Along with ringing in the New Year, spring suggests a fresh semester with new responsibilities and a compact period of hard-working months. No matter what year you are in with your college education, regardless of any experience you are a part of now or anticipate being in, a good understanding of the application process is essential to your professional repertoire. Many students think they have a solid summary of their skill-set, but then wonder why their applications are overlooked. Rather than stay camouflaged in a sea of trying students, stand out above the water with the help of iFlipTipsPro. This app from TECHtionary will greatly assist in not just your academic pursuits, but professional goals as well.

Render The Perfect Resume

The three-point rule to remember: concise, eye-catching, and clear. In order for you to organize your resume, use iFlipSlides which will help you to sort each slide (main point) into the correct format for either a functional or standard resume. College students will run into a lot of jobs that ask the applier to demonstrate their understanding of a certain skill set. However, many students do not have direct experience with this skill because they are just starting out. A functional resume will be the chosen organizational format for these students because it puts talents related to the skill in question, first, instead of past jobs. The key to organizing your resume is highlighting the vital information that will catch an employer’s attention. That being said, a standard resume will be a typical format of related past work first.

Include contact information such as your address, email, and phone number. Include education – a G.P.A. is not required to state if it’s not up to par quite yet, but it’s helpful if you do have one to boast about. Include the objective – be specific. When you do your research on jobs in your field, look for specific occupational titles associated with the type of work you are aiming to do. Since a lot of resumes are submitted online, there is no limit to how many applicants there are for one single job. Employers sift through these resumes by keyword searches. So use iFlipIdeas to store phrases, words, and a contact profile with pictures and emails linked to jobs you apply for. Keep these phrases all separated by different folders for each ad or company you inquire about. That way, it’s super easy to refer to these when tailoring your resume for different jobs. You’ll have to tweak your resume for each different job you apply for, so it’s good to have recorded voice notes or pictures of details and values about that job. Only include activities, interests, and awards that relate to the job title. The app has a useful folder system for sorting out all the different jobs you apply for.

If you’re sending your resume online, which is the preferred choice for most companies nowadays, make sure to send it in an accessible format like PDF or ‘rich text’. A good program to use for designing this is Microsoft Publisher because it has a lot of different templates and color schemes to choose from in order to personalize your document. But it must be easily viewed, scanned, and printed for the hirer. Also, keep track of the exact titles of ads so that you can integrate these in the ‘subject line’ of emails – just another way to ensure your resume gets pulled up out of the bunch. Another tip is to keep track of all the guidelines for applying that the ad or source provides. A good way to make a bad first impression is by not following the first basic form of instructions before you even are considered for a job. Then, formally reiterate that the resume is attached with the words ‘Attached: resume’ at the bottom of the email or ‘Enclosed: resume’ if submitted physically.

Create A Cool Cover Letter

A cover letter is best with the same three-point rule as is for resumes. Only create them if specified. However, since many applications are now sent through email or online in some way, it’s good to make an even more shorthanded version of one to accompany a memo or comment box – just in case they use it for keyword searches. If you’re applying for a position that doesn’t necessarily have an ad pertaining to it, consider including an introduction that asks if their company could have use for your area of expertise and credentials. Be polite, witty and charming without being overdone. Make sure that there are no grammar or punctuation mistakes. Post it online via Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or email so that you have a second pair of eyes to see things that you wouldn’t. You can do this sharing step with any of the three sections – notes, slides or cards – so that people can critique you and give you more of an upper hand on what to expect for the big day.

A cover letter will have to be made unique to each ad, whereas a resume is only tweaked based on the objective and experience or skill set featured. You’ll want to kick them out pretty quickly and regularly so that you’re not impeding application progress by spending hours on one letter at a time. For your first one, however, it’s reasonable to estimate a longer amount of time to get it down. If the ad does not specify a name to address the application to, then a formal greeting could be ‘Dear Sir/Madame’. Introduce yourself and where/how you found/came across their ad. Tell them which position you’re applying for and what makes you a good candidate using the keywords. End it by thanking them for their time. Be enthusiastic but reserved. If they’ve asked for a full blown letter, this is the prime opportunity to embellish on your strongest qualities. Let them know why you’re combination of skills and talent has prepared you, and how you’d bring something originally positive to the requirements.

For instance, with the second of three short paragraphs, say ‘I’ve been an Honor student in mathematics since my sophomore year in high school earning me a spot on my college’s competitive math team for a year now’. Whatever you say, avoid wordiness, redundancy, and underwhelming sentences – make sure they can see confidence but composure emanating from both your resume and cover letter. This is the step preceding their inquiries to contact you – you’ll have a chance to entice them more in your interview. So don’t butter yourself up in a long, drawn-out and dragging letter (employers normally pass these up if there’s too much reading involved). If you are feeling some sort of need to exaggerate or lie, the position may not be for you – so be sincere!

