The key to becoming an effective student is learning how to study smarter, not harder. This becomes more and more true as you advance in your education. An hour or two of studying a day is usually sufficient to make it through high school with satisfactory grades, but when college arrives, there aren’t enough hours in the day to get all your studying in if you don’t know how to study smarter.
While some students are able to breeze through school with minimal effort, this is the exception. The vast majority of successful students achieve their success by developing and applying effective study habits. The following are the top 10 study habits employed by highly successful students. So if you want to become a successful student, don’t get discouraged, don’t give up, just work to develop each of the study habits below and you’ll see your grades go up, your knowledge increase, and your ability to learn and assimilate information improve.
The importance of Study Habits
Introduction Study habits simply mean how students manage their time in such a way that can review and study their lessons in school regularly. It becomes a habit or way of life of the student just like brushing their teeth every after eating, taking a bath every day, and other activities that they are doing. A student who developed their study habits could not sleep or go to school without studying their lessons. A student can be more intelligent and have a self – confidence in class compared to those who do not developed their study habits. A student who does not have a good study habits cannot do well in class recitation, daily quizzes, and school demonstration since they did not study and review the lessons learned.
Good study habits are the tool to success. Without well-developed study habits, a student cannot perform well in class, and surely, they cannot reach their ambitions in life. Nowadays, many student are engaged in computer games just like DOTA; cutting classes, watching pornography, excessive playing on their gadgets like their cell phones, iPods, computers, PSP, and other devices they have, and worst of all is that they engage in vices such as illegal drugs, gambling, and crimes and even prostitution. Other students use their intelligence in foolishness and not in good deeds. Students should know how to manage their time wisely and keep their selves away from bad traits and vices. They should serve as models to their brothers, sisters, classmates, and also to their fellow students by showing that they have a good and well developed study habits. This kind of attitude must possessed by every student from the College of Education for them to become an effective and efficient molders of young mind in the future.
With many habits, the sooner you start practicing and developing good habits, the better chance you will have that you will continue with them. We all know that good study habits are essential to educational success. Good study habits are an important part of any student’s success. We probably can diminish the academic dishonesty by promoting good study habits with students, and letting the students know that good study habits are very important when it comes to school. Still, even procrastination can be overcome with proper study habits, and improving your study habits is the key to better studying. Good study habits are a great tool to have in the toolbox of life.
Many of the tips for success for online students are the same as those for students in an onsite classroom. Consider asking your school’s student council to take on a study tips project. Following a few simple study tips can help students effectively learn new concepts and theories. There have been numerous published tips students can use as a guide for good study habits.
A good way to stay organized is to use folders so you child can keep his/her assignments until needed and it is a great way of staying organized. Once children reach the grades where homework and tests are part of the curriculum, there are many things parents can do to encourage good study habits. An effective way to study is to study before and while you do the homework. A little amount of homework may help elementary school students build study habits. Being organized and having homework routines are the most important things in helping your child develop good study habits for life.
All learning, however, is a process which settles into certain steps. Students with learning problems, however, may still have generally inefficient and ineffective study habits and skills. Becoming aware of your learning style will help you to understand why you sometimes get frustrated with common study methods.
Effective study habits are a very import part of the learning process. Good study habits are all about keeping to a daily routine and giving all subjects equal treatment. If your study habits are weak, take a “study skills” course or have someone show you good study habits. The problem is that those high school study habits are hard to shake. Hard work and good study habits are assets that should be nurtured. Motivation and study habits are obviously crucial as well. Good habits are important for all students to protect investments of time and money and to achieve educational goals. After that experience your study habits are permanently altered, this will help your own preparation as you start teaching and last a lifetime. The main priorities are class attendance, time management, and great studying habits are necessary workings for an academic success. Statement
Outlining 1. Students need to develop good time management skills Many students discover the need to develop or hone their time management skills when they arrive at college. Unlike high school where teachers frequently structured your assignments and classes filled your day, in college, you will have less in-class time, more outside of class work, and a great deal of freedom and flexibility. These pages provide you with tips for managing your time well so you can get the most out of your Dartmouth experience. Keys to successful time management include:
Great writing is magic, but there is no magic to being a better writer. It is an exercise in time and suffering. The more time you spend writing, the more your writing skills will improve. No writing tips can eliminate the pain.
To begin, begin. “I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good at it,” writes novelist, activist and teacher Anne Lamott in her excellent guide “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.” The book is named after the writing advice Lamott’s novelist father gave to her brother when he waited until the last minute to complete a big school report on birds: “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”
Showing up is the hard part. Even great writers have to push themselves to grapple with the blank screen every day. But once you sit down and start, progress can be made. It gets easier every time you write; you just have to write frequently to make progress.
Believe me, I understand this is easier said than done. I sometimes will organize my office and do less pressing administrative tasks to avoid an urgent deadline assignment. I’m not alone in this. Most people struggle with finding the time to write, or worse, underestimate how much time it will take to complete an assignment well.
That said, I do get it done. I’ve been writing professionally for more than two decades. I can say from experience that writing and communication skills are learned best by doing. I can also say there are ways to make starting simpler: For instance, breaking a project into digestible chunks is an excellent way to approach any writing assignment, whether it’s a blog post, a white paper or a bestseller.
