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21 Oct 09 Post Interview Conduct

Sometimes, concerning a job interview, you spend so much time getting ready for the actual interview, you forget about the important things afterward.  Namely the thank you letter you should always send to a hiring manager, after you’ve been given an interview.  Many people don’t realize how important these really are.  Because so many applicants have forgotten the tact of a thank you letter, it’s just another way you can stand out and look committed to receiving the job you want.

Remember that the purpose of this letter is to thank the interviewer for their time, not to try and sell yourself once more.  That part of the interview is long gone, and this is your chance to show your professionalism and appreciation.  Etiquette dictates that after an interview a thank you email should be sent within 24 hours, and a regular mailed letter should be sent within the first 2 days afterward.

In the actual formation of your letter you should make sure that it is business standard.  Type it up, make sure to use the interviewer’s name and company address, so as to refer to them professionally.  Then write a few paragraphs of thanks.  Don’t be afraid to re-outline your interest in working for that company.  But don’t get bogged down in mentioning your qualifications once again.  They have your resume, and you’ve given them an interview, they got a feel for you.  This letter is simply about thanking them for the opportunity given.  Don’t forget that, or push it aside to give them another personal sales pitch.

Taking the time to write a thank you letter could even be more effective than you might think.  So make sure you do, many people overlook the thank you letters and emails that they should be sending.  By ensuring you do this every time, you show your attention to detail, and commitment to getting the job.  Both are fantastic characteristics, and ones that you should use to your advantage.

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08 Jan 09 Cleaning your Hardisk before sacking your old computer/laptop

If you have plans to donate the computer you have used for years to charity or to some one you know, it is worth taking the time to clean the hard disk before passing on your inheritance. This saves you the trouble of having to worry about personal information falling into the wrong hands. Cleaning the hard disk does not involve deleting files by sending them to Recycle Bin, because even so the information is still there. Cleaning the hard disk involves reformatting it, that way you will be sure to clean all valuable information from it. This is usually done preparing it to accept another Operating System. Different operating systems require different procedures , but the aim is the same, to wipe the hard disk of valuable information that could fall into the wrong hands. Assuming you have already backed up all the information that you deemed necessary the next steps are as followed:

For Linux users the process starts with a download of a live CD from www.knoppix.net. Once the Cd had been copied the user boots from the CD. The next step is to use the shred command that was designed specifically for the purpose of deleting files securely. If your hard disk name is /dev/sda or /dev/hda then you type the following command:

#shred -n * -vz /dev/sda —— for sda users
or # shred -n5 -vz/dev/hda—-for hda users
-n*— indicates the number of times you wish the disk to be overwritten (an amount of 25 is sufficient)
-v —-Shows progress and;
-z —- Adds a final overwrite with zeros to hide shredding

There is another option that can be used depending on the amount of information to be destroyed and the urgency of destroying such information. This includes using Darik´s Boot and Nuke CD(DBAN), which is basically self-contained boot disk that automatically and completely cleans your hard disk.

For Windows Users one goes to the start menu, right click on the hard drive and click format.Darik´s Boot and Nuke CD(DBAN) can be used as well if the user wishes to do so. There are hundreds of soft wares on the market that claim to delete your hard drive permanently, based on my research DBAN seems to be the most recommended.

Once you have formatted your hard drive you can now choose the Operating system you wish to load on it. These steps were basically outlined with the intention to educate users about the importance of sanitizing their hard drives in the event they wish to discard or give away their computers/laptop.There are many businesses however that have not adopted any policy to dispose of used corporate records, the result sensitive information falling in the hands of hungry criminals waiting for the next attack. A plan should be laid out whether individual/cooperate, to ensure that the person entrusted to do such procedures is qualified and above all trustworthy.

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