Archive for January, 2008

Take Your Russian Fiance to an American Wedding Before You Get Married

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

By John Kunkle When I saw my friends later on, they would say to us, what a beautiful wedding. By American standards, it was pretty good. My wife would remain silent when they made such comments. I would remain silent. From my wifes Russian viewpoint, our wedding was a miserable failure. My recommendation is to take your fianc to an American wedding before you get married. I dont care if you know the people well at the wedding or not. Crash a wedding if you have to. My wife knew none of the customs here. She didnt know where to shop. She had no friends to help her. I planned the wedding. I lined up the church, the reception hall, the priest, the music, the cake — everything. I asked my friends to cook roasts and turkeys and asked other guests to bring food like a potluck. They all came through for me big time. They set up the reception hall. I had to help my wife order her wedding dress so much for not seeing the bride before the wedding. We covered ten stores and one hundred miles to get her wedding shoes. When we finally found a pair that she liked and that fit her, I was a little heavy handed about insisting on buying them. She wanted to keep looking for more shoes. I was the bridegroom, the wedding planner, mother of the bride, all rolled into one.I did the best job I could. My wife grudgingly acknowledges today that I did a pretty good job. However, she still holds it against me because it was not a proper Russian wedding. Expectations have everything to do with happiness. If you expect one thing and get another, no matter how nice it is, you arent happy. My wife was expecting a proper Russian wedding and got a hybrid American wedding instead. Many couples have two weddings one in the West and one in the East. My wife and I had planned to do something similar, but by the time she made it back to Belarus, she was four months pregnant and didnt fit into her wedding dress anymore. Her family had a nice celebration for us to welcome us to the family instead. We also had the baby baptized in Belarus with a celebration to follow. John has been successfully married to a Belarussian wife for over five years. He has traveled extensively through Russia and other CIS countries. He will tell you why you should consider Russian women, how to meet them, how to bring your special woman home, and how to survive married life.http://www.russian-luv.com/whywritten1.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Kunkle http://EzineArticles.com/?Take-Your-Russian-Fiance-to-an-American-Wedding-Before-You-Get-Married&id=349702 buy phentermine on line without prescription cheap phentermine without a prescription phentermine online next day buy phentermine using mastercard

Creating and Interpreting Behavior During an Employment Interview

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

By L Scott Harrell Before conducting an interview, the interviewer must understand the fundamentals of behavior as it relates to the act of lying. During the interview, the interviewer must be concerned with whether or not a potential employee is telling the truth and accurately describing his or her background. A candidate may be able to lie successfully because the interviewer is not in tune with the prospective employees non-verbal clues that indicate deception. Becoming aware of the manifestations of dishonesty is a vital skill in becoming a great interviewer. Interpreting non-verbal behavior is the least understood element of communication. Between 55% and 65% of all communication between two people is conveyed through body language, while 30% to 40% of this same communication is carried in the tone of voice. This leaves less than 10% to the spoken word. Therefore, it should be absolutely clear that an interviewer must be concerned with a candidates non-verbal responses. These silent clues may provide more information than the applicant’s own answers. The subconscious and conscious mind act separately. Lying and simultaneously attempting to control the many different signals, emotions and other physical behaviors indicative of dishonesty is almost impossible for the unpracticed conscious mind. (Most people have a hard enough time keeping their stories straight!) A candidate will experience some level of stress during an interview, which will create minor amounts of incongruent non-verbal behaviors. The signals we are concerned with tend to manifest themselves when the candidate subconsciously feels the highest levels of stress, stemming from the fear that their lies may be detected. This increased stress induces telltale behaviors. The candidate’s behaviors are the result of an unconscious attempt to protect or distance themselves from the source of stress, which in most cases is the interviewer and his or her questions. Non-verbal behavior reveals itself in body positioning, gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions. Evaluating verbal responses involves awareness of tone, volume, and speed of speech. Other tactics include evaluating a candidates attitude, use of various delay techniques (abnormal pauses between a question and the applicant’s answer) and listening for verbal slips. While these clues can be indicative of a candidates dishonesty, they cannot be used individually and separately in making a good appraisal of a candidates responses. First, suspected behavior must be compared to a norm for the candidate. And secondly, the suspected behavior must be evaluated in context with the discussion. Establishing a candidates norm simply means determining how this person responds to questions that he or she does not find threatening. For example, answering questions regarding ones name, date of birth, or social security number should not be stressful, assuming the candidate is not attempting to conceal their identity. Other questions regarding their drive to the interview, the weather and other current events will help an interviewer begin to establish how the candidate uses verbal and non-verbal behavior in non-threatening communication. During these neutral questions the interviewer, concerned with establishing a norm, should be evaluating the following: The amount of eye contact with the interviewer Body position, in relation to the interviewer How a candidate uses his hands or gestures while speaking Other body movements Facial expression How quickly the candidate responds to the interviewers questions The candidates tone and volume of their voice After spending time relaxing the candidate, building rapport, and establishing a norm, the interviewer should then make the transition into asking well-crafted “integrity questions” regarding information contained in the employment application and resume and monitoring the applicant for subtle deviations in behavior which may indicate stress related to a specific question and the corresponding answer. L. Scott Harrell is the author of Truth or Consequences: Hiring for Integrity, a manual which completely and accurately describes proven pre-employment hiring strategies and interviewing skills developed from 14 years of experience as a private investigator and principal of CompassPoint Investigations. More information regarding Hiring for Integrity and other effective hiring practices can be found via his website: http://www.HiringProfessionals.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L_Scott_Harrell http://EzineArticles.com/?Creating-and-Interpreting-Behavior-During-an-Employment-Interview&id=111778 cheap phentermine no prescription required phentermine without a doctors prescription non prescription phentermine buy phentermine without doctor approval