Timebox Your Writing Assignments
I like to write first thing in the morning after a run. Many writers I know work best late at night. It doesn’t matter if you are an early bird or night owl as long as you set aside distraction-free writing time, ideally during your personal golden hours.
How long you can timebox writing tasks in one go depends on the writer. Remember that it takes some time to warm up. Setting aside 90 minutes on your calendar doesn’t mean you’ll be cranking the entire time.
You should, however, be able to make progress. Seek to set aside enough time to allow for this progress, while also recognizing the realities of your schedule. (Say, if it’s a day when you have multiple meetings and you’re taking your child to the doctor, an eight-hour writing block may be unrealistic.)
If you’re on deadline, that’s another story that we will address shortly. But blocking out time consistently to write will enhance your writing ability. You don’t have to write every day, but it sure helps.
Finding enough time to write is the biggest excuse writers give editors when they miss deadlines. And sure, content marketing workloads can be challenging. Most of us are using our limited resources to the max.
However, I argue that the difficulty in writing is more of a time management problem than one with words. Writer’s block is a myth. This next tactic will help you overcome this imagined self-harm.
6 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer
1. Learn the Difference Between “Better Writer” and “Great Writer”
I hear this all the time from my coaching clients, who range from first time authors to old hands who have written millions of words. “Tim, I don’t want to become a better writer. I want to become a great writer!”
When I ask what that means exactly, they usually drop a few names off the top of their heads to give me a point of reference. “You know, like Hemingway, Capote, King, Vidal, Chandler, Christie, Grisham, Patterson, Dr. Seuss (seriously, it’s been dropped).”
Come on folks, who among you under the age of say 40 has ever read a word Hemingway wrote that wasn’t mandatory reading? Or Capote? Or Vidal? Then stop namedropping them, even though they are among the greatest writers of all time.
Probably not. I can offer tips and advice that might make you a better writer in the future than you are right now. Someone else may help you become a more successful writer, or a more notable writer. But becoming a great writer is up to you, and depends more on your God given talent and abilities than anything you can learn in a video or blog post from me or anyone else.
We writers wear our hearts on our sleeves and our egos around our necks like heavy gold chains. We would all like to be considered great writers by our audience and peers, but what matters is your opinion of yourself and how you define great.
Greatness in our industry is typically based on sales volume and dollar signs, not true talent. I’ve seen terrible books sell millions of copies, and great books languish in the Amazon basement.
2. Write Every Day
This should go without saying, but here goes. To become a better writer, you must write every day. Writing is like every other skill that can be improved through repetition and practice. Or a muscle that must be exercised to grow big and strong.
Or the “10,000-hour rule”, which states that to master any skill, you must practice for 10,000 hours or more. If you want to become a better writer, write more words more often. End of story.
3. Don’t Follow the Herd
The herd mentality is alive and well in the writing business. You look at what’s selling on Amazon and decide that you should follow that herd because if other writers are making a killing in sci-fi, why shouldn’t you?
Or you hear of someone in a Facebook group who is making a bundle writing romance, so you figure, why shouldn’t you, even though you’ve never even read a romance, much less written one.
4. Write What You Love
Again, this should go without saying, but many authors forget this simple rule because what they love to write isn’t selling, so they try to write in other genres they think will offer faster, easier paydays. That’s when writing becomes a chore, and quite often, the joy of writing dies along with your desire to become a better writer.
When you write what you love, you bring passion to the work. You focus on the writing, not the sales numbers. You put your heart and soul into it, not to mention a fair amount of blood, sweat, and tears. And you do it because you love it, not because it pays the bills. You’re proud of what you do, because doing it makes you happy.
When you write what you love, you also tend to write more words, more often (see tip #2). You will become a better writer in that genre. And maybe someday your dedication to writing what you love will pay off. Even if it doesn’t, you would have followed your heart and not the herd (see tip #3).
5. Read as Much as You Write
Stephen King said it best, “If you want to be a writer you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” I believe if you want to become a great writer you have to read a great deal of books in your genre. For example, if you want to become a great sci-fi writer, read the current bestsellers and classic sci-fi books (bestsellers to determine what’s selling in the market today and classics to see what has stood the test of time). Listen to King. He knows his stuff. Read as much as you write.
6. Write with the Reader in Mind
Have you ever read a book that left you scratching your head, wondering what point the author was trying to convey to you, the reader? I see this quite a bit with coaching clients who are new to the craft of writing. They write their masterpiece without ever giving a single thought to the reader, the person they expect to buy, enjoy, review, rate, and recommend their work.
As an old entrepreneur, I believe you should consider the reader to be your customer, and everything you do in creating your book, i.e. your product, must be done with the reader in mind.
10 Writing Techniques You Can Use to Attract a Massive Audience
Building a successful writing career involves a ton of variables. One of them is pure luck. Just the way life goes. But there are writing techniques that can increase your odds of building an audience and making a living with your writing.
No guarantees, though, for real. I never make promises. I don’t know how naturally talented you are (it matters). I don’t know what topic you write about (some are inherently more popular than others). And I don’t know how hard you’re willing to work or how long you’re willing to persist at your craft.
