It’s Time to Make a Career Change

People change careers several times during their lifetime. The main reason is that they don’t make informed decisions about the careers they choose. They do not take into account their own interests, values, personality types while selecting career path. Because of these reasons, you may find yourself wondering whether you should be doing something different. Here are some valid reasons to leave your current career for a new one:

• Loss of purpose and passion – If your career has no meaning, you are no longer excited about it or you have grown tired of getting up in the morning to compete for something you don’t believe in anymore – it’s time to move on. The financial incentives are not enough, when the chance to find real personal significance and happiness is missing. 
• Talent potential is not valued - When your talent is not valued, it’s difficult to stay motivated. When your boss doesn’t trust your potential and will not sponsor your career advancement, it’s extremely hard to remain loyal. You must value your talent potential more than anyone else.   Never allow your talent to be taken for granted.  If it is, it may be time to move on.
• Professional growth is stunted - If you are unable to challenge yourself to grow and mature, then how can your employer help you? If you think your employer is not investing in your professional development, you must move on. If you don’t stretch yourself to do more or remain in your comfort zone for too long, you will have to pay the price later. Your resume should reflect enough success stories to merit advancement in your career.
• Workplace culture is not trustworthy - A hostile work environment that operates in silos - where the executives are not transparent - is difficult to trust.  This type of workplace culture becomes corrupted and begins to impact your performance and ability to advance. When you are part of an organization that is full of leadership and workplace problems, it’s time to consider a career change.
• Not sufficiently awarded - It’s easy to become contented in your career, but in today’s fiercely competitive and dynamic marketplace, you must be your own manager and continually be accountable to keep a “reward scorecard.”   Rewards are qualitative and quantitative measurements.  If you are not being rewarded for your work - based on industry standards (or better), it’s time to consider a career change.
• You make excuse for a day off - Do you make excuses to call in sick or let go opportunities to take lead? It may be time to assess your current career. If your sense of satisfaction fades away, you aren’t worried your performance review didn’t go well, or you spend more time on surfing internet than concentrating on business, it might be time to move on.
• Your life has changed - When you chose your career your life may have been different than it is today. For example you may have been single then and now you have a family. The crazy schedule or the frequent travel that is typical of your career may not suit your new lifestyle. You should look for an occupation that is more "family friendly."
• Your job is too stressful - Some occupations are inherently stressful. You knew that from the beginning about yours. You've come to a point, though, when it's become too much to handle. To preserve your mental and physical health, you will have to find a career that is less stressful.

If you want to make a career change, talk to the career counsellor for guidance and making a right move. Think about roles or jobs where you can use the knowledge and skills you already possess. If you are convinced that you want to make a career change, then take a dive! There is never a perfect time, so don’t wait. Try to prepare plan B, and then do it!

How to Find Internships

Internships can be a great way to get your foot in the door, gaining valuable work experience in a position that would not normally be open to someone with your skills. Finding one and getting it can be hard though. Follow these strategies to land great internships.

• Look for internship listings – Visit career services office of your school or regularly browse their website to check internship listings. Many companies also post internship positions on their ‘career’ web page. Select a number of different internships and be sure to follow the application instructions precisely. Many internships are very competitive and until you hear back from an employer – don’t assume that you will be accepted. Be proactive by continuing to apply to new internships as you find them.
• Make a good resume - You know what you are good at but the employer will need to see them in ink. Ready your resume, highlighting the skills that could be beneficial in that field and mention your achievements in previous internships or a project at college where you volunteered. Showcasing your skills, while keeping in the mind the requirements for the job, plays an important role in getting yourself the right internship.
• Do your research – Before going for an interview, research on not only the company and its products, but also on the business itself. Read about company’s stock market performance, its employees, their backgrounds, competitors, media coverage regarding news about the company etc. Potential interns who get noticed in an interview or on the job are the ones who have an opinion- they aren’t afraid to speak up, give input and contribute to brainstorming sessions. But in order to have effective and credible input, one has to put in the time and do the research.
• Use and know the product - Being unfamiliar with the product or web site of the company is fatal- because interviewers will get to know about your ignorance. Candidates, who have used the product or know it well, share insight and knowledge and they even have stories about how the product has helped them in their career etc. 
• Weigh benefits correctly – Weigh the benefits of internship in terms of the value they add to your profile the knowledge that you gain from that role. Taking up just any internship is not good for your profile. Get the one that is relevant to the career you intend to pursue. 

If you are looking for internship positions with renowned companies, log on to ThGongzuo.com to find the right internship and save your precious time.

How to Deal with Workplace Harassment?

Workplace harassment and office bullying are unfortunately common incidents these days. It refers to any repeated, intentional behaviour directed at an employee that is intended to degrade, humiliate, embarrass, or otherwise undermine their performance. It can come from colleagues, supervisors, or management, and is a real problem for workers at all levels. It's no joke. By learning to recognize and address workplace bullying behaviour, you can help to create a healthier, more productive environment for yourself and your colleagues.

