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.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
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.
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