FORTUNE's Best Companies to Work for 2011

By AOL Jobs Contributor

by Fortune Magazine: Milton Moskowitz, Robert Levering & Christopher Tkaczyk


Each year Fortune compiles its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Based largely on employee surveys, this list is significant for all those who are not just looking for a job, but also a great experience at work.
We've listed the top ten of Fortune's 2011 list below. This year eight of the top ten companies from last year were able to maintain there exclusive ranking. The two new additions are companies you've likely heard of before; they're online shoe retailer Zappos.com and outdoor product purveyor Recreational Equipment (REI)
So without further adieu, here are the top ten companies to work for...

01. SAS

Rank: 1 (Previous rank: 1)

What makes it so great?
A 14-year veteran of this list, the software firm takes the top spot for the second year running.
Its perks are epic: on-site healthcare, high quality childcare at $410 per month, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, a beauty salon, and more -- it's all enough to make a state-of-the-art, 66,000-square-foot gym seem like nothing special by comparison.
This year, strong employee feedback sent its numbers even higher. Says one manager: "People stay at SAS in large part because they are happy, but to dig a little deeper, I would argue that people don't leave SAS because they feel regarded -- seen, attended to and cared for. I have stayed for that reason, and love what I do for that reason."
2009 revenue ($ millions): 2,310

• Find jobs at SAS
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for SAS!

02. Boston Consulting Group

Rank: 2 (Previous rank: 8)

What makes it so great?
The consulting giant not only avoided layoffs in the downturn, but hired its largest class of recruits ever in 2010.
They're drawn by the firm's generous pay and a commitment to social work: Its Social Impact Practice Network (SIPN) offers a chance to work with the U.N. World Food Program and Save the Children, while BCG pulled its consultants off client projects to provide on-the-ground support in Haiti following the earthquake.
The company jumps up from no. 8 last year.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 2,750

• Find jobs at Boston Consulting Group
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for Boston Consulting Group!

03. Wegmans Food Markets

Rank: 3 (Previous rank: 3)

What makes it so great?
This customer-friendly supermarket chain cares about the well-being of its workers, too. This year, 11,000 employees took part in a challenge to eat five cups of fruit and vegetables a day and walk up to 10,000 steps a day for eight weeks.
Another 8,000 took advantage of health screenings that included a flu shot and H1N1 vaccine -- all covered by Wegmans.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 5,193

• Find jobs at Wegmans Food Markets
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for Wegmans!

04. Google

Rank: 4 (Previous rank: 4)

What makes it so great?
The search giant is famous for its laundry list of perks including free food at any of its cafeterias, a climbing wall, and, well, free laundry.
Last year, with revenue up more than 20%, Google sweetened this already rich pot of perks by giving every employee a 10% pay hike. Googlers can also award one another $175 peer spot bonuses -- last year more than two-thirds of them did so.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 23,651

• Find jobs at Google
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for Google!

05. NetApp

Rank: 5 (Previous rank: 7)

What makes it so great?
It was a rebound year for the data-storage firm (no. 1 in 2009), as revenues jumped 33% and it hired hundreds of new employees.
Hourly executive assistants make $76,450 a year here, supplemented by a bonus of $21,917.
Employees also enjoy perks like free fruit on Tuesdays, free bagels and cream cheese on Fridays, and free espresso all the time.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 3,931

• Find jobs at NetApp
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for NetApp!

06. Zappos.com

Rank: 6 (Previous rank: 15)

What makes it so great?
The online shoe retailer makes a big leap from no. 15 to no. 6 this year.
Now part of the Amazon.com family, the company's quirky, happy culture remains: Employees enjoy free lunches, no-charge vending machines, a full-time life coach on hand, and "create fun and a little weirdness" as one of the company's guiding tenets.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 1,190

• Find jobs at Zappos.com
• Read More on CNN Money

07. Camden Property Trust

Rank: 7 (Previous rank: 10)

What makes it so great?
The Houston-based apartment management firm weathered the recession as employees pitched in to trim $6 million in costs, largely by renegotiating contracts and reducing pay.
One team sent a scrapbook to the CEO to show how much they love the company, while another planned and organized a "flash mob" dance routine for leaders' benefit.
One popular perk: Staffers can rent furnished apartments for $20 a night in locations like Orlando, San Diego, Denver and Austin for use on personal vacations.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 624

• Find jobs at Camden Property Trust
• Read More on CNN Money

08. Nugget Market

Rank: 8 (Previous rank: 5)

What makes it so great?
Rallies are an everyday event at this nine-store Northern California supermarket chain, where management uses a big flat screen computer monitor in each store to deliver important information about products, messages from the leadership team, employee awards, and pump up the troops.
Employees who watch diligently can be rewarded with bonuses that range from $20 to $1,500. Universal perk: everyone receives a 10% discount on store purchases.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 288

• Find jobs at Nugget Market
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• Find out What It's Like to work for Nugget Market!

