The holiday season gives us a great opportunity to meet lots of people. I actually love meeting new people, but I consider the holidays to be my "vacation time" and working is the last thing I want to do. Now that the holidays are officially over, all the parties are done and the decorations have been taken down, I've had some time to think about how I could have improved the golden opportunities that were presented to me.

First off, a changed attitude and a plan could have done wonders. Rather than thinking of it as 'work', I could have had more fun gathering interesting solid information, engaging in intellectual pursuits, and getting news I could use. Once the conversation turns to the weather, I know it's my time to either change the course of the conversation, or leave.

I also discovered a few ways to relieve the fatigue of networking, especially during the holidays

1. Enjoy the party!

You don't have to make it into a business function. Even though having a plan is important, most of the time the plan happens without much effort. So, sit back and enjoy the festivities.

2. Go with a purpose in mind.

A purpose doesn't mean it can't be fun. Find a person who has the same hobby or enjoys reading the same author. Seek out the Real Estate Agent and find out about the market in the area. Learn about community changes, new buildings, new streets and new pubic appointments. Meet your new neighbors and maybe meet a few old ones whom you don't know.

3. Make it a personal achievement game.

Again, make it purposeful, but FUN. Create a game to earn points for the number of people who meet a certain requirement you've set. (i.e. How many people have read a book by both Hemingway and J.K. Rowling? How many people have never seen 'The Wizard of Oz')

4. Schedule yourself

Plan to attend this event for 2 hours or specify a time that you must leave

A few more general suggestions:

* Remember Etiquette

If you have received an invitation, respond within 24 hours but don't ask "so who is coming?"

** Be Prepared 1

Add a small pen and pad (better yet an index card) in your pocket, in case you need to write down contact information. An index card is heavier and will stand out among your other papers.

*** Be Prepared 2

Create a list of interesting questions. The three below are just a start.

a. "What are you reading?" This question always takes me by surprise. Reading is such a solitary pursuit that I am delighted when someone actually asks.

b. "What interested you in your career? What has kept you in the field?"

c. "What are you passionate about today?" This question usually takes people by surprise, but I ask, tell them something that I'm passionate about (for me, it's a new found passion with music) and see where the conversation goes.

**** Networking is about attitude. Put on your best smile, bring an inquisitive mind and you're good to go.

The key components of networking are to remember that if you are in business, you are always selling. If you want to meet new people who can help you grow a business or a community, you need a plan. Know your outcome before you step foot into that crowd of people.

Make networking work for you - you'll enjoy yourself more and it will inevitably be profitable.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Reed_Friedman

In the game of networking, being sharp, attentive and focused are necessary for meeting people and making great conversations. It is also important to present a professional demeanor and be prepared at events or meetings. One characteristic that can definitely boost your trust and likeability is having a good memory. Power networkers can capture the attention of potential clients and customers as well as colleagues and business mentors, if they are able to effectively put this skill into practice. Individuals tend to be impressed and interested when others take the time to remember certain details about them. These particular facts can range in aspects of professional or personal life. Memory skills can also build a good reputation for a professional, while increase their credibility and popularity among their colleagues.

Listed below are tips for sharpening the brain's capacity to remember big or small things!

Red Red Wine

At your next networking event, do not hesitate to order a glass of red wine. According to researchers, red wine has a compound called resveratrol which protects the brain against memory loss. Make sure to sip your glass in your right hand and use the proper sipping techniques. First smell the wine and then swirl it once or twice. The aroma should blossom and then take a small sip of the wine.

Iron Check

A great way to boost your memory is to maintain a sufficient level of iron. The brain is sensitive to low amounts of iron. It is important to eat foods that are high in iron and take supplements pills when necessary.

Food for Thought

There are several foods that Power Networkers can incorporate into their daily diets to boost their memory skills. Berries such as cherries, blueberries and strawberries are high in Vitamin C. Individuals can also eat different types of fish which stimulate the brain's function and development. So, the next time you eat at a restaurant or event, opt for salmon or tuna. And after dessert, choose to drink green tea instead of coffee.

