ZRoundtable's Lifestyle & Family Blog

Business Etiquette: How to sign off on an email

2014-10-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

An interesting look at how to sign off (business) emails -- from an article on Forbes. LOL: the article lists almost 100 ways people sign off for emails.

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Before I dive into the list, here are my four general rules for signing off on emails:

1. Don’t include quotes. They bog down emails and take up readers’ precious time.

2. Avoid oversized corporate logos. Sometimes we have no choice about this, because our companies insist we include these things, but if they are too big, they draw the eye away from the message.

3. Include your title and contact info, but keep it short. In most business emails, you’re doing the person a favor by sharing your vital information. But make it minimal. Mine just says, “Susan Adams, Senior Editor, Forbes 212-206-5571.” A short link to your website is fine but avoid a laundry list of links promoting your projects and publications.

4. Do include some kind of sign-off in the first email in a chain (once you’ve started a thread, you don’t need to keep signing off).

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Favorite sign-offs:

Best

All Best – Harmless.

All the best – This works too.

Best Regards – More formal than the ubiquitous “Best.” I use this occasionally.

Regards – Fine, anodyne, helpfully brief. I use this too.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/10/08/89-ways-to-sign-off-on-an-email/

Clearing a drain: baking soda + vinegar

2014-09-25T09:24:00.001-04:00

If a drain is slow, the following method using hot water + baking soda; then adding hot water + vinegar -- and then flushing with hot water, works great. Sometimes, I will use a plunger beforehand; this sometimes loosens debris enough to unclog slow drains.

If the plunger method doesn't work, then:

Flush with hot water (pot or several cups of hot water)
Cup of baking soda with hot water to get it into the drain.
Let sit for 5 minutes
Add cup of vinegar, flush down with cup of hot water.
Close drain and let sit for 10-15 minutes
Flush with hot water.

Career: How to answer, "What did you earn in your last job?"

2014-09-24T20:07:00.001-04:00

Some good advice on this tough question:

Interviewers aren't trying to be rude. They've just drunk a lot of toxic lemonade themselves. They'll say "We need your past salary information."

Really? You need it? I understand that people in Hell need ice water, my darling.
They don't need to know your past salaries. They just want it. As we tell our kids, Want and Need are two different things.

Tell them your salary requirement, instead. That's all they need to make a Yes or No decision about whether your salary requirements and their salary range are in the same ballpark.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140924132829-52594--what-did-you-earn-at-your-last-job?trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0

Career: How to Spot a Bad Boss

2014-09-19T09:31:00.001-04:00

Monster.com had a good article on how to spot a bad boss BEFORE accepting a job offer. Because working with people is such an important part of job satisfaction, check this article out:

I’ve worked for some pretty bad bosses during my career. Some were managers who became my boss after I was already working in the job, but others were toxic bosses that I should have spotted before I even accepted the job offer.

Here are 10 ways to spot a bad boss – before you take the job:

1. They’re late for the job interview. I once sat outside a hiring manager’s office, waiting for my job interview. I waited. And waited. And waited. 45 minutes after the interview should have started, the hiring manager walked past and then stared at me. “Who are you?” he demanded. I told him I was his 10am interview candidate. He rolled his eyes. “Oh great. Another interview. Like I don’t already have enough to do,” he grumbled. “Fine. You might as well come into my office so I can get this over.” This hiring manager had not only forgotten about my interview, he also hated his job. A dangerous combination to avoid.

2. Their office is unusually disorganized. Earlier in my career, I accepted a job working for a manager whose office was a mess. Well, that’s an understatement. Her office looked like a tornado had swept through it. I should have spotted the telltale signs during my job interview: She didn’t have a copy of my resume or even the job posting, there were sticky notes all over her computer screen and desk, stacks of paperwork were all over her office, even her clothing and hair were messy. Unfortunately, her disorganization spilled over into how she managed people and managed her department.

