tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23292195992935295632024-03-13T04:03:10.695-07:00Career LoungeA blog about balancing everything in your life, creative office environments, career development ideas, puzzles of talent search, interview experiences and tips, and other trends.Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-29900607090423233632016-10-06T17:16:00.002-07:002016-10-06T17:25:18.366-07:00When yes means no, maybe? ‑ Intercultural communication<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--3s56krjp1w/V_brYRNguaI/AAAAAAAAALU/bMV608vR-74_4iuH6JDaNGz33OtwWeTXwCLcB/s1600/dialog.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--3s56krjp1w/V_brYRNguaI/AAAAAAAAALU/bMV608vR-74_4iuH6JDaNGz33OtwWeTXwCLcB/s1600/dialog.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When “No” means “Yes”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An American tech lead was traveling to Bulgaria to work face-to-face with a team of excellent software developers. He was looking forward to a productive collaboration because they had </span><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">already</span></b></span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">worked together remotely for a while. To his surprise and dismay, his every proposal was met with a “no”. He could not understand why it was so difficult to reach a consensus. Luckily, there was a local team lead who explained to the American that “no” does not mean absolute disagreement. The Bulgarian engineers were actually on board with his ideas; they just wanted to add their input, and the only way they know how to do that is to reject the original proposal.</span></b></span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The goal of communication</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b></span></b></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> </b>One goal of work-related communication is to reach a common understanding about a particular problem or task. In American culture, good communicators are often considered </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">direct, straight-forward and concise. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When an American hears a “yes”, they assume consensus is reached; whereas “no” usually means a dead-end.</span></b></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it is clear from the story of the American tech lead working with the Bulgarian team,<b> </b>“yes” and “no” mean different things in different cultures. When those differences were explained, the tech lead was able to collaborate successfully with his Bulgarian team mates.</span></b></span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When “Yes”’ means “no”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A </span><a href="http://www.frugalmarketing.com/dtb/xcultcomm.shtml" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">story</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of an American businesswoman in negotiations with Japanese suppliers illustrates a similar communication problem: the American businesswoman heard a clear “yes” to a price she had proposed, only to receive questions about pricing a couple of days later. Turns out, her Japanese counterparts’ main goal was to avoid disharmony during face-to-face negotiations.</span></b></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b107b9bf-9c69-40e8-63b6-056b55a9d190" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But probably the best phrase to illustrate the ambiguity of “yes” and “no” in other cultures is in Russian “да нет наверно” (da net naverno), literally translated as “yes no probably”, but which means “well, I guess no”.</span></b></span></b></span><br />
In some cultures (<a href="http://www.expatnest.com/cross-cultural-communication-when-yes-means-maybe-or-even-no/">Greek, for instance</a>) saying “no” is just not done. So one has to pay extra attention to nonverbal communication — posture, gestures, eye contact—- to make sure an agreement has really been reached.<br />
Such differences in communication style can be explained by the type of the culture your colleague has been raised in — <a href="https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/">high context or low context</a>.<br />
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<b>High context and low context cultures </b><br />
High context implies that a lot of information is shared indirectly. France, India, China, Mexico, Eastern Europe are examples of high context cultures, where priorities are on relationships, with a lot of unwritten rules and information that is shared via nonverbal communication. <br />
Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged directly and rarely is anything implicit or hidden. US, UK and Switzerland are examples of low context cultures, where people follow rules and standards closely and are generally very task-oriented. <br />
Identifying whether your colleagues’ are from high context or low context cultures, will help you to understand tricky phrases like “yes, no probably”, “we’ll see” or “let me think about it”.<br />
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<b>Reaching understanding</b> <br />
If you are dealing with a colleague who belongs to a different kind of culture, it helps to keep an open mind about the immediate outcome of your conversation, and to pay extra attention to body language, tone of voice, eye contact and other wordless clues. Summarizing what you you had agreed on at multiple points in time helps to minimize misunderstandings so you can reach consensus faster.<br />
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<b>Read more: </b><br />
<a href="http://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/faculty/profiles/emeyer/">Erin Meyer</a>, Affiliate Professor at INSEAD and author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IHGVQ9I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IHGVQ9I&linkCode=as2&tag=expnes-20&linkId=Q3GXGI7JUVC3G55I">The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZcOnEXpsGCDBJTQ6S70yHK6rSGLOMXmxYkgVESD4csS1R4Y0g6Xsi4UteiWrPI1yQt88AOX0tMlTuNDk4MQ8FrkeZEIEu6B-Je_2colCbS9tFS3xbRNhLxGsDCg3nWeLKXpKH5_j" /></a>).<span style="font-size: small;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1e1e7ca2-9c68-ab1f-77de-096f37357e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-55768053269798527032016-08-16T15:52:00.000-07:002016-08-16T15:52:58.776-07:00<br /><br /><h4>
“So much hostility, so little love" </h4>
<br /><h3>
2 ways to make sure you do not hire “terrible engineers”.</h3>
<br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBXRCF2Pa_I/V7ONrwKN7NI/AAAAAAAAAK0/akx2OJFB82gF2wB5XM77JfYOdvu4zvU2wCLcB/s1600/Google-self-driving-car-prototype-front-three-quarters1.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qBXRCF2Pa_I/V7ONrwKN7NI/AAAAAAAAAK0/akx2OJFB82gF2wB5XM77JfYOdvu4zvU2wCLcB/s320/Google-self-driving-car-prototype-front-three-quarters1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Why does it seems like the main task of the interviewer is to uncover the weakness of the candidate, rather than to find their strength? Why is there “so much hostility, so little love”, in the words of Danny Crichton?<br /><br /> Crichton is an early-stage VC investor at CRV, a dropout PhD student at Harvard, with a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science from Stanford. I recently came across his article on TechCrunch, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/08/on-secretly-terrible-engineers/">“On Secretly Terrible Engineers”</a> that offers this explanations:<br /><br />“The difference between finance, management consulting, and engineering is that the first two fields have status hierarchy, and the third one doesn’t. Having the right pedigree of job experience and academic background is sufficient to get a job in the vast majority of fields in existence without too many questions. Simply being at Goldman Sachs for four years is already proof that you can do investment banking.<br />Yet, we don’t make the same assumptions in Silicon Valley.”<br /><h2>
The case for a rigorous technical interview</h2>
The most common interview process today seems to filter out the most confident and experienced engineers. They have the luxury to take themselves out of consideration if they are not keen on whiteboard or “algorithmic” challenges because they know they are not going to have a problem finding a job. Yet, this self-selecting, or, more accurately, self-unselecting, may be exactly what’s needed. Some hiring managers are looking for someone who is so enthusiastic to join, that they are willing, and able, to jump through all kinds of hoops to get that job.<br /><h2>
Hiring processes that work</h2>
How do you design a process to only hire good engineers?<br />
There are two approaches:<br /><br />1. Trying to avoid hiring bad players at all costs: “Despite the worst talent crunch that Silicon Valley has ever experienced, we still regularly throw away huge groups of talent for not perfectly answering the latest hip algorithm question.”<br />
<br />2. Make the interview process easy, and make firing people who “did not work out” just as easily.<br /><br />A few years ago, I worked for a company that practiced the second approach — everybody was being hired as a contractor for the first three months (no benefits, no ESPP, no vacation accrual), and after 3 months you either became a permanent employee, or your contract terminated. Since we were just coming out of recession, there were a lot of candidates who were willing to go this route. With the current talent shortage, I’d expect - not so many.<br /><br />What are the possible solutions to avoid both false negatives and false positives?<br />
<h2>
Develop great candidates</h2>
Thomas Ptacek, an engineer and a popular commentator, describes an alternative approach: After candidates got through a simple phone screen, they got a study guide, a couple of free books, and an open invitation to proceed with the process whenever they were ready. “Those $80 in books candidates received had one of the best ROIs of any investment we made anywhere in the business.”<br /><br />There is no hostility in this approach, and if a candidate is willing to invest time to study, this, in itself, shows that they are ready to go an extra mile for this job.<br /><br />So does it makes sense to invest in a good engineer even though they cannot — off the bat — be productive in the exact area you need them to? I think it does. Unless you are lucky to quickly find a candidate with the (often idiosyncratic) set of skills you need, you might be wasting your time. While you are searching for this illusive ‘purple squirrel’, you could have a really good engineer learning your product and business while getting up to speed on a missing skill - or two, or three.<br />
<h2>
Behavioral interviews</h2>
If we are willing to take a chance on a candidate, how then do we make sure that this candidate is a truly good engineer - and a great fit for your team?<br /><br />Laszlo Bock, senior vice president for people operations at Google, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html?_r=2&">suggests</a>: “Behavioral interviewing also works — where you’re not giving someone a hypothetical, but you’re starting with a question like, “Give me an example of a time when you solved an analytically difficult problem.” The interesting thing about the behavioral interview is that when you ask somebody to speak to their own experience, and you drill into that, you get two kinds of information. One is you get to see how they actually interacted in a real-world situation, and the valuable ‘meta’ information you get about the candidate is a sense of what they consider to be difficult.”<br /><br />And that approach - or just talking about projects on a candidate’s resume - should give you a pretty good indication of skills and intelligence of a candidate. This is a good start, but it might not be enough for screening out potential underperformers.<br />
<h2>
Assessing interpersonal skills is hard</h2>
Gayle Laakmann McDowell, author of Cracking the Coding Interview, says that the strongest factors in job performance — work ethic, teamwork and interpersonal skills — are also the hardest to evaluate in an interview. “Work ethic is basically impossible to measure in an interview. Unfortunately, interpersonal skills are very difficult as well. You can rule out the really obnoxious people, but most people can put on a good face during an interview. Plus, interpersonal skills are also about who else is on the team. It’s not just about that candidate, so an interview can’t do a great job here.”<br /><br />There are no fool-proof interviewing techniques out there, but at least we can avoid using interviews to “gotcha” candidates. In the words of Crichton, “There are far less secretly terrible engineers than we might expect if we give them mentorship and support to do great work. There is a whole group of secretly great engineers ready to be developed, if only we realized our field’s animosity.”<br /><br />So why not concentrate more on interpersonal skills by creating a friendly welcoming atmosphere during the interview? And, if it feels that working with this candidate will be a positive experience, allow them a flexible time period to prepare on particular topics of interest. When they come for the next visit, you will be better able to judge their capabilities.<br /><br />It might take more time per individual, but will yield much better results, and create more love in the process.<br /><br />
<h2>
Suggested Articles:</h2>
<br />Chrichton, D. (2015) <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/08/on-secretly-terrible-engineers/">On Secretly Terrible Engineers</a> New York Times.<br /><br />Bryant, A. (2013) <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html">In Head-Hunting, Big Data May Not Be Such a Big Deal</a>. New York Times.<br /><br />McDowell, G. L. (2013) <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2013/06/28/is-there-a-link-between-job-interview-performance-and-job-performance/">Is There A Link Between Job Interview Performance And Job Performances</a>. Forbes Magazine.<br /><br />Ptacek, T (2015) <a href="http://sockpuppet.org/blog/2015/03/06/the-hiring-post/">The Hiring Post </a><br /><br />
<h2>
Suggested Books: </h2>
