posted by Mark

On December 2nd 2011 it's 40 years since The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's vision of union between the Emirates was born. Congratulations to the United Arab Emirates on this great milestone. Here's to the Spirit of the Union!

Oh, and for those of you who were lead to this page from our Xmas / New Year email... as Homer Simpson would say, "DOH!" That was a mistake ;)

posted by Mark

I have to admit, it amazes me how many CVs we receive on a daily basis where it is clear that the sender/job seeker is literally spamming in order to land a job. Do you seriously think you're going to get a job this way? Not only are you wasting your time but also if you do happen to end up working for a company this way then that is one company I would not want to work for.

If you want to get a job then keep in mind that the age-old saying is as true here as it is in many other instances - "quality is better than quantity". Instead of spamming prospective employers, carefully pick and choose whom you want to send your CV to and then put a bit of effort into it. Do some research; show that you are genuinely interested in working for this company. Follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn, fan them on Facebook, try and find the name of the person to whom you should send the email so that you can address them personally.

Keep in mind; you're not the only one sending in your CV so you need to do something special in order to stand out from the pack. Also, be sincere. Don't say something along the lines of "It is with great interest that I am forwarding my resume for your consideration..." while it is obvious that it is a bulk email. We receive emails like that with 50 contacts in the 'to' and 'cc' fields! You've just ruined your chances with all those companies.

A couple more tips - don't write an essay but also don't make it a one liner referring to a CV attached. Write a succinct punchy email that creates interest so that the reader is intrigued enough to check out the CV. If you say "Dear Sir, Please find the attached CV for any suitable position. Thanks & Best Regards", I'd be very surprised if it gets opened 1 out of a 1000 times.

Lastly, when you attach your CV, don't attach a Word document if you can avoid it. Convert it into a PDF first and send that, it is much more professional. Better still, if relevant, try and be different. For example if you're applying for a web design job, use the web in a clever way, be creative.

Use your time wisely and good luck :-)

posted by Mark

Need some ideas for Xmas presies? Like the image of the cows on our contact page?

If the answer to either for these questions is yes, you got to check out this link. Our good friend Doug Lapsley has started selling his work on eBay. He’s got some fantastic shots for sale and as a final run up to Christmas he's reduced the price on all prints to £15 including free worldwide shipping!

stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Doug-Lapsley-Landscape-photography

If you like what you see check our his website: www.frozen-light.co.uk 

Oh and BTW, if you're into photography, check out the kit he uses and try not to drool all over your keyboard!

posted by Mark

I need to share another TED I saw recently which has made quite an impression on me, for a couple reasons. One is how effective at communicating good data can be when applied in the right way and two about the revelations and dispelling of common myths that can come about when analysed in the way that Hans Rosling does so well.

Hans Rosling is professor of global health at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and here he unveils new data visuals that untangle the complex risk factors of one of the world's deadliest (and most misunderstood) diseases: HIV. He argues that preventing transmissions (not drug treatments) is the key to ending the epidemic.

Guaranteed: You've never seen data presented like this.

posted by Mark

Being a big fan of TED I thought it would be fitting to mention a talk done early this year by Tim Berners-Lee – the inventor of the World Wide Web. For his next project, he's building a web for open, linked data that could do for numbers what the Web did for words, pictures, video. Have a look, the possibilities seem endless!