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The second interview may seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel after weeks of recruitment to find someone for an opening at your business. Your previous interviews have removed candidates who don't fit the role, which leaves only a handful of people, one of whom you most certainly will be working with in the near future. But working out who this person should be is often decided by running a second interview.
The second interview is an important comparison task for you and your team and therefore the questions you use need to give you some real insight into the person you may employ. Yet, just as in your first round of interviews, asking the right questions can be crucial in order to understand if a candidate is suitable for the role.
Although there are never a fixed set of questions to ask in the second interview, here are our selection of questions for employers to ask which will hopefully allow you to understand a candidate more fully before making a decision on who to hire.
Second interview questions to ask candidates:
What are your personal long term career goals?
The way your candidate answers this question will give you an insight into where they would position themselves within your company in the long term. If they answer directly referencing your business then they are thinking of remaining within the company for the future and will work hard towards achieving their own career goals whilst working hard for the business. It also allows for you to gauge their personality as their honesty will be very important when making a final decision about who to hire.
Do you have any questions about the business or the role since your first interview?
This gives your candidate the opportunity to ask questions they may not have thought of during the nerve-wracking first interview. This is good for both of you as it allows you to see how much they have prepared for this interview but also gives them the chance to ask the really good questions they probably thought of on the journey home from the first time they met you.
What skills do you think are needed for this role?
This does not directly ask them what they could offer but questions their ability to comprehend the role and think critically. It then invites them to state the skills they have and how they compare with what they think is needed.
Why would you not be suitable for this role?
This asks your candidate to think about problem and resolution - how they would overcome any professional issues they may have in the role. How positive they are in answering this question gives you an idea for their own motivation for achievement.
What changes would you make at this company?
This invites your candidate to analyse the business constructively from the research they may or may not have undertaken prior to the interview. It gives you the opportunity to see how they would deal with negative questions and how they would positively bring about change. Good answers could include more specific training or offering more responsibility to certain members of the team.
How soon would you be able to start this role?
This is quite a typical question but an important one as the logistics of taking on new staff can be an administrative nightmare. It can be purely comparative as some candidates will be able to start sooner than others. It also shows their commitment to their current roles and how professional they are in their conduct. If they mention leaving their current position without serving notice they may do this to your business as well.
Ultimately, good questions are essential in establishing who will be best for your business. Hopefully, having met with a candidate for the second time, you will have a much better understanding of their skills, capabilities and – most importantly – whether or not they would be a good fit for your business.


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Using a powerful gene-hunting technique for the first time in mammalian brain cells, researchers at Johns Hopkins report they have identified a gene involved in building the circuitry that relays signals through the brain. The gene is a likely player in the aging process in the brain, the researchers say. Additionally, in demonstrating the usefulness of the new method, the discovery paves the way for faster progress toward identifying genes involved in complex mental illnesses such as autism and schizophrenia — as well as potential drugs for such conditions. A summary of the study appears in the Dec. 12 issue of Cell Reports.
"We have been looking for a way to sift through large numbers of genes at the same time to see whether they affect processes we're interested in," says Richard Huganir, Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins University Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, who led the study. "By adapting an automated process to neurons, we were able to go through 800 genes to find one needed for forming synapses — connections — among those cells."
Although automated gene-sifting techniques have been used in other areas of biology, Huganir notes, many neuroscience studies instead build on existing knowledge to form a hypothesis about an individual gene's role in the brain. Traditionally, researchers then disable or "knock out" the gene in lab-grown cells or animals to test their hypothesis, a time-consuming and laborious process.
In this study, Huganir's group worked to test many genes all at once using plastic plates with dozens of small wells. A robot was used to add precise allotments of cells and nutrients to each well, along with molecules designed to knock out one of the cells' genes — a different one for each well.
"The big challenge was getting the neurons, which are very sensitive, to function under these automated conditions," says Kamal Sharma, Ph.D., a research associate in Huganir's group. The team used a trial-and-error approach, adjusting how often the nutrient solution was changed and adding a washing step, and eventually coaxed the cells to thrive in the wells. In addition, Sharma says, they fine-tuned an automated microscope used to take pictures of the circuitry that had formed in the wells and calculated the numbers of synapses formed among the cells.
