Tony Bradley – Wed Jul 14, 10:00 am ET - yahoo! news

Microsoft has established Outlook as one of the leading applications for reading, writing, and managing e-mail. With Outlook 2010 and Outlook Social Connectors, though, Microsoft is breaking that mold and adapting the software as a communications hub rather than an e-mail utility by incorporating social networks like LinkedIn, MySpace, and now Facebook.

The response in the media has generally revolved around the frivolous, unprofessional aspects of social networking, and how Outlook Social Connectors provide a whole new level of goofing off for users who should be engaged in productive tasks that contribute to the bottom line. There is certainly potential for that, but the users that will waste time on Outlook Social Connectors are the same ones that are already wasting time shopping Amazon and checking scores on ESPN anyway.

For the less easily distractible users, though, Outlook Social Connectors improve communications and streamline business processes to enable more efficiency and productivity. The Outlook Social Connector aggregates all e-mail, file attachments, calendar events, status updates, and other social networking posts in a single Outlook pane that lets users stay up to date on current communications, as well as providing a more efficient means of searching prior communications related to a given contact.

A post on the Microsoft Outlook 2010 blog explains “When viewing a message from someone, you see real-time updates from his or her activities on Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Windows Live. You see information that your friends and co-workers have made public on those sites, as long as the email address they are using to communicate with you has been added to their account settings on the social network.”

Facebook has its share of frivolous time-wasters (have you checked in on your Farmville or Mafia Wars lately?), but it has also emerged as a business and communications platform. For many, status updates have replaced blogs, and businesses of all shapes and sizes use Facebook Pages to engage with partners and customers, or promote products and services.

The Outlook Social Connector has particular value for anyone in sales and customer service. Being able to see current social network status updates provides a window into the interests and concerns of customers that can be used to establish rapport and pinpoint needs to address them more efficiently.

While the Outlook Social Connector feature was introduced as a function of Outlook 2010, Microsoft has also developed an Outlook Social Connector add-on for Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003. The Microsoft blog post states that the Outlook Social Connector is available in a variety of languages, including “Arabic, Brazilian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Thai, with more languages in the upcoming months.”

I do have to admit, though, that there seems to be very little business value in having an Outlook Social Connector for MySpace.

That’s created a demand for “financially savvy” project co-ordinators who can ensure projects stay on track, according to the latest quarterly survey of the IT job market by Robert Walters.

By Adam Gifford - nzherald.co.nz

Organisations are starting to open their wallets again for IT projects, but they don’t want them going over budget.

That’s created a demand for “financially savvy” project co-ordinators who can ensure projects stay on track, according to the latest quarterly survey of the IT job market by Robert Walters.

The recruiter’s assessment that increased economic confidence is giving the green light for hiring is backed up by a rival survey by Hudson New Zealand, which found one in five firms intend to increase their permanent headcount this quarter.

Richard Manthel, Robert Walters’ New Zealand manager, says one sign the turmoil of 2009 is over for now is the fact his firm’s worldwide revenues are up 45 per cent on this time last year.

“Clients have projects on, there is high demand and in the last month we have seen firms very motivated to get good staff on board - people who can make impact on their business,” Manthel says.

That doesn’t mean a massive increase in job numbers or space for new entrants into the market.

Rather, a lot of people in jobs have their hands up to move on to higher paying or more interesting positions.

“We’re not seeing the sort of numbers that will make an impact on the unemployment figures in the interim,” Manthel says.

“We are dealing with the top end of the market where people are skilled. The way things are going, in the next three to six [months] there will be a massive skills shortage in some areas.”

Currently, though, there is a sort of equilibrium, where there are still enough candidates in most disciplines to fill roles created by natural attrition or people moving on.

For when that changes, Manthel advises that firms invest in staff development and training so they can retain top performers and attract new talent.

Robert Walters has also conducted seminars in London for expatriates thinking of coming home, and reports that most are realistic about the salary levels they are likely to command here. People with SAP skills are starting to be in short supply, as large teams are put together for major projects, whether that be merging the back-end systems for the Super City or catching up on some of the maintenance deferred during the recession.

Smart business analysts are also in big demand, as people get projects off the ground and salaries for most roles have come back to where they were two years ago.

Wellington was slower to move than Auckland, but the market is coming back now as government agencies start looking at projects again.