I do know this. If you’re talented and work hard for a long-time, your odds of some success are high. You might never have a million subscribers or a New York Times bestselling book. But you don’t need those things to have a writing career you love.
Go There
Sometimes I cross the line. I’ll write something that isn’t just politically incorrect, but totally insensitive. I’ve looked back on entire pieces I’ve written and think to myself “maybe I should have let up a bit.” I don’t normally pay attention to comments, but when I see a bunch of comments that point out the same flaw in my piece, I take note of it.
But I always err on the side of pushing the envelope instead of pulling punches. Some of the best comedians are the ones who ‘go there’ – they say the things we feel inside but are afraid to say out loud. I try to adopt the same approach when I write.
Especially in today’s climate, it’s more important to say what’s really on your mind, even if you face consequences for it. Politically incorrect truths are the bedrock of freedom of expression. If you’re not for freedom of expression, even the opinions you don’t like, you’re not a real writer.
Activating the senses
One writing technique that can breathe new life into your work is focusing on the oft-neglected senses. Readers are used to knowing how things look and sound (“he had dark, beady eyes like a hawk; his voice was deep and peppy like a tuba in an oompah band”) but you can often add greater dimension to your writing by evoking smells, tastes, and tactile sensations.
Smell
We rarely mention how something smells unless it’s exceptionally pleasant or foul — but our noses can remember things our eyes have long forgotten. In writing, a carefully invoked smell can summon a reader’s own sense-memory: the smell of freshly buttered popcorn can take you to the lobby of a movie theater; a whiff of bodily fluids masked by disinfectant can transport you to a hospital.
Example: Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Ben Whishaw in Perfume [Image: Paramount]
In the period of which we speak, there reigned in the cities a stench barely conceivable to us modern men and women. The streets stank of manure, the courtyards of urine, the stairwells stank of moldering wood and rat droppings, the kitchens of spoiled cabbage and mutton fat; the unaired parlors stank of stale dust, the bedrooms of greasy sheets, damp featherbeds, and the pungently sweet aroma of chamber pots.
Taste
Like smell, tastes can have the effect of transporting the reader. Famously, in Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, our narrator savors a freshly baked madeleine that unlocks a trove of childhood memories. In much the same way, you can tap into your reader’s shared experience of taste — both delicious and repulsive — to evoke a sensory response that draws them into your character’s headspace.
Ella Purnell in Sweetbitter [Image: Starz]
“Wow,” I said. And I meant it. I had never thought of a tomato as a fruit — the ones I had known were mostly white in the center and rock hard. But this was so luscious, so tart I thought it victorious. So — some tomatoes tasted like water, and some tasted like summer lightning.”
Tactile Imagery
Writing using the sense of touch is about much more than describing the feeling of sand through your fingers or a silk scarf on your shoulders. Though textures are crucial to building a full descriptive picture, touch also encompasses sensations we usually think of as beneath the skin, like sweltering in the heat, prickling with fear, or writhing in agony. Get it right, and tactile imagery can move readers to have a physical experience that’s completely immersive.
Suraj Sharma in Life of Pi [Image: Fox 2000 Pictures]
The four types of writing techniques:
1. Descriptive
Descriptive writing is most commonly used in short, creative writing, like poems and song lyrics. Some authors insert descriptive segments in their stories. The purpose of the descriptive writing style is to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.
Metaphors and similes
When you compare one thing to another completely different thing as a way of describing it, you are either using a metaphor or a simile. Duran Duran’s song title “Hungry Like the Wolf” is a good example of a simile used in descriptive writing. Do you want to learn more about metaphors and similes? Check out this blog article on metaphors and similes.
Using your senses
Using all the senses, including smell and taste, to describe something can be a very powerful technique when you’re doing descriptive writing. For example, instead of writing “The drink was ice cold,” you might write something like, “As I drank, I felt the back of my teeth hurt and my insides clench at the shock of the cold water.”
Internal rhymes
This neat trick gives your writing a sense of pace and movement without being obvious about it. Internal rhymes are usually challenging to pick out unless you’re really looking for them, but they give your poems and songs a little something more. Paul McCartney’s songs are full of internal rhymes. “Lovely Rita” is a good example (the internal rhymes are in boldface):
2. Narrative
Narrative writing is a writing technique you use when telling a story. Along with descriptive writing, it’s the type of writing that tends to be the most creative, which is probably why many people like it best. When you’re being creative, it’s okay to bend the rules a little bit, so you don’t need to be perfect about grammar (though your writing will look sloppy if you’re not careful). Narrative works, like novels and short stories, usually include a bit of descriptive writing in them. Good narrative writers use many literary devices to make their writing stand out. Here is a list of the most common ones.
Parallelism
When you structure all the parts of your sentence for effect, you’ve created a parallel structure, also known as parallelism. “Love it or leave it” is a good example. Another example is the first two lines of Shel Silverstein’s poem, “Hug o’ War”: “I will not play at tug o’ war / I’d rather play at hug o’ war.” If you rewrite those lines without the parallel structure, it looks like this: “I’d rather play at hug o’ war than at tug o’ war.” It’s nowhere near as engaging!
Alliteration
This is when a series of words starts with the same letter. It’s a great technique if you want to create a dramatic effect. British tabloids love to use alliteration in their headlines: “Nattering nabobs of negativity” is one example. Alliteration is also lots of fun to play around with, especially if you want your writing to sound over the top.
