Wild camping is a great way to experience nature's beauty and escape the city. The UK is home to some of the most stunning wild camping spots in the world, from rolling hills and rugged coastline to dense forests and tranquil lakes.

Whether you're an experienced camper or a beginner, there's a wild camping spot in the UK that's perfect for you. From the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coast, there are endless opportunities to pitch your tent and explore the great outdoors.

Lake District National Park

The Lake District National Park is a popular destination for wild camping enthusiasts. Its stunning landscapes, rugged mountains, and tranquil lakes offer plenty of outdoor adventure opportunities.

However, it is important to note that going wild camping in the Lake District without prior permission from the landowner is technically not permitted. As the National Park Authority states, "Wild camping is not a legal right, it is a tolerated activity."

That being said, there are several areas within the Lake District where wild camping is more accepted. These areas include:

• The Langdale Pikes

• Great Gable

• Haystacks

• Scafell Pike

Following the Leave No Trace principles when wild camping in the Lake District is important. This means leaving the area as you found it, taking all rubbish with you, and avoiding damage to the environment. Camping above the highest fell wall, away from footpaths, and out of sight of houses and farms is also recommended.

Wild camping in the Lake District is a unique and rewarding experience, but it is important to remember to respect the environment and follow the rules and guidelines set out by the National Park Authority.

Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor National Park is one of the most popular wild camping spots in the UK. With its rugged and picturesque landscape, it offers a unique and unforgettable experience for any adventurer. There are several areas within the park where wild camping is allowed, but it is important to consult the interactive map provided by Dartmoor National Park Authority before setting up camp.

One of the top spots for wild camping in Dartmoor is Cosdon Hill. Located on the park's northern side, this spot is easily accessible from South Zeal.

The entire Cosdon Hill area is designated for wild camping, so campers do not have to worry about being in the wrong area. Another great spot is Okehampton Common, one of the park's most dramatic parts. This area offers stunning views and a chance to get up close with Dartmoor's unique wildlife.

For those who prefer to camp at designated campsites, there are several options within Dartmoor National Park.

The River Dart Country Park is a family-friendly campsite that offers a wide range of activities due to its location within a 90-acre water and adventure park. Another option is the Langstone Manor Holiday Park, which offers a peaceful and secluded camping experience in the heart of Dartmoor.

Wild Camping in the Cairngorms

The Cairngorms National Park is a paradise for wild camping enthusiasts. With its breathtaking landscapes, stunning lochs, and majestic mountains, it offers some of the best wild camping spots in the UK.

One of the most popular wild camping spots in the Cairngorms is Loch Etchachan. Located in the atmospheric Coire Etchachan, it is the highest-named body of water in the UK, at 920m. It offers a truly memorable night spot, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the starry night sky.

For those seeking more wilderness and less people, there are many other top spots to pitch up in the Cairngorms. Ben Macdui, the UK's second-highest mountain, is a popular spot for adrenaline junkies. Cairn Toul, Angel's Peak, Beinn a Bhuird, and the SnowRoads are also great options for experienced wild campers.

It's important to note that wild camping in the Cairngorms National Park is subject to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. This means that wild camping is allowed, but it must be done responsibly and with respect for the environment and others.

Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia National Park is a beautiful North Wales area popular with hikers, climbers, and outdoor enthusiasts. It is also a great place to go wild camping, with plenty of stunning locations to choose from.

One of the best spots for wild camping in Snowdonia is near the summit of Mount Snowdon itself. While it can be a challenging hike to get to the top, the views from the summit are truly breathtaking. There are several flat areas near the summit where you can pitch your tent and spend the night under the stars.

If you prefer to camp at a lower elevation, there are plenty of other options in Snowdonia. For example, Llyn Gwynant campsite is a great place to set up camp if you want to be close to the water. The campsite is located on the shores of Llyn Gwynant, a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains.

Another popular spot for wild camping in Snowdonia is the Cwm Idwal Nature Reserve. This area is known for its stunning scenery, including the beautiful Llyn Idwal Lake. There are several good spots for wild camping in the reserve, including the shores of Llyn Idwal itself.

It is important to note that wild camping is not technically legal in Snowdonia National Park, but it is tolerated and commonplace.

Brecon Beacons National Park

Brecon Beacons National Park is a popular destination for wild camping in the UK. The park offers a wide range of landscapes, including mountains, valleys, and waterfalls, making it an ideal spot for camping enthusiasts.

The Black Mountains are among the best areas for wild camping in the Brecon Beacons. This area offers some of the wildest terrains in the park, with long and wide ridges running parallel to each other and deep valleys in between them. Camping on the mountaintops can be quite exposed in bad weather, so pitching high only when the forecast looks safe is best.

If you're looking for a more tranquil and peaceful camping experience, Aberbran Fawr campsite is a great option. This little campsite is tucked away in a quiet corner of the park and offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside. It's a hidden gem that's not very well known, so it's perfect for those who want to get away from the crowds.

It's important to note that wild camping is not legal in most parts of the UK, including the Brecon Beacons. However, it is possible to camp legally in certain areas of the park by first obtaining permission from the landowner.

If you're unsure about where to camp in the Brecon Beacons, there are plenty of campsites in the area that offer a more traditional camping experience. Some of the best campsites in the park include Brynich Camping, Pencelli Castle Caravan and Camping Park, and Lakeside Caravan and Camping Park. These campsites offer a range of facilities, including showers, toilets, and electric hook-ups.

Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK, standing at 1,345 metres tall, and is a popular destination for wild camping. With stunning views and challenging terrain, it is a great spot for experienced campers looking for an adventure.

There are several camping options available for those looking to camp near Ben Nevis. The Glen Nevis Caravan & Camping Park is a popular choice, as it is located just steps away from the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre and the start of the Mountain Path, which is the most common hiking route to the summit.

The campground offers a variety of pitches, including electric hookups, and has modern facilities, such as showers, toilets, and a laundry room.

The Steall Meadows is a popular spot for wild camping, as it is a flat area before the wire bridge crossing to the waterfall. It is recommended to park at the end of the Glen and walk up to the meadows to set up camp.

What to Expect While Wild Camping

The Law on Wild Camping in UK

Wild camping is legal in Scotland, but it is illegal in most other parts of the UK without the landowner's permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as Dartmoor National Park, where wild camping is allowed with certain restrictions. It is important to research and understand the laws and regulations of the area you plan to camp in before setting up camp.

The Best Time to Go Wild Camping

The best time for wild camping in the UK is during the summer months, from June to September. The weather is generally mild, and the days are longer, giving you more time to explore and enjoy the outdoors. However, it is important to be prepared for all weather conditions, as the weather in the UK can be unpredictable.

What to Pack for Wild Camping

When packing for a wild camping trip, it is important to pack light, but also to be prepared for all weather conditions. Essential items to pack include a tent, sleeping bag, camping stove, food, water, warm clothing, a first aid kit, and a map and compass. It is also important to pack out all rubbish.

