How to Write a Tabloid Style Article

How to Write a Tabloid Style Article Tabloids take bits and pieces of stories and focus on the most scandalous, violent or criminal aspects and the burden of truth is much lower than it is in regular journalistic articles. With a few tips, you can write a successful piece that grabs the readers' attention and holds them captive until the last word. Instructions: Step 1 Look for story ideas in local newspapers on the back pages. Articles that detail a gruesome crime or romantic liaisons make good fodder for tabloid articles and if a well-known personality is involved it's even better.Step 2 Find creative â€Å"sources† to quote for your article. After interviewing the disgruntled ex-wife of a popular soccer player, your article, entitled â€Å"Soccer Star Stalks Underage Girls,† needn't meet the requirement of subject truth as long as you indicate a â€Å"source† made the accusations. Step 3 Prompt your sources with loaded questions. If you're writing a piece abou t a peeping tom in the community, ask one witness if she was â€Å"frightened beyond belief by his twisted features. If she responds with a â€Å"yes,† you can write, â€Å"The victim indicated that she was frightened beyond belief by his twisted features. † Step 4 Contact the publicity agents of celebrities and offer to write only positive stories about their client in exchange for information. Stars regularly â€Å"feed† the tabloids information and send photographs as part of a deal that the tabloid not run damaging articles. Step 5 Elaborate on the most sensational aspects of the story. If the subject is something you would overhear in the beauty salon in whispered tones, it's robably just right for your tabloid article. The higher the gossip factor, the better. Step 6 Keep detailed records of everyone you interview for tabloid articles. While celebrities are slow to sue, private individuals might resent you publishing a scandalous story about them. Make su re you have the documentation to back up what you write. Step 7 Stick to writing tabloid stories about well-known personalities, stars and politicians to protect yourself against libel charges. Test:  Writing Skills

Essay Dramatistic Analysis on Breaking Bad Essay

Cady is going to encounter psychological struggle and unwritten social rules that teenage girls face today. Through the Marxist perspective, the movie will be analyzed in order to show how sometimes the pull to conform to hegemony is so important that we have no choice that letting us be dragged to respect the established hierarchy. Mean Girls is an excellent artifact, worthy of investigation in the way that it shows how we expect teenage girls to act, but also how difficult it is for them to refrain from acting that way. When using the Marxist perspective, we begin by identifying the subject positions, as models or anti-models. Mean Girls provides clear subject positions about the models – characters that viewers are encouraged to want to be like, and the anti-models – characters that viewers are encouraged to no want to be like. Thus, the models appear to be â€Å"The Plastics†, a group composed of the three teenage girls Regina George, Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith. By analyzing â€Å"The Plastics†, it seems like teenage girls need to follow a specific pattern in order to be popular. That is to say, on a physical standpoint, teenage girls need to be thin, pretty, and wear tight and revealing clothes, while on a behavioral standpoint, they spend their time gossiping, partying, dating, and talking about boys, rather than focusing on their academic success. On top of the hierarchy is Regina George, and the two other â€Å"Plastics† are her subordinate. On the contrary, the anti-models, challenging the status quo and considered as abnormal or undesirable are represented by Janice and Damien. Both of them are belonging to the oppressed group, or the group that is considered as â€Å"inferior† and â€Å"subordinate† to the dominant group. Mean Girls depicts how easy it is for a dominant group (â€Å"The Plastics†) to impose its ideology on other groups. The interests of the empowered group are then promoting as being natural. Indeed, in Mean Girls, the dominant social group keeps the control over the other groups because nobody dares challenging the authority claimed by â€Å"The Plastic†. â€Å"The Plastics† keep their status quo by oppressing and manipulating the other subordinate groups. They dictate how things should be. The positive power of popularity combined with the negative disempowerment of being unpopular and rejected ultimately reinforces hegemony. That is to say, those who are popular are empowered even if popularity is just a facade for these teenage girls, and those who are not popular are disempowered. By focusing on Cady Heron, and observing how from an innocent teenage girl, she becomes a terrible â€Å"Plastic†, we can deduce that once accepted by the dominant group, people have trouble in seeing the flaws and drawbacks of the hegemony they are in. In order for them to be aware of it, they have to become a member of the subordinate group. Only the anti-models characters are able to see how wrong is the hierarchy they live in, and are willing to change it in order to create a more equal system. Mean Girls proposed both a preferred and an oppositional view on the hegemony. Indeed, from the beginning to the middle of the movie, Mean Girls brings a preferred reading with Cady altering her original beliefs, joining the dominant group and becoming a â€Å"Plastic†. Cady’s desire to respect conformity can be explained by a need to fit in and avoid ridicule. As a consequence, the viewers, siding with her, support the status quo. On the other hand, from the middle to the end of the movie, Mean Girls gives an oppositional reading by considering that â€Å"The Plastics† ought not to be empowered, in order to have a more equal system. Indeed, by the middle of the movie, Cady understands that her destructive behavior made her loose her two closest friends (Janice and Damien). She also realizes she needs to stop acting like a â€Å"Plastic† and to categorize people according to superficial traits, and that she should start considering people according to different characteristics (intelligence over beauty for example). As a consequence, Cady, desirous of putting things right, starts to think how she could readjust the hegemony around her. Thus, she considers destroying the hegemony reigning at school in order to challenge the status quo. At that time, the movie gives the viewers an oppositional reading rejecting the hegemony. In spite of the casualty and frivolity of the topic addressed (teenage girls movie), Mean Girls is still interesting to study because it gives us some interesting and engaging acumen into Marxist perspective and hegemony. Mean Girls shows us how hard it is to resist hegemony when everyone else is subjected to it. Mean Girls also makes viewers being more critical about how hegemony is reproduced in regular patterns of life, like the passage in high school for example.

Attitude Of Management Students Towards Entrepreneurship Business Essay

Attitude Of Management Students Towards Entrepreneurship Business Essay Entrepreneurship and small business creation are cornerstones of economic Development throughout the world. Entrepreneurial development today has assumed special importance, since it is a key to economic development. The impact of entrepreneurship education has been recognized as one of the crucial factors that help youths to understand and foster an attitude toward entrepreneurship. Management education provides a great potential for the establishment of new, small businesses. There is huge opportunity for developing management graduates as entrepreneurs. However, this potential is not exploited to its full extent. The purpose of the research is to examine management student’s attitudes towards entrepreneurship, as well as their views of entrepreneurship as career option and interest in entrepreneurial training. This study was conducted in selected districts of North Karnataka. A total of 200 questionnaires were sent to Management students and 152 students ware responded. Th e research shows that majority of the respondents are having positive attitude towards the entrepreneurship. (Keywords: Attitude, Economic development, Career option, Management students,Entrepreneurship.) â€Å"ATTITUDE OF MANAGEMENT STUDENTS TOWARDS ENTREPRENEURSHIP: A STUDY OF SELECTED DISTRICTS OF NORTH KARNATAKA† INTRODUCTION: Entrepreneurship has become an everyday buzzword. Policymakers, economists, academicians and even university students are talking about it. Today, entrepreneurship is regarded as one of the best economic development strategies to develop country’s economic growth and sustain the country’s competitiveness in facing the increasing trends of globalisation (Ooi Yeng Keat et. al). Entrepreneurship and small business creation are cornerstones of economic Development throughout the world. Entrepreneurial development today has assumed special importance, since it is a key to economic development. The objectives of industrial development, regi onal development, regional growth and employment generation depend upon entrepreneurial development. Entrepreneurs are, thus the seeds of industrial development and the fruits of industrial development are greater employment opportunities to unemployed youth, increase in per capita income, higher standard of living and increased individual savings, revenue to the government in the form of taxation and balanced regional development (Poornima Charntimath 2007). The impact of entrepreneurship education has been recognized as one of the crucial factors that help youths to understand and foster an Attitude toward entrepreneurship (Gorman, Fanlon Là ¼thje and Franke 2002; Norfadilah 2003; Nor Aishah et al. 2005). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) (2007) reports a constant growth of entrepreneurial activities in India. There are growing numbers of studies carried out to determine the influence of regional development and economic development, culture etc., on entrepreneurship.

Our Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Our Event - Essay Example The decision to make the subject matter of the occasion to be global was reached upon putting into consideration political, social and economic factors. This was mainly because were from diverse backgrounds and regions of the globe. Our duty was to enhance the success of the occasion and as a result get rid of more or less 80 tickets. Nearly each day of the week, we had meeting with the members which was aimed at deciding the whole thing in an orderly manner and certainly for sure this was to form the most significant portion of organizing a fruitful happening which was how to sale extra tickets. The whole plan was to have a kind of advertising in areas around that place including shopping centers and municipality centers where it is most convenient to get connected to new people from different social classes, values and ethnic groups who might be in a position to pay attention to that occurrence. Each day of the week information was placed on social networks including face book and communication was done through mail to people we had never met before detailing them on the happening and if fascinated they could purchase the tickets. We positioned a piece of writing on the home daily paper. In an effort to ensure the success of the event, we had two promotions within our shopping center. For the first point in time when we arrived at the shopping center, a lottery was organized giving anyone an opportunity to participate with two tickets for our global daylight tea. This was a chance to create a center of attention for extra individuals to place their names, e-mails and telephone numbers. At the end of that day, we had succeeded in attracting 60 people in our lottery. It was one of our victorious days of the week as we had caught the attention of roughly 60 people who were extremely paying attention to our occasion, we had a

High Dropout Rates in the United Sates Research Paper

High Dropout Rates in the United Sates - Research Paper Example In the recent years, California schools in the United States have registered high rates of dropout particularly among African-Americans. As result of many factors, this has raised the concerns of many of the parties involved in the education sector. These parties include government agencies departments, and the non- governmental organizations. The revelation of the high dropouts in schools has led to a research being carried out through cooperation and collaboration of the various agencies to investigate the trends, reasons behind this problem and how this can be curbed and reduced. Government has instituted a four year research to study the trends of the high dropout rates, establish the reasons behind the trend, investigate the efforts to reverse the trend, and come up with amicable recommendations to solve this problem. According to previously carried out research, there is difference in the rates of dropouts among the various races. Race distribution in any Californian school determines the rate of drop out the school will experience over time. High dropout rates are recorded among the minorities with African-American recording the highest rates. Whites and Asians have in the past recorded the lowest rates of dropout from schools. This is because of reasons associated with the background of the students, parental expectations, and faculty expectations. The expectations held of the student by the society at large either demoralize or motivate the students in pursuit of their education.