Great characters with a strong voice
To write a great narrative piece, you need to make sure your characters are interesting and believable. You also need to pay close attention to how your characters talk to others and to themselves. Paying close attention to the characters in your story is super important! If you want to learn more about developing great characters, take a look at this blog article on characters.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a fantastic tool to keep your reader engaged. In foreshadowing, you give your reader a hint that something is about to happen without giving away any details. Here is an example of foreshadowing: “Mary closed the door to the office, happy to finally be done with the day, and hopped into the elevator. Already focused on the weekend ahead, she did not hear the tinny sound of the telephone ringing at her desk.”
Top courses in Writing
3. Expository
Exposition, also known as expository writing, is a type of writing used to explain, inform, or describe. If you’re writing a book report, chances are that most of it will be expository writing. Journalism uses this style, as do most essays. Here are some tips to help you.
Know the difference between fact and opinion
It sounds obvious, but many people state an opinion and claim it is a fact. For example, “Gelato has less fat, less sugar, and a lower calorie count than ice cream” is a fact. But “Gelato is healthier than ice cream” is an opinion because “healthier” is a value judgment: It is not measurable. Check your work for comparatives and words like more, most, less, least, better, and worse to ensure you aren’t stating opinions as facts.
Stick to the third person
The third person is when you use pronouns like he, she, it, or they. If you see I in your writing, you’re probably stating an opinion, which is generally discouraged in expository writing. If you see you in you’re writing, you’re probably being too informal. Learn more about how to write in third person in this blog.
Academic Writing Techniques
Academic writing much prefers the use of passive voice. Sentences in a passive voice might appear dull and boring, but they are much better at conveying objectivity and distance from the subject of the academic paper at hand.
However, some recent scientific papers have also called for the increased use of active writing to make researchers and scientists appear more involved in the process rather than merely being observers.
The use of passive voice can also apply to writing an essay. In education, knowing how to best approach a subject and write objectively about it is the key to submitting a successful academic paper, no matter your knowledge or education level.
Additionally, using hyperbole or colloquialism is highly discouraged. A scientific paper aims to convey facts, and as such, the related writing process will naturally differ from the works of a fiction writer, who has much more freedom.
We make a grumpy face whenever we hear the word history because we think that it is boring and it is of no use. No wonder that history course has been taken out from the intermediate syllabus. I know, you must be thinking that I am in some kind of a frenzy when you read down 10 reasons to study history, but trust me, it is totally worth your time . So grab that cup of tea and read on.
I really do know that reading about the past doesn’t seem like a fun thing to do but think of possibilities my dear reader. And moreover, how can you judge something when you haven’t even tried it yet? Knowing about the past is highly important because incidents played a highly important role in shaping the lands which we live in. Incidents are the reasons for our tremendous lives. For example, if William Shakespear never thought of writing his Dramas, we wouldn’t have known the beautiful portrayal of a person’s life.
02 | An exceptional education
Oxford offers undergraduates the opportunity to be part of one of the world’s largest and most prestigious faculties as well as a member of an intimate academic community. Every undergraduate is a member of a college. In your college, you are supported by a history tutor who is a member of the History Faculty and an active research historian. You can find out more about the Faculty’s tutors here. You will benefit from three different forms of teaching at Oxford:
Tutorials – are at the heart of undergraduate learning at Oxford. Students benefit from detailed, regular written and oral feedback by working with an expert tutor who meets weekly with you and another student interested in the same areas of history. This rigorous and personalised tuition allows you to make exceptional progress.
Seminars – are discussion groups of between 4 and 12 students. They give you the opportunity to debate ideas, to discuss your reading, and to present to a small group.
Lectures – are given by a wide range of specialists who can share the latest research with you. In your first two terms, you will normally have the opportunity to attend 16 lectures for each of your outline options.
History at Oxford is a subject of energetic debate: debate between your tutor and yourself; debate between you and your fellow students; and debate between your tutors themselves.
#8. History shapes cultural (and national) identity
History is important to identity. Nations have holidays recognizing big historical events and figures. The stories people tell shape their view of their cultural or national identity, informing how they behave in the present. Leaders understand how important history is and will reference it whenever they believe it will inspire people.
Because history has such a major impact on a nation’s identity, it’s frequently manipulated and controlled. There are many things that certain groups would prefer not to remember. We can see this happening in places like the United States, where teaching about slavery and race has been controversial for decades. History textbooks contain multiple errors, omissions, or interpretations that downplay slavery. Recently, many states are passing laws that ban critical race theory in schools, but the definition isn’t clear and could lead to teachers being penalized for simply teaching about race. History is at the center of this culture war.
The person who is doing the hiring also has many other responsibilities and may not have time to talk or correspond with applicants. Do your own research, if at all possible. Don’t ask for more information unless you really need it and it’s not available in the posting or on their website. If the posting says "no phone calls", don’t! Write down your questions and ask them after the employer has shown interest, such as at the interview.