What women can do

• Communicate your disapproval - If you can avoid the colleague who makes you uncomfortable, do so. If you have to work in close proximity to him, avoid being alone with him and tell him to stop his specific behaviour. If the person has sent you a joke through an email or SMS, reply through email or SMS when asking him to stop.
• Keep a record - If your colleague isn't getting the message, prepare to report him. Gather evidence to substantiate your claims. 'Note down the date, time and details of each incident. Save any emails or text messages that contain inappropriate language. Try to use your mobile phone recorder to discreetly record his remarks.
• Find a friend to share this information - Share the situation with a colleague you trust in the office. She may be able to keep a watchful eye on the situation. But be picky about who you share this information with, and ensure that this person is trustworthy. A senior colleague or mentor who carries more weight in the organisation would be ideal. 
• Formal complaint - If the above doesn't work, make a formal complaint to senior members of the organisation, with whatever evidence or notes you have. Make the complaint in writing and keep a copy. Remember an oral complaint can be hushed up. Often women don't report sexual harassment for fear they might lose their jobs, but unless you are willing to take action, your problem will persist.
• Contact EEOC - If your complaint does not result in your supervisor or senior manager taking action, you can file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which investigates sexual harassment incidents in the workplace. Inform the EEOC of your employer's name, the name of the offender and the details surrounding the incidents.
• File a lawsuit - After you file a complaint with the EEOC, you can possibly file a lawsuit. You can seek monetary damages, or try to get your job back if your employer fired you due to the incidents. If you plan to file a lawsuit, you should seek legal representation from an attorney who handles sexual harassment cases.

Why Interns Should be Hired In Startups?

For some start-ups it is inevitable to hire interns at the initial stages of their company’s growth. While this may initially appear to be a good practice, especially with start-ups’ tight financial constraints, the grind of managing the interns could overshadow the benefits of having them in your office.

Internships are a “give and take” relationship because the commitment goes both ways - an intern works for your start-up, but you have to teach the intern the necessary skills and give him or her individual learning plan in return. The intern is working for you because he or she wants to learn and get experience in his or her field of expertise.

Pros and cons of hiring interns

There are mostly ‘pros’, but you need to be aware of one con: Interns are time consuming in the beginning of their internship. You need to take the time to teach them a new set of skills and integrate them into the workplace.

Here are the benefits of hiring interns:

• The most important benefit to the start-ups is that they get cost effective dynamic workforce.
• For most interns, it is their first job, so they give their best to the employer. They are motivated and have desire to learn and progress within their field.
• Interns fill positions and assist employers with innovative ideas and technology.
• Internships allow employers to connect with and build relationships with students early in their academic careers
• Employers can test the candidates before offering him/her full time position within an organization.
• Smaller, less important tasks could be given to interns, so that experienced workforce could devote their full attention to more productive work.

However, these benefits could come at a cost of your time and energy.

• You spend more time teaching them how to work and what to work on
• If you have more number of interns, your business activities may suffer when interns go back to school.
• Most start-up founders will take the interns under their wing and teach them what they know. As an internship cycle usually repeats itself every 3/6 months, it can be quite taxing.
• If handover is not done properly when an internship comes to an end, you could lose your business.

In a small start-up, interns can either make or break your company. However, if handled and planned correctly, internships can be meaningful to both you - the employer and your interns.

If you plan to hire interns for your start-up, register on TheGongzuo.com and advertise your open positions to get qualified interns.

Why Women Don’t Start Business?

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report, only seven women start businesses for every ten men. There is a big “confidence gap” between male and female entrepreneurs.

Here are the main reasons why women hesitate to start their own businesses:

• Women are less confident - About three-quarters of both male and female entrepreneurs start businesses to pursue an opportunity, but men show more positive perceptions about opportunities and their own capabilities, as well as lower fear of failure. Women are inclined to take fewer risks.
• Women use their savings, men get loans – On an average, women start their businesses with a median amount of $8,000; men had $30,000. Women were also more likely to use their own cash or borrow from family members, while men got bank loans. With fewer funds to start a business, women have little or no scope for taking necessary steps.
• Men are more likely to know other entrepreneurs - It seems contrary to the general norm of women as social connectors and men as isolated individualists, but men are more likely to have robust professional networks when starting their businesses. They were also more likely to already know someone who had branched out on his own, providing them with a valuable source of information.
• Content with life – Women are content to live their lives peacefully, calmly without any stress brought about by starting a business.  For most of the women, money is not a motivator. And if it is, they feel that they can get it from their jobs working within an organization, instead of starting a new venture.
• Responsibility of managing family – Women always have to struggle to balance career and families. Starting a business involves a lot of dedication. Women feel they cannot devote that much time while handling household responsibilities.

