Free advice for students entering the job market

Macleans.ca had an article with some tips for summer job seekers, you can read the whole article here.  Here are just a few of the tips from the article — and a few tips of my own.

  • 1. Crack the hidden job market
    Most jobs aren’t advertised.
  • 2. Summer jobs matter more than you think
    You may be tempted to return to that retail gig you held in high school. Resist the urge. The type of job you get this summer will influence the type of job you’ll get next summer and far into the future.
  • 3. Head West! (Or North. Or East.)
    If you live in a university town, you’re going to have intense competition for the best summer jobs.
  • 4. Clean up after yourself online
  • 5. Don’t forget the keywords
    The first thing some human resources managers do with a stack of applications is sort though them to eliminate those that don’t reference keywords from the job ad.
Oh ya -- and don't be late!

I have some advice of my own for students entering the job market. Mike’s top five mistakes made by students on their first job interview.

#5. Bringing your DS, in case things get boring during the interview.

#4. Admitting you failed food save – but explaining it was lame-oh anyway.

#3. Including sleeping and pounding your brother on your list of “hobbies and interests”.

#2. Saying you sure hope your office will be nicer than this one.

#1. Ending the interview with “t-minus-zero, snooze fest out”.

Another Top Five things NOT to do here…

 

How to Get the Best Cup of Coffee from an Auto-Drip Coffee Maker

Coffee...

How to Get the Best Cup from an Auto-Drip Coffee Maker from LifeHacker

The auto-drip coffee maker is ridiculed by coffee snobs (and for good reason—plenty of other methods make consistently better coffee), but the auto-drip’s no hassle, automatic brewing still makes it the go-to choice for a lot of homes and offices looking for a quick caffeine fix. While you may not be able to get the “perfect” brew from an auto-drip, you can make it a whole lot better with a little know-how.

An auto-drip coffee maker is handy because you can set it and forget it, but the fact you can’t control the temperature or the water ratio as it pours over the beans means you can’t customize the brew as much to fit your liking. The key to good auto-drip is to do skip any silly tricks and keep it as basic as possible, starting with the right coffee beans and roast.

Start the Process Right: Whole Beans, a Good Grind, Filtered Water, and the Right Temperature

Since you can’t control a lot of the variables that make a cup of coffee good with an auto-drip it’s important that you start the process right. This means fresh-roasted whole beans, getting a good grind, fresh water, and trying to get the temperature as close to right as possible.

via How to Get the Best Cup from an Auto-Drip Coffee Maker.

Five ways to prepare for the May long weekend

May not be a good time to camp

Mike’s top five ways to prepare for the May long weekend.

#5. Switch from spf 15 to Turtle Wax.

#4. Hide all your camping gear, before the kids find it.

#3. Stock up! It’s called the “May 2-4” weekend for a reason.

#2. Spend $75 on a fishing license and fishing gear, just to end up at the Save On fish counter by Sunday night anyway.

#1. Fill every container you own with gasoline, before the price goes thru the roof at 5pm Friday!

and if you’re actually contemplating going camping this weekend, here are the top five signs you need to invest in an RV.

#5. After tenting last year on the May long weekend, you ended up with both frostbite AND sunburn.

#4. You caught your kids on craigslist offer to sell a Coleman stove, lantern and tent, cheap!

#3. Your tent trailer doubles as a wheelbarrow in the off season.

#2. One night in the rain, shivering in the fetal position, while watching vulture-sized mosquitoes carry off your Shih Tzu, is one night too many.

#1. Puss filled, blotchy, swollen eyes and face from a rare combination of mosquito bites, allergies and using gasoline to start the campfire.

How to tell Mom wasn’t too pleased with Mother’s Day

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. How can you tell if mom was happy with her day? Top five ways to tell mom wasn’t too happy with Mother’s Day.

#5. This mornings coffee has more than a slight hint of nutmeg.

#4. Usual pressed shirt replaced with a slightly damp sweater that smells like the dog.

#3. Instead of lunches for the kids – brown paper bags full of poop.

#2. Usual quiet ride to school is replaced with hysterical, uber white-knuckle, “Grand theft Auto 4″ level-ten, type ride.

#1. Before serving dinner tonight – mom reenacts a scene from the movie 300. Wearing a Spartan warrior costume – she shouts “tonight we dine in *ell”!

Top five signs you’re a mom…

#5. You’re so desperate for adult conversation that you have spilled
your guts to a telemarketer.

#4. Spit is your number one cleaning agent (and hair gel).

#3. You count the sprinkles on each kid’s cupcake to make sure they’re equal.

#3a.You have time to shave only one leg at a time.

#2. You cling to high moral ground when it comes to your kids threatening each other with toy weapons; however you would be willing to look the other way when it comes to Caillou (that kid is ___ whiner!!!).

#1. You have hidden in the bathroom in your own house.

More here…

Things you would never hear your Mother say

Things Mom Would Never Say

“How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?”

“Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too”

“Just leave all the lights on … it makes the house look more cheery”

“Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week”

“Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day”

“Well, if Rahul’s mamma says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”

“The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”

“Don’t bother wearing a jacket – the wind-chill is bound to improve”

“I don’t have a tissue with me … just use your sleeve”

via Mother’s Day Humor,Mothers Day Jokes,Humorous Quotes on Mothers,Jokes on Mothers Day.

Top five things my mother taught me

My Mother taught me well

I’m not sure where this came from, but it sure is right-on.

The top five things my mother taught me…

#5. My mother taught me logic. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”

#4. My mother taught me irony. “Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

#3. My mother taught me about the science of osmosis. “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”

#2. My mother taught me about contortion-ism. “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”

#1. My mother taught me religion. “You better pray that stain comes out of the carpet.”

Top five things mom doesn’t want for Mother’s Day

Some Mothers know how to do it

Mike’s top five things mom probably doesn’t really want for Mother’s Day.

#5. Breakfast in bed. Unless you’re planning on doing ALL the dishes and putting everything away, cold food on a tray is not a treat.

#4. “Parenting made easy” from Lohan – Spears publishing.

#3. The “Wine Bra”. I know it seeeems like a great idea and Dad really likes his beer hat, but ..

#2. “If she liked the Snuggie, she’ll love the Snay-pron (Snuggie apron combo), right?” No!

#1. This poem:
Today is your special day. It has arrived.
Instead of dinner, let’s watch the Flyers in game five.