My advice for future students in Angie's English 304 class is to make sure you keep up with all of your assignments. The assignments are not very difficult, but they can be easily forgotten. Make sure to always check the weekly to do list, and make a note to remind yourself what needs to be done. Especially during the weeks when the class does not meet in Second Life, it is easy to forget to do your blog post or weekly assignment. You need to create some sort of system to remind yourself to do everything on the to do list. Different things work for different people, but I always wrote down the list on a post-it note and checked things off as I did them. The major projects during the semester are done in groups. Make sure you get to know your group well, and make sure your group stays on top of the group work. It can be hard to coordinate schedules, so be sure to try to work in advance.
Most of the assignments are small and may not take a lot of time to complete. While the assignments seem small, you can get a lot out of them. Be sure to take the assignments seriously, and try your best in your writing assignments. The more effort you put into your writing assignments the better you will become at business writing. I have already been able to apply a lot of the advice and writing techniques I have learned in this class to things I do in other classes. Angie is very helpful, and be sure to pay attention to her feedback because it will not only help you in preparing your final portfolio but it will also help you in becoming a better writer.
Second Life will seem very strange in the beginning, and it honestly is still a very strange concept to me. While it can be weird having class in SL, it really is not that difficult. I would make sure to spend some time in SL on your own before you meet in class. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with the basics. Also, make sure your computer can handle a program like SL. I had to order more virtual memory for my computer to handle the program. If you have any problems with SL running on your computer, you should take a visit to CCIT. They were very helpful to me when I was having trouble with it. It is very different to be chatting online for a class. Take advantage of this unique opportunity and consider the effects technology has on the future in education.
Lastly, if you ever need anything you should never hesitate to ask Angie for help. She is available for help whenever you need her, and she is always willing to work with you. She has the best interest of her students at heart, and she really wants you to be the best student and writer you can be. It is obvious that she is passionate about what she does, which makes her class that much better.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Watergate
The Watergate scandal is one of the biggest political scandals in US history. Watergate involved a series of events, but the scandal began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering the Democratic National Committee's headquarters in the Watergate hotel. The break-in was found to be in connection with people at the top of the government. A thorough investigation of the activities revealed several other unethical activities that were happening in the White House. When tapes of recorded conversations from the White House were discovered, it was revealed that Nixon had known about these events, and he had tried to cover up the burglary. These tapes proved that Nixon had obstructed justice, and he was forced to resign.
I was unable to find any examples of written documents illustrating communication between those involved in the scandal during that time. The main sources of communication were through phone conversations. After reading through some of the transcripts from the tapes, I was able to see some repeating themes. These tapes obviously use different language than a written document would use because a conversation is much more casual. In the transcripts, there were several instances where the person speaking would just sort of trail off and not finish the sentence. They would start a thought and basically leave it to the person on the other end to figure out the rest so that they were not explicitly saying what was going on. Both Nixon and the people he had conversations with obviously knew what they were doing was wrong. They would not have been so secretive in their conversations unless there was something unethical occurring. There were many, many instances of the person saying, “um…” or “uh…” These hesitations again show that Nixon and the people conversing with him knew that had to be careful about what they said. They were obviously trying to cover something. The conversations were very hard to follow because there were a lot of unfinished thoughts.
What I did find interesting, though, was that there were also several instances where they suddenly would use specific names and be much more obvious what they were talking about. In reading the entire transcripts, it is quite obvious what that Nixon was trying to cover up the break-in, but some parts of the conversations were very vague and some were a little more specific. I found this inconsistency to be very interesting. Overall, they used very ambiguous language. In reading the transcripts, it was easy to see how the language was altered because they were trying to hide something. I could not get the audio to work on my computer, but I wish I could listen to the tapes because I feel like their voices and tones would also be a very large indicator that they were trying to hide something they knew was wrong.
I find it very sad that this corruption and scandal was so large. The President is supposed to be a leader for the country, and it is disappointing to see such a huge ethical lapse. It seems like many large ethical lapses come from people who have a lot of power and control. Once people have control, they will do whatever it takes to keep it. It is disappointing to see a strong leader engage in such activities because they set a standard for the nation. In my last post, I discussed the fact that once a small ethical lapse is made, it becomes easier and easier to make more lapses. The many unethical activities involved in Watergate help prove this point. Once someone allows one small ethical lapse, those lapses can lead to larger unethical acts. It is important to act ethically in all situations and not let any unethical act be viewed as something so small that it does not matter. An ethical lapse, no matter how large or small, is unacceptable.
I was unable to find any examples of written documents illustrating communication between those involved in the scandal during that time. The main sources of communication were through phone conversations. After reading through some of the transcripts from the tapes, I was able to see some repeating themes. These tapes obviously use different language than a written document would use because a conversation is much more casual. In the transcripts, there were several instances where the person speaking would just sort of trail off and not finish the sentence. They would start a thought and basically leave it to the person on the other end to figure out the rest so that they were not explicitly saying what was going on. Both Nixon and the people he had conversations with obviously knew what they were doing was wrong. They would not have been so secretive in their conversations unless there was something unethical occurring. There were many, many instances of the person saying, “um…” or “uh…” These hesitations again show that Nixon and the people conversing with him knew that had to be careful about what they said. They were obviously trying to cover something. The conversations were very hard to follow because there were a lot of unfinished thoughts.
What I did find interesting, though, was that there were also several instances where they suddenly would use specific names and be much more obvious what they were talking about. In reading the entire transcripts, it is quite obvious what that Nixon was trying to cover up the break-in, but some parts of the conversations were very vague and some were a little more specific. I found this inconsistency to be very interesting. Overall, they used very ambiguous language. In reading the transcripts, it was easy to see how the language was altered because they were trying to hide something. I could not get the audio to work on my computer, but I wish I could listen to the tapes because I feel like their voices and tones would also be a very large indicator that they were trying to hide something they knew was wrong.
