Thesocialtalks

To effectively answer the "What is your greatest weakness?" question in a job interview, identify a credible, coachable, and correctable weakness that isn’t critical to the role. Frame it positively by demonstrating self-awareness, detailing its impact, and sharing steps you're taking to improve. Avoid cliché answers like "I work too hard," as they come across as insincere. Instead, provide genuine weaknesses, such as difficulty delegating, fear of public speaking, or getting overly absorbed in details. For instance, you could say, "I tend to focus too much on details, which sometimes slows down my progress. To improve, I’m working on prioritizing main goals and avoiding minor details that don’t contribute directly to project outcomes." This approach balances honesty with a growth mindset, showing hiring managers that you can reflect on and address areas for improvement. Examples of other weaknesses include struggling to say no, being overly idealistic, or having difficulty asking for help. Focus on weaknesses that are not central to the job's primary skills, like acknowledging a tendency to micromanage if you’re applying for a leadership position, but explain how you're working to empower your team by building trust. Emphasize how these efforts align with company values or contribute to your professional growth, positioning you as a proactive and adaptable candidate. #weakness #jobinterview #interviewtips #credible #credibility #awareness #delegation #thesocialtalks #recruiter #interview #workforce 

Many companies are using AI to enhance and speed up employee onboarding, making it more personalized and efficient. Taylor Bradley, CHRO at AI firm Turing, shared at the CNBC Workforce Executive Council Summit how AI aids their onboarding process. When tasked with onboarding 300 new employees within a week, Turing's AI model, A.L.A.N. (Always Learning, Always Nimble), completed in six hours which would normally take weeks. Bradley’s team collaborated with engineering leaders to create video tutorials that the AI model distilled into comprehensive e-learning modules. Using AI for tasks like voiceovers for training modules freed engineers from facilitation roles, while AI's adaptable content allowed for easy updates without coding. However, Bradley emphasized the need for human oversight to mitigate "hallucinations" (errors in AI-generated content), with AI functioning as a supportive tool rather than a replacement. Turing’s CEO Jonathan Siddharth highlighted the importance of iterative testing for AI onboarding approaches to gain buy-in from employees, advising companies to avoid aiming for immediate large-scale successes. #ai #stopai #employee #onboarding #onboard #jobindustry #thesocialtalks #employeeonboarding #workforce #recruiting #recruiter #tutorial #jobsearch #opentowork

Hasbro is accelerating its digital strategy, driven by the recent success of two high-profile games: "Baldur’s Gate 3", a role-playing game, and "Monopoly Go", a mobile game. Eugene Evans, Hasbro’s senior vice president of digital licensing, explains that, despite their differences, these games share key elements: lengthy development, large dedicated teams, and creators passionate about each IP. These qualities ensure authentic experiences that resonate with fans, an essential part of Hasbro’s approach to digital expansions. "Baldur’s Gate 3" showcases Hasbro’s intent to produce immersive, high-quality digital adaptations of classic IPs, while "Monopoly Go" demonstrates how a traditional board game can be adapted for mobile in a way that feels familiar yet fresh, with 10 million daily active users and $2 billion in spending within ten months. Evans argues that successful digital adaptations don’t require replicating physical games but capturing their essence. To further support this strategy, Hasbro has partnered with external developers and invested in new in-house game studios under its Wizards of the Coast division. These studios are producing IP-based games like a new "G.I. Joe" title and "Exodus", an original sci-fi game. While Hasbro could not independently develop for every IP, Evans stresses the value of collaboration with experts to bring diverse, AAA experiences to market. #hasbro #gamingindustry # baldursgate #monopoly #videogameindustry #videogame #gameindustry #digitalmarket #digitalbrand #digitalstrategy #jobmarket #expansion

