What Not to Wear to Your Next Interview

Interviews are all about first impressions and what you wear can go a long way in telling people who you before you’ve even started speaking. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your outfit, but putting in a little extra effort to choose the right attire can help you in the long run. It takes interviewers less than 2.2 seconds to judge you by what you wear. 55% of your initial impression comes from the way you dress. Your decision about what to wear can tell a story about who you are at work.

Emerging Technology in Education

The classroom experience is not just about chalk and blackboard anymore. Technology makes its way into the classroom changing the way education is imparted. A new learning culture is developing which is making education more hands-on and practical. The 21st century skills that a student needs to acquire to succeed move beyond the traditional textbook and it is essential for teachers to keep up.

JOB VS CAREER

These two terms are often used interchangeably and seen as sort of synonyms. But if you’re careful with your words, you’ll soon realize they have totally different meanings. Let’s review the Oxford definitions of the 2 words:

Job: A paid position of regular employment.
Career: An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress

Let’s take an example of my friend Andy who is changing jobs. He’s a software engineer with Yahoo and soon he’ll be taking up a new position at Intel. I use the word ‘job’ here as he is changing his employer but not his field of expertise. He will still be working as a software engineer. On the other hand, my colleague Mini has decided to change careers. She used to work with me as a Marketing Manager and now she’s planning to take up an MA and become a teacher. That’s a totally different occupation – a different career choice!

A job is a regular activity through which an individual earns money. It is a short term commitment. Whereas a career is a long term commitment in which one pursues a lifelong ambition. Education or special training might not be required for a job but are absolutely paramount for a career.

A career is a series of connected employment opportunities which build a ladder to more lucrative employment opportunities. Someone looking for a job would just be looking for a good paycheck but someone who’s looking to build a career would have specific goals in mind to fulfill a list of skills they wish to acquire. A career would give you the opportunity to meet with people who you would like to add to your network for business opportunities.

Jobs provide stability, something to fall back on. Careers may involve more risk and also more frequent change. Most people tend to be less emotionally invested in their jobs as all they want to do is stay out of trouble from the boss and bring home the bacon. In careers, the goal is not just to get the task done but to learn the best possible way to be efficient and gain experiences and build connections that would help you advance.

Many people identify themselves with their careers. They like saying “I am marketing professional” or “I am a baker” but you’ll find most job-oriented people saying “I work at XYZ” There’s a sense of belongingness that comes with a career that cannot be compared to that of a job.


The bottom line is to know going in whether your current employment opportunity is a job or a career opportunity. Ask yourself whether you’re in it for the paycheck or if you hope to have a business just like this someday. And there’s nothing wrong with doing it for the money. In this case do not get too involved. Invest your emotional and mental energy in other things that matter to you, like your family or your book club. If you’re hoping to build a career, put your all into it and turn up the passion. 

Upgrade to Active Learning

Some learn best while following instructions, some learn best while reading and others learn while doing.  Active learning is anything that involves students doing things and thinking about what they are doing. Anything that engages the student in an experiential activity-based lesson can be classified as active learning. In this method, the responsibility of learning lies with the student. Studies show that active learning strategies are much better recalled, enjoyed and understood as compared to passive learning or the lecture format.

Active learning is based on the simple principle that people generally remember 90% of what they do as compared to 20% of what they hear and only 10% of what they read. Students absorb new knowledge through organizing information and manipulating material rather than just reading, listening and note-taking. Active learning increases student interest, motivation and attendance. The best part is that the student learns to take learning into their hands. They learn how to monitor their own learning and invest in class to succeed.

Active learning can be used in a number of cases to supplement traditional teaching methods. Create opportunities to involve students in the process of learning. Here are a few useful examples:

1.       Peer Teaching: Assign a topic to students, ask them to research, gather information and prepare a presentation. The presentation can be done in groups, pairs or individually. Students feel more comfortable and open interacting with their peers.

2.       Field Visit: This is a chance for students to learn outside the classroom. The activity can be planned as an incentive and an opportunity to further their learning. Take for example a visit to a neighboring dam to learn about the importance of water for living and agriculture. Allow time for pre-visit research and class discussions. During the visit, groups of students can experience various elements of what goes into building a dam, measuring the width of the dam, drawing the kinds of vegetation surrounding the dam, participating in a talk by one of the government engineers. After the visit, groups can exchange information through presentations or reports.

