One With The Machine

The Secret of Success

2011-02-27T05:31:00.000-08:00

A while back I had an opportunity to listen to one of the most influential person in our organization our CEO. He was talking about success, and how to obtain success, there are lots of opportunity in life that you can be successful, your passion, work, sports, arts and a like. Although it is a hard battle towards the top, there are strategies to follow when aiming for success.

Good Decision Making, may it be in business, personal life, good decision making is crucial for your goal of becoming successful.

Factors that will hinder you to make good decisions:

Family and Friends, although family and friends are important to us as humans and the core reason why we work ourselves out. Often times these are the people who will hinder us to make good decision, because they will always want the things that will benefit them. They will influence you to make a decision that will favor them. I’m not saying that they are just bad people, this is just the natural reaction of most people, “things that will benefit me” and undermining the other parties involved.

Culture, is another challenge, you will most likely be influenced by culture, religion, or traditions when trying to make a good decisions. The worst part is you won’t even notice that your decision was based on your current culture. The only way to combat this, and not become blind, is to expose yourself to different cultures and traditions, by doing so you widen your horizon and understanding.

Lack of experience, they say experience is a good teacher; well it’s true. The hard part is that experience requires time to learn, you will not be able to accelerate your learning process because you need to experience it yourself. But the moment you gain enough experience the better you decide on things, you will find patterns, and good practices. Then only thing you can do is hope that you don’t blew your chances by making bad decisions so be very careful when deciding on things.

Fear, the most difficult challenge you will face when trying to make a good decision, it could be any type of fear, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of mistakes, fear of hurting other people, fear of risks. People tend to make low risk investments because of fear, people will always try to avoid conflict, even if they knew what, is the right thing to do. To combat this, arm yourself with knowledge, do your research and seek advice from people who have already been in your situation. Remember, Fear makes the wolf look bigger.

Although, Good Decision making is a key element to success, our CEO told me that it is not the secret to success. It is not Skills, not Talent, nor luck, or technology. The secret to success is perseverance. When skills fail you perseverance will succeed, when talent fail you perseverance will succeed, when technology fail you perseverance will succeed. When all things fail perseverance will succeed.

Yes it is that simple, look around you and find the common denominator of successful people, all of them have persevere against the challenges, and difficulties to become successful.

How to Improve your Career Path

2011-02-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

The only constant in life is change, I always here this phrases either during interviews or during performance reviews. As humans we aim for improvement in every aspect in our lives, this is also true in our career. You can’t be doing the same things over and over again until you retire and collect a pension. So while you are young you need to invest in certain skills to improve your positioning in your company. After all nobody wants to be cranking up the wheel until they are 60.

Here are the key things you would need to improve or invest in more time.

Knowledge, first you need to love the process of learning, only then knowledge will pour into your life without spilling or having a hard time consuming ideas and thoughts. Knowledge empowers you to do the right things the right way; with knowledge, people/coworkers tends to seek your advice, in short you become an expert, and you gain credibility.

Confidence, with all the knowledge you have, you need to be able to send your message in a confident manner. It helps you send your message clearly with your peers, trusting one’s self is the ultimate confidence booster and this can only be achieve if you exactly know what you are doing.

Communication Skills, one of the most critical skills when you are trying to climb up the “corporate ladder”; It is already a known fact, that whatever type of work you are currently in right now, you will be dealing with lots of diverse people in the work place. With good communication skills, it enables you to become a good communicator, management or your boss will listen to your ideas, you will be able to position yourself easily.

Social Skills, if you are currently a staff that is seeking for a management position in your current company, the only way to get there is if you can improve your social skills. You need to be able to position yourself for the management position before you try to tell your boss that you are interested. Positioning is the key, to achieve this, and the only way to do it is to be a social individual.

As an introvert social skill is one of my weaknesses, here are the key things that would help you improve your social skills.

Think clean, thinking clean thoughts free from your negative views of the world gives you more confidence to talk and socialize. It enables you to clearly see the picture, free from prejudice.

Be a good listener, people are social being, and they love talking about small things like. The weather, politics, hobbies, what they did last weekend, past experience, funny encounters. People liked to feel important, being a good listener makes them feel that they are important to you. Doing this you will gain their trust.

Say something positive, you can’t just be listening in the entire “social” interaction, you need to be able to express your thoughts. You need to be careful when sharing your personal views on things, to be safe don’t say anything negative, always give your positive view, unless they show signs that they want to hear your negative thoughts on the subject. Saying something positive makes people like you. Often time’s people need to have a “comforter” or someone they can depend on, to seek for advice in times of hardship.

Be honest, when you are honest you don’t need to hide anything, because you know you have been true to your motives.

Aggregating value, aggregation of value is when you delegate task, so that you don’t need to do it yourself. This is a trait of a leader, it shows that you are capable of leading people, or become an overseer. When you do this, you move to a higher point of view, aggregating value frees your hand and mind to do other things that would be more beneficial to you, than when you are doing the dirty work.

Things to ask in a job interview

2011-01-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

After the prospect employer asked you all the question he can think of, finally it is your turn to ask him back. Usually after an interview the employer would as you “do you have any questions”? Here are the interesting questions you can ask to gauge your chance of getting the job.

Things to ask in a job Interview

How would you describe the responsibility of the position?
Asking this type of question shows you are interested, of getting the job.

How would you describe a typical week/day in this position?
You need to know what you will be up for in case you get the position, this should also atleast show the expectations from the employer to you.

How many people work in this office/department?
Knowing the workforce would also let you know, if you’ll be dealing with big teams or you’ll be working alone.

