6 C's for More Efficient IT In 2015

There’s no getting away from the inevitable round of IT predictions that mark the end of every year. Just about every research company and IT vendor has its own list — and 451 Research is no exception.
This time it comes in the shape of 6 C’s for 2015 that cover a range of issues from content management to containers to cloud and crowd working. Combined, they envisage a year that will see workers using more agile IT, largely through cloud and converged platforms. These same workers will also be more mobile and disassociated from the enterprise.

A Look at the List

The common theme running through each prediction is agile and efficient IT, with a very big E.
Since predictions this time of year are almost endless, we should be able to identify a number of trends and perhaps hone in on ones destined for reality in the coming year.
Only last week, IDC published its list of emerging IT trends for the coming year. And guess what? They are mostly repeated in this 451 Research list. Here are 451 Research’s predictions and, like something out of Sesame Street, they come to you beginning with the letter C.

1. Containers

451 Research predicts IT departments will start using Docker and containerization technology over the year to such a point that it will disrupt IT departments at least through the end of next year.
The Docker website describes it as an open platform for developers and systems administrators to build, ship, and run distributed applications. It comes with Docker Engine, a portable, lightweight runtime and packaging tool, and Docker Hub, a cloud service for sharing applications and automating workflows. The result is that IT will be able to ship the same app on laptops, data centers, laptops, virtual machines and cloud platforms.
451 analysts believe Docker will be adopted by large enterprises to work alongside, as well as replace, traditional VMs because of its management and efficiency advantages. Docker has not yet achieved parity with traditional VMs in some critical areas, including integration and security, and a large number of vendors are rapidly addressing this.

2. Convergence

Technology and platform convergence will be one of the big flavors of next year, particularly hyper-convergence, which has exploded in recent years and will start showing the first signs of widespread adoption in 2015. A hyper-converged infrastructure tightly integrates storage, compute, networking and server virtualization resources in the same box.
451 Research thinks enterprises are being attracted to these kinds of infrastructures because of improved efficiencies from integrating computing, storage and networking while, vendors use it to differentiate product offerings in the face of commodification. The larger question is whether either of these expectations can be realized and what the move to new product categories means for the IT marketplace.

3. Cloud Security

According to 451 Research, security spending is up again. The security space itself will be marked by mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, venture capital and private equity at a level of activity that is higher than it ever has. 451 Research points out that security is, to a large extent, reactive with new tools emerging as new IT, software and architecture emerge, but two years slower than other IT developments.
Not only are new security products matching IT developments and widespread vulnerabilities, but they’re also all claiming to be complementary to the existing security. The result is many more security layers that are a lot more efficient at protecting infrastructure than they have been to date.

4. Closets

Demand for more effective and efficient data processing continues, but there are still many technical and commercial constraints involved in accessing, or delivering, data over wide area and public networks. One of the possible solutions to this is the development of micro-modular data centers that can process and store data near the point of use and which are offered as complete, self-contained products.
These micro modular data centers include IT capabilities including processing, storage and connectivity functions, coupled with the supporting infrastructure.

5. Crowd Workers

With the rise of mobile, the way people are working is changing at a faster pace than companies’ abilities to effectively manage that change. Human resources systems that were developed to manage on-premises work forces are starting to buckle under the strain created by the development and multiplicity of working structures.
The disconnect will be aggravated over the year as workers become increasingly mobile and work remotely. This will impact processes like on-boarding and off-boarding, corporate communications, and task tracking. Next year will be dominated by this and enterprises’ attempted to deal with it.

10 Common Mistakes Java Developers Make when Writing SQL

Java developers mix object-oriented thinking with imperative thinking, depending on their levels of:

• Skill (anyone can code imperatively)
• Dogma (some use the “Pattern-Pattern”, i.e. the pattern of applying patterns everywhere and giving them names)
• Mood (true OO is more clumsy to write than imperative code. At first)

But when Java developers write SQL, everything changes. SQL is a declarative language that has nothing to do with either object-oriented or imperative thinking. It is very easy to express a query in SQL. It is not so easy to express it optimally or correctly. Not only do developers need to re-think their programming paradigm, they also need to think in terms of set theory.
Here are common mistakes that a Java developer makes when writing SQL through JDBC or jOOQ (in no particular order). For 10 More Common Mistakes,

Here are common mistakes that a Java developer makes when writing SQL (in no particular order):

1. Forgetting about NULL

Misunderstanding NULL is probably the biggest mistake a Java developer can make when writing SQL. This is also (but not exclusively) due to the fact that NULL is also called UNKNOWN. If it were only called UNKNOWN, it would be easier to understand. Another reason is that JDBC maps SQL NULL to Java null when fetching data or when binding variables. This may lead to thinking that NULL = NULL (SQL) would behave the same way as null == null (Java)
One of the crazier examples of misunderstanding NULL is when NULL predicates are used with row value expressions.
Another, subtle problem appears when misunderstanding the meaning of NULL in NOT IN anti-joins.
The Cure:
Train yourself. There’s nothing but explicitly thinking about NULL, every time you write SQL:

• Is this predicate correct with respect to NULL?
• Does NULL affect the result of this function?