That’s not to say the uncertainty has gone. The fear of the double-dip recession is still there.

“A lot of clients have strategies for the next 12 months, and they are hiring to those.

“If there is a dip they will deal with it, but they don’t want to be too cautious and miss out on the upside.”

Marc Burrage, Hudson New Zealand’s executive general manager, says the IT sector had the strongest expectations of any in its latest survey with more than half of the technology firms looking to raise permanent staff numbers. “Normally post-recession you expect temporary and contract staff to come back first. What is unusual this time is that permanent hiring has accelerated past that.

“Firms cut so hard and fast but there is now growing awareness of the talent shortage, so firms grab people back as soon as the economy turns,” Burrage says.

He says times like these emphasise the importance of employee engagement. “Organisations that looked after their people and communicated with them will be set fair now that employees have more choice.”

He says contracting numbers are only starting to pick up this quarter, fuelled by projects in banks and insurance firms, and also in telecommunications, particularly in the fibre optic space.

This year there has seen an increase in requirements for candidates with strong Linux and Unix skills, particularly in an administrative capacity, along with middleware engineers.

The two drivers of technology are people and technology, and firms have probably spent the past two years wringing what they can get out of their people - it’s time to give the technology a chance.

Since that technology has moved on, with the explosion in cloud computing and the inexorable creep of Moore’s law making computers faster and cheaper, that may mean some jobs may never come back.

Australia continues to be the big threat for those hiring - with the resource boom holding up its economy, employers across the Tasman added 194,600 jobs in the first five months of this year, cutting the unemployment rate to 5.4 per cent.

By Hannah Nicholas - money.msn.co.nz

You’ve scored yourself an interview but don’t go and blow your chances of winning your dream job by doing the wrong thing. Here’s what “not to do” when it comes to interviews.

Bad first impression

Whatever you do, don’t be late and don’t show up looking hot and sweaty, untidy or out of breath. Your first impression will go a long way.

While a little small talk is great for settling nerves before the formal interview begins, be careful what you say as some interviewers use it as part of their strategy.

And remember to turn your mobile phone off!

Being unprepared

Not being prepared is just about the biggest mistake you could make when it comes to job interviews. When you are offered an interview, make sure you ask what form it is likely to take so you can prepare (i.e. one-on-one or a formal, panel interview). Ask who will be attending and their positions within the company.

• Do your research
  Research the company and the role — look at the company’s website or other published material. Going to the interview knowing nothing about the company to whom you are talking is a big mistake!
• Preparing documentation
  If you’ve been asked to bring documentation with you, prepare it well in advance in a neat and presentable manner. The last thing you want to do is pull a pile of papers out of a plastic bag.

In addition, you’ll need to ready yourself for the type of questions you will be asked:

• Common interview questions
  To prepare yourself, focus on:
• Your strengths and weaknesses
• Demonstrating your skills and experience
• Reasons why you should be hired
• Providing practical examples of past behaviour, which demonstrate your competencies

Appearing uninterested

Interviews are a two-way street and just as much as the interviewer is screening you in terms of your suitability for the position, you must use the interview as your chance to see if they’d make a suitable employer. This is where it’s important to have a handful of well-thought out questions on hand. Not doing so can also make you appear uninterested in the position.

To show your interest, ask things like:

What the average work day for this position is like?
Why the position is available?
Who they see as the ideal fit for the role?
What the next steps are following the interview?

Talking money

Don’t initiate any talk of salary at the first interview. If you are asked what you currently earning or would like to earn, be careful how you phrase your reply but be truthful. In some cases it’s best to keep this information under wraps and let them come to you with an offer first.

Not dressing for success

Think about the image you wish to project when planning your interview outfit. Don’t leave it to the last minute; get the outfit ready the day before so you’ll avoid any last minute disasters like a dirty suit or missing button.
Remember to dress suitably to match the culture of the company. You want to look like you fit the part already. Pay attention to little things like perfume and aftershave, jewellery and make-up.
Poor body language

Getting your body language right is an important part of winning an interview. While it’s always important to act yourself, there are some things you should always do. These include:

• Maintain eye contact at all times
• Address all people in the room
• Look interested
• Show that you are listening by using appropriate cues like nodding
• Have a firm handshake
• Smile

You want your body language to project confidence, enthusiasm and belief in your own skills and experience. Therefore, avoid:

• Mumbling
• Crossing your arms
• Sitting rigid
• Slouching
• Nervous gestures like tapping your feet, playing with your hair or crossing and re-crossing your legs
• Using your hands too much when talking
• Failing to follow-up

Once the interview’s over, don’t leave things there no matter how great or badly you believed you performed. Follow-up the meeting with a brief email (or letter) to the interviewer thanking them for their time, reiterate what you believe you could bring to the position adding any points you think you didn’t get across at the interview and end on a positive note.

