CAREER TIPS

3 tips to kick-start your job hunt

2012-01-27T07:12:00.001-08:00

You’ve let most of January pass by, and you still haven’t revised your resume.

Don’t despair. There’s still a long way to go in 2012, and you can still keep your resolution to find a new job.

It is true that unemployment remains high, but don’t let the idea of competition keep you from looking for different work, particularly if you are in mid-career. Many companies complain about needing to fill positions, but getting few qualified applicants.

The lack of skilled candidates is a problem even in some parts of the financial industry, which has been hit hard in the past year as banks struggle recover from the economic meltdown.

Applications flow steadily for entry level positions at Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Bank, for example. But Jim Young, director of talent acquisition there said the bank must recruit to fill higher-level spots, because the number of qualified job seekers doesn’t meet demand.

Whether you’re starting out in your career or looking to transition to a new job, here are three tips for a successful search:

1. Focus on your accomplishments

Writing a resume that focuses on your responsibilities is a classic mistake. For example, “Led a team of seven staffers responsible for product development,” doesn’t highlight what you’ve got to show for your work. Instead, tweak the wording to say something like, “Led a team of seven in developing a new product that brought in $3 million in sales.”

“You’ve only got seconds to impress someone that you’ve got something that other applicants do not have,” Young said.

2. Target your application

Generic resumes and plain vanilla cover letters won’t cut it in today’s market. You need to tailor both to make it clear you’re the right person for the job and the company you’re targeting. Use background research on the company and key words from the job advertisement to highlight your skills and make it clear you’ve got the skills for the position. For example, if you learn that the company uses a particular type of software that you’re an expert with, mentioning that in your application materials can give you an edge.

3. Use all available tools to network

Talking with someone about a potential employer can give you important insight into how it operates and whether you would want to work there. If you’re able to use that connection as a reference or to pass along your application, you have an even better chance of getting noticed.

These days, networking involves not only traditional methods, like professional and social organizations, but also creating an effective online presence. Use social networks, such as LinkedIn, for example, to reach out to employees of a company that interests you to learn about its operations and any potential openings. Most people will be happy to answer a few questions for a new acquaintance. After you’ve established a relationship, they may be willing to go the extra mile to help you land a job.

But don’t rely solely on virtual networking over the old-fashioned face-to-face kind. Nothing beats a tip or a recommendation from someone who really knows you and can vouch for your abilities.

Additional Tips:

Survey your social networks: Are your privacy settings secure on Facebook? Are there photos posted that could sabotage your job hunt or comments that you’d prefer not to show to a prospective employer? Are you presenting yourself as a professional on LinkedIn and utilizing Twitter in a smart manner? Before you dive into a job search, make sure a Google search of your name produces the image you’d like to project.

Go back to school: Your college or graduate school career services center is a good place to start a hunt. You’ll find advice for writing resumes and cover letters, interview preparation and other helpful hints on their websites, see Virginia Tech’s. www.career.vt.edu/ . Additional services such as job alerts and free or low-cost career counseling may also be available.

Fill your time: If you’re out of work, find some way to show potential employers that you’re keeping your skills up to date. That might mean volunteering with an organization that can use your expertise. Pick a charity you support and ask if they can use your professional skills. If you don’t have a group in mind, take a peek at the service and volunteering page on your local government’s website. Another option is to seek out programs like The Taproot Foundation, www.taprootfoundation.org/ , which pairs professionals with marketing, technology and management skills and organizations that need that expertise.

Source:http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=227383&title=Resolutions:%203%20tips%20to%20kick-start%20your%20job%20hunt

Top tips to being a career mum

2012-01-22T05:54:00.000-08:00

YOU did it. You made the choice to follow the path with the signpost reading: babies.

Now, as your maternity leave nears its end or the call of adult conversation beckons, you are gearing up to make life even busier.

You're returning to work.

Scared? No need to be.

Mothers Kate Sykes and Allison Tait have been there and share their tips for making it work in their book Career Mums.

RETURNING TO WORK

Work as a family to figure out when is the best time for you to return to work, Sykes says.

"Just because the time might be right to go back to work for money doesn't mean that the mother is mentally or physically ready to go back yet," she says.

The mother needs to be mentally ready for the childcare stage, she says, and also needs to consider the direction they want to take their career and how best to achieve that.

When you do return to the office, ensuring you are not overlooked for positions or promotions because you have childcare responsibilities is a constant battle, says Sykes.

Approach your manager about your goals, she suggests, and discuss whether part-time work will affect them, and whether there are opportunities for internal training.

"You've got to start talking. I think people come back to work and some are happy to just be in a role that's maybe not as responsible, is more flexible and they're still trying to cope with that work-life balance, but at some point, if you want your career to keep on track and to keep moving you've got to start asking questions about where your career is going."

THE RESUME PARENTING GAP

When it comes to updating your resume, many women make the mistake of glossing over the time they've spent at home by putting :stay-at-home mum" in the job description, write Sykes, 37, and Tait, 42, in Career Mums.

"The trick is to translate your parenting skills into 'wordspeak'," they say.

Look at your skills, for example time management, and include them on your resume. Also include the skills you have picked up through unpaid or volunteer work, they write.

"Raising money for charity or your school, for example, involves communication, business development and marketing skills.

"Just because you weren't paid for your efforts doesn't mean your skills don't exist."

CHILDCARE

Looking for a flexible job is high up the priority list, says Sykes, along with finding childcare that's right for your son or daughter.

She says once you know your child is happy and they feel secure with their carers, parents can work efficiently because they're not in the office worrying about their child.

"You know that they're being looked after, you know that they're being cared for and so you can just get on with your day and be as productive as you possibly can be."

Sykes believes a mother reaches a danger point when she starts thinking she shouldn't return to work because of the high cost of care.

"Childcare has to be viewed as a joint family decision and the mother's career should be just as respected as the dad's career," Sykes says.

"If it means that the cost of childcare is a little bit excessive in those first few years but you're still keeping your head above water and it means that you're keeping your toes in the workplace then that's really important for a woman's future earning capacity too."

BALANCE

It's much easier to focus on your career during work hours if the home front is running smoothly, reads Career Mums.

"In the office, you want to have a calm, focused attitude, and that's not easy if you're worrying about what's going on at home.

"Good childcare is vital, but what matters even more is having a partner who'll share the load with you fairly."

In more than 65 per cent of Australians household, they write, both parents work.

To get the right balance, parental responsibilities, such as school drop-offs, sick days, shopping and cleaning, must be shared.

Sykes, who has three children aged eight, six and three, and Tait, who has two sons aged eight and five, suggest writing down your domestic duties. Then you can create a weekly calendar so both mum and dad know what their jobs are.

WORKING-PARENT MYTHS

There are many wrong assumptions people make about working parents, and one myth is that working flexibly means you're no longer serious about your career.

Look for role models, Career Mums advises, such as any executives or managers who are also working part-time.

You also have to accept the hours you work and not try and do a full-time job in part-time hours.

Another myth, Sykes and Tait say, is that you should be at home with your kids instead of working.

"There may be members of your organisation who judge you for your decision to return to work: you will not convince these people that their opinion is wrong, so don't try," they write.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/business/worklife/top-tips-to-being-a-career-mum/story-e6frfm9r-1226249832258#ixzz1kCAUHazO

5 tips to help you land a new job in 2012

2012-01-14T18:24:00.000-08:00

The new year brings a fresh start, and for many people, that means the search for a new career. Job-hunting websites expect hiring to improve this year, and January is a particularly busy time because new recruiting budgets take effect. So whether you've been out of work for a while or are simply looking for a change, here are some tips to ensure a successful job search.

Fine tune your resume: Having a great resume is about more than just impeccable grammar and an easy-on-the-eyes font, according to Jobfox.com. Your resume should be chock-full of keywords targeted to the job you want. These can be found in the posted descriptions of the kind of job you're looking for, and using them for your online resume can help ensure your name comes up in recruiters' searches. When it comes to listing previous positions, be sure to showcase your accomplishments instead of simply listing responsibilities or tasks performed.

"As the years go by, the likelihood of remembering details of every accomplishment will more difficult," said Alex Soto, CEO of ResumeLance and Soto Marketing Communications. "In 2012, jot down what you've achieved at your job – it will serve a useful purpose in optimizing your resume, and in the end, your chances of landing the job of your dreams."

Work with a recruiting or staffing firm: A new survey by CareerBuilder shows that 36 percent of American companies will hire contract or temporary workers in 2012, up from 28 percent in 2009. So working with a recruiting or staffing firm could be a great way to jump-start your job search. And even though some positions will be short-term, many will turn into permanent positions; CareerBuilder's survey found that 35 percent of those companies planned to turn their contract workers into regular employees.

Take advantage of social media: If your Facebook profile is all play and no work, or if your LinkedIn page is ghost town, it's time to brush up on your digital networking skills. Job seekers should maintain an active, relevant presence on both sites, according to Jobfox, and they should use the sites to make as many connections as possible.

"Here is the real one-two punch: Target your resume to the job you want and get that resume into the hands of the hiring manager through a reference," said Peggy Padalino, VP of sales and client services at Jobfox. "Your chances of landing that job just skyrocketed past your competition."

Network, network, network: It's important to follow through with all leads, no matter how small. Jobfox says research shows that lengthy periods of unemployment are directly related to passive approaches to job searching. The best skills and most impressive experience are not always enough on their own – a large network ensures that your name and resume land in front of as many hiring managers as possible. Reach out to colleagues past and present to foster second and third-degree connections, and remember that traditional courtesies – like a thank-you note after an interview or networking meeting – can still go a long way in maintaining good relationships.

Be patient, but persistent: Hiring cycles are still long and drawn out, according to allcountyjobs.com. Be patient after your first interview -- there are lots of variables that go into making a hiring decision. On the other hand, persistence pays off -- don't assume that simply submitting your resume to an online applicant tracking system will ensure it will be seen by the right people. Allcountyjobs.com calls this the "resume black hole" and says it's smart to find another way to get your resume in front of an actual person.

Source:http://tahlequahdailypress.com/cnhislides/x594875615/5-tips-to-help-you-land-a-new-job-in-2012

Ways to make LinkedIn a more effective part of the job search

2012-01-07T18:34:00.001-08:00

Between November and December, the national unemployment rate dropped from 8.7 percent to 8.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As December marks the fifth consecutive month of drops in unemployment, people may want to ramp up their job search efforts in the new year.

After taking a career test and finding out what type of role they are suited for, jobseekers may want to create a LinkedIn profile if they have not done so already. CIO recently provided a few tips for the social media website that can help people’s online job search efforts.

For instance, the news source suggested that LinkedIn users focus on crafting an effective profile. An individual’s page should clearly state who they are as a professional. In order to accomplish this, the profile must also be completed in full.

"If you don't follow through on completing your own profile, what other things will you fail to finish," Eve Mayer Orsburn, chief executive officer of Social Media Delivered, told the news outlet. "Take the time to fill in as many of the fields as you can, and always include a picture."

On a website that has more than 100 million users around the world, it is also essential for jobseekers to expand their online network, the news source stated.

Source:http://www.funeducation.com/News/Career-Test-Information/ways-to-make-linkedin-a-more-effective-part-of-the-job-search/

(5) Tips for Staying Competitive in the Job Market

2011-12-23T17:55:00.001-08:00

With 2011 coming to a close, it’s time to reflect on the past year. Whether you are employed, unemployed or underemployed, it has been a tough year navigating in a sluggish job market and a tumultuous economy.

There’s not much you can do, but let our world economy sort itself out. It will take time for the housing market to come back, our government to unite to provide better leadership and for businesses to hire more aggressively. So what do you do in the meantime? And, what does it take to make you marketable on a long term basis?

Here are some useful tips for staying competitive in the job market:

Stay abreast on happenings in your industry. This it essential to create value for yourself. Knowledge is power and will make you a stand-out in your field.
Create a “hit-list” of those that are major players in your industry. Create a plan to meet a few key players in 2012. Surround yourself with the leaders in your industry.
Learn how to use social media effectively to get the most out Linked In and Facebook. Spend more time on building your brand and becoming a resource to your followers than talking about your latest dinner. People are addicted to Facebook, so make sure you have interesting information for them.
Join organizations that are pertinent to your industry. Get involved with these groups. This includes LinkedIn groups which are easy access to meet people in your industry, with no cost.
Spend time creating and perfecting your personal image. Take a look in the mirror. Is the image you see what you want a potential employer to see? Would you hire you? If not, spend some time on creating a new look for yourself. Image is essential.

These tips are something you will need to continually do throughout your career! Competition for well paying, enjoyable jobs is increasing as we become a world economy. You will be competing with those that try a little harder at perfecting their skills and image. Don’t miss opportunities as 2012 begins to offer more chances for employment.

Source:http://www.chicagonow.com/get-employed/2011/12/5-tips-for-staying-competitive-in-the-job-market/

7 tips for how to keep your staff, and keep them happy

2011-12-15T08:33:00.001-08:00

Are your staff happy? Many retail stores across Australia need to do more to retain good staff, according to recent data from Mercer showing that retailers are failing to make the most of their workforce. This is particularly pertinent as the embattled retail sector faces trading through the busiest shopping period, Christmas and Boxing Day sales.

Mercer’s What’s Working survey conducted in early 2011 found that only 41.9 percent of respondents from the retail sector felt their organisation did a good job of retaining its most talented people, and for the 70.9 percent of respondents who held a non-management position, less than half felt their manager played an active role in their personal career development.

Mercer’s Human Capital Business Leader for Australia and New Zealand, Rob Bebbington, said retailers fighting to maintain growth and competing within tough price wars are failing to appreciate their key selling point, customer service.

With falling consumer confidence and increased competition from online retailing and overseas brands, staff engagement is more critical than ever to ensure businesses offer above-average service to savvy shoppers.

“Happy staff means happy customers. Without properly engaging with current workers and providing employees with adequate career opportunities, any hope for growth will be thwarted by disengagement and apathy and will ultimately impact retailer’s bottom line," said Bebbington.

In detail

Fewer than half the respondents have been part of a formal review in the past 12 months
52 percent don’t feel senior management are doing a good job of confronting issues before they become major problems
49.8 percent don’t trust management to communicate honestly
84.1 percent of employees are unhappy with childcare support
83.3 percent are dissatisfied with employee assistance plans

A notable result is the dissatisfaction of women retail staff, who make up a significant portion of the sector.

“A lack of support and career development opportunities for female workers in this sector poses significant challenges for those looking for the next generation of female leaders in coming years,” said Bebbington.

7 tips to keep staff happy

Understand what motivates your workforce
Be innovative with ways to improve engagement, performance and productivity
Ask employees to comment anonymously through a suggestion box and implement affordable, good ideas
Cross-train: develop the skills of all employees and raise engagement. Workers may feel more enthusiastic towards their role or decide to utilise these new skills for an alternative position within the organisation, increasing staff retention
Find ways to reward employees – an extra day off, a gift certificate or an inexpensive gift
Present company challenges publicly when possible; this improves communication and allows staff to suggest possible solutions
Provide all employees with regular feedback; include job performance and an opportunity to self critique areas for improvement

Source:http://www.franchise.net.au/Article/How-to-keep-your-staff-and-keep-them-happy-7-top-tips/532964.aspx

What's the right career for your children?

2011-12-06T17:51:00.001-08:00

If you ask kids in elementary school what they want to be when they grow up, you'll likely hear singer, ballerina, athlete or movie star. As students move into middle school and high school, they think more seriously about career possibilities. All parents want their children to be successful, so what careers should they expose them to in order to help them make a good decision?

This is a tough question for parents living in current economic times, where once successful career paths now suffer from fierce competition and high unemployment rates. There is a career, however, that continues to thrive through the down economy, and it offers a variety of flavors that can fit just about any child's interests and personality: engineering.

Did you know employment in engineering is more than 4 percentage points lower than the national unemployment rate? Engineering majors make an average yearly income of $75,000, higher than the yearly income of graduates in any other field. These facts alone may inspire more parents to think of suggesting engineering as a career option to their children.

Intel recently commissioned a study of 1,000 American teens aged 13 to 18, to better understand how to get more of them interested in engineering as a career. The results suggest that exposure to any facts about engineering may inspire nearly half of teens to consider engineering as a career.

A conversation with your teen about what engineers do and specifically how much money they earn might be all that lies between your child and his or her future as a successful engineer. Here are six proactive tips for parents and teachers to help students consider a career in engineering:

1. Help kids understand what engineering is all about.
Providing your children with a better understanding of what engineers actually do can increase consideration of a career in the field. So talk about how rewarding it is to be an engineer. Explain the different types of engineers that exist, such as chemical, agricultural, sound or computer, and what exactly they do.

2. Make engineering more personal.
Children who know an engineer are more likely to consider the field. Do you have a friend or colleague they could meet and ask questions, or job shadow? Giving a face to engineers can help create a sense that "if they can do it, I can do it."

3. Emphasize how engineers can play a role in making the world a better place.
Play up the impact engineers have on the world. For example, explain that engineers were responsible for saving the trapped Chilean miners last year. Or how a biomedical engineer might work on a new medical device that can help save thousands of lives and environmental engineers help endangered plants and animals survive.

4. Reframe the difficulty of engineering as a positive challenge, a badge of honor.
Most adults know that succeeding at something you thought was hard is one of the best feelings in the world. Parents should explain their own experiences with overcoming difficulty and motivate their kids to take on new challenges, despite how daunting they may seem. The rewards could be impressive. In fact, engineering is the most common college major amongst S&P 500 CEOs.

5. Talk dollars and cents.
Explain the earning power of those who work in the engineering field. Half of the top 20 best-paying college degrees are in an engineering field. Roughly 60 percent of teens surveyed are more likely to consider engineering after learning about the career's earning power.

6. Explain that engineers help our country.
From 1990 to 2010, overall college graduation levels in the United States have grown about 50 percent, but during that same period the number of engineering graduates has stagnated at around 120,000. By contrast, roughly 1 million engineers a year graduate from universities in India and China. This gap hinders global competitiveness and threatens our ability to both retain and create high-tech, good-paying jobs here in the United States. More children becoming engineers will help America remain the world's leading innovator.

