Skip to main content
The largest online newspaper archive
A Publisher Extra® Newspaper

St. Cloud Times from Saint Cloud, Minnesota • Page 2

Publication:
St. Cloud Timesi
Location:
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Issue Date:
Page:
2
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

6B St Cloud Times Business Monday, Dec. 12, 1994 E. verytnin Sega's strategy: Bead interactive entertainment you believed, tho lines. The service will likely cost about $12 a month, though the pnce is left to indi stor vidual cable operators. Subscribers can ught, choose from 50 games each month, play knew or felt about ing any or all as much as they wish.

How ltworks: Once hooked up, turn on the TV it doesnt matter what channel it tuned to and turn on the Sega machine. The facilities sega Channel comes on automatically. Job interview questions cross line, students say Author of survey cites ill-trained managers GANNETT NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON As college students undergo the rigors of job interviews this fall, recent graduates cite a common complaint inappropriate questions. The graduates, interviewed in the spring, say recruiters often posed questions that were either intrusive, offensive or even illegal. Examples: Is your boyfriend white? What does your father do? What is your religious orientation? Why didn't you go to Harvard? Describe the making of a perfect banana split "The incidence of people asking these inappropriate questions is pervasive," said Judy Bogdam, author of the Hanigan Consulting Group's annual survey of graduating college students.

Of the 200 students she surveyed, most listed at least one example of an egregious question. She, and other experts in employee recruitment, aren't surprised. They find managers, many of whom are quite competent, are often ill-trained to interview job candidates. "They just don't know better," said Bodgan. In training sessions, she said, more than half of managers fail a routine test on appropriate questions.

Increasingly, they may pay the price. Because of the U.S. economy's strength, the job market is becoming a buyer's market that is, a student's market. If a student feels offended by a question, he or she is likely to look elsewhere for a job. Last spring, for instance, the students On the screen is a menu listing categories of games, including "Sports Arena" and "Classics." Most games are ones that have been out for a while, not the current hottest sellers.

(Sega doesn't want the channel to bite into retail sales.) must now be reviewed, mod ified. updated and amended. Nothing Click a button on the machine to choose a category, then choose from a list of games. The game gets loaded directly into your Sega machine via the cable line, just as if you loaded a car tridge into die machine. Once the game is loaded, start playing.

-tl -tl For now, a Sega Channel subscriber can't play against another subscriber in CISC llKC ito A whole new ball game. Whatever was, Out ain't. with the old; in with surveyed landed on average more than two job offers each. Minority students did even better; they averaged three each. TT TT As a result, fewer than 40 percent of employers' offers were accepted.

employers may need to work even harder this fall to attract the most talented students. theliiU Hiring for the class of 1994-1995 will be the best in recent years, rising by 5.9 percent, predicts an annual study released earner this month by Michigan btate University. Another recent study, of 15,000 firms. Innovative Sega Channel offers new way to get video games GANNETT NEWS SERVICE yt, NEW YORK Sonic the Hedgehog may become the next Mickey Mouse. Sonic is the lead character for Sega Enterprises, a company evolving into a Walt Disney Co.

for the information highway age. Sega is looking to move beyond video games the way Disney moved beyond Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts in the 1930s. "We have a mission statement," says Thomas Kalinske, CEO of Sega of America, the powerful U.S. portion of Tokyo-based Sega. "We want to lead in interactive entertainment whether in the home or out of the home." The statement purposely omits the words "video games." To reach its broader vision, Sega has, for instance, opened a film studio and launched plans to build 50 theme parks in the United States.

Last week, Sega and two partners, Tele-Communications Inc. and Time Warner, launched The Sega Channel. It lets Sega machine owners download and play up to 50 different games by tapping into the channel via cable TV lines. Cost: about $12 a month. Analysts call it the first mass-market two-way TV service, and most say it's a sure-fire winner.

Stan Thomas, Sega Channel's president, expects to have up to 1 million subscribers by the end of 1995, and turn a profit in 1996. Customers in a few areas can begin to use the channel today. It will be available in 14 cities by the end of December. "All the feedback I've heard has been extremely positive," says John Taylor, analyst at L.H. Alton Co.

Adds Rob Agee, editor of Interactive Television Report: "The test results look very good." Video games rule on The Sega Channel, but the channel creates an intriguing early version of the information highway envisioned by technology experts. Sega has 18 million game units in U.S. homes 18 percent of households. Each is a digital, computerized device attached to a television set. Connect them through cable lines and bingo! Sega could deliver much more than games.

