At Zappos Your Co-Workers Could Be Robots

SavvySugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:05:38 -0700

The word robot always conjures an image of Dot Matrix from Space Balls for me, but the robots Zappos has introduced to its workforce don't need piggyback rides when they're tired and we can be sure they are not equipped with virgin-alarms. The orange robots reside in the company's Kentucky warehouse and are part of the assembly line that packs the boxes containing your shoes.

The robots' job is to retrieve shoes from the warehouse and bring them to a person who packs the boxes, and another robot takes the completed box to another area to be shipped. Incorporating robots is seen by some as an effective way to cut down on costs to prevent US companies from outsourcing.

Interview Tip: Videotape Your Practice Runs

SavvySugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:45:56 -0700

You never want to come across like an over-rehearsed robot when you're interviewing for a job, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice. Quite the contrary. Outlining answers for predictable interview questions is crucial to your confidence, which is an attractive quality in job candidates. Applicant pools are larger than ever, so take your typical interview preparation a step further by visually critiquing your pre-performance.

Ask a friend to stand-in as your interviewer, and once you get past the initial giggling, the exercise can prove to be highly valuable. You may be surprised to find that you fidget with your fingers, nervously shake your leg or tap your foot, or play with your hair unknowingly. Polish your act by fixing your on-screen tics so you'll be all set when it's game time.

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