2. Processing data in Java memory

Few Java developers know SQL very well. The occasional JOIN, the odd UNION, fine. But window functions? Grouping sets? A lot of Java developers load SQL data into memory, transform the data into some appropriate collection type, execute nasty maths on that collection with verbose loop structures (at least, before Java 8’s Collection improvements).
But some SQL databases support advanced (and SQL standard!) OLAP features that tend to perform a lot better and are much easier to write. A (non-standard) example is Oracle’s awesome MODEL clause. Just let the database do the processing and fetch only the results into Java memory. Because after all some very smart guys have optimised these expensive products. So in fact, by moving OLAP to the database, you gain two things:

• Simplicity. It’s probably easier to write correctly in SQL than in Java
• Performance. The database will probably be faster than your algorithm. And more importantly, you don’t have to transmit millions of records over the wire.

The Cure:
Every time you implement a data-centric algorithm in Java, ask yourself: Is there a way to let the database perform that work for me?

3. Using UNION instead of UNION ALL

It’s a shame that UNION ALL needs an extra keyword compared to UNION. It would be much better if the SQL standard had been defined to support:

• UNION (allowing duplicates)
• UNION DISTINCT (removing duplicates)

Not only is the removal of duplicates rarely needed (or sometimes even wrong), it is also quite slow for large result sets with many columns, as the two subselects need to be ordered, and each tuple needs to be compared with its subsequent tuple.
Note that even if the SQL standard specifies INTERSECT ALL and EXCEPT ALL, hardly any database implements these less useful set operations.
The Cure:
Every time you write a UNION, think if you actually wanted to write UNION ALL.

4. Using JDBC Pagination to paginate large results

Most databases support some way of paginating ordered results through LIMIT .. OFFSET, TOP .. START AT, OFFSET .. FETCH clauses. In the absence of support for these clauses, there is still the possibility for ROWNUM (Oracle) or ROW_NUMBER() OVER() filtering (DB2, SQL Server 2008 and less), which is much faster than pagination in memory. This is specifically true for large offsets!
The Cure:
Just use those clauses, or a tool (such as jOOQ) that can simulate those clauses for you.

5. Joining data in Java memory

From early days of SQL, some developers still have an uneasy feeling when expressing JOINs in their SQL. There is an inherent fear of JOIN being slow. This can be true if a cost-based optimiser chooses to perform a nested loop, possibly loading complete tables into database memory, before creating a joined table source. But that happens rarely. With appropriate predicates, constraints and indexes, MERGE JOIN and HASH JOIN operations are extremely fast. It’s all about the correct metadata (I cannot cite Tom Kyte often enough for this). Nonetheless, there are probably still quite a few Java developers who will load two tables from separate queries into maps and join them in Java memory in one way or another.
The Cure:
If you’re selecting from various tables in various steps, think again to see if you cannot express your query in a single statement.

6. Using DISTINCT or UNION to remove duplicates from an accidental cartesian product

With heavy joining, one can loose track of all the relations that are playing a role in a SQL statement. Specifically, if multi-column foreign key relationships are involved, it is possible to forget to add the relevant predicates in JOIN .. ON clauses. This might result in duplicate records, but maybe only in exceptional cases. Some developers may then choose to use DISTINCT to remove those duplicates again. This is wrong in three ways:

• It (may) solve the symptoms but not the problem. It may as well not solve the symptoms in edge-cases.
• It is slow for large result sets with many columns. DISTINCT performs an ORDER BY operation to remove duplicates.
• It is slow for large cartesian products, which will still load lots of data into memory

The Cure:
As a rule of thumb, when you get unwanted duplicates, always review your JOIN predicates. There’s probably a subtle cartesian product in there somewhere.

7. Not using the MERGE statement

This isn’t really a mistake, but probably some lack of knowledge or some fear towards the powerful MERGE statement. Some databases know other forms of UPSERT statements, e.g. MySQL’s ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE clause. But MERGE is really so powerful, most importantly in databases that heavily extend the SQL standard, such as SQL Server.
The Cure:
If you’re UPSERTING by chaining INSERT and UPDATE or by chaining SELECT .. FOR UPDATE and then INSERT or UPDATE, think again. Apart from risking race conditions, you might be able to express a simpler MERGE statement.

8. Using aggregate functions instead of window functions

Before the introduction of window functions, the only means to aggregate data in SQL was by using a GROUP BY clause along with aggregate functions in the projection. This works well in many cases, and if aggregation data needed to be enriched with regular data, the grouped query can be pushed down into a joined subquery.
But SQL:2003 defined window functions, which are implemented by many popular database vendors. Window functions can aggregate data on result sets that are not grouped. In fact, each window function supports its own, independent PARTITION BY clause, which is an awesome tool for reporting.
Using window functions will:

• Lead to more readable SQL (less dedicated GROUP BY clauses in subqueries)
• Improve performance, as a RDBMS is likely to optimise window functions more easily

The Cure:
When you write a GROUP BY clause in a subquery, think again if this cannot be done with a window function.

9. Using in-memory sorting for sort indirections

The SQL ORDER BY clause supports many types of expressions, including CASE statements, which can be very useful for sort indirections. You should probably never sort data in Java memory because you think that

• SQL sorting is too slow
• SQL sorting cannot do it

The Cure:
If you sort any SQL data in memory, think again if you cannot push sorting into your database. This goes along well with pushing pagination into the database.

10. Inserting lots of records one by one

JDBC knows batching, and you should use it. Do not INSERT thousands of records one by one, re-creating a new PreparedStatement every time. If all of your records go to the same table, create a batch INSERT statement with a single SQL statement and multiple bind value sets. Depending on your database and database configuration, you may need to commit after a certain amount of inserted records, in order to keep the UNDO log slim.

A Look Into HTML6 – What Is It and What It Has to Offer?

HTML is a simple web development language that keeps on rolling out new versions, and has started working on its sixth revision. HTML5 the current revision of HTML is considered to be one of the most sought-after revisions, compared to all the previous HTML versions.

