Living on your own – kind of

You’ve been booted and now are venturing out to live on your own. Remember, I am trying to get you to look at your future and have a more realistic view of what life will require of you. Do you really know what it takes? Those among you who are honest will say no. In the budgeting activity we started the adventure. Now comes a little more exploration. Some asked if they could bring things from home (bed, tv, computer and more). I said yes. Thing is, do you really know how much these items cost? Be honest again. To measure your honesty, read on.

1. Look around in your bedroom. You are leaving home. You want to have a comfortable bedroom where ever you are going. How much do you think it would cost to provide another bedroom for yourself similar to the one you have now? Provide your estimate.

2. Next, prepare an itemized list of every major object in your bedroom, including furniture, linens, and creature comforts. These are items you want to have. Then, estimate the cost of each item and place that amount next to the item. For example,
Incredibly comfortable Tempurpedic - $150.00

3. Total of your room, estimated?
How did the total compare to what you expected? Is it higher or lower?

Now for some research (remember the class name is Internship Experience and Research).

4. For each item, find a real cost to furnish your bedroom. For example,
My estimate, Incredibly comfortable Tempurpedic - $150.00
Real cost, Incredibly comfortable twin Tempurpedic - $699.00 + S & H

List items you underestimated.
List items you overestimated.
What is the total difference between your estimate and the real cost?

So much for the bedroom. Even if it is a Studio that you want to move into, you may need to do this in the future. I realize some might have chosen a furnished apartment, but the cost is higher for your monthly rent. For this assignment, you have the parameters.

Now for the living room and kitchen.
How much do you think this will cost? Provide an estimate.
Research how much it would cost to furnish and equip these 2 rooms. Consider various alternatives, including secondhand stores, garage sales, donations from relatives, etc.
1. List items you included.
2. What was your source for each item?
3. What was the total cost?
4. How did the total compare to what you expected?

Putting it all together
For the first portion of budgeting I wanted you to simply start putting g things together. Now it becomes a little more complex. Opps! For those that found places to live, supply information required below. For those that have not found a place to live, the shelters are full, the streets are cold.

Moving-in costs
Rent for first month $
Rent for last month $
Cleaning deposit $
Security deposit $
Utilities deposit $
Other costs (cable, internet, valet parking, grocery delivery, etc) $
Moving costs (if you borrow my truck you’d better fill it up and wash it when you return it) $
Total cost to move in $

Cost of furnishing and equipping an apartment
Bedroom #1 $
Living room $
Kitchen $
Other $
Total cost $


Summary
Total cost for first month (Your bedroom + your kitchen and living room + what it costs to move in + moving costs) $


Now for the especially good part of this assignment. Your $1, 000.00 budget along with these items are due Tuesday. We will talk about this Thursday, Friday and Monday.
In before Tuesday – Exceeds
On Tuesday – Meets
After Tuesday – Falls Below

Ask questions if you are not sure what is going on.

I've got money to spend!!

Graduate to be,

Your high school career is winding down. I hear talk of plans for the future which include housing, transportation, clothing and more. I wonder though, how realistically do you envision your future? In order for me to sleep more soundly at night, we will embark on a series of activities designed to acquaint you with some of the nuances of life, most particularly, what it might cost for you to live away from home as a college student. Being the magnanimous guy that I am, I am providing you all with a stipend from my personal wealth - $1,000.00 per month. I've spoken to some of you regarding jobs and what you earned. It seems as though $1,000.00 is a good sum for you to make your own way into the world.

Or is it?


1. Find a place to live - sorry, you've been booted out. I want proof of the cost, not a guess. This will take research on your part.


2. Transportation - Where you live may influence your choice - to vehicle or not to vehicle.
Either you are driving or you are busing & light railing - we'll talk about that option after you find a place to live.

3. Food - got to eat - No more home cooked meals unless you are making them. J & R, how much do you spend at Starbucks each visit? AV - all those special dinners with your snuggle bunny? Might want to cut down on the splurging.


4. Utilities - Electricity, water, gas, cable, internet and phone cost real money to use. Unless you find a place where all utilities are included. More when we talk. Does this influence your choice of where you live?


5. Unforseen expenses - life happens and you will be faced with choices. I think it is called a lost opportunity cost. You will be getting these unforeseen expenses in the near future. You need to deal with life and the detours it provides for you.


