How to lose an Interview ?

Lose an Interview in 5 Simple Steps!

I  bet over the years you’ve read loads of interview guide books in preperation for your next big interview.

1. Nervous mannerisms – no matter how experienced you are and able to convey this verbally at interview, little ques that you give off can give a hiring manager a real insight.  Things such as limp handshake, continually avoiding eye contact and constant fidgeting…with hands, hair etc are sure to turn off employers.
2. Lack of self confidence – you want to come across as confident in yourself and your abilities.  After all, an employer is buying your experience so if you don’t demonstrate this at interview you will be letting yourself down and unlikely to get the job.  Things to avoid here include:
   1. Pitch of voice – speaking so quietly you can’t be heard or so loudly that half the corridor hears you.
   2. Downplaying or being self critical about yourself and your achievements
   3. Interrupting the interviewr
   4. Answering questions hesitantly or with one word answers.
3. First Impressions - We all know that first impressions count, so be aware that in your eagerness to please that you have not overdone the perfume (or aftershave…for the gents out there!) or that you have bad breath – smelling of garlic, tobacco or strong drink is a definite no no too.
4. Consideration for others – during the interview, more often than not, a hiring manager will be assessing your ability to fit into the exiting team structure.  Not necessarily a “face fits” approach, just considering whether you will be able to work alongside others within the department. So committing offences such as being extremely critical towards a previous employer, or lack of courtesy to the person arranging the interview or the receptionist are all tell tale signs that will put doubt in the hiring managers mind.
5. Your personal values – not this is a personality contest as such, and yes it is about your skills and experience, however a successful working relationship requires trust and confidence on both sides, so major put off’s such as lying, lack or motivation, arrogance to others and irresponsibility are likely to make an employer think twice about offering you the post.

In summary then, reference books will give you plenty of hints for effective interview preparation and countless example interview questions, however few will offer inside information about what really put’s off employers at interviews.

If you take time to consider the above offences before your next interview, I am sure you will sail through with no problems.

 

Why do people play music in public through a phone?

For many, teenagers playing tinny music to each other on public transport on their mobile phones can be intensely irritating. Why do they do it?

With mobile phones in many a teenager's pocket, the rise of sodcasting - best described as playing music through a phone in public - has created a noisy problem for a lot of commuters.
"All you can hear is 'dush, dush, dush, dush'. It's irritating. So many times I end up with a headache," says Tracey King, who has signed up to the Shhh! Scheme set up by bus company Arriva Yorkshire to stop the noise on their services.
"As teenagers, they don't seem to have the capability to think about others. I have heard older women turning round and saying 'will you turn that down?' and sometimes they will… and other times I've heard them with abuse and swearing at other people."
As mayor of London, Ken Livingstone called for the "absolute prohibition on playing music from a mobile system" as far back as in 2006. Young people can now have their zip cards - which allow them free travel in the capital - revoked for "anti-social behaviour", which includes playing loud music.
The issue has even been discussed in the House of Lords. In 2006, the Piped Music and Showing of Television Programmes Bill was presented to Parliament, calling for "the wearing of headphones by persons listening to music in the public areas of hospitals and on public transport" to be made compulsory, although it never made it into law.

Continue reading the main story

What is sodcasting?

• Sodcasting is described by The Urban Dictionary as "The act of playing music through the speaker on a mobile phone, usually on public transport. Commonly practised by young people wearing polyester, branded sportswear with dubious musical taste."
• The term is believed to have been first used by Pascale Wyse in the Guardian in his series Wyse Words, a list of words that do not exist but should. He stated that sodcasters were terrified of not being noticed, so they sprayed their audio wee around the place like tomcats.

So why do people do it? Is it just an act of youthful rebellion?

"I don't think it is intrinsically anti-social, what I would say is that it is a fascinating human phenomenon of marking social territory," says Dr Harry Witchel, author of You Are What You Hear.
"With young people, usually loud music corresponds very strongly to owning the space.
"They are creating a social environment which is suitable for them and their social peers. But for those not in this group - a 50-year-old woman for example - instead of confidence, she'll feel weakness and maybe even impotence as there's nothing that she can do about it."

