Lisa Finn reports:
"The Fair Labor Standards Act sets 14 as the golden age for employment. Helping your 15-year-old craft an appropriate, well-thought-out resume...can make all the difference in capturing that coveted job...Center the teen’s name at the top of the resume in a font that's larger and bolder than the rest of the information on the resume. His contact information should follow either centered under his name or aligned to the left. It should include his full name and the school he attends. A teenager's street address is not needed; the city and state is acceptable. Include an [email] address rather than his cell phone number because you don’t want an unfamiliar adult having access to a teen’s phone...By providing just an email address, you’ll have a written record of information if you need documentation for any reason. If you feel an email address isn’t enough, include a parent’s or other trusted adult’s phone number for contact...If your teenager has a job or previous work experience, include this information in a section titled 'Experience' under her contact information. Indicate the name of the employer, the dates worked, the job title and duties. If no jobs exist, there are ways to transfer life skills and experiences into valuable, useful skills in the workplace...You should also include academic and [extracurricular] achievements and awards in a section titled 'Achievements and Abilities.' List everything from winning the school spelling competition, to membership on the student council, to sports-associated trophies and medals. If the teen made the honor roll during elementary school and one year into high school, you should note that in this section, too...In a section titled 'Extracurricular Activities,' highlight the teen’s activities...noting the dates of participation. Include any clubs and positions the teen held in the community and at school. If he helped organize a food drive for a religious organization, you should note it, as this kind of involvement shows dedication, a willingness to help others and compassion for the world at large. If your child is a three-sport athlete, this shows reliability...In addition, include any skill that pertains to a desired job, such as computer skills for a research assistant position...Eye-catching prose stands out on a resume. Express achievements by using action-driven words such as 'formed,' [']initiated,' 'improved' and 'arranged.' Finally, make sure the resume is free of grammar and spelling errors." Kim Sarah reports:
"Transcripts are a clear way of writing out academic accomplishments...[Home school] teachers must know how to write a transcript. However, knowing how to write a transcript may help you better understand reading a transcript in any situation. Creating a high school transcript for college acceptance is mandatory. Write the student's personal information at the top of the paper. This can include name, school, class year, class rank, attendance and the cumulative GPA for the student. Write out each year divided into quarters, semesters or however the school year was divided. Begin with the earliest year and work downward on the paper. Under each year write titles such as 'Spring Semester' or 'Fall Semester' to divide up the years. Write out the class titles under the year and semester in which they were taken. As long as they are grouped by the academic term in which they were taken, the classes don't have to be listed in any particular order. Write the grade next to each class. This can be written out in a letter grade such as 'A+' or in numeric form such as '4.0'. It can also be a 'P' for pass or 'F' for fail if taken on a pass[-]fail basis. Write the number of credits earned for each class...next to the grade. Write the total number of credits below the list of credits for each class. If the class was not completed this can be left as a '0'. Write the GPA for each semester or term under the list of classes taken for each semester or term. Put the total credits earned and the cumulative GPA for those credits either at the top or [at the] bottom of the transcript. You might also include a total of credits required alongside credits earned." Charity Tober reports:
"Write a brief biography to introduce yourself, highlight achievements, list credentials and [state] any notable projects with which you are involved. Bios should be short and concise, listing only relevant information. Avoid listing personal statistics, such as family and hobbies; instead angle the bio to the intended audience, whether for a personal website or a professional networking website...Begin the bio by introducing yourself, and always write in the third person...State what year your relevant work experience began, such as 'has been writing professionally since 1999' or 'worked as a consultant since 2001,' and list any areas of specialized expertise...List your education after the introduction sentence, including the name of any degrees you have earned and the institution you attended. Include any other relevant experience, such as additional certifications earned as well as the names of any professional organizations that count you as a member...State any notable achievements or awards earned. Keep the information relevant to the intended audience of the bio. Authors can briefly list the names of any publishing houses or magazine titles where their work has been published. Business professionals can highlight awards or other recognition achieved in their careers...Conclude the bio by briefly stating any current or upcoming projects, such as a new book coming out. The last sentence should state where you reside...Adjust the bio as necessary when your education, expertise or achievements change to reflect the most current information." SaidSimple reports:
"'Constructed-response answer' is the newfangled term for what we used to call a 'short-answer essay question.' All it means is that you're going to answer the question in one well-written paragraph...Don't just copy the question; restate the question in your answer...Answer all parts of the question...Find a quote that proves what you're trying to say...REMEMBER: [Y]ou need to put quotation marks around any quote you use!...Why, of all the sentences that are written in the book or article you used, did you choose the sentence you chose?...Begin your analysis with the phrase, 'This shows that...' Then tell us what it shows...Briefly restate your topic sentence...with a standard conclusion phrase: 'In conclusion...' or 'As you can see...'" Angela Booth reports:
"In essence, a serial is a part-work. Instead of writing a novel of 100,000 words, you publish your novel as 'episodes'. You choose the number of episodes. You could write ten episodes of 10,000 words, for example. The big benefit of serial publication is this: [I]t keeps you writing...I love writing novels, but I know that I’ll lose motivation. Not simply because I risk getting bored, but also...no matter how much you love it, [it] can be a slog. You can also make more money from serial publication. However, that’s rarely your primary reason for writing serials. Your primary reason is that you publish faster, and you publish more regularly. These days, the more often you can appear in Amazon’s New Releases listings, the better. You’ll get a sales bump for all your fiction each time you publish...[A] novel has a structure. It has a beginning, middle and end, to put it simply. A serial[,] on the other hand, has elements which motivate readers to keep reading...If you replace 'chapter' with 'episode', you’ll get an idea of how serial fiction works. You need to motivate readers to look for, and buy, the next episode of the serial...You can use serial fiction in another way, too. You can use it to market your ebooks...You may write a serial for any number of reasons. Some authors use them for marketing. I’ve ghostwritten short serials, of just five 12,000[-]word episodes. In one instance, the client wanted to boost sales of his two-novel series. In another, the client wanted to establish himself in a new genre. He hired me to write a quick five-episode serial. He published the serial, while he completed his first novel in his new genre. You can do the same, if you want to get established quickly in a new genre." Lori Rush reports:
"When you arrive at the end of a search for the perfect employee, you will need to write an offer letter. While much of the contents of the letter may have already been discussed in the interview process, writing a formal, signed letter will clearly state your intentions to the future employee and provide ample accountability for everyone. This way, when they accept the offer, there is no question as to your intentions and expectations of your new team member. This letter should be considered as a formal, legal agreement and thus needs to be approached with care...Be sure to provide the details of your new employee’s compensation in the letter. This includes things like paid vacation time, sick leave, and bonus structure. Your bonus structure is likely to be based on particular performance numbers, so be specific about those, and state that the bonus program does not guarantee any minimum payment. Similar considerations apply to commission-based compensation, particularly if there is a draw against commission. Make these aspects of compensation clear in the offer letter so that the employee understands exactly how she will be paid. If there is any confusion later on, this letter will serve as a great reference point...Make sure that you protect yourself in the offer letter. Avoid making promises and omit any mention of the future or language that implies indefinite employment. If the position is contract-based, make those timelines clear in the letter[;] otherwise you will want to include an at-will clause which will allow you to terminate the employment at any time. Keep in mind that stating an annual salary is a sort of promise of future compensation. Rather than stating the total sum you intend to pay over the course of a year, state only a weekly, monthly, or quarterly rate...[The offer letter] should detail some aspects of the position. Detail certain key expectations for the position, including daily and weekly hours you expect from the employee, performance targets, and a general run-down of the job’s duties. If you expect the position to include unforeseen duties, leave ample room for later changes. Using language such as duties include, but are not limited to will help to keep the scope of employment open and with room for flexibility. Both you and your new employee should appreciate a bit of leeway so that the position can expand and change as the business and its market evolves over time." Sara Mahuron reports:
"Writing an official salary proposal is a great way to break the ice and ask for a raise without the awkwardness of asking face-to-face. This allows you to support your argument in a clear well-thought-out manner and gives your employer the opportunity to fully consider your request without feeling put on the spot. Your employer will appreciate your professionalism, even if the company is unable to grant your request...Know when to ask for a raise. If the economy is tough, your employer may be struggling to pay current salaries. If you don't already know, inquire about the health of the company before you assume it can afford award raises. Also be certain that your performance deserves a raise. Time your request around a recent accomplishment or following a series of recognitions...Ask for the raise in the first paragraph of your letter. Do not beat around the bush. Be clear about what you want and the purpose of the letter...Justify your request for a raise in the body of your letter. Research the average pay for your position, factoring in your education level and region. Your justification should be fact[-]based and written objectively, not based on your opinion or simply because you need more money. Also account for the economy and consider its impact on current salaries...Write in a professional and positive tone, refraining from allowing any emotion, desperation or personal issues to surface in your request. It is important that your writing sounds confident and that you show consideration for the business too...Show your employer the same gratitude you are hoping to get in return -- through a raise. Expressing that you are otherwise satisfied with your job, makes your pay an isolated incident worth considering. If you are disgruntled with your job in general, your employer may realize a pay raise will not solve anything in the long term...Prepare for the answer -- even if it is no. Accept the answer professionally and be courteous; sometimes the timing is just not right no matter how valuable you are to the employer. Thank your employer for considering the raise and consider asking for alternatives such as a better title or additional vacation time in lieu of a raise." Printwand reports:
"Conveying tone verbally is relatively easy; you might yell if you’re angry or use dramatic inflection if you’re being sarcastic. However, conveying tone in business writing isn’t as easy since you don’t have the luxury of pitch and timbre to get your point across. Instead, you have to rely on a number of different techniques to make sure your intent comes across clearly and that your tone is dynamic enough to keep your reader entertained...Tailor your tone to appeal to the people you’re writing for...Think about the actual content of your writing and which types of tone are most appropriate. If you were trying to promote a new product, you’d use exciting and energetic language. On the other hand, an apology for a recalled item would use a more serious tone...Consider where your writing will actually appear. A post on a social media platform would be casual and conversational, while a press release would be more professional and informative. These factors help to create the basic blueprint for a tone that makes your business writing more effective, but it’s not something you can calculate like a math problem. To truly bring your writing to life, you must give it its own personality...Your tone gives your writing some personality, which in turn gives your brand a personality...Presenting just the facts alone will leave all of the purchasing decision power to the consumer’s brain. However, present these same facts with a unique tone and you’ll move that decision power to the consumer’s gut, where they’re much more likely to act without hesitation. The easiest way to establish unique types of tone in writing is by having a unique brand. If you have a strong brand identity, you can translate many of those ideals into your copywriting. If you’re not sure about those details, it might be a good time to put together a brand 'bible' and establish your identity. Once you know what your brand is all about, try taking these qualities and creating a 'character' that embodies your brand...Creating a character makes it easier to think about how your brand would speak if it had a mouth–or more importantly, how it would write if it had fingers. Of course, if you are your own brand, then you already have the perfect character to match your tone: yourself. Think about the way you speak, the words you use, how you gather your thoughts and even the jokes you like to tell; pepper all of these into your copywriting...Generic tone breeds generic results, so add as many variables as possible to establish pitch-perfect tone in your copywriting...It’s not enough to decide to add humor to your writing–you have to decide whether that humor is going to be goofy, witty, sarcastic, weird, self-deprecating and so on. On the flip side, a serious tone could be formal, conversational, imperative, apologetic and so on. It’s okay to have multiple brand personality variables...Remember that tone isn’t something that happens overnight and you can only get better with practice. Try writing some examples of tone in business writing to strengthen your identity. Seek out feedback from others to flesh out your voice. Every time you set out to write something (whether it’s a blog post or a text message), you’ll become more adept at hitting the right tone every time." Jeremy Barlow reports:
"Writing a motion for a board meeting isn’t difficult, but it does take some forethought. Perhaps you’ve been to a board meeting where someone filed a motion and so many amendments followed it that the final version didn’t remotely resemble the original wording. A well-written motion is specific, unique, and concise. By writing a clear motion, you will reduce time spent in discussion and in making amendments. More importantly, you can be sure that your motion will be carried out exactly as you intended...A main motion is an item that you want to introduce to the membership to consider and vote on. You cannot introduce a main motion when any other motion is on the floor. Main motions yield to privileged, subsidiary, and incidental motions...The purpose of a subsidiary motion is to change or affect how a main motion is handled. The membership votes on the subsidiary motion before they vote on the main motion...The purpose of a privileged motion is to bring up items that are urgent about special or important matters that are unrelated to pending business...The purpose of an incidental motion is to question or clarify the procedure relative to other motions. Incidental motions must be considered before the motion that it questions. Robert’s Rules lists incidental motions that cover almost any issue that surfaces...Think through your motion carefully and determine exactly what it is you want to accomplish with it. Include details and support it. Anticipate questions and objections and answer them in your motion. Address any legal concerns in your summary. If there is a fiscal component, include how the action will be funded. Main motions that require funding may require two main motions—one to pass the action and one to fund it. Review your motion to see if it asks for a clear action to be taken. State a timeframe when applicable. Rely on your chair and fellow board members for assistance. Ask one or more of them to review your motion and offer feedback...One of the negatives in writing vague, unclear motions is that your motion will be subjected to being amended many times. Moreover, you risk losing the substance of your original intent. Writing motions that are specific, concise, and unique keep the meeting moving along fluidly. By understanding the type of motion you are making, taking time to think it through, and addressing potential objections, you can write a clear motion that will help members make an informed vote." Tara Duggan reports:
"Developing a business model typically entails describing how your company operates. Writing a good business model involves answering questions about your company’s customers and product[s] or services, as well as its marketing and distribution strategies. In addition, the model should list the roles and responsibilities of employees in achieving these goals. Analyze your organizational structures and modify them regularly to maintain a competitive edge in today’s dynamic marketplace...Gather a team of people from different parts of your business to describe your current or proposed operations. Start with a brainstorming activity. Draw a picture of how your business operates on a flip chart or white board. Draw circles, label them and then connect the circles with arrows to show the interrelationships...Download a template or develop your own format for documenting your business model. For example, use the business model calculator template provided by the Microsoft Office Templates website to record your team’s answers to questions about financial, customer and sales aspects of your business. Your model can also include details about different groups of customers and how your products or services provide value to them. List the costs incurred to run your business, including materials, employees and production expenses. List the partners and suppliers you work with to achieve your strategic goals...Analyze your options. Choose a traditional 'bricks and mortar' operational business model where customers come to your store to buy products or services if your customers are local to you. If your target market is more geographically diverse, select a different approach, such as using the Internet to allow customers to order products and get them shipped to their location. Decide how to use your company resources to provide valuable products and services while maintaining a profitable business. Identify opportunities for acquiring new customers or partners. Isolate weaknesses and potential risks or threats...Improve your business model by identifying more ways of providing valuable products or services to customers. Add information about potential new customers, additional value your company can provide, untapped distribution channels and customer relationships you can leverage to gain new business. List potential revenue streams. Describe how you manage resources, procedures, partners and costs. Add statistical information to your business model from the U.S. Department of Commerce to show the general industry outlook." |
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April 2024
CategoriesJ.D. Parsons
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