Wiki on ASP.NET 2.0 Security FAQs

Channel9 has published a wiki on ASP.NET 2.0 Security FAQs. Lots of useful FAQs with answers, check it out. [Thanks, Saravana]

How To Write Unmaintainable Code

Of course, I don’t condone this, but it is rather funny that Roedy Green took the time to write an entire article describing how to “Ensure a job for life ” through writing code that nobody could ever possibly manage after you:

In the interests of creating employment opportunities in the Java programming field, I am passing on these tips from the masters on how to write code that is so difficult to maintain, that the people who come after you will take years to make even the simplest changes. Further, if you follow all these rules religiously, you will even guarantee yourself a lifetime of employment, since no one but you has a hope in hell of maintaining the code. Then again, if you followed all these rules religiously, even you wouldn’t be able to maintain the code!

You don’t want to overdo this. Your code should not look hopelessly unmaintainable, just be that way. Otherwise it stands the risk of being rewritten or refactored. [more…, via Chris Donnan]

Wiki on ASP.NET 2.0 Security FAQs

Channel9 has published a wiki on ASP.NET 2.0 Security FAQs. Lots of useful FAQs with answers, check it out. [Thanks, Saravana]

New Orleans to offer free Wi-Fi

C|NET NEWS: The Big Easy is building its own wireless Internet network–and it plans to offer free access to all citizens.

Firefox 1.5 released

From Tom Keating:

Just received an email from the Mozilla Firefox PR folks to inform me that the final release of Mozilla Firefox 1.5 is now available for download from GetFirefox.com for most major operating systems or from the mirrors.Users of the release candidates should receive the update soon. I just hope they fixed the damn clipboard problem I’ve been having.

Firefox 1.5 introduces several new features, including an improved software update system, faster Back / Forward page navigation, a new options to clear private browsing data, drag-and-drop reordering of browser tabs, a redesigned Options/Preferences window and more robust popup blocking. Standards support is also improved, with support for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), JavaScript 1.6 and additional CSS properties. Accessibility is much improved (including new DHTML accessibility features), security has been enhanced and Mac OS X support has also been improved… [more]

Web Video Ad Spend on the Rise

AdWeek - Nov 29 3:03 PM
NEW YORK Internet video spot buying is set to more than double by 2007, spurred by increasing numbers of homes with broadband Internet connections and an improved selection of programming from big-name media companies, according to a report. [more…]

Blogger Blocked at U.S. Border

A Canadian citizen learns a painful lesson about blogging and privacy after being turned away after U.S. border guards pored over his blog to discover where he lives. [more…]

VoIP for the contact center

VoIP makes the implementation of a single, integrated voice and data network a far cheaper proposition than implementing separate networks. This also reduces the complications that would otherwise arise if separate networks to be integrated.

A major advantage that VoIP offers is the integration of separate functions and the range of functionalities that it offers. IVR in a VoIP environment is less expensive to implement, voice to text translation, multimedia queuing and routing, and IM make VoIP an attractive enterprise application, particularly for contact centers.

The true scope of VoIP will be leveraged when it starts getting used as a platform for supporting a virtual contact center. This will enable the distribution of the contact handling to anywhere in the organization; thereby ensuring that the right person with the right skill set handles the calls. Experts feel that even though having a central point of contact has its advantages, a distributed point of contact could lead to efficient and effective call handling. It may however lead to increased training costs.

Even though VoIP has existed for around 10 years, it has managed to make an impact on the contact center industry fairly recently. Adoption of VoIP has resulted due to the drop in systems prices, sophisticated voice recording and analytics enable contact centers to learn from each call, these features are further boosted by a reporting function.

Blunder-Proof Blogging

I received the following from the Yahoo! HotJobs Job Tip of the day:

Think before you blog.

If you want your blogging efforts to produce positive results, check with your employer for policies and guidelines around blogging. Enter into a
dialogue with your supervisor about it to raise awareness and let management know that you want to protect your company’s reputation — and
your job.

Avoid insulting anyone, including your boss, coworkers, or clients. Do not divulge trade secrets or discuss things that are not yet public
knowledge such as ad campaigns, product launches, celebrity endorsements, events, etc. Do not disclose a company’s financial status. When in doubt if something is “bloggable,” check it out with your boss. And, be mindful of personal details you include and how they may reflect on your employer.

Even if you’re between jobs or your current employer is comfortable with your blog, keep in mind that future employers may not be.

Kazaa Must Filter Pirated Content - Australian Judge gives filter deadline...

An Australian judge has ruled that Kazaa has until late February to integrate pirated material filters into the p2p client, or they face being shut down. Of course, users could simply not upgrade to the new filtering version. Many existing Kazaa users had already ditched the program thanks to their bundling of adware some time ago.

Study Pits Windows Versus Linux

eWeek: Study Pits Windows Versus Linux

Microsoft Corp., continuing its anti-Linux campaign, recently released the results of a study the company commissioned in an effort to show that Windows is more reliable than Linux.

The study, conducted by Herbert Thompson, chief security strategist at Security Innovation Inc., of Wilmington, Mass., and titled "Reliability: Analyzing Solution Uptime as Business Needs Change," compared two platforms—Microsoft's Windows Server System and Novell Inc.'s SUSE Linux Enterprise Server—under evolving business requirements over an extended period of time. Interestingly, Thompson made clear that neither the study nor its findings are final or conclusive but rather a starting point for further work.

Thompson said the study pitted Windows 2000 Server against SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8, simulating the one-year period from July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005. "During this period, we simulated the evolution of an e-commerce company that has changing business requirements while continuing to maintain security through patch application. At the end of the period, both systems are then transitioned to the more recent versions of their respective operating systems, Windows Server 2003 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9," he said in the summary.

Security patches were applied in one-month increments, while new business requirements appeared at three-month intervals...

Three Seconds... oops, too late.

C.M. Russell notes that your resume has now only three seconds to impress:

It used to be that a resume would get about 7-10 seconds of attention before it got tossed. These days I’m reading more articles that suggest 3 seconds is now the rule.

This means that your resume must be brief. So say who you are and why you qualify.

If you are sending it via email, think of the screen “real estate”. Only the top 1/3 or 1/2 will be visible, so make sure the most relevant information about your qualifications are in that top section.

Recruiters and hiring managers are swamped as it is, …do them a favor and send them a resume that is brief & concise.