What do you like about working here?
Knowing what the interviewer thinks about his current company, would give you an Idea if he is satisfied with the current position hi is into.

What type of benefits do you have?
Asking the type of benefits the company offers shows, what type of company you’ll be working for.

Those questions are just for warming up, they let you condition the interviewer to answer more relax to the following questions that involves your qualifications. The following questions below will help you gauge your interview performance.

If I am extended a job offer, how soon would you like me to start?
Knowing how soon you’ll need to start will give you an idea if the job is urgent or not.

When can I expect to hear from you?
This question is quite important; you don’t want to be waiting for nothing after all. Ask them for a date range, on when you can expect their call. This question doesn’t diminish your chance of landing the job it’s just letting you know if you actually have any chance.

What do you think about my qualifications?
Probably the “Atom Bomb” question, mostly interviewers won’t tell you up front if you are qualified or not. Asking this question lets you know directly if you’ll get the job or not, all you need to do is read between the lines when he actually answers it.

My New Year resolution for 2011

2011-01-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

So here I am trying to think of something to achieve within this year. I realized that I haven’t been paying too much attention to this blog. I was reading it the other day, and notice lots of mistakes in grammar.
English is not really my primary language, so I think one of my New Year resolutions would be to improve my writing skills: Like observing proper punctuation, capitalizing when needed constructing better sentences that are easy to read. I understand that the only way to achieve this is to write lots of crappy post until I see some progress on my writing skill.

Another would be to become more productive at work and also on my spare time. I miss doing self projects, and making things out from nothing and feeling the satisfaction after completing the said project.

Third would probably be less play and more learning, I am excited that there are still lots of things to learn.

Fourth, more positive thoughts though I write a lot, about how to become a positive thinker on this blog. I must admit, that I myself struggled with negative thoughts; and I always remind myself about what I have learned and apply them. This blog is more of a personal experience as I unfold the story of my life and day to day battle to survive. :)

There that would complete my New Year's resolution for 2011

How to become successful

2011-01-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

A question that not all people will figure out in their lifetime, often times we get caught in this rat race called life, where in norms are being followed in the hopes for a better future. So how do you think you’ll be successful when you’re doing the same things others do? They might even do it better than you.

So first let’s define success so we really know what we are really aiming for, according to an online dictionary.

Success - “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted: attributed their success in business to hard work.”

So the key words we got based from the definition are: desire, plan, attempt (execute), and hard work.

First we need to discover our desires, what are the things we really love doing? It could be anything, from software engineering, robotics, social care, arts and literature or even watching porn. There is no limit to it as long as you honestly desire it. There is no need to try and fit yourself on things you don’t really like; otherwise you’d do mediocre jobs.

Often time we get into this mindset that we are in a race, and you need to get in front of everyone else. Usually college students take up courses they don’t really feel passionate about, just because the job pays well, at the end of the day you’d end up dreading your job and feeling depressed most of the time.

Second Plan it, I can’t stress it enough planning is one of the most important ingredient to every successful person. You need to have some sort of a blue print on how you’d get to your destination. Often time this is where people get stuck because they get overwhelmed of the things they need to do in order to become successful.

I have a technique that I personally follow when planning things out.

Describe the current situation – describing the situation gives you a better understanding on what you are up to. May it be solving a current problematic process, or trying to figure out from getting to point A to B.
What is the desired result – knowing your goal will help you see the path you need to take in order to get there.
Ask yourself, is there an existing solution – search for existing solutions or steps, you don’t need to make your own or go the hard way. There are people that have already been in your shoes and all you need to do is to replicate what they have done in order for you to become successful. This would also be a good time to widen your “Network”. Remember, Good Artist Copy, Great Artist steals.
If there are no existing ideas then, enumerate are the steps needed – enumerating the steps to get to your goal will help you know the challenges you will face along the way. This will help you prepare for the future. It will also help you prepare the necessary skills you’ll need in order to become successful.

Hard work, and execution, without this you are probably going nowhere, hard work and execution always goes together and this is the key point of becoming successful.

Remember without hard work and execution then, you are only a dreamer hoping for better days.

These are the steps I follow when executing my plan of becoming successful.

List the things you need to do, each day create a list of things you need to do to complete a small goal.
Set realistic goals for you to follow, making unrealistic goals will consume you and soon you will lose interest or get overwhelmed.
Divide big goals to smaller goals, it is every dangerous to feel overwhelmed when you are about to execute your plans. Dividing big goals will ensure that you are small specific goals that are easily achievable.
Start with the smallest task, it is important to start with the small things so you’d get your momentum going.
Evaluate your direction from time to time, to know if you are getting near or getting to far off. It is important to keep yourself on track, to get a clear understanding if the things you’re doing still make sense. Overtime things will change and you will need to adjust in order to succeed in life.
Think positive even if you are not, keep this mind set all the time and you will see that doing so little like smiling or by thinking positive thoughts will get you every far.

If you do these things consistently I’m sure you’d become successful. Always remember success is measured by your own satisfaction. if you think you still need to achieve in life Then, desire it, plan it, attempt (execute) and hard work!

Good luck guys :)

Salary Negotiation

2009-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

The most important aspect of finding a job (the salary)
Money is a very good motivator, depending on your current salary, you will either feel shitty on your job or you will feel you got your dream job!

But that is not always the case, sometimes you are either under payed or overworked
(which is also underpaid in another sense)

In here, I teach you the art of salary negotiation.

Before you can execute this technique, you must obtain the following perquisites.

You have a current job

You are not too desperate to look for another job, but a better opportunity would be great!

