Microsoft extends Windows 7 shelf life as Windows 8 struggles

It seems that Windows 7 will remain on sale to business users until at least early 2015, if not longer, following a change to Microsoft's Windows lifecycle.
As spotted by ZDNet, the updated lifecycle indicates that Microsoft has not yet decided on an end-date for the OS and could be a long way off yet.
Microsoft has promised to give businesses at least a year's warning before it kills off Windows 7 Professional.

Doing a 180

In 2013, the company announced that it was forbidding new PCs to be preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate after October 31 2014. This would mean that any new hardware customers would be pushed onto Windows 8.
Microsoft hinted that end-of-sale date was the same for Windows 7 Professional. Later it backtracked when business customers threw up their hands in horror.
According to ZDNet, Microsoft has now said that anyone buying a PC with Windows 7 Professional installed would receive extended support via the OEM to cover any gap after the end of mainstream support, which is due to come to an end on January 13 2015.

Extra time

It is possible that Microsoft could end mainstream support for Windows 7 Professional on that date even if it was allowing OEMs to sell the operating system on new machines.
A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet that OEMs offer free warranty support for usually a year. This usually means that there is a small difference between mainstream support and extended support that Redmond would give anyway.
This does mean, however that consumers will have had to have bitten the bullet and gone to Windows 8.1 by then. Of course they could just move to Linux.

With talent poachers, why Apple University matters more than ever

When Steve Jobs hired Joel Podolny in 2008 to create Apple University, the marching orders were to help the company do something it had never spent much time doing: Study itself. 

Jobs had run the company much like a gigantic startup, enabling him to imprint his management philosophy on everything from product design to advertising. But with his cancer worsening, Jobs wanted Podolny, the well-known, youthful dean of the Yale School of Management, to create a program to distill his approach so Apple's executives would be able to reinforce it after he was gone. 

Working closely with Jobs, Podolny quickly built up a curriculum of courses, including one called "What Makes Apple Apple." Some courses were taught by top Apple executives such as Cook, according to Adam Lashinsky, author of "Inside Apple." Other courses were built around case studies written by a faculty that includes Richard Tedlow, a Harvard University business historian. 

Soon after Podolny arrived, he was promoted to vice president of Apple's entire human resources department to fill a void left by Danielle Lambert, who resigned along with her husband Tony Fadell in late 2008. Apple University remained Podolny's main focus and passion, and he talked about his desire to be released from the larger HR job, said Bob Borchers, a former iPhone marketing executive. 

Now with the promotion of Denise Young Smith to vice president of human resources this week, Podolny got his wish. And it comes at a crucial time if Apple is to maintain Jobs's posthumous impact on the company. People who worked closely with Apple's co-founder have left for other jobs, such as Johnson, who left to become CEO of JC Penney months before Jobs died in 2011. Others are retiring, such as Rita Lane, an operations executive who oversaw development of Mac, iPhone and iPad accessories. And plenty of newcomers are arriving. Apple's total headcount, including its legions of in-store "Geniuses", has grown from 60,400 in September 2011 to more than 80,000 two years later. 

Keeping its best people will become harder for Apple, said Jon Bischke, CEO of Entelo, an online-recruiting service. Part of the problem is unavoidable: As Apple downshifts from a hyper-growth company to slower-growing behemoth, talented employees are more easily lured to startups that promise bigger monetary rewards. If Apple doesn't prove it can bring out world-changing products like the iPhone and iPad, as it routinely did during Jobs's tenure, some of its engineers will keep an eye out for other hot companies that can, he said.

 

As with everything around Apple, the company keeps details of the program secret. According to Lashinsky, there was a course on Apple's decision to consolidate all of its iPhone manufacturing to one factory in China, and another on the decline of A&P, once the dominant grocery chain in the U.S. 

Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet declined to make Podolny available for an interview or comment on whether there would be any changes in Apple University as a result of the shake-up. 

Fulfilling Jobs's vision for Apple University won't be easy. 

"Joel is a very creative guy, but it's hard to create instant Steve Jobs," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, another Yale professor who worked with Podolny last decade. 

