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Monday, December 13, 2010

Resume Writing

A resume is a path that sets people on the roads of success in their career. In today's competitive world, only a few resumes get to the top table for a brief glance. A resume should be written in a manner such that the reader is enticed to peruse it. A well-written resume stimulates interest in meeting the candidate and learning more about him. It inspires the prospective employer to pick up the phone and ask the candidate to come for an interview.

Every resume has its own way of communicating and creating an impression, but there are certain things that a candidate should be careful while writing a resume. There should be no constraint on its size. A resume can be of one or more pages depending on the experience of the person. However, the number of pages does not necessarily increase with experience, and an employer may feel reluctant in picking and reading long resumes. Thus a good resume should bring out a clear and concise piece of required information.

Writing a resume is an art in itself. It is a means to create a communication between the candidate and the employer. The resume is a tool with one specific purpose, which is to win an interview. It should be able to convince the employer that the candidate is a worthy one.

The candidate should try and project the resume according to the specific job requirements. However, one shouldn't just simply copy the job description jargon from the company's HR manual or the job advertisement. Personal information has nothing to do with the professional status. Hence, in most cases, there is little need to include information on marital status, age, race, family or hobbies.

In today's challenging job market, resume is the only weapon of a job seeker. This makes resume writing an indispensable resource. Whether writing a resume by oneself or employing external help, the candidate should make sure the document projects his image in the best possible manner. 

Achieving Your Goals by Using One Word

One of my favorite techniques for achieving goals is to use the word 'anyway' as often as necessary. 

If you don't feel like doing something or start doubting whether the activity has any value, do it 'anyway' and then see what the results are later after you have completed the activity. 

Some results can be seen or felt almost immediately. You reluctantly go for a walk but feel great as soon as you get home. Other results may take a week or so. You start eating less and feel slimmer in two or three days' time. 

A few days ago I started eating less before going to sleep instead of having a large evening meal. Today I had my reward. I was walking past a local farm when the farmer took a long look at me and then patted his stomach saying: 

"You are losing it!" 

He is no lightweight himself but I took his encouragement in the spirit in which it was meant and replied: "Thanks; that will encourage me for the next six months" 

You can always stop doing whatever activity you think is a waste of time at a later date but if you stop too early you will never know whether it would have worked or not. 

Another example is the key task of keeping your room tidy. You decide to tidy up your room and plan to move 5 less used items out of the room every day. After a day or so, you may feel your plan is making no difference whatever - your room still looks a complete mess. 

Keep following your plan anyway. After a week you will probably see a difference and this fairly quick result will encourage you to keep going with your plan until your room is a model of tidiness. Try it out and see what happens. 

I tried this plan yesterday and not only moved 5 books out of the room but created a database to record where I put them plus a database for my internet courses (the numerous ones I have not yet read). On top of that I changed a light bulb that had been out of action for several days! 

However, my room still looked a mess! 

I tried the plan again today and immediately benefited from the side effects of tidying up. I discovered several videos I could use again and found where I had put my video of 'The Hulk'.


Another result was that the left side of my room was now looking almost tidy!

However, the main benefit of carrying out any plan is not the results produced. It is the character produced. Our self-esteem and confidence rise every time we carry out a plan however small it is.

As Marlon Sanders, the great internet guru, would say: "If a thing ain't done, it ain't done."

Unfinished products are useless. No money can be made from them and no one can benefit from them. It is vitally important that we complete what we begin even if we lose interest and start having doubts.

We need to finish our projects anyway. We will then start believing that we can achieve anything.

At the time of writing this, Ellen MacArthur, the great yachtswoman, is sailing round the world on her own. She has just passed the Canary Isles and is two hours ahead of her nearest competitor.

She is fulfilling a giant plan but what preceded it was the fulfilment of many smaller plans like learning how to tie a useful knot and how to take part in sailing competitions.

At least one of these yacht races was so stressful that she was in tears for much of the voyage. But she kept going anyway.

Carrying out her plans built her confidence and will power to a point where sailing round the world in record time became a real possibility.

Lloyd Scott has just finished cycling across Australia from Perth to Sydney on a penny farthing bike to raise money for leukaemia research.

He is, not surprisingly, rather sore even though he has probably prepared by cycling shorter distances on his penny farthing.