Best US Cities for Tech Start-ups

When we think of tech start-ups, Northern California region comes to our mind. Companies in Silicon Valley area receive the largest share of funding from venture capitalists, but there are several other promising cities around the country to launch tech start-up.

The following ranking is based on start-up survival rates, available talent pool, day-to-day start-up costs etc.

1. Austin, TX – Austin has topped the list, becoming alternative to Silicon Valley. It has a smaller population and that is  great for quality of life. It has the necessary talent available needed for tech industry.
2. New York, NY – This is city is very much open for business. Internet businesses are thriving in Manhattan. NYC’s mass transit system is a big plus in its digital success.
3. Seattle, WA – Seattle has great universities producing engineering and IT graduates. So, it has the highest density of tech talent. This is the biggest advantage for entrepreneurs.
4. Denver, CO – It has comparatively low office rents, affordable for budding CEOs and CFOs. It has smaller population, so people enjoy great quality of life.
5. Atlanta, GA – It has great public transport and subway system for commuters. Low cost of office spaces is good news for start-up owners. They get more money in hand to expand their business or to hire quality workforce.
6. San Francisco, CA – Here, over half of the population holds a Bachelor's degree. This is fantastic as it means there is a good spread of academic qualification and experience throughout the city to aid recruitment. Major downside is, it is the costliest place to open a new office.
7. Washington, D.C. – Academic talent pool is larger than most of the cities. This is fantastic news for anyone looking for a more academically qualified workforce, or looking for specific qualifications that come out of advanced degrees.
8. Miami, FL - Miami has one of the most thriving local business cultures of the entire Top 10 cities of this list. It can attract many different businesses from different sectors. It can attract many different businesses from different sectors.  Miami is blazing ahead in terms of number of new company formations.
9. Los Angeles, CA – It has second lowest transportation cost among the top cities listed here - good news for employees needing to get to their workplaces and the bosses who need to get them there early. LA is great place to start and grow business. It has a high rate of new entrepreneurs.
10. Houston, TX – Houston is the best city in terms of office prices. Being highly populated, it gives great local market for businesses. It has a wide variety of skills available, which is a big plus.

Ways to Make Money Online

When money is tight, an extra $1,000 a month could be life-changing. Although an additional $12,000 a year might not sound like a ton of money, for a single-income home, or for a family with a hefty car payment or medical bills, it could make all the difference.

You can start an online business if you have the right attitude and willingness to learn. Follow these steps to utilize your spare time and invest it into an online business.

• Find what interests you most and what are you good at – This is the starting point of setting up your online business. Spend enough time on thinking about this. Write down whatever comes to your mind and then make a short list of 5 such business ideas. Finally, you can come down to one such niche area, which you love the most or enjoy doing in your spare time.
• Develop your own website – The next step is to write blogs or articles about your interest area on a website. You don’t need tech skills for building a website. You will find online resources where you can get ready-to-use templates. You will get visitors to read information on your website. Your website contents should aim to solve their problems. For specific information, you can develop a video or present expert’s interview clip or info graphic and can ask for viewer’s email address in return. For additional free resources, visitors will share their email ids with you. In this way, you regular visitors become your subscribers.
• Start selling – Once you generate the list of subscribers, you can start selling your product. For example, if your niche area is tutoring, you can actually develop an online course for which your loyal visitors will pay you fees. Once you provide them quality information for free, they are ready to buy such services from you. People compare the cost of actual tutoring and the pain of commuting with the online resources.

Once you follow these steps, then the sky is the limit for how much you can earn. Keep updating your website contents to get repeat visitors. Keep growing your number of subscribers and enjoy being a successful businessman!

Steps to Design Start-up Business Plan

Launching a business without a plan is like going on a road trip without a map or GPS to guide you. Whatever may be the type of your start-up business, you have to have a business plan in place. Its real value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way. Another advantage of having a start-up plan is that, you can present it to the investors to give them a clear idea about your business.

Start-up plan is nothing but the “to-do” list of everything to start your business. Once you list out the actions that need to be taken, assign a responsible person for every action and write down the deadline by which it needs to be completed. Any task without a deadline will never get completed.

