What Do You Need to Know Before Your Next Job Interview?

 

Interviews can make or break careers. You might have the best credentials on paper, but you have to back it up as well. So, if you want that job, you have to prepare for the interview.

 

Interviewers expect something from people they wish to hire. But these expectations are something they never tell you. Knowing what and how to exceed their expectations can help you pass this phase.

 

Here are things you should know before your next job interview:

Do Your Research

Firstly, do your research about the company. Know the history of the company, their vision and mission, and what they do. Try to understand what your company needs in its employees.

 

The more understanding you have about the company, the better you can answer. It’s also a plus point for the interviewer when you come prepared.

 

Study the job description well. Ensure you understand what position you’re vying for and how it’s done. Know the risks and benefits.

 

It’s also best to know everything you can about the industry itself. You can read dissertations, essays, and articles created by reliable sources. The more knowledgeable you are with the niche, the better you can understand the company.

Impactful

Common questions interviewers ask are related to your previous experiences. They’d ask something like “how did you overcome a problem you once faced.”

 

Don’t just talk about the solution to these questions. Rather, incorporate into the story how it impacted your company. Did the solution you came up with help gain more profit? Was it able to help you reach your target market?

 

They’d be more impressed with these facts rather than a cool story.

Stop Rambling

We tend to talk too much when we get nervous. It’s common, and a lot of people do this. But if you wish to pass your interview, you have to control your rambling.

 

Always stay on topic and try to be mindful of what you say. Otherwise, you’ll end up straying from the subject and giving out too much information. Simple questions only need simple answers.

 

As cliche as it may sound, but be short and concise.

Never Talk Bad about Your Old Job

We all had that one job where we always felt miserable and sometimes because your relationship with your boss or workmates isn’t the best.

 

Your interviewer might ask you how your previous work experiences were. If you think this is the best time to talk about how terrible your boss was, you’re wrong. Talking bad about your old job  is never a good thing.

 

When you feel the need to talk about your previous management, don’t focus on their personality and characters. It only makes you sound bitter and petty. Instead, talk about the flaws in their management style.

Ask Questions

By the end of the interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions. Don’t be shy and do ask. This shows you are committed to the work and you do care about the company.

 

But apart from the concluding questions, interviews are mostly conversations. You also have to ask the interviewers about the company. Ask them questions about the work environment or so.

 

Companies want people who are confident. Show them that you are ready to have a great working relationship with them. This is also a good trick to pause from being the center of the spotlight.

 

Take a breather when your interviewer is talking. But never fail to listen and read between the lines as it may help you.

Conclusion

Most of all, prepare your mind and your body the night before an interview. Prepare your clothes and try to look sharp and confident. Have a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast so you’re at your best.

 

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Comma and Oxford Comma. A Quick Grammar Guide

Any writer knows how much research and effort he has to put to surprise his readers. Apart from choosing the right subject to catch his audience’s attention, a writer should also pay attention to the words he uses to transmit the right message. But, words are not enough to create a memorable piece. You will also need punctuation and an appropriate style to impress your audience. Every piece of punctuation can make a difference in your writing style. Comma, for example, can significantly change the message you want to transmit to your audience. So, keep reading this article and discover more about comma and Oxford comma and how to properly use it.

What is an Oxford comma?

You’ve probably used it many times already and didn’t even know that the last comma in a sentence is called Oxford comma. Also known as Harvard or serial comma, the Oxford comma comes before the conjunction in a list. For example, in the phrase: “My favorite cheese is Emmental, Gouda, and Brie”, the Oxford comma is the one before the conjunction “and”.

How important is Oxford comma?

It is clear that a comma can significantly change the meaning of a phrase. However, the Oxford comma is optional. If you are a professional writer or journalist, you will see that you will need it to transmit the right message to your audience. For example, you want to write about your fictional character Angela who met her ex-boyfriend on the holiday. If you would write the phrase in the following way: “Angela met her ex-boyfriend, a florist and pet lover”. What would you understand from this phrase? Angela’s ex-boyfriend works as a florist and he is also a pet lover. But, what if you would use an Oxford comma before the conjunction “and”? The phrase would look as follows: “Angela met her ex-boyfriend, a florist, and a pet lover”. How does the phrase’s meaning change now? The conclusion would be that Angela met not only with her boyfriend but also with a florist and a pet lover. So, before using the Oxford comma you should clearly define what message you want to send to your audience.

