Mitsubishi i-Miev in the city

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Mitsubishi's i-Miev electric car comes to the U.S. in fall of 2011. We got an early taste of life with an electric car.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

Mitsubishi i-Miev electric car (photos)

The U.S. version of the Mitsubishi i-Miev electric car won't be here until next year, but we got to spend a week with the Japanese version to test out the power train and find out what life will be like with an electric car.

First of all, being a car built for the Japanese market, the steering wheel was on the wrong side. We found that fact relatively easy to cope with in the city, but this i-Miev also lacked anything like the cabin tech we will see in the U.S. version. It had merely a simple radio and a CD player mounted in the dash.

The Mitsubishi i, on which the i-Miev is based, was designed as a city car, so we found it easy to get along with it in the dense urban area of San Francisco. It is narrower than most American cars, which made it extremely comfortable to drive in traffic, as the lanes seemed very wide.

Its minimal length proved a big bonus when looking for parking spaces, as the i-Miev fit into curb spots most cars could not. That short length also gave us room to maneuver in traffic, making it easy to jump into openings in a line of cars.

But edging through traffic wouldn't be possible if the power train wasn't up to it. Although an electric car with only 63 horsepower, the 47-kilowatt motor's 133 pound-feet of torque gave the car the push it needed to drive through the tangled traffic of the city and make quick starts off the line.

Of course, we were always conscious of the fact that the i-Miev is an electric car, with a range that can be quickly sapped by a lot of hard acceleration. This thought generally kept us at moderate speeds. But we were happy that the i-Miev had the acceleration headroom to handle any situations that cropped up.

Although ready to jump forward quickly at speeds below 50 mph, a previous excursion on the freeway had shown us the limits of the i-Miev when traveling above 60 mph.

Impressively, the i-Miev had the guts to pull some of San Francisco's hills, but after the heavy accelerator work needed, we noticed an interesting ozone smell, the result of the battery giving up a lot of its charge to reach the crest.

The car does have a shifter, but this stick would more properly be called a drive-mode selector, as it is not connected to a transmission. The i-Miev uses a single-gear reduction transmission, as the electric motor has a higher rpm range than a gas engine so does not need a variety of different gear ratios.

Along with reverse and drive, there are also Eco and engine-braking modes, the latter signified with a B. In Eco mode, acceleration is reduced, and regeneration while coasting is increased. The B mode increases regeneration, but does not limit acceleration.

The instrument cluster shows battery level and range to empty.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

While driving the i-Miev, we were very conscious of its digital gauges, one showing battery level and the other showing range to empty. A center analog gauge contained blue, green, and clear areas, indicating regeneration, minimal battery usage, and power.

We found it easy to keep the car in the green area, labeled Eco on the gauge. It only entered the blue area when we let the car coast. The i-Miev does not have true regenerative braking, so we saw no additional recharge when we applied the brakes.

After spending a typical day driving around the city, the battery level stayed well above the halfway mark. This welcome observation is partly due to the fact that San Francisco measures approximately 7 miles by 7 miles, and the i-Miev has the juice to go 100 miles. Though it might take an hour to get across the city, very little juice gets consumed since most of that time is spent sitting in traffic or at stop lights.

Instead of waiting until the battery was almost dead, we recharged it whenever we could. From a 110 volt outlet, it would have taken 14 hours to completely recharge the battery, or 7 hours from a 220 volt outlet. As our driving used only a quarter or half of the charge, we never had to let it sit for the full 14 hours.

In a home-charging situation, we found that the i-Miev tripped breakers if there was much else on the circuit. We had to find a circuit with little existing load to plug in the i-Miev.

With an online map tool, we estimated the round-trip area we could cover in the i-Miev.

(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)

Considering the i-Miev's 100-mile range, we used an online mapping tool to look at areas within a 40 mile radius of a few downtown areas. We chose 40 miles as comfortably within the point-of-no-return range for a round trip. Of course, using a simple radius distance shows range as-the-crow-flys, and does not take into account real road mileage. But it is an interesting indication of the i-Miev's practicality.

You can check the radius for your own city with the Radius Around Point map tool.

The U.S. version of the Mitsubishi i-Miev electric car should be available at dealerships in late 2011. No pricing has been announced at this time.

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Cape Wind agrees to reduce cost of offshore wind

Striking a deal with the state's attorney general, the developers of Cape Wind have agreed to cut the price of electricity from the proposed offshore wind farm in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley on Friday said that her office had negotiated a 10 percent reduction in the price Cape Wind will charge to utility National Grid for electricity. Over the course of the proposed 15-year contract, the reduction will save $456 million, according to Coakley's office.

An offshore wind farm in Sweden.

(Credit: GE)

The deal highlights how cost remains a large barrier to building offshore wind farms in the U.S. Added construction expenditures means that offshore wind is roughly twice the cost of onshore wind, according to analysts. A proposal to build a pilot offshore wind farm in deep waters off Rhode Island was rejected earlier this year as being too costly by state regulators.

The state utility regulators in Massachusetts are now considering whether to approve Cape Wind, which is vying to be the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. Supporters of Cape Wind argue that it will bring more renewable energy to the U.S. and will help establish a foothold for the nascent industry.

Opponents of the controversial project argue that it will hurt property values because the turbines, which will be five miles from the coast of Cape Cod, will be visible from the shore. Detractors now appear to be increasingly seizing on cost of the project.

In May, Cape Wind signed a power purchase agreement with National Grid, which agreed to pay 20.7 cents per kilowatt-hour for half of the electricity generated by Cape Wind, which is significantly higher than wholesale electricity prices.