Does the ultra vires doctrine provide the best justification for Essay

Does the ultra vires doctrine provide the best justification for judicial review in the British constitution - Essay Example Accordingly, the preservation of separation of powers is essential as a check on autocratic power. As such, the doctrine of ultra vires is theoretically vital in serving as a testament to the independence of the judiciary in its role under the fundamental constitutional separation of powers in ensuring that public bodies, such as government departments, local authorities, tribunals, agencies have not acted ultra vires5. Moreover, the ultra vires doctrine is cited as the first principle of natural justice and the rule of law that public bodies are required to act within the scope of the powers allocated to them by Parliament6. The incorporation of the European Convention of the Human Rights (implemented through the Human Rights Act 1998) further requires judicial review to ensure that public authorities do not â€Å"act in a way which is incompatible with a convention right7†. Indeed, Doctor Yardley asserts that judicial review is â€Å"the ultimate safeguard for the ordinary citizen against unlawful action by †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.the more powerful administration8†. Alternatively it has been argued that the ultra vires doctrine is inherently limited by enabling a process by which courts scrutinise and consider the validity of the manner in which public authorities have made a decision9. The essence of judicial review is to ensure that public authorities act appropriately in exercising their duty10 regardless of the merits of the decision, which in itself begs the question as to the efficacy of the judiciary’s role under the separation of powers to truly act as a curb on the legitimacy of abuses of power by the executive11. This is further compounded by the fact that the judiciary has evolved and expanded the parameters of the ultra vires doctrine on an ad hoc basis in order to circumvent the inherent limitations of judicial review12.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - Essay Example The specified Act entails the use of information concerning foreign intelligence surveillance. Federal officers and employees may disclose the first part of the section states that information acquired from electronic surveillance intended to be in accordance with the Act2. Such disclosure does not necessarily require the consent of the United States person, for instance, as long as it is within the minimization procedures that are required by this title. Otherwise, any other communication that is obtained in violation or not in accordance with the Act shall be viable. The implication behind this is that no other information that is acquired from electronic surveillance with respect to the same title shall be used or even disclosed by Federal officers except only for justified, lawful reasons. The second subsection of the same section asserts that the information acquired in pursuance of the first title shall only be disclosed if and only if a statement accompanies the disclosure that warrants the disclosure. Such a warrant should be assented by the Attorney General whose office acknowledges the information to be used for criminal proceedings in a court of law. With such an airtight system leaks of crucial information is withheld purely on a need to know basis ensuring that the well-being of the Country at large is maintained. In the event that the state desires to enter into evidence which might require an aggrieved person to disclose or withhold part of information as recorded through electronic surveillance, it will issue a notice directing so via a court of law or any other relevant regulatory body in that respect. The aggrieved person will also be notified with regards to the same disclosure of the specified information. Furthermore, this provision enforces the safety of information, barring the spread of propaganda that might otherwise be harmful to the wellbeing of the government or the country at large as such statements of

Planning for Emergencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning for Emergencies - Essay Example The causes may be different. However, the aftermath consisting of relief operations put up by governmental and non-governmental organizations are identical. They inevitably comprise the military, medical organizations including hospitals, social concerns, and trained volunteers. In terms of disaster management, there is no state as vulnerable and varied as Washington. Washington is a mountainous state and has a coastline making it vulnerable to avalanches, drought, earthquakes, floods, landslides, storms and wildfires. These are acts of nature or God. Man made disasters, other than terrorism, can happen due to hazards from abandoned mines, chemical wastes, and on lesser scale problems associated with dam breaches, nuclear mishaps, etc. Washington has large industries and business enterprises. This fact makes Washington quite vulnerable to terrorist attack. Acts of terrorism do not always happen by gun-totting misfits. They can get carried out through infringement of chemical, biological and even radio-active sources on a large scale. In order to handle disasters of either acts of God or human make, it is necessary to have in place a unique and ready organization equipped with the latest gadgets and trained thoroughly to carry out plans and analysis, and execute all operations from cutting through mangled steel and mortar debris to attending the victims who have either lost their lives or limbs. This is easier said than done because after the disaster has struck there is confusion and disorder. The confusion and disorder arise due to breakdown in the routine communication and transportation systems and people at the helm are grappling with right and wrong information. It is difficult to deal in situations where rumors are as ripe as reality and news of needy survivors or dead keep coming from all directions. In order to adequately meet all emergencies in the shortest time possible, it is necessary to have one chain of command and hand over all cases and responsibilities to this command. The question arises. Who will take up such responsibility This person must be of high moral stature, experienced, well informed, a team leader and capable of handling situations in high stressful conditions. He leads a team of trained, dedicated men and women who are conversant in handling emergency situations complete with capability in meeting mental and physical strain including medical care. This team must be capable of providing shelter, care and food to families and individuals affected by the disaster within the affected areas. A part of the team must be thorough in the field of medicine to provide medical care wherever needed. The need of hospitals and other medical centers is paramount in times of disaster. By the way, it is also important to keep away spectators and others who are there only to get a view of what is going on. The reporting system must adequately address dissemination of truthful information so that unnecessary crowding is avoided. Obviously, the size of the team providing care and

Cell phone Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cell phone - Assignment Example In this light, deciding not to buy the cell phones for children has its advantages and disadvantages. Also, deciding to buy cellphones for the students has disadvantages and advantages that ought to be considered. Those against the idea of cells for students argue that they are disruptive and affect their concentration. On my part, I support the idea of equipping the students with the cell phones. There are several reasons for this stand that cannot be overlooked. For instance, the cell phones provide an easy channel of communication between parents and their children. In this light, the gadgets help ensure that parents can check on their children when they are not around. Secondly, I believe that the use of cellphones among the children from an early age helps open up their minds and increases the chance of innovation and the invention of technological gadgets. Moreover, the cell phones provide a source of leisure for the students and are crucial for their growth and development. However, this point may be invalidated on the basis that cell phones cause disruption among the pupils. Another point in support of cellphones for school-going children is that they help the students to research and learn new things through the Internet. The case study explains the effects that the cell phones have on students in Uganda who area allowed to use the cells not only at home but also in school. In the research conducted by Richard and his subordinates, the school allows students to carry their phones to school. According to the study, the availability of cellphones is a source of security for the students, which in turn helps boost their classroom confidence (Twebaze and Richard 23). Moreover, the students involved in the case study argued that keeping close contact with their parents at home helped give them the motivation to work hard. Richard adds that â€Å"cell phones not only allow the students to talk to their parents but also gives them a chance to expand

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Strategic Management - Essay Example stores is able to pass on the benefits of low costs in terms of onto the customer, and this policy has earned them rich benefits, especially during post war periods and recessionary times. Fundamentally this is a food and grocery store, having its own branded goods. Most of their products are their own labeled brands, and perhaps, there would only be one or two other kinds of competing brands for each kind of product. While this restricts the choice of customers regarding variety, it induces greater sale and movement of goods. Thus, the need for having a large number of tagged brands (which may not even be moving products) is obviated, and only products that sell fast are kept on pallets. Perhaps one of the distinguishing aspects regarding Aldi’s type of business is that goods are stocked in pallets, customers pick up their required items from these pallets, and load into their trolleys, which are to be compulsorily used after paying a refundable token towards use of trolley. After the pallet is empty, these are again refurbished, and the process goes on. Most of the products found are Aldi’s own labeled and branded products, and not much of other competing products or brands are found in Aldi stores. This reduces inventory carrying costs and the economic risks of having to stock a large number of brands, which may or may not sell. â€Å"The impact of using Value Chain Analysis by  is that it provides cheaper products to the consumers. In the past months, according to the Centre for Retail Studies, (2006) the cheaper products that Aldi gave the consumers impacted both the two biggest supermarkets in Australia, the Coles Myer and Woolworths. The compa nies came up with different strategies like Everyday low pricing (EDLP) and Save Everyday strategies.† (Undertake a full value chain (complementors) analysis of the Australian supermarket industry and its implications on the each of the three super market chains (Woolwoths, Coles and Aldi) 2009, para.19). The

Leading them to Believe Essay Example for Free

Leading them to Believe Essay To serve God and our country, we must develop our talents and skills. Use what talents you possess; the wood be silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best By: Henry Van Dyke Each of possess different and unique talents that we can use to serve our country specially our God who give this special skills to us. Each of us can make a difference if we believe in ourselves that we can make it for our country because we use it on the right way // We can change other people’s life if we lead them to show their talents and not just only to hide it/ But the most important thing that we must know and not to forget is in everything that you do/ Do it all for the glory of God! Use what talents you have. Many singers, actors, dancers, philosophers, mathematicians, inventors, have succeed because they use their skills and do their best to achieve their dreams. As you can see, they use their skills to serve our country. Inventors invented many machines and technologies to make our life easy. Several singers like lea Salonga, Jessica Sanchez and Charice Pempengco have received numerous awards that brings glory on our country Philippines. Some people claim they don’t have any special talents or skills, or they don’t pursue discovering them. But God desires every member of the body of Christ to use abilities he divinely gave. Therefore, each believer has the responsibility to seek out and discover God given talents doing this can launch a lifetime of enjoyable service to God. One way to recognize our talents is to ask close friends or family members which areas they see as our strengths. In receiving this talents, we have several choices, we can set them aside in disappointment and pursue something that looks better in our own eyes, we can develop them for personal gain or we can cultivate and practice them as our own gifts back to God. When it comes to long term fulfillment, however we find greatest satisfaction when our gifts and abilities are used as intended. When God gives you a talent, he expects you to use it. It’s like a muscle, if you use it, it will grow. If you don’t, you’ll lose it. If you have a talent but are afraid to use it, or if you get lazy and don’t use it to benefit others, you’re going to lose it. Like the parable of the ten talents in the bible, if you don’t use what Godhas given you, he will take it away and give it to someone else who will. But if you use talents wisely, God will give you more. God will bless your level of faithfulness.

Conservatism in American politics Essay Example for Free

Conservatism in American politics Essay Conservatism commonly emanates from the domestic policies of republican administrations (Maisel 84). This ideology finds reflection in fiscal policies that support the major role of state and local governments in domestic affairs with the federal government focusing on foreign relations, national defense, and federal legislative enactments. Conservatism also means economic policies espousing minimal government intervention in business and economic growth via supply side economics by boosting production through capital access and tax breaks. Strong nationalist and religious values dominate conservative policies (84). However, there are also democratic administrations with conservative policies. Ronald Reagan was a republican when he became president and considered a conservative. His fiscal policies included the largest tax cuts to boost production, reduction in government spending on domestic areas, and concentration of expenditures on national defense (Light 243). The stress on federalism and the role of the state government became stronger through community level solutions and private sector initiatives on social issues such as the drug problem (252). Economic policies included loose or minimal regulation of the business sector such as removing price controls on domestically sourced oil and limiting the entry of imported automobiles from Japan to protect the local car industry (251). His administration also sought to control monetary supply to reduce inflation (250). Religious beliefs came into play in his handling of the AIDS issue by excluding those with AIDS from mainstream society based on the premise that AIDS is a manifestation of immoral acts. George H. W. Bush was also a republican president and a conservative. As the Cold War ended, his administration faced a huge budget deficit (Light 256). With limited funds and the burgeoning domestic issues, his fiscal policy focused on basic issues by increasing federal spending on education, health care for mothers and children, and technological research. Bush signed into law a number of bills that supported civil rights with the disabilities act and environmental protection via the clean air act (285). His administration also supported federal expenditures on the country’s highway system and law enforcement initiatives (285). He campaigned against new taxes but failed to achieve this because of strong pressure from the democrat majority in the legislature (277, 283). Bush implemented laissez faire. His administration was a key player in creating the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement that removes tariffs for goods traded by America, Canada and Mexico (285). This agreement controlled intellectual property and eased cross-country investments (285). Bill Clinton was a democrat but considered by some as a conservative because of some controversial policies. The conservative aspects of his fiscal policy included tax cuts through the earned income tax credit that operated as a way of reducing the tax exaction for workers with below a floor amount (Light 277). The signing of the budget reconciliation law decreased the taxes paid by those with low income and small businesses (285). He also signed NAFTA, initially negotiated by Bush (288). The non-conservative aspects of his fiscal policy included increasing taxes for wealthy citizens, budget allocation for healthcare reform and health insurance program for children, and extension of copyright regulation (285). Clinton’s economic policies had a tinge of conservatism with deregulation of trade (288). However, he was able to achieve economic growth by focusing on controlling inflation, reducing unemployment, and securing social welfare and other services (285). Conservatism emerged in his ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy that allowed entry of homosexuals into the military as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation (279). This received lesser criticism from conservatives and strong criticism from the gay and civil rights movements. In contemporary administrations, the trend is towards renewed conservatism given emerging conditions. The divide between the conservative republicans and non-conservative democrats is slowly diminishing (Maisel 86), with flexible administrative policies considered on an issue-to-issue basis.

