Month: February 2020

3 Ways to Be More Productive at Work

college student
Whether you’re just starting your first internship or you’re already settled into a full-time job, being productive is something that should be at the top of your mind. Why? Because productivity not only makes you a better employee, it also ensures that you can be successful in your role and advance in your career.

Here are three things you can do to be more productive at work.

1. Have a consistent morning routine

If you’ve ever read about the daily routines of successful entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg, then you know that most of them have very specific things they do every morning, from answering their emails right when they wake up to making sure that they take the time to exercise. Although you might not consider yourself an entrepreneur (yet) having a morning routine is important even when you’re just starting out. A good way to create your routine is by figuring out the things that are most important in your day and then prioritizing them accordingly. For example, if you know that creating a to-do list and answering emails first thing in the morning will make your more productive throughout the day, make these tasks part of your morning routine and tackle them before you move on to anything else.

2. Focus on one thing at a time
While multitasking might seem like a great thing in theory, studies have consistently shown that it doesn’t work. What does work is focusing your attention on specific tasks by dividing up up your day into blocks of time. For example, if you’re a social media manager whose day involves creating social media posts, analyzing campaign performance and attending meetings, blocking off time to work on each of those tasks will ensure that you’re able to focus on each one individually and accomplish them effectively. A quick way to do this is by closing out all the tabs and programs you have open on your computer, leaving open only the ones you need for the task at hand.

3. Take breaks and know when to unplug

Taking breaks might seem counterintuitive to productivity, especially during a busy day when you have a lot to do, but they’re actually a great way to recharge your body and reset your mind. A good rule of thumb is to take a 5-10 minute break every hour to stretch your legs and look away from your computer screen. Methods like the Pomodoro Technique can come in handy here, since they’ll help you stay mindful of the passing hours and remind you to take breaks when you need them. Even more important is the idea of totally unplugging once you leave for the day. Although it may be tempting to keep checking your email, doing so will only keep you in work mode longer, making it harder to relax and making you more tired in the meantime. To truly be productive, it’s important to have some time offline every night to focus on other things and recharge for the following day.
Being productive is a great way to be successful in your role and to show your manager that you’re enthusiastic about your job. By following these steps, you’ll be able to get all your work done and still find time to have fun.
Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Negotiate a Job Offer and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Top 5 Tools for Digital Marketing

Top 5 Tools for Digital Marketing was originally published on WayUp Guide.
Software engineer
When it comes to digital marketing, few things are as important as the tools digital marketers rely on to get their jobs done. These include everything from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to analytics tools like Google Analytics. Allowing marketers to create, test and measure the performance of their campaigns, digital marketing tools ensure that marketers can launch and test campaigns quickly and effectively.
Here are the five common digital marketing tools.

1. Social media platforms

A common part of any integrated marketing strategy, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are a great way for marketers to engage with their audiences and generate buzz around their brand. In addition to the standard features these platforms offer, there are also some features that are designed specifically for marketing. These include Facebook Ads Manager, which allows marketers to run ads and track ad performance. As an added bonus, social media management tools like Buffer and Hootsuite also integrate well with these platforms, making it easy to schedule social posts and measure engagement.

2. Design tools

Another key part of digital marketing is design and this is especially common when it comes to creating ads and content like social media posts and blog posts. Because digital marketing is such a design heavy field, doing it effectively wouldn’t be possible without design tools like Canva and Photoshop, programs that allow those without extensive graphic design skills to add dynamic images to their content.

3. Analytics tools

Another set of helpful tools for digital marketers are analytics tools. These include everything from Google Analytics (designed to track stats for web traffic to a particular site) to social media analytics tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics which provide metrics related to engagement and help marketers optimize their campaigns. For measuring stats on the backend of a site (particularly related to conversions, sales and user demographics), there are also tools like Periscope that track user data, site searches and conversion metrics.

4. Content marketing tools

For marketers who are more focused on content marketing, tools like CoSchedule and Hubspot are a big help when it comes to content creation and curation. They can help marketers identify content opportunities and craft engaging blog and social media posts that will resonate with their audience. And since Buffer also offers the ability to see what fans are talking about on social media, that content is almost guaranteed to be impactful and to generate attention for a specific event or news story.

5. Email marketing tools

The final set of tools in a digital marketer’s toolbox are email marketing marketing tools. These help marketers create email campaigns that amplify their content and encourage their users to become more engaged with their brand — taking additional steps like signing up for events and buying products. Common email marketing tools include email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Iterable which allow marketers to build email lists and automate their email campaigns. These platforms also provide analytics for every email campaign, making testing and optimization quick and easy.
Working in digital marketing involves a unique blend of passion, strategy and media savvy. In order to maximize the impact of your various campaigns, it helps to have the best tools at your disposal.
Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Career Opportunities for Marketing Majors and find answers to common interview questions such as What Other Companies Are You Interviewing With?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

This Email Trick’s So Simple That I’m Mad at Myself for Not Using it Earlier

This Email Trick’s So Simple That I’m Mad at Myself for Not Using it Earlier was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
I’m good at lots of things, from eating lunch at exactly noon every day, to writing article introductions that make me look cocky, to downloading productivity apps and then quickly abandoning them.
You see, I love organization, and timelines, and spreadsheets. So, if I read an article that tells me that downloading a certain app will help me organize my life, I’m 110% in.
And I’ll always use it for a few days—before ultimately deciding what I was doing previously was better. And what I was doing previously was almost always something super simple.
Take my to-do list for example. I’ve tried so many of the (free) to-do list apps out there. Yet, I always come back to using sticky notes on my Mac.
 