I find it very sad that this corruption and scandal was so large. The President is supposed to be a leader for the country, and it is disappointing to see such a huge ethical lapse. It seems like many large ethical lapses come from people who have a lot of power and control. Once people have control, they will do whatever it takes to keep it. It is disappointing to see a strong leader engage in such activities because they set a standard for the nation. In my last post, I discussed the fact that once a small ethical lapse is made, it becomes easier and easier to make more lapses. The many unethical activities involved in Watergate help prove this point. Once someone allows one small ethical lapse, those lapses can lead to larger unethical acts. It is important to act ethically in all situations and not let any unethical act be viewed as something so small that it does not matter. An ethical lapse, no matter how large or small, is unacceptable.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Ethical Lapses
After reading the article "Ethical Lapses Distract US Workers," I was very surprised to learn the statistics about the number of ethical dilemmas that are frequently faced in the workplace. It is actually sad to see so many people reporting that they witness ethical lapses on a regular basis. I guess one of the biggest issues is how our society should help solve this problem before it becomes larger. Since I have been at Clemson, I have seen efforts by the professors to instill good ethics in its students. In my accounting classes the last two semesters, we have had to write papers analyzing a hypothetical ethical dilemma. I personally do not feel like I get much out of these exercises because I do not think ethics is something that can be taught in a classroom. I think that professors can be a positive influence by demonstrating good ethics to their students, but I personally feel that the problem regarding ethics has to be tackled primarily by the individual companies in the workplace.
The article mentions that a company needs to educate its employees about what is appropriate. Different fields will require different approaches to ethics, and I think the company needs to stress the importance of ethical behavior to its employees. By showing employees that they take ethics seriously, companies may have more of an impact on employees. Additionally, the article presents a very good point when it mentions the need to address the smallest problems. I think that many times companies and employees tend to overlook small ethical lapses because they think that it is too small to really hurt anything. The problem is that once you allow some lapses in ethical behavior, people get used to that kind of behavior being acceptable. I guess you can view the problem by saying there will be a "slippery slope." Once small mistakes are allowed, gradually larger slip-ups are going to occur. To show employees that they are serious in the demand for ethical behavior, companies have to address even the tiniest issues. By addressing these problems first, companies can avoid having to encounter larger problems.
Again, I do not think ethics is something that can be easily taught. The best way to "teach" ethics is to lead by example. Companies have to set a good example for their employees to show the importance of demonstrating ethical behavior.
The article mentions that a company needs to educate its employees about what is appropriate. Different fields will require different approaches to ethics, and I think the company needs to stress the importance of ethical behavior to its employees. By showing employees that they take ethics seriously, companies may have more of an impact on employees. Additionally, the article presents a very good point when it mentions the need to address the smallest problems. I think that many times companies and employees tend to overlook small ethical lapses because they think that it is too small to really hurt anything. The problem is that once you allow some lapses in ethical behavior, people get used to that kind of behavior being acceptable. I guess you can view the problem by saying there will be a "slippery slope." Once small mistakes are allowed, gradually larger slip-ups are going to occur. To show employees that they are serious in the demand for ethical behavior, companies have to address even the tiniest issues. By addressing these problems first, companies can avoid having to encounter larger problems.
Again, I do not think ethics is something that can be easily taught. The best way to "teach" ethics is to lead by example. Companies have to set a good example for their employees to show the importance of demonstrating ethical behavior.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Writing on Paper vs. Writing on the Web
Writing on the Web is a lot different than writing on paper, but there are similarities between the two types of writing. For any type of writing, it is important to analyze your audience and purpose. The only way to write an effective piece is to make sure your writing is appropriate for your audience and purpose. The differences between writing on the Web and on paper come from the large differences in the audience and purpose for these two types of writing.
When readers are reading something on the Web, they tend to do more skimming rather than reading straight through an entire document. Knowing the reading style of the audience is important in determining how to structure the writing. Because readers rarely read everything on the page, it is important to put the main idea first in order to make sure your readers have not already stopped reading before they get to the most important parts. The book refers to this method as the inverted-pyramid method.
When I am reading information on the Web I know I tend to overlook things if I see large chunks of information presented at once. If the same amount of information was presented as several short paragraphs, I would be much more likely to read the information. Organization is very important when writing something on the Web. The layout should be easy to follow, and there should be many headings and subheadings. When there are headings, readers can see what to expect in the following text. Unlike reading something on paper, reading on the Web tends to be a lot less sequential. Readers scan for the information for which they are looking, and headings make it easy to do this. Also, the Web has the ability to include hyperlinks, which written text obviously cannot do. Knowing that readers may not read a lot of information on a page, a writer can give links to related pages. If a reader if looking for more information, he or she can follow the link.
The biggest differences in writing on the Web and on paper come from the layout and organization of the writing. When transferring a previously written document to the Web, it is important to adjust the layout to make it easily read on the Web. This can be done by making smaller paragraphs and including headings and subheadings. Also, writing on the Web should show separate parapraphs by putting a blank line in between them, while writing on paper would have indented paragraphs. Any changes made to a document that is posted on the Web should be properly noted, and it is important to gain permission from the author before posting a document on the Web.
When readers are reading something on the Web, they tend to do more skimming rather than reading straight through an entire document. Knowing the reading style of the audience is important in determining how to structure the writing. Because readers rarely read everything on the page, it is important to put the main idea first in order to make sure your readers have not already stopped reading before they get to the most important parts. The book refers to this method as the inverted-pyramid method.
When I am reading information on the Web I know I tend to overlook things if I see large chunks of information presented at once. If the same amount of information was presented as several short paragraphs, I would be much more likely to read the information. Organization is very important when writing something on the Web. The layout should be easy to follow, and there should be many headings and subheadings. When there are headings, readers can see what to expect in the following text. Unlike reading something on paper, reading on the Web tends to be a lot less sequential. Readers scan for the information for which they are looking, and headings make it easy to do this. Also, the Web has the ability to include hyperlinks, which written text obviously cannot do. Knowing that readers may not read a lot of information on a page, a writer can give links to related pages. If a reader if looking for more information, he or she can follow the link.