Conclusion

Wild camping in the UK is a fantastic way to experience the great outdoors and connect with nature. With so many beautiful and diverse landscapes to choose from, there is no shortage of great camping spots. Whether you are looking for rugged mountains, rolling hills, or stunning coastlines, the UK has it all.

Amateur videos can now be made as quickly as pressing the record button on your iPhone's camera, but if you want to go into professional video production, you'll need to learn much more. If you're interested in making high-quality video and film productions, we'll take a quick look at the steps involved and see what you need to know to succeed.

Pre-Production

Define the goals of this video before you even start planning. What's the point? What are your expectations from this experience? Which audience members will benefit from this content, and how? There needs to be a goal from the start of the project. You will also need a guide on measuring whether or not the video is a success.

You can use the SMART methodology to create your objectives (or identify your goals). SMART is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound, and measurable.

There is a lot of planning involved in making a video, whether it's a 30-second social media video or a full-length feature film. Most videos begin with these pre-production steps.

Ideation – Aim to develop a general idea for the video and how it will tell a story.

Scriptwriting – Create a video script that effectively communicates your message. You're not much of a writer? Writers who specialise in this field should be hired.

Storyboarding – Preparing a visual storyboard based on your script and the shots you want to accompany the narration or dialogue is called "storyboarding."

Create a shot list after your storyboard has been approved/completed. This is the list of all the shots needed for the video.

Hiring talent - Whether you're looking for a narrator or actors for your script, you'll need a system to find the right people

Scheduling the shoot – A shooting schedule should be drawn up that lays out exactly when and where each shot will be taken, as well as who will be on set at each location.

Production

The actual filming of your video is included in the production phase. You should know how long this phase will take because you've planned it out. And it's your job, whether a producer or a stakeholder, to ensure everything moves along according to plan.

The director is usually needed for this stage of the process. Depending on the scope of your production, you may be able to pull this off without hiring a professional. But, you will need to know how it’s done. Interning for a video production company is the best way to learn how to direct films.

Directors play a critical role in ensuring that your cast delivers the goods, that you get all the shots you need, that they're appropriately framed and lit, and that the script and storyboard are adhered to as closely as possible.

Included in the process of creation are the following elements:

Preparing the scene for the photo shoot – Setting up your lighting, microphones, and other technical equipment is a must whether you're shooting in a studio or on location.

You'll also want to place your camera(s) and crew where they need to be and ensure your actors are where they need to be.

Shooting video – Use the camera equipment you've selected for the project to record your video. Take as many shots as you think you'll need, and shoot much more than you think you'll need. When it comes time to edit the video, you don't want to discover that you missed an important shot.

Recording voiceovers, dialogue, sound effects, and other elements of your video's audio track. You can also use music that you've recorded yourself or that you've purchased for your video.

It's possible to purchase stock video clips like stock photography and show standard shots/actions. These clips can be edited into your overall video.

Post-Production

You can begin putting it together as soon as you've created everything you need to make your video. Post-production entails the following primary steps:

A good understanding of video editing software is required to organise, compile, and sequence your raw footage into a high-quality video. Also, this is where special effects, audio mixing, and colour correction come into the picture.

Once the final video is completed, it may be necessary to optimise the video for its intended use, such as adjusting the screen size, file size, or the type of video file. As a rule of thumb, if you're filming a TV commercial, you'll need a different set of specifications than if you're making a social media video.

The final step in the video production process is to post and promote your video. Put it out there in the right places, and make sure you have a marketing campaign to help get the word out.

The present-day job market is maybe more unstable than it ever was. Because of this, many people who are fortunate enough to own property have turned to rent as a secure source of income.

Fortunately for you, where there is property, there is the need for property management. While there are many well-established property management companies such as SCK Property management already out there, you might have what it takes to get started in a property management position yourself and build a career out of it.

What is a property manager? 

A property (or real estate) manager is an individual or a company in charge of taking care of some sort of real estate. In return, they receive a percentage of the rent or a fixed sum of money weekly or monthly.

There is more to this job than just collecting the rent and ensuring that the property is not just standing empty. Being a property manager comes with many responsibilities.

These include advertising the property for rent and showing it to potential residents. Also, it involves screening all the possible tenets or residents and doing a throughout background and credit check on them. 

Next, a property manager has to take care of lease renewals and provide tenant retention. TO achieve this, a manager has to tend to the tenants’ needs and help them with urgent repairs and general upkeep and maintenance of the property. 

In some cases, the manager can even act as a salesperson. While this is not the norm, expect to deal with a lot of paperwork as a property manager. In addition, you will be the one to handle contracts and evictions and coordinate maintenance and repairs with different contractors such as plumbers or electricians. 

What are the skills a property manager should have? 

As a potential property manager, you should be able to multitask. After all, your future job will involve dealing with both people and rental spaces.

Therefore a good property manager should have strong communicational skills. You should be able to organize yourself and others as well.

Besides that, a property manager should have at least basic knowledge of marketing. At this position, you will be expected to provide excellent customer support 24/7, so any previous experience in this field of work will be a valuable bonus.

What are the requirements for becoming a property manager? 

The minimal requirements for entering the world of property management are not that scary. All you need is a high school degree. On top of that, depending on where you live, you will need to pass a test of some kind. Some places demand that you just complete the required Real Estate Pre-Licencing coursework in the US, while other sites ask you to take and pass a test once the course is done. Legal requirements vary from place to place.

While you are not legally obliged to be certified as a property manager every bit of education counts and improves your odds of making it in this competitive world. You could go for as many certificates and complete as many training programs as you can.

Do you need a license to work? 

In the world of property management, legal requirements are different from one place to another. In addition, the demands are not consistent throughout the USA - some states demand that you have a license to practice property management while others do not.

However, when you are just entering the lucrative and exciting world of property management, the odds are that you will start your career as an assistant. In practice, this means that you will be working under the supervision of someone who has a real estate broker’s license or a property manager’s license.

Working as an assistant can be very beneficial for you. First, you won’t need a license, and at the same time, you will be able to learn all the finer details and tips and tricks of this craft under supervision.

How do I start? 

To begin your career as a property manager, you will most likely need to apply for an entry-level position with a real estate broker or an existing property managing company.

While high school education is enough to get you started, almost any type of degree will give you a competitive advantage - a business degree or accounting or finance diplomas are nice to have.

Once you finish your apprenticeship, you will have to keep improving your skills and continue learning, but it will all be worth it. And of course, this is when you will have to have licenses and certificates of your own. 

If you are willing to learn and build your career over time, this job has the potential to provide you with a genuinely satisfying and lucrative career that meets all of your professional and personal goals.

Generally, students are at a financial disadvantage compared to those who have full-time jobs. But, just because you are a student, it doesn’t mean you have to be unequipped, hungry, or badly dressed.

Luckily, there are many businesses that realise that students are the future of our world, and are willing to help them out by offering them student discounts. From pizza delivery to train fares, you can get discounts on everything.

Here are some places where you can find student discounts and make the most of your budget during your studies.

Types of Student Discounts Cards and Codes

To be able to claim some student discounts, you may need to have some type of student discount card or code.

