University Applicants Moving Away From Art and Design Due to Pandemic

Universities throughout the nation are facing a crisis. Hopefully, that crisis begins to fix itself as the pandemic is handled, but things are changing.

The nation is full of young people who want to earn degrees where the jobs are secure, which is leaving some degrees behind like

 Schools that have departments that focus on that are seeing a dramatic drop in enrollments and general interest.

COVID-19 has changed young people’s minds, and college administrators want to help these folks navigate this new direction.

Why is the Art and Design Sector Suffering?

The pandemic has shut down many businesses. People had to isolate themselves from the world and concentrate on the bare necessities and nothing more.

When folks focus on the necessities, people start to see what jobs are truly essential and which ones aren’t. The pandemic made it clear that even grocery store workers and truckers were essential for society.

Regrettably, art and design did not make the cut. No one seems to care about art right now, nor do they care about design. These types of jobs might have looked secure before the pandemic, but now people are seeing that may not be the case.

Students want to feel like they’re investing in careers that’ll last. They want something that’ll support their lifestyles, which is why many are pivoting away from these types of degrees.

Running Towards Security

Students are running towards financial security, and that means medicine, law, and MBAs. Medicine in particular is likely to see a large pool of applicants. The pandemic has helped folks redefine what careers matter. This goes beyond careers that offer financial security.

Folks are also paying attention to the types of jobs that one could look for. Everyone knows doctors and nurses have stepped up during the pandemic. People have fallen in love with these types of careers because they know these folks put their lives on the line.

On top of being able to live a life of dignity, people love to know their job positively contributes to society. This is one reason why the hunger for careers in medicine is going to grow. The problem is it might grow so much that space is going to become limited. This means it’s going to be harder for applicants to get noticed.

Administrators are anticipating the problem by creating roadmaps for applicants that should help them improve their chances. One of the most interesting additions to these road maps is a focus on personal brand.

Yes, administrators think it’s important for applicants to invest in brand identity design to improve their chances. Brand identity has always been a good thing in the business world. Folks would use it to improve their chances of getting noticed by the right employers, but it seems like the same tactic has to be used for university applications.

Careers in law have also seen new interest because they seem like reliable careers to choose from. Applicants are going to have to compete because the list of applicants will likely be pretty big, so they have to pay attention to things like their LSAT score along with their GPA. This is on top of everything else like the personal brand design just mentioned.

Folks who are looking to get into law value it because the law has been pretty important during the pandemic, too. It’s lawyers who are going to help protect workers from some of the issues they’re facing. It’s lawyers who have been helping to fight systemic issues that were only highlighted during the pandemic.

Some students are seeking an MBA right now, and they’re doing so by making sure their GPA and GMAT scores are great. While businesses may be closing right now, the pandemic has also given rise to new businesses.

Students who care about business and can spot opportunities are hungry to get started. When the pandemic is finally handled, a lot of people are going to want to go back out and start spending money. Business-minded people know this and want to capitalize on it. The best way to do that is to get their degrees now so that they’re prepared once the opportunity finally presents itself.

Things have been turned upside down because of the pandemic including education. Some of the trends like the ones mentioned here are easy enough to see, but there are bound to be others that might take some time to take hold. Hopefully, some of this helps students think about the future and what they want to do with their lives.

4 Ways Businesses Can Reduce Their Water Usage

When you’re running a business, you’re probably hyper-aware of your financial budgets, sales figures and profits, but the amount of water you’re using may not be something that crosses your mind. However, water usage is inherently linked to your business costs and, therefore, your profitability. 

By improving your water efficiency, you can reduce your expenditure, often by a significant amount. As a result, a higher proportion of your turnover can be retained as profit, rather than being used to fund your running costs. With this in mind, take a look at these four ways businesses can reduce their water usage:

1. Track Usage

If you don’t know how much water you’re using, you won’t be able to determine whether you’re reducing your water consumption. A water audit and smart meter are simple yet effective ways to identify how much water your business uses on a regular basis. As well as accessing important data, monitoring water consumption also allows you to identify potential leaks on your premises. This means you can cut your water usage straight away and protect the building from unnecessary damage. 