Review the following steps to write your start-up plan:

• Mission statement - This is your reason for starting your business. Maybe you want to provide a specific service that's missing in your community. Your mission statement should explain your reasoning in a few clear and effective sentences.
• Your own background and information – Add a section about yourself, mentioning your qualifications and experience.
• Employees’ information – List the names of your employees, if you have already identified them or else you may write the titles, job descriptions, the responsibilities they would be handling etc. You may also include the salaries and benefits you are planning to offer to your staff.
• Market study – This includes the description of market that you are targeting. It includes either the geographical locations or people of particular age groups.
• Competitors - Besides their name and business type, note a brief reasoning as to why each business is considered competition. End with why your business will overcome the competition and be successful.
• Partners - These would be the distributors, vendors and contractors that you may need to hire as part of your business.
• Description of your product/service - Be specific about how you plan on producing or providing the product or service, and how you will deliver it. You will also need to explain the methods you will be using to sell the product or service and what modes of marketing your will implement.
• Financial section – This includes information about your credit status, sources of funds, business expenses and projected sales and profits.

It typically takes several weeks to complete a good plan. Most of that time is spent in research and re-thinking your ideas and assumptions. Be sure to keep detailed notes on your sources of information and on the assumptions underlying your financial data.

If you need any help in launching your business, register at TheGongzuo.com for free. We have mentors and advisors to help you in every single task – from building your start-up plan to market your product/service.

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi…..How These Terms Were Born?

Certain terms, which were once part of technical jargon, have taken place in our normal vocabulary. Ever wonder how these terms originated?  You will be surprised to find out the facts behind it.

• Bluetooth - Bluetooth comes from the name of an ancient Danish king called Harald Bluetooth. What's significant about King Bluetooth is that he united different regions and allowed them to communicate with each other.
• Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi, as it turns out, doesn't stand for anything. Phil Belanger, a founding member of the Wi-Fi Alliance, has gone on the record as saying the term was nothing more than a catchy word created by a brand consulting firm.
• Troll - While the imagery of a goblin-like cave monster seems awfully apt, there's actually more to the term than meets the eye. The word “troll,” you see, is also a verb meaning “to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat.”
• Wiki - Credit for the first wiki is commonly given to a guy named Ward Cunningham, who came up with a site called WikiWikiWeb. Ward was wooed by the word wiki when he traveled to Hawaii, where he saw a “wiki wiki bus”. “Wiki” means “quick” in Hawaiian.
• Ping - Ping, in its current form, traces back to a Unix-based network administration tool created in the early 80s. The program sends a data packet to a network-connected computer and then measures how long it takes for the system to respond.
• Spam - Spam, according to most popular accounts, comes not from the questionable canned meat but rather from a 70s-era Monty Python sketch.
• Cookie - The most common explanation suggests the term comes from Unix. In Unix, a “magic cookie” refers to a chunk of data that's passed between two programs.
• Bug – In 1946, Grace Hooper joined Harvard, where she traced an error in the computer due to a moth trapped in it. This bug was carefully removed, the word ‘bug’ is still being used to describe defects.
• Hotmail – Its founder tried all kinds of names ending with “mail”. Later he chose “Hotmail”, as it contains all the letters “HTML” - the markup language used to write web pages.
• Java - "Java" was selected from a list of suggestions, primarily because it is a popular slang term for coffee, especially that grown on the island of Java. As the programmers drank a lot of coffee, this seemed an appropriate name.
• Python - Named after the television series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”.

Want to Work at Google?

Among many IT professionals, working at Google is seen as a dream job. And no wonder. The flourishing company is a driving force in Internet development. Working for Google means working for an organization that’s extraordinarily well funded. It also means working alongside top talent. With as many applications as Google receives, the company has its pick of the best.

The good news is that Google is hiring. The bad news is that getting hired at Google isn’t easy. It requires a unique set of characteristics to land a gig with the search giant.

As per Google’s Director of Staffing, this is what you need to have, if want to be a ‘Googler’:

• Entrepreneurial spirit - While working in the IT department of any large manufacturing facility might not require entrepreneurial spirit, working at Google most certainly does. With the search giant’s rapid growth and its aggressive moves in arenas held by competitors, the need for smart, self-motivated and self-starters seems clear. It is also important from company’s “20 per cent time policy” point of view. As per this policy, employees are free to pursue projects they're passionate about on company time. It takes an entrepreneurial (and disciplined) spirit to use this unstructured time in ways that benefit the bottom line.
• Business skills – Google prefers to hire a candidate with business skills, because such a person can relate business and technical aspects and look at the mission-critical needs to the company, and really understand some of the context around why we’re building some of the infrastructure.
• Technical skills – Learn programming languages like C++, Java, Java Script, CSS etc. Understand algorithms and data structures. Get to know operating systems.
• Problem solving skills – Google wants to hire candidates who have handled analytically difficult problems. They want someone who has actually interacted in a real-world situation and during an interview; the interviewers get a sense of what the candidate considers to be difficult.
• Analytical skills – The skills that that differentiate you from rest of the pool. Google doesn’t care much about GPAs. According to them, in schools, people are trained to give specific answers. But they want people who like figuring out stuff where there is no obvious answer. They believe that GPAs and test scores don’t correlate with success at the company.
• Leadership skills – They want people, who at the appropriate time, step in and lead when faced with a problem.