09. Recreational Equipment (REI)

Rank: 9 (Previous rank: 14)

What makes it so great?
After 15 years of service, employees at this adventure gear retailer are entitled to a four-week paid sabbatical; after that, they can take one every five years.
Employees also receive 50%-75% discounts on full-price REI branded apparel and equipment, free rental of equipment like skis and kayaks, and an annual gift of REI gear.
A separate Challenge Grant program provides up to $300 worth of gear to employees that participate in a challenging outdoor adventure (one cycled 500 miles across Iowa).
2009 revenue ($ millions): 1,455

• Find jobs at REI
• Read More on CNN Money

10. DreamWorks Animation SKG

Rank: 10 (Previous rank: 6)

What makes it so great?
The creators of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda are lavished with free breakfast and lunch, movie screenings, afternoon yoga, on-campus art classes and monthly parties.
CEO Jefferey Katzenberg still takes time to call job candidates to encourage them to join.
Any DreamWorker can pitch a movie idea to company executives -- and can take the company-sponsored "Life's A Pitch" workshop to learn how best to do it.
2009 revenue ($ millions): 725

• Find jobs at DreamWorks Animation SKG
• Read More on CNN Money
• Find out What It's Like to work for DreamWorks!

Continue to CNN Money to see the Complete 2011 List of Best Companies to Work For

Girl quits her job on dry erase board, emails entire office (33 Photos)

Author: Leo

From: http://thechive.com/

We received the following photos last night from a person who works with this girl. Her name is Jenny (not confirmed) - we're working our contact for Jenny's last name. Yesterday morning, Jenny quit her job with a (flash)bang by emailing these photos to the entire office, about 20 employees we're told. Awesome doesn't begin to describe this office heroine. Check back as we will be updating if we get more details.

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Click here to see the full Story...Hilarious: http://thechive.com/2010/08/10/girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-entire-office-33-photos/

The Music Industry's Funny Money

Still think a music career is an easy path to a blinged-out life? Don't believe the hype. A whole lot of folks have to get paid before the musician does. The Root traces the money trail.

By: Cord Jefferson
From: http://www.theroot.com/

If you thought the life of most musicians was comparable to the blissful and blinged-out existences of Kanye and Rihanna, you've clearly not heard much about our ever-desiccating music industry. According to the latest Nielsen research, only 2.1 percent of the albums released in 2009 sold even 5,000 copies -- that's just 2,050 records out of nearly 100,000, and to fewer people than go to a small liberal arts college.

As if that weren't bad enough, even the bands who do move units end up paying through the nose, mouth, eyes and ears for management, legal fees, producers and other expenses, leaving most of them scrounging to pay for record advances and, if they can afford it, health care.

From the outside, it often sounds fun to be in a band. But before picking up that guitar or microphone, take a look at where the money from a record goes.(Scroll down to continue)

*Calculator: Find Out How Much You'd Make as a Musician*

9 Companies with the Best Perks

For some employees, amazing benefits are just part of the job

By Amanda Greene 

from WomansDay.com

In today’s economy, employees have gotten used to the bare minimum at work. With widespread pay cuts and rampant layoffs, it’s not unusual to consider free coffee a great perk. But some companies are still working hard to keep their employees happy, going above and beyond the standard benefits and rewarding them with everything from on-site massages to unlimited paid vacation time. Jealous yet? Read on to learn about corporations that are not all work—and plenty of play.
S.C. Johnson

If you work at this cleaning product giant and are short on time, you don’t need to worry: There’s an on-site concierge service that offers discounted services, like mailing your packages, sending flowers, picking up and delivering groceries, researching car insurance deals, changing the oil in your car and even standing in line for concert tickets. And the benefits don’t stop once you retire: Former employees get a lifetime membership at the company fitness center. Photo courtesy of SCJohnson.com.

Amgen, Inc.