While you may still be reliant on business water suppliers, tracking your usage will enable you to choose the best tariffs and rates, based on your needs. As a result, you can reduce your costs further and maximise savings. 

2. Install Low Flow Fittings

Standard taps, toilets and showers use a considerable amount of water, but more eco-friendly fittings can easily be installed. Low flow fittings are designed to reduce the amount of water used without impeding the use of facilities. Upgrading your washrooms, taps and toilet facilities with low flow fittings is a relatively minor task, but it’s one that has a big impact. 

3. Plan Landscaping

Many businesses keep their surroundings well-maintained with lawns, shrubs and trees. Although this can create an appealing outdoor area for staff and customers to enjoy, the landscaping decisions you make affect how much water your business uses. Lawns, in particular, require a considerable amount of care and may need to be watered frequently throughout the spring and summer months. 

However, there are many plants which can thrive in the UK with little water. By incorporating these into your landscaping plans, you can naturally reduce water consumption. Similarly, making use of hardscaping can reduce the amount of maintenance and water required. 

4. Harvest Rainwater

Collecting and reusing rainwater is an excellent way to reduce the amount of water you’re paying for. Rain collected via water butts could be used to keep plants and shrubs hydrated, for example. Alternatively, you could install a rainwater harvesting system which will allow water to be collected from flat areas, such as roofs or patios, which is then filtered and stored for future use. This water can be used for a variety of purposes, including toilet flushing or vehicle washing, and will reduce your reliance on water from utility companies.

Becoming More Water Efficient

If you want to reduce your running costs and operate in a more environmentally friendly way, increasing water efficiency is an obvious goal. Many people are surprised at just how easy it is to reduce water usage and how many benefits it can offer. Whether you’re striving to become a green business, or you simply want to increase your profitability, boosting your water efficiency should be a top priority.

What Does a SEO Specialist Do?

The age of the internet gave way to a lot of new transformations. Today’s customers connect with brands through websites, social media, video, and more. They’re constantly shopping on their smartphones and seeking customer service through apps and online chat widgets. Modern businesses are responding to the age of the internet with the introduction of new services, updated marketing campaigns, and new strategies for reaching their audience. 

The digital landscape has even opened the door to a new era of professionals, focusing on things like how to make the most of your position on search engines like Google. After all, a higher position in the search engine often equates to bigger revenues and better opportunities for companies that can outrank their competition. Today, SEO specialists can be powerful allies for growing companies. 

What are SEO Specialists?

SEO Specialists are responsible for mastering search engine optimization, the strategy that companies use to improve their position on the search engine rankings. To succeed with this methodology, companies need to know how to use keywords to attract the right audience, build their site’s credibility with backlinks, and even produce amazing content to show thought leadership. Experts who specialize in SEO like Granwehr.com identify the techniques, strategies and tactics required to increase the number of visitors to a website and improve a site’s authority. 

These pros can generate more traffic for companies, which also leads to a better chance of increased conversions. At the same time, an effective campaign in the search landscape can also lead to better reputations for brands. There are different kinds of expert in this arena, but most of them know how to deal with programming so that they can ensure websites are accessible as possible for customers. These employees also know how to write original content for brands, run advertising campaigns to increase revenue, and make technical recommendations to developers. 

Could You Succeed in This Role?

The company or client you work with in this industry will often dictate how technical your job actually is. Some companies rely on their SEO specialist to deal with things like keyword strategies and creating content, but they hire other people to handle user experience updates to the website coding, and work with developers. You might also find that working with some companies requires you to branch out from focusing on the company’s website and search results. 