You have some experience on your field

You have a job interview coming up

You have done some research on the job you are applying for

...So you have talked about yourself, and he has talked about his company, he asked you questions, you answer them correctly, and he likes you, specially your 'interest' on your current field... and now, he is ready to ask you the golden question!

First rule, the person who tells the price first lose (well not always).
The reason is, if you don't know how much they are willing to pay for the position you are applying; You might be aiming too high or you might be aiming too low.

So what to do? You ask them, or you do a market research before hand.
it's always good to ask in a polite manner by using "May I know" , "Could you tell me the budget" etc.

If the interviewer doesn't answer the questions, and insist that you should tell him how much is your current salary expectation.

Then you follow this, you have to make sure that you place yourself in a strategic bargaining position. so do not answer the question directly!

You tell him, like "well, right now I'm currently earning ( your salary + 20% more) + your benefits like (insurance, allowances.. etc). so I would be expecting + 10-20% more of that.

formula: (salary+20% + benefits)+ 20% = new salary

So why did we add 20% (this percentage depends on how much you really want) more to your current salary and then adding another new percentage on your new salary?

Because you can! you are in a comfortable situation here, you have a job, you are not desperate, and most of all you have experience! and if they don't like it you lose nothing but a couple of hours which I think is still a gain since you'd be gaining information about the market.

If the interviewer ask you: "why ask so much?"
you make him understand the risk you are taking to work for his company:

You will be back on a probationary position for at least 6 months

You will be adjusting to new cultures, and encounter new learning curves

You will not have the same benefit with the regular employees(leaves, insurance, etc)

You have to be firm, if the interviewer insist on a certain price which would usually be around (current salary+20%+10%) or worse case (current salary+20%)

Basically you'd still be in a winning situation here, because you will still be getting 20% more of your current salary by not declaring your real basic salary.

Sample Student Resume

2009-05-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

This sample student resume will give you a quick start on building an effective and optimized resume for your job application. Visitors can feel free to customize and edit our sample student resume as per their requirement for job application.
We hope that our sample student resume will go a long way in portraying your abilities and skillets efficiently.

Jimmy ANDERSON

1236, East 67 Street,

Carlisle, MA 01741,

(123)-456 7790.

OBJECTIVE:

Seeking an entry-level position within the Engineering Department of a manufacturing facility.

EXPERIENCE:

Castle Island Engineering Works, South Boston, MA

May – Sept 2001

Summer Placement

Performed time studies on each process in a large manufacturing area.
Planned the floor layout for a new automated production line.
Completed Auto-CAD drawings for the Senior Engineer on line layout and ergonomic space-saving concepts.
Identified potential bottlenecks to production, and developed methods to reduce and prevent these impediments to efficiency.
Completed change requests on production procedures and drawings.

Douglas Engineering Co. Ltd., Cambridge, MA

June – Sept 2000

Summer Placement

Completed Auto-CAD drawings of proposed layouts for a large production facility in Boston.
Reviewed production procedures and engineering specs including machine drawings prior to submittal for review in the change process.
Developed and maintained a database for tracking tech files, equipment specs, equipment installation checklists etc.

EDUCATION:

Boston University, Boston, MA

2000 - Present

BS in Mechanical Engineering, Graduated with Honours.

Boston College, Boston, MA

1999 –2001

BS in Computer Science

RELEVANT INFORMATION:

Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Auto-CAD and Java.
Participated in a two-week course in Machine Design, Christmas 2000.
Other interests include Aircraft Model making and design, carpentry and tool making.
Hobbies include Football, Hockey, Swimming and Reading.

Boosting your confidence

2008-10-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

After 6 months of no updates I'm finally back!, just recently been sent halfway around the world to work on a product that with my current employer. All in all its a good experience and a confidence level booster.

I've been receiving lots of emails lately from people asking me, how to deal with nervousness, or confidence in job interviews. it's getting piled up in my email so i have to make a topic out of it :)

... Often times we are struck with fear, in the most important moment of our life.. like confession of your love, job interviews, meetings, and even just talking up front with a crowd! This is because we have a mental image of ourselves, and what we think what others are thinking about us (sounds confusing?). you may call it paranoia if you like :)

So you ask me how do I boost my confidence when I need it most?

1. first off all you should practice deep breathing
if you breath properly, you get more oxygen in your head, which will make your relax, and more comfortable. breath deeply, don't be afraid of showing it to the person you are conversing with, he/she's probably nervous too!

2. you should think positively!
you may say oh, i think that way!, but why are your lips shaking? when you talk. that is because you are afraid to commit mistakes. or mispronounce words, or probably your thinking too much and hoping you'd make sense to people.

3. don't be afraid to commit mistakes.
if you do commit mistakes just laugh it off and act as if you don't care.
this is one every good confidence booster, since everyone is human and prone to errors. there is really no point on why you cant commit the same mistakes too!

4. level yourself with the person your talking to.
often times when we are face with an interview, we get scared because the interviewer is the 'authority' figure. you should think that you're still talking to a human, which would probably be thinking the same thing towards you. so there is really nothing to fear. you might think, i bet i can't out run him in a marathon, or i bet i can sing better than him! gather your confidence, in the skill's you are most comfortable with.

when I'm talking to my boss I put a mental image of him and say to myself.. he is almost the same height as me.. his a bit larger but not that large, I'm getting hungry i bet his getting hungry too!

5. don't think too much or don't be too conscious
yes that is correct, if you think too much when talking to someone often times our mind, hinders you to speak the ideas you are really wanting to share. this is where fear of committing mistakes comes in. and the next thing you know you're shaking! and eating your words.

