Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employee

Amazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeAmazon Alexa sent a womans private conversation to employeeYou may want to think twice about having sensitive conversations in front of your Alexa. The smart speaker may have a mind of its own. A woman in Portland, Oregon, said she feels invaded after zu sich voice-controlled Amazon Echo sent a private conversation with zu sich husband to her husbands employee without her knowledge.Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust itMy husband and I would joke and say, Id bet these devices are listening to what were saying, a woman who only identified herself by her first name, Danielle, told Seattle-based news station KIRO 7.According to Danielle, she got a call one day from her husbands employee, who warned her to Unplug your Alexa devices right now, she said. Youre being hacked, she welches told.The employee, who lived 76 miles away in Seattle, had received an audio recording of a private conversation betwee n the couple abouthardwood floors.Before the incident, Danielle had Amazon Echo devices in every room of her home to control heat, lights, and the house security system. But after what happened, she does not want to outsource these tasks to a mind she does not feel she can fully control. A talk about home improvement is one thing - but what if it had been a more embarrassing, intimate conversation?I felt invaded, Danielle said. A total privacy invasion. Immediately I said, Im never plugging that device in again, because I cant trust it. Alexa is the voice-powered assistant that lives inside Amazon Echo devices. When it hears its programmed name, which is typically Alexa, it will start listening in, waiting for your request, such as, Alexa, call my assistant. According to Amazon, Danielle was not hacked. Alexa just misheard her request. Amazon said in a statement thatEcho woke up due to a word in background conversation sounding like Alexa, and the next conversation was heard as sen d message. Then, when Alexa said out loud, To whom?, the device interpreted the background conversation as a name in the customers contact list. Alexa then responded, Contact name, right? Alexa again interpreted the background conversation as, Right.Alexa had wrongly interpreted words in the couples talk as a command.Amazon said this was an extremely rare occurrence that it was taking steps to make sure would not happen again.But for those of us who do not want to put our trust in a device that can broadcast our private conversations to our employees, an extremely rare occurrence may not be rare enough.

