Break Before University Essay Example for Free

Break Before University Essay It goes without saying that people like having the things they don’t have. Students always want to have a break after a long time they were very busy with studying, especially before they come to universities – a new environment with lots of challenging. It’ll be not good for a student to have a year break before going to university because it’s really a waste of time, and they might forget their knowledge. Today, both of adults and children always try to learn hard. Knowledge is unlimited; we never have everything in our mind. We learn bit by bit every day. If one stops working for one day, one eventually loses his knowledge. For one year, people can learn a lot of knowledge and experience, and you’ll be worse than others. Secondly, if you have a break for one year, it will take you more than one year to come back your work. In some case, the inertia is so great that one can’t go back to school.  Last but not least, one might forget your lessons easily when one doesn’t practice. When one comes to a university, one’ll continue learning your program in high school in a different way. One’ll have to learn by himself more than following teachers. It takes a lot of times to learn this new habit. Taking a long break seems like a cool idea, but I will not jeopardize my college education. A student will have to coup with many problems after such a break. One should consult his teachers and his parents before making that decision.

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the

Importance of Life Revealed in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front       Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, deals with the many ways in which World War I affected people's lives, both the lives of soldiers on the front lines and the lives of people on the homefront. One of the most profound effects the war had was the way it made the soldiers see human life. Constant killing and death became a part of a soldier's daily life, and soldiers fighting on all sides of the war became accustomed to it. The atrocities and frequent deaths that the soldiers dealt with desensitized them to the reality of the vast quantities of people dying daily. The title character of the novel, Paul Bà ¤umer, and his friends experience the devaluation of human life firsthand, and from these experiences they become stronger and learn to live as if every day were their last.    The killing and death of WW I depicted in the novel desensitizes Bà ¤umer to the reality that death is now a regular and driving force in his life, and that each human life is no longer sacred and precious. Bà ¤umer feels great emotion and sadness when one of his childhood friends, Kemmerich, dies early in the war. Bà ¤umer expresses his emotional despair after Kemmerich's death, stating, "I become faint, all at once I cannot do any more. I won't revile any more, it is senseless, I could drop down and never rise up again" (Remarque 32). Because this is one of the first deaths that Bà ¤umer witnesses personally and because Bà ¤umer and Kemmerich were childhood friends, the emotional impact is even greater. However, not all the deaths of his comrades effect him in such a powerful manner. The fighting gets to a point at which Bà ¤umer... ... him. Death, which he once agonized over, is now a daily occurrence and seems commonplace to him. Life, which he once took for granted, is now cherished beyond belief, and holding on to it becomes his greatest preoccupation. These effects are not limited only to Paul Bà ¤umer, but extend to all the millions of people that are involved, directly or indirectly, in the war. WW I has far-reaching impact. It not only touches those in combat on the front lines, but also those who support the soldiers and help to make munitions and supplies on the homefront. Bà ¤umer, and the millions of other people involved in WW I, learn the difficult lesson that the most trying experiences in life, or in this case death, are what make us the strongest and what drive us to survive. Works Cited Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Balantine Books, 1928.