• TOTUM (UK) - TOTUM can get you deals on travel, fashion, eating out, and more. TOTUM is the number one student discount card in the UK. It’s supported by the National Union of Students.

• The International Student Identity Card—ISIC (worldwide) - This card is useful if you are planning on travelling abroad, or if you are an international student, because it is the only internationally recognised student ID.

• UNiDAYS (UK, US, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand & Australia) - This platform makes getting student discounts online completely painless. The sign up is free, just make sure to use your academic email address when creating an account.

• Student Beans - This platform is very similar to UNiDAYS. It also allows you to create an account for free, so it’s worth signing-up on both platforms.

Student Discounts for Clothing

• Burton - Offers a 10% discount to students. You can verify your student status with UNiDAYs or Student Beans.

• ASOS - Offers a 10% discount to students all year round. Occasionally, students can get a 25% discount. You can claim your discount with your student email address or UNiDAYS account.

• French Connection - 10% off in-store and online purchases.

• Urban Outfitters - 10% off purchases all year round.

• Schuh - 10% off online and in-store purchases.

• Topshop/Topman - You can use your Student Beans or UNiDAYS account to get 10% off all year-round.

• Ellis Brigham - At the moment, Ellis Brigham offers up to 50% discounts on men’s and women’s clothing and footwear. These are for everyone, and not just for students, so claiming these discounts is as hassle-free as it can be.

• River Island - You can use your Student Beans account to get a 10% year-round discount.

• Office - 10% off online and in-store purchases.

Student Discounts for Food

• Las Iguanas - From Sunday to Thursday, you can get 20% off food and drink bills.

• Yo! Sushi - On Sundays, and from Tuesday to Friday, students can get 25% off dine-in food purchases through UNiDAYS.

• Pizza Express - From Sunday to Thursday, students can enjoy 30% off all food and drinks. You can claim the discount through UNiDAYS or TOTUM.

• Dominos Pizza - You can use your Student Beans account to unlock a 35% online discount off purchases over £25.

Student Discounts for Technology

• Apple for Education - You can get up to 5% off when you purchase an iPad. You can get up to 10% off when you purchase a Mac computer or laptop.

• Adobe - You can get 60% off Adobe Creative Cloud apps and services. These include Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro.

• Microsoft - Students can get the whole Office suite for free. It includes apps such as Excel, Word, Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and PowerPoint. You can also get 10% off select PCs and Surface products.

• HP - HP offers students up to 50% off online purchases through UNiDAYS.

• Norton Security - The company allows students to save up to £46 on Norton antivirus and internet security systems.

Student Discounts for Travel

• 16-25 Railcard - You can get 30% off standard rail fares by investing in a railcard.

• National Express - If you are a full-time student, or just aged between 16 and 26, National Express’ Young Persons Coachcard gives you 33% off fully flexible and standard fairs. It also gives you 15% off travel to festivals and events. You can get the card for just £12.5 a year.

Student Discounts for Supplies

• Paperchase - Students get 10% off printing and photocopying services in-store with UNiDAYS. They also get a 10% discount on items purchased online or in-store.

• Foyles Bookshop - Foyles offers a 10% discount to students all year round, for both in-store and online purchases.

• Amazon - You can get a 6-months free Amazon Prime trial. After your trial expires, you will get a 50% discount on the full membership. The membership will also give you access to the Kindle lending library.

• Ryman Stationery - You can use your student card or UNiDAYS account to get 10% off online and in-store purchases. The discount includes printing, binding, and photocopying services.

Student Discounts for Health and Beauty

• The Fragrance Shop - Students can get 15% off online purchases.

• Superdrug - Superdrug offers a 10% student discount on in-store purchases.

• Supercuts - You can use your student ID to get 10% off haircuts and services.

• Boots Opticians -  Students get a 10% discount on their first pair of glasses, contact lenses, and prescription glasses. They also get 50% off every extra pair of glasses or prescription sunglasses.

Student Discounts for Media/Entertainment

• Spotify - You can get Spotify’s Premium membership at half the price. Unlike the free membership, it allows you to download music to your device and listen to it offline.

• Cineworld - Cineworld offers reduced-price tickets for students. However, the discounts vary between branches.

• Odeon Cinemas - On top of the standard discounted ticket price for students, you can get an extra 25% off with a TOTUM card.

• Apple Music - You can get a student membership for only £4.99 a month.

Graduating from University is the end of an era for sure, but also the beginning of a journey that can (and possibly will) mark the rest of your life. No pressure, right? 

While you may feel like the world will end if you don't have it all figured out upon throwing your graduation cap into the air, it really won't. Everyone's journey is different, and there are plenty of routes you can take after graduating. But how do you actually decide what you want to do after Uni?

If you haven't been set on particular career paths or haven't found any interests that trigger your curiosity and intent, there are a few strategies you can implement in figuring out what you want in life. Sitting a year out before committing to a career is also an option, just don't tell your parents we said that, okay?

Jokes aside, here are some potentially helpful tips to get you going and paint a picture of your financial future:

#1 Be honest with yourself

Almost everyone gets to the point of confusion with who they actually are and who they've been for longer than they can remember. Parents' expectations, social pressure, emotional and/or mental struggles, interests done out of habit, etc. can all be reasons for building a path you don't actually like as much as you should. And that's fine; you wouldn't be the first nor the last person to realize they aren't as passionate about a career as they thought they'd be upon graduation. It's called growth, and it's very brave. 

So, when you realize a thing you've been focused on for a while isn't working any longer, sit down with yourself, and be honest about what truly moves you. Make a list of things you see yourself doing, things that make your heart and mind sing. Once you do, weigh in your talents, habits, objective budget conditions, and similar to see where you stand. 

#2 Pick a Job that Interests You

Once you are done with the list of your likes, try finding jobs that agree with your preferences. Are you interested in working in content marketing? Go for it! Looking to be the next An Le or Elon Musk? Why not! Have a love for retail and customer service? Contact companies with these sectors open to see if they're hiring. Hoping to conquer Hollywood with your acting skills? Yes!

Have a neck for finances and want to build a career out of it? Sure! Financial advisors are a trending occupation with so many new businesses popping around like mushrooms. Plus, people always need advice on how to improve their finances, don’t they? You'll never be out of work with this career, that's for sure!

Match your skills with job titles, and start your journey to getting hired!

#3 Connect with Recruiters on Social Media 

Social media has long gone from being an entertainment platform to an all-comprising source of information, fun, business options, global business connectivity, and everything else in between. 

These days you'll notice it is easier to find a job online than by sending millions of applications to firms directly. This is your chance to use your love for social media for something other than filtering your daily habits on Instagram and getting liked for it. Use social media to connect with recruiters and get the latest scoop on what's happening in the business world. 

Presently, LinkedIn is the best business platform, and reaching out through it may be the best way to get connected to people who can help you get a job. LinkedIn community is pretty tight, with people being very open and helpful regarding virtually all topics and issues. The easiest way to go about LinkedIn is:

• Build your LinkedIn profile by filling it with your references, experience, goals, and expectations

• Post things regularly that are catchy and relevant

• Engage in other people's posts

• Widen your network of LN friends by connecting with them

You won't benefit from LN immediately after you join, though. It'll take some time until you build your base, but you'll get there. 

