You’d rightly bristle at being called a nerd, but these days it’s practically chic to be labeled a geek. Take this quick quiz to see whether you can count yourself among the few, the proud who know their NVRAM from their H.264.

1) The first thing you do when you get up in the morning is:

a) Pull on your bathrobe and head outside to grab the newspaper.

b) Yank your smartphone from under your pillow and check your messages.

c) Wake up your iPad and surf to Engadget to see what you missed since your last visit, which was at 2:30 a.m.

d) Unclasp your sleep bracelet and launch an app to review how your slumber numbers stack up against the ones from the night before.

 

2) It’s the first weekend in months that you don’t have to go in to the office. You’re going to reward yourself with:

a) A romantic getaway weekend -- just you and your girlfriend at a B&B so remote it doesn’t get cell service.

b) A strenuous mountain hike that will let you put your new Magellan MobileMapper CX through its paces.

c) Back-to-back watching of “Battlestar Galactica” seasons three and four, streamed straight to the TV from your 4 TB hard drive.

d) Deep delving into the product links you grabbed by scanning QR codes up and down the aisles of this year’s C.E.S.

 

3) An abbreviation you use on a daily basis is:

a) AOL

b) ROFL

c) COD MW3

d) TRA (If you don’t know this one, you obviously don’t work for the U.S. DoD.)

 

4) The way you’re most likely to use the word “game” in a sentence:

a) “I can’t believe there’s no game meat on this menu.”

b) “Anyone game for a ride on my new jet ski?”

c) “I finally figured out an untraceable way to game the cable company!”

d) “Dude, Portal 2 is not just a game to me -- it’s my life.”

 

5) When it comes to cameras, your philosophy can best be described as:

a) “Let’s keep Kodak in business! Digital is for sissies.”

b) “Why should I buy a camera when I’ve already got one on my phone?”

c) “I don’t care what the experts say. I love me megaloads of megapixels.”

d) “My life before buying a light field camera is just one big blur.”

 

6) The TV personality with whom you most identify is:

a) The washboard-ab’d Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino of “Jersey Shore.”

b) Walden Schmidt, the Internet billionaire played by Ashton Kutcher on “Two and a Half Men.”

c) Stan Smith, the “American Dad” bodacious CIA operative.

d) Adam Savage, the bespectacled special-effects designer who co-hosts “MythBusters” as well as the new science- and engineering-themed game show “Unchained Reaction.”

 

7) If you could meet any historical figure, it would be:

a) Ned Ludd, the rebellious 18th century English youth whose name was adopted by that era’s Luddite movement.

b) Benjamin Franklin, founding father, author, diplomat and inventor.

c) Alan Turing, World War II–era scientist and creator of the Turing machine.

d) Watson, the annoyingly smart computer that won “Jeopardy!” last year.

 

8) You’re all ready for the Olympics this summer, thanks to:

a) Friends who’ve offered you their place just off Leicester Square -- and front-row tickets to the opening ceremonies, diving competition and decathlon.

b) The new flat-screen they’ve just put in at your fave neighborhood haunt, the Regal Beagle.

c) A satellite dish on your roof, which pulls in 880 high-definition sports channels -- providing there’s no reception interference from a heavy rainstorm.

d) Your 55-inch 3-D television and a box of active-shutter glasses. Soon, you and your two best buds -- whom you met while working at the Apple store’s Genius Bar -- will be watching the London games in three friggin’ dimensions.

9) You deal with COVID by:

a) Checking your temperature 5 times per day with the Thermomedics Infrared Thermometer

b) Text you friends and urge them to get their vaccines

c) Go to the store and stock up on facemasks

d) Make sure you have plenty of antiviral wipes

 

SCORING
Calculate your answers according to the values assigned to each:

a = 1 point

b = 2 points

c = 3 points

d = 4 points

If you scored a total of …
 

8 to 12:

Are you serious? Not even a pocket protector and a ham radio kit could turn you geek.

13 to 19:

You’ve got some tech tendencies, but you need to make some changes before you can geek out with the best of them.

20 to 26:

Way to go! You’re an up-and-coming geek. Very few people make it this far.

27 to 32:

Congratulations! You may not get all the ladies, but you are a true Jedi Master in the world of tech geeks.

