Wishing all a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
From: black-Peak Technology, Inc.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Signs of Improving U.S. Job Market
Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- More than five years into the economic expansion, the signs that economists look for to herald the pickup in pay that has long eluded American workers are starting to emerge.
Wages and salaries climbed last quarter by the most since 2008 as a dwindling number of unemployed per job opening approached a tipping point. Amid rising profits and sales per employee, some companies have a cushion to boost compensation.
Evidence of a rebound in employee earnings is appearing in certain industries and regions, including Texas and North Dakota, that are riding the energy boom and the strengthening homebuilding market in the U.S. Southeast. While plenty of slack remains in the economy, raises are likely to filter to other areas as job creation whittles away at U.S. unemployment.
Wages and salaries climbed last quarter by the most since 2008 as a dwindling number of unemployed per job opening approached a tipping point. Amid rising profits and sales per employee, some companies have a cushion to boost compensation.
Evidence of a rebound in employee earnings is appearing in certain industries and regions, including Texas and North Dakota, that are riding the energy boom and the strengthening homebuilding market in the U.S. Southeast. While plenty of slack remains in the economy, raises are likely to filter to other areas as job creation whittles away at U.S. unemployment.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
New Airplane Passenger Screening
A new method of screening airplane passengers for signs they may be dangerous is 20 times more successful at catching deceptive passengers than the screening method traditionally used in the U.S. and other countries, a new study suggests.
The new method is based on asking passengers open-ended, conversational questions, whereas traditional screening methods focus on observing people's body language.
In the study, which was funded in part by the British government, 204 mock airplane passengers — including acting students and undercover police detectives — were given cover stories, and asked to attempt to deceive security agents in real airport screenings in Europe. As an extra incentive, the mock passengers were given money if they successfully avoided detection by the security agents.
Trained security agents who used the new, conversation-based screening method successfully detected 66 percent of the mock passengers. On the other hand, security agents looking for signs of suspicious body language — such as lack of eye contact and fidgeting — detected just 3 percent of mock passengers. [5 Cool New ID Technologies]
The latter method is widely used in airports in the United States and the United Kingdom, even though it has not been proven effective in real-life settings, the researchers said.
In the new method, called Controlled Cognitive Engagement (CCE), security agents engage in an informal conversation with passengers, asking them open-ended questions. Based on the passenger's responses, the agent asks questions seeking information that the passenger should know if his or her account is true.
But the agents are not necessarily interested in the accuracy of the passenger's responses — rather, they are looking for changes in the passenger's behavior, such as increasingly shorter responses, or evasive or erratic responses, the researchers said.
For example, the agent might ask the passenger about the people that person is visiting, and how long it takes to get to the airport from where the individual lives.
The new method is based on asking passengers open-ended, conversational questions, whereas traditional screening methods focus on observing people's body language.
In the study, which was funded in part by the British government, 204 mock airplane passengers — including acting students and undercover police detectives — were given cover stories, and asked to attempt to deceive security agents in real airport screenings in Europe. As an extra incentive, the mock passengers were given money if they successfully avoided detection by the security agents.
Trained security agents who used the new, conversation-based screening method successfully detected 66 percent of the mock passengers. On the other hand, security agents looking for signs of suspicious body language — such as lack of eye contact and fidgeting — detected just 3 percent of mock passengers. [5 Cool New ID Technologies]
The latter method is widely used in airports in the United States and the United Kingdom, even though it has not been proven effective in real-life settings, the researchers said.
In the new method, called Controlled Cognitive Engagement (CCE), security agents engage in an informal conversation with passengers, asking them open-ended questions. Based on the passenger's responses, the agent asks questions seeking information that the passenger should know if his or her account is true.
But the agents are not necessarily interested in the accuracy of the passenger's responses — rather, they are looking for changes in the passenger's behavior, such as increasingly shorter responses, or evasive or erratic responses, the researchers said.
For example, the agent might ask the passenger about the people that person is visiting, and how long it takes to get to the airport from where the individual lives.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
The 10 Best Jobs - Pay Raises & Growth - 2014
10. Astronomers
Average annual salary: $110,450
One-year opportunity growth: -18.0%
One-year salary growth: +14.5%
9. Law Professors
Average annual salary: $105,080
One-year opportunity growth: +2.2%
One-year salary growth: +5.1%
8. Genetic Counselors
Average annual salary: $63,590
One-year opportunity growth: -1.0%
One-year salary growth: +12.0%
7. Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
Average annual salary: $101,350
One-year opportunity growth: +9.0%
One-year salary growth: +3.0%
6. Pediatricians
Average annual salary: $157,610
One-year opportunity growth: +1.1%
One-year salary growth: +1.9%
5. Personal Financial Advisors
Average annual salary: $75,320
One-year opportunity growth: +4.6%
One-year salary growth: +11.6%
4. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Average annual salary: $51,010
One-year opportunity growth: +12.7%
One-year salary growth: +11.1%
3. Dentists
Average annual salary: $163,450
One-year opportunity growth: +1.0%
One-year salary growth: +5.5%
2. Psychiatrists
Average annual salary: $178,950
One-year opportunity growth: +3.4%
One-year salary growth: +3.2%
1. Family and General Practitioners
Average annual salary: $176,530
One-year opportunity growth: +9.8%
One-year salary growth: +2.6%
Average annual salary: $110,450
One-year opportunity growth: -18.0%
One-year salary growth: +14.5%
9. Law Professors
Average annual salary: $105,080
One-year opportunity growth: +2.2%
One-year salary growth: +5.1%
8. Genetic Counselors
Average annual salary: $63,590
One-year opportunity growth: -1.0%
One-year salary growth: +12.0%
7. Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
Average annual salary: $101,350
One-year opportunity growth: +9.0%
One-year salary growth: +3.0%
6. Pediatricians
Average annual salary: $157,610
One-year opportunity growth: +1.1%
One-year salary growth: +1.9%
5. Personal Financial Advisors
Average annual salary: $75,320
One-year opportunity growth: +4.6%
One-year salary growth: +11.6%
4. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Average annual salary: $51,010
One-year opportunity growth: +12.7%
One-year salary growth: +11.1%
3. Dentists
Average annual salary: $163,450
One-year opportunity growth: +1.0%
One-year salary growth: +5.5%
2. Psychiatrists
Average annual salary: $178,950
One-year opportunity growth: +3.4%
One-year salary growth: +3.2%
1. Family and General Practitioners
Average annual salary: $176,530
One-year opportunity growth: +9.8%
One-year salary growth: +2.6%
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Quote of the month....
