A Look Inside the Thoughts of a Hiring Manager - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / A Look Inside the Thoughts of a Hiring Manager - Introvert Whisperer A Look Inside the Thoughts of a Hiring Manager Haven’t you ever wished you could hear the thoughts going on inside the head of a hiring manager?  If you had the inside track it would help you understand what’s going on in the process and how to get a competitive advantage. Let me offer you that insight.  I hired hundreds of people in my 21 years as a manager and also hundreds more as a recruiter.  I also have compared my experience with other managers to help me improve my process and to broaden my perspective on hiring. Let’s start at the beginning of the process: - This is a PAIN…  I’m already working 10-12 hours a day just to get my work done and now I’ve got more work to do just to hire someone.  Who knows if the person I hire will work out and if they don’t then my life is seriously miserable.  Yep, I think a root canal is sounding like more fun. - I want this to be over quickly.  Maybe I can get this over fast.  I keep a stash of resumes of people who have been referred to me in my desk, let me start looking at those.  I really hope one of these matches what I’m looking for because if it does, I might get this over A.S.A.P.! - I’ll ask around.  I’m going to call and email a few people I know that always seem to be well connected.  I’ll find out if they have any hot resumes or know of people they think would be good at this job.  I’ll make it known to lots of people I know so maybe I can speed up this process and I won’t have to post.  My history tells me that referrals are always the best hires anyway. - I guess I better write job descriptions and posting.  I’m going to see if I can find an old job posting I used last year to copy from so I don’t have to start with a blank page. Maybe I can find someone else’s job posting and just reuse the parts of theirs that work for this job.  I never know what to write for a job posting anyway.  This is just another part of this whole process that I hate.  I dread the idea that we’d actually have to go so far as to post this online.  The deluge of resumes is a killer. The process has started: - I can’t read another resume!  OMG!  All of these resumes look and sound alike.  How am I supposed to pick from this pile of 50 resumes? â€" And there are another 300 in the system I’m sure are the same.  None of these resume’s stand out unless they are seriously bad or unqualified.  At least the bad ones are somewhat entertaining.  I can’t believe that someone with none of my hiring criteria is even bothering to send me a resume…it looks like they completely ignored my hiring criteria. - Now I’ve picked a handful of resumes, someone saves me from this misery!    So, I’ve picked out 10 resumes that all look like they can do the job.  I’m still holding out some hope that one of my “feelers” is still going to work out and a referral calls me. - Phone screen time â€" I actually don’t mind this part.  The fun thing about calling these applicants is that most of the time I don’t actually get them so I leave a voicemail.  If I don’t hear back from those people in 24 hours, I pitch the resume and move on to someone else.  I use follow up and attention to things like voicemail as part of my screening process.  It’s amazing how many people are soooo bad at responding in a timely manner.  They’re either rude or stupid â€" both things I don’t want to hire. - Phone screen for real.  I still like this part of the process because all I’m trying to do now is find a reason to not interview someone in person.  Short and sweet with only a couple of questions.  I can get this done before lunch.  I’m still hoping for a referral. Final phases: - UCK!  Interviewing.  Talk about a contrived event.  I’ve tried to figure out what the best questions are to ask all the applicants so I can compare them all when I’m done.  BUT, it only marginally helps the decision process in the end.  I might have a trusted staff member or peer interview my top candidates to help me sort out my decision but even that isn’t always a good thing to do.  At some point, interviewing is boring because its almost like reading resumes â€" they all start sounding the same. - I’m still hoping for a referral.  I don’t care how far along I am in this process.  If the right person were to come along, I’d dump all these candidates for a person my network endorses. - Decision time. ?  It’s been 3 weeks since I interviewed the last candidate â€" 5 weeks from the first interview.  I had a big presentation to do and it took all my time, then I had some other business issues to deal with.  I didn’t think it would take this long to get around to making a decision but that’s how business works.  I’ve got to take care of priorities and hiring just had to take second place. I think I remember which person I thought I’d choose.  I hope looking over the resumes and my interview notes help jog my memory.  I think this is the one.  I’m sure this person can do the work but mostly I really liked them, which makes me hopeful that we can work together well.  That’s what its all about.  I’ll get with HR and work up an offer.  Who knows how long that will take? The hiring process for most hiring managers is not a fun activity.  It’s extra work and never goes as fast as anyone thinks it should.  At some point, all the resumes and candidates blend together unless someone just happens to stand out. That doesn’t happen very much.  At the end of the day, the manager hires the person they liked most because they all appeared to be able to do the job. What should a job seeker pull out of this? They should focus on referrals and networking.  You will always stand out if you do. Bonus Tip: Adapting is key to your career survival, growth, and advancement.  Get Free Instant Access to Video series The 5 Most Common Ways Introverts Commit Career Self-Sabotage and How to Avoid Them.  Click here now: www.introvertwhisperer.com/careergoals  Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran, Introvert Whisperer, dedicated to unleashing your career potential. www.introvertwhisperer.com Do you know what your next career step is?   Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable.   Get your copy now and start your action plan today: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

