I read in the news that Apple announced it has sold over five million of its new iPhone 5, just three days after its launch and to sweeten Apple’s products demand, more than 100 million of Apple’s latest operating systems devices have been updated.
Apple’s success is an important indication that the Internet has taken over the new economy. The latest trend of using social media to find job has moved to a dynamic speed. Savvy job seekers knows that they cannot solely rely on traditional means in looking for jobs.
Traditional job search includes strategies such as looking in the newspaper classified advertisements, searching through ‘help wanted’ notices on bulletin boards, going to recruitment or job agencies, and write in for jobs opportunities directly to the companies. All these traditional ways of job search involve an individual reacting to a job that has already been publicly offered.
Although, traditional methods are still necessary, creative, well-informed and socially Internet savvy job seekers will take a step further to stay ahead of their competition by creating an online presence to reach out to more prospective employers. That is because they know that more and more recruiters use the web as a place to search for talent and conduct employment background searches. This trend will set to increase over the years.
Here are 3 ways you can use social media to enhance your job search success:
1) Build your online presence on social network sites.
Make employers find you easily online and thus open doors to more job opportunities. Without an online presence, you will not appear to be as relevant as those who has and you will be passed over for more savvy applicants that have online visibility. Creating online presence include
LinkedIn- A networking tool for professional connections. Also used to recommend job candidates, industry experts and business partners. Employers use LinkedIn as a search tool to find talent, and job seekers use it to leverage their network in support of their search.
Twitter – Social networking and instant messaging that allows users to post 140- character updates. Employer can use Twitter to post for job opportunities.
Facebook – A social network that connects people, to keep up with friends and share ideas. Depending on their privacy level, some job seekers have successfully secured a job through their Facebook network.
2) Create a blog to demonstrate your expertise
Another good way to further boost your image and demonstrate your experience, expertise and passion in a particular field is to create an updated blog. Keep it professional, creative and update it with value add contents for readers. The articles that you post may include tips and advice on issues in your area of expertise, also be mindful that everything you write and post online is up for judgement.
3) YouTube and Pinterest Marketing
Internet savvy job seekers are making use of video marketing to promote themselves. This is a creative approach to job hunting that has become increasingly common in the social media arena. You could create a video resume, such as a short and traditional video that include a general rundown of your work experience, educational background and skills.
While Pinterest is not a networking platform, as it does not allow direct communication, it is becoming increasingly popular with businesses. It is a powerful tool to demonstrate your knowledge, organisational skills, and creativity to prospective employers. You can create boards which relate to specific skills-sets you have and use it as a portal to link to work you want to showcase – like an online portfolio.
4) Online Resume
In the new economy, it has changed the way employers review resumes, the Internet has also made it possible for job seekers to post their resumes online, on their own hosted web sites. This change is particular helpful to those persons whose resume presentation will be greatly enhanced by being able to take advantage of the graphics and interactive capabilities that an online resume on a personal web site can provide.
In a nutshell, in these times, a paper resume is not enough. It is essential to be creative and a well-designed electronic, or online version of your resume combined and linked to a strong social media profile, is usually ideal for a successful job search.
We are fast approaching the very end of another interesting and challenging financial year. The buzz words in most organizations would soon be ‘Met Expectations’ and ‘Needs Improvement’. The atmosphere in some work places are reminiscent of school days when kids return to their seats collecting their mark-sheets or report cards, some elated and some crestfallen. However, the tension in the air during the appraisal season is sustained for a longer period, than what we experienced with report cards in our school days. The whole process can be extremely stressful to all parties involved. A better understanding of the objective, processes and key elements of a performance appraisal would make the experience for all more worthwhile and less stressful.
What is Performance Appraisal?
It is a formal and structured evaluation method to elucidate the performance of an individual or a group/team and the potential for development.
Objectives of Performance Appraisal:
There could be a plethora of objectives for conducting a performance appraisal based on the difference in job profile, profile of employee, organizational objectives etc. The following are the most common objectives for conducting a Performance Appraisal.
Employee Confirmations: The idea is to evaluate the employee performance against the expectations set forth while the individual joined; and to find out if he is ready to be confirmed as a permanent employee.
Employee Promotions & Compensation: Here the employee appraisal gives a clear insight on whether the individual is ready for taking up bigger responsibility and linking the performance to the percentage increase in compensation.
Need for Training and Development: Performance Appraisals and performance dialogues identifies those areas which needs improvement in an individual/group and suggests action plans to address these gaps through Training and Development.
Employee Feedback & Grievances: The appraisal is also used as a platform to understand the factors that contributed towards deviation from expected performance and understanding the support the employee requires in to meet future expectations.
The following table gives a simplistic view of the objectives of Performance Appraisal:
Individual Understanding
Feedback on performance
Identifying areas of improvement
Identifying areas of strength
Better understanding of future expectations
Organizational Understanding
Salary revision
HR systems evaluation
Retention/confirmation/termination/promotions
Identifying gaps that hinder achieving business objectives
Documentation
The Process of Performance appraisal
Step 1 – Objective Definition of Appraisal
Have a clear understanding of what the Performance Appraisal will achieve
Step 2 – Establish Job Expectations
Have clarity in what is expected both qualitatively and quantitatively from the job entrusted.