<br />McDowell, G. L. (2011). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/0984782850/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Cracking the Coding Interview</a> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-49948197930707158432016-04-19T15:54:00.002-07:002016-04-19T15:54:32.113-07:00Should I invest my time in doing this interview?<b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You are invited for an interview, so you go on </span><a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/index.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glassdoor</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to </span><a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-ultimate-guide-to-researching-a-company-preinterview" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">research</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> your potential employer. If all reviews are positive, great! But what if they are mixed? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> How do you decide whether it is worth your time talking to their hiring team?</span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me show you some examples of actual posts on Glassdoor:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a good place for people who are driven and want to work hard to succeed. You will get rewarded according to your effort.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Diversity. Talented people. Things moving fast. Nice working environment. A great place to try out new technology”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The vibe you get with the colleagues is outstanding. Never have I been part of such a mixed culture of people from all over the world and have them all love to be around one another.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The management has been working hard to create a pleasant work environment. … The engineering team is great, very smart and friendly.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Smart and passionate execs and coworkers - Promising product - Open communication “</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sounds like a great company to work for, doesn’t it? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How about this set?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“...worse place for growth, team collaboration and inspiring team input. Petty and immature co-workers complaining, instead of focusing on improving product features. Management lost control of teams which resulted in lack of focus and quality of work. No team cohesion, poor choices for process..”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Notoriously toxic culture characterized by lack of trust, deceit, and false promises.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The upper management seems pretty much inexperienced. They don't know how to motivate their employees…”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Probably not a place to build your career because the "company direction" seems to change weekly.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not such a good place to work, wouldn’t you agree?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if we told you that those </span><a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Tango-Reviews-E442473.htm?sort.sortType=RD&sort.ascending=false&filter.employmentStatus=REGULAR&filter.employmentStatus=PART_TIME&filter.employmentStatus=UNKNOWN" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reviews</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are for the same company - </span><a href="https://www.tango.me/about" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tango.me</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? You might think the reason for such different opinions is that the company has changed over time - but this is not the case. Positive and negative reviews are following one another on the timeline - 5 stars, 1 star, 1 star, 4 stars, 3 stars …</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We placed a number of people with Tango.me, so we know that the engineering team is really strong - their technical interviews are very rigorous. And, according to the </span><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/11/24/the-20-best-unicorn-companies-for-paying-software-engineers-top-dollar/#.sdszs39:gN9K" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">article</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in TechCrunch, Tango is still number 12 out of 20 </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn_(finance)" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unicorn</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Companies paying best for programmers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the same time, according to tech writer </span><a href="https://syrah.co/joshdickson40/565f62f40eaac8b79f519b17" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #003891; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Josh Dickson</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, morale at Tango.me IS low, and there are issues with upper-level management and product vision.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite that, when we talk to our contacts at the company, it is clear that there are quite a few people who are happy there, and are not planning to leave.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The latest news are still a mixed bag. On one hand, co-founder Uri Raz stepped down as CEO, and the new CEO, </span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eric Setton, another co-founder and former CTO, </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.tango.me/blog/back-to-basics-and-hello-fiesta" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">announced</span></a></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span> a couple of months ago that the company is splitting its service into two to rediscover the core chat experience that made it successful.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, Tango.me had another round of layoffs recently.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...And then, those offices are gorgeous!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Tango_meeting-rooms.jpg" height="416" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/S87C7OHSPmqxQ_EThk_Tp2ZTv2M3uULqTODit0HmI6KmHVLKN7RrAg7XxkFrAMcE65CnVB7A5gvqZy2pURHppHp3Heknz3r0FR2yA93eyC_EZWYdzLyQ6vMkcaiDPxSmI0goJ0iT" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So how do you decide if you want to work at a particular company? One way is to think through your priorities. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the case of Tango, if releasing a guaranteed good product is important to you, this might not be your top choice, at least not right now. But, if you want exposure to various tools, an opportunity to work with a really strong team of engineers, and to try your hand at interesting new technologies, then Tango.me is a good place to consider.</span></div>
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</b><b id="docs-internal-guid-534e9651-30b5-7bb6-bf7b-62a9ba0c4bd9" style="font-weight: normal;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, there is no substitution for a personal impression about any company - so do take this interview, go talk to a hiring team, ask a lot of questions, see if you click with their culture - and then decide!</span></div>
<br /><br /></b>Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-52992837291414697792015-12-08T15:49:00.000-08:002015-12-08T15:49:25.619-08:00Shall I compare thee...<br />
After reading yet another <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/3-new-job-hunting-apps-that-copy-online-dating-techniques-1.2894394" target="_blank">article</a> where a job search is compared to dating, I got curious to find out
what other metaphors are being used for this process. Here are the
results of my brief research:<br />
<br />
While the dating comparison is, indeed, very <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22job+search%22+*+*+%22like+dating%22" target="_blank">common</a>, approaching job search like a <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=%22job+search%22+*+%22like+a+marketing+campaign%22" target="_blank">marketing campaign</a> is popular, too.<br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
How about looking at the process from the employer’s side? Turns out, the dating metaphor <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=hiring+*+%22like+dating%22" target="_blank">works on this side</a>, too.<br />
<br />
What else?<br /> I have found posts comparing hiring process to:<br /> - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140831212053-34133840-why-hiring-an-employee-is-like-buying-a-house?trk=pulse-det-nav_art" target="_blank">House buying</a> - on <a href="http://www.mccannpartners.com/house-hunting-vs-job-hunting/" target="_blank">both sides</a><br /> - <a href="http://www.eremedia.com/tlnt/hiring-people-is-like-buying-a-car-do-you-go-with-flashy-or-reliable/" target="_blank">Car buying</a> <br /> - <a href="http://www.hrresource.com/articles/view.php?article_id=14689" target="_blank">Shopping for groceries</a><br /> - <a href="http://www.forwardvirginia.com/great-employees-great-shoes-5-tips/" target="_blank">Shopping for shoes</a><br />
<br />
So where does this leave me, a recruiter?<br />
I can see my role as similar to
that of a matchmaker or a real estate agent, but a salesmen? Not so
much.<br />
<br />
What does a job search/hiring process reminds you of?</div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-25916753221291832902015-10-29T13:07:00.001-07:002015-10-29T13:12:09.243-07:00 Silicon Geography and History<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have Silicon Valley, we have </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Alley</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and now we have </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2015/08/11/431673001/silicon-beach-tech-entrepreneuers-flock-downstream-to-l-a" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Beach</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></b><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b>
<br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What started as a nickname has now become a metonym for a place where hi-tech startups grow. </span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;">
</b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Valley is a name used for the</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a region where a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">large number of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">silicon</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chip </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">innovators</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and manufacturers were located<b>.</b> Among the first was</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in 1956. This area is<b> </b>now home </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to many of the world's largest high-tech corporations, as well as thousands of tech startup companies.</span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Silicon Valley came Silicon Alley. This term was invented by a recruiter, Jason Denmark, who had posted several job ads in 1995 with the “Silicon Alley” label for companies in the technical hub of downtown Manhattan. Since then, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the term has evolved to encompass all of the New York City metropolitan region and more fields within information technology, such as new media, telecommunications, biotechnology, game design and financial technology.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, we are witnessing the emergence of “Silicon Beach” - the <span style="color: #1155cc;">west side</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> region of the Los<b> </b>Angeles metropolitan area - as a new hi-tech hub with over 500 startups.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It reached the point where Google’s </span><a href="https://www.google.com/about/careers/locations/los-angeles/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #648c94; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Los Angeles jobs page</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks the question: “Who needs Silicon Valley when you can have Silicon Beach?” and entices with, “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prefer the sand and surf over a mountain view? Want 300 days of sun a year? Forget the Valley – pack your bags for Google L.A.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what is it, besides “sand, surf and 300 days of sun a year”, about this area that attracts hi-tech companies? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the article “</span><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/silicon-beach-los-angeles-emerges-as-contender-for-tech-crown-2015-07-16" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silicon Beach: Los Angeles emerges as contender for tech crown</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #35383d; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” </span><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/Journalists/Shawn_Langlois" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #648c94; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shawn Langlois</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #35383d; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains, “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">El Segundo and Playa Vista ... are key to Silicon Beach’s next phase of growth. The area just south of Venice has it all. It is more affordable than Santa Monica and the Bay Area, has space to grow and is right next to the airport. Throw in its traffic-skirting proximity to some of the more attractive areas to live, like Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, and it is not hard to foresee a continued boom.”</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xKx6Lw7UZfE/VjF4APtm6NI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/k6_38193Ofw/s1600/Google%2Bbuilding%2Bin%2BSilicon%2BBeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xKx6Lw7UZfE/VjF4APtm6NI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/k6_38193Ofw/s320/Google%2Bbuilding%2Bin%2BSilicon%2BBeach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is next for Silicon geography? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/navathwal/2015/02/12/5-markets-poised-to-be-the-next-silicon-valley-for-real-estate/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">article</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Forbes, those cities - Austin, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago and Miami are poised to become the next hi-tech hub.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Huffington Post has a different </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/11/you-might-be-living-in-th_n_6250674.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opinion</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - it lists 8 cities, with some overlap: Miami; Boston; Detroit; New Orleans; Chattanooga; Cincinnati; Houston; Washington, DC. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does it mean that an aspiring software engineer should pick up and move to one of those areas? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can read our article on advantages and disadvantages of Silicon Valley living: </span><a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2014/10/bay-area-living.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2014/10/bay-area-living.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also - we have jobs with the really cool Series B startup in Silicon Beach, check them out:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Newport Beach, CA, </span></h3>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.com/cf_se.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ec0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Software Engineer</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Build machine learning based talent matching platforms, and help great companies find great people.</span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.com/cf_se_jr.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Software Engineer, recent College Grad</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Build the next generation employment platforms, and help great companies find great people.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.com/cf_sse.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #ec0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Senior Software Engineer, Algorithms</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Lead design and implementation of new data processing algorithms, system architecture, and product features for the next generation machine learning based talent matching platform.</span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.com/cf_sse_fullstack.