Employees of this California biotech company have 17 paid holidays a year (on top of three weeks of vacation), which is nearly two times the average. Parents can drop their kids off at the on-site day care center, pick up bouquets at the in-house gift shops and grab a takeout breakfast or lunch at the cafeteria, which prepares healthy meals to go. New moms enjoy a variety of perks at Amgen, like on-site Lamaze and breastfeeding classes, lactation rooms and a nutritional program with one-on-one counseling. Photo courtesy of Amgen.com.

Google, Inc.

You’ve probably heard Google is a great company to work for. Here’s why: lunch, dinner and snacks from a choice of 16 gourmet cafes are free. Plus, employees can bring their dogs to work, stressed-out workers can get subsidized massages, there are free laundry machines, four gyms, on-site doctors and much, much more. Google even lets new moms and dads expense up to $500 for takeout meals during the first three months they’re home with their new baby. Photo courtesy of Google.com.

Netflix, Inc.

Employees of this movie-delivery company don’t need to request vacation days because there’s no set number of them. "If you hire adults who practice adult behaviors, you don't need requirements like dress codes and vacation policies," says Steve Swasey, vice president of corporate communications. CEO Reed Hastings has so much trust in his employees that nobody even keeps track of how many days they're out of the office. Photo courtesy of Netflix.com.

Genentech, Inc.

Child (and doggie!) day care are available to employees at this San Francisco biotech company. Also on the benefits menu: six-week paid sabbaticals to prevent burnout, drop-off laundry service, seasonal produce stands in company cafeterias, made-to-order sushi, free cappuccinos and two 24-hour libraries. And at the end of a stressful workweek, employees can let loose on Fridays at the weekly socials, or “Ho-Hos.” Photo courtesy of Gene.com.

MillerCoors, LLC.

When employees of Miller Brewing head to the nearest bar for happy hour, they don’t have to go very far. In 2004, Miller CEO Norman Adami opened Fred's Pub, an on-site pub for Milwaukee employees to gather and relax in after-hours. Even better: The beer––seven kinds on tap and 13 varieties of bottled brew––is free. And, MillerCoors just opened a new headquarters in Chicago which features a 16th floor rooftop bar and outdoor terrace that overlooks the Chicago River. The beer is, of course, free. The pub is called Fred & Adolph's, after the founders of Miller and Coors Brewing Companies. Photo courtesy of MillerCoors.com.

SAS Institute, Inc.

If employees at this business software company are feeling stressed out, they can head to the campus recreation and fitness center for a massage, at a subsidized cost, according to the company’s website. Or they can utilize the gym, weight room, billiards hall and Olympic-size pool. An article from 2010 reports that SAS also offers high-quality, low-cost child care, unlimited sick days and a free medical center staffed by four physicians and 10 nurse practitioners. Plus, the two in-residence artists have been known to offer artwork and framing supplies to employees at a discount. Photo courtesy of SAS.com.

F5 Networks, Inc.

According to their website, at the end of each week, this networking application company relaxes with Beer Friday, a party that features microbrews, wine and snacks in the company game room. While they imbibe, employees can play foosball, pinball, air hockey and Ping-Pong. They also get a $100 monthly stipend to try alternative transportation options. They can get massages at work two times a week or break a sweat on the nearby running trails. Employees are encouraged to excel with the company’s quarterly “High Five” awards. Photo courtesy of F5.com.

Chesapeake Energy Corp.

An on-site day care center, generous benefits package and discounted scuba certification classes at nearby lakes are all part of the job for employees of natural gas company Chesapeake Energy. Once they’re certified, employees can sign up for one of company’s scuba trips to Cozumel, Mexico. They can also take advantage of some perks on dry land: the campus’s new employee garden takes up a full city block, and will have a garden pavilion for everything from cooking demonstrations to yoga classes. Photo courtesy of CHK.com.

Tall women's salaries leave short girls in the shade

By Daily Mail Reporter

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Height advantage: Taller women get paid higher salaries (FILE PHOTO)

It may be a tall order for some women to accept.

But shorter females earn less than their loftier colleagues, a study claims

Those who stand at 5ft8in and above are twice as likely to earn more than £30,000 a year - or up to £5,000 more than their vertically challenged friends.

The researchers asked 1,461 women over the age of 16 to give details about their salary and measurements.

A fifth of those questioned who fell into the 'tall' category said they earned £30,000 and above compared with 10 per cent of women under 5ft8in.

At the same time, 20 per cent of the tall women said they saw their height as a source of 'empowerment and authority' compared with just 5 per cent of shorter females.

