Tag: Professional

  • Best Guide to the Professional Resume Writers free help

    Best Guide to the Professional Resume Writers free help

    How Can Professional Resume Writers Provide Free Help? When it comes to the issues that come up during the interview process with students, I see mainly the following. Some of these questions aren’t in the interview process, but I think they’re important questions and they’re included.

    Why Should You Consider Professional Resume Writers Free Help?

    In CV and resume

    • What is a CV?
    • What is a resume?
    • How long does a resume need to be? How long does a CV need to be?
    • What is the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae?
    • What are the differences between a CV and a resume?

    Having a good resume is a good first step.

    • After HR has read your resume, do you have a clear plan? If your performance can match the description on your resume, then basically HR has a clear plan.
    • A lot of people’s resumes are chaotic.
    • If you are happy with your resume, then you are a chaotic thinker.
    • Do you think that the company will not do anything wrong to you?
    • Most resumes are full of words like “very good” and “good”.
    • What is “very good?”
    • Most of the time, HR will believe that if you say ‘very good’ or ‘good’, then you don’t have anything to prove and your resume will get thrown out.
    • Some things are difficult to quantify.
    • HR will evaluate your ‘goodness’ based on the overall level of your resume.

    Inflated resume.

    I’d venture to say 99% of resumes have exaggerated elements. Properly fleshed out by HR doesn’t matter, you’re here to apply, and people have a habit of fleshing out their resumes. When Is the Best Time to Get Professional Resume Writers Free Help? But if there’s false information on your resume, it’s a scam, and you won’t be hired anywhere.

    I once got a resume from a company that said “I’m an intern at this company. I’m in charge of these projects.” How can a person who hasn’t graduated be in charge of a project that’s so important? I was just sorting out a bunch of common stuff in the project, and I didn’t even go into the substantive work.

    If you say you’re involved in the project, that’s fine, but say “responsible” and say “I can’t do it without myself,” that’s too much of an exaggeration. Who Can Benefit from Professional Resume Writers’ Free Help?

    In Interview

    Professional Resume Writers Free Help: Get the Job You Deserve!

    The first step is to introduce yourself.

    I’m not going to bore you with all the details here. If you’re not ready for this step, then you’re being irresponsible to yourself and to the company you’re applying to. But the truth is, most people aren’t. So, the next BalaBala round is like trying to hypnotize HR or having HR read your resume once and HR is ready to fire you. Some people aren’t ready, they just don’t know how to sell it. If you haven’t thought about this yet, wait until you do.

    I am unfamiliar with the company and the role you are applying for.

    There’s nothing to tell here. You don’t need to remember the company’s history, and you don’t need to have a comprehensive knowledge of the position. But at the very least, you need to know what this company does. You need to know that this position is about responsibility. The above Tips for Making the Most of Professional Resume Writers Free is good Help. What kind of responsibility? What kind of skills do you need?

    In Communication skills.

    Facial and tone of voice

    A lot of interviewees don’t have any facial expressions. Their tone of voice is that of a mosquito. Their eyes are always fixed on the table. If you were chatting with your classmates and they looked like that, would you still have the courage to continue talking?

    On the other hand, a lot of interviewees’ facial expressions are rich, their voice is very expressive, and their voice is loud enough to be heard outside the conference room. If it’s a repertory company hiring actors, then that’s fine.

    Confused and confused.

    This is the most obvious issue. When a question came up, the language was grandiose, but it was overwhelmed by HR’s question, “What do you want to tell us?” Let’s take the most common question, “Why do you think you’re a good fit for this position?” The answer is, “I’m passionate about this job and I believe I can do it right. I work hard and I’ll do my best if you give me a chance.”

    At this point, I’ll call it quits. If you’re still having this casual conversation, it’s a waste of everyone’s time. HR wants to hear something practical, something that impresses you, and something that’s different from others. You said a lot of pretty words when you broke them down, but none of them mean anything.

    In most interviews with students

    These questions are more or less the same. Most of us have experienced this. When HR asks a question, we don’t know what to say, but we have to answer it. So we break it off first and talk from point to point, thinking while talking. The more ridiculous the talking, the farther away the final answer is.

    HR asks about your internship experience on your resume or the process of some activities. I hope you explain it. This isn’t a problem at all. A lot of people’s answers are stilted and confused. They come back to the front of the conversation while talking, then jump to some other place. Trust me, it’s not a sign of your jumping thinking, even if it is, it just shows how bad your leap thinking is.

    Generally

    There are several ways to answer this type of question:

    • STAR method
    • S-Situation
    • T-Task
    • A-Action
    • R-Result
    • In what environment
    • What task did you get
    • What did you do/what did you do
    • Where is the contribution
    • What kind of results did you achieve in the end
    Sometimes HR will ask you a question
    • This is a common interview technique
    • There is no correct answer
    • At this stage, HR is worried about you
    • How you think
    • How you respond to problems
    • Some people huddle and can’t say anything
    • Some people’s answers jump around
    • Your thinking is unclear
    • Some people get more passionate as they speak

    This will be discussed below

    • There’s no magic solution, it’s all about your accumulation in your day-to-day life.
    • If there’s a magic solution, I can’t tell you what it would be.
    • All I can tell you is the most basic approach.
    • Start from the root of the problem and work your way down, one step at a time.
    • Come up with a strategy.
    • The upside is that you’ll have relatively clean thinking.
    • At the very least, it won’t keep HR up at night.
    • The downside is that it restricts your thinking and doesn’t dig deep enough.
    • That’s why picky HR will be so unhappy.

    Wording.

    The same word can mean two different things to two different people. I’ve seen this time and time again. When I asked the other party about their internship experience, they said “doing chores”. Of course, what you do in the internship unit is very basic work. Maybe it’s almost like doing odd jobs. But if you answer like that, HR has two thoughts: first, “This person doesn’t take work seriously”; second, “This man is so ambitious”.

    The language used in the interview can reflect the person’s language skills, adaptability, and true mentality. So don’t bring the same set of words you talked about in the dorm to the interview. Put yourself as a professional when you start the interview. It’s also important to note that HR doesn’t like overly colloquial language or an official tone. Someone who can’t even speak well will have a lot of problems in real work.

    Do not understand the problem.

    When responding to questions, many people tend to wish they could express themselves better in the answers. Of course, it’s a form of self-marketing, but please listen to the questions first and express yourself properly while answering them. Only then will you see the impact? If your answer doesn’t match the question, I’m sorry, but HR is getting impatient.

    Understanding the problem isn’t just about understanding the problem itself, but also understanding the problems behind the problem. Sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? It’s not just about your ability to answer a question, but it’s about your thinking ability. It’s about depth and breadth while also testing your calmness.

    In most cases, the answers that HR wants you to give are much deeper than the questions themselves, so you’ll also need to learn which questions HR wants you to clarify in just a few sentences, and which questions I want you to answer in-depth, breadth, thoughtfulness, and creativity. By the time you’re ready to answer the questions, HR will be ready to offer you an offer.

    Don’t get close.

    No matter how well-connected you are with HR in private or how well-dressed someone introduced you to them, it’s not a good idea to get too close to HR while you’re interviewing. You might know some of your friends and meet with them during your interview. You’ll still need a formal address as your interviewer. If you perform well enough, based on your friends, you’ll naturally get an extra point. If you’re not good enough for this role, you won’t be offered an offer.

    Once upon a time, I had a candidate who thought the other party’s business acumen was good when we first met. He had a few more questions, and he planned to pick a different time to discuss them in detail. But before the call ended, he suddenly said, “We both I’m pretty familiar.” This person ended up on the list as a route. His impression points dropped significantly.

