Image courtesy of Lose IT!

Our stress levels may not be going down as much as our tolerance for stress seems to be increasing. Compounding our stress is the feeling of not having enough time, support or information to make a change in our lifestyle or situation. When things get to be too much our emotions can run high leaving us with little patience or tolerance for the unpredictable. The result is feelings of sadness or hopelessness that there is no relief in sight.

Even low levels of stress can have a negative effect on our health and wellbeing. In todays fast-paced, connect world it can be a challenge to get away to the yoga studio, attend a spin class or plan a healthy lunch. Help may just be in the palm of your hand in the form of health and fitness app. According to research2guidance, the mobile research specialist, smartphone applications for mobile healthcare is expected to reach $1.3 billion in 2012 and keep on growing.

There are many low cost and no cost health and fitness apps available, finding the right one for you can take some time. Below are 5 free apps and one exceptionally low cost app, all highly recommended for those on the go.

Nutrition

Lose It!

Cost: Free

This app lets you consolidate your workout and food journal into one seamless tracking system. Find and track your food in an extensive library of standard and brand-name foods the app will calculate the accurate calorie, carb, fiber, fat, sodium, and protein values. When you add your daily exercises (including intensity level and time spent) the app calculates the number of calories you ate, burned and how many you have remaining.

Fooducate

Image courtesy of Fooducate

Cost: Free

Simply scan a product barcode and the app will provide you with a nutrition grade for the item, along with a brief explanation and a healthy alternative choice for your consideration. Improvements to the app have included an integrated shopping list and space allowing users to contribute feedback.

Exercise

Instant Heart Rate

Image courtesy of Instant Heart Rate

The app measures the user’s heart rate (tracking exertion) using the smartphone camera and flash.  Users place a finger over the camera lens; hold it for approximately 10 seconds and the app will display your current heart rate on the screen – no external attachments required.

MapMyRun

Image courtesy of MapMyRun

Using a built in GPS system the app makes it easy for runners or walkers to track their routes, distance, speed, time, and calories burned.  Users can share their workout with others via Twitter and Facebook.

Fitness Builder

Image courtesy of Fitness Builder

Cost: Free for first month

The app offers users a library of over 5,000 exercise images and videos.

Yoga

Office Yoga

Image courtesy of Office YogaiTunes app

Cost: $0.99

This is not a traditional app in the sense that it will provide you with the poses you’re used to seeing in a yoga studio. The beauty of this app is that it is designed to be used while at your desk. The useful guide is great whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, providing 75 stress-relieving stretches.

Have you used any of the app above? Share your experience or recommend an app.

In a down economy it’s natural to assume that your corporate clients aren’t returning your calls because they aren’t hiring and therefore don’t need your services. How about when things turn around? The reality is hiring takes place in all economic states. The more likely answer for their unresponsiveness is you.

It’s like when you’re dating and you’ve just met someone new who looks promising. You’ve had a date or two and you think everything is good, but the person doesn’t call, or return your messages. You don’t get it, you were sure there was a connection. Maybe you’ve even asked the person and got a response. Chances are they gave you some excuse. Why? Because people don’t want confrontation and think if they soften the blow, you will go away without fuss.

The same thing happens when your corporate client stops calling, or returning your messages. And if you’ve done some things that in their mind made you a bad fit, forget getting them to tell you what went wrong. So rather than keep you guessing , I am going to share with you 5 things your corporate clients wish you knew, but wouldn’t tell you directly.