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Senior Software Engineer, Full-stack</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Lead design and implementation of new data processing algorithms and system architecture for the next generation machine learning based talent matching platform.</span></b> </span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.com/cf_sse_bigdata.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Senior Software Engineer, Big Data</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Lead design and implementation of new data processing algorithms and system architecture for the next generation machine learning based talent matching platform.</span></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span></span><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1766; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e7d968c3-b134-6254-d825-ea6d90c44cb9" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-69861240947040930532015-09-25T10:49:00.000-07:002015-10-29T13:16:37.409-07:00What belongs on your resume, and what does not.<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u57KKNhlpJY/VgWI0tt_IcI/AAAAAAAAAJc/zIKzABKT6Ag/s1600/puzzle%2Bpiece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u57KKNhlpJY/VgWI0tt_IcI/AAAAAAAAAJc/zIKzABKT6Ag/s320/puzzle%2Bpiece.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Assuming we all agree that a resume for a job in technology field should be under 3 pages, what exactly should go on it and what is better to leave off?</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When deciding on this the guiding principle should be, “What am I communicating with this?”</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So let’s go down the resume and see what we can come up with.</span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e3ccfaf6-0594-e1e1-a024-eaff8cdfa02e" style="font-weight: normal;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1st line - Your name. It is OK to have just your first name when you place your resume on a job board, but when you submit it to a recruiter or a hiring manager, please make sure your full name (or a <a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2010/04/just-tell-me-your-real-name.html" target="_blank">name you want to be used</a>) is there. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next couple of lines: <a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2015/08/be-mindful-of-your-email-address-when.html" target="_blank">Your email - very important</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your phone number where you prefer to take calls. If you’d rather not receive unscheduled calls, leave it off.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your address - just a city/state/zip code is enough, no need to broadcast your full address. If your current address is far enough from the location of the job you are applying for, mention your plans for relocating to the area.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your work authorization status - if your education or experience sections include foreign countries, it makes sense to indicate your current visa status - are you a US Citizen, have a Green Card, have a work visa or need one? </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Optional but highly recommended - your LinkedIn profile and any other professional sites you *want* a hiring manager to see. For example, if you have a GitHub repository, put it on your resume, but ONLY if it has a really clean working code. Do not expose your “work in progress” or a repository with only one check-in, or the one you have been last active on a year or more ago. You can refer to it during an interview instead.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next section - Objective. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/03/09/objectives-leave-them-off-your-resume" target="_blank">a school of thought that it is not needed</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I tend to agree. One of the few circumstances when you do want to include objective is when you are changing fields, another one if you are just starting your career, and have very little experience in the industry.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of Objective you may want to use Summary, but <a href="http://www.blueskyresumes.com/blog/how-to-write-a-resume-summary-that-grabs-attention/" target="_blank">it has to be written in a way</a> that a hiring manager will actually read, not skip over. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are a recent graduate - 5 years or less out of college/university - next section should be “Education”: If you have more than one degree in the field related to the job you are applying for, mention all of them. For a recent graduate, GPA is important. If your “in major” GPA is better than your overall GPA, use it. If your GPA is so-so … it probably makes sense to mention it as well, because omitting it is still an indication that your grades were not that great. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next section - Skills. Very important. Sort your skills and competencies into categories, and arrange them from your strongest first to your weakest. Do NOT mention skills that you are not absolutely confident about! Be prepared to discuss all the details of a tool or a language that is on this list. Do not mention MS Office.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next section - Experience. In the software industry, technology evolves so fast, that, most probably, what you have been doing ten years ago is no longer relevant. That is why we recommend to have full details only on your last 10-15 years of jobs and only list major, relevant accomplishments during the previous years of professional experience. Try to describe what you have done in terms of achievements, not in responsibilities. Do mention the key technologies that you were working with on major projects. It can be done inline or as a separate line - “Tools used”, for instance. If you are a software developer, for instance, it is assumed that you write code and check it into a source control system, so no need to mention those activities on a resume.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next section - if you graduated more than 5 years ago - Education.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you had graduated more than 15-20 years ago, <a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2012/09/should-older-candidates-leave-dates-of-graduation-off-their-resume.html" target="_blank">no need to specify dates</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Do include the relevant, recent classes you took, even if you do not have a certificate.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can also include Personal Projects (if they are relevant), and publications. If you have a lot of publications, it might be better to list them on your personal website and include a link to it on your resume.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you follow those recommendations, your resume should fit on 2-3 pages, and will be read in its entirety by an interested recruiter/hiring manager.</span></div>
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</b>Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-11822999781961982462015-08-28T19:02:00.000-07:002015-10-29T13:09:14.725-07:00Be mindful of your email address when job searching<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was reviewing a candidate’s resume recently. There were quite a few good keywords on it, but the projects were not too impressive, and the type of companies he was employed at did not match the company I was recruiting for. So, I was on a fence. </span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I took another look at the resume header and noticed the candidate’s email address. It was an AOL address. That, I must admit, made it easier for me to decide to reject him.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it fair to judge a candidate based on his or her email address? I am not entirely sure, but here are my thoughts:</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are in the Silicon Valley, and I am hiring engineers for startups. Therefore, I am interested in candidates who are keeping up with current technologies and innovations - at least in the software industry. Using an old AOL account, while understandable as many contacts may be stored there, does not characterise an innovator. Same goes for HotMail addresses or ISP domains. </span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is OK to have AOL or HotMail email address for private correspondences, but if you do use them, you need to create a new email account for your job search if you do not want to appear old-fashioned.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other email address blunders to avoid: goofy, cute, or risqué account names, using your date of birth as part of the name, having a shared email account with your spouse, and, of course, </span><a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2013/07/not-a-good-idea-applying-for-jobs-from-your-current-work-email-address.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">using your current work email</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for job search purposes!</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See more on mail addresses (with some fun examples) </span><a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2013/02/is-your-aol-or-hotmail-address-hurting-your-job-search.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (a quote: “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AOL is particularly bad, because AOL originally marketed itself as a safe way for non-web-savvy users to experience the big bad web, in their own safe little AOL community”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And still more:</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7fdfff2c-772d-b428-7e4b-b9cb1f79f87b" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=hotmail+email+address+outdated" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=hotmail+email+address+outdated</span></a></b></div>
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Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-36697421280005904632015-07-06T13:38:00.000-07:002015-07-06T13:48:32.022-07:00Generosity at work<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does being generous at work pay?</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have all met people who seem to be completely selfless and are always available if you need help. We also know people of the opposite type - those who you know to never ask for any favors. </span></b><br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So how do those personality traits play out in a work environment?</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unsurprisingly, there have been a number of researches trying to answer this exact question.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are two aspects of being generous at work - how it affects you personally and how it affects your career.</span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cZEql_jNCKM/VZrnDhKRsgI/AAAAAAAAAIg/oRA-VxB4MM8/s1600/generosity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cZEql_jNCKM/VZrnDhKRsgI/AAAAAAAAAIg/oRA-VxB4MM8/s320/generosity.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It turns out, being generous improves one’s well-being:</span></b><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Our findings make a simple but profound point about altruism: helping others makes us happier. Altruism is not a form of martyrdom, but operates for many as part of a healthy psychological reward system," </span><a href="http://www.news.wisc.edu/21983" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> professor </span><a href="http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu/facultystaff/moynihan-donald.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donald Moynihan</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, of UW-Madison's </span><a href="http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">La Follette School of Public Affairs</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, an author of the study that tested the relationship between altruism in the workplace and happiness. </span></b><br />
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</b><b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does generosity help one’s career or hinder it? It can be both, </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/magazine/is-giving-the-secret-to-getting-ahead.html?pagewanted=1&%2359;smid=fb-share&%2359&_r=0&" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adam Grant</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes in his book </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0143124986/?tag=slatmaga-20" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give and Take</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Grant is Wharton’s youngest full professor, who has consulted for clients that include Google, the NFL, Goldman Sachs, and the United Nations, and an extremely generous person himself. Grant’s studies show, among other findings, that many “givers” (employees who perform all sorts of selfless acts with no expectation of reciprocity) tend to linger at the bottom of the food chain, with low promotion and productivity rates. They fail to excel because they’re too busy helping other people do just that.</span></b><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But though they’re overrepresented at the bottom, Grant’s most interesting finding is that givers also climb to the top. They construct valuable networks out of all the grateful colleagues who correctly perceive them as selfless and agenda-less. Givers share credit without demanding any in return, which spurs co-workers to flock to their projects. Their generosity earns them deep and lasting respect, which translates into potency. </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/business/psychology_of_management/2014/05/adam_grant_s_give_and_take_a_theory_that_says_generous_people_do_better.single.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This article</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Slate contributor </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/authors.seth_stevenson.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seth Stevenson</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> summarises the difference between “losers” and “winners” among givers and provides more details about Grant’s study.</span></b><br />