    In many cases, even though HR wants to make you an offer, you call him by his nickname in the company which makes him feel uncomfortable. If he makes you an offer, his colleagues and leaders in the company will ask if there is a relationship between you and him, and it will cause more problems in the future, and I don’t want to send him an offer, and I think he’s a very good person, and he’s still my friend. In this situation, it’s often hard to make a decision that suits both sides.

    Knowledge accumulation

    Professional knowledge.

    I don’t need to tell you how important this is. If you want HR to know that you haven’t read a book for four years, read it again. Even if it doesn’t help you in an interview, it’s worth your time and money.

    Knowledge beyond the major

    This is something that some language majors should focus on more. Students who study languages and those who study economics or management have different knowledge systems. They also have very different ways of thinking, which is most evident in logic.

    Don’t complain about the restrictions on majors because I’ve met many people and I really can’t change my mind. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen students who study languages or literature speak very well, but when asked very practical questions, they don’t know.

    They don’t have any consideration in this regard. There are so many issues and contexts in economic life that even some students with a background in economics use vague terms to describe them. When HR analyses and asks layer after layer, it gets more and more confusing.

    It started to get messy. These are the reasons I didn’t have a good understanding of knowledge. A lot of things are known without understanding why. They speak well, but they are ashamed when asked by HR.

    Psychological quality

    Emotional control.

    Emotional control is especially important in the interview environment. You must learn to control your mental state at all times. For example, let’s say HR asks a question and you don’t understand the question. You panic, “Oh no, the offer is hopeless”, your face turns red and you can’t say a word. Just imagine, it’s a small issue and you’re like, “How can the company trust me with bigger issues in the future?” If the question is something you’re good at, and it was well-structured at the start, HR listened and nodded.

    But then you get more and more excited, from the price hike of pork to your Spring Festival travel, speaking of Kosovo’s independence, at this point, HR has already asked a question about your previous evaluation and you start to feel angry. Learning how to control your emotions not only helps you fight adversity but also helps you stay calm in good times.

    Please be assured.

    I’ve met people who said “I don’t have much experience, and I’m not particularly good”, and I want to ask them, “Why are you here then?” Of course, you don’t, but you’re still a student. If you’re an excellent student, you’ve already been hired before the interview. Do we need to talk about that? Some people feel like “I’ll do it for money!” or even “If you want me to give you money, I’ll give you money”. Some people feel like, “I won’t tell you what my salary is” or “I hesitate and I can’t tell the number” and add a bunch of nonsense here and there. Why can’t I be more simple?

    Regardless of your level, you have a right to say what you think your worth is. If your worth is 0 or even 0-0, I apologize, but the company will not hire you. The company wants you to bring value to the company by bringing value. If you come to the company to bring value, the company will be willing to pay you no matter how much money you bring. But if you cannot bring value, no matter how little money you bring to the company, the company will not consider you. Above you’ll understand, How to Find Professional Resume Writers for Free Help.

    Best Guide to the Professional Resume Writers free help Image
    Best Guide to the Professional Resume Writers free help; Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
  • Pay attention to professional resume examples in 2022

    Pay attention to professional resume examples in 2022

    What to pay attention to when applying for professional resume examples in 2022? Job seeker wants to share with you today what to pay attention to when applying for a resume and the precautions for a resume.

    Here are the articles to explain, what to pay attention to on a professional resume examples 2022, and what to pay attention to on a good job resume.

    The resume should be detailed and concise

    The so-called detailed means that you must fully reveal your advantages. You don’t need to show some very imaginary things one by one, but you need to show the very practical things. There is no need to keep them at this time; but at the same time, you can’t. Long, verbose, to the point, concise and concise, so keep it simple and long, unless your resume is particularly attractive. Otherwise, it will be simpler, and more employers will bet on it.

    Speak steadily, not impetuous

    When I compete with other people, especially when I apply with some fresh graduates. I often feel that the candidates seem to be very excited when they speak, and sometimes they are very contrived and unnatural as if they are very student-like. These things may be in the It is useful when applying for the student union. But when it arrives at the employer. It is sometimes considered that there is no social foundation and will not hire;

    Be patient

    Patience is important. Sometimes, you go at the appointed time, and you may have to wait for a while. The longest I have been waiting is one afternoon. If it’s a good job, don’t give up because you wait too long. Never use the other party’s untrustworthiness or poor efficiency as an excuse to reject the other party. This is a very immature student. Society is society, you must learn to adapt to society, don’t let society adapt to you;

    There must be characteristics, but not too sharp

    Everyone is applying for the job. If the conditions are not outstanding, then your conversation and content must be different to impress the other party. If you do not have your specialties, you must deliberately go Think of some better ways. But don’t be too unusual or too grandstanding. Which will make it a coincidence; at the same time, don’t make your edge too prominent.

    After all, this is a job application, and revealing your edge will sometimes bring unexpected side effects. My eloquence is too good, and every time I apply for a job, I will have outstanding performance in this regard, but at the same time, I believe it has also brought side effects. Many times, people will tell that they are very eloquent, but often they will not notify of the re-examination;

    Don’t be too personal

    Personality is there, but it’s probably not what you think it is. When I hired a unit, I suggested that if the leader gave me sufficient space, I would do a good job. It felt like a good word at the time. But I didn’t think more about the change in the other party’s attitude. Later, in retrospect, the other party once repeated a sentence of my dissatisfaction, obviously thinking that I would easily disobey the leadership. So the impression was discounted, and it did not inform me again;

    Don’t pay too much attention to details

    Many articles about application experience stand often written about picking up a piece of paper or paying attention to details before existing hired. This is only the content that can disclose as a literary and artistic model. Don’t think that this is the case for all units. Most units still pay more attention to you. The actual ability and performance, not some details, if you put your energy into it, side effects will often appear;

    Be bold and confident in answering questions

    The other party sometimes asks some abstract questions, such as giving you 100,000 yuan, what you do, or related questions. At this time, you should not smile embarrassedly when you don’t know how to answer, and try not to hesitate. Because your answer is It doesn’t matter, what matters is your expression and attitude. Whether you have confidence, whether you have the spirit of language, I believe that if you spend 100,000 yuan to buy a pair of socks. If you express it well, you will open it more hesitantly than others. Larger companies have a much greater chance of hiring;

    Express that you can endure hardship, and in fact, prepared to endure hardship

    Enduring hardship is the weakest link in this era. Remember, this is a very critical issue. In the tide of the market economy, we must highlight our ability to strive for our tomorrow, no more than those people who eat soft meals in the planned economy. You have to express your determination to endure hardships—both physically and mentally. To have more chances—to be successful in the competition and future careers. Now you pay attention for create a good job resume. After all, you’ll understand the above professional resume examples in 2022.

    Pay attention to professional resume examples in 2022 Image
    Pay attention to professional resume examples in 2022; Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash.
  • IT Professionalism in Information Technology Essay

    IT Professionalism in Information Technology Essay

    IT Professionalism may consider behaving appropriately and adhering to accepted principles and practices. It is not only vital in the field of Information Technology but it is also very important in other fields. Some of the key aspects of IT Professionalism are competence in IT, knowledge, various skills such as soft skills, ethical behavior, and certification.

    Here are the articles to explain, What is IT Professionalism in Information Technology Essay?

    Professionalism and ethics must stand taught and practiced at the secondary level of schooling. Professionalism requires not only in the field of Information Technology but also in other fields to bring about reputation, and ethical behavior and add value to any organization.

