How to ask for a letter of recommendation

How to ask for a letter of recommendationAt every professional stage in life (job searching, job switching, promotion seeking), there will come a time when you need to ask someone to write you a letter of recommendation. Though not as common as they once were, many would-be employers still want to know that someone vouches for you. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) If the thought of asking someone to say nice things about you makes you nervous, dont worryits awkward for everyone. Here are a few tips on how to make the asking as easy as possible for everyone involved.Ask someone who really likes you.This seems like a given, but its worth stressing only ask people you are certain will say wonderful, glowing things about you. Just because you worked for someone and did the bare extremum doesnt mean he or she thinks fondly of you. If you were forgettable, youre going to get a bland and generic letter.Remember, this doesnt always have to be a f ormer (or current) boss. A colleague at your level is fine so is someone youve worked with on volunteer projects outside of work. The key is that he or she can vouch for the exact skills the partie receiving the letter wants in an employee.Offer to clarify.The mora information you give, the easier it is for someone to knock out a letter. After you receive a yes, get specific. After saying thank you (always say thank you), describe in detail the specific job youre applying for and what talking points would be most useful. You can give a list of skills the hiring manager wants in an applicant and remind the person youre asking about how you have exhibited those skills in the past. It can also be helpful to outline some of your recent and past achievements for them to reference without having to look them up or ask.Be prepared to draft it yourself.A lot of times busier people will ask you to sketch out (or write entirely) the letter by yourself. Always say yes. Take the list of achieve ments this person knows youve accomplished, match them up with the list of requirements from the job posting, and go to town. In most cases, he or she willlook it over, make a few cosmetic changes, and then sign it. Youve made everyones life easierRespect peoples time.Waiting until the last minute and then saying, Please get this to me tomorrow, is rude and inconsiderate. Your letter of recommendation is not among the most important things in someones life, and no one should have to drop everything just because you were too lazy to ask in advance. Give someone at least a week (and ideally two or three) to get you a letter.Just ask.Popping the question can be hard, but you wont get a letter if you dont ask for it. Yes, you might feel uncomfortable asking someone to do a favor for you, but if youre smart about who you ask and pick someone who only has glowing things to say, chances are he or she will be more than happy to do it. Give the key details, throw in a little flattery, and as k away.

