Unfortunately my health insurance, dental insurance and life insurance premiums all went up so when I received my first payroll check this year the 2% and then some is gone! Not to mention fuel prices, food prices etc keep rising. Sure seems prices on almost everything keep increasing and my salary isn't keeping up. I am still going to see if I can put an additional 2% into my 401K, emergency fund or something though!
Nora, Tim the author here. Thanks so much for the kind---and thorough---review. It means a lot to me that you still found some useful nuggets that were fresh in there. If I may, just one plug: there's an accompanying blog that has detailed interviews with successful travel writers of all stripes. (And one of these days, you!) http://travelwriting2.com/
You left out forums. There is an enormous wealth of information about what people like, hate, would prefer, etc. It's all just waiting for you to find...and at no cost whatsoever.
Good point...I totally assumed people were doing their homework when it comes to this. Don't buy a phone that doesn't work on your network! Especially if you want 3G/4G speeds, as some phones will "work" but not some of the advanced features.
If pressure cooker is improvised as still, replace opening of pressure valve with screw, washer with nut. If aluminum is in use, put a stainless steel pot inside as double boiler because aluminum is'nt hard metal, it eventually 'rusts' and leaves black deposits of aluminum rust that look like black spots before your eyes; not pink elephants before your eyes.
guess it depends if you are looking for a particular car. There are quite a few car dealer directories out there like James mentioned, here are two of the other big ones... http://www.smartcarfinder.com/ and http://www.toplocalauto.com
They don't. But there are a set of questions (mostly in this list) that will be asked. If you're only applying to one industry however, a lot of the questions are the same because your doing the same thing no matter who the company is. A tower technician is going to ask you at what altitude have you gone the highest. If you are only applying for cellular technician positions, then yes, you will be asked this question a lot. But not once if you hit the retail industry...(1000ft is a good answer, but most probably have not cleared 350 ft. most likely.) In concert with other "like" questions, the interview questions (I promise you) are designed to wade through your BS cookie-cutter responses and find some truth. When I ask what other jobs have you had, and not one answer included a TV company, then chances are you've never been on a tower higher than 500ft, and I know where you were lying....and whom NOT to hire.
2) All the same answers?
I promise the ones not having the same answers in the same way every time, are the ones getting hired.
3) What you choose to say?
Professional HR employees undergo a lot of additional training, for example, body language lie detection, for one easy example. Lie all you want and pretend you know the answers. If you're interviewing for a college degree required position, the reason your interviews have not gone so well is because they know you're lying, even when presented with the easiest "right down the middle" questions you should be able to slam out of the park.
If I know they are asking cookie-cutter questions, and they (including me) will be interviewing 100+ people...then you should probably figure out some answers that aren't being said. If you can't separate yourself from your 99 opponents for the position, that's on you, not HR.
4) Lying in an interview
Do you honestly believe lying on an interview and lying on your application are two different things in terms of what will happen to your employment status even if hired initially?
After every interview I give, I sign the document and the prospective employee signs it, agreeing that the individual is capable of performing the tasks with their provided answers at the minimum. It becomes a contract. So if you get hired through an interview, and you acted and lied your way through it, I guarantee you, you will be unemployed within a week as you start to miserably fail all your "selling points" during the interview process.
Wiser companies that utilize these common questions in the interview process have; a) a 90 day or longer probationary period
b) are at-will companies
c) usually have some type of "working interview" after; an attempt to put into action all of your answers...
5) The word money? Any adult can tell you money AND benefits at the least?
It's a good word, but it should never be;
a) your main focus for success within a company
b) your only reason for coming to a company
Money is a reward, not the reason. You finish a job, any job, all you want is cash? Not a pat on the back, job well done? Just money, no promotion and maybe the opportunity to make MORE money? You can have the money, I'll go with the company that also rewards with I don't know, insurance benefits? 401(k) plan perhaps? Stock options? Go ask 100 people how they met 90% of their friends....but all we want is money from our workplace?