An Intro to the New AP Computer Science Principles Course

An Intro to the New AP Computer Science Principles Course While many students fear that their high school and even college education may fail to get them a job upon graduation, those with a background in computer science seldom have reason to worry. The tech industry continues to grow and change, and theres no signs of stopping. It should come as no surprise, then, that schools will begin offering an AP Computer Science Principles course in the fall of 2016. The course, which will emphasize creative ways to solve problems in the larger world, is meant to prepare students for both college and employment situations. Rightfully so skills in computer science are required or are strongly beneficial for nearly every field of employment. Computer science skills have become essential for students entering the workforce. With this in mind, here is an intro to the new AP Computer Science Principles course. AP Computer Science Principles development The AP Computer Science Principles course has been in development since 2008 and has been the collaborative effort of more than 50 high school and higher education teachers. The course is meant to be interactive, current, and relevant. AP Computer Science Principles content Instead of simply reviewing a programming language, the course will cover technology and programming as a solution for computer issues. It will focus on computers and their interaction with and to society not revolving around computers entirely, but examining the ways computing has influenced other fields. In addition to computer science, the course will build communication and collaboration skills, emphasize problem solving as individuals and as groups, and examine technology in the world. The class will focus on seven big ideas entrenched in the principles of STEM education: creativity, abstraction, data and information, algorithms, programming, the Internet, and global impact. AP Computer Science Principlesframework This class is meant to mimic a first semester introduction to college computing course. The course teaches the computational thinkingpractices necessary for developing the knowledge and skills to analyze data and communicate. Because the course focuses around seven big ideas, each uses questions and concepts to connect every idea to the next. These questions tend to be large-scale questions that rely on information learned in previous sections. As with many AP courses, the Computer Science Principles course features thorough learning objectives that provide students with clear goals for the course and the AP exam to follow. Next to each learning objective (which are numbered so that their relationship to big ideas and enduring understandings is clear), students will find essential knowledge statements, which will help students perform well on the AP exam and in every section of the course. This course will be creative, iterative, and exploratory, which makes it very useful for a variety of learners. AP Computer Science Principles test The AP test for this course will consist of two parts. First, the AP exam and then the through-course AP assessment. The AP examwill be administered as a multiple choice test filled out with paper and pencil. Students will be required to demonstrate their understanding of course learning objectives. In the through-course assessment, students will complete two performance tasks involving programming. Theyll look at student learningin a more comprehensive way than can be achieved on a timed test. Students will perform their knowledge in a real world way. Overall, the course looks to provide valuable job skills to students interested in technology.

Transition Your Students into a Good Second Half of the School Year

Transition Your Students into a Good Second Half of the School Year Motivating your students after the holiday break can be difficult. Many students struggle to get back into the routine of homework and studying after a couple of weeks off, with the end of the school year in sight and their brains still in vacation mode. What can you do? Here are a few tips on how to re-energize your students for the spring semester: Ease into it. Plan out your first month back to school strategically, saving the more intensive work for a couple weeks into the term. If possible, use the first week back as a refresher on where you left off before holiday break. Engage your students in some planning. Set some goals as a class. You have milestones to reach between now and spring break (and the end of the school year), but invite your students to contribute their ideas on exactly how youll do so. Have students write personal goals. This can be a very inspiring exercise, getting students into the right mindset to make the most of the rest of the school year. Talk about the importance of setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and t Clean up and clean out. Your classroom might not be as tidy and organized as it was at the beginning of the school year, and most likely, neither are your students backpacks, desks, and binders. Take some time to get your class organized and back on track as the year begins. Be enthusiastic. Your energy will be contagious, so share with your students what youre excited about this semester, and open the discussion to learn about what theyre looking forward to as well. Talk about some of the fun projects or units you have coming up. Take a student-centered approach to get them engaged. With a little effort, youll get this year off to a great start. Lay the foundation for success with some planningand a lot of excitement.

