Resume Writing For College Students
It’s exciting and scary at the same time. If you’re creating your first resume, it probably means that you’re finishing up your education and ready to enter the “real world.” It’s natural to feel some anxiety about putting together a resume; after all, the only job experience you may have is at your local pizza joint. But by following the tips below, you can produce a post-college resume that gets results.
Include an objective. One of the most common complaints hiring managers have about entry-level resumes is the absence of an objective. An objective tells potential employers which job you’re after, and it’s especially crucial on a student resume because students typically lack the real-world job experience that can point HR in the right direction. Know this: employers aren’t going to take the time to figure out what your goal is. So, right at the top underneath your name and contact information, include your objective. Make sure it conveys what you plan to bring to the company, rather than the other way around. “Objective: To secure an entry-level reporter job where I can use my writing skills to enhance the Daily Star” is much better than “Objective: To secure a challenging and rewarding reporting job.”
Determine a focus. Unlike professionals who’ve been climbing the corporate ladder for a few years, you probably don’t have a lot of relevant work experience under your belt. So while more experienced workers might start a resume with a work history section, you need an alternative, and it’s likely to be one of these three: academic achievement and honors, academics plus volunteerism and extra-curricular leadership, or a type of work history that highlights an applicable internship. Only you know which area is your strongest. Start there.
Don’t embellish. Some recent grads are tempted to fudge the truth a bit in order to make their resumes stand out-perhaps “improve” some duties or the title you held at a part-time job. Don’t. Sure, you want to put the best spin on your experience and communicate the skills that you’ve gleaned, but outright lying on a resume will get you fired if you’re ever found out.
Keep it short. Similar to the “not enough” fear that drives people to embellish their resumes is the temptation to add fluff to a resume in order to make it longer and, presumably, more impressive. The truth is that employers see tons of resumes every day and are adept at sniffing out the fluff. Stick to applicable skills, experiences, and honors. And unless you’ve had quite a college career, most student resumes should be only one page.
Highlight your tech savviness. No matter your field of interest, you can’t go wrong by drawing attention to your knowledge of everything technology and computer related. Be sure to include on your resume the programs you’ve used, programming experience, and any other technologies that you’re familiar with (gaming consoles don’t count). One of the huge benefits of being right out of college is that you probably have computer skills that outpace more experienced professionals.
Proof and proof some more. When your experience is thin, the last thing you want is to blow your chances because of spelling or grammar errors. You want to do everything you can to demonstrate your professionalism, and misspelling (or misusing) words won’t help. Ask your parents, a friend who aced English class, or even a professor to look over your resume.
Ask for help. Most colleges and universities have a career center that can assist you in putting together an entry-level resume. It’s easiest to take advantage of these services while you’re still on campus, though most schools allow alums to use the career center. If you really want a slam-dunk resume, plan ahead and sign up for a Professional Writing course during your senior year. These classes are designed to help students master the fine art of corporate communication-including resume writing.
Small business insurance and those winter blues
Unless you live on the equator at at one of the poles, we seem to be getting a lot more weather these days. This may not be quite what we were expecting from the so-called global warming, but there does seem to be more snow during the winters, and the range of heat to tornadoes to storms during the summer seems to be getting more extreme. As small businesses, we have to keep going no matter what is happening around us. We live or die by being there to sell the goods or supply the services. That means always checking we have the right level of auto insurance to cover all our deliveries and business driving. Remember the value of the materials you are carrying may be increasing steadily as business develops. So, when you are starting out, you may only be delivering small quantities, or the range of tools and equipment you carry may be small. Always review the coverage, particularly as increasing snow and ice may make accidents more likely during the winter months.
And talking about the snow, how are you placed? If your premises have the sidewalk just outside, the odds are your local laws require you to keep the area clear. Do a bad job, leave some ice and a pedestrian falls, you are looking at a claim and a possible premium hike because it was your fault. Remember the law is not the same as for a residential property. The usual rule is for you to use reasonable means to keep the sidewalk safe. That means clearing the snow and preventing the build-up of ice by salting. Except, every town has different rules. Some say you should be out there as the snow falls, preventing any accumulation. Other leave it until there are signs of drifting. Still more leave it to your reasonable discretion. And do not forget some ordinances include the parking area as well as the sidewalk.