Online dating in Asia goes VoIP

"One of the largest online dating sites in Asia has added VoIP (voice chat) and video support for their members. According to Vivox, 'Vivox will provide the platform for WFN's half-million English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean online daters to interact using their own voice. By implementing Vivox's technology, WFN becomes the world's first online dating service provider to give its users an integrated Web-voice-video-IM communications platform.'

"I've actually been wondering why the popular U.S.-based Match.com or Matchmaker.com haven't added VoIP & video support already. Seems like an obvious feature to have and a competitive advantage considering how competitive online dating has become. Heck, Match.com is even accused of sham dates on the company payroll to keep the membership renewals rolling and Yahoo's personals is accused of posting ficticious personal ads."

Amazon's A9 project picks up Sun OpenSolaris exec

Amazon's A9 project picks up Sun OpenSolaris exec: "After helping to get Sun's OpenSolaris onto its own two feet, Sun's director of marketing for the open source project Claire Giordano has announced (via blog) her departure to Amazon.com search subsidiary A9.  Giordano was with Sun for 16 years and her departure is a reminder to me of at least two things.  First, of A9's existence.  I ..."

Meet the Mockers: the anti-VoIP machine fires up

Meet the Mockers: the anti-VoIP machine fires up: "As a journalist for longer than I can remember, I know this about my fraternity. Whether it is music, art, movies, books or technology, we love to point to trends that few know about. Then, when what we have hyped becomes a phenomenon, some of us seek attention by adopting a contrarian attitude.Hasn't happened with 'Lost,' or the iPod, but ..."

Browser Wars Redux - Firefox 1.5, IE 7

Browser Wars Redux - Firefox 1.5, IE 7: "With Mozilla readying the release of Firefox 1.5, IE7 in development, and Opera's recent decision to ditch the ads, apparently the media has decided the Browser Wars are upon us yet again. PCWorld tests IE7 and Firefox 1.5, offering up some impressions. PC World's Conclusion: 'In the end, it's the perfect war: No one loses.'"

What Users Want from Desktop Linux

What Users Want from Desktop Linux: "An OSDL survey reveals that Linux desktop users want better e-mail, native Linux versions of Windows applications, and better USB and network printing support."

Expert: Cyber-crime Yields More Cash than Drugs

Expert: Cyber-crime Yields More Cash than Drugs: "Global cyber-crime generated a higher turnover than drug trafficking in 2004 and is set to grow even further with the wider use of technology in developing countries, a top expert said."

Changes In Skype Announced

Now about two and a half months since acquisition eBay has made some moves to put some layers of management into the free wheeling, radical minded Skype.

An eBay insider, Henry Gomez has been named general manager of Skype North America. The newly-formed division has been established to better serve Skype users in the region. Gomez had been senior vice president of corporate communications and government relations at eBay Inc. He previously reported to Meg Whitman, and for now he will report to Mr. Zennstrom. Under Meg Whiteman Gomez had global responsibilities for public relations, community development, internal communications and government relations. He is also chairman of the eBay Foundation, eBay’s charitable giving organization.

Clearly this is a guy who knows how to communicate and work the political machine including how to lobby. My take is Skype/eBay knows they have some issues to contend with from government regulators here in the USA so they put a silver tongued type into the top spot to get through whatever the FCC has to offer. That on face is logical, but Skype needs to come clean about if they want to be a Phone Company or something more Voice 2.0 like. The old Skype was always about the latter but the new Skype is sending vibes about being both. Since you can't be a little bit pregnant, Gomez has to figure all that out.

According to the account I heard Gomez is the senior eBay executive number three to join the Skype team. Alex Kazim, who was a senior vice president of new ventures at eBay, has joined Skype to take charge of several "new business areas." Rajiv Dutta, eBay’s chief financial officer, will become to president of Skype worldwide after his successor is named.

FTC study says spam filters are improving

FTC study says spam filters are improving: "E-mail spammers are aggressive as ever but Internet providers are getting better at blocking junk messages before they reach users' inboxes."

Spyware everywhere

Spyware everywhere: "Here's a place I would have never thought about finding spyware.  A 700-square-mile area in rural Central Oregon is equipped with wireless technology that allows residents, business, government, farmers and whoever happens to grab the signal to connect to the Internet. Cool!  Except this sentence got my attention.  '[...] a network of wireless cameras is in place for surveillance that ..."

Let the file format hairsplitting begin

Let the file format hairsplitting begin: "Now that Microsoft has issued a special covenant not to sue developers -- even open source developers -- that develop software that supports its XML-based Office file formats, the entire industry (OK, a goodly portion of it) is holding breath to see how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will respond.  Originally, Massachusetts sent Microsoft and its file formats packing on the ..."

Blog Myths Part 1: PageRank

Blog Myths Part 1: PageRank: "Very few things in the blogosphere are as misunderstood as Google PageRank. Everyone and their mate's mum likes to run their mouth on the subject... whereas about 9 out of 10 of them are rather clueless, I'd like to run through some of the misinformation out there, lest you miss out on one of your most powerful allies in the blogging game--Google juice. A couple of things before we begin When I say PageRank I do not mean 'how Google ranks pages', but specifically the patented linking algorithm that Google used to revolutionize web search about 5 years ago. PageRank is often abbreviated as 'PR' (which is somewhat confusing, since public relations is also abbreviated as such) How it works: PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves 'important' weigh more heavily and help to make other pages 'important.' The scale goes from 0 to 10, with 10 being most important, and 0s and 1s making up most of the web. The homepages of many blogs (that have been promoted a bit) are in "

Full Text Feeds

Thanks to Phil’s post, I went ahead and opened up my feeds to full-text. Of course, that does leave me wide-open to the possibility of people stealing my content, etc. If I see that happening, I may need to at least strip the HTML out of my feeds… we shall see.

I will note that I pay all expenses for my blogs, so if you see a relevant, timely ad along the side of any of my blog pages, please consider clicking through to an advertizer–it helps offset my costs.

Or–what I would actually preferr–is an endorsement on LinkedIN, if you and I have worked together and I have done something worthwhile for you.

Thanks, Phil! P.S. You’re in the Blogroll now! Thanks for the good stuff!

Googlize Yourself

What is Google’s golden goose?

In my opinion: relevance.