3 Surprising Benefits of Preparing for the PSAT (And 1 Unsurprising Benefit)

3 Surprising Benefits of Preparing for the PSAT (And 1 Unsurprising Benefit) At AJ Tutoring, it’s our mission to support students as they encounter and engage with academic challenges like complex coursework and formidable standardized tests for the first few times. As part of our commitment to simplify and demystify the process, we often speak with parents and students about the array of exams out there to help create the right plan for each individual student. We are experts in everything from the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT to the SAT and ACT, all the way to the GRE and MCAT. A common topic of discussion is the PSAT, which all juniors, many sophomores, and even some freshmen take at school to gauge their progress towards SAT and ultimately college readiness. Parents and students often wonder what the value of PSAT prep is if colleges don’t end up seeing the PSAT score. It’s true that the SAT and ACT are much more primary for admissions purposes as colleges can’t see students’ PSAT scores, but there are still a number of benefits to preparing for the PSA T: it’s more than just a practice test!If you’d like to learn more and sign up for PSAT tutoring, please give us a call today! Read on for 3 surprising (and 1 unsurprising) benefits to preparing for the PSAT.#1: Staying Engaged Over the SummerBecause juniors take the PSAT in October, most students at AJ Tutoring do a significant chunk of their preps during the summer holidays. During the school year, our minds are kept sharp with daily math problem sets, constant essay writing sessions, and stimulating academic conversations. Over the summer, many of these activities can fall by the wayside, and our mental skills can slow down somewhat.Click here to read another blog post I published about the forgetting curve!Because the PSAT is a challenging test that seeks to measure representative reasoning skills from across the academic spectrum, training for it can help keep those skills sharp all summer long! Our PSAT students are reading tough passages for the reading comprehension sect ion, poring over essays with a critical eye for the English section, and practicing algebra and geometry concepts for the math section.To double down on this particular benefit, many of our students also take academic tutoring over the summer to get a leg up on fall semester.#2: Get Better at Test-TakingFor many juniors, it’s a year of exam after exam. After the PSAT, there’s the SAT and potentially the ACT, as well as SAT Subject Tests and AP Exams. These are in addition to the barrage of chemistry tests, reading comprehension quizzes, and physics finals that students encounter at school. An average high school junior in the Bay Area takes dozens and dozens of tests, so test-taking is itself one of the key skills to hone for success. In the interest of emphasizing metacognition (you can read an excellent blog post on the topic here), a sustained focus on the PSAT can bolster test-taking skills like reading the question carefully, annotating passages, and optimizing multiple cho ice selections. Sitting for a few of our 3-hour proctored practice exams will also help develop the focus and endurance required for testing success. Lastly, getting ahead of the year of tests by signing up for 1-on-1 tutoring will allow one of our professional tutors to assess your student’s unique strengths and weaknesses, which can then be acknowledged and better understood when preparing for future exams. #3: A College Application Boost or Even a ScholarshipAnother name for the PSAT is the NMSQT, or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. A small percent of top performers on the PSAT will qualify as Commended Students, Semifinalists, or Finalists after excelling on the exam and completing an application process. About half of the Finalists will receive a Merit Scholarship with thousands of dollars in potential benefit towards college costs. Even if a qualifier doesn’t ultimately win the scholarship, he or she can include their qualifying status on college applications. T he PSAT does have the potential to directly impact college admissions after all!And a bonus, #4: You Are Also Preparing for the SAT and ACT!Although the PSAT isn’t just a practice SAT, it does fulfill that function wonderfully! The PSAT is very similar to the SAT, so in preparing for the PSAT, our students are also learning the crucial skills and content needed for success on the SAT and ACT (which is quite similar to the SAT and thus the PSAT).A popular path (which you can read up on here) is to complete 9-10 sessions of prep in the summer and early fall ahead of the PSAT. Those students then go on to do 3-5 sessions of prep ahead of a March SAT, followed by a few more sessions ahead of the April ACT. Students who choose this path get the benefit of completing most of their tutoring over the summer before the busyness of classes and extracurriculars kicks into full gear in August. Please reach out to us to discuss your student’s needs and learn how we can help!