 

While the celebrities strut their stuff on various red carpets this month, we thought we’d hand out a few awards of our own. Welcome to the very first Best Facial Hair Awards. The envelope, please!

The Mountain Man Beard Award: Jake Gyllenhaal Jake Gyllenhaal’s mountain man beard might be long and bushy, but he keeps it combed, expertly trimmed and healthy-looking. When dealing with facial hair at this length, maintenance is key to avoiding an overgrown and unkempt nest full of woodland creatures.

Best Eyebrows on an Agent Award: Saif Ali Khan There’s nothing worse than a man with barely-there eyebrows. But most Bollywood stars suffer from the opposite problem – overly large or bushy eyebrows. Saif Ali Khan's Agent Vinod looks right - an Indian James Bond, impeccably dressed and styled.

Best Funny Man Mustache Award: Eddie Murphy While Tower Heist won’t win the Oscar for Best Picture, Murphy’s finely trimmed chevron mustache deserves an award for the way its angular shape balances out his oval face.

Best Hair Ball Award: Questlove If you’re going to sport a voluminous afro) lead and grow a full beard to help balance out the look and avoid looking like you’re wearing a hair helmet. His beard emphasizes his strong jawline, anchoring his incredible hairstyle and bringing the entire look together.

Best Eyebrows on a Solo Artist Award: Drake There’s nothing worse than a man with over-plucked, barely-there eyebrows. Drake’s thick but tidy brows properly frame his eyes, without looking overdone or overgrown. Gentlemen, don’t forget: There should be two.

Best Mustache on a Muppet Award: Swedish Chef You might not understand what the Swedish Chef has to say, but his mustache is perfectly clear. The Chef’s ’stache strikes a delicate balance between his bulbous nose, gaping mouth and wild eyebrows. If you have large features, dainty facial hair will only serve to make things look larger.

Best Breakup Beard: Russell Brand Breaking up is hard to do, but funnyman Russell Brand does it in style. His recent split from pop star Katy Perry has left him with a dastardly, pirate-worthy beard that gives him a brooding look -- an appropriate style for a recent divorcé, if you ask us.

Best Performance by a Goatee and Mustache Duo: Kanye West Kanye West keeps his mustache short, expertly trimmed and narrow to avoid adding weight between his nose and lip. Instead, he turns the focus to his goatee, which emphasizes his strong chin and jawline.

Best Rock ’n’ Roll Beard Award: Lenny Kravitz When you’re a rock ’n’ roll icon).

Best Smooth(ish) Stubble Award: John Legend When you’re a smooth soul singer, you need facial hair that will complement your gentlemanly style while upping your game. John Legend’s perfect short stubble adds a dash of roughness to his boyish face -- but not enough to scare off the ladies.

And our awards for most dubious facial hair styles go to …

The Trying-too-hard Stubble Award: Adam Levine Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine has perfected the art of the stubble -- and that’s the problem. It’s almost too perfect. Stubble is meant to look accidental, to sport an air of, “I woke up looking this good.” Levine’s stubble is so evenly trimmed and shaped that it appears overworked. He could use a lesson from Lenny Kravitz.

Most Awkward-looking Beard Award: Robert Pattinson When teenage girls proclaim their undying (undead?) love for you at every turn, sometimes you need to don a disguise just to get a little peace. Nothing can change your look quicker than a beard. Unfortunately, Edward’s -- I mean, Robert’s -- beard looks awkward on his boyish face and drains away his usual good looks. A perfect disguise, indeed!

 

Whether you’re unemployed, underemployed, fearful of a layoff or just bored with your job, at some point you’ve probably thought about starting your own business. And like most people, you’ve probably been held back by a host of concerns: whether your idea is good enough, how to get funding, whether you can live without vacation and medical benefits, whether you even have the chops. Now, there’s one more worry to add to the mix: whether it’s crazy to start a business in the wake of a recession.

Here’s the good news. First, all entrepreneurs face those same fears on the road to building a company. Second, many Fortune 500 corporations, including Procter & Gamble, IBM, General Motors and FedEx, were founded during a period of economic uncertainty. “If you launch your business during a difficult time, you know what you can do on a lean basis,” says James King, state director of New York’s Small Business Development Center. Then once the economy starts to bounce back, he says, you’ll be well-positioned to succeed.