3. They ask illegal questions during your interview. Does the hiring manager ask questions about how many children you have or if you plan on having any? Do he/she ask about your religion or your age? Hiring managers should always avoid asking any questions based on race, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, veteran or military status, and physical, mental, or sensory disabilities. That’s because these are all “protected classes” under most state law. If you’re asked any of these types of questions, it means the hiring manager either isn’t trained and experienced or may be unethical.

4. Other employees avoid the hiring manager. As you walk down the hallway to the hiring manager’s office or conference room for your interview, be aware of how other employees react to the manager. Are they friendly and positive toward him/her? Or, do they quickly turn around and walk away or dive behind cubicles to avoid being seen? Look for signs that other employees are afraid of the hiring manager or trying to avoid the person.

You get the idea, but read more here:

http://news.monster.com/a/other/how-to-spot-a-bad-boss-before-you-accept-the-job-offer-e05cf6?WT.mc_n=CRM_US_B2C_LC_TWOM_Full_140919

Vitamin Supplements: A Scam?

2014-09-09T16:30:00.002-04:00

Here is yet more evidence that vitamin supplements are not necessary. While there is some evidence that Vitamins D and E are useful, causality has not necessarily been proven -- even for these vitamins!

Read more here:

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/dont-take-your-vitamins/

What Career Were You Supposed to Have?

2014-08-27T20:28:00.004-04:00

Here is a fun quiz (and short, too!) -- that tells what career you were really meant for... The quiz has yielded sensible results for various people we know.

http://bitecharge.com/play/career/h3

Napa Valley - Center of 6.0 Earthquake...

2014-08-25T07:36:00.002-04:00

A preliminary 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the San Francisco Bay area early Sunday, damaging historic buildings and portions of major highways, rupturing gas lines and water mains, igniting fires, and knocking out power to thousands of residents in the region. At least 170 people were injured in the quake, at least six critically, according to officials at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

The earthquake struck 4 miles northwest of American Canyon, California in Napa County at around 3:20 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake was felt over a large portion of northern California, including San Francisco, with the strongest shaking experienced in Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. More than 100 aftershocks were reported after the earthquake, the largest to hit the Napa Valley area since the Loma Prieta earthquake almost 25 years ago, the USGS said.

Read more here (article includes a slideshow):

http://www.weather.com/news/san-francisco-california-area-earthquake-20140824

Ebola outbreak

2014-08-01T09:16:00.001-04:00

The ebola news story is growing, especially with two American patients with ebola being transported to Atlanta.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has surpassed 700, according to the World Health Organization. It's the deadliest outbreak ever recorded. U.S. health officials are warning Americans not to travel to the three countries hit by the outbreak: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Play VIDEO

Two Americans with Ebola to be flown back to U.S. for treatment

Amid fears that air travelers could spread Ebola to other countries, many are asking questions about the disease and how it is transmitted. Here's what you need to know about Ebola. The information comes from WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some Fun Tennis Points

2014-05-05T16:28:00.002-04:00

Now that it is getting warmer, people are getting out and getting some exercise. If you are a tennis fan, here are some fun tennis points for inspiration. Enjoy!

Do You Need New Tires?

2014-04-21T11:18:00.003-04:00

Car tires are typically rated to last anywhere from about 40,000 miles and up. Some performance tires are much lower, while other tires are built for long-lasting wear. Do you need new tires? In addition to checking out the tread wear indicators (TWIs; if the bars between treads are the same height as treads, you definitely need new tires!), the old coin tests also work well.

Most tires start out with between 8/32 and 10/32 of an inch of tire tread depth. To help deal with such small increments of measurement, certain tire tread depth and tire wear indicator tests were developed for the average person to be able to check their tires.

Believe it or not, coins are great tire wear indicator. For example, just about everyone knows the tire tread depth “penny test.” Tires need to be looked over periodically to measure tread depth, and the penny test is fine in a pinch. It is done by holding a penny heads-up, upside-down and sticking it into the deepest part of the tire tread. If the tread comes up to the top of Abe Lincoln’s head, it means the tire still has 2/32” of useable tread, the legal minimum in most states.