Doubtless, there were many days when he felt like giving up but he kept on cycling anyway.

He celebrated by swimming in the sea at Bondai Beach.

The more we make use of the word 'anyway', the more we will achieve our goals and celebrate reaching them.

If we keep on using this amazing word, celebration will become a way of life for us. 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

LCD Televisions - Technology uncovered

LCD is one of the biggest technologies in television at the moment, set to go head-to-head against plasma screens for the future of TVs. 

But what do LCD Television mean to you? Well, to begin with, the picture you get is a lot sharper. By now you've probably replaced your old bulky computer monitor with a flat, LCD one, and you've no doubt noticed the difference in picture quality and clarity. Now the companies behind LCD want it to do the same for televisions, making them flatter, clearer and altogether better.

Another thing to note is that the rise of HDTV(high-definition television) is linked to the rise of LCD televisions. HDTV allows the original TV signal to be broadcast in even better quality than a DVD, and digital LCD TVs can then display the signal perfectly. 

It really makes TV as we know it today look ridiculously primitive by comparison – and if you're willing to splash out on an LCD TV and an HDTV subscription, you can have it today. Every year, LCD screens are decreasing in price and increasing in size, making them an ever-better competitor against other screen technologies.

When you buy an LCD t.v., the main things to look for are size and price, although there are also more technical features you might be interested in, like color depth (the number of colours the screen can display). Response time is one that is often considered important, as LCD'S with a long response time can produce a blurring effect when showing pictures of something that is moving quickly. There is also a measurement called dot pitch, which roughly indicates how sharp the picture produced by the TV will be (lower numbers are better).

As a final word of advice, if you do decide to buy an LCDTV, make sure you see it in use in the shop first. You should watch to see how it handles different kinds of pictures, and what the display is like compared to other LCDs, as well as compared to plasma screens. 

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The 40 Most Common Job Interview Questions

A list of the Forty Most Common Interview Questions is below, but keep in mind that many other interview questions will be derived from these forty. When thinking about how you should answer each question, always consider how you can segue into one of your key Selling Points. Consider, too, arriving at each interview with a mental list of creative ideas about what you would do in the position if you were hired, which one human resources manager says, "is a great way to impress just about any employer." 

Remember that tact and discretion are of utmost importance in any interview. A common, but tricky question some interviewers ask is, "What other companies are you considering?" Here, you'll want to be honest, without revealing too much information or indicating to the interviewer that any other job is more appealing than this one. Other questions that will require lots of diplomacy-and as little negativity as possible-include, "Why did you leave your last job?" and "What would you do differently if you were in charge of this company?" 

Finally, keep in mind that your interviewer's questions may not automatically educe the kind of information she needs to know. In the end, it is up to you-the interviewee-to provide enough details  about yourself and your work experience that will satisfy that ultimate question: "Why should we hire you?" 

1. What are your careers goals? 
2. How have  your career goals changed over time? 
3. If offered this position, how long would you plan on staying with our company? 
4. What's your understanding of the job? 
5. What could you bring to this position and to this company? 
6. Why do you think you are more qualified than other candidates for this position? 
7. Why do you want to work at this company? 
8. What salary are you expecting? 
9. What would you do differently if you were in charge of this company?
10. Name one of your weaknesses.
11. Name one your strengths.
12. Which areas of your work are most often praised?
13. Which areas of your work are most often criticized?
14. How do you think your last boss would describe you?
15. How do you think a colleague would describe you?
16. How do you think a subordinate would describe you?
17. Walk me through the important points on your resume.
18. Explain to me how your work experience is relevant to this position.
19. Why did you leave your last job?
20. What other companies are you considering?
21. Tell me about your work style.
22. Tell me what your ideal job would be like.
23. What criteria do you use for evaluating success?
24. Do you consider yourself a leader? What qualities make a good leader?
25. Tell me about a problem you've encountered on the job and how you dealt with it.
26. Tell me about a situation in which you failed to resolve a conflict.
27. Tell me about an occasion  when you acted on someone's suggestion.
28. Are you willing to travel for this job?
29. Are you willing to relocate for this job?
30. Describe a project that you're especially proud of. What was your role in this project?
31. Why did you choose your college major?
32. How do you spend your spare time?
33. How do you stay current or up-to-date in this industry?
34. Tell me about a time when you used your creativity to overcome a problem.
35. Which of your skills-technical or otherwise-has most helped you on the job?
36. What new skills have you learned or developed recently?
37. Have you made an oral or written presentation recently? Please describe it.
38. What else should I know about you?
39. What questions do you have for me?
40. Why should we hire you? 

