Professional talent assessment tools and services help companiesfind the ideal worker

Finding the right person for the job is human resource (HR) managerNancy Ren's mission. Ren works for an information technology firmin Beijing, where despite the large pool of talent, filling an openposition at the company has become as arduous a task for heremployers. "We usually put each candidate through three rounds of tests andinterviews. But even after spending that amount of time and energy,the chances of us finding the right person are still relativelylow," Ren said. Out of 10 candidates, Ren's company is lucky if they find one whofits their needs.

And sometimes, when a candidate is chosen, thatperson proves unsuitable for the job or falls far short ofexpectations. While most Chinese companies still rely on group discussions andprofessional examinations to assess candidate competence, most oftheir advanced global counterparts are turning away fromtraditional searching and assessment methods in favor of talentmeasurement solutions in finding the right people for the rightroles. Talent measurement gauges candidate competency by providinggenuine insight into employee's capabilities and producingobjective, consistent and meaningful data for upper management. "The world's top 500 companies have discarded the old ways ofhiring in favor of new, innovative methods," said Louis Yang, abusiness psychologist. According to a survey conducted by China International IntelligenceCo.

Ltd., a Shanghai-based HR service provider, almost half ofChina's enterprises have yet to use talent measurement tools inrecruiting but many are looking to switch gears in the next twoyears and incorporate talent measurement into their hiringpractices. "Talent will play a vital role in China's economic transformationwhile the country switches its investment-driven growth model toone dependent on talent," said Fu Quan, General Manager of SHLChina, a professional talent measurement solution providerheadquartered in the UK. With great market opportunities in sight, more international talentmeasurement providers are expanding their global footprint inChina. Market potential Over the last five years, SHL has focused its resources on theChinese market. According to Fu, SHL doubled its staff andinvestment in China last year. Nissan Car DVD Player

In April, SHL expanded its mainoffice by eight fold in Shanghai. "These latest changes give our organization an even strongerplatform to serve our customers in China," said David Leigh, CEO ofSHL. What's raised SHL's confidence in China is the excellentperformance it has achieved in the Chinese market. "During the past three quarters, our average profit witnessed anincrease of 80 percent year on year," said Fu. Ford DVD Navigation System

China's talent strategy provides huge growth potential for thetalent assessment sector. According to the National Program forMedium- and Long-term Talent Development (2010-20), there will be42 million business managers ready for hire by 2020. The enormousdemand to develop business management talent is gradually turningtalent assessment from being a branch of HR development into themainstream. "Assessment demand has skyrocketed for companies of all sizes inChina from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to multinationalcorporations and businesses in the private sector," said Fu. In Dash Car DVD Player Manufacturer

According to Fu, SHL China's clients were all multinationals inChina three years ago. Today, 40 percent of their clients are localenterprises. "Usually the local enterprises we serve have bigger employee hiringrequirements than multinationals. That means bigger businessvolume," said Fu. China's booming recruitment market also gives HR service providersreason to rejoice.

According to a survey conducted by global recruitment firm MichaelPage International based in the UK, business confidence in China ishigh, leading to a stable recruitment market. Among employers surveyed, there is favorable sentiment toward bothdomestic business conditions and hiring additional staff. Some 79percent of employers predict business conditions will eitherimprove or remain stable in the coming months, while 56 percentexpect to boost headcount in their business.

Hiv epidemics among men who have sex with men in the middle eastand north africa

A new study has just found that there are alarmingly high rates of HIV infection among men who have sex with men across many countries inthe Middle East and North Africa. The prevalence of HIV among thesemen is at such a level that it is developing into an epidemic, and,because of their high-risk sexual behavior, they could be a majorfactor in the transmission of the disease in the area. The findings were a result of comprehensive review from a team ledby Laith Abu-Raddad and Ghina Mumtaz from the Infectious DiseaseEpidemiology Group at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Doha,Qatar. Their study, which was published in PLoS Medicine , was the first of it's kind to be carried out in the region. Whatthey found was, by analyzing a vast range of reports fromgovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, that there issignificant evidence showing that HIV is becoming ever more rampantamong men who have sex with men in the area. Laser Liposuction Equipment

Considerably high levels of HIV prevalence among men who have sexwith men, of 5% or greater, were found in several countries, suchas Egypt, Tunisia, and Sudan. A notably high case was Pakistan,with 28% infected with HIV. Whilst not all countries had datarevealing the HIV infection rate among their population of men whohave sex with men, it is apparent that there are many areas withconcentrated epidemics. For a lot of those concentrated areas analsex among men who have sex with men was said to account for over25% of reported cases. China Laser Liposuction Equipment