Chi Chi Okezie is owner/producer of SIMPLEnetworking, LLC in Metro-Atlanta, GA. Newly published author of "SIMPLEnetworking: Creating Opportunities ... The new form of success!" View excerpts of the book and polish your professional approach: http://www.snseminars.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chi_Chi_Okezie

Everyone knows how important personal networking is right? If you do not know, you most certainly should!

The more people you know and maintain a good relationship with people the more likely they are to call you up and let you know about opening opportunities. Friends share with friends, that is a basic thing we are all taught from the moment we end up at our first day of school. The most important thing friends may share with friends is information.

Yeah, I know how crazy that sounds!

Information is so important that the entire internet was based on the concept that people would be able to quickly share important and not-so-important information with one another. Of course, radio, the telephone, and television are also examples of information-sharing technologies. People like to share what is going on with one another. That is just a fact. Which is proven time and time again, just look at the popularity and success of these recent "reality" shows on television.

The same concept has been used over and over: the sharing of information equals profit. So, the more people you know the more you can profit. Opportunities come and go, but the more people you maintain a decent relationship with the more people that are going to be willing to share the opportunities that they know about with you!

This is another reason why it is important, and maybe even more important, to make friends while managing to work hard at your job. It may sound a little like exploiting people for their good nature, but this is simply understanding how the world really works. It is just revealing a few of the fishing lines really holding up the stars in the background.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_Callahan

Web 2.0 is the buzz on the Internet, not some new software for your computer. But some are still mystified as to what Web 2.0 really is - as was I for quite some time. Now, I find it a fascinating exploration and journey to meeting and connecting with new people every day. If you are anything like me and still feeling puzzled by it all and how it relates to you, then read on!

Tim O'Reilly coined the phrase Web 2.0 at a conference. From there it took off and evolved or morphed into a new idea for increasing the effectiveness of Web 2.0 sites on the Internet. Web 2.0 sounds like it is social networking while it is actually a type of platform that supports and brings more to these social networking sites.

Let's talk about Social Networking. Social networking starts with individuals. They meet and connect forming new relationships. You could think of it like balls and sticks, with the ball representing the individual and the stick representing the connection. Without the social networking platform (the sticks) they would have made the connection.

Web 2.0 provides the space where connections and interactions can happen. The particular platform also determines the manner in which these interactions can occur. In some individuals create profiles and through their profile they are able to meet and connect with new people. On other platforms there are different means of connecting - through existing relationships and connections, or through groups or by invitation. Other features of the platform like news feeds, multimedia content, blogs, instant messages, social groups, audio and video, and message boards are also a huge part of Web 2.0. Through the unique combinations of these individuals are able to grow their connections and develop a large or gigantic online network.


Many sites use Web 2.0 as their basis. Some that you have probably heard of are:

* Facebook
* YouTube
* Twitter
* LinkedIn
* Wikipedia
* MySpace
* WordPress
* Blogger
* Flickr




There are many more, but this gives you a sampling and perhaps you are using one or two and didn't even realized you were part of Web 2.0.. If you are a member of any of these social networking sites, then you have sampled a Web 2.0 platform.


Web 2.0 sites use member generated content that is then ranked by the search engines. Good content is found on the site and the member that created it gains new connections and a "following" that is valuable. Your following can be used to increase your popularity on the web OR can create increased exposure and visibility for your business.


If you are a business owner, then you might wonder how Web 2.0 can be helpful to you. Web 2.0 platforms are already being used by businesses, universities, and families. The applications are easy to use so it becomes a great way to stay in touch. And, it is user friendly, so you don't need to have web design knowledge or html knowledge. You are able to update your presence on the web every day or multiple times throughout the day without the expense of a web designer or web host.