    This paper discusses IT Professionalism and Ethics and how professionalism is applicable in the IT industry. What are the qualities of HR professionalism? With the help of class discussions, case studies, and literature reviews, ethics, and professionalism in IT and other fields discuss. In this essay, an effort has stood made to answer some of the questions below:

    • Why IT professionalism is needed and why is it important?
    • What is ethics?
    • Why Ethics is needed?
    • Role of ethics in Information Technology
    • What does IT Professionalism perform?
    • Qualifications of an IT Professionalism

    Discussion;

    IT professionals should not only have good technical knowledge and experience but also have the right attitude with good soft skills such as communication, interpersonal, analytical, statistical, managerial, leadership skills, etc.

    Nowadays, businesses require professionalism to provide the best quality service to the customers and to satisfy their requirements. Effects of Minimum Wage on Employment; Professionalism also provides a platform for ethical trade. Also, It greatly increases profits, productivity, and high market value in an organization. It greatly benefits the individuals who follow it and impacts society positively.

    Let us look at some of the qualities which describe a professional;

    • Trustworthiness: Professional trusts himself in whatever he does and trusts other people.
    • Honesty: Professional is honest when working and follows the right code of conduct.
    • Punctuality: It is one of the most important aspects of professionalism.
    • Responsibility: Professional is responsible for his work and handles work effectively.
    • Leadership: Also, the Professional has good leadership skills and is a good team player.
    • Confidentiality: Maintains confidentiality of information in an organization.
    • Competency: Professional is technically competent in his field.

    What is Ethics?

    Ethics may consider as regulations that differentiate between right and wrong. It also aims to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

    Why Ethics is needed?

    Ethics helps people to respect and value themselves as well as others. It is based on core values such as Trust, simplicity, integrity, excellence, success, and reputation. Also, Ethics in an organization helps in retaining talent and minimizes the attrition rate of jobs. It aims to improve profits and increase productivity among the employees in an organization.

    Why IT professionalism is needed and why is it important?

    • To enhance the growth and add value to an organization.
    • It helps to provide better services to clients
    • It increases trust between employers and employees within an organization
    • Create the company’s brand value
    • Also, IT professionalism forms the pillar of the company’s own vision and mission
    • It improves customer satisfaction

    “They should be aware of the various types of educational programs, different job titles and functions, and some aspects of the employment supply and demand. Also, They should be aware of the need for each computing worker to have professional responsibility for their work, and an awareness of the importance of appropriate ethical behavior in the group. They must also have an awareness of the impact of information technology on society as a whole and individuals, and prepared to handle a variety of issues arising in the workplace.”

    Role of Ethics and Professionalism in Information Technology;

    IT has modernized the living standards of mankind. In IT, professionalism plays a major role in bringing changes to an organization and humanity. Technology can stand used as a benefit or for destruction. Ethics play a major role in determining the right use of technology. There is a very fine line between professional and non-professional. Also, IT professionals must have a proper code of conduct, the right attitude, and good moral values and should not misuse the technology.

    Nowadays, due to the rapid advancement in technology, there has been widespread misuse of technology. With the rise of the Internet, there has been unethical and unprofessional behavior which has led to severe problems such as computer viruses, Spamming, and hacking. In IT education, ethics should stand taught and allowed to practice in all schools and institutions. Students must stand made aware of the consequences which result due to unethical behavior.

    It is in the early stage that these values should inculcate within them which will lead a long way later in life. There has been an increase in cybercrimes due to the misuse of the Internet. Many a time, students are unaware of ethics and professional behavior. Professionalism must be strictly followed in schools and institutions and should practice at an earlier stage. In universities, plagiarism is unethical. Copying others’ ideas and work, without proper acknowledgment ent to the original author is unfair and severe action observed and implemented.

    Case Study and personal experience;

    Personally, it has been a wonderful learning experience studying the importance and role of ethics and professionalism in IT. As goes the famous quote, “Character, not circumstances, makes the man”. Booker T. Washington, professionalism and ethics help in making use of science and technology for noble purposes.

    In our case study, we discussed non-professional behavior and some of the reasons causing it. Non-professional behavior mainly results due to a lack of ethics and a lack of soft skills.

    Let us look at some of the differences between it professional and non-professional

    Professional;

    • Has self respect and treats others with respect
    • Has honesty and performs his/her duties
    • Responsible and dedicated to work
    • Skilled, knowledgeable, and experience
    • Team player and has good management skills
    • Good communicator
    • The right attitude and sound character

    Non-professional;

    • Does not respect others
    • Lacks honesty and does not perform his duties
    • Not responsible or dedicated
    • Lack of knowledge, skills, and experience
    • Not a team player and lacks management skills
    • Not a good communicator
    • Does not have the right attitude, bad character

    “The difference between a professional person and a technician is that a technician knows everything about his job except its ultimate purpose and his place in the scheme of things”.

    An example of unethical behavior in an organization;

    If an employee in an organization fails to follow the right code of conduct and does not follow ethics, he/she will penalize. An individual will not be successful in his field if he does not have moral values.

    An example of how the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima was completely unethical. Also, People were not educated about the danger and the extent of damage that would be caused by atomic bombs. Had they been imparted proper knowledge and safety measures during the war, many peoples’ lives would have been saved.

    What does IT Professionalism perform?

    IT, assumed message mentions technology, indicates the transfer or adjunct use of information through computers or computer systems. Also, IT professionals reach several substitute tasks. They are the people who test, construct, install, repair, or call off the hardware and software-related past technical computer systems in one or more locations. Some companies will hire several IT professionals throughout the world to retain their broad range of networks of computer systems.

    The natural world of the internet allows IT professionals to realize their jobs from any location. But in deferential instances, bearing in mind behind there is a hardware business, the IT person will dependent on physically bending the damaged system. Once an IT professional stands employed, they will for eternity be acquiring calculation IT skills and training. This is because not all companies that IT professionals assist with will use one coding language, one full of zip system, one database tool, or one methodology.

    Qualifications of an IT Professionalism;

    What an IT professional does can be hard and requires a significant level of knowledge and gaining. However, an art school degree is not always a necessary qualification. Many IT professionals realize in the mean of fact earning degrees from universities and colleges is a habit to combine their likelihood of securing a huge job. There are many various types of IT professionals that exist. Each type focuses upon well along than one element of computer system analysis or child allocation.

    For example, a programmer is an IT professional who creates computer platforms and programs by writing computer code. This particular position of view is often entre-level, but senior programmers bow to upon more answerability as they shape happening. These responsibilities append brute in the fighting off their teams and fixing a damaged program or one that isn’t full of zipping properly.

    How does IT professionalism apply to me?

    IT professionalism helps me to advance in the IT industry and I aspire to become a network support engineer. To be a professional in the networking field, developing a career development plan is useful. As change is rapid in the IT industry, I need to constantly update my skills and knowledge to be proficient and successful. Also, Certifications play a major role in the IT industry, and by proper planning and management of daily activities, I will be able to obtain higher certifications and get hands-on experience in the networking field.

    Network professionals provide and enforce the security of confidential information over the Internet. They must adhere to ethics when performing their duties and also provide suitable advice to fellow employees or clients.

    • Some of the important guidelines and practices for network professionals
    • Also, Technical expertise and knowledge
    • Confidentiality to maintain within an organization and with clients
    • Following proper ethical codes
    • Adherence to principles and practices

    Conclusion;

    In the present world, the role of an IT professional is vital. IT professionalism is not just about acquiring skills, knowledge, experience, and certifications but also giving equal importance to core moral values, principles, and ethical behavior. This will have a huge impact on one’s personal life brings about positive changes in an organization and benefit society. A true professional is a combination of excellent knowledge and skills with fine character and virtues.