A Swot Analysis of Starbucks

Introduction Starbucks is a famous coffeehouse. Until the mid-1980s it was only a provider of coffee to fine restaurants. Thereafter Howard Schultz, director of retail operations and marketing, was impressed of the popularity of coffee in Milan while he was in Europe . His idea was born. He wanted to bring the coffee bar culture to the Americans. So Starbucks started to realise his idea and so created a new trend. The clue is not only to sell coffee, but to sell an experience. Today Starbucks has got about 20 million customers each week in about 5500 coffeehouses all over the world . While haunting to increase sales more and more, Starbucks has got a special growth strategy. They open a lot of stores in a very short period of time, expanding numerous food offerings and also getting into new segments, for example supermarkets. They develop new products like bottled coffee or Starbucks-flavoured ice cream. In addition to that, Starbucks tests new coffeehouse concepts, for example with live music. Since a few years, Starbucks opens more and more stores outside America. The important question is, if Starbucks’ growth rate will continue within next years because on the one hand critics say that Starbucks grows too fast and is loosing the focus while on the other hand some critics compare Starbucks’ coffee with Mc Donald’s? hamburger and believe that they will grow up more and more as the dominant player on this market . With the help of the SWOT analysis and the BCG matrix the situation of Starbucks can be analyzed after finding out, why people pay more money for a coffee, than in other coffeehouses. What has suddenly made people across the world willing to pay three to four times more for a cup of coffee than they used to? Starbucks has created a new trend. They do not just sell coffee, they sell an experience. To drink coffee at Starbucks is different from drinking coffee in another coffeehouse according to a Starbucks executive who said, that â€Å"Starbucks is not in the business of filling bellies but in the business of filling souls† . They recognised that they were getting into a new niche, which did not exist before. While having great success, Starbucks grows rapidly to have an advantage according to a bunch of competitors who also entered this new niche. With the high-quality coffee, Starbucks creates besides a new brand a new lifestyle which is known all over the world. Furthermore, they offer a lot of different flavours which differs from other coffeehouses. But coffee is not the only reason why people are willing to pay a lot more there than in other coffeehouses. The mission statement declares that the employees’ job is not only to sell coffee. They should enthusiastically satisfy every customer to give him the special feeling and experience at Starbucks . All in all Starbucks recognised a new niche and satisfied the customers with their special flavoured and high quality coffee. To get an idea of Starbucks’ success, it is necessary to take a close look at the company by using the SWOT analysis and the BCG matrix. A SWOT analysis of Starbucks Strengths The company has a strong presence in the United States of America and a good reputation for creativity and coffee. Starbucks has started a real trend and many people enjoy drinking a Starbucks coffee. However, it is not just coffee but rather an experience Starbucks sells. Starbucks operates in more than 5,500 stores worldwide. This presence provides a wide and strong customer base. It is a global brand and is widely known. Starbucks built up a reputation for fine products and the name is a common brand label and this gives Starbucks a competitive advantage because people connect coffee with Starbucks. Every week more than 20 million customers visit Starbucks to get a coffee once or twice a day. In the last years the company could tripled their earnings. Another strength is that Starbucks has a strategy they follow. These strong principles include that Starbucks looks after their employees and threat each of them with respect. They create a nice and friendly environment that they also reflect outwards. Starbucks offers different flavours through its position as a disciplined innovator and introduces diverse products. They also pay attention to the high standards and want to offer the best quality. Starbucks decided to push into supermarkets because the majority of people bought their coffee in stores before. Therefore Starbucks came to the conclusion to make a deal with the Kraft company. This deal combines Starbucks experience in producing premium coffee with Kraft’s knowledge of marketing, selling and distributing. That was a good step for Starbucks to reach a new channel and to get the entry to 25,000 supermarkets. It makes sense that the company wants to reach the people at home and to include more people into the Starbucks lifestyle. Beyond stores, Starbucks sells its beans to hotels, several airlines and airports. Starbucks sells gourmet coffee, beans as well as gifts and related goods. (Starbucks also signed a deal to operate coffee shops within Waterstones bookshop superstores. Also the homepage of Starbucks has become successful and a ‘lifestyle portal’, where the company sells a variety of products like tea, coffee making equipment, compact discs and collectibles to satisfy their customers needs with different products. Weaknesses One of Starbucks` weakness is that their primary product is just coffee. They are therefore dependent on this main product line. Starbucks is however testing to launch food offerings like sandwiches and chips in combination with coffee. Its goal is not only to expand more and more in its offerings but also to reach further target groups . A problem is that Starbucks has a slow ability to diversify into other sectors which could be fatal because the company believes in being successful not only because it is selling coffee but rather it is selling an experience . This makes them different from other competitors who might only sell coffee. â€Å"Coffee Lifestyle† may vary from time to time due to the fact that the global coffee market is a very competitive sector . Another weakness are high prices of its products. People pay up to $3. 