Tips And Tricks

There are seven common mistakes made repeatedly by investors. Unfortunately, investors have been making these same mistakes since the dawn of modern markets and will likely be repeating them for years to come.

You can significantly boost your chances of investment success by becoming aware of these typical errors and taking steps to avoid them. In this article, we'll show you these seven mistakes and how to avoid them.

No plan

As the old saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. Solution?

Have a personal investment plan or policy that addresses the following:

Goals and objectives - Find out what you're trying to accomplish. Accumulating $100,000 for a child's college education or $2 million for retirement at age 60 are appropriate goals. Beating the market is not a goal.
Risks - What risks are relevant to you or your portfolio? If you are a 30-year-old saving for retirement, volatility isn't (or shouldn't be) a meaningful risk.

On the other hand, inflation - which erodes any long-term portfolio - is a significant risk.

Appropriate benchmarks - How will you measure the success of your portfolio, its asset classes and individual funds or managers?

Asset allocation - What percentage of your total portfolio will you allocate to US equities, international stocks, US bonds, high-yield bonds, etc. Your asset allocation should accomplish your goals while addressing relevant risks.

Diversification - Allocating to different asset classes is the initial layer of diversification. You then need to diversify within each asset class. In U.S. stocks, for example, this means exposure to large-, mid- and small-cap stocks.

Your written plan's guidelines will help you adhere to a sound long-term policy even when current market conditions are unsettling. Having a good plan and sticking to it is not nearly as exciting or as much fun as trying to time the markets, but it will likely be more profitable in the long term.

Too short of a time horizon

If you are saving for retirement 30 years hence, what the stock market does this year or next shouldn't be the biggest concern. Even if you are just entering retirement at age 70, your life expectancy is likely 15 to 20 years! If you expect to leave some assets to your heirs, then your time horizon is even longer.

Of course, if you are saving for your daughter's college education and she's a junior in high school, then your time horizon is appropriately short and your asset allocation should reflect that fact. Most investors are too focused on the short term.

Too much attention given to financial media

There is almost nothing on financial news shows that can help you achieve your goals. Turn them off. There are few newsletters that can provide you with anything of value. Even if there were, how do you identify them in advance?

Think about it - if anyone really had profitable stock tips, trading advice or a secret formula to make big bucks, would they blab it on TV or sell it to you for $49 per month? No - they'd keep their mouth shut, make their millions and not have to sell a newsletter to make a living.

Solution? Spend less time watching financial shows on TV and reading newsletters. Spend more time creating - and sticking to - your investment plan.

Not rebalancing

Rebalancing is the process of returning your portfolio to its target asset allocation as outlined in your investment plan. Rebalancing is difficult because it forces you to sell the asset class that is performing well and buy more of your worst performing asset classes. This contrarian action is very difficult for many investors.

In addition, rebalancing is unprofitable right up to that point where it pays off spectacularly (think US equities in the late 1990s), and the underperforming assets start to take off.

However, a portfolio allowed to drift with market returns guarantees that asset classes will be overweighted at market peaks and underweighted at market lows - a formula for poor performance.

Solution? Rebalance religiously and reap the long-term rewards.

Overconfidence in the ability of managers

From numerous studies, including Burton Malkiel's 1995 study entitled, "Returns From Investing In Equity Mutual Funds", we know that most managers will underperform their benchmarks. We also know that there's no consistent way to select - in advance - those managers that will outperform. We also know that very, very few individuals can profitably time the market over the long term. So why are so many investors confident of their abilities to time the market and select outperforming managers?

Fidelity guru Peter Lynch once observed, "There are no market timers in the 'Forbes' 400'." Investors' misplaced overconfidence in their ability to market-time and select outperforming managers leads directly to our next common investment mistake.

Not enough indexing

There is not enough time to recite many of the studies that prove that most managers and mutual funds underperform their benchmarks. Over the long-term, low-cost index funds are typically upper second-quartile performers, or better than 65-75% of actively managed funds.

Despite all the evidence in favor of indexing, the desire to invest with active managers remains strong. John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, says it's because, "Hope springs eternal. Indexing is sort of dull. It flies in the face of the American way [that] 'I can do better.'" Solution?

Index all or a large portion (70-80%) of all your traditional asset classes. If you can't resist the excitement of pursuing the next great performer, set aside a portion (20-30%) of each asset class to allocate to active managers. This may satisfy your desire to pursue outperformance without devastating your portfolio.

Chasing performance

Many investors select asset classes, strategies, managers and funds based on recent strong performance. The feeling that "I'm missing out on great returns" has probably led to more bad investment decisions than any other single factor.

If a particular asset class, strategy or fund has done extremely well for three or four years, we know one thing with certainty: we should have invested three or four years ago. Now, however, the particular cycle that led to this great performance may be nearing its end.

The smart money is moving out and the dumb money is pouring in. Solution? Don't be dumb. Stick with your investment plan and rebalance, which is the polar opposite of chasing performance.

Conclusion

Investors who recognise and avoid these seven common mistakes give themselves a great advantage in meeting their investment goals. Most of the solutions above are not exciting and they don't make great cocktail party conversation. However, they are likely to be profitable. And isn't that why we really invest?

SMS Backup to ur PC
DOWNLOAD FROM HERE...........
http://www.thbi.de/us/download/index.html
Download and Install .NET Framework in ur PC if it is not already there.
then download and install POCKETSMS software in ur PC.
Now connect ur mobile to pc with USB cable.. and enjoy !
You can manage ur SMSs from ur PC.