How to use Twitter for Networking

How to use Twitter for Networking Share Share via TwitterShare via FacebookShare via Google PlusShare via LinkedInShare via E-mail Social media can be a powerful networking tool, connecting you to professional communities and timely conversations around the world, but making those anfangsbuchstabe connectionscan be very intimidating. Here are some guidelines to help you use Twitter to network.Make an account.If you already have a personal Twitter, consider creating an account that is solely for your professional social media rather than folding your professional content into your personal accounts timeline. If you go viral with professional content on a mixed-use account, that selfie from six years ago might come back to haunt you. Likewise, think very carefully about handlesfor professional accounts, your name or a word or phrase that is connected with you or your work might be a better choice than an in-joke from your undergrad days.Use appropriate renommees for your icon and cover photo. Twitter provides aplaceholder image that used to be an egg, which troll accounts typically use and are often called eggs by longstanding Twitter users. A popular option in Twitters settings, for example, allows users to ignore all responses from accounts using the default image placeholder. A distinct image, even if its leid of you, allows you to signify that you are not a troll.Bonus tip Pinned tweets are a good place to put a link to your last paper or talkFind your people.Once youve made an account, identify people who are talking about the issues you want to be a part of. A good way to identify fellow professionals is to watch for conference hashtags and then see which accounts are posting on those hashtags. You can also use the search tool to look for conversations involving keywords or phrases, and identify accounts that are starting or contributing to those conversations.A word of caution dont respond to conversations that are mora than a week old it is con sidered poor etiquette for Twitter. Likewise, when you follow someone or gain a new follower, dont DM them this is considered a thirst move and will seem unprofessional.Listen before you leap.When you have started to identify these people, follow, but be respectful. Listen for a while before you start engaging. Dont clog their mentions and dont tag them in on every thought you have. Accustom yourself to the way professionals in your field use Twitter and what kinds of conversations they have and dont have on their professional accounts. You can model your usage on those norms or let your own comfort levels dictate what you share, but respect the limits of others around engagement or details. Remember that someone who uses social media differently than you do is not doing it wrong, just differently.Be polite.Once you have been following for a while, you can start to respond or use other peoples threads as a jumping off point for your own thoughts on a topic. Begin to engage with hash tags specific to your field, or jump in on field-specific polls or conversations. Remember to be politeone thing that social media can be misleading about is the degree of intimacy you have with other social media users. Try not to overestimate your level of connection with someone, especially if they are a leader in your field. They probably field a lot of attempts at engagement every day from other users, some of which are likely to be hostile. If you argue or come out swinging, you are likely to be blocked immediately, and you will lose access not only to their social media stream and goodwill but also potentially to a valuable future connection.(Original) content is king.Try to mix up your responses and signal boosting with original content. Your engagement appeal is predicated mostly on your own thoughts, not those of other people that you retweet. When your follower count starts to rise, it will usually be because of original content, not because of other peoples content that you push out to your followers. Thats not to say that you should never retweet or respond, but that you should be careful to include original content in your timeline provide value for your followers in the same way that the people you follow provide value to you.Twitter has its own lingo.Last but not least, Twitter speaks its own language and failing to learn that language will end with you looking foolish at best. Dont be afraid to Google terms youre not familiar with before trying to use them, especially if they tend to be paired in ordinary Twitter interactions with memes or certain types of conversations or emoji, lest you receive the dreaded Steve Buscemi meme.CategoriesGraduate StudentsTagsExpert Advice - Graduate Students