And the study revealed that the taller you are, the more comfortable you are likely to be with your body.

A quarter of women over 5ft8in said they would not change anything about themselves.

In contrast, 90 per cent of females in the 'short' category said they were unhappy with their looks, the study for clothing chain Long Tall Sally found.

Arianne Cohen, author of The Tall Book: A Celebration Of Life From On High, said: 'Research shows that tall people are consistently more successful in the workplace.

'Not only do they earn more but they're more likely to be in leadership positions.

'As taller people have a downward eyecast when speaking to shorter colleagues, they are instinctively perceived to have authority and confidence.

'It means that those who are taller are respected by their colleagues and bosses, giving them a thriving atmosphere that leads them to more success.'

IT Salary Survey 2010 Results

computerworld.com — Trapped between flat salaries and ever-increasing workloads, IT professionals are about to explode, according to a survey of nearly 5,000 IT workers. IT staffers are being hit with a double-whammy -- more work and flat pay. Not surprisingly, job satisfaction for some is falling.
Click here for IT Salary Survey 2010 Results
 

Top Executive Salaries in America

By: Matt Buttell, Web Editor

From: http://meettheboss.tv/

Over the past three decades, executive compensation has risen dramatically, far surpassing the wage of the average American worker.

In a modern US corporation, the CEO and other top executives are paid salary plus short-term incentives or bonuses. This combination is referred to as 'Total Cash Compensation' (TCC). Short-term incentives usually are formula-driven and have some performance criteria attached depending on the role of the executive. For example, a CEO's could be based on incremental profitability and revenue growth.

(Click Graphic to View Full Size)

A variety of people and companies appear in AFL-CIO's list of 100 highest paid CEOs in 2009 from technology to food and consumer goods, to healthcare.

Leading the way

Leading the way, is Oracle Corporation, a multinational computer technology corporation, which by 2007 had the third-largest software revenue, after Microsoft and IBM. They gave their CEO Lawrence J. Ellison a total compensation package leading the way at $56.8 million.

Ellison founded Oracle in 1977, putting up a mere $1400 of his own money, under the name Software Development Laboratories (SDL). In 1979, the company was renamed Relational Software Inc., later renamed Oracle after the flagship product Oracle database. Oracle has faced its tough times though, 1990 saw it laying off 10 percent of its staff and having a near miss with bankrupcty. Over the year, Ellison has turned his company round. This year has seen the European Union approve the acquisition by Oracle of Sun Microsystems and has agreed that "Oracle's acquisition of Sun has the potential to revitalize important assets and create new and innovative products."

Then you have the likes of Proctor & Gamble in the list, a multinational company which manufacturers a wide range of consumer goods, and who is early 2010, became the forth largest corporation in the US by market capitalization, surpassed only by Exxon Mobil, Microsoft, and Walmart, who paid their former CEO, A. G. Lafley a total of $23.6 million in 2009, his last year before retirement.

Mentioning Walmart, their former CEO made it on here too. In 2009, their CEO, H. Lee Scott Jr brought home $30.1 million in compensation, which was mainly made up of his salary alone. But in actual fact, 2009 saw Scott leaving the company in the January. Walmart frequently came under criticism by the media and the public during Scott's tenure. Lafley is largely credited for turning around P&G during his tenure under the mantra 'Consumer is Boss'. During his leadership, sales doubled, profits quadrupled, and P&G’s market value increased by more than $100 billion dollars.

Only woman

The only woman to feature on the list is Brenda C. Barnes, CEO of Sara Lee, and previously the first CEO of PepsiCo North America. Barnes has been making a name for herself for a number of years now, having been ranked in Forbes list of 'The World's 100 Most Powerful Women' since 2004. Then in 2009 she appeared at number 29 in Forbes list of 'The World's 100 Most Powerful Women'.

Barnes has shown that after taking time out to raise a family, you can also achieve a career - a very successful career to be ranked. In 2009, Barnes raked in $15,231,519 in total compensation. By comparison, the average worker made $40,690 - she made 374 times the average worker's pay.

Justifying the numbers

To put this in even greater perspective even our nation's top political executive, President Barack Obama, earnt little over $400,000 last year. The debate as to whether CEOs warrant such astronomical salaries will undoubtedly rage on, even more so in the wake of such a devastating global recession. But surely, they must be doing something right...