It is a way to keep in touch with easy to use and manageable applications. Your connections are able to subscribe to your updates using RSS Feed (Really Simple Syndication) This application automatically sends out an update to your subscribers desktop when changes occur to your page. RSS is frequently used on blogs and news sites as a convenience to readers, saving them valuable time. This enables them to be up to date without having to check your website for changes and updates. It keeps them posted. It also avoids the pitfalls of email.

Companies can also use Web 2.0 technology through Google Groups, Yahoo Groups and Twitter. It allows the company to update employees via one medium. They can receive important information about company projects, changes or new agendas.


Web 2.0 is also a useful medium for the business owner. It provides tools for driving new traffic to blogs, and websites. Several sites also provide places to post events and distribute event information to your network. The most useful part of these Web 2.0 sites is the ability to build new networks of people. Even if the site starts you out connecting to people you know, you are quickly able to move from those connections to their connections or other new connections. Each site is a new place for people to get to know you and your products. It is therefore vital that you use these sites with care, develop goals for your purpose and keep your values in check when using them. You want to protect your reputation and build a good online presence.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Price

Even in the rallying bull markets of recent years I rarely met anyone--a client, colleague, or family member--who truly enjoyed giving referrals to a financial adviser.

The bottom line is that people don't get all excited and jump up and down and start bragging about you. It just doesn't happen; at least not consistently. Let alone, that person actually volunteering your name, in an excited tone, when you asked them who can help them manage their portfolio.

And how about a client recommending you now--after a disastrous 2008? Is it possible?

Yes. And quite frankly, it should be happening, regardless of whether your assets under management have tanked.

So how you bridge the gap between poor performance and wanting referrals? Seems counterintuitive, but it's not.

1. Re-visit and re-confirm objectives and goals of clients. It goes without saying that as wealth has evaporated, goals and objectives have changed dramatically. Unfortunately, it hasn't been easy to discuss such as dramatic loss of wealth, especially being the overseer of that money. It causes feelings of pain and angst with clients and is no easy picnic for you, either. But it's a necessary part of being a professional advisor. Rather than think of yourself as a part-time psychologist, think of yourself as a professional active communicator. Retrieve past intake forms and profiles in your client files. Review the tolerances for risk and also time horizon. Make notes, and follow-up with a written letter re-confirming this.

2. Focus why clients originally selected you as their advisor and re-confirm their decision. This isn't an exercise in your own peace of mind. It's designed to reinforce why the client began the relationship with you in the first place. If you've been hiding out and ducking clients, it helps further flesh-out whether or not the client still is finding value in your professional competencies, or not. (Probably not, I'd say). You need to remain neutral about other financial advisors services, rather than form your own judgments and conclusions, especially if a client has threatened to take their wealth elsewhere.

3. Communicate value via entry points and LCEPs (low cost experience points). One of the simplest ways of doing this and creating those LCEPs is to get your web site updated - it's an online brochure and as important as any hard marketing materials you now own (or plan on creating in 2009.) Showcase core competencies, cloaked case studies, and other illustrations that allow a person to come to experience you and your work.Also, it still amazes me how most advisors see referral marketing and building referrals from clients starts as a means of offering forced inducements (rewards or otherwise) to that client to get those new "experiences." That's both flawed and foolish.

Above all, keep your attitude in check. Are you making it easy for your clients to recommend you? If not, understand that the problem is likely with you, not with the client. It's not easy for your clients to recommend you because they do not always know why they should refer business to you in the first place. And why is this?

Because they do not know how this will be in their own best interests.

And why is that? Because, as I just said, they can not translate Me- Giving-You-a-Referral equates to this-form-of-benefit for me, today, in my life, in the here-and-now.

So what is the answer to getting more referrals for yourself? Transparency. As in, showing the client, colleague or family member why giving referrals to you and recommending you to others truly is in their best interests.