Let’s have an Overview of HTML5

HTML5 gave us some very exciting features like audio and video support, offline local storage, and most importantly ability to build mobile optimized websites. In addition, it gave us freedom from using type attribute from tags such as <link> and <script>. What’s more? It helped developers organize content in a more relevant manner using new tags like <article>, <section>, <header> etc. However, HTML5 is still in its development stage and isn’t a truly semantic markup.

Understanding the Concept of HTML6

Have you ever wondered if you could express tags? If you haven’t then, just imagine using tags like <logo></logo> for assigning a logo to your web page, or using tag <toolbar<</toolbar> and so on. Wouldn’t it be better if your could use the <div> tag without using multiple id’s such as a wrapper or container, and rather use <wrapper> or a <container> directly. Simply put, instead of using <div id='container'> you can simply use <container>. This is where HTML6 comes in.
HTML6 is sixth revision of HTML with namespaces that has structure like XML. XML namespaces will help you use the same tag without conflicting it with any other tag. For instance the one used in the XHTML DOCTYPE:

1	xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"

HTML6 will provide us the benefit to use tags that we want and won’t have to use only the defined tags.

Example of HTML6

01	<!DOCTYPE html>

02	<html:html>

03	<html:head>

04	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

05	<html:meta type="title" value="Page Title">

06	<html:meta type="description" value="HTML example with namespaces">

07	<html:link src="css/mainfile.css" title="Styles" type="text/css">

08	<html:link src="js/mainfile.js" title="Script" type="text/javascript">

09	</html:head>

10	<html:body>

11

<header>

12

<logo>

13	<html:media type="image" src="images/xyz.png">

14

</logo>

15

<nav>

16	<html:a href="/img1">a1</a>

17	<html:a href="/img2">a2</a>

18

</nav>

19

</header>

20

<content>

21

<article>

22	<h1>Heading of main article</h1>

23	<h2>Sub-heading of main article</h2>

24	<p>[...]</p>

25	<p>[...]</p>

26	</article>

27

<article>

28	<h1>The concept of HTML6</h1>

29	<h2>Understanding the basics</h2>

30	<p>[...]</p>

31	</article>

32	</content>

33

<footer>

34	<copyright>This site is &copy; to Anonymous 2014</copyright>

35

</footer>

36	</html:body>

37	</html:html>

Looking at the above HTML6 document you’ll see some odd <html:x> tags. Those odd tags are the namespaced elements that belong to the W3C and HTML6 spec, and will trigger browser events. For example, the <html:title> element will change the title bar of your browser and the <html:media> element will help make the defined image appear on your browser screen. The best part is that all these elements are specifically defined for users and don’t have anything to do with the browser. They’re nothing more than hooks for JavaScript and style sheet and helps to make your sample code more semantic.

HTML6 APIs

The HTML6 tags will have the namespace html like <html:html> or <html: head> etc. Let’s have a look at the each tag attributes used in the above HTML6 example document.

1. <html:html>

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>// this is equivalent to <html> tag written in previous HTML versions

3	<!-- sample of HTML document -->

4	</html:html>

2. <html:head>

This tag is equivalent to <head> tag. It’s purpose is to obtain data and scripts that tweaks how the content is displayed within the <html:body> tag.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<!-- Main content would come here, like the <html:title> tag -->

5	</html:head>

6	</html:html>

3. <html:title>

As the name implies, it will change the title of the HTML document, and is similar to the <title> tag used in earlier HTML versions. This tag is used by browsers for changing the title bar, favorites, etc.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	</html:head>

6	</html:html>

4. <html:meta>

This tag is somewhat different from the <meta> tag used in the latest HTML version. Using this HTML6 tag you can use any sort of meta data. And so, unlike HTML5 you won’t have to use the standard meta types in HTML6. It helps to accumulate information such as a webpage description, by storing content.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	<html:meta type="description" value="HTML example with namespaces">

6	</html:head>

7	</html:html>

5. <html:link>

This tag will help you link external documents and scripts (like CSS, JS etc.) to the HTML document. It’s similar to <link> tag used in HTML5. This tag includes following attributes:

• charset: "UTF-8" character encoding.
• href: It contains link to your source file.
• media: This defines the kind of device on which your item will run, for example, "Smartphone" or "tablet".
• type: The MIME type of the document.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	<html:link src="js/mainfile.js" title="Script" type="text/javascript">

6	</html:head>

7	</html:html>

6. <html:body>

This is just like the <body> tag that you’ve been using in the current HTML version. This is where all your website stuff like text, media and others are placed.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	</html:head>

6	<html:body>

7	<!-- This is where your website content is placed -->

8	</html:body>

9	</html:html>

7. <html:a>

This tag is similar to the <a> tag, and is used to represent a link to other web page. However, unlike the <a> tag, <html:a> takes only a single ‘href’ attribute, which directs the link to the page you need to visit.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	</html:head>

6	<html:body>

7	<html:a href="http://siteurl">Go to siteurl.com!</html:a>

8	</html:body>

9	</html:html>

8. <html:button>

This tag is equivalent to <button> tag or <input type="button"> used in the current and older HTML versions. This tag enables you to create a button to help a user perform some interaction on your site’s page. It has one attribute disabled.

