Why the Recruitment Process isn’t Working

The structure of the Australian recruitment industry is fundamentally flawed, argues Abacus Recruitment’s Toby Marshall, and both clients and job seekers are losing out.

Scan the employment classifieds in any newspaper and it appears that recruitment companies have a pretty tight stranglehold on the talent on offer. Correct? Not so. Australian organisations have long been persuaded by recruiters that engaging a recruitment firm is the only effective way to find the talent they need in a market that is suffering from a (perceived) skill shortage and shrinking labour pool. What they are failing to identify, however, are two huge pools of talent that continue to go largely unnoticed: mothers with young children and older, semi-retired workers.

Post Interview Etiquette

An interview is tough work, tougher than writing a final exam: You may be mentally and physically prepared, but you don’t know what kind of questions will be thrown at you, who will be asking them and how you will psychologically respond to them. Once an interview is over and done with, there is some etiquette you must follow – irrespective of the fact whether you get the job or not. Because a professional approach after the interview will stand you in good stead with your employers, or even if you haven’t been hired, the people who have interviewed you will always remember you for your post-interview etiquette and attitude.

Here then is a small guide on post-interview etiquette:

1. Do not show any over-eagerness or emotion once the interview is over. If you didn’t do your interview well, do not show overtly that you are very upset. Remain calm and collected, and keep your ears open. You’ve spoken during the interview, now hear out and remember the closing comments. And do not forget to thank the interviewees and wish them a polite goodbye. Each and every action of yours speaks out the strength of your character, and you never know what can impress or irritate the interviewing board members irrespective of how badly or well you fared in the interview.

2. As soon as the interview is over, make a note of all the important points that were discussed in the interview. Critical and strategic issues dealing with your role, responsibilities and promises of job enhancements may have been discussed during the interview, and it is better for you to jot them down rather than consign them to your memory.

3. After taking down the important notes, call up your recruitment agent, if you used his services, and inform him about what happened during the interview. Recruitment agencies know employers well and they can guess what is on their mind based on certain comments the employers might have made during the interview.

4. Always send or email an error-free “thank you” note to your interviewers. In your “thank you” letter, do not forget to apologize for any slip up you may have made during the interview, and before signing off, emphasize on your commitment to the job. Lastly, your letter must be short and sweet and to the point – no flowery language, no multiple pages, and you know the rest.

5. If your prospective employer says that he needs some time to think over your application, then do not call back or get in touch using indirect methods (friends, friends’ friends, etc.). Give them the time they specified to decide your fate, and then get proactive and call them and make polite inquiries about your application. Do not display any eagerness or desperation while making the follow-up inquiry.

6. If you learn that you have not been selected for the job, inquire about the reasons and work around your shortcomings. And, even though you have not been hired, you must be courteous enough to send them a letter thanking them for calling you to the interview.

7. Once the interview is over, do not stop the process of hunting for other jobs because you never know what can come up. But do not pit one job against the other by telling prospective employers “I’ve appeared in a couple of other interviews too and I would appreciate if you could let me know your decision as soon as possible, or before so and so date because I need to make my decision.” Do not pressurize your potential employer into taking a fast decision. This kind of bargaining is not appreciated in the corporate world.

8. Above all, remember that if you do not get the job, it is not the end of the world – there are many fish in the sea, and all you need to do is angle for another one.

In the end, an interview can be a fantastic experience – you learn more about others, your shortcomings show up along with your strengths and you come out of the experience mentally tougher. But, this happens only when you observe and absorb the goings-on in every interview and follow proper interview etiquette. So, work on all aspects of an interview and do everything right after the interview.

Here’s wishing you all the luck for all your forthcoming interviews.

About the Author

Seek4Jobs.net is a job search center for all your job informations and needs. Post a resume for free, find a recruiter, find the jobs you want. Find all the informations you need to know about jobs at Seek4Jobs.net.

A Weight Loss Patch per day keeps the fat away

There are so many weight loss products bombarding us everyday from television commercials to online ads. These advertisements sometimes come in the form of diet pills, green teas, superfoods or detox diets. The newest craze flooding the market now is the weight loss patch.