Whilst only 2-3% of men in the region were found to have sex withmen, it's their high-risk sexual behavior that attributes them tobeing such a pivotal risk group. Many of the men were found to havemultiple male and even female sexual partners. Un-protective sexamong these men was found to be incredibly common, with only a 25%rate of consistent condom use. And up to 75.5% of them were foundto be frequently engaging in acts of prostitution. Microdermabrasion Machines Manufacturer

Only a few of the countries in the region have developed a means ofdealing with this public health issue, through giving more power tonon-governmental organizations. The authors of the study stress that this kind of response - to the evident expansion of HIVepidemics among men who have sex with men - needs to be adopted byall policy-makers in the Middle East and North Africa. Byempowering non-governmental organizations there will be moreservices available to the minority population of men having sexwith men. The authors urged countries to seek ways that can reduce theseverity of the HIV epidemic and prevent the infection fromreaching other groups in the population. More thorough HIVsurveillance should be carried out in the regions, along with moreavailable access for testing.

HIV treatment centers or services formen who have sex with men should be adopted as well. Written by Joseph Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Additional References Citations.

Appeals court declines to stop barrel racing in gretna - IPL Laser Equipment Manufacturer

While the State of Florida grapples with a $2 billion budgetdeficit, one of its top regulatory agencies is simultaneouslyexpending untold taxpayer funds to escalate and exacerbate a costlylegal battle to defend the expansion of gambling, to whichFlorida s top-ranking state legislators have repeatedly voicedtheir increasing opposition during the past several weeks. In defense of Gretna Racing, LLC--a private entity with an AlabamaIndian Tribe as a majority owner together with Gulfstream Parklobbyist Marc Dunbar and former Gulfstream Park attorney DavidRomanik--the Florida Department of Business and ProfessionalRegulation released dozens of pages of publicly-funded litigationdesigned to defend the very situation that the Florida Legislatureis now vigorously debating how to curtail. With the Cabinet members now having publicly declared theiropposition to the expansion of gambling through destinationresorts, the State of Florida s attitude toward the unfetteredproliferation of gambling has been greatly clarified. But, to the chagrin of its sponsors, the intent of the would-bedestination resort legislation s proposed gaming commission hadalready been unexpectedly usurped by the Florida Department ofBusiness and Professional Regulation s (DPPR s) highlyquestionable and unilateral award of a racing license to GretnaRacing LLC. As expected, the dubious license was ultimately usedfor purpose of introducing pari-mutuel barrel racing. IPL Beauty Equipment

Constituting a brand new gambling product, the license was awardedwithout enabling legislation, proper regulatory hearings or publicinput. As expected, Gretna Racing officials immediately used theirnew license to secure a slot machine referendum in GadsdenCounty a loophole-laden legal maneuver that quickly broughtcopycat requests from other small pari-mutuel permitholders. So outraged were top legislative leaders at Gretna Racing sactions that, in a Senate Committee on Regulated Industriesworkshop last week, some called for the need to solve the GretnaRacing problem before taking up the destination resort bills. As the people s regulator, it is unconscionable that the DBPR isusing the public dime to finance protracted litigation to protectits unilateral expansion of gambling, when the Legislature ismaking it quite clear that this is not the direction it wants forthe State of Florida, remarked Florida Horsemen s Benevolent andProtective Association (FHBPA) Executive Director Kent Stirling. What amazes me is that the State of Florida is actually financefailure by strangling off what could be thousands of jobs andexponentially greater wagering if Gretna Racing were to simply haveadhered to legitimate Quarter Horse racing, added FHBPA PresidentPhil Combest, who also noted the startling disparity in opening dayhandle between Gretna Racing ($2,581) and Gulfstream Park($4,837,605 constitutes a 22% increase). IPL Laser Equipment Manufacturer

These numbers weregenerated literally within two days of one another. The comparisonthat the Gulfstream Park and Gretna Racing facilities were the sameas one another was made on December 2 by former Gulfstream Parkattorney-turned-Gretna Racing Developer David Romanik in aninterview with internationally known horse racing writer RayPaulick. Combest reminded that Florida regulations stipulate thatpari-mutuel permitholders must demonstrate that they can protectthe flow of revenue to the State. So we re killing the revenuewe could have had with legitimate racing, killing jobs in the horseracing industry, hammering the gravestones with taxpayer-fundedlitigation and paying Florida legislators to contemplate the wholething, he said. To me, that s the real government waste. Fractional RF Microneedle Manufacturer

