A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF Bill Gates | |
| Gates attended public elementary school and the private Lakeside School. There, he discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13. In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsoft's chief executive officer. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer - the MITS Altair. In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. In 1999, Gates wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought, a book that shows how computer technology can solve business problems in fundamentally new ways. The book was published in 25 languages and is available in more than 60 countries. Business @ the Speed of Thought has received wide critical acclaim, and was listed on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Amazon.com. Gates' previous book, The Road Ahead, published in 1995, held the No. 1 spot on the New York Times' bestseller list for seven weeks. Gates has donated the proceeds of both books to non-profit organizations that support the use of technology in education and skills development In addition to his love of computers and software, Gates is interested in biotechnology. He sits on the board of ICOS, a company that specializes in protein-based and small-molecule therapeutics, and he is an investor in a number of other biotechnology companies. Philanthropy is also important to Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, have endowed a foundation with more than $21 billion to support philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning, with the hope that as we move into the 21st century, advances in these critical areas will be available for all people. Gates was married on Jan. 1, 1994, to Melinda French Gates. The couple has two children: a daughter, Jennifer Katharine Gates, born in 1996; and a son, Rory John Gates, born in 1999. |
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Bill Gates:A success man and his Biography
Born on October 28, 1955, Gates and his two sisters grew up in Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney. Their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International. 
Nine golden Opening Moves
First impressions are the ‘love-at-first-sight’ of the business world.
Here are the Nine golden Opening Moves:
1.Your Entry:
When you are invited to enter a room, walk in without hesitation. Do not stand in the doorway like a naughty schoolchild waiting to see the headmaster. People who lack confidence change gears and perform a small shuffle as they enter a room. Walk through the door with purpose and maintain the same speed.
2.Your Approach:
Walk briskly, influential people and those who command attention walk briskly at a medium pace with medium length strides. People who walk slowly or take long strides convey that they have plenty of time on their hands, are not interested in what they are doing or have nothing else to do.
3.Your Handshake:
Keep your palm straight (vertical) and return the grip pressure you receive. Let the other person decide when to end the handshake. Never shake hands directly across a desk as it can leave the other person having the ‘Upper Hand’ over you.
4.Your Smile:
Make sure your teeth are visible when you smile, and smile with your whole face, not just your mouth.
5.The Eyebrow Flash:
This is an ancient acknowledgement signal that hardwired into the brain to be sent and received by others. Simply raise your eyebrows for a split second as you acknowledge the person.
6.when You Talk: Use a person’s name twice in the first 15 seconds and never talk for more than 30 seconds at a time. Speak at a slightly slower pace than they speak.
7.When you sit:
I
f you are compelled to sit in a low chair directly facing the other person, turn away to an angle of 45 degree to the person to avoid being caught in the ‘reprimand’ position. If you can’t angle your chair, angle your body away.
8.Your Gestures:
Peoples who are cool, clam and in control of their emotions use clear, uncomplicated, deliberate movements. High status individuals use fewer gestures than low status individuals. Don’t raise your hands higher than your chain. To create rapport mirror the other persons gesture’s and expressions when appropriate.
9.Your Exit:
When you’re finished, pack your things calmly and deliberately- not in a frenzy- shake hands if possible, turn and walk out. If the door was closed when you entered, close it behind you as you leave. People watch you from behind as you leave so if you are a man, make sure the back of your shoes are shined. Hidden cameras show that, if you are a woman, others study your rear as you depart- whether you like or not. When you get to the door, turn around slowly and smile. Its better that recall your smiling face than your rear end.
Time
What Is Time?
Do you Know What you are getting Everyday in Your Account
Everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME.
Every morning it credits you with 86, 400 seconds. Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good
Purpose.
It carries over no balance.
It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day.
If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There
is no drawing against the “tomorrow”. You must live in the present on today’s
deposit. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success.
The clock is running.
Make the most of today.
- To realise the value of ONE YEAR, ask the student who failed a grade.
- To realise the value of ONE MONTH, ask the mother of a pre-mature baby.
- To realise the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
- To realise the value of ONE DAY, ask the daily wage labourer with kids to feed.
- To realise the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
- To realise the value of ONE MINUTE, ask the person who missed the train.
- To realise the value of ONE SECOND, ask the person who just avoided an accident.
- To realise the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal
- in the Olympics.
Treasure every moment that you have, and remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the PRESENT!!![/color]
Jobs Interview skills
Impact Factory runs public interview skills courses and one to one coaching
Find the next available
Interview Skill one day Course
Find the next available
Evening Interview Skills Course
We also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessions for anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique
How To Get The Perfect Job
How do People Get Jobs?
Your First Opportunity: Getting the Interview
Interview Rules
Preparing For a Job Interview
Being Yourself Under Pressure
Using Self-Disclosure to Create Empathy
Help with Interview Nerves
Prepare and Research for Your Interview
Take Care of the Interviewers!
Interview Follow Up
Going for a New Job?
Every once in a while something happens and our lives are shaken up. Sometimes we shake them up deliberately and sometimes outside forces come along and throw our world into a bit of a tailspin.That's certainly what it feels like at the moment.You are reading the most visited page on our website, and that's not just because of the current economic climate - though that certainly has a big impact. Given what's going on right now you may have been made redundant (or to use the irritating jargon, downsized or outplaced; whatever, it still means you're out of a job). Could be that people around you are being made redundant and work doesn't feel a particularly pleasant or inspiring place to be.When people are fed up, need a new challenge, want more money, want a more conducive work environment they start reading the want ads, polishing their CVs, pounding the pavements and trawling the internet job updates and interview help sites like ours.The current situation, however, does tend to mean that a whole lot of other people are also looking for new jobs, so you need to have a jump on the competition by presenting yourself at interview in the best possible light, no matter whether you've been made redundant or are looking for something fresh and motivating.Even before we created Impact Factory 18 years ago we were helping people develop their careers, present themselves more effectively, identify their best skills and acknowledge their unique qualities, all with the aim of interviewing well and getting terrific jobs. With our Impact Factory lives we continue to support individuals in building their confidence and skills which in turn enable them to go after their next job.
We have Interview,
Presentation,
Personal Impact,
Body Language,
Assertiveness
and
Leadership courses as well as Individual One to One Coaching designed to help stack the job seeking odds in your favour. Given our lengthy experience in career and skills development, here are some of our top tips for going for a new job.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
How do People Get Jobs?There are six ways to get a job:
Internal promotion
Applying for an advertised job
Word of mouth
Nepotism (a form of word of mouth, with a familial twist)
Going through an agency or using head hunters
Identifying a company you want to work for, a career you want to pursue or a fantasy job you'd like to have and being pro-active about getting through the door.