1	<!DOCTYPE html>

2	<html:html>

3	<html:head>

4	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

5	</html:head>

6	<html:body>

7	<html:button>Click Here</html:button>

8	</html:body>

9	</html:html>

9. <html:media>

This tag wrap up all the <media> tags like <img>, <video>, <embed>, etc. By using <html:media> tag, you no longer have to specify a tag for each of the file type. The <html:media> tag you’re using will be executed by the browser based on the type attribute (if provided), or it will just make a guess on the basis of file extension, or by the ‘MIME type’.

01	<!DOCTYPE html>

02	<html:html>

03	<html:head>

04	<html:title>A Look Into HTML6</html:title>

05	</html:head>

06	<html:body>

07	<!-- Image would come here -->

08	<html:media src="img1/logo.jpg" type="image">

09	<!-- Video doesn't need a type -->

10	<html:media src="videos/slide.mov">

11	</html:body>

12	</html:html>

An Overview of Tag types

Similar to the current and previous HTML versions, HTML6 will also have two types of tags such as single tags and double tags. The single tags won’t be having any text content, and rather will only have attributes. For example:

1	<html:meta type="author" content="z13a">

2	<html:meta type="author" content="z13a" />

Compared to the double tag, you don’t need to close your single tag. Double tags have opening and closing tag, as they have some text content. But, in the case double tags don’t have any text based content, you can reduce it to the ‘self-closing single variant’. For example:

1	<html:link href="./a.html">Text based content</html:link>

2	<!-- This shortand... -->

3	<foo class="xyz" />

4	<!-- ...means in fact this: -->

5	<foo class="xyz"></foo>

Talent trends 2015: Hiring to go up; social recruiting rules

Passive Candidate Recruiting: India In Global Top 3
1.) Increase in Indian companies reaching out to passive candidates via proactive sourcing. India ranks 3rd (69%) compared to other countries in terms of hiring passive candidates.
2.) Companies in the US (83%) and China (72%) are most aggressively recruiting passive candidates.
3.) Globally, 75% of professionals consider themselves "passive" yet only 61% of companies consider recruiting passive talent.

     The Future Of Recruiting

1.) Global recruiting leaders agree that social and professional networks are the most essential and long-lasting trend in recruiting. Indian firms consider utilising social and professional network as the most (39%) essential and long-lasting trend in recruiting for professional roles, followed by boosting referral programme (31%) and upgrading employer brand (27%).
2.) Candidate and job matching could reshape the recruiting industry - Improved candidate and job matching (personality fit, culture fit, etc) will the most (58%) important role in shaping the recruiting industry for the next five to 10 years.

       

Research: 59 percent concerned IT skill set will become obsolete

Summary: The fear of obsolescence is driving many IT professionals to further their education and obtain new certifications, according to a Tech Pro Research survey on the future of IT jobs.
As technology grows more diverse and powerful it also grows more difficult to manage and balance. Many IT jobs are requiring a broader responsibility in terms of expertise and the number/type of skills needed.
Working in IT today requires an IT professional to be more of a generalist rather than a specialist in one discipline: the pressure is on to have a diverse knowledge set. This spells promise for IT pros who can leverage a broad skill set and move among groups or companies to exercise their talents. But it can also limit the career options of those who can't or don't keep moving.
Tech Pro Research conducted a global survey of 1,156 respondents to find out about the following issues:

• How are IT professionals responding to the current technology landscape?
• How are they managing their careers?
• What have they been working on?
• Where should they branch out to stay competitive?
• Where and why are they are expanding their technical and non-technical skill sets?
• How are they learning and who is arranging that?
• How are the new skill sets translating into hands-on work, and what percentage of their time is being allocated to these new areas?
• What level of demand are they seeing for their skills sets at the organizations? What about in the overall job market? What are recruiters and employers looking for in an IT professional?
• What do they expect to see down the road, both personally and within their industries?
• How are they planning to stay in IT, or are they moving (or being driven) into other fields or companies?

Fear of obsolescence

The report revealed that many people fear that their current IT skill set will become obsolete, with 59 percent of respondents employed in the IT industry reporting concern. A little more than one-third of respondents (34 percent) said they weren't concerned. The reasons for the lack of concern include working to prevent it by furthering their education, or planning to retire or otherwise end their career before becoming obsolescent.

The industry matters, too, with respondents in education reporting more concern (71 percent) than the average across all industries (59 percent). This ties in with how many expect less demand in the future for IT skills in the education field.

Plans to obtain additional degrees or certifications

To stave off obsolescence, many respondents are planning to obtain additional IT certifications or degrees, with 57 percent planning for IT certifications either within their current job role or outside of their current job role. Another 10 percent are looking toward adding a bachelor's or master's degree in IT, and a further 10 percent plan to get a non-technical degree such as an MBA.

Conclusion

The report stated, "The results of our survey refute the recent media reports on the possibility that IT jobs may disappear due to new technical advances. In fact, it's quite the contrary with the increased complexity breeding new opportunities and  furthering demand for skilled IT professionals. As things stand, the future of IT looks bright for both existing workers and newcomers, with some stipulations."

Cheap Tablets Aren't Just Crap, They're Dangerous

As you head to your local Walmart today for America's annual reenactment of The Hunger Games, here's a reminder that sucker-punching someone to get the last $50 tablet might not be the wisest course of action. For several reasons.