Internships The Good, The Bad The Ugly

Internships The Good, The Bad The Ugly Internships The Good, The Bad The UglyPosted September 13, 2019, by EleshaAn internship could be the career break youve been waiting for. Or it could leave you broke and teach you nothing except how many sugars your boss likes in herbei lattes. Lets take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of internships in Australia.What Is An Internship and Do Interns Get Paid?An internship isthe placement of graduate or trainee within an organisation to gain work experience and understand the day-t0-day workings of a particular industry. Internships can last anywhere from a week to a year or more.The idea is to provide the missing link between studies and actual work experience interns get real-world experience aligned to their academic studies.Are Internships Legal In Australia? They sure areThere are both paid and unpaid internship opportunities, however unpaid is far more common. In Australia, the median length of an internship is 45 days - usually unpaid - and according to ABC News, up to 500,000 interns may have been in unlawful arrangements between 2013 - 2018.Paid vs unpaid internships are where things can get a little murky.According to Fairwork.gov.auSome unpaid work arrangements are lawful and others are not. Depending on the nature of the arrangement, the person doing the work may be an employee and be entitled to be paid the legal minimum rate of pay for the type of work theyre doing, along with other minimum employment entitlements.Whether an unpaid work arrangement is lawful under the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) depends onwhether an employment relationship exists, orwhether the arrangement involves a vocational placement.If youre unsure of the nature of your internship, we recommend reading over everything Fairwork.gov.au stipulates about the nature of an unpaid internship here.Lets take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of internships in Australia.The GoodExperienceA good internship gives you the gunst der s tunde to apply what you know to real work experience and get a feel for the day-to-day duties you can expect in your chosen field.Unlike an apprenticeship, which is focused on one area, an internship is broader and gives you the chance to explore the different areas of your field to discover which one you enjoy the most.Internships arent only for graduates either. If youre planning a major career change and starting in a new industry, an internship can give you a sense of what to expect. And, more importantly, find out if the direction of your new career is right for you.Lorna Hendry was a graphic designer in her mid-forties when she took the leap to change careers to writing. After enrolling in a diploma for professional writing and editing, an opportunity for a four-week internship with a publisher came up.She told The Sydney Morning Herald.When I finished my internship they kept asking me to write books. Now Ive written 14 books for them and this year Im shortlisted for a Childre ns Book Council of Australia award.The internship opened up this opportunity where I got to practise something new writing.A foot in the doorThe Unpaid Work Experience In Australia Report 2016 revealed 27 per cent were offered a job by their host organisation following their most recent period of unpaid work experience.Joshua Robb was appointed Associate Director of accounting firm SV Partners at just 29 and told News.com.au that it was his internship with an accountancy firm that kick-started his career.I did the internship so that I could gain some experience in different areas of accounting and see if there were any areas I liked, he said in the article The benefits of interning and how to make the most of your experience.After a week in business services and audit, I was ready to move on. And while I liked tax, I wasnt sure I could keep doing it. But the day I started in insolvency, I realised this is what I want to do from now on.He interned for four weeks for an accounting pr actice and was offered a full-time role. By the time he graduated, he held the position of a senior liquidator.The BadYour finances could take a hitBusinesses cant assume that because an intern is young, that theyre still living at home with their parents - ie, riding the wave of cheap (or no) rent.Many interns support themselves and the financial reality of taking an unpaid internship can be grim.Sydney Pead told the ABC she was commuting from Sydney to Wollongong for her journalism internship and trying to make ends meet on Youth Allowance.The internship was a six week, unpaid stint for aspiring journalists the chance to get a byline in one of the countrys biggest newspapers.Once my rent and transport were paid there wasnt much left over for food. I didnt have time to supplement it with casual work. recalled Sydney.Essentially, we worked for free, but more than that, I was hundreds of dollars out of pocket for the experience.According to the Unpaid Work Experience In Australia Rep ort 2016, 1 in 4 interns receives financial support from family or friends.The UglyYou could be treated like a servantIts pretty common for the tasks no-one else wants to do to be handballed to the intern - the type of stuff which is basic and low skill. This type of work wont utilise the progressive skills of the intern which is why they took the position in the first place.So many scenes from The Devil Wears Prada coming to mind right now.via GIPHYIn his Medium article - Internships. Theyre not just exploitation, theyre slavery - Tim Van Martin lifts the lid on the exploitative nature of internships in the media and design industries.Ive seen interns come in and literally be sent on coffee and stationery runs or be told to clean the kitchen. Or sort the stock images folder on the server. Or any other banal and soul destroying task that NO ONE wants to do. writes Tim.Can they put any of that sh*t on their resume?Its hard to know exactly how youll be treated before you start but do as much research as possible before accepting the placement. Even chatting with other interns at the company to get the real lowdown can help you avoid being conned with your internship. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchesinternship cover letterbest careers for 2020 and beyondbest careers for the next ten yearsbest resignation letter samplesbest resignation letter pdf CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire zugreifbar Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineEleshaRelated ArticlesBrowse moreWORKFORCE TRENDSBarack Obama inspires change for the betterWhen Barack Obama became the 44th President of the Unite d States, he ushered in an era that promises unprecedented and inspirational change.Career changeCareer counsellorCourses compared from the underrated to the overblownWhat do you want to get out of further study Employment prospects? A good salary? Job satisfaction? Marni looks past the hype to help you find all three.WORKFORCE TRENDSWarning skills shortages aheadAustralias skills shortage crisis is expected to intensify in the coming months and years, resulting in major gaps in the workforce in a range of occupations and industries.