"The reality is that through, the game and The Sega Channel, we are supplying data," Thomas says. "Right now, the data is games. But it's not inconceivable that we could supply other kinds of data" perhaps news reports or school-related information. Thomas breezily moves back to the topic of games. He wouldn't want Sega's fun image to get sullied by too many references to "data" at least not yet.

This month, Sega has to concentrate on its core market. The company is shoveling $45 million into a holiday-season marketing blitz to battle arch-rival Nintendo. Sega and Nintendo just about split the $6 billion-a-year video game market, leaving crumbs to challengers. The video game business, including arcade games, accounts for almost all of Sega's revenue. This year marks a transition for Sega and the rest of the video game industry.

Demand has peaked for so-called 16-bit games, the current technology. Next year, Sega and Nintendo will come out with more powerful 32-bit games (as will an imposing new entrant, Sony). New hardware, new software and new marketing campaigns could mean the market will shift in ways no one can foresee. As industries such as entertainment, computers and communications converge on the information highway, consumers will get video games delivered by many sources. More homes have personal computers with CD-ROM drives, which can run eye-catching games.

Cable and phone companies plan to attach computer-like boxes to TV sets to handle interactive services, including games delivered via cable or phone wires. To get ready for that, cable TV giant TCI paid $80 million for 10 percent of Acclaim Entertainment, a game creator, in October. Sega sees the threats and is trying to get ahead of them. Its strategy starts at New York-based Sega Channel. The channel doesn't require a futuristic super-network.

Most up-to-date cable systems can carry it All a subscriber has to have is a Sega machine, any model, and a connection kit from the cable operator. The kit includes an adapter that plugs into the Sega machine and wires that connect the adapter to cable conducted by Manpower said the nation's employers plan to expand their work forces in the first quarter of 1995 at the fastest rate in five years. With such a market, sought-after stu dents can be more selective. And, if they know employment law, they can even sue a firm that asks illegal questions. lhree federal laws regulate the tvpes of questions that employers can ask dur- lng an interview.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits cUscrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin and religion. The Age another house or aty, but that's coming. Sega is working with Cupertino, Catapult to develop the capability. Subscribers in test markets were enthusiastic. They felt the channel was a bargain, especially since buying a Sega game in a store can cost $50 or more; renting one game costs $2 to $3 for a couple of days.

"Outrageous! Right on time! Saves my parents lots of money!" 7-year-old Jamie Beasley of Buffalo, N. wrote to The Sega Channel. Thomas believes the channel can echo the success of Home Box Office, the premium movie service owned by Time Warner. Thomas worked at HBO for 11 years. "HBO took a medium that existed movies and brought it into the home in a more convenient, efficient and exciting way," he says.

"We wanted to do the same with video games." As the channel gets up and running, it will give Sega early insights into how it can take advantage of the information highway. "We'll have hands-on experience operating what everyone else is dreaming about," he says. After The Sega Channel, the next step is theme parks more specifically, virtual reality parks. Sega has built one, called Joypolis, in Yokohama; Japan. It's about 90,000 square feet a sliver compared to Disney World but big enough to include restaurants and shops among the virtual reality rides.

Typical is a ride called "Scramble Training." Sixteen people sit in a pod that can simulate motion. They don goggles and headsets. The ride immerses them in a space battle. Each person shoots at bad guys. Highest scorer gets to land the spacecraft.

Visitors to Joypolis spend $40 to $50 each. Net profit margins are reportedly around 30 percent. Kalinske will try to transport that success to this country. He has plans to build 50 U.S. parks by 2000.

As the parks are built, Sega may hook them together via phone lines so a visitor in Cleveland could play a virtual reality game against someone at a park in Dallas. In the meantime, Sega this month opens a digital studio in San Francisco, not far from its U.S. headquarters in Redwood City, Calif. The studio will let Sega film scenes to create more realistic games or, perhaps, interactive movies. It will, says Kalinske, let the company experiment with new forms of entertainment.

The chief concern about Sega is this: "They've got a lot of balls in the air," says analyst Taylor. The company has to handle the ongoing competition plus its new ventures. "It will be a challenging period. It's where good management rises to the top." Sega's management seems up to it, analysts say. Kalinske, a former Mattel executive, joined Sega of America in 1990 when it was a non-factor in the U.S.

market. He blasted the company, founded by U.S.-born David Rosen in 1954, past Nintendo and has made Sega of America as powerful as Sega in Tokyo. Sega's U.S. arm creates 85 percent of all software played on Sega machines worldwide. Sega is a powerful brand name.