New York City Police Officer’s Death Related To 9/11 Work Exposure

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008

By Manfred Ricciardelli On January 5, 2006 former New York City Police Officer James Zadroga died of respiratory disease. Officer Zadroga performed rescue and recovery work at the World Trade Center during the month following the September 11 tragedy. Shortly afterwards he developed a chronic cough, shortness of breath and acid reflux. Over time he had increased difficulty breathing and lost significant weight. During the four and one half years between his exposure and eventual death Officer Zadroga sought recognition from the government that his condition was related to his September 11 exposure. He also sought assistance in meeting his medical and financial obligations. The government denied these requests. Under New Jersey Workers Compensation Law the type of exposure Officer Zadroga sustained would be compensable. His employer would be responsible for providing medical treatment, pay for time out of work and a final payment of permanent disability benefits. In the case of his death, the employer would also be responsible for providing Officer Zadrogas dependents, in his case his young daughter, with dependency benefits. There are two types of compensable incidents acknowledged by New Jersey Workers Compensation Law. The more common of the two is the specific accident. Slip and falls, car accidents and lifting injuries are prime examples of specific accidents. However, New Jersey Workers Compensation Law also acknowledges occupational exposures as being compensable. Officer Zadroga sustained this type of injury. Occupational exposure injuries occur over a period of time. No one specific incident causes the injury. Instead, constant and repeated exposures to harmful conditions cause the worker to suffer an injury. Carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive motion injuries and pulmonary disease are prime examples of occupational injuries. To be compensable, an occupational exposure must be more than minimal and must be peculiar to the work place. The phrase more than minimal relates to the length of the exposure. A fleeting exposure may not lead to a compensable injury. There is no set amount of time that separates a minimal exposure from one that is more than minimal. The Courts apply a reasonableness standard. Officer Zadroga spent 16 hour days sifting through the World Trade center debris. He spent a total of 470 hours performing this job. By any reasonable understanding of the term, this length of exposure to severe pulmonary irritants must be considered more than minimal. The exposure must also be peculiar to the workplace. If it is the type of exposure that you would find in normal, everyday life it will not be compensable. If the injury is due to the normal aging process it will also not be compensable. Officer Zadroga was exposed to the more than one million tons of dust and debris that resulted from the collapse of the twin towers. This included exposure to multiple toxic chemicals, including asbestos. It is difficult to imagine another exposure of this type. Officer Zadrogas autopsy results have recently been released. After reviewing the officers lungs and other vital organs the coroner determined that the cause of death was directly related to the September 11 tragedy. Although this finding came too late to help Officer Zadroga, it may cause the appropriate government agencies to change their position regarding the cause of lung disease for post September 11 workers. It also may assist aggressive attorneys in compelling these agencies to change that position. This would help the many other individuals who suffer from post September 11 lung disease to obtain benefits for themselves and, if appropriate, for their loved ones. Manfred Ricciardelli is an attorney specializing in Work Related Injury Claims. He is also a Volunteer Firefighter. He can be reached at 3 Prospect Street, Morristown, NJ, 07960. Phone (973) 285-1100. E-Mail mfr@mfrlawoffice.com. Web Site http://www.mfrlawoffice.com. Copyright 2006 Manfred F. Ricciardelli, Jr. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Manfred_Ricciardelli http://EzineArticles.com/?New-York-City-Police-Officers-Death-Related-To-9/11-Work-Exposure&id=181673 phentermine and pharmacy buy cheap phentermine 37.5 phentermine union pharmacy buy phentermine 30 mg

Network Marketing - A Bit of History and Future

Monday, January 28th, 2008

By Ruby River Its an exciting world we live in today and one far different than the world of fifty-years ago. There are very few things in our society now that existed five decades ago, and if they do exist, they have certainly changed in a great many ways. Most people dont realize that Network Marketing has been around, and flourishing, for more than fifty years. Not only that, but it has gained force over the years, to the point that today, it is the single marketing technique that brings in the most revenues for those that participate. People are suspicious of change In the 1960s franchising was the new technology in business. My parents remember what a scam everyone thought franchising to be. In fact franchising was almost outlawed by Congress, and today this once thought to be scam is responsible for over 30% of retail sales in Northern America. Network Marketing has and does face the same scrutiny. Lets begin at the beginning Over fifty years ago, long before home based businesses truly prospered, in the early 1940s, a company called California Vitamins (known as NutraLite Food Supplement Corporations) struck gold with a brand new concept. They realized that most of their incoming sales force were referred to them by their current sales force, and in fact, were usually family members and friends. They quickly discovered that it was easier to create a sales force of a lot of people who each sold a small amount of products than it was to find a few who could sell a lot of products. By combining these two ideas and designing a sales compensation structure that encouraged their sales people to invite new representatives in who, in turn, had the same right to offer the product and the representative status to others, allowed the sales force exponential growth. Taking this knowledge, they created the very first instance of Network Marketing by rewarding their employees in two different ways: first, when they recruited others into their sales fold; and secondly, by the total sales earned within each representatives group, or network. This simple concept has turned into a billion dollar business all of its own, and is now the number one marketing system in the United States. Unfortunately, as with anything that is highly successful, unethical people will find a way to misuse it to their own benefit. From scams such as chain letters that promised money to those that participated, to the well known pyramid schemes. Obviously, if Im stating that Network Marketing is number one in the United States, and not only for home based businesses or Internet home based businesses, then you may be wondering who, exactly, is using Network Marketing? There are literally thousands of companies utilizing this method of marketing across the United States and most other countries in our world today. If you can name the company it is extremely probably they are also engaging in Network Marketing with huge success. Even Avon, who began as a fully focused direct-sales company, now has branched off into Network Marketing. Their reasons were a loss in profit as more women entered the workforce; and therefore, there werent as many people home during the day to market their products in the old-fashioned door-to-door routine. What is Network Marketing and how does it work? It is a proven method of benefiting those that work in a team structured atmosphere. Network Marketing is the actual sale of products, services, or information to others within a cohesive and strongly built team environment. To break it down simply, however, Network Marketing is a process in which you share information while developing contacts. This leads into increased product sales in which you will be rewarded for and not just for your sales, either. Remember those contacts youve developed? As those people bring in new sales, you also get rewarded for that and on it goes. It can truly be a never-ending cycle of income and support. The company youre associated with supplies the product, the services, and/or the information to their representatives. They supply the marketing tools, the advertising tools, and, what is most essential to the home based business entrepreneur the support. The future of Network Marketing has no boundaries. It can be everything you want it to be if you put the time into it, listen to those who have come before you, and continue to build your contact list every single day. Network Marketing is the path to financial freedom. It can be your path if you want it to be! If youre considering any work at home business, educating yourself further on Network Marketing is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Author: Ruby River is the proud owner of an established home business whose business affiliate is one of the oldest and continues to be the most successful within the billion-dollar personal development community. A genuine business opportunity promoting financial and emotional change is available without hype. Success is a Choice. Serious, entrepreneur minded, visit http://livegreatlife.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruby_River http://EzineArticles.com/?Network-Marketing—A-Bit-of-History-and-Future&id=532586 purchase phentermine on line online prescriptions for phentermine buy phentermine no perscription buy phentermine 180

Attending Community College Online

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

By Mark Woodcock In order to succeed in the workforce, it is often necessary to be educated past the high school level. In order to earn better pay or be promoted to better positions, sometimes more educational training is required. Receiving an Associates degree from an accredited community college is a step in the right direction. A community college is a post-secondary institution of higher education that offers many options to a person who is looking to earn more than minimum wage. Attending community college through an online program is a flexible and convenient way to supplement your education from the comforts of home, and without sacrificing work or family commitments. This innovative and exciting method of professional development is an ideal option if you are looking for a promotion, or if you are looking for a new career entirely. There are many advantages of opting to get an education from a program offered through an online community college. Earning an Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Science degree, or a certificate in a specialized field from online program allows you to study at your own pace. There is no need to live near or commute to a college when all classes can be attended and all work submitted online. Attending school online is a great option for those who might have uncertainties about going to college as an older student or returning after many years. Attending community college online can be an easy way to ease into the routine of class work and projects, and can reduce the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger students. Further, course availability is often convenient for those who work full time or care for a family. Often, community colleges offer evening and weekend classes. There are many subjects offered to study online at community college. Associates degrees and certificates available include General Studies, Accounting, Computer Networking, Information Systems, and various healthcare programs. These are but a few of the subjects in which you can earn a college education by choosing an online program. Many online programs are delivered through colleges and Universities accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation is an important credential to look for when choosing an online program if you have prior college credits you wish to transfer. Accredited institutions are also more readily recognized and accepted by employers and professional organizations. And if you are concerned about affording community college, dont be. Often, financial aid is available to students in the form of grants, loans, even scholarships. Also, many employers are willing to pay for part or all of an employees tuition and fees. The misconception of attending an online community college program is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending campus-based classes at a traditional community college. This just isnt the case. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. While it is true that being an online student requires a certain amount of self-discipline and organization, receiving your Associates degree online will probably help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop your time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with an Associates degree or certificate in a specialized field, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology. Receiving your Associates degree online from a community college is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities, and have the career you have always dreamt about. Learn the essential information for picking the right online degree course at Community College Online Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Woodcock http://EzineArticles.com/?Attending-Community-College-Online&id=103751 where can i purchase phentermine internet pharmacy phentermine get phentermine prescription phentermine no prescription required

Attract Woman Tips - What was the Most Outrageous Thing You Did to Meet a Woman?