6. lastly, learn to let go.
when you commit mistakes, or mispronounce words just don't mind it, your main goal here is to transmit your message and not your fear.

always remember, fear makes the wolf look bigger! :)

Writing Power Resume

2008-04-02T03:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long wait, I actually lost my job due to my previous company shutting down. Probably I should also make a list on how to detect 'losing' companies so you don't sink with the ship. The truth was, I already got offers from several companies before my previous company runs out of funds, the reason I stayed was for a friend who asked me too (my weakness LOL)...
I wanted to prove myself and everyone in here that What I'm talking is not just BS, but this is how you actually land a Job. Believe me, I've been in the ups and down of employment. After a couple of days sleeping at home doing nothing. I've sent in my resume to 2 potential employer. I Didn't got the chance to be interviewed with other company because they where not actually hiring lol, but the other one accepted me.

Remember that passing in the resume is 50% done (sparking up interest)... getting a chanced to be interviewed is 80% done (your chance to BS your way in), and getting a job offer is 100% done (which means your BS technique works).

Anyhow, anyone should know that the purpose of writing a resume, is to sell yourself to potential employers and get the best deal out of it.

So I wrote down a sample resume template for some people to follow if they want to:

John Doe Smith Jr.
Home Address
<Your Address Goes Here>

E-mail Add: <Your Email Address Goes Here>
Telephone No.: <(AreaCode) Phone Number>
Mobile: <Mobile Number Goes Here>

Photo Here

Personal Data

Age: 23
Civil Status: Single
Date of Birth: January 11, 1985
Place of Birth: Cebu City, Philippines
Nationality: Filipino
Father's Name: Mr. John Doe Smith Sr.
Mother's Name: Mrs. Lisa Doe Smith
Languags Spoken: English, Mandarin, Tagalog, Cebuano

Interest: Game programming, Drawing, web design and development, computer games, listening to music, nature, reading informative books, general knowledge, Japanese/Asian films, foreign cultures, Random Art, Internet.

Educational Background

Date graduated

Tertiary
<Name of Your School Goes Here>
<Address of Your School Goes Here>
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
2001 - 2005
March 2005

Secondary

March 2001

Primary

March 1997

Honors and Recognitions Received

Technical Skills

Strong Technical Knowledge:

C#, vb.net, vb6, PHP, MY-SQL, CSS, XHTML

With Technical Knowledge:

MSSQL Server, SQL, AJAX, Visual C/C++, Java, JavaScript, ASM, DirectX9, DirectX7, DotNet Framework 2.0, XML, windows service, ASP.net 2.0, MVC design pattern, CAKEPHP framework

Software Applications:

Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft Visual Studio 6, Macromedia Dreamweaver 8, Flash 8, Ollydbg Debugger, Photoshop CS3, Microsoft PowerPoint 2003, Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Excel 2003, Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows Vista ultimate

Work Experience

<Company Name No:#1 >
<Company Website>

<About The Company>
Write A Short Profile of the company

Position: Sr. software developer

< Date Range of Service (July 16, 2007 – February 22, 2008)>

Responsibilities:
<in this section you describe your job description, and list the things you've done,and knowledge/skills you have gain>

Synopsys, Inc.
http://www.synopsys.com

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS) is a world leader in delivering semiconductor design software, intellectual property (IP), design for manufacturing (DFM) solutions and professional services that companies use to design systems-on-chips (SoCs) and electronic systems. The company's products enable semiconductor, manufacturing, computer, communications, consumer electronics and other companies that develop electronic products to improve performance, increase productivity and achieve predictable success from systems to silicon.

Position: Sr. software developer

July 16, 2006 –July 16, 2007

Responsibilities:
<in this section you describe your job description, and list the things you've done,and knowledge/skills you have gain>

<note: place most recent and relevant job you have on topmost. You can also add your freelance job here. indicating the company names>

Featured Projects

<Company Name No:#1 >

<Project Name No:#1> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

<Project Name No:#2> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

<Company Name No:#2 >

<Project Name No:#1> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

<Project Name No:#2> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

<Personal Projects/Freelance if you have any >

<Project Name No:#1> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

<Project Name No:#2> : <Describe your Role in the said project that your where involve, list the technologies/programming language being used>

Semenars and Training Attended

<note: indicate the company that sponsored the seminars: place in the Seminar Title: Date Held and Place>

References

Ms. Jannice A. Lehe
<Indicate the position>
<Indicate the Company>
<Contact Number>

Mr. Mark B. Scottz
<Indicate the position>
<Indicate the Company>
<Contact Number>
Mr. Jason R. Lee
<Indicate the position>
<Indicate the Company>
<Contact Number>

<note: make sure you ask their permition before placing there names on your resume. DO NOT place direct relatives on the list>

25 Common Interview Questions

2008-02-09T03:46:00.000-08:00

1. Tell me about yourself:
The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. An adjective would do like “I’m eager” from there the question will go deeper. Make sure you don’t state negative attributes.

2. Why did you leave your last job?
Be as honest as possible, if you didn’t like the management then say it. At least you would know if the company you’re applying for has the same management style. This will save you a lot of future grief.

3. What experience do you have in this field?
If you have previous job experience the state them all. But if not then get as close as possible, and say something like “I think there can never be a perfect employee, as well as there could never be a perfect company. All I’m asking for like every other applicants is the chance to prove myself, and I would be very happy if you grant me that opportunity”

4. Do you consider yourself successful?
Yes or No, if you go for yes then it would be an easy way out. But if you go No, I would suggest that you answer something like “well I think I’m not yet successful as I’m not yet satisfied with my current output (in terms of knowledge gain or performance). I guess its natural for people not to feel success until they reach a certain age.” Or say something like “90% of the populate of in the world today is dissatisfied, I think I part of it… but I take it’s a good thing since it promotes perseverance on my end”

5. What do co-workers say about you?
Be prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. If you don’t have then make something up that doesn’t sound like your blowing your own horn. “I was always referred to as the worker ant in our tiny/huge colony” LOL

6. What do you know about this organization?
This question is one reason to do some research on the organization before the interview. This is also your chance to show your interest on the company. After answering the question, make sure you ask a question back. Like “what other products do you have?”

