Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Your future Boss
People don't leave organisations; they leave their bosses.' This is an old cliche. According to a survey, almost 71 per cent of employees look for new jobs because of problems with their bosses. A recent Gallup survey of over 1,000,000 employees found that, if a company was losing good people, the biggest reason was their immediate supervisors.
What makes it ironical is that, more often than not, it is your future boss who ends up taking your final interview. And while they try and understand the way you fit in with their teams, it is your responsibility to understand their management style as well. So, when you get an opportunity to turn the tables on them, here are some questions you must ask.
1. What are your key expectations from team members?
Often, as an answer to this question, most supervisors start by describing traits demonstrated by their favourite employees in the team. This can be a great clue to understanding what it is going to take to get into your boss's good books. If your boss-to-be says he wants team members to take initiative and perform independently, you know he is not going to micromanage and breathe down your neck everyday. If he says that they expect team members to 'go the extra mile' and work hard, you will spoil your impression by trying to sneak out of office early every day.
5. What does it take to succeed in a role like this?
This question will help you achieve two things. First, it will help you understand the standards your boss expects you to meet. Second, you will come across as someone who is keen on succeeding. You must also ask how success is measures in the team as it depends on a boss's managerial style. For instance, if it's a sales oriented position, will you be rewarded only for exceeding sales, or are there rewards for customer satisfaction, teamwork etc? Try and get specific answers from the employer, as this will be an indication of where you should focus your energies if you intend to take up the job.
3. Could you tell me more about the composition of the current team?
What you are really asking your boss-to-be is to describe the people in his team. This is a great question to check his or her people skills. You will find out if he or she invests enough time in knowing the team well. Watch out for what is said. Is there pride when he or she speaks about the team? Does the boss know a lot about the team members? Often, a good boss will take pride when describing his or her team, and this will reflect in the tone and enthusiasm. You don't want to work for someone who hardly bothers to connect with you as a person.
4. What is your personal management style?
Ideally, you would want to know the boss's problem-solving approach and the way he or she manages people and resources. Does the boss have a hands-on approach or prefer to delegate responsibilities? He or she may like to take charge and be in control all the time, or may trust the team completely and simply supervise. This is important to know or you may mistake the boss's enthusiasm to help you as interference with your work.
5. What has your experience with the company been like so far?
This is a tricky question, as almost every boss will try and give you a positive response. You need to watch out for body language, tone and overall attitude while they describe their experience. If they show indifference or give you a lukewarm response, it is an indication that what they say is just an attempt to get you into the organisation. If they have a smile on their faces and enjoy describing their experience, you shouldn't have any hesitation about working for them.
Even a great job can turn into a bad experience if you don't get along with the person you work for. Asking the right questions at the interview will save you from nasty surprises later.
What makes it ironical is that, more often than not, it is your future boss who ends up taking your final interview. And while they try and understand the way you fit in with their teams, it is your responsibility to understand their management style as well. So, when you get an opportunity to turn the tables on them, here are some questions you must ask.
1. What are your key expectations from team members?
Often, as an answer to this question, most supervisors start by describing traits demonstrated by their favourite employees in the team. This can be a great clue to understanding what it is going to take to get into your boss's good books. If your boss-to-be says he wants team members to take initiative and perform independently, you know he is not going to micromanage and breathe down your neck everyday. If he says that they expect team members to 'go the extra mile' and work hard, you will spoil your impression by trying to sneak out of office early every day.
5. What does it take to succeed in a role like this?
This question will help you achieve two things. First, it will help you understand the standards your boss expects you to meet. Second, you will come across as someone who is keen on succeeding. You must also ask how success is measures in the team as it depends on a boss's managerial style. For instance, if it's a sales oriented position, will you be rewarded only for exceeding sales, or are there rewards for customer satisfaction, teamwork etc? Try and get specific answers from the employer, as this will be an indication of where you should focus your energies if you intend to take up the job.
3. Could you tell me more about the composition of the current team?
What you are really asking your boss-to-be is to describe the people in his team. This is a great question to check his or her people skills. You will find out if he or she invests enough time in knowing the team well. Watch out for what is said. Is there pride when he or she speaks about the team? Does the boss know a lot about the team members? Often, a good boss will take pride when describing his or her team, and this will reflect in the tone and enthusiasm. You don't want to work for someone who hardly bothers to connect with you as a person.
