Flash Fiction and the Successful Short-Short Story

Flash Fiction and the Successful Short-Short StoryFlash Fiction and the Successful Short-Short StoryFor a story to be a complete story, we only need one small element within the narrative to be resolved. This element can be tiny. It is often unhappy. It might leave us with millions of questions, but it answers one. What is resolved within a story is elend always something that happens externally, but internally. Often writers are told that their protagonist must change somehow from the beginning of the story to the end, and usually, people take this to mean that something huge must happen (see earlier articles on death, disease, zombies, etc). But this is not true. An emotion can change. The way one sees something can change. A mood can change. A character might simply decide to make themselves tea. Many of my students are relieved when I tell them not to focus on plot and to only aim for one small moment. Similarly, many students are glad when I assign 1-2 page pieces of fiction or flash fiction, as they think that the less they have to write, the easier it will be. However, this is not the case. Writing flash fiction (also referred to as micro fiction, short-short fiction, postcard fiction, and sudden fiction) does not mean you simply write 1-2 pages. The same rules apply to a successful piece of flash fiction as they do in longer stories. This means that the writer has much less time to create a believable world before attempting to resolve something within it. This is often much more difficult. One of the masters of flash fiction is the writer Lydia Davis, author of The Thirteenth Woman andOther Stories, Break It Down, and Varieties of Disturbance among other books. Her stories have been published together in The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis. Her story below is an example of how little has to change in order for the narrative to be complete. FEAR Nearly every morning, a certain woman in our community comes running out of her house with her face whit e and her overcoat flapping wildly. She cries out, Emergency, emergency, and one of us runs to her and holds her until her fears are calmed. We know she is making it up nothing has really happened to her. But we understand, because there is hardly one of us who has not been moved at some time to do just what she has done, and every time, it has taken all our strength, and even the strength of our friends and families too, to quiet us. Davis has chosen a fiction-worthy moment the woman coming out of her house screaming Emergency, emergency, every day. She has acknowledged the truth of this moment, and the relatability surely there are many moments each of us feels that we cannot bear whatever the drain of our life may be. She points this out and shows us something we already know, but in a new way. The idea that the neighbors are helping this woman but that they feel empathetic towards her, that she represents everyones wants and needs, makes the satisfaction emotional. The sadness is admitting that life is too much, but that most of us cant actually say so. The sadness is that someone says so every day, but is no better for it. The sadness is that we all feel this way, but stay quiet in our houses, telling no one.