The agreement with the attorney general calls for Cape Wind to charge 18.7 cents per kilowatt-hour, which will increase by 3.5 percent per year. Other provisions are designed to adjust prices downward if Cape Wind saves money through lower construction costs or receives a federal loan guarantee.

"This agreement accomplishes two important goals--working to develop renewable energy, specifically off-shore wind in Massachusetts, and ensuring customers get the benefits of this project under a much fairer price than what was originally proposed," Coakley said in a statement.

Foes of the projects were still not satisfied, including a business lobbying group in the state, the Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

"AIM is in favor of 'smart' renewable development that is more competitive, cheaper, and less impactful on the business climate than the proposed Cape Wind/National Grid agreement," told the Boston Globe.

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Coming Tuesday: BlackBerry launch live blog

NEW YORK-- Research in Motion is gearing up to take the wraps of its latest BlackBerry Tuesday at an event here.

CNET will be live-blogging the event, which starts at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT. I'll be dishing the latest news during the live blog along with CNET's smartphone reviewer Bonnie Cha. For a reminder of when the event will start, sign up below through the CoverItLive widget. You can also bookmark this page and come back here Tuesday morning.

The new device, referred to as the BlackBerry 9800, is a touch-screen phone that is expected to rival Apple's iPhone and other smartphones, like ones using Google's Android operating system. AT&T, which is expected to be the exclusive carrier for the new phone, will be joining RIM for the announcement.

For months, bloggers and others watching RIM closely have speculated that the new BlackBerry 9800 will be the first to use RIM's new operating system, BlackBerry OS 6. This new software comes with a revamped Web browser, which should help it compete more aggressively with more Web-centric devices like the iPhone, as well as devices that use the Google Android operating system.

For all the latest information on the new phone, stay tuned to the live blog and our later follow-up coverage.

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technology and information about the email

there is some question concerning about the technology and information about the email.
include

1) Explain the three different postal mailbox with e-mail mailbox!
2) Name the five ethics that can be used in making or send e-mail!
3) What are some ways you can do to get e-mail!
4) What are several factors that need to be considered in selecting an e-mail service! (Min. 5)
5) Explain the difference-based POP3 e-mail with a web-based e-mail!

His answer:

. Differences postal mailbox with e-mail mailboxes
Mailbox Post
Web Mailbox
Can reach out to remote areas
Unable to reach remote areas
Everyone can use it
Only people who know that technology alone can use
Long delivery
Fast shipping (only takes a few minutes only)

2. Ethics that can be used to create or send e-mail:
secra email send a short, solid and straight to the point
Do not send attachments that are too besarjangan forward a CC or BCC email
Do not use the "Caps Lock" or a capital letter
do not delete a track record of email
should not be forwarded the email by changing isinyajangan BCC often to other people

3. Mode can be done to obtain e-mail:
with an email service provider (ex. Yahoo, google, aol, etc)
with a paid email service provider (ex. detik.com, spamex.com, etc.)

Fourth. Factors to be considered in selecting an e-mail service:
complete facility
owned service provider email
ease of access
advantages of email providers
mailbox capacity



5. Differences in web-based e-mail with a POP3-based e-mail
Webmail
POP3-based email
Opener can open email from anywhere that has a internet access
It's easier in the filing, because email is stored in the user's computer
Browser required to go to a web server
Can read it offline (not connect to the Internet)
Conducted online
Can only be opened computer user

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How To Pick Abdominal Exercises During Pregnancy

Dr. James Clapp, Director of Research for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, has compiled extensive research that indicates Women who continue regular exercise throughout pregnancy tend to have easier, shorter, and less complicated labors.

His knowledge on the subject indicates that starting or continuing regular exercise during pregnancy decreases physical discomforts and hastens recovery.

For the developing life within, there are several long and short-term benefits of exercising during pregnancy. These include more of an ability to tolerate the stresses of late pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

That said, doing abdominal exercises during pregnancy could be a safe choice, when practiced correctly and there are quite a few types of exercises one could practice in this stage of their lives although the key thing will be to avoid whatever puts excessive strain on the back.

Moreover, repetitions should be reduced and the executions of abdominal exercises in pregnancy have to be modified. This brings to mind such low-impact yet effective exercises such as Yoga, the use of props, modified poses and breathing exercises come into play here.

When a lady is expecting a child, she needn't give up her yoga practice as some poses can still be executed and actually will come in handy for the stages of delivery.

In no particular order, here are some recommended pregnancy yoga poses.

-Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

-Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

-Warrior Pose

-Standing Side Stretch Pose

-Tree Yoga Pose

-Corpse Pose

These poses are of course recommended as they have little or no pressure on the abdomen.

Some serve to strengthen the pelvic muscles and build the small of the back, both being major body parts that need to be strengthened for childbirth.

In order to stay fit, what I'd recommend at this time would be other light exercises such as brisk walks, light jogging, dancing, gardening and cycling.

I will not suggest you do any inverted poses during pregnancy or anything that contracts (forward bends) or expands the abdomen too much as they might adversely affect the position of the child.

For pregnancy yoga exercises, you can also look into mild, yet deep square breathing (which will be best executed with the Corpse and Hero Poses Described Above) as this also helps strengthen the lungs in preparation for the heavy breathing involved with childbirth.

Moreover, on the subject of Yoga as a superior choice of exercise (either exclusively or combined with other Calisthenics), one is not truly practicing Yoga (or any proper physical culture of exercise at that) without observing some basic dietetic guidelines, such as abstaining from all junk, processed, packaged, refined, mucus-forming foods.

So research properly what works best for you and your pregnancy as far as exercise is concerned.