3.       Flipped Classroom: In the traditional model, teachers give lectures in the classroom, students take notes, teachers assign homework, students complete assignments and are graded accordingly. In the flipped classroom, lectures are delivered online at their own pace, communicating with peers and teachers via online discussions and the classroom is used as a place for activity and engagement-based learning. This method gives students the chance to absorb information in a relaxed environment, taking the time they need to grasp new concepts and in the classroom it gives them the opportunity learn through activity. The classroom becomes a safe learning environment where questions are encouraged and doubts are cleared. Teachers can be more hands-on with concepts that students don’t understand and support students in solving problems in class.

4.       Minute Paper: Even in a regular lecture based class, teachers can make an effort to include active learning practices. One of the techniques found to be exceptionally rewarding is the one minute pause. In this method, the lecture is paused just for a minute and students are asked to hand in a short assignment on what they have just learnt. Introducing a writing activity in the middle of the listening activity not only provides a much-needed change of pace, but also makes sure the students attention span is maximized.

5.       Think-Pair-Share: Have students first work on a problem individually and then compare answers with their partners and present their findings to the class. This technique incorporates peer learning and group work.

6.       Brainstorming: Pose a problem and ask for solutions from the class. Provide enough time for teams to collate possible solutions and discuss the best possible outcomes. Interactive learning techniques can help boost the confidence of the students and encourage teamwork.

7.       Pass the problem: Add a twist to the brainstorming sessions by introducing a folder in which one group’s solution is collected and passed on to the next group for the next level of problem-solving. This way the more complex the question, the more participative the solution becomes.

8.       Icebreaker Review: Best suited to the first class of the term, this activity serves as an introductory crash course. Write a set of 10-20 questions pertaining to topics you would expect the students to know about from the previous term. Each student gets a card with one question and its answer. The task is to find the answer to all the questions. Students exchange information and review answers together until all the required information is with each of them.

9.       The Fish Bowl: A simple and easy-to-implement technique to encourage students to ask questions without hesitation. At the end of the class, each student writes down his/her question and places it in the fishbowl/cardboard box/hat. The most asked question can be the topic for discussion in the next class.

10.   Student Debate: An interactive method to provoke research and discussion. Students have to present their point of view with relevant supporting arguments. This technique not only encourages verbal presentation but also shows both sides of the story when it comes to challenging topics.

Active Learning Techniques are not only beneficial to the students but also the teacher. Active participation from the students ensures that concepts are understood not only in their rudimentary form but also in their application in problem-solving. Methods like peer teaching and the flipped classroom save precious time on both sides of the classroom.

10 Ways your Co-curricular Activities can Lead to Post-college Success

Keeping your grades up and keeping your nose in the grindstone is important for every graduate but it’s not the only thing that ensures post-college success. More colleges are focusing on the all-round growth of a student where you have the chance to excel inside as well as outside the classroom.

To some co-curricular activates seem like a distraction from course work and an unnecessary one at that but others find it essential to stay active in various clubs and after school programs.

How to Deal with Procrastination: The 7 Step Guide

Procrastination is the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the "last minute" before the deadline.

10 Absolute Deal Breakers when it comes to Choosing a College

The tiniest things can be the most pivotal while making such a life-changing decision. But really there are just a few questions you need to ask yourself before zeroing in on the perfect college. Here are 10 absolute deal breakers and what you can do to figure out what works for you:

1. “It’s too close to home!”

Getting as far away from home as possible can sound like the best idea when you’re looking to party away your college life. And obviously you don’t want your parents to be close enough to drop in at your dorm! On the other hand, being close to home means mom’s food everyday and not having to leave the friends you grew up with.

Ask yourself: Where do I want to spend the next 4 years? Do I want to stay close to home or explore a whole new state? Are there any places I don’t want to go?

2. “It’s in the back of beyond!”