12 Indirect Job Interview Questions & What They Really Reveal

By Focus Experts

From http://www.focus.com/

The interview is a classic point of stress for most job seekers, and with good cause. Many firms like asking indirect questions that make it hard to judge what information they're really fishing looking for. Of course, interviewers don't want anyone to know the motivation behind their method of questioning, or else potential job candidates could easily game the system. For this reason, most firms ask slightly different questions and have their own method of interviewing. Today, we explore twelve common indirect questions that employers often ask and the motivation behind them.

“How long have you been looking for a new job?”

A big sign that something is amiss with a potential hire in a normal economic climate is how long he or she has been searching for a job. What potential employers really need to determine is whether there is something wrong with the candidate that other potential employers have picked up on already. Of course, asking the candidate such a thing will not yield an honest answer, so instead, employers ask how long the candidate has been looking for a job. They can interpret the candidate’s response and try to gauge how likely it is that other interviewers have picked up on some glaring disqualifier that they have not yet discovered.

“How did you prepare for this interview?”

The more passionate an employee is about a particular organization, the more likely it is that he or she will strive to exceed expectations if they are hired. A good candidate will have read up on the firm, researched the products and services they offer, read a bit about the executives who work there, etc. A bad candidate takes the shotgun at the wall approach. This latter candidate takes walks into any old office building, hoping to get through the interview on personality alone. One way companies separate the two is to ask an indirect question regarding how they prepared for the interview. The candidate who mentions reading up on the organization and demonstrates a working knowledge of the firm’s strengths, services and management team is enthusiastic about working for that company and will likely strive to be the best they can be if selected.

"What are your salary requirements for this position?”

No matter how stellar a candidate might be, budgetary capacity often limits who companies can afford to hire. The firm might only have room for a $60,000 annual salary for the position and anyone requiring more than that is out of luck. Beyond a certain point, more qualifications and experience cannot equal a higher salary. This is why it is important to the company to determine if they can afford to hire new applicants. They might also try to determine if they can the right person for less than is budgeted for that position, because money saved equals a bigger bottom line. Of course, no interviewer will ever tell the candidate “we can afford to pay you up to $60,000, but we’d like to hear you say you’ll do it for less.” Instead, companies will frequently ask the person what their salary requirements are. The number they name will be important when they review the interview results of multiple applicants and make the final hiring decision.

“What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with?”

In today’s expanding global economy, it is almost unavoidable that any new hire will be working in some capacity with people from a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. The last thing companies want to find out is that their new employee is a bigot and treats people differently because of their background. Not only will this cause problems in-house, it can also destroy the firm’s credibility and reputation, depending on how high-up a position he or she is assuming. However, it isn’t politically correct or at all professional to ask someone if they have a problem with specific groups of people, and even if an interviewer did, the candidate would likely deny it. Instead, many firms try an indirect way of asking the same thing, for example: “What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with?” By asking this question, the interviewer is subconsciously communicating that the candidate must have a problem working with some kinds of people. This method can be very effective in subtly revealing inner prejudices the potential hire might possess. In contrast, a good candidate will likely name some neutral group of people, like “dishonest employees,” or “perpetual slackers.”

"When have you been most satisfied in your career?"

Much like individual people, every company has its own “personality,” per se. This means that every new working environment has its own perks and bottlenecks, its own energy, its own level of employee-employee interaction, etc. Certain companies offer their employees more creative leeway while others demand strict adherence to guidelines. Every one of these factors (and many more) will directly effect a new hire’s motivation. Various people thrive under many different circumstances, and the job of the interviewer is to try to select the person whose personality best fits their firm’s unique environment. The problem is that people in interviews like to smile and nod along whenever the interviewer starts talking at length about the perks of their working environment, making it almost impossible to read what the candidate is really thinking. Instead, many companies have taken to asking something like, “When have you been most satisfied in your career?” This question will get the potential hire talking about the elements of their last few positions and will likely highlight aspects of those jobs that they felt happiest working under. From this, firms can determine if the person would fit in well with their atmosphere.

“What is your greatest weakness?”

Perhaps one of the most important tasks of the interviewer is to find a person with a level head on their shoulders. No company wants the narcissistic, fresh-out-of-grad-school candidate who thinks that they’re an infallible compendium of industry knowledge any firm would be lucky to acquire. These kinds of people hurt companies far more often than they help them because they refuse to acknowledge their weaknesses or consider the idea that they might need further training in certain areas. Rather, companies strive to find confident and qualified employees who can be honest with themselves about their shortcomings. These employees are likely to be flexible, honest and are less likely to try and pass blame around the cubicles when they make a mistake. In order to get a grasp on how realistic a candidate is, employers like to ask people about what they feel their biggest weakness is. This question will demonstrate whether or not a candidate can be honest in accepting that which they need to work on. (In contrast, a haughty candidate might spin off the tired response of “My biggest flaw is that I work too much.”)