They have been able to form an opinion of you based on their experiences, and have objectively (not by bribes or inducements) determined you are trustworthy professional who has earned their trust and counsel.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daryl_Logullo

'Tis the season for holiday parties! Whether you're looking for a job or just looking to make contacts in your field, holiday parties are a great way to build your professional network. And networking is really just another form of communication - so here are five guidelines for how to communicate/network successfully at holiday parties:

1. Have a Plan

Before you decide to attend an event, focus on your purpose for attending. Is there anyone in particular that you'd like to meet, or information that you are looking to gather? Will you share with people that you are in the market for a new job, or are looking for new clients? Having a plan will make it easier for you to focus your attention and make it more likely that you will be successful.

2. Listen

Good networkers listen more than they talk. Resist the urge to dominate the conversation with tales of your professional prowess or your favorite (and lengthy) holiday anecdote. Ask open-ended questions; these questions often begin with "how" or "what" and require more than a "yes/no" answer. And then actually listen to the answers. Demonstrate that you are listening by your non-verbal communications, for example, by making eye contact.

3. Everything in Moderation

Whether it's sponsored by your company or the local professional association, a holiday party is not the place to sample all the free booze you can swallow or stuff yourself with the free shrimp. You are there to meet and greet people and you can do that best when you are sober and focused on people, not the bar or buffet table. In fact, I recommend that you have a snack before you go to the party so you're not starving (which helps if you're dieting, too).

4. Be Confident

If you hate networking and are uncomfortable schmoozing with people, recognize that many others feel just as uncomfortable as you do. Reach out to them and they'll be grateful - and you may just make a great professional connection! Another way to network confidently is to "tag team" the event with a colleague. You both attend and each of you talks about the other person's accomplishments. For example, I recently attended an awards event with a colleague who had won an award the previous year - it was far easier for me to introduce her and say, "Have you met Lisa? She won last year's award," than for her to say, "Hi, I'm Lisa and I won last year's award." If you do tag team, be careful not to spend all your time just talking to your tag team partner or people you already know well, which defeats the purpose of networking.

5. Follow Up

If you meet someone interesting, make a decision to follow up within a few days with a quick call or email. It can be as simple as an email that references your conversation, such as, "I enjoyed meeting you at the Chamber of Commerce party yesterday and discussing our children's college search process." Unless you schedule time in your calendar for following up with your contacts, you will have a stack of business cards on your desk that will only collect dust.

If you follow these five holiday networking tips, you'll be able to communicate effectively and build your professional network. And having a strong network will be useful no matter what the future brings.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gilda_Bonanno

Software interface testing is just one among the many types of software testing that are used by software engineers for software development. Automated testing is one of the most common software test approaches these days. With this, engineers would not have to perform tests or quality assurance manually.

Nonetheless, automation of software test requires that a prior manual testing procedure should be set up and that this conforms to a formalized testing process. To automate the process, special software is used to control test executions, to ready pre-conditions or requirements for the test, and to compare actual outcomes to predicted results. While automated testing enables developers to save time and energy, manual testing is still needed for more complex tests. One of the testing methods that cannot be entirely automated is interface testing.

Interface testing is one of the most important software tests in assuring the quality of software products. In a nutshell, human beings are able to communicate with hardware through an interface. Interface is actually software that consists of sets of messages, commands, images, and other features that allow communication between a device and a user. Various companies use this type of software testing to make sure that their customers will not encounter any problem when using a particular software product once it is delivered to them. In addition, developers usually want their products to be supported by more than one language thus, their need to understand the interface. In this test, developers come up with changes or revisions and introduce these to a software application by taking note of the feedback from end-users. Usually, each end-user is assigned a specific task. During the course of this test, the program flow is checked and evaluated to determine if it matches the natural strategy of the user in navigating within the application. Moreover, this test determines which application areas are initially and usually accessed and its user-friendliness as well.