"The essence of genius is that it's a misfit quality. Misfits don't fit well into institutionalized assembly lines." 

Also, Podolny is swimming against the tide in trying to increase the role of human resources within Apple's no-nonsense culture, said Borchers, the former marketing executive. Unlike many companies that proactively develop executives' capabilities by moving through many jobs, Apple has historically hired specialists in a given field and kept them there to fully exploit their expertise.

New Jobs will be created in 2014: RecruiteX, TimesJobs.com

 

According to the findings of the latest edition of RecruiteX, industry experts are optimistic that new government formulation will offer the much needed impetus to recruitment in the top ten industries this year. 

While hiring will be guarded, industries will hire for niche skills, domain expertise and expansion. 

The IT/Telecom sector continued on the growth chart and was the best performing sector during the July to December 2013 period. The Healthcare industry, too, witnessed positive hiring sentiment, while rest of the sectors witnessed a slowdown in hiring. 

The Construction sector, in particular, which performed well during January to June 2013, lost momentum during the latter half of the year and reported the highest drop in demand for talent. 

While the overall demand was sluggish and core functions took a backseat, support functions such as IT and accounting & finance managed to attract talent during the second half of 2013. Though decline in core functions is not a good sign for any sector, a rise in demand for support functions signifies expansion, believe experts. 

Akin to the trend during the first half of 2013, sales/business development professionals continued to be in demand during the stated period. Demand was also buoyant for HR professionals. 

Hiring was impressive across key job hubs. Western India emerged as the best performing region during the July to December 2013 period. Delhi NCR faced the heat of the political unrest. The job market in region was sluggish during July to December 2013, primarily due to the economic and political instability. 

During July to December 2013, demand for freshers and mid-level candidates was upbeat. However, demand for talent at senior levels with 10-20 years and over 20 years of experience, recorded flat to negative activity across industries. Experts believe that the numbers are indicative of the fact that organisations were only looking to hire on demand, and hiring is restricted to niche skills. 

The year 2014 is defined as the year of consolidation by experts. Government interventions, funding and impending policy changes are expected to bring cheer to the recruitment landscape, across verticals. 

Experts predict considerable emphasis on up-skilling existing workforce and local hiring due to the macroeconomic scenario. Overall, single digit increments are expected in 2014; however, experts added that high performers can look forward to an increment in the range of 15-20 per cent. 

The bi-annual recruitment report by TimesJobs.com, RecruiteX, analyses the Indian jobs market in view of demand and supply of talent. The study scans key industries, assessing current hiring trends on the basis of location, functional areas and experience in each sector, along with a preview of the future potential of key sectors. With this comprehensive analysis of the industry and associated segments, we aim to serve industry in making strategic business decisions. 

Key Findings 

· Owing to political instability, demand lost momentum during the second half of 2014 · IT/Telecom and Healthcare sector observed maximum growth in hiring activity · Delayed and halted projects resulted in drop in hiring, as well as job-seeking activity, in the Construction and Infrastructure sectors · Support functions were in demand, hiring was slow for core functions · Western India emerged as the best performing region in terms of hiring · Up-skilling workforce to build a sustainable leadership pipeline is going to be the focus for organisations in 2014

How to be an effective project manager

A number of young employees can graduate to the level of a project manager, but are all of them effective in their way of working? 

Eight out of ten project managers seem to not have the adequate skills to oversee a project or to take up challenging responsibilities. So, what makes a project manager effective? Is it his/her ability to manage people only or is it the combination of being a good task master and yet a patient mentor or is it the ability to look after scaling business? 

Can we actually say that 'A' is a better project manager than 'B'? 

According to experts, a project management team has certain people with the innate ability to do things better than others. Some people are able to apply their skills in whichever combination necessary - the combination doesn't matter, what matters is to move the project forward; while others simply cannot do this even if they have similar or superior set of skills. 

A lot of organisations pay attention towards project management certifications while recruiting. But can a certification really make a project manager effective? Not always. Sonia Agarwal, head PMO, STMicroelectronics, stated, "Certification is not everything. In my own experience I have seen many certified project managers, who are good for nothing and I have seen many who do not have required certifications, but know what they are responsible for and are efficient time managers." 