10 Unconventional (But Very Effective) Tips For Job Seekers
David Parnell, a legal consultant, communication coach and author, agrees: “Much of this has been around long enough to become conventional for a reason: it works,” he says. “If you take a closer look, things like networking, research, and applying to multiple employers are fundamental ‘block and tackle’ types of activities that apply to 80% of the bell curve. They hinge upon casting a broad net; they leverage the law of averages; they adhere to the fundamentals of psychology. It’s no wonder they still work.”
But some of it “does get old and overused, because job seeking is as unique and creative as an individual,” says Isa Adney, author of Community College Success and the blog FirstJobOutofCollege.com. “When you ask any professional who has achieved some level of greatness how he or she got there, the journey is always unique, always varied, and rarely cookie-cutter. Most have, in some capacity, followed their passion, used their network, and had a good resume–but those things are usually part of a much bigger picture, and an unpredictable winding path. Instead of always following the exact by-the-book job seeking formulas, most were simply open to possibilities and got really good at whatever it is they were doing.”
“Times are always changing and while it’s always good to follow the basic advice, we also have to get rolling with the times,” says Amanda Abella, a career coach, writer, speaker, and founder of the Gen Y lifestyle blog Grad Meets World. “For instance, group interviews are making a comeback, we’ve got Skype interviews now, or you may interview in front of a panel. All this stuff didn’t happen as often before–so while the same basic stuff applies, we have to take into account all the new dynamics.”
Hockett agrees and says if you are going to try some unconventional job seeking methods, you should "always be grounded with solid research and a clear direction of your intentions; then you will be ready for any opportunity to make a connection resulting in a positive impact on a hiring manager."
Parnell says generally speaking, unconventional methods should be used sparingly, judiciously and only when necessary. “And when you do decide to use them, factor comprehensively by recognizing things like industry standards, personalities involved, and the general ilk of the position’s responsibilities, before strategizing.”
1. Be vulnerable. It’s okay to ask people for advice! “Too often we think we have to sell ourselves as this know-it-all hot-shot to get a job, but I have found the best way to build relationships with people whom you’d like to work with (or for) is to start by being vulnerable, sharing your admiration for their work, and asking for advice,” Adney says. “I recommend doing this with professionals at companies you’d love to work for, long before they have a job opening you apply for.”
2. Don’t always follow your passion. "Follow your passion" is one of the most common pieces of career wisdom, says Cal Newport, author of So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. “It’s also wrong.” If you study people who end up loving their work, most of them did not follow a pre-existing passion, he says. “Instead, their passion for the work developed over time as they got better at what they did and took more control over their career.”
Adney agrees to some extent. She doesn’t think job seekers should completely disregard their passions–but does believe that “challenging this conventional wisdom is vital, especially since studies still show most Americans are unhappy in their jobs."
3. Create your position. Don’t just sit around waiting for your “dream job” to open. Study the industry or field that you’re looking to move into, and determine a company or two that you’d like to work for, Hockett says. “Then figure out their challenges through relationships or public information. With this, you can craft a solution for them that you can share directly or publically through a blog, for instance. The concept here is to get noticed through offering a solution to help them with no expectation of anything in return.”
“Powerful listening is a coaching tool, as well as an amazing skill to have in your life,” Abella says. “The art of conversation lies in knowing how to listen– and the same applies to job interviews. Know when to talk, when to stop talking, and when to ask questions.”
When you practicing for interviews, don’t just rehearse your answers to questions like, “can you tell me about yourself?” “why do you want this job?” and “what are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” Practice listening carefully and closely without interrupting.
5. Start at the top and move down. We learned from Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) in The Pursuit of Happyness (the biographical film based on Gardner’s life) that you need to start from the top and move down. “Why approach human resources in hopes that your resume makes it to the hiring authority?” Parnell says. “Just get it there yourself. Be careful to use tact, respect and clarity during the process, but nevertheless, go straight to the decision maker.”
(2) Get connected
Subscribe to websites and publications that carry job postings. Just as important, sign up for those that aren’t outwardly about employment, but cover issues and topics that interest you. You’ll learn a lot; hear about related events, networking and volunteer opportunities; and be among the first to see any postings that come up. Create a folder of bookmarks to your favourite job search sites and organizations. GoodWork Environmental Jobs | FoodWork Local Food Jobs | environmental organizations and businesses | peace groups | poverty and social justice groups
If all you do is look for advertised jobs, you’re missing a lot. To learn about "hidden" opportunities, become an active member of the community. Find issues and organizations that interest you – then participate at events, volunteer, get involved! volunteer positions | environmental groups and organizations | peace groups | poverty and social justice groups | make the most of events
(4) Demonstrate your abilities
Demonstrate your abilities through your words and actions. This applies to your communications; your job search process; volunteering; plus all other interactions with potential employers or coworkers. Saying that you have what it takes is no match for demonstrating it in action.
If you’re interested in a posting, read it thoroughly. Take notes. Make a printout and use a highlighter. Look around the organization’s website, including the "About" section. Do a quick internet search on the organization, sector, issue or role. If you have time, go to the library or a bookstore. What you learn could prove invaluable even if you don’t get hired for the particular position. researching employers | environmental groups | how green is that job?