Monday, November 22, 2010

Prepaid Cellular Phones - Reasons Why You Should Buy A Prepaid Cellular Phone

prepaid cellular phones  probably doesn't conjure up the sexiest mental image, but pre-paid phones certainly have their place and can be extremely useful. In this brief article, I'm going to outline some of the advantages to buying a prepaid mobile phones and why you might want to consider doing it in the future. 

So, what exactly are prepaid cellular  phones? A prepaid phone is one in which you purchase the phone and minutes upfront. There are no contracts, no credit checks, and it's impossible to run up massive cell phone bills with prepaid cellular phones. Now that you know what these are, let's talk about a few of the reasons why you should consider buying one. 

For one, a prepaid cellular phone doesn't require a credit check in order to set up service. This is great for anyone who has a bad credit history because a traditional cell phone contract would require a substantial deposit from them. 

Secondly, a prepaid mobile phone doesn't require you to sign any long-term contracts. Since you are purchasing your usage minutes upfront, you won't end up getting locked into a contract just to obtain service. This is great for anyone who is unsure about their situation and doesn't know where they will be in a year or so. 

Lastly,prepaid cellphones  eliminate those shockingly expensive bills that seem to come out of nowhere. With a pre-paid phone, it's impossible to run over your minutes and end up with a huge bill that you can't pay. This makes pre-paid cellular phones an excellent choice for parents who have teenagers. Kids love to talk on the phone, and with a prepaid phone you'll never have to worry about your child overusing their phone. 

Hopefully this article has given you some food for thought as to why you might want to consider buying a prepaid cellular phone. While they don't have a sexy reputation, prepaid phones definitely do serve a purpose and can really come in handy. 

Friday, October 29, 2010

How to recover deleted or lost files

It's a sickening feeling, the moment you realise that some important document, or irreplaceable photos have vanished from your computer. But that is no reason to despair. The chances are that the data is still present, even if you know you deleted it. Your computer operating system just does not know how to find it any more.

The four most common reasons for data loss are:

* Deletion. You deleted the file by accident during a disk cleanup, or because you thought it was no longer required. It is not in the Recycle Bin. However, the data will still exist until the space it occupied on the disk is are-used by another file. 
* Overwriting. You saved a new file over the top of the old one. However, the old data may still exist, and be recoverable.
* File system corruption. The disk suddenly appears empty, or the file and folder names contain gibberish. The files probably still exist, but the pointers to them have been lost or corrupted and the operating system cannot find them.
* Physical damage or hardware failure. You receive error messages when you try to read the disk, or it is not recognised by the computer at all. The data is still likely to be present on the disk itself, but the drive is incapable of accessing it. 

In each case, there is a good chance that the data still exists. The computer operating system isn't able to see it, but data recovery software may be able to. If the problem is a hardware failure then a data recovery service may be able to get back the data using special equipment.

Prepare for data recovery 

There is one cardinal rule of data recovery: for the best chance of recovering the files you must not write any new data to the disk they were stored on. The old data will only remain on the disk until the space it occupied is used by another file. If the disk is your computer's main drive, then the drive is being written to all the time. You should turn off the computer immediately, and use another computer to search for a solution to recover your data. You should put your computer's hard disk in another computer to do the data recovery, or use data recovery that runs from a CD or floppy disk, because installing the data recovery software on the drive could overwrite the very data you want to recover.

Choosing the data recovery method

Data recovery tools use different methods to try to recover data. Some tools are designed for recovering deleted files, others are better at restoring overwritten files, or recovering files from disks that are physically damaged. Some data recovery software products have been developed specifically for recovering photo images, or Microsoft Word or Excel document files. Such products may succeed where others fail because they understand what these files look like, and can recognise their data when other clues to its existence have vanished.