1. Don’t exaggerate your experience. You probably tell your candidates the same thing and for good reason. If you send a candidate to a corporate client and that candidate has lied about their experience it makes you look bad. The same holds true for you. If you are new to the company, or new to the industry, do your research, but don’t be afraid to be humble. Ask questions.
3. Listen and understand feedback. Clients more often than not, know exactly the kind of candidate and experience they need and want. When you miss the mark, they’re likely to tell you. Take the opportunity to listen, ask questions, and reiterate their needs. Make sure you’re clear. For example, if your client says, “I want a candidate with B2B prospecting experience,” they mean they want someone with that exact experience and not a candidate with experience that is similar or comparable. What your client is really saying is that they want someone who might be able to do the job; your client wants someone who they know can do the job. If you continue to send the wrong candidate eventually your client will feel as though you’re not listening and will ultimately their business elsewhere.
5. Don’t embellish the details to your candidates. Let’s face it; there are times when you’re looking for a needle in a haystack. So when you find the ideal candidate, it’s natural to want to get them in front of your client as quickly as possible. But when you miss represent the job and its compensation with the belief that your client will love the candidate and therefore not want to lose her; you set both client and candidate up for failure. Don’t promise what your client can’t deliver. A mislead candidate means an unhappy client.
7. When stuck, give your clients options. Sometimes your client’s expectations are unrealistic. And sometimes it just takes longer than expected to find the ideal candidate. Don’t repeatedly tell your client that you’re working on it or that you’re having no luck. Instead, help your client rethink his ideal candidate. Problem-solving for solutions that could work for the both of you can go a long way in building rapport.
9. Relationships need nurturing. Although you’ve done a good job for your client in the past, don’t rest on your laurels. Make time to check in, to touch base. Clients want recruiter to be proactive on an ongoing basis and act like a partner who considers the business needs even when the client is not hiring.

It may go without saying, but it is worth noting: Just like with a bad breakup, sometimes it’s not you. But, sometimes it really is you.

To work with a recruiter that you can trust, contact your nearest SkillStorm office. www.SkillStorm.com/locations

The backbone of the organization

Once a year we celebrate Administrative Professionals Day (a.k.a. Administrative Assistants Day) by buying trinkets and saying thanks to the admins in our lives, and while we might not recognize everything they do on a daily basis, these folks often have the best job in the company and here’s why:

Admins are the backbone to every organization and everyone knows it.

Administrative Assistants are essential to any growing organization.

Ask any CEO when he’s available and he’ll refer you to his Administrative Assistant. Good Admins are highly organized, have a good understanding of the organization and also of the employees (at least those in their specific area) and are often in charge of orientation and training, so they have a good grip on many of the company’s job requirements.

Ask any self employed person the areas in which they need the most help and they’ll almost always name administrative tasks.

At a time when the economy is forcing organizations to scale back in areas of non essential employment, Administrative Assistants should feel secure in their job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth outlook for administrative jobs is excellent.

Being an Admin can be a great way to get your foot in the door at an organization.

“Gone are the days when administrative assistants simply had to answer the phone. An increased use of technology within the office setting has allowed administrative assistants to increase their presence within the company,” from U.S. News & World Report.

The title Administrative Assistant can cover everyone from the Administrative Assistant to the CEO to Receptionist. You can start out as a receptionist and see a clear career path to the CEO’s outer office, but beyond that you can also get your foot in the door for most other positions within the company, with little or no college education. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

High school graduates with basic office and computer skills usually qualify for entry-level secretarial and administrative assistant positions.

 

Yet, Administrative Assistants have the opportunity to work with most departments and many companies offer training to allow Admins to consider a career path in marketing, accounting and sales, amongst others. So, without the burden of college loans, an Admin could still find themselves running a department of their choice with some hard work and determination.

So, on this Administrative Professionals Day, while you consider the best way to show your gratitude, don’t forget that this person could be your boss one day!

The App That Tells You Which iPhone Carrier Is Best For You

Image courtesy of SwayMarkets

You choose your mobile carrier for a variety of reasons. Maybe the choice was based on the latest phone, the discount you received, or a friend’s referral. Regardless of the reason, when it comes to network signal strength, how do you know whether your carrier is really providing the best coverage?

A new app that your carrier probably doesn’t want you to know about could provide the answer. It’s called CarrierCompare. Developed by SwayMarkets, the app allows you to see which carrier provides you the best coverage for the location you’re currently in. Until recently, At&T, Verizon and Sprint were able to keep the information out of the consumers view.