Source:http://www.jsonline.com/sponsoredarticles/education/135099073.html

3 Tips to Build and Improve a Talent Community

2011-12-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

In the HR world, talent communities are heating up. And, why not? Employers want to find and connect with the best talent and talented candidates want the best job. A well-written resume isn’t always going to lead to a talented employee, and not every job description will be seen by top talent?

Talent communities facilitate engagement between employers and candidates and among candidates who share common interests and experience. From this purposeful interaction arises another dimension of talent screening: passive screening. You get to participate in conversations and spectate while talent interacts over various subjects related to their profession, the industry, job functions, political and economic factors that impact their field(s), etc. These conversations can help discover the very best candidates that a simple keyword search of a resume database cannot. In these communities, job seekers and employers can connect on a much higher level than an application or resume allows.

Check out: Talent Communities 101: How to Use Your Talent Community in Your Job Search

I’ve spelled out the three most important tips to keep in mind when building and improving your very own talent community:

Make it accessible

If you want job candidates to find your talent community on their own, you need to make it as accessible as possible. Don’t bury your talent community under page after page on your company’s career’s site.

Provide links in recruiting emails, on the main page, and in conversation. Use SEO basics to make your talent community soar to the top of relevant Google searches as well.

If you’re unsure as to where your talent community should live, consider social media platforms and apps like LinkedIn and Cachinko. These sites help bridge the gap between job seekers and your company.

Actively recruit

The truth about job seekers is that they are temporary. Very temporary. The typical active job seeker in your talent community is diligently working toward getting their next job, and the most talented will be hired quickly. That means you must always be adding new candidates to your talent community. Aim to retain connections with all talent that connects with you by providing valuable content other than just jobs. Encourage sharing your content and employer brand with their extended networks.

Create a presence for yourself and your company online, in social media networking platforms, and in industrial organizations in your area. Instead of passively posting jobs and letting job seekers come to you, be an active recruiter and engage top talent where they exist to attract them to your talent community and to introduce you to their professional connections.

Participate!

The key to a successful talent community is to keep the conversation going. As more discussions spark, candidates will feel the need to visit and comment every day.

As an employer, the best thing you can do to keep the conversation going is to talk. Start new discussions, ask questions, add your input, and always respond. These candidates are here for you, so let yourself be heard and demonstrate that you are listening to them!

To reel candidates back into the community, share community updates, company news and events, or send regular newsletters with featured articles. Offering downloadable white papers is another great way to encourage sharing your brand and to catalyze a conversation about important topics that will help keep top talent active in your talent community.

Source: https://www.publish2.com/organizations/4413/newswires/571/stories/5014150#ixzz1foUvIxae

5 Tips for Getting the Most From Your Performance Review

2011-11-21T18:29:00.001-08:00

Doing what you can to prepare for a performance review puts you in the best position possible for a smooth experience, but unexpected bumps can certainly arise.

If you and your boss haven’t been communicating well, that leaves an open door for surprise comments that could shake your confidence. Don’t let these minor moments distract you from getting the most from your review. Check out these tips for handling potentially sticky situations.

Ask questions: Your boss may assume that you know what she’s talking about when she tells you you’re doing a good job. Ask what stands out about your job performance, and if she’s dissatisfied with the job you’ve been doing, ask for specific examples and how you could do better next time.
Tell your story: If you think your boss’s negativity stems from a misunderstanding, ask her, “I have a different perspective on this situation. Would you like to hear it?” Steer clear of defending everything your boss brings up. Sometimes, it’s more appropriate to say, “I hadn’t looked at it that way. I’d like to try that next time.”
Play it by ear: If your review is negative, save the topic of your future with the company for another day. Go ahead and bring it up if you’ve been given a positive review.
Don’t sweat the small stuff: Leave the minor comments alone, but if something comes up that you think could threaten your job or promotion, ask, “I need a little perspective here. How serious is this?”
Follow up: A negative review can throw you off guard, so before discussing specifics, it’s okay to say, “I need some time to think about these things.” You may consider asking to meet again in a few weeks to discuss how you’ve been improving.

Source:http://www.learnvest.com/money-tuneup/career/tips-for-getting-the-most-from-your-performance-review/

Employers share tips for a winning interview

2011-11-16T18:29:00.001-08:00

Representatives from five Galesburg-area employers Tuesday morning spoke to a crowd of more than 50 people packed into the second-floor meeting room of the Galesburg Public Library. The topic: tips for a successful job interview.

The Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services and the Illinois Department of Employment Security hosted the panel discussion.

Employers talked for about an hour, while audience members had about 45 minutes worth of questions.

Making a good appearance for job interviews by dressing appropriately, and completely filling out job applications in a legible manner were among the subjects that came up a number of times.

Michael Crummer of Blick Art Materials said Blick, a company that employes about 500 people in Galesburg, said the firm looks for “somebody who takes pride in their work, who has good people skills, shows up for work on time and is ready to work.”

Crystal Sullivan, store manager at Walmart in Seminary Square, told how she started as a part-time employee at Walmart.

“Walmart offers lots of opportunity for advancement,” she said. “Right now, we’re hiring.”

Sullivan touched on many of the topics covered by Crummer.

“When you are called for an interview, the one thing I can’t stress enough is to be on time and dress the part,” she said. “If you come in in your pajama pants and your slippers, that is a huge turn-off.”

Sullivan and other employers suggested Goodwill, the Salvation Army Thrift Store and other resale shops as places to buy appropriate clothes without spending an arm and a leg.

Everyone emphasized the importance of showing off one’s good qualities during the interview.

“Just believe in yourself,” Sullivan said. “We’re looking for customer service, so show your personality during your interview. It’s OK to brag about yourself.”

Dan Ahearn, director of human resources at Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse in Galesburg, said his store also is hiring. He said there is a lot of competition. Ahearn said 34 people applied for a recent position as a part-time cashier.

Lisa Noel of the Animal Medical Center, 371 E. Carl Sandburg Drive, is a veterinary technician who, at the age of 48, is preparing to go back to school for four years to become a veterinarian. She started her career as a dog groomer, progressed into kennel work, then became a veterinary assistant. The center also has a receptionist and a veterinarian.

“We take resumes, we don’t take applications,” she said.

Kathy Kopsak, administrator at the Knox County Nursing Home in Knoxville, said there are 175 to 180 employees at the county home. She said a unique feature at the nursing home is a residents’ hiring committee handles one portion of the interview. She also had tips for the all-important interview.

“Let your personable side come out,” Kopsak said. “Let us know if you have fears, we all do. Basically, we’re more like a family.”

Questions from the audience ran the gamut from how often someone should call to follow up after an interview, to whether the employers hire convicted felons, to what to do if you don’t have a home computer or one that is reliable.

Becky Legge of the IDES said the resource room there not only has computers, there are telephones job applicants can use, a fax machine, copy machine, even nicer paper for resumes.

One man understood dressing for success during interviews but wondered if that also applies to applying for a job.

“You don’t get a second chance to make first impressions,” he said. “Is it as important to dress up to put in an application as it is for an interview?”

While answers varied, Crummer said, “yes. You never know when you’ll get an interview on the spot. I always tell people the interview starts when you pull up in the parking lot.”

The impression applicants make on the receptionist and others who work up front is also important, all the employers agreed, as what they think makes its way back to those who do the hiring.

Basics were stressed. Crummer said filling out an application so it is legible is critical.

“You’d be surprised how many times I can’t make out the numbers for the person’s phone number,” he said, therefore being unable to contact the applicant.

Source:http://www.galesburg.com/news/business/x495077409/Employers-share-tips-for-a-winning-interview

Top Tips for Beating the Competition for Marketing Jobs

2011-11-13T05:12:00.000-08:00

Marketing and other branches of communications are extremely pervasive. The average person in the UK today will be subject to thousands of advertising and marketing messages every day, in many different forms and from a multitude of sources. As a result, marketing is a diverse and wide-ranging field, and the competition for positions can be intense. So, what follows is a selection of tips to help those of you trying to get into the profession in your quest to get great marketing jobs.
1) Know what you want from your job.
You will get asked at least once during the application process why you want to work in marketing, what it is that attracted you to the industry, and how dedicated you are to achieving your goal. The last thing a recruiter wants to hear is that you haven't really thought about your career, or that you don't know much about the industry or the position to which you are applying - they would much rather hire a candidate who had a genuine interest in the work they will be doing or at least knows about the industry, and for whom a job in marketing is simply a back-up option. Research the company and ensure it's where you want to work, and make sure the recruiter knows this is why you are applying.
2) "So where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?"
Recruiters want to know that this is a career you want for the long term, not simply as a stop-gap. They are bound to ask you something like this, so it's best to have an answer to this as well as the obvious one of, "Why do you want to work in marketing?" A good idea is to have a look on industry job boards, career advice sites etc. and have a look at where you might be in 5 or 10 years' time if you take this role. Not only will it give you a realistic answer for this question, but it will help you make sure that this is the role for you, and that it will lead to the marketing job you ultimately want.
3) Have a decent CV - in marketing presentation and image count for a lot so get this right!
Marketing campaigns have as a key focus the impact that they will make on their target audience. In your application, your target audience is the person reading your application and ultimately deciding whether to give you a chance at actually getting the job by offering you an interview. If you send in a CV filled with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and misused punctuation, it will fail to impress, and may get you sent to the 'no' pile before they even consider your qualifications, as impressive as they may be. Most recruiters suggest a CV of no more than one page, but if this means cramming information in size 6 font onto the page, either you are including too much, or you can justify going on to a second page. If you're unsure, either check with the HR department of the company to see if they have strict guidelines, or consult a careers advice centre.
4) And to go with that, a good covering letter...
Having a brilliant, word-perfect CV is unlikely to get you anywhere if it is not paired with a covering letter. This should introduce you, explain why you've applied to the position and the company itself, and give a bit more information than the CV provides on its own. This not only avoids your application looking generic and lacking in effort, but gives the employer more of an idea of who you are and why they might want to hire you. You are selling your skills as a potential marketing professional, so what do you have which will make you better at it than other applicants? Define what your passions are and how they relate to your potential as a marketer. Think about what defines you as a person and a potential employee and tell them about you and what makes you special and the next crucial part of their team.
5) No scatterguns
Obviously, the more applications you send out, the more recruiters will be made aware of you and your skills, and hopefully the more likely you will be to get an interview. However, this does not mean showering the entire job market with generic applications and hoping that some stick. The best practice here is to send out a reasonable volume, but to tailor each one based on the research you've done on the company, the specifications of each role etc. If you use the scattergun approach, it is likely to come across in your application, and you will not come across as dedicated as another candidate who has taken more time over it. Hitting a large volume of targets will not necessarily have the desired effect if what you are providing them with is a half-hearted application. Have an application strategy and stick to it.
6) Experience is valuable
Naturally, if you are hired at entry-level or as a graduate recruit, your employer will not expect you to know all the ins and outs of marketing, or to be able to run their flagship campaigns. You will however be expected to know what the industry is all about, and what sort of thing you will be doing. The best way to gain this knowledge and also prove your dedication to the career path is to get some hands-on experience, through work placements, internships, volunteering programmes and so on. You'll find out whether marketing is for you, gain some skills along the way, and be able to say confidently to the recruiter that you know you want to work in marketing, and can give practical examples of why this is the case. Even completely unpaid experience is well worth the effort, as it will pay you back in time as a vital component of a successful CV.
7) Your social media and online 'brand'
Something which you cannot control is what results Google will produce for each user - results are organised relevant to factors such as previous searches, location, and perceived interests, so any number of your-name-related results may spring up. What you can do is make sure that what there is available related to you is not horrifically off-putting for an employer. Prospective employers do not want to know that you go out and get drunk frequently, have a worrying obsession with a celebrity, freely express offensive political or racial views, or denounce their company or clients' brands on a regular basis. They will however be interested to know that you participate in sports teams, interact with people, and have an interesting life outside the office or lecture hall. Profiles on sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook can be a blessing if used correctly, but can also provide an all-too-honest view that you might not want to publicise. Your online brand or identity will not necessarily get you hired or rejected, and not all employers use this form of candidate filtering, but in some cases it can make a big difference.
8) Ignore recruitment myths
There are a lot of recruitment myths out there, and the best advice possible is to avoid them altogether. There are some situations in which an innovative approach to an application might work: sending your CV and covering letter inside a box of chocolates or donuts, or around a bottle of alcohol might catch the eye of a recruiter as something different that no one else did. However, more often than not this may be seen as a blatant bribe attempt and will send your application straight to the shredder. Using a unique approach in your application can be a brilliant idea though - you are after all applying to a world where finding unique ways to sell products or services, so why should your approach to selling your own skills be any different? Just make sure it is not a cliched or overused idea that will do your application more harm than good.
9) Network, network, network
In many industries, networking and talking to people in the business can be really important, and marketing is no different. Networking events, online conversations, company open days and the like provide brilliant opportunities for marketing yourself to potential employers. You can not only get insider insights into the industry, but also make contacts or even talk to a potential recruiter and have a chance to make a positive impression on them before they've even read your application. There are plenty of these events going on all the time if you know where to look.
(Incidentally, Only Marketing Jobs holds industry networking events throughout the year, and information regarding these and other industry developments can be found on the Only Marketing Jobs blog).
Recent data revealed that almost half of London-based job seekers used social media of some form to find their jobs - this is a growing channel for finding employment, as well as business and social networking, so keep it in mind in your marketing jobs search.
Hopefully, this has given you some useful tips on what to do, what to avoid, and what to think about when applying for your next marketing job. Careers in marketing provide ample opportunities for creative brilliance and vastly diverse experiences, so if you fit the bill start looking for your new marketing job today.

Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/488385#ixzz1daw3G0cW

Three tips to give your resume an edge

2011-11-10T17:51:00.001-08:00

A well-written resume can make all the difference. In reality, your resume only has a few seconds to get you in the door. After all, hiring authorities are reviewing hundreds of resumes depending on the position.

Here are a few things we see that make a big difference:

• In general, a strong resume should be one to two pages – but not longer, even if someone has had a 20-plus year career.

• While it is important to list duties and aspects of responsibilities one has had in their roles, what will make them standout is listing their accomplishments with each. An example would be how they have either made or saved their employers money or achieved in some way. It might be through a process they implemented due to finding inefficiencies, successful negotiation of contracts with vendors, statistical information (especially if someone is in a direct/indirect sales role), recognition/awards received for outstanding performance, successfully leading a software implementation, etc.

• At times we see people just listing their most current position with their employer, versus highlighting their progression, which we feel is a critical mistake. However, when one has progressed within a company and has multiple positions to list, it is important to have a main heading listing dates that show first date of hire through present (or final date) and then list dates under each position title, so at a quick glance it doesn’t appear one is a job hopper.

These are just a few aspects that make a resume stronger, which might just be the things that could get you the phone call you’ve been waiting for.

Source:http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/back_to_work/2011/11/three-tips-to-give-your-resume-an-edge.html

5 tips to make a great first impression

2011-11-06T17:54:00.000-08:00

In this competitive job market, making that first winning impression is more critical than ever.

And career experts say that it's not always what you say, but how you say it, that could make the difference in securing that coveted post.

That's because interviewers observe everything -- from your facial expressions and mannerisms, to how you sit in a chair -- to evaluate whether they think you'll be successful in the new post and fit in with other workers.

Some points to consider:

Posture

Just as your parents used to say, sit up straight in the chair and listen attentively, says executive recruiter Vicki Kaskey of Ledgent Search Group, an accounting, finance and technology staffing company in Phoenix.

"Posture is distracting sometimes if they're too laid-back, where they're almost too comfortable," Kaskey says. "When you're in an interview, you need to be on your toes."

Eye contact

Looking directly at the interviewer shows you're engaged in the conversation. But remember to occasionally glance away to avoid looking like you are staring.

"I've had people look at my pictures on my wall when they're talking to me," says Mike Hayes, owner of Momentum Specialized Staffing in Phoenix. "Or they look at their fingernails or play with their hair."

If you're shy, practice making eye contact when speaking to people, which indicates you're interested in what they have to say.

Facial expressions

Be careful not to make odd expressions, which can make you look strange to an interviewer.

"People make faces all the time when they talk to people," Hayes says.

Hayes suggests practicing in the mirror or asking people you know if you make strange faces when you speak, exaggerate or are caught off guard. (You'll be surprised how honest friends can be.)

Smell

Cigarette smoke and perfumes or cologne can be turn-offs, too.

"People that smoke a lot don't smell it. But when you go into an office, it permeates and a lot of people don't like that," Hayes says.

The same applies to perfumes and colognes, which many people are allergic to .

Don't fidget

Fidgeting can be distracting and can imply you're eager to leave and be anywhere else.

"Keep your hands to your side or folded in your lap," Kaskey says. "When you're in an interview, you need to be on your toes."

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2011/11/05/20111105tips-first-impression1105.html#ixzz1cz68AdNt

Creative techniques and resume writing can help job candidates shine in their search

2011-11-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

While the overall economy has improved somewhat, jobs are still tough to find. The unemployment numbers in Indiana have steadily increased over the past few months. The lack of job growth has resulted in a new jobs package being introduced to Congress by President Barack Obama.

While the federal initiative may help job candidates down the road, there are a few things that can be done to help immediately. Job candidates can make some subtle changes in the way they approach the job search that can bring instant gratification.

These subtle changes begin at the beginning - with the resume. Unless a job candidate gets a chance to make a first impression with an elevator speech, their resume makes the first impression for them.

In today's competitive job market, job candidates need as much leverage as they can muster to land their next job. Their resume needs to stand out above all the rest, without being unprofessional. The samples used need to be presented in such a way that is easily accessible to the potential employer. Waiting for a slow Web page to load or using a MySpace page as the portfolio site is not going to make the cut.

Another subtlety that can make a big difference is personal contact. Not everyone lives in a virtual world.

Candidates need to have a way to stand out from the other 1,000 people that applied for the same job. Here are a few tips that may help bring the spotlight right where it belongs.

1) All through the job search, candidates need to apply to companies that are not actively seeking applications. Candidates should not wait for the help wanted sign to go up. They should actively read the business section of the paper and trade magazines to learn which businesses are growing and posting profits. Then candidates should send their resume and cover letter explaining what they can bring to the organization. If the company has a need and sees talent in the resume, they may make a move.