Saturday, January 26th, 2008

By Heidi Wallick It starts out as an ordinary day. Then it happens. You lay eyes on a woman who is mysterious, erotic, sultry, a rare beauty. What can you do to get her attention? Your standard pickup line doesn’t have a chance to attract a woman and meet a woman of your dreams. You are going to have to turn it up a notch. It’s time to think fast, before this fish swims away. You have only moments before your window of opportunity closes forever. Then it comes to you, the most perfect idea to make this woman fall for you. You surely are a genius to be able to think so fast on your feet. It’s just unbelievable how expertly your mind works in times of pressure. How do women resist you at all, with your lady killer instincts. But enough already. You can do the self adoration thing later. Now you need to focus and put your plan into action. So tell me, what WAS the most outrageous thing you did to meet a woman? Finding French to Attract Woman You approach her on the street. Looking confused and needy, you use your best French accent and say Bonjour ma belle, ou est la boulangerie, aahh coafee showppe sil vous plait. (hello beautiful, where is the bakery/coffee shop please). After a few more mercis and excusez moi”s later, she is walking you to the nearest Starbucks. Ogling at Office to Attract Woman You have been secretly attracted to a co-worker. You hear that today is her birthday. As you pass her in the hall, you say “Happy Birthday”, gently press her up against the wall, kiss her on the mouth, and keep walking. Goin Broke for the Beauty to Attract Woman You find yourself alone in the elevator with a bombshell. You pull out your checkbook, and write a check for a million dollars made out to the most beautiful woman in the world. In the notes/reason line, you write for one smile and hand it to her. Chocolate and Charming to Attract Woman You jump on the treadmill next to her. You place a chocolate kiss on the ledge of her treadmill. You look at her seriously and say If you race me and win, a kiss is yours. Fearful Flyer to Attract Woman After boarding the plane, you see a beautiful woman reading a magazine in her seat. You tap the gentleman sitting next to her, and say softly to him, Excuse me, but my wife is extremely fearful of flying, would you mind switching seats with me so that we can be seated next to each other. She overhears your comment, but is confused as to who you are talking about. Before she realizes that you were referring to her, youre safely tucked in your seat next to her with safety belt in place. Don Juan Dancer to Attract Woman You see her in the grocery store. You pluck the flower out of the flower bouquet in your cart, stick it between your teeth, grab her by the hand and waist, and start doing the tango. Singing for a Smile to Attract Woman You are in the bookstore, you grab her hand and break out into song with Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. Relationship advice for guys gives easy simple tips on obtaining and maintaining healthy relationships. For more tips on how to attract a woman, to meet a woman, and improve your dating life, check out http://www.relationship-advice-for-guys.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heidi_Wallick http://EzineArticles.com/?Attract-Woman-Tips—What-was-the-Most-Outrageous-Thing-You-Did-to-Meet-a-Woman?&id=136092 phentermine online without prescription buy cheap phentermine 37.5 mg 90ct purchase phentermine cod buy phentermine online