“Where do you see yourself five years from now?”

A big problem in the corporate world is employees using firms as rungs up the corporate latter. Especially in today’s economy, the last thing a company wants is to allocate salary, benefits and human capital into acquiring a new manager only to have them jump ship to a competitor a year or two later. Sometimes this isn’t even the employees fault. One cannot reasonably expect a person to stunt their own professional life for the sake of a few headaches. Nonetheless, companies will try and gauge the likelihood of that happening by asking an indirect question such as “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” Responses to this question can be good indicators of how stable and loyal the potential employee is likely to be. A response like “I want to lead a large team at a marketing firm somewhere” is indicative of a mercenary attitude to the corporate world. In contrast, someone who says something like “At the moment I plan on growing my roots here in this company and rising from within to be the best marketer I can for XYZ Firm” demonstrates far more loyalty.

“What are some of your hobbies?”

Employers must be careful not to cross the line into asking too specific questions about a person’s personal life. Professionally speaking, your personal life needn’t impact your working life. However, in reality we all know that it does. For this reason, employers often look for indicators of stability and healthy hobbies in a person’s home life. The idea is that a person with a healthy and enjoyable life outside the office is likely to carry some of that positive energy into work with them. Workaholics and, at the other end of the spectrum, party animals, are not likely to be very friendly, emotionally stable people. Without probing too far, some interviewers will ask questions such as “What are some of your hobbies.” Answers to this question can help reveal a little bit about the potential hire’s lifestyle and serve as good indicators of roughly how they will carry themselves day to day.

“What were you hoping we'd ask today, but didn't?”

No interviewer can possibly ask all the right questions to highlight every one of the candidate’s strengths and accomplishments. At the same time, candidates are often somewhat nervous on the other side of the desk and might not freely offer up information pertaining to aspects of their personal or professional life that they are not asked for. Nonetheless, this information may positively or negatively sway the interviewer’s opinion of the candidate and it is thus necessary to prompt the potential hire to speak about it. Therefore, many firms now ask the open-ended question, “What were you hoping we’d ask you today, but didn’t?” This question gives the candidate a chance to touch on anything he feels is important to the interview and the employer a chance to hear the candidate speak on his own behalf.

“What do you think of your old boss?”

No employer wants to be maligned to other companies or to the public. Many ex- employees hold very sour opinions of their former bosses. Justified or not, this is not the kind of thing companies want people spreading around. Especially if it appears that a candidate was fired from their last position, an employer might ask about their opinion of their old boss. Of course, very few candidates will go on a tirade about the injustices they suffered at their old job during the interview, but even subtle hints of distain can be picked up on by the interviewer. This question gives the firm an indicator of how they may be spoke of to other firms this person interviews at in the future, should they need to fire him.

"If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?"

Many companies survive not on great ideas alone, but by the tireless work ethic and dedication of their teams. It is therefore of great importance for a firm to find people who are passionate about their work and who have a drive to get the job done regardless of reward. Of course, money is extremely important in our society, but the last thing a firm wants is a bump on a log who just wants to do the bare minimum and suck up his salary until he can retire. Questions such as, "If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?" reveal a candidate's level of passion about their field. Someone who quickly shouts "Yes of course!" without much thought is seen as being in it primarily for money. These are not the kinds of people most firms want to see in their inner circle.

If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?

Questions about another person can only reveal so much about about them. Something companies really want to know is what the candidate thinks are the qualities of a good employee for that position. The idea is that if the candidate has a misconstrued concept of the roles he or she will be expected to play at that firm, they might not be the right person for the job. It is much easier to hire a person with notions of the job that are congruent with company expectations than to try to change a candidates entire idea of what's important in that position. To determine this, interviewers will often ask the question "If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?" This allows the candidate to give his concept of what a good manager is. His or her answer is a great indicator of how he or she will behave if hired.

Top 10: Things Bosses Love To Hear

From: http://www.askmen.com

If you want to get promoted, these 10 sayings had better be coming out of your mouth on a regular basis.

