Tuesday, March 17, 2020
5 simple job search tips youââ¬â¢re probably forgetting -TheJobNetwork
5 simple job search tips youââ¬â¢re probably forgetting -TheJobNetwork Thereââ¬â¢s a lot to keep straight when youââ¬â¢re looking for a job. Things you need to put on your resume or else. How to build your brand so that you donââ¬â¢t seem hopelessly out of date. The nuances of interview questions youââ¬â¢re likely to face when you get through the door. And because youââ¬â¢re human, you might be forgetting some painfully obvious things that need to be checked off as well. Letââ¬â¢s look at some of the most commonly forgotten job search to-dos. 1. Go offline sometimes.Yes, most companies have some form of online application submission these days. Yes, you want to maximize your resume and cover letter for the keyword bots. But donââ¬â¢t make those your entire focus. We can get so mired in the online application machine that we forget to look up and see what else might be available. Donââ¬â¢t forget to work your network to see if they know of any openings, or reach out to recruiters to see what they may have as well.2. Itââ¬â¢s ok ay to let your personality shine.As a rule, itââ¬â¢s good to be a little wary of your full everyday self- warts and all- becoming part of the job search process. You want to be evaluated on your professional merits, not your Facebook timeline. But donââ¬â¢t be afraid to make (appropriate) jokes in an interview, or show some personality in a cover letter. Your interviewers and readers are people too, and they would appreciate getting to see who you are, in addition to the points on your resume.3. Tailor your resume for the specific job.Going back to the online application engines, it can be easy to forget that youââ¬â¢re not just uploading a PDF to a portal. Youââ¬â¢re not just a jumble of keywords; youââ¬â¢re trying to show that youââ¬â¢re a great and obvious fit for the job opening. That means taking the specific job description and making sure your application materials line up with it. If the hiring manager has to work to make a connection between you and the jo b, that usually means a fast track to the ââ¬Å"no thanksâ⬠pile.4. Treat your LinkedIn profile as a living resume.Letââ¬â¢s face it: anyone whoââ¬â¢s thinking of bringing you in for an interview is also likely to do a little internet sleuthing. And one of the first internet stops is likely to be your LinkedIn profile. That means you need to invest in your profileââ¬â¢s upkeep. Make sure it at least matches your current resume, but donââ¬â¢t hesitate to add things as they come up so that anyone whoââ¬â¢s looking for you can see that youââ¬â¢re not only evolving all the time, youââ¬â¢re also on it with your online presence.5. Manners always matter.Sure, sending a handwritten thank you note on fancy paper has fallen out of favor in our fast-paced, everything-digital-always society. That doesnââ¬â¢t mean youââ¬â¢re off the hook for basic courtesy like thank you notes.Again, thereââ¬â¢s a lot going on in your job search, but if you pay attention to so me of the smaller details along the way, youââ¬â¢re increasing your chances of success.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Prepositions in English Grammar
Prepositions in English Grammar In English grammar, a preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. Prepositions are words like in and out, above and below, and to and from,à and theyre words we use all the time. How useful are prepositions? Just look at how many prepositions are italicized in this simple sentence from E.B. Whites Charlottes Web: Forà the first few daysà ofà his life, Wilbur was allowed to liveà inà a boxà nearà the stoveà inà the kitchen. Prepositions in English Grammar Prepositions are one of the basicà parts of speechà and are among the words that we use most when composing sentences. They are also a member of a closed word class, meaningà that it is very rare for a new preposition to enter the language. There are only about 100 of them in English. Prepositions often refer to locationà (underà the table), direction (toà the south), or time (pastà midnight). They can also be used to convey other relationships: agency (by), comparison (like, as . . . as), possession (of), purpose (for), or source (from, out of). Simple Prepositions Many prepositions are made up of only one word and are calledà simple prepositions. These include short and very common words likeà as, at, by, for, and of.à You also use prepositions such as about, between, into, like, onto, since, than, through, with, within, and without to show a relationship between words. There are many occasions where you might confuse prepositions. For example, sometimes it is difficult to know when you should useà in, into, on, or at.à This is because their meanings are very similar, so you have to look at the context of the sentence. Many prepositions have an opposite as well. For instance, you can useà before or after, inside or outside, off or on, over or under, andà up or down.à Quite a few prepositions express the relationship of things in space. Examples of these include aboard, across, amid, among, around, atop, behind, beneath, beside, beyond, near, over, round,à and upon. Prepositions can also refer to time. Among the most common areà after, before,à during, till,à andà until. Other prepositions have unique uses or can be used in multiple ways. Some of these includeà about, against, along, despite, regarding, throughout, toward,à andà unlike. Complex Prepositions In additionà toà the simple prepositions, several word groups can perform the same grammatical function. These are calledà complex prepositions. They are two- or three-word units that combine one or two simple prepositions with another word. Within this category, you have phrases likeà in addition toà and such as.à Whenever you sayà thanks to or in between, you are also using a complex preposition. Identifying Prepositional Phrases Prepositions are not in the habit of standing alone. A word group with a preposition at the head followed by anà objectà (orà complement) is called aà prepositional phrase. The object of a preposition is typically aà nounà orà pronoun:à Gus put the horseà before the cart. Prepositional phrases add meaning to the nouns and verbs in sentences. They usually tell usà where, when,à orà how and the words of a prepositional phrase can often be rearranged. A prepositional phrase may do the work of anà adjectiveà and modify a noun:à The studentà in the back rowà began to snore loudly. It may also function as anà adverbà and modify a verb:à Buster fell asleepà during class. Learning to identify prepositional phrases is often a matter of practice. After some time you will come to realize how frequently we rely on them. Ending a Sentence With a Preposition You may have a heard the rule that you should neverà end a sentence with a preposition. This is one of those rules that you dont have to put up with. It is based on the etymology of preposition, from the Greek for put in front, as well as a false analogy to Latin. As long ago as 1926, Henry Fowler dismissed the rule about prepositionà stranding as a cherished superstition ignored by major writers from Shakespeare to Thackeray. In fact, in A Dictionary of Modern English Usage he said, the remarkable freedom enjoyed by English in putting itsà prepositionsà late and omitting its relatives is an important element in the flexibility of the language. Essentially, you can ignore this rule, and you can cite Fowler to anyone who tells you otherwise. Go ahead and end your sentence with a preposition if you want to. Prepositions Functioning as Another Part of Speech Just because you see one of the prepositions weve mentioned used, does not mean that they are being used as a preposition. It depends on the circumstances, and this is one of those tricky parts of the English language, so dont let these fool you. Certain prepositions (after, as, before, since, until) serve asà subordinating conjunctionsà when theyre followed by aà clause: You better get out of townà beforeà sundown. (Beforeà is used as a preposition.)Many people run out of ideas longà beforeà they run out of words. (Beforeà is used as a conjunction.) Some prepositions (includingà about, across, around, before, down, in, on, out,à andà up) also moonlight asà adverbs. These are sometimes calledà prepositional adverbsà orà adverbialà particles. Beth walkedà upà the driveway. (The preposition up is followed by the object.)Beth lookedà up. (The prepositional adverb upà is modifying the verb looked.) Deverbal Prepositions Transitive prepositions that take the same form as -ing participles or -ed participles are called deverbal prepositions. It is a rather short list, but it is important to understand that these are also prepositions. according (to)allowing (for)barringconcerningcountingexceptingexcludingfailingfollowinggivengonegrantedincludingowing (to)pertaining (to)regardingrespectingsavingtouchingwanting Source: Fowler H.à A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 1965.
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