Six Tips To Becoming A Better Person

Self-development

Self-development is a process of guiding oneself based on the results obtained from an assessment of one’s thoughts and actions. The first step towards Self-development is identifying key areas that need to be changed for better. These could be one’s mental abilities, emotional strength, technical skills or educational qualifications. The next step is to find and employ the “tricks” that get us to achieve the intended goal. Here are a couple of steps that can help us get started with Self-development:

  1. Put your thoughts on paper. Writing weeds out lots of unwanted energy that goes into creating negative impact.
  2. Perform an honest self-assessment of your skills, abilities, know-how‘s etc.
  3. Evaluate the results and chart out an action plan.
  4. Prioritize the action plan to best match your career / personal goal / growth.
  5. Locate resources that matter most, and might act as an assisting-aid to execute your action plan.
  6. Last, but not the least, get down to it… and work on your action plan.  Make sure that you work out exactly as plan and do not procrastinate the “To Do” list.

For those who need that extra push, it is a good idea to enroll with self-development programs such as Leadership-Programs, Confident-Public-speaking, and Communication-skills etc. Such groups not only provide an all-for-one, one-for-all support with fellow members facing similar challenges, it also paves way to network with like-minded people, looking for help. You gain knowledge from someone else’s experience, while the other person may get a life-lesson by listening to your experience.

Let us not forget that, the biggest lesson any self-development tool-kit would give you is “Criticism is Good, react positively”. Indeed Criticism is Good, because it is this criticism that serves as a reality check and wakes us up from our self-absorbed “I know it all” mindset. True (self) development comes from reacting positively to such a criticism, however harsh it might be, whatever the source it might come from. Many fail at completing their self-development exercise due to the sole reason that they take criticism far too personally and fail to see it in a much broader sense. Ultimately, not making an inch of progress towards their actual goal.

Self-development is a skill and an art. While one needs to have THE inherent urge to improve one-self, this can also be learnt with the help of self-help books, audio-video aids, support groups etc. These help us focus on things that matter to us the most, and in turn makes us a better performer, at work, at relationships, at mentoring, at community activities etc. As easy as it might sound, it takes a lot of patience and rather a heavy dose of perseverance to complete a session of self-development (self-imposed or otherwise). But, those who do, are winners in their own sense for having mastered (or rather being able to deal with) their fear over criticism, face the audience with confidence, articulate their thoughts in a  better manner.

Guide to Ties – The Windsor Knot

For those of you, who need to wear a tie to be more impressive either for a job interview or in an office a TIE is a must. This video would help you learn how to knot a tie – the Windsor Knot.
Learn it.
This guide shows you how to tie them properly and this clip shows the classiest knot of all, The Windsor.

How to Write A Good Résumé

How to Write A Good Résumé

How to Write A Good Résumé
This helps you with a few tips about writing Cover Letter and a CV / Résumé and get you that job you want so badly!
Monday, March 24, 2003
How to Write a Good Résumé.

Hints, Pointers, and Tips ‘O the Trade
1. Don’t send your résumé as an attachment. People looking to fill a position can receive hundreds of inquiries, and they’re not going to bother to take the extra time to open and print out your résumé. Put your résumé in the body of the email, after your cover letter.

Writing Letters:
The résumé & the Application Letter gives the prospective employer everything they
Would like to know about you.

You need to format your résumé and Cover letter for the hard copy, which you may send.
1- While formatting leave adequate margins on all sides i.e., top bottom, left and right.
2 – The lay out should be neat and visually pleasing.
3 – The first block on the left of the letter would be the Employers Address.

A It would be better to call up the advertiser and get to know the name of the person who is to receive the letter. Check the spelling. Check it again read out aloud and confirm it. If you do not have a name, if the advertisement gives you no salutation, print ‘The Advertiser’ or ‘The Personnel Manager’.

The title of the employers name can be abbreviated like a Mr. Or Dr. If it is a woman you are addressing, use ’Ms’. Most of the other forms would be a Mrs. or a Miss.