Nevada tribe fights coal plant in pollution battle. - LED Panel Lights Manufacturer

User Rating: / 0 Poor Best LAS VEGAS (AP) A tiny Native American reservation outside LasVegas is trying to persuade the federal government that itscommunity faces serious health risks from a nearby coal-fired powerplant by appealing to a nationwide campaign to increase visibilityat national parks. The Moapa Paiute tribe has 300 members, roughly half of whom liveon the reservation bordering the Reid Gardner Generating Station inrural southern Nevada. For years, tribe members have complained ofskin irritation, lung disease, thyroid problems, aggravated asthma,cardiovascular and heart disease and frequent nose bleeds. Theirinsistence that these health woes can be linked to the foul airpouring from the plant s multiple smoke stacks have long beenignored, largely because there is no direct medical evidence toback up their claims. The tribe is hoping to get its voice heard on Thursday, when theU.S.

Environmental Protection Agency holds its first public hearingon the coal plant at the reservation. The meeting is part of anongoing effort to improve visibility at national parks andwilderness areas by curbing pollution from coal-fired power plants. The Reid Gardner plant affects visibility at five national parks,including the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Zion in Utah and Joshua TreeNational Monument in California, according to the EPA. The agencyhas already approved new air pollution limits for nitrogen oxideemissions at Nevada s two other coal-fired power plants. Butnumerous complaints involving the Reid Gardner plant prompted theagency to hold public hearings in the area Thursday to fieldconcerns from community members who don t want to see the45-year-old facility upgraded.

They prefer it be shut downpermanently. Under the 1977 Clean Air Act, the EPA has been ordering coal plantsto embrace new technologies and equipment designed to reducepollutants that obscure visibility of the nation s many stunningvistas and natural landscapes. In the West, average visibility has dropped from 140 miles tobetween 35 to 90 miles. The goal is to protect what visibilityremains, said Colleen McKaughan, an associate director in theEPA s air division. That haze obscures the scenery, especially out here in the Westwhere a lot of people come to see the vistas, she said. LED Recessed Ceiling Lights

McKaughan said Thursday s meetings were not intended to addressanecdotal health complaints. Still, she said the EPA is generallyinterested in valid health problems caused by pollution. We understand why they would prefer not to breathe this stuff. Wetotally get it, she said. LED Panel Lights Manufacturer

When coal is burned, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogenoxides and mercury compounds are released into the air, accordingto the EPA. Research has shown those fine particles can be linkedto serious health problems, including premature death. But the Moapa Paiute tribe can only rely on general data to back uptheir claims. Despite their health concerns, the tribe has beenunsuccessful in persuading local, state and federal healthofficials to investigate their complaints. China COB LED Downlight

The lack of direct evidence has stroked accusations that thetribe s medical problems have been exaggerated by environmentalactivists who want to see the coal plant shuttered. Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, who represents Moapa, saidthe plant creates much needed jobs and tax dollars for the area. They are using those Indians as a vehicle to shut down theplant, Collins said of the Sierra Club. As long as they arecomplying with the laws, (the plant) benefits the entirecommunity. The Reid Gardner facility provides enough electricity to power335,000 Nevada households, according to NV Energy, the utilitycompany that operates the plant.

Under the EPA proposal, NV Energywould have five years to install nitrogen oxide burners, instead ofmore expensive selective catalytic emissions scrubbers thatenvironmentalists claim do a better job of reducing emissions. NV Energy has completed a series of upgrades at the plant in recentyears aimed at reducing emissions. The utility worked with thestate and the EPA to come up with the new emission limits. We will continue our commitment to operate the Reid Gardnerstation in an environmentally responsible manner, in compliancewith all federal and state laws, and in the best interests of itscustomers, said spokesman Mark Severts. Opponents argue the EPA s air pollution limits fall far short ofprotecting public health.

They built these smoke stacks on top of the housing where thesepeople live full-time, said Jane Feldman, conservation chair ofthe Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club. The tribe s concerns focus largely on air quality, but coal plantscan create other environmental troubles, according to the EPA.Runoff water can sweep heavy metals from the coal into nearbybodies of water. The Muddy River near the plant feeds into LakeMead, the massive reservoir that serves Mexico, California, Nevadaand Arizona. Second-rate pollution control is not good enough here, said DanGalpern, a lawyer representing the tribe and the Sierra Club inNevada.

