How to test your webcam to make sure it's working properly before a video call

© RUNSTUDIO/Getty Images How to test your webcam to make sure it's working properly before a video call

• You can test your webcam online or using programs that come with Windows 10 or your Mac.
• You don't have to wait for a video call to find out there's a problem with your webcam - test it ahead of time.
• Most web conference apps like Skype and Zoom let you see video from your webcam in Settings.

Are you smart enough to answer these Google job interview questions?

When you're looking for a job, it's exciting to be invited for an interview. At the same time, it's natural to feel nervous. Tech companies are known for asking weird, confusing and, frankly mean questions to job applicants. 

However, cracking a Google interview is not a cakewalk. Candidates are bombarded with technical questions besides being asked some mind blogging puzzles. However, it is difficult to get hired at Google. The interview process is apparently long and terrifying. 

According to the JobBuzz - an employer rating platform from TimesJobs, shares some of the toughest interview questions asked at the Google interview: 

1.) Do you have an IQ higher than 130? 

2.) You are shrunk to the height of a 2p coin and thrown into a blender. Your mass is reduced so that your density is the same as usual. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? 

3.) If I was talking to your best friend, what is one thing they would say you need to work on? 

4.) You're in a row boat, which is in a large tank filled with water. You have an anchor on board, which you throw overboard (the chain is long enough so the anchor rests completely on the bottom of the tank). Does the water level in the tank rise or fall? 
5.) Do you have a track record of doing something really well? 
6.) You have 100 coins lying flat on a table, each with a head side and a tail side. 10 of them are heads up, 90 are tails up. You can't feel, see or in any other way find out which side is up. Split the coins into two piles such that there are the same number of heads in each? 

7.) How would you breakdown the cost of this pen? 

8.) You put a glass of water on a record turntable and begin slowly increasing the speed. What happens first - does the glass slide off, tip over, or does the water splash out? 

9.) If we hire you, what do you want to work on? 
10.) Have you ever disagreed with a manager's decision, and how did you approach the disagreement? Give specific examples? 

Four things Google looks for while hiring

Internet search giant   Google is known for its largesse when it comes to employee measures, and the recent death benefits policy may reinforce the belief. But while the company does not have "infinite money" to pump into benefits, at times core values take precedence over everything else, says Laszlo Bock, senior vice president, people operations and global HR head. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Anumeha Chaturvedi.

What to do when you hate your job

If you are one of those people who is dissatisfied with your job, here's what you can do to survive the dull working atmosphere.

Start by doing a quick self-assessment.

Brooks says you should start by asking yourself: Why do I hate my present job? Is this a new feeling or have I always disliked it? Is it the people I'm working with, the tasks I'm asked to do, the culture of the company? "Try making a list of the pros and cons of your job and what you'd want in your next job," she says. Determine if there are ways to modify your situation while staying at the organization or whether it's time to move on. "If at all possible, do not leave your current job until you have secured a new one."

Figure out if it's you or the job you're unhappy with:

Once you do a self-assessment, it's important to determine whether the things you're unhappy with have to do with you, or the job. This will help you figure out if changing jobs is the right move. For example, if you're stressed and you want to change jobs to relieve tension, it may follow you and you'll find the same thing in the next job, says Debra Benton, an executive coach and author of The Virtual Executive: How to Act Like a CEO Online and Offline. If you figure out ahead of time that the stress is caused by things outside of your work life, you can avoid this.

If you're unhappy in your job because you're unhappy in life, the solution may be to seek help outside of the office.

Talk to your supervisor:

If you're not happy with your schedule, your compensation, or the projects you're assigned to, you should tell your boss. There could be ways to improve the situation, Brooks says, and it might be much easier than you think.

Don't quit immediately:

If you have a job that provides decent compensation and that isn't unbearable, then consider staying put for right now, says Deborah Shane, a career author, featured writer, speaker, and media and marketing consultant. Remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side, "and new pastures are not always what you thought they'd be." She adds, "Before you run from your current job, or decide to change or transition to another field, do the research and preparation necessary so you will be educated and qualified."

If you're in a situation where your job is intolerable or unsafe—you should leave.