Students at Cambridge Regional College are buzzing with excitement over a unique opportunity to develop video games for the Nintendo Switch. Describing the chance as absolute madness, these teenagers will be among the youngest in the UK to work on games for this major console. This partnership will allow students to dive into the world of game development, learning to program, design, and create audio and artwork for their projects. While these games might not necessarily hit the market, course leaders have hinted at the possibility. The Nintendo Switch, known for its portability, boasts over 140 million owners worldwide. Michael Farrow-Killick, the college's course leader, reassures parents that a passion for gaming can lead to a lucrative career. #nintendo #nintendoswitch #videogame #thesocialtalks #gameindustry #gamedesign #gameprograming #programing

Effective communication skills are crucial for workplace success and can significantly enhance your resume. Employers value these skills for fostering collaboration, building trust, and improving client relationships. Highlighting key communication abilities such as storytelling, persuasion, problem-solving, and active listening on your resume can boost your chances of landing an interview. Some of the key communication skills to feature on your resume include: 1. Inclusivity– Highlight how you collaborate with diverse individuals and support inclusive environments. 2. Empathetic Listening– Show how attentiveness to others' inputs fosters open and honest communication. 3. Remote Collaboration– Emphasize experience working with teams across time zones through tools like Slack or Teams. 4. Analytical Skills – Demonstrate how you use data analysis to inform decisions and guide team actions. 5. Written Communication – Showcase your ability to write clear, impactful emails, reports, or articles. 6. Verbal Communication– Mention how your speaking skills positively impacted teamwork or customer relations. 7. Group Communication – Illustrate how you facilitated effective team collaboration. 8. Teaching Skills – Highlight how you mentored or trained team members to improve productivity. 9. Persuasion – Describe instances where you successfully influenced decisions or processes. 10. Problem-Solving – Show how you approach and resolve workplace challenges. Other valuable skills include conflict resolution, negotiation, time management, responsiveness, and mentoring. Including examples of these abilities with specific, quantifiable outcomes can make your resume stand out. Lastly, improve your communication skills through storytelling, active listening, and asking clarifying questions to demonstrate engagement and understanding in conversations. #thesocialtalks #resume #skills #jobs #careergoals #jobgoals #skillbuilding

Boeing machinists voted to reject a new labor contract and continue their strike, which has halted the production of key planes and led to furloughs and layoffs. The machinists' union, IAM, stated that 64% of members rejected the proposed contract, which included a 40% raise over four years, a $7,000 bonus, and increased retirement contributions. However, the absence of a reinstated pension plan, frozen a decade ago, was a sticking point. The strike, ongoing since mid-September, is impacting Boeing financially, contributing to a $6 billion third-quarter loss. #boeing #machinsit #engineer #jobindustry #contract #jobstrike #boycotting #thesocialtalks #layoffs #layoff #laidoff #airline #airlines #strike #striking

New college graduates in 2024 face a cooling job market, with hiring expected to decline by 6% compared to last year, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Payroll data from Gusto reveals that the hiring rate for new grads has dropped from a peak of 10% in 2021 to around 6%. Despite this decline, the job market remains relatively stable, although about 40% of recent grads are underemployed, working in roles that don’t require a college degree. Top industries hiring new grads include legal, nonprofits, arts and entertainment, healthcare, social assistance, and construction. However, certain industries, like computer and electronics manufacturers and financial firms, are cutting back on hiring, with declines of 12% and 15%, respectively. Technology companies, facing a shift toward artificial intelligence (AI), are also reducing their workforce. Yet, new graduates with AI skills may have an advantage as businesses seek younger workers familiar with this technology. Graduates are seeking hybrid roles and are increasingly focused on salary discussions during interviews. New York City is a top hiring location for new grads, but the high cost of living makes it less affordable compared to other cities. Starting salaries for new grads in New York average $64,134, but this is significantly reduced when adjusted for living costs. As a result, experts suggest that grads consider affordability when choosing cities for work. #college #graduates #graduation #graduate #jobindustry #entrylevel #job #careergoals #careerjourney #unemployed #roles #position #recruiter #workforce #thesocialtalks