Relevant search, relevant groups, relevant shopping, relevant text ads, maps that make sense and are easy to look at, even relevant desktop organization–your stuff doesn’t look so disorganized anymore when Google helps you out!

Google developed the algorithms, tested & retested. When they found what works, they’ve duplicated it over and over again. The result is relevant, timely information that is available, but not annoying. To be relevant is priceless in today’s world of overbaked, overblitzed, overspammed information. Too much quantity; hardly any quality.

As a potential employee, you’ve got to take the time to research the company/ies you are targeting in your job-search. Think like Google and get relevant, or get lost. Don’t waste your time playing a numbers game and spamming the world with your resume–that helps nobody. Plus, it puts you on the defensive, and there’s nothing that hurts your professional image faster than even a whiff of desperation on your resume.

In knowledge work, bang-on relevance is the Better Mousetrap that will immediately differentiate you from all other potential candidates.

Good luck!

Geek Dinner in Utah County, Wed Night

I’m way excited about this.

Paul Allen dropped the news on his blog (I wish I knew about this sooner!) that there will be a geek dinner on Wednesday night in Lindon at the Los Hermanos:

Some of the smartest people I know are meeting for a geek dinner Wednesday night at Los Hermanos in Lindon. All other geeks are welcome. Please check this out.

The registrations doubled today to 23 or so, and we hope to get another dozen or two people signed up before this is over.

Utah Geek Dinners are a brainchild of Phil Burns, COO for our soon-to-be-christened Provo Labs. (Provo Labs will replace Infobase Ventures as our internet business incubator).

These Geek Dinners are not related to our other ventures. They are just an effort to create more events in Utah for techies. Phil Burns and some of his partners have a great vision for creating places where coders of all kinds can share ideas, share code, and start businesses together.

Phil is also exploring some concepts of micro-financing startup companies that come out of the open source community. He is having discussions with leading Web 2.0 geeks from both coasts to see where things are headed.

BTW, Phil Windley, another close friend and one of my favorite geeks will be speaking Wednesday night. I think podcasting equipment will be on hand, as well as video projector and wireless for all attendees.

I can�t stay for the whole evening, but this is going to be very cool.

Geek Dinner in Utah County, Wed Night

I’m way excited about this.

Paul Allen dropped the news on his blog (I wish I knew about this sooner!) that there will be a geek dinner on Wednesday night in Lindon at the Los Hermanos:

Some of the smartest people I know are meeting for a geek dinner Wednesday night at Los Hermanos in Lindon. All other geeks are welcome. Please check this out.

The registrations doubled today to 23 or so, and we hope to get another dozen or two people signed up before this is over.

Utah Geek Dinners are a brainchild of Phil Burns, COO for our soon-to-be-christened Provo Labs. (Provo Labs will replace Infobase Ventures as our internet business incubator).

These Geek Dinners are not related to our other ventures. They are just an effort to create more events in Utah for techies. Phil Burns and some of his partners have a great vision for creating places where coders of all kinds can share ideas, share code, and start businesses together.

Phil is also exploring some concepts of micro-financing startup companies that come out of the open source community. He is having discussions with leading Web 2.0 geeks from both coasts to see where things are headed.

BTW, Phil Windley, another close friend and one of my favorite geeks will be speaking Wednesday night. I think podcasting equipment will be on hand, as well as video projector and wireless for all attendees.

I can�t stay for the whole evening, but this is going to be very cool.

Staff Accountant -- US-UT-Salt Lake City

SOS Staffing Services has a career opening for a Staff Accountant

Key responsibilities will be:
* Assist in month end closing procedures
* Balance sheet reconciliations
* Assist with annual external audit
* Prepare monthly and quarterly incentives to eligible employees
* Prepare analysis for various departments including corporate sales department and board packages
* Analyze financial statements to assist struggling branches.

Key background and experience should include:
* Degree in Accounting
* 5+ years experience in an accounting role
* Statutory accounting (insurance company accounting) a significant plus.
* Income and tax report preparation a plus.
* Advanced knowledge of Excel is important

If you are interested in this position, please contact Controller David Guyaux by phone at 801.493.8068 or by email at guyauxd@sosstaffing.com

Joyent Buys TextDrive

Joyent Buys TextDrive: "More open-source, collaboration joy in the Bay Area. Joyent has taken the open-source Ruby-On-Rails framework and offers a file-sharing and a suite of shared applications including: calendaring, rolodex, email, and a file-server in a Web-based interface. The cost is about $5K flat, no matter how big your office. The product allows users to tag email, reports, etc. and all output can be served via RSS. The interest is clear. Many small companies do not want to pay for the full Microsoft server deployment and now there are ways to get something like it on the cheap. But there are a lot of choices and many people will be afraid to go with an unknown company that might not be around in a market shake-out. By acquiring TextDrive, Joyent gains an ASP platform so it has the full stack. The CEO of TextDrive will be leaving San Diego for Europe where he will opening Joyent's office. He swears he will not be laying off employees. Read - Joyent Acquires Textdrive... "

Web sales expected to spike on ?Cyber Monday� - U.S. Business - MSNBC.com

LOS ANGELES - U.S. online holiday sales are expected to hit nearly $20 billion this year and should take off on Monday, when consumers return to work and their fast Internet connections after the long Thanksgiving weekend.

“Cyber Monday,? the term coined for the Monday after Thanksgiving, comes on the heels of the busy “Black Friday? shopping day when many brick-and-mortar retailers begin turning a profit.

The good news for online shoppers this year, is that “Cyber Monday? is becoming the Web shopping equivalent to “Black Friday? when retailers launch major sales and discounts to drive traffic, analysts said.

Read more at: Web sales expected to spike on ?Cyber Monday� - U.S. Business - MSNBC.com

TiVo’s Adwords for TiVo

TiVo’s Adwords for TiVo: "The Wall Street Journal reports (sub-required link) that the DVR maker is working with three big media-buyers Interpublic Media, OMD and Starcom Media Vest Group and others like Comcast Spotlight ad-sales division on a new way to deliver ads to consumers, who are looking for a specific product. In other words its Adwords for Television. Type in BMW and commercials will appear in a special folder right next to saved television programs.

From an advertiser perspective, this is not such a bad option - you have a much higher chance of getting your ad viewed. It is yet another nail in the coffin of the network television, that already looks like an aging rockstar with too many piercings already. However, if you are a paying customer of TiVo, you should have a problem with that. Unlike Google, TiVo charges a subscription service, and the main reason people are happy to pay is “time shifting television” and skipping through ads. And Google doesn’t make you buy a device. Make the service free and then TiVo and its customers are on equal footing..."