What Is a Full-Time Job

What Is a Full-Time JobWhat Is a Full-Time Job6The boundary between full-time and part-time work isnt always clear. What one company considers a full-time job at 35 hours per week, another company might call part-time because it isnt 40 hours.Even Wikipedia defines full-time employment vaguely as, employment in which a person works a minimum number of hours defined as such by his/her employer. Not super helpful.But there are some guideposts and telltale signs that can help job seekers determine which listings are full-time jobs. In this post, youll learn some of the different ways to answer the question, What is a full-time job?When youre searching for a job, the listing can be a good source of information for figuring out if the job is full-time. The saatkorn goes for the companys careers or human resources pages.The most obvious is, of course, whether it says its a full-time or part-time role. But, believe it or not, its not always spelled out so clearly, so you may need to do a li ttle mora research. Below, we have several different ways to figure out if a job is full-time or part-time.6 Different Ways to Determine If a Job Is Full-Time1. Dont waste time looking for a standard.When it comes to fulls include some healthcare workers, transit drivers, and pilots.As Alison Doyle explains inarticle on full-time employment, The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) dictates that employers must pay non-exempt employees time and one half for any hours worked above 40 per week. An exempt employee paid a salary is not entitled to overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 during a workweek.This explains why its common consensus to think of full-time hours as 40 hours per week, but it doesnt clearly define 40 hours as a full-time job.2. Check each companys policy.Doyle also writes that company policy determines the hours that employees are expected to work. The company may specify a set number of hours and, optionally, what your work schedule will be. For example, your employee handbook may specify 9 am 6 pm or simply state 45 hours per week.How can you figure out a companys policy? Many companies outline general work schedules or hours on their websites. And if youre interviewing, you can ask their human resources department or your interviewer for details.3. Use to sort by full-time and part-time.At , for example, when listing full-time and part-time jobs, we draw the line at 40 hours per week. Onour advanced searchpage, you can search based on work schedule, which includesfull-timepart-timeflexible schedulealternative scheduleoccasionalseasonalshort-termlong-termAny job listing that requires 40 hours per week or mora, or says its a full-time role, is listed as full-time. Anything underneath 40 hours per week, or that mentions being a part-time schedule, is listed as part-time. There can be multiple schedule attributes, so jobs may also be listed as flexible, alternative, long- or short-term, occasional, and seasonal.4. Find out if the job comes with b enefits.Most full-time jobs come with at least some benefits that people working part-time in the same company do not have access to. Those might include things like health/dental/vision insurance, vacation time, 401(k) programs, sick leave, and parental leave.This guideline is especially helpful if youre dealing with a large company, because theyre more likely to offer benefits to full-time employees. Small companies and startups, on the other hand, are less likely to offer these sorts of benefits to employees, full-time or part-time.5. Determine whether the job is a salaried or hourly position.Not all, but most full-time jobs will be salaried positions. So if youre looking at a job that offers an hourly rate, its most likely a freelance or part-time job.However, there are more than a few part-time jobs that come with a salary, so like all of these other indicators, this isnt a rule so much as its a norm.6. Apply the new overtime rules to the job. President Obama announced revision s to the Fair Labor Standards Act that determine whether someone is eligible for overtime pay after working more than 40 hours in a week. You can learn more about what these rules mean for full-time workers here. In a nutshell, the change is expected to make 4.2 million additional workers eligible to receive time-and-a-half wages for each extra hour they work beyond 40 each week.Again, because the FLSA doesnt determine full- or part-time hours, these updated rules simply increase the number of people who are nonexempt from overtime pay (versus exempt, which is what most salaried, full-time employees are).So, what is a full-time job? One things for sure- its not an easy question to answer. But by using the guidelines above, you can begin to determine, before speaking with the company or receiving a job offer, whether a job listing is for a full-time or part-time job.Readers, do you have any other tricks to share for helping your fellow job seekers to answer the question, What is a fu ll-time job? Share them with us

those big paragraphs of text on your resume are putting people to sleep

those big paragraphs of text on your resume are putting people to sleep those big paragraphs of text on your resume are putting people to sleep Please, for the love of god, do not put large paragraphs of text on your resume.People looking at your resume are going to skim it on the first pass. They are not going to read it word-for-word, and they are more likely to see what you want them to see if you use bullet points.When an employer opens a resume and sees large blocks of text under each job, they immediately feel a little more tired than they did a minute before and think about taking a nap instead of trudging through your densely written resume. You want your resume to be coffee, not Ambien.