They're all valid. If your brother-in-law's second cousin knows the head of HR at a company you are really interested in, go for it! Equally, if you want to go to employment agencies and try your luck that way, go for it! Jo Ellen: "I'm a great fan of the sixth way of job hunting. It's one that many people don't think about and it does take courage. When I decided I wanted to move from the US to the UK over 25 years ago, I made a list of all the organisations I thought I might want to work for and wrote to each of them, told them when I'd be in the UK and asked for an interview. Of the 10 letters I sent, I got 5 interviews and one job. It works!"
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Your First Opportunity: Getting the InterviewIf you want the job, chances are so do about a million other eager people, so your application has to stand out from the crowd. The majority of CVs are usually dull and boring, and people create them as historical documents, rather than as marketing tools. Remember your CV has about seven seconds (yes 7) to make a visual impression. You can dramatically boost your chances of getting an interview by making your CV look and 'sound' special.
Use good paper
Design a personal logo
Fiddle with the layout to make it easy on the eye
Edit it ruthlessly (everyone always puts in too much detail)
Highlight the bits that relate to the job you're going for
They don't need to know you went to St Mary's School when you were 12!
Put "Who you are now" at the beginning of your CV
Leave education and qualifications for the end.
If you don't have what you think are the right educational qualifications, don't worry. Just leave them off. If you include enough interesting and intriguing material about who you are now, what you didn't do is far less important. Put a short paragraph at the beginning that says something about your personal qualities and your business skills. A short statement about what you're seeking can also go down a treat. As we know, a job for life is very rare nowadays, that eclectic, unusual and even inconsistent CVs are OK as long as they're presented well. Depending upon the specific job you're going after, you can be as creative as you like. We've seen CVs presented as graphs, as poems, as drawings, as a route map, as a podcast; you name it, we've probably seen it. Whichever route you choose, make sure your CV is pitched correctly for the audience who will be receiving it.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
You might also think about rewriting your CV for specific jobs.
Robin: "When I was a working actor I had separate CV's for television work, stage work and commercials work. It was just a matter of rearranging the order of things to give prominence to the work that would be of most interest to each prospective employer, and it worked!" You can do the same; highlighting certain areas of your CV to showcase the skills that will matter for the specific jobs you're going for. You are what you seem! So what do we mean by that? When we ourselves recruit for new members of staff we are absolutely appalled by the sloppy, unprofessional CVs we receive: misspellings, poor layout, bad grammar. Needless to say, our rubbish bins get filled quickly during our recruitment drives. So a word of advice: proofread. No. Forget that. Get someone else to proofread your CV. Make your 7 seconds matter.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Interview Rules
You hear all sorts of rules about job interviews:
People decide about you in the first 10 seconds
You have to make a good first impression
Always ask insightful questions
Learn as much as you can about the company
They'll probably ask questions designed to trip you up
Have some quick answers to interview questions at the ready
Not bad, as far as rules go: some of them make perfect sense. But getting the job you want isn't about following rules or giving the right interview answer.
It's about presenting yourself in the most authentic way that takes care of you and the interviewers at the same time.
So many people chuck their interview chances away: they don't take enough care and interview preparation time so that the whole process is enjoyable, stimulating and informative for both parties.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
So the CV worked. You've got the Interview; now what?
Preparing For a Job InterviewIf you have been invited to an interview it's a given that someone has, however briefly, looked at your CV. Something about you, or the way you have presented yourself has felt a good enough 'fit' to get you through the door. Here's the key and the most important thing to remember before you go through that door.
Unless they are simply going through the motions because they've already appointed someone, they want it to be you
They want to know their search is over, so for the length of the interview, the job is yours. Something else you need to make the most of. Having said that, first impressions are incredibly important. People do make up their minds quickly so be yourself right from the start. Of course you can turn up the volume on those bits of you that most match the job and turn it down on the bits that don't. This will help show you in your best light. However, never ever shut the volume off entirely, as you will then be pretending to be someone you're not - people can smell pretence and it is a sure recipe for disaster.For the same reason it's not a good idea to lie! You can be judicious with the truth yes, but lies have a tendency to return and bite you in the bum! Even if they don't actually know that you've lied they will sense something is not right. When you are under pressure it's virtually impossible not to give out the signals that tell your interviewer that something is wrong. Even if you think your current job stinks, present the good points as though you were looking at the job from the outside in. Most jobs appear much better from the outside than they do from the inside (only you know the real truth); so pump up the goodies and soft-pedal the baddies! However, we do know that being put on the spot can feel very uncomfortable, and it's easy to fall into a defensive posture. If you're not sure of the answer or feel boxed into a corner it's all right to buy time - including saying "I need some time to think about that."
No matter how nervous you are you do need to look after the people interviewing you. They will be looking for signs that you know how to communicate and relate to people. If you get stuck or tongue-tied ask one or two of the more surprising questions you have prepared.Have a stockpile of anecdotes of past triumphs (and even a few disasters, as long as they're funny or the humorous side is apparent). This is not just a list of what you can do, but some personal examples that help paint the whole picture.For instance, you could say "I successfully launched a new product for my company." Nothing wrong with that; it just doesn't tell anyone very much about you.Or you could say, "Let me tell you about the new product launch I ran earlier this year with my colleagues. We had a very tight deadline, the venue was booked, the product was ready, but it was bringing all the elements together that helped make it a success. I'll explain my part in all this...." And off you go.You're telling a story, not reciting facts. People like stories (as long as they are not long-winded and either too boastful or too self-deprecating) because they help show who you are as a person.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
So right about now you'll be thinking"That's all very well for you to say, but just how do I do all this?" Ok so let's take a pragmatic approach to interviewing here. Think about it for a second.
You've got through the door. They want it to be you. The job is yours to lose.
So the process you're in now is a test. Their starting point will be this: "Well, it all looks good on paper, let's get them in and see how they look in person."That is, by the way, how you will be viewed. Until they see you in person, until they see you walk and talk, until they can smell and hear you, you are an 'it'. Interestingly, every time Impact Factory pitches for a new piece of work, it's like going for a job interview and the same 'rules' apply. Our intention is to bring our brochure and website alive. Your job is to bring your CV to life as well. That's why we mentioned stories a few paragraphs back: they will bring your CV to life.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Your first responsibility as the interviewee is to show yourself as a person
Let's be very clear here. They have information about you. If you've been clever at presenting your CV and application they will have expectations as to what sort of person you are. Now they want to meet you. Why? Because they want to know if they will like you, if you're someone they could spend working time with, if you're a good fit with the other people in the company. Robin: "In the world of theatre, where I have spent a considerable time people don't just interview. They audition; they perform and are judged on their performance and you would think that the performance was the most important part of an audition. "Nevertheless over and over again casting decisions are made on the basis of 'Can I work with this person?' 'Do I like them well enough to spend time (quite a lot of time) with them?' And surprisingly, often it is not the best actor for the part who gets it." Presenting yourself isn't an 'act', nor is it a 'performance', but they do want to see how you perform. Confusing, isn't it? Don't worry, there's more advice coming right up.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Being Yourself Under Pressure
Ok so the problem now is how to 'be yourself' whilst under this sort of pressure. It's worse than a first date. So here is one of the tricks that successful actors learn (usually after having done hundreds of interview/auditions) that can help take away some of that pressure. Treat the interview as the job. The job is the interview, not what you will get if you do a good interview. Simple. Give good interview. And here are some other things that will help: Psychologically you will feel better if this is not the only egg in your basket, so apply for more jobs than you need. You will find that if you have another interview lined up there is less pressure. Wear something you feel good in. It is no good looking great if you feel uncomfortable. If you have an interview outfit it helps to wear it to one or two social events to bed it in. Have something to say in answer to an open question. They will ask open questions. Classic open interview questions are:
Tell me about yourself
What have you been doing lately?