….And You Will Be Hired in Silicon Valley

Your resume is perfect, you are qualified, you have applied to hundreds of jobs in Silicon Valley, and yet you are not getting hired, right? Well, if this is your problem, then you are not alone. 

If you want to fulfill your dream of being an employee of the most sought after region for techies, here are tips:

• The easiest way to open yourself doors of top tech companies in the Silicon Valley is to enroll in some of the graduate schools. San Jose State University, UC, Berkeley, Stanford, San Francisco State University are among the top universities in the US from where the tech talent is placed by the hottest companies. So, if you have degree from one of these schools, you are in demand!
• Most of the candidates want work for Google, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. But the reality is for every open position, they get around 250 applications. The competition is fierce for getting into these companies. So, you need to look beyond these companies. Consider start-ups which have started receiving funding. You can contact them directly and send them your resume. Remember, start-ups are not getting 250 resumes for every open position they have.
• Make your resume tells the recruiter only the important points – your contact information, education and work experience. Don’t include your other interests, hobbies in resume. Resume should have action verbs like “Designed”, “Developed”, “Created”, “Sold” to describe what you have done so far that could benefit his/her company.
• Network with the people who are already working there. Ask them how they got the job, which skill sets are in demand in their companies, hiring process etc. Most of the times it is easier to get interview calls if you apply through employee referrals.
• When you go for an interview, show your passion for that company. The interviewer should see your excitement to work there.
• Generally, Silicon Valley companies don’t hire management trainees. They want their employees to be productive right after they join. This doesn’t mean you have to have at least 5 years of experience to get hired. But, during interview you have to show your ability to grasp things quickly and get started immediately. You cannot expect a long term training program before you start contributing here.
• Regularly browse through the job search sites such as TheGongzuo.com to know what the Silicon Valley tech companies are looking for. You get a fair idea about which skills to pickup to increase the probability of getting hired.

Why You Should Be an Entrepreneur?

The thought of starting your own small business can be a little scary. Still, there are many great reasons for you to give it a go. Entrepreneurs are those who develop innovation to improve our world. The ability to start from “zero” and build it into a business that employs hundreds or thousands and generate significant revenues is remarkable.

There are plenty of reasons why you should consider being an entrepreneur and take the plunge.

• Industry, businesses and technology is changing – This is a great time to find opportunities in changing scenarios of business/tech world. Provide a product or service that will enable people to do ordinary things in extra-ordinary way.
• Pursue your passion - Part of the motive behind starting a business is to actually make a living doing what you love. If you do it whole-heartedly, you are bound to succeed.
• Sky is the limit - When you own your business, your creativity and skill will grow and can be used as you need them for the success of your company. Similarly, there is no limit for your earning potential.
• Meaningful work - As your own boss, you will have a chance to do work that means something to you, and perhaps to those who benefit from your goods or services.
• Flexibility – You can start part-time. Before taking the plunge, you can continue your existing job and devote only a few hours per day till the things settle down on business front.
• Dream come True – Owning a business is a dream for many. You can make it a reality.
• Boost your confidence - Being a small business owner is not an easy task, but succeeding at it may help you to be confident in everything you do.

Running a business is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time, energy, and determination. But it also renders great rewards, if done properly. Do your research and figure out if you are truly ready to invest your resources in it. Consider taking the plunge and live the dream. Good luck!!

Success Tips for First-Time Entrepreneurs

There are thousands of people who are working on or have just launched their company, but are worried about making wrong decisions. While you are working on building your team and designing marketing strategies, getting advice from successful business owners does help in avoiding mistakes and ensuring that you are on the right track!

The following tips are a summary of advices given by experienced businessmen that will help you navigate across the unseen world of entrepreneurship:

• Do what you know and are passionate about – Don’t jump into a business just because profit margins are high or because the business idea seems trendy. Do what you really love. Businesses built around your strengths and talents will have a greater chance of success. It's not only important to create a profitable business, it's also important that you're happy managing and growing it day in and day out. Pick something that excites and motivates you.
• Take that leap - There is never a perfect time to launch a start-up, so follow that famous advice and “just do it.” Take the first step to building your business, even if it’s only part time while you still have a paying job‎.
• Don’t be afraid of failures – In fact, look forward to failure. This is how you learn to succeed. There is plenty of time to get it right - so go ahead and just do it and get it wrong.
• Take care of your finances – You are running a start-up! So, learn to be frugal. Forget about stylish offices and expensive business lunches. Watch every dime and triple-check every expense. Maintain a low overhead and manage your cash flow effectively.
• Study your competitors - Make sure you are thoroughly researching competitive products or services in the marketplace, and keep yourself updated about new developments and enhancements from your competitors.
• Build the right team - You need to hire employees who have the relevant background and experience. They need to fit into the company culture you are trying to build. They need to be hard-working and flexible, as employees in start-ups often have to function in multiple roles‎.
• Focus on customer service – One way to be successful is to provide outstanding customer service and support. Getting customer referrals early on will immensely help you in growing your start-up. Go the extra mile to make your customers feel valued and when they refer your name to their friends or family, show your appreciation.
• Learn from other business owners – You are surrounded by experts in different areas. Talk to them, ask them questions and leverage their hard-earned knowledge. Along with the success stories, also learn about what didn’t work with them. You can learn as much by others’ failures as you can from the success stories.