Certification or no certification, one needs to have the ability to sail through any given situation and have the courage to take charge or control of things. It's not just about finding the usual solutions, but to explore new possibilities or do things that no one has done before. One needs to challenge himself on a regular basis. "Certification is a way to show others what you are actually capable of - but this is not the only criteria to showcase how effective a project manager you can be," adds Agarwal. 

To be an effective project manager one needs to: 

· Be an effective time manager · Be organised · Have the ability to drive a team · Have the ability to push team members and encourage to explore new ideas · Prioritise · Be great at communicating with team members · Have multi-tasking ability · Be self-motivated

6 mistakes to avoid while looking for a job

Communicate well, don't fabricate information on resume during an interview. 

Whether you are a fresher or a seasoned professional, there's always room for improvement, especially during an interview. Because of the mistakes one commits during his/her interview, employers often don't turn up with a positive response or a job offer. TimesJobs.com approaches some of the industry experts to find out those mistakes that any job seeker can avoid. 

Poorly written resume 

In order to stand out among the thousands of resumes that recruiters receive every day, a candidate's resume must represent the best that he/she has to offer and why they are right for the job. However, most job seekers spend tremendous energy, time, and effort to create an impactful resume, but send out multiple copies of the same to various recruiters instead of customising it for each position. For every job application, one should send a customised resume highlighting key strengths and capabilities that are suitable to the position he/she is applying to. Also, a jobseeker must always proof-read the resume and cover letter to avoid typos and grammatical errors. 

Avoid 'trash' talking about past employer 

It may seem like a common sense not to say negative things about previous or current employer during an interview, but candidates make this mistake frequently. People are often upset about recent on-the-job incidents and feel the need to make their feelings known. This is one of the most often-stated things that decision-makers cite as a reason for not hiring someone. 

Jumping right into salary negotiation 

Bring up the salary issue early in the conversation. There are two common mistakes that candidates make during job interviews when it comes to salary negotiation. The first mistake is bringing up the topic of money too early. Most interviewers are turned off by candidates who approach the subject themselves, particularly early in the interview. People must earn the right to talk about this topic. 

Not sure about reasons to leave 

Whenever Gen-Z hear of a role or job that excites them without evaluating readiness such as why, how, what and when, they choose to apply and let go of growth opportunities in their current role. It's pure shift of focus versus a real reason to leave. Hiring managers most often hear reasons like better career opportunity, but in essence candidates are not sure of what the real gain is. 

No online presence 

Most resumes claim that the job seeker is an accomplished professional and a leader in his/her field, but when you put the name in a search engine, either nothing comes up or you find others with the same name and can't distinguish the job seeker from the others listed. Make it easy for recruiters to find you by creating customised online identity, business, and social networking profiles. 

Providing incorrect information 

Candidates must never provide fabricated or false information during an interview, all the information given must be correct and verifiable by the employer. An interview is a very short process and it is important for a job-seeker to come across as honest and trust worthy. A job seeker therefore, must honestly answer any questions raised during the interview, for instance questions pertaining to break in employment.

(Inputs from Bhasker Bhandary, director - Human Resources, Acer India, Puja Kapoor, head HR, dunnhumby India and Joseph Devasia, managing partner, Antal International)

5 ways to tap your network for a job referral

 

In an increasingly competitive job market, landing a referral for a job is very often a candidate's short cut to the top of the resume pile. And that's not the only reason referrals work. According to CareerXRoads' 2013 Source of Hire Report, a candidate who has acquired a referral is 3-4 times more likely to be hired. Other reports point out more advantages: the hiring process is often faster for referred candidates; once hired they stay on longer and perform better - compelling reasons why referrals are a win-win situation for both employers and employees. ET speaks to HR heads on how to tap your network for referrals for a job.

1. Reach out to Your Social Network

In case you are looking for a change, put in a word to the relevant people specifically HR professionals who you think can help, suggests Saba Adil, head- talent, AEGON Religare Life Insurance. "Write an email, or talk to them of the kind of opportunity you are looking out for and seek their advice," she says. Adil also advises using platforms like Linked-in , Facebook or your alumni network to reach out. "Search on the company name - that you would want to work for and get in touch with the professionals "following" that company or in your list of contacts who may be able to assist," she says.