What made you apply for this job?
Why should we pick you?
Prepare an answer that allows you to talk about something you've been involved in recently. Preferably something that has got you feeling really enthusiastic. Be sure to bring in non-work-related stuff to the interview. Remember this is about being a whole person. Don't go on at too much length about the excitement of your Saturday bowls club, but do use anything from your outside life that might illustrate some of your skills and qualities.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Using Self-Disclosure to Create EmpathyWhat we mean by 'self-disclosure' is the giving or telling of something about yourself that is not actually necessary in order to answer the question. There is nothing more important you can do in an interview than help give people a feel of what you are like and self-disclosure is the most powerful way to do it. This is an extension of relating stories. With a little training this is not hard to do. If they ask "Why do you want to be a nanny?" You could answer:
"I've always wanted to work with children" Or you could say:
"Well two years ago my best friend Amanda had a little baby girl Sarah and when she had her christened she asked me to be her Godmother. Well of course I said yes, but as the christening came round and as I prepared for the ceremony I really started to think about Sarah and how important she was and how much we are all responsible for the well being of our children and it got me to thinking about what I really wanted to do with my life....
You get the picture? What you say hardly matters. What matters is that you speak about something that you feel really strongly about. If you feel strongly about it you will sound enthusiastic, authentic, engaged and alive.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Help with Interview Nerves - You will be nervousThis again is a given, there is nothing wrong with being a bit on edge. If you use the approach laid out above the things you speak about will give you somewhere to channel that nervous energy. Remember they are unlikely to give the job to someone calm, relaxed and laid back either. Too laid back and you will seem as if you don't care. What makes everyone nervous about interview is the fact that they are going to judge you. Absolutely they are going to judge you! This is supposed to happen. Remember, it's a test, so get some interview help or interview training and do some practise. You wouldn't dream of going to your driving test without studying the Highway Code, so treat an interview in the same way. But remember also, you are interviewing them as well. The test is two way. If you can keep that in the forefront of your mind, it can also help settle interview nerves.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Prepare and Research for your Interview
Prepare to talk about something current, a TV programme, the election, the war, the weather, it doesn't matter what so long as it has affected you and you have a strong opinion about it. Research - Look at their website
And again - LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE. Read our lips: LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE. The number of people who have come to Impact Factory for interview and have not read our website is astounding. People care about their websites and they will give you masses of information (both good and bad) about the organisations you are applying to. Think about these things:
What does their website tell you about them?
Why do you want to work for them?
Think about what they need
Who are their competitors?
Are they well established?
What do you want to know about them?
What do you like about them?
They will ask at least one of the following interview questions
What attracted you to xxx?
Why are you leaving your current job?
Why do you want to work for xxx?
What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you see yourself in xx years time?
How do you like to work?
What can you bring to xxx?
Why should we employ you?
What do you do outside work?
Yes, and sometimes they will even ask - What are your hobbies? Have at least one question to ask them based on something you have seen in their brochure or on their website. If you can make it something you are genuinely curious about and include a compliment about the organisation so much the better.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Leave the Interview well.
Never apologise at the end of an interview. Even if you were a few minutes late arriving do your apology at the beginning, no need to remind them of it now. Do smile at them as you leave the interview even if you feel like a Cheshire cat. Act as if it has been a good interview. Say thank you to everyone. Say goodbye to everyone. Shake hands. Look at people and leave with a spring in your step. Do all of this even if you think the interview has been a disaster. How you feel about your interview is unlikely to bear any relation to how you have done. Indeed, most people are the worst judges of how they actually did.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Take Care of the Interviewers!
You know, interviews are so nerve-wracking and stressful that most people's attention goes solely on themselves. In their heads there's an on-going monologue:
How am I doing? Oh, damn, that answer was absolute crap. What did they just ask? I've gone totally blank, now what do I do? Maybe I shouldn't have worn the pink tie after all. I could really use the loo now. What if they ask me how much salary I want? Did I just say that? They're really going to think I'm an idiot.
And so on. We can't completely shut off those voices, but we can help divert our attention away from them. Pay attention to the things around you, notice things in the reception, the office environment. Comment about what you see. Jo Ellen: "I remember going to meet a client and they had the friendliest most helpful receptionist I'd met in a very long time. Not only that, they had the company Values plastered all over the reception walls in a very creative, unusual and accessible way. "The first thing I did when I sat down after the introductions was to compliment them on their helpful staff and the way they represented their Values. This wasn't grovelling; this was giving them genuine feedback on my own first impressions."But what things like this do is to serve as icebreakers. They help to break down some of the interviewer-interviewee barriers and help you to put yourself at ease by engaging with them about something to do with them (it can put them at ease as well). Of course, if you don't have anything good to say or haven't noticed anything outstanding, then don't make it up - then it will sound phoney and indeed, grovelling. You can help take care of 'them' in other ways during the interview. The type of questions you ask is, of course, important. But you don't just have to limit yourself to questions. It's OK to comment on something they've said; try to get a dialogue going.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************Two-way, two-way, two-way
You'll know something is wrong if the interview begins to feel like a version of the Spanish Inquisition: Question, Answer, Question, Answer, Question, Answer. Dialogue means that both sides are engaged in the process. Be bold in the interview questions you ask. Nothing wrong with asking question like:
What's the most important quality you're looking for?
Why do you think people like working here?
Is there anything you think I should know that I've forgotten to ask?
When you make someone do a little extra work themselves, you help take care of them because you're engaging their creative process too.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Phew! Got through that; anything else I can do?
Interview Follow Up
At the end of your interview, if you haven't been advised, ask when they think they'll be making their decision. At least then you'll know how long you'll have to wait before you hear. Many places don't automatically let people know if they haven't got the job; so one interview follow-up call is allowable. More than that and it can feel like badgering. No matter how badly you think the interview went, if you want the job, always send a follow-up letter. Since most of us think of clever things to say after the fact, include one or two of those, referring to something specific from the interview. Use phrases such as:
'I've given a lot of thought to our interview and...'
'Something you mentioned got me thinking...'
'What you said about _______ really struck home...'