<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-36cc5b84-6504-f9a2-8dfb-bee115b1bde7" style="font-weight: normal;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Generosity can be also a good for business, as Tesco’s retired CEO Terry Leahy</span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/business/terry-leahy-former-tesco-chief-on-staying-focused.html?_r=0" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> told the New York Times</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I joined Tesco, somebody said to me, “They’ll eat you alive,” because it was known as a bit of a hard-charging place. That sort of brought out the street kid in me, and made me a little bit hard and combative. I had to learn later that there’s another way to get the best out of people, which is to really motivate them and make them feel good about themselves. So I changed. …. If I had to sum it up, it would be about being generous at work rather than selfish.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A study of “</span><a href="http://fortune.com/best-companies/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">100 Best Companies to Work for</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” showed that, while perks like free food and unlimited vacations are, of course, important, there is another “common denominator of employee satisfaction at these companies,” </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/causeintegration/2015/04/06/why-are-these-100-companies-the-best-to-work-for/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">suggests</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forbes</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ contributor </span><a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/people/ryanscott/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ryan Scott</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: “the opportunity to be part of a company that places a premium on giving back. Most of the companies that made the list have a corporate philanthropy program that engages employees in some way and involves them in the process of connecting to their communities and the world at large.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then there is always the question: do companies provide generous perks out of pure altruism? Of course not, says this 2007 </span><a href="http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/perk-place-the-benefits-offered-by-google-and-others-may-be-grand-but-theyre-all-business/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">article</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Wharton: Google “ wants to achieve several goals: Attract the best knowledge-workers it can in the intensely competitive environment for high achievers; help them work long hours by feeding them gourmet meals on-site and handling other time-consuming personal chores; show that they are valued; and have them remain Googlers, as employees are known, for many years.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, we see that generosity in the workplace, when done right, brings benefits not only to the subjects, but also to those who practice it.</span></div>
</b>Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-73207781794042462052015-06-03T12:51:00.001-07:002015-06-03T12:51:48.462-07:00Offer negotiations - for candidates<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have written on various facets of offer negotiations in our </span><a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blog</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/eltisolutions" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so here is a recap of our advice. Please keep in mind that there are no universal rules.</span></h2>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1CMXxnoRvXM/VW9ZEYHz6WI/AAAAAAAAAIE/zB3bIGQ0XHM/s1600/offerNegotiation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1CMXxnoRvXM/VW9ZEYHz6WI/AAAAAAAAAIE/zB3bIGQ0XHM/s320/offerNegotiation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Timing.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When to start: </span><a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2013/01/you-will-sin-against-god-if-you-ask-what-a-job-pays.html" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While it is understood that we all work for the money</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, compensation discussion is probably not what a hiring manager wants to engage in during your first conversation. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually a salary range is been discussed during an initial call with the recruiter to establish that you and the company are on the same page in this regard. If there was no discussion with the recruiter, you may </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/job-hunting-better-price-yourself-like-house-liz-ryan?trk=mp-reader-card" style="line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bring this topic up</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when you are invited to the second round of interviews.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">When to amend: If, during the interview process, you realize that the scope of your responsibilities is significantly broader than was defined in a job description, it is a good idea to bring this to the attention of a hiring team and update them on your acceptable compensation range.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">When to finalize: Ideally, a written offer should have the numbers you are happy with, so try to negotiate all the details during a verbal offer stage. After you sign the offer, it will be really difficult to renegotiate. If there is an agreement on a raise within a certain amount of time after your start date, make sure it is included in the offer as well.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Base salary negotiation:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are two different schools of thought, not surprisingly from the opposite sides of negotiation: One that says a candidate must disclose his/her current salary, the other says that “</span><a href="http://www.askamanager.org/2013/02/when-an-employer-asks-for-salary-history-in-your-cover-letter.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">your salary history is no one’s business</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is our take on this dilemma:</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are generally happy with your current compensation and just want a reasonable improvement on it, go ahead and disclose your current salary as a base from which to negotiate. Be prepared that this information can be verified and if it does not match, you can be fired - or your offer may be revoked.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you feel strongly against disclosing your current salary, provide a </span><a href="http://qz.com/356612/you-are-almost-certainly-starting-salary-negotiations-wrong/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">desired range</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Of course, your current salary still can be verified, and if it was significantly less than what you are asking, you need to have a good story why such a jump in your worth is justified.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your current salary is way below the market, you can be really open about it and explain the reason for this (for instance, the company was sponsoring your Green Card, or this was your first job after graduation), and why you deserve a much higher salary now. In our experience, this is a win-win approach - a hiring team appreciates your openness, and you are more likely to get your desired compensation.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. When compensation is not negotiable, but you are very interested in joining the company, here is what </span><a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2014/06/job-negotiations-what-to-ask-for.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you can negotiate</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for instead:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">schedule (vacation days, start/end time, telecommuting);</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">job responsibilities / opportunities for growth / training opportunities;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2014/06/new-job-negotiations-are-you-looking.html" style="text-decoration: none;">job title</a>;</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">potential raises.</span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4. For startup companies, you can (and should!) </span><a href="http://eltisolutions.blogspot.com/2014/11/is-that-job-offer-good-one.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">negotiate your stock options</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For all the above points you are in much better position if you </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-negotiate-job-offer-michael-wheeler" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">prepare</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for negotiations by doing research and thinking through all your options.</span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-90295083850233639782014-11-04T08:53:00.000-08:002014-11-04T08:54:28.796-08:00Is That Job Offer a Good One?<style>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We frequently place candidates at early-stage high-tech
start-ups in Silicon Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A common
question we hear is, “Is this a good offer?” in regard to the shares that are
offered as part of a package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t have
a crystal ball that lets us see the future, but we can offer some basic insight
into how you can evaluate this part of your offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully it will help you decide whether or
not to take that next job.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(A) The
following is a brief summary of things to remember, in regard to stock options,
when you are negotiating an offer from a startup:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When joining a startup, and negotiating the offer, make sure
that you ask the following questions:</span><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(1) What is the valuation of the company at the present time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In general, you can use the company’s value
during the latest round of financing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(2) What is the current number of outstanding shares?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">From the answers, you can calculate what percentage of the
company you will be receiving and the stock price at the time.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(B) The
following is the typical option grant by percentage after Series-A financing,
based on the position you are being offered:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Title
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>% capital
</span></u></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">CEO
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>5-10%
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">CFO (usually hired at a later time) 1-2%
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">VP
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1-3% </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Director
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> 0.5%</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Essential employees
0.25%</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">All others
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> 0.05%</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Standard practice is usually 4 years vesting and a one-year
cliff, no acceleration, no bonuses, and no severance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(C) Here
are a few other things to consider when you negotiating your offer:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Other than the typical salary/stock benefits, you may also choose
to negotiate for the right to exercise options for 12 months (typically it's 3
or 6 months) after you leave the company. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Financially speaking, the worst time to join a startup is immediately
after Series-A financing is closed. (This is because you will get less equity, and
take a higher risk as at this point as the startup is not revenue-generating.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The best time to negotiate salary/stock options is at the time
the company makes you an offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, it’s not wise to accept a “We will re-evaluate the number of
shares in 6 months” scenario, as it typically doesn’t work out well for the
employee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, remember that salary and
stock options stated in a job offer are always subject to approval by the
board. So while it is unlikely that the offer will change, please keep in
mind that there is a slight chance that it could.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-17372087080956041572014-10-21T11:32:00.000-07:002014-10-21T11:32:05.261-07:00Bay Area Living<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqbk_TgqyQ0/VEamEf9VLsI/AAAAAAAAAHM/QazdcqJPhCE/s1600/SF%2BAREA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aqbk_TgqyQ0/VEamEf9VLsI/AAAAAAAAAHM/QazdcqJPhCE/s1600/SF%2BAREA.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span><span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Are you thinking about
relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Considering moving here for the nice weather and great start-up
opportunities?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I’d share a few
insights into life out here that may help you think about whether or not Bay
Area life is for you…</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Opportunities</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If relocating here is
something you are already considering, I’m going to assume that you already
know about the start-up culture here, the many high-tech job opportunities
there are, and how established companies such as Apple, Google, and Facebook
have their headquarters here as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This blog post will mainly focus on the “other” aspects of Bay Area
living.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Location</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">There’s no doubt about it –
we are located in a great part of the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The weather leaves little to be desired (we do have seasons, but winter
and summer are mild) as you won’t be rained out most days and you will never
need to shovel snow out of your driveway here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">This is a beautiful part of
California, less than an hour to our spectacular coastline with beaches,
cliffs, and wildlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are only a few
hours drive from the majesty of Yosemite or some fantastic skiing in Lake
Tahoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Napa is also just a few hours
away, if touring the vineyards and enjoying wine is of interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a non-stop flight to Hawaii, and if you
travel to the Far East for business you can get direct flights from San
Francisco.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If you like to hike or
bike, there are lots of paths and mountain roads, plus plenty of open-space
preserves to explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us complain
when it’s cold (in the 50’s in winter) or hot, but in all honesty we are truly
spoiled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Entertainment</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">As far as dining is
concerned, the Bay Area offers many amazing restaurants, cafés and coffee
houses, and due to the multi-cultural nature of the area there are endless
ethnic dining options as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
some great sports teams, from the SF Giants, to the SF 49’ers, to the San Jose
Sharks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are also some fantastic
science and art museums in the area, as well as the SF Symphony, Ballet, and
Opera House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Housing</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">There has to be a down side
to all this, doesn’t there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, most people
who move here have to downsize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
paying over 1 million dollars for a postage stamp lot and a small house doesn’t