“Start Quote

With young people, usually loud music corresponds very strongly to owning the space”

Dr Harry Witchel Author, You Are What You Hear

But hasn't this always been the case? Most people who remember the 80s can remember someone with a boom box perched on one shoulder, pumping out the latest songs to anyone within earshot. Some take this tradition back even further.

"I reckon I was an early sodcaster," says the poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan.
"It was way back in the distant 1970s. As a teenager I was a big fan of the kind of music that made my mother say 'Will you turn that rubbish off?', and my dad hiss 'I wouldn't mind if it had a proper tune.'
"The fact is that I wasn't allowed to listen to [my favourite artists] in the house so I had to listen to them outside using a tape player."
But Dr Witchel says something slightly different was happening back then.
"When people went around with their ghetto blasters, you could argue that it was for the pure pleasure of the music they loved," he says.
"There is no excuse for why you would want to listen to tinny music, except if you were establishing territory. It just sounds rubbish. It must sound rubbish to them."
'Elderly people' A group of schoolchildren on the 277 bus in Hackney, East London, don't all think that what they are doing is wrong.
"I wouldn't agree [that it was anti-social]," says one.

Continue reading the main story"The people who think it's anti-social don't really listen to this type of music."

A second agrees that the bus would be dull without a little bit of music.
"Fair enough, it might be anti-social but the bus is always quiet," she says. "You need something to listen to, right? We give you [something] to listen to."
Some youth workers argue that what the youngsters are doing is largely innocent.
"I don't think they [the sodcasters] are being selfish at all," says Dmitry Fedotov, of the Youth Association.
"I think if young people see sound as preferable to no sound then, if anything, they're going to be thinking they're doing people a favour."
And something is changing within the music industry itself. With the increase of songs being played through phones, more attention is being spent on the parts of the music that can be heard loudest though phone speakers.
"I think we're starting to see evidence that musicians and producers are thinking about the technology by which their music is listened to," says music journalist Dan Hancox, who has written extensively on the subject of sodcasting.

Rapper Giggs is said to be the most sodcasted artist, though quantifying this is very difficult

"It's something that has been described as treble culture.
"It is the idea that in this particular technological era, things that are transmittable on low fidelity (low quality) speakers are being heard more and more in pop music, quite a bit of R&B and hip hop - things which traditionally had a large and important bass element to them."
So, if this phenomenon is here to stay, what can be done by those who want a little bit of peace and quiet on their journey?
"Legislation is not the answer, and nor is citizen power, as anyone who has ever approached a sodcaster to ask them to stop will know all too well," wrote Julian Treasure, chairman of the Sound Agency, on his blog.
"I believe the heart of the solution is in teaching listening skills in schools. If we teach our children how to listen properly to the world - and especially to each other - they will understand the consequences of their own sound and be far more responsible in making it."

Tips to Improve Your Concentration

When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, "I think the one lesson I've learned is there is no substitute for paying attention."

Are you thinking, "I agree, but HOW do we improve our ability to focus and maintain attention -- no matter what?"

These five FOCUS tips can help you concentrate better -- whether you're working in a busy office, studying at school, sitting in a meeting, or trying to finish a project.

F = Five More Rule
There are two kinds of people -- those who have learned how to work through frustration, and those who wish they had. From now on, if you're in the middle of a task and tempted to give up -- just do FIVE MORE.

Read FIVE MORE pages. Finish FIVE MORE math problems. Work FIVE MORE minutes.

Just as athletes build physical stamina by pushing past the point of exhaustion, you can build mental stamina by pushing past the point of frustration.

Just as runners get their second wind by not giving up when their body initially protests, you can get your "second mind" by not giving up when your willpower initially protests. Continuing to concentrate when your brain is tired is the key to S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G your attention span and building mental endurance.

O = One Think At a Time
Samuel Goldwyn said, "If I look confused, it's because I'm thinking." Feeling scatter-brained? Overcome perpetual preoccupation with the Godfather Plan -- make your mind a deal it can't refuse. Yes, the mind takes bribes. Instead of telling it NOT to worry about another, lesser priority (which will cause your mind to think about the very thing it's not supposed to think about!), assign it a single task with start-stop time parameters.