If you don't get the job and you're curious why not, phone up and get some feedback. It may help you for the next interview. We have loads of help available at Impact Factory, so click on any of these links to check out our public courses and training programmes:
Career Action - Interview Skills - Presentation Skills - Personal Impact - Body Language - Assertiveness Skills - Communication Skills - Leadership Development - Individual One to One Coaching Or if you want to speak to a real person give us a call on 020 7226 1877
Happy job hunting!
Let us help you land that dream job.Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique
Job Interview Skills - Interview Training
Find the next available
Interview Skill one day Course
Find the next available
Evening Interview Skills Course
We also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessions for anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique
How To Get The Perfect Job
How do People Get Jobs?
Your First Opportunity: Getting the Interview
Interview Rules
Preparing For a Job Interview
Being Yourself Under Pressure
Using Self-Disclosure to Create Empathy
Help with Interview Nerves
Prepare and Research for Your Interview
Take Care of the Interviewers!
Interview Follow Up
Going for a New Job?
Every once in a while something happens and our lives are shaken up. Sometimes we shake them up deliberately and sometimes outside forces come along and throw our world into a bit of a tailspin.That's certainly what it feels like at the moment.You are reading the most visited page on our website, and that's not just because of the current economic climate - though that certainly has a big impact. Given what's going on right now you may have been made redundant (or to use the irritating jargon, downsized or outplaced; whatever, it still means you're out of a job). Could be that people around you are being made redundant and work doesn't feel a particularly pleasant or inspiring place to be.When people are fed up, need a new challenge, want more money, want a more conducive work environment they start reading the want ads, polishing their CVs, pounding the pavements and trawling the internet job updates and interview help sites like ours.The current situation, however, does tend to mean that a whole lot of other people are also looking for new jobs, so you need to have a jump on the competition by presenting yourself at interview in the best possible light, no matter whether you've been made redundant or are looking for something fresh and motivating.Even before we created Impact Factory 18 years ago we were helping people develop their careers, present themselves more effectively, identify their best skills and acknowledge their unique qualities, all with the aim of interviewing well and getting terrific jobs. With our Impact Factory lives we continue to support individuals in building their confidence and skills which in turn enable them to go after their next job.
We have Interview,
Presentation,
Personal Impact,
Body Language,
Assertiveness
and
Leadership courses as well as Individual One to One Coaching designed to help stack the job seeking odds in your favour. Given our lengthy experience in career and skills development, here are some of our top tips for going for a new job.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
How do People Get Jobs?There are six ways to get a job:
Internal promotion
Applying for an advertised job
Word of mouth
Nepotism (a form of word of mouth, with a familial twist)
Going through an agency or using head hunters
Identifying a company you want to work for, a career you want to pursue or a fantasy job you'd like to have and being pro-active about getting through the door.
They're all valid. If your brother-in-law's second cousin knows the head of HR at a company you are really interested in, go for it! Equally, if you want to go to employment agencies and try your luck that way, go for it! Jo Ellen: "I'm a great fan of the sixth way of job hunting. It's one that many people don't think about and it does take courage. When I decided I wanted to move from the US to the UK over 25 years ago, I made a list of all the organisations I thought I might want to work for and wrote to each of them, told them when I'd be in the UK and asked for an interview. Of the 10 letters I sent, I got 5 interviews and one job. It works!"
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Your First Opportunity: Getting the InterviewIf you want the job, chances are so do about a million other eager people, so your application has to stand out from the crowd. The majority of CVs are usually dull and boring, and people create them as historical documents, rather than as marketing tools. Remember your CV has about seven seconds (yes 7) to make a visual impression. You can dramatically boost your chances of getting an interview by making your CV look and 'sound' special.
Use good paper
Design a personal logo
Fiddle with the layout to make it easy on the eye
Edit it ruthlessly (everyone always puts in too much detail)
Highlight the bits that relate to the job you're going for
They don't need to know you went to St Mary's School when you were 12!
Put "Who you are now" at the beginning of your CV
Leave education and qualifications for the end.
If you don't have what you think are the right educational qualifications, don't worry. Just leave them off. If you include enough interesting and intriguing material about who you are now, what you didn't do is far less important. Put a short paragraph at the beginning that says something about your personal qualities and your business skills. A short statement about what you're seeking can also go down a treat. As we know, a job for life is very rare nowadays, that eclectic, unusual and even inconsistent CVs are OK as long as they're presented well. Depending upon the specific job you're going after, you can be as creative as you like. We've seen CVs presented as graphs, as poems, as drawings, as a route map, as a podcast; you name it, we've probably seen it. Whichever route you choose, make sure your CV is pitched correctly for the audience who will be receiving it.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
You might also think about rewriting your CV for specific jobs.
Robin: "When I was a working actor I had separate CV's for television work, stage work and commercials work. It was just a matter of rearranging the order of things to give prominence to the work that would be of most interest to each prospective employer, and it worked!" You can do the same; highlighting certain areas of your CV to showcase the skills that will matter for the specific jobs you're going for. You are what you seem! So what do we mean by that? When we ourselves recruit for new members of staff we are absolutely appalled by the sloppy, unprofessional CVs we receive: misspellings, poor layout, bad grammar. Needless to say, our rubbish bins get filled quickly during our recruitment drives. So a word of advice: proofread. No. Forget that. Get someone else to proofread your CV. Make your 7 seconds matter.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Interview Rules
You hear all sorts of rules about job interviews:
People decide about you in the first 10 seconds
You have to make a good first impression
Always ask insightful questions
Learn as much as you can about the company
They'll probably ask questions designed to trip you up
Have some quick answers to interview questions at the ready
Not bad, as far as rules go: some of them make perfect sense. But getting the job you want isn't about following rules or giving the right interview answer.
It's about presenting yourself in the most authentic way that takes care of you and the interviewers at the same time.
So many people chuck their interview chances away: they don't take enough care and interview preparation time so that the whole process is enjoyable, stimulating and informative for both parties.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
So the CV worked. You've got the Interview; now what?
Preparing For a Job InterviewIf you have been invited to an interview it's a given that someone has, however briefly, looked at your CV. Something about you, or the way you have presented yourself has felt a good enough 'fit' to get you through the door. Here's the key and the most important thing to remember before you go through that door.
Unless they are simply going through the motions because they've already appointed someone, they want it to be you
They want to know their search is over, so for the length of the interview, the job is yours. Something else you need to make the most of. Having said that, first impressions are incredibly important. People do make up their minds quickly so be yourself right from the start. Of course you can turn up the volume on those bits of you that most match the job and turn it down on the bits that don't. This will help show you in your best light. However, never ever shut the volume off entirely, as you will then be pretending to be someone you're not - people can smell pretence and it is a sure recipe for disaster.For the same reason it's not a good idea to lie! You can be judicious with the truth yes, but lies have a tendency to return and bite you in the bum! Even if they don't actually know that you've lied they will sense something is not right. When you are under pressure it's virtually impossible not to give out the signals that tell your interviewer that something is wrong. Even if you think your current job stinks, present the good points as though you were looking at the job from the outside in. Most jobs appear much better from the outside than they do from the inside (only you know the real truth); so pump up the goodies and soft-pedal the baddies! However, we do know that being put on the spot can feel very uncomfortable, and it's easy to fall into a defensive posture. If you're not sure of the answer or feel boxed into a corner it's all right to buy time - including saying "I need some time to think about that."