Nonetheless, here's to health and a healthy baby.

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Home Treatment For Stress And Stress Relief

The word stress` is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy".
A situation or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the normal physiological and psychological performance of an individual. In medical parlance `stress` is defined as a perturbation of the body`s homeostasis.
This command on mind-body occurs when it tries to cope with nonstop changes in life. A `stress` condition seems `relative` in nature.
Extreme stress circumstances, psychologists say, are damaging to human health but in restraint stress is normal and, in many cases, proves useful. Stress, nonetheless, is synonymous with negative conditions.
Stress is the body's reaction to a physical, moving, social or mental condition imposed on the person. These changes, whether good or bad, produces tension or stress.
There is no way to keep away from stress totally, injuries, weddings, meetings, childbirth, deadlines, bills to pay, even leaving to a party is stressful.
Causes of Stress
1. - Death: of spouse, family, friend
2. - Health: injury, illness, pregnancy
3. - Crime: Sexual molestation, mugging, burglary, pick-pocketed
4. - Self-abuse: drug abuse, alcoholism, self-harm
5. - Family change: separation, divorce, new baby, marriage
6. - Sexual problems: getting partner, with partner
7. - Argument: with spouse, family, friends, co-workers, boss
Symptoms of Stress
1. Muscle tension
2. Low back pain
3. Pains in shoulders or neck
4. Pains in chest
5. Stomach/abdominal pain
6. Muscle spasms or nervous tics
7. Unexplained rashes or skin irritations
8. Muscles become tense
Treatment of Stress
There are many forms of stress management for stress relief. The more common ones are

1. meditation
2. biofeedback
3. exercise
4. hypnosis
5. visualization
6. talk therapy
7. drugs and alcohol
Home Remedies for Stress

Yogurt is the best home remedy for stress. It is rich in vitamin A, B compound and vitamin D. It provide relief from insomnia, migraine and cramps related with menstruation. It is a best diet for stress.

Make a tea by torrential a cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of dehydrated sage leaves. Strain and sweetened, with honey, if required. This is also good natural remedy for stress.

Blackstrap molasses are one more effectual food remedy. It is a by-product of the sugar refining procedure and is rich in iron and B vitamins.

Alfalfa and sunflower seeds are also effectual in the stress treatment.

Sprouts are also efficient diet for stress as they are rich in calcium.

The leaves of holy basil known as tulsi are exceedingly valuable in the stress treatment. Chew 12 leaves of basil twice a day morning and evening for prevent stress
. Tulsi is known as adaptogen or antistress agents.

Using a variety of ayurvedic herbs like brahmi, ashwagandha and St.John Wort are also highly beneficial in the treatment of stress. These herbs can be taken as capsules or can be infused in boiling water to make tea. (Available at www.AyurvedicCure.com) Good home remedy for stress.

Hot water bath is one of the helpful water treatments in as long as relief from anxiety and stress as it relax the whole body. Good home remedy for stress.

Stress cure - Brisk walk for at least 45 minutes daily is also successful in commerce with stress.

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Why Does Some Automotive Dms Solutions Fail To Delivery?

To solve the age old problem of helping an automotive dealer sell more cars is more complex than you think. It is a completely different perspective depends on which way you are looking at the problem. And some times the solutions presents more problems when it promise to solve. From outside looking in, a development company may think certain things are important to be included in their software, but coming from the inside looking out the solution may not be needed at all. First of all there are already tons of rules and practices when it comes to selling a car, dealers don't need to be over burdened with even more artificial rules from the software itself. There are different processes and systems already in place from the dealer's side such as tracking customer information, tracking follow up status, service walk, or desking a deal. Many CRM solutions are trying to super impose a set of system flow that may not be compatible with dealer's existing system. In the end of the day the CRM fails because it didn't deliver a simple solution, but complication to the dealership.

A CRM solution should be flexible to the user in which he or she can adjust or break certain rules when its needed. A CRM suppose to be a solution, not another Matrix system Neo is trying desperately to escape from. Of course there should be certain structure in place to keep the basic management ability. A successful CRM solution in my opinion should require minimum training, it should be user intuitive enough for some one to able to use it right away without extensive training courses. The complexity should be successfully hidden away from the user's perspective making the system simple in appearance, yet robust and complex behind the scene. Another reason why many of today's CRM solutions fail is because they are sold by a sales person without any knowledge of the system or the selling process. Over promise and under deliver seems to be the norm when it comes to CRM solutions.

To have a great support system is fantastic, but can you imagine the CRM solution you are using doesn't require any support because it was so well made and clearly labelled that the user will not need to call support. In another word the best web systems in the world, all your Googles, YouTubes, or FaceBooks do you think they have a user support hotline?

This article is brought to you by Dealer Elites CRM an affordable solution to your dealership's CRM and DMS needs, visit us online at http://www.dealerelites.ca

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The Best Medical Job Search Tips Ever

In 2003, many work agencies had seen noteworthy increases in the number of medical-related jobs and those that fall under the health care services.

The demand for these positions is, in fact, consistently growing because there were also notable increases in medicine and health care-related job searches. It reported a total of 3.5 million searches just in the Internet and a particular web site alone.

Finding a job in the medical field can be very tedious and daunting, especially with all those millions of competitors all vying for the same related work field.

Therefore, for people who wish to obtain some edge over the others and have higher possibilities that they can get the medical job they have long wanted to have, here are some tips to guide them through:

1. The key to your dream job is in the resume

Gone are the days of the so-called “cookie-cutter” resumes. What matters most is to incorporate all the details being asked in the job posting.