Good And Effective Leadership Manifestation

Good And Effective Leadership Manifestation INTRODUCTION Leadership is exhibited in almost all stages of life. Everybody in one stage of his or her life has been faced with situations where leadership skills had to be demonstrated. Right from individual families and homes to organisations, institutions and governmental bodies, leadership skills are very much demonstrated. Irrespective of whether one possesses substantial leadership traits or not, there is an inherent need to succeed in a given task. Good leadership is not based on just leading people but it also comes along with different responsibilities and based on how its handled, justifies one as being either a good leader or a bad leader. Effective leadership skills can never be practiced without followers; they are the people who are led to either a success or failure in a particular project. Attitudes of followers are greatly subjected to leadership traits displayed by the leaders and this is backed by the statement made by Hackman and Johnson (2004) that followers prosper under ef fective leaders and suffers under ineffective leaders. (Hackman Johnson, 2000) 2.0. CASE STUDY 1 2.1. Case Summary Joey was previously involved in aviation and believes that, his narration is in a similar fashion to what course aims to achieve by better equipping us for the life of engineers in our chosen industries. Evidence of this has been during the 10th week of course when we discussed CRM (Crew Resource Management). Even though he was not personally involved in this scenario, he believes its an excellent situation to analyse. His case is a classic example of how leadership/teamwork manifestation by the pilots, cabin crew and air traffic controllers and use of teamwork to execute a safe outcome for all concerned when a US Airbus A320 in flight had issues with both of its engines in January last year. As the routine flight was climbing out of the New York area, one by one a flock of birds flew into the path of the aircraft and stopped both the jet engines on the aircraft. The captain (the leader of the aircraft) calmly analysed the situation and he knew that he only had a short time to take a concrete decision. The initial decision taken by the leader was to go back to the airport they came from to try and land there with no engines at all, upon a conversation with his co-pilot (subordinate) it was decided that this would be a very unlikely outcome for success. A further discussion with his other worker gave the suggestion of the possibility of landing in a sighted river close to their spot. 2.2 Leadership manifestation The leadership skill in this situation was demonstrated considering the amount of pressure that the crews were under when the crisis started. On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from New Yorks LaGuardia airport for Charlotte, North Carolina. Shortly after takeoff, the plane went through a flock of geese at 3,000 feet and both engines were knocked out. Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberger later said that he felt an adrenaline rush right to his core. As his heart rate increased, he forced himself to ignore the physical symptoms and face the situation. (Cross, 2009) This situation was well handled by the crew following these 6 steps that they received during training to try and resolve a crisis. Step 1: The best defense is a good offence (Cross, 2009): Establish training exercises for the possible crisis, US airways had done this with the crew and so they would have been well prepared for the crisis. The commanding pilot was also a very knowledgeable person on crisis management and knew how to formulate a backup plan in stressful situations as evidence by this statement from him in a post accident interview; One way of looking at this might be that, for 42 years, Ive been making small regular deposits in this bank of experience: education and training, said US Airways Capt. Chesley Sully Sullenberger. And on January 15, the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal. (Couric K 2009) Step 2: Tell me now (Cross, 2009): Communicate to known company a protocol that is what the cockpit crew did when they had the failure. Even though the emergency happened at a low altitude they still had to rigidly follow companys procedures to try and evaluation the aircraft systems and the situation itself Step 3: Rally the team (Cross, 2009): Communicate with the other team members on both the best and worst possible outcomes for the situation. The US air 1549 flight crew discussed all possible alternatives in the approach they would take to try and solve the problem Step 4: Isolate and contain the problem (Cross, 2009): Once the crew identified their plan of attack, they isolated the problem by using the best known knowledge at the time and went through checklists to try and remedy the situation and start the engines so they might be able to get out of the situation. US Airways also focused on the ABCs Assess what the situation is and/or threats are, Balance available barriers using policies, procedures and flows, checklists, automation, external resources, human factors, and knowledge of aircraft handling, Communicate effectively and understand callouts, and Standard operating procedures. (Sullenberger C, 2009) Step 5: Fix it (Cross, 2009): After the accident, the industry and airlines are trying to remedy the situation of bird strikes for the future and also better crew training for water ditching Step 6: Train all team members (Cross, 2009): Remedial action after the accident and the subsequent findings have suggested better precautions and training to try and prevent an occurrence like this happening again. Comparing of the learnt theories to the case study 1 The theories learnt in this course are very relevant to this accident. High risk industries have been littered with tragedies from poor management systems in the past. A good starter for this is the review of CRM from lecture 10 in our course it states that; CRM is a system to achieve safe and efficient flight operations by optimizing the use of all available resources such as equipments, procedures and people. CRM training focuses on mastering knowledge, skills and attitudes related to communications, situational awareness, problem solving, decision making, and teamwork (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010). The paragraphs below outline how the CRM was successfully implemented in the accident; 2.3.1 Leadership: The captain of the aircraft displayed great composure and guidance during the crisis, he used his previous training to avoid the situation from becoming worse. A classic example of great leadership manifestation was when the aircraft was on the water, he checked inside the aircraft to see if there were any stranded people left on the aircraft after every one had left before he left the aircraft. He also directed the rescue crews to approach and rescue people on the wings first before the people on the life rafts. The third positive leadership trait displayed by the co-pilot was when he went back into the sinking aircraft and located more life jackets for the passengers who had none. 2.3.2 Interpersonal communication: This can be broken down further for this section to include; Communication errors, barriers, cultural influences, listening, coordination (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010). The above mentioned traits were performed to a high standard in each area this in my opinion was the reason why the outcome of the flight was so successful. 2.3.3 Decision-making: This area of the accident can be further examined with the following factors; Risk assessment, risk management techniques, loss of judgement, deviations (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010) The aircraft crew did an excellent job in these areas, for example in the risk of assessment the crew were thinking about what was going to be the least risk, landing in the river or the airport they came from? Which ties into risk management they have made a decision so now they must manage the risk of this decision with the appropriate tools to make the outcome successful. Lessons learnt from the course We have learnt that the crew in what could be described as an almost hopeless situation pulled off a miracle to save the crippled aircraft. Kellys Followership Model in CRM mentioned in the slides makes reference to the Exemplary Followers: Assertive and not afraid to challenge; essential to safe efficient ops (Ljubo V. and Sutherland B, 2010), these are the techniques employed by the crew on the aircraft at all times to ensure a successful outcome to the situation. We have also learnt that a calm head and excellent teamwork are essential to solving any impending crisis. It was an integral part of this scenario. We didnt have time to consult all the written guidance, we didnt have time to complete the appropriate checklist, so Jeff Skiles and I had to work almost intuitively in a very close-knit fashion, without having a chance to verbalize every decision, every part of the situation. By observing each others actions and hearing our transmissions and our reports to others, we were a ble to quickly be on the same page, know what needed to be done and begin to do it. (Sullenberger C, 2009) The captain of the aircraft exhibited the big 5 important factors under the personality traits of leadership. The above qualities exhibited by the leader and complimented by the crews superb CRM was the major factor for the successful outcome. Lets further break these points down into a more detailed analysis of the situation; 2.4.1 Neuroticism (emotional stability): The captain of the flight had no time to channel his energies into anxiety; he said he had to mentally control his emotions so he could use his thoughts to fly the plane instead 2.4.2 Extraversion (sociability): Sullenberger used his teamwork skills to communicate the problem with his co-pilot as to what the best action would be to ensure a safe outcome for the flight 2.4.3 Openness to experience (creative, curious): Sullenbergers past history as a aviation accident consultant, a glider pilot and a instructor in human dynamics in aviation all helped him to make the right decision needed for a safe outcome. 2.3.4 Agreeableness (trusting nurturing): This was demonstrated by the fact he let his co-pilot run through the engine relight checklist so he could try and attempt to restore engine power, so in the worst case he would be able to fly the aircraft back to the airport on one engine if they got it restarted. 2.3.5 Conscientiousness (organised dependable): He demonstrated this due to his past employment as a instructor pilot in US airways, which consisted of duties such as testing pilots skills in the simulator and in the aircraft. He was also widely recognised by his peers as an excellent pilot and faithful servant of the aviation industry. Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile. (Ljubo V. and Sutherland, 2010) The successful outcome was achieved by the actions of many. Lives were saved due to the experience of a well trained crew (Sullenberger C, 2009). The above two quotes sum up perfectly the Captain and crew of US air flight 1549 in a nutshell. Improvements to Case Study 1 based on learnt theories In light of the accident on the Hudson River, the industry has learnt that they must keep up to date with aircrew training and cabin crew training and the training must be based on one of the most impressive training improvements, Recommendations for new engine certification procedures, emergency checklists, aircraft equipage and pilot training (Croft J 2010). From a leadership point of view the US Government regulator for aviation (FAA) and Airbus, were each criticized for not mandating ditching training in the flight simulator, tougher engine bird strike certification, proper pilot checklists. From a cabin crew point of view deficiencies existed in briefing of passengers and also lack of standardization of equipment in the US airways fleet (some aircraft had life rafts some did not) at the time FAA did not mandate use of life raft on non overwater flights. Apart from the Government leadership issues one of the positives from a leadership point of view was that, the captain turned on the mini jet engine so he could maintain control over the aircraft in the final minutes of the flight. However the negatives of the leadership where he failed to press the ditching button to close the valves so water would not flood the aircraft (but this is a limitation of the human mind in reaction to a rare and stressful situation). Another finding is the fact that, the industry was ill prepared to know how to ditch in water. From a communication and leadership point of view, the question asks What should be done differently as a result of this learning. In my research and opinion from this accident backed up with our theory from the course, they perform a magnificent job of handling the situation from a classic leadership and communication text book point of view and could in the future be a excellent case to study for future generations of leaders in the World. 3.0. CASE STUDY 2 3.1. Case summary: The second case study is of Awais Safder who led his team to complete a task in limited time by convincing the labor force to work over time during winter. This was very crucial for the reputation of the company he worked for since the client requested the project be built on a tighter time schedule. In order successfully meet the target; he placed leadership responsibilities on his sub-ordinates. They did not have to complete it for themselves but for the sake of company. Saving of time was of course saving of money. He did not just finish it on limited time but also saved on cost. Leaders are people who can create significant change in both followers and organisation which they are associated. (Iain Hay,2010) In a project, whoever is the leader must possess a number of characteristics to guarantee progress. To handle such pressure at an early stage of his career was mentally challenging. He was the sole structural site engineer on the building site. He did not only show inspirational skills in propelling the labor force to achieve this task, but also exhibited excellent leadership. 3.2. Leadership Manifestation The leadership manifested in this case was transformational leadership. The leadership traits Awais adopted in that case was focusing on being analytical, devoted, diligent, interactive and sincere, factors that a successful leader must adapt to if he anticipates progressive results. Sometimes however, depending upon the diversity of situations, there may be trade-on and trade-off characteristics in the need for each of the traits. He exhibited sound emotional stability in dealing with problems contemplatively towards the outcome of the project. Leadership skills perceived in solving the problems occurred during the execution of the task. He considered all ideas in addition to further improve his relationship with the followers and having sufficient skill to persuade followers even in case of disagreement. He made them realise that they had to complete this task for the sake of their companys reputation. He listened to their issues, noted their problems and promised them extra remune ration for their extended hours on the site. He also invited supervisors and foremen with whom he initially discussed the procedure of executing the activities and idea of extended hours at work for them. He then discussed the whole situation with Project Manager and explained to him how he was going to complete each activity and assured him of prompt progress on the project. He assured him that if these extra hours of construction were agreed upon, he would negotiate with the steel fixers to help boost moral on the construction site. 3.3. Comparing the learnt theories to the case study The under listed paragraphs gives a vivid illustration on how Awais leadership approaches were analyzed based on the theories learnt in class 3.3.1. Transformational Approach: Standing on the statement made by Hackman and Johnsons, The new leader is one who commits people to action, who converts followers into leaders, and who may convert leaders into agents of change (Hackman Johnson, 2009). His leadership skills was highly portrayed on how he encouraged his followers on the construction site to become leaders is a typical examples. A further example of this can be viewed from the following notes on transformational leadership. The transformational leadership characteristics from his case of study are as follows. 