No matter how nervous you are you do need to look after the people interviewing you. They will be looking for signs that you know how to communicate and relate to people. If you get stuck or tongue-tied ask one or two of the more surprising questions you have prepared.Have a stockpile of anecdotes of past triumphs (and even a few disasters, as long as they're funny or the humorous side is apparent). This is not just a list of what you can do, but some personal examples that help paint the whole picture.For instance, you could say "I successfully launched a new product for my company." Nothing wrong with that; it just doesn't tell anyone very much about you.Or you could say, "Let me tell you about the new product launch I ran earlier this year with my colleagues. We had a very tight deadline, the venue was booked, the product was ready, but it was bringing all the elements together that helped make it a success. I'll explain my part in all this...." And off you go.You're telling a story, not reciting facts. People like stories (as long as they are not long-winded and either too boastful or too self-deprecating) because they help show who you are as a person.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
So right about now you'll be thinking"That's all very well for you to say, but just how do I do all this?" Ok so let's take a pragmatic approach to interviewing here. Think about it for a second.
You've got through the door. They want it to be you. The job is yours to lose.
So the process you're in now is a test. Their starting point will be this: "Well, it all looks good on paper, let's get them in and see how they look in person."That is, by the way, how you will be viewed. Until they see you in person, until they see you walk and talk, until they can smell and hear you, you are an 'it'. Interestingly, every time Impact Factory pitches for a new piece of work, it's like going for a job interview and the same 'rules' apply. Our intention is to bring our brochure and website alive. Your job is to bring your CV to life as well. That's why we mentioned stories a few paragraphs back: they will bring your CV to life.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Your first responsibility as the interviewee is to show yourself as a person
Let's be very clear here. They have information about you. If you've been clever at presenting your CV and application they will have expectations as to what sort of person you are. Now they want to meet you. Why? Because they want to know if they will like you, if you're someone they could spend working time with, if you're a good fit with the other people in the company. Robin: "In the world of theatre, where I have spent a considerable time people don't just interview. They audition; they perform and are judged on their performance and you would think that the performance was the most important part of an audition. "Nevertheless over and over again casting decisions are made on the basis of 'Can I work with this person?' 'Do I like them well enough to spend time (quite a lot of time) with them?' And surprisingly, often it is not the best actor for the part who gets it." Presenting yourself isn't an 'act', nor is it a 'performance', but they do want to see how you perform. Confusing, isn't it? Don't worry, there's more advice coming right up.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Being Yourself Under Pressure
Ok so the problem now is how to 'be yourself' whilst under this sort of pressure. It's worse than a first date. So here is one of the tricks that successful actors learn (usually after having done hundreds of interview/auditions) that can help take away some of that pressure. Treat the interview as the job. The job is the interview, not what you will get if you do a good interview. Simple. Give good interview. And here are some other things that will help: Psychologically you will feel better if this is not the only egg in your basket, so apply for more jobs than you need. You will find that if you have another interview lined up there is less pressure. Wear something you feel good in. It is no good looking great if you feel uncomfortable. If you have an interview outfit it helps to wear it to one or two social events to bed it in. Have something to say in answer to an open question. They will ask open questions. Classic open interview questions are:
Tell me about yourself
What have you been doing lately?
What made you apply for this job?
Why should we pick you?
Prepare an answer that allows you to talk about something you've been involved in recently. Preferably something that has got you feeling really enthusiastic. Be sure to bring in non-work-related stuff to the interview. Remember this is about being a whole person. Don't go on at too much length about the excitement of your Saturday bowls club, but do use anything from your outside life that might illustrate some of your skills and qualities.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Using Self-Disclosure to Create EmpathyWhat we mean by 'self-disclosure' is the giving or telling of something about yourself that is not actually necessary in order to answer the question. There is nothing more important you can do in an interview than help give people a feel of what you are like and self-disclosure is the most powerful way to do it. This is an extension of relating stories. With a little training this is not hard to do. If they ask "Why do you want to be a nanny?" You could answer:
"I've always wanted to work with children" Or you could say:
"Well two years ago my best friend Amanda had a little baby girl Sarah and when she had her christened she asked me to be her Godmother. Well of course I said yes, but as the christening came round and as I prepared for the ceremony I really started to think about Sarah and how important she was and how much we are all responsible for the well being of our children and it got me to thinking about what I really wanted to do with my life....
You get the picture? What you say hardly matters. What matters is that you speak about something that you feel really strongly about. If you feel strongly about it you will sound enthusiastic, authentic, engaged and alive.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Help with Interview Nerves - You will be nervousThis again is a given, there is nothing wrong with being a bit on edge. If you use the approach laid out above the things you speak about will give you somewhere to channel that nervous energy. Remember they are unlikely to give the job to someone calm, relaxed and laid back either. Too laid back and you will seem as if you don't care. What makes everyone nervous about interview is the fact that they are going to judge you. Absolutely they are going to judge you! This is supposed to happen. Remember, it's a test, so get some interview help or interview training and do some practise. You wouldn't dream of going to your driving test without studying the Highway Code, so treat an interview in the same way. But remember also, you are interviewing them as well. The test is two way. If you can keep that in the forefront of your mind, it can also help settle interview nerves.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Prepare and Research for your Interview
Prepare to talk about something current, a TV programme, the election, the war, the weather, it doesn't matter what so long as it has affected you and you have a strong opinion about it. Research - Look at their website
And again - LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE. Read our lips: LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE. The number of people who have come to Impact Factory for interview and have not read our website is astounding. People care about their websites and they will give you masses of information (both good and bad) about the organisations you are applying to. Think about these things:
What does their website tell you about them?
Why do you want to work for them?
Think about what they need
Who are their competitors?
Are they well established?
What do you want to know about them?
What do you like about them?
They will ask at least one of the following interview questions
What attracted you to xxx?
Why are you leaving your current job?
Why do you want to work for xxx?
What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you see yourself in xx years time?
How do you like to work?
What can you bring to xxx?
Why should we employ you?
What do you do outside work?
Yes, and sometimes they will even ask - What are your hobbies? Have at least one question to ask them based on something you have seen in their brochure or on their website. If you can make it something you are genuinely curious about and include a compliment about the organisation so much the better.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Leave the Interview well.