Other common traps

• Being too friendly in your approach
• Not listening to what’s being asked or interrupting the interviewer(s)
• Being over enthusiastic or under enthusiastic
• Being negative about a former employer
• Rambling, keep your answers short and succinct
• Answering with just a “yes” or a “no”

Reuters - stuff.co.nz

Apple has come clean about an embarrassing software glitch that overstates network signal strength in its hot-selling iPhone, as complaints mounted about the phone’s wraparound antenna. Apple admitted its signal strength miscalculation dates back to its original 2007 iPhone. It promised to fix the glitch in a few weeks, but did not directly address concerns that its antenna design causes reception problems for iPhone 4, its newest phone.

Apple’s apology - a relative rarity from the company known for its marketing savvy - marked the third time in less than three weeks it had to apologize to customers of iPhone 4. “Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong,” Apple said in an open letter to customers published on Friday.

Since the iPhone 4 hit stores on June 24, consumers have complained about phone reception problems when they hold the phone in a certain way. Even while just standing in one place, a rapid decline in the number of signal bars can be observed depending on how the phone is gripped. Apple has already been sued by iPhone customers in at least three complaints related to antenna problems on the iPhone 4.

Rival Motorola has made a thinly veiled dig at the iPhone’s problems. In ads for its Droid X phone, Motorola promised users can “hold the phone any way they like”. Apple said that “gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce its reception by 1 or more bars.” It said this problem is not limited to iPhone, but also plagues phones from Nokia and Research In Motion, as well as phones with Google Android software. But Apple conceded iPhone 4 consumers complained of a far bigger than normal drop in signal bars.

The iPhone 4’s antenna is an unusual design in that it circles the entire perimeter of the device. Phone makers typically try to place the antenna in places the user is less likely to touch in order to make a call. But with iPhone 4, unless you put a insulating cover around the antenna, the design seems to make it difficult to avoid touching it and unwittingly degrading reception by absorbing electromagnetic waves that carry phone calls, analysts say.

Kenneth Dulaney, a long-time cellphone analyst suggested that Apple’s notoriously strict control of information ahead of its product launches may have hurt the ability of its engineers to test the device in as many situations as possible. “It could be that some of Apple’s secrecy could be reducing the number of test cases they expose the device to, therefore some of these problems show,” said Dulaney.

As a result of user complaints, Apple said it will update its software in coming weeks using a formula recommended by AT&T, the exclusive U.S. provider for iPhone. This should give users a more accurate display of signal strength at any given time, the company said. Apple said that, when users noticed a dramatic drop in the number of signal strength bars on their phone’s display, it was likely due to weak network coverage in that area. “Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars,” Apple said.

AT&T deferred questions about the letter to Apple. It declined comment on any implication that its network performance, which has faced a lot of criticism, could be even worse than users thought. Apple has already apologised for website delays when it started online iPhone 4 pre-orders on June 15. It then apologised for store shortages after the device hit shelves. Despite the complaints Apple says iPhone 4 is its most successful phone launch ever, with sales of 1.7 million by the end of June 26.

Apple analysts said the popularity of the record-selling device will likely not be hurt by the technology problem. “The demand is so far past what they’re able to supply right now, the impact would have to be massive to hurt sales numbers,” said Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves, who does not see consumers being upset enough about the phone’s problems to decide against buying the device.

Another analyst, Ashok Kumar of Rodman & Renshaw, said consumers may be forgiving since Apple is “pushing the technology envelope” with a new antenna design.