It can be difficult to choose the most appropriate data recovery method.tech pro has created a website called Get Data Back. It has a Data Recovery Wizard that asks questions about the data you have lost and how it was lost, and then recommends the product  that is most likely to be successful. It will also advise you if it would be better to use a professional data recovery service. Give the Get Data Back data recovery site (http://www.get-data-back.com) a try if you need to recover lost files. 

Online Auction Sites: Oh The Possibilities!

Online Auction sites are set up in such a way that they can be very profitable both for you and for the  Auction house itself. But, what most people do not realize is that there is a world that is beyond that of Ebay! Yes, there are many other Online Auction sites for you to consider. Take a look at your options and see just what they offer you before you get started bidding on the web. 

Let?s face it, Ebay is the largest Online Auction site . It has become so very successful because of its vast marketing plan and the ease of use it offers its users. Everyone knows that if you can find something in the local retail area or you can find it online that you will likely find it too right on the Ebay Online Auction site. 

So, how does it all work? Online Auction sites are set up to allow for a meeting place of bidders and sellers. They do not sell products themselves but provide a meeting environment for you to find the people you are looking for. Of course to list a product to be sold, or in some cases to purchase a product on the web, you will be charged a fee. This is a necessary part of doing business on these websites but in cases like Ebay, it has become an excellent source of revenue as well 

So, who else is out there? There are other online auction sites that you should take a good look at. These include the following:

? TradeMe 
? Yahoo! 
? EBid 
? Internet Bargain Center 
? Marktplaats 
? Bidville as well as many more 

There are many benefits to using these online auction sites including the ease of connecting with prospective buyers, the use of 24/7 availability, and worldwide exposure to say the least. Many people find excellent reasons to get into the online auction site as a business as well. There is no limit to what can be found on these websites. Taking a look at those that are less well known can be an excellent opportunity as well. 

Thursday, October 28, 2010

How To Massively Increase Traffic To Your Website


This article gives advice and information on how to increase traffic to your website. There is obviously no point in having a superb looking, content rich site if only a few people can see it.

One of the best ways of gaining additional traffic is to build up the number of backward links you have pointing to your website. The best form of link is a one-way link, where a website adds a link to your site but does not get one back from you. There are a number of ways of obtaining these type of links including:

Writing articles. Writing articles like this one has many benefits. Other webmasters may add the article to their blog or website and this creates you a one-way link. The people reading the article are also potential visitors to your site.

Purchasing a text-link advert on a quality site. If the site in question has a high page rank value, this is then passed onto your site. The advert itself just like any advert can also attract people to your site.

Joining in debates in various forums. I enjoy reading and contributing to forums. Not only do I learn a great deal, I am also able to get links back to my sites when I make a comment.

Submitting your site to directories. 

Making comments on other peoples blogs. This is my least favourite of all of these examples as it can be seen as spam. Other people however do think it can prove to beneficial. I must say that I stay away from anything that could be seen as spam.

Where possible the website which includes a link to your site needs to be in the same industry as your own website. These backward links have a much higher value in the eyes of the search engines.

I have to admit that it is extremely hard to obtain these type of links especially on a one-way basis.

What we therefore need is a solution and here it is. I believe it is a good idea to build a network of sites on the same theme as the main website. Each of the sites in the network has a link pointing to the main site and after promoting each of the sites, you will then have a number of themed and powerful one-way backward links which will make the original site like an authority in its own field.

If you are struggling to find content you could use other peoples articles to help you. It is a good idea to have each of the sites in the network on a different server. This however can be very expensive and therefore for a smaller business may not be best advice.

To help fund the cost of the network you could add google adsense onto all of the new sites. This may not bring in huge amounts of money but could go some way to helping with hosting and domain renewal costs.

In the future this network could be worth thousands of pounds if you have spent enough time promoting each site. At this stage you have the option of selling the network and relaxing or enjoying the benefits yourself that it will no doubt bring.

I believe the writing of quality articles for re-print and the building of themed network websites is the future of the internet for people who want to be successful webmasters. Good luck. 

Data Recovery Services: What To Do When Your Hard Drive Fails

According to most people, there are two types of hard drives: those that have failed and those that will fail. But for folks who use Data Recovery Services, there is a third type of hard drive: one that does not fail.