Other than that, don't neglect other platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as sources of potential job applications in your field. 

#4 Go to a Career Counselor

Sometimes, going to an expert for advice is the best thing you can do for yourself – whether we're talking career or anything else relevant in your life (e.g., mental health, relationship therapy, etc.). Career counselors exist for a reason, and they'll surely be happy to help you out. 

Go to the nearest job center for some career guidance. You'll probably get tests to fill out and have questions to answer but they're all going to be shortcuts to your final destination. Embrace this journey, you'll learn more from it than you can imagine!

Final Words

Deciding on your career after University doesn't have to be as hard as it appears to be. It's important you remember that you don't have to choose right away and that your future career doesn't need to be something related to your degree. Pick a thing that makes you happy and hopefully is profitable enough to match that happiness. 

Take your time, think things through, and go for it. Even if your career doesn't happen straight away, it's okay - it all comes to us when we're ready to receive it, after all. 

Entering the turbulent waters of a new job market and into a field, you are not sufficiently familiar with can come across as tough prospects that have the ability to drive people positively mad. And this is completely true, of course.

Now, if you are one of the folks on their merry way toward jump-starting their career, you’ve come to the right place, alright!

In this here article, we’re going to talk about how you can go through this transitioning process without stressing too much over it. Truth be told, you can’t avoid the stress completely, but you can definitely do some things that would help you deal with it more efficiently.

So, here’s how to approach the sensitive transition into your new career.

5 Tips for Transitioning Into Your Chosen Career without Losing Your Mind

1) Make Sure You’re Sufficiently Skilled for Your New Career

If you were to operate a nuclear aircraft carrier without having any idea of how to operate a nuclear aircraft carrier, that would surely lead to some anxiety. The same goes for accounting, woodworking, repairing fridges, driving cars, and writing articles online in MS word.

Indeed, not having the necessary skills for the job you need to do would be one of the most disastrous situations that can befall a person entering a new professional field.

To prevent this, you have to do the obvious – fake it till you make it! No, not really. Simply ensuring your skillset is at the desirable level would suffice.

2) Connect to the Pool of People Already in Your New Profession

Nowadays, there are all sorts of forums out there on the Internet, where you can look up what different professionals are talking about. For example, if you’d like to become a translator, you can join a Facebook page for translators (in your target language, of course) and then you can see what the profession is like first hand.

You can see what the most difficult parts of the profession are, how the folks doing it are dealing with their problems as well as other things related to doing the job itself.

This can be a great way to determine whether or not you’re fit for the profession at hand, or a specific position within that profession.

3) Don't Be Afraid to Seek Support

Entering a new career is not a light prospect and wise people of yore have recognised this. So, to make sure people have more insight into what they’d like to do with their lives, these smart folks have ventured to organise structures such as career resource centres. You can also turn to a coach who can help you focus and overcome the hurdles that no doubt await you.

Many colleges have these inbuilt in the structure of the college itself, so you won’t really have a tough time finding these and connecting with them if you’re a student.

If you’re not a student, on the other hand, you can still reach out to one of these institutions and find out more about your designated career of choice before ever joining a workplace with that career. Grand stuff, indeed.

4) Try Shadowing Someone

Switching from college to work doesn’t mean you’ll just have to jump into a new position without ever knowing what awaits at the other end. In fact, there are multiple ways you can figure out if a job would suit you once you get employed.

For example, you can ask a friend who’s already in the business, inform yourself online by visiting a forum, or simply ask to shadow someone for a day. What you’d need to do pretty much amounts to doing their work for a day to see how you like it. If you find the whole thing favourable, you can apply for a position at that company.

If you don’t like it, you’ve saved yourself some nasty contract breaches and other problems down the road! What’s not to love?

5) Volunteer

This entry is fairly similar to the previous one, with the difference that you won’t be doing exactly the job you’re interested in, but a watered-down version of it.

Volunteering, in general, allows you to connect to likeminded people, get a general idea of how you like what you’re doing, and do some humanitarian work, as well. Of course, you need to make sure your volunteering work is in the same vein of work as your job position of choice.

There isn’t much use trying to figure out if you like accounting by volunteering for delivering calves at a cow farm, now is there?

All things considered, getting ready for your treading down your career path is no easy feat. It requires proper skills on your part, preparation, and perhaps a little support from the outside. Bottom line, as long as you’re willing to learn and work (and are not woefully underskilled), you’ll be good to go!

A different language is a different vision of life, said Federico Fellini.

Apart from providing you with a new perspective on life, learning a new language is beneficial for developing your creativity, problem-solving skills, and analytical skills. It’s also a great exercise for your brain, as according to research studies polyglots start suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s on average four and a half years later than those who speak only one language. 

Being multilingual significantly improves your career opportunities, as you’ll be able to apply for different jobs. This particularly applies to situations in which one of the languages you speak is English.

Finally, learning a new language is fun, and it will help you understand other cultures better, as well as help you gain a new, more profound understanding of your own culture.

Here are some tips that will make the process of learning English, or any other new language, much easier.

Set Realistic Goals

Learning a foreign language is a process, and it takes time to get into the swing of all the new words, rules, and accents.

So, don’t bite off more than you can chew, because it’s much easier to get frustrated and give the whole idea of a new language if you don’t progress as quickly as you planned.

It’s important to understand that you’ll be making numerous mistakes in the beginning and that it will take some time until you’re fluent in English no matter how hard you try.

Set realistic goals and don’t push yourself too hard if you don’t want language-learning to become a chore.

Polish Your Grammar

Rules are meant to be broken, but in order to do so, you first need to learn and understand them.

English grammar isn’t the most complicated in the world, but you’ll have your fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to articles, prepositions, and uncountable nouns.

Many people make a mistake of avoiding grammar and focusing on other language elements instead, but if you really want to learn a language, you need to know its rules.

Yes, it takes a lot of memorising, drills, and learning by heart, but once you get to the bottom of the most basic concepts, things will start to become much clearer.

So, grab your grammar book and learn why the past simple tense of William Shakespeare is Wouldiwas Shookspeared.

Study Regularly

This is one of the most important rules when it comes to learning a new language, or anything else for that matter.

What you should do is make a learning plan and stick to it.

Only if you seriously commit and dive into your new language on a daily basis will you be able to establish consistency necessary for acquiring new words and rules, memorising them, and “activating” the passive knowledge you’ve been amassing.

Tap Into the Power of Books, Songs, and Movies

This is a very important segment of learning a new language.

By consuming different kinds of content in English by reading books, listening to songs, and watching movies, you’ll accelerate the process.

These activities will help you put all the things you learn in a context, understand how native speakers use the language, and identify certain linguistic patterns.

Besides, these resources are a goldmine of information when it comes to learning new words as well as informal speech or slang and picking up the accent.

Have Conversations in English

Don’t shy away from using English even if your language is riddled with errors and mispronunciations, because that’s the way to eliminate them.

Having an hour of conversation is said to be more valuable than five hours you spend in a classroom learning a new language.