We asked King and Rex Hammock, founder of SmallBusiness.com and CEO of the custom media and marketing firm Hammock Inc. -- based in Nashville, Tenn. -- what it really takes to stop working for the man and become your own boss.

Tip No. 1: Seek input.

For starters, you should run your business concept past a few impartial observers before pouring your whole self into it. “Family and friends are not going to give you an honest answer,” says King. And even if it is a great idea, you must remain open to the possibility that your better mousetrap simply might not catch on. If that turns out to be the case, adds King, be prepared to adjust and compensate.

Tip No. 2: Check yourself.
Feeling ready? Put yourself to the test. This online quiz, created by the Small Business Administration, will help you ascertain whether you truly have the drive, perseverance and skill set you’ll need to see your business succeed. Even if you don’t, the SBA offers tips on how to build those credentials. Take advantage of this advice before diving in.

Tip No. 3: Go it alone.
The simplest approach is a start-up with you as the sole employee. Says Hammock: “For consultants, contractors or freelancers, the opportunities are many. Companies are using contracted services to fill in gaps in their workforce.” Being an independent contractor often means you call your own shots and name your hours and fees. The downside is loss of vacation and medical benefits -- though there are ways around that. For medical coverage, seek out programs offered through industry member organizations or groups such as the Freelancers Union. You may have to forego vacations for a while, but once you have a solid client base, you should be able to afford a few weeks of unpaid leave.

Tip No. 4: Find financing.

Less simple, though not impossible, is the path for capital-intensive startups. Hammock warns that these are tough times for getting a loan. “Banks are requiring more personal guarantees and financial collateral than I’ve seen in my nearly 30 years of owning small businesses,” he says. But King claims it’s still doable. “The money is available,” he argues. “You just have to prove the case for it.”

How? Get your ducks in a row by putting together a solid business plan. If you’ve never written one and need direction, avail yourself of the largely free assistance of organizations such as the Small Business Development Center (or SBDC, which maintains help offices in every state in the U.S.). The better prepared you are, says King, the more likely it is that the major financial institutions will work with you.

Another prospective source of financing is credit unions, which picked up much of the small-business lending slack when big banks put on the brakes in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown. Depending on the amount of funding needed for your venture, you can also seek economic support from friends and family, from so-called angel investors or from venture capital firms.

Finally, King advises that you raise or borrow enough money to provide your fledgling company with adequate cushion funding. It may take you longer to turn a profit than you expect, and you don’t want to be left penniless mere months in.

Tip No. 5: Don’t super-size.
Once you’ve hung your shingle, avoid the temptation to grow too quickly. This is particularly true for companies that start making money sooner than expected. “Say you open a restaurant and it quickly becomes a hot spot,” posits King. Before you know it, you’re excitedly adding seating and staff. But chances are good that you’re merely experiencing a new-restaurant bump, and that customer traffic will soon come back down to earth. “If you misjudge that,” warns King, “it can be a disaster for your business.”

Tip No. 6: Beware of the competition.
When you do start to grow, competitors will likely appear where none existed before. “Someone else is going to try to replicate your success,” says King. He recommends going back to your business plan and adjusting it to respond to the new conditions. This will help you stay a step ahead of any changes that could affect your bottom line.

Tip No. 7: Focus on the right components.

The smaller you are, the more you’ll be building your new company’s reputation on the basis of two essential factors: quality and service. “Trying to compete in an arena where price is the only factor in your clients’ purchasing decisions is a train wreck waiting to happen,” says Hammock. “If you can help a customer or client be better at something they want to be better at, you’ve cracked the formula for long-term success.” In other words, make your clients look good, and you’ll look good too. And if that prospect doesn’t have you thinking about punching in your current job’s time card for the final time, nothing will.

 

Easy to get lost on your CV will be scary, but when it comes to resume into the hands of a company to one that is difficult to correct the error.


Avoid such errors in a critical condition, so we made you very usual, wanted to inform you about the major errors.