15 for a caffe latte. One supposes that people buy this product only because they think that it is a premium product . But it is especially the brand name which tempts customers to buy the product without taking the high prices into consideration. As already mentioned before, the customer is not only buying the product, he is buying it with an experience. Another weakness of Starbucks is that they are simply relying on the philosophy that coffee is just an experience. There exists no doubt a good marketing strategy but it is questionable if this is helpful to maintain over time on the market with the strategy of only focusing on one product. â€Å"We are not in business of filling bellies; we’re in the business of filling souls† says one Starbucks executive. That shows another very good and appealing philosophy of Starbucks. This makes the product and its uniqueness but it is only a question of time when people are saturated of this experience. You have to point out that Starbucks itself tries hard to achieve this effect by the people through a competent public relationship. Opportunities Starbucks has a widespread presence and practices in about 1. 415 stores and just last year they build up 400 new stores. The company has seen opportunities to open further stores all over the world due to the heavy demand and space to expand. For example Indiana in the US has only one Starbucks. Furthermore, Starbucks has the opportunity to expand its global operations. The company is now expanding rapidly and in 2003 the number of stores has increased in 24 international markets compared to 1996 when they had only 11 stores outside the United States. Starbucks also tests new food which represents that food might be the next step they want to go. With this the company would have the chance to offer food that could be successful as its coffee. They test everything from doughnuts to Greek pasta salads. Starbucks also teamed up with PepsiCo to adopt the brand on Frappuccino drinks and a newDoubleShot expresso drink. Beyond this Starbucks ice cream is nowadays a leading brand of coffee ice cream after Starbucks established a joint venture with Breyer’s. In addition, Starbucks invested in Cafe Starbucks, a European-style family bistro, where the costumer has a wide choice from huckleberry-pancakes too oven-roasted seared sirloin. Alongside, Starbucks is testing Circadia, a new food venture, where the customers have Internet access and listen to live music. Starbucks has always been able to offer new coffee experiences as well as creating new products or opening new kinds of stores. Threats One of the biggest threats of Starbucks is its grand expansion all over the world. When launching a new product numerous customers are visiting the company’s stores world wide each week. It is especially Starbucks growth strategy which stands for a threat for the company. Starbucks especially concentrates on store growth. Almost 85 per cent of sales are generated through its stores. Although they have great success, Starbucks always finds new places for further expansion on the local as well as on the national market with being aware of the fact that the local as well as the national market may be saturated of its product. The creation of new retail channels also shows that Starbucks is not concerned about peoples` rejection or about failing to be successful. Apart from their strong presence in kiosks, several airlines, hotels and the co-operation with Waterstones’ bookshop superstores, Starbucks enters 25,000 supermarkets to sell their products next to their strong competitors like Nestle and Kraft. They also offer coffee, tea and its equipment on its website to be internationally present for a wider target group. To intensify its presence they are not deterred by joining with other companies to have its logo to be seen everywhere. Several ideas should achieve various people. They are full of ideas only of the fact of not wanting to stop their expansion. However, the international growth is remarkable. While having only 11 coffee-houses in 1996 outside North-America, they now launch their products into 24 international markets. The great success of Starbucks has also brought negative consequences for the company because many competitors try to imitate them. These are companies like Caribou Coffee, Costa Coffee, and Coffee Republic. However, it is very hard to maintain on the global coffee market which is a very competitive sector. These days one speaks about an increasingly over caffeinated marketplace. So Starbucks must compete against the offers of restaurants, coffee shops and street carts. A major competitor with substantially greater financial, marketing and operating resources than Starbucks could enter the market at any time and compete directly against the company. Starbucks must be aware of competition on all levels and maintain its operational performance if it is to retain status as the world’s leading specialty coffee retailer. Finally you could say that Starbucks is more concerned about the fact that there are still plenty of local places as well as internationally places which is not taken over by them. Instead of being worried about the fact that their rapid expansion could also lead to a rapid decrease and failure in several markets. The whole marketing strategy of Starbucks may cause to a loss of the main focus through stretching its resources by further expansion. Main focus should be first put on the product itself and not on international expansion in this way. Why not ensure the popularity of the product itself than making it something normal due to the fact that it is present almost everywhere. It can be seen undoubtedly that Starbucks has the potential for development in many different ways but it has to have its growth under control. This may be a challenge for Starbucks. BCG Matrix The BCG matrix is an instrument, developed in the early 1970? s by the Boston Consulting Group to analyze