Category:Self Improvement’

Education 101: Study Tips for Adults

 - by Guest Blogger

Many people might wonder just why or how getting an education may be different for adults than it is for children. As an adult going back to school, I can say first-hand that it is a whole different ballgame than when I was a kid. First of all, now I have to pay my bills, while also finding a way to pay for school. Second of all, I have to find the time to juggle my job, family life and school schedule. It’s not even close to being easy. One way that I’ve managed to free up some of my time (and calm my frazzled nerves) has been to learn effective study habits. What are my secrets? Here are some great study tips for adults:

Avoid the cram. As an adult, you have a lot on your plate, and you may be tempted to carve a giant chunk of time into your schedule to get the whole studying thing over with in one fell swoop. However, cramming for a test means you jam as much into your short-term memory as it can handle and just hope the information doesn’t evaporate by the time to sit down to take the test. There is a much better way of doing things. Study a little bit every day. Even if you don’t have any homework in a particular class or you’ve already done your reading, spend some time re-reading your text or notes to keep the information fresh. Come test day, you’ll be amazed at how easy and stress-free your experience is.

Speed reading. Take a speed reading course. Yes, speed reading is for real, and it can absolutely get you through your study sessions in a fraction of the time. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, as there are cheap courses online, or you can even find what you need at the library.

Vary your media. I have to get up very early, and stay up very late, in order to fit school into my life. Reading a boring textbook at the crack of dawn can be a chore, and a complete waste of time if my mind keeps drifting (or dosing) off. I make it a point to find a variety of study sources, so that I can mix it up a little when my brain just isn’t registering the pages of text in front of me. Take advantage of DVDs and online resources that come with your school texts. Also, search the web for videos pertaining to the subjects you are studying.

Studying the “right” way has not only cut my study time nearly in half, but it has also enabled me to maintain the high GPA I need in order to advance into my program of choice. These are the things that work for me, and I’m sure they will work for you, too.

About the Author: Irvin Quam works with phlebotomy schools to develop cirriculums that will help adult students keep up with their studies despite family, work, and other obligations. He is a certified phlebotomist and highly recommends http://www.associationphlebotomytraining.com/ for information for anyone looking to enter the career field.

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How Others Can Help You in Your Job Search – Technologically Speaking

 - by Guest Blogger

It isn’t easy to jump through all the hoops required of a conscientious job seeker, and the rings get especially difficult to maneuver if you struggle with putting together your resume or finding the best jobs on the internet—both technological duties.

Unless you are already technically savvy, getting a job may be so overwhelming you may not want to get started. The good news is that you don’t have to have everything. Take your skills and job qualifications with you, glean the help you need from experts in the field who not only know what they are doing but are in business to help you get what you want.

Here are some options:

  • A temp staffing service is in business to help you find work. They assist with resumes, cover letters, job interview skills and more. Plus, temp staffing services have the jobs you need. No need to look online yourself or shuffle through the newspaper.
  • Resume writers are a great resource for those who want to do most of the job searching themselves but need someone to do the work of typing and assembling their resume and/or cover letter. Resume writers can be found online or in the phone book. You can also speak with others you know who have used a particular writing service.
  • A family member or friend, with writing and organizational abilities, may be able to help you with your resume, especially if you have a first draft completed. They can give you feedback on what works on your resume, and what doesn’t.
  • Online resume templates are also a great help. Templates from Microsoft Word are free and come in a variety of job types and styles. Blogs that offer tips on what makes a resume stand out or how to make your presence remembered at a job interview are great sources of help—especially if they are written on a daily or weekly basis that allows for current information relating to the current job market.
  • Get involved in social networking online and offline. While it’s easy to talk to someone online and learn more about a particular career, it’s quite another to meet them for lunch or be a part of a speaking engagement. When was the last time you spoke to a group and shared your skills?

Getting a job is no easy task, especially when one considers all the technicalities involved. But be assured you don’t have to do it all alone. Get the help you need by considering one of the alternatives listed above.

About the Author: Adina Fleek loves helping others learn how to make the most out of their time in front of the computer, especially those who are looking for work. Temp staffing service groups offer a myriad of opportunities for those willing to work both full and part-time and should not be discounted!

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Five Killer Steps to a Winning Finance Resume

 - by Guest Blogger

No tool in your career toolbox is as important as your resume. It offers a snapshot of your experience, skills and qualifications in the finance industry. A carefully crafted resume can give finance staffing agencies more material to work with as they assist you in obtaining job leads and arrange interviews with finance companies.

Building a winning finance resume can be done through following five easy steps:

Highlight Core Skills

A resume should show potential employers why you are the right candidate for the job. Spotlighting skills related to that position is the best way to achieve this goal. Study the job requirements carefully to ensure your skills align with the job in question. If you work with finance staffing agencies and your skills are clearly defined, it helps the agency to place you with open positions.

