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September 26, 2005

Disgruntled Workforce


UK survey of over 5,000 job seekers reveals:

52% of the workforce dislike looking for a new job

37% of the UK workforce currently don't enjoy work

47% would like to change industries

30% of workers would resign if offered a more enjoyable job
In contrast, 26% are motivated by salary increases and 23% by promotion

41% use the Internet as a method for job searching

12% of employees quit their job in the first 3 months of employment, costing UK companies £2.5 billon per year

New research launched today by Jobsite, reveals an increasingly disgruntled UK workforce. The survey reveals that 37% of the UK workforce do not enjoy their time at work and that 47% would be interested in working in a different industry. The prime motivations encouraging people to seek work elsewhere are led by the desire for a more enjoyable job, with salary increase and promotion opportunities coming second and third place respectively. However, when motivated to look for new employment, 52% find the job search process frustrating.

Read more: Hate working, hate looking

Posted by Mark at 03:45 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2005

Secret

Quote of the day:
"Create a vision of who you want to be; then live into that picture as if it were already true."
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Posted by Mark at 01:13 PM | Comments (0)

September 08, 2005

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

Some of these questions are aimed at the more executive positions but, whatever you're looking for, prepare positive, thoughtful, honest answers to those that apply to you and you can't go far wrong.

1. Tell me about yourself.
Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extra careful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don't waste your best points on it.

2. What do you know about our organization?

3. Why do you want to work for us?
4. What can you do for us that someone else can't?
5. What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?
6. Why should we hire you?
7. What do you look for in a job?
8. Please give me your defintion of [the position for which you are being interviewed].
9. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?
10. How long would you stay with us?
11. Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?
12. What is your management style?
13. Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential?
14. What do you look for when You hire people?
15. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?
16. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive?
17. What important trends do you see in our industry?
18. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?
19. How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job?
20. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?
21. What do you think of your boss?
22. Why aren't you earning more at your age?
23. What do you feel this position should pay?
24. What are your long-range goals?
25. How successful do you think you've been so far?

For more detailed suggestions on how to handle each of these questions, follow this link:
The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

Posted by Mark at 09:22 AM | Comments (0)

September 06, 2005

How to be creative

Here's a great list, by hugh at gapingvoid of 30 tips that work! on how to be creative, in art, business, whatever:
One for each day of the month.
If the month has 30 days.

1. Ignore everybody.

2. The idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to change the world.

3. Put the hours in.

4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being "discovered" by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.

5. You are responsible for your own experience.

6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.

7. Keep your day job.

8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.

9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

11. Don't try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.

12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.

13. Never compare your inside with somebody else's outside.

14. Dying young is overrated.

15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.

17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.

18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.

19. Sing in your own voice.

20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

21. Selling out is harder than it looks.

22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.

23. Worrying about "Commercial vs. Artistic" is a complete waste of time.

24. Don’t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.

25. You have to find your own schtick.

26. Write from the heart.

27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.

28. Power is never given. Power is taken.

29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.

30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

For a very entertaining, creative, inspiring full version of this list, with free cartoons,
visit how to be creative (long version)

Posted by Mark at 08:52 AM | Comments (0)

September 05, 2005

Abbreviations


Did you know that VOIP means Voice over Internet Protocol?

This site can help you: abbreviationz.com
The A to Z of Acronyms and Abbreviations on the Net.

Here are the top 100 queries made on the site:

  FUBAR
  HTTP
  BYOB
  AQSIQ
  RSVP
  FIOS
  GTI
  CCCP
  ASP
  PDA
  KB
  WYSIWYG
  IE
  PHD
  SAP
  SQL
  OASDI
  DVD
  ACE
  2IC

  ACRN
  VCR
  DSL
  AARP
  AAHC
  EP
  ACDC
  BCBG
  M
  BMW
  ROFL
  LLC
  ETAL
  NASCAR
  LOL
  QGRY
  URL
  CNC
  IT
  A

  PS
  NASA
  ACIO
  EG
  GOP
  AADT
  SAT
  ESPN
  AARP
  ACAS
  SCUBA
  IPOD
  OEM
  MP3
  AAL5
  D2O
  LCD
  GI
  VHS
  BLOG

  B8ZS
  LASER
  COM
  ACT
  MM
  AFI
  BA
  ABRX
  UNICEF
  P
  DNA
  CNN
  E124
  USSR
  MO
  ABM
  BDSM
  BIC
  CC
  AKA

  AVN
  2B1Q
  EBAY
  GED
  FOB
  PP
  OASD
  SPAM
  ESPN
  LED
  PA
  APRU
  AAAD
  TAADS
  ASAP
  3WC
  AAGR
  NASDAQ
  SMS
  ETC

Posted by Mark at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)