Putting yourself out there and engaging in numerous conversations with other people will help you hone your language skills.

This practice will force you to start using everything you have learned and do it quickly, as the interactive nature of a face-to-face conversation doesn’t allow you to check your dictionary or grammar book before composing your sentence.

That someone can sometimes be yourself.

Yes, there’s nothing wrong in talking to yourself in English and trying to come up with meaningful sentences and arguments for your one-on-one conversation.

Travel to England

 Nothing quite compares to learning and using a new language in its natural surroundings.

That’s why a trip to England is a must if you want to immerse yourself in English.

Real-life experiences make all the difference because you’ll get to meet new people who are native speakers and with whom you’ll have to speak in English. Besides, you’ll also learn more about their history, culture, and way of life.

If you want to add an adventurous twist to your language-learning efforts, travel to Cornwall as this picturesque county situated in South West England. It’s almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, which means that you’ll spend a great deal of time outdoors, enjoying its long sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, and breathtaking scenery.

By opting for an English Language School in Cornwall, you’ll also get an opportunity to take a Poldark tour, visit World Heritage Sites such as historic castles and museums, take a hot-air balloon ride, or even learn how to surf.

Get Used to Being Corrected

As scary as it may seem, making mistakes and being corrected is the right way of learning a new language.

Don’t be put off by and don’t let this hurt your self-esteem. Learning from your mistakes and a trial-and-error approach will set you on the right track, but before you are able to perceive all the nuances of English, you’ll be involved in a lot of miscommunication.

Idioms and phrasal verbs are particularly tricky, so be prepared for many mix-ups and funny linguistic accidents. Don’t expect that you’ll be able to immediately grasp the difference between through, thorough, though, thought, and tough.

But, you’ll get there eventually.

Event planning is one of those industries that many young people want to get into, but might not be quite sure how to set about it. Staging your own events is a great learning curve, but it may be hard work to begin with as you build your name and reputation. Interning with an established company is often the best way to enter the industry, as you’ll gain exposure to a huge variety of things in a short space of time. Here’s how you can make this pathway to your new career work for you:

Do What You Love

Ask anyone who works in events and they’ll tell you that you really have to live and breathe what you do. There’s no use going into it halfheartedly, because you just won’t have the motivation to give it your all when the deadlines are looming.

Choosing event planning as your new career only works if you love what you do. You’ll find that the passion you have for getting everything just right allows you to push on late into the night when you need to. Ideal if you want to get that all-important second wind that ensures no stone is left unturned in the days leading up to the big occasion.

Show Enthusiasm

Being enthusiastic is one of the best ways to get noticed and take your career to the next level. You never want to cross the line and come across as over-familiar, but you do need to show willingness to go the extra mile whenever possible. There is always something to be done, and often there’ll be fairly straightforward and unglamorous tasks that more experienced hands will try and avoid. If you get a reputation as someone who’s willing to get the job done no matter what, you’ll get more and more responsibility and before you know it, you’ll be a sought-after member of the team.

Be Proactive

Being proactive is the perfect way to get yourself noticed. This goes for applying for jobs, and during your internships and work placements. If you notice that there’s a small job that can easily be taken care of, then jump right in and get it done. Run it past someone more senior so that they know what you’re doing and then let the results speak for themselves.

Make it a regular habit and you’ll be able to gain a reputation as someone who gets the job done with the minimum of fuss. And they’re just the sort of people that every team needs when planning a major event at a short notice!

Learn in Real World Settings

The classroom and the lecture theatre are great because they expose you to all manner of new concepts, but there’s nothing like putting things into practice to really master your craft.

Seek out ways to gain hands-on experience and you’ll be a much more attractive prospect as a future hire. With so many employers looking for people that really stand out, there’s no better way to put yourself front and centre than by showing that you have already gotten stuff done in the real world. Nobody’s expecting you to have hosted your own music festival, but by getting some practical experience, you’ll have already shown how much you want a career in the industry. It’ll also mean you can provide references which is something every employer will really like.

You can also always check out the work of established event planners like Kevin Rowe, and use them as an inspiration for your own future work – just make sure you don’t turn into a copycat.

Have Confidence in Yourself

Getting the opportunities that your hard work deserves is as much about believing in yourself as it is about getting that all-important lucky break.

If you have confidence in what you do, you’re far more likely to be seen as the safe pair of hands that every event planning company needs onboard. Sit back and write a quick list of your achievements and remind yourself of them on a regular basis so that your confidence grows and you can continue to move forward.

Remember That Criticism is Invaluable Feedback

One thing is for sure: there will be things you can improve on when you start working in events. In fact, even the most seasoned professional will get things wrong from time to time or have to ask for assistance from a colleague. There’s nothing wrong with it, there’s no shame in it, and the only stupid questions are the ones that never get asked.

The secret is to never take criticism or suggestions on how you could have done something better personally. People want the event to go off without a hitch which means that when something needs changing, it has to be highlighted, discussed, and corrected.

Take onboard everything you’re told and hear and you’ll soon find that your skills grow beyond all recognition.

Enjoy the End Product

Too many people get so caught up with making sure that everything is perfect that they forget to enjoy the event itself. You’re going to have to be a lot more proactive than if you were a guest, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stand back at some point and take pride in what you’ve achieved.

By putting yourself in the position of one of your guests, you’ll also be able to see what little tweaks and adjustments you could make next time around. These are the little things that can really set you apart as you build your career.

Build a Portfolio

A portfolio is something that everyone in events has and it’s basically your business card. Make sure you detail the projects you’ve contributed to during your placements so that you can give future prospective employers a taste of what you can do. Take pride in it and over the years you’ll be able to look back on some of the great things you’ve done in your career.

Now that you know what you need to do to get your dream job, all that remains is to go out there and do it. Stay motivated, be proactive, and show everyone what you can do and you’ll go far.

It is impossible to ignore the central role which social media platforms now play in our modern and digitally-connected world. In fact, you have most likely used social media recently in some form and you’ve probably clocked significant hours on popular sites such as Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat within the last week.

Lots of people spend many hours per day scrolling through news feeds, looking at Instagram pictures and watching Snapchat stories. Social media is quickly becoming the primary means by which people find news and information and it is no surprise, given that Facebook’s and Twitter’s audience in the UK is 40 and 20 million respectively.

Unfortunately, it is widely recognised that social media is playing an increasingly important role in the daily lives of everybody across the globe, and there are plenty of people ready to take advantage of the trust people place in social media.

The Growth of Fake News

Fake news is not just a soundbite dreamt up by the likes of Donald Trump to paint the media in a negative light, it is actually a real and serious problem which plagues social media platforms relentlessly.

One of the biggest issues facing the digital era is fake news, but what is it? Fake news, generally, is content which is created with deliberate factual inaccuracies and exaggerated stories, in order to mislead people and drum up anger or spread stories to promote the author’s interests.

It is something which has spread like wildfire since the establishment of social media and its growth in popularity; social media is a platform on which fake news stories can easily be disseminated to a massive audience who are willing to eat it up and take it as fact.