The biggest differences in writing on the Web and on paper come from the layout and organization of the writing. When transferring a previously written document to the Web, it is important to adjust the layout to make it easily read on the Web. This can be done by making smaller paragraphs and including headings and subheadings. Also, writing on the Web should show separate parapraphs by putting a blank line in between them, while writing on paper would have indented paragraphs. Any changes made to a document that is posted on the Web should be properly noted, and it is important to gain permission from the author before posting a document on the Web.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Eat, Pray, Love
Over Spring Break, I read Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. She takes a year of her life to travel to Italy, India, and Indonesia. I really enjoyed her writing style. I felt that it was easy to read, and she included a lot of humor into her book. She takes the time to travel because she is searching for happiness in her life. Especially in India, she is searching for a deeper meaning in life, and she describes how she experiences God through meditation. Although her experiences and revelations were deep and full of meaning, she relates them to the audience in a light-hearted way that is easy to understand. I really liked her laid-back style. After reading the book, I felt like I should be on a first name basis with the author because I felt like I knew her so well from the way she communicated her experiences.
I liked the entire book, but I particularly enjoyed the section about her travels in India. At first, she really struggles with meditation. She finds that it is really hard to quiet herself to concentrate on the meditation practices. While she faces many challenges with this form of prayer, she pushes herself to overcome the obstacles. She endures physical pain while trying to sit through the meditation, but by the end of her journey, she comes to actually embrace the meditation practices. I admired her perseverance, and I think it shows an important lesson about how things do not always come easily. There are many things in life that require a struggle before you can reach the good part, and it is important to not give up as soon as something gets hard. I think she comes to love meditation because it was so hard for her in the beginning. Many times, something becomes much greater if you have to endure challenges to reach it.
Another part I liked about the book is that she focuses on experiencing God through her own spirituality and experiences with Him. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about religion. I think that sometimes people get really caught up in the differences in beliefs among different religions or denominations, and I think people need to take a step back to look at the bigger picture. It is not about your religious beliefs; rather, it is about striving to live the best possible life and striving to connect with God or whatever greater being you believe in. In her book, Gilbert does not try to interject anything about her personal beliefs. She simply relates how she reached God through meditation practices, and I really enjoyed the way she discussed the subject. While I do not see myself living at an ashram in India, I do hope that I can one day reach the depth of spirituality that Gilbert found during her stay at the ashram.
I liked the entire book, but I particularly enjoyed the section about her travels in India. At first, she really struggles with meditation. She finds that it is really hard to quiet herself to concentrate on the meditation practices. While she faces many challenges with this form of prayer, she pushes herself to overcome the obstacles. She endures physical pain while trying to sit through the meditation, but by the end of her journey, she comes to actually embrace the meditation practices. I admired her perseverance, and I think it shows an important lesson about how things do not always come easily. There are many things in life that require a struggle before you can reach the good part, and it is important to not give up as soon as something gets hard. I think she comes to love meditation because it was so hard for her in the beginning. Many times, something becomes much greater if you have to endure challenges to reach it.
Another part I liked about the book is that she focuses on experiencing God through her own spirituality and experiences with Him. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about religion. I think that sometimes people get really caught up in the differences in beliefs among different religions or denominations, and I think people need to take a step back to look at the bigger picture. It is not about your religious beliefs; rather, it is about striving to live the best possible life and striving to connect with God or whatever greater being you believe in. In her book, Gilbert does not try to interject anything about her personal beliefs. She simply relates how she reached God through meditation practices, and I really enjoyed the way she discussed the subject. While I do not see myself living at an ashram in India, I do hope that I can one day reach the depth of spirituality that Gilbert found during her stay at the ashram.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Lying on your Resume
I think that it is very sad that it is becoming common to find people lying on their resumes, but it also does not shock me. Since I have not started applying for jobs and I do not have a lot of experience in the working field, I do not personally know people who have lied on their resumes. While I was reading this article, it made me think back to when I was applying to colleges. I knew a lot of people who embellished their college applications to make themselves appear more qualified than they really were. In most cases, people exaggerated the truth, which is still lying. For instance, people would join a club and never once do anything with it, but they would say that they actively participated in the club. It frustrated me to listen to the ways people would try to make themselves seem like a better applicant than they really were. I knew it was not uncommon for entering college students to lie on applications, but I would have hoped that people would be mature enough to report the truth by the time they are applying for jobs after college. After reading this article, I know that is obviously not the case.
I think the problem is growing because more and more people resort to lying about their qualifications. Honest and qualified job applicants feel like they have to make themselves look better because everyone else is lying to look good. The trend continues to grow because as more people lie about their qualifications, more people have to lie to keep up with the competition of the liars. While it is easy to see why this trend is growing, it is not right. Just because other people are lying to get jobs does not make it right for you to lie. Eventually it is going to catch up with you, and most likely, the consequences are going to be far more detrimental to a person's career than if she had simply told the truth in the first place.
I personally would not be satisfied knowing that I got a job using false information, no matter how qualified I felt I was for the job. I think it is wrong to lie about qualifications, and it is wrong to give employers a false impression of who you are. While lying could help someone earn a job, it is going to catch up with them eventually. I think it is sad that our world is full of so many dishonest people. It is sad that employers should even have to question the legitimacy of someone's resume, but changes in technology will help catch future lies. As technology continues to expand, it is going to become much easier for employers to check the validity of resumes. Integrated technology makes it easy for companies to receive access to all sorts of information, and people need to be aware of the risks they face by lying on resumes.
The site offered many tips to help people design an impressive resume. Many people may lie because they do not want an employer to see a large gap in their employment history, and the site gives advice on how to present the truth without emphasizing the gap. Their advice focuses on ways of presenting the truth in a way that highlights all of the good qualities, as opposed to the things that people try to cover up. Many times people do not need to lie about the things they lie about on their resume; instead, they need to change their resume design to draw employers to the qualities they want to highlight. I'm sure there are a lot of helpful resume sites that present the same advice. I hope more and more people are able to learn how to present the truth in a desirable way, and I hope the trend of lying does not continue. It's scary to think of a world full of dishonest people.
