5 Cover Letter Mistakes That Will Cost You the Interview

5 Cover Letter Mistakes That Will Cost You the Interview To write a good cover letter is to walk a very fine line between confident salesmanship and not sounding like an arrogant shill. To avoid the common pitfalls, and make sure your great letter isn’t annoying the recruiters for your ideal jobs, eradicate any of the following gaffs from your letter before sending it out again. 1. An Abundance of†Bests† and â€Å"Perfects†Even if you believe it, try not to state that you’re the â€Å"best person for the job,† or even â€Å"a perfect fit.† You don’t need to sell yourself with superlatives. You need to sell yourself with your skills and experience. Come off confident, not cocky. Humble, but not too passive. Figure out what sorts of qualifications you have that make you quote-unquote perfect for the job, then highlight those. Show don’t tell!2. GenericsThe Objective is the thing of the past. Instead of saying what you want (which is the same as what every other candidate wants, by the way), say why you’re uniquely qualified to be an asset to their company and solve all their problems by filling all their needs for this position.3. Unnecessary ExplanationsYou may think it’s a good idea to explain why you left your last job. It isn’t. There’s probably not a way for you to accomplish what you want with this explanation without badmouthing your former employer (bad) or making yourself look bad (worse). Save it for the interview- and only if it comes up. Focus on the positive instead- your forward movement towards increasing your success.4. BuzzwordsYou may be a â€Å"team player.† You may even be â€Å"reliable† and â€Å"a hard worker,† or want to â€Å"maximize your potential.† But these words have become toxic from overuse. Find a new and fresh way to state your case. The recruiter will be both grateful and pleasantly surprised.5. JokesJust assume these aren’t gong to land on paper. They’ll probably have the opposite effect- as in: they won’t be funny. You might even offend someone or come off as unprofessional. Save your witticisms for the interview. Keep the cover letter clean, professional, and surgically precise.

Blood Brother essays

Blood Brother essays Over the years there has been a powerful increase in Aborigines fighting for their rights, by boldly challenging the misrepresentation created by the media and the ignorant myths, which have placed a shadow upon our native people. "Broken English", part of the series of four, "Blood Brothers" was produced by both Rachel Perkins, head of the Aboriginal Unit at SBS Television, and independent film maker Ned Lander. The first episode of the four looks in on the unethical imprisonment of Rupert Max Stuart, a young Arrente man from central Australia, for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl by the name of Mary Hattam. Documentaries are frequently structured and presented to position viewers to agree with a bias point of view. By selecting verbal language, information, creating an effective filmic presentation and utilising doco-drama techniques, the viewer is swayed to believe in Stuart's innocence for a crime by which he was falsely accused. The selection of information was carefully constructed to persuade the viewer to agree with the perspectives of the documentary - that Stuart was wrongly convicted. The producers decided to include all evidence that sided with Stuart to enhance the truth of his virtuousness. For example, an incomprehensible re-enactment, displaying Rupert's natural verbal ability at the time, showed clearly to the viewer that he was not only defenceless, but was completely unaware of what was going on and in no way, was capable of relaying his side of the story - had he ever been given the chance. It also used convincing personalities such as John Starke, the Royal Commission lawyer who took over Stuart's case following Shand's withdrawal and a Catholic Priest, Father Dixon, he too assured of Stuart's innocence. This type of information selected brought credibility to the documentary's persuasive argument showing the corrupt and immoral legal system at the time. When the documentary shows the carniv al organis...