There is also a quarter test that shows when the tread is safer (for hyrdroplaning. etc.).

Similar to the “penny test,” the “quarter test” is a tire tread depth test that’s done by holding a quarter upside-down and sticking George Washington’s head into the deepest part of the tire tread depth. If tread covers Washington’s head, this shows that the tire has at least 4/32” of tread left and is still perfectly useable. Performance will not be as good as new tires would be when driving over standing water or in other adverse conditions, but it is not as severely compromised as it could be. In terms of tire wear indicators, if your tires pass the “quarter test,” the tire tread depth should still be relatively safe.

Grammar Tips

2014-03-25T20:50:00.003-04:00

It's always good to brush up on grammar. Here's a good article from this link. Thanks to PRdaily.com and the author, Daphne Gray-Grant.

Spelling

1. Writing “then” when you mean “than.” The first is a description of time—“I wrote the sales letter and then I wrote the advertisement”—while the other is used when making a comparison—“I am more sick of this picky client than you are!”

2. Misspelling “bated breath.” If you write baited breath, everyone will suspect fishing is your favorite hobby. The word should be spelled bated, which comes from abated, meaning held.

3. Using “accidently” instead of “accidentally.” There are quite a few words with -ally suffixes (“incidentally”), and these should not be confused with words having -ly suffixes (“independently”).Accidently makes it into some dictionaries but it’s regarded as a variant. It’s wise to avoid variants if you can, because some people will become more concerned about your spelling than what you’re selling.

4. Writing that something has “peaked your interest.” We’re not talking mountain climbing here. The correct word is piqued.

5. Confusing “racked” with “wracked.” If you are racked with nerves, you are feeling as if you are being stretched on the torture device, the rack. You rack your brain when you try to write difficult stories. Wrack, on the other hand, has to do with ruinous accidents. With luck, this won’t apply to your writing, but it might just apply to the stock market, which has been wracked by recession.

Word usage

6. Confusing “into” with “in to.” The word into is a preposition (a linking word) that answers the question, where? “Donna walked into her office before noticing her CEO was sitting at her desk.” Note that the “where” needn’t always be a physical place—Donna could also “go into business” or “go into graduate school.” But, on those occasions where in and to just happen to end up beside each other, they must remain separate words. For example, “Peter walked in to see his supervisor.”

7. Misusing “literally.” If your boss said, “I literally felt like firing the entire department,” would you think she really meant that? No! She meant it metaphorically. Small comfort, I know, but help her retain at least a few well-trained staff by stopping her from ever using literally unless it’s the actual (literal) truth.

8. Confusing “edition” with “addition.” I know both words sound alike, but they mean totally different things. An edition is the form in which a text (usually a book) is printed, an issue of a newspaper or magazine or a version of something that’s a little different from the ordinary (for example, an experimental edition of a play). Addition, on the other hand, is what you do when you add up numbers (1 + 1 = 2), when there is an increase (“there was an addition to our taxes this year”) or when you expand your house (“the addition of the deck increased the value of our house significantly”).

9. Saying you made a 360-degree turn, when you changed direction. I’ve had many (otherwise bright) bosses say they made a 360-degree turn when they meant that they turned around completely. But think about it: If you turn around so that you’re facing in the oppositedirection, you’ve actually made a 180-degree turn.

10. Being redundant. Repeat after me: PIN stands for personal identification number. Therefore, you cannot say PIN number without being redundant. Similarly, CD-ROM stands for “compact disc, read-only memory,” DVD stands for digital video disc or digital versatile disc and ATM stands for automated teller machine. Thus, don’t repeat the word disc or machine. Furthermore, never describe your “favorite pet peeve.” Stick with “pet peeve” alone. “Personal favorite” is another noxious phrase. Can you ever imagine an impersonal favorite?