Pre-history of the Sony rootkit

From BoingBoing:

Cory Doctorow: An old email thread shows the early efforts of the authors of Sony’s infamous rootkit. In 2003, Ceri Coburn (to whom first4internet.com is registered) appeared as a novice programmer in a technical mailing list, asking questions about how to cripple CD drives…

Social Bookmark Tag Bundles

Social Bookmark Tag Bundles: "I have organized my social bookmarks tonight into tag bundles, something I had noticed was possible on other people’s social bookmark pages but never tried before. As with other things on del.icio.us, this is pretty straightforward to do. And free of course.

I think I prefer to view del.icio.us social bookmarks as a “cloud” rather than a “list,” and with bundle tags turned on. I categorized almost all of my social bookmark tags into eight different groups.

Before I started using del.icio.us as a free social bookmarking service, I had totally given up on saving website favorites / bookmarks. My lists were gigantic, unorganized, and so unwieldy that they were useless to me– and of course by definition (since they were just saved on one computer) not accessible by anyone else. Now I use my social bookmarks all the time, usually several times per day, whenever I find something online that I might want to refer to again. I have no idea (because there is not any tracking available on this) whether or not other people use my social bookmarks, but I have started using links to them in the articles that I write. That way, if someone does follow the link they can access an updated / dynamic list of websites, rather than just a static list that was up to date only as of the date I wrote the article. My personal tag that I probably update most frequently is ReadWriteWebTools.

I love social bookmarks. ;)"

Mass-mailer worm lurks in Skype signup email invite

Mass-mailer worm lurks in Skype signup email invite: "I just got the idea of searching for IP telephony-related virus definitions on some anti-virus company websites.On McAfee, I found a listing for something called W32/Mytob.gr@MM.While this isn't a Skype virus, it is a mass-mailer worm that uses such subject lines as:Skype for Windows 1.4 - Have you got the new Skype?; What is Skype?, andShare Skype. Then, if they ..."

Verizon to Give Free Phones and Service to Katrina Victims

Verizon to Give Free Phones and Service to Katrina Victims: "Verizon Wireless is working in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission to provide wireless telecommunications relief to qualified individuals who were harmed and displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

“Verizon Wireless wants to help the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their lives and access to wireless communication is still …

R&D Senior Technician -- US-UT-Ogden

Job Description: SOS Technical has an immediate need for a R&D Senior Technician. The ideal candidates responsibilities will be to perform experiments and tests in support of projects for innovative products for patients with end-stage-renal-disease (ERSD). Will work in close coordination with engineers to improve existing products and develop new products by performing the following duties. Must be proficient in performing current R&D test methods, including physical testing of parts/components made of PVC and other plastics materials. Assist engineers in maintaining laboratory reagents and supplies. Assist engineers in calibration of laboratory instruments and performance of basic maintenance. Set up, adjust and operate laboratory equipment and instruments such as microscopes, balance scales, pH meter, and other equipment. Assist engineers in writing SOPs, TMs, validation protocols, and reports. Test samples of manufactured products to verity conformity to specifications. Record test results on standardized forms. Prepare graphs and charts. Perform validations on equipment and for test methods. Prepare PD solutions according to standard formulas. Add chemicals or raw materials to process solutions or product batches to correct or establish formulation required to meet specifications. Upkeep laboratory notebook and data binder.

Qualifications: Bachelor�s of science degree (B.S.) from four-year college or university; or at least three years college (or Associate�s degree) and four plus years related laboratory experience; must have one year related experience. Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization. Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distrubtion, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor form. Knowledge of Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software. The employee is frequently required to stand and use hands and fingers to handle. The employee is occasionally required to sit, reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, toxic or caustic chemicals and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Regular attendance and maintaining a good attendance record is an essential function of the job.

Minimum Education Level: Bachelors Degree
Career Level: N/A
Job Type: N/A
Job Status: Full Time
Compensation: Depending on Experience. SOS Technical offers a full range of benefits.

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com!
To apply send a word formatted resume to: apply060@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical � Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Utah Tech Jobs: New Entry

Job Title: Legal Secretary

Job Category: Administrative Support
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Job Description: SOS Technical has an immediate need for a Legal Secretary. Candidate will be involved in pleadings, mailings, client contact, and the utilization of information databases. Candidate will perform secretarial duties utilizing legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Candidate will prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. Candidate may also assist with legal research.

Qualifications: Basic Microsoft skills. A production legal secretary is preferred but paralegals will be considered. Experience with family law and transcribing tapes in extremely preferred.

Minimum Education Level: N/A
Career Level: N/A
Job Type: Contract to Permanent
Job Status: Full Time
Compensation: Depending on Experience. SOS Technical offers a full range of benefits.

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com!

To apply send a word formatted resume to: apply066@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical � Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Civil/Structural Designer -- US-UT-Sandy

Job Title: Civil/Structural Designer
Job Category: Engineering
Location: Sandy

Job Description: SOS Technical has an immediate need for a Civil/Structural Designer with 5-10 years of experience; industrial experience; steel concrete experience; AutoCAD 2005.

Minimum Education Level: N/A
Career Level: Mid Career (2+ years of experience)
Job Type: Temporary
Job Status: N/A
Compensation: Depending on Experience. SOS Technical offers a full range of benefits.

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com!

To apply send a word formatted resume to: apply066@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical � Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Corporate Receptionist -- US-UT-Salt Lake City

DESCRIPTION

General Purpose:
To provide receptionist and clerical support to the corporate headquarters.
Essential Functions:

Field Support:
? Process W-2 replacement requests for temporary employees.

Home Office Support:
? Greet guests and announce their arrival to appropriate personnel.
? Answer incoming calls and route to appropriate individuals in a timely manner.
? Maintain various phone and contact lists related to home office employees.
? Distribute birthday cards to appropriate internal staff members monthly.
? Receive and distribute incoming mail to corporate office staff members in a timely manner. Maintain mail distribution list and receiving log for incoming packages.
? Maintain corporate meeting room calendar and schedule meeting rooms based on availability.