Even if you do choose a college out of your state, there are several location-based factors to look into. Some colleges are located near cities, others are in small suburbs or towns and some even have wooded forests close-by. Go for one that suits your personality and upbringing. Getting away from the city can be a good change in lifestyle as long as the college suits your other requirements.

Ask yourself: Is it in a small area where the university takes up half the town? Or is it a city college surrounded by clubs, stores, movie theatres and malls?

3. “It’s too small! No one knows about it.”

Larger universities have better options – more classes, more clubs, and better sports facilitates. But smaller ones are known for their more student-friendly environment with better student-to-teacher ratios.

Ask yourself: In which environment would I learn more? Is this school accredited?

4. “But it doesn’t offer dance as a major!”

If they aren’t offering the major you’re interested in, just don’t go! What’s the point of studying in an absolutely fab college if you don’t get to do what you want? That’s one way of looking at it! If you’re confused, start by eliminating what you don’t want to study and then work backwards. You don’t have to decide it all right away – this is just a starting point for your college search.

Ask yourself: Will a degree from this college get me the job I want? Will I earn a certificate, or a 2 year degree, or a 4 year degree? What is their graduation rate?

5. “It’s too expensive!”

Cost is an enormous deal-breaker for so many of us! Look into scholarships, student loans, online programs and part-time courses. Choosing a college should be about the best education and not about the best price. Compare graduation and loan default rates, tuition and expenses, average debt at the school using ED’s college Navigator tool.

Ask yourself: Will spending this much on my education help me earn more? Does my dream job require specific qualifications? How long will it take me to pay back a student loan?

6. “I can’t become the best fashion stylist if I study there!”

If your goal is fairly specific and you aim to be the best in your field, it’s important to choose a college that will give you every opportunity to excel.

Ask yourself: Does this college offer the best placements? Will studying here help me grow only academically? Or will it help me increase my overall competency?

7. “The recruiter won’t leave me alone”

Stay away from colleges that keep hounding you to apply. If the recruiter keeps luring you with dangling carrots, making it difficult for you to think straight, it’s a cue for you to look elsewhere. There’s no reason to let anyone else make this decision for you.

Ask yourself: Is the recruiter giving me enough time to explore my options? Am I facing any pressure to enroll?

8. “But what if I change my mind mid-way?”
You’re not expected to know exactly what you want to do immediately after high school. More than 50% of students change their majors half-way through college, so choose a university that allows flexibility.

Ask yourself: Are my credits transferable if I switch to another school?

9. “I’ve heard the teachers aren’t friendly”
This can be an important one, especially if you aren’t the kind that studies on your own. A professor can make or break your motivation to do well in college. The ratings given to teachers by ex-students can help you make an informed decision. Try reading reviews on RateMyProfessors.com.

Ask yourself: Am I willing to put in extra leg work even if the teacher isn’t? Does my motivation to study XYZ subject come from my great school teacher?

10. “There aren’t any cute girls around!”
You know you’re thinking about it. Even on your campus visit you couldn’t help noticing that there wasn’t a good chance of you dating anyone you saw. So don’t deny yourself a good college dating life. It can be as important to keep you focused on what you want to achieve at college. But going to a Co-ed school just for the cuties might not be the best choice career-wise.

Ask yourself: Does dating distract me or do I study better in pairs?

7 Ways to Save Money as a Freshman

In your freshman year, college seems like a key to freedom. The first year away from home can be the most empowering and terrifying year of your life!
It starts off all nice and dandy – your own apartment or dorm room, cool newroommates replace annoying siblings, parties carry on without curfews. Credit cards get swiped left, right and center and before you know it, you could be in a huge pile of debt by the time you graduate.
According to Alexa von Tobel, personal finance expert, credit card debt in college senior amounts to about $4,000 on an average from credit cards, without counting $30,000 in student debt.
Start early and nip the spending in the bud. Establish a simple and practical plan for your expenditure and start save money as a freshman. Here are 7 quintessential tips to save money in your freshman year:

1. Make a Budget, Check It Twice
The easiest way to spend money is to lose track of it. If you’re getting a certain amount every month from you part-time job or your parents (lucky bum!) make sure you have a plan as to how you’re going to spend it. Rent, food and transport take up a major chunk.  Once you subtract the essentials, you have a clearer idea of how much disposable income you have at hand. Always withdraw in small amount, so your wallet has just enough for the week and you avoid overspending.

