The Snitch

Apparently, seven out of the 10 worst cities to be working in as an expat are found in Asia.

In a survey by ORC Worldwide and Business Week,  Lagos, Nigeria stands as the worst place to be working in, due to a risky combination of poor infrastructure, pollution and “the risk of being caught up in sectarian violence”.

But take note. The survey excludes cities outside North America and Europe. It also excludes cities that are under combat or in international isolation.

#1 worst city to work in – Lagos, Nigeria

Problems include: Infrastructure and crime, pollution, disease & sanitation, medical facilities, availability of goods and services.

#2 Jakarta, Indonesia

Major Problems: Pollution, disease & sanitation, medical dacilities, political violence & repression, political & social environment, crime

#3 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Problems include: Political violence & repression, political & social environment, culture & recreation facilities

#4 Almaty, Kazakhstan

Problems include: Pollution, disease & sanitation, medical facilities, physical remoteness, housing, climate, education facilities, infrastructure, communications, culture & recreation

#5 Mumbai, India

Problems include: Pollution, disease & sanitation, infrastructure, political violence & repression, climate, medical facilities

#6 New Delhi, India

Problems include: Pollution, disease & sanitation, infrastructure, climate

#7 Nairobi, Kenya

Problems include: Crime, infrastructure, disease & sanitation, political violence & repression, political& social environment

#8 Bogota, Colombia

Problems include: Pollution, political violence & repression, crime, political & social Environment

#9 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Problems include: Disease & sanitation, climate, pollution, medical facilities, infrastructure, crime

#10 Chennai, India

Problems include: Climate, pollution, disease & sanitation, medical facilities, education facilities, infrastructure, physical remoteness.

Full list here

Job applicants get thrown off track most of the time during an interview when they are asked, “What is your greatest weakness?”

Christopher Morrow, senior vice president of Calabasas in California says candidates tend to divert the question and respond with something that is not a weakness. “It is a deal breaker,” says Morrow. Believe it or not, giving the wrong kind of answer will weaken one’s chances of gaining employment in today’s tight job market.

While one cannot possibly identify weaknesses that are most obvious – like, say for instance; “I really hate coming back to work on Saturdays and would prefer not to, regardless of how much work I have to do!” Such statements would only leave you deservingly unemployed. So how do you handle such questions professionally?

Morrow suggests that a careful game plan can help you cope with the shortcoming query in a way that highlights your strength for a desired position. “Job seekers who field the question well demonstrate that they can take initiative and improve themselves,” he added.

Another way is to take conscious note of your weaknesses, focusing especially on job-related ones that will not impede your credibility to perform your tasks. Never choose a personal flaw as your reply, the way an IT manager did by choosing to say that his true weakness is that he’s a terrible cook. This will not impress the interviewer.

Here are some of the wrong answers that job applicants give when asked the question:

Via WSJ

A new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology determined that not all bosses are actually competent enough at what they do to deserve that position in the first place.

Social psychologists say that one way to come across as a leader is actually to simply act like one. This means speak up, speak well and offer a lot of ideas. In time, you’ll realise that people will start doing what you say. Nevertheless, this can only work well when leaders know what they’re doing. But what if you act like a boss and give out crap instructions?

Researchers at the University of California carried out a test and found that people who spoke up the most were rated by their teammates for qualities such as “general intelligence”, “dependable” and “self-disciplined”. On the other hand, people who kept silent were rated higher for less desirable qualities which included “conventional” and “uncreative”.

Worryingly, the test also found that any kind of speaking up would be enough to put people into the position of a leader. Providing any kind of information related to solving the problem is also counted, especially if they did so confidently and repeatedly.

“Dominant individuals behaved in ways that made them appear competent,” the researchers added, “above and beyond their actual competence.” More often than not, the members were willing to listen to and take directions issued by these underqualified bosses. Teams tend to use the first answer issued by anyone, without giving or only briefly considering to the other answers that were shouted out. This happened an overwhelming 94% of the time.

So maybe people are only looking for leaders based on how quickly they are able to provide answers, regardless of the quality of solutions offered.

What do you think?

via TIME