The Role and Responsibilities of Senior Managers

The Role and Responsibilities of Senior ManagersThe Role and Responsibilities of Senior ManagersThe title of senior manager is most often used and encountered in large organizations with multiple layers of management. A senior manager has responsibilities and authority that are broader in scope than a front-line manager, and a door is typically open for senior managers to move into a director- or general manager-level role. The flip side is that the position can involve a good many challenges and it almost always brings with it a great deal of responsibility. Being a senior manager is not for the faint of heart and success can depend on your personality and skills. Average Compensation For all the pros and cons inherent in this position, compensation tends to be good. Senior management positions across all industries averaged base pay of more than $150,000 a year as of the close of 2017, with incentives, bonuses, and perks of an additional $10,000 a year or more. The overall sala ry sortiment runs from about $101,000 to as much as $248,000 annually, depending on the industry and the size and scope of the employer. Common Responsibilities Like all managers, the senior manager is responsible for planning and directing the work of a group of individuals. They monitor their work and takes corrective actions when necessary. Senior managers might guide workers directly or they might direct severalsupervisors,who in turn directly manage the workers. The senior manager often supervises the largest or most important group or groups in a company. Core responsibilities of the senior manager include Providing guidance to direct reports, typically comprising first-line managers and supervisorsEnsuring clarity around priorities and goals for the entire functional areaApprovingrequests for investment to a certain level of authorityManaging overall financial budgeting for herfunctionApprovinghiring and firing requests within hergroupGuiding the talent identification and development processes for a group or functionWorkingacross functions with peers in other groups to ensure collaboration for shared goals Interacting with senior management for reportingWorkingwith senior management and other peers for strategy development and execution planningCommunicating financial and goal results and key performance indicators to direct reportsFacilitatinggoal-level creation for the broader function and working with managers to ensure the goals cascade to all workers Other Common Titles for Senior Managers The title tends to follow the managers function. Some examples include senior accounting manager, senior marketing manager, senior engineering manager, and senior customer support manager. Why Employ This Position? Itscommon for larger firms to evaluate their positions by scope, responsibility, size, and budgetary authority, and then to assign a level to these positions. The senior manager level or designation represents a step up from the manager and offers the opportunity for individuals to take on new responsibilities and increase their contributions. Implementing this added and higher level also helps organizations recruit experienced professionals and slot them into roles that fit their capabilities and compensation. Too Many Layers of Management Complexity and inefficiency tendto increase as organizations grow and become more stratified with additional layers of management. Consider a department that includes supervisors, managers who are responsible for supervisors, and senior managers who are responsible for the managers who watch over supervisors. The myriad of layers in the structure can slow decision-making, increase political and communication complexity, and ultimately breed dysfunction. Many organizations cycle through a process of layering followed by flattening through restructuring, only to slowly add layers once again over time. In theory, a flatter organization with fewer layers simplifies decision-making and empowers a broader group of workers to assume responsibility for their actions. The Case for the Senior Manager Role Implementing the role of a senior manager makes good geschftsleben sense under a number of circumstances. The senior manager can serve as the adult in the group at times when the team is growing quickly and chaotically. He caninterface with other functions for needed resources and provide mature guidance to managers and workers during a period of change. This position can represent a tangible target or step up as part of a managers career development plan and responsibilities when theres a clear distinction between the role of manager and senior manager. The senior manager can also support managers and take on responsibility for discrete work teams when the span of control for a groups managers is too broad. Developing As a Senior Manager Thisrole is an expansion of the typical managers role in terms of the breadth of responsibilities and overall accounta bility. A manager who is interested in advancing to this level should focus on personal, professional development for leadership skills, including talent development and coaching. They should prepare astrategy, including understanding how the firm makes money and developing insights into the external market forces, competitors, and customers. They should have a firm understanding of finance, including budgeting, capital budgeting, and overall expense accounting, and should hone the negotiation skills shell need to secure resourcesand gain help from other functions or executives. Communication skills, both written and verbal, are vital, with an emphasis on presentation skills. A good senior manager should also become skilled in team development. Challenges of the Senior Manager Regardless of the term senior in this positions title, a senior manager is still in middle-level management. These important middle-level roles are responsible for their people doing the work of the busine ss, but they often lack the authority to add resources or to make the significant changes that are sometimes necessary to improve efficiency or the quality of the work environment. In spite of the challenges, the role is an excellent training ground for advancing to general manager at some point in the future.

How to Get Security Clearance

How to Get Security ClearanceHow to Get Security ClearanceThere are many jobs that require security clearance. These range from positions with the government to jobs with private companies (notably defense contractors) that perform tasks involving classified information. To an outsiderand especially those without a military hintergrundthe process involved in getting the appropriate clearance can seem opaque, especially as there are a number of organizations that claim to offer security checks for prospective job seekers, but which do not actually provide legitimate security clearance. To clear up some of the issues, we present this excerpt from the Vault Guide to Military Careers, by Dr. John A. Sautter.Security ClearanceMany positionsincluding entry-level onesrequire workers to receive a security clearance and/or take an oath to protect the Constitution. While this sounds exciting, receiving a security clearance is really just the positive result of a hintergrund check, and should n ot be confused with the more intensive top-secret security clearance, which requires a much higher degree of candidate scrutiny. Many individuals that are not employed by the government need a security clearance in order to work for a private employer that performs tasks involving classified information.None of this should be too surprising. The obvious reason for these background checks is to ensure that irresponsible individuals are not given access to information which could harm national interests. The government also looks for information on potential job candidates that might make them more susceptible to bribery or blackmail. Therefore, a background check involves a review of a candidates credit rating, the number of speeding tickets he may have, mental health, substance abuse and whether or not they have been arrested incident to a crime. Part of this check also includes a basic drug urinalysis test.There is a hierarchy of security clearance levels. On the lowest level is a confidential security clearance. Most military officers and enlisted personnel are given this sort of clearance. It means that the information they work with could be reasonably expected to cause some damage to Americas national security if the countrys enemies could get a hold of it. It normally lasts for fifteen years before it needs to be renewed. The next level up is secret security clearance. Essentially, the information protected by this level of clearance could cause grave damage to Americas national security and needs to be renewed every ten years. Finally, the top secret clearance is necessary for those persons who work with information that would cause exceptionally grave damage to Americas national security if it was released without authorization. Some individuals will not be able to get a security clearance. Unfortunately, past behavior, medical history or the fact that they have close relatives living in a foreign country might preclude an individual from qualifying fo r a security clearance. However, dont jump to conclusions about your eligibility. The best thing is to go through the process after you have applied and been accepted for a job. It is always easier to get a job if you have secured a clearance in the past, mostly due to the fact that an employer can be reasonably certain that you will pass the screening. There are some Internet sites that claim they can get you a security clearance before you are even hired for a government job. This is bogus Whatever agency is hiring you will request the background check from the Defense Security Service.