What the Trend in Online Databases Means to the Employment Screening Industry

Friday, January 25th, 2008

By Cathy Taylor The most prominent trend in the employment screening industry has been a proliferation of online databases offering cheap background checks. Any one can access the internet and with a quick search be able to purchase, for example, criminal records for a low fee. While that is very appealing to companies looking to trim the budget on background checks, it may in fact be a dangerous trend. What do the companies say that have been running background checks, back when employment screening industry was just a concept and not an accepted practice? Tom Lawson, the founder of APSCREEN, the oldest screening firm in the country, says The necessity of a background check has been established now, and that’s why we are seeing such a proliferation of people getting into the business - particularly because the internet makes it an easy field to enter because of the low start-up costs. Lawson continues, But back in 1980, when we practically invented the concept of employment screening, companies had to be convinced that there was a good reason to spend money on background checks. We have always been a business that focused on training our specialists to screen applications for completeness, thoroughness and accuracy and provide our customers with individualized service. This trend of online databases is very disturbing to us because the potential for error and liability is very high. The Dangers of Databases - Caveat Emptor of the Quick Turnaround Databases are only as good as the search logic used to retrieve stored data, and search logic is expensive and only as good as the amount of money the database companies are wiling to invest in it. Unfortunately, the advent of the internet has made starting an online business easy for anyone. As a result, many companies that start an internet data selling business do so because the start-up costs are small which means the databases can only provide limited information. Even worse, most online database providers lack an intimate working knowledge of how to screen potential applicants. Their focus is on selling units of information for profit. Database companies cannot simply use off-the-shelf software to retrieve publicly compiled repository information. It comes in too many proprietary operating systems’ and while good, expensive search logic helps to delineate between the different languages of the information entered into the database company’s archival system, it can NEVER be 100% competent, even if it is a very robust retrieval architecture. By the sheer science of databasing, 100% information retrieval capability is impossible, unless (as demonstrated recently by the IRS and FBI Computer fiascos) the source data originates from wholly compatible systems. This means that going in you can never expect to have a complete file when you compile data from different systems. This results in data drops in which bytes of information mysteriously disappear, as well as computer viruses which can reside undetected in mainframes for years and indiscriminately wipe out data, which would be undecipherable in a foreign operating environment, such as a third party compiler. A classic example of this occurred on January 17, 1990, when screening client District Cablevision received a now infamous incorrect report of a felony cocaine conviction on one James Russell Wiggins, which was not verified for accuracy or its relationship to the subject Wiggins, and which resulted in a serious elimination of candidacy lawsuit brought against the provider based upon slander. This error dealt a major blow to the reputation of the provider and resulted in the payment of a substantial monetary settlement. (US District Court, District of Columbia; Civil Action 90-199; Wiggins (et al) v. Equifax Services, Inc. (et al).) Database companies outnumber legitimate employment screeners almost 75 to 1 in the industry today. The main problem with such vendors who advertise nationwide criminal checks, statewide criminal checks, instant, or online, is the veracity of the data they are selling and the competency of the search used to retrieve the data. Many vendors acquire data from a multitude of sources, not having any idea who compiled the information in the first place. This data is then combined into each vendor’s own format, which often does not contain complete information. The common term in the database industry is data drops, which in addition to the above meaning also means that not all of the data, such as criminal record information from a court jurisdiction that is put into the database, is available to be extracted, retrieved or researched. This occurs because of the following: 1. The bridge software used to import the jurisdictional data into the database company’s memory banks can never be 100% reliable, as long as the compiler is gathering information from foreign repositories 2. The computer has to handle many different formats while compiling information into a standardized format so that some of the data simply does not transfer. This is a problem because of the technical department’s inability to inform the sales/marketing department properly as to the database’s limitations or unwillingness to tell the customer that the product it is selling may be deficient in some areas. As a result, approximately 5 to 8% of the data is lost. That means that there is a 92% to 94% chance (at best) to identify a record on a candidate. Also, data drops are indiscriminate. Rape convictions are dropped as easily as traffic tickets. The second problem with databases is the psychological dependence they engender on those using them. As time progresses, the databases’ ease-of-use causes the user to forget just how important it is that the database be accurate and complete, and that the need for thoroughness in screening an employment candidate should never vary, as to ensure consistency in the screening process, thus precluding the successful prosecution of the employer for Title 7 claims. The results of falling into this pattern of laziness can be disastrous as litigation may not be far behind. Crucial Steps in the Employment Screening Process Historically, and until the late 1970s when the personnel department recognized the need to get involved in employment screening, background checks were performed by security departments - typically comprised of highly qualified, and often retired professionals. Today it’s up to the HR department to create the mandatory steps needed to develop a thorough employment screening procedure including for starters, a positive candidate identification process. If this isn’t the first step in the background check, the results of your searches could be faulty and therefore prove useless. For example, critical identification data needs to be gleaned from credit bureaus and other repositories including unused maiden names, or intentionally omitted information such as date of birth and variations in social security numbers. This is where the difference between true employment screeners and data sellers comes into play. It takes years of experience to be able to differentiate, for example, intentionally omitted information versus an honest mistake. The same holds true for incomplete disclosures such as partial criminal history in which the full story can dramatically change your assessment of the applicant. One such case involved an applicant who disclosed to the company that she was convicted of trespassing. When the criminal check came back, however, it was discovered that while she had indeed told the truth that she was convinced of trespassing, she had also been convicted of trafficking in child pornography and possession of controlled substances - a serious error by omission. Hiring decisions must not be made on partial, incomplete or incorrect data, but on thorough information and a consistent application of thorough scrutiny of all of the information regarding criminal, credit, work and education history, driving attitude, whether or not the candidate has completed the application completely, as well as identity disclosure. A screener must have extensive knowledge about each vendor source to make the appropriate follow-on decisions that develop into a full and comprehensive report. Online databases don’t provide highly trained researchers who can spot red flags and other indicators in an application that demand further consideration. You can only get this kind of service from an interactive screener who has years of experience in processing background checks. Another