I’m telling you all this not because I think you’re remotely interested in my to-do list evolution, but because I want to make it clear that I’m someone who likes to keep my productivity hacks simple. And this latest I’ve come across is the most simple.
In fact, it’s so simple that I’m slightly embarrassed I haven’t used it before.
I’ve started using the Gmail email stars. You know, those little stars right next to your subject line—turns out that they’re not just there for decoration.
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Here’s how I’m using them:
  1. I star any email that needs an answer that I can’t respond to right away.
  2. At the end of every day—during my “I’m too lazy to do real work” period—I go through my starred emails and respond.
  3. I remove the star. Side note: Am I delivering on simple or what?
  4. If it requires follow-up or I’m not ready to respond yet, I give it a blue star. (Did you know you can change the star colors? Well, you can, and the instructions to do that are right here.)
  5. At the end of the week, I go through the blue stars and see what needs my attention. And depending on my conclusion, I either keep or remove the star.
This system essentially creates a quick and easy inbox to-do list that only involves one click. Plus, it helps me to feel like I’m on top of my incoming emails, while simultaneously removing that “either respond to this now or else the world ends” feeling I used to get when I saw the notifications piling up.
(Oh, and if you don’t use Gmail, fear not! Outlook has a flag system that seems to serve the same exact purpose.)
If you’re thinking this is too basic, that’s fair. (And that’s also why we compiled this list of six advanced email tools.) But if you’re thinking that you want to put in as little effort as possible to your inbox without losing track of what you need to do, test it out. Worst-case scenario, you lose about 19 seconds of your week from clicking.
So, are you going to give this a try? Do you have a better system that’s even simpler? Like, it involves zero clicks and minimal willpower? Tell me on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Dealing Effectively with a Temp Agency – and What to Expect

“A temp agency – are you kidding me?”  That’s the understandable reaction of many upcoming or new BAs when someone suggests  going to see a temp agency.  But for upcoming graduates or unemployed recent graduates, it may be one of a number of options to consider, especially if some of this applies to you…
  • You are very unclear about the career path you want to pursue, or even the employment sector that most interests you – government? non-profits? private sector? start your own enterprise?
  • You worked your way through school in a retail job, nannying, etc. – and this limited your opportunities to do internships.
  • You are facing financial pressures and need to start earning money asap, but working in a hardware store is not an appealing career path.
“Temp-to-Perm” Positions.  Try to focus on agencies that emphasize temp positions that could convert into longer-term jobs.  Here are a few possibilities in DC:
How to Present Yourself to Temp Agencies
  • Put a bulleted “Administrative Skills Profile” at the top of your resume, listing the number of words per minute you can type, your software skills, and any experience you have with data entry, other digital filing, physical filing, mailrooms, doing inventory. (BTW, there’s lots of typing-test freeware available on the web.)
  • Be upbeat & energetic in your demeanor (!) – because the temp agency staffer interviewing you is trying to determine whether their client will like you.
  • Be ready to answer interview questions without hesitation; e.g., Are you restricting yourself to Metro-accessible employers? (probably say “yes”); Can you work weekends or evenings if needed? (say yes, but probably won’t be necessary); When can you start?
  • Be ready to prove yourself with the temp agency; i.e. be willing to take an initial offer that is not temp-to-perm, but which will build your credibility with the agency when the employer gives them a glowing report about this. Such initial offers could be a month long or as short as a few days.
  • Remember – you are not the agency’s client; the employer is.
Finally, applying to temp agencies is just one strategy.  You also should be applying for jobs in the normal way, via job boards and contacts; you should be networking you should and trying to get informational interviews.  And see your AU career advisor!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

I Sem-General English – Mini Teaching Vs. Micro Teaching

MINI TEACHING LESSON PLAN (for presenters)
Name:                                                                  Subject:
Grade Level:                                                        Date:
OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
[Identify each objective (what you want your students to learn or accomplish) by number, using appropriate verbs that indicate measurable objectives.  Additionally, be sure not to confuse objectives with goals.]
MATERIALS:
[In a numbered list, identify all materials and resources you used in preparing and delivering the mini lesson.  In the case of articles and texts, provide sufficient bibliographical information.]
CONTENT OUTLINE:
[Provide a topic outline of your mini lesson using the following main headings: Introduction, Activities, and Closure.  Note:  A topic outline, by definition, has specific characteristics, including parallel construction.  Be sure that you adhere to the guidelines for this type of outline.]
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
[In narrative form, provide a detailed discussion of the mini lesson using the following subheadings: Introductory Activities, Development Activities, and Concluding.  Be sure to indicate the time allotted for each of these activities as well as the competencies that support them. ]
EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT:
[List how the students will demonstrate their learning.  That is, how will you know the mini lesson has been successful?  Consider informal, formal, and portfolio methods of assessment from both a short- and long-term perspective.]
ITF Mini Teaching evaluation form (for audiences)
________________________  __________________
Presenter                                             Topic
CRITERIA
COMMENTS
Lesson Planning and Organization
  -Length of lesson
  -Clear introduction, Body, Conclusion
  -Clear expectations to students
Knowledge of Subject Matter
  -Demonstrated good technical knowledge
  -Covered subject matter well
Engagement of Students
  -Demonstrated good activities to get students engaged
  -Made topic as interesting as possible 
Instructional Media
  -Instructional media helped to convey information   (video, overheads, handouts, etc.)
Teaching performance
  -Showed enthusiasm
  – Use good strategies to deal with language challenges 
Strengths of Presentation
Weaknesses of Presentation
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Over 100 Employers Registered for the Career and Internship Fair–Prepare to Impress