I would advise against saying "I want to make friends" as a reason to get a job, but it's 1000% better than hearing "Money".
What do I hope to get out of this company?
"I need to find a company that will be my second family when I am at work. I have a brother in China and a brother in France, my father lives in Finland. I don't need my family holding my hand every day, but just like my family overseas, they are there when I need them, and vice versa. I will be here for this company, but I want a company that's there for me too, it doesn't need to be all day or every day, but the spirit is there."
One example of an honest answer, that doesn't mention money or promotional desires, but is a great analogy for both. It also states my desire is to grow within the company and like family, this is not something you "quit" or get "fired" from. It's corny, a bit cheesy, but it's also not the same boring old response your interviewer has heard 1700 times today...
At the end of the day, your job in an interview is not to know the correct answers to the questions, but rather know the correct answers that will put you above the rest of your competition. So you can either lie and put up the same responses in an interview you read here, or you can find a creative response that separates you from the rest of the sheep.
Regardless, there seems to be a ...belief in this forum, that getting a job or getting through an interview with honesty and panache, is up to the interviewer. Why complain, expect, or depend on the interviewer to spice up interviews YOU find boring?
Nice list. I'll add another one. It should be obvious, but like the intro says, some people may not see it: your company is already laying people off, or have recently gone through rounds of layoffs. You might have your job now, or have survived previous rounds of layoffs, but the company is obviously downsizing and you might be next.
It's true, and it's not. Yes, they are cookie-cutter questions. The answers however, not so much.
1) Good interviewers do not ask all 23 of these questions. You're right, only half of THESE questions are necessary, but they are still probably the 23 most asked questions.
2) Good interviewers also change up these questions requiring a different....Intro into the answer.
"What strengths would you like to see your Supervisor so that he/she would best compliment your weaknesses?
If you tell me your Supervisor should be patient, than you're telling me either you're not or you're slow.... It requires thought and non cookie-cutter responses. It also measures an importantly equal skill set in business: Listening skills. If you answer without listening to the question merely thinking "oh this is an easy one" and spam out your cookie-cutter response....well I won't be hiring you due to your inability to follow instruction.
3) I've never interviewed, or had an interview, that only contained these kind of questions; if you have then you're either doing the interview an injustice, or you have an interviewer that just doesn't care and you won't be hired anyway, or it is a "high school" job.
However as to the post being written, I've never been involved in an interview that didn't ask at least a good portion of these questions.
Lastly, cookie-cutter questions allow an interviewer to pull out an interviewee from a nervous, defensive position. I've used cookie-cutters to get people comfortable, had I gone straight into my private list of questions...I promise you their stress level alone would have been an unfair element that probably would have meant a lot of non hires that were ultimately (at first) too shy to allow themselves to succeed...and are now some of our most valuable employees.
Absolutely! When asked if there is anyone you would not work with, I always jump on this. Interviews are not just to see if you are a reliable person who will do your job well, but also, if people will get along with you and vice-versa.
Have fun at your interviews, "Yes, I'm sorry to say that through past experiences I find that I am unable to get along with Bears' fans.....[hahahahahaha].....no really, barring the obvious murderers, rapists and thieves...I'll work with anyone and I'll sell to more!"
Not true. A job well done, outstanding customer care and as importantly, post sale customer care, and correct attention to detail are primary examples of what motivates you, as well as what you should be selling at the interview.
The final goal with the above combination, means you WILL succeed and make lots of money. Money is not the motivation, money is the result of your motivations.
Paul Michael's suggestion along this vein may be the most appropriate from an interviewer's point of view.
All people have had strife, even those who have said they "have had no problems that have lead to any actual disgruntlement", is a MUCH better answer than, "no, no problems"
Those of you that say you may have never let anyone bother you in the workplace, may be accurate; but that doesn't your actions weren't ever an issue (voiced or not) to a previous boss or co-worker. In short, unless your name is Jesus Christ, (and even then, Judas) you've been involved in workplace disruptions.