To use the app, touch the screen to start and give it about 15 minutes to analyze your network and then compare the results to the other carriers. The results will show which network provided you with the best support in that given area. Since signals can vary, it’s important to conduct a few samples in the same area over a period of time.

There are limitations to CarrierCompare. At the present moment the app only performs one function –touch and compare. Future versions will offer an expansion of the information and analysis it can provide.

Too many people choose their carrier for reasons other than providing the best network coverage. As a result, networks are lulled into a false security that customer loyalty will be based on the products they sell and not the quality of coverage they offer. An app like CarrierCompare could really put customers in the driver seat. Would you download this app?

Would the information impact your decision to change carriers? Tell us what you think.

Sources: SwayMarkets.com, money.cnn.com

Putting An End To Bill Shock

Image courtesy of FCC

 Can you imagine having a $201,000 cell phone bill? That’s what happened to Florida customer Celina Aarons. Normally the family bill is about $175. However, when Celina’s two deaf-mute brothers traveled to Canada for a two week vacation, they didn’t change the family plan. As a result of not changing their plan for International travel, they experience ‘bill shock’.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines ‘bill shock’ as the “unexpected increase in the monthly mobile bill”. According to a 2010 FCC survey, 30 million Americans, roughly one in six users, have experienced bill shock. New legislation, supported by President Barack Obama may put an end to bill shock.

Providers will soon be required to alert consumers that they are about to hit their cap. Beginning October 17, 2012, will notify users through a free and automatic system, i.e., voice or text message. By April 17, 2013 all four methods, overseas, text, voice, and date will be implemented.

Forcing providers to be responsible to notify cell phone users that they have reached their cap according to their plan seems like it is taking the responsibility off of the individual. This begs the question, who is responsible for monitoring your personal coverage? It seems as though personal responsibility is only good when individuals demand their rights, but when those rights get them in trouble, the government is asked to step in.

What’s your thought? Share your opinion in the space below.

 Sources: Mashable, MSNBC.MSN.com, FCC.gov

Technology Meets Earth Day

Image courtesy of Google Play

 Earth Day was this past Sunday and the theme was “Mobilize the Earth”. It seems only fitting that we include a ‘green’ mobile app in this week’s tech blog. Use the Locavore app to find out what’s in season the next time you’re shopping in the produce section of your local grocery store.

For those into thinking globally and eating locally, Locavore will use your phones GPS to tell you where the nearest farmer’s market is in your area.  This little feature will provide you with directions, hours, contact information and reviews of specific farmer’s markets.

One feature flaw seems to be with the Android app is the recipes section – it was non-functional on our test device. Hopefully that will be corrected in the very near future.

If you’ve been a fan of farmer’s markets you know that they vary in quality. An app like this could really improve the quality and quantity of offerings at a farmer’s market and eliminate those that don’t rise to meet customer satisfaction.

You can download the app from iTunes, IOS and Android.

Sources: Huffingtonpost

Image courtesy billaday

Whether you admit it publicly or not, you probably have superstitions – most people swear by them. They’re those little superstitious behaviors people do for luck, like: knock on wood, cross fingers, tap two feet before boarding a plane, or wear that certain pair of underwear before an important meeting. Professional athletes like golf legend Tiger Woods, hockey player Patrick Roy, and basketball champion LeBron James have long used rituals and lucky charms to help focus and improve performance.

For regular Joes, superstitious beliefs have been the subject of ridicule and mockery. Now new research is showing that magical thinking actually improves self-confidence, which ultimately leads to improvement in performance.

Tempting Fate

Social psychologist Lysann Damisch et al., designed four experiments to test the effectiveness of ‘good-luck’ beliefs. The researchers looked at whether superstitious behaviors like crossing fingers, using lucky charms or common sayings such as, “break a leg” had any effect on mental and motor tasks. The results of the four experiments showed the superstitions did improve performance and the findings provided insight into how superstitions worked. It appears that superstitions boosted the self-confidence of participants abilities, encouraging them to work harder and persist longer at the task until they succeeded.