By Amy Walker - Ninetwenty

Before the interview
1. You can never be too prepared for a job interview! Check out the company’s website, do some internet research and ask your consultant questions. Get a good understanding of the company’s background, products/services, locations and competitors. The question “what do you know about our company” will almost always be one of the first questions the interviewer asks.
2. Look over the job description thoroughly. Think of possible questions you may be asked and also identify examples from your background that refer back to the job description and demonstrate your ability to do the job.
3. Put together a couple of samples of your work that illustrate your skills. Don’t bring too many samples as this can count against you if they’re pulling out too much info.
4. Think through likely questions that you will be asked… Some of these could include…
• Why are you seeking a position with our company?
• What attracted you to this role?
• What type of skills and attributes can you contribute to our company?
• Why do you think you are qualified for this position?
• Why are you leaving your current job?
• What are you career aspirations? Where do you see yourself in 2 years? 5 years?
• What have you enjoyed most in your career to date?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your limitations or weaknesses? (Think of these as areas for development, turn a potential negative into a positive!)
• Describe your personality.
• How do you cope with pressure situations?
• How have you managed conflict in the past?
• What is your learning style?
• What management style gets the most out of you?
• What are your greatest achievements to date?
5. Think about questions you would like to ask the interviewer (one or two would suffice). The emphasis should be on what is expected of you and not on what you expect from the company. Some examples of questions are…
• Why is the position available?
• What are the company’s plans for the future? How would I be expected to contribute towards this goal?
• What type of training and induction would be given for the role?
• What would a normal day in this role look like?
• What is the culture of the organisation?
• What opportunities are there for professional development?
• What attributes and skills would you hope that I’d bring to the job?
6. Prepare specific scenarios/examples from your private or work life on some of the following topics…
• Adapting to change
• Dealing with conflict (probably best to use an example from the work place)
• Leadership
• Time where you worked in a team
You may need to describe how you approached these situations, why you used the method you used and what the outcome was.
7. Bring a copy of your resume.
8. If you are unsure of the location of the interview look it up and plan how you will get there on the day. Plan to arrive a few minutes early!
9. Make sure you know the interviewer’s full name and pronunciation of it.

The Interview
1. Dress tidily and appropriately in line with the company’s dress policy. You won’t have a second chance at making a good first impression!
2. Never go into an interview smelling of smoke.
3. Turn off your mobile phone!
4. Be polite to the receptionist and friendly and positive with everyone you see/meet.
5. Meet with a good firm handshake and follow the interviewer’s direction on where to be seated.
6. Make an effort to talk and make eye contact to everyone in the interview.
7. Don’t slouch or fidget. Be alert at all times.
8. Be confident and smile!
9. Speak clearly and to the point and don’t be too lengthy in response to questions – keep your answers to 1-2 minutes.
10. Use examples where possible and refer to the samples of work that you have assembled. Don’t just answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
11. If you don’t understand what you’ve been asked reflect back “Are you asking me…?” Don’t be afraid to ask if a question can be rephrased.
12. If asked about salary expectations don’t put too much emphasis on money. Discuss what motivates you.
13. Talk about the skills that you will utilize in the role, what you will contribute to the company and what makes you different from other candidates.
14. Be able to describe why you want the job. If you are interested in the role state your interest and ask “what is the next step?”
15. At the end of the interview thank the interviewer for their time and consideration.

Don’t
• Say anything negative about a past employer/company.
• Interrupt anyone.
• Lie – Answer truthfully and to the point.
• Enquire about salary, bonuses or holidays unless the issue is raised first.
• Let discouragement show… if you feel the interview isn’t going well don’t act discouraged. Be positive.

After the interview
1. Contact your consultant and give them feedback from the interview.
2. Be decisive about your interest or otherwise in the role.
3. Clearly articulate any further questions you would like followed up in a further interview or on your behalf.
4. Tell your consultant about anything else that is going on that may impact this process like, other job interviews, changes with your current employer, anything happening at home - hide nothing!
5. Give your consultant all the information they need to help you win the job and a commitment to negotiate with clarity on your behalf.

By Limukani Ncube - Chronicle

The debate on whether Fifa should move with times and include the use of television replays in football has grown louder by each passing day largely because of glaring shortcomings of match officials at the on-going 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.

Other sporting disciplines like tennis, cricket and rugby use technology in high profile engagements and many believe such a move will also help football, where a lot of money is invested day and night and it becomes folly when a human mistake costs players millions of US dollars.

From the Hand of God of Maradona to the Hand of Thiery Henry, it appears more is still to come. The standard of refereeing in the World Cup has been below expectations and on two occasions, USA were denied what appeared genuine goals.