A hard drive is the most vulnerable part of a computer; it has moving gears and is hence prone to wear and tear. So when you need hard disk data recovery, you must deeply consider the service and practice of the various repair companies in your area. A company that has been around the block more than a few times is ideal.

But more importantly, experts that ask questions and appreciate your situation are a necessity; companies that approach your needs in an impersonal way simply cannot diagnose your computer problems properly. For example, an expert who is on hand to ask specific questions about your hard disk will know whether or not to go about repair with mere software or through more professional means.

There are a variety of problems that lead to hard drive failure. If the hard drive is part of a mirror set, mirrored stripe set, or stripe set with uniformity, then all you will need to do is replace the drive – any lost data will mechanically regenerate.

A local service company can handle all your concerns though. Fixing a hard drive yourself is a tedious process, requiring lots of time and even research. Your next-door neighbor might be a computer geek, but that doesn't mean his or her advice is remotely accurate. After all, a computer can fail for many different reasons and they are not always easy to pinpoint.

The ideal solution is usually to replace a failed drive and re-establish your backup. This does not always work though, as many people find the necessary backup is outdated or sometimes, non-existent.

If a hard drive is beyond repair, data recovery is obviously not an option. So prepare for unexpected charges; you might have to buy a whole new drive. In this case, just be careful when replacing it, as you don't want to lose your data. 

I'm new to Ebay, What Scams Are Out There?

I have been looking at the possibility of doing some Ebay trading. And, since I have been on the Internet for a while, I decided that I should see what Ebay scams, if any, was floating about. Why? It is always good to be aware of the good, the bad, and the ugly of any online venture. And since, I've seen all sides – it's wise to have cautious optimism.


Wholesale List Scam

With this scam, the wholesaler gives you a photo of say, a computer monitor or DVD – the buyer is under the assumption that they are buying a monitor or DVD, right? Wrong? You may only be buying a wholesale list. This is what they call a "bait and switch". They are hoping that the individual is in a hurry or cannot read English well, and they blindly buy. Rule of thumb: read 
everything before buying.

Note: Wholesale List scams are very common for monitors, laptops, camcorders, DVD players, flat screen televisions and mp3 players; cutting-edge electronic devices.

Fake Money Order

The buyer sends the seller a fake money order, a bad check – and the seller sends the item before the money order or check has been successfully cashed. Seller is out the item and the money.

Credit Card Chargebacks

The buyer pays with a credit card through Paypal. Once the buyer has received the item, the buyer initiates a chargeback. This is where the novice come in, if you do not have proof that the item was sent – you are out the money, the item, and you have to pay a chargeback fee. Rule of thumb: 
Send your item through UPS, or certified mail to protect yourself.

Fake Escrow Scam

The scammer says that they want to buy your item, but they want to use an escrow service. The purpose of the escrow service is to add a layer of protection for the buyer. They will hold on to the money, and once the buyer has received the item from the seller, the escrow service will release the money to the seller. This is where the scam comes in – The buyer will request that you use the escrow service that they, so they say, have used with other transactions. The escrow service is a front – set up by the buyer.


Email Ebay Scam
The email Ebay scam – is an email that says it has come from Ebay. The email will state that it looks like your account has been compromised and they would like your to verify the information, for your protection, of course. Never click the link. Open a new Internet session and manually type the information to get into your account.

Other email scams, include the fake payment received email. You will receive a payment-received notice, that looks authentic, but be aware, it could have been sent by the buyer. Never send anything, until you have verified that the payment has been received and the info received is valid.

To conclude, when you are looking at any new venture, it is always good to do the research and be aware of what you may be up against. It hard enough to start any business – and you definitely don't want anyone running off with your hard earned money. Being aware – can keep your business moving forward. 

Getting A Website: How To Get A Better Price From Your Web Designer

So you have decided you need a website. What next? 

Before you contact some web designers to get a quote, you will save yourself time, money and trouble by first sitting down and thinking about what you actually need. The more you can "nail down" your requirements, the more likely you are to get a better price, and not be surprised by getting a bill for extras at the end of the project. 

First, think about what you want from your website: 

Do you want to sell products online, using a shopping cart and some method of accepting payments? 

Do you want your site to be a "static" online brochure, showcasing your products or services? 