the product portfolio of a company or a business unit. The matrix is based on the product life circle. The matrix is mainly used in the strategic marketing sector. The matrix shows in a coordinate plan the positions of different strategic business units. The interesting categories are on the one side the business growth rate on the y-axis and the market share on the x-axis. The method brings cognitions in three relevant areas: ?Analysis of the strategic position of a company. ?Determine the capital in the several business units with a view on the whole company and therefore the cash flow in the company. ?Every quadrant responds to a norm strategy which could be used as a guideline to verbalize strategic activities in the company . It is also necessary to look after the whole portfolio especially on the statistical financial compensation. The products in the portfolio should be based upon on another and finance one another. To create a long-term value a company should have a portfolio of products that includes fast growing products which need a high input of money and slowly growing products which are creating a high amount of cash. The BCG matrix has two dimensions: relative market share and market growth rate. The idea behind this matrix is: if a product has a high market share or the market of the product is growing fast than it is an advantage for the company. Analysis of Starbucks using the BCG Matrix Cash cows: Benefits from the generation of cash should be high. Because of the low-growth rate capital expenditures which are necessary should be hold low. Often cash cows are the stars of yesterday and build the base of a company . One of Starbucks’ cash cows is their coffee ice cream. This is a relatively risk free investment that doesn’t absorb great amounts of cash. Through the partnership with Breyers, Starbucks doesn’t need to spend money on the production process. With Breyer? experience and the Starbucks name the ice cream was sure to succeed on the market. With it now being one of the market leaders on the coffee ice cream market, Starbucks can â€Å"milk† it and benefit from the sales, knowing that there is not a high cost factor. Another, but quite small cash cow is their bottled Frappuccino drink. Once again Starbucks took on a similar strategy by working with an already established beverage manufactur er. The investments are once again a lot lower than their sales, giving them a high profit margin. Stars: Stars use a high amount of cash. These are leader in the business and hence they should create a high amount of cash. Stars are often in balance with the net cash-flow. The company should do their best to hold the market share on stars because stars will become cash-cows if the market-share is held by the company . Starbucks’ biggest star is the coffee sold and consumed in their coffee shops (stores). With an incredible 85% of sales coming from their stores it is their biggest source of cash intake . Although competitors offering similar products have emerged, the market growth still looks promising. Some states like Alabama and Mississippi don’t have any Starbucks stores meaning that there is still a large market to expand onto. The people living in these states have not been able to enjoy a cup of Starbucks coffee. The revenues from their coffee sales should therefore be used to invest in new stores making it possible to sell their coffee. Another one of their stars is the packaged coffee sold in supermarkets. With the help of Kraft Starbucks has gained quick access to the packaged coffee market. Thus they have been able to quickly increase their market share on a rapidly growing market . Unlike their other joint ventures with PepsiCo and Breyers, Starbucks has done more than just put their name on the product. As they are still roasting and packaging their own coffee they need to invest a lot to further establish their position on the market. Dogs: Dogs are discontinued models of the company. A company should minimize, better avoid the number of dogs. Dogs have to make cash, otherwise they are divested . Starbucks? dog is the sandwiches sold in their stores. Although they experiment with different foods in their stores, they do not make a lot of profit from food sales. Furthermore it can be said that the sandwich market is not growing and Starbucks do not have a high market share. However, this SBU should not be divested immediately as it may help them to draw in further customers who know that they will be able to grab a sandwich to go with their coffee. Question marks: Question marks are the newcomer of the products. The have a high growth-potential. They have the worst cash features of all, because they have a high demand of cash but perform low outcomes because of their low market-share. If the market-share is unchanged are question marks using a high amount of cash. The management has to decide to invest in the product or to give it up. Starbuck’s further attempts to boost their growth such as selling coffee to airlines and hotels can be classified as question marks. At the moment the demand for premium coffee to be sold in airports and hotels might be high, but so far only Marriott, Sheraton and Westin have deals with Starbucks meaning that there are a lot of hotels not selling their coffee . If they want to expand on this market they will need to invest a lot of money into new deals with other hotels. It will take time before they can increase their market share and make a profit. Cafe Starbucks and Circadia, two new store concepts are also question marks. At the moment they are only experimenting to see how customers will react to a different kind of Starbucks experience. Setting up a chain of these new concepts will require a lot of money and time before they can establish themselves on the market. If they succeed in competing with other cafes of a similar style this SBU could be another profitable SBU in the future After positioning Starbucks? products on the BCG matrix it can be said that they have a stable source of revenue. With the majority of their sales coming from the coffee sold in