"Sure, I've had issues with my past employers, employees and customers (well the customers have an issue with the company, but it's me they are talking to nevertheless...from time to time, who hasn't? The important thing I would like to stress however is I've never knowingly allowed an issue to become more than just that; it's how we handle those issues that separate us, and I'm a professional."
"I would like to be sitting in your position" can be a tricky response. Think of being in a court of law, if you do not know the answer to the question, then don't ask it?
a) Maybe the interviewer got your position 6 months ago, and are now in that position: So in 5 years you want to be where I got in 6 months? That's under-ambitious.
b) Perhaps the Interviewer was hired as that position; maybe it's not an available option for you; maybe it's a department the company would just not promote to from your position? That's ambition in ignorance.
c) Perhaps it took the interviewer 15 years to get that position, but you want it in 5? Over-ambitious.
Sticking with "leading my field within this company" (in a prettier way) is usually the best option.
Being vague in an interview is not always bad, so long as you punctuate that vagueness and don't try it every question. As an interviewer I love it when someone says, "I don't know". It means my company can still teach them a thing or two, and they are willing to throw their hands up instead of procrastinating a solvable issue in fear of "getting it wrong". Knowing when to ask for help is a rare skill few are willing to divulge during the interview process.
Instead of just hoping your answer is what they are looking for, you're allowed to ask questions too. Opening a question into a discussable topic during an interview is gold at an interview. "Before I answer that question, can I ask what the promotional opportunity, or expectations, are within this company?" You also just answered the question. You want a job that offers opportunity to climb the ladder. A perfect answer, and you are satisfying the last question, "do you have any questions for me?"
And when they do ask that question, it's ok to recap the questions you have asked during the interview process: "Let's see....do I? We covered promotional opportunities and X Y and Z questions I had earlier, so I think I'm all set!"
Excellant article! I´ve always lived the 1950s lifestyle. I took a couple of years off for traveling in the 1970´s; then retired at the age of 44 in 1989...still traveling, enjoying life....
Guest
The burner should be good for the usage. Check the pot, make sure its stainless steel. Aluminum can leach out in the high heat and alcohol. You really do not want to put that in your body. Did you ever see a commercial where they put sticky stuff on your feet and it turns black? That is what aluminum does. It also will ruin your arm pits on your shirts.
This is all well and good advice. I'm a huge believer in buying unlocked phones. Having a contract makes you feel like a prisoner when you're talking to tech support. But there are some HUGE caveats:
You cannot just buy any phone and expect it to work on every carrier. Branded PAYG phones do not work on other carriers without the carrier's unlock code. CDMA phones (Verizon, Sprint, many regional carriers) will not work on GSM (ATT, TMobile). And finally most GSM phones will only work on one carrier's 3G band (i.e. my unlocked Nexus S only does Tmobile 3G). If you want to be taken for all your money, but know that your phone will work, then yes buying a contract phone may be the way to go. But if you're the captain of your own ship and are willing to do the research unlocked is the way to be.
Wow, what a bummer. And then in 2012, they'll jack 'em up again and the payroll tax holiday is gone. Sorry to hear - and the government keeps saying there's no inflation?!?
Guest,
There are several column and head designs out there. Stuffing the column with marbles works, and with a 2 inch pipe, clean mash, no grains in the pot, you should not have a problem. Bokakob still head is something you are talking about,,,, I think.but the cooling is at the top. Google a picture and see if that is what you are talking about. It has very clean lines to it. It does take some copper skill for the coil.
Unfortunately my health insurance, dental insurance and life insurance premiums all went up so when I received my first payroll check this year the 2% and then some is gone! Not to mention fuel prices, food prices etc keep rising. Sure seems prices on almost everything keep increasing and my salary isn't keeping up. I am still going to see if I can put an additional 2% into my 401K, emergency fund or something though!
zORCY WANTABEE
Your comment about '% based yeast not sugar' has me questioning.