Departmental Support
? Process telephone requests for verification of employment
? Prepare customer payments for processing by accounts receivable department.
? Manage petty cash fund and maintain accurate record of all disbursements in accordance with company policy.
? Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor in a timely and accurate manner.

REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Requirements:
? Minimum 6 months related experience.
? Good organizational skills and detail orientation
? Able to effectively communicate with all levels of company personnel and with outside contacts.
? Able to demonstrate proficiency with personal computers and business related software used in this position.
? Able to effectively operate current switchboard system.

More at CareerBuilder

Apply by email

Fun: Christmas Lights Gone Wild!

Since I know many of you will spend some of the upcoming vacation decorating your home for the holidays, I just want to let you know that you should all give up now. You have no chance. Your house will never be as cool as this one, with crazy lights set to Wizards of Winter by the Transiberian Trans-Siberian Orchestra. [via =) Bnpositive's Blog]

Click Here to watch the video (Windows Media) or, if that link doesn’t work, you can see it here at Google Video (I think the Google Video one loads better)

Update: I also found this under Christmas Lights Gone Wild! on Engadget (that’s where the photo came from) with some interesting comments. I like this one:

my favorite xmas display ever was next door to a house that was just obliterated with lights, the neighbor house was festooned with fixtures that must have consumed the output of it’s own small country..

the house I loved? a sheet of plywood, with holes punched in & lights inserted it to spell out the word “ditto” and an arrow pointing at that house.

Tags: christmas lights fun funny video wizards winter trans-siberian orchestra siberian public humor

Wikipedia as official reference

Wikipedia as official reference: "This morning, when reading the daily newspaper on the commuter train, I read an article that had an extra column with facts. The interesting part was that the author of the article had Wikipedia as reference. This is the first time I have seen such a reference in a serious newspaper and I think it's a very good reference. Wikipedia has managed to build a huge and trusted online encyclopedia, which I find really nice and useful. I have previously been a serious author of a few wikis, Wikipedia is one of them. Most of the are now closed or are heavily spammed and destroyed by unserious authors. Free speach is a thin line...Though Wikipedia has managed to survive and keep a level of seriousness and neutrality, and this is a big step towards Web 2.0...."

Rent a yacht for $840,000

Rent a yacht for $840,000: "Blog: There's been some talk of a new Internet bubble lately, so perhaps that's one reason this site is showing up prominently on..."

VoJou Software - iNotePad

VoJou Software - iNotePad: "iNotePad is the definitive alternative to the Classic Mac OS NotePad. It contains many more features, but keeps the simplicity and ease of use of Apple's NotePad."

The End of One Train, Begins Another...

At least one person who has recently left Novell amid their restructuring (looks like he may have left before the layoff) is already busilly engaged at a cool, very interesting company, Alfresco Software, an open source content-management company based in the UK.

On his blog, Matt Asay notes the change of direction, and his good wishes for Novell:

It’s a bittersweet feeling. Novell has been good to me these past 3.25 years. It’s a good company, with great people. I made some strong friendships while there, and helped an organization undergo a dramatic shift (moving from proprietary to open source), and come out standing. Looking at Novell’s current financial results, it’s easy to forget just how far the company has come, and what it has accomplished. The cynic will say the company went through it all for nothing - that it has no future.

That cynic is wrong.

You go, Matt. Good luck to you, and all of Novell’s current and previous employees. We know there are great things afoot.

New Syndication Spec

RSS + OPML/ SSE = Really Simple Synchronization by ZDNet’s Dan Farber — Microsoft CTO Ray Ozzie is blogging about a new specification–SSE (Simple Sharing Extensions) for RSS and OPML–that Microsoft is proposing. The SSE specification, which is an early draft, is being released under a Creative Commons license � Attribution-ShareAlike, and has input from RSS and OPML pioneer Dave Winer, who comments on SSE in his blog today.Ozzie describes […]

What Makes You Unique?

C.M. Russell helps you cut through the clutter when submitting your resume for a position. Some of you will recognize the idea of a USP–Unique Selling Point/Proposition. Basically, this is what makes you different than the others.

Give yourself a homework assignment tonite. Answer the questions above and create a two to three sentence positioning statement. Focus it on how you will help the company solve problems or make them money. This will help the recruiter to quickly understand how you can fill the company’s needs. [more… ]

Having a well-written, well-targeted USP (positioning statement) clearly stated on your resume helps you cut through the fog of ho-hum resumes like Polarized, UV-blocking, Amber Ray-Bans

Signs Your Meeting is Running Long

BugBash helps us navigate corporate life once again:

Sony to Rethink DRM

Those against Digital Rights Management (DRM) may win the battle because one of their opponents (Sony) shot themselves in the foot by embedding a hacker rootkit in their CDs. We’ll see how this shakes out, but here’s an interesting update:

Anti-DRM tide rises inside Sony; Scotch tape defeats rootkit by ZDNet’s David Berlind — Just a few quick hits on the still evolving Sony rootkit story. Boing Boing’s Cory Doctorow claims to have received an e-mail from a highly placed source within Sony BMG indicating that record label heads may be rethinking DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) as a part of their business. According to Doctorow’s blog entry, several […] [more]

XML Resumes Are Coming

Soon, you won’t have to wonder if your resume is getting through–or getting “gunked-up” on the receiving end by a server expecting a format different than you sent.

Soon, you’ll create and save your resume in a portable format based on XML that will allow your resume to do acrobatic flips along the high-wire of the Internet and still land in the recruiter’s lap unscathed.

No more trial-and-error uploading with major job boards–one file-format to rule them all!!. (Sorry, I had to go there… If you scanned through 75-100 resumes a day–often with garbled formats–you would start dreaming about this utopia as well )

• There’s a project on SourceForge working on the XMLR�sum�Library.
• There’s even an HR-XML Consortium (woah) hard at work on it too.
• Dr. �rdi, Gerg? from Budapest keeps his CV up-to-date with XML and explains how you can do it, too.

Whoever sends me the first XML/XSLT resume will get a huge mention on my blog. You go on with your bad-self.

Tags: resume xml xslt cv job career format file pdf board posting @public

If Something Can Go Wrong...

This candidate brought undue attention to their lack of proofreading skills because the errors were contained within a sentence explaining how accurate they are.

… and i have a proven record od accuracy and…

Great statement. Bad place to have mistakes in your typing.

Energy... Excitement Like This Guy

If there is one thing that immediately differentiates the people on my “hot list” from everybody else, it is energy.

