing web design or providing content - that will certainly help.
Daniel

(You) can provide an even better product if you are willing to learn more about IT, design and solutions platforms. You may never have a PhD in IT but you can certainly keep your skills up to date in terms of the latest technology developments and how they impact on you and your work. The day I'm not prepared to keep learning and stay up to date is the day I'll retire as a Dot Com-mer!
Julie-Anne O'Hagan

Don't jump in just because it says ".com" at the end of its company name. You're joining more than an organization, you're taking up a belief. Dot Coms form because the founders developed a brilliant vision of something that could change the way the business or social world spins. Belief in the vision of the company is crucial because when you're asked to go that extra mile - and there WILL be extra miles! - believing in what you do and why you do it is going to count.
Lim Woon Siew - Services Manager, JobStreet.com