Over 100 are employers registered for the upcoming Career and Internship Fair.  Log into your Pioneer Careers account to research employers, who they are recruiting (grads, undergrads, alumni or international students), what positions they are filling and which academic programs they are targeting.
6 STEPS TO GET READY
  1. Develop a Plan:  Check the list of companies attending in Pioneer Careers to see the employers attending the Career Fair. Prioritize and do your research by reviewing the company’s website. Employers expect you to be prepared with questions.
  2. Get Your Resume Ready:  Not sure if it’s ready? Attend Resume Review Day on Tuesday, February 20th from 12:00-4:00 PM on the Driscoll Bridge.
  3. Dress:  Dress like you would for an interview. There will be a lot of employers, students and alumni. You can stand out with a well-chosen outfit.
  4. Prepare to talk about yourself:  Employers expect you to state your name, degree, a couple of your strengths or skills as well as why you are interested in their company and the positions they are hiring. Think about this interaction as one of many you will make while you develop a relationship that hopefully leads to a job or internship.
  5. Be Enthusiastic:  Show your interest with a smile, firm handshake and good eye contact. Practice all of these with a friend, boss, mentor or colleague before going.
  6. Follow-Up:  Within 24 hours send a brief thank you email and connect on LinkedIn.
See you this Wednesday at the Career and Internship Fair!

7 Daily Affirmations for Frustrated Job Seekers

Once upon a time . . .

I was invited into a final round of interviews for my next dream job. Like a good lil’ candidate, I went straight to LinkedIn to research my interviewers and prepare for who I would be speaking with. For no good reason, my subconscious began eliminating me from the candidate pool based on a cursory comparison of my education and experience to theirs. Suddenly, I felt less qualified for the job because my interviewers were my approximately my age with masters degrees or 20 years my senior with 30 years of experience. I knew I was qualified when I applied, so why was I doubting it now?

In conversations with my colleague, an enthusiastically compassionate Certified Career Counselor, she warned me to beware of “perceived shortcomings”. In a tone dripping with logic and reason, she asked “If they called you back, they clearly don’t see it as a weakness, so why should you?”

“If they called you back, they clearly don’t see it as a weakness, so why should you?”

I repeated that phrase and question to myself for a week straight.

Perceived shortcomings.

Perceived shortcomings.

PERCEIVED shortcomings.

Mind. Blown.

We all need that mirror sometimes, don’t we? That coach in our corner of the ring telling us that fear is all in our head and all those other motivational clichés. My “professional dysmorphia” was making me see an image of my qualifications that wasn’t as good as what everyone else was seeing. I know I have a stockpile of practical experience to offer that does not (yet) include a degree. As it turned out, I was right. I had extensive tactical and strategic experience in a field which this particular position would be almost single-mindedly be responsible for revolutionizing. All along, this subject matter expertise that I gained as part of my current position would be the deal-maker in moving me along my dream career path.

As a career guidance professional, I often find myself acting as a cheerleader for job-seekers. The job search is an emotional roller coaster, filled with rejection, mistakes, doubt, and anxiety. It’s one of the few scenarios, I imagine, that can make a military general with 35 years of experience question his employability as much as a high school dropout. We all love to compare ourselves to others, especially those of us with more (cough, cough) “competitive” natures. For better or worse, competition can help us constantly push us to improve and be a better version of ourselves OR it can make us feel inadequate.

I played these 7 phrases on a mental loop throughout my career transition:

1.     If they called me, they are interested. Walk in with confidence – Employers will not waste their time on someone they don’t think is a good fit at all.

2.     If they don’t think I’m a good fit, I’m not a good fit. Regardless of how perfect this position is for me, they obviously know something I don’t.

3.     This “No” gets me one more “No” closer to a “Yes”. I didn’t get this job, so I will take this opportunity to reflect, refine, and move on.

4.     I only need to hear “Yes” once. I don’t need every job I apply for – just the one I want, that also wants me.

5.     Things happen as they should. This opportunity was more perfect for someone else, so I’ll keep looking for one better-suited for me.

6.     I can only be me. I’m the best version of me in the interview, so I will BE ME and gosh darn it, I’m going to do it better than anyone else!

7.     I AM enough. I am enough. I am enough. I. AM. ENOUGH.

Someone wise once told me (over and over again) that “repetition is the Mother of learning”. So, friends . . . lather, rinse, repeat, and I hope these will allow you to compete against only yourself in the marathon that is your career.