their stores and two profitable, if on a smaller scale, joint ventures they have enough money to invest in other new products or stores to ensure that they will be as successful in the future. Besides investing this money in new stores enabling them to serve an even larger market, it can be invested in their coffee sold in supermarkets. Rapid growth of the premium coffee segment indicates that it won’t be long before a number of competitors force their way onto the market. Investing into this SBU will enable it to develop into a cash cow in the future. Regarding the sandwiches sold in their stores they need to reconsider if this is something they should continue to invest in the future. The prospects for the future look promising as they have two strong stars and other smaller products that can carry the company in the future. Looking at Starbucks as a whole it can be seen as a star. Although there are a number of â€Å"copycats† trying to move in on their market share, there is still the potential for the company to grow. Up until now not all states have their own Starbucks store, an indication that the market is still growing. Although they have tripled their sales and profits over the last 5 years, they need this money to invest in new stores in states such as Alabama and Mississippi and their new store concepts such as Cafe Starbucks . If they are able to expand successfully and the market ceases to grow they will eventually turn into a cash cow.

Involved in finance Essay

A. I’ve always wanted to learn about accounting and all the ins-and-outs involved in finance. My goal was always to be the as best in accountancy as I could be. The only setback to this is the fact that to learn all of the needed knowledge, it would entail my going to a university, spending on tuition and giving up four years of my life to a classroom, rather than be in the practical environment. This is the point where my Boss comes in. He was the answer to my dilemma and the gift to my career that set me forth in learning. B. My Boss is an intelligent and learned man with a doctorate in accounting. He was a man who mastered many skills in his field and had the passion to share his knowledge with all who wished to learn. It is because of his patience and diligence in teaching me that he granted me with the knowledge I needed in accounting. He gave me all I needed in four months of instruction, something that would have required me four years to learn in college. II. My Boss and his relationship with me A. I would say that my Boss, apart from being my superior, was someone I became comfortable with and was like a father to me. He gave me his time like and good father would do to his child. He would stay with me and teach me, and I could see pride in his eyes when he saw me learning. It was as if I was a little bird in a nest and he was the father that was teaching me to fly. Indeed, it was as if he was looking at me as his son, and I to him as my father. He knew I was beginning a journey that he had well surpassed long ago. Now, he was seeing to it that I walked the right path and had the right knowledge to go on my way. I can’t describe enough how good he was to me and how far he went to give me all that I needed to be better. B. Another good thing, or should I say ‘great’ thing, about my boss is that apart from the role of a father, he was also my friend. He was someone that I could talk to and that I knew would listen to me. It is true that he was like a father and he would look on me, instruct me and guide me, as the mentor that he was. However, apart from that, he was someone I could chat with about just everything. He was someone who would be interested in your everyday life and in things you wanted to share. This is believe is one thing that set him apart from everyone else. Others describe bosses as ‘bossy’ and harsh. As for him, he was the opposite. He was a kind man and understanding to all people around him. III. My Boss as the Employer that he was. A. As an employer, due to his good manner and how well he conducted himself to everyone, he was well-loved by everyone. When I interviewed people at his workplace, they said that he was very patient with people and gave you time to learn. His belief is that learning is like an ocean, vast and endless, and it takes a lot of time for a person to keep on garnering more knowledge. Other employees also described him as a very patient man. Even if as a boss, he could have been overbearing, he chose not to be. He was very patient and understood the situations people could be in. He was also very generous and giving, most especially of his time and the information he had to teach. He believed that people must learn from each other, and always pass knowledge on. He believed that mistakes were acceptable and were a necessary part of learning and improvement. IV. My Boss as a Family Man A. As a family man, my boss was just as great as he was in work. If not, he was probably even better, as what he gave to his own family must have been even deeper than to people at work. On speaking to his wife, she mentioned that she was a dream father. One couldn’t ask for more than who he was. He was there for his kids in school. He stood by them when they were sick and took care of them. He listened to them, played with them and was personal with them. B. He was a great husband as well. He had so much love to give everyone, and such devotion and loyalty to his wife. He was always there for her whenever she needed him. C. His family is a success story. Because of the man he was, and the example he brought, his children lived good lives. Two daughters became doctors, one son a lawyer, and one other daughter followed his footsteps into accounting. V. Conclusion Truly, it is not surprising how people reacted to my boss because of the good he brings into the world. He was a man of good heart, open-minded and was there for everyone. He built an empire with love and by helping everyone who needed him. His life anthem could best be summarized by his definition of word T. E. A. M. : â€Å"Together Everyone Achieves More†.