7. What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?
Try to include improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones handy to mention.

8. Are you applying for other jobs?
Be honest but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the focus

9. Do you know anyone who works for us?
Be aware of the policy on relatives working for the organization. This can affect your answer even though they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to mention a friend only if they are well thought of.

10. What kind of salary do you need?
A loaded question. A nasty little game that you will probably lose if you answer first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like, ”That’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the details of the job. Then give a wide range.”

11. Are you a team player?
You are!, of course, a team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics that show you often perform for the good of the team rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a key point.

12. How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
Say something like “I hope I could work here as long as possible, as long as you’re happy with my performance”, if you have future plans of going to other places to look for work, don’t state it.

13. What is your philosophy towards work?
The interviewer is not looking for a long or flowery dissertation here. Do you have strong feelings that the job gets done? Yes. That’s the type of answer that works best here. Short and positive, showing a benefit to the organization.

14. If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Answer yes if you would. But since you need to work, this is the type of work you prefer. Do not say yes if you do not mean it.

15 Have you ever been asked to leave a position?
If you have not, say no. If you have, be honest, brief and avoid saying negative things about the people or organization involved. But if you were involved in a very scandalous situation then for all means use BS technique (you got nothing to lose, because you already lost it!).

16. Explain how you would be an asset to this organization
You should be anxious for this question. It gives you a chance to highlight your best points as they relate to the position being discussed. Give a little advance thought to this relationship.

17. Why should we hire you?
Point out how your assets meet what the organization needs. Do not mention any other candidates to make a comparison. If you’re not really qualify for the position but still would want that job say something like “hard work surpass genius”

18. Tell me about a suggestion you have made
Have a good one ready. Be sure and use a suggestion that was accepted and was then considered successful. One related to the type of work applied for is a real plus.

19. What irritates you about co-workers?
This is a trap question. Think real hard but fail to come up with anything that irritates you. A short statement that you seem to get along with folks is great. Say something like “I never really have that kind of experience before, and I hope I won’t with my next company”

20. What is your greatest strength?
Numerous answers are good, just stay positive. A few good examples: Your ability to prioritize, Your problem-solving skills, Your ability to work under pressure, Your ability to focus on projects, Your professional expertise, Your leadership skills, Your positive attitude

21. Tell me about your dream job.
Stay away from a specific job. You cannot win. If you say the job you are contending for is it, you strain credibility. If you say another job is it, you plant the suspicion that you will be dissatisfied with this position if hired. The best is to stay genetic and say something like: A job where I love the work, like the people, can contribute and can’t wait to get to work.

But if you want to be a bit humorous and a bit sarcastic say something very impossible like if you’re applying for a software developer position then say “I want to be an Astronaut, but that’s just my dream job”

22. Why do you think you would do well at this job?
Give several reasons and include skills, experience and interest. And if all things fail, say something “I think I can given the chance an time to adjust” always stay positive

23. Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?
This is up to you. Be totally honest. But if you really need the job then say yes (you would want them to believe that you’re the “perfect” candidate until you find a better offer)

24. What has disappointed you about a job?
Don’t get trivial or negative. Safe areas are few but can include:
Not enough of a challenge. You were laid off in a reduction Company did
not win a contract, which would have given you more responsibility.

25. When can you start working?
This is very positive question which could mean you got the job, if you don’t currently have work and not applying for another company. Then say “As soon as possible”. But if you’re currently employed and still looking for other options (better offers). Then tell them that “your company requires you to 30days notice, so probably 30-45days from now”, this will give you enough time to decide if you really want to continue.

Code Review

2008-02-05T06:53:00.001-08:00

The only valid measurement of code quality

cant help but laugh about the most simple explanation on whats happening on a code review

Who is The Real Boss?

2008-01-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

In a work place where everyone's want to be boss... you'll meet lots of people who has the same frustrations as you do, to become the "boss".. here are these people in my own category:

The Know It All Motivator – mostly people who are the “know it all motivator” type are people with the less responsibility. They can be very irritating at times especially when they give their opinions on things, you did not solicit for. They are mostly around listening to every conversation and waiting to share their omniscience. Although they can be annoying at times, but they also have their “importance” in your organization as they are the once help people decide on things.

The Manager-Manager – these people have the same position as the worker ants, but is either your senior/older. Most manager trust this types of people as they have been in the industry longer than you do, the manager assigns task to the “manager-manager” and then the so called manager assign task to everyone who is “lower” to him, basically a middle man, or a manager in training, and a fall guy too incase the real manager screws up.

The Slackers – although they might be the same persons as the manager-manager, this are people who dick around at work, and almost always have reasons on why a certain product would be late in delivery. These types of people are the ones who easily crack/snap when crunch time comes, as they are not accustoming to pressure. But they will work if they have too, and you can’t avoid them in big companies.

The Worker Ants – mostly these types of people are the real core of the colony, all they do is work, work, and work some more. They don’t question authority and only stops when they are hungry. This are mostly the under paid employees, you can’t help but admire them. And mostly they will find better colony to work for. But they will stay as worker ants for a couple of years or so before being promoted.