Do you want your site to generate leads & enquiries for you to follow up directly? 

Is your site primarily aimed at providing information for existing customers? 

Is your site going to be a useable, interactive service e.g. searchable property database? 

Now consider how many pages you will need. Web designers will use this as an important factor when quoting you; if you initially ask for too few, you may get a bill for extras. Ask for too many and you may be paying more than you need to. 

Think about the titles of the pages you need (as they appear in the site navigation) As a minimum, you will probably need "Home", "About Us" and "Contact Us". 

Now give some consideration to the design of the site. Do you have a colour scheme in mind? Do you want some Flash animation? What sort of imagery do you want used? TO get some ideas, surf the Net and note down any websites you find that you like the look of, and give the URL to web designers. This will help them get an idea of what you like. 

You should also consider which technical issues are important to you. 

Does you site need to be: 

* Fast Loading? If your target market are home users, a large proportion may still be on slower dial up internet connections. 

* Graphically Intensive? Perhaps you need to appeal to corporate users, by employing a strong, professional design. 

* Optimised for a particular screen resolution? Do you want the site to look best on 1024 x 768 resolution screens, or perhaps your target market is more likely to have older PC's with screen settings such as 800x600. 

* Updated yourself? If you regularly need to change the text/images of your site, you may need to ask for a quote for a Content Management System (CMS). Ask fort his to be identified as an optional cost, so you can judge if it is cost effective for you. Alternatively, you could purchase web editing software (such as Macromedia Contribute) though you will need to make your web designer aware that this is what you will be doing. 

* Aimed at specific end users? Perhaps your target market are printers or music industry professionals, who tend to use Apple Mac computers. If so, make your web designer aware of it – many designers do not pay much attention to checking web sites run correctly on Macs. 

By taking a little time to consider the needs of your website, you will help your web designer immensely, getting the site you want at a cost effective price. 

How To Choose A Shopping Cart Vendor For Your E-Commerce Site

E-commerce has exploded on the internet and many successful businesses exist solely on the web. And why not? With a virtual storefront, the overhead costs of running a business are greatly reduced. Therefore, with effective marketing, these businesses can hang on during the difficult early stages of a new business and are less dominated by cash flow while trying to stay afloat. 

One of the major reasons for the surge in online purchasing has been the convenience and security of the shopping cart feature on e-commerce sites. The virtual interface of putting things into a 'cart' has, at once, a comfortable familiarity and whimsy. It really is an elegant system that has won the confidence of the online shopper through its proven security.

There are many different vendors of shopping cart services. So how does one go about choosing the right one for their e-commerce site? 

The very first thing you have to do is to decide exactly what, and how much product you are going to be selling. Are you selling 1 item? A line of similar items? A catalog full of many different products, and if so, then how will your site present this catalog? 

What will be your volume of sales this year? Next year? In five years? Some shopping cart services are great for lower volume sales with less product variety and no catalog. Other shopping cart services allow for complex, high volume sales and catalog features. 

In terms of cost of the cart service, you need to find the shopping cart option that matches your selling volume. 

PayPal offers a fantastic, free-to-set-up shopping cart that is great for lower volume sales. Your fees to them are a percentage of each of your sales. In addition, you can automatically take major credit card payments without setting up credit card merchant services. This saves you $300-$400 right off the bat


For high volume sales you may pay less going with a shopping cart vendor that charges you a monthly fee rather than a percentage of your sales.

You also need to look at the purchase process the shopping cart service offers. Potential customers abandoning the purchase because they weren't shown the shipping costs before they were required to give their credit card information, for example, can be devastating to sales. The simpler, clearer and shorter the process from cart to sale, the better. At no point should the potential ciustomer feel that there is a surprise ahead.

Finally, the look of the shopping cart needs to fit the visual theme of your site. Most shopping cart services have several variations on a basic look. Make sure one of those variations works.

Basic services will range anywhere from $10 to $30 per month. Remember to add in the cost of credit card merchant services if you want to accept credit card customers. And this is highly recommended. The downside of online purchases is that the customer must wait for the item to be shipped. Having to wait even longer for a money order to be received, or worse, a check to clear, on top of shipping time reduces the convenience of online shopping to the point where sales could be lost. 
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