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge It

Most Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItMost Dangerous Job Interview Question & How to Dodge ItYouve almost made it. Youre in the final stages of the interviewing process, sitting across from the rolle who could be your next boss, and then comes the zinger, the most dangerous question of them all How much did you make at your last job? Negotiation experts will typically advise you to dodge the question at all costs. But new research from PayScale shows that for half the population, thats the wrong move. When a woman is asked about her salary history and refuses to disclose, she earns 1.8 percent less than a woman who offers up the numbers. When a man is asked and declines, however, he gets paid 1.2 percent mora. Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy for PayScale admits the finding threw her for a loop Weve always offered ways to disengage from that question Im super excited about this opportunity, and Im open to discussing a competitive offer. Giving women th is advice- maybe it wasnt the right advice? Maybe leid.The good news is that, as employment-and-labor-news junkies likely already know, the salary history question is on its way out of bounds in a handful of cities and states. Massachusetts, Philadelphia, New York City, and, most recently, San Franciscohave made it illegal for employers to ask for a candidates salary history in hopes that it will continue to close the pay gap. Until this goes into full effect- and becomes widespread- heres what you should do. First, Know the Jobs Value, and Then How You Add to It Before you apply for any job, separate yourself from the position and research its market value. Katie Donovan, negotiation expert and founder of equalpaynegotiations.com, suggests Its not what youre worth, its what the jobs worth. We act like its some crazy idea for a job to have a value. Its like a house, it has a market value, and it changes when there are too many and too few available. Once you know the jobs value, then start thinking about howyour skills and experience add to it. Use sites likeGlassdoor,PayScale, andFairygodboss to hone your numbers. Dont anchor yourself to your previous salary. The market could have changed since you were last hired. Frank says Its really important to discuss the value of the position- not the value your last employer placed on your skills. Understand where youre going company-wise, industry-wise, and the actual location. All of these should factor into expected compensation. Applying Online Zero It Out, and Never Lie When applying online, if you can skip the salary question, skip it. If its a required field, then try entering zeroes across the board. Donovan advises More often than not, that will take care of the requirement, but whatever you do, dont lie. People like to inflate, and its a risk. If they find out you lied, thats cause to rescind a job offer. If the form doesnt allow you to zero it out, then tell the truth. If and when you get to the int erviewing process, Frank suggests saying something along the lines of Based on our discussions- or descriptions for this position- I think the range should start here- do you agree? Shift discussion away from your personal salary history by talking about the research that got you to your numbers in the first place. Use Recruiters and Headhunters as Allies These same rules apply when youre talking to recruiters and headhunters, as well as prospective employers. Recruiters can be in-house or agency-based, and while they serve as intermediaries between you and the company, keep in mind theyre not always a reflection of the company itself, says Frank. You want to get as much information from a recruiter as you give out.So, ask about the company, the position, the benefits package, and specific salary guidelines theyve been given, so you can better gauge the number you should expect to hear. If he or she is aggressive about getting your number, again, you can say something like This is what I was making, and I dont think its current market value for my position. It is more what Im thinking For the headhunters you reach out to, consider them more as your advocates and be as honest as possible. It is where you say I know Im a woman, and I want this job to be paid appropriately and with parity. Help me, guide me, and make this as equitable as possible. Im making $80,000, and I should be making $100,000- how do we address the fact that Im underpaid? Before Offering Numbers, Boomerang the Question Now, lets say youre in the interview with a potential employer and the question is asked. Before taking a shot, put the ball back in their court. Rachel Bitte, chief officer for Jobvite, suggests Just because youre asked the question, dont hesitate to boomerang it. You know the position, the company, and youre getting to know me as a person- what are you thinking? Id rather the employer say a number before you start talking what youre going to make. Unless youve seen w hat the budget is, youre going to underestimate. If Necessary, Hit the Pause Button Even though you want to avoid saying a number first, dont leave the compensation discussion until the end. You dont want to go through the entire interviewing process to find there isnt going to be a match. Its a waste of everyones time. However, if you think youre nearing the number you want to hear, but you need a little more time to seal the deal, then take a pause, says Bitte If you find yourself across the table, and you dont think its going to be fruitful- you two are not going to be able to meet in the middle or sign on a napkin- dont ever hesitate to say This is a really important decision, were both excited, and I want to be thoughtful about this. I want to come back to you and make this work. We can talk about this tomorrow. This move can buy you time to go over expectations, criteria and practice what youre going to say. It also sets up the conversation to be over the phone Sometimes p eople are better negotiating on the phone with a script and data- youre able to hide the sweat. Thats advice Ive leveraged and advice for women in general- its good for the pleasers in us. When someone asks me a question, I think Im supposed to have an answer. Just because someone asks you that question, you dont have to answer it immediately.