Then there are those wonderful movements during a thaw when a small avalanche slips off your roof and smashes down on to the sidewalk in front of your premises. Emergency room trips to passers-by caught in these festive events can work out costly. So have you checked whether your coverage includes slips and falls? If so, ask you insurance agent or attorney how the local courts are valuing the usual injuries from falls. You must have enough coverage to pay off the average award of damages for pain and suffering. If there is any good news in all this, it is that small business insurance premiums are a fully deductible expense. Just as you could consider buying expensive kit like a blower to clear deep snow, so you can write off expensive business insurance and weather any legal storms that may come your way. The best strategy is to get the best value policies that will keep you in business while the recession continues. In this, remember there has been an increase in the number of faked claims, backed up by false medical reports. Many dishonest people think businesses are fair targets. Talk through these issues with your agent to get the most cost-effective coverage.
How to Clean a Cartridge Swimming Pool Filter
A clean swimming pool filter is a key element for having a clean and sparkling pool all year round. Neglecting the pool filters will result in constant struggles with the swimming pool and could cause many other costly problems. Following are the basics of cleaning a cartridge swimming pool filter.
Turn off the pool equipment – turn off the main circuit breaker for the swimming pool equipment or the circuit breaker at the pool equipment if needed, but make sure the pool equipment does not start up while the cartridge filter is apart
Relieve the pressure from the system – open up the pressure relief valve on the main filter in order to release all the pressure from the system.
Drain the water from the cartridge filter – unscrew and remove the drain plug from the filter housing in order to completely drain the filter of water.
Open the filter housing – once all of the water is drained and pressure released from the filter, carefully open up the filter housing.
Remove the dirty cartridge filters – carefully remove the dirty filter cartridges from the filter housing.
Thoroughly clean the cartridge filter element(s) – using a high pressure spray nozzle on the hose, thoroughly spray the cartridge elements down until as much of the dirt and debris as possible is removed and the water runs clear. For the best results, work from the top down and spray of the filter cartridges at a 45 degree angle.
Clean the filter housing – spray down the filter housing in order to remove any dirt or debris. Make sure the o-ring is clean in order to get a good and tight seal when the filter is reassembled.
Re-insert the clean filter cartridges – carefully re-install the clean filter cartridges in an opposite manner that they were removed.
Close and secure the filter.
Restart the pool equipment – when restarting the pool equipment, leave the pressure relief valve open until all the air has been purged from the filter.
Note the pressure – once the filter is up and running again, make a note of the pressure on the pressure gauge. When the pressure goes up 10psi, it is time to clean the cartridge filter again.
Establishing and sticking to a routine cleaning schedule for cartridge pool filters is half the battle when it comes to having a clean and sparkling swimming pool.
Remember, for best results when cleaning a cartridge swimming pool filter, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. If the instructions have been lost or misplaced, contact the manufacturer for replacement instructions. Often times the manufacturers provide easy access to downloading the instructions from their web site.
Florida School Grading System
To unify curriculum and learning benchmarks, Florida State created the Sunshine State Standards, or SSS. These regulations outline what each student should learn during their current school year before being promoted to the next grade level. By adopting these standards, schools are better equipped to assign realistic goals to each student and teachers can concentrate on how to teach, rather than what to teach.
When the SSS committee created the criterion for each grade level, they considered the standards of other states, of their functioning school districts as well as the rising worldwide trends toward technology. A consortium of educators and those not in the field was formed to research and develop these standards from the ground up. Understanding that there may be a need for flexibility and future updates to the standards, the consortium made them in a fluid manner. Changes are made to the SSS nearly every year.