It is a Ms. Laxmi and a Dr. Adam Wheavil and NOT Dr. Vinod Kumar MBBS.

Introduction:
You identify yourself, the position you are applying for and how you came to know about it.

Body:
You mention about your knowledge, your experience and your desire to work for the company and any of your knowledge about the company.

Conclusion:
You indicate the enclosed contents of the résumé and finish with a request.
You may also be proactive and inform that you would call back say in a week or ten days time to follow up your application. You request for an interview.

Ending

It is ideal to close the letter with ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘with regards’ / ‘warm regards’ ONLY when you know the employer.

Signature Block

You put your signature here. Ideally two lines below the ending of the letter. Beneath your signature your name should be printed legibly. Ideally with the first letters of your name in capitals e.g. A. Bill Gates but not Mr. A. Bill Gates. (You never introduce yourself with a Mr. / Ms / Dr. Etc.,)

Check the résumé for spelling mistakes before enclosing. The enclosure should be mentioned in the cover letter.

After your name leave two lines space and type : ‘Enclosure’. You may also type
‘Encl.:’ my résumé or simply résumé or append your name to it, to make it unique.  Say for example if your name is Joe Bill, it would read, Joe Bill_résumé.

SAMPLE LETTER:

DATE

dd mmm yy

The date on which the letter was written.

ADDRESS:

The Advertiser (When no name is given) When a name is given Mr. / Ms. / Dr. /Prof. /)
The address in the advertisement.

Dear Sir / Madam

(You use this salutation when you or not aware of the gender of the person to whom you are addressing the letter.)

Sub: Application for the post of (mention the position you are seeking)

This letter is with reference to your advertisement
(NEVER USE THE ABBREVIATIONS) in the mention the name of the publication, and the date
(for e.g ‘The Hindu’, dated 15th August 2003.) I would like to apply (mention the position).

(This paragraph mentions about personality, character attributes that would suit the position you are applying for. These are the qualities that you wouldn’t able to mention in your RÉSUMÉ apart from others. Here you may mention that your résumé is enclosed).

I have ………………………. about ………………as mentioned in my résumé which is enclosed

Kindly give me a chance to present myself for an interview. I am looking forward to an early and positive response from you.

Yours sincerely,

(leave at least five lines space.)

Your signature.

(Your name)

Encl.: Résumé .

A résumé is a document that describes you, your background and the career your seeking
To excel in. This is THE document that creates the first impression of you on the prospective employer.

 try to get to know about the organization.
 Its services / products.
 Avoid length descriptions.
 Combine your knowledge with the experience required by the organization.
 Put it chronologically.
 Mention what ‘YOU’ did for the previous company or the present company with which you are employed NOT what ‘WE’ did.
 Use action words.
 Check your gramar.
 Check your spling.
 Take second opinions.

Résumé should mention your

 Personal Details
 Educational Achievements
 Work Experience
 Additional Skills and any Training
 Extra curricular interests and hobbies

Résumé
(This is to be printed in capital letters and center aligned. Ideally all the heading should be in bold letters.)

Leave three blank line spaces. But should not be less than two lines.

Name: *Start here and align the consequent text to
this margin.
Age: *Leave double / triple line spacing between
Headings. Keep it uniform.

Date of Birth:

Address: 123, abc apts
456, road
Area
City – Pincode (123 456) or zip code in some countries or postal code in some other countries.
State / provice

Telephone No: 91+ (Std Code) 1234 56 78

Academic Qualification:

Degree / Course Year of Passing Percentage

Degree 1999

HSC 1996

SSC 1994

Technical Qualifications
(Mention different h/w and s/w platforms.)

Work Experience:
Interests:

*
*

You can mail me at:

Email Id: the.achievers+résumé AT gmail DOT com
While the help that is offered here is free it would be appreciated if you could acknowledge the use of this material.

How to Write A Good Résumé