This may be the kind of product that most people will buy in a heartbeat because of the ease of use and the fact that it may be safe because it doesn’t require any intake.

How it is used

The weight loss patch comes in packages of thirty to one hundred and twenty patches included. Each day the user places a patch on any part of the body; preferably the sides or stomach. One patch per day has been determined to be an effective method of losing weight. The thirty-day patch is sold as a trial offer to any interested customer who wants to try the product before making any kind of long-term commitment to it.

Most motivated individuals who are desperate to lose weight would be tempted to experiment the truth that the weight loss patch would give weight loss success. The premise is that most people are looking for the most easiest and convenient way to take off the pounds and lose the fat.

The idea that a weight loss patch each day will achieve great results is an idea that will appeal to the masses. The reason for such confidence by these weight loss marketers is apparent. First, it is professed that there would be no side effects or unusual symptoms compared the diet pills and other weight loss products. Secondly, no one would be able to know that there is a patch on the body.

The possibility of losing weight with a simple patch seems quite enticing and attainable. However, to convince someone who is skeptical to try the weight loss patch would be a challenge. Diet pills have been so prevalent and dominant in the marketplace over the years and have also been more widely advertised that the concept that a patch will work leaves much to the imagination.

Trying is the operative word here, which means that you would have to be open minded to giving the idea closer attention and an open mind to an experiment that just may be the answer to your weight loss goals.

The weight loss patch has become very popular on the Internet and has created quite a buzz both for the end users and marketers alike. The most advertised one is the dietrine patch, which is said to be a trendsetter, and provides faster weight loss results.

Just the thought of not having to take another weight loss diet pill ever again has peaked consumer interest in this product. What will advertisers and manufacturers come up with next? Until we find out the answer to this question, it is a certainty that a lot of people will utilizing the weight loss patch as a supplement or replacement to diet pills and other weight loss products.

Cheryline Lawson, author and owner of http://www.miraculousdietplan.com To learn more about the weight loss patch, feel free to go to the website at http://www.miraculousdietplan.com to find out about this new craze. You are welcome to use this article, but in its entirety with the resource box intact.

About the Author

Cheryline Lawson, author and owner of http://www.miraculousdietplan.com To learn more about the weight loss patch, feel free to go to the website at http://www.miraculousdietplan.com to find out about this new craze. You are welcome to use this article, but in its entirety with the resource box intact.

Eight Keys to Minimize Stress in a Fast World

It doesn’t matter where you live, who you are or what you’re doing, you’ll encounter stress – that’s life. And, it’s not all bad. We all perceive things differently; some people see things as more negative while others are more positive about things.

Why do some of us thrive on stress and some of us buckle? It’s in our perspective about stress. We do better when we choose to rise to challenges instead of fearing or fighting problems.

Positive stress helps you operate at your peak as it encompasses your ‘fight or flight response’ and gives you extra physical and emotional resources when you or someone you care about is in trouble.

Negative stress is simply stress that we perceive as ‘bad’ and this varies from person to person. Stress becomes bad when we react negatively and it affects our health and mental outlook. Over time it leads to immune disorders, strokes, heart problems, fatigue, hair loss and more.

In our fast-paced society that’s always on, negative stress is epidemic.

According to research, stress hardiness is a life skill we can learn, not one we know at birth. Individuals who weather stress have many mindsets that help them cope and thrive. Here are some ideas:

1. Accept change. There’s no getting around it, change is inevitable; it begins in the womb and continues as our bodies, minds and spirits change. The world around us does the same so if we accept change as a normal part of life, anxiety is reduced. When you know nothing stays the same, you can feel empowered and cope better.

2. Have strong bonds. Life can ‘sock it to ya’ and you’ll thrive if you have strong relationships. Social support during stressful times is the key; women know this and are more likely to seek emotional help. It doesn’t take fancy research to tell us that we feel better during times of stress when we phone our friends, go out with someone or ‘vent.’ We’re not designed to bottle up our emotions – we need to know that our feelings are okay and that we can survive a situation and get help with our challenges.

3. Short-term goals. Although we say we hate stress, a certain amount is necessary to motivate us to get up in the morning, work, meet deadlines and more. This is good stress. We need a mission and when we don’t have one, we wander aimlessly and waste precious time. Setting small daily, weekly or monthly goals help us feel more focused and less stressed.

