A blog about...

So we have a free blog this week. Seems like kind of a strange concept, a free blog. As opposed to what? In trying to come up with a blog topic for this week I've re-stumbled onto something interesting. I don't have any blog topics to post about. This is actually the same reason I don't keep a blog of my own.

Is it that I haven't done anything? No, probably not. I've done more and experienced more than most people my age so that isn't the case. And as far as how much I've done this week, well this is probably the first free time I've had this week so I know I've been busy. So what is it then?

Do I not blog because I'm a poor writer? No, certainly not the case. I can write very well and sometimes begin to even ENJOY writing (only a phase I can assure you).

Fear of who is reading the blog? Again, I think I'm going to have to shoot this one down. On one hand, there are a lot of very unsavory people out there who could read a blog (not this one, as I'm 93% certain that only the teacher reads these), but there isn't anything too compromising about anything I would blog about. I don't have any dirty secrets or tantalizing confessions to make about things. No shocking tales of intrigue. Nothing interesting.

Maybe it's just that I lead a mundane life? Well I do. I'm happy with that though. I don't want a crazy life. I've done the soap-opera-esque drama thing before, it isn't any fun. I enjoy my mundane life. I enjoy not having anything important to blog about. Too often all we see are more people telling about all of their problems. I don't have many problems to tell about. That quite simply is the answer. There aren't enough problems in my life to put into a blog. I like my little blogless world.

And there you go, a blog about not blogging.

Cover Letter Advice

After reading the advice from the website ( http://www.collegegrad.com/coverletters/) about cover letters, I am pleased to see just how informative it is.

I tend to agree with most of the information offered in the articles. By asking the opinion of a professional who hires new employees in their regular work it gives the readers a unique insight into the hiring process. Many times suggestions for cover letters come from people who have never actually reviewed a resume for hiring someone. By having the advice of someone who hires people for a living, it helps to add credibility to the advice.

I think the most important information is just the simple knowledge that in a cover letter, you are selling yourself. Many people forget that and tend to market themselves poorly. No one wants to buy a mediocre product. People want to buy the best. If you take the effort to make your marketing the best, then people will want to hire you. It seems to come down to the matter of sales and influencing people.

I will certainly be using the checklist and the sample cover letter provided as guides for how to write my own cover letter when the time comes.

Articles

After reading the two articles about seeking jobs and interviews (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/interview/Is_It_a_Fit__20060908-121225.html?subtopic=Interview+Preparation and http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/interview/A_Crash_Course_in_Interview_Preparation__20021018-1229.html?subtopic=Interview+Preparation) I have gained some good insight into how to go about an interview. Most importantly (as with many other things in life) one should prepare for an interview. It is often difficult to walk into a situation unprepared and perform as well as you would had you taken the time to prepare beforehand. Obviously it helps to prepare a few days before your interview so that you will perform better. The other thing I learned is not always made clear. As much as a company is interviewing you, you are also interviewing the company. You can prepare questions to ask of your interviewer to find out more about the company. In a way, you are selling them your services. If they decide they want your services it is up to you to decide whether or not you wish to give them to a company. These articles will help me to prepare for my interview. I will practice for the interview beforehand and come up with a few questions so that I may interview the company.

10 Years From Now

It is an interesting question, "Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?" Ten years seems like an eternity when you are young. In fact, ten years ago I was only ten (the number 10 seems to be recurring now). In ten years time I certainly plan to be finished with my degree at Clemson. If I wasn't I'd be a Super-Super-Super-Super-Super-Super-Super-Super Senior. That is 8 supers for anyone keeping count. At this point in my life I do not know whether or not I want to continue into graduate school or go straight into the workforce. I do know that I plan on leaving Clemson and South Carolina after I graduate. In 10 years time I would like to be done with any graduate schooling I plan on taking and be a productive member of the workforce. I would like to have a good job somewhere enjoyable, maybe even in a different country. I can see myself living in a big city (kind of) and enjoying life from a comfortable apartment. Things do not have to be Donald-Trump-Golden-Penthouse-in-the-Sky luxurious, but I would like a reasonable amount of luxury. Other than those things, I see myself enjoying time with friends and family and living a good, healthy life.