The employer seeks to find the details he had posted in the listing; hence, he would be expecting to find it on the applicant’s resume. Make certain that the resume matches the qualifications that the potential employer is seeking.

2. Applicant’s should have previous experience already

The key point into getting a good medical job is based on the fact that prior to the application, the applicant should, by all means, try to generate some work experience even if the starting salary is just minimal. As long as it will give a person some kind of work experience, he or she should never hesitate to grab the opportunity.

In reality, 60% of the hiring employers are interested with the work experience, with all the other qualifications set aside.

3. For medical job searches online, it is best if the applicant will narrow job searches.

This means that the person should use terms that are more specific with regards to the kind of medical job he or she is looking for. It will not necessarily give the applicant a thousand results, but at least the applicant can generate at least 10 to 20 job searches with greater possibility of acquiring a job.

The bottom line is that medical related jobs are not that hard to find. With some determination and persistence the chances of obtaining the ideal job is just a matter of time.

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“Hot Tips on How to Job Scout”

Prior to looking for the specific job that would the best fit for you, learn how to effectively market your talents. This will help you gauge the possibility of landing on the job you want. First, skills and interests should be evaluated personally. Jotting down a list would definitely be the best way to define your capabilities; second, to know your limitations. There are jobs that are too demanding that might not work for you, or jobs that you may be overly qualified for; and third, planning the time as soon as there is an inner instinct that tells you that you are ready and qualified. Once this has been done, go to companies and prospective employers early in the morning for this will give them a good impression and for the applicant, a time to complete the process the application if lucky. Remember, the early bird catches the worm.

The very first thing that needs to be done when looking for a job is to prepare an impressive resume. The resume will depend on the type of job being applied for. There are times when certain employers require curriculum vitae and even a cover letter or letter of intent. Every professional job you apply for expects to receive a well written resume.

After preparing the documents needed for application, the next thing that should follow is finding vacancies for new hires. Searching using the Internet will be very helpful for this activity. There are sites that provide this assistance like HotJobs, America’s Job Bank, and Monster that utilizes resources and convenience for people to look for jobs.

Where else to look for job openings?

The initial step is to look at local newspapers for this provides information just by looking at the Classified Ads section and the lists of wanted personnel and employment opportunities will be read. Applying at several companies initially in a local area can save an applicant more time and money. If it so happens a job was found late in the day, call immediately for inquiries. Never let a day pass when opportunities come.

How to look for jobs that are not announced?

Sometimes companies and other employers do not really advertise any job openings in their organization. The best thing for an applicant is to weigh things if it will be possible to be hired by a certain company by just submitting an application form or resume. Start looking for the job personally. Tell everyone about your job hunting. Relatives and previous offices or company co-workers will be able to give hints on job vacancies in their current companies. Professors or teachers will also be helpful in recommending schools and institutions that are now looking for new instructors. These people might not have any vacant position in their company in mind but they certainly know someone who knows or needs a new employee. That is what others call networking.

Often times, the Yellow Pages does the important job of providing information on how and where to call to look for a job. This gives an accurate list of companies and prospective employers in a chosen area. Visiting the library is also a tool than can be useful when looking for a job. There are libraries that have a list of local employers, just asks the librarian for more information.

Contact these employers personally, even if they did not advertise any vacant positions that needed to be filled
Lastly, be observant of signs posted on doors and windows of shops and stalls being passed by. If lucky, just walk in and ask for information about the job and how to apply.

After submitting application forms and resumes to the respective companies, keep track of the progress by creating a chart where you can jot down the name of the company and when the application was submitted.

Here’s a job-scout checklist to help you along your way:

1. Identify experience list
2. Identify prospective employers
3. Prepare documents
4. Plan schedules
5. Contact companies and/or employers
6. Get ready for an interview
7. Evaluate how interview went along
8. Take the exams
9. Start with the new job!

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Have Fun • Do Good - Good TV: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Have Fun • Do Good Good TV: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution April 7, 2010 at 1:38 AM My favorite TV show right now is Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Yes, it has reality show moments (really, did the high school students have to cook a meal for 80 people after a week of training?), but its message is clear: we need to return to eating real (unprocessed) food, and to cooking from scratch. The show takes place in Huntington, West Virginia, one of the country's "fattest" and "unhealthiest" cities. During the episodes I've watched so far, Oliver worked with one elementary school, one high school, and one family to replace the tremendous amounts of processed food they ea! t with fresh, home-cooked food. Seeing so many unhealthily overweight people (one adolescent is already showing the early signs of diabetes, another has spots on her liver) is disturbing, but knowing that a solution is within reach--eating real food--makes it an exciting program to watch. I also love cooking, so watching other people, especially young people, get jazzed about cooking, is fun to see. I'd really like the show to stay on the air, and for the project to grow to other cities, so I'm encouraging you to watch it, and if you like it, to tell others about it. You can view the three previously aired episodes of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution online (for free) on ABC, and catch the remaining three on Fridays 9/8c. If you've already watching the show, what do you think of it? Below is a 2-minute video about, "5 Things You Need to Know - Jamie Oliver's Food! Revolut ion" Related blog posts and articles Jamie Oliver Turns the Spotlight On Our Own Homegrown Heroes by Kerry Trueman on Civil Eats. Jamie Oliver: School Food Revolution or Reality TV Rubbish? from Lettuce and Kale. Oliver Wages Revolution on City's Unhealthy Habits on the daily table Gwyneth Paltow's interview with Jamie Oliver for GOOP 230 Franklin Road Suite 814 Franklin, TN 37064

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Job Search Tips for Sales Professionals

Each specific industry has a variety of requirements that an employee has to meet. In searching for jobs as sales professionals, how do you prepare for a competitive environment?