4. Long-term goals. Most of us have a mission to finish something in one day, one week, even one month but do we know what we want to accomplish within five or 10 years? For a lot of us, thinking ahead like this is a challenge; we’re lucky if we know what we’re doing next week. However, you need to know what your purpose is – having a successful career, financial independence, spirituality or a plan to change something in the world. Long term goals give us clarity and vision – something that can buffer us from day-to-day stresses; when we know what our long term vision is, we can set up short-term goals that point us towards the larger goal.

5. Let it go. When we begin life as babies, we see the world through our eyes and feel as though the planet revolves around us. Sometime around early adulthood (or maybe later for some of us) we get a rude awakening; we’re part of something much bigger that we can’t control. We often fight this feeling because we want to be in control, but in reality, we can only control ourselves. (If we have a mental health issue, we may not be able to control ourselves) Once you understand this law, life will seem less like a struggle; you’ll pay more attention to your reactions and stop controlling situations and people.

6. Silver linings. You’ve heard the quote, “Look on the bright side.” For most of us, we believe this but some of us who suffer from depression, sadness or tragedy, this can seem preposterous. Instead of thinking negative, find something positive in a situation; you may not like the whole situation but if you challenge your thinking to, “What can I learn from this situation? What is the silver lining in this tragic storm?” If you find it a challenge to be an optimist, act like one. When something bad occurs, visualize a positive outcome instead of a disaster.

7. Say No. People get overwhelmed when they take on too many projects and stretch themselves thin. You need to focus your energy; when you do too much multitasking, you diminish your power and effectiveness. You also get resentful, angry and impatient when you have too much to do and too little time. Analyze what you do in a week and see where you’re splitting your energy; if you eliminate a few things, you should feel less stressed.

8. Exercise. Nothing is better for stress reduction than exercise. We all know the benefits of being physical; exercise produces larger muscles, burns fat, adds to longevity and gives us more energy…the list is endless. If you think you’re too busy to get physical, exercise for 10 minutes a day. Even 10 minutes makes a difference and after four or five weeks, you may see enough of a difference that you want to make more time to exercise.

Stress can give you energy and vision or it can wreak havoc on your health and looks. Once you realize it’s an inevitable part of life, find ways to make it work for you.

About the AuthorLisa Rickwood, BFA, CTACC, is an artist, speaker, coach and author of the book, Escape The Pace and co-author of Power & Soul. Get your FREE report – 5 Critical Actions That Hurt Your Business and Add Stress to Your Life. Visit: http://www.escapethepace.com

Critical Steps To Overcoming Sales Phobia

If you’re like most business owners and self employed professionals you started a business because you have a particular talent, skill, or ability; not because you like to sell. And although some sales people do start companies, most business owners have no experience or training in sales.

Let’s face it, no-one likes hearing the word “no”. The mere mention of the word “sales” conjures up all kinds of negative images like the ubiquitous “used car salesman” or the “bait and switch tactics” that television news shows are so fond of featuring. With all of these negative images around, it’s no wonder that so many people don’t like selling.

You may be naturally shy or lack self confidence. Or perhaps you never learned how to speak about your business in a way that compels people to buy from you. Regardless of the reason, if you run a business or work for yourself you’ll find it much easier to be successful if you sharpen your sales skills and get comfortable in this role.

If the situation I’m describing rings a bell, here are some steps you can take to turn your fears into success:

1. Get clear on your market positioning. What does your company stand for in the eyes of your prospects? What makes you different? Who’s your ideal client? What “pain” or problem do your customers have that your product or service solves? Once you’re clear about the benefits and results you get for your ideal customers, it will be easy for them to realize that they should buy from you rather than the other guy.

2. Pinpoint what it is that you’re really afraid of. Sometimes it’s not the “sale” per se that we’re afraid of. Look for the reasons behind the fear, and then come up with solutions for dealing with them.

For instance, sometimes a fear will develop when you know there’s a problem with the product or service. You may have had some recent complaints, or are having trouble meeting deliveries or deadlines. It’s hard to convince people to buy if you’re worried about what you’re selling. If this is the case, be proactive! Fix the problems. Make your product or service the best it can be.