2) It's not all online these days. No matter what others say, picking up the phone and making a call can make the day. Many hiring managers and recruiters still like real communication with a human. Most communication is done via e-mail and recruiters don't get the total picture of a person without that verbal communication. A perfect example would be a follow-up phone call after the interview. No one does that much anymore, and it makes a difference to hiring managers.

3) A resume is never one-size-fits-all. Job candidates need to be flexible. They can't just try to sell what they want to sell; they have to sell what the hiring manager is buying. They have to make sure that their resume fits the position and the organization. Hiring managers look at skill set, education, experience and where the experience came from. They want to make sure that the candidate is going to fit into the corporate culture.

4) Job candidates need to make sure that their resume is easy on the eyes. A good analogy is to make a resume like a billboard ad. The candidate needs to get the message across in a short time at a high speed. The hiring manager received 1,000 resumes. How many will stand out when they get a brief once-over? Candidates need to use bullet points, and leave white space so it's easy on the eyes to read. The resume is high level - the details come out in the interview.

5) A resume should be a success story. A job candidate should make sure to include several career achievements. Choose one or two of these career success stories to go on the resume. They should be in a very brief form near the top of page one. These examples of what the candidate has done and can do grab the hiring manager's attention.

6) Analyze several job postings in the field. Develop a list of keywords from those postings that can be you incorporated into the resume under a subheading entitled 'core competencies.' Hiring mangers search their database of resumes by keyword, so having these terms on a resume increases the chances of being selected for further review.

7) Believe it or not, a cover letter that is well written is still very important. Never start a cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern". Try very hard to get a person's name in the Human Resource or Personnel department. If not, simply say 'Greetings' or 'Hello.' Also, skip the "This letter is in regards to your ad' statement. It's obvious why a cover letter and resume were sent - for a job. A candidate should jump in to why they should be considered.

8) A cover letter is a great place for a candidate to share a good story about what they have accomplished. A good story, especially if it can be tied to the job opening, can show why the candidate would be the best choice for the job. It can also be an opportunity to show some creativity.

9) A good cover letter and resume can result in an interview. This is where a candidate can explain why they are a good fit to the organization. Often people peruse a job for no other reason than it is available. But a job candidate needs to sell the hiring manager on why they and the company are a good match.

10) Job candidates need to keep their interview answers job-related. Many job candidates start off the interview on the wrong note when they respond to the statement, ‘Tell me about yourself'. Job candidates give a personal response instead of a professional response. A response will be translated into a 'Hire me' statement if responses are tailored to the position applied for.

Many hard-working candidates with excellent skills are unemployed or underemployed. It's not for lack of trying.

Hiring managers and recruiters are deluged with resumes whether they have posted job openings or not. It is an unfortunate result of the Great Recession and its impact on the American workforce.

But candidates who get creative can find ways through the bureaucratic maze of paperwork. Tips like the ones listed above can help candidates get their application in the spotlight - and keep it there.

Source: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/jobs-and-employment/creative-techniques-and-resume-writing-can-help-job-candidates-shine/article_ec9775ff-ca2e-5f75-a957-bf0aad2394ef.html#ixzz1cz5wyrdJ

Tips on How to Become a More Effective Aerobics Instructor

2011-11-02T18:37:00.000-07:00

Being an aerobics instructor is probably the most rewarding, if not challenging thing you can be.

If you have a career in the fitness industry as an aerobics instructor, or are thinking about acquiring a career in the fitness industry as an aerobics instructor, there are a few tips that will help you be successful.

Know Your Students: When teaching aerobics, you must take into account this simple fact: You are the teacher. Your students have paid to take the classes that you teach, so it is important that you get to know who your students are and their reasons for taking your classes. Learn the median age group you are teaching, the level at which your students are accustomed to (beginners, intermediate, advanced, etc.), and what your students' fitness goals are.

Choreography & Music: In order to be more effective as an aerobics instructor, you must have the right kind of choreography, whether you are teaching Zumba, or teaching an old-school step class, the right choreography and music will let your students know that you are professional and serious about giving your all as you teach instruct.

Practice, Practice, Practice: After you have planned out your choreography, practicing the choreography you have planned is essential. As the old saying goes, "Practice makes perfect." No matter if you have just earned your aerobics instructor certification or if you are a master aerobics instructor who has been in the fitness industry for years, practicing your choreography and making sure that you are executing every move on the correct counts is imperative.

Gain More Education: In the fitness industry, things change almost on a daily basis. New types of aerobics classes are implemented, some techniques that have been used throughout the years are obsolete, or new ways to instruct your students are being revitalized. Ask the health club that you are employed by if there are any continuing education classes that are being hosted locally (or out of town). Some health clubs may be able to get you a discounted rate for attended continuing education courses.

Being an aerobics instructor takes a lot of preparation. It takes planned out choreography, the knowledge of the most effective ways to teach within the fitness industry, and the requirement to gain more education and knowledge. It is safe to say that you will not know everything there is to know about being the best aerobics instructor in the fitness industry, however, by taking into account these helpful tips, you can become more of an effective aerobics instructor in the fitness industry.

Source:http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10343619

Management Tip of the Day: Navigating a career change

2011-10-29T07:45:00.001-07:00

If you are really looking to move the world forward, begin by innovating on the inside, and disrupt yourself, says Harvard Business Review. But be prepared for a rough ride.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org. Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

"Whether you're starting your own business or joining a different industry, making a mid-career move can be a challenge.

Consider these three tips when contemplating a shift in your career trajectory:

1. Prepare to feel scared and lonely. Career moves can often involve loss of stature and financial stability. Accept that difficult feelings are part of the process.

2. Settle for an uncharted path. Changing careers means leaving the well-trod path. You won't know from the outset what comes next, but that's what taking risks entails.

3. Use new metrics. Perhaps earlier in your career you used money or fame to measure your success. Maybe now you want more autonomy, flexibility, or to make a positive impact on the world."

Source:http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/features/management-tip-daynavigating-career-change_606966.html

Five tips to help you clinch a job before Christmas

2011-10-24T18:38:00.001-07:00

Job hunting in this market takes a little extra effort. Here’s how to stand out.

1) Get networking

By being well-networked, you’ll not only be able to tap into the 'hidden' job market; you’ll also be giving yourself a real advantage over other candidates, says Andrew Hanson, director, financial services, Robert Walters. “Your network should include anyone who can assist you with a job search or career move – from past and present co-workers and bosses, to colleagues from business associations, and friends. Attend industry events or special networking sessions and use social media to expand your network.”

2) A CV is a sales document, not a list

Make sure your CV is a sales document designed to get you an interview, says Hanson. “You need to sell the benefits to the employer of hiring you as an employee, e.g. where you can add value.”

Allira Salem, director, financial services, Marks Sattin, adds: “Candidates need to remember that their resume is the first sales pitch they can make to an employer. This document is a representation of them and should be taken as such. Sales people would not go to see a client without being prepared or looking the part, and a resume should be no different.”

3) Showcase your achievements

“For sales-orientated people, the resume should focus on achievements made, as this is what will get them over the line against competition. Firms are constantly asking us ‘what can candidates bring to the table?’ and a resume needs to highlight selected achievements over the course of employment,” says Salem.

4) Don’t be afraid of the follow-up

Warwick Peel, director, pb Human Capital, advises job seekers to follow up their applications with a phone call. “There’s too much reliance by candidates on waiting for an online-application response. Be proactive, and co-operate with your recruiter.”

5) Know your industry and sort out your attitude

Preparation prior to interview is crucial. “Candidates need to ensure they understand the company, market conditions and any industry changes that pertain to their job. It is not enough anymore to just be good at your job, you need to understand the industry or demonstrate areas that you know require improvement and how you intend on doing so,” says Salem.

Hanson adds: “Show an interest in the organisation you are applying to, so you come across motivated and enthusiastic. Have questions – not just about holidays and salary. Employers are focusing more and more on the attitude of the applicant.”

Source:http://news.efinancialcareers.com.au/newsandviews_item/newsItemId-35696

Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts

2011-10-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

How Cover Letters Are Used

Employers will quickly scan – by hand or via computer –resumes into three piles. The first pile includes resumes that seem to match the job requirements well; the second pile is those that lack any important qualification matches; the third pile is the “maybe” pile. If your resume ends up in the maybe pile, a prospective employer will read your cover letter carefully. A well-written cover letter can help persuade an employer to invite you in for an interview. And don’t forget, that’s the sole purpose of a cover letter and a resume, to get past the first step in the screening process, so that you can be interviewed for a job.

Cover Letter Do’s

Do write a cover letter for each and every resume that you submit, including those that you submit online. To fit the space provided by some employers, your online cover letter may have to be quite short, but do still include one.
As a cover letter is always viewed as a writing sample, use complete sentences, vary the type of sentences that you use, and keep your paragraphs short. Make sure that your grammar is perfect.
Do use proper business letter format; the appropriate salutation is “Dear Mr. or Ms. So-and-So”, followed by a colon (:); a correct close is e.g., “Sincerely” or “Very truly yours”, followed by a comma, your full name and telephone number. Always take the time to find the name and correct spelling of a specific person to whom to send your correspondence.
Keep your cover letter short, clear and error-free. Spellcheck is not enough. Proofread, proofread, proofread, and then have someone else proofread it as well.
Whenever possible, do send a hard copy of your cover letter and resume, even if you’ve already sent them via e-mail. Your cover letter and resume should “match” – i.e., use the same font and paper stock for both.
Be sure to include the following information in a cover letter:

How you heard about the job or why you’re writing – e.g., “So-and-so suggested that I contact you”; or “I’m applying to X position which was listed on your website.”
A sentence or two connecting what you know about the job or company to your skills, background and experience. Think of this section as taking a yellow highlighter to your resume, and zeroing in on the most relevant sections. Emphasize what you can do for the employer, not what the job or employer can do for you.
A closing. End with a request for the next step – either that you will call the employer in a week to follow up or that you look forward to hearing from them soon.

Source:http://milton.patch.com/articles/cover-letter-do-s-and-don-ts

Tips to ease back to work post vacation

2011-10-21T19:39:00.001-07:00

Of all the expert tips related to workplace floating around the internet, a story in the Daily Telegraph detailing eight ways to “beat the back-to-work blues” caught my attention today.

“Had a great holiday? Can’t believe you’re back at your desk? It’s perfectly normal to feel rubbish on your first day back at work after a lovely break,” editor Louisa Peacock notes in her opening paragraph.

So what does she suggest?

1. Plan more holiday. The day you get back to work you should immediately plan for your next break.

2. Go out for lunch. Take your lunch break – the full hour if you can – and have regular tea and coffee breaks throughout the day. Splitting the working day up into little parts can help the day go quicker.

3. Bring in some photos from your holiday or whatever you’ve been up to over the summer. Pin them to your desk wall to remind yourself of the good times.

4. Plan something nice for the weekend – or even tonight. Give yourself something to look forward to after work.

5. Organise yourself. Don’t rush into any tasks on your first day back. Write a to-do list or use your email calendar to plan your week.

6. Check you’re on track. Organise a meeting with your boss to talk about your overall career goals and what you want from your job.

7. Check how you feel in two weeks’ time. Give yourself time to adjust back to your day job. If in a few weeks’ time you still feel depressed, bored or stressed at work, then perhaps it is time to move on or find a new job elsewhere.

8. Spice up your day job. Talk to your colleagues about the work they do, what training they did and the skills you might need. Find out from your employers if they subsidise any training and research what skills could boost your CV.

Source:http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2011/10/21/tips-to-ease-back-to-work-post-vacation/

Management Tip of the Day: Offer three types of mentoring

2011-10-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

To attract and retain great people, several things need to coalesce, and effective mentoring is a key element, says Harvard Business Review.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (http:\\www.hbr.org). Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

"Companies with abundant mentoring opportunities are more likely to retain their people. To achieve this, offer a range of mentors for people at different career stages.

Here are three types of mentoring you should consider:

1. Buddy or peer mentors. In the early stages of a person's career, a "buddy" can help speed up the learning curve. This relationship helps the protege understand how things work at the organization.

2. Career mentors. After the initial period at a workplace, employees need to have a senior manager serve as a career advisor and advocate.

3. Life mentors. A life mentor serves as a periodic sounding board when one is faced with a career challenge. Organizations can't necessarily offer a life mentor but they can encourage seeing one."

- Today's management tip was adapted from "Keeping Great People with Three Kinds of Mentors," by Anthony Tjan.

Source:http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/wire-news/management-tipthe-day-offer-three-typesmentoring_602063.html

Five Tips for Your Emergency Fund

2011-10-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

I often hear that you should keep three to six months' worth of living expenses in an emergency fund, and you've written that some people should keep even more. But in a low-yielding environment, that's an awful lot of money to have sitting in the bank earning next to nothing. Any advice?
About the Author
Christine Benz is Morningstar's director of personal finance and author of 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances and the Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success. Follow Christine on Twitter: @christine_benz and on Facebook.
Contact Author | Meet other investing specialists

A: You're right--the past few years have brought a negative convergence for emergency-fund investors. A still-shaky economy and uncertain job market have underscored the importance of building a cash cushion to cover your costs in case of job loss or big, scary, unanticipated expenses such as medical bills or home repairs. At the same time, available yields on emergency-fund-appropriate investments have shriveled to next to nothing.

What to do? Here are some tips:

1. Customize, based on your own situation.
Three to six months' worth of living expenses is a reasonable starting point when setting your emergency fund amount. But think of it as just that: a starting point. From there, you'll want to customize your emergency-fund amount based on your own situation. The basic question is this: How much time would you want to replace your job if you lost yours? The key swing factors that should affect your decision are how flexible you are in terms of your career choices and lifestyle.

Consider holding a larger emergency fund (six months' to a year's worth of living expenses--or more) if you:

Have a high-paying job
Hold a position in a highly specialized field
Are self-employed
Work on a freelance/contract basis
Have dependents
Have a nonworking spouse
Have high fixed expenses, such as a mortgage, auto loans, and tuition bills
Have a pre-existing medical condition that could result in hefty health-care bills if you were forced to purchase private health insurance

On the flip side, you may be able to get by with a smaller emergency fund if you:

Have a good degree of career flexibility because you are in a lower-paying position and/or haven't yet developed a specialized career path
Have other sources of income that could help defray a large share of household expenses, such as a working spouse
Have a great degree of lifestyle flexibility (for example, you would be willing to relocate or get a roommate)

2. Focus on the essentials
Setting aside even three months' worth of living expenses might sound like a daunting sum, particularly if you look back on your real-life spending habits. But once you strip out discretionary expenses that you could easily live without if you needed to, your emergency-fund amount is going to look a lot more manageable. To help find the right emergency-fund target, look back on your fixed expenses during the past several months: mortgage or rent, taxes, utilities, insurance, car payments, and food bills.

Bear in mind, however, that one key expense category could spike up if you lost your job: health-care costs. Your company's human resources administrator should be able to provide you with a quote on what obtaining COBRA continuation health coverage would cost, and you can also go to ehealthinsurance.com to obtain a range of insurance quotes for a person/family in your age range.

3. Build a two-part emergency fund.
If you've decided to be conservative and build a large emergency fund--and I think that's a good strategy for those of you with higher-paying jobs and high fixed costs--you might consider splitting it into two pieces. For example, you might park three months' worth of living expenses in a traditional emergency-fund parking place (or a combination of them): your checking and savings account, a CD, money market account, or money market mutual fund.

To help address the fact that those truly safe investments are yielding next to nothing, you could then put another nine months' worth of expenses (or more) in a vehicle that would deliver a slightly higher yield in exchange for modest fluctuations in principal value. A short-term bond fund such as T. Rowe Price Short-Term Bond (PRWBX) or Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index (VBISX) would be appropriate for this role. If you're in a higher tax bracket, consider a short-term municipal fund; Fidelity and Vanguard field Morningstar's favorites.

4. Multitask through a Roth.
What if you're trying to build an emergency fund while saving for retirement at the same time? If that's you, you can consider building at least part of your emergency in a Roth IRA. This can be a viable option because the Roth, unlike a traditional IRA or 401(k), enables you to withdraw your contributions at any time and for any reason prior to age 59 1/2. Under a best-case scenario, the assets in your Roth would increase until you began withdrawing them in retirement. But if you lost your job, you could withdraw your Roth contributions if you needed the money to cover living expenses.

The key drawback to this approach is that ideally, you'd hold any assets you have earmarked for your emergency fund in something safe, such as a money market fund or CD. But those safe investments have very low long-term return potential, making them inappropriate if your goal is long-term growth for retirement.

5. Set up additional safety nets.
Finally, while emergency funding is on your mind, investigate additional safety nets that you could turn to if you've exhausted your emergency assets. For example, check to see whether your company's retirement plan allows for loans. Because you'll pay interest to yourself rather than a bank when you take a 401(k) loan, tapping these assets is preferable to turning to a bank loan or credit card if you find yourself in a financial bind. (The key downside, of course, is that you're short-shrifting your own retirement savings.)

Obtaining a home equity line of credit may also make sense for homeowners who have built up substantial equity in their properties. The key to making this strategy work is to use the HELOC only in case of a true financial emergency and after you've exhausted other types of funding, rather than to cover discretionary expenditures such as cars and vacations.

Source:http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=397796

Career Branding Tips Courtesy of Steve Jobs

2011-10-17T08:58:00.001-07:00

When Steve Jobs created Apple, he launched more than just a technology company. Jobs began one of the most innovative organizations in the world; one that would inspire what many refer to as a “cult-like” following of consumers that fell in love with the technology, design, and functionality of Apple’s products.

Take a closer look and you’ll find that Steve Jobs left us more than technology, innovation, Apple, Pixar, and powerful corporate branding tips. Jobs imparted powerful personal branding, potentially without knowing it, although I have a sense that Jobs did nearly everything with intention and design, down to choosing those Levis.
Create a style

Before you think style has to cost a fortune, take a cue from Jobs. He usually wore a St. Croix black-long sleeved mock turtleneck, Levi’s 501 jeans and New Balance 991 sneakers. Turning a ‘look’ into a brand is easier, and more common, than you think.