sound appealing to you, you may want to reconsider a move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Housing prices throughout Silicon Valley are
exorbitant, causing many workers to seek housing farther out where it’s still
expensive but not quite as outrageous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">This leads us to another
potential downside:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the commute.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Transportation</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If you can manage to live
close to your work, you are one of the lucky ones!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, California does not have a
robust public transportation system, so you may find yourself spending much
more time with your car than you thought possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, a bad commute may be ameliorated
if you are able to work from home a few times a week or if you can drive during
“off” hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, many people have
figured this out, leading to a long “rush hour” starting at 3pm most days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Final Thoughts?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">So, is it worth it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only you can decide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bay Area is definitely a wonderful place
to live, but it isn’t for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
it weren’t such a great place to live, it wouldn’t cost so much!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
first, come for a visit and check it out to see if you feel that the Bay Area
is a cultural match for you; how well could you fit into this extremely diverse
and intellectually intense environment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
come for a visit, check out what we life here has to offer, and see for
yourself if this is a place you could call home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-90099725833016476122014-09-08T10:25:00.001-07:002014-09-08T10:25:58.748-07:00Put a Positive Spin on It (Part 3)
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uxrYL5IH3es/VA3l01sQLSI/AAAAAAAAAG8/-uk4Pmup4Zw/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uxrYL5IH3es/VA3l01sQLSI/AAAAAAAAAG8/-uk4Pmup4Zw/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Lately we’ve been sharing
how you can put a positive spin on a difficult or negative work
experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we’re going to share a
third story, one that shows that you can learn from your mistakes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Negative Spin</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">My last position was at a
small company that had created an interesting and innovative product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal was to negotiate a contract with a
large corporation and to eventually sell the company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The product wasn’t complete and it had some
weak spots that we tried to hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
of the employees at my company spoke Russian, but the other company’s
representatives were all American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During one of the joint meetings, one employee said to his peer sitting
next to him, in Russian, “They are such idiots!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s hope they don’t ask us about the “black box!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the conclusion of the meeting, one of the
members of the other team thanked everyone for meeting, in Russian!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were not able to make a deal with them,
most likely because of that comment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is not a company I am happy to be a part of and thus I’m seeking a
new position.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Positive Spin</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">While the facts of the
story above remain the same, you can put a positive spin on it by explaining
how even a big mistake can have a positive outcome:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">As a result, we had to work
harder as a team and re-focus our efforts on improving the product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I have learned several things from
that experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t make
assumptions about people I meet and I have learned to never underestimate a
team that I am negotiating with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Furthermore, while the loss
of this deal was devastating at the time, we were eventually able to spin-off
the department and create a new successful company!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Conclusion</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Even though this story
highlights a big lapse in judgment, the ability to learn from your mistakes, or
those of your team, is an important and valuable skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, the ability to re-group and
re-focus one’s efforts after such a “failure” shows both resilience and a
positive attitude.</span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-18684163511271813012014-09-01T17:58:00.004-07:002014-09-01T17:58:52.064-07:00Put a Positive Spin on It (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-51URdmZlvb0/VAUWE6jCwpI/AAAAAAAAAGs/-USAWIpKN8s/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-51URdmZlvb0/VAUWE6jCwpI/AAAAAAAAAGs/-USAWIpKN8s/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva;">In our last blog entry we
gave an example of how to spin what could have been a negative work story into
a positive one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we will
share another example of how you can discuss a difficult or challenging work
experience in a way that will highlight your ingenuity and resilience.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Negative Spin</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">I was put in charge of
writing an installer for a product with two separate components that needed to
“talk” to one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Testing the
installer was incredibly difficult because each component was created at a
different office and it was not easy to coordinate my testing schedule with two
other people in two different locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could see that finding a time we could all work on this simultaneously
was going to be an ongoing and consistent problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was exacerbated when each person blamed the other and
my management didn’t seem to care that we were “set up” to fail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My frustration that the process, by
design, was not working and that nobody listened to my suggestions has led me
to seek better opportunities elsewhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Positive Spin</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">I was given the task of
writing an installer for a product with two separate components.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could see that this situation was not
going to work, since each component was created at a different office and it
was not easy to coordinate my testing schedule with two other people in two
different locations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized
that something had to change in order for my project to succeed, so I took the
initiative to create a “work-around” in the installer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While my work around allowed me to
create the installer, it wasn’t the most efficient way for the company to
proceed in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able
to find people within my company who noticed what I had done and asked me what
changes we needed to make for the next release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this was a challenging time for me at work, it gave me
the opportunity to learn new skills, allowed me to make a positive change in
the way the company works, and even led to a promotion!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Conclusion</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">We have all had challenging
and difficult work experiences we can share, but finding a way to spin those
stories in a positive way will make you stand out as a creative and positive
candidate.</span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-80038938285839221522014-08-25T09:57:00.001-07:002014-08-25T09:57:58.294-07:00Put A Positive “Spin” on It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IeaWRnPOMUg/U_tqIL83SJI/AAAAAAAAAGc/7aVF9F9ijZw/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IeaWRnPOMUg/U_tqIL83SJI/AAAAAAAAAGc/7aVF9F9ijZw/s1600/GraphicBlog21Spin.png" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Everyone has interesting
stories to tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But HOW you
tell your story can make all the difference in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about how you want others to view
you, and also about how you can make the best out of a less-than-ideal
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s an example of
two different ways a candidate can put a spin on a prior work experience.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">First Perspective</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">When I took the job with “Company
X”, I immediately found myself in the middle of a political battle between two
divisions, the one that I joined and a rival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These two groups were fighting for control over a core
business in this company and it was a very unpleasant start with the company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our group eventually won the
competition and then spent the next two years constantly working with the rival
team, trying to integrate and adapt their complex technology into the final
product.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">In the end, after all of
these battles and compromises, the final product was unsuccessful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The industry itself suffered a downturn
after the “dot com bust” and my workplace atmosphere declined as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For three years I dealt with management
changes, layoffs, and a depressing work environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided I had to leave and seek a more dynamic and
positive opportunity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Second Perspective</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">When I joined “Company X”
the company was in the middle of choosing whether to go with one group’s
technologies and approach to a problem or that of a rival team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an open opportunity for
someone to lead the decision-making process and merge the two departments into
one cohesive team.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Since I was new to the
program, I was able to take a more neutral role between the teams, urging them
to take small steps and provide small deliverables so that we could merge the
two approaches and see if it could really work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within two weeks we were able to see that it was not going
to work easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This led us into a
two-year-long exploration of major technologies and innovation, as well as
collaboration with a Canadian team. In the end, the new product and the whole
infrastructure were created and used across one of the major divisions of the
Company X.<span style="color: red;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">After the “dot com bust”
there were many changes in the company, including layoffs and
re-organizations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These changes
also opened up new opportunities, and I was able to work with groups in France,
HCI groups, and graphic designers as well as actively participate in usability
studies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This exposed me to new
ways of thinking and allowed me to seek broader experiences than I would have
had in a more prosperous economic climate.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Summary</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">While both of these stories
are true, and in fact are really the same story, they send very different
messages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which message would you
prefer?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">During an interview you
don’t want to send out any negative hooks or appear to be a complainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put a positive and constructive spin on
your stories and not only will you seem like a more upbeat person, but you will
also show your ability to make the most of any opportunity that presents itself
to you and come across as a creative and optimistic person.</span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-46021808442781002982014-08-13T18:34:00.000-07:002014-08-13T18:35:11.262-07:00Tips on Preparing Your “Stories” for Interviews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0p7Qm8EVaw/U-wRyQXhDbI/AAAAAAAAAGE/zE9AVBA6yFA/s1600/Blog20wTitleGraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L0p7Qm8EVaw/U-wRyQXhDbI/AAAAAAAAAGE/zE9AVBA6yFA/s1600/Blog20wTitleGraphic.png" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">In past blog entries, we have mentioned
that it’s very important to have some interesting but concise stories to use
during your interviews. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
critical to walk into your interview prepared for the questions you will be
asked, and choosing and preparing your stories ahead of time is a vital part of
that process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few tips
to help you prepare.</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">•Why
Tell A Story?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">So, why do you want to tell a
story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When someone asks you a
question during your interview, it’s more personal and interesting if you can
use an example of a particular work project or problem that you have faced and
describe how you handled that situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Telling a story will be more compelling and genuine that simply listing
your accomplishments – make sure that your voice comes through and that it
doesn’t sound rehearsed or cliché.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">•Which
Stories Should You Choose?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Think of at least 3 great stories that
you can use to answer several questions that you would expect to be asked
during your interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a
careful look at your resume and find 3 instances where you are proud of your
work and that illustrate your unique skills and expertise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure these stories are relevant to
the position for which your are interviewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These 3 stories should showcase your motivation, creativity,
positive attitude, intelligence, and spirit.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">•Preparing
Your Stories</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Prepare each story ahead of time,
keeping in mind that each should be concise and no longer than 3-4 minutes.