Grammar-Translation Method

Grammar – Translation Method
Grammar Translation Method or Classical Method is the oldest method of teaching English in India. “Under the translation method, the meaning of English words, phrases, and sentences is taught by means of word – to –word translation into the mother tongue” says H. Champion. This method is known as Grammar Translation Method because the grammar of the new language is taught with the help of the grammar of the mother tongue. The major characteristics of this method are;
Ñ The unit of teaching is word
Ñ Mother tongue dominates
Ñ It lays emphasis on written language
Ñ It advocates the formal teaching of grammar
Principles
According to Thompson and Wyatt, this method is based on three sound principles.
X Translation interprets foreign methodology best
X In the process of interpretation the foreign phraseology is best assimilated
X The structure of a foreign language is best learnt when compared and contrasted with that of the mother tongue.
Arguments in favour of Translation Method
J   Easy Method:  This method is based on the maxim of learning from know to unknown. It is accordance with Apperceptive Theory which states, “Learning is to connect old and new ideas”. This method tries to establish a strong bond between foreign phraseology (new ideas) and mother tongue (old ideas).
J   Saves teacher’s labour:  It is economical as it saves time. Foreign phraseology can be quickly explained. Abstract words and phrases can be easily explained through mother tongue.
J   Grammar is easily taught:   The pupils can have a perfect mastery of written English, the spellings of English words and the formal grammar. It supports the notion of Faculty Psychologists who think that grammar disciplines the mind.
J   Easy testing of Comprehension:   Students can be asked to narrate what they learnt in mother – tongue. Thus it helps in testing comprehension. The pupils acquires the art of translation.
J   Average level students and teachers:   This method is highly useful for the students of average and below average level. Teachers with reasonable language proficiency can cope up with this method.
J   Helps in Building Vocabulary:   this method helps in the rapid expansion of vocabulary as it avoids difficult definitions and lengthy explanations. The vocabulary is economically and effectively acquired.
Criticisms
L  Unnatural Method:  The order of language skills is not properly followed as listening, speaking, reading and writing.
L  Neglects Speech and Pattern practice:  Since mother tongue is enormously used, it never leads to practice in English. Unless an English atmosphere is created, the student is tempted to speak in first language.
L  Lack of Pronunciation skill:  This method fails to teach correct articulation, intonation and pronunciation since there is no emphasis on listening, speaking and reading.
L  Strong Emphasis on Writing:   The strong emphasis on writing is without foundation. Because spoken language is the living, dynamic and evolving language. Written language cannot be the sole basis of language study.
L  Exact Translation is Impossible:  The words, idioms and phrases in English, which reflects the culture, tradition and customs of English people. They cannot be translated without losing their correct effect. Sometimes literal translation becomes ridiculous. As Champion points out, “The fundamental weakness of translation is that it prevents or retards the pupil from thinking in English”.
L  Strong Emphasis on Formal Grammar:   This method tries to teach English by rules and not by use. Dr. Bullard says, “To speak any language entirely by rule is quite impossible”.
Suggestions for Improvement:
Ø While speaking English, teachers should speak it with correct pronunciation and use grammatically correct sentences.
Ø Teachers should put more emphasis on those points in which Indian vernaculars differ from English.
Ø Reading practice should be made compulsory for all students. That should be properly monitored properly by the teacher.

A Small Habit That’ll Ensure You and Your Boss Are Always on the Same Page

A Small Habit That’ll Ensure You and Your Boss Are Always on the Same Page was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
The perfect boss is a mind reader. They know how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking at any given time, and so they adjust how they treat you and what they assign you accordingly.
You’d probably agree with that statement, right?
But the reality is that managers don’t have this superpower—no one does.
However, communicating more clearly—the real-life fix to not working with mind readers—is something you can do in your office. This is what we call “managing up.”
And if that term scares you or seems impossible in your situation, we’ve discovered the best method to try it out.
In a recent article Quartz writer Khe Hy talks about how his boss’ vague communication stressed him out on a daily basis. So, he decided to take matters into his own hands—with one simple email:
Every Friday afternoon, I’d send my boss a short email with three categories:
· The work I had completed that week
· What I was working on, including any deadlines that may have shifted or obstacles I’d encountered
· What I was waiting on—that is, tasks that I’d completed, but require sign-off from my boss or contributions from someone else
Rather than wait for his manager to guess what he needed from them, he proactively put all that information in front of them so they could easily get back to him with a response, sign-off, or edit. It also ensured his boss was well aware of where he stood in meeting deadlines.
But most importantly, this short email inadvertently tells his boss how he’s getting along mentally and emotionally—for example, if he communicates the same obstacles every week, it opens the door for a deeper discussion about shifting strategies or extending deadlines that’ll relieve some of that stress.
The real kicker? Writing it up only takes Hy 15 minutes (and probably takes his manager less time to read).
Sending this kind of message may seem redundant, but it’s a great way to keep your boss up-to-speed on what you’re working on so that they can manage you effectively—and encourages them to be open with you on what they’re working on, too. Even better, highlighting your accomplishments is the first step toward proving you’re worthy of a raise or promotion down the road.
Even if an email isn’t the right strategy for your team, one thing you can take away from this is the importance of communicating with the people you work with. So often our frustrations stem from assuming someone knows something they don’t—which is why it never hurts to reach out to a team member when you could use a hand (rather than hope they’ll notice you’re struggling and offer to help out), or update them if you’re running behind (so they know when to expect a final product), or simply ask if communicating different (such as emailing weekly progress reports rather than meeting every Monday) might be more effective.
If you make communicating (like really communicating) a part of your routine, you’ll find that hoping your co-workers become mind readers won’t be so high on your wish list.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

4 Small Changes That’ll Give You More Confidence When You Talk to Important People

4 Small Changes That’ll Give You More Confidence When You Talk to Important People was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel at least a twinge of nerves when interacting with important people. We’re social beings, designed to influence and be influenced, so of course you’re going to notice and react to another person’s success, status, or power. There’s no need to tie yourself up in knots, however. A few small changes in your mindset and approach can help you decrease your anxiety and increase your chances of having a conversation you’re proud of.

1. Name the Problem

Whether you call it anxiety, discomfort, intimidation, or something else, what’s eating at you is fear. This feeling hijacks your rational thought processes, and it’s crucial to ask yourself what, exactly, you’re afraid of if you want to get over it.
The underlying cause of your fear will be unique to you and may vary from one situation to another. General anxiety at the thought of interacting with highly successful people may be due to your perceived inadequacy. Or maybe you were embarrassed years ago by someone powerful, so now you’re afraid that situation will replay itself in your professional life. Those fears have nothing to do with the people you’re afraid of—they’re about you. On the other hand, you may periodically have to interact with a powerful person who really is a jerk, and that can certainly ratchet your fear closer to “zombie-attack” level.  But even then, it’s important to be realistic, which brings me to my next point.

