Just today, as I was reminscing about all I've done this summer, I thought to myself "hoooly cow! Time flew right by! Has it really been a year already?!"
Today is my last day at Douglas College and, as you can probably tell, I'm having a pretty hard time accepting it; it feels like I started school just yesterday. During my time at Douglas, I learned quite a bit about myself. I discovered my interests (Philosophy, English, Teaching), acquired some valuable life long lessons, and even made future plans. To me, school is so much more than an "educational facility"; it's a way to find yourself. Thus, I'm excited to continue school, move on to the next chapter in my life, and discover what lies ahead of me.
Tutoring was also a very rewarding experience. I got to meet so many awesome people, help students out, and really make a difference in people's lives. There's something so fulfilling about knowing that you've helped someone out; I think it's what we, as humas, aim for in life.
I wish you all the best of luck in the future and leave you with this:
"Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value" -Albert Einstein
Take care! :)
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Thursday, August 9, 2007
The Keys to a Successful Interview
Photo courtesy of http://www.acetheinterview.com/images/timemachine.gif
Why is it the word "interview" can always leave people shaking in their boots? For some reason, when interview time rolls around the corner, many of us find ourselves in this situation. For me, personally, such a feeling usually seems to go away halfway through the interview; still, I always wished there were ways to cure my anxiety beforehand. Fortunately, I came across a website that outlines how to better prepare yourself so that an interview will run along smoothly. Here were some of the helpful tips that were offered:
1. Be prepared and confident
2. Write down and practice possible interview questions beforehand
3. Don't talk too much
4. Be enthusiastic and positive
5. Make eye contact
6. Dress to impress (and to make you feel confident!)
7. Bring up a weakness [this helps you set a goal for yourself]
8. Don't be afraid to ask the employer questions
9. Show you are listening attentively
10. Face the feedback [you may hear upsetting feedback from your interviewer, but just use this positively and take note of what you can do differently next time]
There were other tips as well, but I found these ones the most important. For more tips on how to succeed in job interviews, please visit http://www.interviewtips.org/job-interview-tips/job-interview-tips-1.html
One of the things I liked most about this website was the fact that they also included what not to do during an interview. Here's what they had to say:
1. Don't give a weak handshake [this tells the employer that you are uninterested or lack confidence]
2. Don't talk negatively about past employers
3. Don't use 'verbal ticks' such as "umm," "like," and "you know"
4. Don't ask about vacation time, benefits, or salary during the first interview
Overall, I think the keys to a successful interview are summed up in 'to do' tip number one: be prepared and confident. If you're prepared, the employer will see your organizational skills and abilities to work diligently; if you're confident, he or she will see that you are not afraid of a challenge and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Together, I believe these two ingredients can create a recipe for employment!
What do you usually do [or try not to do] during an interview?
1. Be prepared and confident
2. Write down and practice possible interview questions beforehand
3. Don't talk too much
4. Be enthusiastic and positive
5. Make eye contact
6. Dress to impress (and to make you feel confident!)
7. Bring up a weakness [this helps you set a goal for yourself]
8. Don't be afraid to ask the employer questions
9. Show you are listening attentively
10. Face the feedback [you may hear upsetting feedback from your interviewer, but just use this positively and take note of what you can do differently next time]
There were other tips as well, but I found these ones the most important. For more tips on how to succeed in job interviews, please visit http://www.interviewtips.org/job-interview-tips/job-interview-tips-1.html
One of the things I liked most about this website was the fact that they also included what not to do during an interview. Here's what they had to say:
1. Don't give a weak handshake [this tells the employer that you are uninterested or lack confidence]
2. Don't talk negatively about past employers
3. Don't use 'verbal ticks' such as "umm," "like," and "you know"
4. Don't ask about vacation time, benefits, or salary during the first interview
Overall, I think the keys to a successful interview are summed up in 'to do' tip number one: be prepared and confident. If you're prepared, the employer will see your organizational skills and abilities to work diligently; if you're confident, he or she will see that you are not afraid of a challenge and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Together, I believe these two ingredients can create a recipe for employment!
What do you usually do [or try not to do] during an interview?
Thursday, August 2, 2007
May the Summer Begin!
Yesterday (Wednesday August 1st) was probably one of the most exhilarating days of my life. Yep, you guessed it. It was the last day of summer classes!
Ironically, I don't regret taking summer courses. Whenever I told people I was in school for the summer, they just looked at me and said, "Are you serious?" However, I think going to school in the summer was a pretty wise idea for several reasons:
1) I would have been pretty bored if I wasn't in school. All my friends were working full time, so I wouldn't have gotten a chance to hang out with them anyway.
2) I'm all caught up now. Going to school gave me the chance to keep up with my 30 credit-per-year plans so I can graduate on time.
3) I feel like I accomplished something. Even some of my friends admitted they couldn't wait to go back to school in the fall; they were all getting bored and feeling "purposeless."
4) It will be easier to get back into "school mode" in the fall. If I were playing and working all summer, it would be pretty difficult to give that up and start school again.
5) I met some pretty interesting people along the way. I made new friends and we all got through the semester together.
Of course, a part of me wishes I could work full-time all summer and save up some of that so-called "money" I've been hearing so much about. On the other hand, someone once said to me, "You have your whole life to work, don't worry so much about that right now." I guess you can't really put a price on education, can you?
Ironically, I don't regret taking summer courses. Whenever I told people I was in school for the summer, they just looked at me and said, "Are you serious?" However, I think going to school in the summer was a pretty wise idea for several reasons:
1) I would have been pretty bored if I wasn't in school. All my friends were working full time, so I wouldn't have gotten a chance to hang out with them anyway.
2) I'm all caught up now. Going to school gave me the chance to keep up with my 30 credit-per-year plans so I can graduate on time.
3) I feel like I accomplished something. Even some of my friends admitted they couldn't wait to go back to school in the fall; they were all getting bored and feeling "purposeless."
4) It will be easier to get back into "school mode" in the fall. If I were playing and working all summer, it would be pretty difficult to give that up and start school again.
5) I met some pretty interesting people along the way. I made new friends and we all got through the semester together.
Of course, a part of me wishes I could work full-time all summer and save up some of that so-called "money" I've been hearing so much about. On the other hand, someone once said to me, "You have your whole life to work, don't worry so much about that right now." I guess you can't really put a price on education, can you?
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