Other times a fear can stem from an emotional issue, such as fear of success or fear of failure. Often, we get in our own way with negative self-talk or beliefs we have that sabotage our efforts. If so, get in touch with these feelings and implement strategies to deal with them.

3. Use the things you don’t like about sales to form a better approach. Once you’ve figured out what you don’t like, do the opposite! If you hate being pressured to buy, develop a strategy that doesn’t use any pressure. Make a list of all of the things salespeople do that you don’t like. From there, develop strategies that don’t use these tactics.

4. Examine the styles of those who do it effortlessly. We’ve all met them, people who don’t seem to be selling at all, but know just the right things to say to get people interested in their offering. They don’t employ any of the selling behaviors that turn people off. Study them. Analyze what they’re doing. Then adapt their style to suit you.

5. Develop an authentic selling style that you feel really good about. I believe that anyone can be successful in sales as long as they feel good about themselves while doing it. You may have to think differently. Look at what’s not working with your current approach, and why. Be creative – if the words “sales” or “selling” make you cringe, call it something else!

6. Understand that selling is a numbers game. No and that no-one closes every sale. Not every prospect is a “qualified buyer” and that’s OK! It’s just a normal part of the sales process. Try thinking of it as selecting the customers that would benefit most from your offering. Naturally, in order to select the best, you’ll have to reject those that don’t fit.

Keep track of how many qualified prospects you need to speak to before closing a deal. Then, set your sales goals, multiplying the number of sales you need to close by the number of qualified prospects you’ll need to speak to in order to close each deal.

Ie: If you close about ½ of the qualified prospects you speak to; and you need to make 4 sales a month, you’ll need to be speaking to about 8 qualified prospects a month in order to make your goal.

7. Learn to look at sales rejection as an opportunity for learning. Instead of letting yourself be discouraged by a “no” use the experience as an opportunity to learn from instead. What went right? What didn’t work that can be approached differently the next time?

8. Don’t take it personally! There are lots of reasons people say no. Many of these reasons have nothing to do with you. It may be that they don’t really need what you’re offering, the timing isn’t right, or they’re busy and preoccupied with other things.

9. Pinpoint common objections, and address them. You can turn more prospects into paying customers by thinking about logical comebacks to common objections. Is your prospect is focused on “price”? Then focus on value and return on investment. This way you meet their concerns head on, instead of avoiding them.

10. Boost your self-confidence and motivation. Think about all of the wonderful results your product or service has gotten for your customers. Don’t confuse your “selling” abilities with the value customers get from buying from you. Remind yourself often about the positive benefits your customers receive. If you’re not sure, ask them what they like best about doing business with you.

11. Think out of the box: You don’t have to use pressure or become the stereotypic “used car salesman” to get customers. You can learn to close deals without using pressure, in your own way and with integrity.

12. Set realistic goals. Although setting goals is important, be careful not to set the bar so high that you can’t reach it. This only leads to discouragement. Instead, start by setting a realistic goal. Then, break it down into all of the steps you’ll need to take to get there. Get real about the time, energy, money and any other resources you’ll need to have in place in order to achieve it. Next, add a timeline and benchmarks to measure progress.

13. Consider practicing on your “safe list” first. Practicing really helps. A great way to do this is try out your presentation in a comfortable setting first. A client of mine did this recently by compiling a “safe list” of people in his industry that he knew well and felt comfortable with. He contacted them and asked if they would listen to his presentation and give him constructive feedback. This allowed him to work out the kinks and gain the confidence he needed before going out in the real world.

Want a different approach? Practice on a group of prospects you don’t know who you’ll never see again. You’ll soon learn what works!

14. Celebrate your wins! Congratulate yourself whenever you make a good presentation or feel you’ve improved, even if you haven’t closed a deal yet. It doesn’t help to be hard on yourself if it doesn’t go as well. Those who keep focused on the positives find it easier to be successful.

15. Realize that often a “no” means “not yet” or “maybe”. Find out the reasons behind a “no” by learning to ask a lot of questions. Perhaps they need more info. or they’ve got a lot on their plate right now. If they see the value, and have a need for what you offer they may be interested in the future. Make sure to get to the bottom of the no and to follow-up with them later as necessary.