The team screened 800 genes in this way and found big differences in the well of cells with a gene called LRP6 knocked out. LRP6 had previously been identified as a player in a biochemical chain of events known as the Wnt pathway, which controls a range of processes in the brain. Interestingly, Sharma says, the team found that LRP6 was only found on a specific kind of synapse known as an excitatory synapse, suggesting that it enables the Wnt pathway to tailor its effects to just one synapse type.
"Changes in excitatory synapses are associated with aging, and changes in the Wnt pathway in later life may accelerate aging in general. However, we do not know what changes take place in the synaptic landscape of the aging brain. Our findings raise intriguing questions: Is the Wnt pathway changing that landscape, and if so, how?" says Sharma. "We're interested in learning more about what other proteins LRP6 interacts with, as well as how it acts in different types of brain cells at different developmental stages of circuit development and refinement."
Another likely outcome of the study is wider use of the gene-sifting technique, he says, to explore the genetics of complex mental illnesses. The automated method could also be used to easily test the effects on brain cells of a range of molecules and see which might be drug candidates.
Notes about this neurogenetics and neuroscience research
Other authors on the paper are Se-Young Choi, now of Seoul National University School of Dentistry; Yong Zhang, Shunyou Long and Min Li of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Thomas J.F. Nieland, now of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.
This work was supported by grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the National Institute of Mental Health (grant numbers P50MH084020 and 5U54MH084691).
Under a licensing agreement between Millipore Corporation and The Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Huganir is entitled to a share of royalties received by the University on sales of technology described in this article. Dr. Huganir is a paid consultant to Millipore Corporation. The terms of this arrangement are being managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies.
Contact: Shawna Williams – Johns Hopkins Medicine
Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine press release
Image Source: The image is credited to Kamal Sharma/Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and is adapted from the press release.
Original Research: Full open access research for "High-Throughput Genetic Screen for Synaptogenic Factors: Identification of LRP6 as Critical for Excitatory Synapse Development" by Kamal Sharma, Se-Young Choi, Yong Zhang, Thomas J.F. Nieland, Shunyou Long, Min Li, and Richard L. Huganir in Cell Reports. Published online December 5 2013 doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2013.11.008

subset: commoncrawl


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If you and your partner argue about money, you're not alone. According to a recent survey, 27% of Americans said that disagreements about finances tend to erupt into full-blown arguments. This means couples fight more about money than they do about work, chores or the kids (http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2010/10/18/the-biggest-money-mistakes-couples-make).
Perhaps even more disturbing is that arguments about money tend to be particularly disastrous to the relationship. In fact, a study by Jeffrey Dew of Utah State University found that married couples who argued about money once a week were twice as likely to divorce as those who disagreed less than once a month.
That's the bad news.
The good news is there are things you and your partner can do to reduce fighting over money.
Be Honest About your Finances
When your partner finds out you owe $20,000 in school loans after you've been married three years, that's a problem. Though it may be hard to talk about, it's incredibly important that both people be financially transparent. Any time you hide something from your partner, you make it that much harder to form real intimacy. Secrecy is one of the first things to undermine a marriage, and when those secrets do finally come out, and they will (how long do you think you can hide your debt), the arguments will follow.
Establish a Budget
Will establishing a budget be a fun project? Nope, but it's really important that you both do it anyway.
Creating a budget gives you factual information that cannot be disputed, hence it takes the wind out of your argument for you. Many financial arguments are based on assumptions and emotions, so when you have a budget, you get to look at cold, hard numbers and nothing else.
Should one of you not stick to the budget, there is no need for finger-pointing, as the numbers speak for themselves.
One important thing to note about creating budgets is to make sure you each have some wiggle room. You'll both, from time to time, want to buy something the other thinks is frivolous. Having some wiggle room will allow you to make smaller purchases you don't have to defend.
