Go Where The Grass Is Greener (or not)

Go Where The Grass Is Greener (or not) Everyone wants to work for Google, right?   Back in the olden days (around 2000 2003) it seemed like this was the hottest place to work and even the lowest man on roster was becoming a multimillionaire due stock options. I kind of wanted to work there, but figured the work environment would conflict in a big way with family stuff.   All of their perks sounded great for a bachelor, but I had kids and didnt think it would be good for me to spend 20 hours a day at work. I recently finished reading The Google Story and LOVED it.   Their story, where they came from (pretty privileged, actually), what they accomplished, and how they have changed the world has been so inspiring for me. I love Google.   I have even been to the Googleplex in Silicon Valley very cool. The grass must be SOOO green over there, right? Actually, maybe not. Read this TechCrunch post titled Why Google Employees Quit.   And read the 390 comments. Is the grass greener there, at the best company in the world, which is changing the world, and continually noted as (one of) the best places to work? I guess not. Its probably not greener at that other company down the street, or in the town/city/state you are thinking of moving to. Not to discourage you from pursuing something else, but let me suggest that the green grass problem may be more internal (something you can change) than external. Maybe. Im also guessing there is someone at your green grass company who is looking at their own list of companies where they think the grass is greener. And in todays market, its good to just hunker down and wait.   While you are waiting, might I suggest getting your career management in order with JibberJobber? This post is brought to you by Kathy Warwick, the owner of Confident Careers. By combining a background of corporate success with resume writing, personal branding, and career management expertise, Kathy works with executives and professional leaders to uncover and articulate their unique value to the marketplace â€" delivering no-nonsense services that help clients target positions to support their work and personal needs. Kathy is one of only 50 writers in the world holding the NCRW (Nationally Certified Resume Writers) certification. Kathy is a JibberJobber Partner. Go Where The Grass Is Greener (or not) Everyone wants to work for Google, right?   Back in the olden days (around 2000 2003) it seemed like this was the hottest place to work and even the lowest man on roster was becoming a multimillionaire due stock options. I kind of wanted to work there, but figured the work environment would conflict in a big way with family stuff.   All of their perks sounded great for a bachelor, but I had kids and didnt think it would be good for me to spend 20 hours a day at work. I recently finished reading The Google Story and LOVED it.   Their story, where they came from (pretty privileged, actually), what they accomplished, and how they have changed the world has been so inspiring for me. I love Google.   I have even been to the Googleplex in Silicon Valley very cool. The grass must be SOOO green over there, right? Actually, maybe not. Read this TechCrunch post titled Why Google Employees Quit.   And read the 390 comments. Is the grass greener there, at the best company in the world, which is changing the world, and continually noted as (one of) the best places to work? I guess not. Its probably not greener at that other company down the street, or in the town/city/state you are thinking of moving to. Not to discourage you from pursuing something else, but let me suggest that the green grass problem may be more internal (something you can change) than external. Maybe. Im also guessing there is someone at your green grass company who is looking at their own list of companies where they think the grass is greener. And in todays market, its good to just hunker down and wait.   While you are waiting, might I suggest getting your career management in order with JibberJobber? This post is brought to you by Kathy Warwick, the owner of Confident Careers. By combining a background of corporate success with resume writing, personal branding, and career management expertise, Kathy works with executives and professional leaders to uncover and articulate their unique value to the marketplace â€" delivering no-nonsense services that help clients target positions to support their work and personal needs. Kathy is one of only 50 writers in the world holding the NCRW (Nationally Certified Resume Writers) certification. Kathy is a JibberJobber Partner.