For example, "I will think about how to pay off that credit card debt when I get home tonight and have a chance to add up my bills. For now, for the next thirty minutes from 1-1:30 pm, I will give my complete focus to practicing this presentation so I am eloquent and articulate when pitching this proposal to our VIP clients."

Still can't get other concerns out of your head? Write them down on your to-do list so you're free to forget them. Recording worrisome obligations means you don't have to use your brain as a "reminder" bulletin board, which means you can give your undivided attention to your top priority task.

C = Conquer Procrastination
Don't feel like concentrating? Are you putting off a task or project you're supposed to be working on? That's a form of procrastination. R. D. Clyde said, "It's amazing how long it takes to complete something we're not working on."

Next time you're about to postpone a responsibility ask yourself, "Do I have to do this? Do I want it done so it's not on my mind? Will it be any easier later?" Those three questions can give you the incentive to mentally apply yourself because they bring you face to face with the fact this task isn't going away, and delaying will only add to your guilt and make this onerous task occupy more of your mind and time.

U = Use Your Hands as Blinkers
Picture your mind as a camera and your eyes as its aperture. Most of the time, our eyes are "taking it all in" and our brain is in "wide-angle focus." We can actually think about many things at once and operate quite efficiently this way (e.g., imagine driving down a crowded highway while talking to a friend, fiddling with the radio, keeping an eye on the cars beside you, and watching for your exit sign.)

What if you want to switch to telephoto focus? What if you have to prepare for a test and you need 100% concentration? Cup your hands around your eyes so you have "tunnel vision" and are looking solely at your text book. Placing your hands on the side of your face blocks out surroundings so they are literally "out of sight, out of mind." Think about the importance of those words.

Want even better news? Does the name Pavlov r-r-r-ring a bell? If you cup your hands around your eyes every time you want to switch from wide-angle to telephoto focus, that physical ritual becomes a Pavlovian trigger.

Remember? Pavlov rang the bell, fed the dog, rang the bell and fed the dog, until the dog started salivating as soon as he heard the sound of the bell. Similarly, using your hands as blinkers every time you want to narrow your focus teaches your brain to switch to "one track" mind and concentrate on your command.

S = See As If For the First or Last Time
Want to know how to be "here and now" and fully present instead of mindlessly rushing here, there, and everywhere? Frederick Franck said, "When the eye wakes up to see again, it suddenly stops taking anything for granted." Evelyn Underhill said, "For lack of attention, a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every day."

I constantly relearn this lesson. One time I was giving my sons their nightly back rub. Although I was sitting right next to them, I might as well have been in the next country because I was thinking of the early morning flight I needed to take the next day and wondering if I had packed my hand-outs, if my ticket was in my purse, etc.

Suddenly, my unfocused eyes fell upon my sons and I truly SAW Tom and Andrew as if I was looking at them for the first time. I was immediately flooded with a sense of gratitude for these two healthy, thriving boys. I felt so blessed to have been gifted with such wonderful sons. In an instant, I went from being absent-minded to being filled with a sense of awe and appreciation for their presence in my life.

Next time your mind is a million miles away, simply look around you and really SEE your surroundings. Study that exquisite flower in the vase. Get up close to the picture on the wall and marvel at the artist's craftmanship.

Lean in and really look at a loved one you tend to take for granted. This will "Velveteen Rabbit" your world and make it come alive in your mind's eye.

History of Dark matter

In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is matter that is inferred to exist from gravitational effects on visible matter and background radiation, but is undetectable by emitted or scattered electromagnetic radiation. Its existence was hypothesized to account for discrepancies between calculations of the mass of galaxies, clusters of galaxies and the entire universe made through dynamical and general relativistic means, and calculations based on the mass of the visible "luminous" matter these objects contain: stars and the gas and dust of the interstellar and intergalactic medium. It is probably cold and if so, probably weakly interacting massive particles or many primordial intermediate mass black holes between 30 and 300,000 solar masses, or both.

According to observations of structures larger than solar systems, as well as Big Bang cosmology interpreted under the Friedmann equations and the FLRW metric, dark matter accounts for 23% of the mass-energy density of the observable universe. In comparison, ordinary matter accounts for only 4.6% of the mass-energy density of the observable universe, with the remainder being attributable to dark energy. From these figures, dark matter constitutes 83%, (23/(23+4.6)), of the matter in the universe, while ordinary matter makes up only 17%.