    Government and organizations must promote IT professionalism and penalize the employees or workers who do not follow it. Also, Professionalism and ethics are clearly defined in other professions such as doctors, advocates, engineers, etc. IT professionalism is more concerned with technical skills, knowledge, expertise, and certifications, and no clear guidelines on ethical behavior are defined. Professionalism is best learned when one practice than by merely studying it.

    IT Professionalism in Information Technology Essay Image
    IT Professionalism in Information Technology Essay; Image by Pexels from Pixabay.
  • What is a Dissertations Meaning and Definition?

    What is a Dissertations Meaning and Definition?

    What is the Meaning and Definition of Dissertations? A dissertation (sometimes known as a “Thesis”) is a long piece of writing; usually prepared at the end of a course of study or as a text for a post-graduate degree; such as a Masters’s or Ph.D.

    Here is the article to explain, What is a Dissertations Meaning and Definition?

    A dissertation is either partly taught and partly researched or completely researched. In the case of the second of these, you will need to find a topic that is both interesting and original; and that is capable of sustaining an extended argument. Taught dissertations tend to follow the subsequent structure: An introduction, The main body, and A conclusion.

    The second type is a dissertation that you have to research from scratch. This means you must focus on an aspect of a topic that you have studied; and which you have found particularly interesting and wish to deepen and widen your research in this area. Then you put together a proposal based on your research, emphasizing any original aspects you have uncovered; and once your idea stands accepted you proceed as with the taught dissertation.

    How do I find a suitable dissertations topic?

    When choosing what is a dissertations topic, the first thing to consider is whether or not you exist sufficiently interested in the topic to sustain the research and writing of it over an extended period. Your underlying motivation, however, in the selection of your topic, should be originality. This is the major factor that will make your topic attractive and acceptable to a research committee.

    Originality in what is a dissertation? However, need not mean coming up with an idea that has never existed thought of before; though if you can do this, of course, it is definitely to your advantage! Most dissertations rely on originality of approach and/or perspective rather than a completely original topic, as in most cases, especially within the Arts, these are almost impossible to find. The best way to seek out a niche of originality is via research.

    Where do I start?

    So, the starting point to ANY dissertation is choosing a topic. You want to choose something you have an interest in since you must write thousands of words and read a lot of information about it! To start getting some ideas together, you could brainstorm a few topics you have an interest in. Think about a module you particularly enjoyed or an article you read that appealed to you. It could even be something you have never studied before but want to explore further.

    Beware, though – not everything you think would be a good topic for a dissertation will be a good topic. You might want to look at “Victorian Literature” or “Russian History”, which sound like perfectly valid academic subjects. But they are too vast and will mean that your finished dissertation will either be massively over the word limit or else will only skim the surface.

    Checklist for choosing a dissertation topic;

    Choosing a dissertation topic sounds easy. You have existed given the chance to write about something you like, or at least something you feel is worth studying. It’s not like most of the essays you may have written before, which came with titles already attached.

    • Jot down your ideas of what you think is interesting, and what is worth studying
    • Remember to not make them too broad, or too narrow
    • Do some research to find out what has existed done before; and where your work will sit in the canon of work
    • Discuss your ideas with your tutor and potential supervisors
    • Choose something you will enjoy studying, even if it’s not quite what you first had in mind – some of the best dissertations were not the student’s first choice!

    What is the importance of research in my dissertations?

    The importance of research in your dissertation cannot exist overestimated; it is quite simply the backbone of your dissertation. Beginning to read widely and deeply on your chosen topic should be the first thing that; you do when you are thinking about your proposed dissertation. This means reading the basic texts first, and then moving on to the most recent work undertaken on the subject to ensure that no one else has pre-empted your idea – it can happen!

    You must look at the foundation texts for your subject first. Every topic has these and you will be familiar with them from the previous work you have done on the subject. These texts are especially useful, not only; because they are basic to the subject; but also because you can use the bibliographies of these texts to expand your research. This is perfectly acceptable as if you look carefully; you will see that many of the texts are common to all of them; therefore a core of knowledge is informing them all. As the writer of an original dissertation; you will be adding to this core and therefore you should not feel that; it is wrong in any way to use these sources in your dissertation research.

    Research;

    As you are researching, keep a record of your reading in the prescribed format of your college or university. This will enable you to familiarise yourself with the method of citation you require to use in your dissertation. As these are often very different from one another; you should consult the style guide for the required method before you embark. If you do not have one there should be one in your academic library and/or online.

    Another advantage of keeping a detailed and meticulous record of your research is that; it makes your bibliography much easier to compile later; in fact, you might say that your bibliography evolves as your research does. What you are chiefly looking for as you read is a niche for your research to fill. Try to read even more critically than usual, looking for spaces where questions exist left unanswered; because you may be dissertations proposal could answer them.

    What is a dissertation proposal?

    A dissertation proposal is a document you prepare to submit to the research committee of your academic institution to get your dissertation research accepted. See the links below for guidance on writing this and examples.

    How to Write a Dissertation Proposal?

    Depending on the type of dissertation you will go on to complete; there might be a few structural differences (which we will cover a little later on). However, every proposal must contain a few essential things:

    • An outline of the topic you are researching.
    • An explanation of how you are going to find the information you need.
    • A hypothesis or question will explored and answered in the dissertation.
    • A reference list or bibliography which pinpoints a handful of sources likely to be useful for your research.

    The word count will vary depending on your subject, course, and individual university; but proposals are typically between 1,000 and 3,000 words long. The idea of a dissertation is to find a gap in the existing research and conduct your research to address this.

    Research gaps;

    Research gaps could include things like:

    • Date of studies (for example, much of the literature on a particular field could be 5-10 years old so an update may be due).
    • The subject of studies (for example, there is not as much academic research on the novels of Anne Bronte as there is about her more famous sisters, Charlotte and Emily, so there is a ‘gap’ here).
    • Particular theories and frameworks (for instance, there may be lots of studies on the issue of anxiety disorder; but not very many that address it from a psychoanalytic perspective).

    The idea is to provide a snapshot of what your dissertation is going to do. This way, your tutor can give you feedback; they might suggest that a different focus or a different research method would be better for your dissertation, for example. The thing to remember is that your dissertation will almost certainly end up being different in some way from your proposal, and that’s okay!

    You will need to be able to describe and evaluate; what your research is for and how it will achieve its goals. You will need to demonstrate that your approach is methodologically sound, ethical, feasible, and relevant.

    How should I prepare, write and present my dissertations?

    Once the research committee has accepted your proposal; a supervisor will appoint to oversee your work throughout its preparation until its completion. Your supervisor will be of invaluable help to you at every stage and you should meet with them regularly.

    Both you and your supervisor will expect to submit regular reports to the faculty research committee to keep them fully up to date on your progress; (the research committee is simply a group of appointed senior lecturers within the department; appointed by the governing senate of the university; sometimes your supervisor will be a member of this committee). As has existed mentioned in some detail, research should be the main element of your work; and you should be collecting evidence to use in your dissertation.