How to Do a Job Analysis

How to Do a Job AnalysisHow to Do a Job AnalysisA job analysis is a process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together ajob description, which is the frequent output result of the job analysis. If you miss critical information, you could end up notlage paying an employee correctly, thus fostering employee discontent or hiring someone who lacks an essential skill needed for performing the job. The job analysis pares the responsibilities of a job down to the core functions necessary to successfully perform the job. Thejob analysis is useful in providing an overview of the fundamental requirements of any position. Additional outcomes of a job analysis include making employee recruiting and hiring plans, position postings and advertisements, andperformance development planningwithin your performance management system. The job analysis is a mobilfunk telefon tool that you can use to populate any of these processes for employment success. How to Perform a Job Analysis Certain activities will help you create a successful job analysis. The job analysis may include the following activities 1. Reviewing the job responsibilities of current employees.It is critical that you ask the actual employees who are doing the job what they do every day on the job. Frequently, HR and management (especially senior management) have no idea what encompasses the day to day functions of any particular job. They may see the outputbut they have no idea what work actions and behaviors go into the employee producing it. If youre asked to list your current responsibilities for a job analysis, be thorough with the information you provide. Dont just say you produce monthly reports. Say, that you gather the data from six different departments, check the data for accuracy using a custom designed Access tool that I created and maintain, and etc, etc, etc. I f you leave off the details, they may think that your report is generated by a button that you push once a month to produce. Make certain that you have described your daily duties in sufficient detail so that your organization is able to hire a qualified new employee who has the capacity to do the job correctly. 2. Doing internet research and viewing samplejob descriptionsonline or offline highlighting similar jobs. While you never want to copy another companys job description, looking at several is helpful in writing your own job descriptions. You can find sample job descriptions by searching for Job Title Sample Description or you can look at job postings for positions companies are currently hiring. You can also look at LinkedIn to see how people describe their accomplishments in a job. You can also see the job descriptions that are listed on such sites as Salary.com. All of this searching can help you figure out how to word the job analysis and help remind you of tasks and respo nsibilities that you may have forgotten. 3. Analyzing the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that the employee filling the position needs to accomplish. Not every job within a company is optimized. You may find duties that are undone or projects that you should move from one department to another. You may discover tasks that another job would more successfully and easily accomplish. When youre doing a job analysis, make aya you look at the needs of the company and at any unassigned or illogical responsibility. Then, work with management to add the proper tasks to the proper job analysis. 4. Researching and sharing with other companies that have similar jobs. Sometimes companies will happily share information about their job descriptions. There are also salary survey companies, where you can match up your jobs to their descriptions and share salary information. But, they can also help you figure out what to include in your own job descriptions. 5. Articulatethe most important o utcomes or contributions needed from the position.Sometimes you get so caught up in the tasks that you forgot to look at the needed outcomes. For instance, if its the report that is needed, all the gathering and auditing of data is worthless without the final analysis and report. Sometimes, you can identify holes in your organization and figure out a way to fill them by doing job analyses. Tasks are not assigned to any employee that need to be done, for example. Or, one job has more tasks than any one person could accomplish. The more information you can gather, the easier you will find theactual writing of the job description. You dont need to worry about pretty language. You want a functional job description more than anything else. Make sure it is clear and concise. Ask yourself, If somebody else read this, would they know what the person in this position actually does? Bottom Line Dont put off writing job descriptions. You will find them invaluable when you look at salary an d compensation when hiring and promoting, and when evaluating whether or not a job meets the qualifications for exemption from overtime. They are an effective communication tool to use with employees so your expectations are clear.

How to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key Tips

How to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key TipsHow to Customize Your Cover Letter 3 Key Tips0Cover letters can be a very daunting parte of the job search process. Gone are the days of simple paper applications that you gave directly to a hiring manager who would phone you for an interview. The job market today has landseen an increase in how technology is used to weed out and hone in on specific types of employees and skill sets. One of the most important pieces of this is the dreaded cover letter.I have talked to hundreds of job seekers through my sttte with and one of the most common complaints I hear is, Im not hearing back from employers. My follow-up question is, How is your cover letter? Most people respond that they have a general cover letter that they send out with their resume or they dont believe in cover letters. The truth is, your cover letter can make the difference between securing an interview with the company of your dreams and being put into a file of people that the company will not be pursing for employment. So how do you write a great cover letter?Here are 3 tips to customize your cover letter.Research the company.Knowing who you will be working for is an important piece of customizing a cover letter. Employers are proud of the company they work for and want employees who are also excited to be a part of the team. Researching unique facts or practices about the company can show an employer that not only do you like the work youd be doing, but their values or community involvement are nicely tailored to your values. You can also use a portion of your cover letter to discuss why their industry or product makes a positive impact on the world and how youd like to be involved in continuing their mission statement with your employment.Tailor your qualifications to the job.Some employers will separate your cover letter from your resume and have different hiring managers look at the different pieces. If you tailor your cover letter to discuss how you r past experience or education is perfect for their current opening, you can highlight both your personality and skill set. You dont want your cover letter to duplicate your resume, so taking specific parts of the job description and matching those to your previous experience can be a quick and clear way to show that you would be the perfect fit for the job.Talk about why you are passionate about the job.Every employer wants to see that their potential employees are dedicated to the company 110 percent. Your personality needs to shine through in your cover letter. Personality and fit can make the difference between two candidates with similar skills or experience. When you talk about your passions for the job, you really want to envision yourself doing the job to the best of your ability and communicate this to the employer. If you can see yourself as a perfect match, the employer is more likely to agree with you and will be intrigued to speak with you further about working with the ir company.Cover letters can be time-consuming and can certainly seem daunting, but the difference a great cover letter can make for an employer makes the tailoring worth it. It is very smart to have a scaffolding or skeletal cover letter that you can work these nuanced points into, but make sure to check over your cover letter for spelling and grammar and relevance before you send it off to the HR personnel. The most successful job candidates are those who take the time to write a cover letter that inspires employers to want to work with them.Readers, do you have tips on how to customize your cover letter?