Change your attitude:

Maybe you had one bad experience at work that left a sour taste in your mouth. If so, try to let it go.

"Be careful about letting your negative feelings show while you're still on the job," Brooks says. Why? "Even though you're unhappy and may leave soon, you want leaving to be your decision, not the organization's. Be professional and pleasant and follow through on your responsibilities. If you're fired, it will be much harder to find your next opportunity."

Maintain a positive attitude and focus on the aspects of your job that you enjoy. If you can't find one, it might be time to consider moving on.

Be professional:

Even if you plan to quit, keep doing your job well. This way, when you decide to leave, you will have good recommendations, Brooks says. And if you're situation improves and you decide to stay, you won't be embarrassed about your behavior Remember: It's never a good idea to burn bridges, no matter how dissatisfied you are with your employer or your job.

Set your career goals:

Figure out where you want to be in five years. "Will your current role help you get there?" Brooks asks. "If not, what would? And how can you move toward that?" If you know what you want to accomplish and where you want to be, it may put things into perspective for you.

Look for opportunities within the organization that you'd enjoy.

"See what opportunities exist to join a committee, project, or initiative in your company," Shane says. "Volunteer to help someone you admire; someone who could teach you things or mentor you." Engaging in projects or initiatives that make you happy could make the overall experience in your workplace more enjoyable.

Don't take it out on others:

Don't treat your clients or colleagues poorly because you're miserable in your job—and definitely refrain from gossiping or complaining to them. It's OK to discuss with colleagues your discontent to a certain degree, but be careful not to cross the line.

How to Get the Maximum out of Your Employees

A conducive work environment is one in which all the varied employees work in unison, to achieve the common goal of overall success.

As an employer, you need to learn some tricks in order to generate the maximum output out of your workforce.

1. Each Employee is Different

Although it is extremely common to view the employees as a collective workforce, paying attention to their individuality will help boost output in the long run. As an employer, you should celebrate their uniqueness and develop a transparent communication system addressing their needs, expectations and requirements. Although it is your duty to treat every employee equally, take care not to treat them partially. This will only spite discord among them.

Sony to cut 10,000 jobs

 Sony is to stop producing optical disc drives for PCs by next March, Asahi newspaper said on Saturday, part of a restructuring aimed at reviving the fortunes of the company that gave the world the Walkman.

Sony Optiarc, based in Atsugi, south of Tokyo, will cease production of the drives, which use a device to read and write information, and make most of the employees in Atsugi and at a factory in Malaysia, totalling about 390 at least, redundant, Asahi said without quoting sources.

Ways You are Wasting Time and Don not Even Know It

Fourteen months after starting her own insurance agency, Dawn Berry found herself surrounded by stacks of paper. Her inbox was brimming with more than 500emails that needed to be answered or trashed. And just finding a pen on her cluttered desk became a challenge.

Berry realized she needed to get smarter about managing time and making Provident Insurance Agency in Florissant, Mo., run more smoothly. She hired a productivity coach and saw immediate results. She began completing tasks that would take less than two minutes right away and delegated routine work to her assistant so she could focus on selling. Now, at the end of each day, she has fewer than 50 emails waiting in her inbox. In 2011, by better managing her time, Berry grew her business to a point where she could hire her first full-time employee, making her all the more able to focus on the important aspects of the company. "I have a do-it-now mentality," she says.

If you feel as overwhelmed as Berry did, you may need to rethink how you use your time. Here are seven ways you may be wasting time without even realizing it.
By Jane Porter | Entrepreneur

1. You overload on administrative work.

If you've spent three hours reconciling a bank statement, you're making poor use of your time. Too often, small-business owners waste time on tasks they don't like or aren't even good at. What's more, they often expend energy avoiding such tasks and then spend more time than necessary doing them, says Cathy Sexton, the St. Louis, Mo., productivity coach who helped Berry. "If we just hired it out, it would be less expensive," Sexton says of tasks like bookkeeping and website maintenance. "It's looking at your time and putting a value on it."