I think the problem is growing because more and more people resort to lying about their qualifications. Honest and qualified job applicants feel like they have to make themselves look better because everyone else is lying to look good. The trend continues to grow because as more people lie about their qualifications, more people have to lie to keep up with the competition of the liars. While it is easy to see why this trend is growing, it is not right. Just because other people are lying to get jobs does not make it right for you to lie. Eventually it is going to catch up with you, and most likely, the consequences are going to be far more detrimental to a person's career than if she had simply told the truth in the first place.
I personally would not be satisfied knowing that I got a job using false information, no matter how qualified I felt I was for the job. I think it is wrong to lie about qualifications, and it is wrong to give employers a false impression of who you are. While lying could help someone earn a job, it is going to catch up with them eventually. I think it is sad that our world is full of so many dishonest people. It is sad that employers should even have to question the legitimacy of someone's resume, but changes in technology will help catch future lies. As technology continues to expand, it is going to become much easier for employers to check the validity of resumes. Integrated technology makes it easy for companies to receive access to all sorts of information, and people need to be aware of the risks they face by lying on resumes.
The site offered many tips to help people design an impressive resume. Many people may lie because they do not want an employer to see a large gap in their employment history, and the site gives advice on how to present the truth without emphasizing the gap. Their advice focuses on ways of presenting the truth in a way that highlights all of the good qualities, as opposed to the things that people try to cover up. Many times people do not need to lie about the things they lie about on their resume; instead, they need to change their resume design to draw employers to the qualities they want to highlight. I'm sure there are a lot of helpful resume sites that present the same advice. I hope more and more people are able to learn how to present the truth in a desirable way, and I hope the trend of lying does not continue. It's scary to think of a world full of dishonest people.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Group Business Plan
Our group has chosen to create a water sports business. We are going to sell equipment for a variety of water sports as well as offer rentals for the equipment. Additionally, we are going to offer lessons for activities like snorkeling and parasailing. The name of our business is going to be Snappy Shark Watersports.
Originally, our group was planning to place our business in Coconut Grove, FL. This area in SL seemed like a good place for a business. However, when we met this past week, our group decided to change our place of business to Key West. After exploring Second Life, we saw that a lot of people had established businesses on islands they had made up and created on their own. Most of the places we visited had very low traffic coming to the area. Obviously, low visitors does not help create a successful business. Then we visited Key West, and we noticed that this area had a lot of traffic. We reasonably concluded that people are more likely to visit places in SL that actually exist in real life. Key West is a well known tourist and vacation area, and people are attracted to it. People know about the attraction to Key West in real life, so they are also drawn to the area in SL. In reality, businesses in Key West receive a lot of business from vacationers, and we feel that the same is true in SL. Since our target audience is mainly vacationers, we decided that Key West is the perfect area for our business.
Key West already has a lot of businesses, so we know that competition might be difficult. For this reason, we have also decided to try to partner with an existing resort or hotel. By doing so, both our business and the business of the hotel or resort would benefit. It would greatly help our starting business because we could easily get business from their already established clients.
The businesses in SL seem to follow many of the same trends and patterns of businesses in the real world. Recognizing the similarities, we have made decisions that we would make in a business setting in real life. Our decision to create a partnership is definitely a trend seen in real life businesses. Based on our research in SL, I feel that our business decisions will be successful in SL.
Originally, our group was planning to place our business in Coconut Grove, FL. This area in SL seemed like a good place for a business. However, when we met this past week, our group decided to change our place of business to Key West. After exploring Second Life, we saw that a lot of people had established businesses on islands they had made up and created on their own. Most of the places we visited had very low traffic coming to the area. Obviously, low visitors does not help create a successful business. Then we visited Key West, and we noticed that this area had a lot of traffic. We reasonably concluded that people are more likely to visit places in SL that actually exist in real life. Key West is a well known tourist and vacation area, and people are attracted to it. People know about the attraction to Key West in real life, so they are also drawn to the area in SL. In reality, businesses in Key West receive a lot of business from vacationers, and we feel that the same is true in SL. Since our target audience is mainly vacationers, we decided that Key West is the perfect area for our business.
Key West already has a lot of businesses, so we know that competition might be difficult. For this reason, we have also decided to try to partner with an existing resort or hotel. By doing so, both our business and the business of the hotel or resort would benefit. It would greatly help our starting business because we could easily get business from their already established clients.
The businesses in SL seem to follow many of the same trends and patterns of businesses in the real world. Recognizing the similarities, we have made decisions that we would make in a business setting in real life. Our decision to create a partnership is definitely a trend seen in real life businesses. Based on our research in SL, I feel that our business decisions will be successful in SL.
Reflection on Mock Interview
My mock interview in Second Life was much easier than I expected. I wasn't as nervous as I would have been if I were having an interview face-to-face. Although my interview went well, I came away with the opinion that Second Life interviews are not a great idea. My interview started late due to technical difficulties. It was a little confusing in the beginning because there were a lot of people in the room. It got better once everyone's issues were addressed, and I was able to actually start my interview.
The thing that I found difficult was the time lag due to having to wait for the other person to type. When I was answering a question, I would type the first part of my answer. Then after submitting the first part of my answer, I would continue to answer the question. I felt that is was easier to break up my answer, so I didn't type a really long paragraph and then have the other person bombarded with a lot of text all at once. This strategy seemed to work pretty well, except for the fact that there were a few times that this caused us to be on slightly different pages. I would want to continue to add to my answer to a previous question, and I would already have another question waiting on my screen. Without being in person, it is hard to tell how much they are looking for in each answer, and also it is hard to express that you have more to add to your thoughts.
The waiting aspect also limits the amount of conversation you can have in a short period of time. I felt like a lot more could have been said in a 10-15 minute face-to-face interview, and I did not feel like I got to say a lot during my interview.
Although I did not like having an interview in Second Life, I think it is good experience to have. Additionally, I was able to see the kinds of questions I will be asked in an interview. I think that my responses to all the questions were good, and the only question I hesitated with was responding about a weakness in my character. Obviously everybody has weaknesses, but I was afraid to say something that would make me look really bad; however, I think that employers like to see that you are able to identify both your strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses just show where there is room for imrpovement, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Although it was not the most ideal interview, I think that my good responses and the experience gained from a SL interview led to an overall good experience for me.
