Social media will continue to be a key influence in the hiring decision, not only do companies use social media to vet candidates, they also use it to find and surface potential employees.

 consciously or unconsciously, We are ALL prejudice and we all carry our own bias, and that fact is not going to go away no matter how much we try to legislate it or “peer pressure” it away. It’s reality part of being human.  In my opinion, the best thing you can do about your social media content is “manage” it. Manage your profiles and conversations. Employ common sense. Know that people can view your Facebook, LinkedIn, and twitter conversations – no matter how many “privacy” buttons you have turned on. Keep that in mind when you want to post a Facebook rant about your employer or your drunken night at the local pub.  

This is an interesting article worth continued discussion.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB20001424052702303755504579208304255139392

Interview "What is your greatest Weakness"

Good article written by Joe Qeenan exposes common yet ridiculous interview questions

At job interviews, particularly when young people are involved, the applicant is frequently asked: "What is your greatest weakness?"
This is a rude, intrusive question, and nobody should be required to answer it. It is a trick question designed to put the applicant at a disadvantage. It is just one step up from "When did you stop beating your wife? I mean, your partner. Let me rephrase that: When did you stop beating your significant other?"

Nishant Choski

From Queenan: "What's my greatest weakness?" is un-American to ask.

For starters, the presumption that people have weaknesses is un-American. It is defeatist and sad. The whole point of being American is to feel invincible, that one is incapable of being improved upon. Just ask Jamie Dimon. Or Barack Obama. This isn't Albania we're running here.
Imagine asking George Washington or Susan B. Anthony, "What is your greatest weakness?" What kind of an answer do you think you would get out of George Patton or Geronimo or Lady Gaga? It is a demeaning question that invites a response like "I am completely invulnerable except when exposed to large chunks of kryptonite" or "I sometimes slap peoples' faces when they ask me rude questions."
Friends familiar with the dark, insidious and cruel world of human resources assure me that such questions are ubiquitous, part of the interviewer's script. Another dandy is, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" Who asks a person just starting out in life a question like that? Or, even worse, a person reaching the end of his career?
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" an Egyptian HR firm might have asked the young Moses shortly before he parted the Red Sea. "Wandering around the desert, I guess" would be the response. "And that's where I expect to be 40 years from now, too."
Or, as Jean Valjean of "Les Misérables" might put it: "Ten years from now? Probably getting ready to serve the last nine years of my sentence. I'm doing the big dix-neuf."
To put this in perspective, here are some other idiotic questions that pop up during interviews, with responses by famous historical or literary figures.
Describe a difficult situation at work and how you handled it.
"My boss had two sets of books, and the Feds wanted to see the real numbers. No way I was going behind Big Al's back. So I told 'em: I don't see nothing; I don't hear nothing; I don't know nothing." (Al Capone's CPA)

see the full article at  http://online.wsj.com/articlehttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324412604578513240943149304.html

No Photo of yourself on Linked-In could cost you…..

No Photo of yourself on Linked-In could cost you…..

If you’ve ever had to hire anyone, you’ve read a lot of resumes.  If you’ve ever read a lot of resumes, you come to see standard “red flags” that make you question a candidate’s trustworthiness, character, values and fit for your team. One of the most common red flags includes receiving a “functional” resume.  Functional resumes can cover up gaps in employment as well as a lack of recent experience and a lack of skills. As an example, the candidate may have succeeded in increasing sales 131% but a functional resume won’t tell you that the accomplishment happened 10 years ago and the candidate hasn’t had any significant successes since then.

Another red flag is when a candidate sends you a generic resume to a very specific job positing. This can indicate laziness on the candidate’s part to customize the resume to highlight their experience to your specific requirements... Either they are lazy or just plain don’t have the experience you need.

Once you’ve read your first fifty or so resumes, you start to develop your own set of criteria determining your own “red flags”.

Job candidates are not the only reason to post your photo on Linked-In. More and more, Hiring Mangers, headhunters, HR, vendors, industry professionals and others turn to Linked-In to find out more about a person; a potential candidate, a potential client or customer, vendor, or networker.

One of the biggest Linked-In mistakes a person can make, especially a job candidate, is leave their photo off of their Linked-In profile. It’s another one of those “red flags” not just in job search but also in business.

Humans are visually oriented.  A “picture speaks a thousand words” is a truism that speaks volumes on Social Networking sites. The lack of a photo on Linked-in also speaks a thousand words – as well as raises many more red flags that the person is probably trying to avoid, including the primarily question “why doesn’t this person want me to know what they look like?” “Why isn’t this person transparent?”

In an article by Molly Cain in Forbes last year, The 8 Things You Do Wrong On LinkedIn, failing to post a photo of you made the list.