Step 3 – Appraisal Program Design
Create a plan with respect to the when and where and how the appraisal is going to be conduted. This includes the tools that are going to be used. Even 360 degree feedback and 360 degree performance appraisals are used
Step 4 – Evaluate
The information collated about the performance is now evaluated by comparing it to the established job expectations.
Step 5 – Performance Dialogue
This step involves meaningful conversations that both appraiser and the appraisee has towards understanding the evaluation and discuss action plans.
Step 6 – Final Data for Action
In this step the results of the appraisal are documented for further action.
The key to the success of any performance appraisal is in the quality of the performance dialogue. The performance dialogue determines the future relationship of employees/team with the management. This is critical for individuals/teams to be motivated to achieve the business objectives for the coming financial year.
Some Current Performance Appraisal Methods
Assessment Centers: This is a method of performance review that was first developed and used as early as 1943 in countries like USA & UK. The objective of this method is to put employees in simulated environments that require employees to display behaviours and patterns that are typical of a working environment in order to gauge employee performance. Trained assessors observe these displayed behaviour and rate them on set parameters. The results drawn from these observations and analysis helps the management to decide on the readiness of an employee to take up new assignments, higher responsibility and also the areas of improvement that needs to be addressed in doing so.
360 degree Feedback: It is a method in which all stakeholders like manager, peer, customer, subordinate, other departmental staff, including self gives feedback on an individual’s performance. This technique gives a broader perspective to the developmental plan of the individual and allows them a 360 degree performance appraisal. Some of the areas that can be appraised through this technique are interpersonal skills, customer service skills, meeting timelines etc.
“It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises but only performance is reality” – Harold S Geneen
Every manager would serve their organization well if they understood that the essence of performance appraisals does not lie in intimidating an employee but in mutually agreeing on what needs to be done to accomplish business objectives. This is also something that should be focused on in performance appraisal training.
I have spent over twenty-five years now studying, practicing, and teaching martial arts. This includes time spent in the United States Army and living in Japan and Korea studying martial arts there. Two important concepts that I have studied, taught, and written about in a martial or military format are equally important when teaching negotiation. These concepts are strategy and tactics. Sometimes I see people mistakenly using one term when they actually mean the other. In this short article, I want to describe the differences between strategy and tactics as well as illustrate the relationship between the two.
Strategy
Strategy is the overall, big picture, plan, which includes goals or desired outcomes. In the military, strategy is the utilization, during both peace and war, or all of a nation’s forces, through large-scale, long-range planning and development, to ensure security or victory. Another definition would be a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result. A well known strategy used by the Allies in WWII was that of strategic bombing in Europe. The Army Air Corps’ strategic bombing doctrine was based on the theory that a bombing force could pound the adversary until its industrial base was destroyed, and with it, its ability and will to wage war. While this example helps illustrate the concept of strategy, it is unfortunate that many of us have probably encountered negotiators that worked from a very similar strategic doctrine.
Strategic negotiation is simply the act of devising and carrying out a well thought out plan to achieve your desired outcomes. Often, it is your plan to convince another party to give you something that you want and on your terms. The first thing you must determine when developing a negotiation strategy is what do you really want? What is the purpose of the negotiation? Do you want to purchase a house or commercial building? Do you want a raise in your salary? Do you want to settle a matter that is being litigated? Once you know what you want, and have devised a strategy, you can implement the tactics that will help you achieve your desired outcome.
When one is developing strategy, it is often easier to break your planning into phases. Here is a simple model used with martial arts and warfare that you will notice fits with negotiating equally well:
1. Identify your strategic objectives
2. Collect intelligence
3. Plan for environment
4. Program for engagement
Tactics
Tactics are simply the means by which you carry out your strategy. In the military tactics deals with the use and deployment of troops in actual combat, more specifically, it is the military science that deals with securing objectives set by strategy, especially the technique of deploying and directing troops, ships, and aircraft in effective maneuvers against an enemy. In our example above with the Army Air Corps, the tight formations employed by the bombers to make the best use of the bombers’ heavy armament and prevent German fighters from singling out and swarming on lone planes is an example of a tactic used to help carry out the strategy. Another tactic was the employment of high altitude bombing when low level bombing proved to vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire.
One must be very careful not to focus upon activity, means, or tactics at the expense of accomplishment, achieving goals, or desired outcomes. Above all else, obtaining one’s objectives in negotiations should be paramount. Of course, the tactics, activities or means we use should always be appropriate and ethical, but we must remember they are merely the ways to attain desired outcomes. Examples of negotiation tactics include things such as:
1. Giving ultimatums
2. Nibbling
3. Shocked or surprised looks
4. Good cop/Bad cop
5. Walk away
There are many tactics people use while negotiating. There is nothing wrong with using certain tactics to carry out your strategy and obtain your objectives. It is not necessarily unethical, deceptive, or unscrupulous to use negotiating tactics, even though some may want you to believe this. Yes, some tactics may be unethical, and as I stated above, we should always be appropriate and ethical, but there is nothing wrong with being competitive.