    Format of Presenting a Dissertation;

    The basic format of presenting a dissertation is similar to that of the dissertation proposal. This might include:

    • A title page (this needs to be definitive, now, but it will not be at all unusual if you decide this at the end of your dissertation); include name and degree.
    • A contents page (self-explanatory, as has been said, using consecutive page numbers, with the introduction in Roman numerals in lower case – such as ‘iv’ instead of ‘4’).
    • An abstract (this is a one-page summary of what is contained within the dissertation as a whole, with chapter summaries).
    • The introduction (this should introduce the dissertation topic, with a clear thesis statement and an indication of the methodology to be used).
    • The main body of the dissertation (spread across several chapters – usually between three and five, depending on the length of the overall dissertation). The individual chapters of the main body should each address a different aspect of the dissertation topic whilst never veering too far from the central argument. You should ensure that you provide sufficient evidential support, correctly referenced in the stipulated format; and it should be analyzed in detail.
    • The conclusion (this should summarise your argument, provide a synthesis of your thinking and give an indication of future research to be undertaken).
    • The bibliography (this should include a comprehensive list, possibly subdivided into primary and secondary sources, of all your reading for your dissertation; whether you have quoted from it in your dissertation or not).
    • Appendices (these are not always needed but if you have used them and referred to them in your dissertation then ensure they are logically structured and presented).
    • Read more in our comprehensive “How to Write a Dissertation” guide.

    What happens after I have completed my dissertation?

    An internal and an external examiner, appointed by the academic board, will examine the dissertation. In some cases (such as for a Ph.D.), you will then have to attend an oral examination; known as a ‘viva’, which is short for “viva voce”, from the Latin ‘with the living voice’; where you will ask to defend your dissertation by your examiners and where; hopefully, you will be told you have been successful. The examiners can decide one of the following:

    • To award the degree outright to the candidate.
    • To award, the degree with revisions; which will need to approve before the degree existed finally awarded to the candidate.
    • To award a lesser degree; a master, if this is for a Doctorate.
    • To award a lesser degree to the candidate after approved revisions.
    • To fail the candidate (this is quite rare because usually; a supervisor will advise you to rewrite your dissertation until it is of the required standard).
    What is a Dissertations Meaning and Definition Image
    What is a Dissertations Meaning and Definition? Image by Paweł Englender from Pixabay.

  • What is Master the Art of Scheduling?

    What is Master the Art of Scheduling?

    “Where are you on the schedule?” Develop the ability to predict the amount of time as a sequence of key tasks that a project should take. And yet we all work with software developers who hate the pressure of committing to a schedule because to complete work usually takes “as long as it takes.” But you can’t effectively run a business without the confidence to work toward a schedule.

    When you recognize the value of time management skills, you become the overseer of your life, with your schedule as your command center. Many people think that creating a schedule is as easy as jotting down the time and activity on a piece of paper. However, scheduling is so much more than that.

    A well-planned schedule of everyday tasks is more than just a reminder of what needs to be done. It also allows you to make time for important tasks that are in line with your goals. It makes you become aware of how you spend your time each day. It helps you to recognize areas that need adjustments so that you can achieve balance between your personal life and your profession. So how should you schedule your time each day? What are the tools you need to become a “master scheduler?” Here are the strategies to learn:

    Gather Your Scheduling Tools

    In general, you would need three essential scheduling tools, and these are:

    A daily planner,

    A weekly planner, and

    A monthly planner

    The daily planner helps to keep you on the right track each day. It enables you to concentrate on exactly what tasks need to be done and how much time you have for each.

    The weekly planner serves as your overview of the events planned out for that week as well as the tasks that you need to accomplish. It helps you get to see what is ahead of you, because focusing only on the everyday tasks might cause you to forget about what is in store for tomorrow, or the day after that.

    Now, you might think that you do not need a monthly planner if you have a weekly one. However, it always helps to have all the dates of the month laid out on a single page. This will enable you to see the important dates of that month and plan your week and days around them.

    However, it is possible to keep a monthly planner without the weekly planner. Just make sure that there is enough space for you to jot down your weekly tasks on the monthly planner.

    There are plenty of planners whether digital or printed out there, so choose your layout carefully. Most of the time, you will find that many planners already have daily, weekly, and monthly sections. This is helpful, especially if you want to carry your planner around. Take care not to purchase more than one type of planner, because you would only end up feeling confused as to which one you should write your next set of tasks.

    One suggestion on how to organize your different planners is that you should have a portable daily planner, and a desktop or wall-mounted weekly and/or monthly planner. This is because you will likely need to check your daily planner constantly throughout the day, while you only need to jot things down and review your weekly/monthly planner once a week. A large monthly planner is helpful as well, because you will want to see everything at a single glance.

    Once you have your scheduling tools, the next step is to create a scheduling routine.

    Create a Scheduling Routine

    Do you take time at the end of each day to plan for the following day? If you do not, then now is the best time to build this habit. A master scheduler should set aside a time each day to plan for tomorrow, each week for the week ahead, and each month to review everything and plan for the next month.

    In most cases, it will only take ten to twenty minutes to plan for the following day and thirty minutes to plan for the week and month ahead. However, the time you would invest in planning will save you from many problems in the future.

    After you have set a fixed “scheduling” time, you should then establish a routine on how to schedule your time. Here are the recommended steps:

    1. Time-block non-negotiable appointments

    Certain parts of the day may be out of your control; such as board meetings or dentist appointments. You should secure them all first, otherwise you might end up with overlapping appointments.

    It must be emphasized that you should also time-block the hours when you will be sleeping. Have to establish a fixed sleeping schedule to stay healthy and sharp the following day. Do not rob yourself of sleeping hours by cramming on certain tasks. Instead, focus on planning your day carefully so that you will have time to accomplish them all.

    1. Schedule your Important Tasks

    At this point, you would be able to see the times lots during the day when you do not have anything scheduled yet. If so, then you can refer to your list of priorities to allocate the different tasks into your day, week, or month.

    For example, if your most important task for the day is to write a thousand words for your personal book project, and if you do not have anything scheduled between seven and ten a.m., then you can block this task within this time.

    1. Schedule your Urgent Tasks

    After you have secured the times lots for your important tasks, you should then move on to blocking in the urgent ones. It helps to use a different colored-pen or highlighter to separate the important from the urgent.

    Do not forget to factor in breaks and an allowance in time for emergencies. In other words, you should never time-block one task after another without at least ten minutes of contingency time. This way, you will not be behind schedule in the next task when there was an unexpected extension in the task before it.

    Here is an example:

    •             Important Task —- 7:00 am to 9:00 am
    •             Contingency Time —- 9:00 am to 9:15 am
    •             Urgent Task —- 9:15 am to 11:30 am
    1. Review your schedule and make adjustments if necessary

    Once you have your entire day planned out, you can go back and assess your schedule as a whole. If you notice that you have spread yourself too thin, consider delegating certain tasks to others, rescheduling them, or canceling them altogether. Once you are satisfied with your schedule, the only thing left to do is to take action.

    As with any other skill, it takes constant practice to become better at scheduling and managing your time well. Nevertheless, it takes more than just scheduling and planning to do a great job every day without feeling burned out. That is because you also need to develop an efficient system. Read the post How to Make Establish an Efficient System? to learn more about that.

  • How to Learn of Hone Your Ability to Concentrate?

    How to Learn of Hone Your Ability to Concentrate?

    The ability to concentrate is a skill that becomes stronger over time. Through constant practice, you will be able to concentrate more effectively for an extended period of time. However, if you constantly find it difficult to focus on tasks, or if you find yourself wasting your time on unimportant activities, then you need to address this problem as soon as possible.

    Ability: Human Resource Management; An acquired or natural capacity or talent that enables an individual to perform a particular job or task successfully. See also aptitude. Law; The power to carry out a legal act or satisfy a legal obligation.