“….. You don’t post a picture. No, it’s not a beauty contest (and actually, if you use a glamour shot-esque photo, you may get laughed off the interwebs). But a picture is definitely worth a thousand words. We’re not going to judge you; we just want transparency from you. If visuals weren’t important in the business world, you would get every job by simply going through a telephone interview (wouldn’t that be nice?). LinkedIn is very much the same way. Because it has the photo feature, you should be using it. We want to see who we’re working with, networking with and introducing ourselves to – we are visual creatures.”

Read the full article at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glassheel/2012/05/10/the-8-things-you-do-wrong-on-linkedin/2/

I’ve heard all kinds of excuses as to “why” someone doesn’t post their photo, none hold water.

-          “Privacy”. Hogwash. A person wants privacy yet is free to post their life history on Linked-In or Facebook; from their career path to education to books they enjoy reading.

-          “I don’t want to be judged on my age, race, size, ______fill in the black” again, Hogwash. If someone wants to Judge you, they don’t need a photo to do that. Most profiles are all telling. And the first time you speak on the phone, will confirm most judgment questions. If you are going to be judged by these criteria, do you really want to work for or with someone like this anyway?

-          “I’m Fat, ugly, etc.”  Really? Who cares? Linked –In is not a dating pick up site. It’s about business.

So if you want more interviews, more business relationships, more networking, follow the simple suggestions outlined in the Forbes article….especially the very simple fix of adding your photo to your Linked In profile.  

We often forget to keep the mind in shape. This is a great article worth sharing for both Managers and Engineers....

Discover the value of your mind

By Harvey Mackay

         

This time of year, we often start contemplating New Year's resolutions. What's at the top of the list for many people? Exercising and getting your body in shape. A noble thought, to be sure, but I have an even better idea. How about exercising your mind so you can get the most out of it?

             

Resolve to try something new to keep your brain challenged. Just like doing the same physical exercises over and over again only works a specific part of the body, doing the same mental work repeatedly tends to narrow your focus and limit your potential.

Clearing the clutter and cobwebs out of your mind is not complicated, but it does require some practice for those who are constantly on overdrive. And you all know who you are!

One of my favorite books, "Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice" by Napoleon Hill and Dennis Kimbro, offers wonderfully well-defined advice about caring for your mind: "Assume for a moment that you have in your possession a million dollars in gold. Would you protect it? Would you safeguard this treasure? Would you respect its value? Of course you would. You might even hire bodyguards or install security devices to ensure its safety.          

"In comparison, your mind and self-image are worth far more than one million dollars. They're priceless! Your mind is the exclusive source of all you will create spiritually, financially, or materially in your life. Your level of joy, happiness, and peace of mind originates from one place - your mind. Now ask yourself, do you protect your mind as carefully as you protect your physical assets?"

Beyond the oft-repeated advice to read a novel, take a walk, learn a new language, and so on, there are plenty of other options that address long-term mind exercises.

A growing trend among business professionals is meditation. Meditation clears and relaxes your mind, which can have a significant impact on your physical health. And meditation doesn't require any special equipment or clothing, just an open mind and a quiet environment free of distractions. Get comfortable and clear your mind. Be conscious of only your breathing. Don't direct your thoughts in any particular direction; let them drift freely. How long you meditate is up to you.

            

This is a simplified description, and there are many different meditation practices. Check online for coaching in a technique that will help you.

Back at work, learning and remembering new information can grow more difficult with every passing year. Here are some tips to help you stay on top of the knowledge game:

• Focus on concentrating. Distractions are the bane of any learning attempt. If you're attending a seminar or training session, sit near the instructor and maintain eye contact. Let your focused attention do the job.

• Say it out loud. Read aloud the material you're trying to learn and repeat out loud the facts you want to retain. This way, both your eyes and your ears are delivering information to your brain.

• Tame frustration. If you're getting frustrated over material you're trying to learn, remind yourself that getting emotional will only hamper your ability to retain information. Step back and take a break.

There was once a man who wanted to gain power over his mind. He heard that there was a monk in Tibet who could make this come true for him, and so the man traveled through the Himalayas. When the man finally met the monk, the monk replied casually, "Yes, my friend, attaining supernatural powers is simple. For this you merely need a mantra. Just say "Buddham Sharanam Gachchami, Dhammam Sharanam Gachchami, Sangham Sharanam Gachchami" three times - and whatever you do, do not think of monkeys."

This was going to be a cinch, the man thought. He wondered at the direction to not think of monkeys, asking himself, "why would I think of monkeys?"

Then he sat down to try this new practice. But as he chanted the first words of the mantra, the first thought that came to his mind was "monkeys!" He tried chanting louder and imposing a more powerful order to not think of monkeys. Still, all he could think of was monkeys. In fact, he found that monkeys now roamed about his consciousness everywhere.

The monk, seeing the struggle taking place, smiled and said, "Whenever you try to force your mind to go in one direction, you can be very sure it will always go the other way."  

 harveymackay.com