More information will naturally be coming today. I can't wait for the fun.

The Final Countdown

Welcome Back To The Show That Has An End,

As I said earlier this week, I want to raise the bar with respect to expectations. I fully believe that each and everyone of you can rise to the varied occasions.

Friday, Jan. 13 is the deadline for signing up for interview sessions. Sessions will be conducted the following week. If not signed up, an appointment will be made for you. As of this writing, 5 people have not signed up. The schedule will be posted here on the blog Friday afternoon, as well as in class Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Each person will take part in a short interview session. The questions will in some ways be routine while others may be fairly unique. You might know the routine but not the unique. Sessions will be video taped, allowing for you to review later. You will do this for yourself, then you will view another random colleague. I expect you to provide constructive criticism for yourself and the other while using a rubric with an area for comments. I want to briefly go over the reviews with you after they are completed.

The purpose of having interview sessions is to get you ready for your future. We are 80 odd days away from your saying "Adieu". I regret to inform you that speak with various groups and individuals is definitely in your future.Some have also heard mention of a different type of Final Exam. It's true! This will involve a panel exit interview. You will be meeting with a small panel, from 2 to 4 adults. You will engage in a short dialogue about your high school experiences. I would like you to develop a portfolio to accompany you to this session. More information on this activity will unfold during the semester.

Hope you keep track of those commercials.

A second serving of frog - only bigger this time due Dec. 9

As you might realize, I’ve been asking you to start looking differently at your life along with the path you are hoping to be on. I’ve been asking you to organize yourselves in new ways, examine how you use time and analyze how you view time (is time money?). I’ve asked you to identify personal goals for your internship, explore your values, strengths and weaknesses along with ways to begin capitalizing on your unique qualities and shore up areas in which you feel you can improve. Some of you move easily into the requests, wondering why they are coming your way since it is second nature. Perhaps you’re finding little difference in respect to your routine. This is how you operate normally. The more organized you are the easier it will be for you to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself. For others, it remains a work in progress.

Task for today - Always work from a list. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you become and how much easier it is to eat your frog / s. Lay out each of your 5 major goals, projects, or tasks by priority. In other words what is most important first. Next, sequence what has to be done first, second, and so forth for each one

Beginning today, try to plan every day, week, and month in advance. Start by making a list of everything you have to do within the next 24 hours. Some are routine (get up, hopefully shower and get yourself ready for school, etc) while others change fairly often (assignments are added to your list of tasks, home duties, etc). Add to your list as new things come up. Remove as you complete others. I want you to make a list of all your upcoming projects, academic, internship related and personal. Take special note of the big multitask jobs that are important to your future.

Apply the 80/20 Rule to everything: Twenty percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results. Always concentrate your efforts on that top 20 percent. Tell me what you think this means for what you have to accomplish.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Consider the Consequences: Your most important tasks and priorities are those that can have the most serious consequences, positive or negative, on your life or work. Focus on these above all else.

Exercise: Think about your list of goals, projects and tasks. Which goals/tasks have the most serious consequences? Explain whether this is a negative or a positive. Put a *N* or a *P* next to each indicating what you believe will be the consequence. Easy example? Graduation – N or P? Since I now gave it to you as an example, it is not one you can use.

Learning to use “creative procrastination”: Since you can’t do everything, you must learn to deliberately put off those tasks that are of low value so that you have enough time to do the few things that really count. Think about your responses to me earlier where each of you identified areas where you can improve upon your own behavior and time management. List below the things you do in class which really could be done at another time (i.e. what takes time from you accomplishing what you should be doing in class and will be there later for you to do when you are not in class). A great indicator for me today was the number of you who either came into class “exhausted, drained, wiped out, tired or dead” versus those who came in like nothing unusual was occurring. Just another day.

What I will do outside of class to procrastinate, creatively: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Use the ABCDE Method: Before you begin work on your list, take a few minutes to organize by value and priority, so you can be sure of working on your most important activities first. Not sure what the ABCDE method is?

Assessment - clearly stating the problem itself.
Brainstorming - for possible solutions.
Consequences - evaluate the likely consequences of putting your ideas into practice.
Do List – break your best strategy down into a logical list of steps to do.
Evaluation - did the process work?
(This strategy is taken from the book “Succesful Problem Solving” by Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning.)