Excitement.

Tony Robbins says energy is the most fundemental step to change and achieving personal power (audiobook). Without energy, without passion and drive, the most incredible ideas will never–repeat, never–see the light of day.

So, consider your day. How are you doing? What level of energy are you investing into it? How are you doing compared to this guy:

11/12/05 — The most attention-worthy advertising that I see all year? This guy was at a busy intersection in San Jose, holding a sign for a burrito joint, wearing headphones, and dancing his ass off. Dancing like a madman. With a big smile on his face. Virtually impossible to not look at him and smile or laugh… and be curious about what’s on the sign. As I took his picture from the car, he runs up to me, hands me his card and says, “email me the picture!” His card reads, “John Ng, Energetic Advertiser, ‘Watch Me Dance!’, motownjohn1 at yhoo”… I don’t know if John actually got customers in to buy burritos, but no ad works without attention. What a job: dancing all day at street corners and handing your card to curious passersby that might hire you to dance tomorrow for them. All the while, making thousands of people smile and laugh. Maybe they’re laughing at you, but who cares. How much fun would it be to program your iTunes playlist for your day at work? This great doofus is making the world a slightly more friendly place by lightening up moods. Gotta love it. [via Scott Heiferman’s daily Fotolog]

Some people will look at this and think they are so glad they don’t have this guy’s job.

Other people will look at this and think, “If I put that excitment like this guy into my job, I won’t be doing my job long because I’ll be promoted too fast!”

You get to choose what you will think, but be careful–it might make all the difference. Thanks to Seth Godin for the link.

Need a Boost of Energy?

Someone once said, “Smile. People will wonder what you’re up to.”

I have been asked lately why I seem to be smiling all the time. I appreciate the compliment. More than that, I am glad to know what I am feeling inside is naturally making its way out!

Some of you know that several years ago, I began a journey to better health and wellness. I found an incredible product-line through Herbalife that helped me regain control of my life. Literally, I changed everything upside down. I used to be tired all the time and grumpy at home–not the kind of husband and father my family deserved. Also, I weighed over 330 pounds.

By doing very simple things, and being urged along by my Herbalife Coach, and using the products like it was my job, I immediately gained much more energy, started smiling again, being nicer, and began losing weight like crazy:

• 15 pounds in my first 10 days
• 30 pounds my first month.
• 50 pounds in 3 months, and my 50-inch waist had dropped to a 40 inch waist.
• And in just 1 year, I was wearing size 33 pants, I had lost 6.5 feet of body fat, and 126 pounds.

Still, it’s unbelievable to think about it, considering I have been overweight my whole life–really since I can remember, I was embarassed about it–even in elementary school.

Above all that, I think you can see that incredible results like that can dramatically affect your lifestyle. That’s exactly what has happened. Now, finally, I have the energy I need to impact my life, and set my own sail. I can accomplish hard tasks. Because I don’t need nearly as much sleep, I have figured that I get an extra 2 hours of time each day–that’s 2 extra days each month! My wife and I became distributors soon after we started the products because people were begging us for information on how to get the products because our results were so visible. Heaven knows we needed the extra cash at the time. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds of people use the same products to achieve incredible results. In return, the company has been exceptionally generous with us, even sending us on an eight-day all-expense-paid cruise to the Bahamas and Virgin Islands a few months back! Unbelievable!

But one of the reasons I have recently been feeling so good is Herbalife’s newest product called “Liftoff”. It is an energy drink made from vitamins that is good for you. It stimulates my body and your mind through natural vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and helps me focus–especially through the afternoon, always my worst time of the day.

The most-fun of it is the packaging. It is in tablet form, very portable, about the size of a quarter. You drop it in any water bottle or cup of water and let it fizz itself into your drink, mixing as it goes. Then you just drink it down.

You can learn more about Liftoff here, and buy some if you like. Learn about other Herbalife products in the online catalog, here.

I just heard that Herbalife decided to sponsor the AVP pro volleyball league here in the US. That’s pretty cool, and I think it fits the product–volleyball… jumping… liftoff? Get it?

Bringing Value

I got a great note from a great client just now:

I do want to say that I’ve been very impressed with the relationship [our company] has forged with you and of the quality of candidates you’ve brought to the table

I replied to him that my passion is helping bright programmers find excellent work. Helping them build your business clearly helps me build mine as well.

It’s a great day to bring value to the Marketplace!

How to Run a Useless Conference

Forward this to the VP of Meetings in your organization.

Seth nails it here when talking about useless, yet-expensive business meetings. In this case, he speaks of conferences. But the overall message that I completely agree with?

Facts don�t change people�s behavior.

Emotion changes people�s behavior.

Exactly. Thank you, Seth, for donating that tip to the jar. Let’s hope your next meeting (job interview?) involves a little more emotional draw and a little less sterile blah blah.

Here’s to hopin’…

Are You Powerful?

Here's a thought I jotted down in my journal recently. Use it to kick-start your week:

"Powerful people focus on their purpose, not their problems."

Manager, Investor Relations -- US-UT-Lehi (Point of the Mountain)

SOS Technical is seeking a dynamic and organized person ready to take on a large task that may lead to incredible growth. Our client is a new company, owned by some smart, well-educated people who’ve been working on the East Coast with some very well-respected financial services companies. Their company acquires commercial real-estate properties and syndicates them to investors.

The company is in an aggressive start-up stage at this time, and is currently seeking several people to join their team. Among them is a dynamic, educated individual who can fill the role of managing investor relationships with the company.

In this role, you will work closely with various investors, educating them about the company’s investments, and securing investor trust, and developing long, healthy relationships with them.

This is not a sales position, yet a customer-focused mindset will be crucial. Ability to travel some and visit with clients is important. Not longer than an overnight trip occasionally–maybe monthly.

The company is looking for superstar talent, or a bright, hungry, hard-working person who enjoys the thrill of accomplishing what others think is impossible.

Qualifications:
- Good, technical knowledge of the Real Estate industry, terms involved, etc.
- Good knowledge of financial and business terms, etc.
- Experience in the real estate industry, perhaps as a commercial broker, is preferred.
- 4 yr. degree or relevant experience required.
- Excellent command of the English language, both written and verbal.
- Vibrant, outgoing personality. Interested in serving and supporting our investors.
- Understanding of the lifestyle of a fast-moving startup company. Flexibility a must!
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, email, etc. Must be very comfortable with these technologies.
- Willing to wear many hats and work in an entrepreneurial, rapid-growth environment.
- You will likely answer a lot of phone calls and have to manage many things. This will pay off for the right person as the company grows, as you may have the opportunity to manage others who do these tasks.