Why the Managing Ethics and Social Responsibility Issue Is Relevant to Essay

Why the Managing Ethics and Social Responsibility Issue Is Relevant to the BP (British Petroleum) - Essay Example Ethics are used for setting the limits in regard to the operations of MNCs in countries worldwide. In its common sense, the term ethics is used for referring to ‘a code or set of principles by which people live’ (Popkin and Stroll 1993, p.1). However, the monitoring of the alignment of organizational decisions with ethics is a difficult task; in fact, it has been proved that most decisions of MNCs may violate ethics, at least at regional level. According to Beer (2010) the decisions of organizations operating in the context of the international market are likely to oppose, more or less, to ethics. Current paper reviews the performance of a well-known multinational corporation, British Petroleum (BP), in regard to ethics. According to the company’s reports, as presented below, the firm highly emphasizes on social responsibility and ethics in regard to all its activities. However, in practice the above argument is not verified. In fact, it is proved that the organiz ation has repeatedly failed in responding to its social responsibilities, causing severe damages on its employees and people living in the areas surrounding its sites; besides, the environmental effects of the firm’s activities cannot be ignored. It is clear that the firm needs to update its operations globally promoting ethics and social responsibility. ... practices with ethics and social responsibility, can be identified by referring to the firm’s existing policies for promoting social responsibility and ethics. At the next level, events proving the violation by the company of ethics will be presented and evaluated using appropriate literature. BP operates in an industry the effects of which on the environment can be significant. For this reason, and under the influence of the accident in Mexico in 2010, the firm has tried to introduce a series of initiatives for improving its relationship with its stakeholders. Daft and Marcic (2008) explain that the organization emphasizes on the continuous increase of its performance in regard to environmental responsibility. Lord John Browne, the Group’s Chief Executive, monitors the performance of the organization in regard to the specific sector (Daft and Marcic 2008, p.149). Browne notes that the increase of the needs in oil and gas annually has led to the increase of environmenta l risks, an issue that it is difficult to be managed effectively, due to the lack of control over the global needs in oil and gas (Daft and Marcic 2008, p.149). Moreover, the firm has introduced ‘an emissions trading system’ (Daft 2007, p.761), in order to improve its performance in locating resources without set environment in risk (Daft 2007, p.761). In addition, the firm has established an Educational Service, which promotes educational schemes for informing students and teachers on the effects of industrial operations on climate change, and the impact of the latter on human life (Ferrell and Hartline 2010, p.556). In 2005 the firm developed its Code of Conduct aiming to show to its stakeholders its efforts in promoting ethics and social responsibility (Ferrell and Hartline 2010, p.556). The

To what extent can employers terminate employment on the grounds of Essay

To what extent can employers terminate employment on the grounds of poor performance - Essay Example This gives an idea about the basic rights which the employees have to be careful about, even if dismissed due to poor performance. This mentions the problems created for the employers when they find it hard to terminate the employees, despite their poor performance because of the high dismissal costs and other compensatory remedies they may be asked by the Tribunals to pay. This explains the topic of employment termination in relation to the employment tribunals and explains the different types of claims which are frequently brought in the Tribunals. This also details the important elements which should be scrutinized before settling the claims. This essay is a discussion about a gravely sensitive issue i.e. employment termination in UK on the grounds of poor performance. The discussion is mainly emphasized on how employers, employees and tribunals separately should deal with this issue. First part is about the various conditions and legal formalities enforced by laws which have to be scrutinized by the employers before finalizing employment termination. Second part reflects how employees can use different rights for unfair dismissal once they are handed over termination notices and the consequences faced by the terminated poor performers. Third part of the essay reveals necessary things to be considered by the Tribunals when they have to deal with the cases of employment termination and ensure fair dismissal. Poor or immature performance is an issue that particularly infuriates employers because this is something directly related to the reputation of an organization and which drastically reduced the overall productivity. But regardless of the threats imposed by poor performance, should the display of such unprofessionalism always resolutely lead to termination of employment straight-off? This is a question which should always be considered before making a decision against an employee, since this

Analysis of Music and Lyrics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Music and Lyrics - Essay Example This song begins with the background of Joy, laughter and merry making on the occasion of Mammy Jinny’s Jubilee or her 2nd year of being an Octogenarian, i.e. 82 years of age. Then they realise that Mammy Jinny is turning 82 and they are very happy to know that. As it turns out to be in the later verses of the song, it becomes a day of celebration, with people coming over with gifts to greet Mammy Jinny and wish her a happy birthday. The singer urges the audience, i.e. the other members around him to sing and dance because â€Å"This is Mammy Jinny’s Day†. He is boisterous and in high spirits asking the girls to hurry up and come along to see the â€Å"sweet birthday cake† that took nearly ten people to bake. The other singer says to count the candles and see if there are only eighty two. He also asks how he would like to have a cake like that baked for him someday. Then the most interesting part begins where the singer narrates that every time the doorbel l rings, there’s some guest or well wisher who is waiting with gifts and presents for Mammy Jinny. From the second verse onwards the lyrical narrative transits into the finer aspects and deeper details of the celebrations. The brand new red bandana that Mammy Jinny is wearing is looking bright and pretty just like Mammy Jinny who seems to be in an elated state. She stood all the while near the door with a smile on her face as the guests and well wishers kept pouring in. Despite being so aged, she still had the energy and spirit of a young woman and greeted everyone with a smile. The narrator is enthusiastic and asks if the people care for some music and dance, then they should â€Å"put their glad rags and come along†. The song is on a high note towards the end with an urge and a temperament to sing and dance with music. History: The song Mammy Jinny’s Jubilee was written almost a century ago in 1913 by Lewis F. Muir (music) and L. Wolfe Gilbert (words). This so ng was written and recorded in 1913, and was a song characteristic and contemporary of its time. Some other recordings of its time are as follows: â€Å"The Band Played On† by Dan W. Quinn, â€Å"After the Ball is over† by George J. Gaskin, â€Å"Paddle your Own Canoe† by Arthur Collins and Bryon G. Harlan. The song like most others by Collins and Harlan Duo represents the African American thought and lifestyle. Similar to our chosen song of â€Å"Mammy Jinny’s Jubilee†, the songs portray the day to day events and emotions of a particular community; they depict tastes and perceptions of different occasions and the way they are celebrated by the African American people. As can be seen from the sheer mirth and joy reflected through the composition and lyrical verses of the song, it shows the importance, love and affection that are showered on the elderly members of the community. A feeling of brotherhood and sharing of common joy is seen through enth usiastic participation of the community members in Mammy Jinny’s eighty-second birthday. They all sing together and bring gifts for Mammy Jinny, and talk about how merrily she greets the guests each time every year, by standing at the door with a smile on her face and a rare energetic burst of youthful spirit even at such an age. Relationships to other music of the time: Some of the other compositions by Lewis Muir and L. Wolfe Gilb

