Freshers paradise

More than ten percent of all workers are self-employed or run small businesses. Though often overlooked as a source of jobs, you could create your own job. It’s not easy, but some jobs—such as painting or consulting—cost very little to start. People with substantial management or professional experience often offer consulting services while continuing their job search. Some people successfully turn their unemployment into opportunities to start a business they have always dreamed of.

The best way to approach this may be to define what sort of activity you want to be self-employed in and begin doing that part-time while employed elsewhere. Many hobbies and part-time jobs help you develop the necessary skills that later help you avoid business failure.If you are now unemployed—or soon will be—consider self-employment as a way to earn temporary income. Paint houses, do tax returns, design Web sites, or do whatever else you know how to do to earn cash. The extraincome will help get you through to your next “real” job. If you know you want to be self-employed or start a particular type of business, it may also be wise to seek a job in your area of interest. Depending on the job, you can then gain the skills and contacts you need to succeed in that work on your own.

• Individual testing stations are like library carrels; they’re separated by halfwalls.
• The height of your chair’s seat will be adjustable and the chair will swivel. Chairs at most testing centers have arms.
• You can adjust the contrast on your computer monitor. If you notice any flickering, ask the supervisor to move you to another station.
• If your mouse has two buttons, you can use either button to click your way through the exam (both buttons serve the same function). Don’t expect to have a mouse with a wheel for easy scrolling. Trackballs are available, but only if you request one before Read the rest of this entry »

A resume reference is some one who can verify your credentials and all or part of the information you have written in your resume. References are usually contacted in the last stages of the job selection procedure.

You have to know your references well and be sure that they can give a good feedback

Resume references can be:

• Former teachers or professors
• Clients
• Former project managers or supervisors
• Other contacts from Read the rest of this entry »

A rich vocabulary is both a great asset and a great joy. When you have an extensive vocabulary you enjoy great advantages.

Rich Vocabulary can make you very confident.

-You can provide precise, vivid descriptions; you can speak more fluently and with more confidence; you can understand more of what you read; and you can read more sophisticated texts.

-A good vocabulary can enrich your personal life, help you achieve academic success, and give you an edge over others in the workplace. You can truly gain the proverbial verbal advantage.

-Make the commitment to improve your verbal skills. Success does not come without effort. Understanding the parts of a word gives you clues about its definition, and this can help you when you take tests,write reports, or Read the rest of this entry »

The missing square: Where is it?  Here’s a real mind-twister:

Where is the missing Square?

If you re-arrange the pieces of the upper “triangle” to form the lower “triangle”, a square goes missing.

Can you explain?

Note: The pieces in both the pictures are identical. Read the rest of this entry »

Most tests you face will be either abstract or practical. Others, like the Visual Logic test or the Form Recognition test, are of a type that is not so dependent upon prior knowledge. Some of these tests are looking for flexibility, perceptiveness or insight in your reasoning. This test, like other ‘reasoning’ tests, gives you a hint that the test may be searching for something deeper than the ability to add numbers.Therefore, the key overall rule for you to follow is that, having read the instructions and done the examples to a test, you should be clear about what the test is going to demand of you before you start it.

1. Problems ‘on your mind’

If something has happened to you that is absorbing your attention it is better to take the tests when you are in a more settled frameof mind. Such matters may be lack of sleep, poor health, or worry about other people.

2. Preparation

Check that you have everything you need before you start the test.If it is a paper-and-pen test, have you sufficient pencils? Have you an eraser? Have you got spare paper? Is there anything that might ‘put you off ’ or disturb you? Read the rest of this entry »

According to leading  companies, there are eight key areas in interviewing success. You can fail at an interview if you mishandle just one area.

• 1. Do wear appropriate clothes. You can never go wrong by wearing a perfect cloth to an interview.
• 2. Do be well groomed. Don’t overlook the obvious things like having clean hair, clothes, and fingernails for the interview.
• 3. Do give a firm handshake. You’ll have to shake hands twice in most interviews: first, before you sit down, and second, when you leave the interview. Limp handshakes turn most people off.
• 4. Do smile and show a sense of humor. Interviewers are looking for people who would be nice to work with, so don’t be so somber that you don’t smile. In fact, research shows that people who smile at interviews are perceived as more intelligent. So, smile! Read the rest of this entry »

We all need all the help we can get. A trusting relationship with a professional recruiter can move your career ahead. You can do your part to establish that trust by observing the following guidelines.

