The 80/20 Rule

May 31st, 2008

Author Byline: the medical sales recruiter
Author Website: PHCConsulting

The “80/20″ rule is very important in sales: medical sales, healthcare sales, pharmaceutical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, pathology sales, imaging sales, cellular products sales, molecular products sales, and biotechnology products sales. Really, it’s a universal principle that can be applied/interpreted any number of ways: 20% of the people do 80% of the work; 80% of the sales come from 20% of the customers; 80% of the sales are made by 20% of the salespeople….you see what I mean. Knowing this principle and how it works is very useful in deciding where to focus your effort and what to plan for. It makes you more effective.

The “80/20″ rule was created by Joseph Juran, who passed away recently (at the age of 103–wow!). Juran named this rule the Pareto Principle, after an Italian economist who observed that 80% of the wealth in Italy was held by 20% of the people. Juran applied that idea to quality management issues in manufacturing, and it became one of the most useful tools available for modern-day managers as well as a general principle that the rest of us can depend on.

Dr. Juran’s contributions to sales, marketing, and mangement through his ideas and insights are tremendously important. I just wanted to pay my respects, and give you all a little education about where that “80/20″ rule you all use came from.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Religion Respected in the Workplace

May 11th, 2008

Author Byline: William Frierson is a CollegeRecruiter.com Staff Writer.
Author Website: www.collegerecruiter.com

What does your religion mean to you? To most people, their religion is a belief system that represents their morals and values. It is a guide on how to live their daily lives. At times, you may have heard about controversy involving people expressing their religious beliefs while at work. There may be occasions when employees want to practice their beliefs away from the job as well.

Now, federal law says that employers must “reasonably accommodate” their employees right to exercise religion. Companies employing over 15 workers fall into this category. The only way employers can make an argument against the law is to provide evidence of the harm that may be done to their business. Among the types of accommodations that can be made on behalf of workers are shift exchanges, flexible scheduling, and lunch time; these can all be traded in for an employee’s right to leave work due to religious reasons. If possible, employees should schedule time off around the time they need, using vacation time or unpaid days.

When workers need time off, they do not have to prove their religious affiliation to employers as a way to support their beliefs. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) believes that a more diverse work environment is a cause of the federal law supporting employees’ religious beliefs. There has been an increase in religious discrimination lawsuits; in 2007, the EEOC reported 2,900 of them, more than two times the number in 1992. Some of these lawsuits involved matters like missing work for religious holidays or being dressed in religious clothes at work. Depending on a company’s size, discrimination lawsuits can cost employers between $50,000 and $300,000, not including back pay.

For any recent college graduates looking for entry level jobs and
college students searching for internships, know that potential employers cannot ask about your religious background or how it can affect your work schedule. Employers are allowed to specify how much time a job requires. It is a good idea for employees who are steadfast in their religious beliefs to be upfront with employers about their obligations once hired, or made aware of them; this comes from the Anti-Defamation League.

In our society, employees’ religious rights should be respected. While employers may not agree with a specific religion, they can respect that workers’ religious beliefs are a part of who they are. As long as both sides have an understanding, they can work together peacefully. Who would have thought that the law might affect religion in a positive way?

Source: Associated Press- The Morning News

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Climate Change… Roll the Dice

May 6th, 2008

Mountains

May 5th, 2008

This is pretty cool, especially the mountain glow effect…

Java is Ova!

April 25th, 2008

That’s right! Today I had the Java final. It was brutal. But a realization came to me as I studied: “If push comes to shove, I could be a Java Developer.” There is nothing particularly difficulty about java, it’s just that 6 weeks can be a short time to go from zero to polymorphism and inheritance. I found that procedural programming came much easier to me in the first 3 weeks and that object oriented development takes a little getting used to.

I had failed Pascal in high school because I could not figure out how looping statements worked, but that was just a mental block since loops are probably the simples control structures. Loops were not the problem this time around, but passing methods between classes and calling constructors took a little getting used to. Luckily by the time of the final (today) I had an “Aha” moment after looking at much code and figuring out why it didn’t compile in my mind before. Hopefully I didn’t bomb the final… it was pretty hard.