3.3.1.1. Creative: He exhibited creativity at different levels of the task. Since he was the sole engineer at the construction site, he had to come up with different alternatives to execute the given task at a specified time with the steel fixers especially during the winter when at night the temperature fell to -4 ° C. 3.3.1.2. Interactive: He took into account the fact that manpower plays a vital role in the progress of any task. In order to achieve the required goals from them, he was very concerned about their personal issues. He used to go on construction site, watched steel fixers, appreciated their hard work, stayed with them and made some jokes to make their working environment friendlier. Whenever I told them how the company had always taken care of them and provided them with many facilities in the past, they always gave a strong and positive response. To them, it was a give and take affair that is, once their basic needs are attended to, they on their part will do their best in achieving the companys goal. This is also a classic example of how McGregors theory Y is put into play. 3.3.1.3. Visionary: He was issued with the task of completing the project in 13 days. However, he was required by the client to complete it in seven days. He knew this requirement would stretch his time management skills but he employed excellent delegation skills to make sure the project would be completed on time and almost 30% below budget cost. An example of this is a quote from Hackman and Johnson that A vision is a concise statement or description of the direction in which an individual, group, or organisation is headed (Hackman Johnson, 2009). 3.3.1.4. Empowering: During this process he felt it was necessary to give his subordinates the feeling of being on equal footing as himself. He thought that if he treated his workers on the same level as himself he would get a great return from the worker, they will be more motivated and the company would get a great return from the workers. This was evident by the fact that the project was finished in seven days instead of the proposed 13 days. The comment by Hackman and Johnson enforces this great display of leadership, that is, Transformational Leaders know how to give power away and how to make others feel powerful (Hackman Johnson, 2009). 3.3.1.5. Passionate: He worked long hours for the completion of the task allocated to him and to excel his followers too. He believed that his display of immense love and passion towards his work was essential to serve as a motivational factor for his subordinates. This contributed a lot since it encouraged all the followers to put in a similar amount of passion or even more to achieve the set goals. He made funny jokes with his subordinates gave him the chance to get along with them. This in turn increased work production on site because he made his sub-ordinates felt valued. The statement below links him well with the passion component of transformational leadership. Transformational Leaders love their jobs have a great deal of affection for their fellow-workers. (Hackman Johnson, 2009) 3.4. Lessons learnt from the course The lesson learnt from the course further equipped him with better tools to manage a situation like this in a more comprehensive approach in the future. Looking at the course we can use many outstanding theories to better equip us for greater management skills in the future. A further examination of the strategies to his scenario on the construction site are done using Wallas four steps for creative problem solving 3.4.1 Preparation: In his scenario, he acknowledged the problem and tried to weight up the problems with the possible solutions. The best solution he came up with was able to satisfy both the management and employees. 3.4.2 Incubation: After reviewing the situation, his team sat down and deliberated on other alternative solutions to the problem at hand. 3.4.3 Illumination: After the two meeting with his followers, he made it a point to personally deliberate on the issue and the proposed solutions to see the possibly of coming up with a whole different approach based on his knowledge and expertise in that particular issue. 3.4.4 Verification: He would go back to the original people he had a meeting with and discuss again the problems and solutions of the construction site and then finalise with his team on the best solution they should opt for. 3.5. Improvements to Case Study 2 based on learnt theories From the study of this course, we realised that his leadership at the time was sufficient but he could personally improve on it now based on the theories hes learnt from the course. The productive engineer should possess abilities skillful enough to express, recognize problems and understand cultures and atmosphere. Leadership attributes can be further developed by more knowledge and experience. Based on the theories, characteristics of a good engineering leader must comprise of intuitiveness, inspiration, effective communication, individual prosperity and contemplation to function in multi cultural and multi disciplinary teamwork. By following these traits, we can portray our organisation as one with essential technical particulars and leadership dexterities. Even though the target of the project was met, they virtually worked under pressure which will results in the followers strength and capabilities being over stretched and in turn affected productivity. Working under pressure in that adverse weather conditions did not really portray good leadership concern and care for subordinates. Increasing the human resources so that work will be completed in due time with more hands would be a better option than to unnecessarily pressurise the workers with loads of remunerations. Casual workers can thus be hired if the companys resources were not enough to permanent employees. 4.0. CASE STUDY 3 4.1. Case Summary The third case is a task of sensitising all employees of a mine to acquire ISO 14001 EMS Certification. ISO 14001 Environmental Management System is the outcome of a successful assessment of a company by an independent third party to ensure that working operations are carried out in an environmentally friendly manner such that there is a minimum impact on the environment. The ISO 14001 certification for AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mines Environmental Management System was carried out as evidence to stakeholders of the companys compliance with the national and international environmental management standards. In this regard, the management of the mine had an essential role to play in developing organisational awareness creation, sensitisation and education by explaining the concepts ISO 14001 to the entire staff and demonstrating their commitments to it before an internal audit by a independent external certification body takes place. The project was a collaborative effort by the entire staff of the mine, but the responsibility of training, awareness creation and sensitisation section of the project was duly handled over to Matilda to adequately manage all resources and logistics to ensure that all employees on the mine are satisfactorily sensitised on the concepts and procedures involved in the certification process. The attainment of the certification to a large extend depended on the understanding of the employees on the concepts of ISO 14001. It was a delicate task involving a whole complex situation considering the capacity of employees and size of the mine with a workforce of over seven thousand employees. It was a great input into her career and her leadership potentials. 4.2. Leadership Manifestation Leading the team on this project was a very bold step in her career as an environmental officer and the challenges faced toughened her for greater works ahead in her life. She manifested a good leadership skill by not ruling her team, but co-ordinating with them to embark on the project. She encouraged her subordinates to make concrete decisions and sorted their opinions on how the sensitisation program was to be run in their respective departments. She decided to train her immediate followers on how to properly organise their department. She believed in the fact that, training them will increase their competence level and make them more responsible. She agreed with the philosophy of John D. Rockefeller quoted in Hackman and Johnson, 2000 as Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people (Hackman Johnson, 2000). The training needs of the followers were based on their level of experience and responsibilities. All training materials, methods and means of evaluation took into account their abilities, literacy, nature of risk associated with their operations and their individual responsibilities. After having decided on the best methods of sensitisation with her followers, she deduced some objectives to get them started and to keep them in the right framework. These were to maintain ISO14001 EMSs Standard in the training Program, to develop better employee education and training on the importance of ISO 14001, Improve communication with stakeholders/interested parties and to verify the conformance of the training efforts to regulatory or organisational requirements A great Leadership skill was manifested in solving the problems faced during the execution of the projects. Her ability to adapt to immediate corrective actions in solving them and getting the task completed made her very competent. Her display of good emotional stability in addressing the issues and taking into consideration the different characters and levels of intelligence contributed immensely to the success of the project. Coming down to the social levels of the followers and making them comfortable despite their social standings was a factor that took all inferiority out of the followers and eliminated all barriers to her position as a the youngest female leader. The challenge of working out of office hours to duly complete the task within the set time before the internal audit added so much to her credibility as a leader since she was perceived as a leader who leads by example and was very passionate with her duties. 4.3 Comparing the learnt theories to case study 3 A critical analysis of the case study based on the theories leant reflects the leadership skills manifested in Matildas case as a combination of most of the leadership approaches. An illustration on how her approaches was analysed based on the theories are discussed below 4.3.1 Trait Approach 4.3.1.1. Interpersonal Factors She was not limited by her gender or age but maintained a good composure and displayed extreme confidence in leading followers who were much older than her with some having higher academic attainments and work experiences than she had. 4.3.1.2. Cognitive Factors Her approaches to handling the challenges and solving problems associated with the project displayed her level of intelligence in her field of study and career. She tactfully handled the issues with due consideration to the followers view points and not unnecessarily discriminating. This attribute was greatly admired by her followers. 4.3.1.3. Personality: Neuroticism (Emotional Stability) Preparation of the training materials with due considerations to the competence and intelligence levels of the followers by eliminating all inferiorities and superiorities was a great way of displaying emotional stability which was a key factor in the program. Extraversion (Sociability): Her socialising approaches with the followers in meeting at clubs or restaurants after office hours, discussing other family and personal life issues broke every tension and gave the followers the edge of contributing their entire quota without feeling intimidated. Openness to experience (Creativity): The different sensitising training materials and approaches such as the use of videos, seminars, gift vouchers, floats, debates and awards of certificates of competence etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was a very creative approach which helped to adequately send the message across without necessarily bombarding them with endless boring literature. Agreeableness (Trusting): She trusted her followers as being competent enough to lead their respective departments and this was based on the fact that they were adequately trained in all the systems and procedures involved and equally up to the task. Conscientiousness (Organised): The outlined objective established by the leader to keep them in the right framework and to ensure their program followed a guided path displayed her skills as being a well organised leader. Project charters were also used to evaluate the progress of the program. 4.3.2. Situational Approach: The situational approach was duly adopted by Matilda considering the fact that contextual intelligence was very much implemented. The impact of past environmental practices were considered leading to the adaptation of current trends in making concrete commitments to the future trends. The situational approach also recognised and adapted two factors under the Fiedlers contingency model. That is the task structure and team relationship (Hackman Johnson, 2000). The task structure in her case was based on the fact that, all the sensitisation program was subjected to specific procedures, agreed upon outcomes and a comprehensive evaluation of the processes and outcomes. The interpersonal relationship among the team can be classified as a good one as there was harmony in the decision making process and the avoidance of all personal issues that had the potential of marring the established relationship. 4.3.3. Transformational Approach: The leaders interactive nature of communicating with the followers on every detail that needed to be done and on the progress is a proper demonstration of the transformational leadership approach. The act of empowering the followers by adequately training them to become highly competent and encouraging them to participate and be involve in the decision making was an approach that greatly paid off in the project. With due consideration of the workforce of over 7000 people to be sensitised, there was no way of accomplishing the goal if followers were not trained to take up the responsibilities of sensitising the workers and contractors in their respective departments Lessons learnt from the course This course clarifies the fact that every leaders competence and skills are greatly based on the attitude of the followers and the outcome of the specific task being handled. Irrespective of the fact that most people are of the opinions that great leaders are born, this case of leadership skill is a proper demonstration of the fact that leaders are made and not born. This is supported with the statement made by Vince Lombardi in Hackman and Johnson, (2000) that, Leaders are made, not born. They a