Another high profile moment was when the referee disallowed a “goal” by England midfielder Frank Lampard. The goal would have drawn England 2-2 with Germany going to half-time and that would have certainly changed the complexion of the game which the Germans went on to win 4-1. In another match that followed a day later, Argentina striker Carlos Tevez scored from an offside position against Mexico and the Mexicans lost the match.

The incidents led to renewed calls for goal-line technology and Fifa president Sepp Blatter admits world football’s governing body will look into the matter. “It is obvious that after the experience so far in this World Cup, it would be a nonsense to not reopen the file of technology at the business meeting of the International FA Board (IFAB) in July.”
“Personally I deplore it when you see evident referee mistakes but it’s not the end of a competition or the end of football, this can happen. The only thing I can do is I have spoken to the two federations — England and Mexico — directly concerned by referees mistakes. I have expressed to them apologies and I understand they are not happy and that people are criticising. We will naturally take on board the discussion on technology and have first opportunity in July at the business meeting.”

Fifa had blocked any further experiments with technology at a meeting of the IFAB, the game’s rule-making body, in March and insisted that perhaps assistant referees were to be added to guard the goal line. Blatter insisted that the introduction of video replays is not an option. “The only principle we are going to bring back for discussion is goal-line technology. Football is a game that never stops and the moment there was a discussion if the ball was in or out, or there was a goal scoring opportunity, do we give a possibility to a team to call for replays once or twice like in tennis?”

Chronicle staffers have varied views on the topic, which has dominated most tea and lunch breaks in most work places, coffee shops and bars.

Technology will slow down the game
I do not have a problem with the use of technology in football as long as it is limited to the goal line. Goal line technology can be critical in assisting match officials to determine whether the ball has crossed the line or not, to avoid awarding dubious goals or disallowing genuine goals, as was the case with Frank Lampard’s disallowed strike during the England-Germany last 16 clash in the 2010 World Cup.

The adoption of technology in football can result in match officials being assisted to make fair calls, especially when determining off side calls, the punishment to be meted for rough tackles or viewing off-the-ball incidents among other things.

However, using technology will inevitably result in more stoppages. The stoppages will in turn affect the flow of the game and the players’ rhythm, resulting in less entertaining football matches. If football lovers have to wait up to a minute as a television umpire examines video footage from different angles before assisting the man in the middle to come up with a decision, as often happens in cricket, there is a genuine risk that “the world’s most beautiful game” will become the world’s most boring game.

Football is an action packed game and anything that encourages more and longer stoppages should not be embraced. I believe referees should be trusted to make most of the decisions, and in the case of goal line technology, seek for assistance if they are in doubt. — Owen Gagare.

It will not be wise to resist change
The introduction of technology in the game of soccer would be very much in line with technological advancements gracing the globe despite the tangible and intangible costs that come along with it. We have seen the use of technology in cricket matches then why not in soccer after all the technology will go a long way in ensuring that the referee’s mistakes are minimal in the beloved game.

However, one is not drawn to this conclusion after the Frank Lampard goal during the England-German World Cup round of 16 clash on Sunday. I think it would be wise not to resist change. Technology with necessary moderation on its use during matches from the governing body Fifa would be a good stride towards developing soccer in my opinion. — Makhosi Sibanda.

Let’s revisit the rules
I think when the goal passes the line and it’s neither witnessed by the referee nor the linesman and all the match officials have those gadgets for communication on their heads, then it’s high time we had the rules re-visited and we have video evidence come into play like we have in cricket.

If the referee’s decision is final when we have two linesmen and a match commissioner at work and the decision is suspicious and can’t be given the benefit of a doubt, a playback would do justice if there is a protest from the disgruntled party. — Fortune Mbele.

Technology will take away the flair
Introduction of the ball line technology by Fifa will certainly take away the natural flair that is there in soccer.
As much as there is a lot of money that is directed in the sport, one should note that those ‘mistakes’ by match officials whether deliberate or not lead to football consumers debating thereby generating lots of interest.

Maybe the best thing that Fifa can do is to introduce extra assistant referees who will be stationed behind the goal posts to monitor ball action in the box, particularly the goal line. — Ricky Zililo.