Demonstrate Your Experience

If you are going for a finance job, chances are you have experience to qualify for the position. The sober reality is that plenty of other candidates do as well. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to showcase your experience. Be prepared to offer examples of how your ideas brought in more clients or boosted company revenue. A hiring manager will be more impressed by the candidate who can put their experience to action.

Make Language Work for You

Finance jobs use industry-specific terminology. It is important to demonstrate you have a grasp on the terminology in your resume. Use industry-specific terms when outlining previous finance job titles and job duties. The way you use appropriate verbiage mirrors the grasp you have on a particular company or industry.

Use the Active Voice

A resume should demonstrate your confidence in your own abilities. Always use an active voice instead of a passive voice to outline the resume content. No one needs to be a perfect writer to create a winning resume. Still, it makes a huge difference if the resume is easy to read and understand. Good verbal and written communication skills are important in virtually every industry. Finance jobs are no exception.

Make Each Resume Industry-Specific

The biggest blunder you can make during a job search is to create a generic resume. When working through with finance staffing agencies, it is important to tailor your resume specifically to each company. Using a one-size-fits-all resume is a good way to create an impression that you know nothing about a particular company or position with that company.

About the Author: Aimee Croes is an employment specialist who loves helping her business find new employees. She caustions that it doesn’t matter if you’re using finance staffing agencies or querying businesses on your own – your resume needs to be top-notch to make a great first impression.

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The Price of Beauty

 - by Holly

I’m getting older and though I am not yet ready to go to drastic measures for beauty I know a few people who already have. They use things like wrinkle cream, botox and other strange things to keep themselves looking young. There is nothing wrong with it, but I have found that many times just taking care of your skin from the start helps a lot. Wrinkle creams do work if you also take other measures to keep healthy. Like eat better, quit smoking and use sunscreen at least that has been what has worked for a few of my friends. I personally find it sad that we as women believe that we always need to look 20. I think women in their 40′s and 50′s look amazing and are actually more attractive then younger women.

Recently my friend talked about some dermajuv reviews she read that had both good and bad points about the product. She still decided to use it and ended up loving it, now another friend of ours tried the same thing and hated it so much that she wrote the company and stated that it didn’t work. It’s strange how that works sometimes. What do you think? Do you use wrinkle creams? How do they work for you?

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Are You A Teacher Looking For More

 - by Holly

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

My mother is a teacher and she has talked a lot about getting her Masters degree, though for her it’s not as great of an idea as it is for someone younger, but she’s still thinking about it. The biggest problem is that teaching requires a lot of work and there really is not much time to get your masters degree.. or is there?

You could check out the USC Rossier School of Education’s masters program that is available online. Now Online is handy and very helpful if you have a busy life, but you do need to be able to sit down and do your work on your own. Most online classes are intensive and you don’t have a teacher to keep you on track in person like you do with on campus classes. Still you should check out the Masters of teaching program information to see if this is something that intrest you. If it does you should know that the program is an accelerated 12 month program, there is tuition reimbursement and scholorships available and the knowlage that you go to a school that is ranked #22 in the country.

With teaching jobs in most parts of the country being hit hard, what do you have to lose, again it is something you want to research and make sure that it’s a good fit for you, your family and your goals.

Visit my sponsor: Master of Arts in Teaching degree online from USC

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Get Your Teaching Masters Online

 - by Holly

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have taken some of my classes online and I love it. I can attend class when I want to, though for my school you do have to check in at least 5 days a week, but that could be different at other schools. The point is if I don’t have time during the day to get to class I can check in a one in the morning and no one cares. It’s nice and really very helpful when you work full time. Which I did do at one point.

I have been looking at USC Rossier School of Education’s website and I really am liking what I see. Now I don’t need a master of arts in teaching as I haven’t finished school yet and I’m not trying to be a teacher, but my mother is a teacher and she has been thinking about getting her masters degree so that she can teach at the collage level. If your interested in attending USC you can find program information by filling out a form on their website. They do offer an accelerated program where you can finish the degree in 12 months. I would love to see my mom have hers in that time.

Many people have told me that a masters degree is something you really want to have. My experience has been that you need to look at your location, your feild and what you want to do before getting a masters. I know some who have only found there job because they had the degree others were passed over as employers did not want to pay for that degree.

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Working On Weight Loss

 - by Holly

I have decided that this summer I will lose weight. I am not driving to school so I don’t have to eat out as much and I know that is not helping me lose anything. In fact in the last 2 weeks that I have been out of classes I have lost 10 lbs. I have not changed how I eat at home or my exercise routine at all. The only thing that has changed is that I’m not eating out.

I know I didn’t make the best choices when I was driving to class, but I had to have something quick, hand friendly and cheap. That means high calories end of it, I had no choice. Classes lasted all day and I had no where to store anything. Now though I am finding not only do I have more energy and feel better in general, but I’m losing weight without even trying. I think starting today though I’m going to up my exercise a little, I want to lose weight and be healthy, not just lose weight.

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