2. Replace Hyperbole With Fact

Few people operate from a purely rational and factual mindset day in and day out. Instead, we allow our imaginations to run wild. It looks like this: I once had a new supervisor who physically resembled a previous, difficult boss. I avoided my new manager for a while because of this. Had I not been acting irrationally though, I’d have realized physical similarity doesn’t equate to matching personalities. I wouldn’t have made any assumptions about the new supervisor and instead would’ve given her a fair chance. When you catch your imagination running away, stop, and simply state what’s factual. Let’s say you’ve got a big luncheon that will include some bigwigs and you feel your heart start to pound. Take note of this, inhale deeply, and say to yourself, “Danny Jones is successful and socially savvy. I feel awkward next to him, and I’m afraid I’ll look dumb.”

3. Prepare and Practice

Once you’ve been honest with yourself about what’s driving your fear, you can take action to reduce it, starting with being prepared. Granted, you won’t always have the chance to prep for a meeting with a VIP, but often you will. The more ready you are before the interaction, the more confident you’ll be. This may not completely fix your nerves, but that’s OK—a touch of anxiety can help you perform under pressure. The idea is to reduce or prevent crippling fear. Think back to the example above. Now that you’ve identified what drives your fear, you might think to yourself, “I’ll think ahead about some small talk I can engage in if we bump into each other. I’ll even practice it out loud a few times. Then I’ll feel more comfortable if we should happen to run into each other.” (For your reference: 48 small talk starters you can use in these situations.) Now instead of worrying about what to say if you bump into Mr. Jones, you’re armed with some ideas you can adapt and pull from as needed. And like everything in life, the more you interact with successful people, the more comfortable you’ll be.

4. Mind Your Body Language

Most communication is non-verbal, and that includes the way we communicate with ourselves. If you walk around with slightly hunched shoulders and downcast eyes, not only do you appear unsure of yourself to the rest of the world, but you also communicate that uncertainty to yourself. If you want to feel better when interacting with others, you need to project calm confidence. Stand up straight. Make eye contact. Use a firm handshake. Hold your body still—not stiff, but not fidgety, either—maintaining calm, restrained hand and arm movements while speaking. Think consciously about projecting confidence as you go about your day. (And if you’re looking for a quick tip on how to make that easier, read this.) It’s far easier to practice in the relatively non-threatening environment of your family, peers, local coffee shop baristas, and so on, than to automatically make these adjustments during the interactions with someone you find intimidating. In time, though, the idea is that you’ll generally demonstrate poise—no matter who you’re speaking with. So, let go of your misconceptions, own your own worth, and treat powerful people like people. As Muse writer Lily Herman puts it, “Important or famous people shouldn’t be treated any differently.” Embracing this way of thinking will allow you to talk as two equals, and that’s when the conversation can really take off.
By The Muse

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Phone
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Email
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Address
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CAREER & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS

 
OFFICE HOURS
PEER ADVISOR QUICK QUESTIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATES
M
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1 PM-3 PM @ Beans Hospitality
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8:00am-4:30pm
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Quick questions will resume in the fall. Please make an appointment with your advisor through Pioneer Careers.
Swing by to get help with your resume and/or cover letter. Learn about resources to get started with your internship or job search and find out about upcoming events. Peer Advisors are extensively trained by professional Career Advisors and are ready to take your questions! No appointment necessary. Each Quick Question runs approximately 15 minutes.
During university-wide breaks, please log in to Pioneer Careers or contact the office to make an appointment.
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The Role of a Master Resume in Your Job Application Process

Post-its and a paper crane on a desk.What do you do when you start working on a new resume? Let me guess—you look up a template and start filling in the blanks, maybe copy/pasting from a resume you’ve used before. It’s a common strategy, but one with many pitfalls. So to avoid the frustrations of working with a template and on a quick deadline, I suggest a radically different way to write your resumes using a tool I call the “master resume.”
Whether you’re just out of high school and haven’t had a job, or if you’re entering a doctoral program after 20 years in the workforce, this method is a way to prepare for any resume needs you could have for the rest of your career.
A master resume is a document that includes everything you’ve ever done, and it’s written just for you. There’s no page limit and no style to follow—just your own notes saved in one place. The purpose of the master resume is simply to store all of the information that you might put on an individual application’s resume.
You can start the process of writing a master resume in any way you’d like—from jotting down notes in a journal, to creating a fresh Word document, to organizing everything in a digital notebook or database. The goal isn’t to have a finished product, but to have all of the information you will need to write a resume in one place and ready for when you need it.
Why would you need all these notes? Let’s back up a bit. When you’re writing a resume for a job application, it’s important to tailor that resume to the job you’re applying for. This means highlighting relevant experiences over the ones that perhaps are not so relevant, and focusing on some skills and accomplishments over others. Done right, it’ll be very rare to have two resumes you’ve written be identical.