The main complaint that you hear against the kinds of cheap, Chinese no-brand tablets filling the aisles at Walmart is that they're terrible to use - and they are! But, it turns out that cheap tablets also tend to be riddled with security problems. Bluebox Labs, a security software firm, recently ran a test on a number of cheap tablets on sale at big-box stores. Unsurprisingly, they found security holes you could drive a small truck through.
A bunch of the tablets they tested had the malicious app protection - the setting that prevents you from installing apps from unknown sources - turned off by default. That makes it far more likely that the five-year-old you foist the tablet off to will download malware, and your credit card number will be gone before you can say 'suspicious charges from a Siberian minicab firm'.
The worrying discoveries don't stop there, either. A number of the tablets came rooted out of the box, making them more easily compromised by a lazy hacker; a couple were signed using a test signature for AOSP, a custom version of Android, which would make rolling out a malware-infected system upgrade easy; and Staples' $39 tablet even had some security features painstakingly removed for no good reason.
Then, of course, there's the programs that come pre-installed to ruin things. Bluebox didn't go into details, but claimed that a few tablets came installed with adware, or custom versions of Angry Birds that collect extra user data.
So, from a security perspective, it's fairly clear that cheap tablets are crap across the board. And it's not like there's any other redeeming features: cheapo crap tablets are - surprise! - universally slow, buggy, often don't have access to Google's app collections, never get updates, and are built with components that make an Etch-A-Sketch look premium. If you really want a tablet for $50, pick up a used Nexus 7 off eBay - or better, save up the extra hundred bucks and splurge on something that actually works. [Bluebox Labs]

19 Best Tips For Making A Fabulous Resume

While resumes should be tailored to the industry you're in, the one below offers a helpful guide for entry- and mid-level professionals with three to five years of relevant work experience.

 

A winning resume makes the difference between a potential employer wanting to meet you versus them hiring some other job candidate.

 

Here are 19 points that makes your resume best: 

1. Must includes a URL to the jobseeker's professional online profile.

If you don't include URLs to your professional online profiles, hiring managers will look you up regardless. Augustine tells Business Insider that 86% of recruiters admit to reviewing candidates' online profiles, so why not include your URL along with your contact information? This will prevent recruiters from having to guess or mistaking you for someone else.

2. Uses consistent branding.

"If you have a common name, consider including your middle initial on your resume and online professional profiles to differentiate yourself from the competition," says Augustine. For example, decide if you're Mike Johnson, Michael Johnson, or Mike E. Johnson. Then use this name consistently, be it on LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.

3. Includes a single phone number and email address.

"Choose one phone number for your resume where you control the voicemail message and who picks up the phone," she advises. The same rule applies to an email address.

4. It does not include an objective statement.

There's no point in including a generic objective about a "professional looking for opportunities that will allow me to leverage my skills," says Augustine. It's not helpful and distracting. Ditch it.

5. It must includes an executive summary.

Replace your fluffy statement with an executive summary, which should be like a "30-second elevator pitch" where you explain who you are and what you're looking for. "In approximately three to five sentences, explain what you're great at, most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer," Augustine says.

6. Must uses reverse chronological order.

This is the most helpful for recruiters because they're able to see what you've been doing in recent years immediately, says Augustine. "The only time you shouldn't do this is if you're trying to transition to another career altogether, but then again, in this situation, you'll probably be relying more on networks," than your resume, she says.

7. Uses keywords like "forecasting" and "strategic planning."

Many companies use some kind of screening process to identify the right candidates. You should include the keywords mentioned in the job posting throughout your resume.

"Identify the common keywords, terminology, and key phrases that routinely pop up in the job descriptions of your target role and incorporate them into your resume (assuming you have those skills)," advises Augustine. "This will help you make it past the initial screenings and on to the recruiter or hiring manager."

8. Must provides company descriptions.

It's helpful for recruiters to know the size of the company you used to work for, advises Augustine.

"Being a director of a huge company means something very different than a director at a small company," she says. You can go to the company's "About Us" section and rewrite one or two lines of the description. This should be included right underneath the name of the company.

9. Does not list achievements in dense blocks of text.

Recruiters receive so many resumes to scan through at a time, so make it as easy as possible for them to understand why you're perfect for the job. Dense blocks of text are too difficult to read, says Augustine.

10. Achievements are listed in three bullet points per job.

Under each job or experience you've had, explain how you contributed to or supported your team's projects and initiatives. "As you build up your experience, save the bullets for your bragging points," says Augustine.

11. Quantifies achievements.

"Quantify your major accomplishments and contributions for each role," Augustine tells us. This can include the money you saved or brought in for your employer, deals closed, and projects delivered on time or under budget. Do not use any more than three to five bullet points.

12. Accomplishments are formatted as result-and-then-cause.

A good rule is to use the "result BY action" sentence structure whenever possible. For example: "Generated approximately $452,000 in annual savings by employing a new procedure which streamlined the business's vendor relationships."

13. White space draws the reader's eyes to important points.

Recruiters do not spend a lot of time scanning resumes, so avoid dense blocks of text. "The key is to format the information in a way that makes it easy to scan and recognize your job goals and relevant qualifications," Augustine tells us.

14. Never use crazy fonts or colors.

"Stick to black and white color," says Augustine. As for font, it's best to stick with the basics, such as Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri.

15. Must not include pronouns.

Augustine says you should never write your resume in third person because everyone knows you're the one writing it (unless you go through a professional resume writing service).

Instead, you should write it in first person, and do not include pronouns. "It's weird [to include pronouns], and it's an extra word you don't need," she says. "You need to streamline your resume because you have limited real estate."

16. No to images.

"Avoid adding any embedded tables, pictures, or other images in your resume, as this can confuse the applicant-tracking software and jumble your resume in the system," says Augustine.

17. Do not use headers or footers.

It may look neat and concise to display your contact information in the header, but for "the same reason with embedded tables and charts, it often gets scrambled in an applicant tracking system," says Augustine.