According to analysis from Facebook itself, fake news stories were engaged with more and gathered a more powerful response than the leading news stories from almost 20 leading news outlets during the peak of the US Presidential Election in 2016.

Spinning, lies and misinformation have been around since the dawn of journalism, but fake news is an entirely different beast. Because of social media’s unique algorithms and their relationship with advertising systems, there is no shortage of people prepared to whip up some falsified stories and target a gullible audience to make some quick cash.

Fake News is a Real Problem

By the end of the 2016 US Presidential Election, fake news had become something of a tsunami and had clear, resonating impacts. It was not just social spam anymore, but political clickbait used to lure millions of Facebook and Twitter users into sharing provocative lies in a bid to make some quick and easy cash.

Some of the more famous ‘political clickbait’ fake news stories include claims that the Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton had sold weapons to the so-called Islamic State and that Pope Francis had endorsed Republican candidate Donald Trump.

All of this fake news was circulating through a network of social media outlets which allowed partisan attacks and propaganda to spread uncontrollably. But, because many people are willing to take things at face value without critical analysis, it worked.

This sort of behaviour is nothing new, but we now live in a world of elaborate technologies with unprecedented ecosystems and infrastructures, which allow the easy creating, uploading, commenting, sharing and spreading of manipulative and falsified stories on a global scale to a global audience, like never before.

Solutions to this problem are not so clear-cut; it is not a simple fix. Even if the algorithms and artificial intelligence behind social media could filter out fake news and fabricated stories with complete accuracy – but they can’t and probably never will – we still cannot force people to think critically and deduce when something is falsified themselves.

Social Media Training

If it is not something which social media engineers are able to solve, then what can be done? The current solution to the widespread fake news problem starts with you, us, the users of social media.

Social media training is one of the best solutions to the current fake news problem. By teaching people to fact-check articles with reputable sources of information, teaching media literacy and helping people understand how to recognize bias and falsified information on their own, we can take a great step in reducing the impact and hold which fake news currently has.

Users of social media should be helped to evaluate and critically analyse what they are seeing. Facebook has taken steps to help promote this, and in August of 2017, they announced that publishers now have the option to display their logos beside their headlines. This is important because people are generally less likely to remember or even know the source of a news story when they read about it through social media.

Spotting fake news is not the easiest thing to do, but it is not impossible either. A basic level of social media training can go a long way to help users of social media spot and disregard fake news stories, or stories with deliberately falsified information.

A good social media training program will first make its participants aware of fake news, the many forms it can take, the problems it causes and then how to spot it. When faced with a piece of information which could be falsified or fake news, social media users should ask themselves the following questions –

·         Are other reputable news sites publishing the story?

·         Does the publisher’s website have a proper website domain?

·         Is the source known to be shady?

·         Are its other stories sensical and non-incredulous?

Generally speaking, if it is an outlandish story which appears to be trying to drum up anger, spread a hateful message or just has a plain weird headline which is unusually strange or hard to believe, it is probably fake news.

Drug abuse is a real problem in the school environment which affects students between the ages of 13 and 24. A recent survey funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that in 2016, nearly a quarter (23%) of 8^th graders have consumed more than a few sips of alcohol, 9.4% have used marijuana, and 5% have used other illicit drugs. The use of legal and illegal substances persists throughout high school and college, increasing their risk for drug abuse. Due to these risks, parents, school faculty, and students should be aware what are the effects of drug abuse on academic performance.

The Most Common Drugs Abused By Students

Students abuse a wide range of legalized substances, illicit drugs, prescription medication, and over-the-counter drugs. Each affects student performance in a different way, mainly because of their unique chemical constituents. Let us take a look at the most common drugs abused by students, and how they affect students’ academic performance.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely abused, legalized substance among students of all ages. Despite the recent decline of alcohol use in teenagers, the likelihood of abusing it continues to increase with age.

According to Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study supported by NIDA, 4% of 8^th graders, 11% of 10th graders, and 17% of 12^th graders were reported to binge drink within the last two weeks before the survey. For their age, this means consuming 3 or more drinks consecutively. 6 out of 10 admitted to consuming alcohol before finishing high school, and almost half (46%) of 12^th graders said they’d been drunk at least once in their lifetime. Alcohol abuse is most prevalent in college campuses where 32% of students engage in binge drinking.

Effects of Alcohol Abuse on Academic Performance

Research shows that a person’s brain continues to develop until the early 20s. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) states that underage alcohol consumption may have negative effects on the brain’s development and alter its structure and function. As a result, learning problems may arise and a student’s academic performance will be less than optimal.

A study by the NIAAA shows college students who binge drink and consumed alcohol at least 3 times a week were 5 to 6 times more likely to miss a class and do poorly on a test or project. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes the same problems with underage and college drinking, citing poor or failing grades, higher absence rates, and memory problems as direct consequences to their school performance. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, 40% of academic problems and 28% of college dropouts every year are caused by alcohol.

There are several reasons why alcohol affects school performance. Jeff Georgi, coordinator of Duke University’s Alcohol and Addictions Program, cited that alcohol impairs memory and learning ability, and disrupts quality sleep which is necessary for creating long-term memories.  

Marijuana

As of 2016, the annual prevalence of marijuana among adolescents was 9.4% of 8^th graders, 23.9% of 10^th graders, and 35.6% of 12^th graders. Meanwhile, as much as 4.6% of full-time college students used marijuana everyday in 2015.

Effects of Marijuana on Academic Performance

One study shows that marijuana use reduces a person’s capacity for learning, memory, and attention by suppressing the activity of neurons which are necessary for staying attentive and focused. The worst part is that it could take days to weeks for these effects to wear off. This is why students who smoke marijuana everyday suffer from reduced intellectual capacity most, if not, all of the time. Students who regularly smoked marijuana also had poorer educational outcomes and were less likely to graduate than those who didn’t smoke marijuana.

Prescription Drugs

Students abuse prescription medications for various reasons. For instance, stimulants such as Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin enhance brain activity, increase alertness and attention, and improve energy levels. Because of these, students usually take them to help with their studies or as a replacement for cocaine. Sedatives and tranquilizers like Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium, and Xanax are taken by students to help them relax since they slow down the brain’s function – much like the “date rape” drugs Rohypnol and GHB. Opioid analgesics such as Methadone, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin are usually abused in place of heroin since they mimic the drug’s effects.

Effects of Prescription Drug Abuse on Academic Performance

While some prescription drugs are used by students to improve their performance in school, using them for non-medical reasons has generally been associated with academic problems. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2009) shows that 21% of high school students who received C’s, and  41% of high who received D’s and F’s for grades, took prescription drugs without a prescription. In comparison, only 13% and 19% of students who received A’s and B’s respectively were found to have abused prescription medication. 

Opioids are known to damage to the brain’s white matter, which reduces a student’s ability to decide and behave accordingly in stressful situations.

OTC Drugs

Over-the-counter medications are also being abused by students, particularly teenagers. Cough and cold medicines are popular because they contain dextromethorphan which causes a euphoric state, better known as a “high”. However, dextromethorphan causes memory loss and problems with focus which affect students’ academic performance.