Never apologise at the end of an interview. Even if you were a few minutes late arriving do your apology at the beginning, no need to remind them of it now. Do smile at them as you leave the interview even if you feel like a Cheshire cat. Act as if it has been a good interview. Say thank you to everyone. Say goodbye to everyone. Shake hands. Look at people and leave with a spring in your step. Do all of this even if you think the interview has been a disaster. How you feel about your interview is unlikely to bear any relation to how you have done. Indeed, most people are the worst judges of how they actually did.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Take Care of the Interviewers!
You know, interviews are so nerve-wracking and stressful that most people's attention goes solely on themselves. In their heads there's an on-going monologue:
How am I doing? Oh, damn, that answer was absolute crap. What did they just ask? I've gone totally blank, now what do I do? Maybe I shouldn't have worn the pink tie after all. I could really use the loo now. What if they ask me how much salary I want? Did I just say that? They're really going to think I'm an idiot.
And so on. We can't completely shut off those voices, but we can help divert our attention away from them. Pay attention to the things around you, notice things in the reception, the office environment. Comment about what you see. Jo Ellen: "I remember going to meet a client and they had the friendliest most helpful receptionist I'd met in a very long time. Not only that, they had the company Values plastered all over the reception walls in a very creative, unusual and accessible way. "The first thing I did when I sat down after the introductions was to compliment them on their helpful staff and the way they represented their Values. This wasn't grovelling; this was giving them genuine feedback on my own first impressions."But what things like this do is to serve as icebreakers. They help to break down some of the interviewer-interviewee barriers and help you to put yourself at ease by engaging with them about something to do with them (it can put them at ease as well). Of course, if you don't have anything good to say or haven't noticed anything outstanding, then don't make it up - then it will sound phoney and indeed, grovelling. You can help take care of 'them' in other ways during the interview. The type of questions you ask is, of course, important. But you don't just have to limit yourself to questions. It's OK to comment on something they've said; try to get a dialogue going.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************Two-way, two-way, two-way
You'll know something is wrong if the interview begins to feel like a version of the Spanish Inquisition: Question, Answer, Question, Answer, Question, Answer. Dialogue means that both sides are engaged in the process. Be bold in the interview questions you ask. Nothing wrong with asking question like:
What's the most important quality you're looking for?
Why do you think people like working here?
Is there anything you think I should know that I've forgotten to ask?
When you make someone do a little extra work themselves, you help take care of them because you're engaging their creative process too.
*******************************Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique *******************************
Phew! Got through that; anything else I can do?
Interview Follow Up
At the end of your interview, if you haven't been advised, ask when they think they'll be making their decision. At least then you'll know how long you'll have to wait before you hear. Many places don't automatically let people know if they haven't got the job; so one interview follow-up call is allowable. More than that and it can feel like badgering. No matter how badly you think the interview went, if you want the job, always send a follow-up letter. Since most of us think of clever things to say after the fact, include one or two of those, referring to something specific from the interview. Use phrases such as:
'I've given a lot of thought to our interview and...'
'Something you mentioned got me thinking...'
'What you said about _______ really struck home...'
If you don't get the job and you're curious why not, phone up and get some feedback. It may help you for the next interview. We have loads of help available at Impact Factory, so click on any of these links to check out our public courses and training programmes:
Career Action - Interview Skills - Presentation Skills - Personal Impact - Body Language - Assertiveness Skills - Communication Skills - Leadership Development - Individual One to One Coaching Or if you want to speak to a real person give us a call on 020 7226 1877
Happy job hunting!
Let us help you land that dream job.Find the next available Interview Skill one day CourseFind the next available Evening Interview Skills CourseWe also run personalised One-to-One Career Coaching sessionsfor anyone who wants help improving their Interview Technique
Job Interview Skills - Interview Training
Art of Management Techniques
Management Technique
Is the Art of getting things done through others" is the basic definition which
signifies that it is the medium which one can use to make their work done
through or by others.... But How???this question generally comes in mind , but
we are unable to think a logical reply to it.These 5 "M" are
- Men
- Machines
- Materials
- Money
- Methods
A manager have to manage all these 5 " M"s together in order to get an effective & desired output.
"M"s Men plays a very important role as he have to be the arranger of other remainingonly the logical thinkers knows how to blend these "M"s so that the wastage
of the resources whether materialistic or immaterial.
In the given
"M"sThus a New Definition to Management can be state that
" Management is the art of managing- Men,
- Machines,
- Materials,
- Money
- With methods
in order to achieve the objective of an organization"[/size]Nayab
Friday, June 5, 2009
OPEN ACCESS NEWS
From *Open Access News****
New publisher of OA, ad-supportedtextbooks
<http://www.earlham. edu/~peters/ fos/2009/ 06/new-publisher -of-oa-ad- supported. html>
*Bookboon <http://bookboon. com/us/student>
is a new publisher of OA,ad-supported textbooks.
The textbooks are written specifically for Bookboonand cover a variety of topics, such as accounting, chemistry, economics, andstatistics.
Bookboon is owned by Danish company VentusPublishing
<http://ventus. dk/>.[image: Permanent link to thispost]
<http://www.earlham. edu/~peters/ fos/2009/ 06/new-publisher -of-oa-ad- supported. html>
New publisher of OA, ad-supportedtextbooks
<http://www.earlham. edu/~peters/ fos/2009/ 06/new-publisher -of-oa-ad- supported. html>
*Bookboon <http://bookboon. com/us/student>
is a new publisher of OA,ad-supported textbooks.
The textbooks are written specifically for Bookboonand cover a variety of topics, such as accounting, chemistry, economics, andstatistics.
Bookboon is owned by Danish company VentusPublishing
<http://ventus. dk/>.[image: Permanent link to thispost]
<http://www.earlham. edu/~peters/ fos/2009/ 06/new-publisher -of-oa-ad- supported. html>
BASICS OF SPOKEN ENGLISH WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW
Five (5) Speaking English Rules you need to know
1. Don't study grammar
This rule might sound strange to many ESL students, but it is one of the most important rules. If you want to pass examinations, then study grammar. However, if you want to become fluent in English, then you should try to learn English without studying the grammar. Studying grammar will only slow you down and confuse you. You will think about the rules when creating sentences instead of naturally saying a sentence like a native. Remember that only a small fraction of English speakers know more than 20% of all the grammar rules. Many ESL students know more grammar than native speakers. I can confidently say this with experience. I am a native English speaker, majored in English Literature, and have been teaching English for more than 10 years. However, many of my students know more details about English grammar than I do. I can easily look up the definition and apply it, but I don't know it off the top of my head. I often ask my native English friends some grammar questions, and only a few of them know the correct answer. However, they are fluent in English and can read, speak, listen, and communicate effectively. Do you want to be able to recite the definition of a causative verb, or do you want to be able to speak English fluently?