Dostoevsky and Franzen Essay Example for Free

Dostoevsky and Franzen Essay Fyodor Dostoevsky is indisputably one of the greatest writers of his time, and arguably of all time. He earned this status not only by being an unmatched story teller- writing novels so gripping that they are hard to put down- but by infusing his dramas with timeless comedy, poignant social commentary, insightful psychology, and universal philosophical inquiries. His extremely in-depth character development allows for unlimited societal references that every reader can relate to. A most common feeling expressed among readers is that he puts into words what they have always thought about, but never had the words- or the sharp observation- to express. A similar feeling is created by Jonathan Franzen, whose novel, The Corrections, is a bestseller, and not only on account of its hilarious banter and piercing insight. The Corrections is widely hailed as an epic masterpiece that perfectly brings to light the problems of materialism, technology, and alienation in American culture. This is perhaps even more impressive because he is British and not American. Franzen has risen quickly to the top, and The Corrections will continue to be read for many years to come. Though their personal beliefs are entirely different, Franzen and Dostoevsky address many of the same questions regarding family. The psychological breakdown of relationships between family members is key and not only addresses psychology, but also society. Both authors utilize the family as a microcosmic representation for society, and Dostoevsky’s 1880 novel, The Brothers Karamazov, the last of Dostoyevsky’s famous and well-regarded novels, is the best example of this tactic. The Brothers Karamazov begins with a brief family history. The patriarch, Fyodor Karamazov, has three sons (Dimitri, Ivan, and Alyosha) by two different women. Fyodor, preoccupied with hedonistic debauchery, sends his sons to various relatives to be taken care of. Dimitri and Fyodor become enemies as soon as Dimitri is old enough to realize that his father not only has taken no responsibility for him, but is also withholding his inheritance left to him by his dead mother. The feud intensifies when they both fall in love with Grushenka, a woman of notoriously poor reputation. Dimitri, though vengefully abhorrent of his father, has inherited Fyodor’s taste for wine and women. Ivan, the second oldest, is a brooding intellectual, and Alyosha, the youngest, has moved to the monastery under the well-respected Father Zossima. Smerdyakov, the fourth and illegitimate son, is Fyodor’s cook. Smerdyakov is anti-social and epileptic, but loves to talk about philosophy with Ivan. Understandably, Dimitri is blamed when Smerdyakov murders Fyodor, because of the â€Å"overwhelming facts† against him. Ivan loses his mind when he realizes that he is more to blame than the innocent Dimitri, because he subconsciously encouraged, and even hoped for the murder, and Alyosha leaves the monastery on Zossima’s instructions. The Karamazovs forcefully confront the reader with the timeless questions of family. Is love entitled or earned? Are children unconditionally innocent? Are children obliged to love and respect their parents despite neglect and abuse? â€Å"Even while The Brothers Karamazov insists on the innocence of children, it also undercuts this idea, showing how children can be sinful even while they suffer†¦the tension between childhood innocence and childhood guilt is at the very heart of the novel†¦they resemble another category of natural victims, the peasants†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hruska, 472) It is not only the idea of children that is representative of a larger social construct, but nearly every character. Alyosha is the devout Christian. He believes wholeheartedly in the good of human kind and Christ. He is honest, loyal, and compassionate. He is not just a person of faith- he embodies faith. He has faith not only in God, but also in humanity. Though not representative of Dostoevsky himself, Alyosha is an extremely sympathetic character, designed to uphold the principals of faith and Christ against all opposition- and Dostoevsky’s representation of opposition is not slight, but in fact, very thorough. Ivan represents doubt and rationality. His intellectualism is both his strength and his eventual downfall. Though brilliant, it is precisely his doubt that drives him to madness. He is a respectable character, but he is ultimately unsuccessful, exhibiting Dostoevsky’s view on where the path of doubt leads. Fyodor Pavlovich is obviously deplorable and pathetic. He is selfish and greedy. He seeks nothing but pleasure at all costs and is completely uncaring, except, presumably, for Grushenka. He believes that his recognition of his own disgraceful behavior frees him not from outside condemnation, but from true inferiority. His illegitimate son, Smerdyakov, becomes the manifestation of all that is impure in Fyodor. The Lambert family in The Corrections, though lacking in murderous rivalry and unbridled sensuality, is equally disturbing, if only because of its realism. â€Å"We are talking about the family values of the House of Atreus, the Brothers Karamazov, the Mafia, and the Manson Gang. † (Leonard, 6) While Alfred loses his body and mind to Parkinson’s, his wife, Enid, tries desperately to reunite the family for Christmas. The oldest, Gary, is well off and living with his own wife and children in an affluent area of Philadelphia. Denise, the middle child, is a successful and beautiful young chef. Chip is a failed screenplay writer, a failed boyfriend, a failed professor, and a failed son. The Corrections, then, addresses not only the gap between generations, but also the grasp of one on the other. The flyaway children who feel themselves wronged return like boomerangs to the parents whose business it has always been to