Benefits of using Oxford comma

One of the biggest benefits that Oxford comma brings to a text is clarity. Oxford comma helps you eliminate ambiguity in your text and improve its readability. It happens many times that writers don’t use commas just because they understand what they are writing. However, even though you know what you are writing about, your readers don’t know the entire context and they might misinterpret your text. In addition, style guides like the Chicago Manual of Style, or the American Medical Association are very clear in recommending Oxford comma to improve a text’s clarity. On the other hand, Oxford University is not very strict in imposing the use of Oxford comma. Their recommendation is to use Oxford comma only when the audience might misinterpret the message.

Conclusion

Although we hear very often that it is very important to use commas and follow grammar rules, you should pay attention to not fall into the trap of using too many commas. Read the grammar rules and include commas only when it is necessary. Moreover, keep your text readable and clear. Thus, your audience will trust you and you will win their loyalty.

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The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival

The deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) is a program created in 2012 by President Obama with a purpose of putting off the extraordinary pressure from the young people, who were illegally brought to the country by their parents. Under the program, the youths are reprieved from deportation; furthermore, they are allowed to work, obtain a driving license, and even study. There were several requirements for a DACA applicant who is seeking to be part of the program. They are needed to be 31 years of age as per the moment the program began in 2012. Secondly, they have to prove that they have been in the US continuously since 2007. Thirdly, they must suggest evidence that they have clean criminal records. Also, they have to prove that they arrived in the US before the age of 16 (Gonzales et al. 1856). Finally, they have to be enrolled to the military, college, or high school. The DACA is a renewable contract, which is done in a period of two years. I am in support of DACA and I stand to defend it. The youths are not at any fault for their existence in the US since their parents brought them there. They should not be hindered against pursuing a better and fulfilling life goals in their current environment. DACA program is meant to ensure that the faultless youths have an opportunity to make their life better and pursue their dreams. They have positively contributed to the national economy and to the community; hence, it is their home, and they deserve protection. Therefore, the US administration should keep the program created by Obama, which will lead to increased workforce, national productivity, eliminate more illegal immigration, and ensure equality among all.

Issues Related to DACA

It is anticipated that the program is likely to qualify more than 300,000 to joining the workforce. It is to mean that more people will have a chance to contribute to the national economy. Most of the new beneficiaries will seek employment, and others will be able to join the education institutions. Those working illegally will be more secure; hence, there will be improved per head productivity. From research, it is evident that 50% of the workers in the agricultural sector are illegally employed. Their contributions to the sector usually have a positive effect to the economy. Deporting them will mean that the vegetables and fruit production will be negatively affected with the retail prices expected to rise. Hence, DACA comes in to save the national economy from any possible collapse. It gives the employees’ confidence and the security at work, therefore leading to increased output. There has been raised question on their negative economic impact but research has proved that the revenues generated from them are more than the provided services. Due to their citizenship through the program, the beneficiaries have a platform for the tax payment; it will raise the income levels of the nation (Martinez 1880). Hence, DACA is a very important program; it ensures that the labor force have employment authorization documents. The document is essential to guaranteeing that more labor force is supplied in the economy, which will ensure that there is increased productivity. Also, the DACA beneficiaries can be able to purchase cars, start new business, and build homes which will enable them feel the belonging warmth. Thus, the program benefits all Americans as a result of increased revenues from the raised taxes. Failing to consider the program will lead to negative economic effects such as loss of revenue. Hence, the program will ensure that the faultless youths have an opportunity to contribute to the economy which will lead to increased national revenues.