Many professionals who start off in the world of SEO end up working on things like social media and email marketing campaigns too. They might help to write content for guest blogs so that companies can earn backlinks or assist with creating content plans for things like videos and podcasts. There’s no one kind of person who’s more likely to succeed in a job like this one. However, if you’re planning on taking this route, it’s worth remembering that you’ll need to be committed to constant learning. With algorithms and trends changing all the time, failing to stay ahead of the curve could quickly mean that your search strategies become irrelevant.

The Best Strategies for Teaching Story Structure in Your Classroom

Writing accomplishes so much for the writer. It helps him look at areas of his life that may be uncomfortable to confront directly, it gives him a way to communicate ideas that he cannot voice orally, and it gives him a craft. There are few successful writers that are completely self-taught. The art of writing should be learned beginning in the primary grades and continued through a lifetime. That is because without some fundamental knowledge, building a story becomes a daunting task. Writers must understand structure, but how do you best teach story architecture in a classroom? Some of the best strategies are the easiest. A few of these are the SWBST, familiarization and the outline worksheet.

SWBST

The acronym stands for “somebody wanted to…but…so then….” This is perhaps the most basic of tools for teaching creative writing. There are many types of stories like flash fiction (which typically is only 500 words or less), short stories and, of course, novels. The thing is that a novel is like a forest in which a writer can get lost. Plot, characters and other elements of a good story seem to blur. The SWBST outline is a fundamental blueprint that helps writers, even experienced ones, keep track of the story direction and the character’s objectives. Students who follow this simple step build characters who have objectives, create conflict for them to overcome and then resolve the problem.

Familiarization

This actually is an introductory strategy. As they read together, students are led through a process in which they identify the elements of good storytelling. They see the main character and understand what that character wants, they determine the obstructions in achieving that goal and they observe how the character overcomes ( or is frustrated by) those barriers. Used with elementary students, this method can utilize fairy tales. With older students, more complicated plot lines such as those in classic novels like “Catcher in the Rye” or “Grapes of Wrath” or even structure in modern books like the “Twilight Series” can be used.

Outline Worksheet

Ask some writers how they determine plot, and they will say that their characters tell them what to write. While that sounds like a spurious answer, given to dismiss the question, it is actually to-the-point and in line with this teaching tool. Novel writing worksheets include several aspects of the novel creation including character development. Similar to the SWBST method, students using a novel outline worksheet create characters using physical characteristics, personalities and other components, develop a plot in which the characters attempt to reach a goal despite opposition and understand how a theme can drive a plot.

Creative writing can be very satisfying, and when someone besides the writer can understand the theme of a story, identify with the characters and enjoy the plot, the satisfaction increases. For more information about a novel outline worksheet and how to use it, visit Adobe’s Education Exchange. A teacher who can communicate these concepts may not have a future Steinbeck in his classroom, but he will teach a craft the pupil can enjoy for a lifetime.

How to Write an Academically Acclaimed Paper

Higher education requires a lot from its participants, and perhaps the most notable example is the notorious college essay. Essays are required assignments in the vast majority of college-level classes and are typically the “make or break” portion of your grade. They are found in almost every department or major, and they start as early as freshmen year, persisting throughout graduate school.

Papers are such an integral part of the university experience that it can feel daunting for those just getting started. According to the board at Minorities to Majorities, college essays may feel like an uphill battle, but they are significant parts of academia.

So, here is how to tackle them.

  1. Use Reliable Sources

To efficiently write a college-level essay, you will always be required to seek, utilize, and cite peer-reviewed sources. These references can be found in academic journals, in books at your university’s library, or from your class lecture. What is important is that you understand what these citations are saying, why they are significant to your essay’s topic, and how you can incorporate them into your paper.

This is one aspect of the essay-writing journey that most students detest. It requires sifting through and critically engaging with academic jargon that may or may not suit your essay, all the while taking up time that could be spent writing said paper. However, no essay appropriate for higher education can be written without a strong foundation provided by professionals’ scholarly work in the same area of study.

  1. Proofread with Outside Help

Double-checking your work is vital when it comes to making it your best possible effort. Yes, there are ways to do this yourself—by rereading it days later with fresh eyes or printing it out and rereading it on a tangible page, but the best way to ensure success is to outsource opinions and skillsets.