The Thinking Pessimist – These types of people are those who always find reasons on why things won’t work. They are somewhat the same with the slackers but the pessimist is more equip technically. Deep down he has his own solution to the problem, but is too pessimistic to share in fear of rejection. This is where the “The Know It All Motivator” comes in and pushes the pessimist to spit out his ideas.

The Demigod Puppet – the Demigod Puppet is your manager/supervisor who cannot decide for himself and waits for a meeting to talk things out. He mostly listens to his “subordinates”. And speaks for them, but the truth is he only listen to the asshole who is the real puppeteer.

The Asshole – this is your boss, no matter what you do you can’t win against him, and he always has the last say on things. The asshole only listens to the “manager-manager” or to the “Know It All Motivator”.

Although they are all unrelated and different, everyone has its own role to do, to ensure the survival of the colony.

Job Interviews

2008-01-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

As a continuation to my previous post, I'm here to give my insights on job interviews.

so you sent in your resume to as many company as possible.... sooner or later a company will call you for a job interview/test.. here are my tips you can follow.. and they are not in any order except for number 0

0. Practice and visualize
before going for the interview you should practice possible interview questions,.. and visualized them... also this will help you gain confidence when talking to the big fat boss.

1. Follow dress code
If your where invited for an interview, it would be a smart move to ask if theres a dress code.. this will help you give your future employer a good lasting impression. make sure you wear comfortable clothes too... the employer will notice if your not comfortable on the clothes your wearing like you keep scratching your neck or you keep tacking in your shirt and those kind of stuff...

2. Be on time
Time is gold, and if you can't be on time the employer will have very bad impressions on you. If you have and existing interview and you need a re schedule, at least inform them 1 day ahead.. and always asked them for the next date they are available.. or they will never call you again.

3. Be as tidy as possible
knowing that you'll be facing some strangers... you should keep your bad habits out of sight for a moment, and be as tidy as possible... so they don't see anything they don't like in you.

5. Be honest and indirect as possible
when being asked for technical questions which you don't know... be as honest and indirect as possible... for example..
the interviewer would asked you:

interviewer: "do you know anything about DirectX?"
a bad answer would be:
you: "no I haven't heard of that"
...while a good answer would be:
you: "I've read about it but never really applied or have the chance to used it"
or
you: "I'm interested with it and I'm on my way of learning"

in this case you are being honest that you don't know directX... but it also shows that you are interested in learning it. Which for me is the most important thing(the interest) when applying for a job.

6. Small BS wouldn't hurt (don't over do it!!)
you know that you are not really that equip with the job your applying for... and if you don't use a few BS(bullshit) you will not find a job. Believe me, this is how I land my first job.... also you need to be careful of using too much BS or the interviewer would notice it.

The interviewer was asking me what type of files can I open vb6 with?
I told him basically anything... (I know that VB6 can open files.. i just don't know how to do it..)

also it wouldn't hurt using this technique too.. as the interviewer is also using some BS about the company... your just too naive to know it.

7. Ask something about the company
to show that you are interested with the company, you ask the interviewer about things like.. how is environment working in here.. and stuff like that... this is also your chance to know the "inner world" of that company so ask relevant questions!

8. always maintain Eye contact
When speaking or listening to the interviewer always look at him/her in the eyes... (but not the scary look lol)... this will help you lessen the fear/intimidation you have in you. this will also remind you that you are talking to a human... and human listen to reasons :)

happy new year!

2007-12-31T07:18:00.000-08:00

happy new year to everyone!!! may the blessed year of 2008 greet us all with a happy smile :)

Make money online: make money online with google adsense

2007-12-28T03:41:00.001-08:00

Recently a friend told me about AdSense and how you can make money online while blogging. At first I was a bit hesitant to register with Google adsense account because I thought I need a credit card, or other things that would involve online transaction with real money!. Never thought it would be this easy to register an Google adsense account. so here's my tips when creating an adsense account

if you have an existing gmail acount you can use it to register an adsense account. it is important that you don't have a previous bad record with adsense or you'll get your account ban again.

You can also use your existing Gmail account to register a blog for blogger.com which is very nice in my opinion.

You need a topic which interest you, before you can actually start making money online. my suggestion would be create a blog first before registering for an adsense account.. and make sure you have at least 3 post on your blog so google spiders can scrape your site and analyze it for you.

then you can register your AdSense account here make sure you provide real information as google needs it when its time they pay you big bucks. you don't need a credit card to confirm your sign up process.. for me it took only about 2 hours for google adSense to approve my application. it make take as long as 1 day to 2 weeks depending on the content on your site. (which is why you'll need at least an existing content before you apply for the google adsense)

so here we are, you got a mail and signed it up for an adsense account(which is very simple if you can read english).

you can go to blogger's control pannel and log-in using your gmail account (yes you can use your gmail account with blogger!). Now goto template -> page element, and then click on "add page element" (a pop up should appear if your not blocking any pop-ups) click "add to blog" adjacent to the "AdSense" header.. then start customizing your ads' color width and height. You can only put a maximum of 3 ads in a page (correct me if I'm wrong) so make sure you place them where people can see them directly. without having them scroll down your page.

It might take a while before relevant Ads appear(google might still be analyzing your pages), so be patient. as much as possible advertise your blog to other, or do "blog hopping". :D then wait for a few more days before you actually get decent traffic and eventually you'll earn money from that. just keep on posting articles about the topics that interest you and don't get discourage directly :) if you have any question feel free to ask me.

Citi's Dividend Dilemma

2007-12-28T03:12:00.000-08:00

Equity analyst William Tanona at Goldman more than doubled his projected per-share loss for Citigroup to $1.33 from 52¢ in the fourth quarter and said he now expects write-offs related to collateralized debt obligations, or CDOs, to be $18.7 billion, vs. a prior estimate of $11 billion.