Here are useful tips you could perform in searching the appropriate job and acing the interview.

1) Research: In order to be prepared on your interview, you should learn important facts about the company beforehand.

* The internet is one of the best ways to search for information and most companies provide their own websites. Study the content of the company’s website; know their background, goals, and information about the top executives.

* By using search engines on the Internet, you could also obtain news and additional information about the progress of the company, past projects and issues, and organizations where the company belongs.

* Review the stock market chart of the company. Since majority of shares are publicly traded, you could examine the recent stock price and learn the difficulties of its market over the past years. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the company will help you in the interview.

* Learn as many information as possible about its competitors. When you read articles about the market space, you will find out who leads the market and you can find out the company’s competitors. Having this knowledge could help you during the interview since you could be able to justify how the company is better than its present competitors are.

2) Attitude: Having the right attitude towards the interview and the job itself would ensure the position is yours.

* Majority of successful sales professionals have a unique energy that you can feel. They command a presence and hold the attention of everyone. Be energetic about the job and interview.

* Be enthusiastic. Since you have done your research about the company and its competitors, the interviewers will appreciate your enthusiasm and interest about the position.

3) Preparation: The position you desire could be yours as long as you show up prepared.

* Create a presentation by researching the products and services of the company. Be prepared to speak directly and intelligently about the company’s field.

* Provide statistics and industry related facts in your presentation. This goes to show that not only are you enthusiastic about the job, you are also aware of the condition of the industry.

* The fact about sales is its all about numbers. If you are asked about your numbers, simply provide them with production reports, past employment lists or a W-2 form of your yearly earnings.

By successfully performing these basic steps, your sales job could be yours in just a handshake away

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“Why Small Organizations Mean Big Business”

In the movie “You’ve Got Mail”, the sub-plot aside from the love angle is that the heroine (played by Meg Ryan) was forced out of business when the big-time bookstore owner (played by Tom Hanks) moved into town.

Meg’s character owned a quaint little bookstore which she inherited from her mother. Although the prices of her books were a little steep, she makes up for it in service. She packs the books in a specialized bag, and she knows all of her customers by name.

Tom’s character, on the other hand, moved into town to build a branch of a big chain-bookstore which offered discounted prices and a huge building, as compared to Meg’s little bookshop on one corner of the town’s streets.

In the end, Meg was forced out of business because her customers went to Tom’s monstrous bookshop.

Nowadays, this situation will not hold true anymore.

More and more small organizations are paving the way and giving big businesses a shot of their own medicine.

In the movie, the reason why Meg Ryan was forced out of business is because she cannot profit anymore. Her prices are steep as compared to the other big business’ discounted rates.

Her only edge is that she gives personal service, she knows her customers by name and she has a very small staff, about 2 or 3 employees.

As a small organization you may turn around and have these qualities as your edge to compete against the big sharks in business.

Here are some tips on how you can hold your own against a big business:

1. Small businesses have big competition.

This means that you need to know how to survive out there.

No matter what nature of business you have, it is better to learn about the competition so that you will be able to survive.

Here are some tips on how you can survive the big competition:

>Keep your business alive.

When it seems as if your cash flow is in a downward slope, keep a tight rein on your budget.

Do not spend on unnecessary business purchases and always balance your books.

If you are one to buy on impulse or if you are the type to listen to those who sweet-talk you into purchasing “necessary” items, control yourself.

Get a second and third opinion if possible, as these impulsive buys may lead to the end of your small organization.

>Do not be afraid to seek professional help.

The fall of most small businesses start with decisions on problems which are not carefully analyzed.

Although you think that you already have a contingency plan, make sure that you have foreseen the results of a certain business decision.

In the long run, it is better to seek professional help rather than embark on a plan that could start the downfall of your business.

>Keep your books straight.

The better option is for you to hire a professional outside accountant to figure the returns of your investment and handle the other financial aspects of your business.

>Take advantage of every free business counseling whenever available.

This does not just help widen your knowledge, but it will also give you an idea of how other businesses are ran by small-scale owners.

>Know exactly where your business is headed.

In your day-to-day operation, make sure that you know where you want your company to be 5 or 10 years from now.

Be always aware of the trends in the industry that you are in, practice good money management and learn how to recognize potential problems before they arise.

2. Learn how to market your small organization.

Marketing is not about trying to sell your products and services to everyone.

It is about knowing who to market your products to.

In marketing, it is good to remember these fast facts:

> Know about your customers.

>Communicate with your customers.

>Build a good and personalized relationship with your customers.

This will be a great edge for you to have against the bigger companies.

They might offer discounted prices but it is harder for them to keep track of customers on a more personal basis.

>Do not stop the marketing process.

As a small organization, you need to routinely review the markets that you need to pursue so that you can better reach out to your customers.

Remember, small organizations are big businesses these days so do not be afraid to work hard for the company that you have – not matter how small.

If you work hard, make wise business decisions, learn how to market your small business and personalize your customer interaction, your small-scale business is sure to rise to the top.

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Importance of Skills Emphasis on Job Interviews

Skill emphasis during the interview is important to show the employer what makes you different from all the other job candidates. In this competitive world, companies search for the most qualified employees by weighing skills of the candidates and determining how they would benefit the company.

Majority of the top companies search for employers who stands out based from their expertise, ability to give new developments, and pleasing personalities that would enhance the organization.

Skills are grouped into three kinds – knowledge-based, transferable, and personal traits.

1) Knowledge-based skills are those learned from experiences. These may include educational attainment, additional training, seminars attended, and other practices that you have studied to enhance your expertise.