Peers you can trust are some of the most significant help to your academic career. They can catch punctual or grammatical errors, gauge whether they understood all of the points you made, and finally compare your understanding of the assignment to their own.

Websites like Grammarly are programmed to read your work and give punctual and grammatical feedback. Don’t underestimate the importance of this kind of proofreading in college—a symbol misspelling could mean many points deducted.

  1. Utilize Your Professors’ Office Hours

Ultimately, your professors are there to help you, and they have set up weekly office hours where they can do that. During class, professors and teachers’ assistants are often spread thin by the lecture and answering quick questions, which is why time needs to be set aside to talk to your professors one-on-one.

Showing up with questions about the assignment, clarifying the lesson, or even an early draft of your essay is a sure-fire way to get ahead of your peers. You will even earn your professor’s trust—not all students come to office hours, which benefits the academic standing of the few who do.

Most professors keep their office location and weekly hours on their syllabus, but if your professor does not, ask them personally before or after class or send them an email.

Conclusion

Essays are the backbone of many students’ academic careers, and that’s why all students must understand how to execute them early. The likelihood that you can get through higher education without knowing how to write a substantial essay is slim, and therefore it should be taken seriously.

Next time you are having trouble writing a good college paper, consider these steps to guarantee a successful final product.

Our Actions Protect Others

I know everyone is incredibly fatigued by the COVID-19 pandemic, but think about it this way, COVID is not tired. In fact, it’s increasing rapidly, and it’s disheartening that so many people refuse to do even some of the minimum tasks, such as wearing a mask, that can minimize the spread. And for someone like us with a family member at higher risk of complications, it’s just cruel.

The coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has taken so much from all of us, especially in our everyday lives. But there’s a sneaky way COVID will continue to impact us for a long time after a vaccine goes out. With so many scientists researching, testing, and working to distribute a vaccine, it means that a lot of other research has been delayed or disrupted. 

The Truth About COVID

As we have all learned, coronavirus is spread through respiration. That means every time we breathe, speak, yell, sing, or cough. We are projecting little drops that may be breathed by someone else. And with people not showing symptoms for up to 14 days, a person could have COVID and not even know that they’re dangerous to others. That’s why wearing a mask is so important. 

In fact, the simple act of wearing a mask isn’t about you; it’s about those that you come into contact with and who they may be in touch with as well. While I’ve written about this prior, I understand the argument that we need to reopen our society and economy, as well as the opinion that high-risk individuals should just “stay home.”  

But that’s not a reality for many people or for us. We need to go out to stores and get the necessary medications. Even though we get food delivery and pick-up, we are increasing our risk any time we step out of the house. 

That doesn’t even discuss all the people who work in food and other necessary services that are always at risk. And any interactions we may have with them increases our risk. That’s why mask-wearing is so essential. It’s to protect others and who we come into contact with and some protection level for ourselves. 

We Are ALL Interconnected

Everyone we come into contact with, and we can infect everyone we interact with, or we can become infected from, and that’s why doing the little things like wearing a mask, washing hands, avoiding crowds is crucial. 

Look, we all want to return to normal, whatever that was. But in order to return to any sense of normal is that we first must tackle the spread of the virus. Wearing a mask is one of the simplest ways we can slow the spread, and once we slow the spread, we’ll get back to some sense of what normal looked like in our everyday lives. Until then, we must be smart and wear a mask around others. It’s that simple.

What You Need To Know About COVID

Until the spread is slowed down, we have to pay attention to our health and look for symptoms without freaking out on every sniffle or sneeze. Some common symptoms are similar to the common cold or flu, but knowing what to look for is important. 

Understand that many different symptoms that are similar to COVID are also symptoms of other diseases, even allergies, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines common symptoms of COVID as:
Fevers and chills

Aches and Pains

Cough

Shortness of Breath

Congestion or Runny Nose

Sore Throat

Diarrhea 

Nausea 

Loss of Smell or Taste

If you feel that you may have some of these symptoms, discussing them with your doctor for guidance is critical if your symptoms develop in intensity, then getting a coronavirus test, whether an at-home covid test kit or county test, is important for your health and peace of mind. 