18. Education is listed at the bottom.

Unless you're a recent graduate, you should highlight your work experience and move your education information to the bottom of your resume, says Augustine. Never include anything about your high-school years.

19. It doesn't say "references upon request."

Every recruiter knows you're going to provide references if they request it so there's no reason for you to include this line. Again, remember that space on your resume is crucial so don't waste it on a meaningless line, Augustine tells us.

2 Secrets to Having Super-Productive Mornings

I am not a morning person. And I assume with confidence that many of you also despise rolling out of bed and getting right to work.
No fear. Behavior science expert and entrepreenur James Clear has some tips to help you jumpstart your mornings.

1. Manage your energy, not your time.

This is a big one. We often organize our days around tasks that need to be completed and the times we think they need to be completed by. However, we should be thinking instead about what tasks we accomplish best at what times during the day.
"Time is relatively useless if you don't have the energy to complete the tasks," Clear says.

2. Eliminate distractions.

Smartphones represent one of the biggest distractions for people in the mornings, Clear says. People wake up to an alarm on their phone, then pick it up and start checking the news and responding to emails. "Right away, from the very beginning, their mind is filled with all of the other urgencies of the day," Clear says. "They start to respond to someone else's agenda rather than their own."
Clear says he puts his phone in a separate room before bed, so that he is physically separated from those distractions. He also tries to avoid checking his phone and answering email until noon or 1 p.m.
Now, waiting that long to check email for many entrepreneurs and other professionals might be impossible (I know it is for me). But the idea of separating yourself from distractions before bed and right when you wake up is worth consideration.

10 Skills You Need To Get $100000 Engineering Job At Google

Google is among the most sought after employers in the world. Engineers are the rock stars at Google — and they're paid like one.

Interns start at $70,000 to $90,000 salaries, while software engineers pull in $118,000 and senior software engineers make an average of $152,985. But one does not simply walk into the Googleplex.

The company receives upwards of 2.5 million job applications a year, but only hires about 4,000 people.

For would-be Googlers, the Google in Education team has released a list of skills that they want to see in potential engineers.

"Having a solid foundation in computer science is important in being a successful software engineer," the company says. "This guide is a suggested path for university students to develop their technical skills academically and non-academically through self-paced, hands-on learning."

Here are the skills Google wants its tech talent to master, complete with online resources to get you started...

1. Learn To Code

Learn to code in at least one object-oriented programming language, like C++, Java, or Python. Consult MIT or Udacity.

2. Test Your Code

It’s not just important to know how to code. You should also be able to test code, because Google wants you to be able to 'catch bugs, create tests, and break your software.'

3. Have Some Background In Abstract Math

It is important to have some background in abstract math, like logical reasoning and discrete math, which lots of computer science draws on.

4. Get To Know Operating Systems

Get to know operating systems, for they'll be where you do much of your work.

5. Become Familiar With Artificial Intelligence

Become familiar with artificial intelligence. Google loves robots.

6. Understand Algorithms And Data Structures

Google wants you to learn about fundamental data types like stacks, queues and bags as well as grasp sorting algorithms like quicksort, mergesort and heapsort.

7. Learn Cryptography

Learn cryptography. Remember, cybersecurity is crucial.

8. Learn How To Build Compilers

Stanford says that when you do that, 'you will learn how a program written in a high-level language designed for humans is systematically translated into a program written in low-level assembly more suited to machines.'

9. Learn Other Programming Languages

Add Java Script, CSS, Ruby and HTML to your skillset. W3school and CodeAcademy are there to help.

10. Learn Parallel Programming

Also, learn parallel programming because being able to carry out tons of computations at the same time is powerful.

Successful People Vs Unsuccessful People

Business executives! Is it time to turn into business analysts?

You might be a business executive working in marketing, sales or operations team of your organisation. Up-skilling yourself with knowledge of using analytics technologies might just give your career path a face lift. Here is why:
Case I:  I am a business head responsible for sales and bottom-line profits of a major retailer.
Business needs:

• I want to analyse the past buying patterns of my customers
• Based on this I want to predict the kind of stock which is in demand at a particular point, and also, forecast the mix of products which gets picked up by different age groups.

This will help me sell intelligently to different kinds of consumers and give them a great shopping experience.
How can I quickly churn out such business critical data based on historic and real time data without depending on my tech team for data analysis?
This is a typical challenge a lot of enterprises are facing today.
Inspite of the availability of the analytics and business intelligence technologies there is a lack of professionals who can read available data using analytics, in the context of business needs and changing consumer preferences.
Rare combination of business acumen and knowledge of data analytics in demand
Kapil Tyagi, co-founder & chief product officer, Edureka highlights the industry sentiments shared that today, business decisions are moving away from gut feel or simple dipstick survey to well thought out decisions backed by data.
“Indian industries are increasingly demanding business analysts, typically management graduates, who know how to use analytics tools to track patterns emerging from historic as well as real time data generated by enterprise apps such as CRM, social media feeds etc. Such experts are needed to bring out insights which can be translated into quick business decisions. But the challenge is that this is a rare combination to find,” said Kapil.
He further shared that in the past few months Edureka has experienced an increase in demand for their analytics and data visualisation course among management graduates as well as among mid level business executives.
Understanding the emerging industry needs for such business analytics professionals, academic institutions such as IIM and MICA have also started offering courses in business analytics.
So, if you are a professional working in a business function – such as sales, marketing, operations – where analytics might take the business to the next level of profitability, this is just the right time to specialise in analytics.
Analytics courses for executives and management graduates

• Edureka offers business analytics course in R programming language

This entails classes on how to use R programming language for predictive analytics, association rule mining to perform prediction on the buyer’s next purchase, data visualisation to plot, etc.
“R programming is slightly more difficult than Excel and the professionals learn how to apply statistical equations, model the data-set, cull out the required information and also forecast possibilities,” said Kapil.