Exercise: Think back to the goals you’ve set for yourselves. I still have them if you need to “find them”. Use the ABCDE Method to prioritize your long term goals (where you are going)[ I want to go to college] and short term tasks (what it takes to get there) [what do I need to do first{besides graduate from high school}in order to get into college].

Focus on key result areas: Identify and determine those results that you absolutely, positively have to focus on, and work on them all day long. Example? See what follows

Question: Why do I struggling to meet my goals or complete what is given to me?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ideas I can use to change this dilemma: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Law of Three: Identify the three things you do in your work that account for 90% of your contribution, and focus on getting them done before anything else. You will then have more time for your family and personal life.

List your three key functions:

1.
2.
3.

Prepare thoroughly before you begin: Have everything you need at hand before you start. Assemble all the papers, information, tools, work materials, and food you might require so that you can get started and keep going. Example – do you find yourself continuing to move away from the task at hand” to get stuff” to complete the task at hand? Ideas: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Take it one oil barrel at a time: You can accomplish the biggest and most complicated job if you just complete it one step at a time.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leverage your special talents: Determine exactly what it is that you are very good at doing, or could be very good at, and throw your whole heart into doing those specific things very, very well. Example? See what follows:

Exercise: What are you passionate about? How does this permeate the work you do?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Identify your key constraints: Determine the bottlenecks or chokepoints, internal or external that set the speed at which you achieve your most important goals, and focus on alleviating them.

Self Reflection:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Put the pressure on yourself: Raise the bar for yourself, and be your own motivator to reach it. Imagine that you have to leave town for a month and work as if you had to get all your major tasks completed before you left. What would you do first?

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Maximize your personal power: Identify your periods of highest mental and physical energy each day, and structure your most important and demanding tasks around these times. Get lots of rest so you can perform at your best. Hint: Avoid late night detours.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Motivate yourself into action: Be your own cheerleader. Look for the good in every situation. Focus on the solution rather than the problem. Always be optimistic and constructive.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Get out of the technological time sinks: Use technology to improve the quality of your communications, but do not allow yourself to become a slave to it. Learn to occasionally turn things off and leave them off. What can you avoid doing that eats time?

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Slice and dice the task: Break large, complex task down into bite-sized pieces, and then do just one small part of the task to get started.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Create large chunks of time: Organize your days around large blocks of time where you can concentrate for extended periods on your most important tasks.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Develop a sense of urgency: Make a habit of moving fast on your key tasks. Become known as a person that does things quickly and well.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Single handle every task: Set clear priorities, start immediately on your most important task and then work without stopping, until the job is 100 percent complete. This is the real key to high performance and maximum personal productivity.

Ideas: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Make a decision to practice these strategies every day until they become second nature to you. With these habits of personal management as a permanent part of your personality, your future success will be unlimited. Just do it! Eat That Frog!

Email these completed servings of frog to bhsinternships@gmail.com

Getting Ready

As I have told you in the past weeks, we are going to be practicing your interviewing skills in the near future. What follows below is taken from Sunday's CareerBuilder section of the Arizona Republic. Read along and get an idea of why the practice interviewing will be happening.

It's the holy grail of the job-search process: the job interview.

But that final home stretch, where candidates hope to pass muster and snare a coveted position, can be fraught with nerves, tension and stammering -- especially when potential employers ask difficult questions.

Experts share some of their top tips to avoid feeling flustered and flubbing the interview.

Practice makes Perfect

Staci Johnson, director of marketing for California-based Ultimate Staffing Services, says practicing in front of a mirror can help by highlighting the facial expressions and mannerisms often employed during interviews, so that you can come across more calm and professional.

"It may sound weird, but it's better to see your nervous ticks and get used to the sound of your own voice before you're in the interview," Johnson says.

Everyone should practice, regardless of how confident they are about their skills, says Bobbi Moss, vice president and manager of Govig and Associates in Scottsdale,

"Too many people take the stance of, 'I can wing this, I've done interviews before,' " she says. "That's where problems start, and that's an invitation to a flustered interview."

Don't rush.

When an interviewer asks a question, Johnson says, don't be afraid to pause and think about not only your answer, but why the question is being asked in the first place.

"Never answer a question if you don't understand why they're asking it," she says. "An interview is not a quiz with right and wrong answers. It is a conversation so that you can each learn more about the other."