How to Get Started

So, what should be included in the master resume? While there is no template, there are certain things you definitely want to include when taking notes. For each job, internship, volunteer opportunity, fellowship, student group, or any other activity you might ever include on a resume, make a note of as much of the following information as you can:
  • The organization’s name
  • The organization’s city and stateA person taking notes outside.
  • Your role (whether an official title or a short description of what role you had)
  • The month and year that you started, and the month and year that you finished
  • Your duties – what are you expected to do? What does your average day entail?
  • Your accomplishments – where have you gone above and beyond? What have you been recognized for?
  • Any starting metrics – for example, if you’re managing a Twitter account for a student group, make a note of how many followers you had on your first day managing the account, so that you can calculate a percent increase during the time you manage it
  • Anything you can quantify – make a note of what you do weekly, or how many board members you pitched a marketing strategy to, or what ages you tutor as an after-school volunteer
  • Any other information that helps tell the story of this experience
You can also make a note of your supervisor’s name and contact information. Though that shouldn’t be included on any of your tailored resumes, keeping this reference information handy in your master resume will be helpful when it comes time to create a reference list.

What’s Next?

Once you have all of this information collected into one document, you can start formatting it to look more like a resume by creating section headers and writing your bullet points. Unlike your tailored resume, don’t worry about page length. You’ll be copy/pasting from this document into your tailored resume where you can then focus on page length and the detailed aspects of design and appearance.
For the master resume to really work its magic, it’s important to start one now. Don’t wait until you’re already applying to internships or ready to start your post-grad job search. If you start now, it’ll be easier to remember details from past jobs than if you start a year from now. And once those details are written down, there’s no need to strain your memory as you think back to recall details about an experience from five years ago.
Also remember to keep your master resume updated. Did you just start a new internship, or move into a new leadership role in a student organization? Write it down right away. Did you plan a philanthropy fundraiser with your sorority, volunteer with a local nonprofit’s phone bank, or hit a new milestone on your robotics project? Write it down as soon afterwards as you can. This is all to make it easier for yourself later on, and keep the important, relevant details as fresh and accurate as possible.
Have you used a master resume in your job search? Let us know! We would love to share the tips and tricks that have worked for you with fellow Pioneers.
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How to Set Up Your Online Store With WooCommerce (In 3 Simple Steps)

When it comes to e-commerce, WordPress users have a wide range of options at their disposal. While the platform doesn’t enable you to set up an online store out of the box, you can use a top-notch plugin to do so with ease. For example, WooCommerce enables you to sell both digital and physical products.
The following advice is aimed at students who are looking to create their own online store to earn extra income. There are multiple benefits to running an e-commerce store, but the main plus point owning an almost passive income stream that operates even when you’re busy with your studies. Plus, if you’re using the right theme and extensions, you’ll be able to add advanced functionality to your site with ease.
This article will discuss why you should consider using WooCommerce, and explain what it can offer you. Then it will demonstrate how to set up the platform in three simple steps, and talk about how using the right e-commerce theme – such as Shoppe – can help you easily implement new features in your store!

Why You Should Consider Using WooCommerce

woocommerce
WooCommerce is by far the most popular e-commerce solution for WordPress, although there are certainly other options. Its ease of use and high level of polish make it the best choice for many stores, both big and small.
shoppe theme
However, if you’re still on the fence, check out the ways WooCommerce can help you build a successful online store:
  • It’s easy to use: Getting started is simple, and you can find plenty of guides (such as this one!) to help you along the way.
  • The feature set is impressive: WooCommerce has almost all the features you’ll need for your store, including the ability to add, organize, and manage products and inventory.
  • There are plenty of extensions: If WooCommerce doesn’t offer a feature you need by default, chances are there’s an extension that can help you set it up.
  • You get access to regular updates: This plugin enjoys a healthy development cycle and has an active community, so it’s always up-to-date.
Now that the case has been made for WooCommerce, it’s time to check out how to set up your first online store using the plugin.

How to Set Up Your Online Store With WooCommerce (In 3 Simple Steps)

Before you can start using WooCommerce, you will, of course, need to set up a WordPress website. Then, you’ll need to install and activate the plugin.
When you’re ready on both counts, proceed to the first step.

Step #1: Customize Your Store’s Settings and Add Your First Products

After activating WooCommerce, you’ll be prompted to run its setup wizard. This is not a strictly necessary step, but it’s recommended to do so, since the wizard will enable you to customize your store’s main settings quickly:
WooCommerce plugin
The Setup Wizard will take you through a few simple steps, such as creating the pages you’ll need, choosing your currency, picking your shipping settings, and selecting which payment processors to use.
After you’ve made your way through the Setup Wizard, all that’s left before your grand opening is to add a few products to your store, which you can do from the new Products tab on your dashboard:
create product
You’ll find yourself in the WordPress editor, where you can set a name and a description for your product:
create product - second version
Aside from providing a marketing boost, descriptions are also the perfect place to include any important notes customers should pay attention to. For example, if your product is digital, will they receive it via email? Will it expire, and if so, when? That’s the kind of information a good description should look to include.
This page also enables you to choose between physical and virtual items. In most cases, your store will probably focus on one or the other:
insert product data
Don’t forget to set a featured image for your item, since that’s going to be one of the first things your customers will see! You can also upload more product images via the Product Gallery widget next to the editor:
product galleryWhen you’re done, remember to preview your product to see how it looks live, then hit Publish when you’re ready. Here’s an example of a product that has been fully set up:
product placement
Remember – when it comes to product images, you want to make them as attractive as possible. That means taking high-resolution pictures of your physical items and compelling screenshots for any digital products. One of the main mistakes online stores selling digital goods make is not including screenshots of their products, which can turn potential clients away.
When you’re done perfecting the look of your product pages, move to the next step to learn more about how the right theme can level up your WooCommerce store.