7 Keys to Radio Advertising Success

7 Keys to Radio Advertising Success7 Keys to Radio Advertising SuccessRadio advertising two words that are barely spoken about anymore. At the 2016 Advertising Week event, there was no time at all devoted to radio ads because they are considered yesterday. Theyre not hip, and to be fair, have always been thought of like the red-headed stepchild of the industry. There are still effective ways to reach a large number of people. While millennials may be dumping radio, there are millions of consumers who find this free resource invaluable. And even then, there are ways to get into ad-supported free versions of the latest apps like Spotify and Pandora. Whats more, radio gives you the chance to get very creative on a small budget, as you a relying on the customers imagination to create the visuals. Want someone on the top of a mountain, on Mars, surrounded by killer sheep and an army of alien clowns? No problem. So, if youre ready to dive in, here are seven ways you can grab success throug h the radio. Know Your Target Audience Just like with every ad you create, you must know yourtarget audience. Advertising your western gear store on a country station makes a lot of sense. Advertising a teen clothing store on the same station doesnt. Make a list of the radio stations in your market. Listen to each one to help identify your target audience. What kind of listeners will be tuning in, and are they a potential customer for your product or service? Radio stations also offer programs youll want to know more about before you buy. You wont want to advertise your religious bookstore during a program that has a raunchy sense of humor. Be appropriate. Request a High Frequency of Ads A radio commercial needs to air multiple times before it sinks in with the listener. Running your commercial once a week for a month isnt going to be enough. Frequency refers to how many times your ad airs in a short amount of time. A commercial that airs multiple times in a day has a better chance of reaching the listener than a commercial that only airs a few times in a week. However, if you are going to create an ad that runs many times a day, be wary of the nag factor. If its too annoying, you will alienate potential customers. Write a Great Script Without a truly great script, everything else on this list is just window dressing. You can have the best production, talent, time-slot, and have your target audience nailed, but a poor script will make it all worthless. So, the pressure is really on to make that script shine. Ideally, youll want to hire a professional copywriter or creative advertising agency to do this for you. However, money can be tight when youre running a small business, and you may have to settle for your writing skills to make this work. First, listen to a lot of radio. You need to pay attention to what catches your ear, and what passes you by. Which ads speak to you? Which ones are memorable, hours, or even days later? Which ads are OK on th e first listen, but incredibly annoying after a few more plays? Then, dig into the archives of radio advertisements by doing an internet search. Most important, remember that you can paint any picture you want in the minds of the listeners. You dont have to rely on special visual effects this can all be done with voice talent and some sound effects. And the results can be incredible. Take Casting Very Seriously So, you have a great script. Now you need to bring it to life. And the first step in that process is to hire the perfect voice talent for the job. You may be tempted to do it yourself (which rarely works, unless its ideally suited to the product or service, think Dave from Wendys). Dont do it. You dont have the required skills, timing, or vocal presence to pull this off. You can find voice talent in every city in America. And because of the Internet, you dont even have to stay local. You can find great talent in a city thousands of miles away, and get them to record the a udio and send it to you via an FTP or cloud-based storage service. Ideally, youll want to be there when they are recording the audio though. You want to give them some direction before and after each take, to ensure you are getting just what you want. Dont be afraid to redirect the talent, or ask for different approaches. Voice actors are consummate professionals and want to give you just what you pay for. Good Production Is Essential Unlike television commercials, production is more simple for a radio commercial. You need a good, imaginative script, voice talent, music, and sound effects. However, that doesnt mean you should slap something together. Your copy isnt relying on any visuals, so its vital you capture the listeners attention from the start. The copy needs to be crystal clear and not muddied by trying to be too cutesy in your pitch. Find The Most Affordable Rates Take advantage of the low ad rates for radio. Ad rates are always on the rise, but the costs are still more affordable than visual mediums like television. Use your negotiating skills to get a good deal on an ad bundle. The more ads you buy, the better rates youll be able to get. Get Your Timing Right Ad rates are generally less expensive in the first and third quarters. Radio commercials in these time frames are easier to negotiate and cheaper for you to advertise. Whats more, the seasonality of the ad buy can influence your creative approach, making the selling message even more powerful. For instance, in the first quarter, customers are recovering from a heavy spend/shop cycle during November and Decembers big holidays. Is this a good time to talk about savings that can be had? Or, better yet, is this a good time to talk about ways to make extra money? Before you take the plunge into radio advertising, find out if youreReady for Radio. And if youre ready to hit the airwaves,this radio commercial scriptcan show you how to deliver strong copy that will reach your listeners ever y time.