• MICA offers an online Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Market Research and Data Analytics (PGCPMRDA)

It is aimed at entry to mid level professionals who want to apply SAS and SPSS data analytical tools on market research data to come out with strategic business decisions.

• IIM Bangalore offers a Certificate Programme on Business Analytics and Intelligence

This program offers hands-on experience with software such as Microsoft Excel, Evolver, LINDO, Qlikview, SAS Enterprise Miner, SPSS, R, @RISK and other proprietary software to analyse using statistical and data mining techniques.

IIM B’s data centre and analytics lab also offers various short term workshops for working professionals who want to specialise in analytics technologies.

Finalyearstudentsproject - R&D Workflow

6 ways to nail the job interview

When Doug Mitchell took over as CEO of direct-sales company Argenta Field Solutions in 2011, he noticed something surprising. He noticed that most Gen-Y candidates, though tech savvy and digitally plugged-in, didn't seem to have a clue about how to dress for, prepare for or conduct themselves in an interview, making his job and the job of his hiring managers difficult.

One of my responsibilities is interviewing, while the final decision is made by our chief administrator or by the head of sales, I perform interviews as well as put a final stamp of approval on our hires. What I noticed was, especially with the latest crop of millennial candidates, they're completely unprepared. They don't understand how to dress, how to speak, how to comport themselves in a face-to-face interview," he says. "Millennials might be 'digital natives,' but they could use some pointers on good, old-fashioned face-to-face interaction at times," says Mitchell.

Six Tips to Nail an In-Person Interview

Whether you're a millennial looking to land your first job or you're a senior executive taking the next step in their career, there are some things you need to focus on to make a great first impression. "I focus on six general principles. While some might seem like common sense, they're always important to remember," says Mitchell,
Dress for the Role You Want
 Dress for the job you want, not to job you have - or the job you're applying for. You want to aim for the job that's one level above the one you've applied to; that shows the interviewer, subconsciously, that you're looking toward a future with the company, advises Mitchell.
"Yes, we're a direct sales company. We have fairly casual uniforms for our salespeople, but if someone walks through the door in a suit and tie, or a nice blouse, pantsuit or skirt and heels, that shows me they've taken the extra effort to make themselves look professional. Even before they open their mouth, I can see they could potentially be in management someday, "says Mitchell.

Leave Slang and Dialect at the Door

The way you talk with your friends should be the exact opposite of how you're talking to potential hiring managers. Keep it professional, formal and polite. "You'd think this wouldn't need to be said, but it does, because it has happened more than once. I've had people come in who pass the 'dress code' test, but the second they throw me a 'Yo, dawg,' it's over!, "Mitchell says.
Speaking with correct grammar goes a long way toward reinforcing the professional impression you've made by looking the part.

Bring Printed Copies of Your Resume

Yes, you've e-mailed your resume to the company. Your online profiles are updated and your LinkedIn profile is impeccable but even in this digital age, according to Mitchell, always bring at least two printed copies of your resume to the interview. "Don't even try to use the 'my printer's out of ink' or 'my printer died,' excuse. Trust me, I've heard that one a million times, "Mitchell says.

 In fact, in one instance Mitchell recalls, a candidate followed up that excuse by still producing printed copies of her resume - she'd emailed the file to FedEx/Kinko's and had it printed. "That helped her in two ways. First, she showed perseverance - she encountered an obstacle to a successful interview and figured out a way to overcome it, and second, she was able to use that story to show those qualities of persistence and out-of-the-box thinking in the interview, "Mitchell says.

Become an Expert on the Company

Whether the job you're applying for is your "dream job" or another rung on the ladder of your career, make sure to educate yourself about the ins-and-outs of the company. "You need to be genuinely interested in who we are, what we do and why, because that's going to come across to me in an interview," says Mitchell.
Public companies can be researched via Google or other Internet searches, or through LinkedIn, Glassdoor and other sites. For more on researching prospective employers please read, Top 8 Sites for Researching Your Next Employer.
In the interview itself, Mitchell says don't shy away from small talk, especially when it comes to the company, or if you've uncovered common interests shared with your interviewer. "Don't be afraid of small talk, but make sure you're not taking it overboard, "says Mitchell.
Using publically available information, you can usually find a common interest, even if it's just the fact that you're both huge fans of the company. "If you know everything there is to know about the company, what their goals are, who the competition is, what obstacles they've faced and overcome, that gives you a great basis for an ongoing conversation about how you can fit in," says Mitchell.

Never Badmouth Your Previous Employers

The best employees are never negative. If you are asked why you left your previous position or were let go, sure, be honest, but don't place blame or speak negatively about your previous, role, boss or organization. "Insightful employers are going to interpret any negativity to mean that you are the problem - especially if you cite the same reason for your last few employers," says Mitchell.

Ask About the Next Steps

The interview went well. You feel great, and you just know that you nailed it but don't get cocky. "Even if you feel you really nailed the interview and are a great potential fit for the job, don't assume it's a sure thing. You can ask a question like, 'What are the next steps? When can I expect to hear from you? If I were to get this position, what would happen then?'" says Mitchell.
This point of the interview is also a great time to reiterate what you know about the company and how you feel you'd be a perfect cultural and technical fit. By talking about the company, you can subtly show the interviewer how, by landing this role, you can get them an edge and help them beat their competition.