In 1998, the State of Florida enacted the FCAT, or Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test to gauge the knowledge of students and the effectiveness of the SSS. With the introduction of the FCAT, schools became accountable for teaching within the standard. Schools are graded annually based on performance of their students in grades 3 through 10. Schools with grades C and below must create and complete a plan of action to bring their average student body scores to a B or above.
Grades are earned by schools much as they are by students. Three factors contribute to the school grade: percentage of students tested, points earned and adequate progress in reading.
To receive a grade of A, a school must test at least 95% of registered students, score 410 or above and must meet the “adequate progress in reading” standard.
To receive a grade of B, a school must test at least 90% of eligible students, score 380 points or higher and meet adequate progress in reading within two years.
To receive a score of C, a school must test at least 90% of eligible students, score 320 points or higher and meet adequate progress in reading within two years.
To receive a score of D, a school must test 90% or more of eligible students and score 280 points or higher. Reading progress is not a factor for this unsatisfactory grade.
Schools receive an F score if they test less than 90% of eligible students or score fewer than 280 points.
Points are awarded for both gains in overall student scores as well as students tested.
One point is awarded for each percentage point of students meeting or exceeding standards in math, reading and writing.
One point is awarded for each percentage point of students making gains in reading or math.
One point is awarded for each percentage point of the lowest scoring readers making gains.
One point is awarded for each percentage point of eligible students tested.
Points are summed up to reveal the school grade based on the scale above.
Assessments By Grade Level
While public school students in Florida are required to take FCAT each year, the test subjects vary. Tests of third grade students consist only of reading and math. Fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth graders take tests on reading, math and writing. Fifth graders are tested on reading, math and science. Eighth grade FCAT tests include reading, writing, math and science. Tenth graders are testing in reading, writing, math and science. Eleventh graders take a reading and math test.
Testing in the tenth grade is of particular interest. Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, a student’s graduation from high school in Florida is dependant on their successful completion of FCAT testing in the tenth grade. Success is based on the Level system, below. Students scoring in Level 2 or below are given retake opportunities throughout eleventh and twelfth grades.
The progress of each student is traced throughout their educational career in Florida. At each grade level, beginning in third grade, their test scores receive a level of proficiency score.
Level 1 states that “This student has little success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.”
Level 2 states that “This student has limited success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.”
Level 3 states that “This student has partial success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards, but the performance is inconsistent. A student scoring in Level 3 answers many of the test questions correctly, but is generally less successful with question that are the most challenging.” Tenth graders are required to score in Level 3 or above to be eligible for a regular high school diploma.
Level 4 states that “This student has success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A student scoring in Level 4 answers most of the test questions correctly, but may have only some success with questions that reflect the most challenging content.”
Level 5 states that “This student has success with the most challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A student scoring in Level 5 answers most of the test questions correctly, including most of the challenging questions.”
Parents receive a report of student’s Level achievement in each test subject. In addition to easy to read charts and graphs depicting the student’s score and the average in that grade, the report shows the student’s success over time.
How To Lose Weight Extremely Fast
Weight can have many affects on a person, other than just physical appearance. Weight can affect anything from self-esteem, depression, health factors and the over all quality of life a person has. When a person looses weight there are many positive changes that take place. This is why so many people are searching for ways to loose weight. People are searching for the techniques that will lower the fat in their bodies and get a super fit, super toned body.
The first step someone who is struggling with being overweight should do is to get a doctors recommendation as to what the best weight loss regimen is for them. Your doctor will give you a physical examination that will help determine what the best plan is for your weight loss success. Weight loss and overall better health doesnt come by only changing your diet or only changing your exercise routine. Although, diet and exercise are good by themselves, combining the two into your daily routine will help you achieve your overall weight loss goal faster than doing just one alone.
Let me give you some quick tips that can help improve your overall health and appearance:
No. 1 Fast weight loss is composed of changing your overall lifestyle and making better choices for your life. In order to be successful you will have to change your mindset, your eating habits, and your activity level. Begin by making better food choices. Eat 3 small meals per day and have 2 snacks. Be sure to choose healthy food choices. Dont over eat and be sure to calculate your perfect daily calorie intake number. Next, find an exercise program that works for you. In order to loose weight and get healthy you will need to combine cardio fitness with some weight training. Dont worry, start slow, and as you gain stamina and strength, you can begin to do more advanced exercises and techniques. Start with something like power walking, running, swimming, dancing and jogging. Do these exercises for at least 20 minutes 5 days a week. You will start seeing and feeling the results in no time.