16. And finally, just allow yourself to do it! Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Psyche yourself up to try it and get out there – it really does get easier each time you do.

© 2004-2007, Susan Martin, Business Sanity.

About the Author

Susan Martin, NYC based business coach helps business owners and professionals get Business Sanity. Find out how you can make more money with less effort and stress by visiting Susan on the web at http://www.business-sanity.com/sales.html and sign up for her free Business Sanity Tips

What is Direct Response Marketing?

Direct Response Marketing is a form of marketing that solicits a response on behalf of the consumer, and offers advertisers the benefit of measurable results.

<u>Direct Response Television</u>In today’s marketplace the most prominent type of direct response marketing is the DRTV commercial. The wide distributive capacities that TV provides make this channel an ideal method for reaching a large volume of consumers, and initiating a response from them. The process is simple: the consumer views an advertisement that contains a phone number that he/she is interested in, and the consumer follows up to the commercial by dialing in.

<u>Direct Response Online</u>The advent of the internet and the popularity of internet search have spawned a number of different marketing possibilities, many of which can be called Direct Response Marketing. Direct Response Online advertising is built around motivating the consumer to request the marketer to contact him/her directly–the same as Direct Response Television. The consumer sees an ad, fills out a form, and submits it directly to the marketer. Advertisers seek to funnel consumers toward these forms or “landing pages” by using a variety of methods, which can be divided into two primary categories: paid search, and organic search.

“SEO” or Search Engine Optimization is practice that advertisers utilize in order to increase organic search rankings. By increasing organic rankings, advertisers gain more visibility, without having to spend on advertising.

In regards to paid online search, most advertisers utilize 2 primary forms of internet advertising: pay-per-click advertising–offered by search engines like by yahoo, google, others–and “banner” ads. The websites that publish ads charge a fee based on two models, the more popular being cost-per-thousand (CPM) impressions; impressions being the number of times the ad is displayed in the users internet browser. The second way publishers monetize the use of banner ads is the cost-per-lead model (CPL). When using the CPL model, the advertiser only pays the publisher when the consumer clicks on a banner ad, goes to the subsequent landing page, and fills out a form. The word “lead” refers to consumer information–name, birthday, phone number, e-mail, physical address, etc.

When contrasted to outdoor or print advertising, CPL is light years ahead in terms of providing tangible Return On Investment (ROI) information. The benefits of CPL are further emphasized by the fact that a large amount of risk is removed from the advertising process: advertisers pay for consumer information, not impressions. Some advertisers have taken to “incentivizing” leads, or enticing consumers to fill out a form by telling them they will receive a prize or a gift. Typically, consumers fill out the form in order to receive the gift, and not to receive information on a product; this decreases the quality of the lead, and makes the follow up process more difficult.

Advertiser Incentive Definition Quality rating (1-10) Sweepstakes entry Get entry into sweepstakes with submission 2 Free simple Get free sample with submission 2 Free gift for free trial Get free gift with product trial (i.e. continuity club) with submission 3 Free coupon Get coupon sent in mail or immediately with submission 4 Free trial Get free trial (i.e. magazine) with submission 5 Free quote Get free quote (i.e. mortgage, auto) with submission 7 Free information Get free information (i.e. tourism guide) with submission 9 Newsletter sign-up Get periodic newsletters with submission 9 source: IAB Marketer & Agency Guide to Lead Quality As seen above, information and newsletter sign-up forms–both content-based incentives–make for the highest quality leads. Lead quality refers to likelihood that the lead will convert into a customer–the higher the likelihood, the better the lead is. By cutting out certain incentives–or all incentives–, marketers can improve lead quality, which makes the follow-up marketing process easier and less expensive. Since Direct Response Marketers follow up with consumers directly, it only makes sense for them to generate the highest quality leads: a lower quality lead results in wasted man-hours, and frustrated consumers. This is precisely why Direct Response Marketing is so well suited to attracting and retaining prospective students: when tasked with generating college applications, the burden of providing high quality leads, and a comprehensive follow-up process falls on the Direct Response Marketing agency. About the Author

Patrick Sutton is an experienced Marketing Director for Innovation Ads and the companies various websites. He holds his M.A. in Spanish Literature and taught high school Spanish and English prior to working at Innovation Ads.