Lesbianism in Buffy the Vampire Slayer :: TV Television Show Essays

Given that lesbian desire has often been associated with the monstrous in horror and vampire genres, and that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is seen as having reworked the conventions of these genres, it is worth considering how the narrative of lesbianism is dealt with in this series to contemplate if and how this desire has been resignified. This paper is concerned with critically analysing the overt representations of lesbian desire and identity as they are manifested through the Willow (played by Alyson Hannigan) and Tara (Amber Benson) characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the coming out narratives as they unfold in Season Four. It attempts to address several questions: How has Buffy the Vampire Slayer reworked the representation of lesbians in the vampire genre? How are the themes of lesbian desire and coming out as lesbian dealt with in the series? Finally, has the show challenged stereotypical representations of lesbianism, or merely perpetuated them? I start this paper with a sense of ambivalence about how the lesbian characters and lesbian desire are constructed in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, because on the one hand I gain pleasure from watching these representations, but on the other hand I suspect that the series perpetuates some homophobic concepts about lesbianism. I am mindful that representations in horror and fantasy television programs and films are creative images and manifestations of ideas, mythologies and narratives. They are not perfect reflections of society, although the writers may attempt to deal with some social issues and identity politics within generic frameworks. However, fictional representations are still important sites where viewers negotiate personal and cultural concepts of sexuality and subjectivity. This queer reading of Buffy the Vampire Slayer investigates the disguised homo-erotic tensions between the out lesbian characters in the series. It avoids an elaborate search for homoerotic and non-normative sexual couplings between other characters in the series. If I were to do such a queer reading, I would probably concentrate on the Willow and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), or Faith (Eliza Dushku) and Buffy relationships as Farah Medlesohn has done in her essay, "Surpassing the Love of Vampires"(2002: 45-60). Alternatively, I might focus on the sadomasochistic relationship between Spike (James Marsters) and Buffy, or the bizarre love triangle between Andrew, Warren and Jonathan in Season Six. Instead, this paper is more concerned with analysing the blatant representations of lesbian desire and sexuality as they are constructed through characterisation, metaphors, narrative and stylistic devices in particular episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to consider how these themes have b een integrated into a youth-orientated, television program.

Industry anlysis of Retail Grocery Industry Essay -- essays research p

Industry Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to analyze an industry, it is important to determine where it is in the industry lifecycle. During the 1970’s and 1980’s the retail grocery industry was expanding at a phenomenal rate. Throughout this boom period, the number of large grocery stores was rising and forcing the existing† Mom and Pop† grocery stores out of the industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early 1990’s, the retail grocery industry began leaving the growth stage and entered the maturity stage in the industry lifecycle. This was caused by increased market saturation and slowing growth rates. Between 1995 and 1996 the growth rates were the lowest they had been in the past twenty years. The main reason for this was the vast number of grocery stores that had been built in growth stage and the emergence of new grocery retail formats such as warehouse clubs and dollar stores. This increased competition forced firms to compete with each other for the same customers by lowering prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enter WalMart. Walmart was not even in the grocery industry in the early 1990’s but through excellent supply chain management and extremely low everyday prices have forced their way as one of the dominant players in the retail grocery industry. Industry surveys indicate that the five largest chains (WalMart, Kroger, Costco, Albertsons, and Safeway) accounted for approximately 37.5% of total sales in 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1990’s were an important time because of the arrival of new technologies that would change the retail grocery industry. Scanners, Elcetronic Data Interchanges, and the internet have all sped up and lowered the costs of business operations. WalMart was one of the early adopters of this technology and had a competitive advantage over its competitors. New technologies being pioneered now include self-serve checkouts, RFID’s, and kiosks, they will all eventually change how we shop at grocery stores today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Walmart’s arrival as the largest grocer in North America has caused quite a stir in the retail grocery industry. Walmart’s low prices have caused an industry–wide obsession with consolidation. Many firms are cutting costs any chance they can, forcing some firms to move upmarket. â€Å"The traditional supermarket concept no longer has a profitable future in most ... ...lay a part in the consumer’s decision but in the end eggs from one store are the same as eggs from another store. The consumer can also compare prices from various stores to get the best deal on their groceries. Supplier Power   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Supplier power has been pretty high in the past because grocery stores had very few options of where they could get their goods and had even less of a say of how much to pay for these goods. Recently WalMart has started to change the balance of power away from the supplier. By being so large and having the power of making or breaking a product based solely o if WalMart carries it they can demand certain prices. Another way to combat high supplier power is to introduce private label brands. For example Giant eagle carries its own brand of peas it is not as dependable of its pea suppliers as it was before carrying their own brand. Some suppliers have decided to try and regain power by merging with other suppliers such as Gillette/Proctor & Gamble and Phillip Morris/Kraft. It appears that after a long time of high supplier power the playing field is starting to level itself off and it appears this will continue into the future.

life and death :: essays research papers

What It Takes to Overcome Suffering When dealing with hardship in one’s life, people deal with it in diverse ways. One may overcome suffering through their own thoughts and ventilation, or by through their relationships with themselves, other people, or even a higher being. Alice Walker, an African American writer, narrows the scope of suffering to a single, courageous woman in her novel, The Color Purple. Through this remarkable woman, Celie, Walker illustrates that even when life can’t get any worse, one can overcome impossible odds. Alice Walker illustrates through Celie’s triumph over Mr. _____, one overcomes suffering through the presence of strong positive relationships. The obstacles that Celie overcomes are indicative of the relationships that she acquires. Through the relationships that Celie forms with God, Sofia, Nettie, Shug, and the ultimate relationship she develops with herself, she is able to overcome the abuse and hardship that is present in her life and her past. Celie’s upbringing was not one, that which someone would call typical. She must care for her brothers and sisters, and is already burdened with the cooking and cleaning of the household because of her mother’s deteriorating health. And if that is not a harsh struggle enough, Celie is being continuously raped by the man she knows to be her father. Celie gives birth to two of her father’s children, whom he sells after Celie gives birth. She is tormented with the thoughts of her two born children, and why these horrible things happen to her. Celie is mistreated and abused day to day, and accepts this as the norm childhood. Not only is the young, innocent Celie raped Ventura 2 again and again, she is beat by this man, when she does something he does not approve of. â€Å"He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church† (Walker 5). She is victimized by this man repeatedly and cannot help but only wonder why. She is thought of as nothing but a sexual object, and is taken advantage of over and over. She is stepped on repeatedly by her stepfather and is threatened not to say anything. â€Å"You better not never tell nobody but God. It’s kill your mammy† (Walker 1). She is silenced not to tell anyone about her explicit rapes because she knows it would kill her mother, and therefore only expresses her hardship to God. This poor young girl deals with hardship most adults do not even encounter, but handles it with her own prerogative.

Forensic Science Section Essay

1. Where is Herculaneum located? What happened to the city? It was an ancient Roman island, near Pompeii. It stood in the shadow of an active volcano, which destroyed the island’s life form. 2. Why is Herculaneum important to archeology today?  It is important because unlike other ancient cities, it was better preserved so they can really study the habitants that live in Herculaneum. 3. What are some of the challenges that archeologists face when examining the city of Herculaneum? Some of the challenges would be that the architecture is very fragile, so it is falling apart very quickly. This causes them to have to be very carefully. Another challenge is that they can’t explore more into the tunnels because there are modern houses built on top. 4. How do you think the archeological investigation of Herculaneum relates to forensic anthropology? In what ways are similar techniques and processes used in both of these situations? I think that it relates because the archeologist are look and dealing with the remains of ancient people. The two still seek to find the remains and causes of death; just really tried to piece together what occurred. 5. What is surprising about the ruins in Herculaneum? How is this different than Pompeii? They never found a lot of remains of the inhabitants. This differ from Pompeii where was hundreds of human remains. 6. How do archeologists know that other people have been to the ruins in Herculaneum before them? What were the people searching for? What dangers did they face? They know others where there because they dug tunnels. The people were raiding Herculaneum for beautiful art. They people faced the danger of being crushed by rocks falling down on them in this fragile building. 7. How did the bodies in Herculaneum differ from those in Pompeii? The Herculaneum bodies were found by the sea, whereas the remains in Pompeii were found there. 8. Do you think it would be interesting to work on a site like Herculaneum to discover what happened? Why or why not? How would this work differ from a traditional crime scene? Yes! It would be so fun to excavate this area out, as well as see how they lived back â€Å"in those days†. It preserved the island well enough that minor details are preserved. Herculaneum would be different from a traditional crime scene because you already know what killed all the people.