No. 2 – Set realistic goals, and a realistic approach. A person can loose up to 2 pounds per week and still stay healthy. Start with what you are able to do. Dont go into the gym your first day and expect to be able to run 2 miles or think you can bench press double your body weight. If you go into this with too high an expectation then you will find yourself easily discouraged and unsatisfied with your initial progress. If you stay focused, work hard, and discipline yourself, you will not be discouraged, but you will stay focused and achieve your goal.
No. 3 Listen to your body. You should feel some tension and some burning while you are working out, but the pain should not be so intense that you can barely do the exercise. It is normal to have sore muscles the day after you work out, but it is not normal to be in so much pain that you cant function. Dont overdo it, cause then you wont be able to maintain the weight loss plan you have begun. Your body will work hard to get you in shape, but just like your brain needs sleep to re energize and function better, your body will need rest too. Be sure to have 1 rest day every week, and one strictly cardio day every week. This will give your body time to recuperate and function better.
No. 4 Eat more fiber. This will make you feel full and will help flatten your tummy. Fiber fills you faster and stays in your stomach longer which slows down the rate of digestion and moving fat through your digestive track faster.
No. 5 Stay away from fried and high fat foods. Too much fat stores in the body and fat is hard to burn.
No. 6 Drink lots and lots of water. Drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day keep your body hydrated. If you feel thirsty your body is telling you that you are getting dehydrated. When your body is dehydrated it begins to loose muscle mass. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn. Keeping muscle is key to loosing weight! Drink, drink, drink! Stay away from coffee, soda, and high sugar drinks. Coffee and any caffeine containing drinks cause bloating, and sugars store as fat in your body.
Overall, the most important key to loosing weight is discipline, consistency, and learning how to take care of your body! Good luck!
Top 10 Things That Are Necessary to Maintain a Clean and Healthy Birdhouse and Birdbath
Do you remember when you were a little child, helping your parents with outdoor chores? We had to help with the raking, spreading bark, planting plants and flowers. Along with, setting out and cleaning the lawn furniture for all our summer gatherings.
We would get out the birdbath and fill it with fresh water. The bird feeder needed to be cleaned and filled with fresh seed. We live in the north, so we normally cleaned it in the Spring.
Every Spring there was a momma and poppa Cardinal that would show up. I believed they were the same ones that came back every year. I loved to watch the birds come to the birdhouse and birdbath. It was funny watching them take a bath. They liked to sing and splash about.
Now, it is correct placement of your house and bath that attracts birds. Here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy and clean birdhouse and birdbath.
Buy or build the appropriate size house for the birds you will be attracting.
If you will be hanging the birdhouse near the house, make sure there is a clear path to and from the house. Make sure the birds have some cover. Stay away from overhangs, rain could ruin the house or the seed.
Make sure they are not close to your house. Birds are very messy animals.
It should be hung at the appropriate height.
The house should be in a very low traffic location.
Mount your birdhouse or birdbath on a post or a pole. Try not to hang it from a tree. The pole protects the birds from squirrels and chipmunks.
Do not face the opening of the birdhouse to the South or East. Direct sunlight can cause the birds to overheat.
Place your birdbath away from shrubs. Near trees are OK. Birds like to dry off on a branch. This also gives them a quick escape route.
Clean your birdhouse and birdbath often with bleach and water. It is important for the health of the birds. Cleaning your bird house thoroughly in the Spring and keeping it clean between fillings is pretty much sufficient. Remember to wear a mask and gloves when cleaning them both.
Keep your feeders and birdbaths clean and full of water and food.
With a little planning and maintenance, the beautiful nature that you bring to your backyard will be priceless.