Strategies for getting a good reference

Strategies for getting a good reference When I was applying to graduate school, I needed three references. The only work I had done was not the reference-generating kind, like signing autographs for Esther Williams and chopping heads off chickens. So the references were a real stretch for me, and I ended up asking my boyfriend to write one. I had done work for him, technically speaking, so he wrote it as a former employer. Amost all the recommendation forms had a section that said, How would you rank this person among all the people you have worked with? I demanded that he say I was in the top 1%. He said that it was absurd to put top 1% because no one would believe it. I said he was wrong. And then I raised the bar by having a tantrum until he agreed to say in the written part of the recommendation that I was the most well-read person he had ever met. But it turns out that my boyfriend was probably right, and the recommendation was, indeed, over the top. People do not like sterling recommendations, according to a study by Cleveland State University (via gradschoolstory.com). An endorsement is more believable if it includes something negative about the person. The example in the study is Sometimes, John can be difficult to get along with. That seems like a really bad comment, but it actually got a better response from hiring managers than a reference with no negative comments. This rule of thumb sounds right to me. When I was hiring, if I called for a reference and the person sounded like they were reading a canned speech I discounted the whole thing and called another person on the list. I was always hunting for someone with candor. Legal advisors tell companies to give out only the title and dates of employment. However David Perry , executive recruiter and author of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters, tells me that he has never had a situation where he couldnt get someone to say more than that after a little bit of pushing. In fact, CareerJournal provides interesting examples of how human resource representatives toe the legal line and still give a terrible reference if they want to: Theyll say, Are you sure she gave you my name? or Check his references very, very carefully, or Hang on, let me get the legal file. So even if the person giving the reference is not your boyfriend, if you know him very well, you can still do a little coaching. For example, give a suggested answer for when they are asked about your weakness. And if you are worried you are going to get a bad reference from an old employer, hire a reference check firm to check your own references. (In that vein you will be happy to know that when necessary, I still get a good reference from that boyfriend.)

How to Become a Teaching Assistant The Ultimate Guide

How to Become a Teaching Assistant â€" The Ultimate Guide Photo Credit â€" upload.wikimedia.orgA teaching assistant TAs work with students in the classroom, as well as in a range of other settings. For example, as a TA you may lead small groups in the classroom to complete given tasks or you may work outside of the classroom to challenge students as part of certain activities.As a TA you would be expected to be versatile and flexible in your approach but do you know what this really means?What does it mean to challenge gifted children and how do you encourage less able students to reach their potential?Specialist SkillsTAs are often used to enhance the learning process and that means having the skills to cope and manage all kinds of additional learning needs and behaviour management too.As a result, you could specialise in any number of key areas from managing challenging behaviour in the classroom to working with students with speech and language difficulties, autism, ADHD, for example.Career ProgressionBeing a classroom TA is a rewarding career. You become an important person in the learning process of students, providing the support, direction and encouragement they need.There are also opportunities to progress within this profession too. As well as becoming a TA with certain specialisms, you can also complete additional courses such as the Higher Level Teaching Assistant Completing the HLTA qualifications significantly boosts your pay scale too. But always bear in mind that because TA terms and conditions of employment can vary from one school to another and from one local authority to another, the pay range of being a TA will fluctuate too.TAs are also paid pro rata. In other words, they are paid for term time only. But always check the conditions and pay terms.Becoming a TA As well as qualifications, work experience is a crucial step in how to become a teaching assistant in your chosen educational setting, whether that is a secondary school, a primary school, a pupil referral unit, a specialist schools for disab led children or a college.Understanding the current educational system and how children are taught is important for your career as a TA.evalDo you have the required skills ? Do you have an understanding of the qualifications you need to become a teaching assistant?

Want to Make the World a Better Place Here Are Some Job Choices for You - CareerAlley