Final Thoughts

"Some of these tips may seem like 'common sense' to us older folks but from where I sit -- from the interviews I've done -- it can't hurt for Gen Y to take a few pointers from their older, wiser and more experienced peers, especially when it comes to interviewing," says Mitchell. 

4 ways to use wireless tech in your everyday life

The world is increasingly going wireless and so should you. From streaming audio and video to wireless printing and data access, it's all possible wirelessly and easily done. We show you how existing wireless technologies can replace the mess of wiring in your home or office.

Wireless Audio
Audio streaming over Bluetooth is probably the easiest thing you can do wirelessly — even if your current equipment does not include Bluetooth. To stream music from a phone, tablet, laptop to an existing home music system, you only need a Bluetooth audio adapter. Logitech makes one with high-fidelity stereo output for Rs 1,995.

It connects to your music system using RCA or 3.5mm audio jack and can comfortably stream music from a distance of 20-30 feet. In your car, you can get a similar Bluetooth receiver that plugs into the Aux-in port of the car stereo (if available). These are available starting at Rs 1,400. As a bonus, it also has a built-in microphone, so you can also take calls on the car stereo and speakers without taking your phone out of your pocket. Wi-Fi streaming between a computer and a mobile device can be enabled using a free app called AirStream (by Nityaa Labs), available for Android and iOS.

This works if the computer and the mobile device are on the same Wi-Fi network. You need to download the app and the free server application from http: airstream.io (it works on MAC, Windows and Linux). The app automatically detects the server and you can then browse through and stream all the files stored on the computer's hard drive. No sign up is required. When it comes to wireless home theatre, Violet 3D is the obvious choice.

The company offers elegant multi-speaker solutions with satellite speakers, a subwoofer and a transmitter. It can be connected to any audio source and each speaker is wireless too — needing only a power source to operate. It auto-adjusts for each type of room and speaker placement to provide optical sound in your seating position. Prices start at Rs 78,000 for a 5.1 surround system with subwoofer.

AirPlay is proprietary Apple technology that works with iOS devices and Macs. Apple offers it to various manufacturers for use in their products. If your existing media player, connected music system, AV receiver or amplifier supports AirPlay, you can wirelessly stream content from your Apple device.

Wireless Data Access

Seagate, Kingston & WD offer portable hard drives that generate their own Wi-Fi network (Rs 6,000 onwards). Connect your laptop to this Wi-Fi network to access data stored on the hard drive. For smartphones and tablets, you will need to install specific apps to be able to access and transfer data from the drive. The only catch is that the drive's built in battery has a limited backup. Like printers, some Wi-Fi routers allow you to connect portable hard drives via a USB port. These drives can then be shared with anyone on the Wi-Fi network for data transfer.

For most users, the drive will automatically appear in their network. Others can access it using an IP address (available in the router settings) and then map it as a network drive for quick access later. Seagate and WD offer network devices that let you create a personal cloud. You can get them in various storage capacities as per your budget. Connect it to your Wi-Fi router and all your data can be accessed anywhere in the world over internet. All data on these network drives can also be accessed using a web browser or mobile apps.

Wireless Printing

The simplest way to get rid of wires while printing is to buy a printer with built-in wireless capability. Setting up a wireless printer is fairly simple across all manufacturers. You are required to connect the printer with your home Wi-Fi network — for this you will have to connect the printer once to a computer and run the setup wizard. After the Wi-Fi is connected, you can use any device on the same Wi-Fi network to print by installing it as a network printer.

Some wireless printers offer direct printing via PictBridge with compatible cameras. If you have a printer without Wi-Fi, it can be configured to work wirelessly. You will have to get a Wi-Fi router with print server feature. The printer then has to be connected to the USB port on the router instead of the computer. Once connected, the router will identify the printer and you will have to run router setup for wireless printer configuration. The printer will then appear as a network printer to any device connected on the same Wi-Fi network.

Most popular printer brands like HP, Epson, Canon and Samsung have their own print apps for handheld devices. These apps work with compatible printers from that brand only. If you are looking for a universal app for Android, one option is PrinterShare Premium (Rs 765). The app lets you print documents, and photos to a printer via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or over the internet.

Wireless Video

If you can't run HDMI cable, wireless HDMI is an easily available (but expensive) option. A wireless HDMI kit from Latentech (Rs 37,000) will wirelessly transmit 1080p video and sound over a distance of 20 feet. The kit consists of a transmitter that plugs into the source (set top box, media player etc) and an HDMI dongle that plugs into a TV or projector. If your laptop supports it, Intel WiDi can transmit 1080p video to a compatible WiDi adapter (such as Netgear's PTV3000; Rs 7,000).

The adapter plugs into your TV or projector while no additional hardware is needed on the laptop. If you're looking for an inexpensive way to wirelessly stream YouTube, live TV and videos from your phone or computer to your TV, consider Teewe (http:www.teewe.in). This Rs 2k HDMI dongle works with a free companion app on your smartphone (iOS & Android) and free media server (MAC & Windows) to deliver content wirelessly using your existing Wi-Fi network. For iPad video addicts, AirVideo HD (Rs 199) solves the problem of limited storage on the iPad and allows for super-easy video streaming over your home Wi-Fi network.

You need the app on your iPad or iPhone plus the free Air Video server (MAC & Windows). In the media server, just add the folders with all your videos (one time only) and you'll be able to browse through and play them on the iPad. The server also takes care of any video encoding on the fly so that you don't have to wait.