After you choose 3 stories, ask yourself the following questions about each
one:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- What was this project about? (Be as
specific as possible by including the numbers instead of adjectives).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- What challenges did you face?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- What were your individual
contributions (not the team)?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- How did you solve the challenges
presented?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- Why did you choose to utilize
specific technologies?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- What was the outcome?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">-- What did you learn from this experience?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">•Make
Sure to Follow Through</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Make sure you conclude each story with a
lesson that was learned, a successful outcome, or something else that
highlights the relevance of this particular work experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, if speaking about a
“failure” or problem you faced, make sure to include what you learned from it
and how you have managed to approach things in a different way because of this
incidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This “follow through”
will not only wrap up a story, but also show your ability to learn and grow
from your experiences.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">•Keep
your Goal in Mind</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It is essential to continuously keep
your goal in your mind when preparing and telling your stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good story is not only compelling but
will tell the listener more about you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are you the kind of person who would fit well in this company? Would
this team enjoy working with you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your goal is to meaningfully discuss your own projects and to make
certain that your interviewers get a good understanding of your accomplishments
even if they are not familiar with the specifics. </span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-57058126491779315322014-07-21T11:44:00.000-07:002014-07-21T11:44:41.580-07:00Resume Triggers
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y68DOPR_FN0/U81dHGim0nI/AAAAAAAAAF4/cwNIEjIdJhQ/s1600/Blog19Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y68DOPR_FN0/U81dHGim0nI/AAAAAAAAAF4/cwNIEjIdJhQ/s1600/Blog19Graphic.png" height="278" width="400" /></a></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva;">What emotion does your
resume trigger?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you leaving
your readers with positive or negative thoughts about you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every resume will trigger some
response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal of your resume
is to trigger a real conversation, a desire to meet and speak with you, while also
avoiding any negative triggers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
take the time and effort to craft a resume that will help you meet this goal.</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">NEGATIVE TRIGGERS</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">A negative trigger is
something on your resume that will concern, upset, or merely annoy your
readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some examples of
things better left off your resume:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Using clichés like “team
player,” “results-oriented,” etc…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Be more creative when describing your value as an employee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Repeating the same phrase
throughout your resume – this can be annoying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• If applying for a job as
an individual contributor, using words such as, “I led the team…” or “I managed
that…” may lead a reader to subconsciously believe you are really looking to be
a manager and that you are the wrong person for the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, you’re not likely to even
get an interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s a
better option?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just mention your
individual contributions to a project and clearly explain how your work was
successful in that area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• How much is enough? Don’t
include too much information on your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your reader will get tired and annoyed, and most likely will
have to work too hard to find the “good” information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This applies both to the length of your resume (how many
pages do you realistically expect people to read?) as well as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>having too many bullet points for each
project you discuss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep it
clean, simple, and interesting – leave room for your reader to ask for more
information if they are curious.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">POSITIVE TRIGGERS</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Show people that you
are well rounded, interesting, and curious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to connect with your reader by understanding the
psychology of the position and knowing what information to include or
highlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can do this by
reading into the “desirable” part of a job search (for example, if they prefer
a Mandarin speaker but don’t require it, and you don’t speak the language, you
can highlight your interest and knowledge of the culture and desire to travel
there).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can add another dimension to you as a person, as well as
to your potential “fit” in the position.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Have a well-executed,
uncluttered resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example,
for each job or project, a nice format for your bullet points could look like
this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>• What you did and which technologies or tools your used (in one
sentence)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>• What was the result? (very brief).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">A clean and precise
format such as this will automatically show that you are logical and
result-driven.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Be interesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Show your reader that there is more to
you than just a list of jobs and projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let them understand who you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under “Interests” or “Hobbies” put something about yourself
that will most likely prompt people to ask you for more information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Examples: Performing music (not just
playing), mountain climbing, worldwide travel, love of art… This section, generally
at the very end of your resume, doesn’t need to be job-related.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to spark your reader’s interest and
maybe even make a connection.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">GENERAL ADVICE</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">A good resume will not only generate
a positive response, but also a curiosity that should trigger some good
questions, allowing you the chance to show off your attributes and your work
experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">When you do get that first interview,
make sure to show integrity, a strong desire to work there, and the kind of
person you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do your best to
trigger a desire to work with you, to spend time with you, and to get to know
you better.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-20988433795347073182014-06-24T08:55:00.000-07:002014-06-24T08:55:16.029-07:00New Job Negotiations… Are You Looking for a Different Title?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DE5KPTTS20/U6me_HhIsrI/AAAAAAAAAFg/-xHWgVA02go/s1600/Graphic-Blog-Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DE5KPTTS20/U6me_HhIsrI/AAAAAAAAAFg/-xHWgVA02go/s1600/Graphic-Blog-Title.png" height="333" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Our last blog entry
explored the idea that you can negotiate for a range of “perks” other than just
a higher salary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we thought
we would cover the area of Title Negotiations, since this is a common concern
when a person wants to accept a position at a new company.</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Purpose</b> – Why would you want to negotiate for a better title? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your title is very important; it has an
impact on how well you can perform the job at hand as well as your future
opportunities and prospects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Titles are used by others (including future hiring managers) to quickly
assess a person’s place in the company and the scope of their responsibilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having a mismatch between your title
and your position can make it significantly harder for you to accomplish your
goals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Timing</b> – The best time to start this conversation is after you have
been offered the new position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Show your enthusiasm for the offer, and say something like, “Thank
you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am very interested in joining
your team in this capacity, but I have a few concerns about the title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to discuss them with you
because I feel the current title doesn’t clearly reflect the responsibilities
and authority of the position, and I believe a change would be a good idea.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Research</b> – Before you start this conversation, make sure that you
do your homework!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider the
existing structure of the company and be careful not to step on anyone’s toes
(for example, don’t ask for the same title as someone above you in the org.
chart).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Research current job
listings and titles at other companies to find examples of the title you are
proposing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it match your job
description?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, this should
help your negotiations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strategy</b> – Present the title change as a benefit to your employer,
not just to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Explain how it
will improve your job performance if people see you as “X” instead of “Y.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure that you give the manager
good reasons to make the change (discuss your research), propose the new title,
and explain why it fits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Some
examples are: customer/employee perceptions, level of experience, or academic
credentials).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can make the
case that this title change will benefit the company, it will make it easier
for you to get the improved title.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If you do decide to
negotiate for a title change, remember to do your research, pick the right time
to start the discussion, and come up with a winning strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Making a strong case for the change
will go a long way in helping you achieve your goal.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-56818068672944014432014-06-04T08:45:00.000-07:002014-06-04T08:45:14.718-07:00Job Negotiations… What to Ask for (Besides a Higher Salary)
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7HCjbBkVp4o/U48-3qR9NvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/hkDNCLmMQXA/s1600/Blog%2317Graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7HCjbBkVp4o/U48-3qR9NvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/hkDNCLmMQXA/s1600/Blog%2317Graphic.png" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Congratulations!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just landed that great job,
but perhaps the salary isn’t quite what you had hoped for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s not negotiable for the time
being, take a look below for some ideas on other things you may be able to
negotiate for… perks that can improve the quality of your life, provide a
different form of compensation, and perhaps even make a new job even more
exciting and fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">What can you realistically
negotiate for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following list
will give you some idea of perks that Bay Area start-ups are often willing to discuss
with a new employee:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Time</b> – Time is a critical factor for many people in creating a
work/life balance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Is a flexible work schedule
important to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is your
start/end time critical, would <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>you like to work 4
(longer) days a week instead of 5?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you want to leave early on Fridays?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Do you already have a
vacation planned soon?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure
you mention it (and get time off, even unpaid) for that trip you already have
on the calendar or one that you are considering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If vacations are a priority, you can negotiate for more
vacation days each year, or ask if you can accrue vacation days quicker the
first year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Place</b> – Would you like to work from home some days? At work, are
you hoping for an office of your own, or maybe a cubicle with a window or one
in a quieter area?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Job Responsibilities</b> – Are you interested in branching out a
bit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trying some new challenge or
working with a new technology?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
maybe just taking on more responsibility?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a good time to ask for this kind of an
opportunity (just make sure the hiring manager knows that you are still
extremely interested in the actual job they are offering you).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Job Title</b> – Perhaps you can negotiate to get that title you have
been wanting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though it may
not increase your salary today, it may help you at your next job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if this start-up is acquired, it
may make a difference in your future compensation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stock Options</b> – How many will you receive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to negotiate for more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And how soon will they vest?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(There is typically a set schedule for
this, but it may be negotiable at certain start-ups).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">•<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Healthcare Costs</b> –
You can turn the current high cost of healthcare to your advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your spouse is currently covering
your family, you can consider opting out of the company’s plan in return for
extra compensation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">•<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Salary Evaluation</b>
– If you can’t get the salary you want right now, you can negotiate for a
performance-based evaluation in 6 months, instead of having to wait for a full
year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">•<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Growth Experiences</b>
– Can you get tuition reimbursements? Will they pay for you to go to
conferences, seminars, etc?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if
so, how long will you need to work there before you can get these benefits?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Please note that when
negotiating for compensation timing is key!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask for too much too early… the BEST time to start
this conversation is when you first receive a verbal employment offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can take some time to consider any
offers made during that conversation, and then continue it a later date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Also, prioritize what
really matters to YOU, and ask for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You don’t want to appear greedy or difficult to please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Asking for too many extra perks may
make someone think twice about hiring you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(It may help to first ask in which areas the company is most
flexible.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Since your happiness at
work will make you a better member of the team and a more productive worker,
make sure to mention this during your negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking the time to explain how the company will benefit will
absolutely help with your negotiation!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-13454190403284973212014-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:002014-04-10T09:51:32.678-07:00The DO’s and DON’Ts of Follow-Ups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bK6Kkem8V2Q/U0bLlY_NywI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Erl0iyPP9_0/s1600/Blog%2316Graphics.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bK6Kkem8V2Q/U0bLlY_NywI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Erl0iyPP9_0/s1600/Blog%2316Graphics.png" height="323" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva;">You’ve found a position at
a company that you are really excited about, and now that you’ve had the big
interview, what’s your next step?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you want to be the one they choose, you need to let the team know
that you are interested, even more so now that you’ve met them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Landing a great job takes a bit
of work and some skill – and your work isn’t finished after that interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure to take the next step and follow
it up with a nicely-written, professional email.</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Here are our DO’s and DON’Ts