In another study, psychologists Jane Risen and Thomas Gilovich looked at how ‘reasonably intelligent’ people view actions that appear to tempt fate. Participants were asked to read one of two possible endings to a story. Through their research they found that participants believed tempting fate can increase the chances of negative outcomes.

Boosting Optimism

It doesn’t matter what you call it; superstitions, a good luck charm, or destiny, we use this magical thinking to help us explain the world. According to Matthew Hutson, author of the new book The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane, “The brain is wired to see patterns, so we make connections and create explanations.” Studies have shown that when we feel lucky or follow a superstition, it gives us enough confidence and optimism to boosts our performance.

If you’ve ever had faith that “things will work out as they are supposed to” or looked back and thought, “everything happens for a reason”, you’ve engaged in a teleological reasoning. Teleology is the belief that certain phenomena can be explained in terms of purpose rather than cause, i.e., God, karma, or fate. “It provides a sense of meaning in life. You feel like what happens to you is part of a larger narrative. The universe cares about you. And if something bad happens, you’re more likely to view it as a lesson or calling to do something positive,” says Hutson.

Law of Attraction

“Scientifically, the law of attraction actually does work,” says Hutson—but not because of mental frequencies. Holding on to the belief of a positive expectation or outcome can lead to it becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy. When you are clear about what you want, you begin to recognize opportunities as they appear and you project confidence to go after them.

The belief, however tenuous, that there is something to a particular superstition, lucky piece of underwear or a higher power that has plans for us, helps release nervous tension. This is the power of superstitions; they allow us the illusion of control in what is otherwise a scary, random world. Perhaps this is why superstitious behaviors are so common: they can sometimes work.

Do you have a good luck charm or a superstition? How has it benefitted you? Share your experience in the comment section.

Sources: Forbes.com, The New York Times, Psyblog

Angry Birds: User Beware

Image Courtesy of yahoo.com

If you’re one of the millions who can’t stay away from playing Angry Birds, you’ll want to take notice of this warning. The ever popular Angry Birds has come out with a new version called Angry Birds Space, and unlike the previous games this one is coming with a ‘users beware’ notice. According to security experts at SophosLabs (http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/), malware infected editions of the new game have been placed in unofficial Android app stores. In this fake version, the program disguises itself as a completely legitimate download of the popular mobile game. Once the Trojan (Andr/KongFu-L) gains access to your smartphone, it installs code that may compromise any information you have stored.

Piracy Is A Cost We All Bear

All indications at this time the version of “Angry Birds Space” in the official Android market (recently renamed “Google Play”) is *not* affected. And while this is not earthshattering technology news, it is worth mentioning: first, don’t download apps that have been pirated. Second, piracy is a real problem, not only because it compromises software, but because it takes money away from the inventors and puts in the pocket of the thief.

Sources: Nakedsecurity.sophos.com, Mashable.com

 Is a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words or $1 Billon

Image courtesy of Instagram

What do you do when your competition threatens to outperform your business model? If you’re Facebook, you buy it. There has been a lot made about Facebook’s $1 Billion purchase of Instagram. Was a company that has only been in existence for just over 18 months worth the price? Only time will tell for sure, but consider how we use our smartphones today. We take pictures. Pictures tell stories of who we’re with, what we’re about to eat, the funny things that catch our attention, etc. and we post the picture/stories on social media sites like Facebook.

Just earlier this month marketing research firm Lab42, developed an infographic that may help to explain Instagram’s popularity. We are using our smartphone to find new restaurants, photograph their meals and write review. According to the firm:

About 19% of those that use their smartphone while at a restaurant update their status on Facebook. Meanwhile, about 24% said they take pictures of their entrees and 18% check-in to the restaurant on services such as Foursquare.

What Sets Instragram Apart

Although both Facebook and Instagram are social sites, Facebook images are archived so they are showing our memories, while Instagram is showing what’s happening in the moment. But that is not the only difference.  If you saw the movie The Social Network, you know that Facebook was designed for the computer. Herein lies the biggest difference and perhaps the reason Facebook went after this newbie; Instagram was designed as an app for mobile use. It was built to engage on a platform Facebook hadn’t mastered yet.