Dark matter was postulated by Fritz Zwicky in 1934 to account for evidence of "missing mass" in the orbital velocities of galaxies in clusters. Subsequently, other observations have indicated the presence of dark matter in the universe; these observations include the rotational speeds of galaxies, gravitational lensing of background objects by galaxy clusters such as the Bullet Cluster, and the temperature distribution of hot gas in galaxies and clusters of galaxies.

 

Dark matter plays a central role in state-of-the-art modeling of structure formation and galaxy evolution, and has measurable effects on the anisotropies observed in the cosmic microwave background. All these lines of evidence suggest that galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and the universe as a whole contain far more matter than that which interacts with electromagnetic radiation. The largest part of dark matter, which does not interact with electromagnetic radiation, is not only "dark" but also, by definition, utterly transparent.

As important as dark matter is believed to be in the cosmos, direct evidence of its existence and a concrete understanding of its nature have remained elusive. Though the theory of dark matter remains the most widely accepted theory to explain the anomalies in observed galactic rotation, some alternative theoretical approaches have been developed which broadly fall into the categories of modified gravitational laws, and quantum gravitational laws.

Culture Of Austria

Language in Austria
German is the official language spoken by 98% of the population as mother tongue. There are distinct differences between the many regional dialects, and also a wide variation in the 'standard' Hochdeutsch spoken from region to region. Slovene is an official language in the southern province of Carinthia. Other minority languages include Croatian (0.5%) and Hungarian (0.1%). All three languages are taught alongside German in some bilingual schools. Another minority language is Slovak.
Why not learn some useful German phrases?
Austrian Society & Culture
Austrian Family Values
. The family forms the basis of the Austrian social structure.
. The family is generally small and, due to lack of migration, generally closely knit within a certain town or village.
. Weekends are generally devoted to family activities such as outdoor activities.
. Eating dinner together in the evening is very much the norm.
. Sundays re usually bookmarked for visiting grandparents for dinner, and/or, enjoying a hike in the country together.
The Austrian Home
. Austrians take much pride in their homes, keeping them neat and tidy.
. In a formal culture such as theirs, the home is the place where people relax and let their hair down.
. Only close friends and relatives are invited into the house, so it is a place where more informal communication may occur.
. Neighbourly etiquette also has its rules that must be observed. It is imperative that common areas such as sidewalks, pavements, corridors (in flats), and steps be kept clean at all times by all associated with them.

Facts and Statistics
Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia bordering Czech Republic 362 km,
Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
Capital: Vienna
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
Population: 8,174,762 (July 2004 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: German 88.5%, indigenous minorities 1.5% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), recent immigrant groups 10% (includes Turks, Bosnians, Serbians, Croatians) (2001)
Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 5%, Muslim 4%, other 17%
Government: federal republic

Conservatism
. Austrians are generally conservative people.
. They are prudent and moderate in their behaviour.
. 'Regimentation' and 'compartmentalization' are a useful ways of describing how they organise their lives.
. They extend social invitations in advance of the event, and the more formal the occasion the greater the time between the invitation and the event itself, so that they can be certain that their guests do not have a prior engagement.
Appearances Matter
. Presentation and dressing well are important to Austrians.
. Even when dressed informally, they are neat and conservative; their clothes are never ostentatious.
. There is sometimes a strict protocol for dressing appropriately in different situations: formal wear for the theatre or a concert, and semiformal wear for better restaurants.
. Some high level events may have a dress code and will turn away patrons who are not dressed properly.
. Most Austrian women dress up to go shopping, since they dress elegantly, if conservatively, at all times, especially when they will be public.