Another reason to the support of DACA program is their positive effect to the national’s health. Income levels is said to be the key determinant of health status which has been facilitated by the DACA program. According to the research, it is evident that the DACA program exposure has indicated to reduce the mental distress among the young immigrants. Mental health effects are severe to the economy of the nation as well as to the immigrant’s productivity. However, with the program, there is reduced self-reported overall health. There is evidence that deportations issues raise a lot of depression and anxiety among the undocumented immigrants. There is also a significant relationship between the economic opportunities and the health outcomes. The more job opportunities are opened by DACA, the more likely the immigrants are able to access better medical care due to their income, which improves the overall healthcare. Thus, DACA program usually has positive impact on the medical and physical health. The outcomes are essential and can be useful in guiding the policy debates on the overall debate of the future of the immigration policy as well as the benefits of the program. Hence, it is evident that the DACA programs usually have a significant effect on the overall health. It should be, therefore, embraced to ensure that few resources are used by the government in the cure of preventable illnesses.

As a result of DACA program, most of the beneficiaries have educational opportunities that they could not have pursued before. Most of the beneficiaries can now follow their higher educations and degrees programs (Batalova et al. 34). They are specializing in areas such as engineering, neuroscience, computer science, history, law, civil studies, business administration, and others. As a result of the program, the same beneficiaries are now authorized to offer their skills to the nation, which will lead to increased growth. Previously, only 36% of young faultless illegal immigrants had college degrees, but around 94% of them have access to same trainings. The Trump’s immigrant’s crackdown has led to the chilling effect on the students, absenteeism, and difficulty in the individuals’ concentration and crying in class. The trauma can be attributed to the harassment that the DACA students receive in school. The racist individuals are taking advantage of the situation by seeking to drive them out of schools. The harassment has contributed to their absenteeism as well as increased fear reducing their concentration.  The question of deportation has become rhetorical for most of them, which has affected the children in elementary school and college at a great level. The problem has led to shift of the focus to counseling offering to the immigrant students. It is evident in Oakland International High School, where the teachers have shifted their attention to students, who appear stressed in school abandoning the governmental lessons and art projects. As a result, educational establishments have adopted new programs in helping the student’s talk about the situation as a move of reducing the distress. The schools are now hiring therapists who encourage the students to speak about their family’s situations. Hence, the DACA programs have had a positive impact on the education among the beneficiaries after its establishment. However, after Trump’s crackdown, the education system has been negatively affected. Thus,, the continuous implementation of the DACA program ensures that the education system runs as per the plan. Also, it ensures that everyone has access to education. Hence, education accessibility and equality among all youths living in the US is the key reason to why I support the DACA program.

Equality is among the most essential element in the US. From the implementation of the DACA program, the applicants are protected by law, and they conduct their business without fear of contradiction like any other Americans. According to the judge in the federal court, “Discrimination is discrimination just as work authorization is work authorization” (Wadhia 59). It is to mean that an employer is not supposed to favor an employee due to the form of citizenship. The dreamers are eligible to work just as the fellow Americans. The employer is not supposed to choose a worker on basis of the particular federal immigration program’s perception. The court has denied the right to Mutual Insurance Company a policy to deny the DACA beneficiaries the opportunity to work. After the implementation of the program, students in colleges and high school started to enjoy the warmth due to the relief from the racist discrimination. When Trump later announced to cancel the program, he launched the racism attacks among the immigrants. He fueled the racial hatred and fear among the immigrants. The anti-immigrants have become hostile in their places of work and in the education sector. Most of the students share their experience of how the racist individuals harass them asking them to go back to the filthy countries, making them to stay at home. Voting for a president, who supported the deportation of more than 800,000 individuals, showed how the citizens are motivated by racial core agendas. Some senators have introduced The 2017 Dream Act that will ensure continuous equality among all. Hence, DACA program implementation is essential in the equality among the nationals. It ensures that the immigrants do not receive harassments from the racist, and they have an opportunity to offer their skills without discriminations.