reason online databases can be cause potential liability is because most databases contain information that may not be used in the screening process such as arrest records, or unadjudicated matters, or matters for which an expungement exists at the Court but is not reflected in the database. As previously stated, professional background checks require an experienced researcher who knows what to look for including: verifying a applicant’s true identity, obtaining verification of past employment and education, fully investigating the applicant’s criminal past (a skill that requires an intense, and multi-level knowledge of court procedures, credit evaluation including legal records such as bankruptcies, tax liens and judgments, driving analysis, as well as a history of being a sex offender or involved in domestic violence or retraining orders for stalking. All of the factors contribute to, but may not necessarily be germane to the job description, at hand, and while exciting, could lead an employer into court, for using the information to deny candidacy, for inapplicability. By now it should be fairly clear that professional background checks are a comprehensive package that far outweigh any bits and pieces of information that can be provided by any individual online database. When a person is thinking about hiring someone and they believe that all I really need to do is run a fingerprint check, they are really missing the point. So much more information is needed to make a careful, informed hiring decision. Besides, only police departments run fingerprint checks, not employers. Liability Risks of Not Performing Background Checks In today’s hiring environment employers face ever increasing potential for liability from the workplace when they choose not to do background checks on their news hires. Those liabilities include: Premises liability for not safeguarding customers from employees who steal, lie, cheat or injure Negligent hiring liability in the event of violence or fiduciary malfeasance, for not providing other employees a safe place to work Termination or investigation of the individual who hired an applicant who later steals from the company or exposes the company to the above-mentioned liabilities. Litigation under officer/director liability theories because of incompetent or inept hiring practices involving the company and/or person who hired the employee To prevent this type of litigation, a company must have established a refined HR policy that includes a professional employment screening component. You must become knowledgeable about employment laws which a good background screener can help you with. For example, did you know that it is illegal to make a decision to not hire someone based on an arrest record alone? Usually, the only time it is legal for a third-party provider to release arrest information is in the case of daycare providers and nuclear facility workers. An employer, generally is not allowed to ask about arrests and cannot use this information to deny employment Critical Tips For Choosing an Employment Screener So what should you be looking for in an employment screening company? First of all, look for longevity. The longer a company has been providing background checks, the more experienced it is, and as a result, the knowledge, they will have in recognizing the signs of a suspect applicant. This is a field where screeners need not only be highly trained, but have extensive experience. Ask for references and then call them. You want a company with an extensive and positive track record of providing factual information so you can make an informed hiring decision. Look for the company’s professional memberships in organizations such as ASIS, SHRM, PIHRA, NPRRA, NAPBS, as well as others. This indicates a combined knowledge of the screening and security industries. Do you as the hiring company; have a complete knowledge of employment law? If not, you need your screening company to know the laws involving background checks. If is extremely beneficial if you hire a company that has an acute knowledge of negligent hiring practices, much in the way that an Expert Witness would know. The company should have an intimate, thorough and long-term knowledge of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as well as Sarbanes-Oxley, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the myriad local statutes that may or may not apply to the employment process. They should also have the ability to testify for you in a court of law if need be; or even better, keep you out of court in the first place! Does your prospective screener have knowledge and understanding of current HR management systems? How about corporate due diligence programs or factual employment screening programs that train people to find fraudulent applications and false identities? Are you beginning to see how there is so much more to background checks than first meets the eye? In short, can your vendor help keep you from unwanted litigation? Unless you or someone in your company is an expert in employment law, you are putting your company at significant risk by using an online database provider. If you are using any of the multitudes of online databases, it’s not likely you are protected. Not only do these online companies increase your risk of exposure, they may even add to it. For example, let’s say you are currently using an employment screener that does not require you to provide a signed release for each applicant. Sounds relatively harmless, doesn’t it? The truth is what these companies have done is had you waive liability to them when you signed up for an account so they can avoid the time and effort it takes involved in this critical step. Their focus in on increasing their sales; which isn’t necessarily in your company’s best interest. In the case of a credit bureau audit, your company is now responsible for producing an original signed application and therefore also liable if you don’t have one on file. A good employment screener is not only a long-term certified credit bureau, they also provide signatures for these audits on a regular basis and you should never even know when theses audits occur. A typical lawsuit of this nature could cost your company six figures. There is no upside for a company purchasing background checks to take this kind of risk. What type of criminal conviction research, hand-researched or online databases, does the company provide? Most companies do not realize that there is absolutely NO single source of information available regarding criminal convictions. It doesn’t exist - anywhere. Do they verify these discoveries against subject identifiers and if so, how? Does your online provider claim to have worker’s compensation claim records? Any information provided regarding worker’s compensation claims potentially provides a false sense of security for the user. The truth is the only records available for worker’s compensation are appeals, not claims, and much of the available files are sealed because they are not as yet adjudicated. This means the file competency rate for this type of data is about 40% - not good enough. Does the employment screener have international research capability? If not, how will they screen people you might want to hire from overseas? Without the kinds of connections and a network of relationships developed over long periods of time, this information would be almost impossible to get. Has the company you want to hire ever been involved in a litigation themselves for improper screening processes? Can they provide you with at least three long-term references? Do they have professional liability insurance including errors and omissions? Are they FACTA, FCRA; CCRRA, and G-L-B compliant? And of course you need to know the practical things such as cost, turnaround time and reporting method. Many competent employment screeners are listed in publications such as the Security Industry Buyers Guide as well as industry publications such as those connected with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS). What is needed now in this industry is a standardization of compliance for employment screeners and someone to step up and create an industry co-operative that can police it. Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting http://www.apscreen.com or http://www.creditdamage.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Taylor http://EzineArticles.com/?What-the-Trend-in-Online-Databases-Means-to-the-Employment-Screening-Industry&id=76272 where can i buy cheap viagra buy now viagra sildenafil prescription online where to buy viagra in chennai