Job Status: Full Time
Compensation: Excellent pay, depending on experience. SOS Technical offers a full-range of benefits.

To apply send a Word-formatted resume to: apply056@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical - Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com

See Ben Galbraith on Programming w/AJAX

Saturday, November 19th, Ben Galbraith will address UVLUG on programming with AJAX.

Ben is a very accomplished technical author, speaker, and programmer.

Much more about him and the meeting on the UVLUG website:
http://uvlug.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=117

Herbalife's Dennis Dowdell at Provo Marriott Saturday

Late notice, I know.

Since I have been helping to promote various events around Utah County from here for some time now (such as UJUG, Connect, Venture Partners, Speedpitching, etc), I thought it fair to put the word out that Dennis Dowdell, one of only six Charter Supervisors in Herbalife (he joined in 1980 and became a supervisor that year) will be speaking / training at the Provo Marriott Saturday (today).

Dennis was a bus-driver for LA Unified School District for many years and, after 7 months of searching, decided to join the then-unknown company, Herbalife. “I loved my job, hated the money,” Dennis says of his bus-driving career. “When I saw Herbalife, I didn’t know anything other than, ‘these people really are going places’.” and he joined. Today, he’s glad he did. Recently training to 35,000 people in the Atlanta Georgia Dome at Herbalife’s 25th Anniversary, and now returning to the US from business trips taking him across the world, Utah is pleased to welcome Dennis Dowdell to teach and train here in Utah County.

His presentation is free for the community from 10-11am today, afterward, the day-long training, including lunch, costs $40. See www.satlakests.com for more details on the event.

Note: For transparency sake and full-disclosure, my wife Celeste and I are co-owners of an Herbalife distributorship and, though I am now a silent partner in her business (while fully-engaged in my current employment), I attend these various trainings, etc, from time-to-time for the incredible personal development, community and communications training it provides. Just as I would provide contact information for any event I promoted from this blog, I will note that Celeste can be contacted through email at info [at] teamshapeworks.com. For fiscal year-ending Dec. 31, 2004, our distributorship ranked in the top 1% of Herbalife distributorships worldwide (more than 1 Million).

Won't Touch This...

Browsing the web, I found an ad from Sony on download.com asking me to get some of their software (screenshot below).

Sorry, Sony, but until I can be feel sure you’re not installing rootkit hacking software on my computer anymore, I aint goin’ anywhere near your stuff.

Tags: sony rootkit hacking software

Software Engineer - ASP.NET, C# (C-sharp), SQL -- US-UT-Provo

A fast-moving, well-funded startup company in North Provo needs a very sharp programmer with proven abilities in ASP.NET, C#, and SQL. This is a golden opportunity for a programmer with 3-5 years of ASP.NET programming experience, looking to move forward quickly with their career.

The successful candidate will be developing n-tier web applications based around a very well-designed Microsoft ASP.NET architecture. (READ: Sloppy coders need-not apply!)

The candidate MUST demonstrate proven excellence in

• ASP.NET (especially data binding, grids, lists and repeats)
• C# (no VB or other languages is acceptable)
• T-SQL (especially writing Stored Procedures, no ad-hoc/embedded SQL is allowed!).

Further, a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and 3-5 years of experience is required. Equivalent degrees and/or experience will be considered.

Preference will be given to candidates showing a strong understanding (possibly from school) of Object Oriented Design and the ability to create objects, not just use them. Sharp, technically-minded, professional candidates with excellent verbal and written communication skills are preferred.

Proven design of web-based application architecture, web-graphic design or marketing websites are plusses, but not required. Lots of brains and passion for excellent web application development is required!

Compensation
Excellent pay, depending on experience. SOS Technical offers a full-range of benefits.

To apply send a Word-formatted resume to: apply056@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical - Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com

Tags: ASP.NET microsoft asp programmer engineer software web application based C# csharp SQL T-SQL tsql msft job career work utah county provo orem @public marketing

Immediate Tech Help -- US-UT-Orem

Immediate tech help needed to provide technical support for email. Good understanding of web-based email (yahoo, gmail, etc) and email protocols, servers, etc. is required.

Plus, understanding/use/technical support of Blackberry devices a huge plus.

Very short term assignment. Possibly just one day.
Pay Rate: up to $17/hr

To apply send a Word-formatted resume to: apply056@sostechnical.com

SOS Technical � Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com

Part Time Bookkeeper - Quickbooks -- US-UT-Orem

Sharp, part-time bookkeeper needed to help a local, established entrepreneur grow his various well-known businesses (some of the most-recognizable company names in Utah) through managing financial transaction information using Quickbooks.

This is a golden opportunity for someone with sharp financial and office skills, clear professional attitude, and enjoys working in a fast-paced, digital, entrepreneurial environment.

The successful candidate must be a professional self-starter who can work equally well independently or with various teams, very familiar with business finances, and *must* absolutely know Quickbooks inside-and-out.

Excellent verbal and written english communication skills, plus a proven ability to correspond with executive-level (”C-Level”) management, external clients/vendors and even investors is a huge plus. Some college experience required.

As these companies grow, you are in perfect position for quick upward mobility, if that suits you.

Pay:
Up to $12/hr. SOS Technical offers a full-range of benefits.
There is no relocation for this position. LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY, PLEASE

To apply send a Word-formatted resume to: apply056@sostechnical.com, with the subject-line as “Part Time Bookkeeper - Quickbooks”

SOS Technical � Uniting Talent with Technology
SOS Technical is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To learn more about SOS Technical, visit us at www.sostechnical.com

Tags: quickbooks accounting financial part-time parttime work career entrepreneur entrepreneurial finance job utah county orem provo office @public

It's Not Business, It's Personal

Yahoo! Hot Jobs’ Job Tip of the Day shares:

You may be considering moving for your career, but a move will impact every aspect of your personal life as well.

Carefully evaluate what is in it for you on a personal level. A higher salary is certainly compelling as is a more promising local economy. But will the move afford you more work-life balance? Will you have more time to spend with your children or on a favorite hobby?