Step #2: Set Up a WooCommerce-Friendly Theme

If you have some experience with WordPress, you probably know how much of a difference using the right theme can make. Fortunately, there are plenty of WooCommerce-friendly themes out there. Picking the right one can make your online store look much more professional.
Your best best is to go with an e-commerce theme designed specifically for WooCommerce. These often provide you with a drag-and-drop page builder you can use to customize your pages quickly and implement designs that are proven to convert visitors. This is critical for any budding online store, since the right design may help you start making a profit earlier than you expected.
On the other hand, if you’re not familiar with the process of designing a website on your own, most e-commerce themes include plenty of pre-designed layouts and demo content to help you kick things off:
skins and demos
There are a lot of features you’ll want to implement as soon as possible to make your online store more user-friendly, and an e-commerce theme can help you get there faster. For example, wishlists are a mainstay of most online stores:
wishlist settings
Finally, there’s one feature in particular that you want any good e-commerce theme to pay attention to: product images. As mentioned earlier, the right images can make or break a sale, and advanced functionality, such as an AJAX slider, can help make sure yours pop:
animated product image
Now that you understand the importance of picking the right theme, there’s only one subject left to discuss that will round-off your new online store nicely – WooCommerce extensions.

Step #3: Consider Installing Extensions

To put it simply, WooCommerce extensions are similar to WordPress plugins. Although WooCommerce itself is a plugin, it has plenty of add-ons that you can use to extend its functionality even further.
Setting up extensions works just the same way as installing a regular plugin, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Take Product Add-Ons, for example:
product add-ons
This straightforward extension enables you to add custom fields and drop-down menus to your products, giving you more control over your items (which is something any store could benefit from).
Product Add-Ons isn’t the only extension worth your time. In fact, there are hundreds of them on WooCommerce’s official repository – some free and others premium. If you want help sorting the good from the bad, an online roundup is a great place to start.

Conclusion

As a student, an online store could be key for topping up your income during your studies. If you’re planning to set up an online store using WordPress, WooCommerce should be the first option you consider. Not only is it one of the most polished and reliable e-commerce plugins available, it’s also easy to set up and benefits from a vibrant (and helpful) community.
Here’s a recap of the three steps you need to take to get your first e-commerce store up and running after installing WooCommerce:
  1. Customize your store’s settings and add your first products.
  2. Set up a WooCommerce-friendly theme.
  3. Consider installing extensions.
Once you’ve done this, an almost passive income stream is at your fingertips! Good luck!
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5 Cover Letter Lines That Make You Sound Like a Robot

Cover letters are a crucial part of any resume. It is there that you can say things that didn’t fit in your CV. It will also be there that you will be allowed to show a bit of personality and prove how excited you are by the possibility of joining the company.
Unfortunately, many people neglect their cover letters. They just copy and paste whatever they found on the internet. Or they just ask someone else to write it for them. And while it is understandable that not everybody has a talent for writing, this type of behavior might cost you a job.  So, let’s see them which lines should never be in your cover letter so you can take it from there
#1 – A generic greeting
You are writing a letter to someone. While large enterprises usually applicant tracking systems to scan resumes and make sure they meet the minimal requirements, your cover letter will be read by a real person, not to a computer. And this person has a name and can be of any gender.
So forget the “Dear Sir” and “To Whom it May Concern”. Prove that you are eager to get that job by calling the company or recruitment agency and asking to whom you should address your cover letter. If it is not possible, or you don’t get an answer, at least use “Dear Sir or Madam”.
# 2 – [Your name] is a highly qualified
Please, never write in the third person. It is one of the worst things that you can do in your cover letter. You are not a king or a company to be addressed like this. Plus, reading your name over and over will make the recruiter remember it, but not in the way that you would like. So always stick with the first person.
# 3 – “I am really excited”
One of the rules followed by the best writers is “show, don’t tell”. And while you are not trying to create anything worthy of the Nobel Prize, you can learn from them. That is to say that, instead of saying that you are really excited, you should prove it.
If you do some research about the company and add some interesting facts and ideas you got, it will tell them that you are interested in the job, for instance. This is one of the secrets to writing a create resume, and you should follow it to the dot.
# 4 – “I will provide references available upon request”
You know that your cover letter should be only one page long, and it includes addresses, greetings, and so. Meaning that each word must count. And writing something obvious can also make your recruiter think that you don’t have anything better to say.
So, saying that you will provide references upon request is useless. Of course, you will do it if they ask you to. You better off using those seven words to say something that will add value to your application.
# 5 – Any line misspelt or with grammatical errors
Here is something could certainly kill your chances to be hired. You got just one page to write. So, if you can’t proofread it, chances are that your recruiter will think that you aren’t attentive to detail or that you can’t write a decent e-mail – something usually required in many jobs.
Of course, nobody is expecting that you will write a fantastic copy, except if you are looking for a job as a cover letter writer. But you should at least ask someone to double check your writing for you.
Final thoughts
As you might have noticed, writing a cover letter is a big deal. I won’t lie to you about it. You must plan what you are going to write carefully considering to whom you will talk and the style of company you are applying.
Rules can sometimes be broken, but, generally speaking, stick with has brought results to other people so far. And it passes through avoiding silly mistakes such as these five lines above. Sometimes, it is all that take to impress a recruiter and get hired.
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he Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living: Tools for Self-Knowledge