A moderator is often tasked to undertake this quality assurance test. Throughout the process, he does not need to communicate anything to the end-user. Rather, he will only be documenting or recording the reaction of the user towards the application. At the session's end, he interviews the end-users and endorses their feedback to the software developer. This way, interface testing improves the software's overall acceptance and the consumer's user experience. Factors like functionality, performance speed, the time needed to use the program, the ease with which the user remembers using the program, user satisfaction, and the rate of user errors are the usual criteria that developers have for a well-designed user interface.

Other software testing types aside from interface testing include component testing, system testing, acceptance testing, and release testing. Component testing requires testing all individual components of software design. System testing, on the other hand, involves testing the functional and non-functional requirements of application systems. Acceptance testing evaluates and compares the system against pre-set requirements. Lastly, release testing is conducted to determine if a new system is compatible to the current technical environment.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Miller

Typically, localization refers to the translation or the adaptation of one format into another, such that the changed format is more suitable for a specific area. Localization is most commonly done for software. It involves redesigning the software in such a manner that the requirements and expectations of the targeted segment can be met successfully. The first step would be changing the interface. An interface can be the audio or visual display that is used to communicate between the user and the machine or software. For instance, the messages that the program sends to the user have to be translated to the foreign language. The process is labor intensive and very comprehensive. A number of tools and software programs that assist in the process of localization can be bought easily.

Localized testing is done not only for software, but also for websites as well. Large websites of multi-national companies need to be accessible to a large variety of people. While localization testing, a few factors that need to be considered are character sets, keyboards, ASCII, error message identifiers, hot keys and hyphenation, spelling and sorting rules. The quality is not usually checked during localization testing. It includes additional inputs such as testing for upgrades, in-country testing, and hardware compatibility. Validation and verification of applications, linguistic accuracy, and consistency checks can be purchased separately. One of the advantages of localized testing is that potential errors can be weeded out, before they are localized and correcting them becomes costly. Localized testing providers also take care of post-release testing and corrections.

The advantage of letting professionals do localization testing is that it saves valuable time. Some websites contain politically sensitive or religiously objectionable material. Such gross mistakes could result in irreversible damage to the company's reputation.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Bailey

Software testing is an important process that is all part of the process of developing software. Any companies that neglect this process and the quality control standards that are involved can destroy the reputation of your company and your brand. It can also result in the waste of the entire amount of money that you spent on your project costs. Having a test plan is a necessary aspect of project documentation. The different goals and needs of a particular software application are covered by a particular project plan. Test documentations are also created in order to create test scenarios that determine how best the application copes in different scenarios and in different working environments.

Most of the required test requirements for determining functionality of a particular type of software are used in the later parts of software compilation. Both the developers and various development teams will place the software program through various series of tests in order to determine if it satisfies the requirements that the project set out to achieve in the first place. These tests will later pave the way for other test teams as well as beta testing and end user testing procedures. It is also important to make use of certain forms of specialized and customized software during this testing process. Some of these forms of software include regression software which allows the development team to carry out modifications and record various changes along the way. Recording changes allows you to "rollback" the entire software development process in case a change comes up which comprises the functionality of the software application and project.

The software testing phase allows an entirely new set of eyes look over the software application in order to test it in a real world scenario and away from the formal procedures that the usual software development team carries out. Testing in the test phase may involve the testing of this software on various machines each with their separate operating systems. It also involves functional testing and testing that identifies how easy it is to use the software. Sometimes the software will be released to the larger public in order to receive a response that determines how efficient the software is in the general public. This sort of testing is usually called the best testing phase. Larger software companies usually practice this beta testing in order to utilize the entire skills and experiences that result from using a wider group of people to test the software product in their various environments. Sometimes usability software is used during the process in order to streamline the entire process.

Different software testing methods have been created to meet up with the different business and organizational requirements of the particular software development company in charge of their development. In order for a commercial software company to understand the software they create the better they have to thoroughly understand the software development lifecycle. In order to implement the best standards in the software industry, professionals involved in process of software development have to continually focus on improvement of their software products.


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