Presenting tips

Presenting in a classroom can be a frightening idea for some. To overcome being nervous there are many things you can do:

First, remember to be prepared. If you are well prepared with adequate information you will be able to speak more clearly and not be wondering what to say next. This also helps with the nerves because you are able to have confidence that you are going to know what you are talking about. Preparation is one of the most important things when presenting in a classroom setting.

Second, relax when you are presenting. When you are tense it is a lot harder to be confident in what you are say and you will try rushing your thoughts. As you relax everything flows more clearly and you are able to think and know what you want to say.

These are just a couple of tips to remember when you are presenting in class.

Response

I am responding to Nate Bendall’s post, “Job Hunting...who you know, or what you know?” In this Nate talks about how it is more about who you know than what you know, because of the mistrust and miscommunications between people. I agree with this way of thinking. With more and more people being caught for embezzlement and other white collar crimes it is better to hire someone that is proven and trusted. By gaining those relationships with people in the field of work you desire you are able to gain their trust and not have to overcome those barriers.

Nate does go back to how you do need to have the knowledge to be effective as well. While knowing people is important it is as equally important to have the knowledge in the field to be an asset to a company. This will allow you to move up the employment hierarchy by not being a hindrance to the work being done. Knowing people is great, but it if you don’t have the skills to back that up it isn’t going to benefit you in your career. With the combination of knowing people and having the credentials necessary you will be able to go far in the career of your choice.

Collaboration technologies

Collaboration technologies like Google docs, Facebook, Linkedin, and text and instant messaging are becoming more widely used in our society. These technologies are being used to notify individuals about meetings, social gatherings, and even weddings. With the fast pace society that we live in these forms of communication are beneficial for instant feedback and response to inquiries and problems.

As students are becoming busier there is a need for these alternative communication techniques. With collaboration technologies like Google docs, Facebook, and text and instant messaging students are able to communicate and collaborate on group projects without having to get together. This allows feedback when a portion of the project is finished without having to gather each member of the group. Students are also able to share documents across the internet with each other saving time and resources. The use of these, along with the many other collaboration technologies that are in use in the world, students are able to be more efficient and productive as they work on projects.

Is it who you know, or what you know?

There are many qualified individuals that are able and willing to fulfill job openings. Then why don’t they get the job? When all is said and done getting a job comes down to who you know, not what you know. In my personal experience I didn’t have the qualifications to work in a cabinet mill, but my woodshop teacher recommended me to the owner of a company and without an interview or resume I was given the job. He never once asked me what I knew about woodworking, but went off the recommendation from someone we both knew and hired me on the spot.

Networking is vital in today’s economy. With more and more people getting college educations and degrees in every area of expertise, it is important that people build those relationships with others if they want the upper hand in the job field. You are more likely to purchase an item that you or a close friend have owned in the past, than to just go out and buy it without any prior knowledge. It may satisfy everything that you need it to do, but without that backing from a trusted individual it is a harder decision. This example applies when going into the job field. An employer is more likely to hire someone who has been “tested and proven” than to risk getting a “dud”.

Interview Attire

When going into an interview for a business position people always trying to be the best there is in their field. However, there is more than being book smart or social. Dressing for success tells an employer more about a person’s character than anything they can say or do. Dressing professionally tells employers how you are going to act once you are hired, which should be like a professional. If a person wears clothing that looks like they just came from the farm gives a first impression that can never be taken back. An employer will often look at that and immediately think that the person is not well educated in the field that they are interviewing for and not get the job, even if they are the most qualified for the position.

In a business interview there is a need to be professional in appearance and conduct, but when dressing a person needs to know their audience. If they over dress for an interview it will give the impression that they are going to demand too much money from the company. On the other hand, by under dressing it gives the appearance that a person doesn’t care and they aren’t going to be an asset to company in the future. By learning about the company a person is interviewing with they are able to adjust the way they act and dress to match those they will be speaking with. For most professional business interviews a male should wear a blue or gray conservative suit and tie. Dress and appearance are first things that interviewers notice about the interviewee, and hopefully they see them as a professional.

Business issue

In today's business world ethics is one of the most important ideals that a company can hold. Companies are continually having unethical issues arise in their business activities; some examples include the giving of faulty documents, bribery, threatening, and the forcing of sexual activities. Unfortunately, these types of activities are happening more and more, as we have seen with companies like AIG, Enron, Fannie May and others, as people are risking their careers and positions for power and money. Unethical activity should be discouraged in our work places, schools, and all business transactions at all costs.

Considering the rise in business leaders being involved in the many unethical activities that go on in companies, there is a need for checks and balances within organizations themselves. Having an ethics policy set in place would help reduce the number of ethics violations that happen in the business world. These policies would extend to not only the leaders of companies but to all employees.

With all employees looking to help each other make ethical choices businesses will be more honest in their business dealings. The ideals of being ethical start with top management. As they show an ethical attitude those who work for them are more likely to make ethical choices as well.

Letter Writing is Not Archaic

With people sending messages and letters through mediums besides the United States Postal Service, many believe the need to teach letter writing is archaic. This statement is very untrue. Letters are easier to write and send with the advances in technology. These advances also bring with it expansion of business transactions and the need to communicate within companies as well as with customers. Often this communication takes place through letters and memos.

Writing is essential in nearly all levels of business, whether it is to write reports to investors or a memo about an upcoming meeting. Having the ability to write well helps with ease of reading letters and reports and adds credibility to your company and you as the writer. Letter writing is far from archaic considering the many letters that are written everyday to employees, customers, and investors in the business world.

Professional blogs can be an asset to businesses and organizations throughout the world. With a busier lifestyle in the world, people are continually looking for the quickest and easiest way to find out about a company. Information about a company on a blog is usually concise, and tells the customer exactly what they need to know. A blog is not only beneficial to customers but company employees and partners allowing them to be informed about company changes and meetings.

With more businesses and organizations doing business on the internet, there is a need to get a company’s information, products, and services to the general public in the quickest and easiest manner. Blogs are a very inexpensive and easy way to advertise how a business or organization can be of a benefit to its potential customer.

Blogs are also a great way for a company to get feedback from customers to adapt their business strategies and products to better meet customer needs. Customers can be more actively involved in the services or products that they are using to run their businesses through the use of a firm’s blog. This allows both the consumer and the producer to benefit from the posting of a professional blog.