Be comfortable.

Johnson said trying on the outfit you plan to wear to an interview ahead of time can help a candidate remain relaxed.

"You should feel comfortable and not be distracted by pants that feel like the waist is too low when you sit or a blouse that is too tight or a suit jacket that seems to inflate when you sit down," she says.

Set the stage.

Moss says arriving 15 to 20 minutes early can help a candidate relax and acclimate to the work environment.

"This gives you time to take a deep breath, get ready, and offers an opportunity for the person to observe the culture of the office and build a rapport with the person out front," Moss says. "You're not running through the front door hoping to make it on time. That can rattle somebody right off the bat."

Know the company, know the interviewer.

It's imperative to be aware of the company's key functions, any recent market developments and their goals, Moss says. It's also equally important to learn as much as possible about the interviewer - where he or she went to school and their role within the company.

"LinkedIn, Google and Facebook make that a whole lot easier," she says.

Prepare a resume supplement, aka a cheat sheet.

A resume supplement is for the candidate's use and has important information listed in a way that makes it easy to refer to during an interview.

"It's a lifesaver," Moss says. "Many times people are asked information that is very specific, and you need to be able to retrieve it quickly in your mind."

The supplement can include start and end dates for previous jobs, salary history and quick facts about the company and the interviewer. You can also include answers to some tricky questions that may be asked during an interview, such as reasons for leaving a previous job, gaps in employment and salary fluctuations.

Ask questions.

At the end of the interview, potential employers may ask if the candidate has any questions. The answer is always yes. Prepare three questions that you can ask at the end of the interview. They can deal with where the company is going, its future goals and how the position a candidate is interviewing for fits in with the future of that company.

"If you don't have questions, the hiring manager thinks you're not curious enough or haven't absorbed what the company is about," Moss says.

So now what?

Now you have an idea of where this will be going and why but before you get there, I need 2 things from you. The first, a resume. I have a resume from most of you. Yes, there are a few without resume's, still. In today's new economy accompanying the resume is what you will work on: Letters of Introduction, aka the Cover Letter. Some of you have already given this to me. If so, we will talk individually about your next step.

To give you a better idea of why I want a letter, check your email. In my email you will find a document from me that introduces you to the current impressions of the cover letter.

So, what do I expect from you? I want to have a 2 paragraph letter of introduction. In the letter I expect to have basic information from you. This should be fairly easy to supply. Now for the trickier portion. This letter is targeting a potential internship or your actual internship. When you write the letter, tie it to a real situation, not just an academic exercise. Pay close attention to your closing too. Often letters end with no real idea of why the letter is being sent. Avoid this at all costs.

This will be an ongoing process, just as your resume's are (yes, many of you need to revise). Each time you write a cover letter the purpose will change. Today is the first step.

Now for the really tough part. Along with the aforementioned attachment in your email, you will find the SAR's for your afternoon class, Internships.

When are these due you ask? SAR's by Tuesday & Letter by Wednesday.