AGING 2.0 Hosts #30in30in30 in Philadelphia

AGING 2.0 Hosts #30in30in30 in Philadelphia Aging 2.0, the global network of visionaries bringing forth life-changing innovations to older adults, hosts #30in30in30 (30 pitch events in 30 cities in 30 days). The initiative was created to encourage local communities around the world to host pitch events for innovative products and services that enhance the lives of our beloved elderly. The tour kicked off on September 9, 2015 in Baltimore and arrived in Philadelphia on September 17th at the North Bowl, located in Northern Liberties. Entering a bowling plaza at 2:30pm for an agenda of startup pitches designed for older adults seemed a bit odd at first. Philadelphia’s retro-style, 2-story event space, with its brightly lit bowling lanes, arcade games, spacious floor and bars, immediately pulled attendees into its relaxing embrace, as any social hangout would. On the upper level we began with “a meet and greet” over treats. Then, in this first-of-a-kind movement, budding entrepreneurs, vendors, startups and established companies were given a platform; a five-minute window to pitch their product and services. Making the introductions was David Hunt, Aging 2.0 Philadelphia Chapter Ambassador, who energetically moderated the segment with professional ease and staunch objectivity. Following each pitch was a brief question and answer period. The audience, including a panel of older adults, then voted via smart phones or laptops. The winner earns the chance to pitch to the larger 2.0 community and attend the AgeTech Expo in November. Today there were nine presentations. And while each of them, uniquely creative combined with cutting edge technology, three of them were among the top scorers. Inspirational  Individuals Veteran Landscape designer Michael Cooke, founder of Hortus America in Williamsburg, Virginia, asks the question, “Can we do better as a profession designing gardens for the physically handicapped and cognitive disabled population?” Pulling from decades of experience designing accessible gardens, dementia gardens, walking and healing gardens along with his wife’s expertise in Gerontology, he answers with a newly created line of products accessible by all, either indoor or outdoor, for the purpose of physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Cooke pitched his original idea of a portable garden station which enables the elderly to garden without difficulty. Then we had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Kenneth V. Giacobbo, a physician of internal medicine for over 24 years and creator of BrainKen, a comprehensive, customized, activity-based program for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Dementia. Interestingly, this program uses a targeted-approach in its design to stimulate the mind and body while addressing memory loss in the ever-growing Dementia population. A senior home care service known as HOMETEAMâ€"pitched by Arjun Bhimavarapu, VP of sales and marketingâ€"develops long-term, individualized plans based on the understanding of the person’s life and specific needs. Explaining their position as “powered by technology and strengthened by a passion for delivering an optimal aging experience” struck a nerve in each of us; a possible solution to the improvement in the lives of our loved ones and caregivers. A Great Chance to Network At last, the networking happy hour began while the panel tallied up the votes. A reception of trendy, delicious favorites and a cash bar. Attendees eat heartily while mingling and shortly thereafter exchanged their footwear for those soft, tread-less bowling shoes and took to the allies. It was a win-win opportunity to connect and support innovators, engage with key constituents in the community and receive feedback. During this time of unwinding, David Hunt enlightened us about Philadelphia’s unique position for Aging 2.0’s initiative. The “City of Brotherly Love” is a “hotspot” boasting the largest amount of millennials in the country. It has a thriving health care system and education with good hospitals within an entrepreneurial environment. In Hunt’s words, “it’s a great ecosystem for meeting Aging 2.0’s objectives.” The evening concluded with the announcement of the winning startup and the winning bowling team who were presented a trophy. Congratulations HOMETEAM! Participants, consumers and community leaders alike were happy and some excited about the experience. Improving the lives of older adults is not only a social responsibility; it pays homage to the ‘human bridge’ that brought us all over, and with innovation at work, it may even keep them among us a little longer. #30in30in30 brings clarity to a vision of a world where seniors are thriving in health, mobility and productivity. Coming to a city near you!

There Are Two Types of Americans Employed and Unemployed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

There Are Two Types of Americans Employed and Unemployed - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The title of this blog is of course oversimplified but I wanted to emphasize the vast difference between the two sides. As a career coach, I spend a lot of time with people who are not employed, whether they’re my private clients or attendees at the various job-search networking groups I support and frequent. On one hand, I certainly understand the self-imposed pressure or the family pressure or friends’ pressure on these people. It can be debilitating, devastating, and, as time goes by, more and more depressing. On the other hand, many of those who are currently employed simply don’t understand those on the other side. While the unemployed have to succumb to the reality that the money that used to come in has stopped and while they have to make very painful and unprecedented lifestyle changes, those who are employed and therefore unaffected by the 8 percent rate of unemployment live their lives as well as they did. The restaurants in my area are always very busy, and my neighborhood’s Lotus dealer is selling those $75,000 cars; I can tell by the dealer’s parking lot. So, what’s the solution for those in transition?! NETWORKING is the solution. Having an excellent résumé is a must, of course, but a good résumé is not good enough in today’s competitive marketplace. Most important of all, finding someone to hand carry your résumé to a hiring manager is certainly a huge plus. How do you make that happen? By sliding into the company through networking via, say, LinkedIn, other social media, and networking meetingsand finding the right person to help you. A recent executive client of mine had been a stellar performer throughout his career but was out of work for five weeks through no fault of his own. Similar to the pattern of all of those in transition, he was down and upset and frustrated about his new situation. I implored him to increase his networking activities, and he did. Last week, I bumped into him at a networking meeting. Later, he told me that while there he was asked by one of the other networkers for a copy of his résumé. The next day, the wife of that other networker called him to invite him to interview. The way it looks now and with a little bit of luck, this job seeker will be extended a job offer. What a wonderful story, hopefully having a happy ending that will prove my point. Networking is the answer.

