Apple's School Takeover

Today Apple hosted an educational event in Chicago called “Let’s Take a Field Trip”, announcing new technologies to assist in education. While unveiling their new 9.7-inch iPad and the Apple Pencil stylus, Apple also explained forthcoming apps and programs to make the lives of teachers all around the world a lot easier. Keep reading to see how Apple is planning to fully integrate their technology into education.

Apple’s new “Schoolwork” app will give teachers the ability to give assignments through third-party apps, finding a digital solution to children who claim to have forgotten their assignments. The “Classroom” app will be released for Mac in June and is in beta for iPad. This app allows students to follow along with lessons digitally.

 “Everyone Can Create” is a curriculum that will be used to inspire creativity and success in students. Teachers will be able to integrate art into their lesson plans with the assistance of Apple technology. The curriculum is centered around the new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil stylus. Their “shared iPad” feature will also make it possible for several students to use one iPad while leaving admin controls to the school.

Apple is also starting a program titled “Everyone Can Code” that will revolutionize education by giving children first hand experience in coding languages. More than just using code as a technological language, Apple thinks teaching coding will allow children “to solve problems and work together in creative ways”. Their language Swift was designed to be simple to learn and write so as children write their code, they can visualize the immediate results in an innovative dual-screen mode.

Which email openers are more likely to generate a response?

In the years I have been sending emails, one question has always remained in my head- how am I supposed to start this message? Luckily, I was not alone in my confusion. Brendan Greenley used data from over 300,000 email messages to finally figure out what the best way to open an email is.

Graph Source

The data shows that starting an email message with “hey” or “hello” elicits an almost 8% higher response rate than the old go-to “dear”. While I wouldn’t recommend starting all your future professional correspondence with “hey”, research shows that using conversational tones rather than professional ones seems to be the most effective method for receiving responses.

So, get out there and start sending! Do you have a go-to email opener? Leave a comment and let us know!  

Bringing Positivity into the Workplace

I don’t think I could name one person who has ever started a job search hoping to land in an office with a negative atmosphere; so, why is that the energy so many employees are bringing to work? No one is expected to be happy around the clock- it’s impossible. However, it is important to arrive at work everyday with an optimistic outlook.

One important aspect of combating office negativity is understanding the difference between a good employee having a bad day and someone who is always zoning in on the bad in every situation, who refuses to accept blame, and has an overall negative effect on your office. Work with a “Negative Nancy” and watch the way your entire office improves positively!

Zeynap Ilgaz wrote a piece for Entrepreneur Network offering six tips for “Motivating the Negative Nancy on Your Team”. Check them out below:

1.  Identify the negative behavior. Recognize bad attitudes and negativity and identify the individual involved after receiving a tip or spotting something.
2. Confront the person. Develop a plan to address the individual in a calm, private setting. Set aside enough time to discuss the situation in detail. There may be a reason or a trigger for this behavior.
3. Reinforce positive behavior. During the discussion, set goals for change and even play out scenarios. Listen to the employee’s thoughts and ideas about the situation and emphasize the need for a positive attitude moving forward.
4. Follow up. Schedule a meeting to discuss the individual’s progress. Recognize and praise positive improvements and attitude.
5. Set a good example. The manager should demonstrate positive behavior for staff members -- even on the cloudiest of days. Remind them that problems and setbacks are an inevitable part of business, but each one can serve as a learning experience.
6. Invest in positivity. Boost the positivity quotient in the office by fostering programs or activities that will make staffers happy, such as potlucks, games and employee-of-the-month recognitions. Promote physical and mental health by funding employee-fitness programs, planning office yoga classes or creating work spaces with natural light.

Tips for Your LinkedIn Profile

Before beginning my position as a technical recruiter, I was blind to just how frequently LinkedIn is used when looking for job candidates in top industries worldwide. Although some think that simply adjusting their settings on LinkedIn is enough to get noticed, the process goes much deeper. Once you’ve established the basics in your profile, make sure you’re following these easy tips to secure your chances of getting an interview with anyone who comes across your profile!

1. Yes, your grammar should be perfect- I’m sure many people who read this will roll their eyes at the simplicity of this tip, but I cannot tell you how many people I come across with basic mistakes in their profiles. Nothing turns away potential employers faster than mindless and avoidable mistakes! Write full sentences, use spell check, and follow the basic rules of capitalization. These simple steps not only take almost no time to complete, but they make profile visitors want to actually read your credentials.

2. Pick the perfect professional picture- Another simple step that makes a world of difference! Profiles with pictures get up to 21 times more views than those without, according to an article from Time. You don’t need to have professional head shots taken to set your profile apart- in fact, you’d probably be surprised at the casual settings in which many LinkedIn pictures are taken. Simply find a photo of yourself in business clothing with an appropriate background. If you don’t have one on hand, ask someone to take your picture one day before work or an interview when you’re already dressed in your business best!

3. Keep your information up to date- Did you start a new job? Receive a promotion? Change your phone number? Make sure all of these changes are reflected on your profile! At the same time, be sure that updates you’re making to the content on your profile are relevant to your career goals. If you want to make a small change in your career, consider changing your skills and uploading examples of prior work that show you will adopt this new specialty with ease.

4. Choose your words wisely- In many job fields, more than one title may be used for the same position. Consider using a thesaurus to find alternate job titles or descriptions and putting them in another section of your profile. You will also likely want to be cautious of the wording in your profile when you’re searching for a new job but aren’t yet comfortable sharing your need for a move with your boss. Mashable cited Jenny Foss for suggesting the addition of a subtle line at the end of your summary inviting professionals to reach out without overtly stating that you’re on the hunt for a new job.