If you also have jitters about starting up a new business, we at TheGongzuo.com are here to help you at every step of the way. Register at our website and share your business idea with us. We will connect you with our investors and mentors to guide you, so that you launch your business with confidence.

Starting a Job? Bid Farewell to Bad Habits

Negative thoughts, and certain actions or sayings, can prevent you from accomplishing a goal. They steer you away from the bigger picture, deterring you from whatever you’re trying to accomplish. Some bad habits cause more trouble than others. Shedding these habits will increase your productivity and allow you to enjoy the positive mood that comes with increased self-control.

• Being late to work – Punctuality is critical when you are working. Forget your college days when you enter the classroom while it is already in the session. The professional thing to do is to arrive on time and be ready to do what is expected. Being on time for meetings is even more important. Keeping people waiting in the meeting can be construed as inconsiderate, rude, disrespectful or arrogant.
• Negative attitude – Responding in pessimistic way or always finding problems in the suggestions given by co-workers is considered being uncooperative. Complaining too much about work culture, colleagues, bosses is another negative trait. These things will make you look unprofessional.
• Spending time on social media – Being on Facebook or even texting all the time when you are at work does create bad impression. Don’t spread bad things about your organization or co-workers through social media while being in the office. You could get fired if caught. Same thing applies when you are attending a meeting. Even when you feel meetings are extended beyond limit or discussion is going off-topic, don’t let your mind wander. Other people, especially your boss will catch you if you are not paying attention.
• Unprofessional looks – Again, remember you are not a college student anymore. Even if you feel comfortable in those pair of jeans and flip-flops, this is not the place where you wear these. You want to look like you take your job seriously when you walk into work. When you go to meet with a client, you represent your company and you should present yourself professionally.
• Using foul words/language – This is one of the worst habits you got to get rid of. Vulgar language an indication that an employee is not ready for promotion. You may be taken to the HR for serious discussions if you are caught multiple times using foul language.
• Using company phone/supplies for personal use – Making long distance frequent phone calls from your desk phone is easily traceable. Don’t commit such mistakes for saving few dollars. Similarly taking home office supplies such as notepads, folders etc. or using photocopy machine for personal use beyond a limit show your cheap behaviour.
• Unnecessary noise – Be considerate toward your co-workers as much as possible. Many people have habit of tapping toes or fingers while working or thinking. Maintain silence when at the work. Similarly, keep your phone or computer on silent so that each text message, email or IM won’t create any annoying sound that may disturb others.

If you receive any feedback about your habits, take it seriously and correct them. At the same time, develop good habits like actively looking for a job on TheGongzuo.com. We have hundreds of thousands of job listings for different positions within IT. Your chances of getting hired multiply when you register yourself at TheGongzuo.

Challenges Women Entrepreneurs Face

Entrepreneurship was once considered a man's domain, but numbers are now changing. According to 2015 data from the National Association of Women Business Owners, more than 9 million U.S. firms are now owned by women and they generate total $1.5 trillion in sales.

Although more women are becoming entrepreneurs, they often face a set of challenges not typically shared by their male counterparts. Female CEOs have stated some of the key challenges that they face –

• Confronting social expectations - When women entrepreneurs have to talk business with primarily male executives, it can be unnerving. They may feel as though they need to adopt a stereotypically "male" attitude toward business: competitive, aggressive and sometimes overly harsh. But successful female CEOs believe that remaining true to yourself and finding your own voice are the keys to rising above preconceived expectations. Women need not adapt themselves to a man's idea of what a leader should look like.
• Limited funding – The hardest part of starting a business is raising capital. It gets all the more difficult for women-owned firms. Venture capitalists tend to invest in start-ups run by people of their own "tribe" meaning, venture capital firms with female partners are more likely to invest in women-run start-ups. But, that accounts for only 6% U.S. firms. Women looking for business investors should build confidence through a great team and business plan.
• Own your accomplishments – Women tend to downplay their own worth. When they talk about their company or achievements, they tend to use the word “we” instead of “I”.  Using the first person to discuss successes feels, as if they are bragging. They need to have confidence in running a business. It’s important especially when their ideas receive more scrutiny than their male colleagues.
• Building support network - With the majority of the high-level business world still being dominated by men, it can be hard for women to create their own path. Lack of advisor and mentors is one of the major blocks that limits professional growth. They could start networking with other women through groups and forums created specifically for women in business.
• Balancing business and family - Work-life balance is a goal of many entrepreneurs regardless of their gender, but mothers who start businesses have to simultaneously run their families and their companies. And in this area, traditional gender expectations often still prevail. "Mompreneurs" have dual responsibilities to their businesses and to their families, and finding ways to devote time to both is key to truly achieving that elusive work-life balance.
• Coping with a fear of failure – Women need to stop worrying if people will treat them differently in business because of their gender and they also need to stop comparing themselves to others, including men. The bottom line is, if you're successful, no one cares whether you are man or a woman.