Assuming using turbo yeast, would one not get the most alcohol by putting it in a super saturated sugar water (as much sugar as the water would hold?
Nora, Tim the author here. Thanks so much for the kind---and thorough---review. It means a lot to me that you still found some useful nuggets that were fresh in there. If I may, just one plug: there's an accompanying blog that has detailed interviews with successful travel writers of all stripes. (And one of these days, you!)
http://travelwriting2.com/
You left out forums. There is an enormous wealth of information about what people like, hate, would prefer, etc. It's all just waiting for you to find...and at no cost whatsoever.
Good point...I totally assumed people were doing their homework when it comes to this. Don't buy a phone that doesn't work on your network! Especially if you want 3G/4G speeds, as some phones will "work" but not some of the advanced features.
Another site to add is www.greennickel.com. It pulls deals from multiple deal sites and categorize them.
If pressure cooker is improvised as still, replace opening of pressure valve with screw, washer with nut. If aluminum is in use, put a stainless steel pot inside as double boiler because aluminum is'nt hard metal, it eventually 'rusts' and leaves black deposits of aluminum rust that look like black spots before your eyes; not pink elephants before your eyes.
guess it depends if you are looking for a particular car. There are quite a few car dealer directories out there like James mentioned, here are two of the other big ones... http://www.smartcarfinder.com/ and http://www.toplocalauto.com
1) Ask same questions?
They don't. But there are a set of questions (mostly in this list) that will be asked. If you're only applying to one industry however, a lot of the questions are the same because your doing the same thing no matter who the company is. A tower technician is going to ask you at what altitude have you gone the highest. If you are only applying for cellular technician positions, then yes, you will be asked this question a lot. But not once if you hit the retail industry...(1000ft is a good answer, but most probably have not cleared 350 ft. most likely.) In concert with other "like" questions, the interview questions (I promise you) are designed to wade through your BS cookie-cutter responses and find some truth. When I ask what other jobs have you had, and not one answer included a TV company, then chances are you've never been on a tower higher than 500ft, and I know where you were lying....and whom NOT to hire.
2) All the same answers?
I promise the ones not having the same answers in the same way every time, are the ones getting hired.
3) What you choose to say?
Professional HR employees undergo a lot of additional training, for example, body language lie detection, for one easy example. Lie all you want and pretend you know the answers. If you're interviewing for a college degree required position, the reason your interviews have not gone so well is because they know you're lying, even when presented with the easiest "right down the middle" questions you should be able to slam out of the park.
If I know they are asking cookie-cutter questions, and they (including me) will be interviewing 100+ people...then you should probably figure out some answers that aren't being said. If you can't separate yourself from your 99 opponents for the position, that's on you, not HR.
4) Lying in an interview
Do you honestly believe lying on an interview and lying on your application are two different things in terms of what will happen to your employment status even if hired initially?
After every interview I give, I sign the document and the prospective employee signs it, agreeing that the individual is capable of performing the tasks with their provided answers at the minimum. It becomes a contract. So if you get hired through an interview, and you acted and lied your way through it, I guarantee you, you will be unemployed within a week as you start to miserably fail all your "selling points" during the interview process.
Wiser companies that utilize these common questions in the interview process have; a) a 90 day or longer probationary period
b) are at-will companies
c) usually have some type of "working interview" after; an attempt to put into action all of your answers...
5) The word money? Any adult can tell you money AND benefits at the least?
It's a good word, but it should never be;
a) your main focus for success within a company
b) your only reason for coming to a company
Money is a reward, not the reason. You finish a job, any job, all you want is cash? Not a pat on the back, job well done? Just money, no promotion and maybe the opportunity to make MORE money? You can have the money, I'll go with the company that also rewards with I don't know, insurance benefits? 401(k) plan perhaps? Stock options? Go ask 100 people how they met 90% of their friends....but all we want is money from our workplace?