Want to Make the World a Better Place Here Are Some Job Choices for You - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Everyone wants to contribute to mankind and almost anyone can do their part in some small way. For instance, you can go green and cut down on electricity usage or even get rid of your car to help protect the environment. Some people contribute by donating to charities and research foundations. Others start up a business to show the world a product that they truly believe in. For others, they contribute to the world by working in jobs that might not be the best paying or the most glamorous, but they do provide you with a sense of belonging in the world. That sense of purpose you get from doing some good is like a high. It makes life easier to live because you know youre contributing to the greater good. You know that youre doing your part to help those around you, and having the ability to help others who are in need is something that more people should be considering. If you want to make a difference, even if its just a small difference to your family or to the local community, then here are some job choices that will empower you with a sense of purpose. Policing Keeping the streets safe is something that kids say they want to do when they grow up. However, its a harsh job and while there are plenty of benefits, its also unsafe. If you want to do your part and keep your local community safe and free of fear, then policing is one of the best careers to get involved with. You could be a patrol officer, you could become an investigator, or even a police chief and have a hand in keeping the entire town secure. Research Researching is what helps us develop new technologies and medicine for future use. Becoming a researcher involves a lot of studying and you need to show that you have a deep understanding of a subject. After all, how can you hope to uncover something new if you dont fully understand everything thats already been discovered in your chosen field? From medical research to technology, there are plenty of fields that you can get involved with if you want to be a researcher. Teaching With so many babies being born every day, theyll eventually grow up and require schooling. Teaching jobs are rewarding because of how many benefits they provide, but also because you get the satisfaction of knowing that youre contributing to the next generation by empowering them with knowledge and good habits that will take them far in life. While some people find teaching to be an unforgiving job, others revel in the challenge and will relentlessly try to provide for the children in their classes. Entrepreneurship Lastly, lets not forget that you can make the world a better place by introducing bright new ideas. For starters, if you see theres a niche that isnt being provided for, or if you notice that you could make technology cheaper, then get involved with those industries and bring something new to the table. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+

Job Sharing

Job Sharing Job sharing is one way to get work hours flexibility, especially if you need it because of child care or elderly parent responsibilities. My mom did job sharing when I was young. She worked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning, and her co-worker worked Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. Both loved the arrangement and through careful planning, this went on for 15+ years. Sharing a job with another person requires flexibility and good communication skills to keep the work flowing even on the days when you are not at work. This goes beyond good face-to-face communication skills as you have to be able to communicate with the other worker when you are not working at the same time. Email is one type of communication that helps in a job share situation. Being flexible and able to accept phone calls on non-work time is also helpful. Good documentation skills are critical to job sharing. This ensures that the work gets done properly with no mistakes even when you are not there yourself. One example of documentation skills is medical charting for doctors and nurses. The next doctor or nurse should be able to tell what treatment a patient has received and what he will need next. My mom and her co-worker had in and out boxes so they knew what the other was working on. They also had lots of sticky notes (this was all that was available 30 years ago!). Neatness counts. If you share supplies or equipment, they need to be checked on a regular basis to ensure that you do not run out of anything critical or misplace a needed piece of equipment. Return all equipment to its storage place. Also check for breakage and let the other job sharer know if something is broken so that this person does not try to use it until it is fixed. Job sharing adds critical thinking and planning skill sets to your resume. It also adds documentation skills and communication skills. All of these skills are a bonus, so make sure you indicate on your resume under Work Experience that a position you held was a job share. You can list the position then put in parentheses: (job share, 30 hours per week).

How to Hire a Resume Writing Service in Detroit

How to Hire a Resume Writing Service in DetroitOne of the easiest ways to get more clients for your business is by hiring a good resume writing service in Detroit. It is a no-brainer. If you don't have a polished resume, a professional writer can create one. Let's explore how.There are a lot of people in the world, and each one of them has a different thing they want from life. Many of them take a look at resumes to see what the employer thinks about them. The employer doesn't just look at the fact that someone is knowledgeable and trained. They are also looking at how much passion they have. This is the first step in getting hired.Next, they look at how many contacts they have, and an employer will be concerned about how they are able to reach them. Make sure you have this part of your resume written correctly, and don't overlook it.A good resume should have key words and the job itself on it. It should not be too long, and it should always have a section where you can include about yourself. So, remember to always put what the employer wants on your resume in the proper spot.Make sure that you use good grammar and spelling. Not only will it help you look more professional, but it is going to help you get noticed by the employers who look at it. So, if you are reading it, they will most likely take a second look.One more tip for your resume is to take the time to look at the portfolio of a professional writer in Detroit. You may not know exactly who they are, but it could be one of the top websites out there. They have other resumes, portfolios, and samples of their work.Your resume is your future. So, do everything you can to make it as perfect as possible. That's the best way to get more jobs for you and your company.