Skills and Interests

As I have been reviewing and working with your resume’s one item that has surfaced is found in regard to skills. Before I go any further, let’s make sure we know the difference between skills, character traits, and abilities. Skill sets Common traits Ability The Foundation Skills, Job Skills All Workers Need The 17 Foundation Skills are those required of all workers in the high-performance workplace of the 21st century. They were developed from several high-level government commission reports. A corporate vice president and director at Motorola, Jim Burge, wrote this, "At my company, Motorola, the only constant is change. Jobs that were once relatively simple now require high-performance work processes and enhanced skills. Today's job skills, identified by Professor Lawrence Jones in Job Skills for the 21st Century, reflect these changing workplace realities and help students, job applicants, and employees anticipate change." There are four groups of Foundation Skills: Basic Skills Thinking Skills People Skills Personal Qualities Know and Strengthen Your Marketable Skills Skills are the currency of the workplace. You will be hired because the employer believes you have skills that will increase its effectiveness. Consequently, · Keep an eye out for job opportunities; be ready to get a new job before you start actively looking. Talk with others in your chosen field about jobs openings. Keep an updated resume and share it with others. Communicate your accomplishments clearly (PAR: Problem, Action, Results): What was the problem you faced? What actions did you take? What observable results were there? Practice in front of a mirror. Your ability to describe your skills and accomplishments is essential to promotions, writing resumes, and succeeding in job interviews. · Learn new skills and build on those you already have. How strong are your Foundation Skills? Take a careful look at them. Strengthen those that are weak. · Know your "motivated skills," those that you enjoy using. Look for ways to strengthen them. · Know what skills your industry needs. Learn skills that are transferable to jobs in other companies. Occupational Interests – Occupational interests are preferences people have for activities that go with different occupations. For example, if you enjoy outdoor environments, manual tasks and natural settings you are probably more suited to being a forest ranger than an office worker. Take a look at the Career Interests Game. Use it to analyze how your skills match your interests. Keep track of your 2 or 3 top interest areas. Do these indicate potential career paths for you that resemble the path you say you are pursuing? Since you have a little better idea of the differences and similarities between skills and abilities versus interests, it’s time to look at potentially matching your skills with occupations. Once you identify your skills and submit the inventory, list the top 5 possibilities for your future. How many of these were identified as having a Bright Outlook? Any Green? Here is a chance to get a little more ready for the tests that you may have already taken. Just go through the process of setting up a profile and chose a couple of additional tests you might want to take (no, really, choose a couple) and then proceed through the Princeton Review Career Planner. There are 24 questions for you to respond to in order to have a interest type and usual style result. What colors are you from the inventory? Are you finding any common ground with the previous survey’s? What are they? If not, what do you think is causing the different results? Myers Briggs – the granddaddy of them all. Over the sixty five plus years since its inception in 1943, the MBTI or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® has evolved and been perfected through continual test research and development of ever more accurate questions. Many, many millions of people have taken the test (actually the Indicator is an inventory or psychological instrument rather than a test - as a test suggests right and wrong answers. All answer choices in the MBTI are equally desired). Go through this abbreviated version of the MBTI and then let me know the results by sending me your four personality type letters. STEPS to Successful Career Planning Values assessment Identifying your personal values is an important part of a successful career plan. In this context, the word "value" refers to how you feel about the work itself and the contribution it makes to society. Most people who pursue work that is congruent with their values feel satisfied and successful in their careers. Work values can be divided into two functional categories. Intrinsic values are those that relate to a specific interest in the activities of the work itself, or to the benefits that the work contributes to society. Extrinsic values relate to the favorable conditions that accompany an occupational choice, such as physical setting, earning potential, and other external features. Most people, in order to feel truly satisfied with their work, must find some personal intrinsic value in it. Before you begin – list 5 important values for yourself My 5 Most Essential Values 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The following is a list of personal values that many people have identified as being important to them in their careers. To begin exploring your own personal work values, rate each value listed with the following scale and add other values you consider essential to your list. 1 - Things I value VERY MUCH 2 - Things I VALUE 3 - Things I DON'T VALUE very much Help Society Do something which contributes to improving the world we live in Help Others Be directly included in helping other people, either individually or in small groups Public Contact Have a lot of day-to-day contact with the public Work with Others Work as a team member toward common goals Work Alone Do projects by myself, with limited contact with others Competition Engage in activities which pit my abilities against others Make Decisions Have the power to decide courses of action and policies Work Under Pressure Work in situations where time pressure is prevalent Influence People Be in a position to influence the attitudes or opinions of other people Knowledge Engage in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding Work Mastery Become an expert in whatever work I do Artistic Creativity Engage in creative artistic expression General Creativity Have the opportunity to create new programs, materials, or organizational structures Aesthetics Participate in studying or appreciating the beauty of things, ideas, etc. Supervision Have a job in which I am directly responsible for the work of others Change and Variety Have work activities which frequently change Precision Work Work in situations where attention to detail and accuracy are very important Stability Have a work routine and job duties that are largely predictable Security Be assured of keeping my job and receiving satisfactory compensation Recognition Be publicly recognized for the high quality of my work Fast Pace Work in circumstances where work must be done rapidly Excitement Experience a high degree of (or frequent) excitement in the course of my work Adventure Have work duties which require frequent risk-taking Financial Gain Have a high likelihood of achieving very great monetary rewards for my work Physical Challenge Do activities that use my physical capabilities Independence Be able to determine the nature of my work without significant direction from others Moral Fulfillment Feel that my work contributes to a set of moral standards which I feel are very important Community Live where I can participate in community affairs Time Freedom Be able to work according to my own schedule