Make yourself match fit
Most people know that one CV and one cover letter will not do it all in this day and age. Tailoring your CV has never been more important. Many organisations now use applicant tracking systems which means that when you submit your CV, tailored software picks out keywords that relate to the job advert. Review your CV and make sure that your CV highlights all the essential points listed in the job spec. Yes, this does mean tailoring your CV and cover letter for every job. It may mean changing the format of your CV to give you a better chance of success.
We all go straight online to job boards nowadays, but do not limit your chances by using this method alone. Jobs posted online receive very high application numbers , meaning your CV can get lost. Lots of organisations use agencies instead, so find ones that specialise in your field and register with them. Good agencies will want to interview you before they put you forward for a role. That’s because they work hard to build relationships with their clients. It is in both their and your best interests if they only put you forward for positions that you really stand a chance of getting. Remember, when you meet the agency, it is another job interview and you need to make a good impression there too. Listen to any advice they give you and act on it. They are experts.
Walking into a business and asking for an application is another possibly effective way to find a job. This job-hunting strategy is only appropriate for certain jobs, such as retail, restaurant, hospitality and other service jobs. When you go into a business, make sure you look presentable and ask for the application politely. If a business is urgently hiring, they may decide to interview you on the spot, so come prepared for that chance.
10 Career Experts Share Their #1 Piece of Job Search Advice
Once you announce that you’re looking for a new gig, unsolicited job search advice is inescapable: “Video resumes are the future!” “Go back to school!” “Talk to my cousin’s best friend’s son, he knows someone who used to intern there!”
While all of the people sharing job search advice like this are well-meaning, they’re usually not career connoisseurs — just friends and family who want to help you out. As a result, the quality of their advice is often suspect.
There’s plenty of good job search tips out there, but if you really want to identify the advice that’s worth your time, you’ve got to get it from a credible source. And who better to weigh in than professional career coaches, HR consultants and other subject-matter experts? We reached out to nine career experts to learn their best advice on how to find a job — here’s what they had to say.
Tips for better job hunting
Update your resume. Having a solid resume is one of the most important parts of finding a job because it’s an employer’s first impression of you. Make sure all of your information is current and accurate. Double-check for any grammar or formatting errors and have another person look it over, too.
Tailor your resume and cover letter. These materials should always be specific to the job you’re applying to. You can save generalized copies of each and then tweak them to better fit the specific responsibilities and qualifications of the job you want. Search a job posting for keywords that you can add to your resume. This can help you get past any applicant tracking systems.
Be prepared for anything. Throughout your job search, you may be surprised by what can happen. For example, if a company is urgently hiring, they may ask for an interview right away. Likewise, a company may get back to you with a job offer months later. Being flexible and ready for the unexpected can help you improve your chances of getting a job.
Apply to jobs you are under-qualified for. Although you should direct your focus on jobs you’re qualified for, still feel free to apply to jobs where you may not check off every single requirement. If you think you are a good fit for the job, the employer may decide to give you a chance. You’ll never know if you refrain from applying.
Send follow-up emails. After talking to a recruiter or having an initial interview, always send a follow-up thank-you email the next day. Explain that you are still interested in the position and enjoyed speaking with them. This shows employers that you are courteous and professional.
Keep track of the jobs you apply to. When you’re actively looking for a new job, you may send in dozens of applications. In an Excel sheet, write down which jobs you applied to and when. This way, you won’t accidentally apply to a job twice and you can remember when to follow up with an employer. If you apply for a job and don’t hear back from an employer a few weeks past the job application’s deadline, you can send them an email inquiring about their hiring timeline.
Learn job keywords. Since search engines and career websites use keywords to help you find jobs, learn which keywords are applicable to the kind of job you want. Play around with different job titles that are similar to find a wider range of job postings.
Ask for informational interviews. Reaching out to companies for informational interviews is a great way to show your interest and get to know more about their organization. By making a good impression during this meeting, they may remember you when they have a job opening.
Be mindful of your online presence. Some hiring managers look at an applicant’s social media to learn more about them. Always be mindful of the type of content you share on social media. Keep it courteous and professional. If you don’t want an employer to see your postings, make sure to set your profiles to private.
7. Be patient post-interview.
The interview is done. They’ll call in a week, right? Very likely, they will not. Not only will it take a while to hear back – if you do – but the interview process takes longer than it used to take. If you go into the interview thinking that will be it, you may be surprised when they tell you the next step is another interview – and then there are three or four more steps. In fact, companies are often now having candidates and finalists come in for trial periods. Sometimes it’s an hour and sometimes it’s a full day of shadowing. It may feel time-consuming, but in the end, the goal is that you have found something you will be able to do for a while, and the company has found someone who will want to stick around.
The hard truth is that this is a terrible job market for job seekers. The salaries are lower in general and more positions are being reduced to freelance or part-time. The work you have always loved may not have the same title and may be shared by a team now. Instead of viewing this as a negative, though, consider the opportunities. Maybe you like sales, but always wanted to do some consulting. With the market as it is, you may be working harder, but you will also be able to open yourself up to new things. And new things bring new skills and connections. The lower salary is an adjustment, but less hours means volunteer work or pursuing that entrepreneurial idea you’ve had. In the end, that may be a blessing.