Spelling and Grammar
Even if that does not require a highly developed ability to post messages to the position you are applying for, make careless errors in spelling, and no one shows that you prefer to keep one of the executive team does not like. Never rely on your computer and your eyes may not have control of spelling errors, in order to find errors in your resume to someone else Scan two definitely. Reading aloud the written grammar errors can occur, there is an error if you do not hear pleasing to the ear.

Write a lot, really nothing to say
20 words why your business görecekken 5 words that use it? Companies, do not wait for you to describe everything that you have made earlier in your life, a few important things to explain, to show he can do the job will be enough. Instead of using redundant sentences by a long shot the attention of companies collect points.

Not doing the necessary changes
To fit each situation, if the stereotypical prepared a resume, edileceksinizdir neglected by companies. Each company presented its position, a curriculum vitae and a letter of intent beklentisindedir suit. Job vacancies offered by each company will differ from each other, instead of your CV for this position would bring to the special requirements of small changes that have to do. Show them that you understand exactly what is required of you.

You did in our achievements rather than responsibilities to emphasize
Responsibilities imposed on you instead of the previous business, are there try to find a way to show what you have achieved. All the roles in your business that you may not be expressed in numerical data, but the companies never just sitting there as you do not pay a salary. He's always something to have you add to the company. Activities that lead to time saving, new procedures, consider performing a successful campaigns and sales performance, and on occasion rise to what extent they do not forget to percentages of increases.

Subvert the rule of two pages
One of the potential for your company that you are worth to be called a job interview with two pages on A4 size is sufficient to convince the bread. People are busy people who will review your resume and career five or six pages to read an article about the timings of your date is. Preparing a CV, the line spacing drop enough to make it easier to read as much as possible, make sure that all departments had left a significant way, and only include information that will kapman?za work. Your eyes will be even less visible than probably anything.

Provide the missing information
Some people just prefer it because they forget or can not add to the previous Bios of some jobs, it seems as though the work will cause a gap in your life. What you are doing at the time to guess, since your boss will think the worst of all. Whereas you, even if you work at that time, in working life will increase your chances of winning may have special features.

Patterns to use cliches
"Very well do I contact a", "The most important distinguishing features in the very best since the team Çal??mamd?r", "'m a committed", they prove the information is there if sunmad???n?z "Kem, sand, evil, the sand," as you write it will not be much of a difference. If the rest of your resume in our achievements listelemi?seniz effectively, it has already proven that you'll be qualified. If you feel the need to use these phrases must, indeed, at least contact that you have shown success. For example, "Communication skills to set up a customer data base and used it to ensure the continuity of it," you might say.

Hang in the balance
"Professional will help you progress in a difficult position am in search of" ineffective sentences reads as it would mean nothing. Both them and the company must present something special to suit your needs. For example, "In the beginning vas?flar?m? personal progress and give me experience in working for a charity foundation looking for a marketing position," you might say, for example.

Not a bad design
If you reference the designer, the content of your resume the second phase of the design. If you design your resume if you have an absurd, and each paragraph consists of various sizes and shapes of the characters, so it hurts a reader's head is. You just need a clean design and a white-on-black text, so much overdo it. Scan two others that your resume before sending it to the necessary places, companies do not leave a bad impression.

Incorrect personal details
Do nothing, but that does not return a great resume? The reason for this may be a very simple, for example, typed the wrong phone number! Now e-mail is a communication technology is more widely used, this may not be a huge problem, but still e-mail address and home address, make sure you typed correctly. If you have an e-mail address if you like pastasever@myhouse.co.uk, more professional-looking resume, use e-mail.


This content is presented in collaboration with AskMen.com.

 

Do not just sit there, enjoy your current position ...

Layoffs are through the period, or perhaps the company declined to collective redundancies. In any case, you are among the lucky.

Most of your friend or your family on the contrary, the unemployment office kablolunuzu shutting down or you do not have to deal with - for now.

But instead of sitting at your desk so smug yourself what you can do to make yourself indispensable to consider (?imdi!).

Having a job is not a civil right. The company that makes herkesetkilenebilir savings. Is not the time to be comfortable.

The good news is, there are many steps to get your position to provide. And who knows? Maybe even get promoted!

If you want to be the last person you should consider when dismissal, 10 ipucumuzu follow.