No, I have not forgotten the Principled Negotiation strategy taught by Fisher and Ury in “Getting To Yes.” However, I also realize that sometimes we will be in competitive negotiations, and knowing various tactics can give us the edge. As an attorney, I realize some clients hire an attorney to be their pit bull, and while win-win might be the ideal, some of these clients only care about a win in their column. Practically speaking, we attorneys must deliver for our clients if we want to stay in business. In other fields of business, you run across competitive barganing as well, and knowing tactics may be quite beneficial. Additionally, knowing various negotiation tactics, and the counterattacks, prepare us for when others use them against us.
Conclusion
Strategy and tactics are concepts as old as conflict itself. By understanding the differences and relationships between the two, the successful negotiator can better plan and implement the strategies and tactics to reach specific desired outcomes. There is a reason so many successful business people study the ancient military classics such as “The Art of War” and “The Book of Five Rings.” There is a reason why so many successful business people play strategic military games such as Go and Chess. The lessons learned from military sources, especially strategy and tactics, can easily be adapted to help us be better business people, better litigators, and better negotiators.
SINCE the first Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the war-torn country’s citizens have been fleeing for their lives – and UK families have opened their homes, and their hearts, to help them.
A boy stands next to a wrecked vehicle in bomb-hit MariupolCredit: Reuters
Mike Adamson, CEO of the British Red Cross, which organised many of the placements, said: “People who arrived in the UK from Ukraine had their lives turned upside down.
“But the warmth and compassion of the public has meant we’ve been able to provide a place of refuge.”
He also praised Sun readers for donating generously to our special Ukraine Appeal, adding: “Your generosity has helped our expert teams provide practical and emotional support to thousands of people coping with the trauma of the conflict.”
As the first anniversary of the war looms closer, and with no end in sight, Alison Maloney talks to three refugee families and their hosts about their experiences.
Our tot was set for 1st birthday as missiles hit
ICU nurse Jade Blackburn, 39, and husband Miles, 36, an HR consultant, from Leicestershire, are hosts to Sachin and Yulia Kumar and toddler son Arun.
Yulia, 32, and Sachin, 33, had returned to their home in Vinnytsia in west-central Ukraine from a trip to India on February 14 and were preparing for their son’s first birthday, on February 26, when Russia invaded.
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Sachin and Yulia Kumar, Miles and Jade Blackburn with Ainsley, who became a ‘middle child’ overnightCredit: Paul Tonge
Yulia says: “We heard the sirens all night and we decided it wasn’t safe to stay in our apartment with a one-year-old, because we couldn’t keep travelling to the shelters.
“We moved on to a relative’s house which had an underground bunker but then my husband’s work as a food delivery courier stopped and we decided to go to Poland.
“They put us in temporary accommodation and their first question was, ‘Where will you move on to?’
“As we both speak English, we decided the UK was best.”
Jade and Miles, who are parents to Fraser, five, and three-year-old Ainsley, heard about the Homes For Ukraine scheme and wanted to offer their spare room.
The families talked every day for a month while Jade sorted the visas and travel arrangements.
Yulia says they were welcomed with open arms when they arrived.
She adds: “The room was ready for us with toys for Arun, and the neighbours and relatives all wanted to help, dropping in welcome cards, donating nappies and baby clothes.”
We can get on top of each other but we make it work.
Host Jade Blackburn
The family quickly settled in, although Jade’s younger son Ainsley had some early reservations.
She says: “Ainsley found it the hardest because he was just two when they first came and he’d gone from being the youngest to the middle child.
“Being so young, he didn’t want to share his toys.”
Sachin found work in local warehouses, although that dried up after Christmas and he is now looking for other jobs.
Yulia, a doctor who was on maternity leave when they fled Ukraine, is hoping she will also be able to work once they arrange childcare.
She says: “I miss Ukraine every day and I worry about my mother who is still there, because every day you see missile strikes on average cities and no one knows which area will be next.
“But I am grateful to be living here. I also like your education system and the activities for infants, because in Ukraine there is nothing for babies and small children.”
Although the families are close, Yulia says she and Sachin are keen to rent their own accommodation.
‘We heard the sirens all night and we decided it wasn’t safe to stay.
Mum Yulia Kumar
Jade, who now runs a Facebook page to support Ukrainian families and their hosts, admits they can “get on top of each other and get in each other’s way, but we make it work”.
She adds: “When I started sponsoring, I realised that there was no real help out there so I set up a local support group.
“It’s massively changed my life, because I’ve realised how rewarding it is actually just being able to devote your time to helping others.
“A year on, there is still a huge need for hosts because Ukrainian families are still having to flee.
“So if there are people out there who have spare rooms and think they can help, I can assure them it’s a massively rewarding experience.”
My dad was a World War 2 evacuee – I had to help
KARYNA IVOLHA, 33, fled from her home in Mariupol at the start of the conflict, accompanied by her mother Polina, 51, and children Mylana, eight, and 18-month-old Makar.
They now live with toymaker Tony Trowsdale, 62, in his Derbyshire home.
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Karyna Ivolha shares her Ukrainian treats with Tony TrowsdaleCredit: Fabio De Paola
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Mylana and Polina Ivolha make lunch togetherCredit: Fabio De Paola
Recently divorced Tony registered his interest in the Homes For Ukraine scheme when it launched and Karyna and her family arrived in September.
He says: “During World War Two my dad, who I lost in 2016, was evacuated from London to Cambridgeshire and he often spoke about how he was looked after.
“So I felt I had to help. I met Karyna and her children through a charity called LoveBristol.