9. Keep it all in perspective.
Another difficult reality is that this means it’s even more competitive. It’s not unheard of to show up for an interview and realize you’re interviewing with other candidates for the same job. You may think you are one of five who was called for an interview, only to discover they are interviewing 100 people – out of 500 applicants. Keep it all in perspective, but again, chances are if you don’t get the job, another position just opened when the candidate they selected left their position for this one.
The final thing it’s helpful to know, and probably the most important, is that it’s not personal. It’s very hard not to get discouraged. You may go on hundreds of interviews, send out thousands of resumes, and still be waiting for that call. Friends and family will offer advice and say things like, “The right job will come along,” but it is hard to believe it sometimes. You’re not alone – and the truth is that it only takes one. For every rejection, remember it’s just not the right fit. It’s not you. Someone suggested keeping a tally – every application or every interview that’s a no, mark it down. When you reach 100, start over, but chances are, as much as it may seem endless, it’s unlikely you will reach 100 without an offer. It will feel like it’s inevitable, but the job is out there. Somewhere a hiring manager is looking for someone just like you. Jobs aren’t that different from dating, though, and all those frogs you have to kiss? They’re the interviews that don’t pan out for whatever reason. This is the hardest piece of advice to believe, but it’s imperative because some days, it does seem like there’s no end. If it gets really hopeless, allow yourself a day off from the search to do something that makes you happy. Then dust yourself off and get back out there.
Have trouble understanding some employment or career words and phrases? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Human Resources and job recruiters often have their own recruitment lexicon, but with our glossary of career, recruitment, and HR terms, you’ll be able to understand what they mean right away.
Job Hunting in 2022
Daniel Kurt is an expert on retirement planning, insurance, home ownership, loan basics, and more. Daniel has 10+ years of experience reporting on investments and personal finance for outlets like RothIRA.com, AARP Bulletin, and Exceptional magazine, in addition to being the "Bank of Dad" column writer for Fatherly.com. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in business administration and his Master of Arts in communication from Marquette University.
Doretha Clemons, Ph.D., MBA, PMP, has been a corporate IT executive and professor for 34 years. She is an adjunct professor at Connecticut State Colleges & Universities, Maryville University, and Indiana Wesleyan University. She is a Real Estate Investor and principal at Bruised Reed Housing Real Estate Trust, and a State of Connecticut Home Improvement License holder.
Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the unemployment rate hitting 3.9% in December 2021, the lowest it has been since January 2001, the COVID-19 pandemic is surging with the advent of the new omicron variant, and many Americans remain jobless. A good number of those are by choice, with 4.2 million people quitting their jobs in October 2021 alone. The pandemic has caused people to reevaluate their work choices, and right now they are picky, as employers are experiencing labor shortages, giving workers the upper hand in job negotiations. Indeed, as of Nov. 30, 2021, 10.6 million job openings were available, with particular opportunity in the fields of accommodation and food services, nondurable goods manufacturing, and educational services.
The good news is that employers want to fill those jobs, and they are optimistic about eventually doing so. An October 2021 survey of 1,100 U.S. employers of all sizes by the job site Indeed.com revealed that “94% of enterprises and 93% of small to midsized businesses (SMBs) say their companies will grow and have even more job opportunities” in 2022.
The key to landing gainful employment in the middle of a pandemic, though, is making some major adjustments to your approach. The fact is that today’s candidates have fewer opportunities to make the in-person connections that were once so key to getting in the door. And when they do land an interview, they may face the difficult task of selling themselves over a Zoom session.
Key Takeaways
Apply this to your own career
Try to be as specific as possible. Some good examples: complete an online course in statistics; follow up with my boss at my last internship; read my top-recommended problem profile. The key steps probably involve speaking to people.
Notes and references
*Focus on the right ways to source candidates. Basically, this boils down to “use your personal networks more”. By at least a 10x margin, the best candidate sources I’ve ever seen are friends and friends of friends. Even if you don’t think you can get these people, go after the best ones relentlessly. If it works out 5% of the time, it’s still well worth it. When you hire someone, as soon as you’re sure she’s a star you should sit her down and wring out of her the names of everyone that you should try to hire. You may have to work pretty hard at this.
We think this advice is reflective of best practice, at least in the technology industry, which is widely seen as a leader of best practices more generally. This article in the New York Times also describes how referrals are becoming more widely adopted as a key method of hiring across the business world:
His research is based on surveys of 35,000 salespeople, and draws from the existing literature, making it one of the most thorough reviews we know. Moreover, most advice is about low value sales, which turn out to be quite different.
Rackham not only found the techniques that the best salespeople use, he then trained people in these techniques and showed they made them more effective compared to a control group who received normal sales training.↩
Another example of a billionaire ‘drop-out’, Sir Richard Branson is one of the world’s most famous businessmen. The owner of Virgin dropped out of school at just 16 to start Student magazine, his first successful business venture. He bought his own Caribbean island when he was 24, was knighted in 1999 and is now said to be worth $4.1 billion.
Each word in the English language has a strictly defined meaning in the dictionary. Many words have one or two official meanings, while others can be used in numerous ways to describe different situations. “Evil” is an example of a word that has a more ambiguous definition. After all, what one person thinks is evil may not be considered truly evil by another person.
