About
I am Pedro Ivo Strada, son of Rita Oliveira Strada, daughter of Yvonne Oliveira Strada and Oswaldo Strada.Following
Eric Schmidt - CEO and Chairman of Google
University of Pennsylvania Commencement Speech 2009
“Google Will Redirect China Users to Uncensored Site”
I am proud of Google for staying true to their mission and philosophy of open information. This is a great long term decision and I commend Google management.
“Leadership; See beyond the ordinary”
It’s 8 hours later and we sit in the Tijuana airport, frustrated, hungry and beyond exhaustion. Aeromexico flight 4068 from Cancun to LA, via Mexico City, was now in its 17th hour. After a fog delay that halted our attempted landing in LA, after being re-routed to Tijuana until the skies cleared, after 7 hours spent on the stationed airplane waiting for communication from crew, any communication whatsoever, we sit and wait for action. What we instead received was silence, lime flavored peanuts, a limited stock of beverages, and an $85 peso meal voucher after 7 hours.
No Hotel, no refunded ticket, no information, and even more appalling, no apology.
As we attempt to find something to eat with our whopping $85 pesos meal voucher (about $7 US), only given to us after much prodding, I notice a poster on leadership (pictured above) across from me. I can’t help but smirk and find this poster ironic. Leadership; the very quality Aeromexico failed to possess at every level.
Poor Management, Poor communication, Poor initiative, Poor decision making, Poor priorities.
It is only after eavesdropping on a passenger’s enraged conversation with a crew member that I discover the plane will not be departing until 10:30 AM.
3 hours still to go and making it 24 hours since we boarded the plane in Cancun.
I am fatigued, angry, baffled and seeking answers by the time I board. I ask myself how a company can make such bad decisions and continue to stay in business. How can a airline operate on non-existent management?
And then…an apology. A crew member greets us at 10:30 AM with a written statement. They are appreciative for our patience and they are sorry for the ordeal. And with that we disembark.
As for Aeromexico, they can blame the ordeal on weather delays and continue to fly.
NY Times profiles successful entrepreneurs each week.
This Week: Meridee Moore, Watershed Asset Management
Hi Guys!
I want to recruit you to my lending team, USC, on Kiva, a non-profit website that allows you to lend as little as $25 to a specific low-income entrepreneur across the globe. You choose who to lend to - whether a baker in Afghanistan, a goat herder in Uganda, a farmer in Peru, a restaurateur in Cambodia, or a tailor in Iraq - and as they repay the loan, you get your money back.
If you join my lending team, we can work together to alleviate poverty. Once you’re a part of the team, you can choose to have a future loan on Kiva “count” towards our team’s impact. The loan is still yours, and repayments still come to you - but you can also choose to have the loan show up in our team’s collective portfolio, so our team’s overall impact will grow!
2 rounds down, 1 to go.
I seriously can’t believe I am at this point in my college career. Still seems like yesterday that I drove my car into USC and moved into Parkside dorms, met my first roommate, smiled at my eventual first (serious) GF, took my first class, ate my first dining hall meal…all these firsts to a, then, new phase of my life.
I can most definitely say it has been an amazing ride and I have grown so much as an individual. To my friends, GF, and mother: you have all been such a big part of my life and provide me undying inspiration; I am grateful for our relationship and for our amazing experiences.
I also know that despite the outcome of my final round of interviews with Nestle that I have made major progress during my four years. I have been honest with myself and have never allowed labels, or the past, define me. I will continue to live out each day passionately, continue to pursue my grandest dreams, and do my part to improve the world around me.
As for happiness, I have recently reshaped my understanding of it; to achieve happiness you must not seek to achieve IT, but rather take part in activities that bring joy, laughter and energy into your life. It is a simple formula too many of us fail to enact.
My next chapter starts today, fresh and full of possibilities, as it will each day to come.
Great article on the makeup of successful entrepreneurs.
I refuse to accept that all entrepreneurs are born…although, I do believe there are some innate qualities you must possess, such as a high risk profile and an optimistic and ever-confident approach
Leadership
AND…Paul Orfalea, Kinkos Founder/CEO
“I don’t believe in working for people, I believe in working with people… A boss’s job is making the jobs of others easier…The worker is the boss.”