Writing a Nursing Essay

Writing a Nursing Essay Similar to residency essays, a nursing essay is used by nursing school admissions directors to find those students whom theyd like to consider for their program. Thousands of hopefuls apply for nursing school each year, many of whom have similar GPAs and collegiate backgrounds. The essay helps distinguish the individuals from their educational statistics. When writing a nursing school essay (or any personal essay for that matter) it helps to be as candid as possible. Admissions directors want to know as much about their applicants as possible, however, they cant afford to give each and every essay a tremendous amount of time. In other words, dont sugar coat the message. Be unique in your approach, but factual and to-the-point as well. Another thing to remember when writing an essay for nursing is to include points relative to the subject. Offer specific examples as to why you are choosing a career in nursing. The more detailed you can be, the easier it will be for the readers to identify and/or sympathize with your decision. Exercise similar precision when discussing why you are applying to the school in question. Writing a nursing essay is a difficult task that is as much professional as it is personally revealing. For more information about writing admissions essays or if you would like help in writing an essay for a residency program, please dont hesitate to contact me. I would love to use my experience to help you.

Free Essays on M505

Palm m505 The Palm m505 is a new PDA that, unlike many PDA’s, comes with a color screen, a Motorola Dragonball VZ processor, 8MB of memory, a 160x160 pixel color display with over 65,000 colors. This PDA is one of the first in a new breed of color displays. Palm has also incorporated two expansion slots, one for memory, and one for extra peripherals. This is one of the first color PDA’s out on the market. The unit is capable of displaying pictures with great quality. The smaller expansion slot is for multi media expansion cards and secure digital SD expansion cards, which are used for backup purposes. Soon Palm will release a SD card that will hold 256MB. These SD cards are only the size of a postage stamp. Programs like a dictionary and games will be available in the small expansion card form. The large expansion slot at the top of the Palm will be for the Secure Digital Input Out put (SDIO) devices. Some of these devices include a modem, digital camera Global Positioning System, barcode scanner, bluetooth module, and an MP3 player. This unit connects links up with a PC using a HotSync cradle, and also uses an infrared port for data and software sharing. The m505 is leading us into the future of PDA’s. Any store or retailer with a barcode system could easily use this device to help calculate inventory. With the camera attachment an insurance adjuster could quickly take photos necessary for processing a claim. With mobile connection, the pictures and any notes could be instantly uploaded to a server at any location. It could come in handy to businesses that send employees on business trips. With the GPS attachment a person could easily find their way around a new area with little trouble. In the picture below you can see some of the SDIO devices mentioned. The Palm m505 has a reflective screen which makes it easy to view outside in sunlight. It also has a backlit screen for visibility in da... Free Essays on M505 Free Essays on M505 Palm m505 The Palm m505 is a new PDA that, unlike many PDA’s, comes with a color screen, a Motorola Dragonball VZ processor, 8MB of memory, a 160x160 pixel color display with over 65,000 colors. This PDA is one of the first in a new breed of color displays. Palm has also incorporated two expansion slots, one for memory, and one for extra peripherals. This is one of the first color PDA’s out on the market. The unit is capable of displaying pictures with great quality. The smaller expansion slot is for multi media expansion cards and secure digital SD expansion cards, which are used for backup purposes. Soon Palm will release a SD card that will hold 256MB. These SD cards are only the size of a postage stamp. Programs like a dictionary and games will be available in the small expansion card form. The large expansion slot at the top of the Palm will be for the Secure Digital Input Out put (SDIO) devices. Some of these devices include a modem, digital camera Global Positioning System, barcode scanner, bluetooth module, and an MP3 player. This unit connects links up with a PC using a HotSync cradle, and also uses an infrared port for data and software sharing. The m505 is leading us into the future of PDA’s. Any store or retailer with a barcode system could easily use this device to help calculate inventory. With the camera attachment an insurance adjuster could quickly take photos necessary for processing a claim. With mobile connection, the pictures and any notes could be instantly uploaded to a server at any location. It could come in handy to businesses that send employees on business trips. With the GPS attachment a person could easily find their way around a new area with little trouble. In the picture below you can see some of the SDIO devices mentioned. The Palm m505 has a reflective screen which makes it easy to view outside in sunlight. It also has a backlit screen for visibility in da...