Things Killer Employees Do Before Noon

A recent study published in an American Psychological Association journal, Emotion, suggests that early birds are generally happier than night owls. More than 700 respondents, ranging from ages 17 to 79, were surveyed and asked about their emotional state, health, and preferred time of day. Self-professed "morning people" reported feeling happier and healthier than night owls. Researchers hypothesize that one of the reasons could be because society caters to a morning person's schedule.

It's certainly true that the working world does. Working "9-to-5" is more than an expression, but a standard shift for many Americans. It also stands to reason that those who like rising with the sun are also the most productive employees in the office.

Do you want to be more like them? Then take note of the tasks these high-functioning, productive, and more awake employees have completed before lunch:

By Jada A. Graves | U.S.News & World Report LP

1. They make a work to-do list the day before.

Many swear by having a written to-do list, but not everyone agrees on when you need to compose it. According to Andrew Jensen, a business efficiency consultant with Sozo Firm in Shrewsbury, Pa., the opportune time to plan a day's tasks is the night before. "Some people like to do the to-do schedule in the morning, but then they might have already lost office time writing it out," he says. "It helps to do that to-do schedule the night before. It also will help you sleep better."

9 things not to ask in a job interview

Asking questions during an interview shows the employer your interest and enthusiasm. Some questions, though, should not be asked during the initial interviews or you might not make it to the next round.

Asking questions during an interview shows the employer your interest and enthusiasm. It helps you pinpoint what the employer is looking for in their next hire and gives you the opportunity to connect it to your experience. Some questions, though, should not be asked during the initial interviews or you might not make it to the next round.

5 Things You Could Be Doing to Hurt Your Career

There are times in our lives when we feel like things happen to us. But the reality is we happen to those things. In the workplace, as in life, many times we can owe our success--or lack thereof--to our own attitudes and actions.

By shifting our attitudes, we can improve our behaviors; and as a result, perk up our careers. Here are five ways you may be hurting your career, plus suggestions for improving the situation:

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter | U.S.News & World Report LP

1. You're rude. While it's easy for most to be gracious when our careers sail along smoothly, rough waters can sink a generous attitude quickly. This is not, however, a good enough excuse for insolence. Whether disappointed by an unresponsive recruiter, angry that your last interview fell short of an offer, or upset you were passed over for a promotion, rein in your ire. Resist venting through rude emails, voice mails, or other irreversible actions. Also, be cognizant of how passive-aggressive action--not showing up for appointments or conveniently forgetting to perform a promised follow-up--can radiate as rude. Step up during bad times by being gracious for what is going well in your life and paving a new path toward happiness. Weed out the naysayers and Negative Nellies and surround yourself with encouraging, positive people. Take the reins of your life or fake it until you feel it and soon you will cultivate a genuinely renewed sense of optimism.

7 Reasons You Might Not Want a Promotion

You assume that getting a job promotion is the best thing for you, right? That may not be the case. With promotion comes great responsibility, to misquote both Voltaire and the Spider-Man comic series. Even if you excel at your current job, there are a few reasons you might not want what comes along with that salary increase at the next level:
By Lindsay Olson | U.S.News & World Report LP

1. Your current skills don't match the senior position. Being a brilliant computer programmer doesn't necessarily make you management material. Promotions tend to give you more leadership and management responsibility, and if you haven't had a position that has trained you for this, you may end up in over your head.

6 ways to deal with a lousy boss

How do you deal with a lousy boss? We tell you how, now.
Rebecca Thorman | U.S.News & World Report LP

When you have a bad boss, you can't afford to be a bad employee. Double down and manage up to retain your pride and productivity. Also try these six winning strategies:

Snapdeal plans to hire 500

Buoyed by the growing popularity of online shopping portals in India,Snapdeal.com expects to garner revenues of about Rs 600 crore in the current fiscal. 

The company also plans to increase its headcount by 500 persons this year. 

"We are hoping that we convert the significant chuck of the growing internet users in India to do transaction with us. In terms of revenues we are expecting about Rs 600 crore in the current financial year," Snapdeal.com Vice President (Marketing) Sandeep Komaravelly. 

iGate plans to hire 3,500 this year

 IT firm iGate has said it is targetting $900 million revenues over the next five years from iTOPS (integrated Technology and Operations) business that will be the key growth driver for it in the coming years. 