“We chatted on WhatsApp and then I paid for their flights from Bremen in Poland. Having them here has been an amazing experience.
“They’ve made my house a home.”
Before the fighting reached their city, Karyna and husband Maxim, a policeman, had a “joyful, happy, normal life”.
It’s been amazing. They’ve made my house a home.
Host Tony Trowsdale
But Mariupol, in the Donetsk region, soon became one of the worst-hit cities and is now under Russian control
Karyna says: “The Ukrainian military fought back up till the last while it was a ground offensive.
“But then the air bombing started. The first bomb that hit the city was 300 tons and it devastated a huge area.”
Tony, who has three grown-up children and runs his own business making wooden toys, says the family’s arrival has enriched his life — and expanded his waistline.
He adds: “Polina is a baker by trade and they introduced me to traditional Ukrainian food.
“I love varenyky, which are half-moon-shaped dumplings, like ravioli. I joke that I was 10st when they moved in, now I’m 20st.”
‘They bring a spark’
Karyna, who is taking English lessons with her mum, says: “In the beginning I was uncomfortable but Tony made everything so much easier, telling us to relax and use Google Translate. Or we use gestures.
“In the evening we play games, like Connect 4, dominoes and snakes and ladders.”
Tony says the family have been overwhelmed by the welcome they have received from the local community, who also donated clothes and a cot.
And he takes Mylana to taekwondo and dance lessons every week, with both clubs have waiving their fees.
He also fought to get the youngster into a local school attended by twin Ukrainian boys so she would feel less isolated.
Polina, meanwhile, has landed a job in the local bakery, where she says they treat her as “one of the team”.
In the evening we play games like Connect 4.
Mum Karyna Ivolha
Tony calls having the kids at home a “dry run” for being a future grandad.
“They bring a spark to the house and I am blessed that they are here,” he says.
“It’ll be a great day for them when they can go back — but a sad day for me.”
Neighbours welcomed us with flags and balloons
YANA MONAKHOVA, 21, her brother Tymofi, nine, and mum Olha, 45, came to the UK last July and lived with Gill Woodall, 63, and husband Kevin, 67, in Meopham, Kent.
They have since moved on to a nearby rented flat.
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A home from home – Gill Woodall with, from left, guests Tymofi, Olha and Yana MonakhovaCredit: John McLellan
Yana says her life before the conflict was idyllic.
She lived by the Black Sea in the sun-drenched south of Ukraine,
Her dad Pasha, a sound engineer, helped build cinemas in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, while Olha worked as a part-time furniture designer.
Yana, meanwhile, was studying English and French at university.
She says: “I had a very nice life. We had holidays at least once a year.
“When war broke out, we fled to a summer home with my grandparents, and all seven of us slept in one small room.”
They are not just friends, they are part of my family.
Host Gill Woodall
The family’s apartment was close to a military air base, and on the night of the first Russian attacks, they were woken at 5am by the sound of two missiles.
Yana says: “We had been told on the news that this could happen but we were living a normal life . . . we didn’t really expect it, so it was a shock. Tymofi was shaking.
“We knew we had to leave but we couldn’t go straight to the border because it was shut.”
Olha, who was booked in to have a hysterectomy on the day of the invasion, also needed medical attention.
In the UK, nurse Gill and Kevin, who owns a flooring business, were keen to offer the family the two spare bedrooms in their Kent bungalow.
A friend who had also taken in refugees put them in touch with dad Pasha, and a flight was booked from Poland.
We didn’t really expect the attack, so it was a shock.
Yana Monakhova, 21
Olha says: “As soon as we met them at the airport, Gill and Kevin wrapped us in warmth.
“When we arrived at the house, the neighbours had put out Ukrainian flags and balloons. It was unbelievable. It made us feel so welcome.”
Since October Gill and Kevin, who have three grown-up children and six grandchildren, have no longer been able to accommodate the family but found them a rental flat in the nearby village of Shorne.
The two families remain incredibly close though.
Gill says: “They are not just friends — they are part of my family.”
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The first Russian attack on Ukraine took place on February 24, 2022
When you get a call from a school administrator inviting you to interview for a teaching job, how do you feel? Happy? Elated? Excited? Nervous? Scared stiff?
You don’t need to worry about the interview if you’re a well-prepared, qualified candidate. Preparing for a teaching interview is a lot like studying for a test. You can review commonly asked questions, think about what you’ll say beforehand, and go in to do your best. If you prepare beforehand, the interview questions will seem routine and familiar. You’ll have answers on the tip of your tongue, ready-to-go.
Below is a list of six commonly asked teacher interview questions from my eBook, Guide to Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams. How would you answer each question?
1. Tell us about yourself.
This will be the first question at almost every interview. Just give a brief background in about three sentences. Tell them what colleges you graduated from, what you’re certified to teach, what your teaching & working experiences are, and why you’d love the job.
2. How do you teach to the state standards?
If you interview in the United States, school administrators love to talk about state, local, or national standards! Reassure your interviewer that everything you do ties into standards. Be sure the lesson plans in your portfolio have the state standards typed right on them. When they ask about them, pull out your lesson and show them the close ties between your teaching and the standards.
3. How will you prepare students for standardized assessments?
There are standardized assessments at almost every grade level. Be sure you know the names of the tests. Talk about your experiences preparing students. You’ll get bonus points if you know and describe the format of the test because that will prove your familiarity.