10 top places to work in 2018

10 top places to work in 2018 When you’re looking for a job, where you land can be every bit as important as what job you’ll be doing. Knowing what employers are leading your field right now can help you shape your job search and figure out what you want your next step to be. Let’s look at some of the best companies to work this year, in some of the fastest-growing fields: tech, food service, retail, healthcare, and travel. Tech CompaniesIf you’re interested in being right on the innovative edge of things, there’s no place like the tech industry. There are always openings for engineers and IT whizzes, but these are also large companies that have massive infrastructure in place as well- so that means administrative jobs, marketing jobs, sales jobs, and other â€Å"non-techie† jobs as well. They also have offices around the country, so you may not even need to pack up and move to Silicon Valley to get the cutting edge tech job of your dreams.FacebookLike millions of America ns, you’re probably on Facebook. In fact, you may have clicked on this article from Facebook. Facebook is a force of nature in the tech and social media fields, continually shaping how we interact with the world and with each other. And as a company, they came up tops on Glassdoor’s annual survey of the best places to work, primarily for the opportunities it affords employees, plus solid benefits.Sample review: â€Å"Fast paced company with high expectations, but incredibly fair. You won’t a place that cares more about its people.† - Anonymous Facebook employeeGoogleThis is kind of the gold standard of working in the tech world, isn’t it? We’ve all heard the rumors of lavish cafeterias and super-casual offices at Google, but the company just might be worth the hype. In employee surveys, Google tends to get great marks for employee culture and work-life balance, but be warned- a â€Å"challenging† workload is a frequently commented-upo n characteristic of working here, particularly in software engineering roles.Sample review: â€Å"[A] huge diversity of work ranging from defending independent journalism worldwide (Google Project Shield) to crisis response during disasters (see Maps during Hurricane Sandy or Tsunamis), to the best machine learning experts and projects in the world.† - Software Engineer at GoogleHubSpotHubSpot may not be as visible as other companies, but in the tech field it’s well-known for creating sales and marketing software. Employees cite the company’s focus on employee development and well-being, as well as its great employee benefits and perks, as a major reason for its continued success in top company rankings.Sample review: â€Å"There’s a reason HubSpot keeps winning best place to work awards. It really is a great place to be. The company truly cares about the wellbeing of their employees and shows that through great benefits and perks, transparency with empl oyees on the direction of the company, and a strong management team.† - Customer Success Manager at HubSpotFood Service CompaniesFood service is an industry that’s perennially growing, no matter what. But if you’ve ever worked in food service (or heard the horror stories), you know that it’s not always the greatest field to work in. Luckily, there are companies that make food service a solid place to work on your career path or your right-now job.In-N-Out BurgerAsk five of your friends for their opinions on In-N-Out Burger- chances are they have strong ones. The menu inspires cult-like loyalty, but did you know it’s also a pretty good place to work behind the counter as well? As a fast food chain that bucks the stereotypes of, well, fast food chains, In-N-Out gets high marks for flexible scheduling and excellent pay and benefits.Sample review: â€Å"Extremely flexible with scheduling, you work with similar personalities so everyone tends to get alo ng, you move up quickly, you genuinely feel appreciated 9 times out 10, free meal every day that you work, great pay and excellent benefits for a rewarding job!