stamp out errancy†¦ (Leonard, 9) Both Dostoevsky and Franzen push the reader’s limit for sympathy with their extremely flawed, but perhaps forgivable characters. The reader is forced to examine the limits of redemption from greed and â€Å"base† behavior, both in society and in the family. In both novels, the reader is ultimately compelled to forgive any sin where repentance is present. In The Brothers Karamazov, for example, it is easier to forgive Dimitri’s aggression and lies because of his genuine sincerity, while his father, a victim of cold blooded murder, does not evoke the slightest feelings of sympathy, aside, maybe, from sheer pity. In The Corrections, Chip is likable despite his follies not only because of his self-deprecation, but because he has moral principals. Contrary to his brother, Gary, who has a wife, children, and a steady job, but a very capitalistic mindset and a depressed, numb state of living. Denise is a competitive workaholic but is genuinely confused, and the reader his hoping for her salvation because she is so desperately isolated. The novel shifts from a condemnation of the contemporary American materialism to the possibility of family (and, by implication, human) forgiveness. The narrative has been dallying with philosophical questions, but now it lingers†¦I cannot say whether Franzen could have pulled off this miraculous redemption of his story had he not so cruelly set up his Lamberts as crass sinners, but I was sorry it took him so long to acknowledge their capacity for decency†¦(Sayers 23) Perhaps the biggest difference between these two novels is the philosophical dissonance between Dostoevsky and Franzen. While Dostoevsky’s characters clearly represent specific and largely unchanging ideals, Franzen’s creations are muddled and confused. They resemble a deer in the headlights of post-modern America, racing inside, but paralyzed by the chaos of the situation, and unable to move in either direction. Interestingly, though Dostoevksy was a staunch advocate of deep faith while fairly exploring doubt, his ultimate message when is comes to family is far less optimistic than the obviously anti-religious Franzen. This is perhaps dependent on the opposing characters’ abilities to change. Since Dostoevsky’s characters remain of largely the same beliefs and convictions throughout and in spite of their life-changing experiences, they are incapable of true metamorphosis. Franzen’s initially detestable Lambert family is eventually redeemed by each character’s inner-changes, which leads ultimately to a realistically cynical, but still heart-warming loyalty to one-another. The only character who doesn’t change for the better is Alfred, who simply loses his mind, and though the reader is respectful of his work ethic, he is obviously the yoke of the family, whose death is seen as ultimately positive for his wife and children. There is a sense of triumph by the end of the novel, when Enid, who initially looked like an idiot compared to Alfred, is really just in need of independence, and proves to be a lot smarter than she seems. If anyone in The Corrections is radically transformed—and all of them are turned like sucklings on a spit— its Enid at age seventy-five. When Alfred at last is safely dead, she puts on her sudden freedom like a jaunty hat. (Leonard, 8) When the charismatic and brilliant defense attorney asserts the child’s right to demand proof that he should love his father, the audience wholeheartedly approves and supports him, even so far as to applaud despite the judge. The audience, like a Shakespearean chorus, representing the author’s prediction of the reader’s reaction, is totally in favor of Dimitri’s salvation despite full knowledge of past offenses. The reader blames his father for raising a violent deviant. Franzen, on the other hand, provokes a feeling of pity for Enid that makes the reader want to scold her children, understandably irritated though they may be, for not treating their mother with more kindness. The result is a surprising one. Franzen, the postmodern critic of just about everything, takes the route of sympathy and even optimism. His characters change for the better in a very real way. They don’t proclaim that they have decided to devote themselves to God, they have no fear of damnation, they just genuinely have tried and succeeded in improving their relationships. Dostoevsky is focused much more on religion, for a variety of justifiable reasons, but his characters are less fluid. Though each of his characters transforms throughout the novel, it is only by way of rigorous philosophical inquiry. Franzen’s characters, on the other hand, are merely growing up. Enid does not plan to improve her life when her husband dies- she just does. It is a natural progression as opposed to a constant battle fought with violent imagery and empty threats. Franzen frees his characters from every limit set by Dostoevsky- especially God and the fear of moral judgment. The result is not a depressing tale of a family who does not feel an obligated loyalty to one another. On the contrary, the Lambert family transforms only for love. They are not motivated by religion or society. They simply learn to love one another for no other reason than their shared DNA. This is far more optimistic than the picture of a family according to Dostoevsky, because it is universally attainable. SOURCES Hruska, Anne. The Sins of Children in the Brothers Karamazov. Christianity and Literature 54 (2005): 471-495. Parenthetical Citation Leonard, John. Nuclear Fission. Rev. of The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen. New York Review of Books 20 Sept. 2001. Parenthetical Citation Polka, Brayton. Psychology and Theology in the Brothers Karamazov. Journal of Literature and Theology 5 (1991): 1-24. Parenthetical Citation Sayers, Valerie. Caffeinated Realism. Commonweal 21 Dec. 2001: 23-24. Parenthetical Citation