4. Describe your discipline philosophy.
You use lots of positive reinforcement. You are firm, but you don’t yell. You have appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior. You have your classroom rules posted clearly on the walls. You set common routines that students follow. You adhere to the school’s discipline guidelines. Also, emphasize that you suspect discipline problems will be minimal because your lessons are very interesting and engaging to students. Don’t tell the interviewer that you “send kids to the principal’s office” whenever there is a problem. You should be able to handle most discipline problems on your own. Only students who have committed very serious behavior problems should be sent to the office.
5. How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?
An IEP is an “individualized education plan.” Students with special needs will be given an IEP, or a list of things that you must do when teaching the child. An IEP might include anything from “additional time for testing” to “needs all test questions read aloud” to “needs to use braille textbook.” How do you ensure you’re meeting the needs of a student with an IEP? First, read the IEP carefully. If you have questions, consult a special education teacher, counselor, or other staff member who can help you. Then, you just make sure you follow the requirements on the IEP word for word. When necessary, you may be asked to attend a meeting in which you can make suggestions for updating the IEP. Your goal, and the goal of the IEP, is to make sure the student has whatever he or she needs to be successful in your class.
6. How do you communicate with parents?
This question will come up at almost every elementary school interview. It’s fairly common in the middle school and high school as well. You might have a weekly parent newsletter that you send home each week. For grades 3 and up, you may require students to have an assignment book that has to be signed each night. This way, parents know what assignments are given and when projects are due. When there are discipline problems you call home and talk to parents. It’s important to have an open-door policy and invite parents to share their concerns at any time.
For more teacher interview questions, I invite you to download my eBook Getting the Teaching Job of Your Dreams ( http://www.iwantateachingjob.com ). In it you will find 50 common interview questions and answers as well as practical advice for getting the teaching job you want.
EVERY morning the residents of this tiny border town wake up to the chilling knowledge that they are separated from Russia by just a 200-metre bridge.
They live in fear as a giant painted “Z” – the symbol of Vladimir Putin’s twisted war in Ukraine – leers at them from across the Nemunas River.
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Leering across the Nemunas River is a gigantic painted ‘Z’ – a symbol of the war in RussiaCredit: Ian Whittaker
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The Russian flag waves in the chill wind as The Sun stood on the narrow bridge to RussiaCredit: Ian Whittaker
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A lone Russian woman crosses over from the Russian side of the bridgeCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Lithuanian State border guard Gedas Zagorskas warned us we could be followed by the RussiansCredit: Ian Whittaker
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The view from the bridge – with Russia around 100 metres away over the riverCredit: Ian Whittaker
And they tremble at the thought that one day their bridge will see tanks and soldiers streaming across – just like what happened last year in Ukraine.
It is by strange quirks of geography and diplomacy as they find themselves a stone’s throw with Russia’s Kaliningrad.
Kaliningrad is an isolated stretch of land cut off from Russia and left sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.
The region is heavily militarised, at its peak being home to more than 200,000 Russian soldiers.
And so The Sun Online headed to the Lithuanian border town of Panemune – which has a population of less than 200.
It is just a few minutes walk across the river from the town of Sovetsk in Russia, which is home to around 40,000.
And the narrow bridge that separates them is the closest thing to a no man’s land between Nato – which Lithuania joined in 2004 – and Russia.
One building on Russia’s side of the riverbank has been bedecked with the enormous “Z”.
It is painted in orange and black, the colours of the Ribbon of Saint George, another Russian military symbol.
The gesture is deliberately provocative, just next to the Queen Louise Bridge.
It is the only road crossing between Lithuania and Russia.
Lithuanian border guard Gedas Zagorskas tells The Sun Online that the giant Z appeared shortly after the Russian invasion last year.
As we take pictures on the bridge, he also warns us that the Russians are almost certainly filming us.
He adds that we should keep an eye out for spotting the same people multiple times.
They could be a Russian tail, he warned.
Panemune is officially registered as a town, despite its tiny population.
It sits on the north bank of the Nemunas River in the southwest of the country, around 140 miles west of Lithuania’s capital Vilnius.
If Russia starts a war against Lithuania, Panemune will probably be swept away
Alfredas
Last April, Russia banned the movement of vehicles over the Queen Louise Bridge to Panemune.
Gedas tells us the Z appeared shortly after the Russian invasion.
For locals in the tiny town, a mixture of fear and frustration pervades.
Fear that, in their words, if Ukraine falls then they are next for Russia’s imperial ambitions.
Frustration that they have lost their ties to their nearest big town and trading partner as a result of the crisis.
One Panemune resident, 64-year-old Alfredas, couldn’t be any closer to the Russian border.
His sprawling house, a former German customs building constructed when Kaliningrad was still the East Prussian city of Konigsberg, is just metres from the border separating Russia and Lithuania.
Alfredas said he feared that the conflict in Ukraine would “grow into a much bigger war” in the spring.
THE SUN ON THE BRIDGE OF SPIES
The Sun’s man in the Baltic, Anthony Blair, travelled to Panemune, on the border with Lithuania and Russia
It is less cold than it has been on the trip, but blustery winds mean there is still a chill in the air.