Andrea Jung, the C.E.O and Chairman of the Board for Avon, and one of only 11 Fortune 500 female CEO’s, has her own spin on this. She always has her iconic pearls and red lipstick on with whatever else she chooses for her wardrobe du jour.
It’s okay to be let go (or fired)

It’s okay to get laid off, fired, or be told “no thanks” by a company. Just because a company says “no” to your talent doesn’t mean you don’t have any talent. In 1985, Jobs was fired from Apple, the very company he founded.

His response? Embrace their “no,” move on, and embrace change. He, literally, moved on to the NeXT thing founding NeXT computer the same year, which he later sold to….Apple, for $429MM. Rather than joining the Apple team again, he bought a then-unknown group, now known as Pixar, for $10MM. A few Academy-Award winning productions (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. sound familiar?), and he sold this successful venture to Disney for $7.4B in stock. Jobs became the largest single Disney shareholder overnight. Jobs says getting fired is the best thing that ever happened to him because “…it freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
Simplicity is good

NeXT. Pixar. Apple. Do you sense a theme? The logo of Apple is an actual apple. Jobs companies all had one name for their brand. He kept his companies, their brands and his consumer products simple. Ironically, the technology behind MacBook laptops, iPods, iPhones, iPads, Animated movies (Pixar) and the like is anything but simple. Jobs shows us that your brand doesn’t have to say everything about you, or your career, it merely needs to represent what you bring to the table.

P.S. – The MacBook Pro I typed this on is far different from the apple cider I drank while writing this post and yet, they’re both “apple.” Branding is what you make it; that is what makes it personal branding.

Source:http://www.business2community.com/branding/career-branding-tips-courtesy-of-steve-jobs-069691

Tips for your job search

2011-10-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

Other places to check for job openings and services to help in your search:

* The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management. EM has contracted with Professional Services of America to provide career and outplacement assistance to contractor employees. The virtual services are at www.workforce.psa-inc.com. Or call toll-free, 855-647-2511.

Services include links to job listings, rsum uploading and assistance, employment information tailored to site locations, one-on-one counseling for setting career goals and other topics, cover letters, job applications, help managing stress and coaching on networking, interviews and negotiating job offers.

* Washington State University Tri-Cities' job fair is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 8. in the Consolidated Information Center on the Richland campus.

* Labor unions, classified ads in both print and online, employment agencies and employment contractors for temporary help.

* WorkSource will have a Skills, Abilities and Job Search Strategies workshop at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 26. It will cover how to talk confidently and knowledgeably about yourself, how to articulate your skills to employers, the Tri-City labor market and how to use the internet as a job search tool.

* WorkSource Columbia Basin weekly workshops.

8:30 a.m. Wednesdays: Learn how to complete a job application and what employers are looking for and common application errors.

1:30 p.m. Thursdays: Learn how to write an effective rsum, some dos and don'ts, types of resumes and cover letters.

8:30 a.m. Fridays: Learn how to prepare for an interview and prepare answers to frequently asked questions, what employers look for, nonverbal communication and what questions are illegal.

All workshops run about three hours. Registration begins 30 minutes before each workshop at the reception desk.

Source: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/10/17/2231919/tips-for-your-job-search.html#ixzz1b3jBSSSR

7 questions that make interviewers cringe

2011-10-13T19:10:00.000-07:00

Chances are you've prepared answers to a variety of questions an interviewer might throw your way, but have you spent equal time considering the questions you want to pose to a potential employer? What you ask (and sometimes when) can speak volumes about your interest and work ethic. Keep interviewers from cringing -- and possibly questioning your suitability for the position -- by avoiding these seven questions:

1. What does your company do?

Sure, an interview is a two-way street designed for both parties to learn about one another. Yet how can a job seeker prove he is the person for the position if he doesn't even know the basics about where he wants to work?

TIPS: How to earn a bigger paycheck
PHOTOS: LI people on the move
JOBS: Search thousands of postings on LI | Get the business newsletter

"I feel that if someone is coming to an interview, he should have some background about who we are and what we do," says Tina Kummelman, human resources business partner for Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Baltimore, Md. "Specific questions are great, but the overall blanketed question tells me someone did not do his homework."

Bottom line: Don't waste the interviewer's time by having her recite what could have been learned beforehand on the company's website.

2. How much does the role pay?

It may be the answer you're dying to know, but seeking this information too soon can make you look like you're jumping the gun.

"Just don't ask it. It sends the wrong message," says Chris Brabec, director of leadership talent acquisition for Western Union. Adds colleague Julie Rulis, senior recruiter with the talent acquisition team, "I believe this question should be saved for later stages in the interview process. Asking about salary or benefits in the first interview isn't the impression you want to leave with an employer."

A better idea: Do some research ahead of time to get a feel for what similar jobs are paying.

3. What are the hours of this position?

"This one question makes me cringe more than any other," says Paul Solomon, president of Solo Management, a New York-based executive recruitment firm that specializes in financial industry recruitment. "Wall Street managers don't want a clock watcher, so when I hear that question I know the candidate will not be the right fit."

Rulis agrees. "Although I understand why candidates are eager to know this upfront, it

can raise a question regarding their work ethic if asked too early in the process."

4. How many sick days do I get?

What goes through the interviewer's mind when hearing this question?

"We are in the business of developing leaders, not slouchers," says Gary Rich, president of Rich Leadership, an executive coaching firm in New York City.

Keep a potential employer from questioning your motivation (or your health) by looking this up in the employee handbook later.

5. How much time do I get off?

Like numbers three and four, this question can make a potential employer wonder if a candidate is more interested in getting out of work than contributing. It is especially frowned upon in fields requiring significant motivation from the get-go.

"A career as a financial representative is what you make of it. Your hard work helps determine your rewards. You have the ability to be your own boss, build your own practice and arrange your own schedule, while making a positive impact on your clients' lives," says Randi Michaelson, a director of recruitment and selection for the McTigue Financial Group in Chicago who recruits career changers to work as Northwestern Mutual financial representatives.

"In the beginning, it takes time, energy and commitment, but successful financial representatives -- like successful entrepreneurs -- are able to enjoy work-life balance among other rewards."

6. If I'm hired, when can I begin applying for other roles within the company?

"This question makes it seem like the candidate isn't really interested in the job she is currently interviewing for -- that she really just wants a foot in the door," Rulis says.

While ultimately you might have higher aspirations than the position for which you are applying, remember that an employer is looking for the best person to fill an opening for what the company needs now, not in the future.

7. Do you do background checks?

If you don't have something to hide, you probably aren't going to bother asking this one. If you do ...

Rich sums up the feelings most interviewers have after hearing this question, "I definitely don't want this person on my payroll!"

Source:http://www.newsday.com/classifieds/jobs/7-questions-that-make-interviewers-cringe-1.3242718

How to get a job using Google

2011-10-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

With the economy in a state of slow recovery and an influx of recent grads in the job market, many Americans are searching for work. Trends from Google Search reveal that an increasing number of Americans are searching online for jobs. In fact, since 2009, "job interview" searches have increased by 30 percent.

Among the many career sites available online, Google Search is a key resource for job seekers. Here are some tips and tricks to help maximize your job hunt with Google Search.

-- Review a company's financial news and performance through Google Finance. Are you interested in working for a publicly traded company? You can use Google Finance to check out a company's latest stock price, stock prices for their competitors, recent news and more. To find up-to-date information, simply enter the company's name or ticker symbol (e.g. GOOG).

-- Find design inspiration for your resume on Google Images. If you're worried that your resume looks cluttered or dull, check out Google Images. Search for resume examples specific to your industry that are organized, sharp and professional. You should find plenty of inspiration for designing your resume and making it stand out from the rest of the crowd.

-- Get to know the person who will be interviewing you. In addition to learning about the company where you'll be interviewing, it's also important to learn about the person who you'll be meeting. This is a must! Do a Google Search to find out if they're published, if they've spoken publicly recently, or if they've been mentioned in company news stories or headlines. Knowing these details could impress your prospective employer and give you an edge over your competition.

-- Watch YouTube for career advice. Denham Resources and Smarts Selling TV are just two examples of YouTube channels that offer resume and career advice for prospective employees. These channels (and many others) provide job seekers with an understanding of their industry, recommendations for showcasing their strengths and abilities, and advice for succeeding in their field.

-- Stay current with industry news. Keeping up-to-date with your industry is vital. Impress your potential employers with your knowledge of global industry headlines by using Google News. Here you can search headlines from around the world and set up email alerts to find out when relevant news stories appear online.

-- Search for jobs on a company's website. Google allows you to limit your search to a specific website. For example, if you want to search for jobs from Bank of America's website, enter the query "careers site:bankofamerica.com." Your search results will only include pages on careers from bankofamerica.com.

-- Map out the directions to your interview. Determine the best route, how long it will take and what traffic will be like with Google Maps. If you arrive at your interview early, check out the "Search Nearby" feature to find the nearest coffee shop where you can wait and prep for your appointment.

Using the internet can make job hunting a lot easier than it used to be, but don't rely exclusively on technology to get you that job. You still need to pick up the phone, craft a stand-out resume, send handwritten thank you notes, network with peers and wow prospective employers. Good luck!

Source:http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ct-tribu-pagliarini-google-job-search-column,0,7657634.column

5 Tips for getting back in the game when you've been kicked out

2011-10-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Inspirational speaker Willie Jolley is on a national tour sponsored by E*Trade, traveling the country and speaking to people about how to get back into the workforce when you've been kicked out.

Jolley says he found out he could be a successful professional speaker after he was fired as a nightclub entertainer. With no good opportunities in sight and $200 in his pocket, he took a job with a drug-prevention program for at-risk youth.

“I had to give speeches to kids in tough neighborhoods, and I guess because of my background as a performer, people really seemed to like them,” he told Success magazine. “One thing led to another, and by word of mouth, I kept getting invitations to speak at different companies, teachers’ associations and churches. Then Les Brown heard me speak, and he liked the way I mixed music and motivation. So he invited me to be part of the Music and Motivation Tour that he was doing with Gladys Knight.”

Since then, Jolley has made a career out of inspiring people. Among many jobs, he says he was hired to speak to Ford employees when the going was toughest for the car company. He's also written several books, including It Only Takes a Minute to Change Your Life and A Setback Is a Setup for a Comeback.

His new book, Turn Setbacks into Greenbacks, is due out in January. His advice for the unemployed in his latest book includes these five tips:

Stop commiserating. People who sit around and commiserate are the people who would rather complain about being unemployed than do anything to fix the problem.
Don’t just look for a job; make a job. Success is linked to thought, so get creative and become the CEO of YOU, Inc. What need do people have that you can fill? How can you use your expertise and get paid for it? What’s something you can offer customers that other companies in your field aren’t doing? Down times are the best times to start a business because there are so many problems waiting to be solved.
Don’t let your pride poison your prosperity. Stop trying to put up a facade of success and get real. The classifieds are full of jobs. Any work that is moral and legal is honorable, so even if you have to temporarily take a job at a lower skill set it is okay.
Upgrade your network. Build a network of people who are big thinkers. It is your network that often determines your net worth and your job situation. Who are you hanging out with? Who are you talking to and sharing ideas with? Make a commitment to network with people who will inspire ideas and encourage your entrepreneurial spirit, because these people will have a major impact on helping you make a comeback.
Stretch your goals beyond what you think you can accomplish. This puts you in the right frame of mind to make it happen. Thinking on a higher level leads to acting on a higher level.

Source:http://www.mlive.com/jobs/index.ssf/2011/10/5_tips_for_getting_back_in_the_game_when.html

Strong demand for MBA graduates

2010-01-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

Remarkable financial growth and opportunities in the region cited as reasons.

Universities are currently seeing a record number of applications for MBA (Master of Business Administration) programmes while Gulf companies are hungry for these graduates according to INSEAD business school findings.

Last year 12 per cent of INSEAD's 915 MBA graduates accepted jobs in the Middle East and Africa region with salaries increasing by 17 per cent compared to 2007. Of this figure, 62 per cent joined consulting firms, 26 per cent went into various industry sectors and 12 per cent joined the financial services industry.

Meanwhile the Middle East regional centre of Manchester Business School (MBS) has seen an unprecedented number of applications for its MBA programmes this year. It now has more than 600 students - the largest number among the school's seven international centres outside the UK.

"I think there are several reasons for it [the demand in MBAs]," said Sandra Schwarzer, director of INSEAD Career Services.

The Gulf region has over the past years seen remarkable growth and opportunities. New businesses were founded resulting in a consequent increase in the number of consulting and financial services firms, she said.

"MBAs generally have several years of work experience coupled with a first-class education. They are highly skilled and highly motivated - and at an age when they can be quickly developed into a general manager and global business leader," Schwarzer said.

According to 2008 employment statistics for INSEAD graduates, an MBA earns 77,500 euros (Dh415,438). Schwarzer said that with INSEAD graduates joining more than 350 firms in 56 countries, salaries varied from 18,400 euros (Dh98,856) to 163,900 euros (Dh880,573) last year.

Last year, the top UAE recruiters for the business school - which has a campus in Abu Dhabi - were Booz & Company, McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, AT Kearney, Nokia, Oliver Wyman, Delta Partners, Abraaj Capital, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Mubadala.

Schwarzer said many consulting firms - which represent the largest MBA recruiters in the region - will recruit MBAs with diverse backgrounds. "Moreover, they will select people for their leadership potential, their strong analytical skills and their motivation to become a consultant."

Industry firms generally hire for their sales, marketing, corporate strategy and finance roles while investment banks required prior knowledge in finance.

Women in business

Women MBAs are making headway too. Twenty-three per cent of new MBA students in the region are businesswomen; businesswomen make up 13 per cent of the total number of Middle East MBA students from MBS Worldwide (MBSW) said chief executive Nigel Banister.

Emirati entrepreneurs are also being encouraged. The school, together with the Khalifa Fund to Support and Develop Small and Medium Enterprises, has just launched an innovation award with a large cash prize available to the winner. MBSW in China has just completed its first innovation award programme, which attracted over 200 entries.

Banister said companies that sponsored its employees' MBA degrees are currently favouring tailored programmes. "They get a faster return on investment."

"We are seeing MBAs designed for certain companies. We may also tailor the projects more because it's more likely the company will support the student."

Banister said when companies, such as KPMG and Pricewaterhouse Cooper, send students in batches they are often treated as a separate cohort.

The MBS Worldwide Middle East centre offers four part-time, postgraduate executive MBA programmes: a Construction MBA, an Engineering Business Management MBA, a Finance MBA and the new Global (general) MBA.

Source:http://gulfnews.com/life-style/education/strong-demand-for-mba-graduates-1.539986

20 Ways to Waste Your Money

2009-11-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

Whether a newbie or seasoned budgeter, nearly everyone has spending holes -- leaks in your budget that drain money with you hardly noticing.

These small drips can add up to big bucks. Once you find the holes and plug them, you'll keep more money in your pocket. That spare cash could be the ticket to finally being able to save, invest, or break your cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.

Here are 20 common ways people waste money. See if any of these sound familiar, and then look for ways to plug your own leaks.

How to waste your money

1. Buy new instead of used.
Talk about a spending leak -- or, rather, a gush. Cars lose most of their value in the first few years, meaning thousands of dollars down the drain. However, recent used models -- those that are less than five years old -- can be a real value because you get a car that's still in fine working order for a fraction of the new-car price. And you'll pay less in collision insurance and taxes, too.

Cars aren't the only things worth buying used. Consider the savings on pre-owned books, toys, exercise equipment and furniture. (Of course, there are some things you're better off buying new, including mattresses, laptops, linens, shoes and safety equipment, such as car seats and bike helmets.)

2. Carry a credit-card balance.
If you have a $1,000 balance on a card charging 18%, you blow $180 every year on interest. That's money you could certainly put to better use elsewhere. Get in the habit of paying off your balance in full each month.

3. Buy on impulse.
When you buy before you think, you don't give yourself time to shop around for the best price. Resist the urge to make an impulse purchase by giving yourself a cool-off period. Go home and sleep on the decision. If you still want to make the purchase a day or so later, do your comparison shopping, check your budget and go for it. Oftentimes, though, I bet you'll decide you don't need the item after all.

4. Pay to use an ATM.
A buck or two here and there may not seem like a big deal. But if you're frequenting ATMs outside your bank's network, the surcharges can add up quickly. Put that money back in your pocket by using ATMs in a surcharge-free network such as Allpoint or Money Pass.

5. Dine out frequently.
A habit of spending $10, $20, $30 per person for dinner can be a huge drain on your wallet. Throw in a $6 sandwich for lunch and a $4 latte in the morning, and you've got quite a leak. Learn to cook, pack your lunch and brew your coffee at home and you could save a couple hundred bucks each month.

6. Let your money wallow.
If you are stashing your savings in your checking account or a traditional bank account, you are wasting money. You could put it in a high-interest online savings account and get paid to save. You can even get an interest-bearing checking account through such reputable companies as Everbank, Charles Schwab, E*Trade and ING Direct.

7. Pay an upfront fee for a mutual fund.
Selecting no-load funds can save you more than 5% in sales charges. Of course, no matter how well a fund has done in the past, you can't be sure how it will perform in the future. But if you pay a load, you'll begin the performance derby in the hole to the tune of the load. See the Kiplinger 25 for our favorite no-load funds.

8. Pay too much in taxes on investments.
Are you investing in a tax-sheltered 401(k) or Roth IRA? If you're not maxing out those accounts before you invest in a taxable account, you're spending too much.

9. Buy brand-name instead of generic.
From groceries to clothing to prescription drugs, you could save money by choosing the off-brand over the fancy label. And in many cases, you won't sacrifice much in quality. Clever advertising and fancy packaging don't make brand-name products better than lesser-known brands (see Similar Products, Different Prices).

10. Waste electricity.
Of the total energy used to run home electronics, 40% is consumed when the appliances are turned off. Appliances with a clock or that operate by remote are typical culprits. The obvious way to pull the plug on your energy vampires is to do just that -- pull the plug. Or buy a device to do it for you, such as a Smart Power Strip ($31 to $44 at www.smarthomeusa. com, which will stop drawing electricity when the gadgets are turned off and pay for itself within a few months.