He also cut his 2008 and 2009 earnings estimates for Citi, saying that about $25 billion in remaining exposure to CDOs after the fourth quarter's write-offs will force the firm to raise an additional $5 billion to $10 billion and cut its dividend next year. (Goldman Sachs has provided investment banking services for Citigroup within the past 12 months and expects to provide them within the next three months.) click here for to read more...

Bhutto's body flown home, Pakistan in crisis

2007-12-28T03:05:00.000-08:00

NAUDERO, Pakistan, Dec 28 - The body of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto arrived in her family village for burial on Friday, hours after her assassination plunged nuclear-armed Pakistan into one of the worst crises in its 60-year history.

Her killing on Thursday after an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi triggered a wave of violence, especially in her native Sindh province.

It stoked fears that a Jan. 8 election meant to return Pakistan to civilian rule could be put off, although caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro said on Friday there was no change in timing for now. click here to read more...

Make money online: Make money online scam revealed!

2007-12-28T01:50:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be nice to make a bundle of money quickly, with minimal effort, working at home in you pajamas? Of course it would. I for one would love to have money flowing into my bank account, working only a few hours a week from home, so I'd have more time to spend with my friends, without any boss looking over my shoulder.

Whether it's real estate investing, selling by classified ads, stock market investing, internet affiliate marketing, or something else, we've all seen the fantastic claims people make about making money online. and how the can show you how to do the same thing!. I can tell you right now that 99% of these people are total frauds. you may have even fallen victim to one of these scams, selling you their latest "make money only quick" program. Me too I've bought so many of these programs that I can't even recall how many. I don't know why but I tend to find the "good" in people, and I was "sold" by these marketing schemes time and time again, even after being scammed by another. Finally, after so many disappointments, I got FED UP. I decided to get to the bottom of this fascination we all have with "make money online programs" and find out if there really were any legitimate programs for making money online.

I literally contacted the administrator of most every "Make money Online website" I could find. Posing as an investor I managed to convince the owners that I was seriously interested in purchasing their entire website and business. that way, once the dollar signs flashed in their heads, they would give me free access to their member's area to review what I would be "buying". Well, I was disgusted with 99% of what i found. many of the owners actually boasted about how many people bought their "make money online programs". I repeatedly found:

- outdated information
- non-working links
- links leading to other sites that asked for more money
- no help section
- no real email support

I quickly realized that these so-called make money online schemes were totally useless. And the owners knew it, yet they where laughing all the way to the bank!. Needless to say, I didn't respond when they asked if I was still interested in buying their websites. so before you sign-up for any payed membership make sure you know your sources or those people who refered you to the site. other than that pay at your own risk!. As for now I'm sticking with adsense

Off To Go Job Hunting

2007-12-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

As a continuation to my previous entry...

So here you are, you finished you resume, you got a new haircut, and shaved (if your a guy).. now your ready to apply for a job and hopefully get a career out of it.

Today there are lots of online job sites you can use to post your profile/resume..

Job hunting

Job hunting is fun if you do it together with your friends, it also lessen the pressure of you doing it alone.

My tips for applying:

1. Send your resume to as many company you can
Those company with a requirement of at least 1 year are good targets (assuming that your fresh from school).. the more you send the bigger the chances you get hired, make sure you send the "online" first before going out and do the "walk-in" process.

2. Make a list of companies that you applied for
Make a list of companies that you applied for, and do your research about the company. This will also help you keep track of the companies that you failed to get in.

3. Do not re-apply
If you previously applied for the same company, do not re-apply for the same position unless 6-8months have pass this will help you not get blacklisted on that company. and tag you as a nuisance applicant

4. Practice confidence and online Test (IQ and stuff)
Practice confidence by studying the job requirement, and about the company. also it would be nice if you take those online IQ test on the internet so you get the hang of it in case you are called for an exam. most likely those exams are the same, you just need to train your brain to answer those types of questions.

5. Don't apply for Job fairs (unless your too desperate)
Most of you might disagree with me on this, but I think Job fairs are a waste of time. everybody lines up for hours waiting to be interviewed/processed. and most likely there are lots and lots of people who are applying for the same position. Job fair means mass hiring which also means less salary. if you don't have any choice, then thats a good time to reconsider

Writing a Good Resume For Fresh Graduates

2007-12-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Your salary depends on your resume and how you sell yourself, it also depends on you skill sets. but what if your fresh out of school and doesn't really have valid experience?

When I applied of a software engineering position (I was fresh out of college), I BSed my way in, from the resume to my Interview but thats not important now because I've proven myself to my employer I just needed that chance to work, like everyone else does...

So here you are, fresh from school wanting to create a resume that would hopefully land you a job, and probably be your lifetime career.. You ask yourself where to start?, How do I write it?

First of all you need to decide of what type of job you want to be taking, and make sure you have enough patience to last at least 1 year to build up relevant experience.

So you rush to google and search "resume sample" you read through the instructions and structures. then you start copying the format, also you start copying some text to add fillers.

You placed in your objective "highly motivated individual, willing to be trained if needed blah blah crap"

Heres the problem. gazillion people do this, and everybody hopes to get attention to a potential employer.. and you'll be part of that crowd. There is a big chance that the big fat boss wont notice your application.

So what to do? you can place something catchy like "I'm a fresh graduate unexperienced, very hungry to learn and need the chance to prove myself to the world", or "I work hard, to attain my goal and help the company grow" .. thats a bit bold and honest in a way, but at least your being true to yourself.

It is very important that you reflect your personality on your resume, after all employers are not hiring papers but real people to work on a team and they need to know your character/personality.