How to study An introduction to learning from a study skills tutor in Portland

How to study An introduction to learning from a study skills tutor in Portland Being a student is not an easy task. We are expected to bring interest to a wide range of subjects and learn a huge amount of information semester after semester, year after year. Being faced with learning so much information can be a daunting task, and to make matters worse, many students are never actually taught how to study. Where did I learn study skills?My mom is a middle school advanced math teacher, and I still remember learning how to study with her in fourth grade. We would sit down several nights before a social studies test, and she showed me several different study skills, strategies and techniques that worked well for her during her high school and college education. Of course as a fourth grader, I questioned the importance of learning to how to study, and was somewhat of a reluctant learner at times, but I would not be the student I am today if it were not for my mom’s loving efforts. I went to college at Chapman University where I studied biology, and I am going to medical school next year. There is no doubt that my science coursework was rigorous, but I was able to succeed thanks to the study skills that my mom had taught me so many years ago. In fact, I attribute much of my 3.95 GPA to her teaching me how to study growing up. She was like my personal study skills tutor, always willing to patiently help me through my different elementary, middle and high school courses. As I have continued to mature and grow as a student and tutor, I have learned a lot about myself as a learner. Through trial and error mostly, I know how I learn best and I know what learning or studying environments make me happiest (which is important too!!). Becoming a competent learner is an important goal for all students to have I think, and it truly is a journey. Simply reading about different study skills isn’t enough; you have to put them to the test and see what works for you. Now, after being a student for 18 years, and going into medicine, where I will be a student for the rest of my life (no kidding), I’d like to share with you 3 study skills that have helped me get to where I am today. Study skill #1: Take good notes.The first study skill is to stay on top of each class throughout the semester, and take excellent notes in class. Not everyone is great at sitting and paying attention in class, but I believe that everyone can become great at it, and the rewards are huge. Taking good notes and paying attention is a form of studying that will save you time when the test is approaching. In college, I studied consistently in a group with 2 other students, and I always seemed to be the most well-prepared for our initial study sessions. I’m not smarter than either of my peers, I just took better notes and paid more attention, so I remembered more content when it was time to study. Study skill #2: Make a study guide. The second study skill I recommend is that the first thing you do when studying for an exam is make a study guide. This guide should be a comprehensive summary of anything and everything you could be asked on the test. If you followed my first step and took excellent notes in class, then making a study guide is easy â€" just go back, neaten and summarize your notes, and use the course’s textbook to fill in the gaps that you may have missed in class. If you’re a math student, the study guide takes on a bit of a different feel. Instead of summarizing your notes, I recommend making a list of each possible type of problem you need to know, and include a simple example problem that goes through the steps of how to solve it. The purpose of the study guide is to give you a reference point for the remainder of your studying. After you make the study guide, if you’re working through practice problems or talking through concepts and you get stuck, you will always be able to check back on the study guide to reaffirm your understanding. Also, I’ve just found that putting all of the information in one place makes learning it all seem less daunting, because I know that the teacher won’t ask anything on the test that is not in my study guide. Before making the study guide, the amount of information combined with the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what information I need to know can be overwhelming. After you make it, however, the stress and uncertainty is gone and now all I need to do is get to work on learning. Study skill #3: Use active recall techniques to learn faster.Finally, my third study skill is my favorite of them all, because it can look very different depending on who you are. After you complete the study guide, the remainder of your studying should be using whatever active recall techniques you like best!! What’s active recall? It’s quite simple. Anything that makes you have to come up with an answer to a question on your own qualifies as active recall. Some of my favorites are talking through concepts with a friend without looking at notes (until I get stuck), using flash cards if I’m on my own, or even making a little practice exam for myself to complete.All three of these above active recall techniques work wonders, and you can use any of them! I use all of them interchangeably, depending on if I have people to study with, and the nature of the class I’m taking. And that’s it!!! I hope you found this guide on how to study helpful. My last tip is to start studying for a test earlier than you think you need to, and try to have fun with it!! Thank you for reading, and I hope these study skills will help you as much as they’ve helped me.