Understand Each Other's Spending Style
Everybody has their own unique money personality, so it's important that you and your partner understand each other's spending style. Are you a saver or a spender? Two savers joined eternally is a good thing – two spenders together will be challenging. But even more challenging is when a saver and a spender tie the knot.
When this happens, the saver resents the spender on an almost daily basis for buying those unnecessary lattes or that new pretty bra. Understanding each other's spending styles won't change them, but it will open the lines of communication.
The need for money in our society won't be going away anytime soon, so every couple should spend a little time on these tips to make their home lives more peaceful and loving. And, should your arguments about money persist, it's a great idea to seek guidance from a therapist, who can help you both communicate better and manage your issues.
If you or a loved one is interested in exploring treatment, please contact me today. I would be happy to speak with you about how I may be able to help.


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The book of Philippians is sometimes called "The Epistle of Joy".
We don't really know how to define it, but we know that we like it and many of us spend most of our lives trying to find it. We look for joy in our jobs, in relationships, in temporary pleasure.
But at the end of the day, all these things will fall short. They will leave us empty and unfulfilled and we start looking somewhere new the find our joy. But as believers, we have never-ending access to the most powerful source of true joy.
In his spiritual biography appropriately entitled "Surprised by Joy", C.S. Lewis says joy moved him more than anything else.
He writes, "No one who has ever experienced it would ever exchange it for all the happiness in the world."
Lewis distinguished Joy from both pleasures and happiness. Happiness is a fleeting emotion based on external circumstances. But true joy is different – it is something that comes from within. It's a deep abiding peace and sense of contentment and strength that is due to something internal.
Joy is deep in the heart, in the spirit, in the essence of our being. The way to pleasure is power. The way to happiness is happenstance. The way to Joy is Jesus.
During April and May the sermon series at Hobart Baptist Church focuses on the gift of joy. By studying Philippians we'll be surprised by the counter-intuitive, supernatural nature of joy. This joy is something no circumstance can give you, and no circumstance can ever take away.
You can catch up with the sermons by clicking HERE
Please let me know if you learn some new insights, or are encouraged by any of the sermons!
Stephen L Baxter


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Dell Updates Education Solutions with New Chromebook 11, Latitude 11, and Venue 10/10 Pro Offerings
by Jarred Walton on February 12, 2015 9:00 AM ESTToday Dell announced a collection of product updates with a focus on education, with the announcement of a new Chromebook 11, Dell Latitude 11 Education Series, and Venue 10 and Venue 10 Pro tablets. Dell first went after the education market with netbooks and expanded to the Latitude 3340 (Latitude 13 Education Series) as well as their first Chromebook. Last year also saw the launch of the Venue line that did well in education. To that end, all are being updated this year and are purpose built for education.
Among other aspects, Dell notes that the new products are more durable – "schoolyard tough" – which will help them to withstand the rigors of the educational system. The durability includes rubberized trim to help absorb shock if dropped, and the Latitude 11 Education and Chromebook 11 are both subjected to MIL-STD 810G testing for pressure, temperature, shock, and vibration. The two laptops also feature a 180 degree hinge so they can lay flat on a table or other surface if needed, and touchscreens with Gorilla Glass are available as an option.
Starting with the Chromebook 11, the device features a Celeron N2840 processor, anti-glare 1366x768 LCD with optional touch, and 2GB RAM/16GB eMMC storage (and there's an upgraded model with 4GB RAM). It has a sealed keyboard and touchpad, and as noted above a 180-degree durable hinge so it can lay flat. Hinges have been a major point of failure for Chromebooks in education, and Dell says they specifically went back to redesign and strengthen this aspect so that if, for example, a student picks up the laptop by the screen, it won't break. Other features include two USB ports (one each USB 3.0 with charging and USB 2.0), 2x2 802.11ac WiFi with Bluetooth 4.0, a Kensington lock, SD card reader, HDMI 1.4, and a 720p webcam for Google Hangouts. The Chromebook 11 weighs 1245g and measures 297x218x20-21mm in the default (non-touch) configuration and it's rated at up to 10 hours of battery life with a 3-cell 43Wh battery. While it's technically targeted at education, there's nothing stopping others from buying and using the Chromebook 11, and with prices starting at $249 it should be reasonably affordable, and it is available starting today.