Microsoft by default reserves 20% of your bandwidth for QOS or Quality of Service usage like Windows update. Well I don’t usually use Windows Update on a daily basis and I don’t think a majority of users do, so why reserve a bandwidth for it?
To remove this limit, open up the Run interface then enter gpedit.msc :


This opens the group policy editor window. Under the Local Computer Policy choose Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > QOS Packet Scheduler > Limit Reservable Bandwidth. My screenshot below should guide you if you get lost on the navigation tree:



This will open the Limit reservable bandwidth window and you will see that by default it is not configured.



So why would you change a limit if it is not configured anyway? Well you can see the reason if you click the explain tab:



By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default.

Now that we know that limit is indeed 20% by default, go back to the Setting tab then choose enabled > then put a zero value on the limit then click OK:



this should add 20% to your bandwidth by removing this limit.

You know all of those helpful kitchen-related suggestions that old-timers are so willing to share with the younger generations? These little tips and tricks might be called 'kitchen hacks' these days, but they're still the same good old nuggets of wisdom that they always were. As with any old wives' tale, hack, or tip, your mileage may vary. Some of these gems have been around for several lifetimes - and according to most grandmas, they really work.

1. For cleaning smelly hands after chopping onions or garlic, just rub them on a stainless steel spoon. The steel is supposed to absorb the odor.

2. Fresh coffee beans can also absorb nasty odors from your hands.

3. If you happen to over-salt a pot of soup, just drop in a peeled potato. The potato will absorb the excess salt.

4. When boiling eggs, add a pinch of salt to keep the shells from cracking.

5. Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.

6. To clean cast iron cookwear, don't use detergents. Just scrub them with salt and a clean, dry paper towel.

7. Will milk curdle if it is allowed to boil? It turns out that this age-old piece of wisdom isn't true, after all. Milk that has been boiled is perfectly safe to consume.

8. To clean an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element, boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water, then empty.

9. When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to keep them from getting stinky.

10. If you are making gravy and accidentally burn it, just pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking it. Add sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go to avoid over-sugaring it. The sugar will cancel out the burned taste.

11. Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice.

12. Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won't absorb the spicy chili oil.

13. If you aren't sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it's past the fresh stage.

14. To banish ants from the kitchen, find out where they are coming in and cover the hole with petroleum jelly. Ants won't trek through the jelly. If they are coming under a door, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs also won't cross a line of chalk.

15. Before making popcorn on the stove or in an air popper, soak the kernels in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, then pop as normal. The additional moisture helps the popcorn pop up quicker and fluffier with fewer “old maids.'

16. Don't store your bananas in a bunch or in a fruit bowl with other fruits. Separate your bananas and place each in a different location. Bananas release gases which cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly. Separating them will keep them fresh longer.

17. To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.

18. If you manage to have some leftover wine at the end of the evening, freeze it in ice cube trays for easy addition to soups and sauces in the future.

19. To clean crevices and corners in vases and pitchers, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets. The bubbles will do the scrubbing.

20. After boiling pasta or potatoes, cool the water and use it to water your house plants. The water contains nutrients that your plants will love.

21. When you clean your fish tank, the water you drain can also be used to water your house plants. The nitrogen and phosphorus in fish droppings make aquarium water a great fertilizer.

22. When defrosting meat from the freezer, pour some vinegar over it. Not only does it tenderize the meat; it will also bring down the freezing temperature of the meat and cause it to thaw quicker.

23. The substance in onions that causes your eyes to water is located in the root cluster of the onion. Cut this part out in a cone shape, with the largest part of the cone around the exterior root section.

24. Taking the top layer off of a onion can also reduce the amount of eye-watering misery.
25. Toothpaste is a great silver cleaner.

26. Baking soda isn't as effective a deodorizer for the fridge as that baking soda company would like you to believe. Activated charcoal is much better at absorbing fridge and freezer odors.

27. Baking soda is an extremely effective cleaner, though. Use it with vinegar to deodorize drains and clean stovetops and sinks.

28. A favorite tip of thousands of grandmas: when you nick your finger while cutting veggies, wait until the bleeding stops and paint on a layer of clear nail polish. It will keep juices out of the wound and won't fall off into the spaghetti sauce like a bandage.

29. The jury is still out on what to put in the bag of brown sugar to keep it from going hard: a slice of apple, a piece of bread, and a shard of a terra cotta pot have all been used.

30. Got a nasty invisible splinter from your kitchen tools? Put a piece of adhesive tape on the area and then pull it off to remove the splinter.

31. When you burn yourself in the kitchen, just spread mustard on the affected area. Leave it for a while and it will ease the pain and prevent blistering.

32. For aluminum pans that are looking dull, just boil some apple peels in them. This will brighten up the aluminum and make your house smell yummy.

33. To keep cookies fresh, savvy grannies like to put some crumpled-up tissue paper in the bottom of the cookie jar.

34. If your salt is clumping up, put a few grains of rice in with it to absorb excess moisture.

35. To clean fruit stains off of your fingers, rub them with a fresh, peeled potato. White vinegar can also do the trick.

36. Keep iceberg lettuce fresh in the fridge by wrapping it in a clean, dry paper towel and storing lettuce and paper towel in a sealed baggie in the fridge.

37. If your loaf of bread is starting to go stale, just put a piece of fresh celery in the bag and close it back up. For some reason, this restores a fresh taste and texture to the bread.

38. Always keep an aloe vera plant in your kitchen. It's invaluable when you scrape your arm or burn your finger. Just break off a leaf and rub the gel from the inside on the injury.