By Nate Steere,

If you have a boss, you're probably looking for ways to impress him. Your boss has the most direct influence over your work life, and as far as your ability to advance, his power over your career is second only to your own. And, deep down, your boss isn't that different from anyone else: he loves good news and he loves when things are going well. That's why telling your boss the right things will put a smile on his face every time. Notice that everything on our list is work related -- don't be that guy and resort to brown-nosing or “Gee boss, that's a nice tie.” That's beneath you. Keep it about the work and read on for 10 ways to keep your boss smiling throughout the work week.

10: "It's already been arranged."

While your boss may be tackling bigger tasks than you, that doesn't change how good it feels to check something off the old to-do list. When your boss asks about something that's finished, let him know it clearly and directly. Some employees speak so indirectly to their bosses that the boss may continue thinking or worrying about a task that's done, just because the employee didn't come right out and say the good news. If the task is done, say so.

9: "Good news."

This one's a no-brainer. When something good happens, bring your boss in on the good feelings. Work is about getting work done, but that doesn't mean you can't take pride and satisfaction when something works out well. Your boss has plenty of bad news headed his way on a regular basis, so you stick out like a sore thumb when you're the bearer of good news. Being a source of pleasure for your boss is never a bad thing.

8: "No problem."

You think your coworkers are a bunch of complainers? You have no idea. As much as they whine to you, you wouldn't believe how much pushback your boss gets. When assigning work to your fellow employees, your boss has to hold people's hands and listen to complaints about how busy they are and how difficult the project is going to be. Don't be one of the complainers. When you're given a task you can handle, let your boss know that it's a slam dunk.

7: "It's being taken care of."

Sooner or later, you're going to screw up. It hurts, but it happens. When you drop the ball on something, you should do two things: tell your boss and tell your boss what you're doing about it. Sure, your boss isn't going to be happy that a mistake was made (who likes problems in their area?), but he will be a lot less happy if he doesn't hear about it from you, and then gets blindsided by it when the situation blows up. So fess up to the error, it shows that you're big enough to be responsible for your actions. But always, always have a plan for getting things back on track. Let your boss know that you're correcting the error -- it shows that you're paying enough attention to realize you messed up, and you care enough to not settle for mediocrity.

6: "With regard to X, I've figure out we can do A, B or C. What do you think?"

It's fine to have situations at work, and there's nothing wrong with asking your boss for advice, but before you step into his or her office, have some ideas about what can be done. By having a few ideas, you show that you've thought the situation through. Even if your boss doesn't like any of your ideas and tells you to do “D” instead, you've shown him or her that your first reaction at the sign of trouble is to start thinking, not throw up your hands and run to the boss with your problems.

5: "I figured out what to do about X."

Not every problem is simple enough to be solvable in a few minutes, and that's OK, but you should keep thinking about the problem, and try to find out a way to solve the situation (or at least move it forward). If you come up with a solution or at least a next step, share it with your boss. The more you get promoted, the larger and more complex the problems will get, and the harder it will be to find a “perfect” solution too. So, show that you're able to plan ahead and solve the bigger problems.

4: "Consider it done."

When you make this statement, in one instant, an item has gone from something vague in your boss' mind to a task that's assigned to somebody. This is a step toward being seen as a “go-to person,” your bosses reliable right-hand man.

3: "I'll see to it personally."

This statement is an extension of “consider it done.” If you have a reputation with your boss as somebody who can handle the important or difficult work, saying you'll handle it personally calls in that reputation you've built up. If you've been doing your work well and doing it on time, saying you're taking care of if personally reminds your boss that the task will not only get done, but it will get done with the standard of excellence he's come to expect from you.

2: "I found a way to get it done cheaper."

Getting invested in the bottom line is one of the best ways to get your boss smiling. You can work hard and be a good employee all you like, but businesses don't run on happy feelings. Your boss is always looking for ways to do two things: make the business more money and cost the business less money. And while you can always help find ways to earn the company more, suggestions to save money are often easier. Lots of people can say “we need more customers,” but if you find a new vendor who's 10% cheaper, that's a hard number your boss can put to use.

1: "Let me run an idea by you."

Having employees who are taking the initiative means the boss can focus on the tasks on his plate; he doesn't have to worry that you're just sitting around waiting for direction. Your boss will appreciate you trying to come up with ideas, but he wouldn't appreciate you launching those ideas without getting his opinion. As the one responsible for what comes out of the department, he wants to know that everybody is rowing in the same direction. So come up with some good ideas, use your noodle and make sure your boss gets the benefit from your brainstorm.