50 Ideas to Get Organized and Enjoy Your Scrapbooking Hobby

Thursday, January 24th, 2008

By Maria Gracia Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby! Besides being relaxing and fun, it also allows you to be creative and to spend quality time with your family and friends. Plus, it results in a storybook of lifelong memories. One very important element of scrapbooking is getting it all organized. This includes, but is not limited to: storing all of your supplies in an organized fashion so they can be found instantly when you need them. remembering what supplies to pick up at the store, and eliminating duplicate purchases. finding time to research new and creative ways to spruce up your scrapbooks. finding enough time to enjoy the art of scrapbooking in your busy life. TELL A STORY. Plan your photos, before you shoot. Instead of taking random shots of someone standing here, or someone else sitting there, tell a story. For example, let’s say it’s Halloween. You may plan on taking four photos of your child: on the hayride taking him/her to the pumpkin field. looking for a pumpkin. finding a pumpkin. with the carved pumpkin later. GREAT PHOTOS. Photos for your scrapbooks can be extra nice if you take a little bit of time to learn some basic photography. Visit www.kodak.com for a quick photography tutorial. Getting organized has a lot to do with preparation and this site is filled with helpful tips and ideas. WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN. Organized documentation is important for the serious scrapbooker. The main goal is to eliminate future questions such as “Who or what is that?”, “Where and when was this photo taken?”, and so on. Document photos as you’re taking them, so you’ll know exactly what is on each roll of film. That way you’ll be prepared when you’re ready to organize the photos in your scrapbooks. TAKE CARE OF THAT UNDEVELOPED FILM. If you find rolls of film around your house that are ready to go to the developer, bring them today. You may consider mailing all of your film to a supplier such as www.mysticcolorlab.com so you don’t have to spend time dropping off film or picking up photos. Simply mail your film out, and you’ll get your photos back in the mail a week later. From now on, always get your film developed as soon as you take the used rolls out of your camera. STORING PHOTOGRAPHS. Once your photos are developed, you need a place to store them until you’re ready to put them in your scrapbook. Keep them separated by year or event, in Ziplock bags. Label each bag with a number, and put a corresponding number on your Documentation Form. Then, store them in a photo box. Keep the box in a dry, cool place to protect your photos until you’re ready to put the photos into your scrapbook. ORGANIZING BOXES OF PHOTOS. If you have boxes of photos that span from the beginning of the 1900’s to now, it’s time to start getting them organized. Schedule a day and time to begin sorting through them and stick with your appointment when the day rolls around. Get your kids, or friends, to help out. Begin by making piles, categorized by event or year. If you don’t know the exact year, at least sort them by decade. This may take a little while, but once everything is separated, scrapbooking your photos will be much easier and more pleasant. Once they’re all sorted, store your photographs as mentioned above. WORK BACKWARDS. If you’re planning to scrapbook lots of photos from way back, start with the most recent photos you have, and work backwards. Chances are, you have a journal describing recent photos, and even if you don’t, you can probably recall the details more easily. Older photos–the ones that you don’t have a journal for–will take a little more thinking. BABY STEPS. If your scrapbooking hobby seems like a colossal job to you, it’s not going to be fun. Don’t feel like you have to put ALL of your photos into scrapbooks. You can always put the majority of your photos in acid-free photo albums or photo boxes where they will be safe. Choose a small set of photos to begin scrapbooking. Once you’re done with this small set, you can then decide whether you want to dig into your photo albums or photo boxes and continue scrapbooking them, or leave those photos where they are, and simply scrapbook any new photos in the future. DOUBLE PRINTS. Double prints will do you no good if they’re just sitting in your photo box taking up space. Do something with them. Perhaps send them to someone who is in the photograph. It’s a great way to keep in touch. Or, pass the doubles onto your young children who may like to create their own scrapbooks. It’s a great way for them to learn your beloved hobby and decide if they would like it to be a hobby of their own. RELATED STUFF. Sometimes, for the purpose of creatively decorating your scrapbook, you may wish to keep tickets, brochures, maps, postcards, and so on, that are related to a particular trip or event. Use manila file folders or catalog envelopes for this purpose. Label the folder/envelope so that you know which photos/Documentation Form it corresponds to. File these until they’re ready to be used. KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER. Already have a pretty good idea of stickers, diecuts, etc. that you’re planning to use with a particular set of photographs? Keep them in the same Ziplock bag with the photos until you’re ready to put them into your scrapbook. This way, everything will be in one place and ready to use. STICKERS AND SHAPES. Stickers and punched shapes can be kept in acid-free sheet protectors, plastic baseball card sheets, business card sheets, or even Ziplock bags that are 3-hole punched. Each sheet should be categorized and labeled by theme: birthday, Christmas, Halloween, wedding, springtime, etc. Insert these sheets into a 3-ring binder. If you have a large number of stickers and shapes, you may want to use index dividers labeled with general categories. For example, a general HOLIDAY category, may hold Easter, Christmas/Hanukkah, Halloween, etc., a general SEASONS category, may hold Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring, and so on. TINY STUFF. For very tiny diecuts and other small items, consider storing then in empty film canisters. The clear ones are best, but if you only have opaque ones, simply stick a label–or the actual diecut attached with a piece of tape– on the canister indicating what is inside. Baby food jars serve the same purpose well. PAPER. Where do you keep all of that cool paper until you’re ready to use it? You can get a plastic, portable filing container–research its composition to assure archival safety–that holds hanging file folders. Label the hanging files by theme or color. You may want to place a manila file folder into each hanging file folder, to keep your papers from curling. Or, you may buy file folder pockets or sheet protectors that fit into a 3-ring binder and store your papers inside each pocket, categorized and labeled. By the way, be very careful not to store acid-free paper with other paper. STORAGE CONTAINERS. Do a little bit of research and purchase a scrapbooking organizer, which will hold papers, supplies, etc. There are many products on the market that can help you keep it all together. Many office supply stores carry six-drawer organization stations. They’re vertical and have 6 see-through drawers of equal size. Each drawer can be designated for a different purpose–papers, templates/diecuts, stickers, etc. Plus, they have wheels, which makes them very easy to transport from one room to another. Or, if you often bring your scrapbooking supplies outside of your home, such as to a friend’s house, use a portable system that isn’t too heavy or cumbersome, and comes with a handle. STENCILS. Put your stencils/templates into sheet protectors that can be purchased at any office supplies store. Then insert them into a 3-ring binder for easy access. By the way, you can store two templates in one sheet protector with a piece of paper in between each–white or colored depending on the color of your template. This will make it easier to see the designs and eliminate them from catching onto each other. SUPPLY CADDY. If you always scrapbook at home, use a kitchen utensil caddy with a number of divided compartments, like those you normally keep tall kitchen spoons, ladles, and spatulas in. The ones that spin will keep everything you need at your fingertips. HANG IT UP. If you’re lucky enough to have a room specifically designated for your scrapbooking hobby, hang a large pegboard above your work area. You can then attach scissors, templates, crimpers, rulers, stencils and more, all within easy sight and reach. In addition, you might hang a small ledge or shelf nearby, to store all of your corner rounders, photo corners, and so on. If you prefer everything out in the open, this system will work like a charm. RUBBER STAMPS. Store rubber stamps in shallow, plastic containers, a rubber stamping organizer, or a plastic organizer with shallow drawers. Don’t stack stamps. They should be stored in a single layer, so that you can always see the top of the stamp showing the design. OTHER STORAGE IDEAS. Fishing tackle boxes–with compartments and levels that expand and collapse–are wonderful for storing scrapbooking supplies and tools. Plastic tool boxes, with many see-through drawers are also great for this purpose. SCRAPBOOKING MAGAZINES. Is your closet full of scrapbooking magazines? There are a few things to do about this dilemma. 1) You can go through your magazines, find the articles you wish to keep and organize them into file folders by category. In other words, keep the article, toss the magazine. 2) Or you can keep the magazines in cardboard magazine boxes. If you do this, you should always keep a list of the title/issue of the magazine, the pages that interest you, and a few words describing why they interested you. This way, you can just scan your list, instead of going through the entire magazine to find what you’re looking for. You can even use your computer and create the list in a word processing file. Then using the Find feature, you can simply search for key words in your document. HOLD THAT THOUGHT. Rather than keeping all those great scrapbooking ideas and tips in your head–you know, the ones you pick up from magazines, web sites, etc.