The longer people refuse to treat this disease as something serious, the longer it will be with us. Taking little actions that protect ourselves and seeing how our activities are related to other people’s wellbeing and health will go a long way toward limiting the spread of this virus. If we could all do the bare minimum and just wear a mask, we’ll get through this and protect those, like my daughter Lily, who need our help.

10 Best Books to Learn Japanese

While this particular concept applies to any foreign language, most people who could master the basics of Japanese will tell you that you must start with understanding the culture of the Japanese language before achieving any success. Indeed, you may spend hours polishing your grammar or pronunciation, yet you must feel how every sentence is being formed and how intonation can easily change the original meaning. Thankfully, you can turn to educational books and find out more. 

10 Best Books That Assist With Learning Japanese 

  1. Learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: Workbook & Practice Sheets by Tetsuo Takagaki. One of the most popular workbooks that will help you cover grammar, basic vocabulary, and pronunciation with the help of not too complex practice exercises. It fits well for beginners and intermediate learners. It is best to start with a teacher. 
  2. Japanese from Zero! Proven Techniques to Learn Japanese for Students and Professionals by Yukari Takenaka. If you do not have any prior knowledge, choose this book. It has over ten language learning techniques that let you test your perception. It also covers various professional fields that translators may find helpful. 
  3. A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar by Seiichi Makino. Regardless of what book you may choose to learn Japanese, the presence of a good dictionary always comes first. Even professional linguists cannot get by without it. Speaking of safe and affordable Japanese translation services, you may check PickWriters for top choices and explore what fits your requirements best. Keeping a dictionary, you can easily check any word or even a phrase. 
  4. Japanese Phrases for Dummies by Eriko Sato. We all remember that most phrases that we hear in the streets are rarely included in any textbook. Japanese is no different! This book aims to remedy this situation and does it quite successfully. 
  5. Speak Japanese in 90 Days: A Self Study to Becoming Fluent: Volume 1 by Kevin Marx. One of the easiest self-study Japanese books that will help you work out your learning schedule. Marx implements various teaching methods to keep you inspired. It can work even without a teacher. 
  6. Japanese for Busy People (Textbook by Penguin Random House). An example of a good textbook that keeps everything to the point by letting you study for at least 15-30 minutes daily and progress with your Japanese skills. It is not an easy curriculum since it follows every rule and keeps things intensive. If you need Japanese for Business, check it out. 
  7. Japanese for Young People 1 by AJALT (The Association for Japanese-Language Teaching). Even if you are an adult learning, do not ignore this book. If you prefer learning by multilingual associations, explore it. Based on the influence of early bilingual education and an experience of teaching Japanese, it aims to explain how the Japanese can be compared to your native language. 
  8. Japanese Picture Dictionary by Timothy G. Stout. Japanese is a vivid language, which is why some people master it easier when they have visuals. This picture dictionary is a great addition to anyone learning Japanese. A rare interactive experience! 
  9. A Guide to Japanese Grammar by Tae Kim. Unfortunately, you cannot cope without learning grammar rules. This great book makes things easier by offering not only rules but explanations. Make sure to focus on examples and real-life sentences as you learn. 
  10. The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary by Jack Halper. This book is for achieving genuine literacy in Japanese. It has all the Kanji (a logographic writing system) rules required for any professional needs. It is aimed at intermediate students. 

Remember The Culture 

They often say that learning Japanese stands for learning more about the country’s culture. Take your time to master the Japanese ethical code and start by respecting rules and traditions. Once you understand how people live their daily lives, each sentence will start making more sense as you write or compose your own phrases. 

BIO 

Henry is not afraid of choosing challenging languages and is happy to share his educational experience. His posts are like small online guides for people wishing to learn something new. Follow Henry to find innovative solutions and achieve success. 