11. Pay banking fees.
Overdraw your checking account and you'll pay $20 to $30 a pop, so it pays to keep tabs on your balance. Plus, are you still paying for a checking account? Free deals abound -- but make sure they're really free. For instance, will the bank charge a fee if your balance drops below a certain level or if you download your info into a personal-finance software program? That's not free.

12. Buy things you don't use.
This sounds like a no-brainer to avoid, but how many times have you seen something on sale and thought you couldn't pass it up? Even if something is 50% off, you're spending too much if you don't use it. href=Couponing, for instance, can be a great way to save on your grocery bills. But if you buy things you wouldn't have purchased in the first place simply for the sake of using the coupon, you're wasting your money. The same goes for buying in bulk. A bargain is no bargain if it sits unused on your shelf or gets thrown away.

13. Own an extra car. Okay, so a car is a necessity for most people. But face it -- cars are a huge drain, from their loan payments to insurance fees to gas and maintenance costs. Own more than one car and you'll double or triple those expenses. Ask yourself if that second or third car is really necessary. Are you holding on to an old car for sentimental reasons? Can you or your spouse carpool, take public transportation or bike to work?

14. Ignore your local dollar store.
Shopping at the dollar store can be hit-and-miss, but it's not all kitsch or junk. If you know what to buy, you can find some real bargains. For instance, my local dollar store charges 50 cents for greeting cards versus the $3-plus at a drug store or gift shop. (I have a big extended family so I figure this saves me more than $100 per year.) You can also score a deal on cleaning supplies, small kitchen tools, shampoos and soaps, holiday decorations, gift wrap and balloon bouquets.

15. Keep unhealthy habits.
Smoking is not only bad for your health, it burns up your cash. A pack-a-day habit at $6 a pack costs $180 a month and $2,190 a year. A junk-food or tanning-bed habit can be costly as well. Not to mention the money you'll waste on medical bills down the road.

16. Be complacent about insurance.
Your bill arrives and you pay it without a second thought. When was the last time you shopped around to determine whether you're getting the best deal? Rates vary widely from insurer to insurer and year to year. Reshopping your auto, home or renters insurance might save you hundreds of dollars.

It also pays to evaluate your insurance needs. For instance, upping your out-of-pocket deductible from $250 to $1,000 can save you 15% or more on your car insurance. Consider using the same insurer for your home and auto insurance -- you could snag up to 15% off for a multiple-line policy. And make sure you're not paying for insurance you don't need. For instance, you need life insurance only if someone is financially dependent upon you (such as a child).

17. Give Government an interest-free loan.
If you get a tax refund each April, you let the government take too much money in taxes from your paycheck all year long. Get that money back in your pocket -- and put it to work for you -- by adjusting your tax withholding. With a little discipline, you can use that extra cash each month to get started saving or pay down debt (or make ends meet to avoid going into debt in the first place). You can file a new Form W-4 with your employer at any time.

18. Pay for something you can get for free. Dust off your library card and check out books, music and movies for free (or dirt-cheap). Don't pay to receive your credit report when you're allowed to get it at no charge by law. Take advantage of kids-eat-free promotions. And dial 1-800-FREE-411 for free directory assistance.

19. Don't use a flexible-spending account.
Your employer may allow you to set aside pretax dollars to pay for medical costs not covered by insurance. You can use the money for expenses such as therapy, contact lenses, insurance co-payments and over-the-counter drugs. You may be able to do the same for child-care costs.

20. Pay for unnecessary services.
How many cable channels can a person watch? Do you really need all those extra features for your cell phone? Are you getting your money's worth out of that gym membership? Are you taking full advantage of your subscriptions (such as Netflix, TiVo or magazines)? Take a look at what you're paying for and what your family is actually using. Trim accordingly.

WORKING AT GOOGLE

2009-10-23T07:28:00.001-07:00

STUDYING ABROAD IS YOUR DREAM TOO

2009-10-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

It can safely be said that about one in 10 urban Indian students and their parents desire a foreign education. The mere mention of studying abroad conjures dreams of green university lawns hanging out with phi rang friends working on projects and doing a few odds jobs off campus to support the lifestyle. The dream sequence them moves on to the D-day –graduation ceremony more happy pictures for the family album back home. Post the euphoria the dream is completely by bagging a good job and residency abroad.
In a bid to achieve this dream many students fall prey to unscrupulous colleges and their solicitors. Most of these colleges sell dreams of a guaranteed job and residency which lures students. Once the students are enrolled a few months into the course the college either shuts shops or politely informs students that the chances of getting a residency are slim. Pots of money and tonnes of dreams just cave in.
Of course not all are unlucky and for students who do pick the right college and the right course dreams do come true. However it is not as easy as it is said. Life abroad is quite challenging new country no/few friends adverse weather conditions higher cost of living and home sickness are a few factors you should consider before you finally decide to purse your dreams

UNIQUE APTITUDE TEST FOR DESIGN CAREERS

2009-09-17T22:07:00.001-07:00

Almost all parent and teacher emphasis right through a child’s schooling is on doing well in conventional subjects such as math, science, languages history and geography. This provides no chance for the child to explore his/her creativity and design aspirations. The odd art and craft class is looked upon as a hobby class or waste of time. In this conventional education system no specific technique has been evolved to assess the child’s creative and design abilities. Conventionally, Psychometric Aptitude tests are used for 90% aptitude tests worldwide. Typically, Psychometric tests cover the following areas;
Logical reasoning
Verbal reasoning
Spatial ability
Abstract reasoning
Numerical ability
Mechanical reasoning

They evaluate mainly the logical, numeric or linguistic abilities of a child (the intelligence Quotient or IQ). Based on result of these tests counselors can only suggest whether students can go in for conventional careers such as medicine, engineering, accounting and finance which mainly require a logical aptitude. These tests clearly fail to check he creative and design aptitude of a child and therefore fail to counsel for creative and design careers such as fashion designing, product designing, animation, commercial art etc.
Unique and appropriate Aptitude tests are therefore required to guide the students to take a proper career and a course.

BACH TO SCHOOL?

Or rather college as we put it here in India! Life as is famously said is very unpredictable. Thus while you might have charted out a career and hence an education path for yourself it need not follow the course you planned. Many a times due to several personal reasons education is put on a back burner. When life’s creases are eventually ironed out education does come to the foreground again. Of course in some cases it is a question of priority and career takes over education and maybe later education takes centre stage once again.
In such cases it isn’t easy to pick up the threads of education from where you left. Irrespective of whether you dropped out of college or took a break and have got back to studying, picking up the books, attending classes and making friends is not easy as it sounds. Then there is a greater fear exam. Excelling in exams to prove a point to yourself and probably to all your detractors is an uphill task. Yet come to think of it once you have bagged that degree the satisfaction you get and the value it adds to your CV is above all these minor hurdles.

LEARNING FROM LIFE

2008-08-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

THE DEGREES EARNED:
At business school are the ones that gives you an edge, but there is more to it than that. There are vital lessons which you learn through the course of your life. These important principles in life have taken me forward in my profession and shaped my view points.

FIND A VACUUM AND FILL IT:
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. The first rule for a manager is to train himself to see vacuums, or gaps in the market and then to fill them. Look around it doesn’t matter how big or small your area of operation is. The principle remains the same find that vacuum and fill it fast before someone else does.

EMBRACE CHANGE AS A WAY OF LIFE:
The graveyard of business is littered with companies that failed to recognize the need to change. Be open to new ideas and anticipate constant change. Vigilance is a great asset. Always look for new ways to do things and believe that, once it works it will soon be obsolete. Change is constant. Change is everywhere. Deal with it, or your business will die.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE:
Benchmarking is the cornerstone of continuous improvement. It makes you focus on basis issues as to how others are doing the same thing better. A good manager should always have a healthy disregard for the status quo. Benchmarking allows this dissatisfaction to be channeled into productive of mind rather than a performance review.

CHASE QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY:
Perhaps its is a gift of being able to distinguish between what is ordinary and something that other people recognize as outstanding as exceptional. Quality is never an accident it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort intelligent direction and skilful execution. It represents the wise choice of many alternatives. If you want to compete with the best you have to worry about every detail. Competition is tough but if the standard of service and attention to detail exceeds expectation you are halfway to winning customer loyalty.

PEOPLE BUILD BRANDs, BRANDS DO NOT BUILD PEOPLE:
A brand is only as good as the people behind it and their passion for excellence. Even dominant brands also must be constantly reinvented through infusion of fresh ideas.
While a powerful tool a brand is only as good as the people using it and if you have chosen the right people they can just as easily create a new brand and even in some cases fashion a better one if asked. In a nutshell people build brands, brands don’t build people.

BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING:
We can’t control every event but we can control our response to it. As a business we need to be lean and strong. If we are not, we will not be able to go through a crisis in case it hits us. You have to win so many people are depending on you. That is why you have to be prepared for any type of emergency and be able to adapt to it on short notice.

Resume must reflect vital skills

2008-07-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

A career change demands a resume built with additional care. The person scanning the resumes will be looking forward to find the best suit for his role. He would look for experience in same or similar role, relevant skills and qualifications. When he sees I the resume of a person from another industry or experience in other role, he would not consider it unless he is looking out for such people. So, your resume must answer a number of questions that rise in his mind and convince him to give you a chance to
prove yourself.

Here are a few guidelines to help you:

Research: Find out what exactly the employer is looking out for. Meet the people in the company and people in the specific role if possible to get good information.

Career objective: Since a career objective appears at the beginning of a resume and conveys very important information about the applicant, attention must be given to the content and wording. This is a place where you can suggest why you want the specific role.

Credentials: Include the most relevant academic I qualifications first. While mentioning details of work experience, mention about similar roles first. Then write about the other experience highlighting the aspects that would be helpful to the current role.

Summary: Summary must be written in such a way that you impress upon the reader that you are an achiever. You should convince him that you commit yourself and succeed in whatever you take up. Cite the most impressive achievements, skills, personal attributes and abilities keeping in mind your career goal and general mindset of selectors.

The overall look and feel of the resume must . convince the selector to try you out. It must reflect your abilities and traits that compensate your lack of I experience in the field.

Be a coach. boost staff morale

2008-05-18T08:14:00.001-07:00

Recent studies have proved that profitability is dependant upon the morale of company's workforce.
Improved productivity and profitability can be expected only if the workers are happy in their job and strive to perform better.

Long-term benefits

Traditional practices such as offering financial incentives or bonuses have lost their sheen and lack long-term benefits. It is optimism that the senior management needs to send down the line with strength and security. Employees need not be pampered, but should be frequently appreciated for I their efforts. They should be helped to work in jobs that utilise their natural talents.

Turn around

Let employees participate and determine the factors that affect morale within the organisation. Brain-storming sessions can be conducted to understand the grievances that affect morale and ways in which things can be turned around.

Acknowledge success

Seek ideas for motivational practices such as rewards. Appreciation to employees at different n positions in the hierarchy is very important. Acknowledging success openly and attributing the success to every participant is a good motivator.
Modify the mission statement of the company to include every employee. They get a sense of security I e when they feel involved in the future of the company. Employee loyalty needs to be exhibited. Employees l should be proud to be a part of the company. The values and ethics of the company are very important for every employee.

Managers must don the role of an advisor, counsellor, coach, trainer, and a good listener and make his subordinate feel that he is given due importance.

Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything

2008-02-05T01:23:00.000-08:00

The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the “Pareto Principle” after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the “vital few”, the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the “trivial many”, the bottom 80 percent.

He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle as well. For example, this principle says that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results, 20 percent of your customers will account for 80 percent of your sales, 20 percent of your products or services will account for 80 percent of your profits, 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do, and so on. This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth five or ten times or more than the other eight items put together.

Number of Tasks versus Importance of Tasks
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of the ten tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value of any of the others.

Often, one item on a list of ten tasks that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the frog that you should eat first.

Focus on Activities, Not Accomplishments
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80 percent while you still have tasks in the top 20 percent left to be done.

Before you begin work, always ask yourself, “Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?”

The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.

Motivate Yourself
Just thinking about starting and finishing an important task motivates you and helps you to overcome procrastination. Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control of the sequence of events. Time management is having control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.

Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.

Focus , Focus, Focus

2007-12-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

------------------------------------------
"Nothing can add more power to your life than
concentrating all your energies on a limited set of
targets." - Nido Qubein
------------------------------------------

Have you ever had trouble staying focused? A lack of focus
can best be described as a state of confusion, uncertainty,
and impotency. When you aren't focused, you kind of drift
aimlessly along, not really sure what you want to be doing,
or how to do it even if you had a clue.

It's easy to set goals and form plans. It's easy to say
we're going to do something, but how many of us actually
follow through?

FOCUS is necessary if you want to become more successful at
anything in life. What do I mean by focus? I mean being
able to stay on track with your goals and the action steps
that will help you achieve them.

In order to stay focused, you will need to be consistent
with these 3 things:

1) Know where you are going
2) Know how to get there
3) Do whatever it takes to get there

Now do you see the importance of knowing what you want and
forming a solid plan? Without those first two steps,
staying focused would be nearly impossible.

The two biggest threats to your ability to focus are:

Distractions:

All of us have distractions in our lives. Whether they are
external (other people, televisions, computer games, outside
noises like sirens and traffic) or internal (negative
thoughts, fear, confusion) - it is up to us to overcome
them. Distractions can be aggravating for sure, but they
can also serve as a convenient excuse to stop trying.

Do yourself a favor: be firm about minimizing distractions
as you work on your goals. You may need to wear earplugs
to shut out excessive noise, or have a talk with your
family members and ask them to support you in your goals.
You may need to decide to steadfastly ignore the critical
voice in your head that utters messages of failure and
doom. You may need to set a new schedule to allow yourself
some quiet time each day.

Do whatever is necessary to take charge of your own
success. Choose to become immune to distractions as much
as possible. Remember, they become a problem ONLY when you
allow them to take over.

Lack of commitment:

If you're not fully committed to your goal, you will find
it much more difficult to stay focused. You'll be easily
thrown off-track by self-sabotage, distractions and more.
Without commitment, you simply won't put forth your best
effort!

Right now, before you read any further, make a promise to
yourself that you will do whatever is necessary to reach
your goals. Vow to courageously face any challenges, take
bigger risks, and believe in your ability to succeed.

Decide that no matter WHAT happens, you will keep moving
forward, keep learning and growing and developing yourself
as a person. Vow that you will develop and hone a
laser-sharp focus that never deviates.

With that type of attitude, you will become unstoppable!

senior executives rapping

2007-12-23T21:52:00.000-08:00

Managers must be exemplary role models.

2007-12-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

The term manager is a wide one. Most people are managers in a general sense.
Anyone trying to achieve a goal through the efforts of others is a manager.
In this sense, parents, teachers and politicians could be called managers.
We are, however concerned with those whose primary task is to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of an organisation designed to provide services or goods.

There is a misconception that managers are leaders or leaders are managers.
But leaders, and managers are entirely different people, as their roles and responsibilities are altogether different.
No doubt, they are the two faces of a coin. It can be comprehended by the following definition that "Leaders do the right things and managers do things right."
A more standard definition of manager is something like "managers work toward the organisation's goals using its resources in an effective and efficient manner."
If we are able to understand the role and responsibilities of a manager, we can work efficiently.
Managers are responsible to supervise and take charge of the activities and productivity of their teams.

They play an important role in managing the performance of their staff.

They are also involved in employee selection; career development, succession planning, execution, monitoring, evaluation, and working out compensation and rewards.
They are responsible for the growth and increase in the organisations' finances and earnings.

A manager must be endowed with certain basic qualities, they are:

Decision Making:

A manager makes organisational decisions and handles a variety of problems that arise on a daily basis.
You, as a manager, have to identify the problems, create choices and alternative courses of actions to solve them.
The daily routine of making decisions include determining how to approach an employee who is 'not performing or lack-
ing progress and how to bring about change to the organisation and its team.

It involves thinking and planning out strategies on how to improve quality and also being cost conscious and effective.

Goal setting:

In order to achieve long-term goals concrete strategies are to be prepared, and it should culminate in substantial earnings.
To achieve that, you have to communicate the vision of the organisation to your teams and superiors.
You have to clarify the goals and roles that each team member has to perform in tune with work, assignments, schedules and strategies.

Having set goals and planned out the directions, and its execution, it allows you, as a manager, to work with effective time management and finally, it

results in productivity, growth, and good earnings.

Guiding:

Your role as a manager or the head of a department of an organisation is to guide and give·right direction to the team.
Rather you have' to coach, train and support the teami so that they can perform effectively.
In order to meet the needs and objectives, they may need extra input, information or skills.
And you should be prepared to impart those things.

Empowering teams:

The performance of your teams depends upon your ability to empower them.
How well a member performs depends upon the motivation given by the boss.
Your task is to encourage and inspire others to improve the quality of their work, and even themselves. You need to instill
in them the desire to excel and accept resposiblity, rather a sense of responsiblity , and self-mangement.

The best way to Guide the team is to become an exemplary role model.

Achieve by affirmations

2007-12-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

Affirmations or assertions help us to derive whatever we want in life be it experiences, achievements or accumulation of materials.
It is believed that telling ourselves continuously that we can achieve what we dream of increases the chances for it to be realised.

Affirming ourselves regularly about something helps us to believe in it.
This belief helps us to maintain our focus, enthusiasm and confidence. For example, a student who affirms to himself that he can do better in an examination will constantly work for it.
He will have the confidence that he can make it.
The enthusiasm will not allow him to give up putting in his efforts.

However, there are some things one should keep in mind to practice affirmation, they are:

- Affirmations are positive statements. Hence tell yourself what you want and not what you do not want. For example,
you are competing for a post with one of your colleagues. Say to yourself that you will get it but not that he will lose it.

- Use present tense to affirm yourself about something.
For example you wish you own a car and drive it. Tell yourself that you actually have a car and are enjoying the drive.

- Write down your statements on a paper to enhance their impact. A written statement has multiple effects on our brain.
It helps us to remember the issues better. Also, our emotions and feelings related to the subject are intensified.

- Repeat them as many times as possible. This will help you in remembering them without getting deviated.

As we practice this we develop a positive way to think.
It has an enormous effect on the way we perceive and accept changes in our life.
With experience, we can apply the practice of affirmations to the minutest things in our life and achieve what we want.