The thing that I found difficult was the time lag due to having to wait for the other person to type. When I was answering a question, I would type the first part of my answer. Then after submitting the first part of my answer, I would continue to answer the question. I felt that is was easier to break up my answer, so I didn't type a really long paragraph and then have the other person bombarded with a lot of text all at once. This strategy seemed to work pretty well, except for the fact that there were a few times that this caused us to be on slightly different pages. I would want to continue to add to my answer to a previous question, and I would already have another question waiting on my screen. Without being in person, it is hard to tell how much they are looking for in each answer, and also it is hard to express that you have more to add to your thoughts.
The waiting aspect also limits the amount of conversation you can have in a short period of time. I felt like a lot more could have been said in a 10-15 minute face-to-face interview, and I did not feel like I got to say a lot during my interview.
Although I did not like having an interview in Second Life, I think it is good experience to have. Additionally, I was able to see the kinds of questions I will be asked in an interview. I think that my responses to all the questions were good, and the only question I hesitated with was responding about a weakness in my character. Obviously everybody has weaknesses, but I was afraid to say something that would make me look really bad; however, I think that employers like to see that you are able to identify both your strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses just show where there is room for imrpovement, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Although it was not the most ideal interview, I think that my good responses and the experience gained from a SL interview led to an overall good experience for me.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Goal
In my operations management class, I had to read The Goal by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt. I did not expect to like the book considering it was over 300 pages of talking about a management theory, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. In fact, I wish all textbooks could be written in the same way that Dr. Goldratt wrote this book. He teaches the theory of constraints to his readers by telling the story of a plant manager, Alex Rogo. He takes the readers through Alex's daily life, showing them how Alex learned about the theory of constraints. Instead of writing a book listing all of the rules and principles of the theory of constraints (TOC), Dr. Goldratt taught the method by using Alex as an example. As Alex explored the happenings at his own plant, he discovers what needs to change. Ultimately, the steps he takes to make the changes are the steps for implementing TOC techniques. By following Alex through the decisions that led him to discover the steps for TOC, the reader gets a clear understanding of why TOC works. Instead of just describing the content of the theory like most textbooks do, this book showed the development of the theory. I found this technique much easier to follow and understand than the way a traditional textbook would present a theory.
Another thing I like about the book was that Dr. Goldratt incorporated parts of Alex's personal life into the story. The stress of his job was affecting his marriage, and the turmoil he and his wife were experiencing was included in the book. The book was much more interesting because there were parts about his personal life, which helped break up the technical content of the majority of the book. It also helped show how much impact your involvement in a job can have on your personal life. While I was supposed to be concentrating on learning the practices of the theory of constraints, I couldn't help but to dwell on Alex's personal life as I read the book. It made me realize how important it is to establish a clear balance between your work and personal life. No matter how stressful a job or career may get, it is essential that you take the time to spend time with the people who are an important part of your life. I think many times it's easy for people to get caught up in their obligations at work, and it is easy to stop spending as much time with your family because the thought is that they will always be there. If you constantly make it a habit to put work first, it will definitely strain the relationships in your life. This book taught me an important lesson about the importance of establishing a good balance between work and personal life. As someone who will be starting a career in just a few years, I think it's important to start thinking about what really matters to me. You have to establish your priorities early on because it is hard to change them once you get into the habit of something else.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Aside from the theory of constraints techniques that could be useful in a management position, I learned important lessons about life in general. There is so much more to learn in life than just the facts and principles that are generally taught in a classroom. It was refreshing to read something for a class that helped me gain knowledge that I can use both inside and outside of the classroom, which I think is very important.
Another thing I like about the book was that Dr. Goldratt incorporated parts of Alex's personal life into the story. The stress of his job was affecting his marriage, and the turmoil he and his wife were experiencing was included in the book. The book was much more interesting because there were parts about his personal life, which helped break up the technical content of the majority of the book. It also helped show how much impact your involvement in a job can have on your personal life. While I was supposed to be concentrating on learning the practices of the theory of constraints, I couldn't help but to dwell on Alex's personal life as I read the book. It made me realize how important it is to establish a clear balance between your work and personal life. No matter how stressful a job or career may get, it is essential that you take the time to spend time with the people who are an important part of your life. I think many times it's easy for people to get caught up in their obligations at work, and it is easy to stop spending as much time with your family because the thought is that they will always be there. If you constantly make it a habit to put work first, it will definitely strain the relationships in your life. This book taught me an important lesson about the importance of establishing a good balance between work and personal life. As someone who will be starting a career in just a few years, I think it's important to start thinking about what really matters to me. You have to establish your priorities early on because it is hard to change them once you get into the habit of something else.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Aside from the theory of constraints techniques that could be useful in a management position, I learned important lessons about life in general. There is so much more to learn in life than just the facts and principles that are generally taught in a classroom. It was refreshing to read something for a class that helped me gain knowledge that I can use both inside and outside of the classroom, which I think is very important.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Cover Letters
I did not know that much about the use of cover letters, so this website was very helpful to me. For the most part, I agreed with everything they said. The only piece of advice that I found strange was the part where they said to handwrite the P.S. statement. To me, that seems like a very informal addition to a formal document. If I personally saw something handwritten, I would think that the person forgot and threw it on the page at the last minute. They said that it would be the first thing read, which I do agree with. The statement would definitely stand out, which I guess is what you would be going for. Maybe I just didn't like this piece of advice because it doesn't really seem to be my style. I'm the kind of person that likes everything to look perfect and to be uniform, and it would bother me to write it in. I suppose that it may work for some people, but I do not see myself doing that.
The website as a whole was very useful, but the part that I found the most beneficial was the sample. I like to see an example of what people are telling me because I think it makes it easier to understand. Even though a lot of their advice was easy and simple to follow, it really helped me to see all the advice put together into one good example of a cover letter.