11. Failing to understand the difference between “hone” and “home.” To hone is to sharpen. You can hone a point but you home in on a target. This is why they don’t call those birds “honing pigeons!”

12. Saying something is a “mute point” instead of “moot.” Moot means open to discussion or debatable. Mute means silent. Much as we all might appreciate more mute points, they’re not only ineffective, they’re also incorrect.

13. Using “centered around.” Think about that phrase for a second. How could anything be centered around something else? The correct phrase is “centered on.”

14. The inability to distinguish between “e.g.” and “i.e.” The abbreviation e.g. is Latin for “exempli gratia” meaning “for example”. The abbreviation i.e., on the other hand, stands for the Latin “id est” meaning “that is to say.” So, you might write, “We like vegetables—e.g., broccoli, green beans and cauliflower.” Or you might write, “We like all vegetables—i.e., we’re healthy eaters.”

15. Misusing the word “penultimate.” This word means second to last: November is the penultimate month of the year. It does not mean “super-ultimate” (e.g., “He’s the penultimate father” is incorrect).

16. Using “irregardless.” While irregardless does appear in some dictionaries, it’s always listed as “non-standard.” That’s because it’s meaningless. The “ir” cancels out the “regardless.” Stick with plain old regardless.

17. Confusing “flush it out” with “flesh it out.” To flesh out an idea is to give it substance. But if you’re trying to drive a criminal, an injustice or bad behavior out into the open, you want to flush it out.

Grammar

18. Using“could of,” “would of,” “should of.” These are all 100 percent wrong, born of our sloppy speaking styles—could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. What you want to write is could have, would have, should have. We all coulda, woulda, shoulda become better at grammar.

19. Using “me and somebody.” I tell my children that it’s common courtesy to put the other person first. Thus you should always say, “Fred and I went to the gym together,” or “Suzie and I saw that movie.”

20. Using “that” instead of “who” (and vice versa). If you’re writing about people, always usewho. If a company president says, “employees that are affected by layoffs will be greatly missed,” no one is likely to believe him because he’s treating them as objects by using the word that.

21. Using “they” when referring to a business. “Starbucks said they would give everyone a free latte today.” Although this might sound right, the correct sentence is: “Starbucks said it would give everyone a free latte today.” And if that grates on your ears, then rewrite the sentence to avoid the problem: “Starbucks is offering everyone a free latte today.”

Style

22. Using “orient” and “orientate” in the same piece of text. Both words are correct, meaning to determine one’s position with reference to another point or to familiarize (someone) with new surroundings or circumstances. That said, the latter choice is British and widely considered “incorrect” in the U.S. Bottom line: If you spell theater (rather than theatre), you should also useorient.

23. Using “toward” and “towards” interchangeably. Both words are correct, but again, the latter is British and the former is American. Which you choose depends on your audience. And whatever you do, be consistent.

Apostrophes

24. Using “it’s” when you mean “its.” This is a mistake I see every day—whether on the Web or in print. The rule is so breathtakingly simple that everyone should learn it’s stands for it is. The possessive version, “The dog chewed on its bone,” somehow prompts people to throw in an errant apostrophe. Whenever I see it’s, I always reread the sentence to ensure the correct meaning is it is.And when I see its, I reread the sentence to ensure it doesn’t mean it is.

25. Using a random apostrophe. Is there a worse mistake than “The photo’s are for sale at 50 percent off”? Remember, apostrophes are used only in two cases: to signify a letter has been omitted (in “it’s” it represents the missing “i” from the word “is”) and to signify possession (“The dog’s dish of water was spilled by the anxious owner”).

Don’t use random apostrophes—or make any of these other mistakes—or you’ll be rotting your readers’ socks.

A former daily newspaper editor, Daphne Gray-Grant is a writing and editing coach and the author of 8½ Steps to Writing Faster, Better. She offers a free weekly newsletter on her Web site, the Publication Coach.This story first appeared on Ragan.com.