Eight ways to increase your willpower

2007-11-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

Be sure of your cause:

Before you decide to take up a task, clarify why you should do it, if you are really interested in it,
the results of doing it and if the task you are taking up is the right answer to the issue on hand.

.

Be optimistic:

Practice being optimistic. Will I succeed? Will this work out? What if something goes against my plans?
These are some qualms that let your spirits down. They must be answered before taking up a task.
Once you have started to act upon a task, do not let these questions creep into your mind.
Tell yourself that no task will be difficult to achieve.

List out:

List out your goals and derive an action plan.
Writing down something on paper will enhance the impact the content should have on you.
It also helps you to remember better, be organized and have a check on yourself.

Visualise:

Once you write down your tasks, visualise yourself performing the task.
And while doing it ensure that you are enjoying it and not doing it as il burden.
Then visualise yourself enjoying the fruits of your labour.

Appreciate:

On achievement of any goals- small or big, appreciate yourself.
Share your achievements and success stories with others.
Doing this bring other's appreciation for you and also enhances your stand among your peers.
Appreciation entices people to work harder.

Keep pessimists out:

Avoid pessimists no matter ho important and close they are to YOU'
When you decide to achieve some thing, you must keep yourself away as much as possible from people who will discourage you.

Reading:

Read inspirational and motivation books.
They help you to justify your cause. Different books may offer you better and easier ways increase your willpower and self- discipline.
Reading success stories and other similar articles will also be of help to you.

Pictures:

Get posters and pictures related to your goals and stick them around.
Motivational pictures also helpful. Pictures and posters are excellent to remind you your goals.
Also, visual aids have better impact on our minds.

By enhancing our willpower, we can achieve what has been impossible for us before. It helps us aim higher and move ahead in life.

Hot CAREER TIPS

Hot Tip

2007-11-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

Most people do nothing with the information they learn, so
they do not succeed with it.

DON'T be like them. When you read something, implement it!

You don't have to implement everything you read, but you
should make a habit of picking up the things you need to do
or want to do and start a "To Do" list.

I used to be a "slacker". I read everything, but I just
never had time to do any of it - I was too busy reading
and learning new stuff.

Here's what I did to give myself a kick in the backside...

First - go out and buy a whiteboard. It doesn't need to be
huge. Just big enough to write some important stuff on and
maybe hang on the wall where you can see it every day.

Draw a table on the whiteboard with at least 3 columns and
give them headings "Critical", "Urgent" and "Important".

You can add more columns if needed.

Insert items that are CRITICAL in the appropriate
column. Items that are less critical are sorted in the
other columns depending on their importance.

Then each day write down new things that need to be done.
As items are completed, remove them from your list.

Each night before you go to sleep re-write your list of
items not yet completed for the next day and re-evaluate
which are more critical than others.

This way you always have a running list of the most
important and profitable activities you should be doing
each day.

Hint: Tasks that make you money are ALWAYS critical.

I've been using this technique for the last 11 months and
it has improved my productivity 10 fold.

Many times I've got up at 3.00am and added things to the
list, otherwise I forget about it in the morning. Yeah my
wife thinks I'm crazy too :-)

This system WORKS. Try it. You will get more done and MAKE
MORE MONEY!

BPOs no longer career choice for Indian youths

2007-10-20T06:43:00.001-07:00

Long working hours and lack of job security have taken the shine off BPOs in India

Tough working conditions in BPOs make youngsters opt for jobs in other fields like aviation, hospitality and media

CAREERS IN BPOs and call centres are no longer hot options for Indian youth and these sectors will face the toughest manpower challenge yet in the next two years, says a study.

The outsourcing industry is already facing an attrition rate of 25-30 per cent as youths are shifting to more promising areas such as hospitality, aviation and retail, says the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). .

In two years, it will face a shortage of 30-40 per cent, the industry lobby said, in a study entitled 'Urban Youths' New Emerging Choices for Career Making,that was released recently.

"A majority of 12th standard pass-outs earlier seeking opportunities in BPOs and call centres are now curious to join other leisurely yet attractive areas:' said Venugopal N. Dhoot, president of the chamber.

He listed the attractive areas as animation, journalism, designing of apparel and jewellery, entertainment, aviation, hospitality and retail. He said tough working conditions and lack of job security were the reasons for the switch.

"Working conditions and lifestyle seem to be much more moderate and regulated in areas of aviation, hospitality, retail, animation
and the like," Dhoot said, and added pay packages and incentives in them are also perceived to be better.

In news and entertainment, the entry of foreign news agencies and electronic media has ensured higher pay and opportunities, attracting youths at all levels.
They are accordingly moving towards journalism, especially television.

Similarly, the FM radio boom has also thrown open a number of avenues for the young. The profession of radio jockeying has taken off and the demand for them will shoot up, as over 10 new FM channels will launch in the coming years.

Source City Times

BEING INNOVATIVE

2007-10-06T02:41:00.000-07:00

Most of us are unaware of our innovativeness. Each of us is born with a lot of creativity and innovativeness
but we do not acknowledge them because they are hidden.
All that is required to put innovativeness to use is identifying and practicing it.
After sometime we will realise that it is automatically actuated whenever needed.

Here are some tips to bring your hidden innovativeness to the foreground:

Believe in yourself:
Do not seriously contemplate what others are saying. Listen to yourself.
Don't waste time in convincing people about your ideas or perspectives.
Doing differently attracts criticism but that is innovation.

Spend time:
Spend time on activities that increase a person's innovativeness. Look at things with a new perspective.
Try executing daily tasks in new ways. You may land up inventing better ways to execute the tasks.

Workout: Physical exercises undoubtedly rejuvenate your mind and body. This helps new ideas to spark in your brain.

Enjoy dreams:
Dreams help you to realise your innovativeness because they themselves are far from what is usual.
They bring your creativity to the foreground similar to how they give form to subconscious thoughts.

Be your own:
An innovation is praised because it is unique and different from others.
Hence it is essential to be your own to bring 'out your unique idea.
You don't need accessories: You don't need any special gadgets or accessories to be innovative.
Innovativeness is in fact ameliorating the existing setup and is an inherent quality.

Be passionate:
Passion is the force that drives innovation or success.
The inborn zeal to do things or to do them differently is the impetus behind this attribute.

No external factors:
Innovativeness does not need inspiration or any other external force to boot up. It comes from within you.
It comes by itself if you wish for it.
It can be active at any time and at any place. Just always be ready to receive its outcome.

Remember that you are being innovative for yourself and to improve your way of dealing with things.
Slowly things around' you will also change for the better without your involvement.

Only 8 % satisfied with salaries in UAE

2007-09-23T16:38:00.001-07:00

Dubai: Only eight per cent of UAE respondents to a regional survey said they were highly satisfied with their current wage - among the lowest rates in the region, reflecting the level of dissatisfaction among the region's growing workforce.

According to the second Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) conducted by employment website Bayt.com and market researcher YouGov Siraj, 63 per cent of UAE respondents felt that wages have not kept pace with the cost of living.

In comparison, 14 per cent of people in Qatar and 13 per cent in Saudi Arabia expressed high satisfaction with their current salaries.

"These figures, while not particularly encouraging, are still extremely valuable," said Rabea Ataya, CEO, Bayt.com.

"Knowing that consumers feel their wages aren't keeping up with prices allows people who have an influence in these matters to work to set things straight," Ataya added.

Divided response

In general, respondents to the survey were divided about the region's economic prospects based on their nationality.

Asians have the highest levels of confidence, with 68 per cent upbeat about their personal financial prospects and 63 per cent saying they expected economic improvements in their resident countries in the year ahead.

Some 62 per cent of GCC nationals felt a similar optimism, while only 44 per cent of Westerners predicted a good year ahead for their resident countries.

Just over half of UAE respondents said they felt upbeat about their country's economic prospects, a figure that reached a low of 27 per cent in Lebanon and a high of 59 per cent in Qatar.

According to the results, consumer spending in the UAE economy is at a high. The Propensity to Consume Index for the UAE registered a robust 103.6 for the UAE in July versus the 100 benchmark in April's survey.

The survey links this trend to increased tourism during the summer months and the inclination of residents to take advantage of seasonal special offers such as Dubai Summer Surprises promotions.

"People in the UAE are taking advantage of seasonal offers, but we see similar increases in anticipated spending across all countries," said Ataya.

Implications

"The implications of this upward trend are significant. Consumer confidence doesn't only reflect current economic conditions but fuels future growth."

The rise in consumer confidence is driven in part by perceptions that job opportunities will be healthy in the year ahead, Ataya suggested.

Across the region, 69 per cent of respondents thought that employment availability will remain at current rates or improve. In Qatar, that figure rose to 84 per cent, while in the UAE and Saudi Arabia it was 73 and 76 per cent respectively.

Employees in the private sector remained the most upbeat about their personal situations and their country's economic prospects.
By salary, people in the $5,001-to-$6,000 per month bracket were among the least positive about their current situations, with only 42 per cent expressing satisfaction, but the most confident about the future, with 71 per cent saying they saw better things ahead.

The survey drew 12,518 respondents, male and female, across the GCC, Levant and North Africa. Responses were categorised according to nationality, country of residence and income bracket.

Source GN

Knowing emotions at the workplace

2007-09-17T11:19:00.001-07:00

Understanding the emotions of people around us is necessary for maintaining good interpersonal relations whether with family or friends or at the workplace.
Emotions are inseparable in human life and their influence on the actions of a person at the workplace cannot be disregarded.
Each one of us displays emotions in our distinctive set of ways.
Understanding others' emotions demands careful consideration and practice lest you should land up marring the situation.
Here are some ways to figure them out:

Ask: One way to know how or what a person is feeling is to ask him/her.
The person can feel relieved to be asked and will blurt his worries out.
But this is provided that he wishes to share them with you.
So this way can be unreliable and sometimes may become offensive or get you untrue information.
Sometimes the person might himself be not aware of his feelings. Thus it is better to rely on non-verbal signs

Non-verbal signs: All of us understand what a frown, wide opened mouth, blank eyes, physical distance maintained from a person or contracted eyes mean.

Non-verbal signs convey a lot more about a person's feelings. Face is said to be the index of mind.
The facial expression or the changes in them convey a lot about the emotional state of person or his reactions to the external influences.
Apart from this, gestures and body movements give more insight to the inner side of a person.

Tone: Tone is another important sign of a person's emotions. Tone, speed and quality of speech, pitch and amplitude convey the ulterior and unarticulated message.
Contemplating the,emotions of people helps us not only to get the right message being conveyed, but also to empathise with him and do the needful.

Inspiring Quotes

2007-09-04T12:13:00.001-07:00

Some of the Inspiring Quotes which tell not to give up in life so you can
learn something from these Quotes

1) Never expect things to happen..
struggle and make them happen.
never expect yourself to be given a good value create a value of your own

2) If a drop of water falls in lake there is no identity.But if it falls on
a leaf of lotus it shine like a pearl.so choose the best place where you
would shine..

3) Falling down is not defeat...defeat is when your refuse to get up...

4) Ship is always safe at shore... but it is not built for it

5) When you are successful your well wishers know who you are when you are
unsuccessful you know who your well wishers are

6) It is great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults; greater to
tell him/her

7) "To the world you might be one person,
but to one person you just might be the world.

8) "Even the word 'IMPOSSIBLE' says 'I M POSSIBLE' "

9) Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your life
makes all the difference.

May ALLAH / God Bless You All,

Never take some one for granted,Hold every person Close to your Heart
because you might wake up one day and realise that you have lost a diamond
while you were too busy collecting stones." Remember this always in life.

Five Interview Questions

2007-09-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

An interview is a great opportunity to convince prospective employers about the tremendous value you will add to their organization.

The trick is to prepare in advance and project your strengths with conviction.

1. Why do you want to join our company?

Answer

You are the market leader in your segment and I want to work with the best.

Knowing why you want to work for a company will give you a lot of confidence.

Interviewers can spot the desperation if you are not sure about why you want to join them. Be specific. There is no dream company so an answer like the first option would sound too fluffy. But wanting to work for a bigger company is an acceptable reason for leaving a job.

2. What do you think are your weaknesses?

Answer

I am working on improving my computer skills. My goal is to become an advanced user in the next three months.

This is a tricky question. No weakness at all would make you sound cocky. You may be a workaholic but that's considered unhealthy and can have adverse effects on your peers and subordinates. It's safe to mention something specific; at the same time, it should be non-critical. Also state your plan of action to get around that weakness.

3 Why should we hire you?

Answer

I have a background in... and am keen on this role. I would bring in the skills that add value to your team.

Remember the 'WIIFME' (What's in it for me) rule? Focus on what the company is looking for and state specific skills that you have. This is your chance to sell yourself, so don't try to be modest.

4 Can you tell us a little about your last job?

Answer

As a sales executive for consumer products, I achieved the highest sales figures consistently for the last three quarters.

Nobody is interested in your tasks. Talk about what you were able to accomplish and how you added more revenue to your company. There are a lot of people who can do the job, but very few who can do it well. Specifics that demonstrate your accomplishments are crucial. Show how you saved money for your last company and contributed to productivity.

5. Do you have any questions for us?

I would like to know more about specific responsibilities and also about growth prospects within the company.

Questions are revealing and employers often judge candidates based on the quality of their questions. The right questions show you are focused on succeeding in the job and are not there just for the money. It is acceptable to ask about the job profile in detail or the company's growth plan or the culture.

11 Rules of Life

2007-09-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from MicroSoft Owner "Bill Gates" speech to Students of High School in California , USA . This is worthwhile reading specially youths of all ages to learn about 11 rules they did not & will not learn in school.

ELEVEN RULES OF LIFE :-

Rule 1 --> Life is not fair >>> Get used to it.

Rule 2 --> The world won't care about your self-esteem & will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 --> You will NOT make $40,000 a year - right out of high school & won't be a vise-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 --> If you think your teacher is TOUGH, wait till you get a BOSS.

Rule 5 --> Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity, your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 --> If you mess-up, it's not your parent's fault, so don't whine about your mistakes and learn from them.

Rule 7 --> Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now, they got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes & listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 --> Your school may have done away with Winners & Losers, but life has not. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades & they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 --> Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers Off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself - DO that on your own time.

Rule 10 --> Television is NOT real life, in real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop & go to work.

Rule 11 --> Be nice to nerds, Chances are you'll end up working for one.

By Bill Gates.

THE TONGUE CAN BE YOUR WORST ENEMY !

2007-09-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create
Conditions in your life.

What you speak about, you can bring about!
If you keep saying you can't stand your job, you might lose your job.
If you keep saying you can't stand your body, your body can become
sick.
If you keep saying you can't stand your car, your car could be stolen
or just stop operating.
If you keep saying you're broke, guess what? You'll always be broke.
If you keep saying you can't trust a man or trust a woman, you will
always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you.
If you keep saying you can't find a job, you will remain unemployed.
If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in
you, your very thought will attract more experiences to confirm your
beliefs.
If you keep talking about a divorce or break up in a relationship,
then you might end up with it.
Turn your thoughts and conversations around to be more positive and
power packed with faith , hope , love and action .
Don't be afraid to believe that you can have what you want and
deserve.

Watch your THOUGHTS, they become WORDS.
Watch your WORDS, they become ACTIONS.
Watch your ACTIONS, they become HABITS.
Watch your HABITS, they become CHARACTER.
Watch your CHARACTER, for it becomes your DESTINY.
The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less
than you settle for.

Thought I would share this with you -
In the search for ME, I discovered TRUTH.
In the search for TRUTH, I discovered LOVE.
In the search for LOVE, I discovered GOD.
And in GOD, I have found EVERYTHING.

Watch how your circumstances and situations begin to change when you
change the way you speak.

"Life is like melted butter. . .once things cool down, it can be
reshaped!"
Be blessed.

Beat The "Its Not my JOB" Syndrome

2007-08-27T12:09:00.001-07:00

It is the classic "not my job " thinking! Employees persistently stick to their daily routine and do no more than they absolutely must.They refuse to accept any extra work and use the That not in my job description response to defend against such requets/ orders.

The selfish mentality of ,''Why should i make others problem my own?" dictates such actions.A colleague or even the boss may ask a worker to do something extra like helping with a computer support ,maintaining customer relations or performing basic accounting , only to receive an answer of "Its not my job". At times these four convenient words are used even for small jobs like making an appointment , attending to a client or signing for a delivery.

An excuse for what

Do you find yourself turning around and claiming , But its not in my description time and again?

Well, dropping this line may seem quite convenient, but do pause a while and think - is not just an excuse for eschewing responsiblity and passing the buck? Should you refuse to help someone through a problem simply because its not your job ?

Whats more can you really afford to ignore the simple things that will make your work stand out from the crowd? For instance , can you let an important project fail when you could have helped?.

What you are overlooking is that by contantly avoiding tasks, you are the one who stands to lose more than anyone else. Firstly, it conveys a totally lackadaisical attitude to the boss. Your colleagues may even feel that you have let the team down by refusing to help. Moreover, the lastthing managers want to hear during a crisis is a defensive "not in my job description".

Go the extra mile

Treat your job description only as broad indicator of your functions without binding it as what you specifically must do.After all , what is most important is to deliver on existing requirements in a timely and efficient manner.

If this requires you to perform tasks that are beyond your job description and yet within your capablities , then so be it. In other words , when you know what is to be done,just go ahead and do it.

After all if you are willing to work hard and willingly step up to tasks whether it is your specific jobs or not, you will find a significant increase in efficiency.

Just make sure to highlight your extra contributions and a promotion ,bonus or reward ast the least may wing your way.

The experience may even help you to learn somthing new and worthwhile. Not to mention that by extending a helping hand to colleagues.you can ask them for favours later in time of need.

So, the next time someone approaches you with work that does not expressly feature in your job description,break free of the mould and think whether youy can actually help him.

After all , when you are employed, its all your job!

Negotiating-tips

2007-08-21T01:18:00.000-07:00

Negotiating power plays a major role in every type of negotiation, whether it's a labor negotiation, political negotiation, or a buy-sell negotiation. Both the buyer and the seller have power in a negotiation. Power is each side's perception of its strength or weakness in comparison to the other. This perception of power affects the ability of each party to achieve its own goals. The more negotiating power you have in comparison to that of your buyer, the fewer concessions you'll have to make.