I would advise against saying "I want to make friends" as a reason to get a job, but it's 1000% better than hearing "Money".
What do I hope to get out of this company?
"I need to find a company that will be my second family when I am at work. I have a brother in China and a brother in France, my father lives in Finland. I don't need my family holding my hand every day, but just like my family overseas, they are there when I need them, and vice versa. I will be here for this company, but I want a company that's there for me too, it doesn't need to be all day or every day, but the spirit is there."
One example of an honest answer, that doesn't mention money or promotional desires, but is a great analogy for both. It also states my desire is to grow within the company and like family, this is not something you "quit" or get "fired" from. It's corny, a bit cheesy, but it's also not the same boring old response your interviewer has heard 1700 times today...
At the end of the day, your job in an interview is not to know the correct answers to the questions, but rather know the correct answers that will put you above the rest of your competition. So you can either lie and put up the same responses in an interview you read here, or you can find a creative response that separates you from the rest of the sheep.
Regardless, there seems to be a ...belief in this forum, that getting a job or getting through an interview with honesty and panache, is up to the interviewer. Why complain, expect, or depend on the interviewer to spice up interviews YOU find boring?
Nice list. I'll add another one. It should be obvious, but like the intro says, some people may not see it: your company is already laying people off, or have recently gone through rounds of layoffs. You might have your job now, or have survived previous rounds of layoffs, but the company is obviously downsizing and you might be next.
It's true, and it's not. Yes, they are cookie-cutter questions. The answers however, not so much.
1) Good interviewers do not ask all 23 of these questions. You're right, only half of THESE questions are necessary, but they are still probably the 23 most asked questions.
2) Good interviewers also change up these questions requiring a different....Intro into the answer.
"What strengths would you like to see your Supervisor so that he/she would best compliment your weaknesses?
If you tell me your Supervisor should be patient, than you're telling me either you're not or you're slow.... It requires thought and non cookie-cutter responses. It also measures an importantly equal skill set in business: Listening skills. If you answer without listening to the question merely thinking "oh this is an easy one" and spam out your cookie-cutter response....well I won't be hiring you due to your inability to follow instruction.
3) I've never interviewed, or had an interview, that only contained these kind of questions; if you have then you're either doing the interview an injustice, or you have an interviewer that just doesn't care and you won't be hired anyway, or it is a "high school" job.
However as to the post being written, I've never been involved in an interview that didn't ask at least a good portion of these questions.
Lastly, cookie-cutter questions allow an interviewer to pull out an interviewee from a nervous, defensive position. I've used cookie-cutters to get people comfortable, had I gone straight into my private list of questions...I promise you their stress level alone would have been an unfair element that probably would have meant a lot of non hires that were ultimately (at first) too shy to allow themselves to succeed...and are now some of our most valuable employees.
Absolutely! When asked if there is anyone you would not work with, I always jump on this. Interviews are not just to see if you are a reliable person who will do your job well, but also, if people will get along with you and vice-versa.
Have fun at your interviews, "Yes, I'm sorry to say that through past experiences I find that I am unable to get along with Bears' fans.....[hahahahahaha].....no really, barring the obvious murderers, rapists and thieves...I'll work with anyone and I'll sell to more!"
Not true. A job well done, outstanding customer care and as importantly, post sale customer care, and correct attention to detail are primary examples of what motivates you, as well as what you should be selling at the interview.
The final goal with the above combination, means you WILL succeed and make lots of money. Money is not the motivation, money is the result of your motivations.
Paul Michael's suggestion along this vein may be the most appropriate from an interviewer's point of view.
All people have had strife, even those who have said they "have had no problems that have lead to any actual disgruntlement", is a MUCH better answer than, "no, no problems"
Those of you that say you may have never let anyone bother you in the workplace, may be accurate; but that doesn't your actions weren't ever an issue (voiced or not) to a previous boss or co-worker. In short, unless your name is Jesus Christ, (and even then, Judas) you've been involved in workplace disruptions.