After speaking to Lithuanian border guard Gedas Zagorskas, we are warned that if we are filming the Russians, they are almost certainly filming us.
He also tells us to look out for any possible Russian tails.
If we see the same person multiple times in the small town, they could have been sent to keep an eye on us.
Indeed, we do spot a lone man watching us closely with a camera at several stages during our time in Panemune.
However, in a town of just 200 people, that might not be too surprising.
He added: “If Russia occupies Ukraine, the next target will be the Baltic.”
If the unthinkable happens, what will become of his life and his small town?
He said: “If Russia starts a war against Lithuania, Panemune will probably be swept away.”
Antanas, a 77-year-old Soviet army veteran, also feels worried about the future.
He was stationed in Ukraine during his military service and has “huge respect” for the country.
Before the war, he had a number of friends in Sovetsk on the Russian side of the river but admits relations with some of them have become strained since the start of the conflict.
He wants nothing to do with his pro-war Russian friends anymore.
As for the giant “Z” facing straight at his town, Antanas says he “cannot even look at it,” it makes him feel sick.
Now Antanas feels under “constant stress”. He says that older people in Panemune are particularly anxious about what comes next.
“Putin is unpredictable,” he says. “Some people think Lithuania is the next target.”
Sigitas, 58, is a customs worker who has lived in Panemune for some 20 years.
With Panemune being the only road connection between Lithuania and Russia, he feels anxious about living in the town.
“If Russia invades, it will happen here,” he says.
The uncertainty is also nerve-wracking.
Panemune lies close to the Suwalki Gap, the 40-mile-long border between Lithuania and Poland, stretching from the Kaliningrad enclave of Russia in the west to Putin-friendly Belarus in the east.
This is a highly vulnerable spot in NATO’s defences.
Sigitas was stationed in Lviv, modern-day Ukraine, during his time in the Soviet army, and knows the Ukrainians very well.
“They are very tough, but they face a very strong enemy,” he says. “What we are seeing now is just the start.”
And, like many others in Panemune, he worries about his country’s future if Ukraine is defeated by Russia.
“If Ukraine falls, Lithuania will be the next target,” he says.
But if Russia is defeated, and pushed out of Crimea and the Donbas, what will that mean for Kaliningrad?
Sigitas believes the existence of the Russian territory will become untenable if Russia is defeated.
At first, he was emotional seeing the Z sign, but now he is numb to it.
He believes the current crisis is something deeper than just the war in Ukraine.
“The Russian mentality is very different,” he says. “Before the war, Russians and Lithuanians had things to talk about.
“Now the Russians are more standoffish.”
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Three women heading across the border to RussiaCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Alfredas, 63, outside his home metres from the Russian borderCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Antanas, 77, is scared that Lithuania will be next for PutinCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Sigitas, 58, was stationed in Ukraine when he was part of the Soviet militaryCredit: Ian Whittaker
Kaliningrad was a closed military zone throughout most of the Soviet era.
It is still home to a military base and a key naval port and has housed nuclear-capable missiles over the last 10 years.
But even the isolated region is not free from the impact of Vlad’s war in Ukraine.
It is believed around 30,000 Russian troops were stationed there – and now only 6,000 are left.
Thousands are believed to have been redeployed to Ukraine.
And they are now in the process of being replaced by hastily mobilised conscripts called up by Putin.
Kaliningrad is also of great importance to Russia as it houses the country’s only ice-free port to access Europe.
Koenigsberg, as the city of Kaliningrad was once known, was founded by Teutonic knights in the 13th century.
It became one of the cities of the Hanseatic League and was once the capital of Prussia – a prominent German state.
The Hanseatic League was a confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in northwestern and central Europe.
Kaliningrad was still part of Germany until its annexation by the USSR following World War 2 when it suffered extensive destruction.
The German population was expelled or fled after the war ended – leaving it in the hands of Russia.
Putin is believed to be preparing for a massive new offensive in the coming weeks to coincide with the first anniversary of the war on February 24.
Vlad’s future is now believed to be tied to his success or failure in Ukraine.
Russia expected to be welcomed as conquering liberators when they staged their invasion nearly one year ago.
But instead of flags and cheering crowns, they were met with gunfire and brave resistance.
Vlad is believed to be desperate to try and achieve something in Ukraine – especially with the anniversary so close.
Kyiv intelligence has confirmed they expect a massive new attack sometime in the next week.
It is believed that if Putin continues to fail in the war, his regime could collapse – and it could have dire consequences for Russia.
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Sun Man Anthony Blair stands on the bridge which leading to RussiaCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Could this small bridge one day become a scene of new Russian invasion?Credit: Ian Whittaker
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Russian propaganda on the walls of Sovetsk, a Russian border townCredit: Ian Whittaker
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The Lithuanian border town of Panemune lies on the edge of two worldsCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Panemune is home to around just 200 peopleCredit: Ian Whittaker
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The border between Russia and the European Union at PanemuneCredit: Ian Whittaker
The following article introduces some of the technologies that can be used to help us improve our work-life balance by being more efficient and flexible in what work we do and where we do it from. Many of the technologies help us to work from dynamic locations and make communications and the sharing of information speedier and more versatile – thus providing benefits to both employers and their employees with higher staff morale and higher productivity.