2. Get Appwise
Making a budget is as good as making a New Year’s resolution! It can all collapse unless you take action to execute it. Dollarbird and Expensify are great expense tracking apps for your iPhone. Try Pennies or You Need a Budget for a more detailed look at your spending habits. Keep a tally of every bill on your phone and get reports every month.

3. Don’t Spend. Invest.
While buying a high priced item, like a laptop or a mobile phone, make sure it’s durable, it has a decent warranty and it comes with the latest software. This way you won’t have to bother about buying a new one until you’re out of college. While choosing which items to invest in and which ones to go low cost, just think of how many years you would like to be using the product.

4. Rent textbooks
Avoid your college bookstore, where textbooks are known to be marked-up for convenience.  Rent books online at TextbookRecycling.com (they donate to charity from every sale) or even better rent the more expensive textbooks from BookRenter.com for a semester or entire year.

5. Take advantage of student perks
studentuniverse.com helps you save on travel. They even offer deals on J Crew and iTunes. A free 6 months membership to Amazon Prime and 25% cashback on Lenovo PCs are perks meant only for students. Take advantage of your ID, whenever and wherever you can! Cafeteria meals and college meal plans can save you a wad of cash and they’re usually much healthier than outside food.

6. Avoid the spend crowd
This could be one of the toughest challenges. Peer pressure leads to an unnecessary amount of spending and it’s harder than you think to avoid hanging with the spend crowd. Having to drop out of a holiday/party plans can be a tough call. But avoiding the crowd that parties more than studies could go a long way in saving the big buck.

7. Carpool
Pool your resources. This happens most often with roomies and the fridge but it could extend to your fuel budget as well. Cut down on individual expenses by using a common car to get to your campus every day.

5 Ways to Smarten Up your FB profile for Prospective Employers

Applying for a job can be a long, daunting task involving resume writing, portfolio building, contacting companies and interviewing with prospective employers. In the midst of all this you also have your online social presence to worry about. What if your interviewer were to casually look you up? Will you look smart enough on Facebook?

Up to 94% of employers are using social media to recruit new talent and there are numerous job search tools and apps on Facebook that use information on your profile to find the best matches in the job market. It’s hard enough to land a job without having to agonize over how your Facebook profile is harming your reputation. But the real question is can you really use Facebook to attract potential
employers? Here’s how you can easily smarten up your FB profile while you’re on a job hunt:

1. Beef Up your Profile 
Fill in all the details related to your school and college. Include relevant extra-curricular activities, clubs you might have joined and internships that were part of your course. Be specific about your past work experience; make sure you include what role you played in the organization, no matter how big or small. Taking yourself seriously can be the first indicator that you are job-ready.

2. Fan your Feathers 
Boast about your professional accomplishments. Use milestones to show off when you complete an important project or complete a longer stint at a job. Each feather in your cap can be another reason for an employer to notice you. Make sure you don’t sound too arrogant though, it’s not all about you. Give credit where credit is due.

3. Be a Groupie 
Post often in job related groups. Join the communities which talk about industry specific topics. Show off your hobbies by liking the right pages. For example if you love photography, be sure to participate in the photography contests online. Seek out influencers and follow them, share their updates, even try to engage with a few who are well-connected in your field.

4. Privacy Policy
Facebook has privacy control every single step of the way. Even while posting a status you can choose who is allowed to view it. So, choose wisely and better safe than sorry in cases where you’re skipping school and posting about your fun day at the movies. Make specific lists of friends and share accordingly. Pictures and videos from your spring break should be hidden from all scrutiny.

5. Best Foot Forward 
Make sure your portfolio features strongly on your profile. If you have a blog or a website, share links to your latest posts often, encouraging friends to like what you do. This shows that you’re passionate about your work and you aren’t afraid of public attention. If you’re involved in any charitable activity or if you’ve ever volunteered at an NGO or a summer school, make sure you post about it.

Employers are interested in knowing who you are socially and how you would fit into the work culture at the new company. Any and all details that show you in a good light help in getting you on top of the recruiters list. All the best!