I didn't realize that a cover letter was supposed to focus so much on the company and that it was supposed to be so specific. After reading everything the website says, it makes perfect sense. The purpose of your resume is to show them your qualifications and show them who you are, and the cover letter does not need to restate that. The cover letter should be used to show them how you can specfically add to their company's goals and needs. Overall, I found this website very useful, and I know I will be referring to it as I write my cover letters.
The website as a whole was very useful, but the part that I found the most beneficial was the sample. I like to see an example of what people are telling me because I think it makes it easier to understand. Even though a lot of their advice was easy and simple to follow, it really helped me to see all the advice put together into one good example of a cover letter.
I didn't realize that a cover letter was supposed to focus so much on the company and that it was supposed to be so specific. After reading everything the website says, it makes perfect sense. The purpose of your resume is to show them your qualifications and show them who you are, and the cover letter does not need to restate that. The cover letter should be used to show them how you can specfically add to their company's goals and needs. Overall, I found this website very useful, and I know I will be referring to it as I write my cover letters.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Second Life Interviews
I find it absolutely crazy that companies are actually starting to do interviews in Second Life. I really don't feel like you can get a good interview with a potential employee by conducting the interview in a virtual world. There are many problems with technology that may cause a perfectly good candidate to lose the job, and because of the uncertainty that is involved with the Internet, there may also be some unworthy candidates that get a job. For example, the Second Life program takes up a lot of space on the computer. There are problems with the program freezing. Even with the little experience I have had in SL, my computer has frozen several times. This can create bad situations in interviews. The example of the guy handing over a beer instead of his resume is another good example. I don't believe that anyone would ever make that mistake in person. When you have little experience with the program, it is easy to make these kinds of mistakes. Mistakes such as these give a bad impression of the person, when in reality, such mistakes in a SL program are not an indicator of someone's qualification's for a job. On the other hand, it would be easy for someone to make themselves appear better than they are. There is no way of knowing who is physically sitting at the computer and typing during the interview. Someone who may not be good at answering interview questions could be having someone else participate in the interview. These examples show why it is important that SL interviews have to be supplemented with live interviews; however, even with a live interview, I don't think SL interviews are a good idea. SL interviews are most likely used to create first impressions, and once those first impressions are made, they are going to be difficult to break. I don't feel like SL gives people a fair opportunity to show who they really are in an interview.
The article mentioned that it's better than live interviews because you can always hit the backspace button. If I were being interviewed, it might be nice to have the option to change what I say, but from an employer's standpoint, I think the main purpose of an interview is to see how a person reacts on the spot. I feel that SL does not give a candidate a fair chance to show their interest in the job or to show their true character when all they are doing is typing responses. I also do not think that employers get a fair idea of what the candidate is actually like.
It seems like companies may like the idea of conducting interviews through SL because it's cheaper and easier. The person conducting the interview can be anywhere they want to be, and they don't have to pay for travel expenses. Interviews over the Internet are convenient and easy. While it may seem like a better option, I think it is worth the price and hassle to get a real interview with a person. By putting forth the extra effort in the interviewing process, companies can save themselves time and money later when they are not facing problems due to bad hiring decisions.
In some situations, I can see where companies feel that SL is a good interviewing technique. In the case with the police force needing people to help regulate crime on the Internet, an interview over the Internet may be appropriate. It would show that the job applicant has knowledge and experience in SL. Some companies that heavily rely on computer software may also be the type of company that considers a SL interview. If a technologically based company wants to see that a job applicant has basic experience with programs like SL, the interview in SL could work. I think there are very few companies that are looking for people who have the skills to navigate SL, and overall I do not think that SL interviews would be effective.
The article mentioned that it's better than live interviews because you can always hit the backspace button. If I were being interviewed, it might be nice to have the option to change what I say, but from an employer's standpoint, I think the main purpose of an interview is to see how a person reacts on the spot. I feel that SL does not give a candidate a fair chance to show their interest in the job or to show their true character when all they are doing is typing responses. I also do not think that employers get a fair idea of what the candidate is actually like.
It seems like companies may like the idea of conducting interviews through SL because it's cheaper and easier. The person conducting the interview can be anywhere they want to be, and they don't have to pay for travel expenses. Interviews over the Internet are convenient and easy. While it may seem like a better option, I think it is worth the price and hassle to get a real interview with a person. By putting forth the extra effort in the interviewing process, companies can save themselves time and money later when they are not facing problems due to bad hiring decisions.
In some situations, I can see where companies feel that SL is a good interviewing technique. In the case with the police force needing people to help regulate crime on the Internet, an interview over the Internet may be appropriate. It would show that the job applicant has knowledge and experience in SL. Some companies that heavily rely on computer software may also be the type of company that considers a SL interview. If a technologically based company wants to see that a job applicant has basic experience with programs like SL, the interview in SL could work. I think there are very few companies that are looking for people who have the skills to navigate SL, and overall I do not think that SL interviews would be effective.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Persuasion
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" when he was in jail in Birmingham, Alabama in April of 1963. King was in jail for his non-violent protest against segregation. His letter is a response to the statement of several clergymen who agreed that injustices were apparent in society but that it was the job of the courts to rule on the matter. They did not believe that the issue should be resolved on the streets in society. King's letter is used to disprove the statement made by the clergymen. King believes that the only way to get rid of segregation is for the oppressed people to stand up and show that they will no longer allow it. His persuasive letter aims to show how civil disobedience is effective and that it is the best way to fight for an end to segregation. He encourages a peaceful protest, saying that violence will only worsen the problem for his people.
In his writing, King uses many different elements of persuasion. He uses examples of people in history who have gotten what they wanted through civil disobedience. By showing that other people have successfully accomplished what he is advocating, King shows that his peaceful protest will also work. King also recognizes the arguments of the people who are against him, and he addresses the thoughts of his opponents. He takes their arguments, and he argues against them. He tries to show how their thoughts are faulty, but by presenting both sides, he makes the audience of his letter for those people both for and against him. He already has the support of the people on his side, so he is mainly trying to persuade those against him. He knows his audience, and he knows how to reach them. King is also very successful in his persuasion by bringing in many religious examples. He uses religion to justify his cause.