WHAT THEY ARE ALL SAYING ABOUT IMPRESSING RECRUITERS:
Show a solid progression of accomplishments, articulate examples of innovation and risk-taking, and be a strong communicator. Tell us about your last science fair, team project, or the technical paper you authored. Since we are in a dynamic, fast-paced industry, you should also demonstrate flexibility, collaboration, and the ability to cope with change. —Interview with Monique Hayward, marketing manager
Make sure your resume and application are error-free and accurate. Research as much as you can about our company to determine if it is a good fit for you, and communicate your conclusions during the interview. —Interview with Jennifer Bush, manager, Special projects
Eye contact, an outgoing persona [and] concrete examples of how you work individually and in teams. —Interview with Debbie Chelson, Senior director, global internal communications
It’s no secret but it is critical that candidates be clear and specific about what they are seeking. Be sure you know what you want and clearly articulate this in your resume and personal interactions. If you have a clear picture of where you want to be - even if the role you are interviewing for does not work out - we may come across another opportunity that would be a better fit for the goals you have set for yourself. —Interview with Joanna Lambert, VP, corporate communications
Confidence and comfort with yourself helps others, including recruiters, be more comfortable with you. Communicate the skills and talents that differentiate you from other candidates. Don’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments and interests outside the office. Community service can show leadership traits that might not be apparent otherwise. —Interview with Genevieve Girault, communications
Display a great attitude as well as a strong work ethic…. Understand who we are and what we do and demonstrate [your] level of interest and preparation by not only emphasizing relevant strengths, but asking insightful questions. —Interview with Diane Borhani, recruiting director
Our best candidates communicate using 5 “E’s” - energy, enthusiasm, eye contact, experience, and examples. —Interview with Elia Imler, public relations
Be real, be yourself and be motivated. We empower our salespeople to earn as much as they can sell. This is a place where success depends on your ability to help lots of customers and to make it your own business. —Interview with Colin Johnson, Nordstrom PR spokesman
So, wondering which companies are hiring…and by the tons?
Well, Fortune Magazine strikes again with a great list of 22 organizations, guaranteed to peak some interest, and a description of the ideal fit for them.
A few that caught my eye:
2010 Best Companies rank: 4
Current openings: 1,000
Positions across the globe and at all levels, ranging from software engineers and user-experience researchers to product marketing, finance and human resources professionals.
What are you looking for?
While we don’t look for one type of person, Googlers do have a number of traits in common. Most notably, we find that the people who thrive here get energized by the challenge of solving complex problems, share our passion for using technology to make a difference in the lives of our users, demonstrate commitment to the broader community, and thrive working in ambiguous situations.
Any secrets to impressing your recruiter?
There really is no secret sauce. What we want most is for a candidate to be himself or herself. Candidates should bring their whole selves to the interview and not try to fit some mold that they think Google wants. We encourage you to be candid and active in your interview. Clearly articulate what skills you bring and how a role at Google fits into your broader career path. —Interview with Ann Pellegrini, people programs specialist
2010 Best Companies rank: 88
Current openings: 2,700
KPMG’s audit, tax, and advisory practices are hiring entry-level candidates to start in the fall, as well as interns to start this summer.
The tax practice is hiring managers and senior managers to work in federal tax, economic and valuation services; international corporate and executive services; mergers and acquisitions, and state and local tax services.
The advisory business is hiring professionals with business performance, technology and regulatory experience across such industries as financial services, insurance, consumer, industrial, and the federal government.
In audit, there’s particular interest in federal government audit/accounting experience.
What are you looking for?
We look for candidates who can thrive in a high-performing, team environment…. We’re also looking for people who demonstrate our firm’s core values and have high integrity. From a client service perspective, we want people who have good technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and commercial focus.
Any secrets to impressing your recruiter?
Our firm has a well-defined and oft-communicated set of seven core values that we expect all of our employees — and prospective candidates — to demonstrate, which includes traits such as leading by example, respecting the individual, being open and honest in communication, and above all, acting with integrity. —Interview with Raymond Zardetto, senior director, communications
(Source)
Seth Goldman, Honest Tea CEO
Social Entrepreneurship