For each party in a negotiation, there are eight sources of power. These are need, options, time, relationships, investment, credibility, knowledge, and skills.

To remember the eight sources of power just remember the acronym

NO TRICKS.

The "N" in no tricks stands for need.

The essential question here is: who needs this sale more, the buyer or the Seller? The more intense the buyer’s need, the more power the Seller has. The more intense your need to make the sale, the more power your buyer will have.

The "O" in no tricks stands for options.

What are the options for each party if an agreement is not reached?

A buyer who believes that your product or service is unique has no other options. Your other options consist of the other sales opportunities you have waiting in the wings. The more options you have, and the fewer acceptable options your buyer has, the greater your negotiating power.

The "T" stands for time,

which refers to any impending events that place a deadline on either the buyer or the seller. If the buyer is under time pressure, it usually gives the salesperson negotiating strength. In commercial real estate, for example, the expiration of old lease may put time pressure on the tenant to find new office space. The time factor also affects many other purchases related to the move, such as hiring a contractor, selecting office furnishings and business equipment, and so on. A deadline creates time pressure and limits the buyer's opportunity to shop around.

If you are feeling time pressure, perhaps to close the sale by the end of a quota period, your buyer will have time power. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to win my company's annual incentive vacation - a trip to Bermuda. On the last day of the year, I needed a $2,000 sale to achieve my annual quota of $3 million. Needless to say, I felt time pressure! I made some hefty concessions that day, but I won the trip.

"R" in NO TRICKS stands for relationship power.

How strong is your relationship with your prospect? If you have a high quantity of high quality relationships with your customer you have relationship power. But some customers may not allow you to develop these relationships. They may tell you that you can only talk to purchasing. Obviously, in such a situation, you'll have a hard time developing relationship power.

"I" in NO TRICKS stands for investment.

How much time and energy has been invested in the buying process? The more effort someone invests, the more committed he or she will be to reaching an agreement. The more energy your buyer puts into a buying process, the more negotiating power you’ll have. Conversely, the buyer’s power of investment is enhanced when you've put a lot of time and energy into a prospective sale. If you put 20 hours into preparing a proposal, you'll have a hard time walking away from the deal.

"C" stands for credibility.

When I was selling dictating machines for Lanier Business Products, a salesperson in our Washington D.C. office sold a portable dictating machine directly to President Carter in the Oval Office. Subsequent photographs of the president showed his dictating machine on his desk. Lanier's credibility was enhanced by having the president as a customer. If President Carter had chosen to use his credibility power to get a better price, he certainly could have done so. However, the president had a few other things on his mind than the three hundred dollar purchase price.

"K" in no tricks stands for knowledge.

Knowledge is power. You have knowledge power when you thoroughly understand your customers’ problems and needs and can foresee how the products or services you are offering will help them achieve those needs.

Conversely, if your customers know as much as you do, or perhaps more, about the application of a particular sales solution, they’re less reliant on you. A few years ago, IBM reorganized its sales forced to emphasize industry-specific expertise so that their salespeople would become more knowledgeable about their customers’ businesses. IBM has 14 industry sales teams dedicated to areas such as healthcare, travel, and financial services. IBM recognizes that salespeople are not adding value to the buy-sell relationship unless they know more than the buyers.

Finally, the "S" in NO TRICKS stands for skill

Who is the most skillful negotiator?

Buyers are making more buying decisions today, and are getting better at it. Many buyers have attended seminars to improve their negotiating skills, which means they’re gaining more skill power. Today, you must constantly improve your skills, just to keep up.

Six Tips to Think of a Solution

2007-08-16T01:56:00.000-07:00

Look ahead:

Give your mistakes only reasonable attention. This helps you know why and what exactly went wrong . You cannot undo your mistakes. So, instead look for a way out of a problem or greet the new opportunities lest you should miss them.

Increase your Knowledge:

Learn to use a part of your free time to update your knowledge. You will be suprized by the outcome of your effort after a period of time.

Communication: Keep your conversation clear. Make sure you understand what the other person is saying and vice-versa. Repeat the dialogue to ensure that the person got it right. Also make sure you are in continous touch with your associates till the culmination of a task to avoid any conflicts.

One thing at a time:

Multitasking is much better for machines than men.You should realize that you are losing a lot of time trying to tune yourself for each of the tasks by working on several tasks at a time. Attend to one task and give your 100 percent to it. Increases the quality of work as mistakes committed due to lack of focus are avoided.

Reward yourself:

Break a large task into smaller task. Appreciate or reward yourself after completion of each of these sub-tasks.

Break:

Take periodical breaks.They help in rejuvenating your energy and enthusiasm. Working continoously degenerates your efficiency and leads to doing the same thing again.

Get over that fear

2007-08-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

You share an excellent rapport with your boss .He is friendly , approachable and understanding.. yet there are times when you hesitate to approach him. You dread telling him you made a grave mistake somewhere. You fail to convey to him that you are overburdened with work. Relax. Do not stress out.

Here are some tips to help you out:

Do not wait till your performance levels fall or you miss out on deadlines to inform your boss that you are overburdened.
Appraise him about the increased work load but do not grumble or complain.
Seek his advice .He might provide you with more resources , give you more time or give some tips to handle the work load more efficiently.

When you made a mistake

You feel awkward to approach your boss when you commit a blunder but realize that to err is human and goofs can happen to any one . What is more important is to take immediate steps to limit the ensuing damage.
Admit your mistake to your boss. Do not pass the buck. Express your genuine regret and tell him about the damage control measures that you have initiated . Give an assurance that youwill not repeat such mistakes in future. This approach will no doubt keep his anger at bay.

A proactive approach will certainly help you diffuse tension in the toughest of conversations. so the next time you need to approach your boss for a pay hike or apologise for a mistake, initiate open communication. It will be less stressful and ultimately more successful.

Secrets of sucess

2007-08-04T04:05:00.000-07:00

What are the seven secrets of success?*

*I found the answer in my room!*

*-fan said-be cool*

*-roof said-aim high*

*-window said-see the world*

*-clock said-every minute is precious*

*-mirror said-reflect before u act*

*-calender-be up to the date*

*-door said-push hard for **ur** goals.***

Internet Marketing from a Customer's View

2007-08-03T22:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was talking to a customer about why your Business needs Internet Marketing Strategy? We had a very interesting conversation. He said....

"I dont want to be number 1 in Google, I already have clients and I am doing well for B2B, so I dont expect to be top rankings in search engines. But I wanted to know how the website can be user friendly"?

Here is the interesting part. How the Website can me made user friendly"? Dont Google and other Search Engines expect the same too? Yes that is what all the search engines expect. The easier and useful for the users, the most importance it gives for ranking too.

Lets see some of the Guidelines by Google Google Says:

Make a site with a clear hierarchy and text links. Every page should be reachable from at least one static text link.Why Google says that?So that it is easier for the users to have a clear hierarchy and text link, all users should be able to read. Text links helps everyone to view. No matter what browser, what version the user use. The text makes everyone to access. Users dont want to have trouble finding other pages, text link makes it easier to access other pages. If I want to buy something online, I want to know more about the company and their history, so I like to go read more about them. So make all the pages reachable from at least one static text link

Google Says:Offer a site map to your users with links that point to the important parts of your site. If the site map is larger than 100 or so links, you may want to break the site map into separate pages.
Why Google says that?Users dont want be lost exploring the site, they like to easily navigate your website like a shopping complex. In case even if they were lost they can go to the maps and find their destination. And once they view they view the map, It should be easier to find their destination, so organize your site maps

Google Says:Create a useful, information-rich site, and write pages that clearly and accurately describe your content.
Why Google says that?User wants to find useful information that is the reason they go online. To find information. Give visitors useful, valuable information. Give more links, tips and write articles about your expertise. Give some value to the users, they will come back to your site. Describe the content, not everyone using the internet is an expert. Help them to understand what the content is about.

Google Says:Think about the words users would type to find your pages, and make sure that your site actually includes those words within it.
Why Google says that?Keyword. The words users type to find your site. Have that word in the copy so that users know that this site is about that particular keyword. Make it easier for search engine to find your website and index it.

Google Says:Try to use text instead of images to display important names, content, or links. The Google crawler doesn't recognize text contained in images.
Why Google says that?No all users can view images. It might not be compatible in all browsers. Not only the users cant view even the crawlers doesn't recognize image.

Google Says:Make sure that your TITLE and ALT tags are descriptive and accurate.

Why Google says that?Give a Title and describe the alt tags. Alt tags are used to show what the image is about. Everyone needs a Title to recognize. Giving a title is giving a name. Help others know what this site is about by seeing the Title.

Google Says:Check for broken links and correct HTML.

Why Google says that?

Nobody wants to view a bad URL or Error when they visit a site. When a user clicks on the links, they expect to go that page to view that page. Correct HTML helps and gives a standard to your website.

Google says:If you decide to use dynamic pages (i.e., the URL contains a "?" character), be aware that not every search engine spider crawls dynamic pages as well as static pages. It helps to keep the parameters short and the number of them few.
Why Google says that?If you have a dynamic page make is easier for users and search engines to navigate and find out. Dont confuse the users and the search engines

Google says:Keep the links on a given page to a reasonable number (fewer than 100).

Why Google says that?Dont fill the page with link, Limit your links, again dont confuse your users

Who wants to work at Infosys?

2007-08-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Infosys Technologies Ltd is a name to reckon with in the IT industry; every software graduate worth his/her salt is trying to secure a job with the company.

Does Infosys allot a specific recruitment period for each financial year? When you do hire, what is the ratio of experienced professionals to freshers?

At Infosys, hiring is a well thought out and comprehensive process, based on business requirements. According to the business plan, hiring is forecasted and implemented throughout the year.

The company plans to recruit 26,000 more employees in the current financial year; the fresher to lateral hiring ratio is 70:30.

Do you hold campus interviews? Are there any preferred colleges or universities when it comes to recruitment?

Yes, we visit campuses every year. We have built our global talent pool by recruiting from premier universities, colleges and institutes in India. Our reputation as a premier employer enables us to select from a large pool of qualified applicants.

We visited over 650 colleges during the financial year 2006-2007. This year, we have already visited around 1,000 colleges.

What qualifications and personal skills do you normally look for in a candidate?

While recruiting fresh graduates, we look for a high degree of learnability in those we hire. Learnability can be defined as the ability to derive generic knowledge from specific experiences and apply them to new situations.

Infosys also places significant importance on professional competence and academic excellence. Some of the attributes and competencies that we look for in potential Infoscions, especially at the entry level, are analytical ability, teamwork and leadership skills, communication skills and the ability to innovate.

Do communication skills play an important role? Does knowing a foreign language or two help boost a candidate's chances?

Effective communication is an essential part of organisational success, whether it is at the interpersonal, organisational or external levels. Thus, having good communication skills is imperative.

As Infosys moves forward and continues to grow, there is a need to hire more local talent and become an embedded part of the countries and communities within which the company operates. Knowing foreign languages is definitely an advantage for certain roles, but it is not a prerequisite for applicants.

How does a candidate apply for a job at Infosys? Also, tell us about the selection process; if an individual is not selected after an interview, is s/he allowed to apply again, should the chance arise?

At Infosys, the emphasis on quality is of prime importance. The selection process adopted is rigorous, involving a series of aptitude tests and interviews to identify the best applicants in the industry. The recruitment procedure is continually assessed and refined, based on the performance track of past recruits.

The selection process for fresh graduates is a combination of resume screening, a written test on analytical thinking, logical reasoning, English language and communication skills and a personal interview.

When it comes to hiring experienced professionals, Infosys follows a competency-based recruitment philosophy, wherein we focus on the best match to the profile required and the candidate's personal abilities.

The applicants who pass the above tests then appear for a personal interview, where the emphasis is on motivational levels and communication skills. If selected, they are put through a formal induction and training programme upon joining.

All processes are geared to achieve our objective of attracting and selecting the best and brightest talent, while ensuring the best fit for each profile.

Aspiring candidates can send in their applications to us via e-mail to bpo_careers@infosys.com -- the address is on our Web site, as well as in advertised vacancies.

A candidate who has failed to clear the selection process can reapply nine months from the date when s/he first appeared for selection.

What positions are open to freshers? What postings can a newcomer expect and what are the growth prospects at Infosys?

Infosys hires based on business goals. Freshers are selected on the basis of their profiles and allocated to projects depending upon their competencies and the requirements of the role. Typically, freshers join as software engineers.

Infosys strives to achieve the best fit between individual aspirations and organisational requirements. With this in mind, we have adopted a complete range of services to offer customers and in turn have been able to define several career streams. These are:

1. Project Management
2. Customer Interface
3. Technical
4. Programme Management
5. Consulting -- Enterprise Solutions
6. Consulting -- Domain Competency
While Infosys provide the necessary tools for career development and development of competencies, the onus for career development lies upon the individual.

What remuneration is offered to freshers? What additional benefits can employees expect to avail of?

Infosys offers freshers competitive salaries. The compensation for entry-level employees was increased to Rs 270,000 during the financial year 2006-2007.

Other benefits include health care, life and medical insurance, paid leave and soft perks like access to campus facilities such as the gymnasium. However, the benefits of working at Infosys go beyond the salaries.

In addition to the brand name, a challenging and open work environment and a strong belief in meritocracy, a fresher can expect a well-charted career growth path backed by world-class training.

What age group do you prefer when it comes to recruitment?

The average age of Infoscions across the organisation is 26 years. At the entry level, employees join after completing their graduation/post-graduation. Typically, the age group of candidates joining is 22 to 23 years.

Do you have any preferences when it comes to the nationality of recruits? And what about those who hail from different Indian states?

Infosys aims at building a diverse talent pool. Cross-cultural teams bring different experiences and views to the table, aiding adaptability in the development of overseas operations.

How important is loyalty to the company? How do you strengthen your employees' commitment to Infosys?

Loyalty is important to every organisation. At Infosys we have a three-pronged approach when it comes to attracting and ensuring employee commitment. We provide:

Learning value-add through continuous learning opportunities, exposure to technology and new assignments as the company partners up with clients to transform their businesses.

Financial value-add through competitive salaries and variable pay philosophy.

Emotional value-add through a fair, rewarding work environment and a culture that has been built through various initiatives.

What is the work culture like at Infosys?

Infosys has a very open-minded work culture -- it is a place where there is minimal hierarchy and people are unafraid to voice new ideas. Infoscions enjoy trust at the workplace and have a friendly environment within which to perform their duties.

All employees have a sense of pride and belonging -- we have striven to create a workplace where politics are kept down to a minimum and where employees enjoy the transparent work culture.

We believe that people are our core assets and continuously work towards motivating our employees, by providing an environment where they feel comfortable and secure. We have robust people management practices which enable us to create a place full of energy, vitality and freshness, where people work in a campus-like facility and culture.

We ensure that a good work-life balance exists at all times, which is why we have a gamut of recreational facilities on campus, at par with global standards.

Our people management practices set us apart from other technology companies, enabling Infoscions to excel and innovate in the duties we perform for our clients and in what we stand for as a company.

How does your existing staff relate to new recruits?

Infosys has undertaken various measures to create a conducive work environment for its employees. The company has institutionalised a 'buddy' programme to help new employees experience a smooth transition into the organisation and to facilitate inclusion into the culture.

At a more formal level, we also have a mentoring culture wherein a senior provides insights and advice to a new employee to ensure quicker and faster acclimatisation.

What advice do you have for prospective Infosys employees?

In today's competitive world, it has become imperative for prospective employees to be accomplished in all possible ways -- academic background is, therefore, of the foremost importance. The years spent in college should be treated as an investment, since these years set the foundation for later life.

Anything you would like to tell newcomers interested in joining your company?

Infosys is a name to reckon with and its desirability goes well beyond the company's instant name recognition. We offer entry-level employees immense employment options in a challenging and stimulating work environment.

Infosys is a great place for a first job, since it provides a perfect platform to launch oneself into the corporate world. Programmes like senior-level mentoring, opportunities to interact with clients and exposure to international markets are other add-ons.

Infosys BPO Ltd
26/3, 26/4 and 26/6
Electronics City
Hosur Road
Bangalore 560100
India
Phone: +91 80 2852 2405
Fax: +91 80 2852 2411

Financial Ratios

2007-07-29T00:19:00.000-07:00

Financial Ratios

There are many ratios that can be determined from the balance sheet. They are used by bankers, investors and venture capitalists as indicators of the strength and health of your enterprise. Some of the more popular ratios are:

Cash Ratio - a measure of the amount of cash available to offset current debt (Cash / Total Current Liabilities). A ratio below .5 may mean you are having cash flow problems, possibly because of a significant backlog in accounts receivable.

Quick Ratio - a measure of the amount of liquid assets available to offset current debt (Cash + Accounts Receivable / Current Liabilities). A healthy enterprise will always keep this ratio at 1.0 or higher.

Current Ratio - a measure of the degree to which current assets cover current liabilities (Current Assets / Current Liabilities). A high ratio indicates a good probability the enterprise can retire current debts. A ratio of 2.0 or higher is a comfortable financial position for most enterprises.

Current Liabilities to Net Worth - a measure of the extent to which the enterprise is using creditor funds versus their own investment to finance the business (Current Liabilities / Liabilities + Equity). A ratio of .5 or higher may indicate inadequate owner investment or an extended accounts payable period. Care should be taken not to offend your vendors (creditors) to the extent it affects your ability to conduct day to day business.

Total Liabilities to Net Worth - a measure of the extent that the net worth of the enterprise can offset the liabilities (Total Liabilities / Liabilities + Equity). A ratio greater than 1.0 should be avoided, since it indicates the creditor's have a greater stake in the business than the owners.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth - a measure of the extent of an enterprise's investment in non-liquid and often over valued fixed assets (Fixed Assets / Liabilities + Equity). A ratio of .75 or higher is usually undesirable as it indicates possible over-investment and causes a large annual depreciation charge that will be deducted from the income statement.