    Concentrate: A concentrate is a form of substance which has had the majority of its base component (in the case of a liquid: the solvent) removed. Typically, this will be the removal of water from a solution or suspension, such as the removal of water from fruit juice. One benefit of producing a concentrate is that of a reduction in weight and volume for transportation, as the concentrate can be reconstituted at the time of usage by the addition of the solvent. Completely different to clustered.

    The good news is that there are tested-and-proven tips on how you can concentrate better. Apply the following tips and notice how you will then be able to finish your important tasks on time.

    Eliminate distractions

    Distractions come in all shapes and sizes. It could be the uncomfortable chair you are sitting on, the messy desk you have to work on, or the loud noises from outside. Whatever your case may be, it is important to get rid of them before you begin your task. That way, you can no longer use them as an excuse to procrastinate.

    Here are some suggestions:

    I. Hang up a “do not disturb” sign.

    II. Play instrumental “concentration enhancing” music to drown out the background noise.

    III. Set your phone on silent mode and store it away.

    IV. Block certain websites that keep you from focusing.

    Focus on one task at a time

    Multi-tasking keeps you from being able to provide quality output. It also stresses your mind out, whether you are aware of it or not. This is because you are not really “accomplishing” multiple things at once, but rather you are rapidly switching from one task to another.

    Instead, set aside a time block for a particular task and do absolutely nothing else except that task within that time frame. You could even set a timer so that you will not have to glance at the clock every now and then to check how much time you have left.

    Take short breaks between tasks

    Most people – even the most productive ones out there – can concentrate on an important task for no more than two hours at a time. Likewise, it takes approximately fifteen minutes of rest to replenish this concentration “energy.” Therefore, you can use this as a rule of thumb to schedule breaks.

    For instance, after working non-stop on a task for two hours straight, set a timer to signal you to take a fifteen-minute break. Then, do something relaxing, such as taking a walk or having a snack. After fifteen minutes, you will be ready to take on another two-hour long task, give or take.

    Focus on challenging tasks during your peak hours

    Identify which part of the day you feel most confident and energized, and use this time to work on the tasks that require the most concentration. For most people, mornings are the times when they feel as if they can handle anything. For others, this happens during the evenings when everyone else is exhausted from work.

    Reward yourself after accomplishing a challenging task

    Our minds are programmed to repeat a certain behavior if we are rewarded for it. Therefore, to condition yourself to practice improving your concentration each day, do not forget to reward yourself after a job well done. It could be something as simple as playing a video game for an hour, watching an episode of your favorite television show, or enjoying a delicious, albeit sinful, snack. That way, you can be more driven to finish the task so that you can get your reward.

    Aside from these tips, it always helps to remind yourself to take good care of your body. Always make it a priority to get enough hours of sleep, eat nutritious meals, and hydrate throughout the day. When your body is healthy and full of energy, it is only natural for your mind to be sharp and focused.

    At this point, you must be excited to start working on your tasks. However, you might want to learn how to manage your schedule first, especially if you have multiple tasks to handle each day. Find out how you can acquire this skill in the post What is Master the Art of Scheduling?

  • How to Make Establish an Efficient System?

    How to Make Establish an Efficient System?

    Efficient (of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense, preventing the wasteful use of a particular resource. Working in a well-organized and competent way. Performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; having and using requisite knowledge, skill, and industry.

    Abraham Lincoln once gave a sound piece of advice regarding productivity. He said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the Axe.”

    It is apparent that he means that he can do a much more efficient job with the right tool. On the other hand, chopping away on the tree with a dull Axe might cut it down as well, but less efficiently and probably for a longer period of time. In other words, the best way to make the most of your time is by establishing an efficient system. To be more specific, you should first create the most conducive environment, and choosing the best tools, for the task.

    To help you establish an efficient system, there are two main things to do. The first one is to choose the right tools you need to accomplish the task in the best possible way. The second is to organize the space in which you will be doing the task.

    Choose the Best Tools for the Task

    Can you tell off the bat which tools you need the most to accomplish certain tasks? If you cannot, try remembering the following guidelines:

    1. The tool should be the most user-friendly.

    While this does not apply to all cases, it helps to remember to go back to the basics. Often, the tool that is easiest to use is also the more efficient. It does not require much time to learn how to use it and to manipulate it.

    An example of a simple, user-friendly time management tool is the to Do list. It is simple as jotting down tasks on a piece of paper and crossing them out once you are done.

    1. The tool should help you focus.

    Some people who want to enhance their time management skills often tend to buy a number of “organizational tools,” such as planners, calendars, and so on, but then end up not using most of them at all. Worse, some would attempt to use them all at once and end up confused. Therefore, the best solution is to pick no more than one tool you will truly use for a particular project, goal, or task, and then stick to it.

    1. The tool should be the most efficient and effective.

    If a tool requires too much time to set up before you can use it, then it had better be four times more efficient than the other models. Otherwise, you would only end up accumulating wasted time from using it. The bottom-line is to choose a tool that will strike a balance between efficiency and effectiveness by looking at how well it can help you with the task and how quickly it can be used.

    Aside from these, other factors you can consider are accessibility, cost, visibility, and so on, depending on the specific tools you need. After all, some tools are to be used for personal goals and tasks, while others are for professional use or team projects. Nevertheless, it helps to keep these three core guidelines in mind before you decide to choose a certain tool for your project.

    Organize and Develop an Efficient Work Space

    A space that is clean and organized does not just mean it is neat and tidy. Rather, it expands to keeping only the things you need in sight. Everything else that does not serve any purpose to your goal is merely a distraction. This rule applies not just to your physical surroundings, but your digital space as well.

    You can achieve this by taking these simple steps:

    1. Clear all the items off the area first. This will make it easier for you to separate the items and tools you want to use from the ones that only serve as distraction.

    For instance, if your computer desktop is cluttered with all sorts of icons and folders, then create a folder and label it “Mess.” After that, move everything into it in one full sweep.

    1. Re-build or re-organize the area by choosing the tools that you need. Everything else must be removed or stored away more efficiently.

    If we go back to the same example, when you are left with a clear desktop, you can then choose from the “Mess” folder the ones you need for a particular project or goal. Everything else can be deleted or sorted out until you can safely delete the “Mess” folder.

    1. Develop an efficient system for your project or goal.

    Now that only the tools you need remain in the area, your final step is to use them to create an efficient system. It is important to ensure that the system is simple, easy to use, and effective, because you may be using it so often it becomes a habit.

    Let us say you make a living as a medical transcriptionist. Since your desktop is now uncluttered, you now only have your transcribing tool, a spreadsheet icon of a file that helps you track your progress, and folder of projects on it. Your final step is to systematize how you work so that you can maximize your time and efficiency. It can be simple, such as:

    Step 1: Click the spreadsheet icon to monitor and review project.

    Step 2: Open transcribing tool.

    Step 3: Open project to be transcribed.

    Step 4: Put on headset, adjust volume, and start transcribing.

    Once your tools and system are polished and organized, it is guaranteed that all the tasks you need to accomplish will become easier to do. All you need to do at this point is to take action.

  • How to Set the Right Goals?

    How to Set the Right Goals?

    A goal is a desired result or possible outcome that a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve: a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.

    It is roughly similar to purpose or aim, the anticipated result which guides reaction, or an end, which is an object, either a physical object or an abstract object, that has intrinsic value.