March Learning Womens History Month

March Learning Womens History Month Womens History Month March is National Womens History Month. Students who want to stay relevant in the field of womens history should think about adding a few feminine voices to their studies this month. March can be an inspiration to both female teachers and students alike. Learning about womens history cannot only broaden a student’s view on women’s contributions but integrate historical feminine figures into their other studies, thus improving their education in general. 1. Test prep SAT students are consistently struggling with historical examples for their SAT essay our private Orange County SAT tutors are here to help. Many students come up with highly famous historical figures such as George Washington or Gandhi. Although both very relevant people, SAT graders do not enjoy reading about the same half dozen figures over and over again. Students should increase their historical awareness and be prepared to write about lesser-known, although equally relevant, female figures in history. Students who are about to take the SAT should learn about the biography and contributions of figures such as Jane Addams, Susan B Anthony, Catherine the Great, Amelia Earhart, Maria Montessori and so on. Writing about historical figures that are less common can help a SAT student demonstrate their knowledge of a diverse and in-depth history and potentially raise their essay grade (READ: Last Minute SAT Study Guide). 2. Understanding history in general Students of history (which is every high school student), will notice that they are often tested on pivotal people and events. Student should always remember to learn about famous women in history so that they can become better history students in general. For example, future scientists should know about the achievements of Sally Ride (the first American woman in space and also the youngest American astronaut to go to space) and Rosa Parks (one of our greatest civil rights figures in America). 3. Science and technology With STEM programs on the rise, its important for young female students to know about their famous female scientific predecessors. With more and more STEM jobs available, its essential that young students everywhere be aware of how this innovative and lucrative field started. One of our most famous female scientists in history was Marie Curie (the first woman to win a Nobel Prize), but there are many more scientific ladies to learn about. For example students should learn more about: Caroline Herschel, an astronomer, Mary Anning, a paleontologist and scientific illustrator, and Maria Mitchell, a science and math teacher as well as an astronomer (READ: March Lesson Plans and Supplemental Education Activities). 4. Women’s Suffrage Students can also learn about fabulous historical figures such as Alice Paul and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who, among many others, led the womens suffrage movement in the United States. Every American student should have a grasp of not only the historical figures in the womens suffrage movement but also the causes of it and the struggles that these now famous ladies faced throughout recent American history. This is important not only for general knowledge but for AP US history students. Knowledge of the womens civil rights movement is essential to have a well balanced view of American history in general. In Short Although the study of our great ladies of history is a fine academic pursuit in and of itself, students are advised that any study of history and our prominent feminine figures can help them better understand a diverse range of subjects ranging from test prep to current scientific theory to sociology and psychology. Students should take a couple of hours this March to learn about some of our greatest historical female figures to improve their knowledge of all subjects. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

5 High-Paying Jobs You Can Get Without a College Degree

5 High-Paying Jobs You Can Get Without a College Degree pexels.com While we are all having unique experiences in college, the end goal of obtaining a university degree is the same: to get a job after graduation. Many of us, now making our way through the rough yet storied college path ourselves, are (desperately) embarking on job hunts to land that internship or get connected with the right companies early on. But sometimes, as we struggle through our coursework, our classes, and constant late nights, we can’t help but recall the stories of people who made something of themselves without getting a college degree. Then we can’t help but compare ourselves to those legends and wish we could be just as successful, just as quickly. Of course, everyone works hard to make their dreams a reality in one way or another so don’t think you have an automatic excuse to drop out of college! Just for kicks, though, here are some high-paying jobs one could possibly attain without a college degree because having more job options is never a bad thing. 1. Office Support Supervisor With a median annual salary of $52,602 in 2017, this job as an administrative assistant only requires a high school diploma or the equivalent. This role involves coordinating the activities of clerical and administrative workers in companies. If you can see yourself working in an office space and are fairly organized and responsible, this may be a good option for you. Plus, if you enjoy doing something useful to help others without being in the spotlight, you can perform your duties as an office support supervisor relatively behind the scenes. 2. Real Estate Brokers pexels.com   If you enjoy interacting with people and consider yourself at least somewhat persuasive, a real estate broker could be the job for you. Although the median annual wage is $56,790, brokers’ earnings depend largely on sales commission and so the pay will inevitably vary according to individual skill, economic conditions, and property value. And while brokers don’t typically need on-the-job training, most states do require candidates to pass a licensing exam first. 3. Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians While this job does not require a college degree, most candidates receive some sort of training related to aircraft mechanics in the military or attend a technical school approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. So, if you’re willing to go through a little bit of training beforehand and are interested in something mechanics-related, you could potentially earn about $60,170 annually. 4.  Makeup Artist pexels.com If you’re eyeing something a bit more on the creative and artistic side, you might consider becoming a makeup artist in the theatrical performance field. According to wallst.com, more than 22 percent of theatrical makeup artists did not graduate from high school and the median annual salary is still an impressive $60,970. 5. Media and Communication Equipment Worker If you have a working knowledge of various types of equipment (e.g. spotlight operators or satellite communications), you could be an equipment worker in the media and communication field. A great thing about this job besides the median annual wage of $75,700   is that it involves only short-term on-the-job training.