Cool Photos

2014-03-20T17:51:00.003-04:00

There are a lot of good photos from the website: AmazinglyTimedPhotos.com

http://amazinglytimedphotos.com/water-drops-can-create-some-amazing-scenes/#.UytiK_ldWys

Career: Traits of Top Talent

2014-03-10T07:22:00.004-04:00

Here is a good article about top talent at a job. Some of this is common sense -- but it is worth repeating...!!

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Try to improve process by rapidly acquiring and integrating new information
Foster an environment of process improvement rather than blame
Remain calm and composed under stress
Can manage completing assignments with competing deadlines

Collaborative

“Top talent” recognizes when he is the best person for the task and when it’s critical to join others and work as a part of a team.

Follow through on commitments
Strong communication skills
Don’t take negative feedback personally
Don’t take credit for good results
Get along well with others
Not fearful of incorporating team members with superior expertise for a superior outcome

Adept problem solver

“Top talent” doesn’t hesitate to fix a problem.

First to offer to help
Come through fast and over deliver
Offer creative, innovative solutions
Inspire others to take action
Consistent
Provide a new approach to solving problems

Humility

“Top talent” knows her talents and doesn’t need to broadcast them to fellow employees or to their superior. This personality exudes confidence but not in a way that intimidates others. Their calm tone and mild manner draws people to them and makes it easy for others to come to them for help and to open up to them about challenges they face.

Embrace others’ better ideas
Learn from failure
Step back to see if someone has a better point

Leadership

When faced with a problem as a team member, “top talent” intuitively knows the appropriate time to step in or step back; s/he focuses on the project’s success, not on a rigid leadership structure.

Great leaders tend to be inclusive, humble, self-directed and mission focused and inspire others to action. An employee who exhibits leadership ability is generally well respected by co-workers. They have demonstrated competence and are often known to seek feedback (both positive and negative). Top talent shows genuine concern for the well being of the group.

“Top talent” NEVER Says:

“It’s not my job”!

Honey, I Shrunk the Snow: No, It Won't Snow 30 Inches this Weekend

2014-02-06T08:55:00.003-05:00

There have been rumors over the past two weeks that it could snow 30 inches this coming weekend in the U.S. Northeast (weekend of February 9-11, 2014). Here is what we predict:

On Saturday: there's a chance for snow showers to small accumulations.

On Sunday: it will probably snow and there could be a dusting to a few inches.

There IS an outside chance that this develops into a bigger storm (6+ inches) -- but most likely not.

It seems like there was a news report of a potential monster storm a YEAR AGO -- that a news outlet mentioned. The news outlet showed the weather graphic with the scary-looking 30 inch forecast for areas around New York City, the Northeast, and as far south as Washington DC.

People saw the graphic without reading the article (which mentioned this was news from last year based on just a possibility...)... THIS, combined with the timing of this weekend's storm system made people think it was true! BUT it appears like it is just a news story about last year -- that went viral...

BUT -- you never know with Mother Nature!! Be safe...

Air Fares are rising... and here's what to do...

2013-11-13T12:22:00.004-05:00

We are getting to the holiday season -- and that means holiday travel -- and, unfortunately, rising air fares. Air fares are generally higher than they were just a few years ago, and with the demand of holiday travel, air fares seem to be rising every day! Here is an excerpt from a good article on what to do:

By now you know to expect high fares for Christmas and Thanksgiving travel, but there are a few booking secrets you can employ to get ahead of the pack. Here’s what you can do to score to best deal on holiday flights 2013.

So How is 2013 Shaping Up?

Once again, airfare is up and by all analysis the 2013 holiday season will have higher fares than 2012.

Hotwire found that fall airfares for 2013 are up 4 to 5 percent for domestic travel. This fall, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Vancouver represent the best airfare deals for 2013.