Top 10 Colleges for Foreign Language Learning

While most people will think about King’s College in London or Harvard for learning a foreign language, it is not always the best choice because some other colleges and universities are better adapted in terms of educational tools. It means that various foreign language learning practices are adjusted to any person wishing to master a foreign language without being overly complex or demanding. 

Top 10 Colleges for Foreign Language Learning Courses

  1. Princeton University. It combines the social aspects of learning a foreign language with innovative technologies and digital solutions. Starting from Generation Y’s teaching approach to the preparation of technical writers, everything is based on care and attention to detail. It has a great community and team projects that are quite helpful for those who prefer learning through social interaction. 
  2. Columbia University. It is not only an excellent place to learn a foreign language but also an opportunity to secure your future employment. Start by checking various language curriculum offers and then read about top translation companies to determine what will fit your professional plans. Columbia University offers anything from African Studies to such languages as Catalan, Serbian, Welsh, and Icelandic. 
  3. Yale University. It needs no introduction and remains a prestigious institution to focus on the research aspect of learning a foreign language. They offer Directed Independent Language Study, which aims to provide languages that are not traditionally taught at colleges. Letting students direct their curriculum, it’s one of the most flexible foreign language learning methods. 
  4. Duke University. If you seek additional flexibility and want to try various ways of learning a foreign language, it is your safest bet. It would be helpful if you would like to get employment as a freelance translator by polishing your existing skills. You can check language translation services at TheWordPoint to see what certifications are most helpful and proceed from there. This university has a high acceptance rate. 
  5. Dartmouth College. If you want to combine great outdoor activities, online learning, and great academics by learning a language, Dartmouth College has it all. It offers multimedia learning programs and community projects. Their student support is top-notch! 
  6. Indiana University Bloomington. As one of America’s leading research facilities, it offers outstanding language certifications as you graduate. It also offers great employment options for such specialists. You can check professional document translation services to see how your salary will differ with a certificate. It also focuses on rare languages and dialects. 
  7. The University of Notre Dame. It has caring lecturers and an individual approach to every student. If you are still hesitant about learning a foreign language, try them. They have great emotional help service for students who cannot overcome linguistic barriers or start with one’s college studies. 
  8. Wellesley College. An elite college that offers assistance for female students that want to achieve academic success. Their language learning courses focus on Nursing, Political Science, and Journalism. They have an extensive internship network, which is something to consider. 
  9. Rice University Houston. The best choice for technical translators. If you want to combine your major with learning a foreign language, look no further. They offer improved language learning curriculums that focus on your original employment field. 
  10. Tufts University (Somerville). A great choice for students with a Christian background. Their Linguistic Department offers social sciences and cultural aspects. Even if you study Architecture and Biology, they will help you to learn specific terms related to every field. 

What if I Have No Skills?

It only depends on how you learn because there are no people who would be totally unable to learn a foreign language! All college entries in my list are aimed at innovative and flexible teaching methods that are unlike basic school language learning. The best way is to combine your major and future employment with specific language terms. Your initial subject confidence will help you to achieve success. 

BIO 

Henry is a true linguistic aficionado who seeks practical solutions when learning a foreign language. His posts offer innovative ideas that are worth trying as you want to start or continue your education. Follow Henry to learn something new and get inspired! 

How to Get a Job in Education: 5 Steps to Success

Education remains one of the industries with the highest employment rates. Since the dawn of formal education, the demand for teachers and teaching professionals to tutor students has remained constant or steadily increased, especially in major cities where significant population growth has occurred.

Due to the need for education, the industry has continued to attract many looking to make a career as teachers, administrators, professors, etc. What is so amazing about the industry is that there isn’t only one type of job but several. And the industry also has significant absorption capacity. For instance, in 2019, the education and health industry employed about 35.89 million people, with education jobs accounting for half of the figure. This statistic makes it one of the highest employing industries in the US.