    Setting the Goals

    Goal setting may involve establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bounded (SMART) objectives, but not all researchers agree that these SMART criteria are necessary.

    Research on goal setting by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues suggests that goal setting can serve as an effective tool for making progress when it ensures that group members have a clear awareness of what each person must do to achieve a shared objective. On a personal level, the process of setting goals allows individuals to specify and then work toward their own objectives (such as financial or career-based goals). Goal-setting comprises a major component of personal development and management.

    Goals can be long-term, intermediate, or short-term. The primary difference is the time required to achieve them.

    Short-term goals

    Short-term goals expect accomplishment in a short period of time, such as trying to get a bill paid in the next few days. The definition of a short-term goal need not relate to any specific length of time. In other words, one may achieve (or fail to achieve) a short-term goal in a day, week, month, year, etc. The time-frame for a short-term goal relates to its context in the overall time line that it is being applied to. For instance, one could measure a short-term goal for a month-long project in days; whereas one might measure a short-term goal for someone’s lifetime in months or in years. Planners usually define short-term goals in relation to long-term goals.

    In any endeavor, the first step is to establish a clear goal. The more detailed and clear it is, the easier it will be for you to make choices and establish steps that you need to take towards accomplishing it.

    However, before getting into the subject of setting goals, let us first talk about the Goal-Setting Theory of Locke and Latham. Learning this will help you visualize the results that you truly want and need.

    Dr. Edwin Locke, the author of the article “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives”, published in 1968, explained that people become motivated towards doing their job when they are given clear goals as well as proper feedback. He also pointed that having a specific and challenging goal motivates people to boost their performance.

    Twelve years later, Locke and Dr. Gary Latham published “A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance,” their seminal work. It not only highlighted the significance of setting definite and challenging goals, but also provided five key components that will guide you to set them successfully. These are Clarity, Challenge, Commitment, Feedback, and Task Complexity. Here are the steps on how you can use them:

    Establish clear goals.

    It is important to be detailed with what you want to accomplish. By doing so, you can track your progress and determine which areas you need to improve on and which ones are helping you to get closer to your goal.

    Perhaps the most efficient way to establish goals is by applying the SMART criteria. This was first explained by George T. Doran in the November 1981 issue of Management Review. It has since become the primary tool used in setting goals.

    “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Assignable), Relevant, and Time-bound. Here is how you can apply each criterion:

    1. Specific – the goal has to be so clear it leaves no room for doubt. Detail what is important to you, what you expect from it, how you will know when it happens, and so on.
    2. Measurable – this puts emphasis on the need for measurable factors to help determine whether you are improving or not. Without measurable factors, you would find it impossible to stay motivated.
    3. Assignable or Achievable – a goal may be specific and measurable, but it can be unachievable if it is unrealistic. It is important to ensure that you can either achieve the goal-related tasks yourself, or assign some of the tasks to someone who can.
    4. Relevant – it is important to work towards a goal that is in line with your principles and purpose in life. For instance, you can consider whether the goal is worth the time, energy, and resources and if it is of true value to you.
    5. Time-bound – a time frame is an essential part of goal setting, because it helps you commit and increases your focus. A goal that is not time-bound is usually shipped off to “someday” land and never seen again. Therefore, you must set a target date.

    Here is an example of a SMART goal: “I will finish writing the first draft of my twenty-thousand-word romance fiction novel entitled “Oceans Away from Sarah” before December 25, 2016.”

    Set the Right Goals

    Ensure that the goals are challenging

    The more challenging yet realistic a goal is, the more motivated you will be to accomplish it. First, consider whether the goal you want makes you feel excited. Why does the thought of accomplishing it makes you feel good? Visualize the goal and determine the steps you need to take to turn it into a reality.

    Commit yourself to the goal

    Committing to your goal means that you are going to devote your time, energy, and resources to accomplish it. It also means you recognize its importance in your life and that you will not give up. It also helps to remember that plans can change, but the goal should remain the same.

    Track your Progress to Get Feedback

    As you work towards your goal, you must continuously enhance your skills, plans, and tools. That way, you can become even more efficient and effective. The only way to know how and what to improve on is by receiving feedback.

    Feedback is easily given by a team leader and one’s peers in major projects, but if you are on your own, then you need to track your own progress to receive it. Therefore, you must create a way to measure your progress as soon as you start working towards your goal. Through these standards, you can determine how far along you are.

    Calibrate the complexity of the task

    If a certain task towards your goal is too challenging it becomes unrealistic, you can take a step back and make the necessary adjustments. In other words, do not charge head-on if you are unprepared for it, because you will only end up feeling too pressured. This is dangerous, because it can cause you to give up altogether.

    Instead, consider the factors that are causing the task to be too complex. Reflect on whether you need more time, additional skills, or better tools for it. Maybe you need to break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. It is also possible that you need to delegate it to an expert. All these adjustments may even help you achieve your goal more efficiently.

    Once you have established a clear goal, the next step is to generate tasks that are in line with it. By doing so, you would then be able to determine the time you need to accomplish it. How to Set Your Organize Priorities? posts will help you to identify which tasks are important each day, and which ones to set aside.

  • How to Set Your Organize Priorities?

    How to Set Your Organize Priorities?

    There are specific skills and steps that you can learn to effectively manage multiple priorities and to actually assess which activities you need to work on first then next in order to tame your daily and weekly schedule. I’ve tried to organize the best time management advice I can find into one place and make it “research administrator-friendly.”

    The ability to prioritize is highly important in terms of achieving your goal. It helps you to identify and focus only on the essential tasks. It frees you from falling into procrastination or getting distracted by less important tasks. By harnessing this skill, you will be less stressed and a lot more organized and put-together.

    To become proficient in prioritizing, you can start by applying former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle.

    Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle

    In 1954, he mentioned that there are “two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” In this sense, these two concepts can be defined as follows:

    Important tasks are those whose results lead to the achievement of our personal or professional goals.

    Urgent tasks require your immediate attention. However, they are typically related to the goal of someone else (such as your boss). Nevertheless, we focus on them more because there are negative consequences to not doing them right away.

    At this point, you may want to reflect on three things.

    First, identify which tasks or activities are most important to you. Are they in line with your goal? How far along are you in terms of accomplishing it?

    Second, look back on how you spend your time each day. Do you focus on what is urgent? Were you able to find time for what is important?

    Finally, consider how you can make time for what is important and still be able to do what is urgent. Alternatively, think about whether you can sacrifice what is urgent for what is important.

    One strategy that can help you focus on the important tasks first is to do them at the start of your day. The reason why this is effective is that you would still make time for what is urgent later on in the day. After all, you will always find a way to do what is urgent to avoid the consequence.

    Make sure to write down all your thoughts until you can flesh out a concrete plan out of them.

    The Pareto Principle

    It is easy to prioritize when you are in control of your time and resources. However, things take a more challenging turn when you are faced with many issues that will force you to make quick decisions.

    If ever you find yourself in this situation, then you can take a page out of Italian economist Wilfredo Pareto. According to him, eighty percent of the effects of most events come from twenty percent of the causes. To make his point clear, he explained two examples.

    The first one is that 80 percent of the properties in his homeland are owned by only 20 percent of the population. The second, on which his principle is initially based, is that 20 percent of the pea-pods in his garden held 80 percent of the peas produce.

    To this day, the Pareto Principle is being used by many professionals to gauge almost anything, such as by stating that 80 percent of a corporation’s sales come from only 20 percent of its products.