Over the holidays, fares are on par with last year according to FareCompare. The site noted that prices are up just 1 percent over 2012, however 2012 prices were at an 8-year high.

Orbitz also noted a fare hike. On average, flights to the top 10 destinations over Thanksgiving are up 9.4 percent. Over the Christmas holiday flights are up 8.6 percent, and flights during New Year’s Eve are up 2.4 percent.

When to Book

If you’re thinking about Thanksgiving travel, it’s probably too late to take advantage of this year’s lowest fares.

FareCompare CEO and co-founder Rick Seaney claimed last week that you can add $5 every day you wait to book your Thanksgiving ticket. If you wait until October 31, you can expect to pay $140 more.

Read more here:
http://petergreenberg.com/2013/10/08/best-time-buy-thanksgiving-holiday-flights-2013/

Shopping for Air Fares

2013-10-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a short article on how to shop for good air fares -- by people who help to set the fares...

1. Book early-ish. Hardly an exact metric, Brunger concedes, but it means not waiting too long, hoping that an airline will have too many empty seats on the flight you want three to four weeks before departure and get desperate to sell them. (That’s exceedingly rare, and means something went wrong for the revenue manager.) The closer you get to the advance-purchase deadlines, the more clarity airlines usually have on their pricing forecasts. When it works as planned, revenue management means an airline has sold exactly the number of seats at each fare level that it had intended—closer to departure, the seats that are left cost far more.

2. Book at a price satisfactory to you. If you can live with the cost and it seems decent, take the plunge. “If the fare feels like a fairly good fare, I would buy,” Nason said.

Eleven Common Grammar Errors

2013-09-27T13:40:00.000-04:00

With school back in gear, we thought this article was appropriate:

You might consider grammar an annoying technicality, a minuscule detail of speech and writing not worth much effort.

But a study last year from the Society for Human Resources and Management shows that 45% of employers plan to increase training for grammar and other language skills (meaning they're unhappy with the levels now).

Powerball and Lottery Math

2013-09-18T12:18:00.001-04:00

The Powerball jackpot has reached $400 million. At this level, does it make sense to buy Powerball tickets??! When the jackpots for lotteries get up to certain levels, some people think that it makes sense to buy tickets. However, the math in this article shows that taxes and the odds of multiple winners makes the expected value iffy -- on buying Powerball lottery tickets -- even at these levels. Good luck!

Source: W. Hickey

Read more here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-when-math-says-you-should-start-to-care-about-powerball-2013-9

7 Ways to Boost your Metabolism

2013-07-27T15:44:00.002-04:00

Many of us have a sluggish metabolism. This can make it really difficult to lose weight and extremely easy to gain weight. A slow metabolism can also make you tire out easily so you don’t get to enjoy all that life has to offer. However, there is good news. You can easily boost your metabolism naturally if you know how. Below, you will find 7 ways to increase your metabolism:

1. Early Morning Intense Exercise – A short burst of intense exercise when you first get up can do wonders for your metabolism. Dr. Oz has advocated for this method of speeding up the metabolism. The best part is you only have to do about five minutes of intense exercise to reap the benefit all day. The exercise you do can be really simple. Examples would include running in place, jumping jacks, and lunges. Of course, if you have a stair master or a jogging machine, that would work too. Just get your heart rate up for five minutes and cool down for two minutes.

2. Eat More Spicy Foods – Hot spices like curry, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cumin, and turmeric all help the body speed up your metabolism. There are other “hot” spices that you may not think of as hot but they react in the body in this way. They include cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Try adding these tasty spices to your soups, stir-fries, casseroles, and other dishes. Curry goes great in some type of salads like quinoa salads. Some people love the taste of cinnamon in their coffee. Just add it to the grounds before you brew it.

3. Drink Lots of Water – Water is magical in this way. Drink a lot of water and your metabolism will magically increase because the metabolic process needs water to fuel it. It’s even better if you make sure you are drinking alkaline water.