Knowledge-based skills include computer and communication skills, marketing or managerial knowledge, product development, and many more. These skills vary depending on the field of industry of each job candidate.

2) Transferable or portable skills are those you bring to a specific job. This is the reason why interviewers ask, “What could you offer the company?” Transferable skills are important because companies strive to look for quality employees that would improve the development of the workforce.

Portable skills include problem solving, team leader potential, organized, writing and communication skills, customer service oriented, time and project management, and good with numbers and budget. This kind of skills varies depending on the experience and versatility of each job candidate.

3) Personal traits determine who you are. In a job interview, one of the most common things an employer says is “Tell me something about yourself.” Your response is vital because it would set the tone for the rest of the interview.

Personal traits include good judgment, well organized, analytical, goal oriented, flexible, creative and many more. Try to sell yourself in as modest as possible within a limited time.

* Self-assessment. In order to provide an impressive presentation, examine your resume and list all the skills you have used for each past job experience. Make a comprehensive list of your skills and strengths including personal traits, knowledge-based and transferable skills. This would be the basis for your personal commercial.

* Once you have completed your script, you are now ready to face the interviewer. Remember that employers are interested in your accomplishments. Use words that are concise, direct and clear.

Although many companies require a unique set of skills, you should still highlight your technical skills in the interview. These skills, which top companies usually seek, include leadership, communication, confidence, flexibility, problem solving and energy.

Emphasizing all of your strengths and skills on job interviews would increase your chances of landing the desired job.

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Entry-Level Jobs 101: 4 Must-Know Tips

For most people, aiming for a higher position at once is the key to job search success. However, for some people who know that in order to succeed in the job market, they have to, literally, start from scratch. This means that people who want to grow positively in the working world; they have to learn the basics and fundamental principles of working, how it is to love the work most people do, and how to establish a good working relationship with his or her colleagues.

In order to enjoy all of these, one must submit himself or herself to an entry-level type of job. This refers to a job that requires minimal skills and expertise with no experience requirement needed.

Because of its nature, entry-level jobs are characterized by low salary, require physical work, and sometimes need field work.

Most often than not, people who are into entry-level jobs have very low hourly rates and may or may not entail insurance. This would mean that any hospital expenses caused by accidents that happened while the worker is at work may or may not be compensated by the employer, meaning there is no guarantee or whatsoever.

What’s more, most entry-level jobs are on a part-time basis. Examples of entry-level jobs are receptionist, apprenticeship, those who are working in a fast food restaurant, customer service, cashiers, etc.

Contrary to popular belief, entry-level jobs should not be ignored. What people do not realize is that entry-level jobs offer more than just low wages. These jobs are the foundation of all other positions available in the job market.

In most cases, people who start to work on higher positions right after they graduate from college are easily bored from their work. What is even worse, there is no room available for personal growth and career advancement.

Entry-level jobs are the stepping-stone to success in careers. So, for people who wish to grow and be promoted to a higher position, here are some tips that they can use:

1. Workers who are in the entry-level position should show enthusiasm, efficiency, caring, and love for his work.

2. They should master their skills and hone their craft.

3. They should be an expert on customer service.

4. They should know how to impress a customer who happens to be seeking an employee who knows optimum customer service.

These are just a few of the qualities that must be employed by an entry-level worker in order to advance to a higher position. And once he reaches the top, he knows that work is definitely something worth valuing for.

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How to Get Referrals from Warm Contacts

You may find it hard to use networking to find a job if you can’t rely on your warm contacts to give you the information you need. At times, you would have to ask your warm contacts to refer you to at least two people that they know who will be able to give you the information you needed.

However, there are times that your warm contact, particularly those who don’t know you well, may not readily provide you with the information. Some of your warm contacts may feel reluctant about vouching for you to their other contacts.

Because of this, you may find it difficult to use your network. To make networking and getting referrals an easy task for you, here are a few tips.

* Nurture your warm contacts.

Before you even need your warm contacts or before you even ask for help, keep in touch with your warm contacts. You may send notes or greetings from time to time, call to “catch up” on them, invite them to lunch, be interested or help in their business or do anything just to cultivate your connection with them.

In this way, by the time you need help, they can remember you and can more readily give information about their other contacts that will be able to help you.

* Be polite.

Since you might not have close personal relationships with some of your valuable warm contacts, it is inappropriate to just give them a call and ask them for information about your field of interest.

Sometimes, sending a note in advance, or asking to meet them for lunch is a better way to ask for their help.

* Listen to them.

Most of the time, even if your warm contact knows little in the field where you are trying to find a job, they might offer you advice. Be polite and interested in what they are saying. Who knows, the information that they are giving may be valuable to you in the future.

There are times that your warm contacts may be telling you tips on what manner will work best when you talk to the persons to whom you are being referred. Your warm contacts may also imply what qualities and qualifications the person is looking for.

* Ask for at least two referrals.

Before you ask for referrals, make sure that your warm contact had said everything that he or she can say about your field of interest.

Even if they know little about that field, it is impolite if you cut them short while they are speaking to ask if they know somebody who will be able to help you.

If they weren’t able to refer you to at least one of their contacts, thoughtfully ask them why they couldn’t do so. They may give you answers that may include indirect comments or suggestions. They may also indicate a lack of confidence in your work strategy. If this is so, you may have to make follow ups with them to prove that you are indeed credible and match their requirements.

However, there are also times when they can’t refer you to their contacts because they just don’t know anybody who might have the information or might be interested in the product.

In this case, ask them to keep their eyes open for opportunities that you might be interested in. You can also leave with them copies of your resume.