The Latitude 11 Education (3150) at first looks a lot like the Chromebook 11 but with Windows instead of Chrome OS, but there are actually a few other points of differentiation. Yes, it does run Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 (or an education SKU) and it's launching on Bay Trail N2840. However, Dell will be moving to Braswell later in June/July (that SKU will be the Latitude 3160), and the Latitude 3150 includes a Gigabit Ethernet port as well as upgradeable RAM. Dell has also strengthened the hinge and it has a sealed keyboard and touchpad, like the above Chromebook. The starting price is apparently $379 (subject to change) with 2GB RAM and a 250GB HDD, with availability slated for March 3, 2015.
Finally, the Venue 10 and Venue 10 Pro are apparently identical other than the choice of OS; I say "apparently" as Dell didn't provide a full spec sheet for the Venue 10, but Dell has informed us that both are using the same platform. The tablets will be using Bay Trail processor, Z3735F (quad-core up to 1.83GHz with dual-channel RAM), In short, with the Venue 10 Dell is bringing Android into the education system with Lollipop, while the Venue 10 Pro is Windows 8.1 with Windows 10 upgrade.
Both tablets includes a hinge-based keyboard option that the tablet locks into (which is an educational requirement in North America). It's reversible, works in tent mode, and the tablet can be laid down on top of the keyboard if desired. Also included is a WACOM digitizer for inking, though the stylus is an optional accessory. The keyboard can be purchased separately as a $50 accessory, while the stylus is $32.95 with a loop to attach it to the tablet.
As far as hardware on the Venue 10 Pro, the base model used for education has a 1280x800 LCD, but consumer models with 1080p will exist as well. Other features include 2GB LPDDR3-1600 RAM, Windows 8.1 32-bit (Pro is also an option), and 32/64 GB of eMMC storage. WiFi is provided by a 2x2 802.11n chipset, which also supports Bluetooth 4.0. The tablet has a front-facing 1.2MP camera and a 5MP rear-facing camera, both with 720p30 video support. Along with a Micro-SD card slot, Dell also includes a full size USB port and a micro HDMI port. The Venue 10 Pro measures 263x176x9.9mm and weighs 567g. Battery life was not disclosed, though the tablet comes with a 32Wh battery
Update: There was an error in the specs we received; this will not be Core M, but rather that will be the Venue 11 Pro. Sorry for the confusion.
The Venue 10 should use the same hardware, but final configurations have not yet been confirms so while the Venue 10 Pro will be available starting March 3 the Venue 10 is listed as launching in "Spring 2015". It could be that Dell is still working on getting Android 5.0 fully working on the platform, or there may be other hardware modifications going on. The Venue 10 Pro will start at $330 for just the tablet, or $380 for the tablet and keyboard. As for the Venue 10, we were told the starting price would be $300 for the base tablet during our briefing, but the current press release does not contain any pricing information so that may have changed.
Finally, there are a few other items worth mentioning. One is that the new laptops feature what Dell is calling an interactive activity light. This allows students or teachers to "raise a hand", ask question, etc. There's a physical light on the back of the display that is visible to others, while there is also a screen indicator that can be used to facilitate remote learning. Dell also notes that their KACE K1000 version 6.3 software will now support Chrome. KACE is available as a physical, virtual, or hosted appliance and allows management of all systems in the environment. And last but not least, Dell has their Interactive Projector S510 also listed as part of their education initiative, with Miracast and Intel WiDi support; the S510 is available already with a price of $1800.