VPN
The term VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is used to describe scenarios and technologies that allow two disparate local computer networks (LANs) to be securely connected across public networks such as the internet. The exact technologies and protocols can vary with some VPNs using software programs and/or network configurations, but the basic principle is that the data that is transmitted between the two endpoints on each network or device is contained within encrypted packets, whilst each endpoint itself requires authentication to restrict access to authorised users. As the encrypted packets can only be decoded at these endpoints, the data cannot be intercepted as it travels across the public networks.
This secure system can be used, not to only connect two distinct LANs regardless of geographical location, but also to connect individual machines/devices to LANs. For businesses it can therefore be a valuable technology for connecting separate office sites or allowing employees to connect with centralised LANs when travelling or working from other locations. However, for individual employees looking to improve their work-life balance it can be a vital tool allowing them to work from home and still access all of the secure files and data stored on their office’s servers, as well as running programs, such as email clients as if they were sat at their usual desk. The flexibility that this offers can, where the employer is obliging, massively ease time and travel pressures, preventing work from encroaching excessively on personal time. Moreover, employers using VPN are more likely to be obliging when it comes to changing working locations due to the security VPN offers, as well as the continuity, with employees able to contribute and work at the same capacity as if they were on-site.
BYOD
BYOD, which stands for Bring Your Own Device, represents a fast growing trend in the workplace whereby employees are permitted, and sometimes encouraged, to use their own personal devices in place of those provided by their company. A BYOD policy has to tackle security concerns as ‘untrusted’ devices (with varying malware vulnerabilities and the potential to take private data off the network) are introduced to otherwise restricted workplace LANs. On the other hand, adoption can reduce a business’s IT spend, introduce more IT functionality to the workplace and make individual employees more productive – as they work on devices with which they are more familiar. The adoption of BYOD and its benefits therefore relies on technologies such as VPN (above) to provide secure connections between devices and LANs (without necessarily bringing the device directly onto the LAN behind the firewall).
BYOD helps to improve the work-life balance because it blurs further the boundary between working from the office, on the road or at home so that there is a seamless transition between each; reducing the need to travel/commute in many cases. It can also increase the period and efficiency of output which, in turn, can mean that the working day eats less into personal time. All of which means more personal time spent at home. Furthermore, it can’t be underestimated how a sense of morale at work affects the work-life dynamic and so using devices with which one is familiar, experienced and comfortable can be important.
To help you pass your job interview, we will cover the following 2 things in this blog post.
We will explain what structured interview questions are. If you know what they are, you can give perfect answers!
We will then give you lots of example structured interview questions and top-scoring answers!
TO BEGIN WITH, WHAT ARE STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS?
Structured interview questions are pre-set questions that assess how you have previously performed in specific situations. The situations will be ones you will likely encounter in the workplace, and the hiring manager wants to be sure you can deal with them confidently.
Now, each candidate will get asked the same structured interview questions to make the process fair! Examples of structured interview questions include:
Tell me about a time you had to overcome a difficult situation.
Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict with a co-worker.
Tell me about a time you received negative feedback.
When you answer structured interview questions, we strongly recommend you use the S.T.A.R technique.
S.T.A.R stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result!
You start your answer and tell the interviewer the SITUATION you were faced with.
You then move on and briefly outline the TASK that needed doing.
You then give in-depth details about the ACTION you took to complete the task.
Before finishing your answer and telling the interviewer the RESULTS following your actions!
BRILLIANT EXAMPLE ANSWERS TO DIFFICULT STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT USE THE S.T.A.R TECHNIQUE
The first structured interview question we want to give you an answer to is, tell me about a time you had to overcome a difficult situation. Here’s my example response that uses the STAR technique:
SITUATION: In my previous job, I was tasked with organizing a large business meeting for the company owner. 50 people were due to attend. Two days before the meeting, the conference centre called to tell me they’d had a flood the night before and I could no longer use their venue.
TASK: It was my task to remain calm, quickly find a suitable alternative venue, and inform all attendees of the change of location.
ACTION: I immediately set to work calling around various hotels and venues to find one suitable for the meeting to take place that had sufficient parking for the attendees, and who could supply refreshments at short notice.
After spending two hours on the phone, I managed to find the perfect venue. I then spent the rest of the day drafting new meeting details, sending them out to all attendees, and calling them individually to inform them about the change of venue.
RESULT: The end was result was the meeting went ahead as planned and it was a huge success for the company owner who thanked me for my resilience whilst dealing with the challenging situation.
The next structured interview question I recommend you prepare for is, describe a situation when you had to adjust to change in the workplace.
Here’s my example answer to help you pass your interview:
SITUATION: A new manager took over the running of our department and she wanted to make various changes to the way we worked. In particular, she wanted to streamline working practices, reduce office waste, and make people more accountable for the projects they were working on.
TASK: I saw it as my responsibility to embrace the changes and support the new manager in her role.
ACTION: I went to see her and offered to answer any questions she had about the current working practices and how I felt they could be changed to make improvements to the company. She asked me several questions before inviting me to help her write the new working procedures, to which I agreed. Some team members were sceptical about the proposed changes, but I encouraged them to give them a try.
RESULT: After my manager implemented the changes, productivity and standards started to improve, and moral in the team increased significantly.
The next structured interview question we need to cover comes up all the time during job interviews. That question is, tell me about a time when you experienced conflict with a co-worker.