Facebook didn’t just purchase the app with all those cool filters; it bought the intelligence behind it –the employees. Right now there are assurances that Instagram will stand alone and not be absorbed into Facebook. Only time will tell for sure.

Why Should We Be Concerned

There has been much speculation as to whether or not Instagram was worth the price. A bigger concern should be, is this an example of how big social media companies buyout smaller sites? From a developer standpoint this might be a financial boon, but for consumers this could be a sign of how information, products and services will be consolidated to just major companies.

Do you agree this was a good move for Facebook? Are you worried about consolidation? Share your opinion below.

Sources: Huffington post.com, Inc.com, Mashable.com

New App Helps Kids Living With Autism

Image courtesy of AutisMate

April is Autism awareness month and it only seems fitting to mention a new tool that could help millions of kids and parents. AutisMate was developed by Jonathan Izak to aid his brother and first cousin, both of whom live with autism. Izak came up with the app to be an alternative tool based on what he saw as the limitations of other tools that are as he says, “often too complex and not intuitive enough for autistic children, who tend to struggle with generalizing.” The app is designed to be relevant to the user’s current location.

AutisMate has an intuitive interface, and in-app customer support. It’s designed to promote communication, functional skills, and social skills and the app can support multiple users, so it could be used by therapists who work with several different autistic children.

To learn more visit AutisMate or iTunes.

Sources: Autismate.com, Mashable.com

A Lemon That Makes Managing Finances Sweet

Image courtesy of Lemon.com

Tax time is upon us and if you’re scrambling to track down your expensive, you may wish that you had downloaded the Lemon app from Google Play Store at the beginning of the year. This free tool does more than keep you organized; it can help you manage your finances. Plus, it meets the IRS requirements for receipt storage.

Source: Lemon.com, DoesItreallywork

Going Green

One day paper receipts may be a thing of the past, but until then, there’s the Lemon app. Simply scan your receipt using your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows Phone and store it for later use, when you need it. The basic plan lets you scan unlimited receipts capturing their date, merchant and amount spent and you can also store online receipts. You can also add information manually if need be.

Downsides

The downside of the free app is the advertisements. If ads bother you, consider upgrading for $20 or $50 a year depending on the plan you choose. Another concern is whether or not retailers would accept scanned receipts for returns/exchanges.

Final Thought

If you naturally keep good records, the Lemon app could seem like a waste of time and energy. But, if you’re like most of America, the only drawback of the tool is remembering to take a picture of the receipt for filing it your wallet or purse.

International Travel: Open for At&T iPhones

Image courtesy of ATT.com

If you own an older iPhone and are an AT&T customer with an expired contract, this past Sunday may have been good news for you. As reported by many news affiliates, Sunday, April 8, AT&T agreed to unlock subscribers’ iPhones if they are out of contract and in good standing. This is great news if you travel overseas or are thinking about it. Currently, if your phone is locked you know you can’t use it abroad without paying hefty roaming charges.

To use a phone with your current provider while traveling overseas, your only option is to get a new phone with a new number (from your carrier). Of course this makes your current phone temporally unusable.

Unlocked iPhone Carriers

Unlocking the iPhone was not big news to new iPhone users whose phones come unlocked. Nor was it big news to iPhone 4S users whose contracts are with Verizon Wireless or Sprint. Both carriers already allowed users in good standing to unlock their phone for traveling abroad.

Problems With AT&T Customer Service

For those who patiently waited for Sunday to arrive to get their iPhone’s unlocked, frustration may have been the word for the day. It seemed that service representatives didn’t get the memo regarding the unlocking and were ill prepared to handle the barrage of calls.

What Has Been Your Experience?

Are you an AT&T subscriber who called to get your phone unlocked? Tell us about your experience.

