How to master interview etiquette: A firm handshake may open doors, but the wrong questions can talk you out of a job May 17, 2015 Interviews are a minefield. You’re in an alien environment, it can sometimes feel like your interviewer is taking shots at you, and any misstep may result in total defeat. Anxious candidates are increasingly resorting to professional coaching in an attempt to immunise themselves, but the truth is there is no way of telling exactly [...]
Carl Icahn just invested $100m in Uber rival Lyft valuing it at $2.5bn May 15, 2015 The well-known activist investor Carl Icahn has made a massive investment in Uber rival Lyft. The underdog taxi hailing startup is getting a $100m (£63m) from the outspoken investor's Icahn Enterprises. It's an unusual move for Icahn who holds stakes in larger companies such as Apple and eBay Lyft has exclusive membership of the so-called [...]
Fishing for hearts and minds: What the political parties should do to rebuild their tattered reputations May 15, 2015 So now the election has been won and lost, we can finally start talking about something else – or can we? The thing that interested me most about the days immediately after the campaign had ended was how swiftly the parties moved from winning votes to building bridges. The slightly tricky thing for the [...]
US stocks rise as weak dollar boosts sales – New York Report May 14, 2015 US STOCKS ended sharply stronger yesterday and the S&P 500 closed at a record high as investors worried less about interest rates and a weaker dollar offered the possibility of stronger sales for US multinationals. The S&P 500 gained 22.62 points, or 1.08 per cent, to end at 2,121.1, exceeding its previous all-time high close [...]
Apple Watch review: It’s not perfect, but it’s still the best smartwatch out there May 14, 2015 The most hotly awaited device of the year bears all the hallmarks of the Cupertino company. Apple is the master of selling products that nobody knew they wanted. A phone with a computer in it? Yeah, you’re going to want that. A massive version of a phone that doesn’t make calls? Trust us. But a [...]
Why we need an Apple for financial services – to rebuild customer trust May 13, 2015 Modern life has turned us all into perfectionists. We value companies that make our lives easier, and shun those that don’t. We expect brands to make us feel good and remind us that we’re part of something special. Companies have to deliver great service every time, or face our wrath on social media and risk [...]
Fitness Tracker: How useful is technology in the quest to get healthy? May 13, 2015 Last year I underwent a 10-week fitness program with City gym No 1 Fitness. It involved four personal training sessions a week and eliminating carbs and sugar from my diet. Unsurprisingly, it worked; I ended up fitter than I’d ever been. But how easy is it to get to that level of fitness if you [...]
The real secrets of Silicon Valley May 12, 2015 Beneath the magical veneer, there are business principles everyone can learn from SILICON Valley has become something of a mecca for talented entrepreneurs looking to make their mark. As a professor teaching them, I have had a ringside seat as some of the most driven businesspeople on the planet slug it out. Life here is [...]
Europe and China worries push US lower – New York Report May 11, 2015 Wall closed down yesterday, as investors fretted about Greece’s precarious financial condition and slowing growth in China, while energy stocks fell on weaker oil prices. US stocks, which rallied Friday on a strong jobs report, have been trading at historically expensive valuations, fuelled by ultra-low borrowing costs. Investors took a pessimistic view of Europe, as [...]
How to stop the machines from killing your job May 11, 2015 Invest in skills that complement tech but don’t compete with it. Rapid improvements in digital technology are changing the nature of human work. Computers can now recognise human speech and use it to carry out simple instructions. They work alongside humans in factories, warehouses and fields. And they can parse through large databases in [...]