Overall, the US-based firm is looking at $3 billion revenues by 2017, from over $1 billion at present, iGate CEO Phaneesh Murthy told PTI from Freemont, California. 

"We are seeing increased acceptance of our outcome based model among both existing customers as well as the prospects that we are talking to. Currently, about 10 per cent of our business comes from outcomes based model. We would like this to go up to 30 per cent in five years," Murthy said. 

Top 10 popular part time jobs for men

A part time job is the most effective way to utilise your skills, do away with boredom and earn some extra cash. But choosing the perfect part time job can be tedious. Let this article guide you on your journey.

1. Hotel Concierge

Can there be a classier job than wearing a lovely tuxedo, smiling and helping guests check in to the hotel? With a recent boom in the service industry, a lot of hotels are opening doors to new professionals, who look forward to the experience of working in the hospitality industry. These jobs come with free perks, good recommendations and a significant pay package. The requirement? You should have a cheerful disposition.

The top 10 consulting firms in the world

KPMG topped the list of leading advisors to the industry in the 2012 Global Outsourcing 100 rankings.

KPMG topped the list of leading advisors to the industry in the 2012 Global Outsourcing 100 rankings released this month by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP).

The Modern Day Resume

Our world is constantly changing. Although people do their best to keep up, more often than not it's easier said than done. With the unemployment rates in America, and in many other parts of the world, dangerously high, the competition to find work in this economy is fierce. Because of this, we wanted to provide you with some innovative ways to make your resume stand out. If you incorporate these tips in a resume of your own, you'll look modern, up-to-date and willing to go beyond what's asked of you to be successful.

SEE: 5 Ways To Refresh Your Resume

Why You Should Hire MeThere is a lot of controversy on the web about whether you need a cover letter to go along with your resume. Some say that a cover letter is necessary as it is the perfect place to explain why you should be hired for the position, but many say that some industries don't care about a cover letter. You definitely need to explain why the rest of your resume deserves to be looked at.

8 Ways to Impress Your Interviewer

Hiring has been weak for the past few months, with the unemployment rate at a steady, high 8.2 percent. Those of you lucky enough to score an interview can't afford to bring anything less than your A-game in this job market. Here are some of the best ways successful candidates have left a stellar impression on an employer during an interview:

1. For non-creative jobs, bring one sample of your best work. While a portfolio filled with brilliant samples is not required for non-creative jobs--leaving one example of your best accomplishment is a great way to leave a lingering presence long after your interview. This can mean any tangible evidence of great work you've done in the past, whether it be reports, guidelines, media clippings, or awards. Entrepreneur and Manager Trainer Karen Southall Watts warns against overloading your interviewer with too many samples for non-creative jobs. "Years ago, I actually did this myself and the hiring manager was really overwhelmed and didn't seem to know how to react," she says.

What You Need to Say to Land a Good Job

Employers are looking for top candidates; they want to hire talent who stands out in a crowd based on their past performance and future potential.

It's not difficult to make a strong impression, but it does take some planning and preparation to be sure the employer remembers you favorably. How can you highlight what you have to offer during the application and interview process?

Edward Kwang is the president of MySammy, a company that produces cloud-based software designed for employers who want to monitor employees' computer usage to evaluate work performance. He suggests the following tips for job seekers who want to come across as promising candidates:

How to turn a negotiation around

If you’re an Indian, you probably learnt how to negotiate while you were in the womb. From negotiating with the bhajiwala to arguing about that window-seat, we’re quite adept at coming to terms on a deal our way. However, when it comes to the corporate field, negotiating things in your favour is unfamiliar territory for most of us. Here’s how to make the most of a conversation when you feel things aren’t going your way.

Know your worth

It is the easiest thing to let others decide your worth or the price of the product you’re negotiating. It is also the most foolish thing. Always know the exact market price of your goods and services. People will always try to pay the least amount possible so cover their profit-books. Agreeing blindly to whatever offer is made to you is cheating yourself and your business.