Source: Mashable.com, PCword.com

The longer you are out-of-work or are looking for a new position the more desperate you become. The more desperate you feel the more willing you are to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do: things like work for lower pay, take a position that you know you are overqualified for, or endure a boss who doesn’t respect you. But would you be willing to give a potential employer your Facebook password?

The topic made news recently. It was reported that a number of private and government agencies have been requesting access to job applicants Facebook accounts during the interview process. The requests for such personal information have been answered with mixed results. So why have potential employers been asking? The answer, according to the article posted by the Associated Press –

In their efforts to vet applicants, some companies and government agencies are going beyond merely glancing at a person’s social networking profiles and instead asking to log in as the user to have a look around.

It didn’t take long before Facebook responded. Take a stance in support of users and against employers who request passwords, Chief Privacy Officer, Erin Egan posted –

If you are a Facebook user, you should never have to share your password, let anyone access your account, or do anything that might jeopardize the security of your account or violate the privacy of your friends.

On a positive, the negative attention and backlash of have brought this practice to the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union, who calls the request is, “an invasion of privacy”.  In addition, senators from Maryland and Illinois are proposing legislation that would forbid public agencies from requesting your Facebook password.

Just when you think no HR department would come within ten feet of asking for a Facebook password, comes a new story, this time from an employer to a current employee. It seems Kimberly Hester, a teacher’s aide, was called into her employer’s office and asked to log in to her Facebook account so that her employer could look around.

In this case, Hester had friended the parent of a student. When Hester posted a picture of a co-worker (no nudity), and parent complained, what happened next is even more disturbing. Hester reports that when she refused, her employer took the action of letting her go.

Saying, “That’s why I don’t have a Facebook account” is not a solution, it’s a declaration when an interviewer or employer asks for your password. So what should you do? First know that while the debate is going on, legislation takes time. Plus, depending on the level of your position or the position you’re applying for, this request may still be made for people working in security or government.

Below are tips you can use right now.

1. Don’t wait till you’re asked to take proactive steps. Do them now.
1. Un-tag yourself in photos
2. Remove photos that could be construed as inappropriate
3. Put privacy restrictions in place
4. Limit who can see your page

1. While obvious, it still bears repeating. Don’t write anything that you wouldn’t want to see on the news, in the paper or for your mother to read. In other words, don’t write anything stupid, libelous, especially about a coworker, client or boss.

1. Giving out your password doesn’t just affect you; it also affects your friends privacy. Remember, you don’t have to say, “Yes”. You can say, “No” to social invasion.

1. Suggest an alternative, such as Twitter or LinkedIn. Explain how both of these sites provide a more accurate picture of your professional web presence.

Sources: Associated Press, Inquisitr, ACLU, Facebook Protecting Your Passwords and Your Privacy

Virtual Glasses Bring Websites Right to You

Sources: PSFK; Gadget Review

Image courtesy of PSFK

They may look like the sunglasses that older adults who wear over their glasses, but they’re actually wearable micro-projectors. Unlike other video glasses, the Epson Moverio BT-100 are see-through, so you’ll be able to view what’s happening around you while scanning images, streaming videos or viewing the web.

They come with 1GB of built-in memory and a 32GB memory card. And the good news for Andriod users, these glasses connect to Android devices and come with a WI-FI enabled controller that’s compatible with various file formats, multimedia, browsers and even 3-D content. But the sticker price for these glasses is pretty steep at around $700.

Anna Jen, director of New Business Development, Epson America said, “The Moverio BT-100 see-through display is poised to significantly impact not only the way people interact with content for personal enjoyment, but the development of content for future applications – from virtual training platforms to a new way to interact with 3D CAD environments to visualizing 3D design renderings.”

For training professionals this opens the door to a whole new world of learning. For those who dread role playing, training could transform into an interactive simulation. How cool is that!

Charge Your Phone Simply By Walking Around The Block

image courtesy of Wake Forest University and Graduate student Corey Hewitt

Not too long ago Fisher-Price came out with a ‘physical learning arcade system’. The gaming system was an all-in-one stationary bike, video game console and professed, education tool. Some adult laughed at the notion, while others applauded it as an early intervention to reduce childhood obesity.