* Just ask for two referrals.

Two referrals are enough from each warm contact. This is to have another option in case the first one didn’t work out. Asking for more than two referrals could be impolite as it can take much time from your warm contact. Also, that will make your warm contact feel that you are relying mostly on him or her for your job search. So, unless they volunteer the information, don’t ask for more than 2 referrals.

* Contact referrals as soon as possible.

When your warm contacts give you referrals, there are times that they also call these people personally to give more information about you. On the other hand, when you contact the people to whom you were referred, your referrals may call your warm contacts to verify the information or to ask more information about you.

Either way, you have to contact your referrals soon enough that these people can still remember their conversation with your warm contact, or your warm contact can still remember that you have talked.

At times, after your referrals were called by your warm contacts, they anticipate your call and even prepare questionnaires and exams for you to take. Do not waste this opportunity by delaying follow-up on referrals.

Keeping these tips in mind will be able to help you in asking for good referrals from your warm contacts.

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Searching for an Accounting Job

Accounting graduates, have broader choices and specific paths to follow with their careers. Accounting requires a lot of skills when it comes to business and that is why every company has an employee that is an accounting graduate. If you are an accounting graduate, you can apply in any kind of firm. Areas may include tax, audit, financial analysis and management accounting.

It is best that you apply for a job that matches your interests and expertise. There are careers that have been proven by most accounting graduates to bring them to the top of the success ladder and you may want to consider entering these fields.

If you are an accounting graduate who excel in public accounting, the entry-level positions that best fit this skill are Tax Staff, Consulting/ Management Services and Staff Auditor. With these positions you will do your duties reporting to a senior. Once you have acquired three to six years of experience in any of these positions, you may then want to consider applying for the higher levels like Tax Senior, Senior Auditor, and Consulting Senior where the position entails reporting directly to a Manager. After six years of excelling with these potions, then you may consider the positions Partner level and Senior Partner.

Having an edge with corporate accounting, one to three years of experience will qualify you to become a staff member in Internal Audit, Tax Accounting, Management, and Financial Accounting. Moving up the higher lever after three to six years, you will be eligible for the Senior Level for Internal Audit, Tax Accounting and Management Accounting. Six years thereafter, you may want to consider aiming for the positions like the Tax Manager, Internal Audit Manager and Financial Accounting Manager.

Expertise in Financial Management, Staff for Financial Planning, Cash Management, and Credit Analysis are options for entry-level positions. Once you have gained the enough experience, you may aim for the Treasury Operations, Credit Analysis and Senior Financial Planning. Higher positions will include Treasurer, Manager for Credit Analysis and Financial Planning.

These career options are traditional paths that were found to fit best for accounting graduates. However, it does not mean that they are the only way to climb up the success ladder. You should go beyond not just limit your skills to accounting. It is still recommended that you gain enough work experience, acquire knowledge in different aspects of education, and continue to improve your character to be a step ahead with other job seekers.

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Health Care Job Search Tips: Health is Wealth Indeed!

Nowadays, jobs falling under the health care category are one of the most in demand jobs. This is because more and more countries fall short with regards to their employees and staff in the health care industry.

In fact, aside from computers and information technology, heath care jobs are the ones that are greatly sought after by both the employers and applicants.

Aside from the increasing demand, health care jobs are also one of the best paying jobs all over the world. For example, in the United States alone, physical therapist assistants get to earn $27,500 to $ 41,780 in a year. It is also expected to grow by 46% in the years to come.

For people who are dreaming to go abroad and land a job in the health care category, here are some tips that that can help:

1. Know your craft

The problem with most people who are looking for health care jobs is that they do not know the fundamental skill needed in this kind of job: care for others.

There are many instances wherein health care jobs do not necessarily require people who have a higher education diploma in health care. So, people who have a “caring” attitude, can have a lucrative job in the health care industry.

2. Health Information technicians and Medical Records rank six on United States’ 10 hottest jobs of 2005.

These positions can work well for people who are looking for health care jobs. These positions pay $19,700 to $27,400 annually.

3. Success is in the keywords, For people who are searching for specific health care jobs on the Internet, it is best to narrow down their searches with some more detailed keywords. In this way, heath care job searches will reap better results.

4. Aim for the best positions in the health care industry

For people who wish to land a good job in the health care industry, it would be better to do some homework first. In this way, they can get an overview on which position has the most demands for employees and which job entails higher salaries.

In the United States’ 10 hottest job of 2005, medical assistants are the top positions in demand in the health care industry today. In fact, surveys show that the demand for medical assistants will continue to grow and will increase by 59% in 2012.

Indeed, the health care industry continues to saturate the market with a continuous growth for the demands of its services. No wonder why most people are into health care jobs!

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“Facts about Searching Jobs Abroad”

Job hunting abroad can be both an opportunity and an adventure. There are hurdles to overcome when searching for the right job abroad. Let’s take going to Madrid, Paris, Rome or London for example. It’s not enough to just send resumes, the idea should be “get the luggage and get on the plane.”

Getting a work permit is one obstacle in Europe. To stay there for an extended time, a residence permit is needed. This an only be granted once a working permit has been granted. Companies only provide non-European workers their work permits if they prove that there are no qualified European for the position. This is tough since the European Employment Services allows different companies to recruit prospects in eighteen European Economic Area countries. Remember that an ideal candidate is one who is able to speak the native language of a specific city other than English.

If you have your eye on Spain, a typed application letter with a resume must be prepared, including a recent photo and translated qualifications and/or copies of diplomas and other credentials. The letter must be written in a direct formal style citing the vacancy applying for. A must have for the closing should be “En espera de sus noticias, les saluda atentamente.”