By Justin James - Tech Republic

There are lots of reasons why a project might not be going well or may even fail. When your boss wants to know why, there is a world of difference between offering an excuse and providing a legitimate reason. In truth, most excuses only make your manager more upset and put the blame on you. Here are 10 common excuses that employees give their managers — and how you can turn them from weak excuses into a way of getting your supervisor to help you resolve the problems before your project is jeopardized.

1: I didn’t understand the assignment
Not every boss has great communication skills. And yes, having a manager who is not good at explaining what needs to be done makes life difficult. At the same time, using your boss’ inability to explain things as an excuse for not doing them just does not fly. If an assignment does not make sense, it’s your responsibility to find out what really has to happen. And if you find yourself in this situation more than once, it is a sign that you need to be extra careful when working with this particular person to get things fully understood.

2: The deadline was impossible
We all know this situation: A manager hands you an assignment with a deadline attached to it. You tell the manager that the deadline can’t be met and you’re told, “I don’t care; make it happen.” When the deadline is missed, you say, “But I told you the deadline was impossible!” and the boss is still angry. The disconnect here is that simply saying that the deadline is not possible is not good enough. As soon as the boss tells you to do it and you passively accept the ridiculous deadline, you make it your responsibility to meet it.

Your best defense is to negotiate a better deadline, and to do that, you need a project plan. The fact is, you always should be able to paint a picture of what a project will entail with some broad strokes anyway, and it is fairly easy to assign some rough estimates of the time to make each step happen. When you show your supervisor that even the most optimistic rough draft of a plan that omits a million minor details shows that it will take three months and they are demanding three weeks, guess what? It is now your manager’s responsibility to deal with the deadline issue. You have turned an opponent into an ally, and no sane boss can hold you accountable for the bad deadline anymore.

3: A valuable resource was not available
A good part of a manager’s job is to ensure that the team has adequate resources in the form of time, money, and equipment. If you are missing a critical resource, your manager needs to know now — not when the project is late or has failed — so that he or she can fix the problem immediately. When you tell your boss ahead of time, it’s not an excuse — it’s asking for help to solve a problem. When you tell your boss after it’s too late, it becomes an excuse and the failure is on you.

4: The requirements shifted
We all know that requirements get changed constantly. All too often, projects undergo the “gold plating” process long after deadlines and success conditions are determined. That being said, it is really bad form to use this as an excuse for failure. It’s up to you to nip these changes in the bud as they come up. With each new requirement, you need to show how it will affect the possibility of meeting deadlines and the defined success conditions and either move the goalposts as the requirements change or don’t allow the change. If you allow new requirements to be added without changing deadlines, you have effectively made it your responsibility to meet the new targets.

5: I have personal issues
We all have personal issues that come up from time to time. But if your personal issues are affecting your projects’ success, you need to either deal with them or get some help with your work. If things have gotten to the point where your boss is asking you, “What is going on here?” it’s too late. Explaining your non-work issues at this point is just going to make your boss even more upset. But if you explain that you are having some troubles as soon as you see they are affecting your work, your boss will be able to make the needed adjustments. Most supervisors would rather shift resources or expectations than try to force someone with an outside issue to be 100 percent.

6: I don’t have enough time
If you do not have the time to do something, no amount of money, motivation, or resources can make it happen. If there is too much on your plate, you need to get rid of some of it or let your manager know you are overwhelmed. If you don’t get any relief, it’s your manager’s problem, not yours if deadlines can’t be met. But like so many of the other situations listed here, it is your responsibility to make it clear that there is a problem as soon as you can, so that adjustments can be made.

7: I don’t know what went wrong
Some projects just fall into a rut and never get out. When you’re doing the project post-mortem, there is no single thing anyone can point to and say, “This is what messed the project up.” All the same, when a project is off the rails, everyone is usually aware of it, even if they don’t know why. This kind of situation can be embarrassing. After all, how can you know that the project is blowing up but not know why? Usually, it’s a case of “death by 1,000 paper cuts.” The project lead had a bad illness and lost a week of time, the servers were down for a day due to hardware failure, the QA person had a death in the family, and so on. All of these reasonable issues can add up to a critical amount of lost work. All too often, we think that if you just keep pushing, maybe the mystery problems will go away and the project will get back on track. But it never actually works out this way. If a project is going south, you have to let people know, even if you don’t know exactly why, so they can adjust expectations.