Now it seems that nanotechnology researchers at Wake Forest University might have come up with a way for you to power up your smartphone by means of a little exercise. According to researchers, there’s a lot of wasted heat produced by our bodies that could be harnessed by nanotubes. Enter the Power Felt, a strip of material you would attach to your body and use to charge your phone, flashlights, radios or possibly other technologies.

While still in the early stages of testing, the Power Felt is not yet available for purchase. But the science behind it has researchers excited by the possibilities. When reversed, the nanotubes could be powered to move heat away, producing a cooling effect.

The idea of exercising to use your phone maybe a hard sell for some, but in cases of emergency, it just might be a very practical way to call for help.

Source: CNN.com; Wake Forest University

The next wave of technological advancements – Singularity?

What do the movies Blade Runner, Terminator 3 and Matrix all have in common? The main characters use some form of nanotechnology for their super-human strength. Nanotechnology, once thought to be the stuff of sci-fi movies, is closer to a reality than you might think, at least according to futurist and inventor, Ray Kurzwell.

Kurzwell, the author of Singularity is Near spoke at this year’s South By Southwest Interactive conference, thinks that the speed of technological advancement is so rapid, “that previously unimaginable inventions will be a reality within decades.”

As nanotechnology, computers the size of molecules, continues to evolve, it might not be that long before the lines of human intelligence and artificial intelligence really do move closer to singularity. Then instead of carrying our technology, we wear it or carry it within us. For some, the possibilities for this type of technological advancement are exciting, especially as it pertain to medical advancement. For others, especially those who watched too many sci-fi movies, the fear that computer intelligence could dominate humans may make these advancements scary.

Today, we can talk to our technology using natural language. What would you like to see tomorrow’s technological breakthrough might be?

Source: CNN.com, singularity.com

Image courtesy of photologue_np and Flickr.com

By now you’re well aware of how important it is to use buzzwords when applying for a job. But have you noticed that so many of the job announcements these days seem to be using the same buzzwords? This can really be frustrating, especially if you’re looking for the right fit.  With so many positions sounding alike it can be difficult to know which positions are truly a good match with your talents.

 Source: FORTUNE.com

Why are more employers using similar buzzwords these days? There are a few reasons. It could be because someone in the company is not up-to-date on current verbiage and isn’t aware that a particular word‘s meaning has changed in the last decade.  Or it could be that someone in the human resources department has one idea for describing the position, while the hiring manager may have another. It might just be a technique many employers are currently using to attract the best candidates to their organizations.

Understanding the meanings behind some of the most common buzzwords could help you decide if that ‘perfect’ job is really worth applying for. 

1. 1.       We’re looking for someone who is ‘flexible and adaptable’. Those words could mean the company wants a person who has the ability to manage stress and set priorities.

It could also mean the position – or the company’s direction – is constantly changing.

 2.    The ideal candidate has the ‘ability to work independently’. Those words could mean the company is looking for a person who can work autonomously, demonstrates initiative and doesn’t need to be micro-managed.

It could also mean the company doesn’t provide much training or direction.

 3.    We’re looking for a ‘team player’. Those words could mean the company or department is small and it’s important that everyone be a contributor.

It could also mean that you’ll be giving your ideas and solutions to your boss who will take credit and continue to move up in the organization while you remain in the position you were hired for.

 4.    The position requires a candidate who is ‘detail-oriented’. Those words could mean that position involves detail, such as payroll or data-entry.

It could also mean that everything you do will be highly scrutinized with little to no room for flexibility.

 5.    The ideal candidate is ‘dedicated or determined’. Those words could mean the company is looking for a person who is passionate and is willing to work hard.

It could also mean you’re expected to answer emails sent to you at 11 PM on a Sunday.

 When you understand the meaning behind a buzzword, you’ll be in a better position to determine whether or not the job, and what it encompasses, is right for you.

 What buzzwords or phrases do you feel have lost meaning because they are being used by employer in job announcements?