Other Illicit Drugs

Some students abuse illicit drugs such as heroin, amphetamines, and cocaine. The main problem with illicit drugs is that they tend to be addictive. Drug addiction can significantly affect a student’s academic performance since it distracts them and keeps them from focusing on school. This is especially true if they experience withdrawal symptoms in-between use. 

Substance or drug abuse is a widespread phenomenon that begins as early as the 8^th grade. Though numbers are declining for high school students, the incidence continues to worsen as students move up to college. Each drug will have different effects on a person’s body, but it can be agreed that no matter the substance, abuse will create problems in school. That is why it is very important for students and their peers to be fully aware what are the effects of drug abuse on school performance.

Most colleges and universities have a counselling service.  If you find yourself have any of the above problems, talk to them.

To someone from the outside, accounting is simply accounting. On average, not that many people require the services of forensic accountants or auditors over the course of their lives. To people in industry and to students who are looking to become accountants, the different kinds of accounting have different kinds of allure. To take this a step further, the different kinds of accounting call for different kinds of personalities.

This is my topic for this post – finding the type of accountancy that best suits various personalities and deciding on which sub-specialization to pursue – but bear in mind there are many areas of specialisation – PAYE, Company Formation, Practice, International – below is just a small sample.

Auditing

According to the UK laws, a business is required to have an annual audit conducted by an independent, external organization. Audits are conducted in general by accountants (not necessarily accountants) who go through a company's books and ensure that the company is well-run. Audits can also be required by potential partners or buyers of the business, while some companies also like to do their own internal audits from time to time.

Auditing is best done by someone who is ready to jump from company to company, from job to job and who is quick to find their way around any company in a matter of seconds. Auditors also have to be inquisitive and have a penchant for noticing the slightest discrepancies which may hide major issues. This type of accounting also requires great communication skills and a certain level of confidence, as auditor's words can sometimes decide fates of entire companies.

Tax Accounting

Tax accounting, as its name would suggest, is all about taxes. In essence, tax accountants track all of the transactions that a company has engaged in and that might have an effect on how much the company owes in tax. In addition to this, tax accountants are always on a lookout for ways in which they can reduce the amount of taxes the company has to pay.

It should be pointed out that some tax accountants are also hired by individual clients, as opposed to corporate ones. These are invariably very wealthy individuals who have plenty to pay (and look for ways to reduce the amount).

Tax accountants have to be able to handle immense amounts of information, make sense of it all and find ways in which this information can be used in order to reduce the amount of taxes their clients will have to pay. Creativity is another personality trait that works out well for tax accountants as their job sometimes entails making some seriously complex and difficult maneuvers in order to save their client's money.

Financial Accounting

Financial accounting is what comes to mind to laypeople when they think about accountancy – staying on top of financial transactions that occur as a part of a company's everyday functioning. Financial accountants analyse a company's financial position, share value and more, all for the benefit of regulators and shareholders.

A financial accountant is someone who is meticulous and who is ready to work in a team. In large companies, these are often huge teams where interpersonal skills and proclivities can also play a big role. Another great trait that will serve a financial accountant well is adaptability since most companies have their own processes and software and it can often be difficult to find one's way in all of it.

Perfectionists will also find financial accounting quite attractive as there is a lot to get in order and work on until every single digit falls into place.

Management accounting

Management accounting is actually quite similar to financial accounting – it revolves around establishing, analysing and reporting where a company stands financially. The difference is who receives the report and the accountant's input. This time, the insights are provided internally, mostly to managers and other members of the C-suite.

According to the information provided by management accountants, the managerial staff then makes decisions that guide a company in the future. Moreover, top management accountants often join the managerial staff, becoming important figures in their companies.

Management accounting is perfect for people who are highly analytical and who are naturally talented in noticing trends and patterns that can be acted on in the real world. Minds that are not foreign to strategic thinking also tend to thrive in this type of accounting.

Of course, a certain amount of ambition is also a welcome trait in a management accountant, especially one who wishes to move up the ladder, so to say. This kind of impact also requires someone who is not too afraid to voice their opinion and stand behind it, even when it is particularly risky.

Forensic accounting

Forensic accounting probably sounds the most alluring of all the types of accounting and many accountants (especially those who do the forensic kind) will tell you that this is just the case. Forensic accounting entails detective work, solving crimes that might have been committed by people and organizations.

While much of forensic accounting actually has to do with embezzlements, fraud, and similar crimes, some of it is less cinematic, like when forensic accountants go through decades of a marriage to decide who made what when and who is entitled to what.

As you might expect, accountants that excel in this kind of accounting are those with an inquisitive mind and a tenacity to pursue a case until it is resolved without a shadow of a doubt. Advanced analytical and logical minds also tend to have great careers as forensic accountants.

Instead of a Closing Word

It should be pointed out that these are mostly some ideas and that these are in no way any indication as to how someone will perform in a certain sub-specialization of accountancy. For example, someone who is not particularly ambitious can still make a spectacular management accountant. Similarly, just because you have an analytical mind, it does not mean you will make a flawless forensic accountant.

Personality traits can make it easier for some people, but in the end, it will mostly come down to studying hard, working hard and never settling for the knowledge you already possess.

Every student knows that sudden feeling of dread that comes after they leave their protective university bubble.  For many graduating students, this is where the real world begins.  One of your first tasks as a recent graduate is to hit the job market with a string of sent resumes, endless phone calls and just a little touch of groveling.  

Eventually, the time will come when an employer will be impressed by your tenacity and will set up an interview.  This is where the real work begins.  To ensure that you are putting your best foot forward, follow these simple tips to help you come one step closer to a career.

Be Prepared

Before you step foot into whatever work environment you are hoping to join, prepare yourself.  While it is a good motivator to always aim high, be realistic about the job you are applying for and make sure it matches your skills.  It is also important that you have some university training in the job you want, this is especially important if you majored in general studies.  For example; if you are looking for a job in the cosmetology field, one great way to prepare yourself is to take a short makeup course or workshop so that your potential employer will note that are willing to further your education, (be aware that some tattoos are not workplace friendly and you might need to cover them up)..

Another great way to be prepared for an upcoming job interview is to do your research.  Study up on the company you are hoping will hire you so that you know what you are in for.  This is also a great way to impress potential employers.  The more knowledgeable you are in an interview will show them that you have great instincts and that you are truly interested in their business.

The Day Before

The day prior to your job interview is the day when you should lay all of your plans out.  It is better to have everything ready to go the day before so you are not rushing before your interview.  This also gives you time to relax and get your head in the game.  Carefully choose and lay out the clothes that you are going to wear.  Always dress better than you think you should, even if you are applying to a more casual work environment.  This will show your interviewer that you are professional and that you are taking the job seriously.  Don’t over dress as this may come off as too eager which is something you should avoid.  Finding the perfect balance between motivated and humble is critical.

Have your resume printed on cardstock or high-quality paper.  Even if you have already sent your resume in prior to the interview, it is a good rule of thumb to bring an extra with you.  You never know if they will ask you for your resume again.  To go the extra mile, you can even have some personal business cards on hand that list your contact information.  These little touches will help to ensure that potential employers will remember you.  The job market is a competitive field, so if there is an opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the pack, seize it. 