If this proclamation is indeed true, then where does one begin to excavate these multiple dimensions of their life? And, more than that, what is the point?
Well, from the perspective of career and educational planning, the more information we have about who we are and how those factors correlate with job fit and satisfaction, the better equipped we are to make informed decisions. Furthermore, the deeper our self-awareness and understanding of differences in personality, the better able we are to navigate the world of work.
Tools that help facilitate this self-examination include a variety of assessments, such as StrengthsFinder, Strong Interest Inventory and the Enneagram. Each of these assessments help to clarify one’s interests, strengths, and values, in addition to personality traits.
One of the best-known and widely used personality assessments is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). With its basis in Jungian psychology, the MBTI looks at four different dimensions of personality in which individuals tend to gravitate towards one side. The questions posed by the MBTI illuminate preferences on how and where you get your energy (extroversion vs. introversion), how you take in and process information (sensing vs. perceiving), how you make decisions (thinking vs. feeling), and how you orient yourself to and structure your day-to-day life (judging vs. perceiving). There are 16 possible personality types based on the Myers-Briggs and each one of them has distinct traits that describe differences in styles of communication, leadership and group dynamics.
Considering most of us don’t live totally alone, in the remote mountains, interfacing with other humans on a regular basis, is virtually inescapable. To that end, the more we understand about each other, particularly ourselves, the more likely we are to have relationships that are more harmonious and effective. Familiarizing ourselves with the Myers-Briggs framework is immensely valuable, particularly in the context of work; knowing our preferences within each dimension of personality, allows us to find occupations that are better aligned.
For example, as an ENFP, the Intuitive (N) trait will manifest in seeing the big picture; easily identifying patterns and relationships between people, ideas and things; and in an ability to ideate. These parts that are driven by imagination, innovation and forward thinking, will likely need to find outlet through brainstorming and ideating on possibilities for the future, or when solving problems. If you’re in a role that does not support this dimension of your personality, it is possible you won’t be as satisfied, or engaged, on the job. While this only describes one of the MBTI traits, it serves to highlight the value in exploring the connection between who you are and how those unique dimensions impact your experience in life and work. The Myers-Briggs then becomes an ideal springboard from which to uncover the many layers of your personality that can support you in making better aligned career decisions and when navigating differences in communication and group dynamics.
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5 Negative Thoughts After College Graduation and How to Deal With Them

An ancient Chinese curse says: ‘May you live in interesting times’, where interesting times are the times of changes. So, your last year in college is over, you received your diploma and went through the cap throwing. What’s next? Interesting times, indeed. You are staying at the edge of a completely new life.
It might seem scary or terrifying. But don’t let the depressing thoughts take over you. We have listed some of the worries you might be going through right now and how to deal with them.

#1. I’ll never manage to pay out my student’s loan

It might happen, that you never took student loans seriously until now. They just didn’t seem to be the real money, but it only lasts until you do the calculations. The numbers may put you down.
What to do?
Try to stay calm. You are not the only person to go through this all. There have been thousands of young people before you, and many more will come after. Speaking of people before you… Why won’t you ask for a piece of advice?

#2. Without experience I won’t find a decent job

The time has come and the first thing you need to do is to write your first CV and Cover Letter. And here you are, sitting in front of a blank page struggling, with no idea where to start. And yeah, it is hard to do something you have never done before.
Just do it.
Imagine your perfect workplace and the ideal position you want to get. Answer the question: what kind of employee this company will look for? With that image in mind writing your CV and Cover Letter won’t be that challenging. Also, check for resume samples, they are not hard to find. Filter your search request with a position. After you complete writing, don’t forget to proofread your resume. Not a single employer would like grammar mistakes, especially when your CV says “detail oriented”.

#3. No recruiter will say that I’m a good candidate

You have sent your CV to a number of companies, and one (or few) of them got interested in you. Great! But after a short moment of excitement, fear comes. Will you be able to handle your nerves? Won’t you screw it all up? Won’t you be embarrassed? Will you get a job? All these thoughts are chasing every young person on the way to their first job.
How to handle it?
The secret of a successful job interview is based on honesty, confidence and positive attitude. Small secret – set up your interview in morning hours. So the worries won’t follow you all day long. Be well-prepared: search for the information about the company, its clients, and the interviewer. Have a good sleep and breakfast. If it is your very first job interview, look for some tips on how to improve your personality traits or how to go through the job interview successfully.

#4. Moving back to parents? Great. Exactly what I’ve studied for

After living on your own in college, it might be frustrating to go back home and feel yourself like a teenager again. Especially when you go through all these debts calculations and job interviews. It may feel not quite right. You are supposed to be an adult after graduation, so why do you have to tell your mom when are you about to come back home?
Take advantage of it!
If for some reason you have to move back with your parents, don’t get desperate. It may serve you well. Your parents are always on your side and will support you, no matter what happens. So, while you are having ‘interesting times’, why won’t you benefit from their help? Still, do not make it your routine. Plan your future. How long will you stay with them? Create a deadline for yourself, for you definitely don’t want to find yourself living with your parents at your 30.

#5. My friends are far more successful and happier then me. Hate them.

Caught yourself being envy to your friend’s success? Their Instagrams and Facebook pages are filled with #lovemyjob and #whataparty hashtags? It makes you feel yourself a complete looser?
You are not!
Life is something that happens while you upload a new picture to Social Media. Young people nowadays are masters in creating a great image of themselves all over the Internet. Don’t be jealous. Their life may be as boring as yours seems to you. Compare yourself only to yourself and get better every day. This is the only way to be happy.

Summing up

Negative thoughts are chasing everybody in this crazy world. People are getting new worries and concerns every day. No wonder you have them too, especially when going through the period of major changes.
But remember the old Chinese proverb? “If your problem has a solution then…why worry about it? If your problem doesn’t have a solution then…why worry about it?”
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