† - Anonymous In-N-Out employeeRetail CompaniesIf you’re in the retail field, you know that the quality of the employee experience can vary pretty widely. That’s why when there are rockstar companies that can make your retail career more fulfilling, it’s good to know where those opportunities are.CostcoWhenever there’s a survey of great companies to work for (no matter what the industry), Costco usually pulls in plenty of praise. The wholesale retail giant offers highly competitive salaries and full benefits like vacation time, sick time, retirement plans, childcare assistance, and tuition reimbursement, among others. Costco is also one of the few large retailers that remain closed on holidays, giving employees paid time off.Sample review: â€Å"Costco takes care of its employees.† - A dministrative Clerk at CostcoLululemonFor a company that pins its public image on health, fitness and well-being, it’s good to hear that Lululemon is a popular place to work as well. Employees cite the company’s focus on employee progress and development as one of the top features of working for this athletic apparel retailer.Sample review: â€Å"Above average pay for retail. Great benefits. Opportunity for great bonuses. Doesn’t feel like working retail.† - Assistant Manager at LululemonHealthcare CompaniesIf you’re looking to pick a hot field right now, healthcare is it. Healthcare jobs consistently rank among the fastest-growing jobs according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it’s such a varied industry that pretty much anyone can find a niche, from working with patients to technology to administration.St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalSt. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric research hospitals, helping children who have cancer and other chronic or life-threatening diseases. It scores high marks among employees for its focus on innovative research, and the teamwork atmosphere it cultivates.Sample review: â€Å"The people here are fantastic and welcoming! It feels more like a family career than just a job. The researchers and facilities are top notch, and everything is collaborative.† - Associate Scientist at St. Jude’sTexas Health ResourcesIf you’re a Texan or thinking about relocating to one of its bustling metro areas, and you’re seeking a new job in the health industry, consider Texas Health Resources. This faith-based, nonprofit health system consistently ranks in Glassdoor’s top 50 places to work, primarily due to its generous benefits and collaborative atmosphere for allied health professionals.Sample review: â€Å"Good patient-nurse ratios, great benefits, tuition reimbursement, overall positi ve work environment, diverse staff and patient population, good communication.† - Registered Nurse at Texas Health ResourcesTravel and Hospitality CompaniesAlthough some segments of the travel and tourism industry have been slowing down, air travel-related jobs have been rebounding. But not all airlines are created the same, and the ones that rank high in employee satisfaction are leading the industry.DeltaWhether on planes or working behind the scenes at the airport, Delta employees receive a strong benefits package and participate in a profit-sharing program that encourages good performance all around.Sample review: â€Å"Delta as an airline is top-notch, as all rankings indicate, increasing job security and profit sharing. Safety is a top-tier focus in all facets of the company. Employees have a vested interest in improving reliability and performance of the airline, so teamwork among all departments is standard.† - Department Manager at DeltaSouthwestâ€Å"Companie s that care† may sound like a clichà ©, but according to many Southwest Airlines employees, it’s true for their own company. The low-cost airline provides comprehensive benefits, and focuses on employee development and well-being. Plus, employees get travel perks.Sample review: â€Å"Company with a heart, great working environment, fun teams, fast paced work, leaders who care about employee development, excellent benefits, and an all around enjoyment to go to work each day for the company!† - Business Operations Analyst at Southwest AirlinesNo matter what industry you’re considering (or already working in), the ultimate goal is to find a workplace that checks off a number of boxes: career development, job satisfaction, decent compensation, and a positive environment, among other qualities. If you’re interested in overall employee satisfaction and positive career opportunities, you might want to follow the advice of people who’ve been there a nd check out one of these companies for your own career goals.