2. Learn and study phrases
Many students learn vocabulary and try to put many words together to create a proper sentence. It amazes me how many words some of my students know, but they cannot create a proper sentence. The reason is because they didn't study phrases. When children learn a language, they learn both words and phrases together. Likewise, you need to study and learn phrases. If you know 1000 words, you might not be able to say one correct sentence. But if you know 1 phrase, you can make hundreds of correct sentences. If you know 100 phrases, you will be surprised at how many correct sentences you will be able to say. Finally, when you know only a 1000 phrases, you will be almost a fluent English speaker. So don't spend hours and hours learning many different words. Use that time to study phrases instead and you will be c loser to English fluency. Don't translate When you want to create an English sentence, do not translate the words from your Mother tongue. The order of words is probably completely different and you will be both slow and incorrect by doing this. Instead, learn phrases and sentences so you don't have to think about the words you are saying. It should be automatic. Another problem with translating is that you will be trying to incorporate grammar rules that you have learned. Translating and thinking about the grammar to create English sentences is incorrect and should be avoided.
3. Reading and Listening is NOT enough. Practice Speaking what you hear!
Reading, listening, and speaking are the most important aspects of any language. The same is true for English. However, speaking is the only requirement to be fluent. It is normal for babies and children to learn speaking first, become fluent, then start reading, then writing. So the natural order is listening, speaking, reading, then writing. First ProblemIsn't it strange that schools across the world teach reading first, then writing, then listening, and finally speaking? Although it is different, the main reason is because when you learn a second language, you need to read material to understand and learn it. So even though the natural order is listening, speaking, reading, then writing, the order for ESL students is reading, listening, speaking, then writing. Second ProblemThe reason many people can read and listen is because that's all they practice. But in order to speak English fluently, you need to practice speaking. Don't stop at the listening portion, and when you study, don't just listen. Speak out loud the material you are listening to and practice what you hear. Practice speaking out loud until your mouth and brain can do it without any effort. By doing so, you will be able to speak English fluently.
4. Submerge yourself
Being able to speak a language is not related to how smart you are. Anyone can learn how to speak any language. This is a proven fact by everyone in the world. Everyone can speak at least one language. Whether you are intelligent, or lacking some brain power, you are able to speak one language. This was achieved by being around that language at all times. In your country, you hear and speak your language constantly. You will notice that many people who are good English speakers are the ones who studied in an English speaking school. They can speak English not because they went to an English speaking school, but because they had an environment where they can be around English speaking people constantly. There are also some people who study abroad and learn very little. That is because they went to an English speaking school, but found friends from their own country and didn't practice English. You don't have to go anywhere to become a fluent English speaker. You only need to surround yourself with English. You can do this by making rules with your existing friends that you will only speak English. You can also carry around an iPod and constantly listen to English sentences. As you can see, you can achieve results by changing what your surroundings are. Submerge yourself in English and you will learn several times faster.
5. Study correct material
A common phrase that is incorrect is, "Practice makes perfect." This is far from the truth. Practice only makes what you are practicing permanent. If you practice the incorrect sentence, you will have perfected saying the sentence incorrectly. Therefore, it is important that you study material that is commonly used by most people. Another problem I see is that many students study the news. However, the language they speak is more formal and the content they use is more political and not used in regular life. It is important to understand what they are saying, but this is more of an advanced lesson that should be studied after learning the fundamental basics of English. Studying English with a friend who is not a native English speaker is both good and bad. You should be aware of the pro's and con's of speaking with a non native speaking friend. Practicing with a non native person will give you practice. You can also motivate each other and point out basic mistakes. But you might pick up bad habits from one another if you are not sure about what are correct and incorrect sentences. So use these practice times as a time period to practice the correct material you studied. Not to learn how to say a sentence. In short, study English material that you can trust, that is commonly used, and that is correct. Summary These are the rules that will help you achieve your goal of speaking English fluently. All the teachings and lessons on TalkEnglish. com follow this method so you have the tools you need to achieve your goal right here on TalkEnglish. com.
1. Don't study grammar
This rule might sound strange to many ESL students, but it is one of the most important rules. If you want to pass examinations, then study grammar. However, if you want to become fluent in English, then you should try to learn English without studying the grammar. Studying grammar will only slow you down and confuse you. You will think about the rules when creating sentences instead of naturally saying a sentence like a native. Remember that only a small fraction of English speakers know more than 20% of all the grammar rules. Many ESL students know more grammar than native speakers. I can confidently say this with experience. I am a native English speaker, majored in English Literature, and have been teaching English for more than 10 years. However, many of my students know more details about English grammar than I do. I can easily look up the definition and apply it, but I don't know it off the top of my head. I often ask my native English friends some grammar questions, and only a few of them know the correct answer. However, they are fluent in English and can read, speak, listen, and communicate effectively. Do you want to be able to recite the definition of a causative verb, or do you want to be able to speak English fluently?
2. Learn and study phrases
Many students learn vocabulary and try to put many words together to create a proper sentence. It amazes me how many words some of my students know, but they cannot create a proper sentence. The reason is because they didn't study phrases. When children learn a language, they learn both words and phrases together. Likewise, you need to study and learn phrases. If you know 1000 words, you might not be able to say one correct sentence. But if you know 1 phrase, you can make hundreds of correct sentences. If you know 100 phrases, you will be surprised at how many correct sentences you will be able to say. Finally, when you know only a 1000 phrases, you will be almost a fluent English speaker. So don't spend hours and hours learning many different words. Use that time to study phrases instead and you will be c loser to English fluency. Don't translate When you want to create an English sentence, do not translate the words from your Mother tongue. The order of words is probably completely different and you will be both slow and incorrect by doing this. Instead, learn phrases and sentences so you don't have to think about the words you are saying. It should be automatic. Another problem with translating is that you will be trying to incorporate grammar rules that you have learned. Translating and thinking about the grammar to create English sentences is incorrect and should be avoided.
3. Reading and Listening is NOT enough. Practice Speaking what you hear!
Reading, listening, and speaking are the most important aspects of any language. The same is true for English. However, speaking is the only requirement to be fluent. It is normal for babies and children to learn speaking first, become fluent, then start reading, then writing. So the natural order is listening, speaking, reading, then writing. First ProblemIsn't it strange that schools across the world teach reading first, then writing, then listening, and finally speaking? Although it is different, the main reason is because when you learn a second language, you need to read material to understand and learn it. So even though the natural order is listening, speaking, reading, then writing, the order for ESL students is reading, listening, speaking, then writing. Second ProblemThe reason many people can read and listen is because that's all they practice. But in order to speak English fluently, you need to practice speaking. Don't stop at the listening portion, and when you study, don't just listen. Speak out loud the material you are listening to and practice what you hear. Practice speaking out loud until your mouth and brain can do it without any effort. By doing so, you will be able to speak English fluently.