Interview Day

Wake up early.  Even if your interview is later in the day, start your day off right.  Mornings are the perfect time to set a precedent for the rest of your day.  It is important to take the time relax so that your head is in the right place.  Interviews are stressful and you will naturally get nervous, so find a way to expel that nervous energy and try to channel it into something positive.  This way you can walk into your interview confident and strong.  When you are confident in what you are saying, your interviewer will get pick up on it and it will set your interview off on the right foot.

Always get to the job interview early.  Try to plan on being there 10-15 minutes earlier than scheduled.  This shows that you are punctual and are taking the interview seriously.  Many times a great interview will be clouded by a tardy appearance.  If you know that your interview is during a time where traffic is high, prepare for this and adjust accordingly.  Try to avoid get there too early.  There is such a thing as being overeager and this can often read as desperate which is never a good look.

Be clear in the things that you say.  To make sure that your point is coming across, truly listen to the questions you are being asked.  Take a mental second to gather your thoughts before speaking.  This will show that you have great communication and listening skills which are two major components to being successful in your overall career.  The best way to show interest through words is to ask questions.  Don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer specific questions about the company as well as the job itself.  This will show them that you have a great interest in the job at hand.  Make eye contact.  Indirect eye contact is one way to show people that you are not confident or do not believe the words you are saying and this is the last thing you would want a potential employee to think of you. 

Don’t be afraid to be yourself.  While humor is often a defense mechanism; it is also a great way to showcase some personality.  Make sure that the humor stays on the appropriate side of the scale; the last thing you would want is for them to think that you will be an HR nightmare.  When leaving your job interview you should have just as strong of an exit as an initiation.  Shake their hand firmly and thank them for their time.  This is their last impression of you, so make it a good one.

Follow Up

Some people are wary about whether or not to follow up after a job interview.  As long as you are not hounding your interviewer, it is perfectly okay to follow up.  The best way to do this is to wait a day or two and send them an email thanking them for their time and stating how you look forward to hearing from them in the future.  Even if you don’t end up getting the job, they will remember you for reaching out politely to them.  This will help to keep you in their good graces in case another job opens up in that company.  The last thing you would want to do is burn any professional bridges before you ever even officially enter the job world.

Don’t Give Up

It isn’t always the case that you will land your first job right out of the gate.  While if it does happen, take the time to celebrate, but you should also never let a rejection slow you down.  Take each job interview as a lesson to be learned and apply that education to the next interview.  Over time you will find that each time you step foot in an interview room you are more confident and prepared than the last time.  As long as you stay motivated and vigilant, the only thing that is stopping you from landing the perfect job is you.  Good luck. 

There are so many benefits to spending a semester or year abroad. Not only will you get some amazing shots for your Instagram, but you’ll meet new people, eat new foods, and gain countless experiences that wouldn’t be possible if you were still in your home country. 

People always say “do it while you’re young” and this is a perfect example. If you don’t spend time abroad now, you will likely never get the chance. In a few years’ time, you’ll be graduated from uni, have a solid career, and be on your way to starting a family. 

Sure, you may have a part-time job now, or a significant other; but these aren’t good enough reasons to skip out on doing an Erasmus semester abroad. I spent one year at Vienna University while at university, this was before I went on to do more study with the OU. 

I picked Vienna simply because I could study in English, but for me, it was a great choice.  The summer before starting I walked the Camino de Santiago and met my now current other half who is from Prague.  Commuting between Vienna and Prague by train was easy. At the end of the year, I hired a courier service to move all my things back to Ireland, where I was based at the time.

Find Yourself

Going abroad gives you the opportunity to actually find yourself. Think about it; you won’t know anyone, and no one has any expectations of you. You can be whoever you want to be. If you have always been known as “Shy little Kate, from Bristol”, you can make an extra effort to be outgoing, and try new things. Even if you have never been much of a writer, now is a perfect opportunity to keep track of your thoughts.  Hold on to your memories by keeping a journal to reflect on your time, and the changes that occur while you’re away. Spending an Erasmus semester is a great alternative if you didn’t get to experience a gap year. 

Make Connections

Spending an Erasmus semester abroad can have many benefits; socially and professionally. You can make many work connections overseas that you would have never met if you didn’t take the leap. It isn’t rare to find that the company you worked for overseas to offer you a job when you graduate. You will also meet so many different people, from different walks of life, who knows what doors might open!

Better Yourself

Not only will you find yourself on your Erasmus semester abroad, you will also better yourself. There are ridiculous amounts of ways to spend your time overseas, and almost all the ways include a way to make yourself better, whether that be in a physical way, mental way, or to set you up for the future. 

You will pick up on new cultures and languages, not only in the new place that you’re living, but also anywhere else you’re living. You will be so close to other countries, it would be a shame not to save some money before hand to visit the neighbouring countries and see what they have to offer. You may find that you enjoy a new sport that is popular in your country, which will keep you fit and you’ll have a hobby for life. How great will it to say, “Oh yes, I picked up cycling in Denmark, there is just no other way to get around.” 

It Can Open Opportunities

By jumping into the deep end and moving to another country, you will have many opportunities open. For example, on your resume, employers will be very impressed by your ability to pick up and move to a country where you likely don’t know the language, or anyone living there. This will show prospective employers your courage, resistance and adaptability. Also, any odd jobs you pick up to make ends meet show your diversity of skills on a resume. 

Ask any HR executive, a popular question in interviews for any position will go something along these lines... “Tell us about a difficult situation you overcame, and how you managed to overcome it.” Instead of having no idea what to say, you will now have countless stories to show your fast-thinking and ability to overcome hardships. Maybe you’ll tell them the time you got sick in Spain, and the only doctor on call didn’t speak English, so you had to explain using your “Spanglish”. Or how you once ended up on the wrong train in France and ended up 100 kilometres from where you were meant to be with no cell phone! Living abroad will provide plenty of hardships, or uncomfortable situations, but your reaction to them is everything. 

Just remember, no matter how bad it is right now, it will probably be a funny story you’re telling your host family over dinner in a week or two. Not only are there professional opportunities, think about how many people you will meet! You’ll make tons of new friends, and maybe even a significant other. The best part is, you’ll be meeting people from all over the world, which provides the perfect opportunity to visit an exotic place later on- you have to visit your friends right?

Financial Support

This one may surprise you, but now is the perfect time to spend a semester abroad, because every Erasmus student receives a grant. How much will depend on your home country and where you’re planning to go, but every little bit helps. 

While it won’t cover your entire semester, it is certainly more than if you decide to plan a trip when you’re out of school. If you do an Erasmus work placement, you will receive the grant money AND a salary. Not only this, but it is so easy to make extra money in your spare time. Teaching English, some teacher training helps, interpreting or freelance translating is all ways to earn extra income as well. Lastly, depending on where you’re from, you may get a great exchange rate, or find that the cost of living is lower than in your home country.

So what are you waiting for?