when it comes to following up:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">• DO take the time to thank the person or team who
met with you</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Not only does sending a
thank you note show your good manners – it also provides you with the
opportunity to show the team just how enthusiastic you are to work at their
company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the time to ask a
good follow-up question in order to keep the conversation going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your follow-up will keep you fresh in
the minds of the hiring team, which is right where you want to be!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">• DO make sure to send your follow-up to the right
people</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Try your best to get the
necessary contact information during your interview, but if you can’t then
follow up with your recruiter and request the information for the manager or
the most senior person who interviewed you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Direct your email either to the team or to the lead person
you met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also take the time to
thank an HR person who may have helped you set up the interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And always contact people at work, not
through a personal email address or phone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">• DON’T be a pest</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">During your interview, ask
up front about the hiring timeline so you can set your expectations
accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Send your follow up
and wait for a response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there
is none and you feel it’s appropriate, you can send another email, perhaps
gently asking them where they are in the hiring process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point, they know you are
interested in the position and they will contact you if they want to meet with
you again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">• DO be prompt & precise</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">It’s best to promptly
follow-up by sending your thank you email the day after your interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will give you some time to think
of what to ask or how to present yourself carefully, while still making sure you
are responding in a timely manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Carefully proofread your email for errors before sending it, and try to
note precisely what excites you about the company and the position and what you
can bring to the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you made
some technical mistakes during the interview and have now had the time to think
them through, you can also attach a corrected solution to the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">•DON’T be long-winded or generic</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Don’t waste people’s time
with a long-winded letter; take care to craft a concise follow-up note that
cites specific reasons for your interest in this particular company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The team should feel that your message
was written especially for them, and not a generic thank you note you send to
other companies as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-22079124587178698802014-03-20T09:34:00.000-07:002014-03-20T09:34:04.898-07:00Making the Most of Your Skype Interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6bFQt4MfWs/UysYBYcaRTI/AAAAAAAAAEk/aglbLbkeq1s/s1600/SkypeBlogGraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L6bFQt4MfWs/UysYBYcaRTI/AAAAAAAAAEk/aglbLbkeq1s/s1600/SkypeBlogGraphic.png" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;">In our last blog entry, we
addressed the ins and outs of telephone interviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we are going to address online interviews, using
programs such as Skype.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While most
people would rather meet face-to-face during an interview, it’s not always
possible in today’s hectic world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of an interviewer’s busy schedule or frequent business travel, a
Skype interview may be the only choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t feel pushed aside if asked to interview over Skype instead of in
person – remember that it’s an opportunity to interview in a format that will
give you much more feedback than a telephone interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are four tips for making the most
of your next Skype interview:</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">1) Be comfortable with the format</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">An interview is not the
time to get acquainted with new software, new hardware, or the process of video
conferencing itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you aren’t
comfortable and at-ease during your interview, it will show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do everything you can to make things go
smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">First, make sure you have
the necessary equipment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
technology is inexpensive these days, not having a properly configured setup or
using a poor-quality camera is a really bad excuse for refusing a video call.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If you don’t Skype often
and are unfamiliar with the program, practice with your friends and
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Practice until you are
fully confident that you won’t seem awkward and uptight with video
conferencing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Test the program and
your hardware so that you feel at ease and relaxed during a real interview.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">If you are familiar and
comfortable with Skype, you may want to create a new account with a
professional username to use just for your interviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And practice with this account to make
sure everything is working smoothly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">2) Imagine you are on the other side</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Since this interview is
critical to getting that invitation to meet the team in person, you want to
make sure that your enthusiasm, energy, and answers as well as questions come
through undistorted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Test your hardware when
practicing with friends and ask them for feedback.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can they see you clearly? Can they hear you well?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the camera pointed at a funny
angle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the time beforehand to
ensure you are set up properly before the actual interview.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Choose your location
carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Test to see if the
lighting is good enough for people to see you clearly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find a place to sit where there a solid<s>
</s><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or business-like background; this will ensure that the interviewer’s
focus is on you and not your room.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">3) Look professional </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Even though you may be in
the comfort of your own home, this is a real interview and you still need to
have your “game face” on and look prepared, ready, and excited to join this new
company.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Take care to choose a quiet
place where you won’t be interrupted during the interview. And make sure that
people in your household know that you are interviewing so you don’t have
distractions (like people walking past or children making noise in the
background).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Dress and groom yourself –
it’s just as important to look professional for a video call as it is for an
in-person interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ther<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>e are many funny stories out there of people who only dressed
well from the waist up who for some reason had to stand up in the middle of the
call!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">4) After the interview</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">When testing your
equipment, make sure that you know how to use the mute button, and also how to
hang up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And after the interview, take
care to make sure that your system is really turned off!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than one candidate has made the
mistake of thinking that a video or cell phone call was over even though they
were still connected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So keep the
discussion about the interview for later, when you are certain you are truly
disconnected… just in case!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-59440568803338196962014-02-24T20:00:00.000-08:002014-02-24T20:00:04.338-08:00The Ins-and-Outs of Telephone Interviews<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-Qif30NrhE/UwwUnVjNarI/AAAAAAAAAEU/3G1vk6Dls9c/s1600/GraphicBlogPhoneInt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7-Qif30NrhE/UwwUnVjNarI/AAAAAAAAAEU/3G1vk6Dls9c/s1600/GraphicBlogPhoneInt.png" height="292" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">
Telephone interviews pose certain challenges for a candidate, but due to today’s
busy schedules, long commutes, and the desire for expediency, they are
definitely a fixture in the current hiring process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So how can you prepare for one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what steps can you take to come across as a great
candidate over the phone?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Take it seriously.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">A phone interview is often
your chance to make a great first impression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though it’s a just a stepping-stone, it can lead to
serious discussions about a job opportunity, so make sure that you take it
seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Find a quiet place
(with good reception) so that you can hear the questions clearly and the hiring
manager can hear your answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Make sure your phone is fully charged and you have left plenty of time
for the conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If things
are going well you don’t want to have to cut the interview short due to a low
battery or a scheduling conflict.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And don’t ever interview while driving!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be distracted and it will show.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Be Prepared.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Make yourself a “cheat
sheet” with bullet points that you can refer to during the interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will help you to stay on track
with your talking points and not go off on a tangent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Think of common questions
that are asked and prepare a clear, concise answer for each of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several common questions are: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">-What are you looking for
in a new job? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">-Why are you interested in
opportunities with our company?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">-Why are you looking for a change?
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">-What was your favorite
project over the past few years?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Take the time to actually
rehearse your responses to common questions, as well as any others you think
may come up during your phone interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This will help you have a more fluid response, especially in the case of
a language barrier.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">It’s also a good idea to be
prepared for some specific and technical questions that may arise, even during
the first phone interview for a high-tech position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, you may be asked for your ideas on how you
would debug a certain problem (like a slow performing system), design objects
to model the functionality of an application, or set a certain testing
environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preparing your
response to this type of question will help keep you relaxed and on-point
during the interview.<span style="color: red;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Be Clear & Concise.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">The most challenging thing
about a telephone interview is the lack of visual cues and body language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without those, it’s hard to know if the
person on the other end is engaged, wanting you to continue with what you are
saying, or trying to end this part of the conversation and move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your goal is to have a dialogue with
the person on the other end – not a monologue!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So keep your answers short (limit yourself to one minute at
most) and listen for a response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If more detail is needed, a follow-up question should be asked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Often in today’s high-tech
world, there is also a language barrier to overcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is especially difficult over the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take the time to make sure that you are
using the correct terms in your conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have had one client mistakenly use the word “project” for
“product” and it created a good deal of confusion with the hiring manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Play it Safe.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">This is probably your first
opportunity to get your “foot in the door” and get invited to visit this
company for an in-person interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Play it safe and don’t come across as negative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do your research on the target company
and make certain your answers don’t conflict with its culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be careful not to come across the
wrong way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Make sure that you only
speak about the positive aspect of things; you don’t want to seem like a
negative person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if you are
asked, “What do you dislike the most about your current position?” you can
mention that you like your current company but are exploring this new one
because it offers new challenges<span style="color: red;"> </span>(and be specific
here) that align with your interests.<span style="color: red;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Some last thoughts:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">While a telephone interview
isn’t the ideal way for you to express your desire to meet the team, it’s a
common feature in today’s hiring world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you best to be prep for it and view it as an opportunity to make that
great first impression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
energy,<span style="color: red;"> </span>knowledge,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> and
enthusiasm can absolutely come through over the phone, so make sure that you
start the conversation in the right frame of mind and with a positive attitude!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-36246167288545314892014-02-01T21:02:00.001-08:002014-02-01T21:02:54.816-08:005 Tips to Ace That First Interview (& Get Invited Back for #2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sh0Ba3zIMGg/Uu3Q320AQ1I/AAAAAAAAAEE/IoyUEQvi10M/s1600/BlogGraphic5Tips.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sh0Ba3zIMGg/Uu3Q320AQ1I/AAAAAAAAAEE/IoyUEQvi10M/s1600/BlogGraphic5Tips.png" height="325" width="400" /></a></div>
<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span><span style="font-family: Geneva;">You have that first
interview lined up at a company you are really excited about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve already done your prep work and
your research and you’re ready to go in and meet with your interviewer(s).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few tips you can use during
that first meeting that will help you get invited back for a second interview,
or even get a job offer right after the first one! </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First Impressions Count!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Research shows that
people’s first impressions really do matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know people who have been told, “I knew I was going to
hire you as soon as we started talking.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your outfit, your handshake, your body language and eye-contact all have
a more important role in the hiring process than you realize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that first minute, hiring managers
can often assess cultural fit, which is critical in landing a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So do your best to present yourself
well and make a great first impression!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Right Frame of Mind is Critical!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">It’s natural to feel
nervous when walking into a company and meeting people for the first time, but
do your best to relax and seem comfortable.<span style="color: green;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Show that you have done your
research, let them know how curious you are about the company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, be appreciative of people’s time
– realize that both you and your interviewers are taking time from work to talk
(and that their deadlines won’t be extended just because they are spending time
meeting you). This can help put you in the right frame of mind, and your
confidence and abilities will shine through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And feel lucky if you get a trivial question -- answer it as
respectfully as you would a challenging one –- view it is an opportunity to
earn some easy points!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask the right Questions</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">During an interview, you
aren’t just expected to answer other people’s questions – you need to have some
good ones of your own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good