Getting a Job in Education 

If you are looking for employment in the education industry, there are certain steps you should take to improve your chances of getting the job of your choice. Below, we review some of the crucial steps to brighten your chances.

#1. Decide on the kind of job you want 

The road towards a successful and fulfilling career in the education industry has many paths. Not everyone who works in the industry is a teacher. Although teachers represent a significant percentage of the industry, many other jobs and professionals also play key roles in shaping young minds. Some professions that come to mind include: 

  • Administrators 
  • Counselors
  • Security consultants
  • Sport coaches
  • Transport and logistics 

The list is endless, and so are the available jobs. With the rise in IT and E-Learning, there is an increased demand for IT professionals in the classroom. So before taking active steps towards building a career path in education, you first need to decide the job you desire if you haven’t already done so. This decision is important and will influence every other decision you will make moving forward.

#2 Choose the right Institution of Learning 

Before you start a career in education, you also must have the right qualifications. Earning a formal degree from a college is essential, especially if you want to be a teacher. So take your time to find the right college. Colleges that are solely devoted to education are always a good option. There are schools in Michigan, California, New York, and many other states that offer education degrees.

Before you pick a school, do your research to find out just how good the school is. Review their programs, ask former students questions about the school, and look out for their work experience opportunities.

#3 Gain valuable experience

The need for experience can not be overemphasized. One of the key elements to getting hired in education is to gain experience. Many schools and academic institutions only employ professionals who have some degree of expertise in their chosen fields. They do this because, in the field, there is little or no room for errors. Secondly, they frown at the idea of spending valuable time and resources on training recruits.

The next question that may come to your mind is, how can you possibly get experience for a job you’ve not even landed? Fortunately for you, there are thousands of internship and volunteer programs readily available to fresh college graduates looking to gain on-the-job experience. Even before graduation, you can work as a supplemental instructor, tutor, or substitute teacher. The more you engage yourself in the art, the more experienced you will become.

#4 Create a professional resume and cover letter

You may have graduated from college with good grades, and you might be the smartest person in the room, but you still have to prove to your potential employer that you are as qualified as your certificates suggest. This means putting together a quality resume and cover letter that showcases your skills and professional abilities in the best possible light.

Your cover letter should not duplicate your resume. This document is ideal for describing the reasons for choosing a profession, the strengths that will help you succeed in the desired position, and the motivation to join a particular educational institution. If you want to understand what an effective self-presentation looks like, check the substitute teacher cover letter example at www.getcoverletter.com.

A resume is an essential document, and part of the employment process you should never take for granted. If you want to get hired as quickly as possible, you need to make sure that your resume has the following essential qualities:

  • Professional
  • Contain your academic qualifications
  • Personal qualities and skills
  • Work history

Let us review these critical qualities in detail.

Professional outlook

Resumes are impressionist documents. They create the first impression of you in the employer’s mind, and as you already know, first impressions matter a lot. Your resume should contain bullet points because they are much easier to read and digest. The way you arrange dates also matters. Typically, chronological order is best to present a clear understanding of progress and emphasize the most relevant information. 

As for your cover letter, it should not duplicate what is in the resume. It is an opportunity to share information that didn’t fit in the resume to add to your candidacy. 

Both documents should be error-free if you want to impress your potential employer.

Academic Qualifications 

Your resume should contain your academic qualifications. Note the certificates and degrees you’ve earned and the institutions that issued them. The year you graduated from each of these institutions should also be included. It also pays to include your cumulative GPA and any relevant coursework you completed during your time in school.

Personal Skills and Qualities

Your academic qualifications are not the only thing employers are interested in. They also care about your interests, skills, and personal views. They do this because they understand that behind the profession is a human being with fears, hopes, interests, and dreams. Your resume should highlight your skills and hobbies using bulleted points. 

Work History

Where have you worked previously, and what were your duties in that capacity? Good resumes have previous jobs listed in chronological order, and they sell your application even before you open your mouth. Providing a detailed list of your work history will explain to the employers what qualities you will bring to bear on the job should it be given to you.