Investigate the school system if you have children. If you’re single, investigate the social scene. If you’re religious, look into houses of worship. Are you a yoga buff? Make sure there’s a studio convenient to you.

Factor in your commute time, the climate, the cost of living and the crime rate. All of these things will impact your quality of life.

HotJobs offers other tools for job-seekers as well:

• Post Your Resume
• Resume Writing Advice
• Interviewing Tips
• Networking
• Salary Center
• Job Searching

Marketing Assistant -- US-UT-Lindon

Immediate need for marketing administrative assistant seeking benefits, growth opportunity and fun environment. Strong communication, great organizational skills and self starter will be keys to success in this growing, well known organization. Will be responsible for coordinating events, public relations and administrative duties for nutritional company. Great benefits. Apply for this great position as a marketing administrative assistant today!

To apply:
Send a Word-formatted resume to apply056@sostechnical.com or visit www.sostechnical.com and apply to the Orem Technical office.
Local Candidates Only, Please.

When it comes to a resume, less is more

C.M. Russell at the Secrets of the Job Hunt blog reminds us of some good resume advice:

Before you write anything on your r�sum�, I want you to remember one simple r�sum� rule:

• Simplicity is key - less is more.

  I have heard this time and time again from HR executives and hiring managers. They are very busy people, and the less they have to read to find out how you can help them, the better. This means using lots of white space and concise bulleted statements that get right to the point.

• Write about your accomplishments not duties
• Use Action Words that emphasize your strengths
• Use the same keywords you’ll find in the job description
• Generally one page is preferred

Note for senior-level individuals that a well-formed (no ‘blah blah’) 2 page resume that adequately describes the performance you will give to the company thinking to hire you is much more attractive than a one-page, stripped-down, barely-says-anything-about-me resume. In my own opinion, of course.

Putting My Stuff Online

I just clicked this ad (see below) touting Xdrive. I have heard of it before, and even tried using a few services like it (streamloader, for example) and once I even had software that turns an FTP server into a drive-letter! Cool! (As I nerdilly push my horn-rimmed glasses back up my nose).

So, Xdrive is an online file-storage system that resolves to a drive letter on your computer (gee, the “X” one?) so you can transfer files just like moving them around your computer. Then, for example, on your work computer, you can access those files (picutres, mp3s, documents, etc) immediately. No syncing.

Plus, it apparently has automatic backup. I need that!

Anyway, I am digging this so far. The trial is free and, sure they want cash when the honeymoon’s over, but I am digging this idea since I am wanting files at work and then home and I can’t use my laptop at work, etc.

Anyway, here’s Xdrive if you’re interested:

It's nice to know when you're doing good

I received the following email last night:

—–Original Message—–
Sent: Monday, November 07, 2005 6:40 PM
To: Robert Merrill

I’m impressed with you and your commitment to deliver superior service.

I think you’ll go far. I’m glad you are here in Utah County.

Thanks! I am absolutely passionate about helping people and teams/companies achieve and become more and move closer to their potential–especially when it leans upon finding creative ways to use technology to approach that ideal.

I thought it would be cool to add a “tip jar” to my blog, with a link to send me a buck or two via paypal, but let me do this instead–I’ll add a link to endorse me through LinkedIN if you like what I’ve done for you or your company:

Have I done something you like?
Please take a moment to endorse my work via LinkedIN. Thank you!

Definition: Bill-Rate versus Pay-Rate

Our Bill-Rate is the amount, per-hour, that we charge you for one of our employees to work for you. That bill-rate is the total expense for the employee, as we cover all other, hidden-costs such as insurance, benefits, taxes, and all other liabilities for the individual*. From the bill-rate, we also pay the consultant their hourly wages, what we term Pay-Rate, which we negotiate independently with them. From the bill-rate, we also pay our rent and salaries, keep our lights on, and reimburse the expenses we incur to locate, screen, and provide top consultants to you–this is why our services are absolutely free until we find you the right candidate that you choose to hire.

If we can’t fill the position, then you pay nothing. Period.

This is why our bill-rates may appear slightly higher than going “on the street” prices for similar candidates. Yet, our client companies enjoy the level of service we provide so well that they repeatedly come back over and over.

Consider how many hours of your time and energy (and productivity for your company) are saved when you engage our service and in-return you receive 4-6 quality, pre-screened candidates on the first try, rather than after weeks of resume spam, phone calls and interviews. Further, we handle all paperwork, tax reporting, insurance needs, worker’s compensation, and unemployment risks for the individual. This alone saves you money, and headaches–so much so that some companies specifically choose not to hire many of their employees, but contract or payroll them through our offices–at least for the first several weeks or months.

Finally, I admit that we are not well-known around town for being the “bargain-basement” recruiting shop on the block–but, I don’t think that’s what you’d want to deal with, anyway. Bargain-basement prices bring bargain-basement workers–usually a liability and a risk to you more than an asset!

I am glad that my customers repeatedly rave about our above-the-bar commitment to your complete satisfaction with our service, and (where it all really matters) that the consultants we send to work with you are often among the most-talented and best-performing individuals on their teams.

My goal is very simple–to handle your needs so well, and with such excellence, that our fees feel like a bargain to you!

* Note that my legal department would like for me to be clear that we have limitations to our liabilities. If you would like clarification on those, please contact me.

Study: 47% of CEOs Say Blogs Useful for PR

Via Micropersuasion:

Wow. This is big news. Nearly half of CEOs (47%) surveyed by PR Week and Burson Marsteller rate blogs high as external audience communication tools. That’s a big endorsement!

I don’t see this as a suprize in some respects. To blog, or keep online notes of events, disseminate ideas or communicate, just makes sense from a business perspective, as long as top-management want to share that information with the greater masses at the company–or with everyone else, for that matter.

Slepticism arises, in my opinion, when business leaders don’t want to share, don’t want to play nice, and need to have control over the message getting out there.

The problem with that approach is, with the way the global economy is changing, it’s even more important than ever to be saying something rather than nothing at all. Silence, it seems to me, is death. It’s like the un-spoken guilty plea of saying “no comment”. Nobody can thrive in a knowledge economy when they are not sharing knowledge–electronically or by some other means.

If you don’t say anything about yourself, someone eventually will–and when that happens, if you have no readilly available channel to respond (a blog), the only conversation left for people to talk about is the one you really can’t control at all.