Here’s my example answer that uses the STAR technique:
SITUATION: I disagreed with a co-worker on the best way to promote a new company product. They wanted to promote the product locally by using leaflets and posters whereas I wanted to promote it online to reach a wider audience.
TASK: It was my task to find a way through the conflict and reach an agreement that was in the best interests of the product launch.
ACTION: I asked my co-worker questions to determine why they felt local advertising was best. I then explained why I felt online advertising would be more beneficial because we could reach a wider audience and also track sales and advertising spend.
I suggested we should try both types of advertising for a one week period, and whichever method yielded the best results would then be used for the rest of the campaign. My co-worker agreed this was a good idea.
RESULT: After the one week trial, the online advertising gave very strong returns and we switched the full campaign to that method. By trialling both ideas, I was able to remove the conflict and put the needs of the business first.
The next structured interview question we want to work through is, tell me about a time you received negative feedback. Do not answer this question by saying you have never received negative feedback. This question is assessing how well you react to feedback, and how you use it to improve! Here’s my example answer to help you:
SITUATION: My manager asked me to put together a PowerPoint presentation for an internal meeting she was holding the following day.
TASK: The presentation was about the company’s performance for the year to date, and I needed to include all relevant sales data.
ACTION: When I delivered the presentation to my manager she was disappointed in how it had been put together. She said the presentation was not adequately detailed for what she needed. I listened to her feedback and asked questions to determine exactly what she wanted before starting the presentation again.
RESULT: When I delivered the presentation a second time, she told me it was perfect. I learned a lot from that situation and I now ask plenty of questions whenever I am given an important task or project to ensure I complete it to the required standard.
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One thing everyone seems to not have enough of is time. Since you cannot get more time each day, the thing to do is better utilize the time you have. Following are five time management tips that have been utilized for years and continue to work well for those who do them.
Always prioritize what you should get done each day. Be sure to plan for getting key items done that move your most important project to completion or high priorities that help to accomplish your goals. Then do other activities that would be consider your normal job tasks by organizing them with similar a like activities together organize things first
Touch paper or emails only once. In other words do not procrastinate by deciding to “decide later.” If it is something a subordinate can do or another team member enjoys doing, put their name on it and pass it along with minimal instructions. If it is reference material, skim it for what you need then either toss it or file it. If it requires you to reply, then write a note on paper or respond to an email right away with comments, questions, or suggestions.
Schedule high priority or key items into your day during the time you know you have the most energy and do your best work. This goes back to planning your day because you should always give you best efforts towards things that matter in the long run rather than just getting things done. So be sure to use your peak time for important tasks.
Whenever possible, delegate! You do not need to do everything yourself. Allow others to take on projects or tasks that may allow them to grow and learn. You may need to review their work or provide some guidance yourself at first or suggest someone on your team who can guide them through the necessary process. Eventually the subordinate or team member will be able to handle similar work on their own, which frees you for more important tasks.
Make an appointment with yourself for some uninterrupted time each day. Again we go back to planning your day so you accomplish more important things with the time you have. Use this uninterrupted time for strategic planning, project updates, or creative thinking. Even if this is only half an hour, it might help in moving key items forward in a new way, reducing stress, and preventing crisis.
The preceding time management tips have been tested by many people and have proven to work time after time. So if you want more time in your day, try these tips to see if they allow you to get more done by better managing how you work with the time you have.
A BRITISH man killed in Ukraine has been described as a “hero” by his family.
Paramedic Jonathan Shenkin, from Glasgow, is the eighth person from the UK known to have died in the war-torn country since Russia invaded.
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Jonathan Shenkin, from Glasgow, was killed in UkraineCredit: Facebook
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The 45-year-old’s family described him as a ‘hero’Credit: Facebook
In a social media post, the 45-year-old’s family said he “made the ultimate sacrifice” by standing up to Vladimir Putin‘s troops in Ukraine.
They said the dad “died as a hero in an act of bravery as a paramedic” in December.
A tribute shared by his brother Daniel Shenkin said: “On enlisting in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he made the ultimate sacrifice to defend values we all believe in.
“He is survived by his son and daughter, to whom he was devoted.”
Mr Skenkin’s brother told how he had spent “much of his life helping others” after growing up in Glasgow.
He briefly lived in London and Malta before signing up for the Israeli Army.
Mr Shenkin later ran his own security business, which included missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Oman and Somalia.
His brother added: “Throughout his life he took reward in helping others, whether it be through volunteer work, training authorities, close protection or rescue.
“As well as volunteering his skills during natural disasters in the Philippines, he devoted much of his time to good causes.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Ukraine, and are in contact with the local authorities.”
It comes after the bodies of another two Brits killed while trying to help people evacuate from fierce fighting in Ukraine were recovered last month in a prisoner swap.
Ukraine exchanged 63 jailed Russians captured during Putin’s invasion as part of the swap.
Chris Parry, 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, 47, were undertaking voluntary work in Soledar, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, when their vehicle was reportedly hit by a shell.
Meanwhile, Special Forces Support Group and Afghan War veteran Simon Lingard was killed in action when his trench was hit by a Russian shell.
Embracing Leadership Through Mentorship: A Beacon for Returning ProfessionalsAs National Mentoring Month illuminates our calendars, it serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative...