questions often revolve around the substance of the job you are seeking, the
team’s requirements for that job, and the technology used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, ask some smart, thoughtful questions
about the company and the employees – showing your curiosity (and that you have
done some research) will<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> let people know that you are
engaged and interested in the position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask the wrong Questions</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Just as important as asking
the right questions is NOT asking the wrong ones!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s never appropriate to discuss salary and benefits at a
first interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even in later
interviews, it’s better to not start this conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always leave it to the interviewer to
bring up these topics but plan ahead as to how you will answer them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to create a game plan that
will put you in a strong position to negotiate salary and benefits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t be afraid to show who you are</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">While it’s normal to feel
nervous, try to open up and be your true self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be a three-dimensional candidate and show who you really
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will remember you
better if you do this, and they will generally like you more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If for some reason you really don’t
“click” with the team, then at least you know early on that it’s a bad cultural
fit and not the right company for you.</span></div>
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Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-77092713014243110822014-01-17T09:54:00.000-08:002014-01-17T09:54:34.635-08:005 Steps to Prep for Your Interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jlchCbpQD4U/UtltEqWmHII/AAAAAAAAADk/CIVK9kK7Xsc/s1600/Blog5StepsGraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jlchCbpQD4U/UtltEqWmHII/AAAAAAAAADk/CIVK9kK7Xsc/s1600/Blog5StepsGraphic.png" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Are you looking for a new
and exciting position?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Do you have
an interview lined up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Here are a
few steps you can take before your interview to get you started on the right
track:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE RIGHT MINDSET</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">First, and MOST
importantly, walk into that interview with the right mindset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being prepared and confident will
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are comfortable,
relaxed, and imaginative people will enjoy talking with you – and they will be
more likely to want to meet with you again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Making time to research the
company is essential, especially since you want to be able to explain what
excites you about their products and why you are interested in working
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prepare some interesting
questions to ask the people you will be meeting (and make sure to have
different ones if you will be meeting with both hiring managers and engineers).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Researching their team can
also pay off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can find
“soft data” on the people you are meeting (from LinkedIn or Facebook or the
company website), you may find some mutual interests and find a way to click
with the team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>REFRESH YOUR MEMORY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Go over your resume
carefully (before every interview) and make sure that you can tell a compelling
and interesting story about every single bullet point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, make sure that you can discuss a clear
example of how you used EVERY SINGLE technology or tool that you have mentioned
in your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to make an illustration
or diagram to go with your stories – if you can illustrate your accomplishments
you can impress your interviewers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This may take quite a bit of your time initially, but since you can
re-use these diagrams for other interviews, it’s time well spent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DRESS FOR SUCCESS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">How should you dress for
your interview?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since different
companies have different “clothes cultures” it isn’t easy to know what to
wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s perfectly fine to ask your
recruiter (or the HR manager) what is common at the company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, people may appreciate the
question since it shows that you are interested in their company and want to be
prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Be comfortable with your
look, and take extra time for grooming on the day of your interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When choosing your clothes, think about
whether you will be comfortable eating and drinking in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Layer items in case you end up in a chilly
office or a very warm one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
wear layers that are easy to remove if it is too warm – a pullover sweater may
not be a good idea in this case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WHAT TO DO ABOUT FOOD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">We suggest that you eat
beforehand, even if you expect to be offered lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way you wont get low blood sugar if the meal is
delayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, you might want to
talk more than dine… so order something easy to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And remember: this lunch is still a part of your interview,
so keep your focus on the job and not the food! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">In case you are asked out
for “happy hour,” tread carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Watch the culture of the team, don’t drink much, and make sure to keep
your wits about you!</span></div>
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Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-76273266271393259322013-12-06T13:52:00.000-08:002013-12-06T13:52:03.639-08:00Crafting Your Resume (Part Six): Applying for Technical Positions in High-Tech Startups
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span>Part Six: A Few Final Tips and
Strategies</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6XLLU5AiQiU/UqJGRFtutzI/AAAAAAAAADU/yGqxrwGSa4M/s1600/BlogResume6.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6XLLU5AiQiU/UqJGRFtutzI/AAAAAAAAADU/yGqxrwGSa4M/s400/BlogResume6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b> <b> </b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today in this final
entry to our blog series we will wrap up our discussion on Crafting Your Resume
with some ideas on how to present your past experiences to your benefit, some
tips on editing, and a few general ideas to help you stand out as a great
candidate.</span>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">General Tips & Ideas</span></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">• Be specific on
your resume, but also leave something for an interviewer to follow up on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do your best to make the reader
curious!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">• It’s important to
be able to explain your projects to non-technical person – in a way that they
will be able to understand and appreciate what you have accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a skill that often needs some
practice – it’s better to work on this before someone calls you to follow up on
your resume.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">• Make your resume
self-contained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your </span><span style="font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">reader
should not be forced to Google the company name, etc. to understand what you
have accomplished.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Experience</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">When you list your
experience on your resume, your goal is to make the reader curious about you
and interested enough to follow up with a phone call or an interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few tips to create a solid
“experience” section while still keeping the reader’s interest:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Start by making a
standard, easy-to-read list of your experience: dates/title/company name</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Mention all relevant
personal projects – and make sure that you are specific enough for your readers
to understand what you were doing<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• List the challenges your
have met and the results you have achieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s critical to spell out concrete results and measurable
achievements here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Show the reader
that you can be a valuable asset to their team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• To highlight your accomplishments:
create a brief, concise list with small bullet points beneath project – making
sure to mention the specific things you accomplished and the key technologies you
used. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Make sure to list all of
your relevant skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t assume
that they are implied by other skills or achievements on your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that the first reader may be a
non-technical person who needs to see relevant skills listed on your resume in
order to pass it on to the hiring manager!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Leave your reader curious
and wanting to know more:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be
specific, but leave some details out to prompt an interviewer to follow up and
ask you some questions!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Editing</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Since the resume provides
people with their first impression of you, take the time to make it
easy-to-read, clear, and interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A final edit of your resume can help you to clean it up and make a great
first impression!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Craft your own
resume!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t have it edited by
others so much that it looks like someone else wrote it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make it authentic. If you write it
yourself it presents a true picture of your personality and you will avoid
having a resume with no personality.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">•<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make it unique: in general, if you write it yourself your
resume will automatically be unique and won’t look packaged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Geneva; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">• Does your grammar
matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it does!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proper grammar is very important for
certain positions, such as QA Engineers, or marketing professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it’s important for ALL
positions – even though poor grammar may be forgiven on an engineering resume,
it’s always better to apply from a position of strength.</span></div>
Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2329219599293529563.post-27307309717327571402013-11-18T12:37:00.000-08:002014-01-30T20:02:18.019-08:00Crafting Your Resume (Part Five): Applying for Technical Positions in High-Tech Startups<style>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"><span id="goog_226250653"></span><span id="goog_226250654"></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Part Five:
How to Handle Gaps in Employment</span></span></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJbBDpz6qbw/Uop5jibNB6I/AAAAAAAAADE/HSgRUXR_6vA/s1600/ResumeGapsGraphics.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XJbBDpz6qbw/Uop5jibNB6I/AAAAAAAAADE/HSgRUXR_6vA/s400/ResumeGapsGraphics.png" height="273" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><span style="font-family: Geneva;">So far in this series on
crafting your resume, we have just concerned ourselves with how you can present
yourself best if you have been working steadily for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we will address writing a resume
when you have significant gaps of time in your employment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is because you took time off
to care for aging parents, to raise a family, or for some other reason there
are some things you can do to make your resume more current, interesting and
engaging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we will also show
you a sample resume so you can see one way to position yourself well after a
few years out of the workplace.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">Show that you were busy during your off-years</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">•<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you take any classes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>List any courses you have taken during that time, show that
you have some personal projects that you are currently working on, and sign up
for some classes now to show that you are committed to re-joining the
workforce.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Did you volunteer during
your time off?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>List any volunteer
positions that are relevant to the job you are seeking, or ones that highlight
your leadership and interpersonal skills.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Did you do some
consulting work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, make an
umbrella to highlight all of your consulting activity during the past
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can list beginning and
ending dates of all consulting jobs combined (instead of listing each
one).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Definitely only list those
significant projects that you are interested in discussing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If these projects are relevant for the
job you are seeking, you most likely will not be asked for the specific dates
for each one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Emphasize the positive:
that you did something during that time, gained some knowledge and experience
relevant to the job you are seeking, and that you are very excited to re-enter
the workforce.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">An Example of a Resume Used to Re-enter the
Workplace</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Geneva;">Here is an example of what
a solid resume can look like, even after several years out of the workplace:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Summary</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Motivated professional with solid analytical and
programming skills </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Committed, hard-working person focused on
thorough comprehensive research and development </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Fast and efficient self-learner </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Uncompromising worker aiming at on-time delivery
and clear meaningful results</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Technical skills</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Languages: SQL, PL/SQL, Java</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Databases: Oracle, MySQL</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Environment: Eclipse, Git, Unix, Windows, Tomcat</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Other: Excel, C, JavaScript…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Education</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Stanford
University courses: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Machine
Learning: Linear and logistic regression, neural networks, SVM, clustering,
recommender systems and general ML system design and evaluation methods;
programming in Octave </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Introduction
to Databases: Relational design theory, SQL (basic, constraints and triggers,
indexes, transactions, views, authorization and recursion), XML, Xpath, Xquery,
XSLT, UML, OLAP and NoSQL</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Web
Intelligence and Big Data (online IIT Delhi course): classification and
prediction principles and approaches</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Statistics:
Making Sense of Data (online University of Toronto course): descriptive and
inferential statistics, programming in R</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">M.S. in
Mathematics, …</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Experience</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">January 2013 – current: Personal projects</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">competing in
machine learning challenges at Kaggle.com</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">exploring
AWS EC2/S3/EBS/EMR</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Concise list of previous positions held</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;"> </span><span style="font-family: Geneva;"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Geneva;">A Few More Little Things You Can Do</span></u></b>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Don’t mention why you
were out of work on your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It can be discussed during an interview if necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• If you held a position
for several years, just list the years (ex: from 2001-2004) on your resume,
instead of including the months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• You can use your cover
letter as an opportunity to explain long gaps (taking care of an aged parent,
raising children, etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Geneva;">• Make sure to mention
awards earned in any competition that highlight your problem solving capabilities
or any other skills relevant for the job you are seeking – even if they are
from a long time ago.</span></div>
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Elti Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00054026955698887968noreply@blogger.com0