Tech Skills in Demand

It’s a perfect time to be in Information Technology field. In the US, unemployment rates in this industry are lower than other industries. There are plenty of opportunities for IT professionals.

Here are the top IT skills in demand today in the US:

• UI/UX designers/developers - User experience and user interface (UX/UI) designers are going to be in high demand to help make software interfaces as intuitive as possible. Consumers won't settle for anything less than a quick, seamless and painless user experience.
• Web and product developers – Web developers, especially skilled in Java, JavaScript, PHP are in high demand.
• Network engineers - Networking is the foundation of web and streaming technologies. For digital businesses as well, networking professionals are in high demand.
• Security professionals – Actually there is a shortage of this particular skill in the US. Hackers are creating threats to breach systems, so businesses and governments are scrambling to find security talent.
• Mobile engineers – Mobile is the most heavily used digital platform. There is a major market for mobile application developers.
• Business analysts – Business analysts play a critical role, as they are liaison between IT department and business. They ensure IT projects are meeting business needs and meeting strategic goals. Organizations need them as they speak both the languages – language of business as well as IT.
• IT project managers - With an increase in IT spending to pursue new innovation, IT project managers are in great demand. Managers who specialize in one particular field, for example banking and financial sector have the best chance to get placed.
• Cloud architects - With the continued shift toward public cloud infrastructure and hybrid cloud adoption, IT pros skilled at setting up, performing integration and securing cloud deployments remain in high demand.
• Data scientists - Companies are currently struggling to handle the overflow of data they're receiving - everything from user data, customer behavior data, purchasing data, sales leads, marketing data etc. Professionals who can develop solutions to capture, process, analyze and interpret data continue to be necessary for an organization's success.

If you are an expert in any of the above mentioned areas, please log on to TheGongzuo.com to find which employers are looking for your skill sets and apply today to get hired!

Do You Need Career Counselling?

Every day different careers and professional opportunities are emerging. No matter how much interest you have in more than one field, you will have to prioritize and choose the best option for you depending upon your strengths, weaknesses, interests, personality and aspirations.

Whether you are in the process of choosing a career, deciding whether or not you should change careers or jobs, re-entering the workforce, job hunting, or recovering from a job loss, you may realize that this is an overwhelming process and you need some help.

Reasons to meet with a career counsellor:

• You have no idea what you want to major in
• You have a major but do not know what you want to do with it
• You want to take an assessment to explore possible careers to help with career decisions
• You need to start your job search but you are not sure what you are looking for 
• You completed an internship and discovered that your chosen career is not a good fit for you
• You want to discuss your future with someone other than your friends or family

How will a counsellor help you?
A good career development professional can help you explore career options, can inform you of labour market trends, and can assess your skills, interests, and work related values. A career development professional can help you sharpen your job search skills, and can help you learn how to move up the corporate ladder.

A counsellor helps students discover their true potential and interest in various subjects in order to help them choose the right career. Several institutes including schools and colleges, offer career counselling through a series of aptitude and IQ tests. The advice and counselling provided is based on three deciding factors — personality, aptitude and interest.

Before hiring counsellor or coach, do your homework. Explore free or low cost online and community resources. Join job clubs and career workshops. Learn about jobs and market situation in your area. This will tell you what positions are in demand. Check out salary information websites.

A word of caution
Career counselling and coaching are unregulated fields, meaning anyone can claim himself/herself to be a counsellor. So, be sure to check the credentials and experience of your prospective consultants. The bottom line: Success in landing a good job of your interest is up to you.
When you find your niche area, register on TheGongzuo.com to search the perfect job you are dreaming of!

Is My Resume ‘Unprofessional’?

You have the right skills and experience and now you are eager to move ahead with your career. But, if your resume fails to convince your prospective employer, you will have a hard time getting a new job. Resumes need to be used as a personal marketing tool. You need to focus on its style as well as contents. Prioritizing your accomplishments in the right order is very crucial.

Here are the issues which could hurt your resume and make it look ‘unprofessional’.