In the United Kingdom, newspapers are good sources of job openings. Assorted prime papers offer complement of job vacancies like “The Guardian,” “The Daily Telegraph,” “The Times,” or the “The Independent” particularize vacancies daily. Companies are very particular regarding the reason you are applying. Research on their product offers, location of branches/offices, etc. There must be a reason why there is an interest to work for a specific company.

The application for jobs in Italy should also consist of a typed application letter. This should be formal and conventional in form. Using the Italian language is a must when explaining the intriguing reason for application. Diplomas and other credentials including impressive list of references should be handy during the initial interview. There are three to four expected follow-up interviews including a psychometric test. Put emphasis on personal appearance before the interview especially how the dress as this shows the concern in getting the job being applied for.

The average job search abroad ranges between six to twelve months. Experts consider searching for a job a full time job itself. Attending career counseling is helpful if unsure on what to do. There are a lot of great career resources who can give advise that best fits ones interests and passion.

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How to Create a List of Warm Contacts

Usually when you are looking for a job, you would ask for help from family and friends. You would contact these people to ask for information on current job openings, business opportunities and tips.

Your family, relatives and friends belong to your warm contact list. The warm contact list is the list of people with whom you have or had some personal association. A former classmate, officemate or neighbor may belong to your warm contact list.

Who may be included in your warm contact list? Here are a number of selections.

* Relatives and Friends

These people are always willing to help you in your job search or business venture. They will be able to provide you information if they have some, or refer you to trustworthy people who will be able to help you. If they will introduce you to some of their contacts, they can surely provide honest information to you regarding the person you are going to associate with.

* Members of the church, political party, social club or fraternity or sorority

You probably did not expect it, but people who share the same faith, beliefs or hobbies may also help you with finding a job. You may have a different career from theirs, but they might know somebody who is in the same field or will be able to help you in your career.

However, depending on your level of association with them, they may think twice about giving their opinion or thoughts about their contacts. Their opinion can sometimes help you in making a strategy on how to approach and ask for help from their contacts.

* People who sell you things

You may think that your relationship with these people is purely based on trading goods and services, then paying for them. However, people who sell you things are also sources of information when networking.

Since these people sell their goods to different types of persons, they may have associated with somebody who belongs to the same field as you do, or have heard information about your target job from their other clients.

These people will also be happy to help you, since they know that maintaining a pleasant relationship with you means a stable business. Also, if you have a good job means you have increased your purchasing power, and then it could also mean that you may purchase more from them.

* Former employers, colleagues or co-workers

Maintaining a good relationship with previous employers and colleagues has more benefits than you can imagine. This is the reason that most people try their best to iron out any difficulties with their previous employers even if they are no longer associated with the company. Aside from the possibility that your potential employer will call previous employers when they review your job history, former employers and colleagues are also a good source of information related to that field.

When you ask for help from family and friends, there is the possibility that the information that they can give to you is just from another source. They may not be able to give you first-hand information or detailed information unless they also work in the same field that you came from or would like to go into.

This is very different when you consult former employers and colleagues from the same sector. They will be able to provide you with valuable information and may be able to clarify such information and answer you questions.

* Members of your professional organization

If you belong to a professional organization related to the field in which you are looking for a job, you can consult the organization for current posting from the members. If you don’t belong to any, consider joining one since this will be beneficial to you career growth.

A professional organization can provide you unbiased information on current job openings from its members. The organization can also give you details on the company profile and even on current market and career trends.

These are the most important people that you should include when creating a list of your warm contacts. It is better if you contact them all so you can have as many options in your job search. When you talk to them, tell them that you are actively seeking a job.

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Matching Your Skills to Find Appropriate Jobs

Skills refer to the things you do well. The key to finding the most appropriate jobs in the industry is recognizing your own skills and communicating the significance written and verbally to a probable employer.

Majority of the most viable skills are those that are used in a variety of work settings. What are these skills? Would matching your skills to find the right job be successful?

* Determine your skills. This would help you in becoming the lead candidate of landing the job. A skill does not necessarily mean it was adapted in a work environment. If this would be your first job hunt and you have no job experience to date, you still have a chance in the industry.

Majority of skills, including knowledge-based and transferable, could be absorbed and developed as a volunteer, a student, a homemaker, or in your other personal activities. The skills you have used for these activities can still be applied to your desired jobs.

Organizing and listing your personal skills could help you easily fill out job applications, provide useful information for job interviews, and prepare quality resumes.

First, you should categorize the skills by separating your interests and aptitudes from your work experience.

1) Aptitudes and interest. These include all of your hobbies, activities you have been involved in the past, and all the things that interest you. By listing all of these down, you could examine the skills it takes to achieve each item.

Skills from aptitude and interest may be homemaking, playing basketball, fixing cars and many more. All of these items could determine if you are capable of working with a team, able to handle multiple tasks, have viable knowledge of human development, knowledge of electronics and ability to diagnose mechanical and numerical problems. The list goes on, but make sure to consider the skills that would be beneficial for a working environment.

2) Work history. This includes volunteer, part-time, freelance, summer and full time jobs. Once you have listed all your past employment, examine the skills you do work each work duty.

* Ask for help. As soon as you have your list ready, you could now go to job services that could help you acquire your desired job. You could also search job yourself. However, always remember to match your skills and abilities in your list to the needed skills and abilities of various jobs.

In most cases, people who seek jobs are threatened with job titles. This should not be the case. As long as your skills and abilities could meet the requirements of the workload and job title, your possibility of acquiring your desired job increases.

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