#5 Use References 

Another way to get a job in the education industry is to make use of references. Start contacting people you know with clout within the industry even before you finish school. Contact instructors, mentors, school mates, and people within your social circle. If you are volunteering at a school, inform them of your graduation date and let them know that you are going to be free to get permanently employed. Networking increases the chances of being shortlisted for an interview. And the more interviews you attend, the brighter your chances of getting hired in the end.

Conclusion 

The education industry is one of the highest employers of labor. As teaching and training dynamics have evolved, the demand for more trainers, teachers, and instructors has steadily increased. This phenomenon has also opened up more vacancies in the industry with the rise of e-learning. The opportunities and positions available to new prospects and applicants are numerous and far-reaching. We hope that with the five steps highlighted in this article, your path to building a successful education career has only gotten brighter and better.

5 Organization Solutions for Your Office

Cleaning and organizing your office can seem like an endless task. You might gather the energy to revamp your office with a new set up, new organization, and new storage systems, only for everything to be a mess again in a few weeks. The key to getting this done correctly the first time is choosing ways to store and organize the things that your office needs that are easy to manage. The best part is, you don’t need to hire a professional organizer or spend money on expensive items. Your solution could be as simple as buying some corrugated boxes.

Keep reading for five ways to effectively organize your office.

1. Corrugated Boxes

Sometimes, the best solution for dealing with clutter is the simplest. Corrugated boxes are perfect for organizing your storage, especially when it comes to bulk items. You can store spare keyboards, phones, additional office supplies – the options are endless. What makes corrugated boxes the best option is that you can get them in virtually any size and shape, so you don’t need to worry about trying to fit oddly shaped things inside while wasting valuable storage room. And, because they are corrugated, you can fold them back up to lay flat when you are using the contents. This way you won’t need to worry about storing a bunch of big, empty boxes.

2. Refrigerator Bins

A lot of people don’t think about the refrigerator when it comes to organization in the office, because it is already organized to a certain extent. There are different drawers and shelves that are used for specific purposes, but going one step further and investing in some clear plastic bins can take your organization to the next level. This can solve any issues you might have, big or small, with storing everyone’s lunch and snacks. We all have at least one story where one of our work snacks mysteriously went missing from the refrigerator. With bins, you can avoid that. You can also use these bins to save your team some money when it comes to communal items. Simply put everything that needs to be used up in one bin, that way your coworkers know what to choose first.

3. Wires and Cords

Wires and cords can make any desk space, no matter how clean, look really cluttered. However, there are a lot of ways to keep this chaos to a minimum. If you have twist ties on hand, you can roll up your wires and secure them that way. You can also re-purpose an old cardboard toilet roll by rolling up your cords and fitting them inside. This step also comes in handy if you have trouble remembering which wires go where, since you can write directly on to the roll.

4. Turntables

Turntables can be used for numerous organizational methods. They come in varying sizes depending on what you wish to use them for, so the options are almost limitless. Common ways to use turntables to organize your office can include storage for office supplies that might otherwise be lost, like small boxes of paper clips or tacks. You can also set up some small mason jars in the turntable and use that to organize different types of pens, markers, and highlighters to make them easier to find. This also makes it easier to see what you need to reorder and what you don’t.

5. Binders for Important Documents and Protocols

While many companies are choosing to go digital, there are still certain things that need to be kept in a hardcopy format. This can be for a number of reasons; some companies need to have hard copies on hand in case power is lost or systems are compromised. When this is the case, it’s important to know what you have and how many copies you have of each document. It’s as simple as organizing these by topic or purpose, like human resources, and color-coding your options. You can even use plastic page protectors to store these documents in to avoid punching holes in the documents themselves.

Final Thoughts

Organization can be overwhelming, but taking a step back and thinking of easy solutions is the best way to ensure your office gets organized and stays organized. Anything from using turntables for your pens and markers to storing supplies in corrugated boxes can make a difference day today, so why not give it a try?