Source: Dell
25 Comments
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jabber - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
I do like the simple look of those educational machines, not to mention the slightly ruggedised build. I've seen them for sale on retail sites but haven't had the chance to buy one in for a customer to try them out. -
savagemike - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
I'm confused. They are going to sell a Core M tablet for $330? But the Android version is $30 less and runs Bay Trail? That doesn't seem like it could be correct. Did I miss something? -
JarredWalton - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Dell said Bay Trail during the briefing, but now Venue 10 Pro is showing Core M. It could be that the 10 Pro will have the option of Core M or Bay Trail, but if not then the price is pretty darn impressive. Guess we'll see.... I've asked Dell for clarification. -
JarredWalton - Friday, February 13, 2015 - link
After double-checking yesterday, today Dell got back to me and said the information they provided yesterday was incorrect -- the specs were for the Venue Pro 11, not the Venue Pro 10, so sorry: no Core M. Damn. Pricing for the VP11 will almost certainly be quite a bit higher as well. -
nathanddrews - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Would you mind verifying the pricing of the Venue 10 Pro? I'm not complaining, but $330 for a Core M tablet seems much too cheap - this is the CPU with a $281 tray price that Intel stated that tablets and convertibles would be $600-900. This is quite a discount, if the latter is true. Will these prices be available only to schools in bulk?
- Jealous -
Anonymous1a - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
The prices certainly don't seem right. The current generation of Venue Pro 11's starts at around 500 and that's for Atom. -
azazel1024 - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
I agree. It would be nice to know if that price is correct. $330 sounds like the base price of only the Venue 10 with android and Bay Trail-T.
I'd be shocked if the base Venue 10 pro was less than $500 and I'd imagine with that HD screen, top processor and maxed storage was more like $900.
A little sad only 2GB of RAM with no options for more -
JarredWalton - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Just confirmed and updated the text: $330 with 64GB storage and Core M is the starting point. Looking really nice to be honest, though I agree -- more than 2GB RAM would have sealed the deal. -
savagemike - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
That really is rather incredible. I'm surprised nobody else is giving it more news. A $330 64GB core M machine is pretty impressive. I personally don't mind the extra chunk of the education build all that much. I might actually think about getting a Windows tablet if this is gonna be the new ballpark. -
nathanddrews - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
I'm pretty sure every day humans can't buy them. Schools only.


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THE MOTHERSHIP! The 6:05 Superpodcast is back with another packed episode! Join The Great Brian Last, with Jeff Bowdren in the co-host chair, for this "oh criminy" inducing show, featuring:
– Bertrand Hebert returns to the show to discuss his new book, our Book Of The Week, Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story, out now on ECW Press! Bertrand talks about Maurice's early days in Montreal, his street brawls and amateur wrestling achievements, as well as Maurice's later success in his home town. We hear about the development of the Mad Dog character and the impact he had on the AWA, Montreal and Portland. Bertrand also talks about how Maurice helped many legendary wrestlers early in their career. A fun and informative look at one of wrestling's all time greats!
– Stan Saxon, the man behind the mask of Brother Midnight, joins the show to discuss his career and the creation of his popular gimmick. Stan talks about the scene he broke into in Canada and the injury that led him to put on the mask, baby! We will hear about Brother Midnight's famed programs & promos with The Tulip, The Sassy Man, and Sweet Daddy Caddy! Stan also talks about his post-Midnight gimmick of Dr. X and gives an example of one of his promos. A really cool look at a popular Superpodcast figure!
Also, TGBL & Jeff discuss the Road Warriors, Buddy Landel, as well as Jeff's new podcast – Breaking Kayfabe with Jeff Bowdren. Plus the Tom Robinson Medical Update, Hot Dog, the Handsome Boogie Man & much more!
Book Of The Week:
Mad Dog: The Maurice Vachon Story by Bertrand Hebert & Pat Laprade
Please support Ramseur Records by visiting their online store and using the promo code "605" at checkout to save 20%!
Time Stamps:
- Top Ten (0:13:04)
- Here & There (1:27:11)
- Stan Saxon (1:52:50)
- Bertrand Hebert on Mad Dog Vachon (2:35:36)
Follow the show on Twitter at @605pod, as well as Brian at @GreatBrianLast.
Make sure to like the official Superpodcast Facebook page.
Official Superpodcast merchandise is now available.
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Subscribe by adding 605feed.com to your preferred podcast app, or our iTunes link.
The official show wiki, a constant work in progress, is available at 6:05 Superpodcast Wiki.
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