2. Take your Referrals into Confidence

Not all jobs are posted publicly and it helps to let your social network know that you are looking /open to new opportunities to gain access to such job posts. Also, says Randeep Singh Sisodia, director HR, Amway India, one needs to keep identified referrals informed of career goals. "This will help not just to build advocacy but also in a situation where you may miss an opportunity which may come to their knowledge and knowing your goals, help you connect." "To get the best out of your mentor, you need to understand him or her well. You also need to know what kind of mentorship is best for you," he adds.

3. Articulate Your Personal Brand

This is an external view to self, what you can offer, what are your unique points. The more known and articulate it is, the easier it is to find a fit when one is on a job hunt. "Also keep your referrals updated on your current role and any skill upgradations," says Amway India's Sisodia.

4. Ask for Recommendations

Recommendations on the work done help big time, feels AEGON Religare Life Insurance's Adil. "Ask your previous managers or stakeholders to pen in a line or two on the work you've done. This not only provides comfort but also some view on your strengths and quality of work," she says.

5. Do not Over Expose

"Pushing one's self off-limits in pursuit of an opportunity turns people off," cautions Adil. "One should use a balanced approach here. Desperation never helps, however strong the need may be. Also reach out to relevant people who you think can help instead of general posts to all," she says.

Technology entrepreneurs make giant leap from services to product development

Technology entrepreneurs who honed their skills by delivering services to overseas clients are turning to product development as money and talent become more easily available.

Quick to spot gaps in the market, these professionals, who have built up a base of capital and industry contacts, are creating products in areas such as online security and customer management for ecommerce companies.

"Services helped us remain profitable while gaining experience. It allowed us to ease into products without worrying about whether customers would buy what we have innovated and launched," said Sanjay Deshpande, CEO and chief innovation officer of Uniken, which builds security software.

Set up with Rs 15 lakh, Uniken has built a user base of 10 lakh in the past five years. Deshpande estimates the company that has received initial funding of Rs 30 crore from Nexus Venture Partners will earn revenue of about Rs 620 crore in the next four years. For Deshpande, the transition from services to products was a mental adjustment as he had built up a base to ease into a product venture without financial insecurity.

However, the transition is not always so smooth for many others. Shirish Deodhar, cofounder of Sapience Analytics, a company offering productivity solutions to companies, said starting a services venture first can backfire.

He first set up a services company, In-reality Software, that offered outsourced product development for US clients. "But we were totally absorbed by the services venture and couldn't focus on our product dream," said the entrepreneur who went onto sell his first startup to Symphony Services.

The second time around, he decided to focus completely on products mindful of the earlier experience. "We had to invest heavily, work on the product continually improvising it, and eventually hope that customers will want to buy it," he said.

However, as more investors begin to back technology product ventures, entrepreneurs are realising that it can be a high-risk, high-reward experience. In January, Little Eye Labs which develops technology to improve mobile application development, was acquired by Facebook for about Rs 90 crore within 18 months of being set up.

Sharad Sharma, co-founder of industry think tank iSpirt, is of the view that for those who don't have the risk capital, funding their product venture through revenue from services is a viable option.

Instaclique, which helps ecommerce companies convert browsers into customers is an example of such a strategy. "We started Niyuj as a services venture developing software for clients," said Avinash Shenoy, CEO of Instaclique.

Realising the opportunity to build their own intellectual property, Shenoy launched the product venture in 2012 that focused on the rapidly growing ecommerce space.

10 attributes of an awesome manager

Is it the education or advanced management degrees that make you a better manager? Well, it’s your ability to adapt to newer challenges, bonding with the team, being an active team player and last but not the least, ability to manage people efficiently, that makes you a good manager.

With the concept of team management changing over the years, the definition of manager has also changed. Managers now need to understand that it’s no longer about managing blue-collar employees; it’s about managing people who are highly qualified, skilled and good at what they do. Thus, efficient workforce management is key to an organisation’s success.