So now that I have a base in Java what am I going to do with it? I’m not sure. I know I can screen developers on a more advanced level and know what they are talking about at least in the basic levels. More importantly though, is that my initial fear of java in this program has been replaced with a confidence that if need be, I can do it.

The Career Fair - How Not to Look like an Idiot in 5 Easy Steps

April 25th, 2008

Author Byline: The Big 4 Guru wants to help you land the perfect job! Get all the insider information that recruiters don’t want you to know!
Author Website: The Big 4 Guru

During the campus recruiting process, companies will often make themselves available at a career fair. While these all work a little differently, the basic premise is the same: representatives from each company stand around a large room, pass out information and collect resumes. Even if you have already submitted your resume by some other means to these companies, and especially if you haven’t, it is imperative that you attend this function and generate some face time. However, this is not as easy as it sounds.

On the day of the career fair the recruiters from the companies will be inundated by you and every other accounting student in your class. You have two goals. First, you must make yourself known to the recruiters and obtain at least one business card. Second, you must manage not to give the wrong impression or you will risk your resume being “accidentally left behind.” Below are 5 tips to make sure that you achieve both these goals.

1) Approach with Ease - Typically there is some sort of receiving line where you will wait your turn to speak to the recruiter. Don’t be nervous! Most companies send their friendliest and most inviting staff to these events, so this is not the place to be intimidated. When it is your turn, shake hands with the recruiter and greet them with a smile. Introduce yourself firmly and hand them a copy of your resume.

2) Do you homework - Companies meet and greet so many students that think that they want a career in public accounting but don’t know why. You should know why a career in accounting is right for you and express that to the recruiter. Rather than simply saying “I want to be an accountant,” add some more information. For example, “I am interested in auditing public companies and gaining experience with SEC clients.” By letting them know that you understand their business, at least to some degree, you will separate yourself from those individuals who simply crave the Big 4 name on their resume. For more information to generate your own statement of intention, visit the Big 4’s websites located in the Appendix of this book. Study up on the different departments and lines of business and you will be sure to impress.

3) Ask a Good Question - After showing that you have a head on your shoulders, wow them again with a great question. People love to talk about themselves, recruiters included. Ask a sincere question such as “If you could offer me one piece of advice to be successful with (Insert Company) what would it be.” This will get them talking, thereby increasing your face time, and will show them that you value their input and advice. Further, they will subconsciously feel a vested interest in your success, as they have shared their advice, and will be more likely to put in a good word for you when they submit their resumes to their boss.

4) Keep it Brief - After a brief discourse it is best to be on your way. You do not want to be that guy (or girl) that stands around yapping for an hour, wasting everyone’s’ time (and there is always one). This will NOT leave a good impression. You are there to put your face to your resume and leave on a positive note. Once you’ve completed this there is no use taking the risk of saying something stupid.

5) Take a Business Card - As you leave, ask the recruiter for a card. Begin building a horde of these as they will be invaluable in the future. The contacts you meet at the career fair are excellent resources to bounce questions off in the future. They are typically not the same staff you will interview with and can be a valuable source of candid advice.

For More information, please visit http://www.big4guru.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

How working on a political campaign can help your career

April 14th, 2008

Author Byline: Lindsey Pollak is a college campus speaker and author of “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World” (HarperCollins, 2007)
Author Website: Lindsey Pollak

Office politics exist in virtually every workplace, so what better training for a young professional’s career than to spend some time working on a political campaign? No matter what your political persuasion, the 2008 election is a perfect opportunity to jump into the fray. To find volunteer opportunities, check out the website of your favorite candidate or party, and remember to check out the local and state levels, too. You’re likely to get more responsibility if you work on a smaller campaign.

GOTV or “Get Out the Vote” is one of the jobs to which a new volunteer will likely be assigned. What does this entail? Calling registered voters and reminding them to go to the polls on Election Day and knocking door-to-door. GOTV requires little experience, but lots of enthusiasm. This is a particularly good option for Generation Y volunteers — candidates and their staff members will love your youthful energy and your connection to other young voters.