Interview Skills

INTERVIEW SKILLS Interviewing: The job interview can be a pleasant and rewarding experience. It gives you and the employer a chance to discuss your qualifications and determine if a match can be made. Interviews vary in style length and can have a number of different interviewers depending upon the organization, so try to prepare for anything. Interview Styles: Directed This consists of a list of specific questions, which are in a certain order every time. Sometimes a checklist will be used to record your answers. Non-directedThis style consists of broad open-ended questions designed to get you to talk about yourself. It is more conversational in tone than the directed interview. Stress This is an interview designed to see how well you handle stress. Stress interviews are normally used in interviewing for top level positions. However, most interviews do not follow a specific style, but interviews may use their own combination of types instead. Regardless of the style or styles used, an interviewer is basically interested in two things: †¢ WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE COMPANY? WHAT CAN YOU OFFER THE COMPANY? Stages of the Interview An interview usually consists of four stages: BREAKING THE ICE This is to help both you and the interviewer â€Å"tune in† to the interview situation. It usually consists of small talk about the weather, your trip to the interview and so on. The content and the duration of this stage is controlled by the interviewer. SHARING OF GENERAL INFORMATION The interviewer will begin to tell you something about the company and the position that is open. You, in turn, can begin to tell the interviewer how your skills will relate to the position.You should be concise, using specific examples when ever possible. AMPLIFICATION AND SHARPENING OF FOCUS At this point in the interview, you will be offering a lot of information about yourself. You will be questioned about your work-related values, goals and aspirations. Your qualifications will be explored in detail. The interviewer will be trying to find a fit between you and the position. TRYING IT OGETHER This is the conclusion of the interview. You should clarify the information you have about the next contact. Find out if the interviewer will call you and how soon can be expected.If you are interested in the job, this is a good time to let the interviewer know. Planning for the Interview: SELF-ASSESSMENT Identify who you are, where you want to go, and how you plan to get there. Analyze your: †¢ Strengths †¢ Weaknesses †¢ Academic Performance †¢ Career Interests †¢ Personal Goals †¢ Work Experiences †¢ Special Skills Upon completion of this self-assessment you should be confident in your ability to ace the interview. RESEARCH YOUR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER Candidates who demonstrate knowledge of their organization and their community impress employers.You should acquire some knowledge concerning the size of the organization, criteria for evaluation of personnel, orientation and development programs, geographical location, and industrial and recreational profile of the community, and products produced. Research of this nature is easily accomplished through use of the Chamber of Commerce located in the geographical area of your choice and variety of other sources. Research often raises questions of importance that you can have answered at the interview. Remember, you are seeking a career, not just a job. THE INTERVIEW 1. Be punctual. Always allow ample time to get ready for your interview. The interview is on a schedule too and you may miss the opportunity you have anticipated for a long time). 2. Dress conservatively and professional. Men should wear a tie and suit. Women should apply cosmetics in keeping with good taste. Avoid â€Å"over doing it†. Careful grooming of hair, fingernails, shoes and clothes is very important of the both sexes. 3. Expect to be nervous at the outset. Nervousness is a natural f unction of your system, which helps you perform at your very best. The time to worry is when you do not become nervous. 4. Introduce yourself with a strong, confident handshake and look the interviewer directly in the eye.A strong first impression will set a positive tone for the interview. 5. Tune in with the interviewer and follow the pattern he or she sets. Be alert, maintain good posture, and relax as much as possible and listen. 6. Talk in a normal tone of voice and maintain frequent eye contact. 7. When responding to a question, pause and think about what you are about to say. Say something other than just â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†. Intelligent, well thought-out answer put pluses beside your name. 8. Look for the sign of restlessness in the interviewer and for signs that he or she is about to terminate the interview. (Always leave termination up to the interviewer).When asked â€Å"Do you have any further questions? † respond as you needs demand. 9. Exit fro m the interview after expressing a sincere interest in the position. The employer will never know the extent of your interest unless you express it. If you want the job, ask for it. 10. Record results as you viewed them, both objectively and subjectively. Be certain that you know what the next step is – they will contact you, you must contact them, etc. FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW Provide the credentials, references, or transcripts as requested by the interviewers as soon as possible. Follow-up with a short, typed letter of appreciation for the interview.This does not include the campaign unless you have been offered a position at this point. Now you need persistence in follow-up. Questions most often asked by the Interviewers: Study the following questions and be prepared to answer them in a positive and concise manner. This is not a comprehensive list, so be prepared for other questions too. 1. Why do you want to work here? 2. What kind of experience do you have for this job? 3 . What would you like to be doing five years from now? 4. What are your biggest accomplishments? 5. What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest personal asset?Your greatest weakness? 6. What interests you most about this job? 7. Why should I hire you? 8. Describe a difficult problem you’ve had deal with? 9. What would you references say? 10. What was the last book you read (or movie you saw)? 11. What salary do you expect? Answer: â€Å"Competitive† or â€Å"Appropriate to my experience and potential†) 12. How do you handle tension? 13. Describe a situation where your work or an idea was criticized. 14. Tell me about yourself. 15. What is the most difficult situation you have faced? 16. What have you done that shows initiative? 17. Do you prefer working with others or alone? 18.Explain your role as a group/team member? 19. What do you know about our company? 20. What are your future career plans? 21. What courses did you like best? Least? Why? 22. Why did you choose your particular field of work? 23. Have you held any leadership positions? 24. Have you plans for future education? 25. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you? 26. Why do you want this job? 27. How has your college experience prepared you for your chosen career? The Importance of Asking Questions: Questioning the employer with logical, well thought-out questions tends to indicate a high degree of interest.Interest on your part tends to evoke interest from others. Questions also imply that you are sincere in the job hunting process and all employees’ desire sincerity. Conversely, questions, which are not logical, not well defined and /or asked just for the sake of asking leaves the recruiter with an impression of falseness. Therefore, prepare for the interview: read the organizational literature: talk to others who may be more aware of the particular organizational in which you are interested: and if need be prepare a list o f logical, well defined questions to ask the interviewer.Questions you may ask: (Questions are pertinent only if the answer helps you) 1. What might be typical first impression? 2. Why do you think this job might be the right spot for me? 3. How is your performance appraisal system structures and how often will I be evaluated? 4. Why did you join the company? How long have you been here? What is about the company that keeps you here? 5. To whom do I report? 6. What are realistic chances for growth in the job? 7. Please describe a typical day on-the-job? 8. Describe your deal candidate for this position? 9.What are the basic responsibilities of this position, and how much time will be spent on each? 10. With whom will I be working? 11. What are the major problems faced by this area of the company? 12. How much travel, and of what duration, is expected? 13. How much pressure might I encounter? 14. What style of management prevails in this area or in the company? 15. What’s the next step in the selection process? 16. Where is the organization going? 17. In the last five years, how many persons have held this position? 18. May I have the copy of the job description? (Ask for this when you set-up the interview).The questions you have just read are examples of questions to use in an interview. It will be to your advantage to develop questions of your own and to work them in your own style. KNOCKOUT FACTORS These are reasons why candidates receive rejection replies and are listed in order of frequency mention by recruiters. 1. Negative personality or poor impression: More specifically, lack of motivation, ambition, maturity, aggressiveness or enthusiasm. 2. Inability to communicate – Poor communication skills 3. Lack of competence – Inadequate preparation 4. Unidentified goals 5. Unrealistic expectation 6.Lack of interest in the type of work. 7. Unwillingness to travel or to relocate 8. Poor preparation for the interview 9. Lack of work experienc e 10. Bad references 11. Poor appearance WHY PEOPLE ARE HIRED: 1. Positive attitude 2. Good presentation of skills needed by employer for the position. 3. Professional in all contacts. 4. Good rapport with interviewer, including letter, phone call, and face to face contact 5. Past experience that supports qualifications for the opening 6. Provides knowledgeable questions and statements about company and job opening, thus providing commitment to research. . Professional appearance, including appropriate dress, neat and clean personal grooming, and friendly attitude. INFORMAL INTERVIEW: This type of interview is very helpful in exploring different careers and networking in your chosen field. It is an integral part of the job search process and all interview skills previously mentioned also apply to this type of interview. The biggest difference between information and job interviews is that in an information interview there is little or no pressure to obtain a job offer, so you can re lax, be yourself and gather as much information as possible.We strongly recommend that you conduct several information interviews, as you will learn more about the field, make valuable contacts, gain interview experience and possibly uncover unadvertised job openings. INFORMATION INTERVIEWS: 5 Steps to Set-Up 1. Identify the career fields, industries, and organizations that you want to investigate further. Try to target areas that seem to match up most closely with your skills, interests, values and personality style. 2. Ask people you know (relatives, acquaintances, friends, colleagues, past employers) if they can introduce you to someone who works there. 3.Use the Encyclopedia of Associations to identify professional groups in your target areas. If there is a local chapter, plan to attend one of it’s monthly meetings to make new contacts. Also, ask if there is a membership directorship. You can use this list to target people who are appropriate contacts for informational in terviews. 4. Once you have identified the people you want to meet, you can contact them by letter or telephone to schedule a convenient time to talk. During your initial contact, you must briefly tell them who you are, explain why you are contacting them, and ask for a short meeting.If they decline, ask if there is anyone else they can recommend that you call or write. If the answer is still â€Å"no†, ask if they have any other ideas about how you might go about meeting people in their field. 5. Before the interview, plan a trip to the library. Read trade journals, annual reports, and other printed materials to glean as much information as possible in advance. Then you will be able to present yourself as a knowledgeable interviewee. INFORMATION INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: Here are some sample questions to get you started. This list is not comprehensive, so please feel free to make up your own: 1.What is a typical day like? What do you actually do? What do you actually do? 2. What d o the really successful people do better than the others? 3. What are the opportunities for advancement within this field or company? 4. How did you get into this field? 5. What do you specially enjoy about your work? 6. What are the frustrations? 7. What degrees or training are necessary for this kind of work? 8. Are there professional trade journals I should read? Which ones? 9. Where, in your opinion, is the best place to look for a job in this field? 10. Is government funding any part of this field? 1. Is there a deficit personal in any part of this field? 12. What are the starting salaries at entry level in this field? 13. What professional organizations do you belong to? Should I join them now? 14. Are you doing what you thought you’d be going when you started? 15. What are some of the difficulties, problems areas, and snarls of this position? 16. How mobile and flexible can you are in this occupation? Location? Hours? 17. How secure is your job? Others in this field? 1 8. If you were starting out again, what would you differently? 19. What is the future potential for growth?What areas do you feel promise the most growth? 20. Do you think there is a need for the kind of services (or product) I can offer? 21. Is working for this organization, or one like it, a good way to get into the field? 22. Is there any personal advice you would give a person entering this field? 23. What are some of the most important factors that contributed to your success? 