Why Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial for Job Seekers, and How to Increase It

Why Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial for Job Seekers, and How to Increase ItWhy Emotional Intelligence Is Crucial for Job Seekers, and How to Increase It1Looking for work? Then you need to prioritize beefing up your emotional intelligence (EI). A CareerBuilder study of more than 2,600 hiring managers and HR professionals showed that over two-thirds- 71%- value EI even more thanIQ in employees. Three-quarters said theyd be more likely to promote someone who had a high EI once theyre in the job, and over half (59%) said theyd pass on a candidate with a high IQ but low EI.In the study, employers noted a number of reasons why they believe EI is more important for job candidates than IQ, which included that they thought employees with high EI are better at staying calm under pressure, knowing how to effectively resolve conflict, and being empathetic to their team members. And when we look at skills demand, not only is EI in the top 10 according to the World Economic Forums The Future of Jobs Report 2018, but its also identified on the list of trending skills for 2022.Knowing that current employers value EI so highly and that future employers are predicted to care about it just as much, its critical that job seekers first understand what emotional intelligence really is, and then take steps to increase their EI, to help them excel both in interview situations and on the job.Psychology Todaydefines EI as the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others, noting that this includes three complementary skillsAwareness of both your emotions and others emotionsBeing able to geschirr emotions and apply them toward specific tasks like problem-solving and thinkingEmotion management (both regulating your own emotions and helping others manage theirs- for example by cheering them up or calming them down)With this in mind, lets look at some simple strategies that job seekers can implement right away to immediately increase their EIStop talking star t listening.A basic tenet of EI involves learning how to be a better listener. While this advice may seem counterintuitive in an interview situation, it can certainly be applied thoughtfully, so that you demonstrate your EI to the hiring committee through your listening skills while also showcasing your background and experiences. How do you balance these two goals, which may seem on the surface to be at odds? As clinical psychologist and cognitive behaviorist Dr. Jennifer Guttmanexplained in a recent blog post, when you listen to others and discard assumptions that their experiences are the same as your own, you build your ability to empathize and improve your emotional intelligence. Thisin turn makes you someone that other people want to be around, which is your goal when being interviewed.Guttman writes When youre learning about emotional intelligence, its essential to avoid telling people about a similar experience youve had. People tend to not like to have tables turned on them and hear about a similar experience that youve had. You may think it will make them feel validated, but what usually happens is that it makes them feel like either youre not listening or that makes them feel like youre diminishing the importance of an experience theyve had.Dont jump to conclusions.Psychology Todaysingles out learning to manage your own negative emotions as key to increasing EI. This technique can be particularly useful during the job search process, where it can be easy to misinterpret a hiring managers reaction (or lack of reaction) to something you say or do during your communications with the employer.As just one example of how you can avoid being overwhelmed by a negative perception that can cloud your judgment, think about the situation of receiving no feedback after an interview. If you find yourself assuming the worst, having thoughts like, Clearly, theyve chosen another candidate, step back and consider other more positive or neutral options that are just a s likely. Perhaps the manager is simply very busy, and plans to respond when all interviews are completed. The point is to avoid personalizing things that other people do during your job search so that you can be more objective and perceptive.Practice stress management and self-care.People with high EI take proactive steps to avoid being emotionally reactive. This can definitely help during a job search, when stresses and tensions often run high, particularly in high-stakes interactions. Have you ever found yourself projecting visible anxiety during a stressful job interview? Perhaps you become so worried that you start losing your train of thought, or jumping in at the wrong time with your answer to a question.To improve your EI in this area, practice stress relief techniques beforestarting the interview- for example, exercising in the morning, or doing some deep breathing or visualization of success before you enter the conference room. If coffee keys you up too much and makes you act nervous, skip it before your interview. Practice self-care to help you stay on an emotionally even keel during your job search.Emotional intelligence isnt just a nice-to-have skill- it has become a necessity for todays and tomorrows workforce. If you dont feel strong enough in this area, take some time to develop your EI as part of your preparation for your job search.Know someone looking for a job? Refer a friend to with this link- youll get a month free service and theyll get 30% off