I found an article about an open position in a child care center in Atlanta. The facility is looking for a manger to oversee all of their programs and to help hire people. Although very different from King's piece, this article can also be seen as a persuasive piece. The article tries to make the job look appealing by giving its description and the benefits. Unlike King's letter, this article has a very narrow audience. This piece is written for people who would want this sort of job. The purpose of the article is much different from King's letter, so it is written in a much different manner. The article does not use flowery language, religion, and historic examples; instead, the article gives a very straightforward description of the job. People reading this piece would already be interested in this sort of work. This article aims to show how their job position may be different from other places, and it is trying to persuade an applicant that their position is the best available. They accomplish this goal by laying out all of the benefits of the job, showing how it may be different from others. The article uses a simple business-like writing style. It is short and to the point. Although King's letter and the article I found about a job opening are extremely different, both are successful pieces of persuasive writing. By looking at these two pieces, it is easy to see how writing has to adapt to the needs of the intended audience.
In his writing, King uses many different elements of persuasion. He uses examples of people in history who have gotten what they wanted through civil disobedience. By showing that other people have successfully accomplished what he is advocating, King shows that his peaceful protest will also work. King also recognizes the arguments of the people who are against him, and he addresses the thoughts of his opponents. He takes their arguments, and he argues against them. He tries to show how their thoughts are faulty, but by presenting both sides, he makes the audience of his letter for those people both for and against him. He already has the support of the people on his side, so he is mainly trying to persuade those against him. He knows his audience, and he knows how to reach them. King is also very successful in his persuasion by bringing in many religious examples. He uses religion to justify his cause.
I found an article about an open position in a child care center in Atlanta. The facility is looking for a manger to oversee all of their programs and to help hire people. Although very different from King's piece, this article can also be seen as a persuasive piece. The article tries to make the job look appealing by giving its description and the benefits. Unlike King's letter, this article has a very narrow audience. This piece is written for people who would want this sort of job. The purpose of the article is much different from King's letter, so it is written in a much different manner. The article does not use flowery language, religion, and historic examples; instead, the article gives a very straightforward description of the job. People reading this piece would already be interested in this sort of work. This article aims to show how their job position may be different from other places, and it is trying to persuade an applicant that their position is the best available. They accomplish this goal by laying out all of the benefits of the job, showing how it may be different from others. The article uses a simple business-like writing style. It is short and to the point. Although King's letter and the article I found about a job opening are extremely different, both are successful pieces of persuasive writing. By looking at these two pieces, it is easy to see how writing has to adapt to the needs of the intended audience.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
My Future
It's really hard for me to say where I see myself ten years from now, because I change my mind every single day. I will share today's view of where I see myself in ten years, even though that vision could change tomorrow. Ten years from now I will be thirty, so I hope to be "settled" down by then.
In the next ten years, I hope to fully enjoy young adult life. After graduation, I want to go to grad school. I want to become certified as a therapeutic recreation specialist and also possibly a child life specialist. I am hoping to find a program that will be able to incorporate both subjects. After becoming certified, I would like to find a job where I could work with kids in hospitals. I am hoping to find a job that would be easy to work part-time, because I want to have a flexible job when I start having kids. I really don't care a whole lot about the job description, as long as I can work around kids. Eventually, I would like to use my business background to manage and oversee programs in a children's hospital.
Ideally, I would work somewhere around Atlanta, and I would be living in a suburb outside of Atlanta. I hope to be living close to my family, because they are very important to me. My sisters and I are very close, and I think it would be fun if we all lived somewhat near each other. Ten years from now, I hope to be married and starting my own family. I don't want to put a timeline on marriage and kids, but it would be nice to be married with maybe one child by the time I'm thirty.
My biggest goal is just that I'm happy and that I find myself doing what I know I am supposed to be doing in life. I know that my path may take me in directions very different from what I envision, but I hope that ultimately I like where I end up.
In the next ten years, I hope to fully enjoy young adult life. After graduation, I want to go to grad school. I want to become certified as a therapeutic recreation specialist and also possibly a child life specialist. I am hoping to find a program that will be able to incorporate both subjects. After becoming certified, I would like to find a job where I could work with kids in hospitals. I am hoping to find a job that would be easy to work part-time, because I want to have a flexible job when I start having kids. I really don't care a whole lot about the job description, as long as I can work around kids. Eventually, I would like to use my business background to manage and oversee programs in a children's hospital.
Ideally, I would work somewhere around Atlanta, and I would be living in a suburb outside of Atlanta. I hope to be living close to my family, because they are very important to me. My sisters and I are very close, and I think it would be fun if we all lived somewhat near each other. Ten years from now, I hope to be married and starting my own family. I don't want to put a timeline on marriage and kids, but it would be nice to be married with maybe one child by the time I'm thirty.
My biggest goal is just that I'm happy and that I find myself doing what I know I am supposed to be doing in life. I know that my path may take me in directions very different from what I envision, but I hope that ultimately I like where I end up.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us
What do you think the title of the video means?
I think that the title of this video is trying to make two points. By emphasizing the "us," I think it is saying that we are the people driving the fast technological changes that today's society is experiencing. The Internet is expanding because we have allowed it to change, and we have put forth the resources to make technology what it is today. The second point I think it is trying to make is that the Internet is using us. In order for the Internet to function, it needs people (us) to put our information into it. For example, a website like facebook is able to function solely because there are people using it and putting their information on the site.
How does Web 2.0 affect someone who is ready to enter the workforce? How does it affect people who are already in the workforce?
The changes in technology and the web affect everyone in the workforce, including those who are just entering the workforce and those who are already in it. Web 2.0 is constantly changing, and it's important for people in the workforce to be able to adapt to these changes. Much of today's business takes place over the Internet, and it's essential for people to know how to use it. Every business is run by technology, and employees need to have the technological knowledge to either get a job or to keep their current jobs. Technology has changed so much just over the past few years and trying to think how technology will advance in the next few years just blows my mind. I think that younger people and recent college graduates have the advantage that they can easily adapt to new technology because they are used to it. I think that it is a much larger challenge for middle-aged and older workers to adapt to the technology because they have less experience with it. I've grown up having to know how to do things on the computer and over the Internet, while my mom on the other hand, was proud of herself for just learning how to send an attachment in an email. She didn't grow up doing everything on the Internet, so she is more hesitant to adapt to these changes. I think the biggest part of changing technology is that both the people entering the workforce and people already in the workforce have to constantly stay up-to-date with the changes. Web 2.0 also affects employees in other ways. The Internet allows personal information to be easily tracked. People have to be careful about the information they put on the Internet.