39. When making a soup, sauce, or casserole that ends up too fatty or greasy, drop in an ice cube. The ice will attract the fat, which you can then scoop out.

40. To reuse cooking oil without tasting whatever was cooked in the oil previously, cook a 1/4 piece of ginger in the oil. It will remove any remaining flavors and odors.

41. If your milk always goes bad before you can finish it, try adding a pinch of salt to the carton when you first open it. It will stay fresh days longer.

42. Water that has been boiled and allowed to cool will freeze faster than water from the tap. This comes in handy when you're having a party and need ice pronto.

43. Remove tea or coffee stains from your fine china by mixing up a paste of baking soda, lemon juice, and cream of tartar. Rub it over the stains and they'll come off easily.

44. If two drinking glasses become stuck together after stacking, it's not impossible to unstick them. Just put ice in the inner glass and dunk the outer glass in warm water. The warm glass will expand and the cold glass will contract, making the glasses separate easily.

45. For splinters under the fingernail, soaking the affected finger in a bowl of milk with a piece of bread in it is said to draw out the splinter.

46. Did grandpa ever give you a drink of cola for an upset tummy? It turns out that this is actually a pretty effective remedy. The sugar and carbonation can soothe many tummy problems - but it can also exacerbate others.

47. Putting salty bacon on a boil is said to “draw the poison out' of boils.

48. To help old wooden drawers (without runners) open and close smoothly, rub a candle on the tracks.

49. A cotton ball soaked in white vinegar and applied to a fresh bruise will reduce the darkness of the bruise and help it disappear sooner.

50. Drinking cranberry juice and eating blueberries regularly will help stave off urinary tract infections.

Shyness, (sometimes inaccurately called 'social phobia'), affects most people at some time in their life. Young people in particular find overcoming shyness difficult as they improve their social skills. And for some, shyness seems to persist into adult life, almost as if it has become a 'habit'.

Shyness has its roots in self consciousness and usually dissipates as people mature and become more experienced. However, for some it can 'stick', and then action is required.

Although most people think in terms of 'overcoming shyness', it is more likely that you will become comfortable in social situations by learning the strategies of self confidence along with social skills. Then, shyness is no longer the issue, as social nerves will melt away as a new 'habit' takes their place.

Shyness versus Social Phobia

It is my personal opinion that social phobia is too often diagnosed where people are simply experiencing natural shyness. It is perfectly natural to be a little timid in a situation where you don't yet know the 'rules', or what to do. In fact, most people experience some degree of nerves when, say going to meet friends, especially if it is somewhere they haven't been before, or someone new will be there.

We have to be very careful not to assume that there is something wrong with this. Social nerves are natural, as long as they don't get out of hand. Focusing on them and making them into a 'big thing' will only make matters worse.

When learning about social situations, young people need the chance to find their own way, without being labeled with 'social phobia'. This is not to say that social phobia does not exist; I know it does because I have worked with people suffering from it. However, in the vast majority of cases, the solution is social skills training, and perhaps relaxation and rehearsal, rather than drugs.

If a person can maintain a degree of calmness in a situation, then they are much more likely to be able to learn about how the situation works. However, if they are highly anxious and internally focused, both their emotional state and focus of attention will make it more difficult to pick up on subtle social cues.

The other key point about overcoming shyness is that most of socialising is an unconscious process. That doesn't mean you should be asleep when you're doing it (tell that to people I speak to at parties , it simply means that much of human communication is non-verbal. That is, 'it's not what you say, it's the way that you say it'.

If you become highly anxious, this will tend to focus your conscious mind on your immediate environment, getting in the way of those unconscious processes.

Tips For Overcoming Shyness

* Practise becoming fascinated by other people. Ask them about themselves, and concentrate when they answer you. Remember what they tell you about themselves so you can talk about it later, or on another occasion.

* Great socialisers make other people feel comfortable and interesting. How do they do that? By being really, genuinely interested in other people. If you are talking to someone and you feel boring or inferior, ask why that is. Is it really all your fault?

* Practise using fewer 'personal pronouns' when you talk about things. Sentences beginning with 'I' are not only a turn-off for the listener, they also keep the focus of attention on you, which increases shyness. (Note: Of course, part of friendship is giving away things about yourself, but only when you feel it is appropriate to do so.)

* Remember that the way to overcome shyness is to focus elsewhere. Like on imagining what it will be like to really enjoy the social event, on how it will feel to be full of energy, or to be having a great conversation with someone.

* The exercises and techniques contained within the Self Confidence Course should help with shyness because they focus on what to do to feel confident, rather than how to avoid feeling shy.

Overcoming shyness is about doing the things that allow you to enjoy social situations, not wondering why you feel shy! Good luck and I hope this article has been useful.

A change in thinking

The first, and most important step is to change the way that you view the interview. You won't get the job, which may not have been the right job for you anyway.

Secondly, this is a conversation -- a two-way process. You will be interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. When you are not checking them out and learning what they have to offer, you are missing an opportunity that you may regret later.

Calming techniques

One of the best techniques to handle stress is through breathing. Take deliberate, shallow breaths. Take air in through the nostrils and exhale quietly through your mouth. This is a technique that should be practiced as a relaxation technique before the interview so that your body gets used to slowing down the breathing process and relaxing.

Relaxation techniques such as yoga, and meditation classes, are recommended for anyone who has an extreme case of "interview fright." The interview can cause panic attacks if the fear is strong enough. Pre-conditioning will do wonders for this type of anxiety.