4.Keep Your Thyroid Healthy – To work efficiently, the thyroid needs selenium, zinc, copper, and iodine. However, the American diet is notoriously low in these important minerals. To get more of these minerals, eat more seafood and nuts.

Read more here:
http://www.fitnea.com/7-ways-of-boosting-your-metabolism/

Words and Phrases that Ruin a Resume

2013-07-05T07:54:00.003-04:00

Here are some good examples of words and phrases to avoid. In today's action-oriented world, people want "action" words...

1. “Salary negotiable”

Yes, they know. If you’re wasting a precious line of your resume on this term, it looks as though you’re padding -- that you’ve run out of things to talk about. If your salary is not negotiable, that would be somewhat unusual. (Still, don’t put that on your resume either.)

2. “References available by request”

See the preceding comment about unnecessary terms.

3. “Responsible for ______”

Reading this term, the recruiter can almost picture the C-average, uninspired employee mechanically fulfilling his job requirements -- no more, no less. Having been responsible for something isn’t something you did -- it’s something that happened to you. Turn phrases like “responsible for” into “managed,” “led” or other decisive, strong verbs.

4. “Experience working in ______”

Again, experience is something that happens to you -- not something you achieve. Describe your background in terms of achievements.

5. “Problem-solving skills”
You know who else has problem-solving skills? Monkeys. Dogs. On your resume, stick to skills that require a human.

6. “Detail-oriented”

So, you pay attention to details. Well, so does everyone else. Don’t you have something unique to tell the hiring manager? Plus, putting this on your resume will make that accidental typo in your cover letter or resume all the more comical.

7. “Hardworking”

Have you ever heard the term “show -- don’t tell”? This is where that might apply. Anyone can call himself a hard worker. It’s a lot more convincing if you describe situations in concrete detail in which your hard work benefited an employer.

For the rest of the article, please click here:
http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/10-words-ruin-resume/article.aspx?WT.mc_n=CRMUS001853

One Thing to do at every Interview

2013-06-07T07:29:00.004-04:00

Here's a very good article by Dave Kerpen on LinkedIN. Click here for the entire article.

I recently interviewed an excellent candidate for a position at our growing startup, Likeable Local. The woman had an incredible resume, an infectious personality, and, seemingly, a good work ethic. She was dressed for success, with a style fitting our culture. She answered my questions well, and seemed like a potential fit for our company. Yet, despite all of this, she didn’t receive another interview, and I we chose to not consider hiring her. What went wrong?

When I asked her what questions she had for me, twice, the job candidate replied, “None, really. I’ve been following you guys online for awhile and feel like I know everything already.”

That was a fatal error, of course. By not asking questions, she told me she wasn’t truly interested in learning more, in creating value, and in our company. She wasn't interested enough in learning more to find out if we were a fit for her. I couldn’t hire an otherwise well-qualified candidate because, in her lack of questions, she displayed a lack of passion for, interest in, and curiosity about our company, the position, and the fit.

The most important thing you must do in every interview is to ask great questions.

The key is to ask great questions- not to ask questions that you should know the answers to already (“What does the position entail?) or questions that make it all about you (“What is your vacation policy?”)

Don't ask questions to check a box. Ask questions out of authentic, genuine curiosity.

Here are 9 great questions you can use or make your own on your next job interview. Of course, don't ask all nine, but choose a couple and tailor them based on your unique circumstances:

1) Who would make the ideal candidate for this position?

2) How will the work I’ll be doing contribute to the organization’s mission?

3) What were the best things about the last person who held this position?

4) What are three ways I can contribute to the company beyond the job description?

5) How can I best contribute to the department’s goals?

6) How do you see me best contributing to the corporate culture and morale?

7) What do you see as the biggest challenges of working here and how can I overcome those challenges?

8) What is your vision for where the company or department will be in one year? In 3-5 years?

9) How can I best help you and the team succeed?