• Formatting – If your resume ends at the middle of the page or above, leaving more than half of blank page creates wrong impression on employer’s mind. He/she may infer that this candidate does not have much to say about his education or experience. This doesn't mean you have to stuff your resume with fluff. Describe more about what you have done, what you know, and how you can contribute to this job. Fill that white space with meaningful information that can set you apart.
• Fonts – Your prospective employer should notice the actual text or words in your resume and not the font! No Comic Sans font for resumes. Do not use colors, curly-cue fonts, and clip art. Keep your total font styles—including different points/sizes, bold text, and italics—limited to four.
• Keep personal life out of your resume - Try to keep references to your children, marital status, age, lifestyle, and religion out of your resume. If you have worked for any religious organization etc., let only its name talk about it. Don’t add additional details on your own.  
• Grammatical errors and spelling mistakes - All grammatical errors and spelling mistakes are a problem in a resume, but some may cause a proportionally higher level of damage than others. 
• Negative statements – Watch out for negative tone of the resume and edit it immediately. For example, statements like “I was not happy with my last job profile” sound negative. Instead, you can write “I learned a lot during my last job and now ready to move on”. 
• Sending unprofessional photo - If a photo isn't specifically asked for in the job application process, don’t send one.  If it is asked for, make sure that it portrays you as professional and personable.  Send a photo where you are dressed nicely and smiling.  Use your judgment. 
• Sending blank email with resume attachment – In your email, you should type a simple greeting, explanation of who you are and what you are sending. Sending blank email is not at all professional.
• Sending resume to multiple employers in the same email – If you do this, your email will most likely get deleted! 

Avoiding these mistakes is as easy as stepping back for a minute, proofreading, and engaging your common sense.

Invest enough time in writing your resume and when you are ready to apply for a job, register on TheGongzuo.com for free. Top IT companies are eager to hire professional employees. They will call you for an interview only if your resume reveals your professionalism!

Fun Facts about Computer Programming

• The C language is written in C.
• The first high-level programming language was FORTRAN invented in 1954 by IBM’s John Backus.
• The first computer virus was created in 1983.
• The first computer programmer was a female, Ada Lovelace.
• The first computer game was “Spacewar” designed in 1961.
• Programming and coding are not the same. Coder is clearly instructed on what should be done. Programmer must be able to imagine a broad set of solutions before writing codes.
• In programming there is a thing called “constant variable”.
• In programming algorithms, root comes at the top.
• Programming language Java was originally designed for interactive TV, but digital cable industry was not ready for the technology.
• Programming language Python came out as a result of boredom of its author Van Rossum during the Christmas week of 1989.
• Python is one of the official languages at Google and NASA.

Common Technical Interview Questions

When you are interviewing for an Information Technology (IT) job, you will be asked focused and specific technical questions about your education, skills, certifications, languages and tools you have expertise in.

The best approach when answering is to give specific examples whenever possible. Providing details and experience will tell the interviewer that you have handled projects and situations in the past, deeming you more qualified for the job.

Here are some of the questions you may come across with in an interview. Review this list and prepare your responses based on your qualifications and the nature of the job.

• What are your technical certifications?
• How do you maintain your certifications?
• What development tools have you used?
• Which all programming languages have you worked in?
• How do you handle multiple deadlines?
• How do you troubleshoot IT issues?
• Tell me about the most recent project you worked on. What were your responsibilities?
• Tell me about the project you are most proud of, and what your contribution was.
• What is the biggest IT challenge you have faced and how did you handle it?
• If you know you aren't going to make a project deadline what will you tell your manager and/or the client?

These are just a few, but most common, of the questions that might be asked. They are enough to give you an idea of what to expect during an interview, but do keep in mind that different positions and companies have different requirements, so questions will vary. But your answers should reflect that you are well-experienced and well-informed about the position that they are looking for.

When preparing for a technical interview, you should review basic structures and algorithms within programming. Mastery of these topics will give you necessary knowledge to tackle the problems during the technical interview. Also, review the specific areas for which you're interviewing. E.g. if you're interviewing for a systems programming job, review the differences between threads and processes, OS scheduling algorithms, and memory allocation. Some companies do publish their technical interview questions either on blogs or on their websites. Do spend time in researching on questions asked by a specific employer for the position you are applying for.

If possible, make it a point to carry documentation of any project that you have worked for. This will give the interviewer a better idea about your skills and talents. However, the basic premise of such interview questions is searching for a person who is technically adept as well as professionally good to get along; a managerial attitude is much preferred.

Demonstrate your interest in the position, your drive to excel in the role and the fact that you have done some homework. Ultimately, the more prepared you are for what you will encounter, the more successful you will be. 

Register at TheGongzuo.com today for free. Apply to your desired open position, shine in an interview and get hired by your dream organization!