    Going back to the concept of Prioritization, you can apply the Pareto Principle by applying the following steps:

    1. Identify the main problems.

    Take note of every issue that is holding you back from achieving your goal or task. If you are working as a team, consult each member to get their own insights. You might also need to consult your progress chart.

    1. Determine the main cause of each problem.

    According to the concept of Root Cause Analysis, there are three common root causes behind any problem. These are Physical Causes, Human Causes, and Organizational Causes.

    When something breaks down or fails to operate due to some tangible or observable aspect, then it is due to a Physical Cause. One example is you being unable to finish a three-page report due tomorrow because your laptop computer crashed.

    If a person failed to do something, or did something wrong, then the problem is from a Human Cause. An example would be your co-worker failing to send you an email of the survey results for your report tomorrow.

    In situations where, despite the effectiveness of tools and the efficient skills of the people involved, the process itself caused the problem, then it is considered to be due to an Organizational Cause. One example is the pyramid scheme, in that the products are effective and the salespeople are passionate and trained. Yet, the system itself fails to be sustainable.

    Based on this perspective, it is easy to identify the root cause of some problems. However, if you find it a challenge to do so, then you should ask yourself these questions to help you deduce the issue until you can identify the root cause.

    What happened?

    How did it happen?

    Why did it happen?

    Will it happen again?

    Why or why not?

    1. Rearrange the problems in order of priority.

    After you have identified the root cause for each problem, you should then create another list of the same problems. Only this time, you will be enumerating them based on how important it is for them to be solved. This way, you will instantly know which one to focus on solving first before you move on to the second, third, and so on.

    1. Come up with the solutions.

    Now that you have analyzed and organized all the problems, the final step is to solve each of them. Start with the most important problem to be solved, and then brainstorm on the best steps to take to address it.

    Now that you know how to apply Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle and Pareto’s Principle, you can choose from a variety of time management tools in organizing all this information. A simple chart on a spreadsheet should do the trick, and it can look something like this:

    Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle

    Today’s List of Tasks

    Important Tasks Urgent Tasks

    Task 1 – 8:00 am to 9:30 am Task 1 – 11:00 am to 12:00 am

    Task 2 – 10:00 am to 10:30 am Task 2 – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

    Pareto’s Principle

    Ranking Problem Root Cause Solution:

    1 Problem A Root Cause A Solution A

    2 Problem B Root Cause B Solution B

    3 Problem C Root Cause C Solution C

    By using these tools, you will surely be able to get more tasks done throughout your day. Of course, this does not mean that these tools alone will enable you to focus on getting the job done. There will be times when we fail to focus on a task because of unexpected occurrences and distractions. However, you can overcome these challenges by improving your ability to concentrate. The next chapter can provide you with tips and strategies on how to do just that.

  • What are Interpersonal Skills and Their Types?

    What are Interpersonal Skills and Their Types?

    This may be the understatement of the year: right now there is an incredible need for engineers. All skill sets and experience levels are in high demand from start-ups to giant corporations, but that doesn’t mean that every engineer will be employed or successful.

    Interpersonal Skills also called Human Relations Skills, Interpersonal skills are often called “People Skills” because they describe a person’s ability to interact with other people in a positive and cooperative manner. Unlike technical skills that people attend school for, interpersonal skills are considered soft skills that are typically developed over time through interactions.

    Having good interpersonal skills is desired in most careers. The best members of a team often have strong skills that help them communicate and problem solve with other people in an organization. There is a long list of interpersonal skills, but among the most important for working in a team or workplace are conflict resolution, communication, problem solving and patience.

    Interpersonal skills in the thriving STEM fields, interpersonal skills are becoming increasingly important in career advancement. They are just as important as the technical skills, as they help create personal branding and a well-rounded network of professionals, opening opportunities and creating relationships with peers. Following are the five key interpersonal skills that engineers and other STEM professionals should develop for career success:

    Interpersonal Skills and Their Types

    (I) Communication Skills: Communication skills are required equally at all three levels of management. A manager must be able to communicate the plans and policies to the workers. Similarly, he must listen and solve the problems of the workers. He must encourage a free-flow of communication in the organization.

    Engineers and other STEM professions place the higher value on technical skills than communication. However, effective communication is equally as important. In order to succeed and be innovative in their position, they must be able to communicate their ideas.

    (II) Creativity Skills: The technical skills to find and fix system issues is just as valuable as the creativity to find new ways to solve problems. People who continually push the envelope to find and develop new products, processes etc., get the recognition from peers and management.

    (III) Adaptability Skills: Like creativity, the ability to continually push and change is invaluable. Challenges arise daily and as an employee and job seeker, you must be able to adapt, be creative, and communicate the issues to work towards a solution.

    The world of work is changing at an ever increasing pace so employers actively seek out graduates who can adapt to changing circumstances and environments, and embrace new ideas, who are enterprising, resourceful and adaptable.

    (IV) Collaboration Skills: Product creation, service execution, and system innovation do not happen by one person. Steve Jobs may have been an incredible driving force behind Apple’s success, but there were countless engineers, developers, and other professionals working to create, market and sell their products.

    Collaborating in a team setting is not only necessary for a job seeker and employee, but is absolutely essential. Collaborative skills that we have identified as promoting the core concepts and supporting class norms are listed below. This list of collaborative skills has been used successfully by instructional teams to identify skills that address the ways students and teachers should interact to realize class norms. The list is not exhaustive and some classrooms may have to add skills to fully meet their needs.

    (V) Leadership Skills: Leadership skills is the ability to influence human behavior. A manager requires leadership skills to motivate the workers. These skills help the Manager to get the work done through the workers.

    We all know what a leader is, however becoming one takes thought. If you aspire to make a difference in your company/ city/ the world in any profession, leadership skills have to come into play. Developing these skills over time as you build relationships will help you achieve success beyond your career.

    Advanced Interpersonal Skills

    Interpersonal Skills
    Human Relations Skills or Interpersonal Skills

    Advanced Interpersonal Communication training sessions can be custom designed to suit your employees, address specific issues and industry. Pictures, questions, and material will all be modified to suit training requirements and objectives. Contact our staff for more details.

    This Advanced Interpersonal Skills Session is designed to help your team members, management, and all staff communicate effectively with respect, build rapport, interact professionally and control their emotions for better business relations.

    Objectives for the Advanced Interpersonal Skills

    Being in control of your emotion is a benefit to you and your workplace. Learn how to be able to change your mood, attitude, and perception at the drop of a hat.

    Questioning techniques will assist you in both control and information gathering. Learn how to quickly change a subject, motivate others and communicate more effectively using communication techniques.

    Rapport is about similarities and connections. We show participants how to connect with others more with simple and effective mirroring techniques.

    Reading body language will come in use throughout your life. We develop this area and discuss how participants can take advantage of this form of communication.

    A positive mindset will move mountains. Everything will seem easier and you will feel empowerment with a positive outlook. Learn how to create the mindset for optimum performance and feel great when you need.

    More behavioral tools for the participants here as we develop some techniques to improve on existing behavior.

    learn about the four social categories and how to improve on your social category if you feel you need. We also discuss personalities and provide insight into why you do many of the things you do. This section also teaches you about others and their needs around you in the workplace.

    Advanced Interpersonal Communications are a requirement today to work closely as teams and with other people. This session is designed to carefully address any areas of concern and help individuals increase their awareness of their interpersonal skills, including any unintended communications they may be making. This session provides a greater understanding of non-spoken communication and allows a much-improved level of interpersonal communications to be implemented in the company, improving management to staff and interdepartmental relationships, which also leads to greater productivity, happier staff, and a much higher standard of customer service provision.