This article is sponsored in part by Head & Shoulders (What's this?)

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How to Get a Job as a Game Tester

From: http://www.switched.com/

by Chris Morris

It sounds like the ultimate gig: making a living by playing video games all day. And if you're a true game fanatic -- and we mean a real fanatic -- it can be exactly that. But being a quality assurance tester for a video game company isn't always the nerd-vana it sounds like.

Sony's offering a select group of wannabes a chance at the job via 'The Tester' -- a new reality show being broadcast exclusively through the PlayStation Network. If you don't want to suffer the indignities that go along with that programming genre, though, you can always try to get the job the old-fashioned way. Switched.com reached out to a few folks in the video game industry to learn more about being a game tester and the best ways to become one.

As for getting the job, there are seven key factors:

Location, location, location.
If you want to be a game tester, you need to be where the game makers are. That means cities like Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Montreal and Redmond, Washington. If there aren't a large number of developers and/or publishers around you, you're going to have a hard time being a full-time game tester. You might find occasional work in other big cities - like Atlanta, Chicago and New York -- but it will be, at best, supplemental income.

Get ready to lead a gypsy life.
Full-time tester jobs are exceedingly rare. Typically, game makers (and third-party testing houses like VMC Consulting and Babel Media) hire testers on a contract basis. When the test cycle ends for a product, the testing team is laid off -- and the search for a new gig begins (thus the reason to live in a developer/publisher-rich city). Michael Weber, director of central development at Gearbox Software, says, "In a lot of cases, a tester can go from product to product at company to company." He adds, "If you want to do this as your livelihood... you need to put yourself in a position where you can move from studio to studio when the products ship."

Personality is paramount.
You don't need a degree to be a game tester. In many cases, a GED is good enough. But, if your personality and emotional maturity don't mesh with the rest of the team, you'll never make it. Game companies say these are the most important qualities in a candidate. If you're a loner, or slip into a rage when you lose a game, you're looking at the wrong career. Testers work long hours -- and they don't need unnecessary disruptions.

Details! Details!
It probably goes without saying that when you're trying to get a job to assure the quality of a game, you need a good eye for detail. Finding bugs in the early stage of testing is simple. Anyone can do it. But when developers have polished products, it gets a bit harder.

Communication skills.
Once you find an error, you'll need to let the development team know exactly what went wrong and how you made it occur. If you're unable to do so, it doesn't matter how good you are at finding mistakes. To test for good communications skills, Gearbox asks people to describe their favorite game and what they like about it. If a candidate can't do so clearly and enthusiastically, they likely don't have what it takes for the job.

Don't like games. Love 'em.
Merely having enthusiasm for video games isn't enough for testers. An obsession is mandatory. Testers play and replay the same small part of a game again and again and again -- for eight hours or more per day. If you're unable to maintain focus and energy over that amount of time, you'll burn out quickly, and ruin one of your favorite hobbies in the process.

Don't pay to do it.
As you research where to work, you may find services that guarantee you a game tester position for a nominal fee. These are the video game equivalent of those "Work from home: Make $100,000" signs you see thumb tacked to telephone polls at intersections. If you're looking for a job, never pay to get it.

I'm qualified. Now what?

So, let's say you've got all of the above bases covered. You're the perfect candidate. Before you leap in blindly, there are a few other things to keep in mind before deciding to pursue this field.

Hours:
For much of the history of game testing, employers have been almost draconian. Ridiculously long hours were the norm. That's abating somewhat these days, but you'll still put in up to 10 hours a day at some places -- and even more as a game's deadline nears. And, if you burn out, there are hundreds of people who are willing to take your place.

Pay:
This is not a job to take if you want to get rich (or have a family to support). Most testers are contractors, with hourly salaries and no benefits. In 2009, Game Developer magazine put the average salary of a tester at $39,571 -- but even the magazine's publisher notes that number was likely a bit high. Other game companies put the number between $25,000 and $30,000 per year.

Foot in door:
Many people view being a tester as the way to climb the ladder of an organization. That used to be true, but it's less so today. If you take a job as a tester, and then begin wooing the development or art teams for another job, you'll kill your chances. These days, a quicker path to becoming a video game developer or artist is to make your own game -- and show off what you can do.

"The tools have gotten easier to use to make games," says Simon Carless, publisher of Game Developer magazine. "If you want to make games, you should just make games. If you have a skill, that's a lot more helpful than saying, 'I've been playing this game repeatedly and spotting errors in it'."