24. What skills are most important for your kind of work 25. Can you give me the names of other people who might provide mw with additional information? May I use your name? DRESSING FOR INTERVIEW SUCCESS:The instant we set eyes on someone, our minds make evaluations and adjustments at lightening speed. The same is true for potential employers who must assess us so. If you follow the adage â€Å" what you sees is what you get†, you need to look the part or don’t to look the part or donâ€⠄¢t expect an offer. To help you pull together your winning look, review the following guidelines: MEN Suit: Colors †¢ Navy thru Teal Blue †¢ Charcoal thru Light gray †¢ Brown †¢ Beige †¢ Solid colors and pinstripes are acceptable Note: The darker the suit the more authorities it carries. (Caution: never wear back unless applying for an undertaker’s job. Shirt: †¢ Always wear a long-sleeves shirt †¢ Always wear a white or pale blue shirt. Shirts with very thin red or blue pinstripe are acceptable, but not the best. A solid white shirt conveys honesty, intelligence and stability: this should be your 1st choice. †¢ Fabric: Cotton – looks better and absorbs perspiration better. †¢ Iron and starch your shirt. For the best look have it professionally pressed. Neckwear: †¢ Tie: should compliment your suit – not match it. †¢ Fabric: pure silk – makes most powerful impact best choice. Linen: too formal, wrink les too easily, can only be worn in warmer weather.Wool: casual in appearance and has knot problems. †¢ Size: General rule of thumb : the width of your tie should approximate the width of your lapels (anywhere form 2 ? † to 3 ? †). †¢ Length: tie should extend to your trouser belt. †¢ Styles: Best choices : solids, foulards, stripes and paisleys, do not wear: large polka dots, pictures of animals sporting symbols or manufacturers symbols, or a bow tie or matching tie and pocket square. Shoes: †¢ Colors: black or brown leather †¢ Style: lace-up wing tips, slip on (not boat shoes). Socks: †¢ Blue, black, gray or brown – should compliment your suit. Length: tall enough for you to cross your legs and not show skin. †¢ Make sure they don’t fall down and bunch up around your ankle (elastic reinforced over-the-calf socks are best). Accessories: †¢ The Guiding Principle: Do not wear anything that could be conceivably misconst rued or leave a bad impression. Never wear any religious or political insignia in the form of rings, ties or pins. †¢ Watch: simple and plain is your best bet. †¢ Briefcase: make strong professional statement/ leather – best – colors: brown or burgundy /design: plain lines – no decoration needed. Belt: should match or compliment your shoes / plain leather with a small buckle. †¢ Jewelry: wedding band if applicable – any thing more is dangerous. †¢ Overcoats: blue or beige is your best bets – avoid wearing one if you can, as it’s another thing to carry and lug around. Both: †¢ Keep hair neat and trim and in a conservative style. †¢ Do not wear after shave or perfume, you are interviewing for a job not a date. †¢ Clean your hands and nails. If polished, make sure there are no chips. †¢ Make sure you have fresh breath. WOMEN Suit: Colors: †¢ Charcoal †¢ Medium Gray †¢ Steel Gray †¢ Bla ck Navy Blue †¢ Solids, pinstripe and plaids are acceptable †¢ Fabric: 100% wool is your best choice. Linen is acceptable: however it wrinkles like crazy. †¢ Skirt Length: Don’t wear anything that soars to the upper thigh if you want to be taken seriously, as an applicant. Safe Bet-Skirt should fall just below the knee. Blouse: †¢ Wear long sleeves: they project the authoritative professional look you desire. †¢ Never wear a sleeveless blouse. †¢ Colors: solid colors are best white, gray, pink or pale blue. †¢ Fabrics: cotton or silk †¢ Style: front tie bow, asymmetrical and button down are all good.Scarves: †¢ They say something dramatic about you make sure it is positive. †¢ Fabric: pure silk is best as it offers a conservative look, a good finish and tie well. †¢ Colors/ Styles: solids, foulards, small polka dots, paisleys Shoes: †¢ Colors – brown, navy, red, black, or burgundy leather (stay away from faddi sh or multi-colors) †¢ Heel Height: flats to 1 ? heels are okay. Avoid â€Å"high† heels as you will look and feel wobbly. †¢ Styles: the classic pump, closed heel with a slightly open toe and sling black with closed toe are all acceptable. †¢ Stockings †¢ Color: neutral skin tones. Since they are prone to run at the worst possible moment, keep on extra pair in your purse or briefcase. Accessories: †¢ Briefcase: a symbol of authority – use one (but do not bring your purse too – too much o juggle) / brown, burgundy, blue or black leather. †¢ Belts – should match or compliment shoes. It is a functional item, if it is instantly noticeable it is wrong. Jewelry: †¢ Main premise: less is more. †¢ Restrict rings to wedding and engagement if applicable. †¢ Necklace and earrings are okay if subdued and professional looking. Make-up: †¢ Take care to never appear overly made-up. Natural is the key word. †¢ Eye m ake-up should be subtle so as not to overwhelm the rest of your face. †¢ Lipstick – apply sparingly and carefully. Use a subdued color. Body Language: Action speaks louder than words and this holds very true in an interview situation. The impression you make in the first few minutes of the interview will be the most lasting, so you need to be conscious of both your words and you body language. Here are few tips to help make sure you are sending the right signals. 1. The Handshake – should be professional and polite – a firm grip and warm smile. practice this if you need to). 2. Personal Zone – never encroach on another person’s space – maintain the 30-inch standard. 3. Seating – wait till the interviewer offers you a seat. Sit straight and lean forward a little shows interest. 4. Eyes – look at the interviews (don’t stare) it shows interest in the person and the position. M=Never look down. 5. Head – slow nod ding indicates interest and validation of interviewer’s comments. 6. Mouth – offer an unforced, confident smile as often as the circumstances allow. 7. Glasses – don’t wear sunglasses – gives impression of secretive, cold and devious. . Arms – do not fold or â€Å"protect† chest with hands, clipboard, etc. This sends negative messages (i. e: I’m nervous and closed for business). 9. Hands – watch out for fidgeting with themselves or other objects. 10. Legs – crossed legs send mixed signals – it is safer to keep your legs together with your feet on the floor. 11. Feet – beware of compulsive tapping and avoid dangling your shoe from your toes. 12. Walking – keep shoulder back, maintain an erect posture, smile and make eye contact when appropriate. Some last Reminders: Don’t forget to bring: Several copies of your resume †¢ Pad of paper †¢ Pen †¢ Reference list †¢ Letter of Recommendation †¢ Directions to interview and telephone number’s †¢ Your job-related questions to ask †¢ Any information on the company Faux Pas’: Things to be sure not to do during the interview: †¢ Use first name (unless asked) †¢ Smoke (even if invited) †¢ Sit down (until invited) †¢ Show anxiety and boredom †¢ Look at you watch †¢ Discuss equal rights, race, sex, national origin, religion or age †¢ Show samples of your work (unless requested) †¢ Ask about salary, benefits and vacation. Interview Skills INTERVIEW SKILLS Interviewing: The job interview can be a pleasant and rewarding experience. It gives you and the employer a chance to discuss your qualifications and determine if a match can be made. Interviews vary in style length and can have a number of different interviewers depending upon the organization, so try to prepare for anything. Interview Styles: Directed This consists of a list of specific questions, which are in a certain order every time. Sometimes a checklist will be used to record your answers. Non-directedThis style consists of broad open-ended questions designed to get you to talk about yourself. It is more conversational in tone than the directed interview. Stress This is an interview designed to see how well you handle stress. Stress interviews are normally used in interviewing for top level positions. However, most interviews do not follow a specific style, but interviews may use their own combination of types instead. Regardless of the style or styles used, an interviewer is basically interested in two things: †¢ WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE COMPANY? WHAT CAN YOU OFFER THE COMPANY? Stages of the Interview An interview usually consists of four stages: BREAKING THE ICE This is to help both you and the interviewer â€Å"tune in† to the interview situation. It usually consists of small talk about the weather, your trip to the interview and so on. The content and the duration of this stage is controlled by the interviewer. SHARING OF GENERAL INFORMATION The interviewer will begin to tell you something about the company and the position that is open. You, in turn, can begin to tell the interviewer how your skills will relate to the position.You should be concise, using specific examples when ever possible. AMPLIFICATION AND SHARPENING OF FOCUS At this point in the interview, you will be offering a lot of information about yourself. You will be questioned about your work-related values, goals and aspirations. Your qualifications will be explored in detail. The interviewer will be trying to find a fit between you and the position. TRYING IT OGETHER This is the conclusion of the interview. You should clarify the information you have about the next contact. Find out if the interviewer will call you and how soon can be expected.If you are interested in the job, this is a good time to let the interviewer know. Planning for the Interview: SELF-ASSESSMENT Identify who you are, where you want to go, and how you plan to get there. Analyze your: †¢ Strengths †¢ Weaknesses †¢ Academic Performance †¢ Career Interests †¢ Personal Goals †¢ Work Experiences †¢ Special Skills Upon completion of this self-assessment you should be confident in your ability to ace the interview. RESEARCH YOUR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER Candidates who demonstrate knowledge of their organization and their community impress employers.You should acquire some knowledge concerning the size of the organization, criteria for evaluation of personnel, orientation and development programs, geographical location, and industrial and recreational profile of the community, and products produced. Research of this nature is easily accomplished through use of the Chamber of Commerce located in the geographical area of your choice and variety of other sources. Research often raises questions of importance that you can have answered at the interview. Remember, you are seeking a career, not just a job. THE INTERVIEW 1. Be punctual. Always allow ample time to get ready for your interview. The interview is on a schedule too and you may miss the opportunity you have anticipated for a long time). 2. Dress conservatively and professional. Men should wear a tie and suit. Women should apply cosmetics in keeping with good taste. Avoid â€Å"over doing it†. Careful grooming of hair, fingernails, shoes and clothes is very important of the both sexes. 3. Expect to be nervous at the outset. Nervousness is a natural f unction of your system, which helps you perform at your very best. The time to worry is when you do not become nervous. 4. Introduce yourself with a strong, confident handshake and look the interviewer directly in the eye.A strong first impression will set a positive tone for the interview. 5. Tune in with the interviewer and follow the pattern he or she sets. Be alert, maintain good posture, and relax as much as possible and listen. 6. Talk in a normal tone of voice and maintain frequent eye contact. 7. When responding to a question, pause and think about what you are about to say. Say something other than just â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no†. Intelligent, well thought-out answer put pluses beside your name. 8. Look for the sign of restlessness in the interviewer and for signs that he or she is about to terminate the interview. (Always leave termination up to the interviewer).When asked â€Å"Do you have any further questions? † respond as you needs demand. 9. Exit fro m the interview after expressing a sincere interest in the position. The employer will never know the extent of your interest unless you express it. If you want the job, ask for it. 10. Record results as you viewed them, both objectively and subjectively. Be certain that you know what the next step is – they will contact you, you must contact them, etc. FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW Provide the credentials, references, or transcripts as requested by the interviewers as soon as possible. Follow-up with a short, typed letter of appreciation for the interview.This does not include the campaign unless you have been offered a position at this point. Now you need persistence in follow-up. Questions most often asked by the Interviewers: Study the following questions and be prepared to answer them in a positive and concise manner. This is not a comprehensive list, so be prepared for other questions too. 1. Why do you want to work here? 2. What kind of experience do you have for this job? 3 . What would you like to be doing five years from now? 4. What are your biggest accomplishments? 5. What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest personal asset?Your greatest weakness? 6. What interests you most about this job? 7. Why should I hire you? 8. Describe a difficult problem you’ve had deal with? 9. What would you references say? 10. What was the last book you read (or movie you saw)? 11. What salary do you expect? Answer: â€Å"Competitive† or â€Å"Appropriate to my experience and potential†) 12. How do you handle tension? 13. Describe a situation where your work or an idea was criticized. 14. Tell me about yourself. 15. What is the most difficult situation you have faced? 16. What have you done that shows initiative? 17. Do you prefer working with others or alone? 18.Explain your role as a group/team member? 19. What do you know about our company? 20. What are your future career plans? 21. What courses did you like best? Least? Why? 22. Why did you choose your particular field of work? 23. Have you held any leadership positions? 24. Have you plans for future education? 25. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you? 26. Why do you want this job? 27. How has your college experience prepared you for your chosen career? The Importance of Asking Questions: Questioning the employer with logical, well thought-out questions tends to indicate a high degree of interest.Interest on your part tends to evoke interest from others. Questions also imply that you are sincere in the job hunting process and all employees’ desire sincerity. Conversely, questions, which are not logical, not well defined and /or asked just for the sake of asking leaves the recruiter with an impression of falseness. Therefore, prepare for the interview: read the organizational literature: talk to others who may be more aware of the particular organizational in which you are interested: and if need be prepare a list o f logical, well defined questions to ask the interviewer.Questions you may ask: (Questions are pertinent only if the answer helps you) 1. What might be typical first impression? 2. Why do you think this job might be the right spot for me? 3. How is your performance appraisal system structures and how often will I be evaluated? 4. Why did you join the company? How long have you been here? What is about the company that keeps you here? 5. To whom do I report? 6. What are realistic chances for growth in the job? 7. Please describe a typical day on-the-job? 8. Describe your deal candidate for this position? 9.What are the basic responsibilities of this position, and how much time will be spent on each? 10. With whom will I be working? 11. What are the major problems faced by this area of the company? 12. How much travel, and of what duration, is expected? 13. How much pressure might I encounter? 14. What style of management prevails in this area or in the company? 15. What’s the next step in the selection process? 16. Where is the organization going? 17. In the last five years, how many persons have held this position? 18. May I have the copy of the job description? (Ask for this when you set-up the interview).The questions you have just read are examples of questions to use in an interview. It will be to your advantage to develop questions of your own and to work them in your own style. KNOCKOUT FACTORS These are reasons why candidates receive rejection replies and are listed in order of frequency mention by recruiters. 1. Negative personality or poor impression: More specifically, lack of motivation, ambition, maturity, aggressiveness or enthusiasm. 2. Inability to communicate – Poor communication skills 3. Lack of competence – Inadequate preparation 4. Unidentified goals 5. Unrealistic expectation 6.Lack of interest in the type of work. 7. Unwillingness to travel or to relocate 8. Poor preparation for the interview 9. Lack of work experienc e 10. Bad references 11. Poor appearance WHY PEOPLE ARE HIRED: 1. Positive attitude 2. Good presentation of skills needed by employer for the position. 3. Professional in all contacts. 4. Good rapport with interviewer, including letter, phone call, and face to face contact 5. Past experience that supports qualifications for the opening 6. Provides knowledgeable questions and statements about company and job opening, thus providing commitment to research. . Professional appearance, including appropriate dress, neat and clean personal grooming, and friendly attitude. INFORMAL INTERVIEW: This type of interview is very helpful in exploring different careers and networking in your chosen field. It is an integral part of the job search process and all interview skills previously mentioned also apply to this type of interview. The biggest difference between information and job interviews is that in an information interview there is little or no pressure to obtain a job offer, so you can re lax, be yourself and gather as much information as possible.We strongly recommend that you conduct several information interviews, as you will learn more about the field, make valuable contacts, gain interview experience and possibly uncover unadvertised job openings. INFORMATION INTERVIEWS: 5 Steps to Set-Up 1. Identify the career fields, industries, and organizations that you want to investigate further. Try to target areas that seem to match up most closely with your skills, interests, values and personality style. 2. Ask people you know (relatives, acquaintances, friends, colleagues, past employers) if they can introduce you to someone who works there. 3.Use the Encyclopedia of Associations to identify professional groups in your target areas. If there is a local chapter, plan to attend one of it’s monthly meetings to make new contacts. Also, ask if there is a membership directorship. You can use this list to target people who are appropriate contacts for informational in terviews. 4. Once you have identified the people you want to meet, you can contact them by letter or telephone to schedule a convenient time to talk. During your initial contact, you must briefly tell them who you are, explain why you are contacting them, and ask for a short meeting.If they decline, ask if there is anyone else they can recommend that you call or write. If the answer is still â€Å"no†, ask if they have any other ideas about how you might go about meeting people in their field. 5. Before the interview, plan a trip to the library. Read trade journals, annual reports, and other printed materials to glean as much information as possible in advance. Then you will be able to present yourself as a knowledgeable interviewee. INFORMATION INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: Here are some sample questions to get you started. This list is not comprehensive, so please feel free to make up your own: 1.What is a typical day like? What do you actually do? What do you actually do? 2. What d o the really successful people do better than the others? 3. What are the opportunities for advancement within this field or company? 4. How did you get into this field? 5. What do you specially enjoy about your work? 6. What are the frustrations? 7. What degrees or training are necessary for this kind of work? 8. Are there professional trade journals I should read? Which ones? 9. Where, in your opinion, is the best place to look for a job in this field? 10. Is government funding any part of this field? 1. Is there a deficit personal in any part of this field? 12. What are the starting salaries at entry level in this field? 13. What professional organizations do you belong to? Should I join them now? 14. Are you doing what you thought you’d be going when you started? 15. What are some of the difficulties, problems areas, and snarls of this position? 16. How mobile and flexible can you are in this occupation? Location? Hours? 17. How secure is your job? Others in this field? 1 8. If you were starting out again, what would you differently? 19. What is the future potential for growth?What areas do you feel promise the most growth? 20. Do you think there is a need for the kind of services (or product) I can offer? 21. Is working for this organization, or one like it, a good way to get into the field? 22. Is there any personal advice you would give a person entering this field? 23. What are some of the most important factors that contributed to your success? 24. What skills are most important for your kind of work 25. Can you give me the names of other people who might provide mw with additional information? May I use your name? DRESSING FOR INTERVIEW SUCCESS:The instant we set eyes on someone, our minds make evaluations and adjustments at lightening speed. The same is true for potential employers who must assess us so. If you follow the adage â€Å" what you sees is what you get†, you need to look the part or don’t to look the part or donâ€⠄¢t expect an offer. To help you pull together your winning look, review the following guidelines: MEN Suit: Colors †¢ Navy thru Teal Blue †¢ Charcoal thru Light gray †¢ Brown †¢ Beige †¢ Solid colors and pinstripes are acceptable Note: The darker the suit the more authorities it carries. (Caution: never wear back unless applying for an undertaker’s job. Shirt: †¢ Always wear a long-sleeves shirt †¢ Always wear a white or pale blue shirt. Shirts with very thin red or blue pinstripe are acceptable, but not the best. A solid white shirt conveys honesty, intelligence and stability: this should be your 1st choice. †¢ Fabric: Cotton – looks better and absorbs perspiration better. †¢ Iron and starch your shirt. For the best look have it professionally pressed. Neckwear: †¢ Tie: should compliment your suit – not match it. †¢ Fabric: pure silk – makes most powerful impact best choice. Linen: too formal, wrink les too easily, can only be worn in warmer weather.Wool: casual in appearance and has knot problems. †¢ Size: General rule of thumb : the width of your tie should approximate the width of your lapels (anywhere form 2 ? † to 3 ? †). †¢ Length: tie should extend to your trouser belt. †¢ Styles: Best choices : solids, foulards, stripes and paisleys, do not wear: large polka dots, pictures of animals sporting symbols or manufacturers symbols, or a bow tie or matching tie and pocket square. Shoes: †¢ Colors: black or brown leather †¢ Style: lace-up wing tips, slip on (not boat shoes). Socks: †¢ Blue, black, gray or brown – should compliment your suit. Length: tall enough for you to cross your legs and not show skin. †¢ Make sure they don’t fall down and bunch up around your ankle (elastic reinforced over-the-calf socks are best). Accessories: †¢ The Guiding Principle: Do not wear anything that could be conceivably misconst rued or leave a bad impression. Never wear any religious or political insignia in the form of rings, ties or pins. †¢ Watch: simple and plain is your best bet. †¢ Briefcase: make strong professional statement/ leather – best – colors: brown or burgundy /design: plain lines – no decoration needed. Belt: should match or compliment your shoes / plain leather with a small buckle. †¢ Jewelry: wedding band if applicable – any thing more is dangerous. †¢ Overcoats: blue or beige is your best bets – avoid wearing one if you can, as it’s another thing to carry and lug around. Both: †¢ Keep hair neat and trim and in a conservative style. †¢ Do not wear after shave or perfume, you are interviewing for a job not a date. †¢ Clean your hands and nails. If polished, make sure there are no chips. †¢ Make sure you have fresh breath. WOMEN Suit: Colors: †¢ Charcoal †¢ Medium Gray †¢ Steel Gray †¢ Bla ck Navy Blue †¢ Solids, pinstripe and plaids are acceptable †¢ Fabric: 100% wool is your best choice. Linen is acceptable: however it wrinkles like crazy. †¢ Skirt Length: Don’t wear anything that soars to the upper thigh if you want to be taken seriously, as an applicant. Safe Bet-Skirt should fall just below the knee. Blouse: †¢ Wear long sleeves: they project the authoritative professional look you desire. †¢ Never wear a sleeveless blouse. †¢ Colors: solid colors are best white, gray, pink or pale blue. †¢ Fabrics: cotton or silk †¢ Style: front tie bow, asymmetrical and button down are all good.Scarves: †¢ They say something dramatic about you make sure it is positive. †¢ Fabric: pure silk is best as it offers a conservative look, a good finish and tie well. †¢ Colors/ Styles: solids, foulards, small polka dots, paisleys Shoes: †¢ Colors – brown, navy, red, black, or burgundy leather (stay away from faddi sh or multi-colors) †¢ Heel Height: flats to 1 ? heels are okay. Avoid â€Å"high† heels as you will look and feel wobbly. †¢ Styles: the classic pump, closed heel with a slightly open toe and sling black with closed toe are all acceptable. †¢ Stockings †¢ Color: neutral skin tones. Since they are prone to run at the worst possible moment, keep on extra pair in your purse or briefcase. Accessories: †¢ Briefcase: a symbol of authority – use one (but do not bring your purse too – too much o juggle) / brown, burgundy, blue or black leather. †¢ Belts – should match or compliment shoes. It is a functional item, if it is instantly noticeable it is wrong. Jewelry: †¢ Main premise: less is more. †¢ Restrict rings to wedding and engagement if applicable. †¢ Necklace and earrings are okay if subdued and professional looking. Make-up: †¢ Take care to never appear overly made-up. Natural is the key word. †¢ Eye m ake-up should be subtle so as not to overwhelm the rest of your face. †¢ Lipstick – apply sparingly and carefully. Use a subdued color. Body Language: Action speaks louder than words and this holds very true in an interview situation. The impression you make in the first few minutes of the interview will be the most lasting, so you need to be conscious of both your words and you body language. Here are few tips to help make sure you are sending the right signals. 1. The Handshake – should be professional and polite – a firm grip and warm smile. practice this if you need to). 2. Personal Zone – never encroach on another person’s space – maintain the 30-inch standard. 3. Seating – wait till the interviewer offers you a seat. Sit straight and lean forward a little shows interest. 4. Eyes – look at the interviews (don’t stare) it shows interest in the person and the position. M=Never look down. 5. Head – slow nod ding indicates interest and validation of interviewer’s comments. 6. Mouth – offer an unforced, confident smile as often as the circumstances allow. 7. Glasses – don’t wear sunglasses – gives impression of secretive, cold and devious. . Arms – do not fold or â€Å"protect† chest with hands, clipboard, etc. This sends negative messages (i. e: I’m nervous and closed for business). 9. Hands – watch out for fidgeting with themselves or other objects. 10. Legs – crossed legs send mixed signals – it is safer to keep your legs together with your feet on the floor. 11. Feet – beware of compulsive tapping and avoid dangling your shoe from your toes. 12. Walking – keep shoulder back, maintain an erect posture, smile and make eye contact when appropriate. Some last Reminders: Don’t forget to bring: Several copies of your resume †¢ Pad of paper †¢ Pen †¢ Reference list †¢ Letter of Recommendation †¢ Directions to interview and telephone number’s †¢ Your job-related questions to ask †¢ Any information on the company Faux Pas’: Things to be sure not to do during the interview: †¢ Use first name (unless asked) †¢ Smoke (even if invited) †¢ Sit down (until invited) †¢ Show anxiety and boredom †¢ Look at you watch †¢ Discuss equal rights, race, sex, national origin, religion or age †¢ Show samples of your work (unless requested) †¢ Ask about salary, benefits and vacation.