Preparation before the interview

These are competitive times and you should steel yourself to expect some rejection. Well, you probably aren't going to get a job offer after every interview.

For every job you apply for there are more than likely three to four equally qualified candidates in line for the same job. Whether you stand out from "the crowd" will depend on your preparation and ability to show confidence in yourself --believing that you are the "best candidate for this job." How can you possibly sell anyone anything if you don't believe in it yourself?

Preparation will make you feel more confident and less anxious.

Fear of Rejection

You may have had a number of interviews with no offer. You may be feeling defeated, and it's beginning to affect your self-esteem.

This would be true of anyone. But it is a mistake to take it personally.

Let it go

Give yourself credit for getting an interview -- only a small percentage of people get this far in the process. Give yourself credit for going out there and putting yourself on the line, even though it is painful for you. Give yourself permission to not get job offers. Believe that an offer will come through when it is the right offer -- the right fit for the company and for you. Take the control back and reject the feeling of fear.

When you have done everything to prepare for the interview, and you are satisfied that you can present yourself in the best light possible, the next step is for you to let it go. You can learn something from each interview. Learn to enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences. Who knows you may even grow to like interviewing.

When an agent comes to sell you a ULIP product, you should ask following are the questions you should ask him. Before doing any thing he should tell you What is a ULIP. Following are 6 Important questions you should ask an ULIP agent before buying a policy from him.

1. What are the returns offered by this ULIP ?

As per the rules of IRDA, an agent should only give illustration assuming 6% and 10% returns, However If he says that in long term its safe to expect more than 10%, It would be fine. But if he starts claiming that It “will” return 18%, 20% or million % returns, be cautious, He is not the right agent.

2. What are the Charges in this ULIP ?

He should give you detailed Information on all the charges of ULIP ,the main one called Premium Allocation Charges. If he tries to hide any Charge from you, I am sure its not because of his dishonesty and no other reason. Ask him the company brochure mentioning the exact charges.

3. How does it suit my Risk Profile and fit in my requirement ?

Before suggesting you the ULIP, the agent should have asked you all the details about your Cash flow (salary, Expenses) and your future goals with ULIP investment should address. He should also try to understand if you can take the risks associated with ULIP. If he does not ask you these thinks, ask him back why he has not asked you these questions. Get the word out of his throat.

4. How is it better than other ULIPS ?

Ask him what is unique with his ULIPS, make sure he does start all non-sense of Sec 80C benefit, high returns and all.. Every ULIP has it. Ask him what are the special features with ULIP and how do they address your requirement. If he claims that his company ULIP is best and no other ULIP can match it, ask him for references if any states that. Just a plain claim from agents will not do. An agent must have enough knowledge to make you understand how to make best use of your ULIPS.

5. How does it score over Term Insurance + Mutual funds combination ?

ULIPS are combination of Insurance and Investment product, There is no point in taking it, if it cant perform better than Term Insurance + Mutual funds SIP. Switch benefits in ULIPS are the main benefit in ULIPS. He must put pressure on that point, If not he is him self not aware of it. Refrain from taking the policy if he starts claiming that returns from ULIPS will be much higher than Mutual funds.

6. What was the performance during Market Crash ?

Agents generally try to put up rosy picture and hence refrain from disclosing the funds performance in bad markets. If the fund has done bad, that is acceptable. Its investor responsibility to take care of switching and asset allocation. So there is nothing wrong in performing bad in bad markets. Agents will first try to avoid the confrontation, but finally may tell you that they did bad and returns are very low. Ask him for exact number in return and try to find out how other ULIPS performed.

My personal Experiences

I have never come across any ULIP agent who has tried to sell the product in a professional manner. This has its own reasons like meeting Sales Target pressure or poor training to Agents. Anyways ,its not acceptable and can not be accepted. For so many years, Mis-selling is happening in India.

Conclusion :

Your hard earned money should go in proper investments. There should not be hurry in taking action, So dont feel shy in asking questions once or twice or thrice, understand the product and its suitability with your requirement.

No product is good or bad, its only bad or good depending on your requirements. So be informed Investor and dont fall prey to Idiotic agents.

Dont do mistake done by tons of investors who took ULIPS for 3 years

- To save tax
- To make exceptional returns from Stock markets.
- To make them self believe its a happening product because it looks so complex.
- Do you think that ULIPS will have any success in future.. I feel yes

संदेहास्पद बीमा पॉलिसी लेने से बचें

बीमा अभिकर्ता अपने उत्पाद को बाजार में बेचने के लिए तरह-तरह की बातें करते हैं। आपके पास भी कोई न कोई एजेंट जरूर आता होगा। उनका अपनी पॉलिसी बेचने का लहजा इस तरह का होता है – “सर, यह पॉलिसी काफी फायदेमंद है और यह 15 दिनों के अंदर बंद हो जाएगी और इस पॉलिसी का फायदा उठाने के लिए अंतिम समय है। सर आप यह मौका हाथ से न जाने दें।”

इस पॉलिसी को बेचने के लिए वे पॉलिसी से मिलने वाले फायदे को काफी बढ़ा-चढ़ा कर पेश करते हैं और हम फायदे सुनकर पॉलिसी तो ले लेते हैं लेकिन कई बार हमें ठगा जाता है। इसमें छिपी गुप्त जानकारी हमें नहीं दी जाती है।

इन सबसे बचाने के लिए बीमा विनियामक और विकास प्राधिकरण (आईआरडीए) ने पेचीदे यूलिप योजनाओं को, जिन्हें ग्राहकों को समझने में काफी मुश्किल होती है, बंद करने का आदेश दिया है।