Another Steep Property Price Rise For Tax Haven Andorra

The small European tax haven of Andorra has seen some startling rises in her property values in the last two years, with a repeat performance in 2007 possible.

In 2005 property inflation hit 19 per cent, and in 2006 the official property inflation reached sixteen per cent, and according to Andorra property specialists Tribune Properties 2007 is likely to see a further ten per cent rise.

‘There are three streams of buyers for Andorra’, say Tribune, ‘An active local market, second home buyers looking for ski apartments, and international buyers who want to gain residency in a tax haven. The international buyers add pressure on prices and often buy three or four bedroom apartments and chalets, making sure that the top end of the market is as active as the low and mid range properties.’

With a lack of snow for the first eight weeks of the Andorra ski holiday, the second home buyers could be thinner on the ground than usual. The number of tourists is down by some fifteen per cent, and that could impact the property market as some visitors like it so much they buy a property in popular resorts such as Arinsal and Soldeu. So we feel a ten per cent rise in Andorra property values could be realistic for 2007.’

Andorra as a tax haven destination has been benefitting recently from the high cost of real estate in Monaco. Monaco recently became the most expensive country for property in Europe, and while a 32m2 studio in Monaco will cost close to a million Euros including the closing costs, Andorra offers over 100m2 three bedroom two bathroom apartments at less than half the price – with the same tax advantages as better known Monaco, bringing out a map of Andorra for many investors recently.

The different type of buyers tend to head for different areas of Andorra, with the ski apartment buyers tending to purchase in the key ski resorts of Soldeu and Arinsal.

Those looking for residency go more for the year round villages and towns which have a resident community.

Outside of the capital (la Vella) these tend to be La Massana and the upcoming village of Anyos, Ordino and Arinsal, although Arinsal’s nightlife during the ski season early December to late April tends to steer many newcomers to La Massana and Ordino.

New Hotels

In addition to attracting international buyers in increasing numbers for residency, the Andorra authorities have invested heavily in their ski infrastructure, boosting the country’s tourism potential and subsequently Andorra’s real estate market.

And for this year’s ski season Andorra has opened a new family friendly ski park in Arinsal, moving away further still from her old image of a cheap and cheerful ski holiday for 18-30 year olds to one that caters well for all.

One of the few drawbacks when taking residency in Andorra compared to Monaco has been access to a major international airport. While Monaco enjoys close proximity to Nice Airport, with a ten minute helicopter ride available, Andorra’s nearest airports have been Barcelona and Toulouse, three hours away, with no direct flights to Andorra .

Recent road improvements between Barcelona and Andorra has cut this by thirty minutes, and there is a possibility of a scheduled helicopter service, Andorra weather permitting, or more likely ten minutes from the Spanish Andorra border, allowing quicker access to international flights for business people considering Andorra residency.

Other improvements within Andorra include new tunnels, allowing quicker access to the ski fields, and driving around Andorra easier.

With more demand from international buyers who want to take advantage of Andorra residency, the Andorra government announced in February that it was increasing the number of residency applications from the previous 200 year a year to 500.

‘Andorra is becoming more popular among the international buyers’, comment local travel guide YourAndorra, ‘And with Monaco real estate prices sky high it comes as no surprise that the government has moved favourably by allowing more residents. But it’s not just the tax free living they come for – it’s the Andorra weather as well for many who see the ideal opportunity to live in a tax free environment and enjoying winter sports too.’

About the Author

For property and residency in Andorra information is available at andorraproperty.info

Terrible times in Vegas

Terrible’s is, well, a terrible name for a casino, but a great little locals hangout where one still can buy a complete prime rib dinner, with salad, baked potato, veggies and beverage, for seven bucks and change.

Tucked away on East Flamingo, a mile or so from palatial Strip resorts such as Bally’s, Caesars Palace and Bellagio, Terrible’s formerly was known as the Continental, a decrepit, decaying hotel-casino patronized primarily by Las Vegans who turned out in the wee hours to drink in entertainment offerings by hit act Cookie Jarr and the Crumbs.

