Bogdan Gavrila – Core Target | Business Blog

Open Source Officers (OSOs) are the Intelligence Community’s foreign media experts. They use foreign language and area knowledge to review and assess foreign open media sources, including Internet sites, newspapers, press agencies, television, radio and specialized publications, collecting intelligence from these media to deliver high-impact products to the U.S. foreign affairs community. OSOs develop and apply in-depth knowledge of a broad range of foreign media to identify trends and patterns, and to write analytical products. They may also translate text, audio and video information and select materials from the media for translation by independent contract translators. OSOs research and analyze the media environment in a particular country or region and prepare media analyses that inform customers of subtle relationships and trends in the media.

The candidates we seek are creative, with a keen interest in foreign affairs, strong writing and analytical skills, a well-developed facility for reading and translating one or more of a broad range of foreign languages, and working knowledge of the Internet. Many OSOs have lived in their region of interest and/or have formally studied the politics and history of a particular country or region.

Positions are in the metropolitan Washington, DC area, with limited opportunities for overseas travel and assignments. In addition to salary and benefits, these Officers are eligible to earn annual language “bonus” pay based on in-house language proficiency testing. OSOs may also have the opportunity to take courses in additional languages and area studies as well as other relevant training.

As a part of the screening process, selected applicants will be sent a language proficiency test and asked to provide an analytic writing sample. The following languages, or language combinations, with relevant area knowledge are sought: Arabic; Bulgarian; Central Asian and Russian; Chinese; Czech; Dari/Pashtu; Farsi/Persian; French and Arabic; French or Portuguese and African Studies; Greek; Hebrew and Arabic; Hindi; Hungarian and Romanian; Indonesian; Korean; Polish; Russian and Ukrainian; Serbo-Croatian; Turkish; and Urdu.

Although the job is a full time the salary starts at $36,200… not very attractive but if you are interested in this job, you can check it out here…

Cezar blogged about this as we had presidential company on our last dinner downtown: the Romanian president, Traian Basescu together with his wife sat just next to us and enjoyed the specialties like a normal couple.

Traian Basescu is well known in Romania because of his “informal caused” events. He is often seen alone in public places, driving his car or skating along with the youngsters.

Few people know that these events are very well planned. I was talking with Dan Petre a few weeks ago that the new politicians have to mix more with the crowds. The “vip” look with limousines and annoying bodyguards is not what the voters want. So, there are counselors in Romania building new images and political brands.

As we speak, I know only 2 politicians that received and implement this type of political/PR behavior: Mircea Geoana and Traian Basescu. Geoana rides the subway and sometimes walks on the streets during the rush hours. Basescu is more visible as he is the president: he shops in the local Carrefour, he skates, and he is taking his wife to the restaurants or to the movies.

As I was involved in some events where the president was invited, I had the chance to discover all the security details of the “unexpected visit”. First of all, the secret service is no longer wearing only black tie. Sometimes they wear casual or sports wear and they are in the premises 2 hours before the president. After they secure the routes and the exits, they mix with the people. If the event is planned (there is a press release that the president will be there), they send the German Sheppard trained to find explosives.
When dining downtown, the secret service is very careful not to disturb the local clients. They work in couples (men-women) and they seem to be there for a drink. Because the restaurants in Bucharest need reservation (not easy to find a table in a good place for dinner), the officers will keep a table occupied until the president arrives. You’ll notice them because even they are a couple, they don’t talk and they drink water/juice for almost an hour. During this waiting time, other arrangements are made: in order to avoid other “drinking and driving” scandals, the management is asked not to leave branded bottles on the table.

The president is a fan of the Jidvei’s wine as his friend Adriean Videanu (the mayor of Bucharest) is secretly involved with this Romanian vineyard.

Returning to our evening, it was fun because not every day we have the chance to eat with the president – I must say that he confirmed again that he is a “people person” as he was very careful to salute us or to socialize with the regular clients.

For the press:
- the president told his wife that he dismissed his bodyguards for the holidays;
- the waiter came with a bottle of white wine and served him a glass;
- yes, he was driving

It seems that NCH is not the only one helping Neogen or paying the competition. Maybe because it’s around Christmas, and they feel the need to share

Let me explain: this will come as a shock before Christmas at ARBO – they are also direct competitors with NEOGEN (ARBOtext vs Neogen Text Ads) but in the same time they are no.1 in promoting their business (Congrats, you guys!)

Why is this happening?
Because the ARBO site owners receive money from Neogen as they send people over to BestJobs or Noi2 (the affiliate program) – for every person registered they earn around 30 cents (I recall) but also 20-50% if a company orders some services on Neogen.

ARBO should be terrified by this fact because in some way or another, they are loosing big bucks because their site owners are using the ARBO ad server in promoting rival networks. Imagine how would be like if all the in-house banners will point to Neogen or Netbrige as recommended services…

They are looking for middle-level and as we speak, more than 70 people applied for the job on BestJobs and over 90 on eJobs. It seems that the new manager will take care of the sales in the advertising department.

Why is someone about to get fired at NCH over this:
- because they have at least 3 career websites in the group
- because they can afford a RECRUITING AGENCY or a small head hunter – after all, they are looking for a Sales Manager, not for a janitor
- because this can cause PR problems (some people could think that the websites NCH develops are not so good since NCH uses other services)
- because they have a policy not to pay the competition for the same service they have in-house (I belive we all have this policy )

Finally, their premium recruiting website (HR Romania) has no announcement about this career opportunity. I wonder how is like to pay your competition to decide who is suitable for your company

This is a funny print screen: MyJob (powered by NCH) is their most visited jobbing website – but the good traffic is not a thing to be proud of when you have the most looked-up word “holiday greetings”…

I had to drop by in a short visit this evening at ARBOmedia and I was shocked to see that their headquarters is invaded by gift bags. So if you are a site owner, client, planner or journalist connected to ARBO, expect some bonus treats this year.