Conclusion

DACA program established during the Obama’s administration was meant to defend the faultless from the racist attacks and provide them with the opportunity to contribute to the national economy (Wadhia 189). The program has made positive contribution to the nation such as ensuring economic growth, equality among all, increasing productivity as well as improved overall health conditions. The program ensures that the beneficiaries have an opportunity to supply their skills in the workforce, pay taxes, and have job security which leads to increased revenue that benefits all Americans. The program has as well improved physical and mental health due to the reduced distress among the migrants. It decreases the costs used by the nation in the treatment of preventable illnesses. Finally, the program has ensured that education is accessible among all youths. Trump’s crackdown has caused a lot of confusion among the non-immigrants disrupting the enjoyed benefits. Hence, the above information indicates that the DACA program is beneficial to all Americans. It should be embraced and advanced to ensure that all continue enjoying the benefits of living in the US.

 

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Propaganda used in Social Media Today

Propaganda entails the intentional, systematic endeavors of shaping opinions, influencing intuitions, and guiding the behavior of audience to achieve a response that promotes the desired objective. The concept has different definitions among various authors and schools of thought. However, the common fact of propaganda is that it prevails everywhere including news, entertainment, advertising, and on social media. Social media channels have emerged around the world attracting over three billion people. When individuals log in t social sites, they are likely to come across some types of news, entertainment, or advertising. Social media has changed propaganda in unique ways (Auger 370). The creation, spreading and sharing of fake news occurs instantly and reaches a broad audience across borders. This paper examines the three instances in which propaganda occurs on social media.

The emergence of new media, especially social sites enhanced the spread of ideas in a fast and more scalable manner, making it easy for propaganda to reach a larger audience instantaneously. Auger observes that the emergence of disruptive social media technologies impacts societal norms (372). Individuals use social media to serve personal agendas. The concept of fake news, which became more pronounced in 2016 emanates from the spread of false information to the public. Propaganda may occur deliberately or accidentally. The internet, particularly social media allows a small number of people to influence and control the opinions a huge audience. It is worth noting that propagandists target crowds created by social media, which makes the spread of fake news faster than ever before.

Propaganda has become commonplace in corporate communications and public relations departments. For instance, organizations utilize the technique as a viable mechanism to control panic, additional financial, and reputation ruins. Enterprises rely on social media for branding, marketing, and advertising (Auger 374). It is important to note that social media promoters use propaganda to create content and stories targeting consumers of fake news. The developers avail comments sections and news articles to manipulate the opinions of users. The pieces end up flooded with comments designed to promote the hidden objectives of the clients. Social media campaigners use fake news to maintain proactivity on the sites. Propagandists craft news posts that appeal to the readers’ psychological desires including biases and a hierarchy of aspirations. Businesses employ propaganda using social media presence to influence the opinions and preferences of consumers.

In the digital era, people’s attention span of reading materials is short. As such, the propaganda techniques are used to manipulate readers. Most articles do not have to be sensible, complete, or factual (Auger 373). Sensational headlines on social media function efficiently to achieve the principal objective of the client. Social media has played a central role in propagating political ideas in countries, giving rise to historical changes. In most revolutions, uprisings and protests across the globe emerge as propaganda on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among other favorite social sites. Social media helps in mobilizing, informing and shaping the public opinion (Auger 375). The modern propaganda reaches the global audience. The negative application of social media propaganda has become evident in the wake of terrorism. The potential for anonymity on social media has helped terror gangs to propagate radicalization and extremism.

Conclusion

The advent of social media has transformed the use of propaganda in novel ways. The social media channels, which include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube among others, have leveraged propaganda in unimaginable ways. Notably, social media helps humans to create, share, spread, and promote information without official regulation. Corporate communications and public relations departments use the technique to increase reputation and prevent crises. Also, businesses use propaganda on social media channels in advertising, branding, and marketing. It is important to note that social media propaganda has influenced remarkable changes in national and international politics. Online uprisings have led to historical transformations. Nevertheless, propaganda (fake news) has helped terrorists to spread information about radicalization and extremism, which hurt humans.