“Eyesore” was the word most frequently used to describe it.

The property was purchased several years ago by Jerry Herbst, a member of a dynastic Sin City family, and totally remodeled.

Its recently-built and always-filled parking garage, snaking buffet lines ($5.95 for a superb breakfast, compared to at least three times as much at other places) and spring and summer pool parties are testimonies to the refurbished resort’s growing popularity.

Terrible’s now serves as the hub or headquarters of Herbst’s gambling enterprises, which consists mainly of a chain gas stations with video poker and slot machines, though one-armed bandits have been installed in other outlets such as grocery and convenience stores.

The joint was jammed for last week’s opening four days of March Madness, especially when UNLV was playing.

Every seat in its small but well-equipped sports book, carved out of a ground floor north-side corner, was filled.

Late bookmaker Sonny Reizner, best known for turning the old Castaways into an internationally-known establishment, likely would call it another “hole-in-the-wall” book.

Detroit native Doug Beil, characterized as a wild and crazy Red Wings fan by one friend and former associate, oversees race and sports operations.

Tall, impecably dressed and youthful appearing, Beil cut his teeth in the betting biz at Bally’s under veteran bookmaker John Avello, who now runs the bet shop at Wynn Las Vegas, and did a stint at the Hilton before obtaining his current position.

The doting father of two — one a track star, the other a soccer player — Beil’s the type of guy who’s instantly hard not to like.

“He loves oddball European sports like soccer, auto racing and things like the Tour de France,” said Hamilton Ward, who worked with Beil at the SuperBook.

“He put up Mexican soccer odds long before Hilton did.

“He does lots of contests and takes good care of his customers.”

Beil was busy, as usual, on Tuesday, but took time out to discuss a wide range of subjects of the mainline variety.

Basketball

“Sweet 16 action has been slow, but we’ll get a lot on Thursday and Friday,” he said.

“So far, betting has been split between UNLV and Oregon, but by Friday I expect we’ll get a lot of UNLV money.

“Right now, they’re (gamblers) playing Georgetown and Ohio State.”

The Hoyas are favored by 7 1/2 over Vanderbilt and the Buckeyes are a 4 1/2-point pick over Tennessee, with both games slated Thursday.

Georgetown is the second seed in the East, while top-ranked Ohio State is the South’s No. 1 seed.

Beil will be pulling for the Rebels, a 2 1/2-point underdog to the Ducks, along with most of the city’s gambling community.

“They can win, that’s why Oregon is a small favorite,” Beil said.

“UNLV plays great defense, they’re tenacious and deep.

“If they get past Oregon, Florida will be tough to beat, though all of the pressure would be on them and UNLV would have nothing to lose.

“If Florida and UNLV played 10 to 15 times, the Rebels would win a couple and maybe this would be one of the times.”

Baseball

Right now, Beil says, baseball bettors are so into hoops that the Boys of Summer are being overlooked, though futures wagers “trickle” in daily.

“And everyone’s betting the Cubs,” Beil said, echoing the lament Vegas bookmakers have had for years.

Chicago’s Northsiders have plunged from 50/1 to 4/1 in Terrible’s World Series futures book.

“Do I think they can win?” Biel said.

“I don’t think so, but this year we’ve had more bets on the Cubs than usual.

“I wouldn’t be shocked to see them do something, but I don’t think it will happen.”

Chicago’s Southsiders are another matter.

Beil expects the White Sox, 2005 Fall Classic champions, to be right back in the 2007 picture.

“They’re a strong team that plays good defense, but nobody else really leaps out at me,” Beil said.

“The sames teams that battled it out last year should be doing it again this season … the Yankees and Red Sox in the East, Chicago and Detroit in the Central.

“The White Sox didn’t make the playoffs last year, but I think they’ll be right back in the mix.

“The Twins have good young pitching and it depends on how that comes through, especially (Francisco) Loriano.

“In the AL West, I’d look at the Angels.

“The A’s have lost some players.”

In the National League, Beil likes the Mets, Cardinals and Dodgers.

“As far as betting goes, we always get the most money on teams from New York, Chicago and LA,” he said.