इस आदेश से दो बीमा कम्पनियों, बजाज अलायंज और अवीवा को काफी नुकसान हो सकता है। इनके पेचीदे यूलिप उत्पाद ही बाजार में ज्यादा बिकते हैं। आईआरडीए ने इसे बंद करने के लिए 21 अगस्त तक का वक्त दिया था।

इन बंद होने वाले यूलिप उत्पादों का बीमा कम्पनियों के एजेंट काफी तेजी से विपणन कर रहे हैं और इन उत्पादों को काफी फायदेमंद और आखिरी मौका आदि कहकर ग्राहकों से निवेश करवा रहे हैं। निवेशकों को इस तरह की संदेहास्पद पॉलिसी लेने से पहले सावधान रहने की जरुरत है।

Vague objective statement
Instead of a vague objective statement, develop a tagline about what you do or your particular area of expertise.

Too job-oriented
Your resume should not merely be a list of the duties and responsibilities you had at each company you worked for. Provide examples about how you achieved results and success. This may be a good area to outline your strengths.

Using personal pronouns and articles
A resume is a form of business communication, so it should be concise and written in a telegraphic style. There should be no mentions of "I" or "me" and a minimal use of articles.

Listing unnecessary information
You should only include your interests and hobbies if they’re related to the job. For example, if you’re applying to become a nurse manager, you can include that you’ve volunteered at hospitals throughout college.

Not including a summary
Include a summary of your experiences that demonstrates your skills and achievements directly related to the position you want (This may not be applicable in all cases unless you have extensive work experience).

Font Size
The font size for resume content should be 12 points.

File Type
Your resume should be saved in a plain/rich text format. Do NOT save it as in the form of a PDF file type because it could exceed the maximum file size of 200 kilobytes accepted by many email severs.


Cultural Tips and Tricks

Salary NegotiationAlthough negotiating salary, may be common in some places it is not recommended for the UAE market. It may give the potential employer a negative impression about the candidate.

Work Environment
Typically, the work environment follows a fun and laidback attitude. It’s not a typical North American culture where an average individual works five days a week from 9-5pm. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself working overtime without overtime pay.

You can't get a job without at least one interview.

1. Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and a smile, address your interviewer by name, and make eye contact.

2. Never sit until asked to do so.

3. Ensure you are informed about the position and the organization before your interview. Wherever possible get a job description or review the details of the position. Go to their web site. You should know approximately what the salary range is for the position (particularly if going through an agency). Research the organization and affiliations. Be aware of all products or services.

4. Make sure you are familiar with all dates and information on your resume. Be prepared to go into detail and to give examples of various difficult work situations you have successfully handled.

5. Make sure you know the exact location and how to get there. Get there five to ten minutes early.

6. Dress should be appropriate, businesslike and conservative. Always look successful.

7. You may be asked to talk about yourself, but keep your entire life history for non-business situations! An interviewer is interested in how you and your experience best suit the position and the company. Do not take notes, and do not be concerned if your interviewer takes notes. Never speak negatively about present or previous work situations.

8. At the end of the interview you may have an opportunity to ask questions. Express enthusiasm and interest in the company and the position. Thank the interviewer for their time. You may ask what the next step would be in their hiring process. Do not discuss money/salary during the interview, or ask about benefits and vacation, unless the interviewer brings these subjects up for discussion. End the interview with a handshake.

9. A follow-up note or thank you letter sent after the interview, if you are particularly interested in the position and organization, is a good way to keep your name visible. A follow-up call within a week is a good idea, if you have not been contacted.

10. If an agency arranged the interview for you, call them immediately. It is important for the agency to get your response about the position, before they talk to the employer. A positive response from you can often lead to a positive response from the employer. Keep in touch with your agency.

Interviewing Questions:

Here is a list of tough interview questions. Always attempt to answer these questions with an on-the-job example or experience to support it. Make sure that you are as prepared as you can be because you have to assume your competition is.


1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why have you decided to change jobs? Why are you looking?
3. Why did you leave your previous positions?
4. What motivates you?
5. Describe your ideal job.
6. Describe your ideal manager/supervisor.
7. What salary/rate are you looking for?
8. How do you spend your free time?
9. What are your short, medium and long-term goals?
10. How do you react to criticism?
11. Tell me about yourself. How would you describe yourself?
12. What are your long and short-range career goals?
13. What are the most important things you are seeking in a career?
14. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
15. Site some examples of your ability to be a team player.
16. Why should I hire you?
17. How could you contribute to our organization?
18. Why did you choose the college you attended?
19. Why didn't you go to college?
20. What do you know about our organization?
21. Why are you interested in working for our organization?
22. What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
23. Are you willing to relocate?
24. What type of a work environment are you seeking?
25. What do you know about the position you are applying for?
26. What do you know about our industry?
27. What are you proudest of in terms of your accomplishments at you present position or former position?
28. What do you think will be the toughest aspects of the job if you were to accept the position? What will be the most enjoyable aspects - the least enjoyable?
29. What do you think your greatest contribution will be or what aspects of the job or the company do you think you would be able to make your greatest contribution to?
30. If you are selected for this position, how would you deal with the situation of individuals in the company who were competitors for the job for which you are being interviewed and who may feel that they are better qualified? (Some of them may be your subordinates.)