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Identity Theft

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) asserts that a stolen identity is a powerful tool of anonymity for terrorists and criminals and poses a danger to private citizens and national security (Berghel, 2012). Berghel (2012) defines identity theft as the deliberate use of another person’s private information, such as insurance card number or full name to gain economic advantage or obtain other benefits at the expense of the person. The current increase of identity theft is due to many ways that people process information that makes it easier for identity thieves to access our personal data. Advances in technology now allow people to undertake most of their tasks electronically and constantly. It is easy to pass private information such as credit card numbers and identification card numbers from computer to computer in different geographical locations through the internet. It is, therefore, imperative to critically assess trends in identity theft and how it impacts on individuals.

For many years, criminals have been using tax notices, bank statements, discredited credit card receipts and other bills to gain personal data required to steal the identity of another person. [1] The trend is, however, changing with the advancement in the electronic field, and these criminals are utilizing technology to develop new strategies of theft in the form of cybercrimes. According to a study by the United States Department of Justice, in 2012, the country lost $24.7 billion to identity theft, $15.4 billion in 2014 and $16 billion in 2016 (Harrell & Langton, 2013). Identity thieves use stolen information to file taxes, fraudulently apply for credit cards, or get health services. These acts can damage the stole person’s credit card and cost them substantial amounts of cash to repair the damage left such as clearing their name in law agencies. There are various types of identity thefts including child identity theft, identity concealment, medical identity theft, criminal identity theft, and financial identity theft.

In financial identity theft, a person gains economic benefits in someone else’s name, and it includes using a stolen identity to buy goods and services or get credit and loans. Child identity theft is a scenario when an impostor uses a minor’s identity for personal gain.[2] Social security numbers of children are of value because they are easy to find. Most of the times, thieves can obtain a driving license, establish lines of credit or buy a house using the stolen identity of a child. It is vital to note that child identity cases can go undetected for years because most children fail to discover the problem early (Hedayati, 2012).

Medical identity is also on the rise and occurs when a person seeks medical services under the identity of another person, such as through insurance cards. In criminal identity theft, a criminal presents fake documents and the authorities may place charges under the victim’s name. Concerning identity concealment and cloning, a thief impersonates someone else to hide their own identity, for example, the case of illegal immigrants. Furthermore, social identity theft is also on the rise with thieves using photos, names and other personal information to create a fake social media platform. Social media platforms function based on the personal information that users provide. Cybercriminals can easily guess passwords based on the items that users post online. Moreover, some criminals even go further to create fake company accounts and lure consumers into sending money (Berghel, 2012).

Identity theft impacts significantly on individuals and may cost them substantial amounts of money. For example, in the case of medical identity theft, the victim faces the risk of financial harms as well as danger to health. The thief’s medical information is added to the victim’s records resulting in inaccurate medical records that are hard to correct and may cause doctors to rely on misinformation to deliver inappropriate health care. Concerning criminal identity theft, it is hard for a victim to clear their record because it is dependent on the jurisdiction’s ability to determine the identity of the imposter first. Moreover, the police may list the name of the victim as an alias, and while the police and courts may clear the records, other data aggregators may still possess incorrect criminal records. Langton (2011) contends that victims of identity theft get little help from the police because the law enforcement has to handle many such cases (Langton, 2011). As such, most victims spend a lot of time in law agencies proving their innocence and clearing their names and feel helpless and violated.

Due to the growing issue of identity theft, organizations and individuals are working to determine various ways to prevent the issue. One of this ways is through the privacy of personal data. Protection of personal information especially on the internet is vital to prevent both fraud and impersonation (Reyns, 2013). As companies continue to collect more information from consumers, it becomes easy for criminals to acquire it. Therefore, there is the need for organizations to protect consumer’s personal information. Besides that, there is the need to prevent fraudulent transactions to deter criminals from impersonating legitimate users to a financial institution. Therefore, such organizations should ensure users keep their password in a secure and virus free machine.

[1] They obtain such documents from rummaging through rubbish, from IT equipment and phones, from public records about citizens or stealing ID, passports or credit cards from mails, housebreak, or pickpocketing.

[2] Social Security numbers of children offer clean slates used to commit frauds for years without detection.

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