12 Best Web Or Rest API Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co

12 Best Web Or Rest API Interview Questions Answers - Algrim.co Looking to get as prepared as you can for your upcoming technical interview? We have the absolute best API interview questions and answers to help you do just that. In our guide, we're going to cover what interview questions you might want to prepare for and how you might consider answering them to the hiring manager or HR representative that you are speaking with. Why should you study for API interview questions? APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are at the very center of all types of software development. Whether you are a web developer working at a small agency, or even working in technical leadership at a bleeding-edge organization like NASA, understanding APIs, their different forms, and their purposes is essential to growing in your software development career. For this reason, most technical interviews will cover at least some aspect of API design and usage. These questions have been put together to assess a candidate’s understanding of the different types of APIs they may encounter, how to use them, and what their purposes are for from a practical standpoint. Web or Rest API interview questions & answers 1. Describe what an API is and what it is used for, in a practical sense. API stands for Application Programming Interface. Depending on the type of application a developer is dealing with, an API might be defined by a list of URLs or by a list of methodNames() which are available to be called from some software module. There are other ways that an API might be defined, but these are two of the most common ways for defining APIs a developer would work with. An API which is defined by a list of URLs is typically called a web service. You may also hear this type of API described as a RESTful web service, which is a web service API which has some additional important properties. In essence, a web service API is a map between a URL you can access over the internet (e.g. https://www.an-api-example.com/users), and some business logic that will execute within a software module. In the case of the example URL we used above, https://www.an-api-example.com/users, it is likely that this URL would map to some business logic which retrieves a list of users from a database, and returns the list to the person who accessed the URL. If a developer needs a list of users, he can access such a URL and then use the result to render them inside is the application’s user interface. 2. What is an API for a software module, like a Java Class or a Common.js module for example, how is it different than a web-service API? In the case of an API defined by methodNames() in a Java Class or Common.js module, we are discussing an element of software called a module. A software module is some self-contained piece of code that we can “import” into other parts of our application. In a node.js or javascript application the following syntax might be familiar for importing: // two different ways of importing software modules in React import List from ‘list’; const List = require(‘list’); In a Java application the following would look more familiar: import java.util.List After importing our List module, we now have access to a set of methodNames() which are exposed in our list, and we can use them in our own code. For example, we may be able to execute methods like: List.iterate() List.previousElement() List.nextElement() List.empty() List.push() List.pop() List.shift() These method names are the API of the “List” software module. A user can invoke these methods to perform various operations on any List they use within their application. 3. Think of a real-world analogy for an API. How would the flight controls on an airplane’s flight deck be analogous to an API? Although on an aircraft’s flight deck we are usually imagining buttons and switches, these flight controls on an airplane’s flight deck are similar to the APIs we think of in software, because they are simplified interfaces into the complicated inner workings of the aircraft. When an airplane pilot sees his cockpit dashboard, he as an array of buttons in front of him. In a simplified example, he might have 3 primary inputs. 1) A yoke that he can move left, right, up, or down to change the direction of the plane. 2) A button to engage an auto-pilot system. And 3) a system for increasing or decreasing engine power. Whether a pilot uses button 1, 2, or 3, the cascade of events which occur throughout the aircraft is sophisticated and too advanced for most pilots or engineers to be interested in understanding. For example if the 1) Yoke is moved to the left, hydraulic fluid is sent through the aircraft's systems, flaps on the wings and rudders work in synchrony in order to control the direction of the plane, and automated computer systems monitor progress of the action adding in autocorrections and safety alerts in the case of improper usage of the Yoke; the pilot does not have to control these numerous processes manually. Instead, he simply has moved the yoke to the left, and his plane has turned left safely. The yoke provides a simple interface (an API) into the vastly more complicated inner workings of the plane. The end result is “Pilot turns wheel left -> plane engages in a cascading number of actions and then goes left”. This is similar to a web service API or a software modules’ API because a similar goal is shared. A developer (or pilot, in our example), can interact with a vastly sophisticated system by only needing to learn a smaller set of abstracted URLs, methodNames(), or “buttons” available to them. 4. What is one great resource you use to learn about an API as you begin using it? Documentation is key to understanding the usage of an API, and should often be the first place you look to understand the types of API methods available and the sorts of messages or actions you can expect after interacting with those methods. 