15 Questions You Can Ask:

1. To whom would I report?
2. What is the most important (crucial) part of this job?
3. What is your management style?
4. Is relocation necessary or mandatory after a certain period of time?
5. How much will I be expected to travel?
6. Could you describe your perception of an ideal candidate for this position?
7. What is a typical career path for this position?
8. What is your perception of what I'll be doing on a daily (weekly) basis?
9. What are some of your company's foremost aims and goals?
10. What are the short/long term goals for this department and how do they relate to the company as a whole?
11. Where does this company see itself five years from now?
12. How would you describe the environment I'll be working in?
13. How would my performance be assessed?
14. Please describe the organization of the company.
15. When could I start?
16. What will be my main responsibilities for this position?

Reasons Why People Don't Get Hired:

1. Poor personal appearance
2. Lack of interest and enthusiasm: Passive, indecisive and indifferent.
3. Over emphasis on money: interested only in best dollar offer.
4. Condemnation of past employers.
5. Failure to look at the interviewer when speaking.
6. Limp, fishy handshake.
7. Unwillingness to travel or relocate to employers preferences.
8. Late for interview.
9. Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time.
10. Asks no or poor questions about job.
11. Vague, indefinite response to questions.
12. Overbearing, over aggressive, conceited with superiority or "know it all complex."
13. Inability to express self clearly; Poor voice, diction, grammar.
14. Lack of planning for career; no purpose and goals.
15. Unwilling to start at the bottom; expects too much too soon.
16. Lack of confidence and poise, nervous, ill at ease.
17. Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavorable aspects of job history.
18. Lack of tact or cynical.
19. Lack of courtesy; ill mannered.
20. Lack of maturity.
21. Wants job for short time.
22. No interest in company or industry.
23. Low moral standards.
24. Intolerant: strong prejudices.
25. Inability to take criticism.

Many deserving candidates lose out on job opportunities because of their vernacular accent.

Can I 'neutralise' my accent?

Yes, you can. All you need to do is train yourself to speak English as comfortably and perfectly as you speak your mother tongue.

How do you train yourself? By inculcating certain practices in your daily lifestyle. These will get you closer to sounding like a native English speaker and equip you with a global accent -- and you will speak not American or British English, but correct English.

This is the first step to learn any other accent, be it American or British or Australian.

Lisa Mojsin, head trainer, director and founder of the Accurate English Training Company in Los Angeles, offers these tips to help 'neutralise' your accent or rather do away with the local twang, as you speak.

i. Observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and try to imitate them.

When you are watching television, observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.

ii. Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down.

If you speak too quickly, and with the wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time understanding you.

Don't worry about your listener getting impatient with your slow speech -- it is more important that everything you say be understood.

iii. Listen to the 'music' of English.

Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'.

iv. Use the dictionary.

Try and familiarise yourself with the phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of words that are hard for you to say.

v. Make a list of frequently used words that you find difficult to pronounce and ask someone who speaks the language well to pronounce them for you.

Record these words, listen to them and practice saying them. Listen and read at the same time.

vi. Buy books on tape.

Record yourself reading some sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person reading the book on the tape.

vii. Pronounce the ending of each word.

Pay special attention to 'S' and 'ED' endings. This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you speak English.

viii. Read aloud in English for 15-20 minutes every day.

Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.

ix. Record your own voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes.

Many people hate to hear the sound of their voice and avoid listening to themselves speak. However, this is a very important exercise because doing it will help you become conscious of the mistakes you are making.

x. Be patient.

You can change the way you speak but it won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up too soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some effort into it.

Quick tips

Various versions of the English language exist. Begin by identifying the category you fall into and start by improving the clarity of your speech.

~ Focus on removing the mother tongue influence and the 'Indianisms' that creep into your English conversations.

~ Watch the English news on television channels like Star World, CNN, BBC and English movies on Star Movies and HBO.

~ Listen to and sing English songs. We'd recommend Westlife, Robbie Williams, Abba, Skeeter Davis and Connie Francis among others.

Books to help you improve your English

Essential English Grammar by Murphy (Cambridge)
Spoken English by R K Bansal and J B Harrison
Pronounce It Perfectly In English (book and three audio cassettes) by Jean Yates, Barrons Educational Series
English Pronunciation For International Students by Paulette Wainless Dale, Lillian Poms

Size Matters

Size and weight are important considerations when buying a laptop. If you travel a lot, opt for a laptop that is light in weight. Weights of laptops range from one to four kg. While checking the weight, include everything you will carry along with the notebook, such as the power adaptor or any external drives.

See Your Screen

The size of the display screen directly affects the size, and in most cases, the weight, of the notebook. The larger the screen, the bulkier the notebook. A bulky notebook will be a problem to use in cramped locations such as in an airplane.

Power Struggle

Though performance is not the most important criterion while purchasing a notebook, make sure you get enough horsepower for the applications you use or plan to use. While 256 MB of RAM should suffice for most, power users should opt for at least 512 MB.

All Work And No Play?

If you want to play 3D games, or plan to use your laptop for some graphics-intensive applications, opt for a model that features good-quality graphics. Options available include Mobility Radeon 7500, 9700 and GeForce FX Go5200. These will give you better graphics as compared to commonly-used platforms.

Go Wirefree

Most notebooks today offer Wi-Fi capabilities. Check the Wi-Fi standard supported by the model you are considering for purchase. An 802.11 b/g device will give you higher data throughput as compared to 802.11b.

Upgrade

Check if the notebook is upgradeable at a later stage. Some options to look for when upgrading your laptop are the RAM, the CPU, and the hard drive. Are the upgrades something you can do yourself, or do they require visits to a service centre?