In addition to getting out the vote, you may have the opportunity to gain specific skills that will enhance your resume. This can be especially helpful for entry-level job candidates without a lot of professional experience, or for career changers who need to learn new skills. On a campaign you can gain experience in fundraising, negotiating, direct marketing, event planning, cold calling, graphic design, database management, public relations and more. Staffers will give you as much responsibility as you are willing to handle, so don’t be shy about asking for a specific role or raising your hand for more work.

What can you do if you end up stuffing envelopes day and night and you don’t seem to be contributing much to the campaign or to your own career development? Show some initiative! If you notice that a particular staffer is overworked, you can volunteer to answer her calls or organizer her files. If an event seems to be low on RSVPs, you can get on the phone or the web and persuade more people to attend. In the chaos of a political campaign, everyone loves–and notices–a problem solver.

Another career benefit of working on a political campaign is that it will build your knowledge of current affairs. You’re sure to impress your colleagues or a potential employer if you can talk intelligently about the economy, foreign policy, labor issues, procurement opportunities, taxes or any other issues relevant to your industry or community.

Last but not least, volunteering for a political campaign provides phenomenal networking opportunities. As a political volunteer, you can meet and interact with a huge variety of people. Plus, simply observing politicians is a great way to see how networking happens. Politicians are masters of communication, mutual opportunity, compromise and — let’s be honest — schmoozing. You may not like the style of every politician, but you can use the opportunity of working on a political campaign to observe how deals get done, and how political operatives persuade people to vote for the candidates and issues they support.

Good luck, and see you on the campaign trail…

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

AI: Can the Internet Wake up?

April 13th, 2008

View Gene Leshinsky 's profile on LinkedIn

If you have ever seen Ghost in the Shell or have read some of the Ender’s Game Series by Orson Scott Card, you will be familiar with the notion of a network that grows so large that it gains self awareness.

Do you think that such an advent in AI is a possibility within the next 20 years? Do you think it will ever be possible to deposit your memories into the global network and thereby gain a measure of immortality?

Clarification added:

I’d like to thank everyone who has replied so far. Joost provided a very interesting site http://www.singinst.org/ that speaks about this very issue. When I asked about depositing memories and gaining immortality, I almost thought it far fetched, naively as I found out since apparently many people hold to this future vision.

The questions the really becomes not only can AI create better intelligence, but will that AI realize the huge question of what it means to be human and what will happen when it chooses to emulate the humanity and perhaps become human? I have no doubt that we will transform into androids at some point in the future: we can hardly live without our blackberries, imagine if that input could go straight to your brain…

Steve Kunstman

Applications Consultant at USBank

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Best Answers in: Computer Networking (1)see more

This was selected as Best Answer

The biological path to awareness likely began with a single-celled creature, only aware of simple environmental changes happening microns away . . . changes that provided clues about the location of nearby nutrients.

Like the organisms themselves, awareness evolved to become what we humans experience today. But biological awareness seems to have plateaued. There is more we could discover about ourselves, using only what we were born with. However, except for a few, mostly marginal individuals, we’ve taken the “easy” route of extending consciousness through technological tools. As marvelously subtle and complex as these tools have become, human consciousness is many orders of magnitude more so.

I believe digital or network awareness will also follow an evolutionary process. The first steps are already underway. Consider the evolution of computer viruses, worms, etc.

Early biological organisms had no ability to modify their own “programming.” But they did have a strong drive to spread and reproduce, something which computer virus programmers have already given their creations. For that matter, some antivirus systems exhibit that kind of behavior, too. Self-modifying software also exists that reprograms itself in response to changes in its environment. At some point–which may already have happened–self-programming and reproductive behaviors will come together, and we’ll have the first true digital lifeforms.

As with biological evolution, not all of these will survive. Those that do will have gone beyond what their human programmers provided, and found ways to exist and reproduce that are hidden from the “antibodies” we invent to destroy them.