– keep a 3-ring binder with some notepaper inside for all your thoughts and ideas. Plus, when you see something in a magazine, you can simply tear the page out of the magazine, 3-hold punch it, and place it in your binder. The same goes if you see something on a web site that you wish to refer to later; just print it out and insert it into your binder. You can even separate the binder into a few different sections, such as page layout ideas, organizing ideas, neat tools/supplies, etc. CHOOSE A DESIGNATED WORK AREA. Scrapbooking is more fun and less of a chore, when everything is in one place and in close, accessible proximity to your working area. Designate a room, or a portion of a room, in your home for this activity. You should be able to retrieve your supplies, photos, etc. in seconds, without having to walk into another room, or rummage through a closet. SHOPPING. Use an organized shopping system so you remember what you want to pick up for your hobby –scissors, crimpers, papers, etc. This will also eliminate purchasing items that you already have. When you think of something you need, immediately put it on a SCRAPBOOKING PICK UP list, and bring this list with you when you go shopping. Using 3 inch x 5 inch index cards, make examples of your cuts and punches on them. Label and keep them in your day timer, or a tiny 3-ring binder. Bring these cards with you when shopping for scrapbooking items, and you’ll never buy duplicates. This also works great for remembering what color pens/pencils you have. Just draw a line on your index cards and label them. USE WHAT YOU HAVE FIRST. Resist the urge to buy a million new papers, punches, and so on, until you’ve used some of the craft supplies you already have. Unless you’re planning on opening a scrapbooking warehouse, it’s best to be choosy before emptying your wallet on new items, when you already have items you could use in your current supply. SHOP ONLINE. You’ll save a lot of time running back and forth to the store, if you commit instead to making your purchases online. TRADE. If you have something that you haven’t used in a year or more, such as craft scissors, stickers, etc., swap them with a friend. Who knows? Perhaps your friend will find immediate use for this item, and you will get something you can use right now in return. GOALS. Always set goals for your scrapbooking hobby, perhaps one to two pages a week. This is especially necessary if you’re creating a scrapbook for an upcoming special occasion. PLAN. Before you start working on your pages, plan ahead. Arrange your photos in chronological order and gather stickers, diecuts, etc. that correspond with your photos. Think about your layout and how you plan to document each photo. This will ensure you’re going to be happy with the final results, and will reduce the need to redo things. DO THE TWO STEP. Step One: Assemble your pages with your photos, documentation and critical diecuts. Step Two: Decorate with stickers, stamps, etc. The two-step process will help you get the critical part (step one) done faster, and then you can continue with the second step (less important) later on. KEEP YOUR PAGES SIMPLE. Although you may really feel the need for creating a work of art on occasion, if your goal is to get a scrapbook done as quickly as possible, keep it simple. Getting photos and documentation in the album is the main goal. Save your really creative moments for extra special scrapbooking projects. And remember, too much stuff on any one page, takes away from the photos. QUICK COLOR SCHEMES. Quickly, organize your scrapbooks with colors that compliment each other, by referencing a good color harmony book. You can pick one up at your local bookstore. They include hundreds of color combination examples. Color Harmony, by Hideaki Chijiiwa, is an excellent book for this purpose. MULTI-TASKING. Looking for a few minutes here or there to catch up on your scrapbooking? Take and make all your phone calls in the same room as your designated scrapbooking work area. Then, while you’re on the phone with your friends or family, you can crop, frame or mount at the same time. Or, instead of making punches when you need them, make a bunch of punches at once while you’re watching television, or are on the telephone, or when you’re waiting for a pot of water to boil. This will save time later because your punches will be ready when you need them. GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED. Many people like to get their kids involved with the actual project, such as arranging stickers, applying diecuts, etc. If you would rather your kids were not involved with the actual project, give them a project of their own. You can always find a few photos that you’re not going to use in your scrapbook, some inexpensive paper, kid scissors, etc. Then have each child make their very own scrapbook. Either way, the kids will be occupied, which will give you time to enjoy your hobby. ELIMINATE BICKERING. If you have more than one child that is involved with a scrapbooking activity, get them each their own plastic storage box and/or accordion files to keep their own supplies in. This way, when they want to work on their scrapbook, all of their supplies will already be separated. You may even color code their supplies, plastic boxes, etc. so they always know which stuff belongs to them. For example, blue container, blue scissors and markers labeled in blue for Billy, and all pink for Sally. FAMILY TIME. Scrapbooking is a great way to spend some time with your family. Get the whole family involved and around the table at the same time. It’s a great time to share ideas and dreams with each other. Can’t seem to get the male family members involved? Perhaps they can sit at the table while the females are scrapbooking, and they could do something they enjoy at the same time. At least everyone will be together and having fun. TEAM UP. Scrapbooking is a great way to spend time with your friends and catch up with each other. Start a scrapbooking club and meet at each other’s homes one day every few weeks. Make a party of it! IDENTIFY. The next time you get together with friends, or a scrapbooking club, put a little piece of colored tape on your scissors’ handles, the sides of your punch tools, pens, etc. Then, everyone could share, but you’ll be sure to get your tools back when it’s time to go home. DON’T TAKE THE KITCHEN SINK. If you’re going to be scrapbooking at a friend’s home, take a few minutes to plan what you want to work on. By doing this, you will only have to carry those supplies you’re going to use. In other words, if you’re going to be working on a wedding theme, there’s no reason to be carrying all of your holiday items with you. CLEAR THE WAY. If you are spending too much time looking for supplies, background papers, photos, frames, that great rubber stamp and so on, then, it’s time to organize your work station. Declutter and toss out or trade those items you don’t need, you don’t like, etc. Organize your supplies into binders and storage containers. You should always be working on a clear surface, with only the current project in front of you. CLEAN UP THE SCRAPS. If there is a wastepaper basket right near your work station, all of the scraps that you’re not planning on using can be tossed immediately. Don’t leave trash on your work surface. If you visit a friend’s home, you may want to carry along an empty tissue box so that all scraps can be discarded immediately, and make clean-up for your host quick and easy. PUT IT AWAY. Always have a home for your supplies, and when you’re finished using them, take a few moments to put everything away. You should be able to start fresh with a clear mind and a clear surface. BIG ITEM/SMALL ITEM. Never place a big item over a smaller item, because if you do, it will be out of sight, and difficult to find quickly. ERGONOMICS. Organize your work area for increased productivity. Make sure it’s well lit. Have a comfortable chair to sit on. Your supplies and tools should be within arms reach. SAFETY. Organize your scrapbooking with safety in mind. Use a protective covering for your table. Craft mats are great for cutting on. Scissors and other sharp tools should be face down in a holder, and out of a young child’s reach. MAKE IT EASY. Different personality styles require different organization systems. Make sure you use an organization system you can live with–one that works with your style and that allows you to find things without delay. If you find things easier when they’re alphabetized, then use that type of system. Perhaps you’re better at finding things by color. Then use that system. Your organization system must work in harmony with your personality. DON’T DO SO MUCH. Finding the time for your scrapbooking and/or rubberstamping hobby can be difficult if you have too many things going on in your life. Reduce or eliminate the activities you don’t truly enjoy. Reduce the activities of your children. Get on an organized cleaning schedule, so you’re not wasting the entire weekend cleaning up. Make easier dinners that are healthy, but take half the time to prepare. Get your family to help out with household chores and obligations. SPARE TIME. Those spare minutes that we all have can be put to good use. Have to wait at the doctor’s office for your appointment? Sketch out a quick layout idea. Waiting for the wash cycle to finish? Sort out some photos, or gather supplies for tomorrow’s scrapbooking project. WRITE IT DOWN. Don’t ever leave your home without a small notebook in hand. You’re bound to come up with a thought, or a cute caption, for your scrapbook. If you don’t write it down right away, you may forget about it. You may also want to keep a small pad and a pen right near your bedside, in case you have a bright idea in the middle of the night. ENJOY! Plan, organize and schedule some time to enjoy your creations with family and friends. Scrapbooking is all about fun, laughter, memories, and touching moments! About The Author Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office and your life at the Get Organized Now! Web site! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Gracia http://EzineArticles.com/?50-Ideas-to-Get-Organized-and-Enjoy-Your-Scrapbooking-Hobby&id=25178 viagra without prescription 5 reputable pharmacy on line for sildenafil where to buy viagra cheap say viagra wordpress