1. Be up front about your financial needs and goals.
2. Take time to learn about the recruiter’s practice and the markets he or she serves.
3. Establish the ground rules for how you plan to work together and avoid duplication of effort. Read the rest of this entry »

Test will not tell us anything very much unless taken in the optimum conditions. Therefore, you must ensure that the conditions in which you take tests allow you to do your best. The tests may be online or you may be asked to sit a paper-and-pen version.

Here is a checklist covering testing situations in general:

• You must not be distracted. Ensure that you will not be interrupted by other people or sounds that might intrude.
• You must be comfortable. If you are too hot or cold or other things put you off, such as poor lighting, then let someone know. If you want to take time out to go to the lavatory, then it is sensible to say so.
• Be prepared. Before attending the test session make sure that you have covered any options such as pre-reading, that there are no exercises that it is impossible for you to do, that you have asked what you should bring, how long the process will take and what it will consist of. Read the rest of this entry »

Study the advertisement and your CV and write a better cover letter:

• Make a draft, emphasising your suitability for the post, using positive and active expressions.
• Check the draft for correct spelling and grammar, or ask someone else to do so if you are unsure.
• Write or type a fair copy of the letter.
• Make a copy to keep. You may need it for reference and to take to the interview. Read the rest of this entry »

OfficeTeam provides the following tips to avoid embarrassing job interview moments:

• Do your homework. Study the company and ask the interviewer relevant questions that demonstrate your interest in the firm.
• Dress to impress. Err on the conservative side with a suit in a neutral tone. “Test drive” a new outfit before the interview to make sure it’s comfortable.
• Don’t delay. Plan to arrive at your interview at least 15 minutes early. Give yourself extra time if you are unfamiliar with the area.
• Keep it real. Offer examples and anecdotes that help illustrate your strengths, but do not embellish or lie.
• Resist rambling. Once you have answered an interview question, stop Read the rest of this entry »

Excellent, simple and interesting test. Look at the image sequences. Never hit the same circle again.Try your skill.  Nice game to train your visual memory.Put your results into the comments  (level 10 and above is generally great)

Humor elegantly framed and sharply focused can be effective and advantageous. But it must come naturally to you.But nothing is as risky as forced humor. Amateurs shouldn’t try this at the office. A half-baked attempt at humor can seriously backfire on you, and if you offend the interviewer.

These kind of funny answers can show a quick exit!

For that reason many job coaches advise against any attempt at humor, sarcasm, or teasing. Just play it straight, they say, and you can’t go wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

Kochi: After delaying campus recruitments this year, bellwether IT company Infosys is likely to visit colleges for fresh hiring in January next year.

“Most probably we will be going to campuses in January after we assess the situation. Since there is a slowdown and if the situation improves, we will be going to campuses,” Infosys CEO and Managing Director S Gopalakrishnan told reporters on the sidelines of a CII conference here.

About 18,000 candidates, Read the rest of this entry »

Infosys Technologies Limited, the Software Major said that the 18,000 students to whom the have made the offer, from various Engineering colleges across the country would join the company in July 2009.

The company predicts there were very few layoffs in IT companies but the situation would become worse if the recession lasted for a longer period and they hope, this bad period will be over by 2010 and in the worst case by 2014. Read the rest of this entry »

A cover letter is an essential part of a job hunt.

Please do not attempt to implement a job hunt without a cover letter s. A cover letter is the first impression of you, and you can influence the way an employer views you by the language and style of your letter.

If you don’t know what you want to do next, it’s best to make your cover letter “all purpose.”

In a job hunt, the all-purpose cover letter can be a time saver because it can serve as a “standard” or “model” or “template” which you can use each time you send out your resume. Read the rest of this entry »

OneLook Dictionary Search
More than 13 years old , with a database of 5 million words..no doubt onelookdictionary is indexed by more than 1024 online dictionaries.You can find,  define and translate words all at this site.A must for every word lovers!
Visuwords
Look up for words to find their meanings and its associations with other words and concepts. Make diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Learn how words are associated.