Your Paycheck Is Much Smaller Than Your Salary

Your Paycheck Is Much Smaller Than Your Salary Gross salary? Net salary? FICA? You may notice when you add up a years’ worth of paychecks, the sum doesn’t match your promised salary. Check out some of the reasons these numbers aren’t equal below. 1. Income Tax Income in the U.S. is taxed at the federal, state and local government levels. The IRS administers federal income tax progressively, meaning rates are determined by income level. Your first income dollar is taxed differently than your highest-income dollar. (You can see which tax bracket you fall into here.) The W-4 form you filed when you were first hired dictates how much is taken out for the federal government and it is deducted incrementally from each paycheck. (You may owe more or less than this estimate and thus may get a tax bill or refund come tax time.) State and local taxes vary based on location but also can be deducted from your paycheck. 2. Social Security To help you cope with loss of regular income in retirement, the federal government requires employers to withhold a certain percentage (currently 6.2% from both employee and employer) of employee paychecks for Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration takes the average of your highest-earning 35 years of covered wages, indexes for inflation and provides you with some income in the form of benefits. 3. Medicare Similar to Social Security, Medicare withholdings are mandatory. These taxes go toward the Medicare insurance that you will qualify for once you are 65. Both employer and employee pay 1.45% of gross income into the system on the employee’s behalf and it provides coverage for major medical expenses. As of 2013, there is an additional tax for those with $200,000 of annual income or more. 4. Retirement Contributions Plans like 401(k)s and 403(b)s are tax-deferred through your employer. These contributions can be taken directly out of your regular paychecks and go toward your retirement savings. The more you assign toward these accounts, the lower your federal income tax withholding will be. 5. Insurance Deductions Health care (like medical and dental) and life insurance premiums paid through your employer are taken out at payroll as a deduction. Your health insurance premiums are not subject to FICA or Medicare taxes. Even though your net income may not be all you hoped for when you got your salary statement, it is important to know where that money is going and how it may help you in the future. More From Credit.com: How to Read Your Paycheck The Lifetime Cost of Debt Calculator The Best Simple Credit Cards in America

The Perfect Way To Answer Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years In A Job Interview - Work It Daily

The Perfect Way To Answer Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years In A Job Interview - Work It Daily Here’s What You Should Focus On When Answering: Imagine this: you’re wrapping up a great interview at a company you want to be a part of. You’ve made a connection with your interviewer, done your homework in order to present a detailed plan of how you’ll succeed in the position, and feel confident in how you’ve handled any “red flags” in your career. At this stage, your guard is down, and your thoughts start to drift towards that (well-deserved) drink you’ll be having once this is over. Related: How To Answer The Interview Question ‘Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?’ That’s when the interviewer asks, “So where do you want to be in five years?” A trick question? Really? And things were going so well! Avoid the temptation to be dismissive- this rarely works out well. So what’s the best approach? For one, shorter is better. The more time you spend rambling on about generalities, the less confident you seem. It’s imperative to move the conversation back to your strengths and aptitudes, and how they match up with what the interviewer’s looking for. Second, avoid rolling out old tropes like, “I want to sit where you’re sitting!” You don’t want to alienate your interviewer by being too aggressive or out of bounds (blame it on our overly-PC workplace culture). Here’s What You Should Focus On When Answering: Communicating Gratitude. Answering this question can be a great opportunity to talk about how you feel about it, which is a huge factor in why we take on a new position. Do you feel like the company has a culture where you will be valued? Will you be rapidly exposed to new concepts and technologies that you’re excited to learn more about? Will taking the position allow you to provide a better life for your family? Delivering Strategic Value. Does nurturing talent excite you? Is figuring out solutions to operational challenges an area you want to focus on? What do you see doing at this job that is different from your current or previous jobs? Demonstrating Enthusiasm. No one wants to hire someone who seems “meh” about an opportunity, regardless of how qualified they are. Are you excited by the prospect of this job? Do you honestly feel like you can succeed in an amazing fashion here? It’s time to communicate it! Desiring A Long-Term Commitment. This is especially important if you have a lot of short-term positions on your resume. An employer wants to know that you’re in it for the long haul, and won’t jump ship as soon as a new opportunity arises. Here’s A Sample Answer: “Contributing to the profitability of this company by doing [x, y, and z] for you. Ultimately I’d like to play a larger role in defining the company’s future, especially in [name an area, ex. product strategy], but what’s most important to me is working for an organization where I can grow alongside some of the most innovative professionals in the industry.” Expert tip: once you’ve answered, turn the tables on your interviewer by asking a question like, “Since we are on the subject, can you tell me where you see the growth of this company/position in the next five years?” Related Posts Should I Remove My Volunteer Work From My Resume? 5 Ways To Remove Digital Dirt 7 Phrases To Delete From Your LinkedIn Profile   About the author Anish Majumdar, CEO of ResumeOrbit.com is an executive resume writer, LinkedIn expert, and interview coach. He has helped thousands of job seekers land 6 and 7-figure positions through strong career platforms and breakthrough search strategies. His articles have appeared in leading industry publications and some of the most influential career advice websites today. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!