Are You Tired of Hiring Other People’s Rejects? - 12 Mistakes Recruiters Make and How To Avoid Them

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

By Rick Weaver When John applied for a job at Oakland Company, his resume looked fabulous, showing tremendous talent and advancement. His qualifications were beyond question and he built immediate rapport with everyone in the interview process. Every one of his references checked out. Six months later, you were wondering why you hired this clown. Todays hiring professionals seem to prefer recruiting candidates from the ranks of the employed. It is a logical approach assuming others have recognized their talent and retained them while untalented people were sent to the unemployment line by their frustrated past employer. The reality being overlooked in this scenario is that most employers fail to deal effectively with underperformers. The secret in effective recruiting today is to understand the twelve mistakes commonly made by hiring professionals and recruitment teams. This article will look at those twelve mistakes and offer ways for hiring professionals to avoid making the same errors. The payoff of avoiding these errors is the ability to shift the time currently spent on recruiting toward other aspects of running the business or developing other facets of human resources. Mistake #12 Failure to understand who makes up the recruiting team Most hiring professionals designate a recruiting team, including such people as the positions supervisor, managers they may interact with, human resources, and even the leader of the company. To fix this problem, best practices dictate that all employees the candidate will meet are part of the recruiting team. The candidate will talk with the receptionist at the front desk, administrative assistants, and escorts from one location to another. Each of these individuals should have a 30-second commercial to provide the candidate with consistent view of the work experience at the organization. Mistake #11 Hiding the interview process The interview process can be long and agonizing for the prospective candidate. This is particularly true when they are in a state of unemployment. One of the candidates first frustrations with a new employer is how the employer handles the interview process. The length of the process can be interpreted by the candidate and their family as the inability for the employer to make a decision. By informing the candidate of the full process, including who is involved in the decision, the candidate will see the timetable as planned and be comfortable with the process. For the successful candidate, this is a positive perception that the management team that will be an asset as they develop in their new career. Mistake #10 Not going beyond references Any qualified candidate knows they will have to have references. They are instructed by those who groom them as a candidate to prescreen the references and even to give them some insight as to what to emphasize when they get a call from a particular employer. Surprisingly, many hiring professionals actually use these references thinking they can somehow trick the references into providing some sort of clue to the real person. Although this may happen on rare instances, the likelihood of discovering something negative about a candidate makes this a huge waste of a recruiters time. Some hiring professionals have developed procedures in recent years that are producing good results when it comes to getting an insight to the candidates character and work ethics using referrals. These best practices include contacting former co-workers and supervisors using very creative, legal means. A simple phone call can easily reveal an individuals absenteeism, attitude, and view of teamwork provided the right questions are asked in the proper way. Be creative and be sure to contact a sampling of people to ensure one person does not taint your results. Another successful technique is asking references for other references. These individuals will not necessarily be pre-screened by the applicant. Mistake #9 Not looking for someone better than yourself This is a very common mistake by supervisors. Many supervisors feel hiring someone more talented than they are will place their job in jeopardy. Ronald Reagan summed it up when he said, Leaders are not judged by what they do, leaders are judged by what their people do. The supervisor that understands leadership knows that their organization will only grow and prosper when they increase the total organizational talent a process requiring the hiring of the most talented people available. The practice pays a dividend to the supervisor as they receive credit for a more productive organization while they learn from their employees. Mistake #8 Hesitation to share the job description People know their strengths and limitations better than the interviewer can determine based on a resume or interview. By presenting a candidate with an accurate and complete job description during the interview process, the candidate will have the opportunity to determine how challenging the job will eventually be. There is no guarantee they will back away from a job if they see they are under qualified, but their demeanor and reactions will be heavily influenced by their comfort level based on their perception of their talent aligned with the job description. Mistake #7 Ignoring leadership clues The most successful hiring professionals understand leadership ability is enhanced through community involvement. John Rizzo of Michigan Glass Coatings of Auburn Hills, Michigan, encourages his employees to belong to groups such as the Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis. Not only does it help his company give back to the community, his people are learning valuable leadership skills. Volunteer organizations from soup kitchens to Little League to service clubs to church and school organizations only progress when the volunteers demonstrate the ability to get things done with limited human and financial resources. These skills translate directly into the workplace as employees use the skills they learn in the volunteer sector to do a better job. The benefits are not just for small and mid-sized businesses. General Mills has committed part of their human resources department to helping employees find the right volunteer activity based on their personal interests. They have more than 70% of their employees serving the community while they learn improved leadership skills. Mistake #6 Assuming the resume is accurate Employees tend to forget about criminal records, past credit problems, and other legal issues. Many also overestimate their educational backgrounds. A survey by Time Magazine found that more than one million of 2.6 million applications reviewed contained lies. Security Management reports that the average negligent hiring verdict is $870,390. Simple background checks are available that will reveal civil, criminal, driving, credit, and educational checks. Yet many hiring professionals fail to use them. The reason lies in the complexity of the checks. Legal records are kept by individual jurisdictions so the recruiter must use creativity to determine where to invest based on the individual candidate. Miss the right jurisdiction and you could hire a convicted rapist or thief, bearing huge financial loses should this error result in a workplace incident. Background checks and pre-employment assessments are effective tools for discovering ones use of drugs or propensity to steal. The Federal Chamber of Commerce has identified employee theft as the number one reason for business failure, accounting for a full third of all bankruptcies. One last word on background checks, do not assume that if you do not do them at all that you will be exempt from prosecution, the courts are clear that employers have the responsibility to do whatever is at their disposal to create a safe and healthy work environment. Mistake #5 Thinking diversity is a black and white issue There is much talk about the need for diversity in the workplace. Certainly the more diverse an organization, the better it is equipped to face the challenges of the marketplace. However, many hiring professionals take the view that diversity is limited to religion or gender. Actually there are more than thirty different criteria important to creating the best working environment for teamwork, creativity, harmony, productivity, and cohesiveness. These include age, affluence, geography, union affiliation, experience, habits, and much more. When an organization recognizes and hires based on all the elements of diversity, they increase their effectiveness and competitiveness. Mistake #4 Ignoring corporate culture Although every organization has a culture that is distinct and unique, most cultures can be described as either traditional or contemporary. In a traditional environment, workers are managed with tight controls while contemporary organizations place more emphasis on employees making decisions at the lowest levels possible. One requires workers that appreciate controls and direction while the other finds initiative and self-starting to be critical. Most, if not all, employees will thrive in one of these cultures and quickly fail in the other. Hiring professionals have many resources available to them to determine the fit of a candidate to their culture. Specifically targeted questions can help an interviewer determine fit to a degree, but only scientifically validated assessments with a high co-efficiency factor can fully ascertain fit. Mistake #3 Thinking their interview process works Many hiring professionals feel they have spent enough time and energy in honing the skills of those involved in the interviewing process to be sure that no bad decisions will be made. Yet statistics show that 63% of all hiring decisions are made during the first 4.3 minutes of the interview and 67% of those new hires will prove to be mistakes within one year. Although interviewing can determine the technical skills and experience of an applicant, no interviewer can see the whole person. The essence of the applicant, which accounts for a full 90% of the total person, cannot be detected by even the best of interviewers. These key aspects of the applicant include the job fit, occupational interests, behavioral traits, and thinking style - all essential in determining if the individual will fit the culture and management style in which the new hire will work. Mistake #2 Thinking the new person will be better than the last A common misconception held by many managers is the belief that replacing a below-par employee will somehow produce a better employee. The theory is flawed because the problem with the problem employee is not usually the employee. Think about a time when a problem employee was terminated. The general thought was the new person would be better. Six months later the manager is back requesting the dismissal of this new employee. In working with thousands of employees over my thirty plus year career, I have found that virtually all problem employees are the product of a particular situation, company culture, or the managers style. The problem employee is actually a symptom of this problem. Unless the problem is addressed, the replacement will eventually become another problem employee. Mistake #1 Focusing retention programs only on existing employees. Employee retention programs are typically designed for existing employees. Employers with the highest retention programs are those that see employee retention as a process that begins in the early stages of a job search. Even the best sales organizations miss this one. They know the importance of the first impression to a business prospect, but they forget the importance of the first impression they make on a candidate. Many high-retention employers begin to sell themselves as an outstanding employer and a great place at which to work in their job posting. In doing so, they are creating an atmosphere where employees buy into the concept that they have made an excellent career choice from their first contact with a company. These companies confirm the early impression with special recruitment packets, clearly identified interviewing processes, and special recognition to the strongest candidates. In short, they mimic the methods used by high performance sales professionals to woo and retain customers. Avoiding these common mistakes This article has identified twelve of the leading mistakes made in the recruiting process. Each of the twelve is easy to avoid using the best practices mentioned in this article. When used effectively, a recruiter begins to hire longer-term employees that fit into their organization. As Jim Collins wrote in his book, Good to Great, an employer must, get the right people on the bus, get the wrong people off the bus, and get the right people in the right seats. For more information, contact Rick Weaver of MaxImpact at 248-802-6138 or send an email to rick@getmaximpact.com. Rick Weaver is President of Max Impact, a national leadership and organization development company based in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Rick is an accomplished business executive with experience in retail, market analysis, supply chain and project management, team building, and process improvement. He has worked with hundreds of companies to improve sales, processes, and bottom-line results. MaxImpact offers leadership and organizational development services along with employee assessments and background checks. Contact Rick at 248-802-6138 or via email, rick@getmaximpact.com. MaxImpact is on the web at http://www.getmaximpact.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Weaver http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-Tired-of-Hiring-Other-Peoples-Rejects?—12-Mistakes-Recruiters-Make-and-How-To-Avoid-Them&id=12088 viagra-cheap-online viagra no rx buy cheap viagra online buy cheap generic viagra

The Wrong Time to Promote?

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008

By Kara Kelso This might be a given for some people, but it still needs to be said. If someone has not specifically asked for your information, don’t send it. Simple as that. Not only are you wasting time, you are wasting money as well. It could also have an impact on your image, so just don’t do it. Often times on message board was see someone simply say “I want to work for home” and is bombarded with offers. The correct thing to do in this situation is to first find out what kind of interests they have. You may want them as a recruit, but you don’t want them if they have zero interest in your products and will quit in just a few short months. Another example of a wrong time to promote was a snail mail we received. This person had good intentions I’m sure, but what they did not realize is we have other businesses. The business information this person sent was in direct conflict with one of these other businesses. If you were a Mary Kay rep, would you purposely send business information to an Avon rep? I would hope not, but it’s amazing how many do this every day without realizing it. Finally another point we need to bring up is articles. While they are a far cry from business information and don’t even fall into the same category, we can’t tell you how many articles we get a day that have absolutely nothing to do with our publication. If you write articles, which you should in any business, make sure you know where your articles are going. Gardening has nothing to do with a business newsletter, so don’t send it there. Read publisher guidelines, and the publication if you can before submitting. Avoid auto submissions that don’t tell you where your article is going. The bottom line is - if it’s not asked for, don’t send it! Your reputation, time, and money are at risk when you send information at random. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. For more Direct Sales Success Tips, visit: http://www.directsaleshelpers.com/newsletter.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kara_Kelso http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Wrong-Time-to-Promote?&id=125913 buy-xanax-online-no-prescription soma vailum xanax lortab no prescription required order xanax online order xanax online consultation