5. Stay active- Far too often, professionals create a LinkedIn account and ignore it until they are searching for a new job. Don’t make this mistake! Log on and find new connections, answer your messages, and even post articles you find interesting or updates about your career. With the LinkedIn app, staying active is simple and free- and you never know who you’ll connect with or what you’ll learn!

November 30th 2016: Computer Security Day

This year, Computer Security Day falls on Wednesday, November 30th 2016. This is a great reminder to check all of your gadgets and tech for any weaknesses it may have. Especially with the holidays rolling in, it is smart to be alert and on top of your personal security! You can never do enough security checks!

Here is a checklist of some things you can do to help secure your computers

• Windows Update is enabled.
• Antivirus software is installed and running.
• Windows Firewall is turned on.
• The software on the computer is up to date.
• Strong passwords are always used.
• Passwords are not shared or written down.
• A password is required to access your computer.
• Unused programs are removed.
• Your home wireless network is secured.
• Your important data is regularly backed up.
• Use caution when browsing the Internet.
• Log off the computer when you're not using it.
• Web browser does not store or remember my passwords.
• Temporary Internet files are periodically removed.

(list from https://goo.gl/zIhK2P)

How To Nail Your Interview In 5 Simple Steps!

It’s about that time - time to get ready for a big job interview and we all know how intimidating that can be. We’ve highlighted 5 steps for the pre-interview process to make sure your interviewer becomes your next boss.

1. Prepare:

Practice, practice, practice. Yes, it’s repetitive but it’s very necessary. Reading over your past accomplishments so you can point them out during the interview, or twist them to apply to the question, allows you to not stumble up on your words. Make sure to research the company you are going to the interview for and be knowledgeable about current events with the company. Being comfortable (to an extent) and knowing how to react to crazy questions out of left field, is key to impressing the interviewer.

2.  Body Language:

Sitting up straight with hands folded or in your lap is for more than just good posture. This allows the interviewer to see that you are not nervous (even if you are) and it shows professionalism. If you are slouched over or leaning your arm against the chair like you do at home, a future boss will not take you serious. Nobody wants to see someone interviewing and fidgeting around like a little kid. Here are some body language tools to take into your next interview:

·         Sit up straight in the chair

·         Hands can be folded or in your lap (unless holding a resume)

·         Men: keep legs straight down against the chair  Women: keep legs straight down against the chair or legs folded

·         Don’t let your eyes wander! Be attentive

      3. Dress the part:

Clothing is very important when going to an interview. The best idea to prepare, is to look up the company and the employees! Find out the company “feel.” If it is a very casual, low key company, then you will be fine not getting out the tuxedo for the time being. You want to be on their level, while being the most professional you can be! Here are some tips for dressing the part:

·         Get that hair out of your face!

·         Women, minimal jewelry…but men, get out those watches.

·         Whip out the IRON!

·         Try it on the night before, nothing like waking up and realizing you have nothing to wear!

4. Bring Resume:

Having your resume handy shows you are well prepared. There is always a chance of the interviewer asking to see your resume to look through and ask questions during the interview. Even if they have already seen your resume at some point, it shows him/her that you are ready and willing to show off your resume. Pack multiple copies!!

      5. Questions:

Bringing questions to an interview is a smart decision. When the interviewer is done asking YOU all the questions and says “Do you have any questions for me?” say yes! This is your chance to ask them about the company, current events you’ve read about or maybe a question directed towards the interviewer. This question could be something personal or about their own experience at the company. It’s your chance to become the interviewer so take advantage! It also gives you a chance to learn more and see if this will be the right fit for you.

When working with Worlco Recruiters, we make sure you are prepared properly and confident about your interview. Worlco wants you to succeed and we have the tools to help! These are just a few tips when it comes to the interview; imagine what else we have up our sleeve!

Now go out there and NAIL your interview!

Technology: Beyond The Basics

When you think of technology do you always think of how it can benefit you? Technology is all around us and is ever evolving. From iPhones to PC’s and even the engine in your car, technology is needed as much as it’s wanted. We depend on our smart phones for alarms, we constantly check our emails for important messages, and we count on our car to start in the morning…but sometimes we are hesitant when it comes to actually admitting trusting the technology we use. We rely on technology throughout the day which means we should trust it- right? Here are two examples of when trusting technology can be beneficial in the grand scheme of things.

1  

      Fitbit: More than just a fitness tracker

Earlier this year, back in April, school teacher Jeff Bravo of Camden, NJ was having irregular heartbeats one day while teaching. They continued and he wound up having a seizure and woke up in the hospital. The doctors needed to know the exact moment his heart rate became irregular. This knowledge would allow them to prevent blood clots or any more seizures. Luckily, Bravo was wearing his Fitbit. The device helped eliminate a lot of the unknowns including if this was a chronic condition or side effect from the seizure (Christie Lleto, 6ABC News).

             Blind spot detection: Driver safety

Blind spot detection on vehicles has become much more popular in the last few years. It is being implemented into newer cars to allow the driver to be notified when changing lanes if they can’t see the other car. When the driver begins to change a lane and can’t see the other person driving slightly behind them, in their blind spot, a loud ding! will go off. Sometimes driving for a long time can become tiring and changing lanes becomes a habit so the person can get home quicker. This can cause accidents if not paying attention.  That’s where blind spot detection comes to help. Finding technology to help drivers is imperative to create safer driving.

Now, after some pretty interesting examples of technology, do you trust it even more now? Technology is here to help and advance us, let’s embrace it!

Sources used: http://6abc.com/health/doctors-say-fitbit-saved-nj-mans-life-/1285308/

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/165742-blind-spot-detection-car-tech-that-watches-where-you-cant