There’s so much to consider when hiring a potential candidate at any company. Reviewing resumes and checking references have always been the norm but when and where does social media come into play?
There are some fine lines that both HR professionals and candidates alike need to be mindful of when it comes to social media posts and the conclusions that can be drawn from them. An example would be making a hiring decision upon discovering personal information such as a pregnancy or if the candidate is getting married and likely requiring time off in the not-too-distant future. Making hiring decisions based on this information would be legally problematic under these circumstances and others similar.
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Job seekers place too much focus on answering the hard 
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) developed a scale to demonstrate the main language functions that a learner can perform with full control at each of the major levels. The chart shows the connection of the levels of the 
American Sign Language, or even simple gestures are processed by deaf people in the part of the brain that is used for spoken language, according to a recent international research study headed up by a neuroscientist from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Aaron Newman, Associate Professor with the university’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, and collaborators Ted Supalla and Elissa Newport from Georgetown University, student Nina Fernandez, and Daphne Bavelier from the Universities of Geneva and Rochester, were able to show those who are congenitally deaf process signs and gestures in the left hemisphere of the brain. Those test subjects who were not deaf and not users of sign language processed the information in the portion of the brain used to process human movement. “It is a basic science study, with no immediate implications for people in the area of health,” Newman said in an interview.
The start of the New Year is always prime time for employers to look for and hire new talent.
In recent months there have protests at college campuses across the nation calling attention to a previously little-known term: “micro-aggressions,” commonly defined as routine verbal and non-verbal slights and harassment (often based on race and gender but also including age, sexual orientation and disability) that is typically unintentional but nonetheless hurtful.
Language Testing International (LTI) is pleased to announce that Michigan is now the 26th state requiring ACTFL tests for Teacher Credentialing. We have moved steadily forward, adding OPIc and ProFluent+ to many states that have previously only accepted the OPI. Additionally, we are continually adding new states to our growing list overall.
A new and very interesting 
During the holiday season many retailers, both at the store-level and online, find that communicating with customers in their native language to be a challenge. Selecting which languages communicate in for both employees and website retailers, should reflect your product’s market opportunities and long-term goals. Using backend technologies like geolocation or tracking of billing addresses help identify the origin of your consumer and determine their language preferences.
As the American population continues to diversify and businesses expand operations around the world, multilingual employees provide a valuable resource. Their words often generate a customer’s first impression of your company and determine his or her willingness to engage in the future. Determining that your multilingual employees are proficient will ensure that they will provide excellent service in all their interactions and is an investment in your company’s future success. As the recognized industry leader in language proficiency assessment, Language Testing International (LTI) provides consistent and defensible testing that helps companies make that investment wisely.