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
-Confucius
-Confucius
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
The "rules" of a new job....
When you’re new to a job, you’re subject to a whole different set of rules than you are once you’ve been there longer. Actions that might go unnoticed six months down the road can raise concerns about your work ethic, reliability and judgment. Here are eight things that you shouldn’t do when you’re new to the job – but might be OK to do later.
1. Asking for vacation time during your first few months.
In most cases, taking time off soon after starting a job will raise eyebrows. Exceptions to this are if a close family member is seriously ill or if you cleared the time off before accepting the job.
2. Complaining to your co-workers about your new boss.
Frankly, it’s not great to complain to your co-workers about your boss no matter how long you’re been at your job – but when you’re new, it comes across as especially tone-deaf.
3. Bad-mouthing your old job or old boss.
Once they know you better, your new co-workers might be thrilled to hear your war stories about your crazy former boss or your nightmare cubicle-mate at your old job. But if you share that stuff when you’re new, you’ll just come across as someone willing to bad-mouth colleagues.
4. Taking long lunches before you know the lunch culture of your new workplace.
This sometimes trips up people coming from a workplace where hour long lunches were the norm and are moving to an office where people take half an hour or simply eat at their desks. When you’re starting a new job, it’s smart to observe the lunch culture for a few days until you have a feel for your new office’s norms.
5. Pushing the envelope on business expenses.
As the new guy, there’s no faster way to torpedo your reputation than asking to stay at a more expensive hotel during business travel or rent a nicer car.
6. Using bawdy humor.
It might never be OK to do this in your workplace, but there are certainly some offices that have a higher tolerance for risqué humor than others. Wait until you have a much better feel for your new office’s culture before breaking out even borderline jokes. Even then always proceed with caution.
7. Spending time on Facebook or other social sites.
Once you’ve proven yourself as someone who works hard and produces high-quality work, it might be entirely fine to take the occasional Facebook break. But when you’re new on the job, being spotted on time-wasting sites is likely to make your co-workers – and especially your manager – worry about your work ethic. This behavior may not be acceptable later either, it’s always good to ask co-workers or watch their behavior before logging on.
8. Calling in sick during your first month, unless it’s truly dire.
Rightly or wrongly, if you call in sick while you’re new on the job, your manager is likely to worry that it’s going to be the start of pattern and that you’re not reliable.
1. Asking for vacation time during your first few months.
In most cases, taking time off soon after starting a job will raise eyebrows. Exceptions to this are if a close family member is seriously ill or if you cleared the time off before accepting the job.
2. Complaining to your co-workers about your new boss.
Frankly, it’s not great to complain to your co-workers about your boss no matter how long you’re been at your job – but when you’re new, it comes across as especially tone-deaf.
3. Bad-mouthing your old job or old boss.
Once they know you better, your new co-workers might be thrilled to hear your war stories about your crazy former boss or your nightmare cubicle-mate at your old job. But if you share that stuff when you’re new, you’ll just come across as someone willing to bad-mouth colleagues.
4. Taking long lunches before you know the lunch culture of your new workplace.
This sometimes trips up people coming from a workplace where hour long lunches were the norm and are moving to an office where people take half an hour or simply eat at their desks. When you’re starting a new job, it’s smart to observe the lunch culture for a few days until you have a feel for your new office’s norms.
5. Pushing the envelope on business expenses.
As the new guy, there’s no faster way to torpedo your reputation than asking to stay at a more expensive hotel during business travel or rent a nicer car.
6. Using bawdy humor.
It might never be OK to do this in your workplace, but there are certainly some offices that have a higher tolerance for risqué humor than others. Wait until you have a much better feel for your new office’s culture before breaking out even borderline jokes. Even then always proceed with caution.
7. Spending time on Facebook or other social sites.
Once you’ve proven yourself as someone who works hard and produces high-quality work, it might be entirely fine to take the occasional Facebook break. But when you’re new on the job, being spotted on time-wasting sites is likely to make your co-workers – and especially your manager – worry about your work ethic. This behavior may not be acceptable later either, it’s always good to ask co-workers or watch their behavior before logging on.
8. Calling in sick during your first month, unless it’s truly dire.
Rightly or wrongly, if you call in sick while you’re new on the job, your manager is likely to worry that it’s going to be the start of pattern and that you’re not reliable.
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