5 Things You Never Knew About World-Famous Dropouts

It’s no longer surprising to hear that some of the richest people in the world are college dropouts. Almost 16% of the 400 wealthiest Americans did not graduate college. Of course, statistically speaking, those who complete college make way more money than those who don’t. For obvious reasons, being a graduate gives you an edge when it comes to getting a job and staying employed. Yet most of us can’t help but be inspired by the ones that choose to drop-out saving precious time and money to fuel their extraordinary dreams.

Look up the 5 wealthiest drop outs and you’ll find a billion reasons why they have the most aspirational success stories. But here’s something you didn’t know about these rolling-in-dough masterminds:

1. Bill Gates:

Gates spent most of his college life fishing out crumpled listings of operating systems from the garbage bin outside the Computer Science Center and coding away to glory. It’s a lesser known fact that he actually had enough credits to graduate but decided against it, as he was already successful after 2 short years at Harvard.

2. Mark Zuckerberg:

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, this social media magnate was once the nerdiest kid in college. You wouldn’t want to invite him to parties or take him on a date. In the early years of Facebook, he in fact spent considerable sums of money tackling litigations related to problems created by his friends, who were promised senior positions in the company. Today, he is one of the youngest billionaires.

3. Lawrence Ellison:

The CEO and Co-founder of Oracle Corporation has a traditional superhero story – his dad was an air force pilot and he never met his mom until he was 48! Believe it or not his Jewish mom was never married and he was given away at the age of 9 months  to be brought up by his uncle and aunt in New York. Batman, much?

4. Michael Dell:

Investing in stocks since the age of 7, Dell’s favorite toy was a calculator. He dropped out of the pre-medical program at the University of Texas because it just wasn’t challenging enough for his keen business mind. Just imagine your laptop might not have existed if he had gone ahead and become a doctor!

5. Marc Rich:

Having that surname sure has its advantages! Founder of Glencore, Rich was indicted for tax evasion, but later famously pardoned on Bill Clinton’s last day in office. What you didn’t know is that his most expensive investment was his wife! He met Denise Eisenberg on a blind date and they were married for 30 long years. Ten years after the divorce it was discovered that, Denise had over 140 million USD protected from scrutiny in the form of a trust, which included a Learjet 60 and a yacht called the “Lady Joy.”

ARE YOU IN THE WRONG JOB? 8 DEFINITIVE SIGNS THAT YOU ARE!

You head to work with absolute dedication everyday. You work with all honesty. You put in extra-hours and the weekends. You are always cued into your office mail inbox. But you are majorly unhappy about work. Basically you are in denial. So here are straight 8 signs that all’s not well in work-heaven. And if you say yes to even 3 of these you need to hit press play on your job hunt.

1. Everything except your blood type is negative.

You wake up dreading work. You cry yourself to sleep after-work. At work you have the droopiest face. Your friends have been asking you why you look so unhappy. No amount of inspirational quotes on Pinterest make you feel better about your life. There’s just no light at the end of the tunnel.

2. You are at the top. But it’s lonely there.

You have completed an important project and are the new shining star of the office. But when everyone backslaps you, you wonder what the fuss is all about. Your idea gets selected at the meeting but you only wish it hadn’t been. You are the hero of your office, but you feel out of place, alone and lonely.

3. You are an engineer. Applying to be a bartender!

If you find yourself reading openings for a secretary, a bartender, an air hostess, a social worker, with interest, reading the role description seriously and even feeling confident that you will be able to handle the role efficiently, then we suggest you really do apply.

4. Friends have turned foes.

Friends at work disperse the minute they see you approaching. Friends avoid taking your calls. Most people have hidden you from their timeline. Because they are tired of the only one thing you seem to excel at these days - crying about your work-life woes.

5. No amount of therapy seems to work

Chocolates, your favorite comedy flick, new clothes, new shoes, mugs of cappuccino, getting your hair coloured, a free weekend, if nothing lifts you up, you need to lift yourself out of that job.

6. Your salary has been credited. So what!

When you get a message saying your salary has been credited, you feel like you’ve been chained.It’s not that you’re not being paid enough, it’s just no matter what you’re paid, you’d still be unsatisfied.