4. Submerge yourself
Being able to speak a language is not related to how smart you are. Anyone can learn how to speak any language. This is a proven fact by everyone in the world. Everyone can speak at least one language. Whether you are intelligent, or lacking some brain power, you are able to speak one language. This was achieved by being around that language at all times. In your country, you hear and speak your language constantly. You will notice that many people who are good English speakers are the ones who studied in an English speaking school. They can speak English not because they went to an English speaking school, but because they had an environment where they can be around English speaking people constantly. There are also some people who study abroad and learn very little. That is because they went to an English speaking school, but found friends from their own country and didn't practice English. You don't have to go anywhere to become a fluent English speaker. You only need to surround yourself with English. You can do this by making rules with your existing friends that you will only speak English. You can also carry around an iPod and constantly listen to English sentences. As you can see, you can achieve results by changing what your surroundings are. Submerge yourself in English and you will learn several times faster.
5. Study correct material
A common phrase that is incorrect is, "Practice makes perfect." This is far from the truth. Practice only makes what you are practicing permanent. If you practice the incorrect sentence, you will have perfected saying the sentence incorrectly. Therefore, it is important that you study material that is commonly used by most people. Another problem I see is that many students study the news. However, the language they speak is more formal and the content they use is more political and not used in regular life. It is important to understand what they are saying, but this is more of an advanced lesson that should be studied after learning the fundamental basics of English. Studying English with a friend who is not a native English speaker is both good and bad. You should be aware of the pro's and con's of speaking with a non native speaking friend. Practicing with a non native person will give you practice. You can also motivate each other and point out basic mistakes. But you might pick up bad habits from one another if you are not sure about what are correct and incorrect sentences. So use these practice times as a time period to practice the correct material you studied. Not to learn how to say a sentence. In short, study English material that you can trust, that is commonly used, and that is correct. Summary These are the rules that will help you achieve your goal of speaking English fluently. All the teachings and lessons on TalkEnglish. com follow this method so you have the tools you need to achieve your goal right here on TalkEnglish. com.
HOW TO WRITE CORRECT RESUME
HOW WRITE CORRECT RESUME
There is no single "correct" way to write and present a CV but the following general rules apply:
It is targeted on the specific job or career area for which you are applying and brings out the relevant skills you have to offer
It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped
It is informative but concise
It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar
Two Personnel Managers answered this as follows.
A CV should be quick and easy to read
It should be clearly and logically laid out so it is uncluttered and pleasing to the eye.
Keep it simple for easy reading. Two pages are ideal and definitely not more than three.
Clear and easy to read, well set out text, saves time for the reader.
Employment details well set out and concise.
The information must be honest and relevant
Unpretentious, succinct, honest and realistic.
If applying for a specific job, the CV should respond to the qualities and experience asked for in the advertisement, but still be honest.
Avoid detail about early experience. The last five years is more important.
Include reason for leaving, if relevant.
The CV should tell the reader about the applicant
What you have done and what you have achieved should be set out clearly.
Give some clues as to the personality of the applicant
Describe yourself in your terms. This is a good selling point.
Finally
It is hard to write a CV. It is technically difficult to condense many years of work into few paragraphs. Most people get much more criticism than praise in their lives. This can carry over into self-criticism and make it hard to be positive. We then undersell ourselves when writing a CV.You can help each other produce your CV's. If you talk about it while someone else is listening your thoughts will become clearer
There is no single "correct" way to write and present a CV but the following general rules apply:
It is targeted on the specific job or career area for which you are applying and brings out the relevant skills you have to offer
It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped
It is informative but concise
It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar
Two Personnel Managers answered this as follows.
A CV should be quick and easy to read
It should be clearly and logically laid out so it is uncluttered and pleasing to the eye.
Keep it simple for easy reading. Two pages are ideal and definitely not more than three.
Clear and easy to read, well set out text, saves time for the reader.
Employment details well set out and concise.
The information must be honest and relevant
Unpretentious, succinct, honest and realistic.
If applying for a specific job, the CV should respond to the qualities and experience asked for in the advertisement, but still be honest.
Avoid detail about early experience. The last five years is more important.
Include reason for leaving, if relevant.
The CV should tell the reader about the applicant
What you have done and what you have achieved should be set out clearly.
Give some clues as to the personality of the applicant
Describe yourself in your terms. This is a good selling point.
Finally
It is hard to write a CV. It is technically difficult to condense many years of work into few paragraphs. Most people get much more criticism than praise in their lives. This can carry over into self-criticism and make it hard to be positive. We then undersell ourselves when writing a CV.You can help each other produce your CV's. If you talk about it while someone else is listening your thoughts will become clearer
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Different between resume,biodata and curriculum vitae
Resume Is a French word meaning "summary", and true to the word meaning, signifies a summary of one's employment, education, and other skills, used in applying for a new position. A resume seldom exceeds one side of an A4 sheet, and at the most two sides. They do not list out all the education and qualifications, but only highlight specific skills customized to target the job profile in question. A resume is usually broken into bullets and written in the third person to appear objective and formal. A good resume starts with a brief Summary of Qualifications, followed by Areas of Strength or Industry Expertise in keywords, followed by Professional Experience in reverse chronological order. Focus is on the most recent experiences, and prior experiences summarized. The content aims at providing the reader a balance of responsibilities and accomplishments for each position. After Work experience come Professional Affiliations, Computer Skills, and Education
CV. CURRICULUM VITAE
C.V Is a Latin word meaning "course of life". Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) is therefore a regular or particular course of study pertaining to education and life. A C.V. is more detailed than a resume,
usually 2 to 3 pages, but can run even longer as per the requirement. A C.V. generally lists out every skills, jobs, degrees, and professional affiliations the applicant has acquired, usually in chronological order. A C.V. displays general talent rather than specific skills for any specific positions.
BIO-DATA
Bio Data the short form for Biographical Data, is the old-fashioned terminology for Resume or C.V. The emphasis in a bio data is on personal particulars like date of birth, religion, sex, race, nationality, residence, martial status, and the like. Next comes a chronological listing of education and experience. The things normally found in a resume, that is specific skills for the job in question comes last, and are seldom included. Bio-data also includes applications made in specified formats as required by the company.
A resume is ideally suited when applying for middle and senior level positions, where experience and specific skills rather than education is important. A C.V., on the other hand is the preferred option for fresh graduates, people looking for a career change, and those applying for academic positions. The term bio-data is mostly used in India while applying to government jobs, or when applying for research grants and other situations where one has to submit descriptive essays.
Resumes present a summary of highlights and allow the prospective employer to scan through the document visually or electronically, to see if your skills match their available positions. A good resume can do that very effectively, while a C.V. cannot. A bio-data could still perform this role, especially if the format happens to be the one recommended by the employer.
Personal information such as age, sex, religion and others, and hobbies are never mentioned in a resume. Many people include such particulars in the C.V. However, this is neither required nor considered
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- VELTECH Dr R.R Dr S.R Technical university
- i am Mr Damodharan working as a librarian in Vel Tech Dr R.R & Dr S.R Technical University