This is an important factor to keep in mind when thinking about the 10 most evil businessmen from modern history. Leaders of businesses large and small have committed acts that can be considered evil time and time again, but only a handful of them have gained the notoriety their crimes deserve. Evil acts from businessmen can range from directly taking a life, sanctioning evil practices that lead to loss of life, or even deceiving employees and the public while defrauding a company of millions of dollars.
The following men have committed acts that made them worthy of inclusion on a list of the Top 10 evil businessmen in modern history. They’ve been ranked from 10 to one and their crimes range from fraud to the sanctioning of massive loss of life. Without further ado, here are your evil businessmen.
Kozlowski’s business career appeared to be a brilliant one complete with a rags-to-riches storyline. After growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, Kozlowski eventually rose to the position of CEO with Tyco. Greed and a lack of moral direction led Kozlowski to siphon off $600 million in company funds for his own use. His excesses included $6,000 shower curtains, lavish parties on the company dime (one pictured above), and false bonuses he claimed were given at the direction of the Board of Directors. Kozlowski is serving a term of no less than eight years, with a maximum of 25, in prison. Tyco survived Kozlowski’s reign.
Richard Scrushy’s evil practices while in charge of HealthSouth are almost too numerous to list. He was twice charged with 30 counts each of illegal practices while acting as CEO for HealthSouth. His crimes include authorizing the termination of whistleblowers, bribery, fraudulent accounting practices, extortion, money laundering, and mail fraud among others. Although he managed to avoid jail in 2003 on the first 30 counts, he was later convicted on 30 different charges in 2007 and sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison. HealthSouth survived Scrushy’s abuses.
While serving as the CEO of Qwest, Joe Nacchio exhibited a penchant for fabricating the truth to his benefit, and his alone. Nacchio’s lies included inflated revenue claims and false reports of nonexistent upcoming government contracts. He also profited illegally from a run-up in Qwest stock prices. Nacchio was slapped with a $19 million fine, ordered to forfeit $52 million made from illegal trading, and sentenced to six years in prison. Nacchio began serving his term in 2009 and Qwest was eventually acquired by CenturyLink Communications.
Kumar was the former CEO of Computer Associates who began defrauding the company before 2000. His relatively simple practices included backdating contracts and even adding a week to accounting periods, known as the “35 day month.” Kumar’s crimes might not seem evil, but the extent of his fraud is staggering. Kumar and his accomplices defrauded Computer Associates of 5000.2 billion over a period of several years. Kumar was sentenced to 12 years in prison while the company was renamed.
As a big power player at Enron, Skilling encouraged the questionable accounting tactic known as mark-to-market. It allowed Enron to make overly optimistic values for energy prices by appraising company holdings based upon expected values. Skilling also signed off on the creation of an Enron subsidiary called Chewco, which was little more than a dumping ground for Enron’s debt. Skilling was sentenced to 24 years and 4 months in prison. Enron eventually collapsed, taking with it the jobs and life-savings of thousands of employees.
Lay was Skilling’s partner in crime as the two cooked the books at Enron, grossly over valuing the holdings of the company over the course of a number of years. Lay’s actions, like those of Skilling, led to the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history when Enron Corporation failed in 2001. Lay’s underhanded moves cost 20,000 Enron employees their jobs and numerous life savings accounts that were tied to company stocks.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney started off as a farm boy drawing cartoon pictures of his neighbor’s horses for fun. When he was older, Walt tried to get a job as a newspaper cartoonist, but was unable to find one and ended up working in an art studio where he created ads for newspapers and magazines. Eventually he grew to work on commercials, became interested in animation, and eventually opened his own animation company.
Disney’s first original character creation was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but it was officially owned by Universal Pictures because he was working under contract at the time. When Walt walked out on Universal Pictures after getting a pay cut, he needed to create a replacement, which is how Mickey Mouse came into being.
Disney was wildly successful with his animation company, but he wasn’t satisfied. He was determined to make the biggest and greatest theme park ever seen, saying to a colleague, "I want it to look like nothing else in the world."
Steve Jobs
You can’t really make a self-respecting "famous entrepreneurs" list without throwing in Steve Jobs. Jobs dropped out of college because his family couldn’t handle the financial burden of his education. He unofficially continued to audit classes, living off free meals from the local Hare Krishna temple and returning Coke bottles for change just to get by. Jobs credited the calligraphy class he stopped in on as his inspiration for the Mac’s revolutionary typefaces and font design.
Jobs went on to have an unbelievable career, eventually forming the Apple Computer Company with his childhood friend and electronics expert Steve Wozniak. Often referred to as "The Grandfather of the Digital Revolution," Jobs forever changed the consumer electronics industry. At the time of his death, his net worth was over $8.3 billion, and his influence will be felt for many digital generations to come.
The most successful businessmen without degrees
Despite what most might think, a university degree doesn’t always equate to success – and not having one doesn’t mean you’re a failure either. As these businessmen show, their lack of a degree didn’t hinder them from becoming some of the most successful entrepreneurs in history.
Matt Mullenweg started WordPress, which now powers around 35% of the web, despite having dropped out of the University of Houston in favour of working at CNET Networks. Two year later he founded Automattic, the business behind WordPress.com, Akismet, Gravatar, Tumblr and more household internet brands. He currently manages the WordPress Foundation.