Imperative Interview Skills

After you’ve done your research, have gotten a response back from your submission, and caught the attention of hiring managers, it’s time to polish your interview skills. Remember that at this point in the process, you still have not solidified your obtainment of the position so don’t celebrate quite yet. At the same time, don’t psyche yourself out either. It’s important to maintain an optimistic mind while still staying sharp. Calm your nerves for this big day by practicing some important potential questions. Since you don’t know what they’ll ask you, you must be ready for anything, or have a good plan for being tripped up. A good pattern to follow is to listen openly, act naturally and answer it thoroughly to the best of your ability. If you find yourself in a pickle or a brain blockage – buy yourself time by rewording the question like you would for an essay, or say something like ‘I’ll have to think about that one for a sec’ with a small smile. Make sure you only pause momentarily and use that pause to the fullest in order to rack your thoughts for a good response. Remember that most questions should be easily answered from examples of which you studied a lot in school. If you haven’t directly yet dealt with it or missed that scenario in class one day, then use your creativity and inference skills to muster up something vague but sufficient.

FlipCards for Interviewing Q&A

Use iFlipCards to ask yourself questions, and then answer them over and over for better attempts. Use the audio tool or video to record yourself in a mock-style interview. Then post them online so that people can respond to them and give you useful feedback. Also, prepare your own set of questions you have about the company and position – do not inquire about salary, vacation days, or benefits unless they bring it up! Those questions will be assessed later in the hiring process.

Here are some useful starter questions to get the juices flowing if you’re drawing a blank: Do I possess strong speech skills? Am I a team player, and do I take the time to understand people’s backgrounds and influences? Am I fit for guiding a group, or do I work best with only individual responsibility? How do I handle overload and conflict? What is my stance on ethics and morals? Am I someone that deals with pressing circumstances like a pro? Am I interested in traveling? Do I need to have a supervisor for encouragement, or am I self motivated? What are my ultimate career goals? These questions can also help navigate you in job searches initially.

Mapping Time & Influential Doodles

Then use iFlipCal to schedule all your meetings and steps in the hiring process. It not only sends push notifications through your phone for each professional and academic event, but it’s also useful for social occasions as well. It’s recommended that you schedule times for searching, researching, and applying for jobs like you would set aside allotted time for an average work day so that you can be avid in your pursuits.

Then, use iFlipPads to jot down a few helpful notes with inspirational photo or colorful backgrounds to keep you encouraged and positive, or if you need a pick-me-up before the interview. Write down a list of things you’ll need like a pen, a reference list (which is never required unless specified, but is useful to have on hand regardless), a sample of your work (showcased very neatly) or a portfolio, several copies of your resume, and maybe on-hand direction-notes in case you get lost on your way there (even though you’ll have a full contact profile per company stored in your ideas section). Also, write a note down to remind yourself of thank you letters! Always send something brief and warm to thank them for their time and the opportunity to interview – regardless of whether you got the job or not.

Also, the archive section stores all your deleted folders if you discard a job you think won’t materialize, but suddenly get a response from, and need to restore the recorded information. Then organize something fun to do after the interview like treating yourself to a nice meal or going to a movie with friends so that you have something to look forward to, keeping you motivated. It’s nice to reward yourself for the hard work you put into each task, especially in college life. It teaches you that work comes first and fun is later.

This app helps you practice these vital skills and prep wherever you are, so that you can put full focus towards that first great – and continuing – impression to employers. Following the tips above using this app will ensure that you maximize your candidacy for whatever position you’re interested in. Make sure to stay collected and confident, and trust that your instincts, education, and efforts yet, have brought you this far, so only your struggle with inner self-doubt stand between you and your ultimate career ambitions. Don’t stop when you encounter rejection – stamina for achievement will be important, and you’ll need to find strength within yourself to keep at it.

As college students, we are always looking for ways to keep awake. Some of us are downing ridiculous amounts of energy drinks to keep alert in class, while others are making multiple stops to the local coffee shop as a daily necessity. Some of us are instant coffee advocates for our wallet’s sake, filling those thermoses four, five, sometimes six times a day! Up late last night partying or kicking butt on that X-Box Live with a dozen friends! Then it’s out for lunch today with parents trying to indulge them and the ‘quality time adage’. Then there’s the studying-frenzy deep into the grayish dawn light, until you find yourself rereading the same sentence ten times over before losing count. And finally there’s the crashing at our keyboards – you know how it is, waking up with the letter nnnnnnnnnn, in a frenzy of on-going pages in your word document. Ugh.

Stop vying for your skinny espresso, doubling up on shots with each passing month. Stop frantically searching for the best brand of energy drinks with the least calories. Stop stocking up on ‘just-add-water’ items. Get healthy, stay awake, and resist the tendency to spend money on those sketchy prescription alternatives. With iFlipTipsPro from TECHtionary, replace your caffeine fix with a new addiction that’s equally good while remaining natural.

Apples, and Oranges, and Carrots! Oh My!