Build Quality Is Important

Since laptops are meant to be carried around, good build quality is essential. Opt for a notebook that has a rugged build quality that can withstand jerks and shocks. The optical drive tray, the screen hinges and latch, the panel on top of the keyboard, and the overall casing are good indicators of build quality.

Warranty Issues

Warranty is also an important consideration. Make sure you get a global warranty if you travel abroad frequently. Even if you don’t, make sure the service centre is easily accessible in terms of location and distance so you can get any problems rectified quickly.

Optical Drives

Most notebooks these days come with a DVD/CD-RW combo drive by default. Make sure the notebook you plan to buy has a combo drive if not a DVDWriter. A combo drive will enable you to read DVDs as well as write CDs.

Optical Drive Location

Check for the location of the optical drive. An optical drive placed in the front may be a hindrance while working in cramped spaces, or when the notebook is placed on your lap.

Wider Is Better

Notebooks that come with wide screens offer a better movie-viewing experience. They are also useful while working with large spreadsheets. Also, look for decent quality integrated speakers if you want to enjoy movies and music on the move.

Hot Laps

Make sure the notebook you plan to buy does not get too hot after a while. A hot laptop on your lap may pose a serious health risk!

Storage

Most notebooks come with 40 GB hard drives. If this does not seem enough, see if you can get an upgrade to a larger capacity hard drive. The drive’s rotational speed also impacts performance. While 4200 rpm drives are the most common, look for higher rpm hard drives for better performance.

Go Legal

When purchasing a laptop, make sure it comes with legal software. Some vendors may not provide you with legal copies of the software. Verify that the software that comes with your laptop is on an original CD, and has a software license or registration number.

Laptop Drivers

Check and make sure you get all the required drivers on a disk along with the laptop. A recovery disk is also preferable, and will come in handy in case of a system crash.

Connectivity Options

The available ports on a notebook will define the types and number of peripheral devices you can connect. Most notebooks come with 56K modems and at least 10/100 Ethernet integrated, so the notebook will have RJ11 and RJ45 ports for connecting a telephone cord and a network cord respectively. Typically, you should look for at least two USB ports, a parallel port to connect a printer, a VGA port for connecting a projector or an external monitor, and Audio Out and Mic In ports to connect speakers and a microphone respectively. PC card slots are also essential, and you should check the types of PC cards that are supported. An infrared port, if available, will let you connect compatible devices such as cell phones to your notebook, while a FireWire port lets you connect digital such devices as video cameras. Look for these ports if you feel you will require them even at a later stage. Additional ports such as S-video out are also welcome!

One-handed Operation

Some notebook models, especially those with larger screens, come with two latches that will require you to use both your hands to open the device. This may be inconvenient in some situations, for instance, when you are speaking on the phone. Look for a laptop that has a single latch.

Touch The Pad

Most notebooks these days feature touchpads. Make sure the laptop you plan to buy has one that is large and offers smooth and jerk-free control of the pointer. Some notebooks also provide pointing sticks as the pointing device. Go for one with which you are most comfortable.

Memory Card Reader

If you own a digital camera or any other device that uses a memory card (such as SD, MMC, CF or Memory Stick), it makes sense to purchase a notebook that has an inbuilt memory card reader. This way, you can transfer data to and from the card without the need to buy a separate memory card reader. Check whether the card reader in the notebook is compatible with the type of memory card you use.

Ease Of Use

Some notebooks feature scroll keys along with the touchpad keys to enable vertical and/or horizontal scrolling in large documents. Some also feature hotkeys for launching your favourite applications.

Additional Features

Additional features, including integrated Bluetooth, biometric security, keyboard light and integrated Web cams, are offered in some models. Since these extra features also affect the pricing of the laptop, opt for one that has the features you need.

Shortcuts To Success

Create shortcuts to your most commonly used applications, folders and files on the desktop. This way, you can access them quickly. If you like your desktop clutterfree, you can also create custom toolbars in Windows XP. To do this, right click on the Windows taskbar, go to ‘Toolbars’ and click on ‘New Toolbar’. Next, choose the drive or folder you want to access using the toolbar. You can create different toolbars for different drives and folders. To remove a toolbar you added, right click on the Windows taskbar, go to ‘Toolbars’, and uncheck the toolbar. This is useful for sales executives who want easy access to presentations, proposals and other information on a day-today basis.

Boot Faster

To make your notebook boot faster, remove unwanted programs from startup. To do this, go to Start > Run, type “msconfig†and press [Enter]. Go to the Startup tab and uncheck any programs you do not need. Click on ‘OK’ and then click on ‘Exit’ without restarting. The unchecked programs will not run the next time you boot.

Clean Up The Junk

Uninstall any applications you do not use. Apart from saving on disk space, you will also prevent your notebook from slowing down.

Be Resourceful

Keep backups of the operating system, drivers and commonly used applications on a secondary partition so that you can do some re-installing on your own if you face some issues while travelling. Carry driver CDs and recovery disks with you.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Since a notebook may be connected to different networks, such as at a client’s office, for example, it is essential you use a good anti-virus and firewall software. Update your virus definitions frequently. An anti-spyware program is recommended.

Don’t Be A Jerk

Be careful while carrying the notebook. Do not subject it to any jerks and shocks. This will avoid damage to your hard drive and the precious data on it. Preferably, power the notebook off before moving it from one place to another.

Dusty Notebooks Don’t Impress

Protect your laptop from dust. Clean your laptop regularly to prevent dust accumulation. Do not leave your notebook on the floor and make sure all vents are clean to enable good air flow.