Merriam Webster: Visual Dictionary

The Visual Dictionary Online is an interactive dictionary with an innovative approach. From the image to the word and its definition, the Visual Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference. Search the themes to quickly locate words, or find the meaning of a word by viewing the image it represents. What’s more, the Visual Dictionary Online helps you learn English in a visual and accessible way. Read the rest of this entry »

Besides enabling you to “flatter” the interviewer, there are at least six central reasons to research a company before you step into the interview:

1. To find out whether or not it’s a place you want to work
2. To discover what skills the job or the company most values
3. To ferret out as much as you can about the company culture and mission in order to align some of your competencies to fit the company’s style and goals
4. To impress the employer Read the rest of this entry »

What Is a Q Statement?

A Q statement is a sentence  that expresses a numerical measurement of some action or accomplishment which you have performed. A Q statement is quantitative. Also the Q statement  is not vague; it’s exact in value. For example, rather than saying you “increased productivity,” using a Q statement, you would say that you “in 2008 we increased productivity by 25 percent.”

Why we need to quantify a skill? Let’s take a look at the following statements and see which of them bears the most weight and leaves the longest-lasting impression:

STATEMENT A -:

I am a good planner.

STATEMENT B -:

I reduced overhead by 25 percent while increasing profits by 43 percent annually.

Which of these two statements seems the most evocative? From which one can you make a mental picture? Which will you remember? Statement B is more descriptive and more concrete. It does not simply make a claim or advance a personal opinion. Statement B uses actual facts and numbers to specifically demonstrate the skills. This kind of clarification gives the listener evidence of the skill and a good idea of the scope of it.

Statement B is Q statement as it uses actual facts and numbers to specifically demonstrate the skills.

Given are few ways to quantify your statements:

1. By numbers of people, places, things, units, or actions, such as “handled 1500 telephone calls per day.”
2. By amounts of money saved or earned, such as Read the rest of this entry »

1.Create flashcards

Use index cards to create an easy and effective study tool. Put the vocabulary word on one side and its meaning and an example  sentence on the other. You can copy the example  sentence from the word list, but you will learn the word faster and remember it better if you create a sentence of your own.

2.Use the words as you learn them.

The best way to remember what a word means is to use it. Make it an active part of your vocabulary as soon as possible. Use the word in a letter to a friend, as you write in your journal, or in your next conversation with a coworker. Share your new words with your best friend, your siblings, or your spouse. Read the rest of this entry »

Adaptive or transferable skills is the one every employers look for in a candidate.. What is most interesting is that most of these skills are not formally taught in school. Yet these “soft” skills are those that employers value most. Of course, job specific skills are also important—an accountant will still need to know accounting skills, but the adaptive and transferable skills are the ones that allow you to succeed in any job.

• Learning to learn
• Basic academic skills in reading, writing, and computation
• Good communication skills including listening and speaking
• Creative thinking and problem solving
• Self-esteem, motivation, and goal setting Read the rest of this entry »

According to the companies who do the interviewing the “14 Most Common Reasons Job Hunters Are Not Offered Jobs” are :

1. Low level of accomplishment
2. Poor attitude, lack of self-confidence
3. Lack of goals/objectives
4. Lack of enthusiasm
5. Lack of interest in the company’s business
6. Inability to sell or express yourself
7. Unrealistic salary demands Read the rest of this entry »

What Do Interviewers Want? Key Traits Employers Use to Assess Freshers.

Thinking—can the candidate:

• Quickly and effectively solve challenging problems?
• Learn and apply new job-related information?
• Develop sophisticated long-term strategic responses? Read the rest of this entry »

Of course, even great talent will not get you a job offer if you have other attitudinal problems. A successful job-hunt is a matter of attitude. Employers look for people who believe in their skills and have a positive attitude.Here we present in order the  10 top attitude strikeouts that condemn Fresh-candidates.

1. Doesn’t ask questions
2. Condemnation of past employer Read the rest of this entry »

Sudoku can improve your adaptive skills..

Sudoku is a challenging, fun and incredibly addictive number game that may very well become the crossword puzzle of the 21st century. Meaning “single number” in Japanese, Sudoku (which is also sometimes called Sodoku, which means “numbers singly”) consists of a 9×9 grid (81 squares), which is further divided into 3×3 sub-grids.Did you know that playing sudoku can be beneficial in many ways? Many experts believe sudoku can develop and improve one’s mental skulls, attitude and creativity.

Here are few of the good things you gain by playing sudoku:

• Logical  thinking.  As you make playing sudoku a habit, your ability to think critically and logically improves. Read the rest of this entry »