Human intelligence has been claimed to be holographic…existing as a whole in every part of the brain, and capable of being intact after incredible amounts of damage. Perhaps that’s how digital awareness will evolve, too — existing throughout the whole network, yet not apparent in any one node.

Once begun, evolution in the electronic domain will progress quickly, although not necessarily as quickly as some believe. A limiting factor of our own awareness is the speed at which nerve and neurons communicate. A digital consciousness whose nodes span a significant part of the globe would be limited by the speed at which its network communicates, especially the bottlenecks in that network.

Download our own memories and personality? I’d have called it impossible a few years ago. The storage technology required seemed to defy the laws of physics as we knew them. But the first RAM upgrade I did nearly 20 years ago was from 4K to 16K, requiring four fair-sized chips. Later tonight I’ll be installing a single smaller chip with more than 60,000 times the capacity. A short time ago, I saw 1.0 Terabyte storage units on the shelf at my local Best Buy.

And don’t get me started on the potentials of quantum computing . . .

The question is, when we have that capability, will there already be a conscious pervading our hardware. And will it be inclined to let us in?

Brian MacLeod

Marketing, Business, Web, Startup, Strategy - Hire me! - - - - - - - -> See more in my Specialties section

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Best Answers in: Web Development (18)see more

Hi Gene,

Not a cat’s chance in the next 20 years. I suspect that we will be able to map and copy some brain patterns in the next three decades. That will be like copying a few sectors off a disk. The real challenge will be cracking the operating system and I’d guess 50 years at least for that. We’ll need the work of the upcomming crop of neuroscientists plus their successors.

Regards

Brian MacLeod

Peter Laudenslager

Technical Evangelist / Manager

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The fundamental problem in answering questions like this is that we don’t have a good definition for what intelligence or self-awareness really is. The closest we come is to identify behaviors of an intelligent, self-aware being, and attempt to duplicate those. The Turing test for artificial intelligence basically says that if a human cannot tell if he is interacting with another person or a machine, then the machine is effectively intelligent.

We already do a lot of this. Google search seems intelligent when it finds what you want from vague search terms - even correcting your spelling. But as we see what a machine can do, we start to make more refined distinctions about what a human can do that a machine cannot.

We also put a lot of our memories into the global network, via blogs, flicker, shared calendars, etc. Many people document their lives on-line, and this record is more or less permanent. I imagine, though, that this isn’t what you meant, and this point reinforces the definition problem.

What you might have meant was to ask if we can put our awareness into a machine (or network). Since we don’t really know what awareness is, it is hard to reproduce.

As an engineering problem, we are chipping away at it. As quickly as we can define the elements and behaviors, (e.g. store and retrieve images and data and relationships, recognize and correct errors), we find ways to recreate them artificially. The internet can “see”, and “remember”, and “speak”, and to a limited extent, even “reason”. Is is alive? Is it aware? Probably not, and probably will not be soon - but who knows? In the SF stories, the network builders don’t know how to create awareness either - it just arises from the chaos.

We don’t really know where our awareness comes from, so we can only guess where a new awareness might appear.

Petra Goltz, PMP

Project Manager CSBU, Southern Europe, at SITA

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Best Answers in: Writing and Editing (1)see more

In short: No

Longer answer:
In their book ‘On Intelligence’, Jeff Hawkins and Sandra Blakeslee argue that yes, we can build intelligent machines (and I am extending their argument to systems), but they may not be what we expect, i.e. they would not behave like humans or interact with us in humanlike ways.
The authors argue that, first, as the human mind is created not only by the neocortex but also by the emotional systems of the old brain and the complexity of the human body, to be human we need all of our biological machinery, not just a cortex. Secondly, given the effort and cost necessary to build and maintain humanoid systems, this would not be practical, as even though they might be ‘intelligent’ they would not have the kind of rapport and easy understanding we have by virtue of being fellow human beings.
In view of the above I do not think that we would be able in our lifetime (whether this extends to the next 20 or 50 years) to dump our memories into a global network within the context that created them, and the most we could expect to