“Once the season begins, or a month or two into it, you’re going to see more money (bet) on the Mets and, of course, Yankees.

“I like The Cardinals again in the Central, not the Cubs.

“The Dodgers could be a contender and I’m not totally hooked on the Giants.

“There’s a lot of parity and mediocrity in the NL West.

“It’s wide open and I think strong pitching will be the deciding factor.”

Horse racing

Beil doesn’t have a Kentucky Derby favorite yet.

“You have to watch for horses that jump into the water late,” he said.

“The highly-touted 2-year-olds don’t necessarily do well as 3-year-olds.

“Horses grow up and mature at different times.”

About the Author

Brian Gabrielle is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at www.procappers.com/Brian_Gabrielle.htm

Seven Qualities that Make a Good Career Consultant

Copyright (c) 2007 Margaret Stead

CLUETRAIN MANIFESTED – If you don’t know where you are going – how on earth do you expect your coaching clients to understand their mission, dream, purpose, mission, goal? A good career consultant has clarity and works their sox off to give the same to their clients.

Many people are attracted by the idea of giving other people advice and guidance – it brings out the ‘people-loving’ side of even ‘die-hard’ human resource and employment management professionals who think they might just retire into that role.

DODO FOOD? Just because people you managed in the organization used to listen to you before when you had some control over their lives does not mean that they will pay attention now. You must have something that they would cheerfully pay to hear.

In fact – you need within just a few minutes to build a rapport so strong that the individual will comfortably tell you their life story, unafraid and in total confidence. If you cannot do this now you should not practice on your clients. Do you really listen, so you can hear even what is NOT being said?

IDEAPRENEURS I want you to listen for the person. Listen for who the person is. It comes from focusing your attention on them and on anything you can learn about them as people. Here are three ways you can become a better listener:

Become aware of the thoughts that run through your mind when you are listening to someone. Do you get strong thoughts running through your mind such as “She’s right, she’s not right? This is good, this is not good? I agree, disagree?

If you become aware of these filters you can get rid of them and PAY attention.

Most people spend the time they should be listening, preparing what they are going to say – so how can you be listening? Instead of concentrating on what you are going to say – concentrate on knowing the PURPOSE of your listening to listen for WHO the person is.

KARMA Reflect back to the other person something about what they have said or about themselves – this shows the other person that you were really listening.

“So what YOU are saying is…”

Understanding where people are coming from and what motivates them is a crucial skill in any career consultant. Make developing your patience, listening and empathy skills a life-long goal.

Has your working self got integrity? Not just adherence to a code of values but does the WHOLE of you stand up to scrutiny? A building needs integrity to stand tall. If a support pillar is cracked, we say, ‘the structure has no integrity’.

MAGIC Identify where your integrity is less than ideal, subtle, or ‘gaping chasm’ and take radical action to make them whole again. Turn this around and you’ll be able to take your client, onwards and upwards.

Teach your clients networking by YOUR example. As you know, it is NOT about numbers it is about the QUALITY of the relationships you develop with people. Networking takes effort, it takes time to build up close contacts and your time must be carefully managed for maximum benefit.

As a good and credible gatekeeper you can take your client’s network from zero to easy- maintenance group of supportive experts and potential JV colleagues in as little as six weeks.

BE NATURALLY BETTER CONNECTED Begin now – show them how to use random acts of kindness. Paying for the coffee of the person behind them in a coffee bar, (or opposite on the train) stopping and speaking with a homeless person or dropping by an elderly lady and fixing her light bulb.

MASTERMIND In the exploding world we live in you cannot rely on giving people the benefit of your advice that is built on the ‘old days.’ (You know when you had a good idea you milked it for as long as you could.)

Let it go and move on – old ideas are the victims of diminishing returns. Understanding price, advertising, technology and products, transparency and connectivity are key to keeping you and your client ahead.

About the Author

Margaret Stead is a Career Consultant, Business Psychologist and self-styled ‘Dream Architect’ on a mission to create a million brilliant careers. She has increased career currency, capability and job satisfaction for many successful career change individuals, regularly coaching, executive business leaders in using new media to accelerate their success. http://www.careersnet.ca

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