This is a juicing method that requires a machinery purchase of sorts and an outlet for convenient plugging in. This method is probably the most effective of the four. You will be amazed at the amount of energy you’ll have coursing through your body. The negatives include the noisiness and requirement of a slight clean up. But once you’ve tried it, you’ll know why it’s worth the maintenance. First, use iFlipIdeas to take pictures of different juicing types and note the feature discrepancies with the audio tool. This way, you’ll find the best bargain. There are a number of superb juicers; it’s just a matter of what kind of extra characteristics you want for convenience. For instance, some require you to peel the fruit before hand; others allow you to drop it in entirely. Some juicers have one trash bucket and a grinder to clean; others call for a little more elbow grease.

Second, buy items on sale. You can use the iFlipPads to take a picture of the coupons in the newspapers to remind yourself of the sales, and write notes about ones to bring with you during your shopping trip. One of the best combos includes carrots, celery, an apple, and lemon. Some people are prone to trying this technique with berries, and although it’s possible and provides nutrition, it’s very little juice for each piece of fruit. Then there’s watermelon, pineapple, apples, oranges, spinach, carrots, and parsley! There are even recipes with garlic – but it’s a very pungent taste, so use sparingly. Keep a list of recipes that you experiment with in the iFlipCards section. The Q&A style format is perfect for taping videos of you making the combos, or adding reminders of which to alter and which to throw out. Put all the recipes in one folder with a different card representing each, or categorize the folders by main ingredients with various versions of the recipe. The folder system keeps all your notes, cards, and slides organized, and the archive section stores all deletions in case you want to revisit a forgotten recipe. The more you get familiar with your body’s response, you can pick out fruits that provide you with the most utilized vitamins for your liver, heart, eyes, and most importantly your mind! It’s like a surge of energy! If you’ve been eating poorly for the past few months with fast and junky food, or polluting your body with alcohol and other recreational substances, it can be such a cleansing boost – while making you nauseous. But if that’s the case, it does get better!

There are a lot of juicing joints that sell shots of wheatgrass for $1.50 and up! The problem with these places is that their drinks are normally supplemented with some sort of sherbert or yogurt which can be lower in calories or fat, but is still high in sugar. And wheatgrass can be grown by the tub in your own room, and doesn’t warrant the extra cost or a gag reflex. Don’t take wheatgrass on an empty stomach. If you do, you may find yourself feeling a very strong headache which is a good thing in essence because it’s healing damage done by toxins in your body, but can give you a bad experience. Another thing most consumers don’t know is that fresh juiced fruit and veggies lose their nutrient-value after the first ten minutes! Once it goes through that shoot, the extraction is at its’ highest peak, and it soon wanes with every passing moment. That’s why, if you were to drink it right after you made it, you’d have that wired energy to conquer everything on your to-do list! It usually lasts for a good eight hours with no crashing drop.

Non-digested

Ice your feet! This may seem crazy, but icing your body even when it’s already cold out is a mind numbing way to shock your muscles and bring you back to life! To do this you’ll need 1 pound of ice (but they usually sell it in 5-pound increments), a bucket, and mildly warm water. Fill the bucket halfway with ice and add the water. Since most students are in dorms with no tub, the feet way is a condensed version; otherwise you’d use 20 pounds of ice in your bath instead. Then just slip your feet in at once! This is a more instantaneous form of staying awake, and it doesn’t last very long, in fact, you may consider keeping it on a towel in a corner for the night in case you need it to refresh your senses while studying. – Keep it away from outlets or electronics of any kind! Accidents happen! –This is a funny one though because you can take a picture or video of you and the puckered face you’ll make as you submerge your feet. Then, post it online via Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or email so that everyone can comment on it. Use iFlipSlides to keep a record of it, and stage an on-going bet with the first post to see how many times you’ll have to do it during the night to keep you up. It’s a fun way to be interactive with your friends which will give you the adrenaline to keep your eyes pried open too.

Get Your Groove Goin’

If it’s mighty difficult for you to stay alert while commuting to school – sometimes you may even miss your stop – then try jogging in between classes. Even running in place is a good way to keep your heart rate up, get exercise, and stay in high spirits for the day. Or get up a little bit early to put in some dance moves! Jam out to your favorite song with your ear buds in, and shimmy your way to prepping for the day.

Find Some Fresh Air

A lot of the time, we exhaust our mental capabilities by staring at a computer screen for hours upon end, or strain our necks pouring over notes. Record your notes for classes, verbally, with the audio tool in iFlipIdeas. Then, listen to a few sessions instead, while playing those games, or doing some light stretching, or even just taking a walk around campus. You may miss some things initially, but repeatedly listening to it will instill the information even so. Use iFlipCal to schedule small study breaks where you can listen to notes while still spending a few minutes away from homework. It might be all you need to come back with a brilliant idea for your essay, or the correct answer for that equation you’ve spent hours on. With the push notifications, you can schedule every important event including that extra ten minute dance session in the morning and down to the tiniest self-study reprieves!

With these suggestions, staying awake isn’t so damaging to the body. Having an on-hand device to help you makes it all that more impacting. Just make sure to catch up on sleep at some point. To avoid burning out, it’s recommended that you get at least a solid eight hours of undisturbed sleep once a week (that’s sufficient for us college kids) to make sure that your body receives the time it needs to organically repair and recharge itself.