Tailor Your Resume to a Specific Job

Tailor Your Resume to a Specific JobTailor Your Resume to a Specific JobWriting a resume involves tons of decisions, from choosing a font, to deciding if your resume should be chronological or functional, to describing jobs from years ago. Once your resume is proofread and finalized, its tempting to hit save, print several copies, and resolve to never, ever alter a word on the document again. Resist this, and hit cancel on your print job Your resume is never truly complete. Its a living document. Not only will your resume change with each position you hold, but it should also evolve in response to the jobs you apply for. A targeted resume leads to a mora successful job application. How to Tailor Your Resume a Job Heres the good news You dont need to update your entire resume with each position you apply for. A full overhaul would take too much time - and would increase the likelihood of introducing a typo or small error. Instead, a few nips and tucks will do. Here are tips and r ecommendations for how to update your resume for a particular job. Review the Job Description It all starts with the job description In order for your resume to be a good match for the job, its important to know the employers wants and requirements for the position. Jot down a list of major keywords as you read through. Or, highlight key phrases on a printed out copy of the resume. Next, Read Your Resume Now that you have a sense of what skills and abilities the position calls for, read your resume. Do you have this experience listed? In a general resume, you may try to draw attention to all sorts of positive aspects of your experience, from your leadership abilities to your project management to your skills with metrics or your ability to please clients. But with a job description available, you can sharpen your resumes focus. Rather than a scattershot approach, you can narrow in on what the employee wants. Its not only a matter of if you have the key qualifications listed, but where. Hiring managers and interviews have a tendency to scan quickly, and not read thoroughly, so make sure important details are listed on the top half of the page, and not the bottom (or second page). Heres information on how to match your qualifications to a job description. Update These Key Sections Its not worth the time to update your entire resume or restructure it completely with each job you apply for. Instead, target key areas for updates Summary If you have this section on your resume, update it so that its clear how youre a good match for this position. Showcase your most relevant accomplishments and abilities here. For instance, if the posting calls for an independent worker and self-starter, you may describe yourself as being Always willing to take the initiative on large and small projects.Experience For some positions, and depending on your background, it may make sense to break out your experience into sections. Lets say the job calls for a strong salesper son, and youve worked in sales, but not in many years. You could break your experience into two sections Sales Experience and Other Work Experience. This wont necessarily require much work other than adding the extra heading, but itll serve to highlight your relevant background. Job descriptions In some cases, the organization of your experience is just right as-is, but its important for you to emphasize different facets of your responsibilities. List the most relevant details toward the top of each job description, so that readers are sure to catch them. Make sure your job descriptions are written so that they sound impressive. Verify Important Keywords Are Listed Remember, as well as demonstrating to interviewers and hiring manager that youre a good match, you may also have to satisfy machines. If you suspect that your resume will be going through a program that will do keyword scanning, make sure it contains relevant keywords, which you will determine from the job description . Proof and Save Your Updated Resume Ideally, you havent introduced a single error with these tweaks. Still, before sending off your document, do a final proofread for grammatical mistakes or typos. Save your document. This can be mora complicated than it seems After all, if you tweak your resume every time you apply to a job, youll wind up with many versions, and can have trouble keeping the files organized. Create a sub-folder on your computer for each version of your resume. Depending on your situation, you might name these folders by company (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube, Netflix) or by skill (e.g. Sales, Marketing, Communications). That way, youll just have to browse through folders to find the right resume to print or attach. Avoid using the documents file name for your own personal organization, since people other than you - such as hiring managers - will also see it, so ensure that you select an appropriate resume file name.