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130606153931-15077789-the-1-thing-you-must-do-in-every-job-interview?trk=tod-home-art-large_0

Health Tips: How to Live to 102

2013-06-02T21:37:00.000-04:00

Some good health tips: Forbes reports:

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mkg45lfkk/how-to-live-to-102/

Eat grains, veggies & fish
Avoid soda
Indulge - but just a little (snacks; wine)
Stay active
Do puzzles (keep the mind active)
Avoid negativity.

Photo credit: Forbes Magazine of Daisy McFadden, age 102.

Noteworthy: Sandwich (Bag) Art

2013-05-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

SANDWICH ART – WHEN A FATHER DRAWS ON THE SANDWICHES FOR HIS SON, EVERY DAY SINCE 2008

Check it out:
http://www.ufunk.net/en/insolite/sandwich-art/

College Expenses - and Teaching as a Profession

2013-05-03T08:24:00.001-04:00

Some interesting thoughts from a VP of finance at a top college:

Why College Costs So Much

As high-school seniors around the country open their mailboxes looking for thick envelopes from colleges and universities, their parents are undoubtedly thinking, "Why does college cost so damn much?"—particularly if those children are headed to elite private institutions. Based on my experience as the vice president for finance and administration at a prominent college in the early 2000s, I suggest that the answer is simple: Top private institutions charge what they do because a substantial number of people will pay it.

Setting College Costs

... at the beginning of my tenure as an elite school's chief financial officer, I was surprised to learn from my colleagues that tuition and fees were not set by analyzing budget projections. Instead they were set by looking at a chart of the prior year's tuition charges at comparable schools and then trying to predict their increases for the next year. The goal was to maintain the college's position in the pecking order of total charges. I learned that the most prestigious and desirable institutions have a good deal of information about the shape of the demand curve for the families seeking to obtain elite higher education for their offspring. These schools have the capacity to estimate with some precision how many applicants will go elsewhere for each additional dollar they charge in tuition and fees. Each sets its tuition so as to produce a targeted "yield"—the percentage of accepted students who actually enroll there. If in any year we over- or under-estimated the price changes made by the other schools, and we had moved up or down in rank, we corrected the following year by raising or lowering tuition by more or less to compensate. We essentially followed the price leadership of the wealthiest, most prestigious institutions.

Teaching: A Good Idea?

The results of this market pricing power are straightforward. First, and most significantly—given that 60% to 75% of college costs go to salary and benefits—is handsome compensation for senior faculty and administrators. In the not-so-distant past, the stereotypical scholar was a tweedy professor in a worn sports coat who did underpaid but satisfying work. Today, most junior faculty continue to receive relatively low pay. But senior, tenured faculty at elite schools are firmly entrenched in the well-compensated professional class (top salaries at elite schools often exceed $150,000; and for scholars in economics, business and law schools, earnings can be substantially in excess of that) with superior benefits, such as university-subsided housing, lifetime heath care and seven-figure retirement accounts. Once tenure has been achieved, generally after less than ten years of work, top college teachers face no professional risk and, by and large, teach three or fewer courses a semester. Also, college faculty members usually receive free or highly subsidized higher education for their children—making them even less sensitive to the burden that college tuition and fees impose on other families.

The Wall Street Journal reports:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304017404575165730979629178.html

Presentations: Hook an Audience in First 30 Seconds

2013-05-01T18:50:00.000-04:00

“When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire,” says advertising executive David Ogilvy. You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial to grab attention. The same applies to a presentation. The first 30 seconds of your talk is crucial. This is the time your listeners form an impression of you, and of what’s to follow.

Like a fine thoroughbred, you need to hit the ground running by starting strong. Instead, many presenters are more like old, tired workhorses—they start weak by wasting those first precious seconds with platitudes and pleasantries. Brain research shows that we don’t pay attention to boring things. Surprise your listeners with a hook that immediately grabs their attention.