8: We ran into blockages
Workplaces are filled with people who have different, sometimes contradictory, goals. For example, you might need the QA team to test your application but another team’s project has priority, so your application does not get tested until long after your deadline is missed. These kinds of work blockages happen all the time. If you can’t get the situation sorted out yourself, determine how much delay you will suffer and what your options are and present them to your manager. Armed with that information, your manager will be able to make a decision from there or possibly get priorities straightened out.

9: The only copy of the work got destroyed
If your work is stored on a computer, you have no reason in the world to have only one copy of it. Not only should you be making regular backups, but they should be on different devices in different locations. Back up local files to the network server or work on the network and allow the IT department to handle things. If you think your boss will give you a free pass because the only copy of a critical file was on your laptop, which no longer works after you dropped it, you are dead wrong. In reality, using the “no backups” excuse will have your boss wondering whether you can be trusted with any more projects at all. Back up your work, and you will never have to tell your boss that the dead thumb drive has your only copy of the project.

10: The dog ate my homework
Sometimes, inexplicable events come up that keep you from getting things done. These things happen. Does your boss want to know that your project is late or won’t be done satisfactorily because of these kinds of random issues? Of course not. But sometimes, there simply is nothing that can be done about it, especially when it comes up at the last possible moment. Just roll with the punches on this one.

If you’re looking to add a bit of pizzazz to your profile, or hope to catch the eye of a hiring manager read on….

By Kristin Burnham - CIO| Monday, May 17 2010

Five must-have apps to make your profile more interesting, or catch the eye of a hiring manager.

LinkedIn has introduced several new updates to their site recently, including the “Company Follow” tool, another that matches users to job openings and a number of new sharing options. But if you’re looking to add a bit of pizzazz to your profile, or hope to catch the eye of a hiring manager, consider exploring LinkedIn’s Applications. These add-ons make your profile dynamic and interesting, says Nathan Kievman, owner of the LinkedIn group Linked Strategies and host of weekly LinkedIn webinars. “Profiles [can be] otherwise boring and static without applications,” he says.

Kievman recommends that every LinkedIn user should add at least one application to their profile–he suggests Amazon’s reading list — but keep the total to no more than five to avoid cluttering your space.

To access LinkedIn’s applications, select “More…” from LinkedIn’s navigation bar and choose “Application Directory.” Note that for each application you choose, you’re able to control the privacy settings, so be sure you update them appropriately.

Here’s a look at five applications worth exploring.
1. Reading List by Amazon
With Amazon’s Reading List application, you use a search tool to build a collection of books you’re planning to read, are reading right now and have read. You have three lists of books you can view with this application: one from people in your network, one from connections in your industry and one detailing updates from across LinkedIn.

If you like a particular person’s reading list, you can follow it. Likewise, others can follow your reading list. This application is great for discovering books recommended by people in your field, as well as finding out which books should be on your radar.

2. WordPress
If you maintain a blog on WordPress, this application synchs your posts automatically with your LinkedIn profile. This app displays your avatar and also lets you filter your posts–if you don’t want to share every entry with your LinkedIn connections–by using a special LinkedIn tag. As with sharing your tweets on LinkedIn, be wary of which posts you share and how often you do it.

3. SlideShare Presentations
If you have a SlideShare.net account, you can post your presentations and documents directly to your LinkedIn profile to share with your connections. (You can also sign up for an account via LinkedIn’s website). With this app, you can view “Featured” presentations, search webinars and click through the most downloaded presentations. You can also check out a list of the presentations that your connections have uploaded.

4. Events
The Events application, via a box that’s added to your profile, shows what events people your network are attending and helps you find events recommended for you based on your industry and job function. You can also view the most popular events, search for events and create new ones. This application is great for making connections prior to attending a conference, or following up.

5. Company Buzz
The Company Buzz tool aggregates mentions of a company from Twitter, helping you discover relevant trends and comments about your current employer or a target employer. You can customise and modify the topics to watch, monitor trends and display charts that track activity.

By Tom Fitzsinmons - The Dominion Post (COMPUTERWORLD) | Wellington | Friday, 14 May, 2010

Google has collected personal wireless internet data from New Zealand homes through cars sent around the country for its Street View project.

The internet giant confirmed the fact last night, after privacy watchdogs in Germany, Britain and Australia raised concerns about the practice. Fears include the possibility that Google could match people’s mobile devices and internet behaviour to home addresses.