5. If you have found incomplete or inaccurate API documentation, what are some other options for being productive with the API? Unfortunately, since we live in a world of priorities, full API documentation may not be available for the API you are using. Or, it might have outdated information which proves more confusing than useful. In this case, online communities like StackOverflow often have community-provided answers to the problems that trouble you. Finally, if answers are not available through documentation or the community it is sometimes possible to take a closer look yourself at the API’s codebase to see the methodNames() available for you to call. This is an unfortunate scenario, but perhaps also an opportunity to improve the documentation of a software module! 6. What is a RESTful API? Describe some of its properties. A RESTful API is a type of web service API which has additional properties for it to conform to the formal REST specification. First, a RESTful API should be stateless. This means that the server running the API has no information about the interacting user’s state. In a practical sense, this means that every request to the API must have all the information necessary to fulfill the request, and also that a response given by a stateless API will never depend on information it has held onto from a previous request. A RESTful API should also provide in its responses a reference to where the user can find the next set of resources. For example, if I interact with an API to return me a paginated list of users, a RESTful API will contain in its response both the paginated list of users, as well as the URL from which I can retrieve the next page of users. 7. What are some tools in Node.js that can help you write an API? There are a number of tools called Web Application Frameworks in Node.js that can help to write APIs efficiently. Most of these tools, in general, offer convenience methods for mapping URL traffic to function calls in your application, and for formulating consistent responses. Some of these tools include express.js, koa.js, and koa2.js. There are dozens more, and a search for Node.js Web Application Framework will yield many results for which you can analyze the pros and cons which apply to your project’s needs. 8. According to the HTTP specification, what is the proper response from a web service API when an API request was successful? A successful response from an API web service should read status: 200. 9. According to the HTTP specification, what is the proper response from a web service API when an API request caused an exception within the application and was not successful? A response from an API web service which has suffered an exception and failed should read status: 500. 10. According to the HTTP specification, what is the proper response from a web service API when the given URL cannot be found? A response from an API where the given URL could not be found should be status: 400. 11. In building a web service API, some of its functionality might need to be restricted. What is an example of when you would need to restrict part of a web service API and how? A web service API might need to be restricted for users who have already been logged into the system, for example. Imagine an API for a chat app which requires users to login, Bob cannot access an API response for a Jeffiner’s private message content, because he is not logged into Jennifer’s account. There are a number of ways to accomplish this security, one of which is with the exchange of tokens. When Bob logs into his account at the chat app, after verifying that his username and password are correct, Bob will be issued a token. Once given this token, every time he makes a message in the Chat app, his message can carry this token, and the API can re-verify Bob without needing him to re-enter his username and password. Since Jennifer and Bob do not share one another’s tokens, they are unable to see each other’s content. 11. Look at the following two API URLs. How would you likely infer that they differ? https://my-api.com/api/user/19XDDVVND98DFE and https://my-api.com/api/users? It looks as if the first API URL returns the data for a particular user, while the second API URL returns a list of users. The reason this inference can be made is that typical web service API specifications say that in order to retrieve on an instance of a resource, the URL pattern should include the resource-name followed by the resource-id. In our first URL example, we see that the resource “user” is being followed by an ID we can reasonably assume is a “userID”. The typical specification for a web service URL also says that a list of resources is accessed by its resource-name without any ID to follow. We can see in our second URL example, the resource “users” is defined the URL without any ID to follow. This implies we will receive a list of users in response. Beware that this is not always the case for all APIs you might encounter. Because APIs are human-build pieces of machinery, they often have nuances and quirks which make them differ slightly from expected specifications. For example, some small APIs you encounter might have reversed resource-names and resource-ids in their URLs. This can be confusing! However, it can be an opportunity to discuss with your team, contribute to the project, and improve its specifications. 12. How can a developer test a web service API? Tools called REST clients are an excellent way for a developer to test a web service API. Examples of these tools are Postman or Advanced REST Client. As mentioned earlier, a web service API is typically defined as a list of URLs that a developer can interact with to trigger some behavior in the software. Within a REST client, a developer can define and save this full list of API URLs, and then easily send sample requests to the API to test its functionality as the API is developed. Or simply to experiment and better understand its workings. This can be especially useful in the case that the primary purpose of the web service API is to power a user interface. A REST client removes a dependency between the user interface developers and the API developers, because both teams can test the API before the user interface has finished development.