7. Smoke breaks last longer than lunch break

Picking up smokes? Or putting on weight? You’re definitely in the wrong job!

8. You imagine slaying your colleagues while watching KILL BILL.

Never mind throwing darts at pics of your boss, you have secretly plotted the detailed massacre of every co-worker. In that case, you might need a therapist as well as a new job!

Your job hunt starts NOW!

What Makes You a '90's Kid?

Do you remember the last time you slammed the phone down to END CALL? When was the last time you watched Tom n Jerry? Whether it’s the incredible speed at which you could climb a mango tree or your instant affinity for freshly sharpened Natraj pencils, everyone has an official trademark from growing up in the ‘90’s.

What made this decade so special? Was it just our carefree childhood or was it the rapidly changing world we grew into? Technology progressed from dial-up modems to WiFi, music changed from Bryan Adams to Justin Timberlake, even toothpaste changed from Dunthmanjan to Oral-B!

Here are some unforgettable ‘90’s moments:

1.  Career Choices

We had the advantage of growing up in a growing world, where our choices just kept expanding. We were dreamers, cos we were allowed to be.

2. All the walas

On the flip-side there are so many endangered jobs that were so popular back then, take your regular icecream wala, istri wala, dhobi wala, knife sharpner, supercane juice stalls, broom maker, postman...

3. Hand-me-downs

Even if they do exist, the dhobi and istri walas of today are ironing first-generation clothing! I remember my cupboard stocked with hand-me-downs of different shapes and sizes! Was it just me or was this a purely 90's trend? We recycled everything from school bags to plastic bags, geometry sets to make-up kits!

4. School Games

Lagori was a big deal in school. Girls who didn't finish lunch in time always ended up on the losing team! Now if you want to play, you go online and wait for a faceless players to join you at online scrabble!

5. The Great Outdoors

Our idea of fun was cycling down a really steep slope or plucking mangoes from the neighbor's tree. We just enjoyed the outdoors a lot more than kids these days!

6. Power cuts!

And when we were inside, we had our favorite cartoons - Powerpuff Girls, Scooby Doo, Richie Rich...until the power went off and mom would call the electricity board in a huff, while we made shadow animals or played dark room.

7. Cassettes

I'm talking about a time when MTV really played music and we'd never have imagined being able to 'download' an entire Britney Spears album on what we used to call a 'telephone'. I do remember sneaking the land line into a quite corner to talk to my bestie about the latest crush!

9. Kodak Moments  

 We're the only generation that will ever struggled with dial-up modems or learnt how to draw pentagrams with Windows Basic, or recorded radio songs on cassettes and carried them around in walk men! We knew the real value of a photograph cos we could only take 48 on a Kodak reel and it was rather tricky to get the right background and perfect smile for each one of those.

10. Perms!

Fashion in the nineties meant high waist boot-cut jeans and a flouncy perm! Dungarees and a chokers made you extra cool and god-forbid you wore anything monochrome!

We have to admit it was a very special decade and no matter how nostalgic we get, the '90's got us used to tech and trends that changed in a blink-of-an-eye, making everything we loved so yesterday!

Is it really THAT difficult to be HAPPY?

#100happydays is just an excuse for me to put up a pretty pic every day and have my friends know what I’m upto. When I started the 100 Happy Days project, I thought, ‘It can’t be that hard, right? All I have to do is be happy for 100 days straight!’
I am a happy person, very easy to amuse and hard to piss off. It doesn’t take much to make me laugh. But I know that not everyone is this deliriously happy about the every day. Not every girl wakes up in the morning thinking of what she’s going to wear to work, texting a number of friends to get opinions on which scarf goes with the shirt she picked out!
And I don’t ALWAYS wake up happy! Some days I just have to drag myself out of bed for the sake of it, yell for coffee on the way to the shower and shovel down breakfast on the way to work. But there’s always something that happens during the day that makes me smile. It may be a rickshaw driver who charges me Rs 10 less for my daily commute to work, or a colleague who says I look nice, even though I didn’t go with the scarf that won the morning vote!
What makes you happy? Are you part of #100happydays?