Introducing Sign Me up Genius

Introducing Sign Me up Genius Our Genius travel rewards are simple to get, easy to locate and simple to keep. The BMO CashBack Mastercard is an excellent card for anybody who only wants a very simple cash back card with no yearly fee and no minimum revenue requirement. When you use a class access code to make an account, youre automatically enrolled in the training course. Everyone had to observe precisely the same paper announcements. The templates are offered in Microsoft Word so that you do not have to be concerned about the fassonats. Locate the links to all the sessions here. To join extra courses in Schoology, click the Join link in the Courses dropdown menu on top of the webpage. Gold members may use the chat option, whereas Platinum members have access to each one of the different techniques of communication. The Avanti form is about that huge button. With the fundamental plan, youre restricted to filling in the info in a form online, then waiting for an answer to b e emailed to you. Besides gathering information, sign up forms may also be used to collect payments and donations in addition to reserve slots for volunteers. Messy folks are undeniably adaptable. Youre going to be notified as people sign up, and youll be able to specify a reminder for everyone who signs up. And it isnt only the vigilantes wearing masks. Click Register to finish. The Live Online Draft feature lets you pick a complete fantasy group, LIVE, round-by-round in an interactive atmosphere. The draft order thats established in the very first round is going to be the order that picks are selected throughout the full draft. If youd like football, then visit the NFL. Be aware that when youre entering your Offline Draft, all roster spots have to be filled on each individual team before you can initiate the season. You have the capacity to look for players or filter the available players by position so that you are able to make fast, easy and informed decisions to comple te your roster. Hearsay, Lies and Sign Me up Genius Administrators may also configure security settings. Advanced reporting and tracking permits you to find out who has opened their emails together with their click-throughs. Intelligence tests are made to measure an individuals problem-solving and reasoning abilities. Oddly enough, some bodily characteristics make a difference in regards to your intelligence. Maybe you wonder at your own forms of intelligence and the many ways which you could be a genius. Following that, you must conduct your goods research systematically. Locate the correct settings to fit your interests and get started building your winning franchise todayWere not accustomed to pressing square buttons on the internet so you need to be cautious with implementing something similar to this, but I like what theyve done here. The tool is extremely straightforward to use from the get go. A few of these features may have additional possibilities, based on the su bscription plan you select. Our templates arrive in many of unique designs as a way to suite your requirements.

The Writing a Resume for Graduate School Diaries

The Writing a Resume for Graduate School Diaries Life, Death and Writing a Resume for Graduate School Some schools will have specific questions, while others are going to request an overall biography and expect you to understand what things to include. You may be pursuing a masters degree to modify careers and worried you dont have sufficient experience for the program, but there are most likely similarities in the 2 careers youve overlooked. As stated above, you need to highlight yur accomplishments in your resume, and that should assume the large part of the space. Some programs would like you to include only experience applicable to the program, others wish to list all of your work experiences. What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Writing a Resume for Graduate School Depending on the kind of job, youll need to create a studienordnung Vitae (CV) or a resume. Moreover, when you have not already composed an academic CV, nows the ideal time in your career to achieve that. Tailor your CV to the particular program and department to which youre applying. If you wish to be a teacher, youre write a CV, and should you need work professionally, you will write a resume. Also, compare your resume to the writing instructions (should you have any) to be sure you included everything which is required. Begin brainstorming and outlining your own personal statement before you dive in the writing process. Great writing skills are always valued so that your language has to be on point. The very first sentence of your own personal statement is critical, as its the hook that will continue to keep the reader interested and engaged throughout your essay. If theres a length requirement, do what you can to stay within the limit. Also, any extra entries ought to be added in the reverse-chronological purchase. You dont have to fret about your personal details that may be viewed, as we handle the matter on a safe network. Employing a student resume template can hel p you save you time and effort and offer you ideas on which sections to include and the way to complete them as a way to pull in the appropriate employers. It is simpler to edit than write so your goal as you start your admissions essay is to just write as much as possible. Once you get a rough draft of your admissions essay, remember that its a rough draft. At our essay assistance, essays are always delivered in a brief moment. Your admissions essay is like any other essay youve written. Be certain to have a peer or skilled editor check your work to be certain there are no glaring errors or significant room for improvement. On the flip side, perhaps you have little in the manner of paid job experience but lots of volunteer work on your CV. Keep reading to learn our top few strategies for writing a winning high school resume. Some graduate schools might request your complete work experience, though others could suggest that you concentrate on the things closely regarding th e program. New Step by Step Roadmap for Writing a Resume for Graduate School Graduate admissions faculty members will discover that its simpler to scan. Essay requirements will change from school to school, but youre going to probably be requested to write 250750 words. Students often find it useful to review resumes from graduate students who got their very first job beyond academe. On occasion a grad school cover letter may be compulsory exactly like a graduate school resume. Take into consideration the time spent outside of work or school. Your grad school resume is among the vital facets in your grad school application approach. Before you commence writing your graduate school resume, you should go through the prerequisites of the program youre applying to.