A Resume Builder survey of 600 business leaders reveals that many companies are using layoffs to mask performance-related dismissals. About half of the respondents said that 75% or more of layoffs in the past year were not due to budgetary reasons, with 80% admitting they opted to lay off employees they wanted to fire. Common motivations for disguising these layoffs include maintaining company morale (62%), avoiding wrongful termination claims (59%), saving on severance (54%), and sparing employees' feelings (38%). In addition to layoffs, some companies use indirect tactics to reduce staff. For instance, enforcing strict return-to-office policies can encourage voluntary resignations, while "quiet cutting" involves reassigning workers to less prestigious, lower-paying roles to prompt them to leave. High-profile companies like Adidas, Adobe, IBM, and Salesforce have employed these strategies. Such practices contribute to eroding trust between employers and employees, as noted by Stacie Haller, Resume Builder's chief career adviser. She criticized the lack of transparency, emphasizing that these tactics harm the workplace dynamic. Despite a relatively strong job market, 60% of U.S. companies have laid off employees in the past year, with major layoffs announced by companies like Tesla, Google, Microsoft, PayPal, and Peloton. Notably, Tesla cut 2,700 jobs in Texas, and Yankee Candle laid off 100 workers in Massachusetts. The trend of using layoffs as a tool to address performance issues under the guise of cost-cutting continues across various industries. #layoffs #laidoff #layoff #fired #jobgoals #careergoals #jobindustry #corporategreed #recruiter #linkedinjobs #job #jobs #thesocialtalks

In the quest for sustainable energy solutions, researchers at the National Thin-Film Cluster Facility (NTCF) for Advanced Functional Materials in Oxford are pioneering a groundbreaking technology: ultra-thin portable solar panels made from perovskites. This innovative approach promises to revolutionize how we harness solar energy, making it more accessible and efficient.  Perovskite solar panels offer several advantages over traditional silicon-based panels. According to researchers, these panels are not only cheaper to produce but also more effective at converting sunlight into electricity. Unlike silicon, which has reached its performance limits, perovskites can be manufactured at a smaller size while maintaining high efficiency. This makes them ideal for portable applications. One of the most exciting aspects of this technology is its potential for portability. The new solar panels are designed to be wireless and can stick directly onto devices. They absorb ambient light and convert it into power, providing a consistent, albeit low, level of charge. This means that while you may still need to charge your devices occasionally, the frequency of charging can be significantly reduced. This feature is particularly useful for on-the-go applications, offering a reserve power source from the ambient environment. The development of portable solar panels using perovskite technology represents a significant leap forward in renewable energy. By making solar power more versatile and accessible, this innovation could reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources and pave the way for a more sustainable future. As researchers continue to refine and expand the applications of this technology, the possibilities for its use are virtually limitless. #portablesolarpanel #oxforduniversity #thesocialtalks #solarpanels #solarpanel #silicon #pioneering #pervoskite

"Ghost jobs," or fake job ads, are becoming more common, with 40% of companies admitting to posting non-existent job listings, according to a Resume Builder survey of 650 hiring managers. These listings are not scams aimed at stealing personal information, but rather deceptive tactics used by companies themselves. The survey found that 30% of companies currently have fake job ads on their websites or job boards. The motives behind these postings vary. Some companies use them to create the illusion of growth or to reassure current employees that their workloads will be reduced. Others aim to signal that employees are replaceable, pressuring them to work harder. Nearly 60% of companies acknowledged collecting resumes for future use without any intention of hiring immediately. The impact of ghost jobs on job seekers is significant, as many report never hearing back from recruiters. Companies sometimes go to great lengths to maintain the illusion, with 40% contacting candidates and 85% of those even conducting interviews for the fake roles. Most hiring managers (70%) view the practice as morally acceptable and claim it benefits their companies by boosting revenue, morale, and productivity. However, the tactic can backfire if exposed, damaging the company’s reputation and recruitment efforts. In fact, two-thirds of hiring managers reported that employees, investors, or applicants discovered the fake listings. Signs of a potential ghost job include listings that remain active for months or have broad salary ranges, indicating a lack of genuine hiring intent. #fakejobs #fake #fakejob #fakelisting #jobads #jobad #resume #jobindustry #recruiter #jobgoals #dreamjob #careergoals #thesocialtalks