An internet safety expert says most people would be surprised how much data Google now holds about them — and the company’s word is the only guarantee that it is not misusing the data.

The revelation comes after Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff joined international counterparts to express concerns to Google about its data and privacy protection.

Australian-based spokeswoman Annie Baxter confirmed Google had collected wi-fi information in New Zealand, but refused to answer any other questions. After concerns were raised in Germany, Google global privacy counsel Peter Fleischer said it was “clear with hindsight that greater transparency would have been better”.

Information collected included the names and unique numbers associated with residents’ wireless networks. The data, which is publicly available, was used to give precise readings of people’s locations if they were using Google’s mobile map services.

Google “did not collect any information about householders” and could not identify individuals from information collected by its Street View cars, he said.

The Street View project involved cars travelling the streets with 3D cameras to capture panoramic views to go with Google’s map service.

Martin Cocker, executive director of internet safety organisation NetSafe, said he was ambivalent about the idea. On one hand, the data was publicly available. “On the other hand, these wireless points — they’re ours. We didn’t expect they’d be used in this way.”

Google’s methods were also problematic. “The thing that bugs people is the way Google does these things and tells people about them later.”

He believed Google was usually responsible with personal data, but most people would be surprised to learn just how much of it the company held. “We’re using Google services so much and, if Google bothered to cross-reference the different things I do, they would know a lot about me.”

A spokeswoman for Ms Shroff said she was not aware of Google monitoring wi-fi data. Her office would be interested to hear what Google had to say about the practice.

Google is the world’s most popular search engine.

It retains users’ search histories, along with their internet protocol (IP) address.

Its email service, Gmail, is used by millions of people to store their online correspondence.

Google has trialled targeting advertisements at internet users based on their search history.

Its Street View project built a comprehensive digital database of New Zealand houses and streets.

The company retains personal information that people submit to its iGoogle service.

By Rodney Gedda (CIO)

The global financial crisis may have left many people uncertain about their job security, but IT professionals remained stoic and refused to consider an alternative career throughout the downturn, according to new research.

A survey of 2922 IT and telecommunications professionals by recruitment firm Greythorn has indicated people with less than 10 years experience were least likely to consider a career change, trusting that their experience and skills would serve them well as the market rebounded.

Some 85 per cent of IT professionals with between one and 10 years experience and 75 per cent of people with between 11 and 20 years experience said they did not consider an alternate career during the GFC.

Seasoned IT pros with more than 21 year’s experience were less loyal with 69 per cent of people in that demographic not considering a career move.

Greythorn managing director Richard Fischer said IT professionals were right to maintain their confidence through the downturn.

“IT as a function has grown in stature over the past decade to a position where it is now a vital part of every business. As a result IT skills are very highly regarded,” Fischer said.

“Despite considerable IT layoffs being made during the downturn, IT professionals remained comfortable in the fact that when the tide turned employers would once again be clambering over themselves to attract the best IT talent.”

Fisher said business leaders now better understand how fundamental their IT function is to their business success, and IT professionals know how necessary their skills are.

The increased dependency on “cutting edge” IT systems and a skilled IT team were major contributors to the research finding that younger IT professionals were less inclined to be seduced away from IT, according to the survey.

“Younger IT professionals have become accustom to being in demand,” Fisher said. “They fully understand how integral IT is to business, and how much their skills are depended upon. Today an IT qualification is viewed similarly to an accountancy qualification. A well qualified IT professional can transfer their skills across industries as well as across international borders.”

Greythorn’s business activity figures for the first quarter of 2010 show demand for IT professionals has rebounded stronger and faster than for professionals in many other sectors.

“We are at the critical tipping point between candidate demand and candidate availability right now,” Fisher said. “If demand continues to increase as it has during the first part of 2010, and we expect it will, Australia’s critical IT skills shortage will have returned to pre-GFC levels by the end of Q2 this year.”

IT projects postponed during the downturn are now being reinstated and over the next few months employers will be facing the same, if not worse attraction, retention and salary issues they faced during the first half of 2008, according to Greythorn.

The most in-demand IT skills in 2010 include SAP, BI, .Net, project managers, IP telephony and Java.

To remain relevant in today’s market Greythorn recommends updating your formal qualifications and skills regularly, work on developing stronger communication skills and to be “business savvy” so you can offer an informed opinion on how to improve a business process when required.