Technology has transformed the workplace to where phone and video conference has replaced many in-person meetings and email connects colleagues from around the world with the click of a mouse.  Now wireless-capable smart phones let you stay connected to all your important contacts wherever you go.  In the fast-paced real time market of today, this is not just a luxury but a necessity. If you’re out of the office for a few hours, missing an important email could be very problematic.  You can also check stock reports online, and keep up with the latest developments of your competitors.  A few years ago, the world was impressed with the unprecedented capabilities of 3G wireless.  But as with all previous Internet technology, it was only a matter of time before we grew annoyed with delays in webpage loading or video buffering times.  In response to this demand, the 4G network has recently been unveiled.  Read the rest of this entry »

These days, more and more people are bringing their work home with them. For this reason, it is a good idea to invest in a laptop that is capable of handling your business needs. When buying a laptop for business use, you’ll want to look for something that’s easily portable, has a lot of memory, has a decent battery life, and has been proven reliable.  The other qualities really depend on the type of job you’re involved in—do you need something good for online presentations or something that is good for sales? Once you know what you’re looking for, you can start comparing the models and prices. To make things easier, we’ve compiled some options that should fit your basic business needs.

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The ever changing social media landscape has evolved way past the point of college students streaming random thoughts and pictures about their latest weekend escapade.  If you consider yourself a savvy business person, but have no social media presence, you might want to take a long hard look in the most reflective part of your computer screen.  Most social media accounts are free, so don’t cite the bottom line as your excuse for falling behind in one of the most increasingly important aspects of business growth and development.  While a large number of businesses now maintain and regularly update Facebook fan pages, Twitter (the second largest social media site) is often either misused or unused by business and professional networking accounts.  When used correctly, Twitter can be an invaluable marketing tool both entertaining and engaging followers on the way to building brand affinity.

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One of the best features of Apple’s iPhone is the massive selection of apps available for downloading. These apps can be used for just about anything: fun, entertainment, sharing, design, and most importantly, business.  Apple’s wide varieties of business apps are fun and professional at the same time. Here are the top apps for the business world:

1. Workday: review and approve HR and business processes such as personnel hires, expense reports, and more.
2. InerTrak: manage time spent on projects, hourly rates, and billed/unbilled time.
3. SiteCatalyst: track the success of your online presence and marketing programs.
4. Oracle Business Approvals for Sales Managers: review sales quotes and access business intelligence reports to help make informed decisions for your sales team.
5. Oracle Business Approvals for Managers: review key tasks, access reports, review expenses, purchase requisitions, job vacancies, and new job offers.
6. Analytics App: view and build reports based on Google Analytics Data.
7. Roambi-Visualizer: deliver mobile dashboards and business intelligence to iPhone; import data from a variety of sources (Excel Spreadsheets, SAP, and more). Read the rest of this entry »

While it is never easy to land a job that is rewarding both personally and financially, in an economically tumultuous time the process can be even more difficult.  More and more college graduates are sitting at home after completing their education as entry level jobs are being filled with experienced candidates.  This is having a trickle-down effect with college graduates then accepting both paid and unpaid internships, as a means of getting their foot in the door, leaving undergraduate students looking to build their resume facing a higher level of competition for these temporary positions.

Technology has refined and improved the business communication landscape, however when it comes to initially getting the job, such advances have contributed to a flooding of the job market.  While it is easier than ever for prospective employees and employers to hear about new opportunities, actually getting that job proves perhaps more difficult than in generations past.  The advent of job search sites such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com in addition to professionally minded social networking sites (i.e. LinkedIn) has allowed job seekers access to hundreds of potential openings with just a click or two of the mouse.  Without leaving your house in Charlotte, you can sift through lists of leads in any geographic area from North Carolina to North Dakota.  As a result, recruiters can receive mountainous piles of resumes for even the most lackluster positions.   Without being able to put a face or personality to the paper, it is tough for even qualified candidates to stand out.

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The past few decades have brought about rapid technological advances. Ever since the advent of truly mobile cell phones and the creation of the internet, businesses have been changing the way they operate. Now, more than ever, technology is fully entwined with every aspect of a company.

Technology has made it possible for the typical businessman to technically be two places at once. Take Bob for example. Let’s say Bob works for DirectTV and is away on a business trip.  While he is gone, his boss schedules a mandatory meeting. Ordinarily, Bob would have to hear about what happened at the meeting upon his return at the end of the week. Instead, Bob can turn on his laptop, connect to the internet, and tune into the meeting via videoconferencing. There are many video options available for Bob to choose from, the most popular being Skype. With Skype, all Bob has to do is create a username and password, then call his business and connect with them—for free. Bob can have his own seat among the other DirectTV employees (instead of his literal self, his live video feed could be displayed on a laptop) and he can participate in the meeting from his hotel room across the country.

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