"Sure, I've had issues with my past employers, employees and customers (well the customers have an issue with the company, but it's me they are talking to nevertheless...from time to time, who hasn't? The important thing I would like to stress however is I've never knowingly allowed an issue to become more than just that; it's how we handle those issues that separate us, and I'm a professional."
"I would like to be sitting in your position" can be a tricky response. Think of being in a court of law, if you do not know the answer to the question, then don't ask it?
a) Maybe the interviewer got your position 6 months ago, and are now in that position: So in 5 years you want to be where I got in 6 months? That's under-ambitious.
b) Perhaps the Interviewer was hired as that position; maybe it's not an available option for you; maybe it's a department the company would just not promote to from your position? That's ambition in ignorance.
c) Perhaps it took the interviewer 15 years to get that position, but you want it in 5? Over-ambitious.
Sticking with "leading my field within this company" (in a prettier way) is usually the best option.
Being vague in an interview is not always bad, so long as you punctuate that vagueness and don't try it every question. As an interviewer I love it when someone says, "I don't know". It means my company can still teach them a thing or two, and they are willing to throw their hands up instead of procrastinating a solvable issue in fear of "getting it wrong". Knowing when to ask for help is a rare skill few are willing to divulge during the interview process.
Instead of just hoping your answer is what they are looking for, you're allowed to ask questions too. Opening a question into a discussable topic during an interview is gold at an interview. "Before I answer that question, can I ask what the promotional opportunity, or expectations, are within this company?" You also just answered the question. You want a job that offers opportunity to climb the ladder. A perfect answer, and you are satisfying the last question, "do you have any questions for me?"
And when they do ask that question, it's ok to recap the questions you have asked during the interview process: "Let's see....do I? We covered promotional opportunities and X Y and Z questions I had earlier, so I think I'm all set!"
-Jamie
Great article! I wspecially like the part about giving things away.
Excellant article! I´ve always lived the 1950s lifestyle. I took a couple of years off for traveling in the 1970´s; then retired at the age of 44 in 1989...still traveling, enjoying life....
Manage your finances well, and retire early--maybe at 45 or so.
Guest
The burner should be good for the usage. Check the pot, make sure its stainless steel. Aluminum can leach out in the high heat and alcohol. You really do not want to put that in your body. Did you ever see a commercial where they put sticky stuff on your feet and it turns black? That is what aluminum does. It also will ruin your arm pits on your shirts.
This is all well and good advice. I'm a huge believer in buying unlocked phones. Having a contract makes you feel like a prisoner when you're talking to tech support. But there are some HUGE caveats:
You cannot just buy any phone and expect it to work on every carrier. Branded PAYG phones do not work on other carriers without the carrier's unlock code. CDMA phones (Verizon, Sprint, many regional carriers) will not work on GSM (ATT, TMobile). And finally most GSM phones will only work on one carrier's 3G band (i.e. my unlocked Nexus S only does Tmobile 3G). If you want to be taken for all your money, but know that your phone will work, then yes buying a contract phone may be the way to go. But if you're the captain of your own ship and are willing to do the research unlocked is the way to be.
Hey, I would like to try the Tesla effect one, but my phone doesn't have an antenna. What should I do?
The 2% savings is going for higher gas prices, health insurance, and other taxes including State and Restate Taxes.
Wow, what a bummer. And then in 2012, they'll jack 'em up again and the payroll tax holiday is gone. Sorry to hear - and the government keeps saying there's no inflation?!?
I bought a used turkey fryer set up for cheap at an auction. 30qt
I added a bung and tower from mile high. I like it.
Guest,
There are several column and head designs out there. Stuffing the column with marbles works, and with a 2 inch pipe, clean mash, no grains in the pot, you should not have a problem. Bokakob still head is something you are talking about,,,, I think.but the cooling is at the top. Google a picture and see if that is what you are talking about. It has very clean lines to it. It does take some copper skill for the coil.