7 Ways To Contaminate Your Personal Brand and Doom Your Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

7 Ways To Contaminate Your Personal Brand and Doom Your Executive Job Search

Putting a face to Iraq - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Putting a face to Iraq - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog To many people in the west, the only face we can put to Iraq is Saddam Husseins. There are no Nobel prize winners, movie directors or pop stars that we know of, and the ordinary people of Iraq are equally unknown to us. George Capaccio has travelled in Iraq repeatedly since 1997, and in this article he tells us about the people he knows there, and about their hospitality, generosity, openness and kindness. An example: Or the time I whipped up a real Italian dinner for Suha and her family. During the meal, she and her husband, who had never eaten spaghetti before, began playfully sucking on separate ends of the same strand until their lips touched and they gave each other a brief kiss. Their young sons were so embarrassed they didnt know whether to cover their faces or leave the room. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

A Great Resource For Resume Writing and Networking in Brisbane

A Great Resource For Resume Writing and Networking in BrisbaneIf you are considering organizing a resume writing workshop in Brisbane, it is a good idea to go online and check out the best companies in town that offer this service. You can find these workshops in most cities but the problem is they are usually quite expensive. The benefit is that you get a highly qualified candidate who has been through an intensive resume writing program and so is not likely to be stretched too thin in the role.If you are planning on organizing a resume writing workshop in Brisbane, the best thing to do is search for companies that offer intensive workshops. These companies are very flexible and offer a range of options so you can tailor your workshop to the needs of your company. They will also provide a list of speakers and they will often choose someone who is based in Brisbane so they have their own experience of working in this city.If you are a new company looking to hire a staff member, you m ight want to consider a workshop. You can also check with the career services department at your local university to see if there are any volunteer positions available. While you cannot apply for them they are good for getting a feel for the university life.When considering a workshop it is important to think about what you expect from the workshop. Some companies offer only workshop sessions so that potential staff members can have some hands on training on how to write a resume. The downside to this is that potential staff members may not understand what they should include on the resume. If this is the case they will struggle to communicate the exact nature of their business and may therefore be unable to work well within the organisation.Most companies offer a curriculum which teaches staff members to write a resume, how to prepare a cover letter and how to go about developing a professional business program. These are typically followed by workshops where you are able to take t he course as a fully qualified employee.This allows you to start your business with all the necessary training and the confidence of knowing you know the ins and outs of your new industry.The best companies will generally do a demo day for the first week of the resume writing workshop so that you can learn some techniques on how to format the resume properly. This will help you learn how to make sure the information that you include is correct. After this you are usually given an initial meeting where you are shown around and given the opportunity to ask questions and get to know the people behind the company.Companies can also offer other opportunities such as on site events where staff members are able to get hands on training in the field. Sometimes the company will take on a few staff members on a trial basis so that they can learn more about their business and how they can help clients. This is a good way to get a feel for the industry and to become familiar with the type of pe rson you are looking for.The cost of resume writing workshops in Brisbane can vary widely. There are many companies that offer these workshops and it can be beneficial to check out what each company offers. It is also advisable to find a company that offers other types of services such as business development.