Austrian Etiquette & Customs

Meeting Etiquette
. Greetings are formal.
. A quick, firm handshake is the traditional greeting.
. Maintain eye contact during the greeting.
. Some Austrian men, particularly those who are older, may kiss the hand of a female.
. A male from another country should not kiss an Austrian woman's hand.
. Women may also kiss men, but men never kiss other men.
. Titles are very important and denote respect. Use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name.
. When entering a room, shake hands with everyone individually, including children.
Gift Giving Etiquette
. In general, Austrians exchange gifts with family and close friends at Christmas (generally Christmas Eve) and birthdays.
. Children receive gifts on December 6th, the feast of St. Nicholas
. If invited to dinner at an Austrian's house, bring a small gift of consumables such as chocolates.
. If giving flowers, always give an odd number as except for 12, even numbers mean bad luck.
. Do not give red carnations, lilies, or chrysanthemums. 
. Gifts should be nicely wrapped.
. Gifts are usually opened when received.
Dining Etiquette
If you are invited to an Austrian's house:
. Arrive on time. Punctuality is a sign of respect.
. Dress conservatively and elegantly.
. In some houses you may be asked to remove your shoes, although the custom is not as prevalent as it once was.
Watch your table manners!
. Remain standing until invited to sit down. You may be shown to a particular seat.
. Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
. Put your napkin on your lap as soon as you sit down.
. Do not begin eating until the hostess says 'mahlzeit' or 'Guten Appetit'.
. Cut as much of your food with your fork as possible, since this compliments the cook by saying the food is very tender.
. Finish everything on your plate.
. Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles facing to the right.
. The host gives the first toast. Everyone lifts and clinks glasses, looks the person making the toast in the eye and says, 'Prost!'.
. An honoured guest offers a toast of thanks to the host at the end of the meal.

Business Etiquette and Protocol in Austria

Relationships & Communication
. First impressions are important and you will be judged on your clothing and demeanour.
. Although Austrians prefer third-party introductions, they do not need a personal relationship in order to do business.
. They will be interested in any advanced university degrees you might have as well as the amount of time your company has been in business.
.  Austrians show deference to people in authority, so it is imperative that they understand your level relative to their own.
. It is imperative that you exercise good manners in all your business interactions.
. There is little joking or small talk in the office as they are serious and focused on accomplishing business objectives/goals.
. Communication is formal and follows strict rules of protocol.
. Always use the formal word for you 'sie' unless invited to use the informal 'du'. Address people by their academic title and surname.
. You may be referred to simply by your surname. This is not a culture that uses first names except with family and close friends.
. Austrians are suspicious of hyperbole, promises that sound too good to be true, or displays of emotion.
. In many situations, Austrians will be direct to the point of bluntness. This is not an attempt to be rude, it is simply indicative of their desire to move the discussion along.
. Expect a great deal of written communication, both to back up decisions and to maintain a record of discussions and outcomes.
Business Meeting Etiquette
. Appointments are necessary and should be made 3 to 4 weeks in advance when meeting with private companies.
. Do not try to schedule meetings in August, the two weeks surrounding Christmas, or the week before Easter.
. Punctuality is taken extremely seriously. If you expect to be delayed, telephone immediately and offer an explanation.
. It is extremely rude to cancel a meeting at the last minute and it could ruin your business relationship.
. Meetings are formal.
. Presentations should be accurate and precise.
. Have back-up material and be prepared to defend everything: Austrians are meticulous about details.
. Meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times. If you have an agenda, it will be followed.
. Follow-up with a letter outlining what was agreed, what the next steps are, and who is the responsible party.
Business Negotiation
. Do not sit until invited and told where to sit. There is a rigid protocol to be followed.
. Meetings adhere to strict agendas, including starting and ending times.
. A small amount of getting-to- know-you conversation may take place before the business conversation begins.
. Austrians are more concerned with long-term relationships than making a quick sale.
. Rank and position are important. Since most companies are relatively small, it is often quite easy to meet with the decision- maker.
. Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol.
. Austrians are very detail- oriented and want to understand every innuendo before coming to agreement.
. Avoid confrontational behaviour or high-pressure tactics. It can work against you.
What to Wear?
. Business dress is conservative and follows most European conventions.
. Men should wear dark coloured, conservative business suits with white shirts.
. Women should wear either business suits or conservative dresses, complimented with elegant accessories.
Business Cards
. Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual.
. Have one side of your card translated into German. Although not a business necessity, it demonstrates an attention to detail.
. Include any advanced academic degrees or honours on your business card.
. If your company has been in business for a long time, include the founding date on your card as it demonstrates stability.