It is one of the world's best interactive entertainment developers; almost all Nintendo games are created by outside developers. Add in the channel, the theme parks and more, and there's a chance Sega is entering Disney's world. Discrimination in Employment Act pro hibits questions about a person age. Before Apollo, storage facilities were buildings left largely unattended and out in the open with just a The Americans with Disabilities Act of iijf 1990 forbids discrimination based on disability. To comply with these laws, recruiters padlock separating them from your private property.

should avoid questions that relate to age, race, sex, color, national origin, religion or disabilities. They're also advised, if they want to Apollo Security Storage offers 24-hour 24-hour computerized security for each unit, get the best answers, to avoid questions that give either yesno or prepared responses. T.V. monitoring surrounded by an eight-foot fence Bodgan suggests, for example, thev ask open-ended questions that explore the candidate's behavior. Examples include: "Describe a con flict you successfully resolved" or "What steps did you take to gain approval for your recommendation?" and two 15' electronic gates.

In addition, most Apollo units are out of the elements, accessible from our unique drive-thru corridor design and accessible with your security code. With a luminous security lighting system inside and out, Tips For Interviewers GANNETT NEWS SERVICE Hints for conducting a good inter view: 1 Try to out the aDDlicant at ease at the beginning of the interview. 2. If an applicant freezes on a Ques there are 412 storage units. All at competitive prices, we offer a wide range of storage unit sizes.

Apollo Security Storage also offers business record file storage. Our file storage units are equipped with tion, move on to the next one. 3. Try to ask questions that facilitate discussion. Avoid those that require a yes or no answer.

4. Don ask leadina Questions. Keep the Questions ODen-ended so the applicant can speak freely. loune Strode, General Manager a racking system to hold up to 176 bankers boxes of files and can be accessed 24 hours a day. 5.

Ask only job-related questions. 6. Listen. Tips For Candidates Casework Ways to avoid inappropriate ques Hwy 10 tions: Cobormi Superstore 1 No: Are you a U.S. citizen? Yes: Are vou lawfully erriDlovable in Benton Drive the United States? Markets 2.

No: How old are you? Yes: Are you over the age of 1 3. No: Do you have any children? What are you child care arrange ments Yes: Would you be willinq to relo We're located across from the new Sauk Rapids Industrial Park, approximately one mile from Cobom's Superstore cate? Would you be available to travel? 4. No: What clubs or organizations do you belong to? Yes: What professional or trade CASH GRAIN Clear Lake GTA Elevator (close of business Friday). Corn: 1.73. Beans: 5.19.

Oats: 1.08. Rye: 2.00. St. Cloud Jack Frost-Gold'n Plump Elevator (close of business Friday). Corn: 1.87; March 2.17.

Beans: 5.19. DOLLAR LONDON (AP) The dollar was mixed against other major currencies in early European trading today. Gold prices were higher. In Tokyo, the dollar closed at 100.26 yen. down 0.14 yen from Friday's close.

Later in London, the dollar was quoted at 100.15 yen compared with 100.26 yen late Friday. Other dollar rates compared with late Friday: 1 .5785 German marks, down from 1 .5804 1,3382 Swiss francs, down from 1.3392 5.4313 French francs, up from 5.4235 1,7693 Dutch guilders, down from 1.7723 1 ,638.00 Italian lire, up from 1 ,631 .00 1.3853 Canadian dollars, up from 1.3835 The British pound was quoted at $1 .5603, up from $1.5585 late Friday, GOLDSILVER London's major bullion dealers fixed a recommended gold price of $376.85 per ounce at mid-morning, up from the closing price of $376.10 bid per ounce Friday. In Zurich, the bid price was $376.75, up from $375.80 late Friday. In Hong Kong, gold rose 32 cents to close at a bid $377.16. Silver traded in London at $4.73 a troy ounce, up from $4.67 a troy ounce Friday.

groups do you belonq to that vou con sider relevant to your ability to perform this JOD7 5. No: Have vou had a worker's compensation claim? Yes: (You are better off not askina 1111 Franklin Avenue, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 251-0334 Another Development of Strack Development Properties this or any related question during the pre-offer stage.).

Get access to Newspapers.com

  • The largest online newspaper archive
  • 300+ newspapers from the 1700's - 2000's
  • Millions of additional pages added every month

Publisher Extra® Newspapers

  • Exclusive licensed content from premium publishers like the St. Cloud Times
  • Archives through last month
  • Continually updated

About St. Cloud Times Archive

Pages Available:
1,047,363
Years Available:
1928-2024