Most popular jobs for graduates some with salaries near $100K

Most popular jobs for graduates some with salaries near $100KMost popular jobs for graduates some with salaries near $100KWhile new grads can learn a lot from commencement addresses like journalist Ronan Farrows, it turns out that they have a knack for going on to work in certain positions.LinkedIn released new research showing what jobs the Class of 2016-2017 scored, with the top one being a Software Engineer, boasting a hefty salary of $92,300.Here are some of the data points that stood out.New grads jobs and salariesLinkedIns research revealed the top 10 fruchtwein-applied-for job titles for people who graduated between 2016 and 2017.Software Engineer $92,300Investment Banking Analyst $85,000Marketing Coordinator $45,000Graphic Designer $45,000Assistant Media Planner $58,000Account Executive $60,000Business Analyst $70,000Recruiter $48,000Account Coordinator $40,000Administrative Assistant $38,000The most popular skills that new grads haveThese are the 10 most popular skills tha t employed 2017 graduates had.Microsoft OfficeCustomer ServiceLeadershipPublic SpeakingSocial MediaTeamworkTime ManagementResearchManagementEvent Planning

The Advantages of Logistics Resume

The Advantages of Logistics Resume Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Logistics Resume Is Wrong Resume writing isnt simple, and there are several unique opinions on how best to do it. When you opt to begin working with a report, project or an easy essay, the problems that you wish to describe need to be detected clearly. In the event that you or someone else you know is attempting to locate an organization job, afterward our assortment of govt Resume Templates wouldbe much more appropriate. By making some essential alterations and with a summary ansicht instead, the resume will have a far greater impact. Logistics Resume Just be certain that your profile is professional. Thus, theres no need to attempt to build one resume profile or write one particular profile title that fits every position you need to submit an application for. Thus dont have any fear if you experience an entry level Logistics resume. In the end, you ought not fret too much, as its expected that e ntry level resumes are likely to be a little lighter. Therefore, logistics managers have tons of responsibilities on their plate. With any task accessible, a logistics manager should take a look at what resources the provider already has, what they will want to accomplish their objectives. An excellent logistics manager will conduct an exhaustive analysis of all of the risks involved. A logistics manager as if you must be in a position to make sound decisions and do it FAST. Transportation jobs involve a great deal of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can take care of that. In addition, its possible for you to learn about logistics careers and search for logistics jobs on Monster. Logistics are integral to the majority of businesses. 1 Logistics means a lot of paperwork. Where to Find Logistics Resume Supply chain managers will need to guarantee quality at every step alongside directing the practice of procurement, production, and distribution. Som e logistics management software is intended to be configurable for different industries, while some are aimed toward specific industries. Experience can be a rather very good teacher in the logistics industry. Ensure you highlight technical wisdom and certifications. The health care industry can be quite competitive. Distinct kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with several of the exact same skills. Tools reparation providers control. Sometimes customers refuse the item at the right time of delivery, as theres no commitment to select the product. No matter your degree of work practical understanding, your resume structure is essential to making your application stick out. Still, its always worthwhile checking the websites of any organization you might be targeting. If youre searching to expand your understanding of specific software, youre able to learn on your own time utilizing zugreifbar tutorials through a service like Lynda.com. Management infor mation systems (MIS) are at the middle of everything we do, but you ought not be put off if you arent a techie. Take a look at the logistics manager sample resume below for more ideas on the way to create your very own compelling document. When youre writing a warehouse resume, here are a few important guidelines that you must know. Writing a strong application is a challenging procedure and we would like to make it simpler. For instance, the job may require someone with expert-level experience by means of a software program, which usually means you understand how to manipulate every function. Logistics Resume - What Is It? Since companies want to learn just what you provide beyond your work history, make sure to detail pertinent skills in a particular section. If you distributions-mix on your resume that you speak excellent French, once your experience is actually restricted to 8th grade lessons, you face the danger of interviewing with a person who spent a semester in Paris. Also, for those who have a resume without experience, now youve got some If do not have any particular experience, emphasize on your previous positions that showcase your attention and dependability. The 5-Minute Rule for Logistics Resume Therefore, before you begin writing your truck driver resume, there are many things you must understand to ensure avoiding any mistakes and gaining your fantasy job in the very first go. Many people decide to leave off the objective, but should you add one, make certain to tailor it to each job. Anyone can get a security guard job. Some stability guard jobs require you have some sort of instruction which may be enough to aid you in receiving the foot at your doorway. Quite an easy means to demonstrate a hiring manager that youre not just searching for any job but wish to specifically do the job for their company is to target your resume to each specific company youre trying to land a job with. A truck driver resume sample can help you in ap plying for the place of a truck driver with the industrial transport businesses. Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that will allow you to get your fantasy job.