There is no standard format in writing a resume. but I follow this order:

0. Objective (optional)
I'm putting this as optional to leave something for the interviewer to ask question later on. if you don't have something catchy to write in this section like "I work hard and play hard" sort of shit then its better to leave this part blank.

I personally don't have objective as I want to leave something for the interviewer to discuss with just in case.

1. Personal Information
This is where you place things like your name, age, martial status, birth date, parent information, likes, and interest. for me it is important to state your interest as this will give your resume character.

I personally don't like placing "religion" on my personal information, because it would be 1 source of discrimination.

2. Education
Here you place your educational attainment, college, highschool and stuff. but don't put something like "most behave student grade 5" that sort of things. You put here the name of the school you studied in the date you graduated. You can also place here if your an outstanding student or something, to spark up interest.

3. Experience
Although you don't have much experience, you can place here your school thesis (hopefully its something interesting), projects you have been involve that is related to the job your are applying, also you can place here your internship and other freelance job you have(if you have any).

It is important to note that the most recent and valid experience you have be place on top of the older ones. you can also put some details about the work you have and a little profile of the company you've worked with.

4. Achievements
If you have achieve anything when you where in college/school it is best to place it here, like you've join a software engineering contest on you previous school, or you where involve in a project and got recognition for it. or any personal projects that is related to the job you are applying for.

5. Personal Reference
Reference, do not put anyone related to you, like you mom, or your uncle Ben. if you have worked before as part time then you can ask those people you've worked with. Your internship boss would also be nice to place here given that you where not a headache to him.

There, after writing that resume make sure to create a powerful cover/application letter. following the pattern I was blabbing above the keyword is "uniqueness, and character".

Importance of communication

2007-12-24T02:21:00.001-08:00

The problem with everybody is that, everybody assumes, we forget the importance of communication at work. Often times we lose a lot of time on minor details that the customer wants.

Let me state a situation

A software engineer got a requirement for a system, the engineer starts to assume of what the software is all about and will always try to navigate the vision to that direction. He starts to think of all the possible complications that the software might come across within the life cycle of that application.

While the Project Manager thinks that the software must be full packed of features that the customers didn't asked for to gain good reputation "do more than what is asked", and will ask the software engineer if its possible (as he almost always have not idea about the application). the software engineer takes advantage of this fact so he can navigate the software to the direction he wants.

On the other hand the customer just wants to get a software that allows him to record his sales and create invoices if needed, and envision a very simple user interface(UI) to allow him to key in data as fast and accurate as possible.

When delivery date comes, the customer's is overwhelmed with the technicalities of the product and the amount of knowledge he needs to operate the software application. most of the time the customer's asked for revision, and thats where the real communication starts!, and now everybody is listening to the customer's needs.

People on the workplace

2007-12-24T01:55:00.000-08:00

On the work place there are 2 types of people, the leaders and the workers..

Leaders are those people who have visions, they are the ones who wants to make a difference , the ones the need to prove themselves. while on the other hand the workers, are those who work and wait to get paid. they don't care about the company they just want to get paid so they can feed themselves.

What makes a leader?.

1. Confidence
people who have confidence with themselves, will most likely become leaders. they also build the "workers" confidence, but not enough encouragement to pass them...

2. Vision
Leaders have vision they can see, where they are going in the next few years, while workers stay work all day to get payed on the 15th and the 3oth of the month.

3. Demanding
Leaders are demanding, they want more, they are not contented of your productivity there is always more to have. sometimes you think its impossible to attain, leaders are blind to the impossible.

4. Leaders Ask Questions
While the workers, work without question the leaders on the other hand always ask questions, they often ask why as they are the "thinking" type.

5. Leaders are hungry for continuous improvements
workers are almost always contented of what they have attain and hopes to keep working until they retire, on the other hand the leader is always struggling to stay in front of his hunger to become better, and better. often times you find them reading and learning new things. they push the boundaries.

6. Fearless
leader are fearless but not stupid they know when to take the risk, and when not too.. every risk is a calculated risk. they explore the unknown and reach for the stars

7. Well balanced
a good leader always have balanced, they know where to come-in, and give credit to people who deserved it. there's a thin difference between an asshole leader, and a good leader , and that is balanced. good leader maintain harmony in the workplace, they see every bodies' needs.

Why you are working and cant stop working

2007-12-24T01:26:00.000-08:00

people work to feed themselves, but how long do they need to work? until they can stop working and start living?.

There are good ways to get away from the slavery of work, but most people doesn't see this.

1. Work while you are blind
While you are "blind" work as hard as you can to save enough money to get away from work. most of the time when people start working they cant stop working, because they didn't save enough money. they become slaves to the wage.

2. Work as hard as you can while you can
Work as hard as you can while you are young, and while you are blind to the system of labor grab all opportunity while you can. if you'll save enough money when you reach in your mid 30s then you might want to quit while you can, and start investing your hard earn cash on other things.

3. Work while you are happy
Work while you are happy, most people work even if they don't like the job, because they don't have the choice. either they work or die of hunger.

4. Stop and take a break.
When stress starts to get in your way take a break, and think if you can still take the same crap for the next 20years of you life. if you cant then its time to proceed to number 5.

5. Plan and Get Out
Plan ahead not just for the sake of tomorrow but for the sake of getting out as soon as possible. If you've save enough money start your own business while your still working. If your Business is strong enough to stand on its own then hire people to work for you, not you working for them!.

6. Time is Gold, and your losing lots of it
Time is gold, everybody knows this before you notice it 10-15years might have pass and your still working, because you need to. which mean you did not learn anything, and you've become a slave to the wage.