Savings and make 1.Firman?za
Do you have an idea about how to reduce your company's expenses? For!

Whether you get the printer to save paper, whether it be a great idea as replenishing your supply chain, showing the time to understand the essence of the management of work. Plan to implement a great trust in you and your dedication in making the savings will come to appreciate.

Be 2.Pozitif
No one wants to work with a negative one. Never. And especially under these circumstances. I already hear plenty of bad news, and frankly it really b?kt?lar. So the state of the economy, rising petrol prices, or focus on what is positive instead of complaining kay?nvalidenizden. Share job-related success stories. Be optimistic about the company and focus on steps you can take to create a positive impact on the future of your company.

Jobs can not be so bad for you. One of those who were still there, remember?

3. Work Longer
I'm not saying that you stay until midnight. In fact, do not miss out, even conversations. I want to say is that you have, be prepared to stay at work until the job is finished.

Work in the past 5 o'clock, before completing a thing (in the morning and finish the thought he) may have moved. Now, to finish the job at work, spend the extra half hour or an hour is better.

In addition to work 15 minutes before you come to prepare for that day. Time for the computer to open the meeting 9'daki no you do not want to be that person seeks.

4. Become a Leader
You do not have the title of the administrator, but this does not mean pretending not to be one is a good idea.

To be the leader, is to help others. Means to see the big picture. Developments likely to express, not only for yourself and your position, your company and its objectives are to observe.

Firms need leaders. Currently, you need a need. If you have the qualities of leadership, now is the time to expose them.

5. Avoid gossip
News spread quickly. Especially intriguing news. If you if you heard, the administrator must have felt. If you also play a role in the process of dissemination of news, if the administrator has probably become aware of it.

Although the office gossip may seem attractive not let you pull into the. It now becomes a part of which is not allowed, acquires enemies and become a non-professional one. If you insist on one to tell you something, do not tell it to someone else.

Although sometimes it is not the workplace, such as high school (thank God!). The results of office gossip, taking out the invitation to a birthday or missed a much more serious.

6. Skills
You have everything you would need to do your job. This is very clear. But the reason to be a member of your team's skills are more valuable. Or make your business better? Faster? Maybe your company is with the basic knowledge of HTML or Photoshop, more sections may be responsible.

Regardless of your industry, to always be improved. To acquire additional skills that will transform you an indispensable employee was a period of extremely favorable.

You can do this by doing a low level of spending. Night course you do not have enough funds to meet, get a book (or borrow it from the library!) Or get private tutoring via the Internet.

Once you've mastered all the skills you choose to give a seminar on the team can offer. You have a leader!

7. Transition Well with Others
Think of it as bad it sounds strange but a family of colleagues. After all, you spend the day with eight hours of work for more, and you are connected to each other at least tolerate each other more than to have a chance.

Adaptation is the key to success, now more than ever. Then the years, infrastructure and interests, and leave aside differences about how to effectively communicate with your teammates learn.

It is not only for the continuity of your company, you must do for the continuity of your company.

8. Be Careful
All those personal phone calls to your employer did not notice you're supposed to? Or all the time you spend on Facebook or Twitter? Think again. Employers usually give much importance to it than you think. And if they think the times easily by phone, e-mail or the Internet are able to check records.

This is no time you'll careless about personal issues while at work.

Depending on where you work, the occasional phone call or a quick lunch may seem normal for one or two e-mail to send. However, each side of your desk when your employer is looking for trouble.

9. Allow as little as possible get throat stay home. Sister is getting married? Let's take a few days off. I'm not saying take the old permit. But the more notable reasons to get permission to use a spade, especially the way to cut your company. To the hangover that day, saying that patients do not take time off from work or a long, extravagant vacations do not (at least until the road works). Sounds good, but a week's holiday in the Bahamas when you lack a business is not good at all.

10. Be Visible
Humility is a good feature. Of course, except the time of economic recession.

Up late working, helping others and / or are developing new and important ideas, someone (your mother, someone else) make it to the difference.

Inform about progress with your manager on a regular basis. E-mail sent to your accomplishments on a weekly or even a summary of a half weeks will be sufficient. Do not say this to brag, you provide only to know what you are working on.