What do you think it means when it says that we will have to rethink everything?
The changes in technology have definitely changed the way our lives are run. Many things can be accomplished much easier now. Machines do a lot of the work that humans had to do manually. When it says we have to rethink everything, I think it refers to the changes in how jobs are performed. If human jobs are increasingly being replaced by machines, then what is left for people to do? By rethinking things, we now have to teach people how to make a machine do a job rather than teach the person how to actually do the job. Also, I think a lot more time will be spent on innovation because technology is replacing us. Web 2.0 is also causing us to rethink ethical standards. Stealing and cheating is made much easier through the use of Web 2.0. For example, it is very easy for people to download music illegally. Most people don't view this act as the same as walking into a store and stealing a CD, but essentially they are the same thing. Because the web is so large, it is nearly impossible to monitor every act, and it creates a problem of keeping people honest. People may continue to download music illegally because they know they can get away with it. Also, going back to the idea I mentioned in the last section, the Internet contains people's personal information. While it is convenient that I can do my banking online, it is also scary to think about. I think Web 2.0 offers a large problem of privacy. Again, because the web is so large, it is impossible to monitor everything on it. As Web 2.0 continues to grow, I think people need to be careful about what kind of information they are willing to put on the Internet.
I think that the title of this video is trying to make two points. By emphasizing the "us," I think it is saying that we are the people driving the fast technological changes that today's society is experiencing. The Internet is expanding because we have allowed it to change, and we have put forth the resources to make technology what it is today. The second point I think it is trying to make is that the Internet is using us. In order for the Internet to function, it needs people (us) to put our information into it. For example, a website like facebook is able to function solely because there are people using it and putting their information on the site.
How does Web 2.0 affect someone who is ready to enter the workforce? How does it affect people who are already in the workforce?
The changes in technology and the web affect everyone in the workforce, including those who are just entering the workforce and those who are already in it. Web 2.0 is constantly changing, and it's important for people in the workforce to be able to adapt to these changes. Much of today's business takes place over the Internet, and it's essential for people to know how to use it. Every business is run by technology, and employees need to have the technological knowledge to either get a job or to keep their current jobs. Technology has changed so much just over the past few years and trying to think how technology will advance in the next few years just blows my mind. I think that younger people and recent college graduates have the advantage that they can easily adapt to new technology because they are used to it. I think that it is a much larger challenge for middle-aged and older workers to adapt to the technology because they have less experience with it. I've grown up having to know how to do things on the computer and over the Internet, while my mom on the other hand, was proud of herself for just learning how to send an attachment in an email. She didn't grow up doing everything on the Internet, so she is more hesitant to adapt to these changes. I think the biggest part of changing technology is that both the people entering the workforce and people already in the workforce have to constantly stay up-to-date with the changes. Web 2.0 also affects employees in other ways. The Internet allows personal information to be easily tracked. People have to be careful about the information they put on the Internet.
What do you think it means when it says that we will have to rethink everything?
The changes in technology have definitely changed the way our lives are run. Many things can be accomplished much easier now. Machines do a lot of the work that humans had to do manually. When it says we have to rethink everything, I think it refers to the changes in how jobs are performed. If human jobs are increasingly being replaced by machines, then what is left for people to do? By rethinking things, we now have to teach people how to make a machine do a job rather than teach the person how to actually do the job. Also, I think a lot more time will be spent on innovation because technology is replacing us. Web 2.0 is also causing us to rethink ethical standards. Stealing and cheating is made much easier through the use of Web 2.0. For example, it is very easy for people to download music illegally. Most people don't view this act as the same as walking into a store and stealing a CD, but essentially they are the same thing. Because the web is so large, it is nearly impossible to monitor every act, and it creates a problem of keeping people honest. People may continue to download music illegally because they know they can get away with it. Also, going back to the idea I mentioned in the last section, the Internet contains people's personal information. While it is convenient that I can do my banking online, it is also scary to think about. I think Web 2.0 offers a large problem of privacy. Again, because the web is so large, it is impossible to monitor everything on it. As Web 2.0 continues to grow, I think people need to be careful about what kind of information they are willing to put on the Internet.
Friday, January 18, 2008
About Me
Hi! My name is Jordan. I'm from Marietta, GA, which is about thirty minutes outside of Atlanta. I'm majoring in business management with a minor in therapeutic recreation. It is a really random combination. I have no clue what I want to do when I graduate. I figure a business degree gives me a lot of options, and I chose my minor because I'm really interested in helping people. Therapeutic recreation offers programs and services to people with disabilities. For the last several summers, I have gone on mission trips to Kingston, Jamaica. We work with an organization that provides a home for orphaned children with mental or physical disabilities. Kingston is like my home away from home. I absolutely love being there, and I would love to spend my life helping others in need. I also really enjoy volunteering. I recently joined Gamma Sigma Sigma, Clemson's service sorority. I like being involved in an organization that is constantly reaching out to others, and there is always an opportunity to do community service.
I love doing water sports. I come from a swimming family. I was a competitive swimmer for 10 years, and both of my younger sisters also swim. While I no longer swim competitively, I am now on the club swim team at Clemson. I also LOVE water skiing. My family has a house on Lake Hartwell, so most of my time in the summer is spent on the lake. Basically, I am happy doing anything that involves being in the water!
I love doing water sports. I come from a swimming family. I was a competitive swimmer for 10 years, and both of my younger sisters also swim. While I no longer swim competitively, I am now on the club swim team at Clemson. I also LOVE water skiing. My family has a house on Lake Hartwell, so most of my time in the summer is spent on the lake. Basically, I am happy doing anything that involves being in the water!
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