Bridging the Skills Gap - Spark Hire

Bridging the Skills Gap - Spark HireIn todays working world, the skills eu-agrarpolitik is a major concern for employers. Essentially, the skills gap refers to the difference between the skills required for a job and those possessed by the applicant. Companies are facing an incoming workforce that does notlage have the skills necessary to take the reins from those employees before them. Further, companies are finding it difficult to equip new employees with the necessary skills.The skills gap is occurring for any number of reasons. Frederick Brookhouse, the business and education partnership manager at Snap-on, says that the gap might begin during early education, when children begin seeking what they want to be when they grow up. Snap-on, a manufacturer of tools, equipment, and systems solutions, feels the gap most when they are trying to fill their technical positions. Brookhouse suggests that from an early age, parents are discouraging their childrens interest in a technical trade , favoring other careers, such as one in the medical field, widening the gap in candidatess technical skills.Others say the gap has been caused by education itself.Adam Wiedmer, sourcing director at Seven Step RPO, a professional services corporation, points out the inequality between the degrees being received by students and the in-demand industries currently scouring the market for skilled job seekers Psychology, history, and performing arts account for 22 percent of degrees earned in the U.S., but the corresponding professions dont appear in any top rankings for labor demand. Of the top majors granted in the U.S., only 5 percent fall within the high-demand areas of engineering and technology.So, how are companies going about conquering the skills gap? A number of different approaches have been tried, and many mora are being suggested.Brookhouse suggests that companies need to actively collaborate with higher education institutions. This way, companies like Snap-on can communicat e to the powers at colleges exactly the kind of skills they are looking for in future candidates. Colleges interested in helping their students become employed upon completing their degrees are likely to, or should, listen.The state of Maine has taken another approach. Both government and non-governmental organizations have taken it upon themselves to help current college students and those wishing to complete degrees in order to improve their skills. A piece of proposed legislation supports creating at the Maine Community College System new degree programs in high-demand, high-wage sectors, and establishing a scholarship program in the University of Maine System to help adults with prior educational credits return to the university to complete their degrees. The goal is to help as many people as possible achieve post-secondary education so that those jobs requiring a degreewhich are rapidly increasing in numbercan be filled.The onus for creating a highly skilled workforce also fall s to employers. Tracy McCarthy, Chief Human Resource Officer of SilkRoad, says that companies should challenge the status quo of their current program for new hires and assess the training that they offer both new and current employees. If employees can be found with the aptitude for a certain position, the company can turn their basic skills into the necessary skills to do the job well.All of these suggestions, however, do not mean that there is not responsibility left to the employee. As individuals who want to be hired into good positions, they should own the education they need to get there. Once in a job, they should own the process of personal development that will help them move up the ladder and increase their skills.The skills gap is not likely to go away soon, but educational institutions, employers, and employees all have a responsibility to begin closing it in order for everyone to look towards a brighter future.What are you and your organization doing to bridge the skil ls gap? Leave us a comment below.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr bypaul bica