Effects of Prior Knowledge on Generative Tasks Essay -- Philosophy Cre

Effects of Prior Knowledge on Generative Tasks The creation of new ideas plays an important role in the growth of any society. Inventions such as the telephone and automobile have provided the tools for increased levels of communication and widened the access to information. While the modern generation may view these inventions as staples of our society, at the time of their conception they were viewed as revolutionary new concepts. Yet, were they truly revolutionary or were they an extension of prior knowledge? Large proportions of new ideas are based on the properties of an existing concept (Marsh, Ward, & Landau, 1999). Without the concept of the phonograph, for example, we may never have had the benefit of 8-tracks, audio cassettes, or compact discs. These creations, while separate in their levels of advancement, are all based on the initial notion of recorded sound. Researchers recognize the benefits of prior knowledge as adaptive to survival. The fact that humans are able to learn and apply information from previous experience assists in reasoning, problem solving, and comprehension of our environment (Smith, Ward, & Schumacher, 1993). Without the use of prior knowledge it would be impossible to advance cognitively. The benefits notwithstanding, the use of prior knowledge also has the potential of limiting, or constraining, the creative process (Marsh, Bink, & Hicks, 1999; Marsh, Landau, & Hicks, 1996; Marsh, Ward, et al., 1999; Smith, et al., 1993). The theoretical construct of structured imagination proposes that new ... ...iness that expects creative results from its associates. Society may believe an invention is truly revolutionary when, in fact, the creation is most likely a mere extension of a previous thought. References Marsh, R. L., Bink, M. L., & Hicks, J. L. (1999). Conceptual priming in a generative problem-solving task. Memory & Cognition, 27 (2), 355-363. Marsh, R. L., Landau, J. D., & Hicks, J. L. (1996). How examples may (and may not) constrain creativity. Memory & Cognition, 24 (3), 669-680. Marsh, R. L., Ward, T. B., & Landau, J. D. (1999). The inadvertent use of prior knowledge in a generative cognitive task. Memory & Cognition, 27 (1), 94-105. Smith, S. M., Ward, T. B., & Schumacher, J. S. (1993). Constraining effects of examples in a creative generation task. Memory & Cognition, 21 (6), 837-845.