Women

The Oswego State women s ice hockey team made history Saturdayafternoon, earning its first-ever playoff win in its six-yearhistory. The Lakers shut out the Neumann Knights, 3-0, afterlosing to them in a 2-1 double-overtime heartbreaker in lastseason s playoffs. We remember what that bus trip home was like last year; they vegot that trip today, head coach Diane Dillon said. The win means the Lakers move on to the ECAC West Semifinal round,where they will face SUNY Plattsburgh, but it also means much morefor the program as a whole. We couldn t have scripted this any better, Dillon said.

Theymade program history. Not only did we get our first homeplayoff game but we are starting to believe, as is rightfully so,that we are a good team in this division, which is the toughestdivision in Division III hockey. In the first period, the teams battled back and forth with littleaction occurring until the final seconds. The Lakers found themselves on the power play with less than twominutes left in the frame.

In the final second of the period,senior forward Kelly Collins netted the rebound off a shot fromsophomore forward Carly Henderson, getting the Lakers on the boardfirst. Senior forward Mackenzie Lee was also credited with anassist. Anytime you score in the first or last minute of a period it s adeath blow, Dillon said. Anytime you can take momentum likethat and that kind of energy into the locker room it carries offinto the second period. Led High Bay Lighting

The last-second goal was devastating for the Knights who appeareddeflated coming into the second period. I think it put a big dent in their confidence and that s exactlywhat we needed to do, senior captain Kathryn Sbrocchi said. In the second period, the Laker offense continued to shine withOswego State tallying two quick goals early in the period. Sophomore forward Melissa Seamont scored the Lakers secondpower-play goal of the game, with Lee getting her second assist ofthe game and freshman forward Carly Marchment earning one as well. Less than two minutes later, sophomore forward Megan Howe added thethird goal for the Lakers. High Power Led Floodlight

Seamont and Lee were instrumental inthis goal as well as Seamont passed to Lee who found Howe in thecircle. In the final period, both teams had chances but ultimately Neumannwas shut down by the Laker defense and could not score, even withthe empty net allowing for the extra attacker. The Knights could not capitalize on any of the four Lakerpenalties, leaving Oswego State perfect on the penalty kill. Freshman goaltender Bridget Smith earned the shutout, making 18saves in the victory. Neumann goalie Shannon Donnelly put up avaliant effort making 31 saves for the Knights. Led High Bay Lighting

[The shutout] means that it was a team effort. No one wasdoing selfish plays, Sbrocchi said. Everyone was just confidentin each other and we did it together as a team. Dillon was pleased with the effort put forth by her team, which shesaid was truly playing like a team. What I was most impressed with our team today was their abilityto stick to the game plan and keep their heads in the game, Dillon said.

One thing I shared with the team before the gamewas that talent will do a lot of things for you but it s team playand how a team plays together in a playoff game that matters and wedid that today. The Lakers have come a long way since their 2-1 double-overtimeloss to Neumann in last season s ECAC West Quarterfinals. Although they were playing the same opponent, there was a muchdifferent Laker team on the ice for this season s shutout win. We have more depth as a team, Sbrocchi said. The chemistry onour team is just awesome that really makes a difference on theice.

I think we are becoming more mature as a program, Dillon said. We know how to play as a team better. This win served as a huge milestone for the program, which set twoof its season goals as winning a playoff game and establishingitself in the top half of the conference. We are in a point in our program s history that we are reallysolidifying what we are about, Dillon said.

It s so big for this program, Sbrocchi said. We ve comeso far and we have been working so hard this year. I think wereally deserve it. Now the Lakers advance to the semifinal round and will facePlattsburgh on Saturday at 5 p.m.

at Rochester Institute ofTechnology s Ritter Arena. Although the Lakers were shut outtwice in the regular season by Plattsburgh, 5-0 and 6-0, OswegoState moves forward with confidence. It doesn t matter what you did in the season. It doesn t matterwhat you did last year; it matters what you do for 60 minutes, Dillon said. Last year, the Lakers upset top-ranked RIT, 2-1, on Ritter Arenaice and there is no reason to believe another upset won t happenthere again.

I think this is our year, Sbrocchi said.