4. What is your personal management style?
Ideally, you would want to know the boss's problem-solving approach and the way he or she manages people and resources. Does the boss have a hands-on approach or prefer to delegate responsibilities? He or she may like to take charge and be in control all the time, or may trust the team completely and simply supervise. This is important to know or you may mistake the boss's enthusiasm to help you as interference with your work.
5. What has your experience with the company been like so far?
This is a tricky question, as almost every boss will try and give you a positive response. You need to watch out for body language, tone and overall attitude while they describe their experience. If they show indifference or give you a lukewarm response, it is an indication that what they say is just an attempt to get you into the organisation. If they have a smile on their faces and enjoy describing their experience, you shouldn't have any hesitation about working for them.
Even a great job can turn into a bad experience if you don't get along with the person you work for. Asking the right questions at the interview will save you from nasty surprises later.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz Biography
Name : Cameron Diaz
Date of Birth : August 30, 1972
Place of Birth : San Diego, Calif., USA
Sign : Virgo
Height : 5' 9''
Hair : Blond
Eyes : Blue
Education : High school
Occupation : Actress / Model
Companion : Jared Leto
Sister : Chimene
Cameron Diaz Detailed Biography
Cameron Diaz was sixteen when she got her big break in life. She was at a Hollywood party when she ended up speaking to, and eventually dating, a fashion photographer who landed her a modelling contract with the Elite Modelling Agency within a week of knowing her. She went to Japan with another young model (15) to further her modelling career shortly afterwards.For five years afterwards she travelled from country to country and fashion capital to fashion capital. From Paris to Morocco to Milan and even to Australia and eventually hooked up with boyfriend Carlos De La Torre whom she stayed with for five years in a Hollywood apartment.By the time she landed herself a role in the film The Mask, starring comedian Jim Carrey, she was already an accomplished actress appearing in commercials for Calvin Klein, Levi's, and Coca-Cola as well as being on magazines such as Seventeen and Mademoiselle. She was 21 and had much experience in the modelling world. However, she had begun to feel that there was more in her future than just modelling and she eventually decided to turn from modelling to acting. She initially got a small role in the movie but got bored “practising with the choreographer so that he knows the steps he gonna teach the real girl who gets the job? The director, Charles Russell, who realised what she felt, managed to convince the producers at New Line Cinema to give her the female lead role and so she launched her acting career.A month into the production of the movie she discovered the scale of the movie and got an ulcer realising the pressure set upon her according to the success of the motion picture. After this experience, and a case where she injured herself in training for the film Mortal Kombat, studios became wary of taking her on and so fate would have it that she returned to the world of big time modelling and independent films.
Cameron Diaz was sixteen when she got her big break in life. She was at a Hollywood party when she ended up speaking to, and eventually dating, a fashion photographer who landed her a modelling contract with the Elite Modelling Agency within a week of knowing her. She went to Japan with another young model (15) to further her modelling career shortly afterwards.For five years afterwards she travelled from country to country and fashion capital to fashion capital. From Paris to Morocco to Milan and even to Australia and eventually hooked up with boyfriend Carlos De La Torre whom she stayed with for five years in a Hollywood apartment.By the time she landed herself a role in the film The Mask, starring comedian Jim Carrey, she was already an accomplished actress appearing in commercials for Calvin Klein, Levi's, and Coca-Cola as well as being on magazines such as Seventeen and Mademoiselle. She was 21 and had much experience in the modelling world. However, she had begun to feel that there was more in her future than just modelling and she eventually decided to turn from modelling to acting. She initially got a small role in the movie but got bored “practising with the choreographer so that he knows the steps he gonna teach the real girl who gets the job? The director, Charles Russell, who realised what she felt, managed to convince the producers at New Line Cinema to give her the female lead role and so she launched her acting career.A month into the production of the movie she discovered the scale of the movie and got an ulcer realising the pressure set upon her according to the success of the motion picture. After this experience, and a case where she injured herself in training for the film Mortal Kombat, studios became wary of taking her on and so fate would have it that she returned to the world of big time modelling and independent films.
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