Drinks And Laptops Don’t Mix

Avoid having beverages while working on your laptop. Do not place any containers filled with hot or cold beverages near your notebook, to minimize chances of a spill.

Protect Your Laptop

Do not leave your notebook unattended in a car or in a client’s office. Be careful when going to a restaurant or when using public transport.

Backup, Backup, Backup!

Keep backups of all your important files and emails in a safe location such as your desktop PC or an external drive. This way you still have your precious data even in case your notebook is stolen.

Power Surges

Use a surge protector with your laptop to protect it from power surges.

Condition Your Battery

A new battery needs to be conditioned—it must be fully charged and discharged a few times before it can use its full capacity.

Leave Power Management To The Pros

Use the notebook’s power management features to improve battery life. You can set the device to switch off the LCD screen and hard drive after set intervals of time.

Screen Scream

The screen hogs a lot of battery power. To prolong battery life, dim the screen brightness when you are not connected to a power source.

Close Applications

Close any applications you are not using when on battery power. Running applications increase CPU utilisation, thus reducing battery life.

Disconnect

External peripherals and accessories such as external optical drives, PC cards and USB keyboard lights draw power from the notebook. Disconnect any such devices when not in use.

Suspend Your Notebook

Booting the notebook when it is not connected to a power source draws a lot of power from the battery. Instead of shutting down your laptop in the middle of a meeting, choose the suspend mode if you wish to use it again after a short period of time.

Entertainment Is Bad For Your Battery

Playing graphics intensive games, videos or music drains the battery quickly. Close any such applications when on battery to prolong battery life.

Carry Safe

A good carry case is essential for your notebook. There are a variety of options available. Choose one that fits your requirements and budget. Apart from being sturdy, you should opt for one that has a padded shoulder strap and has enough space to hold additional stuff such as the power adaptor, CDs, papers, external drives, mouse and cell phone. Some notebook bags also double-up as overnighters.

Get A Mouse

Users who do not find the notebook touchpad easy to use should opt for an external mouse. Though you can use a standard desktop mouse with your laptop, specially-designed notebook mice are available. These are smaller in size and easy to carry around. Some even come with retractable cords to reduce the jumble of wires you need to carry. You can also opt for a wireless mouse. Most of the newer ones use the USB interface, so make sure you have a free USB port on your notebook.

Go The Desktop Route

Those who use their notebooks as their primary computer may want to invest in an external keyboard, mouse and even a larger monitor. This will be the closest to the feel of a standard desktop.

Additional Connectivity

Some notebook models can be hooked up to compatible port replicators and docking stations. These devices allow for added functionality by providing additional ports and external drives.

Must-Have

A USB thumb drive is a useful little piece of hardware for transferring small amounts of data between computers. These come in handy in situations where, for instance, you would like to transfer a presentation or a sales proposal to your client’s PC at his office. Some USB drives come with password protection option and provide a safe place to store confidential files. Instead of storing these files on the notebook hard drive, just carry them with you in the USB drive. You can work on hem directly once the drive is connected. This way, your confidential files do not find their way into the hands of crooks even if your notebook gets stolen.

More Power

An extra battery pack is a good investment if you plan to stay away from a power socket for long.

When In Rome...

Different countries have different types of power sockets. Accordingly, check and carry the appropriate type. If you are a global traveller, opt for a universal adaptor. It offers a variety of different plug types allowing you to connect your notebook power adaptor to power sockets almost anywhere in the world.

Stop Thief!

Invest in a Kensington lock to prevent your notebook from being stolen. A Kensington lock features a strong cord that can be looped around the leg of a table or chair and then locks onto a slot in the notebook, thus preventing anyone from walking away with the device. Some of the higher-end lock models also boast of motion sensors and emit high-pitched beeps if any motion is detected.

Enjoy The Trip

If you enjoy movies and music on the notebook and find the integrated speakers to be good enough, you may purchase external speakers specially designed for notebook users. These are extremely compact and easy to carry. Most draw power from the notebook or from their own set of batteries. These speakers may not offer the surround sound experience, but will definitely sound better than most integrated laptop speakers. However, if you like to watch a movie or listen to music while travelling in an airplane or a train, it makes sense to buy a decent set of headphones so as not to disturb your fellow travellers.

Store More

An external hard drive is a good option if you want to carry large files without stuffing your notebook’s hard drive.

Charge Your Cell Phone From The Laptop

If you are a cell phone junkie and find that your cell phone battery is not able to give you enough juice, buy a USB charger for your phone. These are useful for people who stay on the road for the better part of the day and are not able to access a power socket to charge their cell phones. USB chargers are available for most commonly available cell phone brands and draw power from your notebook’s USB port to charge the cell phone. However, this will also shorten your notebook battery life, so make sure your notebook battery is charged enough to see you through till the time you can connect it to a power socket again.

Increase The Number Of USB Ports

If you do not have enough USB ports on your laptop to connect all your devices, opt for a USB hub.

Light It Up

A keyboard light is a good buy for those who want to work on their notebooks without disturbing their neighbours in a longhaul flight or their spouses in the bedroom. The light clips on to the top of the notebook screen, draws power from the USB port, and illuminates the keyboard so that you can work in the dark.

Additional Stuff

A range of accessories including battery packs, Wi-Fi PC cards, USB to Wi-Fi adaptors, USB to Bluetooth adaptors, external optical drives and notebook coolers are available. Explore local dealers and online stores, and you are sure to find what you are looking for.