Websites of the Week

Websites of the week

Week 1 – Career Builder

• -          I noticed they will help you with your resume but they charge you around $200 dollars to do it. Don’t they have generic, free tips on how to make your own resume? I’ll have to keep looking.
• -          They have a job search tool. This is useful for finding jobs but obviously limited to the jobs people happen to post on their website. I think it’s necessary to search on a variety of websites as well as other offline sources to find all the options.
• -          I like how on the first page they have a list of recent job postings in your area.
• -          The job searching tool is a powerful resource. I can search for jobs within my selected industry and find a job near where I want to live.
• -          The career tests are also useful for finding out about different careers you might not have thought of before.

Week 2 – Microsoft Office

• -          Looks like they have most of the basic software (Word, Excel,  etc.) that you need to be familiar with.
• -          They have a large selection of images. That could be helpful in creating visual media stuff so long as it’s not copyrighted.
• -          The resume templates look especially helpful for us young college students who haven’t done one before.
• -          They also have templates for ‘Help Wanted’ signs of all forms. I’ll have to keep that in mind if I’m ever a boss in the future.
• -          Also, they have a direct link to Monster. Great for job searches.

Week 3 – Time and Date

• -          The time zone calculator would be really helpful for those of us who have to travel. We’d be able to see local time and time at home/work to make communication easier.
• -          On that same thread, the travel tools would be useful so that you can get where you’re going.
• -          The calendar tool is helpful for scheduling and time management.
• -          Sun and moon might be useful for outdoorsmen or people who get horribly lost.
• -          Being able to count down to a specific date and time would be helpful to stay on top of due dates and whatnot.

Week 4 – Monster.com

• -          Similar to Career Builder in that it helps you find a job. I find it interesting that they have a ‘Jobs in Emerging Countries’ section. Is there a big demand for that or is it more of a ‘gimmick’ to stand out?
• -          The ‘Post a Resume’ option could be handy, since it will increase the chances of an employer finding you, even if it is by chance.
• -          One thing I like more about Monster is that it gives you free, general resume-building tips that in some cases debunk common myths (for example, one-page limit isn’t as important as including all and only relevant information to the job).
• -          Like Career Builder, you can search jobs by title, skills, and/or location.
• -          I like how they have a section for recent grads, since I’ll probably be using it in the near future.

Week 5 – PRSSA

• -          The internship center is extremely helpful for those going into PR.
• -          They have scholarships! And I qualify for some of them! And they’re big scholarships! I already missed the due date but I will definitely have to keep my eye on this one.
• -          The conferences they do look like they’d be a really good opportunity to meet and hear PR professionals and get a leg-up on PR.
• -          They have a lot of tips for people just graduating, as well as resources to help them get started on their career.
• -          They have another section with resume tips and tips for other stuff like resumes.

Week 6 – AAF

• -          I find it interesting that they hold an advertising competition. I think that’s a good way to help people get their names out there as well as see what other people are doing in advertising.
• -          Like the PRSSA, AAF offers internship and scholarship opportunities, among other things, to help people go to college and enter the advertising career.
• -          I like how they keep track of legislation regarding advertising. It helps the rest of us stay afloat of political trends and avoid getting involved in legal issues.
• -          Interesting that they have a multicultural center. Is this the result of affirmative action legislation, a desire to help minorities advance, or something else? Or is it more about being able to advertise to different cultures? I wasn’t entirely sure from what I read.
• -          They even have a Hall of Achievement and of Fame. This also helps advertisers get their names out there.

Week 7 – Job Interview Questions

• -          The description of interview question types is helpful because it lets you know what kinds of questions to expect and how to best answer them.
• -          I like how they have specific examples for different professions. Clearly not all jobs are the same, and the questions asked are bound to vary.
• -          The after-interview tips are helpful in reminding us that an interview is hardly the end of the hiring process, and that there are more things to do that can score us ‘points’ with an employer.
• -          I’ve never thought much about salary negotiation and less how I might handle it. This list of tips is very helpful.
• -          Almost every page I’ve visited mentions researching the organization. If you do that, you’ll have an edge in that you’ll know what the company’s about and what its goals are and you can show how you can fill those goals.

Week 8 – Cheating in Schools

• -          I’m not surprised to hear about cheating, even at BYUI. While I’m sure we’re not as bad as others, I’ve seen a fair amount of dishonest and unethical conduct and attitudes towards education.
• -          The section on why kids cheat is interesting. While I certainly don’t accept the ‘negative role model’ excuse as valid (so what if grown-ups are dishonest?) I have to admit that I understand concerns about having to compete against cheaters.
• -          This seems like a really good resource to teach students about ethics. I find it interesting that it covers topics like critical thinking and logic since I am currently taking a class that emphasizes these points.
• -          I think it’s cool that a journalist was instrumental in putting this together. I think he faces these ethical issues all the time and so it would be an important topic for him.
• -          I don’t really know what else to say. Don’t cheat.

Week 9 – OWL

• -          The writing tips on resumes and whatnot are helpful.
• -          Audience is key. Knowing how to analyze them is critical. This site offers help to do that.
• -          I like the action verb section. In my 111 class we talk about using strong action verbs all the time.
• -          They have a lot of stuff about cover letters.  I don’t even know what those are, so it will be extremely helpful.
• -          Knowing how to write business letters is important.