Fixed Assets to Total Assets - a measure of the extent to which fixed assets are financed with owners equity (capital) (Fixed Assets / Total Assets). A high ratio, .5 or higher, indicates an inefficient use of working capital which reduces the enterprise's ability to carry accounts receivable and maintain inventory and usually means a low cash reserve. This will often limit your ability to respond to increased demand for your products or services.

SURVIVAL AT WORK

2007-07-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

Todays challenging work atmosphere and competition keep testing you and we do need a little extra to combat difficult situations. Here is your survival kit:

Introspect
Devote time for self-analysis .Ask yourself , where you are and wherd do you want to go. Know your strengths and build upon them, better your infirmities.

Confidence
Do not get bogged down with inferiority complexes.Do not compare others success with yours. Instead, pursue your goals and value your contribution.

Focus
This should be the main objective of your job.Focus on the task , perform to the best of your ability and half the battle is won. Productive employees earn value for themselves.

Flexibility

Go that extra mile to accomplish a task.Cooperate with team members.
This would portray you as a good team player.

Provide inputs

If you can contribute ideas to a project or assignment , mention them with proper reasoning .Avoid going overboard with your ideas , do not sell them hard.

Assert yourself

Hone this skill which helps balance things and draw limits.Do not hesitate to speak your mind and stop others from taking advantage of you.

Networking
Connect to people from your line to work.For instance , online communities help you network and keep you posted on the latest happenings in the corporate world.

Submit to the rules

Abide by the organizations rules and regulations .Report to work on time,adhere to the dress code and unwritten rules .
Lay down a plan on being a survivor or a struggler .Work out a strategy on achieving it.
Start somewhere to make a difference!

Is There a Slogan in Your Resume?

2007-07-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Too often, candidates think a job search is all about selling their specific skills. Skills are only commodities. They get you in the door, but they don't win you the job. HR managers now receive 100 or more resumes per job posting, so it's easy to get lost in the resume shuffle with dozens of other candidates. How can you stand out and get selected?

A great way to do that is to take a lesson from Madison Avenue, the masters of marketing, and develop a "slogan" of your own. Slogans -- or "branding images" or "taglines" -- work by promising you a benefit for using a particular product.

What's Your Benefit?

Employers don't buy just skills. They want to know how you can be an asset to their bottom line. This boils down to only two areas where you can provide a benefit:

How will you help an employer make money?, or
How will you help an employer save money?

When you answer this question, you set yourself apart from most of your competitors. The best way to accomplish this is to develop your own slogan. Called a "Unique Selling Proposition" (USP), this is a short sentence that describes a major, unique benefit that you can offer your next employer.

Add Strength to Skills

For example, if you're a project manager you have a number of skills, such as software, hardware and management expertise. Trouble is, most other project managers competing with you have the same skills. If you think further, though, you find your particular strength might be your ability to identify and solve problems early in your projects.

So your USP goes something like this:

"Seasoned project manager with a strength in identifying and solving problems."

Find the Money

Now add one more item, and that's the benefit to the employer. Since employers buy "making money" or "saving money," try to find a way to attach dollars to it. This is called monetizing your benefit and it's what will separate you from every other project manager you compete with. It may take some research or calculations but it's well worth the effort.

Try to arrive at a conservative figure for how much money you helped your employer make or save on a given project, sale or time period. In this case, our project manager calculated that he helped save his employer over $3 million in a three-year period while he completed over $12 million in projects. His USP becomes this:

"Seasoned project manager whose strengths in identifying and solving problems have saved my employer over $3 million while completing over $12 million worth of projects during the past 3 years."

By placing this one sentence front and center at the top of his resume (as a "summary" statement), magic can start to happen. No longer is this candidate a commodity. The employer can clearly see the benefit of having an employee who can bring their special talent to help save $3 million.

15 Ways to Extend Laptop Battery

2007-07-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

Laptops tend to lose their charm quickly when you're constantly looking for the nearest power outlet to charge up. How do you keep your battery going for as long as possible? Here are 15 easy ways to do so.

1. Defrag regularly - The faster your hard drive does its work - less demand you are going to put on the hard drive and your battery. Make your hard drive as efficient as possible by defragging it regularly. (but not while it's on battery of course!) Mac OSX is better built to handle fragmentation so it may not be very applicable for Apple systems.

2. Dim your screen - Most laptops come with the ability to dim your laptop screen. Some even come with ways to modify CPU and cooling performance. Cut them down to the lowest level you can tolerate to squeeze out some extra battery juice.

3. Cut down on programs running in the background. Itunes, Desktop Search, etc. All these add to the CPU load and cut down battery life. Shut down everything that isn't crucial when you're on battery.

4. Cut down external devices - USB devices (including your mouse) & WiFi drain down your laptop battery. Remove or shut them down when not in use. It goes without saying that charging other devices (like your iPod) with your laptop when on battery is a surefire way of quickly wiping out the charge on your laptop battery.

5. Add more RAM - This will allow you to process more with the memory your laptop has, rather than relying on virtual memory. Virtual memory results in hard drive use, and is much less power efficient. Note that adding more RAM will consume more energy, so this is most applicable if you do need to run memory intensive programs which actually require heavy usage of virtual memory.

6. Run off a hard drive rather than CD/DVD - As power consuming as hard drives are, CD and DVD drives are worse. Even having one in the drive can be power consuming. They spin, taking power, even when they?re not actively being used. Wherever possible, try to run on virtual drives using programs like Alcohol 120% rather than optical ones.

7. Keep the battery contacts clean: Clean your battery's metal contacts every couple of months with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. This keeps the transfer of power from your battery more efficient.

8. Take care of your battery - Exercise the Battery. Do not leave a charged battery dormant for long periods of time. Once charged, you should at least use the battery at least once every two to three weeks. Also, do not let a Li-On battery completely discharge. (Discharing is only for older batteries with memory effects)

9. Hibernate not standby - Although placing a laptop in standby mode saves some power and you can instantly resume where you left off, it doesn't save anywhere as much power as the hibernate function does. Hibernating a PC will actually save your PC's state as it is, and completely shut itself down.

10. Keep operating temperature down - Your laptop operates more efficiently when it's cooler. Clean out your air vents with a cloth or keyboard cleaner, or refer to some extra tips by LapTopMag.com.

11. Set up and optimize your power options - Go to 'Power Options' in your windows control panel and set it up so that power usage is optimized (Select the 'max battery' for maximum effect).

12. Don't multitask - Do one thing at a time when you're on battery. Rather than working on a spreadsheet, letting your email client run in the background and listening to your latest set of MP3's, set your mind to one thing only. If you don't you'll only drain out your batteries before anything gets completed!

13. Go easy on the PC demands - The more you demand from your PC. Passive activities like email and word processing consume much less power than gaming or playing a DVD. If you've got a single battery charge - pick your priorities wisely.

14. Get yourself a more efficient laptop - Laptops are getting more and more efficient in nature to the point where some manufacturers are talking about all day long batteries. Picking up a newer more efficient laptop to replace an aging one is usually a quick fix.

15. Prevent the Memory Effect - If you're using a very old laptop, you'll want to prevent the 'memory effect' - Keep the battery healthy by fully charging and then fully discharging it at least once every two to three weeks. Exceptions to the rule are Li-Ion batteries (which most laptops have) which do not suffer from the memory effect.

Bonus Tip #1: Turn off the autosave function. MS-Word's and Excel's autosave functions are great but because they keep saving regular intervals, they work your hard driver harder than it may have to. If you plan to do this, you may want to turn it back on as the battery runs low. While it saves battery life in the beginning, you will want to make sure your work is saved when your battery dies.

Bonus Tip #2: Lower the graphics use. You can do this by changing the screen resolution and shutting off fancy graphic drivers. Graphics cards (video cards) use as much or more power today as hard disks - Thanks Andrew

Update 7/7/07: Bonus Tip #1 to give caution about turning off autosave, tip #8 to change information about discharging batteries - thanks to all who pointed it out. Added Bonus tip #2, Tip #1 to add in clause in regards to Mac OSX, Tip #1 about the spinning of hard drives - thanks to all who pointed it out

Lessons of Life

2007-07-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

Lessons of Life

I feared being alone
Until I learned to like Myself

. ************ ***

I feared failure
Until I realized that I only Fail when I don't try .
************ ***

I feared success
Until I realized That I had to try In order to be happy With myself.
************ ***

I feared people's opinions
Until I learned that People would have opinions About me anyway.
************ ***

I feared rejection
Until I learned to Have faith in myself.

************ ***
I feared pain
Until I learned that it's necessary For growth.
************ ***
I feared the truth
Until I saw the Ugliness in lies.
************ ***
I feared life
Until I experienced Its beauty .
************ ***
I feared death
Until I realized that it's Not an end, but a beginning .
************ ***
I feared my destiny,
Until I realized that I had the power to change My life.
************ **
I feared hate
Until I saw that it Was nothing more than Ignorance.
************ ***
I feared love
Until it touched my heart, Making the darkness fade Into endless sunny days.
************ ***
I feared ridicule
Until I learned how To laugh at myself.
************ ***
I feared growing old
Until I realized that I gained wisdom every day.
************ ***
I feared the future
Until I realized that Life just kept getting Better.
************ ***
I feared the past
Until I realized that It could no longer hurt me .
************ ***
I feared the dark
Until I saw the beauty Of the starlight.
************ ***
I feared the light
Until I learned that the Truth would give me Strength.
************ ***
I feared change,
Until I saw that Even the most beautiful butterfly Had to undergo ametamorphos is Before it could fly .

How to Tell If You Need a Summer Vacation

2007-07-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Most of us are guilty of the same thing. We work too much and play too little. We often think that more work means more money, and that in turn means a better life. This over-worked and over-stressed lifestyle has its toll though, and many of us are paying it.

It is estimated that one third of the workforce does not take vacation each year, and their vacation days go unused time and time again. What does this mean? This might mean you aren't working up to your potential, and the cracks will eventually be evident to everyone, including your boss.

We often think of days off for vacation in what it will cost us rather than what we gain from it. Many companies offer to pay for unused vacation days at the end of the year, so not taking the vacation pays more. You still get your regular paycheck for working the week you should have been out on vacation, and you get a nice bonus at the end of the year. You may think of each day on vacation as a dollar amount, and you may see that dollar amount as something you are not earning.

In fact, you may be running yourself down so much that you aren't working up to your potential. The mind needs to rest, and sometimes, that means more than taking the weekend off. Even worse, we don't stop working at quitting time. We are often glued to our cell phones in case a business call comes in, and we take work home on the weekend, if we don't end up finding another way to work. We fall under the impression that the world will fall apart without us. If we can't be reached at three AM, or if we miss an email because we ran out for coffee, we brand ourselves as slackers.

You may think you are too keyed up for vacation, and that your ambition and determination make it hard for you to step aside for some time off. However, you should think about the benefits of getting away and turning off your business cell phone, and ignoring your email account. Those who vacation come back renewed and invigorated. They often have a new perspective on their job and on life, and they are motivated to get back into their job and accomplish something.

Employees who vacation are better employees all the way around.

If you find that you are stalling out when it comes to tasks that are normally easy for you, or that you seem to be tired and stressed no matter what you do to relax or how much sleep you get, you should consider taking a vacation. Everyone should have a week off per year, and some need more. You may notice that your work is slipping and is not up to your usual level of skill.

This does not necessarily mean you have lost your touch, it might just mean that you need to take some time off. They don't call it "recharging your batteries" for nothing. A trip and time off from work may end up being one of the best things you can do for yourself and your career.

Happy Vacation

Building Unshakable Self-Confidence

2007-07-18T01:56:00.000-07:00

Most of us are like this for most of our lives. There are many things that we want to be, and have and do, but we hold back. We are unsure because we lack the confidence necessary to step out in faith in the direction of our dreams.

Determine What You Really Want
Just think: What difference would it make in your life if you had an absolutely unshakable confidence in your ability to achieve anything you really put your mind to? What would you want and wish and hope for? What would you dare to dream if you believed in yourself with such deep conviction that you had no fears of failure whatsoever?

Be True to Yourself
The key is to be true to yourself, to be true to the very best that is in you, and to live your life consistent with your highest values and aspirations.

Take some time to think about who you are and what you believe in and what is important to you. Decide that you will never compromise your integrity by trying to be or say or feel something that is not true for you.

Have the courage to accept yourself as you really are-not as you might be, or as someone else thinks you should be-and know that, taking everything into consideration, you are a pretty good person.

Make A Plan to Achieve It
Being true to yourself means knowing exactly what you want and having a plan to achieve it. Lasting self-confidence comes when you absolutely know that you have the capacity to get from where you are to wherever you want to go. You are behind the wheel of your life. You are the architect of your destiny and the master of your fate.

Use the "Act As If" Principle
Act as though it were impossible to fail. Act as though you already had a high level of self-confidence. And continually ask yourself, “What one great thing would I dare to dream if I knew I could not fail?” Whatever your answer, you can have it if you can dream it, and if you have the self-confidence to go out and get it.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, resolve to step out in faith in the direction of your dreams; just do it!

Second, ask yourself, “What one great thing would I dare to dream if I knew I could not fail?”

Third, be true to yourself, to the very best that is in you. Never compromise!

May be

2007-07-18T01:55:00.000-07:00

May be

*Maybe... it's meant for us to meet the wrong people before meeting the
right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how
to be grateful for that gift.

Maybe...when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times,
we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which
has been opened for us.

Maybe...it is true that we don't know what we have got until we lose it, but
it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it
arrives.

Maybe...the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their
way.

Maybe...you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be
what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all
the things you dream of and want to do.

Maybe...there are moments inife when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse,
a friend, a child -- so much that you just want to pick them from your
dreams and hug them for real.

Maybe...the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing
with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best
conversation you've ever had.

Maybe...you should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel
that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.

Maybe...you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if
it is simply to leave them alone.

Maybe...giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will
love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in
their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.

Maybe...happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those
who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can
appreciate the importance of all the pepe who have touched their lives.

Maybe...you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough
trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope
to make you happy.

Maybe...Love is not about finding the perfect person, it's about Learning to
see an imperfect person perfectly... .. *

*--
I am sharing what was shared with me!
Something u don't like use the delete key and move on!*

Mobile Phones Are Making Us Stupid

2007-07-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a trend that has been years in the making. Since the advent of speed dial on land lines, people have been training themselves that memory is unimportant, placing every phone number you could need at the touch of a button. Now science has proven it: Phones, computers, and PDAs are making us dumb.

The stats: A quarter of UK residents (these studies always come out of Britain) don't know their home phone number. Only one-third know the birthdays of their immediate family. Half use one password, exclusively, presumably because they just can't remember any more.

The problem is pretty simple at heart: The less you use your memory, the study says, the worse it gets. The study indicates, shockingly, that people in their 50s and 60s have generally better memory than people in their 30s. Why? The older group was tasked with committing more to memory when they were younger, "training" their brains appropriately. Our gadgets make it simple to offload our memory to electronic devices. That's a good thing when it comes to keeping track of the 1000 people in your address book (each with multiple phone numbers and email addresses), but maybe we're taking it too far?

The good news is that you can exercise your brain without memorizing numbers by rote. Games like Brain Age and Sudoku and other mental stimulation can do just as good a job at keeping your memory sharp (and possibly even ward off ailments like Alzheimer's).

How to Network ?

2007-07-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

MAKING NETWORKING PRACTICAL

There are two main areas of focus when using positive networking tactics: how contacts are identified and appropriate follow-up.

--Identifying Potential Contacts

Once you understand how to approach networking from a positive standpoint, you can use techniques that are specific for each of the following categories of contacts:

1. Satisfied customers or co-workers. What better referral? They can be the best advocates because they know what you have to offer. You can ask them to introduce you to other people. Most importantly, thank them with a personal note or phone call.

2. Friends. We work hard at building our friendships that include mutual trust. You can find out about your friends’ work and help them. Then when the time is right, you can ask them for a referral.

3. Neighbors. Make the effort to strike up conversations with people in your building or neighborhood. You’ll often find out that you have common interests with them.

4. Happy, helpful people. These are the people all of us meet by chance or connect with in unexpected ways. You can meet them on a plane, train, or waiting in line at the movies. Life has a funny way of connecting us when we least expect it. We just have to be ready for the opportunity.

--The Follow up tactics

Effective networking is based on simple tactics. Here are seven rules of networking to live by:

1. Smile. A smile is a universal welcome sign. The people we meet for the first time will appreciate our warmth.

2. Look the person in the eye. It's a compliment to look at someone. It’s a way to connect with someone new in the shortest time possible.

3. Listen. One of the greatest compliments we can give other people is to let them know that we are listening to them. Remember, when we are networking with new contacts, it’s like reading the paper. Let people tell their stories so we can discover the “news we can use.”

4. Body language. First impressions are lasting ones. Monitor expressions. Sometimes, we need to loosen up because meeting new people can make us a tense.

5. Avoid being pushy. Be careful of coming on too strong or needy. Even if we just lost our job, avoid having new people think that we are desperate.

6. Give genuine compliments. Yes, even with new contacts, a compliment might be appropriate. When we listen to people carefully, often they will mention something that they are proud of. We need to think for a moment and find a way to sincerely acknowledge others’ achievements.

7. Business cards are golden. Ask for people's cards. However, one rule is to only offer ours when requested. When we do get their cards, we should treat them as fine treasures and give them the most respect.

Dress for Success.

2007-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

With summer just around the corner, a lot of employees in a lot of businesses start dressing like it’s Casual Friday every day of the week. They utterly forget about professionalism and start dressing totally inappropriately for work.

In fact, Monster, an online job and recruiting site, conducted a poll about the biggest fashion faux pas in the office. Employers complained the most about employees who came in to work wearing tank tops and visible underwear. They also had a problem with employees who wear flip-flop sandals, Hawaiian print shirts, and shorts.

Of course...because none of that belongs in a professional environment. If you want people to take you seriously in the workplace, you have to dress the part.

When people come to me for a job interview, I expect them to look the part. If they’re not willing to wear a suit and tie, it’s probably not going to work. I’ve actually had people come to me in undershirts. They may be very talented but it’s impossible to get past that first impression.

Appearance really does matter. Whether you’re in the boardroom or a party or no matter what you’re doing, how you dress says a lot about your personality.

If you look successful, you’re going to be successful